Don't count calories like a lunatic, but take a week and a food scale and count calories. Most people don't actually know what a serving of X, Y, or Z actually looks like. Seeing that your bowl of cereal actually has 2.5 servings on a scale is eye opening. People tend to eat a lot of the same foods week in and out so just getting a handle on some of your regular foods and the actual caloric impact on your body can be beneficial for a lot of people that can't figure out why they're not losing weight.
As a physician, cardiovascular specialist and researcher, I can tell you that your body is a complex energy consumed vs energy burned engine. The key is what happens in the non-exercise time. Aerobic conditioning helps build VO2 level and aerobic base (Yay). Resistance training (gasp - weight lifting) stimulates your muscles to burn energy continuously increasing your basal metabolic rate. Simply stated we need more than just our bikes and walks (even though they are far far more fun). Diet is the other half of the equation. People tend to do one or the other, but rarely both.
I do both, read my comment about my regime to lose weight. I find it very easy to lose an average of 1/2 lb per day but you have to be very disciplined and targeted in both exercise and calorie intake.
@JitinMisra the secret to reducing hunger when you diet, I think, is to keep your stomach as full as possible with fluids ( not beer ) and reducing your calorie intake to only slightly less than a balanced input / output energy ratio, which can be found by trial and error for each individual, monitoring your weight on scales at exactly the same time daily and watching an average weight loss over a few days, not just one.
One year ago, I listened to the science of fueling a bike ride. I started eating more and started losing weight. Seemed backward from everything I've read, but it makes sense. I had more energy to ride longer, built more muscle, recovered better, slept better because I wasn't hungry and rode the next day.
eat more healthy snacks while riding = no craving pizza before bed at night after a ride. I can go harder on the bike, eat the same amount of calories throughout the day, and feel better overall. now I always pack some dried fruit, bananas, maple syrup sachets, and other high carb non-ultra-processed snacks.
Yes a key thing is that when you eat more, you don't eat too much more which is so easy to do. We always overestimate how many calories we burn and underestimate the calories we eat. You found the right balance.
Not a cyclist at all, wish i was, but I adore your channel, and i have now got a bike so watch this space. have to say this is one of the most imformative weight loss videos I've seen, simple steps and as you say not trying to sell anything. thanks, awesome job
Ollie is a champ on so many levels and a one-man juggernaut of action & science. the shade on huel alone was worth the watch (but of course the whole prez is oustanding). i've spent the last 6-7 years figuring out genuine nutrition - lost 20% of my body weight, increased my power by 40% - and all of these tips line up 100%, regardless what anybody says (esp that nasty daily recommended pyramid)a calorie is definitely not just a calorie and insulin resistance is the single biggest issue in weight control. chapeau Ollie!
I will happily grant that calorie counting is not perfect with the +/-20% accuracy of labeling. However there is mountains of human randomized control trials that show that regardless of macronutrient content, or glycemic index, weight loss is the same when both groups consume the same amount of calories. A calorie is a calorie in the same way that a watt is a watt. Humans aren’t bomb calorimeters, however we kind of are. Some of the calories that go in, are simply burned in the process of digestion via the Thermic effect of food, rather than making it all the way to usable Glycogen/ATP. I’m happy to provide peer reviewed research to back all of these claims if necessary.
Also, the "you can't out run a bad diet" is more nuanced as you can actually still be in a deficit despite eating badly as long as your caloric intake isn't something like 4k per day, hence why someone tried eating just McDonalds consistently for a year and still lost weight. Cycling is special in that regard as it's a low impact endurance sport, where you can cycle for hours and hours without that much fatigue that you rack up a large calorie deficit despite fueling during rides. The only nuance here is that you can't sustain 4 hours every day unless you have some genetics or youth to help you out, and you need some discipline on not overeating.
@@thestrengthfactory. It’s odd to me. Entirely discounting calorie counting because it’s not perfectly accurate is like discounting the idea of a household budget because you can’t predict every single expense that may pop up, yet no reasonable person would ever advise against having a budget. I understand that some people have a difficult time with calorie counting, and that some can even be triggered into disordered eating in this way. (myself included) However, as the old saying goes “what gets measured gets managed”. Also, I will freely admit that emerging research into the gut microbiome is starting to change our understanding of digestion and metabolism, and a whole host of other biological processes.
@@RyonBeachner I know. I found this video so frustrating and so many people are gushing over it when it does not actually tell you how to lose weight! arghhhh
@@thestrengthfactory. I think the argument was about the long term effectiveness of calorie counting. Something along the lines of start dieting/calorie counting -> lose weight for a few weeks -> stop calorie counting -> regain weight + more.
I've gone from over 210 to under 185 (at 6'2") in the last year or so. I haven't completely eliminated "junk" food - burgers and fries, cookies, pizza, etc, but cut back on that stuff. I have been earning more meals at home, and replaced 3 or 4 meals a week with a bowl of yogurt and fruit. And I'm consistently burning 1500-2000 calories a week on the bike, either indoors or out. I'm really pleased with how relatively easy it has been. It has required exercising some self control, to be sure. Oh, and I still typically have 5 or 6 pints of beer a week, usually all in one go. I might need to change that because I just can't recover the next day like I used to be able to, at 56.
losing weight or looking dry and slim are two different things. Cycling is a great sport but you need to pump iron to develop muscle. And those muscles will help you stay slim and vital. Older athletes in particular need to do more strength training. Strength training is hormonally beneficial, intense endurance exercise does the opposite. Cycling is fun and you don't have to give it up. Just a matter of dosage and common sense.
Your comment has very much inspired me! I'm currently 210 lbs (also 6'2") and would aim for the 185lbs mark. I don't like the idea of totally cutting out the junk food either but think the other things you mentioned are key to losing the weight. Oh and the 5,6 pints a week (in one go) is also very familiar! I'm 45 btw. I've an ebike (Turbo Levo) which I'm getting a lot of use out of so hopefully can burn some calories on that!
@@Colonel63 good luck. I'm not saying it will be as easy for everyone as it was for me. I'm not sure it was that easy for me - I like to eat and I don't always want to do a trainer ride, although the gamification aspects of Zwift help with the motivation. I just wish I'd done this 20 or 30 years ago, lol. Slow but steady is the way to go for weight loss. No point doing anything that you can't sustain in the longer term.
well not really - he didn't mention not eating at all ie _fasting_ - far better for not only losing weight but better for your health than either exercise or a good diet.
@@blaze1148 yeah, bc he was doing it for the majority of people. Fasting is not only hard, but it’s just not something most people will do. Science does seem to be catching up to the benefits, but still not all of them agree on the benefits. He did reco IF.
@@blaze1148 it’s very hard, I was hungry the whole time I did it. I was told the hunger would subside - it didn’t. Maybe easy for you, but I promise that’s not the case for others. You also have to make sure you’re keeping your salt levels up and you have to prepare yourself mentally, It’s not something you just do.
Considering the number of fitness youtube channels sponsored by some nutrition or supplement marketing scam, I LOVE that you are being clear-as-day honest on this topic.
Great video! There is so much misinformation/contradiction around weight loss. I'm training back up for an ironman this year and dropped from 195 to a stable 175lbs in 3-4 months and I agree with everything Ollie said. Of course there was a lot of exercise (bike, swim, run, and weight lifting for injury prevention), so I'm sure I was operating at a bit of a calorie deficit, but I give the bulk of credit to the dietary changes. Constant, and I mean constant snacking on fruits/veg/nuts, strict avoidance of processed sugar (except for gels during training) and alcohol. I like what Ollie said about the benefits of going out for a beer with your friends, and I usually do during regular training (I actually brew beer). But when I'm seriously training I just find it easier personally/psychologically to just say no. I think cutting out the beer gave me severe cravings for bread, so had a lot of sourdough toast/butter/no-sugar added jam. If you're like me and are prone to stress eating, find healthy treats that take time to make and eat them slowly. I make a lot of oatmeal slushies. Take oats, crushed almonds, frozen blueberries and soy milk. Give it ~15 minutes, the milk freezes and the oats soften. Whip it up and it's like chunky ice cream. Or peeling some carrots and making fresh hummus. My exception for processed foods was an emergency supply of Rx bars at work. If there isn't anything else and I'm still bonking I think it's better having any kind of fuel than nothing at all. At least for recovering from and getting the most out of training. Build good habits, stay thoughtful but don't overthink or overdo it
What strength training (lifting weights) is recommended to support cycling? No for pros, but for average Joe's that just like to ride their bike for training, and join some competitions now and then😊.
@@nickeveritt4391 Actually Oli has been following Tim Spector and the ZOE project which while it covers ultra processed foods it also covers many more aspects of eating exercise and healthy living
It’s a good book but Ollie’s been reading more than just UPP - in fact I would say he’s been reading the gamut - there’s quite a lot of Tim Spector in this video
This is one the best videos ever from GCN. The information, the video takes, the way the subject was put on: perfect! Please, dig more into this food subject! Congrats to the whole gcn team and Ollie
Finally someone talking the truth. Life is a balance of many things. Exercise and enjoyment of life are the keys for me. I try and eat healthy most of the time but I still enjoy a beer or two with friends as well! Cheers.
This is wonderfully spot on. I’m a trainer, metabolic coach, and nutritionist but reference stability a lot through exercise as well as regarding your gut. Sustainability first and completely agree that a calorie is not just a calorie. No one focuses on the chemical signaling involved. Hormones! Stability in your gut IS an adaptation to put your riding into the next progression. Well done GCN. Next focus on behaviors and tactics (time restricted eating) to improve daily and sport metabolic flexibility. No peaks and valleys in blood sugar/insulin at daily life as well as during sport.
I'm going to be a pedant: all calories are equal. It's a unit of measurement - like all metres are exactly the same distance. But it's very air to say that not all calorie SOURCES are equal.
Great video, Ollie! My parents taught me something as a kid, that I have forgotten to do: while eating, after every bite of food, set your fork or spoon down. This helps us to slow down while eating, enjoy the taste of our food more, and aid us to better digest our food. Faster is not always better. Masticate on that, people!
Thanks for this Ollie, my wife has been listening to a podcast about the evils of ultra processed food, high time I started listening to her! As ever the content is great, love the delivery style. Keep up the good work and save help save humanity.
I've been thinking about weight loss myself for years but without looking at actual research i could never really understand the full picture. Thanks for filling the gaps and the education! This is my go-to weight loss explanation video now!
I was very nervous clicking on this video after listening to a few hundred hours worth of science podcasts over the past half year. I was very afraid of this being a "cycling is the solution for everything" sort of video. It is anything but. I'm no scientist myself, but as far as I can tell it is indeed very much up to date with the best science we have available. Maybe a bit more emphasis could have been on the potential on fasting, but other than that, it touched on the most important points. Very well done Ollie (and possibly others helping with the research), quality video!
i agree with much of what you said, i have always been large, lets just say in 2009 i weighed 409 lbs i was able to get to the mid 300s but was never able to get lower, i eliminated sugar completely, the best results i had was with a low carb diet, it seems my body loves to store carbs as fat rather than use them for fuel. May of 2023 i had a vertical sleeve gastrectomy and it changed everything for me. weight the day i started the liquid diet prep was 342lbs today i sit at 199 and love everything about it. i dont count calories but do go by weight/volume. through much trial and error i have found my body works best on a low carb diet, sugars are a no go for me due to a little thing called dumping syndrome. what i got from the surgery was for the first time in y life knowing what being full felt like. previously i had to states, starved and sick to my stomach, no in between. we are all unique, i suggest getting with a dietician and getting a metabolic study done, i have a chart of what my body uses for fuel and when. im a primary fat fueler except during anerobic efforts where we all use ATP. when i up my carbs to even 30% of my calories i feel sluggish and have less energy than if i eat lets say pepperoni and cheese. I am a backpacker that uses cycling for fitness and the enjoyment of cycling. we are all different so find what works for you and help out your friends. also last year in april i quit caffeine for the first time in very many years and after the first couple of weeks i dont even miss it any more. everything in life is better without it and i was a 4 to 6 liter per day of diet soda person, now its mainly water. find what works for you. i am thankful every day for the medical staff that has helped me be at a weight i hadnt seen since 7th grade and yes im tall at 6ft 4in
wise words. One more tip: Start learning to cook diverse meals. it becomes really fun once you get better at it. You get to cut into restaurants at the same time, so that's more money in your pocket. it requires much less effort than you might think.
Exactly! A quick wack of quinoa, sauteed veg and omelet/ scrambled eggs takes 20 min. Fast, healthy, from scratch food faster than fast food! Hugely cheaper too!
Ok, I don’t normally comment to correct, but as a cyclist with celiac disease, I have to push back on the “highly processed” part of the video, specifically the “gluten free oat flour” part. Oats are actually naturally gluten free but they are generally considered contaminated because they’re processed in the same facilities as wheat. “Gluten free oat flour” is literally ground up oats that were processed in a place that doesn’t also process wheat or barley. That’s not “super processed,” that’s avoiding cross contamination.
Same goes for tapioca starch, its the same as corn starch and comes from a tuber. Its super common in asian households and not uncommon in europe and the US, i use it when making berry pies as it gives a nicer sheen than corn starch
"as a highly specific group of people I have to push back on the results from experiments on the general population" Yes, no shit. Celiac had nothing to do with the fact that you can in fact find a lot of those ingriedients in a general kitchen. But he's right that there is was bunch of ingredients that aren't. And that protein shake is in fact ultra processed.
"pantothenic acid", "biotin" = vitamins! You will find those (hopefully) in every kitchen, at least as a component of the whole foods that you should be eating😉
Thanks for posting this Ollie very thought provoking. After a 40 year lapse on a bike at 62 I bought one three months ago. I’ve not changed my diet at all yet but lost about 2 stone so far, 16st to just over 14st. Going to make a concerted effort to take on board this video information and see where it goes. Thanks GCN, the videos have been a massive help in motivating me to what has already become a bit of an obsession.
As a heavy mountain biker (130 kg at 197 cm), the most helpful factor in losing weight for me was consistent daily riding. Despite averaging around 100 km per week, what really aided me was reducing overeating. Simply put, I stopped indulging in sweets and junk food out of boredom and stress. (Just didn´t taste the same and If I ever wanted to eat out of boredom, I just took a carrot out of fridge). Another factor that assists me in losing weight is muscle gain. Additionally, during winter, I leverage the cold weather. During rides, I dress warmly enough to generate heat through pedaling but still feel a slight chill. At least I think these things help me, in a span of 6 months I have lost 7 kg, which totally isn´t a lot, but it felt natural and with no extra effort for me, just made a little change in my life. I still sometimes eat junk food or I eat some chocolate, just not as much as I used to.
Mostly similar to me. At the end of the day, it was counting calories that worked despite the video states. I initially started with a food scale, then overtime I basically could at least get a good idea on how much I'm eating. From there it was as easy as making sure I'm in a caloric deficit per week not per day as I still do indulge in sweets and other things at certain days and do very long rides in the weekend. Overall, it was similar to yours, basically cycling 200km per week and not overeating. This lost me 20 kg over a year and 35 overall in 2 years without changing anything I eat. Now it's pretty easy to maintain and even need to eat a bit more at times since I burn so much just by cycling consistently alone.
@@ryoukokonpaku1575 That´s nice, I hope I´ll loose this year weight more like you. I agree with counting calories, for me it was useful as a general sense of how much I can eat, but in the long run I wasn´t able to count everything and was a bit too hard for me to keep tracking it.
@@martin1242s You'll get there! Consistency is key, don't mind not counting everything to the minute detail, I stopped physically counting halfway through my weight loss as well since I got a general idea on what I eat now. I'm still doing the guestimates in my head, but it's more of a habit. The important part there is that pause you get from thinking "is this bag of chips still ok for my calorie budget today?" as it's usually a good self-realization if you're eating too much for that day. Keep up the biking exercise, despite the video states you can actually out exercise a diet as long as it's not super bad. Constrained total expenditure only applies to people who do 30-40 minutes exercise daily as your body does adapt but only to a point, it can't ignore the laws of physics at the end of the day. It can't offset your other functions if you do a 1.5-3-hour long ride regularly as some functions of your body are essential to living and cannot be offset. It will instead signal as hunger, but as long as you don't overeat what you exercise you will lose weight at the end. Even the study admits this contradiction with marathon runners and long endurance cyclists.
Ollie is an idiot.. counting calories isn’t scientifically “proven” long term in humans because to do so, you’d have to lock people up and portion their food long term.. People massively underestimate calories when tasked to do so on their own. Jesus this whole video is just 🤦♂️
Fabulous. Finally calls out the parties who are even guiltier than bike manufacturers. Most valuable cycling video yet from GCN. Now get on your 90s 9 kilo aluminium bike, set your saddle 2cm lower than you've probable been recommended by the pros, and enjoy healthy and comfy cycling at last.
Good tips Ollie. Just replace that Iceberg lettuce (which is just so much water) with daker colour leaves and a mix of leaves (young spinach, red lettuce etc mixed together). This gives more polyphenols and more plant diversity. Sprinkle a mix of seeds on top is good maybe a few herbs and don't be afraid of a bit of good olive oil and vinegar dressing (avoid ready mixed dressings from a bottle as they're often ultra processed).
Huel has just taken one hell of a battering and I don't think HUEL and Steven Bartlett (Shareholder), will be too impressed, although I totally agree with OLLIE!
As a converted "clean eater" and plant-based muncher, I was surprised and delighted about this video. Well done GCN for telling the truth about processed foods! There is so much bollocks written about nutrition, that in the end you don't know what is right or wrong. From my experience of 15+ years eating 'clean' avoiding processed food as much as possible, I would say that this video cuts through a load of contradictive info, and shows the truth. There are many topics touched on here, and while we don't need to live like monks, we can use this as a general direction and roadmap. WELL DONE GCN !
Restricted time eating works best for me! Combined with 2 hours of cycling on some days you simply cannot eat enough calories to make up for the deficit. Plus it has lots of physical and mental health benefits too
@@abedfo88 16:8 is not even fasting its called "not eating all the time" ... 18:6 is where i would say intermittent fasting begins... if eating over 16:8 is normal for you then you have no right to be lean and every right to be fat..... BUT! its so much about age also.. where a growing body .. before 20-25 its normal to eat more and more often... where 50-60 year old its completely ok to eat once a day. or sometimes twice, but not more then that
So much here, and some of the most concise and honest talk about diet I've heard. Another negative aspect of processed foods: INFLAMMATION, or achy joints, especially those precious knees.
I was 89 kg and dropped to 81 kg in less than two months without doing anything with my diet. I simply started cycling for long distances once a week (100 to 150 Km).
There is simple math to show this is not correct and/or missing essential info. 8 kg or 17.6 pounds of fat (3500 calories per pound) would equal approx. 61,600 calories. You can not burn that many calories on 8 rides of 125km. So: You lost muscle or lost water weight or DID in fact change your diet or you have miscalculated the numbers when weighing yourself, not accounting for flux in pass-through weight. But you definitely did not lose 8kg of fat in the way our described.
@@00100MattYou burn about 10kCals a minute cycling, 600 an hour. I typically ride about 10 hrs touring or on Rando rides (200kms) and that is 6000kCal. And I do lose about 1-2 lbs a day, while staying hydrated. 8x125 is 1000kms so would take about 30,000kCals. So your analysis is correct, but metabolic rates do vary with individuals.
Yes please! - go deeper. Interesting topic and a balanced take on weight loss. For my part, calorie counting helped me loose 25kg, which was quite beneficial in avoiding getting dropped uphill. However, having since gained 10kg and switched to an almost vegetarian diet has improved my well being, but not my sprint times. Keep up the good work. Keep the nuances.....and keep drinking a pint, once in a while 🙂
Since 2019 i have been on low carb high fat keto diet. Lost 40 pounds and kept it off. Lots of energy for biking now and I was able to quit my blood pressure medicine. I am over 70 and have learned that carbs and sugar are a killer in today's obese society. There are thousands of people out there that live this life style very successfully.
@@specialblend218 There's nothing bad about them, just like there's nothing bad about consuming carbs. It's great that keto works for some, but it's a pretty small minority that can enjoy a keto diet for years, let alone the rest of their life. Studies have already shown that if calories are kept the same, neither diet has any advantage to weightloss. People often shame the keto diet due to the fact that there are lot of dishonest actors that make claims like "You can eat all the bacon you want", which isn't true if you want to lose weight. Keto doesn't defy thermodynamics. Calories in, calories out matters no matter the diet. It's great that you've had success. I tried keto and had success losing about 35 pounds in 2.5 months. It was great, but not something that I could sustain and enjoy. I gained all the weight back, because I reverted to my old habits. I've now lost 55 pounds in the last 7 months eating whatever I want, but restricting my intake to 1900 calories. I enjoy it and have only had 3 instances were I felt I couldn't overcome the urge to eat more. I ate about 700-1000 calories on those days and the next day I just kept to my plan. If you break keto, you're out of ketosis and then have to go through the process of getting back into ketosis again, which is a hell of a lot more of a hassle. If people want to promote keto as a strategy that works for some people to keep their caloric intake lower, I have no problem with that. If people want to promote it as this magic diet that promotes rapid weight loss, less inflammation or any of the other claims, I take issue with that. Also, carbs and sugar aren't the "killer in today's obese society". It's the lack of education, lack of government regulation, and just general culture around junk food that needs reforming.
@@specialblend218Because all you need is moderation in carbs and meat is unethical and unsustainable as western levels for the whole population. People are fat in USA because they wont even walk to a store. Angry letters if a parking spot is more than 50m away etc. These fatties would die rather than run a 5k.
you are going to have a heart attack or stroke if you keep that up long enough. look at the blue zones populations. the people that live to 100+ don't pound down the steaks at every meal.
That was an excellent video and very pertinent for me right now. I'm 63 and recently had an NHS healthcheck and my cholesterol is a bit high and I'm overwheight at 90kg (5ft 8ins). This despite being very active, cycling for over 40 years and doing regular gym and spin sessions. The fact is, even though I eat a generally healthy diet that I cook myself including home baked bread, more goes in than exercise can expend. My response has been to intermittently fast between exercise days. I think it's a sensible and sustainable way forward and, yes, it's calorie counted. While I appreciate the criticism of that, it's the only metric I have to monitor the way I'm managing this. I am determined that diabetes and/or CVD will not join my existing condition of blood cancer (chronic lymphocytic leukemia). The latter is through no fault of my own. The former could be, if I let it.
Great video, Ollie. Yes, I would like to see a deeper dive into the relationship between exercise and weight loss. That sounds useful. This style of video was fun and engaging, as well as informative. Keep up these kinds of videos!
Fasting is what helped me the most, more energy, no late night snacking & eating less & less sugar. I rode my bikes for years & yet my weight remained the same. Doing IMF ive lost over 2 stone & feel absolutely amazing. Oh & riding in a fasted state isn't easy & i was was fine for around 60-90 mins, but after that I'd be totally shot, so now on ride days im happy to break my fast, knowing it will allow to me ride at a much better intensity .
Ideal Olli Loved it fella, get the more in depth video in the system, we could all do with the more detailed facts I think. Cheers mate, really enjoyed this one 👍
This is a great video Ollie. Lots of good sensible (free to implement) advice. It's interesting how fat was demonised, then sugar and now we're eating UPF (essentially chemicals glued together) and yet the popular is still getting bigger. Keep up the good work
I read Daniel Liebermans book Exercised. He says that the best way to start a fight in a room full of scientists is to pop in and shout "Exercise does not help for weight loss!" and then leave the room!😄
People tend to overestimate the amount of calories “burned” via exercise, and underestimate the energy contained in the treat you have for exercising. You fuel a bit on the bike. Post race, you have a bar of some kind and some extra fluid containing glucose or sucrose. For dinner, you have a bit more pasta, since you “need” to carbload for your next ride.
@@StangspringDK This is a big advantage of bikes imo. If you have a power meter you can be very close in calculating (5% error margin) that "burned" part since our bodies cannot bypass the laws of thermodynamics and cycling in Zone 2 allows you to ride for hours to keep racking up caloric burn. Did a long 500km audax and actually still lost weight despite eating a lot to fuel myself during the whole day ride. I lost over 35 kg in 2 years from being obese by simply counting what I eat as a guestimate and logging them into myfitness pal, learned not to overeat (by looking at the app) and just cycling consistently over 200-300km per week (started low though and increased volume as I got my aerobic endurance up). Didn't really do any changes to my diet aside from just not overeating, I still regularly eat greasy food (ramen is love), and sweets per week, just not enough that I go don't get a caloric deficit at the end of a week.
@@johnraviella6561True, but some still overestimate the energy used in a given workout. I see no problem in treating yourself to 400 calories, if you burned 500. It's the other way around, that makes your attempt to loose weight via excercise fail.
By any measure, this is the best video currently on RUclips, with the possible exception of the Hyena eating a live buffalo from the inside out. The diet and supplement industry will be out to get Ollie. The simple rule is, don't count calories, just eat a bit less and move a bit more. If you aren't losing weight then you're cheating. Weight loss starts and ends in the fridge!
Ive been eating exactly 3k calories per day and consistently losing about 250 grams of weight per week, 72kg to 67kg right now. As long as you are assigning the same numerical value to the things you eat it doesn't matter if the actual calorie amount is accurate, your numbers will always match up with what you eat and you can build a relation between them and your weight.
Hunger matters a lot. You can eat X calories of Y food and feel satisfied, or you can eat the same X calories of Z food and feel hungry. Protein and leafy greens are very satiating relative to the amount of calories in them and they don't raise insulin nearly as much as carbohydrates, and as a result they have helped many formerly overweight people get back to a normal weight. Because of their different effects on hunger and body composition, all calories are not the same.
@@FrostbikerA calorie limit allows you to know which foods keep your energy levels higher and less hungry, you just swap out for better stuff while staying on the same calorie amount.
@@Frostbiker That's easy to solve as your body actually adapts. I've lost 35 kg in 2 years following the same pattern as the commenter. Initially I felt hungry since I was used to eating too much, but after a week, it was easily maintainable especially when you pair it with cycling at least 1-2 hours per day and a long ride of at least 3 hours in the weekends. You end up with a large caloric deficit that you can't really out eat since your stomach has adapted to your portions already. It's the same reason why here in Japan we still end up staying thin despite regularly eating food that's not exactly healthy (e.g. ramen, fried gyoza, yakiniku), we don't always eat just fish, tofu, and veggies. Our portions here are far smaller than western sizes, a large order here is likely either medium or small in the west yet we don't get hungry with the smaller portions either. Even here the most known way of losing weight is just lowering food portions and being consistent with it (e.g. 1 cup rice becomes 1/2 cup, avoid drinking all the ramen broth, walking more etc...).
Just wanna say thanks for making a more real video about diet. A few years ago I stopped watching gcn because it wasn't consistent, but this is the most informative video about diet related to cycling that I know of now. So thanks again.
I track my calories, but I'm not a fanatic. I track to encourage myself to choose healthier options that will keep me full for longer. I also track calories burned by daily living, cycling, running, lifting weights, etc. Some people should track calories. Some people shouldn't. It works well for me. I've maintained a healthy weight for 5 years with my method.
@@blaze1148 That's BS. You can live a healthy life without fasting or at least prolonged fasting (every interval between eating is technically a fast). You can be pretty healthy with a good diet and no exercise, but choosing more physically demanding options instead of using modern conveniences. You can easily out eat exercise and especially eat more calories than you burn even if you're fasting for long periods of time.
Calorie counter is certainly useful, it worked for me it losing many stones in weight when everyone seemed to own or heard of a "fitbit". I eventually found that I plateaued; which was great - it was a means to an end. So to "keep you on the straight an narrow", calorie counting is a useful tool - but like most things in life it's all about balance. Mixing diet with exercise and lifestyle choice.
Same as justinshultz I am a calorie counter. At least when I’m actively trying to lose weight. I will eat 1500 cals a day and try to exercise 300 cals a day off that. As long as I’m watching it I lose 6-8 pounds a month.
This was so eye opening! I had no idea about the Constrained Energy Model, blew my mind. Also bought ultra processed people and now fixing my diet. Thanks Ollie!
The type of video I like to watch every day! Can't agree more with Dr. Bridgewood! He mentioned everything I learned the hard way during last couple of years.
I'm new to this channel but really liking it a lot. Only thing I would say is that everyone's body is a little different. I lose weight from working out/cycling. Add in less stress(just retired), a lot more plant eating and enough sleep, on top of cycling, and I'm losing a lot faster.
It's about mitochondria in your cells. Your energy engines that power muscles, while burning fat. Cyclist bodies are trained to burn fat readily. So control carb intake, train and supplement to increase mitochondria. Check out MCTs to aid that, as well...But constant, balanced and supported cycling absolutely burns weight off. Your typical short term exercise in medical studies are different. Studies are also highly subjective, and can be skewed by several factors in their operation...It's also about insulin resistance, and understanding hormone work and reaction in the body. Stress and recovery management and consistency. I'm not telling you, Doc. Cheers
Your power in watts is directly due to your mitochondria. So the power gains that you make over time is increasing the mito. And therefore everything that they do, burning fat for that energy. Therefore properly managed,or consistent cycling exercise, as any intermediate rider will tell you, helps with weight.
Please discuss this topic even more in future videos. It’s fascinating and one is never too old to learn better eating habits. Well done on making a point to enjoy oneself along the way as well. Thank you Ollie!
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU Dr Ollie and gcn! This is all the science in one place, all major points covered and all myths busted in one concise, articulate, accessible delivery! It corresponds to all that I have recently read. Amazingly well done! Love the humour! I'm already subscribed, but I have this video bookmarked for cycling friends. I will gladly watch any further deep dives of this nature that you may offer. Love the nuances with the science too! Giving Science Si a real run for his money here!! More please gcn and Ollie!!
Well done Ollie 👍. Brilliant to hear someone come out with all the logical sensible things on eating and not some crazy farcical diet. What you’re saying is just what I’ve assumed all along and being a cyclist for over 35 years it’s great to hear you confirm it and proves that keeping an eye on the type of things that l eat leads to no over weight issues. Well Done Again !!!!
"You can't outrun a bad diet". This is a classic ! I have lost 8kg during covid, by simply going on a 8-16hr food window. Took me 6 weeks or so. I now weigh less than in my first year at university. Feels great, easy and with more energy. My Trek Madone 4.5 is 8.1 kg, so after the weight loss it feels like 0.1kg. what a super light bike !!! We cook everything at home, no junk food of any kind, no restaurants, only quality food like home made bread from whole grain. It's a different world. My covid was super easy, and I haven't been sick with "cold" for 5 years now. BTW we ddin't need to get a shot and ignored all the crazyness. We do cycle a lot, but never think about losing weight on a bike. Overall this episode is highly informative and true to life. I am 60 and been doing sports since 1974. So sport only accounts for about 20% of one's health. The 80% comes from the right food and right eating habits. "By 40 years old one is either a doctor for oneself or a fool". (c) Paul Bragg.
Great video and highly topical as I've recently been seeking to cut down on UPF and have stopped buying crisps and packets of Cheddars (other brands are available) together with an interest in cooking more food as opposed to buying the item - e.g. pizza, where one can buy the pizza dough as well as make the pizza sauce etc. Once one starts thinking about UPF and their nil benefits, it makes it so much easier to ignore the sweets, cakes and biscuits that people bring into the workplace.
I do calorie count, but it's more to keep myself in check with what I'm eating as a more mindful eating, instead of constant snacking. I do combine this with eating more non-processed foods, and making sure I'm not under eating compared to the energy put out during longer rides.
One of the best weight loss videos out there. I’d add two things: have realistic goals. You will not reverse years of binging in 3 months and, especially if you’re a woman, add strength training to your routine.
I think that the gels and other convenient foods we consume during riding are actually a very little percentage compared to the whole caloric intake throughout the whole day. At the end of the day, the idea is to make an effort to consume more “good” foods in general whenever possible for us.
However 😅that doesn’t mean you can’t try to consume good stuff while riding, like a banana or trying to make your own energy bars at home with nuts,oats, honey, fruits etc. :)
Ultraprocessed snack foods are hyper palatable. Sports gels, not so much, some of them are downright unpalatable. There's nothing wrong with eating something calorie-dense during exercise, while your body is in a catabolic state and it's not affecting your resting blood sugar or insulin, and therefore not driving future cravings and not acting in a lipogenic capacity.
Science suggests that anything eaten while exercising is used by the body immediately, as opposed to storing as fat. This assumes you're not throwing down 5 gels while popping to the shops.
It's actually fine. Just don't overestimate the need of your gels for the distance / elevation you're riding. Don't plop 5 gels for a 50km ride. The 100g of calories per hour usually works for me, at the end of a 200km ride I still end up in a deficit despite chugging gels and sports drinks to fuel myself as even your body cannot bypass the laws of thermodynamics and physics. If you burn more than you eat, you'll lose weight regardless. We even had an instance of a person eating just mcdonald's food for a year and still end up losing weight (albeit slowly).
by far the best video in a long time! didn't say anything new I didn't know but I can agree every aspect of it from my personal experiences. loved it! ppl need more of this knowledge
Agree - there has been a step change. The Big Drop does some excellent low alcohol beers including their pale ale and milk stout (which in my view is even better than Guinness zero, and that is good).
Ollie, thank you so much! You nailed it once again! We all read or heard it a thousand times the way to the holy grail … but again and again we let ourselves seduced, misleaded by simple solutions or ignorance and quick forgetting leads to mistakes. Fine words for keeping it simple and keeping up to take more care of ourselves.
I don't understand this new trend of wanting to demonize calories. Guys, a calorie is simply a unit of measurement like a kilometer. Would anyone think to question the usefulness of the kilometer? Yes, there is a margin of error on food labels, but it gives an estimate that is quite a bit more accurate than one's intuition.
I HATE fad diets!! I am always interested in these videos regarding weight, exercise, fuel, etc...Will look fwd to you delving into that huge statement of exercise doesn't make you lose weight! Great video, as always, Ollie
Nice one Ollie! Personally, a low-carb diet with plenty of animal protein has changed my life and never been easier to keep weight off/increase my energy.
Ollie, you're on track for a great series of videos. The Food & Weight Loss industries won't be so keen but it's long overdue that we should all be better informed. Good on you, more please 😀
@@SonnyDarvish not even close to what I'm saying but nice try. For example, sucrose is a naturally occuring disaccharide, sucralose is a synthetic artificial sweetener. Both are chemicals but a huge difference.
I have three tips / simple changes that helped me lose and keep off over 20kg since i started cycling in 2018. 1). Sugar in tea / coffee - 16 calories per teaspoon, 2 teaspoons per cup, 4 cups a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year = 46,592 calories divided by 2500 calories = cutting it out is like not eating for 18 days a year. 2). Chocolate bars - 1 bar approx 250 calories, 1 bar a day = 91,250 calories divided by 2500 calories = cutting it out is like not eating for 36 days a year. 3). EAT on your rides - a lot - pretty much enough to ensure you do not get home hungry. Either that or have prepped a healthy nutritious but filling meal in advance before going out so that you eat that when you get in - or i found i just smashed everything quick from the fridge as i was starving.
Fiber good! Chickpeas good! Variety good! Huel bad! Oops, guess what Huel Black is made out of? Chickpeas, fiber, variety of ingredients. Mixing them in your stomach and mixing them in a big Kitchenaid doesn't make any difference. But don't listen to me, I've only lost 15 pounds and doubled my physical strength and endurance in a year by eating Huel Black after working out and keeping an eye on protein and calories.
Great video Ollie. I have learned, sometimes the hard way, that weight is something to be aware of but don't let it drive your lifestyle (unless of course there are secondary mental and physical health issues associated with ones weight), Smash a ridiculously intense indoor cycle session and there is not enough bacon and eggs in the world to refill the deficit! However, I have found after endurance rides (150km+) I am actually not that hungry....weird. I've just learned to live with these dilemmas. Also, ones ACTUAL weight naturally varies hugely depending on, well bodily functions, food and in particular liquid intake, lifestyle etc.....drink 0.5Li of water....you are now 0.50kg heavier.....but not "fatter". I now use a reference weight (which I use for my W/kg stats) and don't worry too much about the odd kg either side at any particular time. As you note, one should always endeavour to improve the quality and variety of diet as much as possible
Brilliant video - I find it hard to believe that Ollie doesn’t have hundreds of friends to go for a drink with and isn’t the most interesting person to talk to at parties. The best bit about RUclips is all the ultra processed food supplement adverts that interrupt the video 😂
This is better than previous GCN videos on the subject... thanks Ollie! But I still think GCN has some work to do here. Please do some more research and make some more videos on the subject. When we're talking weight loss, we mean fat loss. Fat loss (and gain) is controlled by insulin level. Insulin level is controlled by blood glucose. Blood glucose is controlled carbs. This makes it very difficult for people to get their head around, as they're also trying to hit high performance and max effort on the bike, so need enough energy available to do so. Unless you're keto adapted, this relies on enough glucose. So then you're stuck with the fat you've got, as your insulin, and big appetite from all that hard work blocks fat from flowing out of storage. Even if people can maintain regular high intensity training without injury or illness, they're effectively getting fatter by cycling! Please keep digging!
I don't know, when I was cycling a lot I did not follow any special diet and I definitely lost weight (and had more muscle and less fat than before - or after). My appetite also did not increase.
@@TechSucht I'm not an expert on this subject, just an enthusiast - albeit a bit obsessed! Everyone is different. But I do know that those of us with a pre-disposition for fat storage (or higher insulin sensitivity) suffer the most with this. Trying to lose weight is very frustrating for lots of people. Some (apparently 1 in 4) are inclined the other way, and they respond to 'any' exercise with a high impact on their glucose and insulin levels, resulting in weight loss... (Also, some of the science and research indicates that people *think* all they did was a little more exercise, whereas a bit of a focus on that actually meant not going out drinking the night before, and picking the healthier options at lunch, and having water not coke etc).
@@eoghangiven I guess you are right, that everyone is different. I know that at the time I did not change my diet. I ate a fairly average mix of foods, alcohol only from time to time but I did stop drinking soft drinks years before. I think soft drinks are among the biggest issue when it comes to weight gain. People do not perceive them as food but increase their calorie intake immensely by drinking that sugar-water.
I've watched this video many times over the last few days - it has fundamentally challenged several things I have previously taken for granted on weight loss and opened my eyes to the effects of ultra processed food. The advice has spoken to me and I will make some big changes to my diet accordingly. The video and the information within is very well put together and well worth watching over and over, thank you!
Calorie counting works.. the reason why they bounced back is because they didnt change their habits and also stopped the calorie restriction. Not because they evolved and became a superhuman who can create energy from nothing.😂
Also, their calorie restriction was so extreme it was unsustainable. Once the show was over and they weren't on a treadmill 4 hours a day their metabolism crashed and they couldn't lower their calories any further.. that show set them up for failure.
As a cyclist and a chemist at least I can understand the additives to industrial food ... but thanks for your well researched video! And I think you certainly have some nice friends, Ollie 🙃
COUNTING CALORIES DOES HELP SLIMMING. the bounce back happens when you stop counting: the only time I've lost weight was by counting. You don't even have to know the calorie amount exactly. If you find that a certain amount of counted calories make you put on weight, you just reduce the amount taking in, until you loose weight. The exact calorie amount is not important at all And of course exercise helps as well. The burned calories will not get stored as fat, no matter how much your metabolism changes. And you can of course avoid eating a lot after exercise, by counting your daily calorie intake. Let's have a table of burned an intaken calories of slim athletes. marathon runners, Vingegård etc. The simple fact that you get slimmer if you starve, shows you that calorie intake matters. Even if metabolism improves drastically, your body can't produce energy from air alone. When touring I normally loose 1 kg pr week with about 120km/day but of course I snack less as well.
I used to think like you. However, I eventually realized that the real-world effect of telling people to count calories is that they will stop eating before they are satiated, and as a result they will be chronically hungry. Yes, they will lose weight temporarily, but at the cost of eventually giving up due to the ever increasing levels of hunger they will experience. And with hunger comes irritability and lethargy. It is not effective advice in the long term. A better approach, in my experience, is reducing carbohydrates in your diet, which will allow your insulin level to become low and thus allow your adipose tissue to release its stored energy. It is not possible for adipose tissue to release energy in a high insulin state.
@@Frostbiker Reducing carbohydrates for weight loss doesn't make much sense, when they satiate you more per calorie than fat, since the volume of carbs will be much higher per calorie. Insulin levels also don't matter compared to a caloric deficit. It might not, as you state, be good advice since people can't stand being chronically hungry, however that doesn't make it factually wrong.
@@Frostbiker thing is, once you start counting calories you can get a better understanding of what things leave you hungry and what doesn't. You learn that junk food leads to cravings. And it is okay to overshoot your calorie intake from time to time, no need to torture yourself.
Good advice based on evidence-supported concepts. (I am a 68yo physician an public health specialist, exercise regularly and balance what I eat with what I use, eat very little ultra processed stuff, and kept myself within a 69-73 kg bodyweight for many decades.)
Finally, someone who really understands how we oversized people works (me about 15-20 kg). A huge thanks Ollie, for delivering the subject in an fun and interesting way, without barriers. I’m not really an active cyclist, but I follow GCN, and enjoy most of the content. Besides the subject, your videos are easy and fun to watch. You are really good at this😎
Thanks to GCN and Ollie (you’ve come a long way since Cycling Weekly) for a fantastic and informative video. This reaffirmed what I thought I knew and what got me from 95kg in July to 80.5kg now. I can still do more on the processed food front, on sleep and some resistance training to increase muscle mass and core strength, but the key for me was what I eat and how much of it. Trying to avoid overeating that your body just stores it.
Best diet advice I’ve heard in years. I went on the paleo diet a few years ago that’s natural food nuts meat veg ect every thing prepped fresh and I had never been so fit and trim. No processed food. 👍
Started last august and started actively cycling and by now lost around 13kg just from being more active, making sure I am within a certain calorie count and if I am more active during a day I eat more. I don't limit myself from things and eat what I like, counting calories has worked for me, but I know its not for everyone, but has worked for me. And been doing it for months now, was doing IF (intermittent fasting). And continue to actively lose weight. GCN was a huge help with inspiring cycling, I do want to visit UK at some point to do some cycling there as well.
I would really appreciate if you make another video where you dive deeper into this issue. Even this video you gave me helped me a lot in what I am doing wrong. Thank you in advance
Awesome video Ollie, we need more on the importance of good nutrition and just how destructive UPF is to our bodies. My experience mirrors everything you covered in the video, lost 5kg in under 8 weeks mainly by cutting out 95% UPF, a bit more care on portion control, reducing carb and sugar spikes and maximising sleep. Biggest tip I've had is think of all bread that comes in a plastic bag as cake... All bread is not equal and even the "healthy" granary etc is a UPF bomb waiting to mess with your gut
One of the best episode from Dr.Olive. I’ve learned a lot while highly enjoyed the contents and background music. I’ve been struggling to lose weight I intensify my training, despite the positive feed back from my garmin. I am still struggling to lose weight.
“Diet Charlatans”! Way too many on the net. If you look too much at these idiots, it will drive you insane! 58 yo. Been an Edurance Athlete most of my life. Old school rule: A balance of high quality training and a decent diet. I have never had a weight problem. Great video! Love you guys! Cycle on!
Share your weight loss tips in the comments 👇
Taco bell
According to science I am 35lbs over weight not sure what that is in kilos but def need all the advice on losing weight. Thanks all
Also also lost 35 lbs 😁🎇
Don't count calories like a lunatic, but take a week and a food scale and count calories. Most people don't actually know what a serving of X, Y, or Z actually looks like. Seeing that your bowl of cereal actually has 2.5 servings on a scale is eye opening. People tend to eat a lot of the same foods week in and out so just getting a handle on some of your regular foods and the actual caloric impact on your body can be beneficial for a lot of people that can't figure out why they're not losing weight.
Put down the fork!
As a physician, cardiovascular specialist and researcher, I can tell you that your body is a complex energy consumed vs energy burned engine. The key is what happens in the non-exercise time. Aerobic conditioning helps build VO2 level and aerobic base (Yay). Resistance training (gasp - weight lifting) stimulates your muscles to burn energy continuously increasing your basal metabolic rate. Simply stated we need more than just our bikes and walks (even though they are far far more fun). Diet is the other half of the equation. People tend to do one or the other, but rarely both.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! It's all about finding that perfect balance. What would your first tip be for those starting their weight loss goal?
Question: why do doctors not tell their patients: you’re overweight, lose it, when people come in
I do both, read my comment about my regime to lose weight. I find it very easy to lose an average of 1/2 lb per day but you have to be very disciplined and targeted in both exercise and calorie intake.
when does the hunger go away, after reaching your weight goal ? Hunger is genetic no ? Some people are just hungry ?
@JitinMisra the secret to reducing hunger when you diet, I think, is to keep your stomach as full as possible with fluids ( not beer ) and reducing your calorie intake to only slightly less than a balanced input / output energy ratio, which can be found by trial and error for each individual, monitoring your weight on scales at exactly the same time daily and watching an average weight loss over a few days, not just one.
One year ago, I listened to the science of fueling a bike ride. I started eating more and started losing weight. Seemed backward from everything I've read, but it makes sense. I had more energy to ride longer, built more muscle, recovered better, slept better because I wasn't hungry and rode the next day.
Whoop whoop! Love to hear it 🙌
paradoxical but true if you do it right ;)
eat more healthy snacks while riding = no craving pizza before bed at night after a ride. I can go harder on the bike, eat the same amount of calories throughout the day, and feel better overall. now I always pack some dried fruit, bananas, maple syrup sachets, and other high carb non-ultra-processed snacks.
That's taken me some time to figure out 😅but I agree
Yes a key thing is that when you eat more, you don't eat too much more which is so easy to do. We always overestimate how many calories we burn and underestimate the calories we eat. You found the right balance.
Not a cyclist at all, wish i was, but I adore your channel, and i have now got a bike so watch this space. have to say this is one of the most imformative weight loss videos I've seen, simple steps and as you say not trying to sell anything. thanks, awesome job
hope you are having a good time on the bike I only picked up cycling as an adult like 6 months ago its a great activity to do :)
Ollie is a champ on so many levels and a one-man juggernaut of action & science. the shade on huel alone was worth the watch (but of course the whole prez is oustanding). i've spent the last 6-7 years figuring out genuine nutrition - lost 20% of my body weight, increased my power by 40% - and all of these tips line up 100%, regardless what anybody says (esp that nasty daily recommended pyramid)a calorie is definitely not just a calorie and insulin resistance is the single biggest issue in weight control. chapeau Ollie!
I lost 20 pounds in a month by exercising and using wyghstore's detox products, it was great!🎉🎉🎉🎉
I will happily grant that calorie counting is not perfect with the +/-20% accuracy of labeling. However there is mountains of human randomized control trials that show that regardless of macronutrient content, or glycemic index, weight loss is the same when both groups consume the same amount of calories.
A calorie is a calorie in the same way that a watt is a watt. Humans aren’t bomb calorimeters, however we kind of are. Some of the calories that go in, are simply burned in the process of digestion via the Thermic effect of food, rather than making it all the way to usable Glycogen/ATP.
I’m happy to provide peer reviewed research to back all of these claims if necessary.
Also, the "you can't out run a bad diet" is more nuanced as you can actually still be in a deficit despite eating badly as long as your caloric intake isn't something like 4k per day, hence why someone tried eating just McDonalds consistently for a year and still lost weight.
Cycling is special in that regard as it's a low impact endurance sport, where you can cycle for hours and hours without that much fatigue that you rack up a large calorie deficit despite fueling during rides. The only nuance here is that you can't sustain 4 hours every day unless you have some genetics or youth to help you out, and you need some discipline on not overeating.
YES mate, finally somebody else who get it. This video is total nonsense. So frustrating.
@@thestrengthfactory. It’s odd to me. Entirely discounting calorie counting because it’s not perfectly accurate is like discounting the idea of a household budget because you can’t predict every single expense that may pop up, yet no reasonable person would ever advise against having a budget.
I understand that some people have a difficult time with calorie counting, and that some can even be triggered into disordered eating in this way. (myself included) However, as the old saying goes “what gets measured gets managed”.
Also, I will freely admit that emerging research into the gut microbiome is starting to change our understanding of digestion and metabolism, and a whole host of other biological processes.
@@RyonBeachner I know. I found this video so frustrating and so many people are gushing over it when it does not actually tell you how to lose weight! arghhhh
@@thestrengthfactory. I think the argument was about the long term effectiveness of calorie counting. Something along the lines of start dieting/calorie counting -> lose weight for a few weeks -> stop calorie counting -> regain weight + more.
I've gone from over 210 to under 185 (at 6'2") in the last year or so. I haven't completely eliminated "junk" food - burgers and fries, cookies, pizza, etc, but cut back on that stuff. I have been earning more meals at home, and replaced 3 or 4 meals a week with a bowl of yogurt and fruit. And I'm consistently burning 1500-2000 calories a week on the bike, either indoors or out. I'm really pleased with how relatively easy it has been. It has required exercising some self control, to be sure. Oh, and I still typically have 5 or 6 pints of beer a week, usually all in one go. I might need to change that because I just can't recover the next day like I used to be able to, at 56.
losing weight or looking dry and slim are two different things. Cycling is a great sport but you need to pump iron to develop muscle. And those muscles will help you stay slim and vital. Older athletes in particular need to do more strength training. Strength training is hormonally beneficial, intense endurance exercise does the opposite. Cycling is fun and you don't have to give it up. Just a matter of dosage and common sense.
Your comment has very much inspired me! I'm currently 210 lbs (also 6'2") and would aim for the 185lbs mark. I don't like the idea of totally cutting out the junk food either but think the other things you mentioned are key to losing the weight. Oh and the 5,6 pints a week (in one go) is also very familiar! I'm 45 btw. I've an ebike (Turbo Levo) which I'm getting a lot of use out of so hopefully can burn some calories on that!
@@Colonel63 good luck. I'm not saying it will be as easy for everyone as it was for me. I'm not sure it was that easy for me - I like to eat and I don't always want to do a trainer ride, although the gamification aspects of Zwift help with the motivation. I just wish I'd done this 20 or 30 years ago, lol. Slow but steady is the way to go for weight loss. No point doing anything that you can't sustain in the longer term.
Great job Ollie and GCN - I’ve watched hundreds of GCN videos and this was your best one yet.
I thought it hit the nail on the head
Stuff I spent four decades figuring out, all presented in one, 17 minute video. Amazing!
well not really - he didn't mention not eating at all ie _fasting_ - far better for not only losing weight but better for your health than either exercise or a good diet.
@@blaze1148 yeah, bc he was doing it for the majority of people. Fasting is not only hard, but it’s just not something most people will do.
Science does seem to be catching up to the benefits, but still not all of them agree on the benefits. He did reco IF.
@@jwfriar fasting is not hard lol - you just have to have a little willpower....hunger subsides within a few minutes.
@@blaze1148 it’s very hard, I was hungry the whole time I did it. I was told the hunger would subside - it didn’t. Maybe easy for you, but I promise that’s not the case for others. You also have to make sure you’re keeping your salt levels up and you have to prepare yourself mentally,
It’s not something you just do.
Considering the number of fitness youtube channels sponsored by some nutrition or supplement marketing scam, I LOVE that you are being clear-as-day honest on this topic.
Thanks for posting this Ollie
Great video! There is so much misinformation/contradiction around weight loss.
I'm training back up for an ironman this year and dropped from 195 to a stable 175lbs in 3-4 months and I agree with everything Ollie said.
Of course there was a lot of exercise (bike, swim, run, and weight lifting for injury prevention), so I'm sure I was operating at a bit of a calorie deficit, but I give the bulk of credit to the dietary changes.
Constant, and I mean constant snacking on fruits/veg/nuts, strict avoidance of processed sugar (except for gels during training) and alcohol. I like what Ollie said about the benefits of going out for a beer with your friends, and I usually do during regular training (I actually brew beer). But when I'm seriously training I just find it easier personally/psychologically to just say no. I think cutting out the beer gave me severe cravings for bread, so had a lot of sourdough toast/butter/no-sugar added jam.
If you're like me and are prone to stress eating, find healthy treats that take time to make and eat them slowly. I make a lot of oatmeal slushies. Take oats, crushed almonds, frozen blueberries and soy milk. Give it ~15 minutes, the milk freezes and the oats soften. Whip it up and it's like chunky ice cream. Or peeling some carrots and making fresh hummus.
My exception for processed foods was an emergency supply of Rx bars at work. If there isn't anything else and I'm still bonking I think it's better having any kind of fuel than nothing at all. At least for recovering from and getting the most out of training.
Build good habits, stay thoughtful but don't overthink or overdo it
Oh Dr B you can always talk science to me! Definitely more videos on this.
We'll get him talking science again! What subjects would you like him to cover?
@@gcnplease can we have a science chat on recovery and what’s best to eat etc
That would be a great topic
What strength training (lifting weights) is recommended to support cycling?
No for pros, but for average Joe's that just like to ride their bike for training, and join some competitions now and then😊.
Oli has clearly been reading Chris Van Tulleken’s “Ultra-processed people”. Great book and good to see the info shared into the cycling world.
It’s a great read/listen (just finished the audio book) and a real eye opener on the effects of UPF
@@nickeveritt4391 Actually Oli has been following Tim Spector and the ZOE project which while it covers ultra processed foods it also covers many more aspects of eating exercise and healthy living
It’s a great read. Very informative.
It’s a good book but Ollie’s been reading more than just UPP - in fact I would say he’s been reading the gamut - there’s quite a lot of Tim Spector in this video
Just got a copy
one of THE most important videos, well explained within a short time AND evidence based. thank you Ollie
This is one the best videos ever from GCN. The information, the video takes, the way the subject was put on: perfect! Please, dig more into this food subject! Congrats to the whole gcn team and Ollie
Finally someone talking the truth. Life is a balance of many things. Exercise and enjoyment of life are the keys for me. I try and eat healthy most of the time but I still enjoy a beer or two with friends as well! Cheers.
This is wonderfully spot on. I’m a trainer, metabolic coach, and nutritionist but reference stability a lot through exercise as well as regarding your gut. Sustainability first and completely agree that a calorie is not just a calorie. No one focuses on the chemical signaling involved. Hormones! Stability in your gut IS an adaptation to put your riding into the next progression. Well done GCN. Next focus on behaviors and tactics (time restricted eating) to improve daily and sport metabolic flexibility. No peaks and valleys in blood sugar/insulin at daily life as well as during sport.
I'm going to be a pedant: all calories are equal. It's a unit of measurement - like all metres are exactly the same distance. But it's very air to say that not all calorie SOURCES are equal.
Great video, Ollie!
My parents taught me something as a kid, that I have forgotten to do: while eating, after every bite of food, set your fork or spoon down. This helps us to slow down while eating, enjoy the taste of our food more, and aid us to better digest our food. Faster is not always better. Masticate on that, people!
That's a great point! There are no KOMs for chewing, take your time and enjoy!
KOM: King of the Mountains (KOM)... Thanks Bard.Google!
Thanks for this Ollie, my wife has been listening to a podcast about the evils of ultra processed food, high time I started listening to her!
As ever the content is great, love the delivery style. Keep up the good work and save help save humanity.
You should be listening 🙌We'll keep saving humanity don't worry
I've been thinking about weight loss myself for years but without looking at actual research i could never really understand the full picture.
Thanks for filling the gaps and the education! This is my go-to weight loss explanation video now!
I was very nervous clicking on this video after listening to a few hundred hours worth of science podcasts over the past half year. I was very afraid of this being a "cycling is the solution for everything" sort of video. It is anything but. I'm no scientist myself, but as far as I can tell it is indeed very much up to date with the best science we have available. Maybe a bit more emphasis could have been on the potential on fasting, but other than that, it touched on the most important points.
Very well done Ollie (and possibly others helping with the research), quality video!
Fasting never worked for me. My body just goes into 'survival mode' and burns even fewer calories. Starvation might work, but would limit my exercise.
i agree with much of what you said, i have always been large, lets just say in 2009 i weighed 409 lbs i was able to get to the mid 300s but was never able to get lower, i eliminated sugar completely, the best results i had was with a low carb diet, it seems my body loves to store carbs as fat rather than use them for fuel. May of 2023 i had a vertical sleeve gastrectomy and it changed everything for me. weight the day i started the liquid diet prep was 342lbs today i sit at 199 and love everything about it.
i dont count calories but do go by weight/volume. through much trial and error i have found my body works best on a low carb diet, sugars are a no go for me due to a little thing called dumping syndrome.
what i got from the surgery was for the first time in y life knowing what being full felt like. previously i had to states, starved and sick to my stomach, no in between. we are all unique, i suggest getting with a dietician and getting a metabolic study done, i have a chart of what my body uses for fuel and when. im a primary fat fueler except during anerobic efforts where we all use ATP. when i up my carbs to even 30% of my calories i feel sluggish and have less energy than if i eat lets say pepperoni and cheese.
I am a backpacker that uses cycling for fitness and the enjoyment of cycling. we are all different so find what works for you and help out your friends.
also last year in april i quit caffeine for the first time in very many years and after the first couple of weeks i dont even miss it any more. everything in life is better without it and i was a 4 to 6 liter per day of diet soda person, now its mainly water.
find what works for you. i am thankful every day for the medical staff that has helped me be at a weight i hadnt seen since 7th grade and yes im tall at 6ft 4in
wise words.
One more tip: Start learning to cook diverse meals. it becomes really fun once you get better at it. You get to cut into restaurants at the same time, so that's more money in your pocket.
it requires much less effort than you might think.
Exactly! A quick wack of quinoa, sauteed veg and omelet/ scrambled eggs takes 20 min. Fast, healthy, from scratch food faster than fast food! Hugely cheaper too!
Ok, I don’t normally comment to correct, but as a cyclist with celiac disease, I have to push back on the “highly processed” part of the video, specifically the “gluten free oat flour” part. Oats are actually naturally gluten free but they are generally considered contaminated because they’re processed in the same facilities as wheat. “Gluten free oat flour” is literally ground up oats that were processed in a place that doesn’t also process wheat or barley. That’s not “super processed,” that’s avoiding cross contamination.
Same goes for tapioca starch, its the same as corn starch and comes from a tuber. Its super common in asian households and not uncommon in europe and the US, i use it when making berry pies as it gives a nicer sheen than corn starch
I take all of GCN’s with a uh, grain of salt
"as a highly specific group of people I have to push back on the results from experiments on the general population" Yes, no shit.
Celiac had nothing to do with the fact that you can in fact find a lot of those ingriedients in a general kitchen. But he's right that there is was bunch of ingredients that aren't. And that protein shake is in fact ultra processed.
Where did they dispute the results of an experiment? Their comment was about the gluten content of oats. @@rnedisc
"pantothenic acid", "biotin" = vitamins! You will find those (hopefully) in every kitchen, at least as a component of the whole foods that you should be eating😉
Thanks for posting this Ollie very thought provoking. After a 40 year lapse on a bike at 62 I bought one three months ago. I’ve not changed my diet at all yet but lost about 2 stone so far, 16st to just over 14st. Going to make a concerted effort to take on board this video information and see where it goes. Thanks GCN, the videos have been a massive help in motivating me to what has already become a bit of an obsession.
As a heavy mountain biker (130 kg at 197 cm), the most helpful factor in losing weight for me was consistent daily riding. Despite averaging around 100 km per week, what really aided me was reducing overeating. Simply put, I stopped indulging in sweets and junk food out of boredom and stress. (Just didn´t taste the same and If I ever wanted to eat out of boredom, I just took a carrot out of fridge). Another factor that assists me in losing weight is muscle gain. Additionally, during winter, I leverage the cold weather. During rides, I dress warmly enough to generate heat through pedaling but still feel a slight chill. At least I think these things help me, in a span of 6 months I have lost 7 kg, which totally isn´t a lot, but it felt natural and with no extra effort for me, just made a little change in my life. I still sometimes eat junk food or I eat some chocolate, just not as much as I used to.
Mostly similar to me. At the end of the day, it was counting calories that worked despite the video states. I initially started with a food scale, then overtime I basically could at least get a good idea on how much I'm eating. From there it was as easy as making sure I'm in a caloric deficit per week not per day as I still do indulge in sweets and other things at certain days and do very long rides in the weekend. Overall, it was similar to yours, basically cycling 200km per week and not overeating. This lost me 20 kg over a year and 35 overall in 2 years without changing anything I eat. Now it's pretty easy to maintain and even need to eat a bit more at times since I burn so much just by cycling consistently alone.
@@ryoukokonpaku1575 That´s nice, I hope I´ll loose this year weight more like you. I agree with counting calories, for me it was useful as a general sense of how much I can eat, but in the long run I wasn´t able to count everything and was a bit too hard for me to keep tracking it.
@@martin1242s You'll get there! Consistency is key, don't mind not counting everything to the minute detail, I stopped physically counting halfway through my weight loss as well since I got a general idea on what I eat now. I'm still doing the guestimates in my head, but it's more of a habit. The important part there is that pause you get from thinking "is this bag of chips still ok for my calorie budget today?" as it's usually a good self-realization if you're eating too much for that day.
Keep up the biking exercise, despite the video states you can actually out exercise a diet as long as it's not super bad. Constrained total expenditure only applies to people who do 30-40 minutes exercise daily as your body does adapt but only to a point, it can't ignore the laws of physics at the end of the day. It can't offset your other functions if you do a 1.5-3-hour long ride regularly as some functions of your body are essential to living and cannot be offset. It will instead signal as hunger, but as long as you don't overeat what you exercise you will lose weight at the end. Even the study admits this contradiction with marathon runners and long endurance cyclists.
Ollie is an idiot.. counting calories isn’t scientifically “proven” long term in humans because to do so, you’d have to lock people up and portion their food long term.. People massively underestimate calories when tasked to do so on their own. Jesus this whole video is just 🤦♂️
In Canada we call that the "put the frigging fork down diet" :-)
Best GCN video you have produced in a long time. More of this!!!!
Lying to people about calorie counting is the best? 😂 ok
Fabulous. Finally calls out the parties who are even guiltier than bike manufacturers. Most valuable cycling video yet from GCN. Now get on your 90s 9 kilo aluminium bike, set your saddle 2cm lower than you've probable been recommended by the pros, and enjoy healthy and comfy cycling at last.
Good tips Ollie. Just replace that Iceberg lettuce (which is just so much water) with daker colour leaves and a mix of leaves (young spinach, red lettuce etc mixed together). This gives more polyphenols and more plant diversity. Sprinkle a mix of seeds on top is good maybe a few herbs and don't be afraid of a bit of good olive oil and vinegar dressing (avoid ready mixed dressings from a bottle as they're often ultra processed).
Mums were right! Eat your greens 🥦
The oils or eggs addition is important: You need fats to actually absorb the polyphenols. 3 eggs (or just 3 egg yolks) also do the trick.
Honestly one of the most important messages that people could receive today.
Huel has just taken one hell of a battering and I don't think HUEL and Steven Bartlett (Shareholder), will be too impressed, although I totally agree with OLLIE!
As a converted "clean eater" and plant-based muncher, I was surprised and delighted about this video. Well done GCN for telling the truth about processed foods! There is so much bollocks written about nutrition, that in the end you don't know what is right or wrong. From my experience of 15+ years eating 'clean' avoiding processed food as much as possible, I would say that this video cuts through a load of contradictive info, and shows the truth. There are many topics touched on here, and while we don't need to live like monks, we can use this as a general direction and roadmap. WELL DONE GCN !
Restricted time eating works best for me! Combined with 2 hours of cycling on some days you simply cannot eat enough calories to make up for the deficit. Plus it has lots of physical and mental health benefits too
Awesome to hear you've found what works for you! How long did it take before you realised what method works for you? 👀
when i did 16:8 fasting it shut down my metabolism. Always had huge drops in weight if i had cheat days. Bizarre.
@@abedfo88 16:8 is not even fasting its called "not eating all the time" ... 18:6 is where i would say intermittent fasting begins... if eating over 16:8 is normal for you then you have no right to be lean and every right to be fat..... BUT! its so much about age also.. where a growing body .. before 20-25 its normal to eat more and more often... where 50-60 year old its completely ok to eat once a day. or sometimes twice, but not more then that
You underestimate my ability to consume calories
@@gcnsounds like restricted time eating = calorie restriction LOL
So much here, and some of the most concise and honest talk about diet I've heard. Another negative aspect of processed foods: INFLAMMATION, or achy joints, especially those precious knees.
I was 89 kg and dropped to 81 kg in less than two months without doing anything with my diet. I simply started cycling for long distances once a week (100 to 150 Km).
Same here, form 85 to 70 in a year
There is simple math to show this is not correct and/or missing essential info. 8 kg or 17.6 pounds of fat (3500 calories per pound) would equal approx. 61,600 calories. You can not burn that many calories on 8 rides of 125km. So: You lost muscle or lost water weight or DID in fact change your diet or you have miscalculated the numbers when weighing yourself, not accounting for flux in pass-through weight. But you definitely did not lose 8kg of fat in the way our described.
I did lose muscle and fat indeed@@00100Matt
@@00100MattYou burn about 10kCals a minute cycling, 600 an hour. I typically ride about 10 hrs touring or on Rando rides (200kms) and that is 6000kCal. And I do lose about 1-2 lbs a day, while staying hydrated. 8x125 is 1000kms so would take about 30,000kCals. So your analysis is correct, but metabolic rates do vary with individuals.
Yes please! - go deeper. Interesting topic and a balanced take on weight loss. For my part, calorie counting helped me loose 25kg, which was quite beneficial in avoiding getting dropped uphill. However, having since gained 10kg and switched to an almost vegetarian diet has improved my well being, but not my sprint times. Keep up the good work. Keep the nuances.....and keep drinking a pint, once in a while 🙂
Since 2019 i have been on low carb high fat keto diet. Lost 40 pounds and kept it off. Lots of energy for biking now and I was able to quit my blood pressure medicine. I am over 70 and have learned that carbs and sugar are a killer in today's obese society. There are thousands of people out there that live this life style very successfully.
I'm always amazed when people shame keto or low carb. What's so bad about meat and vegetables?
@@specialblend218 There's nothing bad about them, just like there's nothing bad about consuming carbs. It's great that keto works for some, but it's a pretty small minority that can enjoy a keto diet for years, let alone the rest of their life. Studies have already shown that if calories are kept the same, neither diet has any advantage to weightloss. People often shame the keto diet due to the fact that there are lot of dishonest actors that make claims like "You can eat all the bacon you want", which isn't true if you want to lose weight. Keto doesn't defy thermodynamics. Calories in, calories out matters no matter the diet. It's great that you've had success. I tried keto and had success losing about 35 pounds in 2.5 months. It was great, but not something that I could sustain and enjoy. I gained all the weight back, because I reverted to my old habits. I've now lost 55 pounds in the last 7 months eating whatever I want, but restricting my intake to 1900 calories. I enjoy it and have only had 3 instances were I felt I couldn't overcome the urge to eat more. I ate about 700-1000 calories on those days and the next day I just kept to my plan. If you break keto, you're out of ketosis and then have to go through the process of getting back into ketosis again, which is a hell of a lot more of a hassle.
If people want to promote keto as a strategy that works for some people to keep their caloric intake lower, I have no problem with that. If people want to promote it as this magic diet that promotes rapid weight loss, less inflammation or any of the other claims, I take issue with that.
Also, carbs and sugar aren't the "killer in today's obese society". It's the lack of education, lack of government regulation, and just general culture around junk food that needs reforming.
@@specialblend218Because all you need is moderation in carbs and meat is unethical and unsustainable as western levels for the whole population. People are fat in USA because they wont even walk to a store. Angry letters if a parking spot is more than 50m away etc. These fatties would die rather than run a 5k.
you are going to have a heart attack or stroke if you keep that up long enough. look at the blue zones populations. the people that live to 100+ don't pound down the steaks at every meal.
absolutely true. Lots of people are on thriving on ketogenic diets, like myself and its not a short-term fad diet. I'm on this for life.
That was an excellent video and very pertinent for me right now. I'm 63 and recently had an NHS healthcheck and my cholesterol is a bit high and I'm overwheight at 90kg (5ft 8ins). This despite being very active, cycling for over 40 years and doing regular gym and spin sessions. The fact is, even though I eat a generally healthy diet that I cook myself including home baked bread, more goes in than exercise can expend. My response has been to intermittently fast between exercise days. I think it's a sensible and sustainable way forward and, yes, it's calorie counted. While I appreciate the criticism of that, it's the only metric I have to monitor the way I'm managing this. I am determined that diabetes and/or CVD will not join my existing condition of blood cancer (chronic lymphocytic leukemia). The latter is through no fault of my own. The former could be, if I let it.
Great video, Ollie. Yes, I would like to see a deeper dive into the relationship between exercise and weight loss. That sounds useful. This style of video was fun and engaging, as well as informative. Keep up these kinds of videos!
Fasting is what helped me the most, more energy, no late night snacking & eating less & less sugar. I rode my bikes for years & yet my weight remained the same. Doing IMF ive lost over 2 stone & feel absolutely amazing. Oh & riding in a fasted state isn't easy & i was was fine for around 60-90 mins, but after that I'd be totally shot, so now on ride days im happy to break my fast, knowing it will allow to me ride at a much better intensity .
Ideal Olli
Loved it fella, get the more in depth video in the system, we could all do with the more detailed facts I think.
Cheers mate, really enjoyed this one 👍
This is a great video Ollie. Lots of good sensible (free to implement) advice. It's interesting how fat was demonised, then sugar and now we're eating UPF (essentially chemicals glued together) and yet the popular is still getting bigger. Keep up the good work
I read Daniel Liebermans book Exercised. He says that the best way to start a fight in a room full of scientists is to pop in and shout "Exercise does not help for weight loss!" and then leave the room!😄
Closely followed by calories don’t matter
People tend to overestimate the amount of calories “burned” via exercise, and underestimate the energy contained in the treat you have for exercising.
You fuel a bit on the bike. Post race, you have a bar of some kind and some extra fluid containing glucose or sucrose. For dinner, you have a bit more pasta, since you “need” to carbload for your next ride.
@@StangspringDK This is a big advantage of bikes imo. If you have a power meter you can be very close in calculating (5% error margin) that "burned" part since our bodies cannot bypass the laws of thermodynamics and cycling in Zone 2 allows you to ride for hours to keep racking up caloric burn. Did a long 500km audax and actually still lost weight despite eating a lot to fuel myself during the whole day ride.
I lost over 35 kg in 2 years from being obese by simply counting what I eat as a guestimate and logging them into myfitness pal, learned not to overeat (by looking at the app) and just cycling consistently over 200-300km per week (started low though and increased volume as I got my aerobic endurance up). Didn't really do any changes to my diet aside from just not overeating, I still regularly eat greasy food (ramen is love), and sweets per week, just not enough that I go don't get a caloric deficit at the end of a week.
@@StangspringDKa lot of people frame it like this, but the treat is fine AS LONG AS YOU ARE OVERALL IN A DEFICIT.
@@johnraviella6561True, but some still overestimate the energy used in a given workout. I see no problem in treating yourself to 400 calories, if you burned 500. It's the other way around, that makes your attempt to loose weight via excercise fail.
By any measure, this is the best video currently on RUclips, with the possible exception of the Hyena eating a live buffalo from the inside out. The diet and supplement industry will be out to get Ollie. The simple rule is, don't count calories, just eat a bit less and move a bit more. If you aren't losing weight then you're cheating. Weight loss starts and ends in the fridge!
Ive been eating exactly 3k calories per day and consistently losing about 250 grams of weight per week, 72kg to 67kg right now. As long as you are assigning the same numerical value to the things you eat it doesn't matter if the actual calorie amount is accurate, your numbers will always match up with what you eat and you can build a relation between them and your weight.
Hunger matters a lot. You can eat X calories of Y food and feel satisfied, or you can eat the same X calories of Z food and feel hungry. Protein and leafy greens are very satiating relative to the amount of calories in them and they don't raise insulin nearly as much as carbohydrates, and as a result they have helped many formerly overweight people get back to a normal weight. Because of their different effects on hunger and body composition, all calories are not the same.
@@FrostbikerA calorie limit allows you to know which foods keep your energy levels higher and less hungry, you just swap out for better stuff while staying on the same calorie amount.
@@Frostbiker That's easy to solve as your body actually adapts. I've lost 35 kg in 2 years following the same pattern as the commenter. Initially I felt hungry since I was used to eating too much, but after a week, it was easily maintainable especially when you pair it with cycling at least 1-2 hours per day and a long ride of at least 3 hours in the weekends. You end up with a large caloric deficit that you can't really out eat since your stomach has adapted to your portions already.
It's the same reason why here in Japan we still end up staying thin despite regularly eating food that's not exactly healthy (e.g. ramen, fried gyoza, yakiniku), we don't always eat just fish, tofu, and veggies. Our portions here are far smaller than western sizes, a large order here is likely either medium or small in the west yet we don't get hungry with the smaller portions either. Even here the most known way of losing weight is just lowering food portions and being consistent with it (e.g. 1 cup rice becomes 1/2 cup, avoid drinking all the ramen broth, walking more etc...).
Just wanna say thanks for making a more real video about diet. A few years ago I stopped watching gcn because it wasn't consistent, but this is the most informative video about diet related to cycling that I know of now. So thanks again.
thanks for the comment and feedback!
I track my calories, but I'm not a fanatic. I track to encourage myself to choose healthier options that will keep me full for longer. I also track calories burned by daily living, cycling, running, lifting weights, etc. Some people should track calories. Some people shouldn't. It works well for me. I've maintained a healthy weight for 5 years with my method.
@CensoredSheepChannel ....the thing is fasting is far better for you than either a good diet or exercise - but combine all 3 and your golden 👍
@@blaze1148 That's BS. You can live a healthy life without fasting or at least prolonged fasting (every interval between eating is technically a fast). You can be pretty healthy with a good diet and no exercise, but choosing more physically demanding options instead of using modern conveniences. You can easily out eat exercise and especially eat more calories than you burn even if you're fasting for long periods of time.
Calorie counter is certainly useful, it worked for me it losing many stones in weight when everyone seemed to own or heard of a "fitbit". I eventually found that I plateaued; which was great - it was a means to an end. So to "keep you on the straight an narrow", calorie counting is a useful tool - but like most things in life it's all about balance. Mixing diet with exercise and lifestyle choice.
I agree 100% Balance is key.@BikepackingAdventures
Same as justinshultz I am a calorie counter. At least when I’m actively trying to lose weight. I will eat 1500 cals a day and try to exercise 300 cals a day off that. As long as I’m watching it I lose 6-8 pounds a month.
This was so eye opening! I had no idea about the Constrained Energy Model, blew my mind. Also bought ultra processed people and now fixing my diet. Thanks Ollie!
The type of video I like to watch every day! Can't agree more with Dr. Bridgewood! He mentioned everything I learned the hard way during last couple of years.
Please do watch it every day 😉
I'm new to this channel but really liking it a lot. Only thing I would say is that everyone's body is a little different. I lose weight from working out/cycling. Add in less stress(just retired), a lot more plant eating and enough sleep, on top of cycling, and I'm losing a lot faster.
It's about mitochondria in your cells. Your energy engines that power muscles, while burning fat. Cyclist bodies are trained to burn fat readily. So control carb intake, train and supplement to increase mitochondria. Check out MCTs to aid that, as well...But constant, balanced and supported cycling absolutely burns weight off. Your typical short term exercise in medical studies are different. Studies are also highly subjective, and can be skewed by several factors in their operation...It's also about insulin resistance, and understanding hormone work and reaction in the body. Stress and recovery management and consistency. I'm not telling you, Doc. Cheers
Your power in watts is directly due to your mitochondria. So the power gains that you make over time is increasing the mito. And therefore everything that they do, burning fat for that energy. Therefore properly managed,or consistent cycling exercise, as any intermediate rider will tell you, helps with weight.
Please discuss this topic even more in future videos. It’s fascinating and one is never too old to learn better eating habits. Well done on making a point to enjoy oneself along the way as well. Thank you Ollie!
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU Dr Ollie and gcn! This is all the science in one place, all major points covered and all myths busted in one concise, articulate, accessible delivery! It corresponds to all that I have recently read. Amazingly well done! Love the humour! I'm already subscribed, but I have this video bookmarked for cycling friends. I will gladly watch any further deep dives of this nature that you may offer. Love the nuances with the science too! Giving Science Si a real run for his money here!! More please gcn and Ollie!!
Well done Ollie 👍. Brilliant to hear someone come out with all the logical sensible things on eating and not some crazy farcical diet. What you’re saying is just what I’ve assumed all along and being a cyclist for over 35 years it’s great to hear you confirm it and proves that keeping an eye on the type of things that l eat leads to no over weight issues. Well Done Again !!!!
"You can't outrun a bad diet". This is a classic ! I have lost 8kg during covid, by simply going on a 8-16hr food window. Took me 6 weeks or so. I now weigh less than in my first year at university. Feels great, easy and with more energy. My Trek Madone 4.5 is 8.1 kg, so after the weight loss it feels like 0.1kg. what a super light bike !!! We cook everything at home, no junk food of any kind, no restaurants, only quality food like home made bread from whole grain. It's a different world. My covid was super easy, and I haven't been sick with "cold" for 5 years now. BTW we ddin't need to get a shot and ignored all the crazyness. We do cycle a lot, but never think about losing weight on a bike. Overall this episode is highly informative and true to life. I am 60 and been doing sports since 1974. So sport only accounts for about 20% of one's health. The 80% comes from the right food and right eating habits.
"By 40 years old one is either a doctor for oneself or a fool". (c) Paul Bragg.
Great video and highly topical as I've recently been seeking to cut down on UPF and have stopped buying crisps and packets of Cheddars (other brands are available) together with an interest in cooking more food as opposed to buying the item - e.g. pizza, where one can buy the pizza dough as well as make the pizza sauce etc. Once one starts thinking about UPF and their nil benefits, it makes it so much easier to ignore the sweets, cakes and biscuits that people bring into the workplace.
I do calorie count, but it's more to keep myself in check with what I'm eating as a more mindful eating, instead of constant snacking. I do combine this with eating more non-processed foods, and making sure I'm not under eating compared to the energy put out during longer rides.
That sounds like a great attitude 🙌 - It's all about balance
Love this content. More about health benefits and improving cycling performance, over “is a 90 year old bike faster than an S5?”
The audio of Ollie biting into that lettuce was as satisfying as the taste must have been disappointing
One of the best weight loss videos out there. I’d add two things: have realistic goals. You will not reverse years of binging in 3 months and, especially if you’re a woman, add strength training to your routine.
Ultraprocessed food includes the gels and stuff that we use to fuel so we should avoid those too? The discussion is definitely nuanced
I think that the gels and other convenient foods we consume during riding are actually a very little percentage compared to the whole caloric intake throughout the whole day. At the end of the day, the idea is to make an effort to consume more “good” foods in general whenever possible for us.
However 😅that doesn’t mean you can’t try to consume good stuff while riding, like a banana or trying to make your own energy bars at home with nuts,oats, honey, fruits etc. :)
Ultraprocessed snack foods are hyper palatable. Sports gels, not so much, some of them are downright unpalatable. There's nothing wrong with eating something calorie-dense during exercise, while your body is in a catabolic state and it's not affecting your resting blood sugar or insulin, and therefore not driving future cravings and not acting in a lipogenic capacity.
Science suggests that anything eaten while exercising is used by the body immediately, as opposed to storing as fat. This assumes you're not throwing down 5 gels while popping to the shops.
It's actually fine. Just don't overestimate the need of your gels for the distance / elevation you're riding. Don't plop 5 gels for a 50km ride. The 100g of calories per hour usually works for me, at the end of a 200km ride I still end up in a deficit despite chugging gels and sports drinks to fuel myself as even your body cannot bypass the laws of thermodynamics and physics. If you burn more than you eat, you'll lose weight regardless. We even had an instance of a person eating just mcdonald's food for a year and still end up losing weight (albeit slowly).
Calories in calories out is Legit. The mistake is calories out is not a static number. It's a moving target
That was one of the best videos on diet I've seen. Well explained, good humour, but was real, no fancy bull**it. Simple to understand. Good job guys.
by far the best video in a long time! didn't say anything new I didn't know but I can agree every aspect of it from my personal experiences. loved it! ppl need more of this knowledge
Very useful and we need you guys as well more than ever!
So glad alc free beer is increasingly tasting ok. So glad there's some decent non sweet drink option that doesn't always include alcohol
Agree - there has been a step change. The Big Drop does some excellent low alcohol beers including their pale ale and milk stout (which in my view is even better than Guinness zero, and that is good).
Ollie, thank you so much!
You nailed it once again!
We all read or heard it a thousand times the way to the holy grail … but again and again we let ourselves seduced, misleaded by simple solutions or ignorance and quick forgetting leads to mistakes.
Fine words for keeping it simple and
keeping up to take more care of ourselves.
I don't understand this new trend of wanting to demonize calories. Guys, a calorie is simply a unit of measurement like a kilometer. Would anyone think to question the usefulness of the kilometer? Yes, there is a margin of error on food labels, but it gives an estimate that is quite a bit more accurate than one's intuition.
I HATE fad diets!! I am always interested in these videos regarding weight, exercise, fuel, etc...Will look fwd to you delving into that huge statement of exercise doesn't make you lose weight! Great video, as always, Ollie
Yes it does!
Great information. One of the best GCN vids I have watched in the past 10 years.
Nice one Ollie! Personally, a low-carb diet with plenty of animal protein has changed my life and never been easier to keep weight off/increase my energy.
Ollie, you're on track for a great series of videos. The Food & Weight Loss industries won't be so keen but it's long overdue that we should all be better informed. Good on you, more please 😀
I enjoyed keto for 10 years. It's most definitely not a fad diet. That's like calling eating protein & fat a fad lmao.
I’ve learnt something from this video. I didn’t know Burger King was now opposite MacDonalds in Bath. Good to know, cheers!
6:13 nutrients are chemicals. If there was an ingredient list on plant foods it would be a chemistry set also
haha with that mindset everything out there is "natural"
a little knowledge is a dangerous thing🤦♂️.
@@SonnyDarvish not even close to what I'm saying but nice try. For example, sucrose is a naturally occuring disaccharide, sucralose is a synthetic artificial sweetener. Both are chemicals but a huge difference.
I have three tips / simple changes that helped me lose and keep off over 20kg since i started cycling in 2018.
1). Sugar in tea / coffee - 16 calories per teaspoon, 2 teaspoons per cup, 4 cups a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year = 46,592 calories divided by 2500 calories = cutting it out is like not eating for 18 days a year.
2). Chocolate bars - 1 bar approx 250 calories, 1 bar a day = 91,250 calories divided by 2500 calories = cutting it out is like not eating for 36 days a year.
3). EAT on your rides - a lot - pretty much enough to ensure you do not get home hungry. Either that or have prepped a healthy nutritious but filling meal in advance before going out so that you eat that when you get in - or i found i just smashed everything quick from the fridge as i was starving.
This is funny as I want to lose like 30kg but eat less than 1400 calories a day
I loved the advert for Huel in the middle of the section where Oli was dissing ultra processed food and using Huel as an example.
youtube will probably think this is a good, relevant ad for this video 😂
I was secretly waiting for „video was sponsored by huel“
Fiber good! Chickpeas good! Variety good! Huel bad! Oops, guess what Huel Black is made out of? Chickpeas, fiber, variety of ingredients. Mixing them in your stomach and mixing them in a big Kitchenaid doesn't make any difference. But don't listen to me, I've only lost 15 pounds and doubled my physical strength and endurance in a year by eating Huel Black after working out and keeping an eye on protein and calories.
RUclips premium ftw
@@roadfordays ... and of course you don't sound like you were on Huel's payroll at all, right? Right!
Great video Ollie. I have learned, sometimes the hard way, that weight is something to be aware of but don't let it drive your lifestyle (unless of course there are secondary mental and physical health issues associated with ones weight), Smash a ridiculously intense indoor cycle session and there is not enough bacon and eggs in the world to refill the deficit! However, I have found after endurance rides (150km+) I am actually not that hungry....weird. I've just learned to live with these dilemmas. Also, ones ACTUAL weight naturally varies hugely depending on, well bodily functions, food and in particular liquid intake, lifestyle etc.....drink 0.5Li of water....you are now 0.50kg heavier.....but not "fatter". I now use a reference weight (which I use for my W/kg stats) and don't worry too much about the odd kg either side at any particular time. As you note, one should always endeavour to improve the quality and variety of diet as much as possible
This is one of your best videos...makes so much sense.
Brilliant video - I find it hard to believe that Ollie doesn’t have hundreds of friends to go for a drink with and isn’t the most interesting person to talk to at parties. The best bit about RUclips is all the ultra processed food supplement adverts that interrupt the video 😂
This is better than previous GCN videos on the subject... thanks Ollie! But I still think GCN has some work to do here. Please do some more research and make some more videos on the subject. When we're talking weight loss, we mean fat loss. Fat loss (and gain) is controlled by insulin level. Insulin level is controlled by blood glucose. Blood glucose is controlled carbs. This makes it very difficult for people to get their head around, as they're also trying to hit high performance and max effort on the bike, so need enough energy available to do so. Unless you're keto adapted, this relies on enough glucose. So then you're stuck with the fat you've got, as your insulin, and big appetite from all that hard work blocks fat from flowing out of storage. Even if people can maintain regular high intensity training without injury or illness, they're effectively getting fatter by cycling! Please keep digging!
Thanks for the comment! We would love to delve deeper into this subject - Can you think of any experts we should be interviewing?
I don't know, when I was cycling a lot I did not follow any special diet and I definitely lost weight (and had more muscle and less fat than before - or after). My appetite also did not increase.
@@gcn Gary Taubes, Stephen Phinney, Tim Noakes. Surely Tim Noakes is a perfect fit for a healthy channel like this....
@@TechSucht I'm not an expert on this subject, just an enthusiast - albeit a bit obsessed! Everyone is different. But I do know that those of us with a pre-disposition for fat storage (or higher insulin sensitivity) suffer the most with this. Trying to lose weight is very frustrating for lots of people. Some (apparently 1 in 4) are inclined the other way, and they respond to 'any' exercise with a high impact on their glucose and insulin levels, resulting in weight loss... (Also, some of the science and research indicates that people *think* all they did was a little more exercise, whereas a bit of a focus on that actually meant not going out drinking the night before, and picking the healthier options at lunch, and having water not coke etc).
@@eoghangiven I guess you are right, that everyone is different. I know that at the time I did not change my diet. I ate a fairly average mix of foods, alcohol only from time to time but I did stop drinking soft drinks years before. I think soft drinks are among the biggest issue when it comes to weight gain. People do not perceive them as food but increase their calorie intake immensely by drinking that sugar-water.
I've watched this video many times over the last few days - it has fundamentally challenged several things I have previously taken for granted on weight loss and opened my eyes to the effects of ultra processed food. The advice has spoken to me and I will make some big changes to my diet accordingly. The video and the information within is very well put together and well worth watching over and over, thank you!
Calorie counting works.. the reason why they bounced back is because they didnt change their habits and also stopped the calorie restriction. Not because they evolved and became a superhuman who can create energy from nothing.😂
100%, at the end of the day calories in vs calories out is the only thing that has a meaningful effect on weight loss.
Also, their calorie restriction was so extreme it was unsustainable. Once the show was over and they weren't on a treadmill 4 hours a day their metabolism crashed and they couldn't lower their calories any further.. that show set them up for failure.
As a cyclist and a chemist at least I can understand the additives to industrial food ... but thanks for your well researched video! And I think you certainly have some nice friends, Ollie 🙃
COUNTING CALORIES DOES HELP SLIMMING. the bounce back happens when you stop counting: the only time I've lost weight was by counting.
You don't even have to know the calorie amount exactly. If you find that a certain amount of counted calories make you put on weight, you just reduce the amount taking in, until you loose weight. The exact calorie amount is not important at all
And of course exercise helps as well. The burned calories will not get stored as fat, no matter how much your metabolism changes. And you can of course avoid eating a lot after exercise, by counting your daily calorie intake.
Let's have a table of burned an intaken calories of slim athletes. marathon runners, Vingegård etc.
The simple fact that you get slimmer if you starve, shows you that calorie intake matters. Even if metabolism improves drastically, your body can't produce energy from air alone.
When touring I normally loose 1 kg pr week with about 120km/day but of course I snack less as well.
I used to think like you. However, I eventually realized that the real-world effect of telling people to count calories is that they will stop eating before they are satiated, and as a result they will be chronically hungry. Yes, they will lose weight temporarily, but at the cost of eventually giving up due to the ever increasing levels of hunger they will experience. And with hunger comes irritability and lethargy. It is not effective advice in the long term. A better approach, in my experience, is reducing carbohydrates in your diet, which will allow your insulin level to become low and thus allow your adipose tissue to release its stored energy. It is not possible for adipose tissue to release energy in a high insulin state.
@@Frostbiker Reducing carbohydrates for weight loss doesn't make much sense, when they satiate you more per calorie than fat, since the volume of carbs will be much higher per calorie. Insulin levels also don't matter compared to a caloric deficit. It might not, as you state, be good advice since people can't stand being chronically hungry, however that doesn't make it factually wrong.
@@Markus8Markus8 carbs don't satiate as well as fats do, and they aren't even close to protein.
@@Frostbiker thing is, once you start counting calories you can get a better understanding of what things leave you hungry and what doesn't. You learn that junk food leads to cravings. And it is okay to overshoot your calorie intake from time to time, no need to torture yourself.
Good advice based on evidence-supported concepts.
(I am a 68yo physician an public health specialist, exercise regularly and balance what I eat with what I use, eat very little ultra processed stuff, and kept myself within a 69-73 kg bodyweight for many decades.)
Love Ollies rundown on this topic, and keen to see further insights
Great video Ollie, was expecting the typical calories in vs calories out but this was a refreshing change. Would love to see more on this topic.
Finally, someone who really understands how we oversized people works (me about 15-20 kg). A huge thanks Ollie, for delivering the subject in an fun and interesting way, without barriers. I’m not really an active cyclist, but I follow GCN, and enjoy most of the content. Besides the subject, your videos are easy and fun to watch. You are really good at this😎
Ollie is the most entertaining bloke on the telly
Thanks to GCN and Ollie (you’ve come a long way since Cycling Weekly) for a fantastic and informative video. This reaffirmed what I thought I knew and what got me from 95kg in July to 80.5kg now. I can still do more on the processed food front, on sleep and some resistance training to increase muscle mass and core strength, but the key for me was what I eat and how much of it. Trying to avoid overeating that your body just stores it.
Interesting video, some challenging comments, also a vast amount of information. I think it really needed a summary at the end.
Best diet advice I’ve heard in years. I went on the paleo diet a few years ago that’s natural food nuts meat veg ect every thing prepped fresh and I had never been so fit and trim. No processed food. 👍
Excellent video Oli. Given the time restraints, it was well explained. I'd love to hear more of your sciencing on the subject.
Started last august and started actively cycling and by now lost around 13kg just from being more active, making sure I am within a certain calorie count and if I am more active during a day I eat more. I don't limit myself from things and eat what I like, counting calories has worked for me, but I know its not for everyone, but has worked for me. And been doing it for months now, was doing IF (intermittent fasting). And continue to actively lose weight. GCN was a huge help with inspiring cycling, I do want to visit UK at some point to do some cycling there as well.
I would really appreciate if you make another video where you dive deeper into this issue. Even this video you gave me helped me a lot in what I am doing wrong. Thank you in advance
Awesome video Ollie, we need more on the importance of good nutrition and just how destructive UPF is to our bodies. My experience mirrors everything you covered in the video, lost 5kg in under 8 weeks mainly by cutting out 95% UPF, a bit more care on portion control, reducing carb and sugar spikes and maximising sleep. Biggest tip I've had is think of all bread that comes in a plastic bag as cake... All bread is not equal and even the "healthy" granary etc is a UPF bomb waiting to mess with your gut
One of the best episode from Dr.Olive. I’ve learned a lot while highly enjoyed the contents and background music. I’ve been struggling to lose weight I intensify my training, despite the positive feed back from my garmin. I am still struggling to lose weight.
“Diet Charlatans”! Way too many on the net. If you look too much at these idiots, it will drive you insane! 58 yo. Been an Edurance Athlete most of my life. Old school rule: A balance of high quality training and a decent diet. I have never had a weight problem. Great video! Love you guys! Cycle on!