heart rate for newbies

[nickAKA]

To burn the calorie equivalent of a pound of fat a week, you'd need to ride around 100 miles at reasonable intensity (rough estimate of 30-35 calories a mile)

Cutting calories from your diet coupled with the exercise will yield better results

Yeah, skipping lunch / eating less generally / laying off the beer is quite important... seldom drink beer nowadays, just the odd couple as opposed to 20 pints at the weekend

 

[eagles633]

If you've got a computer with google chrome (browser) installed - https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/stravistix-for-strava/dhiaggccakkgdfcadnklkbljcgicpckn?hl=en

Hope that works as it's a link from my browser & may be linked to my account... Stravistix gives you some of the extra functionality you get in strava premium, for nothing basically. Shows you how effective your training is, keeps track of your mileage, fitness & fatigue - you probably get most of that with garmin but I just prefer the layout & presentation it gives plus there's lots of info on what it all means.
As regards my 'journey' to fitness, I cut out lunch completely 5 days a week and did 4 years family cycling without thinking about weight/fitness much at all and inadvertantly lost a few kilos. Once I got the road bike I upped my game, bought some connected scales (we never had any scales in the house before, which in retrospect was a poor decision), a fitness band and used a fitness app to track my data.
I continued losing weight slowly but the real change came when I got the turbo and could get on the bike whenever I had time (I'm a fair-weather rider, to my eternal shame). I've been doing 4-8 hours a week which is nothing compared to people who commute every day for instance, but I've tailored it to suit my goals by doing workouts designed to increase fitness & FTP... I was dropping a kilogram every couple of weeks at first, then a kilogram every 4-6 weeks and kow maybe half a kilogram a month but that's fine, I'm happy with that!
If you're willing to go out whenever, it shouldn't be any different for you, just keep pounding away at 140bpm+ (do some short climbs, get out of the saddle!) and you'll be doing enough to have a good training effect on your body until you get to the next level... The first thing I noticed changing in myself was the recovery time; max out at say 170bpm, stop & time how long it takes you to get back to recovery of about 120bpm. garmin has apps for that too...
good luck!

just downloaded the stravafix chrome add on. looks great, loads more info.
you have just saved me money getting premium tx
I'm going to have to play with it and see whats up. The fitness trend page looks interesting. Is that which one you used to see if you were overtraining? I seem to be in overload my last 3 rides.
Good to see you have done so well. good inspiration for us newbies.

 

[eagles633]

To burn the calorie equivalent of a pound of fat a week, you'd need to ride around 100 miles at reasonable intensity (rough estimate of 30-35 calories a mile)

Cutting calories from your diet coupled with the exercise will yield better results

yeah.. I'm already losing weight with giving up the booze and crisps. Not expecting to much from the cycling until i up my miles. Still, it all helps.
Iv'e lost 4 to 6 pounds in the last 10 days. Saying that i think it's all water. I could wake up tomorrow 4 pounds heavier again.

 

[nickAKA]

just downloaded the stravafix chrome add on. looks great, loads more info.
you have just saved me money getting premium tx
I'm going to have to play with it and see whats up. The fitness trend page looks interesting. Is that which one you used to see if you were overtraining? I seem to be in overload my last 3 rides.
Good to see you have done so well. good inspiration for us newbies.

I'm still a newbie really, will consider myself such until I've done my first 100 mile ride
Look at the orange line on the bottom graph, that's your 'form' - if it hits the overload line you need a rest but you recover pretty quickly... keep that figure between -10 & -30 when training and your fitness will climb.

 

[eagles633]

I'm still a newbie really, will consider myself such until I've done my first 100 mile ride
Look at the orange line on the bottom graph, that's your 'form' - if it hits the overload line you need a rest but you recover pretty quickly... keep that figure between -10 & -30 when training and your fitness will climb.

View attachment 399883

That's the graph. Looks like even though i'm only doing 10 to 15 miles i'm still maxing out over the -30 line. Looks like the garmin is right saying i should rest for 3 days . tbf i do feel knackered.
20 miles is my next milestone ha. Good luck with the hundred.

 

[Tin Pot]

yeah taking it easy. Plan is 2 days off for everything to fully recover. Hopefully i'l get all the way around without stopping tomorrow. A couple of hills gonna get their arses kicked tomorrow #overthetop ha

Hiya and good luck.

One of the problems people encounter when they are new to regular exercise is that they think that if they are working really hard, it’s not worth it. If you’re not sweating, you’re not exercising. No pain, no gain. Etc.

The opposite is true.

You will gain far more from lots of easy rides than a few murdered hills, and this where your heart rate comes in. Sticking with low heart rate rides makes you fitter and avoids the burn out and injury risk that sends people back to the couch.

 

[eagles633]

Hiya and good luck.

One of the problems people encounter when they are new to regular exercise is that they think that if they are working really hard, it’s not worth it. If you’re not sweating, you’re not exercising. No pain, no gain. Etc.

The opposite is true.

You will gain far more from lots of easy rides than a few murdered hills, and this where your heart rate comes in. Sticking with low heart rate rides makes you fitter and avoids the burn out and injury risk that sends people back to the couch.

Good points. I am trying to take it easy to start off with. The trouble is whichever direction i go there are hills around here. The quote about kicking the hills arse was a bit tongue in cheek. Most people wouldnt even recognize it as hill
It's all a learning curve. At least i havn't keeled over with a heart attack yet. which was my concern when i started the thread

 

[bpsmith]

never thought of the garden spayer before. great idea. that would work perfect.
This forum is great tx

I didn’t come up with the Garden Sprayer in fairness, so can’t take credit, just happy to share the info.

 

[Tin Pot]

Good points. I am trying to take it easy to start off with. The trouble is whichever direction i go there are hills around here. The quote about kicking the hills arse was a bit tongue in cheek. Most people wouldnt even recognize it as hill
It's all a learning curve. At least i havn't keeled over with a heart attack yet. which was my concern when i started the thread

I have the same challenge. Sit back, lowest gear, turn the pedals slowly, breathe in and out through your nose...you’ll get there.

Of course there’s no problem giving it some welly occasionally, it’s just that most people go too hard and all the time.

 

[eagles633]

I didn’t come up with the Garden Sprayer in fairness, so can’t take credit, just happy to share the info.

picking one up tomorrow. can't believe iv'e never thought of it before. perfect for my situation
https://www.screwfix.com/p/green-pr...ies+&+UGC&utm_content=TextLink&utm_term=47868

 

[Ming the Merciless]

At this stage I would stick with what is motivating you. Do not worry about short term trends or the days when you can't be bothered. Just stick at it. The improved feeling of well being is one of the best. Learning to listen to your body is a good skill to have. If you are tired, so a shorter ride, or go for a walk instead.

 

[eagles633]

I have the same challenge. Sit back, lowest gear, turn the pedals slowly, breathe in and out through your nose...you’ll get there.

Of course there’s no problem giving it some welly occasionally, it’s just that most people go too hard and all the time.

I think iv'e managed to get a 32 cog on the back cassette so i can spin up steep slopes. Problem is i'm using it on 4% slopes at the moment
I did manage to pass somebody the other day mind. going downhill using my weight advantage i took over a guy on his mountain bike taking his weekly shop home.

 

[eagles633]

At this stage I would stick with what is motivating you. Do not worry about short term trends or the days when you can't be bothered. Just stick at it. The improved feeling of well being is one of the best. Learning to listen to your body is a good skill to have. If you are tired, so a shorter ride, or go for a walk instead.

i'm well motivated. It's all about losing the weight for me. Problem tonight is,,. I bought a family cheesecake 4 days ago. Iv'e been very good not eating it. It's out of date tonight though....

 

[bpsmith]

My Brother just bought a bike and we had our first proper ride together in about 20 years, last Saturday. He goes to the gym and does weights and has a hands on job, so isn’t hugely unfit, but it was comical at how quickly he slowed on gradient above 3% or so.

When I say Comical, it was because I totally knew it was coming as it was exactly what happened to me when I started about 4 years ago. There’s nobody I know of that hasn’t had to do the same when new to cycling. Doesn’t matter how fit or unfit you are, the muscles take time to adapt, so don’t beat yourself up!

 

[Tin Pot]

My Brother just bought a bike and we had our first proper ride together in about 20 years, last Saturday. He goes to the gym and does weights and has a hands on job, so isn’t hugely unfit, but it was comical at how quickly he slowed on gradient above 3% or so.

When I say Comical, it was because I totally knew it was coming as it was exactly what happened to me when I started about 4 years ago. There’s nobody I know of that hasn’t had to do the same when new to cycling. Doesn’t matter how fit or unfit you are, the muscles take time to adapt, so don’t beat yourself up!

Yep I had the same. Then you find yourself on a ‘real’ hill and wonder why you made such a fuss for so long about the gradient you now regard as a ‘speed bump’. It just comes with time and experience.