Low carb cycling?

[kacie tri-ing]

I would rethink that if you are doing any kind of longer riding. Carbohydrates have to be the basis of any athletic diet. Now the KIND of carbohydrate can certainly influence your weight.

Check out this article, and really anything else by Nancy Clark!

http://www.jeffgalloway.com/nutritio...confusion.html

[ny biker]

I would rethink that if you are doing any kind of longer riding. Carbohydrates have to be the basis of any athletic diet. Now the KIND of carbohydrate can certainly influence your weight.

Check out this article, and really anything else by Nancy Clark!

http://www.jeffgalloway.com/nutritio...confusion.html

I agree. If you're gaining weight then focus on how much you're eating. I think it's fairly common to overestimate the amount of food you need for recovery after long rides.

[TrekTheKaty]

What kind of carbs? Do you mean sugar or grains? Maybe try making homemade granola bars or energy bars? (I know there is a Nancy Clark recipe). Cut the sugar in half if that's your concern.

I started making the Garmin rice cakes last year--good carbs instead of candy bars.

[KnottedYet]

I'd love to gain 12 pounds of muscle every riding season....

[maillotpois]

I agree. If you're gaining weight then focus on how much you're eating. I think it's fairly common to overestimate the amount of food you need for recovery after long rides.

Huge point here - I think most of the calories that should be cut to lose weight should come from your off bike fueling window. You need a good 300 - 500 calories within 30 minutes of riding, but beyond that - the extra slice of pizza and extra beer "because I rode today" is what is going to sabotage your weight loss efforts. Don't cut calories during your rides. Cut them after.

- MP (who knows what she needs to do to lose weight but just really doesn't care right now )

[Grits]

I also have trouble losing or even maintaining weight while I am cycling frequently. I know I unconsciously justify overeating because I need to "fuel my ride."

I have recently started a food journal with calorie count based on Nancy Clark's "The Cyclists Food Guide." I don't believe she would be very supportive of low carb diets, but would encourage healthy whole grains and fruits, just not empty carbs. She gives you a formula for figuring a rough estimate of the base calories you need for daily living (which you can also easily find online on many different websites) and then a formula to figure what additional calories you need for riding based on your weight and average speed and time in the saddle. If you want to lose weight at a healthy pace and maintain your metabolism and energy level, you then decrease those calories by 20%.

I'm not counting carbs or anything other than calories because I just don't like to do that. Calories are about all I can handle. I have cut out refined flour and am eating more lean protein and whole grains. No junk.

It has been very helpful to me to have a guideline for how much extra I need to eat on riding days. For example, a 140 lb person cycling at 13mph for 2 hours needs an additional 980 calories. If you are trying to lose weight, reduce that by 20% and add an additional 784 calories to your base
amount that day. I have just started doing this so can't report results yet, but it has to be better than what I have been doing! This Friday will be my official weekly weigh in, and the first since I have done some riding, so we'll see then.

[azfiddle]

I have never tried a low-carb diet, but maybe my experience will be helpful.

I have lost a total of 35 lbs since Jan 2009, 23 of them since starting cycling in the summer. In July I was only riding 3 miles to the store, and gradually increased my time and distances. I'm using weightwatchers, which uses "points" - based on calories, fiber and fat but basically it's about 60 calories per point. For my weight, I'm allowed 18 points a day, plus 35 extra points per week. Cycling or other exercise adds in "activity points". One activity point is worth about 100 calories burned during exercise. I don't worry about carbs, protein etc but I have cut back on sweets, and eat more things like oatmeal, whole grain pasta, lean protein, fruit and veggies.

Currently, I'm riding 50-100 miles per week (about 4-8 hours), depending on my schedule & the weather. If I ride 45-90 minutes, I might allow myself 2-4 extra points for the day. If I ride 2-3 hours, I will allow myself as much as 8-10 extra points, but I almost never dip into the activity points by the end of the week. I keep my ride snacks small, and most of the extra points come from extra snacks after my ride and slightly bigger lunch or dinner. I try to think of the ride as burning more calories - not as an excuse to eat more.

It's working for me, but the essential ingredients have been careful tracking of everything I eat and adding in the regular exercise.

[TrekTheKaty]

Ditto Nancy Clark--excellent recipes in her books.

[bikerHen]

Cut down on the beer?!

I've got Nancy Clark's book. You want to borrow it?

+1 on not needing to eat as much. Especially the next day when I'm typically starving. I spend the whole day focusing on trying NOT to eat. bikerHen