Find it, reach it – and stay lean for life.– By Selene Yeager
Behold the mighty kilogram. Each one has potential. To put raw power into your pedals. To outsprint the masses to the line. To ascend the likes of Mont Ventoux. But pack on too many (especially of the non-power-producing variety—in other words, fat) and they’ll weigh you down, slow you down, and maybe even shorten your life. Shave off too many, and you risk losing some of your crank-churning power. That’s why, of all the figures cyclists track, from heart rate to mileage to speed, perhaps none outrank the one on the bathroom scale.
“I spend a lot of time helping riders achieve their ideal weight because the rewards are so great,” says Hunter Allen, founder of the Peaks Coaching Group and coauthor of Training and Racing with a Power Meter. “Every half-kilo you carry above that weight makes you 10 to 12 seconds slower for each kay of a climb.” Off the bike, the rewards are just as substantial. The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reports that losing just 5 to 10 percent of your total body weight can lower your blood pressure, improve cholesterol levels, and protect against diabetes and cancer. Even if you never compete, slimming down will help you enjoy riding more because your heart won’t have to work as hard. Maybe you’ll even drop some of those leaner-than-thou types on the group ride. You get the idea.
But this is about being strong, not skinny. Fat plays a key role in immune-system function—if you don’t have enough, your energy will flag and you’ll get sick. Become so lean that you start to burn muscle, and your power will plummet. The idea is to find a sweet spot where you can ride strong, yet be healthy, too.
This sweet spot depends on numerous factors, including your current weight, height, and body-frame size. Below, we give you three ways to find a target ideal weight you can live, ride, or even race with for life. Focus on the one that best fits your goals, or try all three. Then, read on for our training and meal plans designed to help you achieve your ideal cycling weight—and stay there for good.
Option 1: Shed Excess Weight
Option 2: Get Leaner and Faster
Option 3: Get Competitive
OPTION 1: SHED EXCESS WEIGHT
If you fit one or more of the descriptions below, use the steps on this page to estimate an ideal target weight for your height and body-frame size.
[box]—You ride a few times a week, primarily for recreation.
—You used to ride all the time, and maybe even raced, but work, family, and other responsibilities have forced you to scale back.
—You know you’ve got some weight to lose before you can think about improving your performance on the bike.[/box]
Your current weight ________kg
Your height ________
Use this standard formula to find out a baseline weight:
Men: 48kg for first 1.5 m of height plus 1kg for each additional 1cm.
For example, if you’re 1.77m, this number would be 75kg (48 + 27)
Women: 45kg for the first 1.5 m of height plus 2kg for each additional 2.5cm.
For example, if you’re 1.6m, this number would be 59kg (45 + 14)
Baseline target weight ________
Now, factor in your frame size
Just as mountain bikes come in small, medium, and large, so do our skeletal frames. That’s why there’s a range of medically recommended weights for any given height. A standard measurement of frame size is your wrist circumference in relation to your height. Use a tape measure to measure your wrist in centimetres at its widest point, then locate your frame size in this chart.
Match your wrist size to your height:
| Men | Women | Women | Women | ||
| Height | > 1.65m | < 1.57m | 1.57m to 1.65m | > 1.65m |
|
| Wrist | 14 to 16.5cm | < 14cm | < 15cm | < 16cm | Small |
| 16.5 to 19cm | 14 to 14.5cm | 15 to 16cm | 16 to 16.4cm | Medium | |
| > 19cm | > 14.5cm | > 16cm | > 16.5cm | Large |
*Women vary more by height and frame size than men do and therefore have more variation in this ratio.
If your frame size is:
Small: Subtract 10% from your baseline target weight _________
Medium: Keep your baseline target weight __________
Large: Add 10% to your baseline target weight __________
This number is your adjusted target weight. Standard body-weight formulas are based on averages, which means that results for some people may be slightly skewed. If the number you calculate is equal to or greater than your current weight, or if it’s too low to be attainable, try the formula on the next page, which focuses on your body composition.
Option 1: Shed Excess Weight
Option 2: Get Leaner and Faster
Option 3: Get Competitive
OPTION 2: GET LEANER AND FASTER
If you fit one or more of the descriptions below, use the following steps to estimate a weight that will maximize your body composition.
[box]—You ride four or more days a week, including hard-charging training rides.
—You want to be competitive in the Cycle Tour do a hard century, or race occasionally.
—You want to maximise your body composition and gain more power.
—The target ideal weight you calculated in option 1 is greater than your current weight.[/box]
Body composition is a set of percentages that breaks down your weight into fat and lean pedal-pushing muscle. You’ll get the most accurate reading from a special body-composition scale. (You can buy these devices, which are also found in some gyms.) To get the most precise reading, make sure you use or purchase one that takes into account fitness level and follow the directions carefully. The reading is sensitive to your hydration level and, for women, menstrual cycles. Like your weight, the figure will fluctuate, so try to calculate your average numbers over a couple of weeks. Avoid online calculators; they don’t provide accurate readings for active people.
Next, compare your reading to the percentages in the chart below, which are listed according to fitness levels.
Your current body fat ____________%
Healthy body-fat ranges are 10 to 25 percent for men and 18 to 30 percent for women (who naturally have more fat). Athletes in top form may fall below these numbers. If your body-fat percentage is higher, decide on a goal number within the healthy range. But be realistic and don’t just target the lowest possible percentage. “Having a bit more body fat is better for your immune system and for consistency on the bike,” Allen says.
Your body-fat goal ____________%
Next, use these formulas to come up with a goal weight based on body composition:
Step 1
Figure out how many kilograms of body fat you have:
Your current weight x your body-fat percentage = ______kg
(Example: 91kg x 28% = 25.5kg)
Step 2
Next, figure out your lean body mass:
Your current weight – pounds of body fat = ______kg
(Example: 91kg – 25.5kg = 65.5kg)
Step 3
Now, subtract your goal body-fat percentage from 100%
(Example: 100% – 20% = 80%)
Your answer __________
Step 4
Divide your lean body mass from Step 2 by your answer to Step 3
(Example: 65.5kh / 80% = 82 kg)
Your answer ______kg
This is your target ideal weight based on body composition.
Option 1: Shed Excess Weight
Option 2: Get Leaner and Faster
Option 3: Get Competitive
OPTION 3: GET COMPETITIVE
If you fit one or more of the descriptions below, use the following guidelines to figure out how your weight compares with riders at cycling’s highest levels.
[box]—You are a competitive racer who trains 10 to 15 hours a week.
—You’re already lean, but you aspire to achieve a racing weight comparable to that of the fastest racers.
—Your body fat is at the low end of the healthy range (or lower).[/box]
Caution: This weight may not be realistic or even healthy to maintain long-term. For many cyclists, these numbers may be aggressively low. Unless you get really serious about racing, you might want to set your sights a little higher.
Cycling coach Joe Friel, creator of the Training Bible series of books, has calculated that top male riders generally carry 375 to 430 grams per centimetre; top women come in at 340 to 395 grams per centimetre. That means a 1.78m man would weigh 67 to 76lg, and a 1.65m woman would tip the scales between 56 and 65kg. Elite climbing specialists are often even lighter. Extra weight exacts far less of a penalty on flat ground than it does when you head toward the heavens on 10 percent grades. (This ratio isn’t the same as your power-to-weight ratio, which is considered the gold standard for determining your most competitive cycling weight. But it’s close, and it doesn’t require an expensive power meter to figure out.)
There are exceptions, says Friel. Even a cursory glance at the others in your cycling club will tell you that fast, successful riders come in all sizes. Most famous was Lance Armstrong, who at about 375 grams per centimetre was larger than most of the world’s top climbers; he overcame his extra bulk by producing more power. If you tend toward the muscular side, it can be unrealistic, if not downright counterproductive, to try to achieve an unnaturally low weight.
Use the ranges above to see how close your goal or current weight is to a weight that would maximize your ability to compete (assuming you have the corresponding fitness). If your goal or current weight is less than your competitive weight, go back to the “Get Leaner and Faster” to make sure your body fat is within a healthy range. If it’s not, hit the gym to put on lean muscle tissue and be sure you’re properly fueling during and especially after your rides, so you don’t go into a catabolic state and eat into your precious muscle stores. Be especially sure to meet your daily protein requirements by including it in every meal and snack.
Option 1: Shed Excess Weight
Option 2: Get Leaner and Faster
Option 3: Get Competitive