I just started a subscription to TR and have done two FTP tests. How much do you think your FTP improvement is actual fitness, and how much is you getting better at pacing for the test? I've tested twice about 10 days apart, with a 10% increase, and I could probably do another 10% if I had to test today, just because I think I'm shooting for a target that still a bit low.

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Your favorite mafia sucks.

I think it's probably half and half. I definitely could have done better athan my first test. I was scared to blow up so I was very conservative I think.

I am coming in from the opposite end of the spectrum. I am a roadie, built like a climber at 1.74m/59kg or 5'7/130pounds and want to get more into TT-ing on the bike. So I would like to try to actually gain a few pounds to one day hit that magical 300 watt FTP bound. Anybody got any experience or tips?

One of the other posts on this forum suggested that there is no relation between squatting weight and FTP. But then I wonder, what do guys like Tony Martin do to get to their optimal weight? (I remember he lost quite a bit of weight one or two seasons ago to try and become more of a GC rider, this ultimately failed and he went back to his TT weight).

no relation?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOImvJOaGiY

Yeah but would that kind of power translate to, say, 20min or 1hour efforts?

Look e.g. at the first question here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXYoc0EkOL8&list=PLUdAMlZtaV13FBt5S-KYypSm9eWphHmPB&index=2


Maybe this whole weight gain idea I have is complete nonsense, and cycling is all about losing weight up to the point where you start losing muscle mass.

So... I have posted a few times about my "journey" I witnessed my first sprint triathlon in 2010 and thought it would be amazing to try I had never done anything prior and was weighing over 325 lbs 6'1.....

Year later I entered that sprint and got destroyed but had lost 30 or 40 lbs. Short version of the story I am down over 140 lbs now training for my 3rd 70.3 shooting for 4:45 finish time previous 2 were at 5 hours with no pacing strategy and blowing up on the run from over biking! Tonight is my final FTP test before my upcoming 70.3 FTP is currently 293 Goal of 300 tonight doubt it will happen with the volume I am doing but fun to have a goal.

Have to agree with other the weight loss has been the best for my running. Being over 180 lbs still though allows me to Smash TT's which is fun as well :) Ideally I would like to lose another 10 or so and see where I can get my run but its gotten a lot harder!

Bumping the thread for updates. I was 76.7kg this morning (169lbs) so down about 6lbs. I bought myself an electric steamer for cooking so that I can use less fat, I hope that helps.

My weight is all over the place though, I rode Liege Bastogne Liege on Saturday, and on Monday at home I weight 80kg, I seem to retain water after long rides - Tuesday was spent mainly going back and forth to the toilet!

Everyone else making progress?

That is simply awesome. I'm somewhat on the same path as you, so to read what you have done, and are currently doing, is inspiring to me. I was 310 or so and started my transformation last September. I entered my first ever sprint in March at 250 pounds, and have St Anthony's this weekend and I'm around 235 now. Wife did Haines City HIM, and I thought no way I could do it. It's on my list for next year.

That is awesome to hear and amazing progress! keep it up I just weighed in at my lightest 182 and hit 314 FTP on my test. I am racing ST Croix in 10 days and cant wait strongest I have ever been and lightest I have been since probably 6th grade haha. Let me know how St. Anyhonys goes good luck!

Nice work in here people!

What ever happened to posting pictures? preferably next to your better half in a bikini.

Damn! You folks are doing awesome! For some reason I can't work up the motivation to stick to a diet...I do good for a few days then something comes up and I go off the rails. I'm down a bit, but not nearly enough.

Started using Lose It! religiously on April 1. Was at 181.5 that day and many months prior. Today I am at 172.2 on my way to 165 (maybe 160). Simply tracking calories, not looking at the macro breakdown. Nor am I following any particular diet. I've noticed that night snacking is where my extra calories were piling up.

That's my big issue. I'll come home around 8:30PM. I'll make a quick dinner (egg whites and vegetables) and then I, completely out of habit, start hitting up the peanut butter... I would be at race weight easily if I found some self control.

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@floathammerholdon | @partners_in_tri

Ugh, no. I've stalled out.



I need to buckle down. My first race of the season is on May 7 and I was hoping to be at 184. I'm sitting at 191 today.

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Your favorite mafia sucks.

About 3 years ago, I finally hit my braking point. Totally revamped my diet, and started exercising for the first time in ~25 years. I started with short bike rides in the morning, but eventually got back into competitive swimming, something I did as a kid. Swam 2015 USMS Summer Nationals in August at 167. Rebounded some, spent most of winter 2015/16 in the low 180's, most of summer 2016 in the mid 170's, then injured myself doing a flip turn and really couldn't workout for 2 months. Topped out this past winter at 190, but I'm back on the wagon, diet and exercise wise, and back down under 180. Goal is to get under 165 by end of this summer.

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"They're made of latex, not nitroglycerin"

That's phenomenal Gary! Unfortunately I still look more like your before picture, lol. Any in particular in terms of diet that worked for you?

My wife's idea was to do Beach Body's "21 Day Fix." I did one day of the DVD workouts and said "nope, not doing that again." So I started riding my bike in the mornings, instead, but stuck with the meal plan. It worked. Didn't bother with the "Shakeolgy" stuff, just the basic meal planning.

Beach Body sells the meal plan as a stand alone option, now, called "The Portion Fix," but it's kind of buried on their website. Direct Link Here.

I used, Ultra Short Race Pace Training, or USRPT, for my swim training. Definitely was a "quality over quantity" approach, with lots of high intensity short distance repeats (25's, 50's, and 75's) on modest rest (~15-20 seconds) at actual race pace (100 pace for the 25's, 200 or 400/500 pace for the 50's, and 400/500 pace for the 75's). I averaged about 10k yards a week.

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"They're made of latex, not nitroglycerin"

Are you guys working with nutritionists or online programs? I need to drop 20 (give or take, depending on performance issues) in the next year (I'm at the high end of normal now). I know my body well enough to know the first 5 will be easy and then next 15 will be near impossible. I also know that to do this I'll need the kind of structure I already get from my coaching/training plan. I got a bunch of recommendations from friends, but right now the most compelling seems to be StrongerU. Not cheap, but they have a one-on-one nutrition coaching approach that I think I need, and I have a friend (also a late 40s female) who saw some great results with them that yielded serious performance gains. Any thoughts?

Great job! Keep it up

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

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