You probably know at least one person who spent hundreds of dollars to
shave a few grams off his bike—and would have been better served
shedding pounds from his own frame. That’s because one of the keys to
cycling performance is power-to-weight
ratio (watts produced to kilograms of body weight). Whether you’re
training for an MS 150 or the Masters World Championships, a leaner,
fitter body is going to travel faster. However, weight isn’t the only
factor in the equation (see “Fit or Fat,” below), and dropping too many
pounds could impede your progress. Here is a simple system to
determine—and achieve—the riding weight that’s best for you.
Step on the Scale
A unit that measures body weight and composition, such as the Tanita BC-577, can provide valuable feedback. (Home scales aren’t the most precise measure of body composition, but they give you a relatively accurate measure of gain or loss if you take regular readings under similar conditions.) Weigh in every Monday morning. Wake up, take care of business, strip down, and step on the scale. Record the data in a training log.
Keep a Food Journal
Whether you use pen and paper or an app like SparkPeople or MealSnap, seeing what you eat can reveal glaring problem areas in your diet. Record all food and beverages you consume, along with the time of day. Then, use the 3Rs strategy:
1) Reduce your intake of processed, calorically dense foods.
2) Replace less-healthy foods with more-nutritious substitutes, such as whole-wheat pasta instead of refined.
3) Refuse the foods that do the most damage to your health and performance—think fast food such as chicken nuggets and “venti”-size coffee drinks.
Test Yourself
Every fourth Monday, do a field test. Find a flat-to-rolling stretch of road that’s free of stop signs and excessive traffic or opt for a steady climb. Warm up with an easy 30- to 45-minute effort, then do a 10-minute time trial. Use your data tools of choice to record as many of these metrics as you can: distance, speed, average heart rate, and average power. Tracking your body weight, composition, and field-test data over several months will help you find your optimal performance weight: the leanest body composition that produces your best field-test results.
Step on the Scale
A unit that measures body weight and composition, such as the Tanita BC-577, can provide valuable feedback. (Home scales aren’t the most precise measure of body composition, but they give you a relatively accurate measure of gain or loss if you take regular readings under similar conditions.) Weigh in every Monday morning. Wake up, take care of business, strip down, and step on the scale. Record the data in a training log.
Keep a Food Journal
Whether you use pen and paper or an app like SparkPeople or MealSnap, seeing what you eat can reveal glaring problem areas in your diet. Record all food and beverages you consume, along with the time of day. Then, use the 3Rs strategy:
1) Reduce your intake of processed, calorically dense foods.
2) Replace less-healthy foods with more-nutritious substitutes, such as whole-wheat pasta instead of refined.
3) Refuse the foods that do the most damage to your health and performance—think fast food such as chicken nuggets and “venti”-size coffee drinks.
Test Yourself
Every fourth Monday, do a field test. Find a flat-to-rolling stretch of road that’s free of stop signs and excessive traffic or opt for a steady climb. Warm up with an easy 30- to 45-minute effort, then do a 10-minute time trial. Use your data tools of choice to record as many of these metrics as you can: distance, speed, average heart rate, and average power. Tracking your body weight, composition, and field-test data over several months will help you find your optimal performance weight: the leanest body composition that produces your best field-test results.
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