Wanted: A Few Good Books

[davemw]

Mountain Biking is pretty new to me, and I'm becoming addicted. So much so that I want to turn my body into a well oiled machine to power my new bike. Right Now I'm in the Clydesdale division at 6'2 225lbs. I'm looking to trim 20lbs off of my frame and I need to start fueling myself better to do that but still be able to ride 4 or more times a week. Right Now I would consider myself in pretty good shape from taking spinning classes and playing soccer 4 times a week for the past 16 weeks. I would say I eat pretty good as well, staying away from soda, trying to eat Subway at lunch instead of Jack in the box and packing snacks to eat throughout the day. But hey, we all have different opinions on what is healthy. I feel I need to make some major changes to my diet and my workouts to reach my goals. The lightest I've been since High School was 215 in Boot Camp and that was 6 years ago with a DI working me out daily and feeding me health food for 3 months.

I'm hoping some of you folks could point me in the direction of a few good books on nutrition and MTB training to help me get started.

Thanks!
Dave

[SIK SD]

This book is a great start for learning, or improving your skills on the bike. Less then $20 at Amazon (picture is the link)

[allison]

You don't necessarily need to go buy/read books to lose weight. Spend the time riding/exercising.

The key to weight loss essentially is to burn more calories every day than you take in.

You can google nutrition/health calculators and use a few to find an average for the amount of calories you burn at rest every day (it may still be off, but at least it's a starting point). So any calories you eat over that amount you will need to burn off through activity.

For example, I think I burn around 1400 calories at rest. I eat usually between 2300-2800. Sometimes I burn around 2400 up to 3400 a day.

I keep track of calories on fitday.com sometimes. More for my own tracking purposes for training (to see where I am gaining/losing and trying to find out why if it becomes a problem, etc.) than anything else.

But, it's an easy way to keep track of incoming vs. outgoing calories, activities, etc.


Regarding bike training itself, I think most will agree Joe Friel's Training Bible(s) are usually #1.

[HUGH]

Originally Posted by allison

Regarding bike training itself, I think most will agree Joe Friel's Training Bible(s) are usually #1.

I'm with allison on this one!! When I was racing I followed his books. I did quite well in my three years of racing.

HUGH

[dubjay]

Here's a good read on nutrition.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/fitness/2...guidelines.pdf

[denmother]

Check out www.mtbstrengthcoach.com. James Wilson has designed a workout program specifically for Mountain Bikers. I have been training with him for the last 2 years.

[FoShizzle]

book are ghey...I would highly recommend you follow posts of select STR members which effectively would equate to the Bible of racing. You will be astounded at how much you will podium if you follow their advice both in terms of actual racing as well as nutrition matters.

[lukewiens]

All you need!

[BoingBoing]

Originally Posted by allison

You don't necessarily need to go buy/read books to lose weight. Spend the time riding/exercising.

I didn't read anything other than the nutritional info on all the crap I ate and drank on my 15 mile ride. It totalled something like 1800 calories. And after the ride I was famished and thirsty.

I think Allison is right--ride and exercise more and you'll be going in the right direction.

[FoShizzle]

Originally Posted by BoingBoing

ride and exercise more and you'll be going in the right direction.

profound advice...you should write a book

[spookydave]

Pre geoladders this was the book to have. Sitll a must get I think.
I've marked the trails I've done with a highlighter. That remindes me, I still need to get out a bag a few.

[reflux]

Originally Posted by allison

The key to weight loss essentially is to burn more calories every day than you take in.

I found counting calories, or even trying to estimate them based on foods I was eating, to be a huge effort and not worth MY time. Rather, as Allison has alluded to in other threads, focus on eating the right foods (salads, lean meats, almonds, no soda, etc) and your entire diet will come together.

As for exercising with the goal of losing weight, try implementing high intensity interval training (HIIT) into your rides. What does that mean? Sprint. Flat ground, up hills, it doesn't matter just as long as you get your heart rate up. And repeat.

[allison]

Originally Posted by reflux

I found counting calories, or even trying to estimate them based on foods I was eating, to be a huge effort and not worth MY time. Rather, as Allison has alluded to in other threads, focus on eating the right foods (salads, lean meats, almonds, no soda, etc) and your entire diet will come together.

As for exercising with the goal of losing weight, try implementing high intensity interval training (HIIT) into your rides. What does that mean? Sprint. Flat ground, up hills, it doesn't matter just as long as you get your heart rate up. And repeat.

Eh, I eat basically the same thing every week day (cheerios, skim milk, apple, broccoli, turkey sandwich, string cheese, yogurt, granola). Dinner changes, but for during the day fitday saves your last probably 12-15 items in a recently eaten tab so you just click on it and then alter the nutrients/amount as necessary (e.g. I have apple on there and it has no serving info, so I choose "medium sized apple", etc.).

For dinner I almost always easy the same mix of stuff (pasta plus with spaghetti sauce and ground turkey, chicken, salads, salmon, etc.) so it is really pretty quick for me now that I have most of my food entered (you can save custom foods).

Anyway, it isn't at all necessary, but if you are someone that doesn't at all pay attention you may find that you are just eating either way too much, or way too little.

FWIW, eating too little can affect your weight as much as eating too much. Body goes into starvation mode and won't burn calories/keeps the fat.

Hills are good for mountain biking (Vail, Daley Ranch, areas like Aliso, etc.) naturally have hills, which is like intervals, only you don't have to really think about it.

If you have a trainer/road bike and TV and feel like it, I think the Carmichael Training System's mountain bike DVD is pretty good also. Different interval sets that are a great work out.

I used that DVD a lot this past winter for mid-week training at home. 54 minutes quick and easy.

[JohnnyDalton]

Couple of books that may help with your cycling and nutrition. Caramichael's "The Ultimate Ride" for training and nutrition; Bob Roll's "Bobke II" for your funny bone. Good read and great read. Friel's book is good, too.

[LBmtb]

Originally Posted by spookydave

Pre geoladders this was the book to have. Sitll a must get I think.
I've marked the trails I've done with a highlighter. That remindes me, I still need to get out a bag a few.

It's funny looking through that book and seeing a bunch of trails there that are now illegal. Moral of the story: good book but don't ride every trail it mentions!

[bobzrag]

Hey davemw, I was close to your weight a few years ago, exercise (as compared to doing nothing) was an obvious step, but I also used to eat until I was uncomfortable. Now I have reduced the amount I eat at each meal and that really helped. The only thing that sucks is that when you have those really good meals (like Thanksgiving) you have a small plate and you're done. But I'm floating around the 200 mark which is good.

[davemw]

Originally Posted by bobzrag

Hey davemw, I was close to your weight a few years ago, exercise (as compared to doing nothing) was an obvious step, but I also used to eat until I was uncomfortable. Now I have reduced the amount I eat at each meal and that really helped. The only thing that sucks is that when you have those really good meals (like Thanksgiving) you have a small plate and you're done. But I'm floating around the 200 mark which is good.

Ya Know, I think that might be my biggest problem too! I can eat a lot of food in one sitting, like a carne asada burrito and 2 fish tacos worth of food. (I love me some Mexican food. Its my only unhealthy splurge) I will have to start making an effort to shrink my portions.