You look down at the centre of your body and think: Why do I have these stubborn fat pads where others have nothing at all? Instead of a washboard stomach, just a raccoon belly! Don't look for excuses now - too much ice cream in summer or too many biscuits in winter. And of course: your job eats up your time like Packman eats yellow coins. The food tastes too good and you don't want to diet. You want to lose weight, because you're not really happy, and that's exactly why you're sitting over this story to find out how you can steam off those unwanted pounds. In this article, BIKE has put together a training and nutrition concept that will help anyone lose weight in a relaxed way.
Not a rush job method
We don't work with a rush method, but take it easy. You can easily lose four to five kilos (in six weeks) - some even more. At the same time, we improve your fitness so that weight loss and performance increase. How does this work? Together with experts, we have put together a training and nutrition concept for marathon and hobby cyclists that takes particular account of macro-nutrient timing (fats, proteins, carbohydrates) and works with different training intensities. This means that basically everything is allowed in terms of food, but only at certain times. This saves you from binge eating and means you don't need to pin reminders on the fridge. It sounds simple, but it is, because we have put together all sorts of tricks and little helpers in this story to support your weight loss.
Macronutrients: the building blocks of nutrition
Carbohydrates are divided into monosaccharides, disaccharides, polysaccharides and polysaccharides. They are not essential for life, but are useful if you do sport. The reason: they require less oxygen to metabolise. Sources: Potatoes, sugar, wholemeal
Proteins consist of many small individual components (amino acids) that your body needs to maintain muscles and build new ones. There are 20 amino acids, eight of which are essential. Sources: Meat, eggs, fish and dairy products, cereals, pulses.
Fats don't just taste good, they are vital. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids are particularly important. These two fatty acids cannot be produced by the body itself (essential). Good sources: Butter, fish, coconut oil, olives
"Satiety has less to do with calories"
Interview with Uwe Schröder, nutritionist
How much weight can I lose per week?
If you lose half a kilo a week, you are well on target. This will prevent yo-yo effects. If you have a little more on your ribs, you will certainly lose more at the beginning.
Is there a secret recipe that works reliably?
Continuity: If you only diet for a fortnight, you will quickly lose the weight again. In addition, you should not approach the matter too radically and ask yourself the question: Where are the extra pounds coming from? As a general rule, it is better to aim for a healthy diet rather than to rush from diet to diet.
But are there temptations on every corner?
They are also part of life, but only in moderation. If you eat well 80-90 per cent of the time, you will also feel fuller and crave fewer sweets. Have a look at how much salad you can eat for 400 calories? You can fill your stomach completely with it. 400 calories of fat is just a small piece of butter. Carbohydrates are between fats and salad in terms of quantity.
But just salad is pretty unsatisfactory.
That's not the point, it's just to illustrate that satiety doesn't necessarily have anything to do with calories, but with the quantity. But fats are also part of a balanced diet. The composition and timing of macronutrients is important for weight loss. If you are less active, you should limit your carbohydrate intake. Nevertheless, carbohydrates can be very useful after hard training as they speed up recovery and stabilise the immune system.
So not low carb?
I wouldn't get fixated on certain diets. A healthy diet that is customised to the individual leads to success. Dogmas don't help in the long term.
The marathon rider
Every kilo on the mountain means five to seven watts more that you have to push. That's why professionals keep a close eye on their weight to avoid wasting energy unnecessarily. In addition, a lower body fat percentage also means a higher maximum oxygen uptake - the gross criterion for endurance performance. But weight loss, especially if you want to perform, is a double-edged sword, because too little energy can quickly lead to the desired performance not being achieved. For this reason, we have created a special plan for you that initially boosts your fat metabolism and later provides more intensive training sessions for a performance boost. We have trimmed your diet to meet the requirements. Please use carbohydrates in the form of gels, powders and bars during the intensive training sessions - you will find more detailed information on this in the online plan.
Eating behaviour Marathon bikers take a closer look at their plates and pay attention to the composition of nutrients.
Training effort Ambitious marathon cyclists ride eight to 20 hours a week. The training is structured.
Body fat 7-12 per cent have good marathon riders. If you are ambitious, you should have a single-digit percentage.
Marathon riders: What to eat?
Fat will be of great importance at the beginning of the plan. By increasing the proportion of fat and reducing the amount of carbohydrates, you avoid insulin fluctuations, which leads to increased fat burning.
Proteins A higher protein content means that your muscles are largely preserved when you lose weight. It also improves regeneration. Extra protein supplements can be useful. However, you should then reach for a whey protein.
Carbohydrates belong in the body during and after intensive training sessions. This guarantees that your performance is maintained and you don't fall ill.
The fun biker
"You can`t outtrain a shitty diet": this American truism puts it in a nutshell: no matter how much you train, if your diet isn`t right, you won`t get fit/slim. Conversely, this also means that you can improve your shape through your eating behaviour - at least your body fat percentage. This is particularly important for athletes with little training time, as the right timing of macronutrients is much more important here. The more specifically you use fats, proteins and carbohydrates, the faster you will lose those unwanted pounds. You don't have to count calories and instead pay attention to how your body feels. Basically, however, the following applies, and you will find this in detail in the online training and nutrition plan: The more you move, the more you can eat - especially carbohydrates. We have put together a few more tricks on the next page to help you melt away that love handles even faster.
Eating behaviour Anything that tastes good - you eat according to this motto. You like to eat and drink high in carbohydrates and fat.
Body fat However, if you want to ride a marathon for fun and relaxation, you should be under 15-17 per cent.
Training effort is cancelled a little or a lot depending on the weather. As a rule, however, 3-6 hours a week.
Hobby bikers: What to eat?
Fat was considered a bogeyman in nutrition for many years. Today we are rowing back strongly. Fat favours fat loss
in some cases (see e.g. conjugated linoleic acid) and inhibits inflammatory processes.
Protein should not be missing from a good diet. Especially on non-training days, you should eat plenty of the muscle substance, as it stabilises the blood sugar level. Additional supplements are not necessary.
Carbohydrates ... you need to stay away from them in the near future. However, the more you train, the more you can eat. The timing of this macronutrient is crucial.
BIKE tips: How to train more effectively and lose excess pounds
Are you in good shape, but still want to lose a pound or two? Or do you want to make your training more effective and lose weight at the same time? With these tips it will work:
Do you want to get fitter and also lose some weight? Our training and nutrition plans will give you the guidance you need. Continue on the next page...
Training and nutrition plans to download
Below you will find the training and nutrition plans for losing weight in 6 weeks. One plan is aimed at marathon riders with more than 10 hours of training per week. The other is aimed at amateur cyclists who do 6 hours of sport per week.
Explanations: Areas for training according to heart rate
RG - Regeneration
50-60 % of the maximum heart rate
Local blood circulation improves in the compensation zone. The breakdown of damaged muscle tissue is accelerated. Ideal: after a race. Training duration: 60 to 90 minutes.
G1 - Basics 1
60-70 % of the maximum heart rate
G1 rides should be ridden on the flattest terrain possible. Ideal: in preparation (December to March). Training duration: 2 to 5 hours.
G2 - Basics 2
70-80 % of the maximum heart rate
Increase the capillarisation: This will allow your muscle to be better supplied with oxygen. Ideal: March
to October. Exercise duration: 10 minutes to 2 hours.
EB - Development area
80-90 % of max. heart rate
With the training units in the development area, you optimise your aerobic-anaerobic range (threshold performance). Ideal: start 8 to 6 weeks before the competition. Training duration: 3 to 20 minutes.
SB - peak area
90-98 % of the maximum heart rate
Training takes place at race pace - lactate tolerance improves. Ideal: Start 6 weeks before the competition. Training duration: 30 to 180 seconds or 20 minutes.
