Get cycling to fight obesity, urges Sir Chris Whitty as he applauds “imaginative” active travel schemes during pandemic

Sriracha wrote:

I didn't think cycling was especially good at reducing obesity. I am sure it's good for your overall health, and so is reducing excess weight good for your overall health. But I thought that to lose weight you would be unwise to rely primarily on cycling.

It can certainly help by increasing muscle mass and speeding up your metabolism, but yes exercise is for increasing health and diet/portion size is for controlling weight.

In my experience that's true, there just isn't a substitute for cutting down on calories, sadly. However, cycling is a brilliant secondary weight loss tool, not because of the amount of calories burned (after all it takes nearly 11 hours at 200 W to burn 1 kg of fat, and that's assuming one doesn't add any extra fuel for riding) but because as one starts to chuck the excess baggage climbing gets easier, you can go further and faster for the same effort, and (it probably shouldn't matter but it does) you start to look pretty good in cycling gear, and once you've got a taste for those things you really want to keep them and get more of them.

It depends, I think is the sensible answer. 

Cycling over a reasonable distances is a really good excercise - outdoors, good for wellbeing, you do a low impact workout with intervals (hills and stops and starts).

I eat a mega-amount of calories - 4 sausages and a pile of mash awaits me for evening meal, plus banana and ice cream, I've had a couple of pints this afternoon (though not a consistent drinker) a nice steak sandwich because we missed the bacon butty cut off. Where are all those calories going?

OK, Whitty probably isn't thinking of a 50 mile ride, but basically using your body will use calories, and is part of balancing excess intake.

If you then get the cycling bug, you will soon shed weight without trying.

The other part of the formula though is getting rid of sugary and/or refined foods - ditch the Pringles - we have a decent snack of roasted monkey nuts (had the award from Sainsbury's for being the biggest buyer last year!), we do not stint on food, we just stay slim and healthy.

Trying to overcome the body's hunger signals is hard, so why not put those calories to use and enjoy eating enthusiastically?

IanMSpencer wrote:

Trying to overcome the body's hunger signals is hard, so why not put those calories to use and enjoy eating enthusiastically?

You've sort of explained my point there. Unless you do move the set point on your hunger signals (which is hard, like you say, and cycling does not do this for you) then you will, as you imply, simply compensate for the additional calorie burn by eating more enthusiastically, such that you maintain the status quo. Homeostasis. Your cardiovascular health will doubtless improve, but your weight?

I guess it's like trying to cool a heated room by opening the window to let some heat out. The heating system compensates to keep the room at the original temperature. To cool the room you have to move the dial on the thermostat.

My wife has lost weight by eating more and exercising more.

My personal theory is that, combined with a sensible mix of food, which is solid wholesome food, not faddy diet and low fat high sugar commercial weight control type products, butter, eggs, meat, potatoes, much like is ready 30 years ago you eat a satisfying meal. You then respond to that by storing the calories or using them. My wife doesn't cycle but she does walk 40+ miles a week. That doesn't mean our appetites get bigger as we are satisfied after a meal then don't snack, just an occasional limited quantity of monkey nuts some evenings.

She eats more than she used to and weighs less. The only significant restriction we have is that we've cut down on alcohol. Not tea-total by a long shot, but no longer comfort drinking on a regular basis.

I don't think appetite necessarily matches energy usage.

If you then get the cycling bug, you will soon shed weight without trying

Well, we're all different but it requires quite a bit of trying by me! What really does it is epic long days with limited supplies because you're camping on the Pennine Bridleway- if you're really knackered, you may not even be up to eating much when you stop

I think it varies by person. After being at the same weight for decades, I lost about 16 lb in a bit over two years when I started cycling regularly, from 158 lb to 142 lb (72 kg to 64 kg.) I did not eat less. If anything, I ate more as I stopped my practice of skipping either breakfast or lunch (usually lunch), which I'd started doing as I often wasn't really hungry for dinner.

The loss was all from the little body fat I had. In the eight years since I've now packed on muscle up to 162 lb (73.5 kg) but to this day I have to consiously eat more than I care to. I love food, love beer, but I will lose weight with the amount of exercise I do unless I eat to feeling quite full at least two of my meals. I know, many people would love my "problem."

andystow wrote:

I know, many people would love my "problem."

I'm trying so hard not to use the word "bastard" but...

I don't think there is a one-size-fits-all answer, as is the case with most body-related stuff. My anecdata tells me that I weigh less now but feel better (present routine - daily 50k+ round trip commutes, training for audaxes and ultras, 6 meals a day) than three years ago, when I weighed significantly more and was more 'top heavy' muscular (working as a chef, long, tiring, heavy muscular work, plenty of food but more spread out and bigger meals). I'm sure a dietitian might say that calorie deficit causes weight loss and calorie surplus causes weight gain; I suspect there is a bit more nuance than that.

Yes you're absolutely correct. Exercise is essential, however to lose weight you have to control what you put into your pie hole. That's a pretty hard thing to do, due to a life time of filling it with anything and everything. It's hard to discipline yourself .when you get the hunger pangs. 😊

As I understand it, the body gets very used to the weight it is at, and will try and maintain it, with feelings of hunger and slowing down energy usage if it thinks you are starving. Cycling regularly, and especially commuting, can be part of a lifestyle change, along with eating healthily that can eventually lead to a healthier weight, but better doing it slowly.

Fast weight loss is very rarely effective in the long term especially without lifestyle changes as the bodies reaction means putting weight back on, often leading to even more weight than before.

The diet industry is a massive money making scheme that relies on repeat customers.

Sriracha wrote:

I didn't think cycling was especially good at reducing obesity.

It seemed to work for Gary Brennan, the 39 stone cyclist. On a far smaller scale it worked for me - lost 7lb within 6 weeks when I switched to cycle commuting the 5 miles to work without even trying. By the end of the year I was another 5lb lighter.

It's easier if you avoid processed crap (particularly meat-based), alcohol and fried food but you don't have to live like a monk.

I think there is a point at which the body begins to adapt and doesn't burn the fat as readily for a given amount of exercise but also behaviour can prevent continued weight loss. There are multiple factors but exercise such as cycling can be a big part of the solution, and the big bonus is that it can be done on your commute, a stress-relieving evening pedal or a weekend social ride. It's more effective than walking (and you can also see more places, have more options) and more enjoyable than running.

Roughed it out for you...

HoarseMann wrote:

Let's hope he still has the ear of the government.

Prof. Whitty and Health Minister Javid need to go down Whitehall to the Department of Digital Culture and Media to get hate speech against two wheel transport treated like Racism, Diversity and Inclusion in the mainstream and social media.

It's only when the attitude of all road users changes that it will be safe for everyone to get the physical and mental health benefits of traveling on two wheels. #VisionZero

Environmental benefits a bonus towards Carbon neutral. So good for all in many aspects.