Confused about weight loss

[mcb2080]

What is the best heart rate zone to lose weight?

Right I am just under 16 stone and I am 5'10 in height, I am semi fit but just go through lazy spells, hence the weight. I am looking to get back down to about 14 stone, I am not interested in racing just losing weight.

I got a roller and have done just over 113 miles, I don't really have a training plan, I have just being going up and down the gears to pass the time. I am using a hybrid with an alfine hub on 26 inch wheels.

I have decided to try and do my training in a specific heart rate zone but I just want to make sure I am in the right zone for weight loss, I can deal with muscle mass at a later date, I just want to see results as quick as possible.

Today I tried to find out my max heart rate, I cycled at roughly 24mph for about 4 minuets but I could only get to 144bpm, I would have thought it should have been higher than this.

I decided to train in the heart rate of 100-110bpm, for 1 hour and 25 minutes but I just don't feel that I got anything out of the session, I only averaged 12.1 mph but just didn't feel overworked.

Below are my roller results, today result is in the heart rate zone but the last few before this where when I have been pushing a bit harder and feeling as though I have worked out.

DATE TIME MINUTES MILES AVERAGE MPH MAX MPH

04/01/10 - 00:35:10 - 8.38 - 14.3 - 23.5
05/01/10 - 00:40:00 - 9.08 - 13.6 - 24.5
06/01/10 - 00:30:45 - 6.51 - 12.7 - 20.9
07/01/10 - 00:00:00 - 0.00 0 0
08/01/10 - 01:00:00 - 15.25 - 15.2 - 25.3
09/01/10 - 00:00:00 0.00 0 0
10/01/10 - 01:03:56 - 16.63 - 15.6 - 25.5
11/01/10 - 00:00:00 0.00 0 0
12/01/10 - 01:05:02 - 18.38 - 16.9 - 24.9
13/01/10 - 01:20:00 - 21.85 - 16.3 - 25.3
14/01/10 - 00:00:00 0.00 0 0
15/01/10 - 01:25:00 - 17.17 - 12.1 - 24.4


So can someone help me as to what zone to train in?

Thanks and sorry for the long winded post

Mark

 

[Bayerd]

Have you lost any weight? That's similar to what I do on a regular basis on the road. Providing I eat when hungry and stop when full, I lose between 1-2lbs a week like this. I was 16+ stone in June last year, I'm now 12 8ish. I'm planning on increasing the milage as the weather improves, looking to get to about 12 3ish over the next couple of months.

Having never used a roller, is there any way of increasing resistance? My typical rides average 100ft of climbing for every mile travelled. I'm sure this also helps.

 

[mcb2080]

Have you lost any weight? That's similar to what I do on a regular basis on the road. Providing I eat when hungry and stop when full, I lose between 1-2lbs a week like this. I was 16+ stone in June last year, I'm now 12 8ish. I'm planning on increasing the milage as the weather improves, looking to get to about 12 3ish over the next couple of months.

Having never used a roller, is there any way of increasing resistance? My typical rides average 100ft of climbing for every mile travelled. I'm sure this also helps.

Well done Bayerd on your weight loss, tremendous results, I would love to be close to your weight.

I usually cycle on the road between March - November but as I do 12 hour shifts, I sometimes cant be bothered taking the bike on a 20 mile round commute. My commute to work is a descent of about 450 feet to sea level and vice versa on the way home, so there is hills involved...LOL

I have decided to try and use the roller for about an hour on the days that I am working and just get out on the road on my days off.

I have a tacx roller but I don't think you can add resistance.

Too be fair I have probably lost 4 pounds since the new year but I just want to make sure I am training properly for best results.

 

[lukesdad]

Slow down. Firstly you need to work out your max heart rate check the threads in training history on how to work this out. Then workout your zones properly not as some people do by just taking a % of their MHR that is wrong, you will need to know your Hr at rest to do this.

To lose weight you need to use more calories than you consume. At what rate you choose to burn the calories is up to you, but as you say you are reasonably fit anywhere in you aerobic zone would be fine IMO.depends where your comfort level is.

Just remember you must consume 85% in calories of what you burn otherwise your body will go into starvation mode and you wont lose weight.

Youve left out your heart rate on your roller stats. by the way.

 

[mcb2080]

Slow down. Firstly you need to work out your max heart rate check the threads in training history on how to work this out. Then workout your zones properly not as some people do by just taking a % of their MHR that is wrong, you will need to know your Hr at rest to do this.

To lose weight you need to use more calories than you consume. At what rate you choose to burn the calories is up to you, but as you say you are reasonably fit anywhere in you aerobic zone would be fine IMO.depends where your comfort level is.

Just remember you must consume 85% in calories of what you burn otherwise your body will go into starvation mode and you wont lose weight.

Youve left out your heart rate on your roller stats. by the way.

Thanks very much for the detailed reply, I have only used the heart rate monitor today for the first time, I will look at my resting heart rate and report back.

I am quite happy to train at roughly 17mph as I feel that I am getting the best work out and sweat I just wantecd to know if this was most benificial in the short term.

Can you explain what you mean by you must consume 85% in calories of what you burn otherwise your body will go into starvation mode and you wont lose weight. Sorry but I no sure what this means.

Thanks

 

[Garz]

I'd agree, between 65-70% for between 45mins-2hrs is enough to burn fat effectively. The rest is down to discipline and diet. Take it gradually so theres more chance of you sticking it. Good luck, and enjoy!

 

[mcb2080]

As a rule of thumb your max HR is 220-your age. I'd say >70% of your HR and you are burning fat. Go out and ride on the road, very different then riding on some rollers.

220 -36 (age) = 184

184 x 70% = 129bpm

I would agree with this as I thought 100 - 110bpm just wasn't doing anything.

I will get out on the road but where I stay still has loads of snow and ICE

I can do a 30 miler on the road and you don't get the boredom or the numbness of the roller but for the moment the roller is serving a purpose but I am eager to get out on the road.

 

[mcb2080]

I'd agree, between 65-70% for between 45mins-2hrs is enough to burn fat effectively. The rest is down to discipline and diet. Take it gradually so theres more chance of you sticking it. Good luck, and enjoy!

Garz, thanks for the encouragement.

Diet, LOL, I am on the vodka the now but I will be trying for 1hr 40 min tomorrow at the higher mph.

I think if I can average at least 100 miles per week, then even a wee lapse should dent my weight loss too much

 

[lukesdad]

HR zones for example;MHR180 RHR 58. Recovery 131-143 Aerobic 143-156 Lactic 156-168 VO2 168+

Your test to get you to 144 was nowhere near tough enough,IMO your MHR is much higher. As you can see from the above example you will not be working that hard.

Dont get confused with a fat burning zone it is a falicy that you burn more fat at lower intensities of effort.

 

[mcb2080]

HR zones for example;MHR180 RHR 58. Recovery 131-143 Aerobic 143-156 Lactic 156-168 VO2 168+

Your test to get you to 144 was nowhere near tough enough,IMO your MHR is much higher. As you can see from the above example you will not be working that hard.

Dont get confused with a fat burning zone it is a falicy that you burn more fat at lower intensities of effort.

LOL, my max hr was just entering the Aerobic zone. Agree that I could maybe have pushed harder but it is hard on a trainer when the back wheel is snaking all over the place.

Defo agree about the fat burning zone falicy, just didn't get anything out of my workout today.

I think I will just go with about 130bpm and work on increasing this over time as there is no way I could sit at 140+ for more than about 3 or 4 minutes without falling off.

I think I will go with 130 and max out a few times over my ride to increase stamina and strength.

Thanks again

 

[lukesdad]

Thanks very much for the detailed reply, I have only used the heart rate monitor today for the first time, I will look at my resting heart rate and report back.

I am quite happy to train at roughly 17mph as I feel that I am getting the best work out and sweat I just wantecd to know if this was most benificial in the short term.

Can you explain what you mean by you must consume 85% in calories of what you burn otherwise your body will go into starvation mode and you wont lose weight. Sorry but I no sure what this means.

Thanks

To get your RHR lie down somwhere quiet for 20mins with your monitor on take the lowest rate recorded not the average as your RHR.

Then to get your % for your zones subtract your RHR from your MHR. then take the % you are looking for from this figure and add Your RHR to it and it will give you the correct BPM for this % of MHR.

For example; MHR 180 RHR 60

180-60=120 70% of 120=84

84+60 = 144 BPM

This is the correct formulae to work out % of MHR for training zone purposes.

Below the 85% value the body automatically starts to prepare for starvation it is complicated but it begins to store,and will not readilly burn fat. It is the reason that diets dont work.

 

[Riverman]

Good on you mate for taking up the challenge of losing weight.

One thing which may encourage you is that according to the BMI scale you are obese, although this depends on your age, you have roughly a BMI of 32 and anything above 30 is obese.

Are you quite muscular? If you are muscular you may not be obese but you will almost certainly be overweight.

Please don't be disheartened by what I just said. Being obese raises the risk of you developing all sorts of diseases. It can have the effect of encouraging one to lose weight.

 

[ASC1951]

What is the best heart rate zone to lose weight?

Right I am just under 16 stone and I am 5'10 in height.... I am not interested in racing just losing weight.

I just want to see results as quick as possible.

Probably not what you want to hear, but -
- fretting about 'training zones' is a delusion. It might matter for competitive cyclists, but for someone who is 'semi-fit' it's just irrelevant for losing weight.
- eat properly, eat less and knock off the drink.

That "results as quick as possible" is a real give away. You got overweight by eating a bit too much, day after day, probably over months if not years. You have to lose weight the same way, by making small changes and sticking to them. It will take about as long.

If you try to lose 30lb with a six week frenzy of exercise, you will either a) fail or get nearly there and be back to 16st by next winter.

[BTW, this is from someone who is consistently overweight, not a sanctimonious racing snake. But just look at any reputable dietary website, for instance http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/loseweight/Pages/Weightlossmyths.aspx ]

 

[AlanW]

220 - minus your age is about as accurate as looking out of the window and picking a number!

Everyone is different, calculations are simply no good. If your training programme involves you working in specific zones then your max HR needs to be exact. Otherwise you are wasting your time to be honest.

Depending on which way you want to do it, either trainer or on the road the process is still the same. Firstly though, the most important point to note is that you MUST be fully warmed up and be prepared to suffer for 10 minutes or so. Secondly, if you have not done such a strenuous exercise for a while, please get checked out at a GP first! As it will put a huge load on the ole' ticker

The idea is to gradually increase your effort over a given period of time, till you get to the point that there is nothing left, and I mean nothing left.

Personally I prefer doing the test on the road, rather than a trainer as you can get a better feel for the amount of effort involved.

So.....find yourself a nice long drag, NOT a hill, a drag.

Then set yourself a marker, tree bush whatever, towards the top, say 50 yards from the summit.

Do your 1/2hr or so warm up ride get back to the bottom of the drag, then focus on the marker and start to ascend. It is important to keep a nice even tempo and try and remain as smooth as possible. Try and also maintain the same speed all the way to your marker. But without changing down to many gears so as to interrupt your cadence.

Above all, remain seated at all times, just slowly increasing the effort.

Now here's the stinger! When you get level to your marker you should ideally be near enough flat out, that's NOT speed but flat out effort.

Now get out of the saddle and sprint for all your life to the summit, that's your maximum heart rate.

To be fair you may need to practise this a few times, then take an average reading.

You will soon know if you have done it right, because you will most likely throw up soon afterwards! Furthermore, your legs will feel like jelly and you'll have to stop to recover.

And yes I am a qualified cycle coach, before anyone asks.

 

[darkstar]

I'm a firm believer in interval training for weight loss. Working at maximum effort for a shorter period of time, followed by a short rest and repeat over and over again. Just make sure your heart rate doesn't go too high (and make sure your heart can take it)