Hi there,
each year I start my weight loss journey in January to prepare for the new season. I want to be the lightest during May-August period (around 70 kg at 181 cm).
I’ve done the same this year, but my goal is to be 2 kg lighter during the peak of a season, so 68 kg, especially because I want to do some amateur hill climbing races (the big one is in early June). I weighted in at 74 kg in early January and I dropped 1 kg every 20 days or so. By the middle of March I hit 70.5 kg and I was satisfied with my progress (slow and steady I what I shoot for). I also managed to raise my FTP for ~10w which is good. However, I’m struggling to go below 70 kg for a month now, my weight fluctuates between 70 and 71 kg during the week. I started to intake less calories two weeks ago but my hunger levels went off the charts and I craved sugary foods like crazy.
How can I overcome this weight loss plateau? What should I eat?
I ride my bike for 6-10h a week, usually with one big ride (3-5h, Z2-Z3, Z4-Z5 for climbs) combined with 3-4 smaller rides, of which 2 are mostly Z4-Z5 intervals, others are usually zone 2. Thanks for the replies!
I’m going off the advice given to me by a sports nutritionist I liaise with, for some of the local athletes I work with:
Find out your daily base metabolic rate (the maintenance level of calories per day), so you know where the energy balance point is. If your weight remains plateaued, and you know what you eat, then eating less should show a drop in weight, or increase if you eat more. Sounds simple, but it’s the easiest method without having to count calories all the time. You measure for the short term, to get the baseline “calibrated”. Hope this makes sense?
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Eat more often through the day, in smaller portions each time, and nutrient dense foods.
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Eat off a smaller plate, so that you fill the smaller plate with enough food, rather than a larger plate with more than you need.
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Lay off all processed foods.
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Fuel up for your high intensity workouts only (carbs) and maintain a low carb diet outside of training. It’s not no carbs, just low amounts of fruit and veggies; nothing refined like bread, pasta (unless homemade).
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Equal amounts of protein and carbs at main meals. Chances are carbs are correct amounts but proteins are below the needed quantity.
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Try limit the amount of Z4-5 on your long ride. Try ride as much as you can in Z2 (upper half) and Z3 (lower half), while you’re trying to lose the weight. You will still need carbs for the 3-5h duration. If you are hungry after a hard workout, or long ride, chances are that you needed it.
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Alex Dowsett recent YouTube video was informative. He said the big game changer was realising, you need to start fueling for the next day as soon as finish your recovery fueling for that day.
Which means if your big ride is a morning ride (after a rest day), you start fueling for it, at lunch the day before, same for dinner, (yes your calorie count for that day will be in surplus - but not for the 24 hours including the ride).
You fuel your training, particularly your big rides and interval training. You have your deficit fueling rest and easy days.
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Keep working at the margins…figure out what you can eliminate at little/no loss in enjoyment (like alcohol), portion control, snacking (what and especially how much), etc.
I started using myfitnesspal and weighing my food and the weight has just been melting away, I’m almost dreading hitting my target weight because of how much more I’ll have to eat.
Edit: and see if you can sneak in more activity.
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Hi, thank you all for your replies, I appreciate it.
I’ve decided to switch to low carb diet during rest periods (or days, I decided to use the Dowsett’s method of counting “days” ) if they are not before hard training/long ride. I will put more effort to eat less processed foods and I will try too up my Z2 rides by adding additional hour or so per week and lower the intesity on my big weekly rides.
I also realised by myself that I probably underfuel my rides, so I will up my carb intake during the rides, hopefully this will eliminate my cravings for sugar after the rides.
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