How a tubsy could WW his bike.

[DMF]

Just FWIW, try ditching some 80-90% of your carb intake, and replace with proteins and fibers. Don't do too much high intensitity training during this period, and give it about 3-4 months. You'll easily loose 15-20kg! Replace all bread, rice, pasta, potatoes and wheat with things like beans, meat, fish and vegetables.

This is not LCHF, don't fill up on energy rich stuff like animal fat and avoid as much sugar as possible. And don't give me crap about needing energy for work. This is how I loose my 'winter coat', and I'm a hard working construction worker. Müsli for breakfast is btw a terrible idea, eat something with a lot more fibers.

Oh, and read the labels on food! There is sugar injected into pretty much everything, and I even mean plain frozen chicken! Buy fresh food.

[HammerTime2]

On a proportional basis (bike as a portion of bike plus rider weight), your bike at 18.8 pounds is already deep into WW territory relative to a 10 to 12 stone bloke.

[hanzo111]

Thanks Guys,

I eat meusli because it gives me the slow energy release I need for my job. My legs ache often after work, and i often have a nap and have little energy in the evening unless i'm determined. With a desk job I'd be in the gym everyday and take an evening ride too. So tiring as my job is, it doesn't sadly make me loose weight. Ergo, I'm cursed with a slow metabolism. I was a v.heavy baby too, and i'm 6ft 1.

Still, i enjoy reading about ultra lightweight stuff without jealousy or resentment, and feel this is far and away the best cycling site i have ever found, and your generosity with pic's and interesting snippets is greatly appreciated. Keep up the sublime work.

Try the 6 pack abs 6 minute meals program, You will eat 6 meals a day and you metabolism will fly!! I am in crazy fit shape and do not look like a stick, I follow it and it even got rid of my intestinal issues.


As for the bike? Not sure what to tell you, just get what works for now then when you drop some pounds you will be ready to WW all you want


Hanzo

[ticou]

Thanks for that Hammer, a large 61cm steel bike can be proud of that weight I guess.

To answer the other replies, I could change from meusli to, say Weetabix-any ideas?- and I will cut down on my bread, albeit it I only eat granary, and hit the oranges and bananas more.

I have the build of a rugby player, and that ain't gonna change;I'm large boned, but not obese, and I have a base level of fitness or I wouldn't be able to do my job or stay on the 50 all the time, nearly.

I'm loath to alter my 2011 Chorus-why change perfection, unless it's with R or SR?. I can't blame my rear Elite for showing a crack; it's an almost racing wheel and i've used it nearly everyday- you can do that with a steel frame-and it's taken a tremendous pounding from the roads i'm forced to use. I like the idea of Stans Alpha's with record hubs- an elderly gent said you could spin them for 5 mins with v.little force-but I don't think Stans are sold in the UK, although there are some very svelte bike shops within 15-20 miles so i'll ask. The good thing about OP's is you can true 'em v. easily, an i've used 'em back in the day when they were the default rim. I don't think the Tune mig/mag would last 5 mins, but I like 'em all the same. Dash? Only in me dreams.

I train for the cols by simulating a mountain pass on a gym bike 4x a week for about an hour,for about 2 months, and then do a couple of 100 milers with, ahem, climbing;Box Hill is practically flat, so expect a sprinter to win the
Olympic road race. There are one or two 20% ers near my route but that's all and their quite secluded and out of the way. And yes I do want to lose weight and that's why I'm looking at the gym bike well ahead of my normal time. When I get my replacement Elite rear it's going to see scant use. I'll probably put some Formula 1 ceramics in 'em all the same, unless someone knows a better ceramic ( don't say Cult please!).

Many thanks for all the replies.

[DMF]

Weetabix?! Are you serious? Lay off the high-energy food completely unless just before/during/after training... even wholegrain oatmeal is somewhat high-energy. Eggs without the yoke is a great source of high protein/low fat/low energy breakfast. Bananas are very, very, very high in calories, and oranges are full of sugar, as are most sweet fruits - not very healthy snacks. Try vedgetables instead of fruit.

In essence, just about all food that is processed, like weetabix or even juice, is absolute garbage. Buy the raw material and cook real food. It's the only way to go.

[ticou]

I can't quite go for raw or cooked veg's for dinner; I've ditched the cheese, humous and granary bread for oranges and bananas, cut out all sugars during the day, and I hate eggs; I stand defiant on Meusli for breakfast- Urs Zimmerman, the Muesli Kid, eat almost nothing else and still finished 3rd in the 1986 TdF.

If it's not egg whites, what else for brekkers?

[HillRPete]

Saying muesli is wrong for brekkie is like saying pink doesn't look good on a bike -- ie to broad a statement. There are of course mueslis with insane amount of sugar that only make you think you're eating healthy, but what I'm having daily is mostly oat, raisins, nuts and some bits of died fruit. There's nothing wrong with that, and it will release engergy slowly -- as ticou said -- which is way better IMO than forgoing carbs in the morning, making you craving for a snack soon, because the blood sugar has dropped. It's all about balance.

Anyway we're deep in "Cycle Chat" territory now

[DMF]

Even good müsli is very high energy, releasing it slower doesn't make it less. Comparing your energy needs with a TdF legends is a bit steep when you don't ride a bike thru mountain stages 40 hours a week.

If you wan't to loose weight you really have to stop thinking about food as fuel. When training it's fuel, hence lay off the high intensitity training for a while. And start thinking about food as building blocks. You truly are what you eat, and proteins will build muscles without adding fat, and more mucles means better metobolism.

A good breakfast is about what's good for your body, not what's good for your mind. Let's say some raw dark green and red veg's, egg whites, a glass of milk or unsugared soy milk, and a breast of chicken. I know you don't want this in the morning, but it will make you loose those extra pounds in a matter of months...

Saying no to that deal, would just be a matter of poor self-discipline...

[HillRPete]

It's not that easy. If you want to perform endurance sports you need carbs to burn. The (scientifically proven) saying goes "fat burns in a fire of carbs". If you don't have any carbs you will just suffer, and make no progress.
About the muesli, it's also rich on fibre. Fibre is an essential part for feeling well if you know what I mean
You can easily create your own variant of muesli and dial how much energy you want it to contain. A few raisins and some dried fruit in the morning will not prevent you from shedding weight. Nuts are very healthy.
The focus on proteins is a fad to a large extent (that's my opinion at least). As a hobbyist endurance athlete you only need very very little to maintain, build and regenerate your muscles. But you can have large quantities with low calories to fill up your stomach ...

[DMF]

I agree that's great advice for everyday nutrition. But of you want to loose weight, fast, just cut the freaking carbs out and you'll drop 10kg in absolute no time... And then you can get back to "eatig right".

I'm talking both from own and friends experience (put on 20kg myself a couple years ago due to a really crappy job).

[Imaking20]

I'd confidently say in order for you to change your weight (or fitness) you first need to change your attitude. You seem to have a reason (read: excuse) for why you cannot accommodate every single valuable bit of knowledge that has been shared so far. If you don't want to lose weight, that's absolutely fine - just don't ask for advice on how to do so. You're trying to find ideas that align with your current thinking but your current thinking is the reason for your current weight.


And "big boned", "born with a slow metabolism", etc. are all cop-outs.

As for the Meusil - you cite someone who won the TDF 26 years ago as your reasoning... REALLY?! Do you realize how many thousands of people there are at a very high level of fitness who eat oatmeal, eggs, and healthy nuts as part of their regular diet?

[ticou]

I have actually lost a bit of weight this week, and i have followed peoples advice, but my job is physically active, and by monitoring my diet i find I am snoozing when i get home; if I ditch the meusli, i'm really in the doo dah. i want to simulate the alpe after work on the gym bike, but I'm too tired, to even use the weight machines half the time.

It's a major deal for me to ditch a lifetime of supper, but I'm going to stick with it, and hopefully the job will start to lose me weight as it should. I'l exhaust myself on a Sat ride as well. I do have a slow metabolism, work colleagues eat as much if not more and don't put on weight,I do. Please don't say oranges and bananas are full of sugar and calories- try humous with bread and cheese in comparison, or the big grandaddy, pate. And a Doner kebab now and again.

Anyway, back to the bikes. Record hubs on OP. £400, handmade by an expert; worth doing?

[notsoswift]

Yes, not going to save a lot of weight, but will be strong enough, should be a little cheaper if you shop around, but 50GBP more will not kill it if you trust the guy and after sales service is important

[ticou]

After sales, your right, that's why if I'm forced to buy away from my no so lbs I go on reputation.

[mattr]

but I don't think Stans are sold in the UK,

You didn't look too hard I take it?
Both wiggle and crc have stocked them in the past, uk bike store as well.
JRA have them in Stock and are very highly rated wheel builders.