Gah. Need help

[Parrot of Doom]

Right, I've been cycling constantly, every week, since the beginning of the year. Started off in January doing around 20 miles a week, slowly increasing it. As of about 2 months ago, I'm doing about 60-80 miles a week.

Trouble is, despite eating about 1500-2500 calories a day, mostly meat, fish, veg and berries, my weight has barely changed. Its 16 stone 4lb now, and it was 16 stone 8lb at the start of the year.

Now obviously I've built up a heck of a lot of muscle mass in those months - my legs are massive compared to January, so I have indeed burnt a fair bit of fat, but I'm confused.

Today I did about 25 miles, my usual mileage, only I was flying along like nothing on earth. I mean I was literally racing along for all I was worth - and when I got home, I wasn't even tired. The ride takes me about 90 minutes.

Whats going on? I'm still building muscle mass, but the scales are barely shifting. I'm not eating any simple carbs or refined crap, its all natural stuff, and the scales are inching down ever so slowly. I reckon my mega-fit weight would be about 14.5 stones, I'm aiming for 15 stones.

Should I just drop my calorific intake slightly? Or perhaps push harder on the bike? Or ride for longer distances? Or ride more miles in the week? I usually cycle one day, rest the other day, af infinitum.

So annoying, years ago I was mega-fit doing about 100 miles a week on my road bike! Then I started working in TV, all those meals out and service station sandwiches....

Edited by Parrot of Doom on Thursday 24th August 02:05

[Parrot of Doom]

I think I must still be building muscle. Rides just seem to get easier all the time, and I eat loads of meat and fish.

I'm just hoping that one day I'll reach some kind of equilibrium where I don't need any more muscle, and my body just burns the remaining fat away.

I wonder if its worth getting a fancy cycle computer with heart monitor?

[Parrot of Doom]

I don't really have the ability to follow a strict regime. I have no set timetable with regard to work, and often have no control over what I'm able to eat. For example, last week I was in Leeds on Tuesday, Blackburn Wed/Thu, flew from Liverpool Friday afternoon, France sat/sun. Didn't get any cycling in whatsoever.

Really I'm just a bit confused that my weight doesn't appear to be dropping much, considering I don't eat any processed foods, sugar, crap, etc. Just meats, fish, veg, berries, dairy produce, diet coke.... I always eat plenty of protein after a ride.

[Parrot of Doom]

Well thats why I was doing it. My thinking being that by making my body stronger, I can ride for longer and harder, and that would make me fitter in the end?

Just as long as I'm burning fat in the long run, thats the important thing. I've always been strong, its just that the muscle is hidden under a layer of fat

[Parrot of Doom]

I agree, but there is at least a stone of fat that needs to go

[Parrot of Doom]

I think I'll need to buy a comfier saddle for longer trips Its probably what makes me want to head home more than anything else

I just don't want to end up like one of those 40-something blokes you see on a Friday night, big bright blue shirt covering a large belly, chuffing down a big kebab. I'm sure you know who I mean