Would you attempt Mont Ventoux or Alpe d’Huez with a bowling ball stuffed in your jersey’s back pocket? I didn’t think so. Neither would I.
The thought makes my kneecaps ache. Lumbar vertabrae, too. The painful reality of extra weight at the start of the year prompted Project 1 Stone. I set out to methodically shed 14 pounds, the English equivalent of 1 stone. Fourteen pounds is 6.35kg. Almost two months since setting the goal, I’m more than halfway. Nearly 10 pounds. Gone. Shazam! By the end of June (and Climb to Kaiser), I should be there–possibly ahead of schedule. If you’re doing any major climbing this cycling season, dropping body weight is the fastest way to improve. Generating big sustainable wattage only takes you so far into the sky. Especially if you’re Masters age or more.
It’s hard to compare your body’s ability to crank pedal power now to what you could in your mid-20s, all things being equal. Unless you’re already at 5 percent body fat, or still incredibly fit in your 30s, the simple act of ingesting fewer calories delivers immediate results. It doesn’t involve starving or following the latest fad diet. A few dietary (and lifestyle) changes I’ve made are already proving out. Within the last two weeks, I’ve noticed the ability to ride longer with less fatigue and less soreness the next day. My mileage year-to-date rivals that of 2009. But overall, I have fewer rides logged. I’m not a slave to my Garmin. I first looked at the cumlative numbers for 2010 last week. Rather than be obssessed with the odometer, I’ve re-focused my attention on the engine. A few key things along the way:
- Ride long. Sleep longer.
- Nothing but fruit after 5 p.m.
- Weigh yourself every day. Same time. Same scale.
- Ditch Coca-Cola (thanks, Chris Horner)
- Don’t deprive yourself.
A few other ideas for the highly creative could include manscaping, weighing yourself only after 100-mile rides and an hour in a dry sauna, or going full South Beach Diet. Why I raise the first option: During recovery repeats this past Sunday, I forced myself to keep my heart rate between 140-150 bpm on 5X climbs of Scripps Poway Parkway. This meant climbing about 1-2 mph slower than usual. It also meant a gentlemen in a sleeveless jersey with massive hair growth on his back and shoulders earned the right to ask “How’s it going?” as he slowly passed on my left side. “Great,” I responded. I’ll bet you a Power Bar he could have laid me to waste more convincingly had he shed that forest of follicles. But that’s just me having an lol moment. I didn’t counter-attack. I didn’t provoke a reaction. I let him throw me a “look.” And I focused on the engine, continuing to burn fat. Got to stay true to the plan for Climb to Kaiser. How about you? How’s your training regimen going?
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“Forest of follicles”…hilarious!
Congrats on the weight loss so far. I’m terrible at not getting enough sleep. It’s a carryover from living on four hours or less for so long while in the military. I need to force myself to go to bed earlier. I had always heard it’s bad to weigh yourself everyday because of the fluctuations you can see on a daily basis.
My training regime has yet to kick in. I’m just now getting over some kind of flu that has tore me up pretty good. I hope to be back on the bike in the next couple of days.
I started getting serious last October, but didn’t really start seeing results until mid-February (bought a new-to-me bike in late December). I’ve lost 10lbs, too! One stone seems like a good goal.
I was attributing my new-found hill-climbing abilities to increased strength, but lost weight … yeah, hadn’t really thought about that!
After battling a bad cold which seemed to never truly go away, I am starting to feel better. After getting up at 4am, working a half a day till 11:30am, lunch, a sub sandwitch, pepsi, chips, I went for a good 2 hour 40 minute ride into a fierce wind. The ride included one steep short hill, and I mean steep, then a gradual incline on new chip and seal rough road into a direct high wind. The very last section I had a that same strong wind at my back and this is where I time trialed my ass off. No matter how many miles I ride, my weight remains the same. My frame seems muscular enough, which is what I here from my friend Lea Anne, ha! but for me, I have that constant unflattering bulge. I tried one of the beach body workouts and could hardly walk for a week, but it seemed a bit intense. I tried the gym, weights, trying to increase strength and core fitness along with swimming, but I almost hurt my knees pushing too hard. So, my plan is to try to drink more water at work. I’m terrible about drinking too much coffee with sugar at work. I don’t hydrate enough. I don’t eat enough fresh vegetables. My plan: more nutritous food, more water, more bike time/ miles on varied terrain & conditions, wind , hills, long easy rides. More sleep. I try to get to bed by 8:30 and I am trying to eat better at work. Hopefully it will balance out. I’m riding the Joe Martin in May. It is a very torturous, hilly course. I think I may be insane!
Rickie
Michael, best of luck with your season objectives. You’re coming along nicely, from the sound of it. Thanks for the comment and visit to BC.
Sleep is underrated as a helpful weight loss tool. I think it’s very true, that the less we sleep, the harder it is to satisfy “hunger” — real or perceived. If you get a chance to log big miles, I guarantee, you’ll improve the odds of nailing some deep, long sleep. Thanks for coming by. Best wishes.