Why don't I lose weight when I ride my bike all the time?


 I read this article over the weekend and I've been thinking about it ever since. I'm trying something new - integrating different types of exercise as well as more interval work on the bike and reducing calories to try to break through the plateau I've been on. 

The challenge of having our bodies adapt to the routine:

The challenge of trying to lose weight just by exercising more is no secret to some clinicians. "This study actually explains a phenomenon that I see quite commonly," said Dr. Holly F. Lofton, director of the Medical Weight Management Program at NYU Langone Medical Center.

"I see patients training for a marathon and they ask me, 'Why am I not losing weight?' " even though they are exercising more and eating the same number of calories, Lofton said.

People who are increasing their exercise within a less ambitious range, such as going from being sedentary to walking or going from walking to jogging a few miles a day, will probably increase the number of calories they burn proportionally. But "over time, as you do higher levels of activity, you don't increase your energy expenditure [or calories burned] in a linear way," she said.

Reduction of calories:

Basically, if we don't reduce calories, our bodies adapt to the routine and we hit a plateau. 

The recommendation to cross-train:

"If you run all the time, try biking or swimming, and if you bike, try running or swimming, because using different muscles can increase your energy expenditure again," Lofton said. "It may also be possible to decrease and then increase your activity again and get an increase [in calorie burning]," she said.

And if you think you can necessarily rely on your Fitbit or other device to tell you how many calories you burned, think again: We probably burn proportionally fewer calories as we exercise above a certain level of intensity.

"Activity monitors are going to be wrong at predicting energy expenditure because they aren't incorporating this adaptation," Pontzer said. 

 Full article: http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/28/health/weight-loss-exercise-plateau/


 It's so much easier to jump on the bike every day as a routine. I love that I can get on the trainer and watch tv or a movie without having to go to the gym. I've been trying to introduce some weight training into my routine as well as a few more types of cardio workouts that don't involve a bike.

Have you hit a plateau? Or have you managed to power through it? What's worked for you?

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Permalink Reply by JeffB on February 3, 2016 at 6:46am

This has happened to me too. I'm actually gaining weight, bit by bit. I ride at least 14 miles everyday, and also work out in the gym at work 2-3 times a week, varying the area of my body that I focus on each time.

I'm sure it has to do with my diet and the lack of real intensity in my workout. I need to get into a class or something so someone is pushing me. I took a free cardio high intensity interval class a while back and it kind of kicked my ass. 

Turning 50 probably hasn't helped. Just a few years ago I used to eat out much more and eat as much pie and ice cream as I wanted and still keep a steady weight, but my metabolism has slowed. I don't do the long weekend rides as much as I used to either. I've cut down on the sweets significantly and the only bread I eat is a sandwich at lunch, but haven't seen a difference. Now I need to cut down on the beer and wine.

Permalink Reply by Jim Reho on February 3, 2016 at 11:11am

I know what you're talking about, although I'm not as active as you are.  It's all about metabolism slowing as you age.  Weight boils down to a simple matter of how many calories you consume versus how many you burn.  I am always struggling to exercise a little more and eat less and healthier, just to stay at the same weight.  Then there's the problem of losing muscle mass, which also creeps up as we age.  When I recently started a modest diet regime, I realized quickly that I was a dairyholic.  Every night I would have a pint of whole milk before going to bed.  Plus, I love cheevil (a/k/a cheese).  It's like Whack-A-Mole.  You give up calories in one area and your body wants to increase its intake in another.  Also, I recently started baking my own bread, which now poses a constant temptation.  It's hard to make good low-carb bread that doesn't have the consistency of a sponge.  

Our bodies love those fats and carbs.  It also doesn't help that the alcohol content of various craft brews seems to be escalating.  They're dangerous to drink in more ways than one.  Finally, there's genetics.  Damn those genetics.  They're always causing trouble.      

Permalink Reply by Jim Reho on February 3, 2016 at 5:36pm

Thanks, George.  And don't worry.  For me, cycling fun is #1, period! 

Permalink Reply by Mike Schwab on February 3, 2016 at 6:48am

One or two days a week, do interval training.  I. E. from stops ride hard for 30 seconds to 2 minutes, then easy for 2-4 minutes.  Stop after 30 -60 minutes, or allow for 10 minutes cool down before the end of your trip.

Permalink Reply by Gene Tenner on February 3, 2016 at 12:59pm

I gave up grains (wheat, corn and rice) and I lost weight, and others whom I know have had the same results. What's left is generally healthy for you: protein, vegetables and fruits. The more it is processed, the worse it is for you.

Permalink Reply by Irvin Steinert on February 3, 2016 at 3:48pm

Stop eating sweets. You'll feel better too. Too much sugar in the American diet. Don't worry about fat. If you quit the sugar you will gradually start balancing the diet correctly. Eventually healthy food will taste amazing!

Permalink Reply by Irvin Steinert on February 3, 2016 at 3:50pm

Oh, and keep riding!

Permalink Reply by Joe Guzzardo on February 3, 2016 at 7:42pm

I'm sure we've all heard about sitting is the new smoking. I got a stand-up desk at work and I love it. I haven't ridden all winter and I've put on about 5 pounds since I stopped riding regularly last December. I expected it to be worse. I'm confident that once I start riding regularly again (thanks Phil), I can get rid of at least that amount. 

They say even if you hit the gym hard and regularly, it won't make up for the hours you spend all day sitting down. We're ambulatory creatures by design. We were built to move. I'd read that when we were principally an agrarian society, people were on their feet all day. Now granted, we didn't have all the highly processed food back then that we do today, either. 

I've found too, that when I eat more healthily, I actually eat less. I think we tend to overeat because our body is telling us it needs nutrition, but satisfying hunger, or worse, a craving,  is not the same thing as fulfilling the nutritional requirements our body is really seeking. We have to tune out the internal cravings and external cultural indoctrinations that have led us collectively to the state where over two thirds of Americans are either overweight or obese. 

Excuse me, my fridge is calling my name again. I still have half an apple pie in there that's been eyeing me seductively for a few days now and I better eat it before it starts growing hair. Horrifically, we ran out of ice cream on the first half. I may have to start drinking again to relieve the stress. Got milk?

Permalink Reply by Kimberly on February 4, 2016 at 4:48am
Hi,

We do know some things about the human diet. It was different in different places because humans adapt to the environment. Read some insight from some anthropologists:
https://www.good.is/articles/good-asks-the-experts-is-the-paleolith...



Kimberly
Permalink Reply by Gene Tenner on February 4, 2016 at 8:36am

Exercise has its limits for shedding pounds, study finds

That daily 5-mile run may not be burning as many calories as you think, a new study suggests.

In fact, the researchers found, moderate exercise — the equivalent of walking a couple miles a day — may be the best way to burn extra calories. Beyond that, the body seems to adapt its metabolism so that calorie-burning plateaus, no matter how hard you work out.

http://www.thechainlink.org/forum/topics/article-answering-the-ques...

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