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Clyde Advice

Old 05-08-07, 02:08 PM
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Clyde Advice

I'm a 6' 250# clyde with about 1.5 years of riding (1800 miles in my first year). I have greatly increased my cardiovascular health (no more HBP meds for me!) but I have only lost about 10 pounds. I haven't changed my diet much.

From some recent reading, I have learned that I usually ride anaerobically, huffing my way along at a fairly good pace (I like speed). So, on to my questions: On diet, is it more caloric intake or should there be some magic protien/carb/fat ratio? And, how can I judge when I'm riding aerobically for maximum fat burning and for what distance/time should I ride aerobically each day?
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Old 05-08-07, 02:19 PM
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Get a heart monitor. Once you calculate your resting pulse you can figure out where your maximum fat burning range should be. It'll tel you when you go over vs under vs staying in that range. There was a thread on this somewhere but I think it got lost.

Here's some information I remember digging up here that I've been following:

Heart Rate Training Zones

Heart rate training zones are calculated by taking into consideration your Maximum Heart Rate (MHR) and your Resting Heart Rate (RHR). Within each training zone subtle physiological effects take place to enhance your fitness.

The Energy Efficient or Recovery Zone - 60% to 70%

Training within this zone develops basic endurance and aerobic capacity. All easy recovery running should be completed at a maximum of 70%. Another advantage to running in this zone is that while you are happily fat burning you may lose weight and you will be allowing your muscles to re-energise with glycogen, which has been expended during those faster paced work-outs. Check out the Fat burning zone page.

The Aerobic Zone - 70% to 80%

Training in this zone will develop your cardiovascular system. The body's ability to transport oxygen to, and carbon dioxide away from, the working muscles can be developed and improved. As you become fitter and stronger from training in this zone it will be possible to run some of your long weekend runs at up to 75%, so getting the benefits of some fat burning and improved aerobic capacity.

The Anaerobic Zone - 80% to 90%

Training in this zone will develop your lactic acid system. In this zone your individual anaerobic threshold is found - sometimes referred to the point of deflection (POD). During these heart rates the amount of fat being utilised as the main source of energy is greatly reduced and glycogen stored in the muscle is predominantly used. One of the by-products of burning this glycogen, is the runners worst enemy, lactic acid. There is a point at which the body can no longer remove the lactic acid from the working muscles quickly enough. This happens at an individual heart rate for us all and is accompanied by a rapid rise in heart rate and a slowing of your running pace. This is your anaerobic threshold or POD. Through the correct training it is possible to delay the POD by being able to increase your ability to deal with the lactic acid for a longer period of time or by pushing the POD higher.

The Red Line Zone 90% to 100%

Training in this zone will only be possible for short periods of time. It effectively trains your fast twitch muscle fibres and helps to develop speed. This zone is reserved for interval running and only the very fit are able to train effectively within this zone.

Resting Heart Rate

To determine your resting heart rate (RHR) is very easy. Find somewhere nice and quite, lie down and relax. Position a watch or clock where you can clearly see it whilst lying down. After 20 minutes remain where you are, do not sit up, and determine your pulse rate (beats/min). Use this value as your RHR.

If you have a heart rate monitor then put it on before you lie down. After the 20 minutes check the recordings and identify the lowest value achieved. Use this value as your RHR.

As you get fitter your heart becomes more efficient at pumping blood around the body. As a result you will find your resting heart rate gets lower so you will need to check your RHR on a regular basis (e.g. Monthly).
Calculation of a zone value

The calculation of a zone value, X%, is performed in the following way:

* Subtract your RHR from your MHR giving us your working heart rate (WHR)
* Calculate the required X% on the WHR giving us "Z"
* Add "Z" and your RHR together to give us the final value

Example : The athlete's MHR is 180 and their RHR is 60 - determine the 70% value

* MHR - RHR = 180 - 60 = 120
* 70% of 120 = 84
* 84 + RHR = 84 + 60 = 144 bpm
My HRM has only three zones, I've set the middle zone for between 65% and 85% of maximum. That way I know the middle range will be mostly fat burning with a little bit of rocovery and anaerobic. On my mtb more than half my (2.5-3 hr) rides would be above 85% - was killing myself and not really doing anything productive. I'd pull back and found I was able to go faster, longer and found the results better.
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Old 05-08-07, 02:29 PM
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Originally Posted by Alasdair
I'm a 6' 250# clyde with about 1.5 years of riding (1800 miles in my first year). I have greatly increased my cardiovascular health (no more HBP meds for me!) but I have only lost about 10 pounds. I haven't changed my diet much.

From some recent reading, I have learned that I usually ride anaerobically, huffing my way along at a fairly good pace (I like speed). So, on to my questions: On diet, is it more caloric intake or should there be some magic protien/carb/fat ratio? And, how can I judge when I'm riding aerobically for maximum fat burning and for what distance/time should I ride aerobically each day?
OK, lets address the issues one at a time:

Aerobic vs Anaerobic exercise: Aerobic = greater fat burning capability, save anaerobic for race training and race day. Target Heart rate zone for aerobic is 60-70% MaxHR. This is a variable that is affected my age. The basic formula is 200-your age*0.65=aerobic exercise level

Caloric intake: about 500 below your average needs

Protein: Under hard exercise, you will need 1.5 grams protein per Kg of body mass, on a descending scale as you lose weight to a MINIMUM of 65 grams protein/day. That is a minimum and you will likely want more, the minimum will just keep your hair from falling out and your nails getting brittle and your belly from swelling from protein deficiency.

Prot/Carb/Fat ratio:40%/20%/40% and adjust as necessary if you start feeling sick or start bonking hard on a ride. In a bonk, supplement with glucose or Maltodextrin or a combo. Hydrate heavily, as you can damage your kidneys from this protein level from Uric acid content and fractional protein residues in the urine. You will pee the color of Bock beer if you don't hydrate enough. You want a minimum of 64 oz for normal daily activities and more as your activities go up. Milk is a great hydrater and you can supplement your protein intake with a blend of 1% milk augmented with dry powdered milk (1 cup powdered milk/gallon of 1% and 2 scoops of whey protein/glass added and blended. Don't drink it before exercise though and do drink it within a 2 hour window after exercise.

Multivitamin: Absolutely necessary. A children's chewable at adult dosage is the most metabolizable and will help with those "Sweets" cravings!

If you aren't whupped at the end of your ride, then you didn't push to the limit, but that's also OK, as you want to keep it fun. You know it'll be time to up the speed and distance when it gets easy and you have trouble getting the HR up to aerobic levels.

Now, this isn't specific medical advice, I'm not a doctor. It's the result of my experience with MY body. I would also suggest you consult with your doctor for a specific regimen.
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Old 05-08-07, 07:05 PM
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The most important thing is to enjoy your riding. If you don't enjoy it, you won't keep doing it and as far as I'm concerned, a year of happy riding is better than deciding it's all too hard and painful after a month or two.

I'm just coming out of a quiet month. It started with an impressive prang at 30km/hr (face first onto bitumen - the term 'ouch' was used repeatedly). Apart from letting the various bits that hurt stop hurting, I also found I wasn't as keen to rush out into dark nights and cold rain as I'd been earlier. Nor did long rides have much appeal. So I just did a few quiet, slowish rides and now, a bit over a month later, I can feel a return of the urge for more extravagent riding (ie, my son rolls his eyes and tells me I'm insane).

But yeah, a HR monitor is a fun toy and a very useful tool. You won't regret buying one.

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Old 05-08-07, 09:25 PM
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Originally Posted by Tom Stormcrowe
Now, this isn't specific medical advice, I'm not a doctor.
But he did spend a night in a Holiday Inn Express once.

I have found that if I want to lose more weight with my riding, I have to force myself to stay in the 60-70% range. I been riding my hybrid several days a week to accomplish this, as I don't get the speed out of it that I do on my road bike so it makes it a lot easier to do. My normal range lately seems to be in the 75 to 85% range which has been great for my aerobic health, but not for my weight loss.
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Old 05-09-07, 05:53 AM
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Funny thing - my mtb made me work so much harder that I was over half the time working in that 80-100% range. The roadbike keeps me in the middle for longer stretches of time.
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