Burning cals on bike

liamdubh

Badly need to get into some sort of shape. I like cycling but the weather is getting cold now and the evenings are dark so I don't think I could put in the hours necessary to really get fit cycling. I will do a bit of cycling to and from work and go swimming a couple of times per week but I'm too overweight to jog properly so I don't want a treadmill and a rowing machine takes up too much space. I was thinking of buying an exercise bike for my room. I can do all the exercise I need while watching TV.

Does it matter how you burn cals to lose weight?
I need to lose weight on my upper body, stomach and chest area, does it matter that I will be using my legs to burn energy in that respect? Or would a ski-type machine be better?

Is there a feature of some exercise bikes that could give my upper body a slight workout while cycling, or will that come natural with the cycling motion?

Finally, last question, does anybody have any experience with the fold away exercise bike in Argos for 185eur, is it comfortable for long sessions?

Thanks for any replies in advance.

rubadub

Fat will come off all over your body, it will not spot reduce.

I would strongly recommend getting a set of weights- they are fantastic for fat loss. It is low impact so will suit you if overweight. Also while overweight it is possible to add muscle on a calorie deficit diet. Also adding muscle to your upperbody can make you appear less fat- it give you definition, so you even if overwieght you get the upper body of a wrestler/bouncer type, you look "built", and when you do eventually lose more fat you will look atheletic rather than a skinny runt.

If you did 2 hours a week training on the bike vs 2 hours wieghts- you burn around the same calories in the same 2-3 sessions. BUT on the days you are not working out, and after the workout your body goes into overdrive producing muscle- this burns more calories and boosts your metabolism so in the long run it is easier to keep the fat off. The additional muscle you put on requires more caloires per day just to maintain. If you put on 10lb muscle in a year (feasible) you require around 350kcal more per day just to maintain it. That is one other point, if you do weight training do not focus on weight loss as your progress guide, you can lose fat and add muscle at the same rate- weight might not come off- but fat will.

I would recommend this set.

http://www.irish-lifting.com/product_info_equipment.php?cPath=1_15&products_id=260

mack1

Congrats on getting started.
As Rubadub said exercise help you lose fat from all over your body, not just your legs.

Cycling will be good, however, be aware that your body adapts to any form of motion and it becomes less efficient for burning fat (as the body becomes more efficient at doing the motion) so it will be important to mix it up - brisk walk if you cannot jog, row, x-trainer etc.

Also as Rubadub said get some resistance training in there too - weights mixed with cardio is MUCH better than just cardio for far loss, you'll really notice the difference big time.

but, I think the most important thing for fat loss is your diet!
what is your diet like?

liamdubh

Thanks for the info.

Weight training was actually stage 2 of my plan to get into shape. Somebody told me not to bother with weights until I had got down to a proper weight. I have 2.5 stone to lose to get down to a healthy weight (I'm 6'3"). You obviously think it would be worth adding in a couple of sessions per week of weights, if it burns as many cals as you say and costs that much to maintain it sounds like a good idea. I have access to a decent weights bench in the house.

liamdubh

My diet was really crap and along with doing practically no physical exercise for the last year it's the reason I'm way overweight. But now I've cut out all chocolate, sweets, sugar in my tea, fizzy drinks, take away foods. I've cut everything down to 3 meals per day and I'm eating 4/5 pieces of fruit per day outside of that if I want something else. I have a small bowl of cereal in the morning with tea (or if not cereal a yogurt). A couple of brown bread sandwhiches with cheese and ham for lunch, with a yogurt maybe, a cup of soup (not great I know) and a cup of tea. And for dinner I'll have a couple of potatoes with meat or fish, with some veg, I will have butter. And if not that I'll have some lasange or pasta. As for alcohol, I would drink about 8-10 (x 500ml of beer) or 1.5 bottles of wine in a week, at most.

Some of that might not sound great but compared to my previous diet it's a massive improvement. I will sit down this week and work out my cal intake versus what I will be doing on the bike and with weights and see what the difference is, if I need to cut down more I will but I don't want to go completely overboard with the diet.

If I'm turning fat to muscle with weights, what foods will make that process easier?

Anthony_1980

i got a trainer for my bike

all it does is , you clip ur back wheel of teh bike into a clamp like thing and you can yse your own bike as excercise and the trainer is portable

pm me for details

mack1

liamdubh wrote: »

If I'm turning fat to muscle with weights, what foods will make that process easier?

You won't actually be "turning" fat into muscle, you must lose the fat and gain the muscle. Fat is lost through a kcal deficit and muscle is gained through lifting heavy things, feeding the muscle and resting it.

Your diet is not optimal, but I guess it is an improvement! Good first step by cutting out the crap, make sure you are getting plenty of veg (not just at dinner) in there and your healthy fats (I dont see any).

You mentioned a "small" bowl of cereal for breakfast, a lot of people, for some reason, when cutting down make their breakfast smaller and keep dinner as a big meal - I don't know why, breakfast will be used throughout the day while dinner is only needed for a few hrs - I think breakfast should be a big meal - and unless you train late dinner should be smaller.

Also - 8-10 bottles of beer a week is quite a lot, beer is very high in kcals and carbs. I'm not suggesting you become a pioneer or anything, but just something you may want to think about!

Best of luck!

rubadub

liamdubh wrote: »

Somebody told me not to bother with weights until I had got down to a proper weight.

Bullsh!t to be honest. There is no need to wait. There are more benefits by starting now. You will be probably on a calorie deficit to lose weight along with cardio. In this case you risk loosing muscle along with fat unless you do weights/resistance training. As you are already overweight you are in effect already "weight training" by carrying around a larger load than average, so you should keep the muscle you have at least, and hopefully add more.

You can work out your calorie needs here
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=50956807&postcount=4
and do not guess portions, get a small digital scale for €20.

I have 2.5 stone to lose to get down to a healthy weight (I'm 6'3")

Also do not equate "ideal" weights with health. Some of the fittest guys on here would be classed as overweight or obese due to their additional muscle. Take photos and measurements to track progress, check you clothing fits too as change is gradual. You could very well get heavier and thinner at the same time.

Aim for 6 meals a day, this increases your metabolism.

liamdubh

Thanks for the advice. Been reading a bit more about diet, will work some fats in there and cut out pasta. Started weights today too.