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How do you measure how many calories you've burned in a cycle.

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  • 19-10-2006 10:24am
    #1
    junii
    Closed Accounts Posts: 600 ✭✭✭


    I have heard of a powertap hub device. There very expensive though. Are there any other devices out there that will give you an accurate measurement? Ive heard of using heart rate monitors but are these accurate given that they can only accept variables such as age, gender, height et cetera.

    Basically, Im trying to gain weight at the moment so im counting the calories carefully. Its hard for me to get the balance correct if I don't know how much im burning.

    What do you use?

    Thanks for the help so far on the forum.


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    #2
    tunney
    Registered Users Posts: 12,583 ✭✭✭✭tunney


    Powertap, SRMs, etc etc are overkill for what you want :)

    A hear rate monitor will do it quite acurately, they can take many variables including Vo2max.

    Why would you be trying to gain fat?


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    #3
    junii
    Closed Accounts Posts: 600 ✭✭✭junii


    Well...Its a long story. I always thought I couldn't put on weight up until over a month ago. Now that Ive proved to myself I can I am joining the gym in the next week or so. I don't want to gain fat but at the moment I don't really want to lose it either.


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    #4
    Morgan
    Registered Users Posts: 2,481 ✭✭✭Morgan


    junii wrote:
    I don't want to gain fat but at the moment I don't really want to lose it either.

    Why not? Are you going to be using the fat for something? Soap maybe...


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    #5
    junii
    Closed Accounts Posts: 600 ✭✭✭junii


    Morgan wrote:
    Why not? Are you going to be using the fat for something? Soap maybe...

    Im just fairly skinny. Anyway, I will be focusing on lean mass in the gym in the near future.

    But when I have my diet down to a tee, Ill want to know exactly how many cals I need to eat so I can organise my diet properly.


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    #6
    cerebus
    Registered Users Posts: 447 ✭✭cerebus


    Believe me, once you start climbing hills on your shiny new bike you'll want to be as light as possible.


    Whey spend thousands on an ultra-light ride when you could lose a few kg?


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    #7
    blorg
    Registered Users Posts: 15,989 ✭✭✭✭blorg


    A heart rate monitor should do the trick, more than accurate enough. To be honest trying to be ultra-precise with these things is missing the point as it is averages over time that are going to matter. As long as you are calculating in the ballpark you will be fine. You can measure whether you are in the ballpark or not by comparing predicted weight gain with actual weight gain and adjust your formulas appropriately. TBH at the end of the day if you are aiming for "fitness" most measurement is more of a motivational tool than anything else.

    If week on week you are gaining muscle weight, then you are going in the right direction, that's the bottom line.

    If you want to go crazy extreme you _can_ also get your basal or resting metabolic rate tested scientifically.


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    #8
    rubadub
    Registered Users Posts: 32,381 ✭✭✭✭rubadub


    cerebus wrote:
    Believe me, once you start climbing hills on your shiny new bike you'll want to be as light as possible.


    Whey spend thousands on an ultra-light ride when you could lose a few kg?
    He is looking to bulk up with muscle. I do agree that if people are exercising specifically to lose weight (not racing or commuting) then i would recommend putting the money into a comfortable bike rather than a racer. If are on a mountain bike you may not get the same speed but it is more comfortable with full suspsension and you will use the same calories per hour. So using the same effort you may travel 8 miles where you could have gone 10 on a racer due to lower rolling resistance and no energy wasted to suspension, but it is a more comfortable form of exercise, probably safer too, slower speed better grip. The stronger bike will probably last longer too, you are also not limited to smooth roads.

    junii- dont get too hung up on calories. Count your intake, keep not of your training, measure your weight and bodyfat% and then you can figure out what works for YOUR body. In other threads you are talking of taking in e.g. 2694kcal per day. you can never be that exact!, you must figure out your own metabolism rate, how much YOU need to eat to put on weight. I see no problem with you putting on some fat, you are already thin so if you do put on some you will be easily rid of it again.


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