It's killing me but..........

Originally Posted by kmavm

Other way 'round. It's not that training less makes you lose weight; it's that you eat less, and therefore lose weight, but with the unintentional consequence of training less voluminously, but hopefully just as intensely, if not more so. Note that training less isn't always a bad thing; the first few weeks I tried this program, my performance improved; you'll notice that "train less, but intensely" is exactly what people tapering to peak for a big event attempt to do.

In my mind, step 1 is "eat 500 fewer calories per day." Do it by whatever combination of increased activity and reduced eating you find effective; I, and at least some others, have found that only reduced eating really makes a difference, but perhaps your experience will be more like RDO's.

This 500kcal/day deficit absolutley will get you losing 1lb per week. If it seems like it isn't, well, consider that your body turns over about 14lbs of total material every day (food, fiber, and water), so it's easy for the scale to miss a pound due to GI tract contents, hydration, etc. So don't worry about the scale, at least not day-to-day. Focus on that deficit.

A consequence of that deficit will be that it will take you a little while longer to recover from intense workouts. While this has a little something to do with hormone balances and blah blah blah, for the most part, it's simple glycogen depletion. Your muscles need to use high-quality fuel, stored in the muscle tissue itself, to perform well near threshold. When you work out near threshold, you deplete those stores, and only feeding replenishes them. Since you're feeding less, it takes longer to replenish them.

Again, realistically we're not talking about a huge effect; it probably takes a few hours longer to recover than it would ordinarily, so the worst case impact on a high-intensity training regime should be one less day of intervals per week. If you're already taking easy days between interval days, then you might not notice any difference in your ability to train hard at all.

Originally Posted by kmavm

Other way 'round. It's not that training less makes you lose weight; it's that you eat less, and therefore lose weight, but with the unintentional consequence of training less voluminously, but hopefully just as intensely, if not more so. Note that training less isn't always a bad thing; the first few weeks I tried this program, my performance improved; you'll notice that "train less, but intensely" is exactly what people tapering to peak for a big event attempt to do.

In my mind, step 1 is "eat 500 fewer calories per day." Do it by whatever combination of increased activity and reduced eating you find effective; I, and at least some others, have found that only reduced eating really makes a difference, but perhaps your experience will be more like RDO's.

This 500kcal/day deficit absolutley will get you losing 1lb per week. If it seems like it isn't, well, consider that your body turns over about 14lbs of total material every day (food, fiber, and water), so it's easy for the scale to miss a pound due to GI tract contents, hydration, etc. So don't worry about the scale, at least not day-to-day. Focus on that deficit.

A consequence of that deficit will be that it will take you a little while longer to recover from intense workouts. While this has a little something to do with hormone balances and blah blah blah, for the most part, it's simple glycogen depletion. Your muscles need to use high-quality fuel, stored in the muscle tissue itself, to perform well near threshold. When you work out near threshold, you deplete those stores, and only feeding replenishes them. Since you're feeding less, it takes longer to replenish them.

Again, realistically we're not talking about a huge effect; it probably takes a few hours longer to recover than it would ordinarily, so the worst case impact on a high-intensity training regime should be one less day of intervals per week. If you're already taking easy days between interval days, then you might not notice any difference in your ability to train hard at all.

Originally Posted by Sillyoldtwit

And that is true. I guess I'll have to be satisfied with just increasing my power and let the weight take care of itself.

Originally Posted by kmavm

I think you're making a wise decision. It's better to be strong than small, and you're obviously going to get a lot stronger before you start plateauing.

Originally Posted by Sillyoldtwit

Interesting, but what do you base this assertion on? Everyone I assume has a plateau and I might have just about reached mine. Who knows!

Originally Posted by a5hi5m

When you do reach it, droping even a little bit of weight, but maintaining strength should still help your climbing with an improved power:weight ratio.

Ash

Originally Posted by Sillyoldtwit

Interesting, but what do you base this assertion on? Everyone I assume has a plateau and I might have just about reached mine. Who knows!

Originally Posted by netscriber

Hey Tyson, if you have your weekly power numbers for your 2x20s can you please list them from the beginning? I am curious about the rate of improvement. If you can also remind me how often are you doing the 2x20's or anything else? IOW, your current training plan.

Thank you in advance. You are infact turning into quite an inspiration for us inconsistent fellas like me.

Originally Posted by curlew

Tyson-
Kill the thread????? I hope not. I am one of the "lurkers" who has gained so much from this thread. I hope you keep the converation going. The annual Tuesday night group ride started tonight and I skipped it and went out and did my 2X30's at L4 instead. Based on what I have gained from your conversations with RadDaddyo and others I am much better at focusing and structuring my training time. Just like you I am seeing regular, steady progress that surpasses the improvements I made last year when I saw group rides as the optimal training situation. Because I structured my training all winter I am stronger now at the start of this season than I was at the end of last season. Where will we be by the end of the summer!!!

Originally Posted by Sillyoldtwit

As there are probably other lurkers out there, I guess I have to continue bugging RD then!

Originally Posted by RapDaddyo

I don't want to go into details yet, but let me give you a preview of coming attractions. There is a largely separate energy system you have not even begun to train. That's what's next after you shatter the 200w FT barrier. In fact, you will probably use this other energy system to finish off your young friend after you've softened him up pretty good with your new FT. Stay tuned.

Originally Posted by Sillyoldtwit

Coincidentally he called me and said what about a ride. I half told a lie and said I was too busy to arrange an exact time but will be OK for a ride in May. So there we are RD we have 2/3 weeks to get me up to scratch.

Originally Posted by Sillyoldtwit

I think I'd better establish my new FT next Tuesday. It will be tough but I think I can do it. Btw does 1x5 @180W plus 1x55 @200 W count? No rest of course.