Losing weight whilst training

[PhoebeMcPeePee]

I'm training for a big bike ride in a month and doing some fairly big (for a novice ) sessions on the bike combined with a few classes but really struggling to manage my appetite & previously steady weight-loss has come to a virtual standstill.

Should I be having more carbs or protein on training days? On a typical week I'm doing a 2-3 hour ride at the weekend, 2 shorter rides of 1.5-2hrs then I run 5km 1 day & do a 45 minute HIIT class 1 or 2 days a week. I normally have porridge or granola with fruit for breakfast, a salad with protein of some description or soup & bread for lunch then carb/protein dinner (spag bol etc) & I might have a granola bar mid ride . I've been following SW so everything's low fat & lost 3 stone until I upped my exercise .

Any tips for continuing to lose weight with increased hunger from exercise?

Sorry not sure if I should post here or in weight loss so feel free to move if need be

[Knittingnoodles]

Hi Phoebe

Congratulation on your weight loss so far.

When I started cycling I hadn't been on a bike for about 20 years. The first big ride I trained for was the Coast to Coast. My first training ride was 3 miles!

I found that the first 3 or 4 weeks of hard training I was starving, all the time. And I mean all the time, like a mad person.

As I got fitter my appetite seemed to drop off, or perhaps my body adapted. I noticed this pattern starting again now I am trying to get fit after winter. I don't have an explanation, but what I am trying to say is that I think the being starving is part of the process.

I don’t have a special diet really, but eat sensibly. Porridge for breakfast, wholemeal bread for sandwiches. Cut out sweets and fried stuff. Took apples and dates out on my training rides.

I always have a tin of rice pudding ready for when I have been out on a big ride.

I can highly recommend this book “Bicycling Medicine: Nutrition, Physiology and Injury Prevention” by Arnie Baker. It’s not as complicated as the title makes it sound.

Good luck with you riding.

[suzannecanthecan]

I have found the same, after increasing training load there is an increase in appetite which then levels off.
I've heard the protein increases satiety better than other macro nutrients (relative to calories consumed) but I've never really tested it out personally.

Adding in strength training may help, inc' muscle = inc'metabolic rate.

[PhoebeMcPeePee]

Thanks for the tips & good to hear it's normal to be so hungry

[alleypalley]

I would also suggest adding some good fats into your diet, not sure how you can fit that into you SW regime though.