Fat loss - HR, & Pwr zones

daveryanwyoming

+ 1 frenchyge

It's basically the same as asking whether you'd rather have 80% of $100 or 60% of $200.....

There's a second benefit of working the higher end of your aerobic range, you get fitter faster and increase your sustainable power for the same perceived effort. IOW over time you put out more power for the same effort. More power held for the same time means more calories burned per hour. Or if all the power talk is confusing, look at any of the on line calories burned while cycling tables like this one: http://www.nutristrategy.com/fitness/cycling.htm the estimate for a 195 pound person riding 14-15.9 mph is 885 calories per hour. The same person riding 16-19 mph burns an estimated 1062 calories per hour. Get fitter, put out the same relative effort and burn more calories per hour by riding faster.

vladav

Look, let's get back to the original post. Prior to the OP I already comprehended/agreed with the "high intensity to lose pounds" approach and kind of expected it to be mentioned here. But I'm not open to using it right now, but should be ready by late December early Jan when the training focus goes up and I'm not off the bike more than 1 day per week.

The reality is that my company is going into a $1.5B merger and I'm stressed out of my gourd. So I don't always have enough left for high intensity anything except for my job, which I hope to keep. In spite of this, I'm determined not to give up on this upcoming season because work-stress kept me from completing my training plan last year and got so discouraged that I didn't enter a single race. I'm not going to repeat that!

So the reality is that while I do:
1) L3-4 2x20s 1-2 times per week
2) a long ride on the weekends 2.5-4h
3) L3 over rolling hills 2-4 times per week
4) I'm left with 2-3 days where I'm just hanging on for dear sanity with low motivation and need something at a lower intensity to increment me closer to my goal, work off stress, and not get sick or burnt out in the process.

I'll say it again: Going off past experience, calorie restriction right now is 'dangerous' for me. I'm very likely to get sick or lose muscle mass.

I really appreciate the advice from the perspective of finding the 'supreme' method for fat loss - but I'm content to stick with a lesser method for now.

Regards,
Dave

daveryanwyoming

So you'd like to lose weight, but you don't want to restrict calories, can't increase workout time and don't want to increase intensity. Something's gotta give if you want to drop weight 'cause it all comes down to calories in vs. calories out and you don't seem to want to change either......

If your current rest days are totally off the bike then adding some low intensity spinning or walking at lunch or anything else that burns a few calories can help but don't expect much if it's a half hour of easy riding or a walk around the block. Not unless you want to match that by cutting a few calories here and there, but it seems you've already decided against that option.

Just remember it takes a 3500 calorie deficit to drop a pound, a half hour of rest day riding might burn 350 calories(assumes a 195 pound rider at ~ 12-14 mph). Don't change anything else in your weekly routine or your caloric intake and you'll drop a pound after 10 of those sessions. The math is pretty easy and it sounds like you've already decided what you will or won't change to accomplish your goal. You've just got to decide if your approach is fast enough to get you where you want to be.

Good luck,
Dave

ric_stern/RST

Dave,

It sounds like you have specific queries and circumstances that you want people to address, rather than general answers about the correct way forward.

So, while there maybe a more correct way forward (as several of us have been explaining), you also need the advice tailoring to you, your circumstances, and your goals. This is now stepping into the area of wanting specific coaching, which, of course some of the coaches (ourselves included) can provide for you.

Ric

__________________
http://www.cyclecoach.com

frenchyge

In that case I'd suggest not trying to put your sanity days into any kind of zone for optimal anything. Go for a stroll, jog, swim, ride around the park, shoot some hoops, work in the garden, whatever you do for fun. It doesn't look like your training is going to suffer for lack of active recovery on the bike.

As far as getting sick or losing muscle mass goes, I think focusing on nutrition will actually help prevent both of those while also encouraging weight loss. Good nutrition is especially important during periods of high physical or mental stress.

Hang in there and good luck with your season.

Jono L

Exactly. Doesn't matter which fuels you burn during excercise. Just leave a deficit and let you body burn the fat while you recover and sleep, easy.

vladav

Ric,
With due respect, you put it exactly reverse. I was asking for a very general question about an old known method, solely seeking activity-specific spin from fellow cyclists. (Should have known it would be like asking the proper way train by the Friel book on the power forum )

Honestly, an effort was made to avoid coaxing free coaching out of you all. I respect the talent and effort that go with it.

In retrospect I can see how it's a boring question which would explain the cutting edge, nuanced, posts from so many. It's understandably irritating to answer a neolithic question. So evidently there's no cycling specific nuance to the old method? I'll just go walking at 65%-75% Max HR using 220-age... that was easy.

Please don't take it as a knock to the advice given. As always it is top notch.

Dave