Tips for weight-loss
One of the easiest and cheapest ways to increase your performance on the bike is to reduce your over body weight. This will result in a positive increase in your power to weight ratio and make you more efficient on the bike, particularly as you climb.
Ideally cyclists should have a body fat percentage of around 6% to 9% for men and 11% to 13% for females with the general population at a higher level between 12% to 18% for males and 18 to 25% for females. If you are above any of these levels you should aim to loose fat mass and reduce your over all weight. A reduction in your overall body mass and body fat percentage will reduce the risk of high blood pressure, the risk of non fatal and fatal cardiovascular disease including coronary arterial disease.
With our busier lives and greater dependency on fast easy to make foods we are taking in greater amounts of fat and this has had an effect on our waistlines and sports performance. Many of us do not understand that if we continue to consume the foods at our current rate we will continue to get larger and will slow us down on the bike. Reductions in calorie intake are what are generally needed to ensure we maintain our current weight or loose greater amounts of unwanted fat.
For weight-loss to occur you should aim to take in fewer calories than you are expending. This will result in a calorie deficit and will ensure you loose body mass and ideally body fat.
Following these simple tips will assist in your weight-loss.
- Eat regularly do not go more than 3 hours without eating.
- Eliminate caffeine and alcohol from your diet.
- Set realistic goals
- Reduce fat intake and maintain a calorie deficit
- Eat more natural unprocessed foods (25g fibre a day)
- Reduce or eliminate late night snacking
- Plan for your day (take foods with you etc)
- Always eat a high CHO item directly after training
- Keep track of your weight.
- Identify your personal ‘ideal’ body fat reading
- Aim to lose 500g to 1kg per week in body fat
- Keep a food record
- Reduce energy intake by 10%
- Reduce intake of sugary high fats foods and oils
- Control portion size
- Use low GI foods for snacks
- Eat nutrient rich foods
Dan Bennett