Why Cutting Too Many Calories Slows Your Cycling Weight Loss

Newsletter (#141)

I want to start this week’s newsletter with a little story from one of my Cycle Lean Project riders.

In his first week, he smashed it — dropped 2 kilos straight away. He was buzzing. But here’s the twist… by the time the weekend rolled around, most (if not all) of that weight was back on.

Why? Because he’d gone in way too aggressively with his calorie cut during the week.

And this is something I see all the time.

When you’re fired up and ready to lose weight, it feels logical to slash calories hard and chase a big early win. But the reality? It backfires.

Here’s what happened with him:

• He restricted hard Mon–Fri.
• By midweek, his long ride felt awful. His legs had no energy, and he couldn’t ride anywhere near his usual strength.
• He got hungrier and hungrier as the week went on.
• Come the weekend, he was so depleted that his body craved a refill — and he ate back everything (and more).

And that’s the perfect example of how fat-loss myths can trip up even the most committed cyclists.

So let’s bust a few of the big ones 👇

❌ Myth 1: “The bigger the calorie cut, the faster the fat loss”

Reality: Go too aggressively, and it’ll wreck your training. My client found this out the hard way — his long ride felt flat, his power was way down, and his hunger skyrocketed.

👉 Better approach: Create a steady calorie deficit off the bike, but always fuel your rides with carbs. That way, you ride stronger, recover better, and avoid binge-eating later.

❌ Myth 2: “Carbs are the enemy”

Reality: Restrict carbs too harshly, and you’ll feel depleted, lack energy, and underperform. Cycling is a carb-heavy sport — try doing your long ride on lettuce and protein shakes, and you’ll hit the wall.

👉 Better approach: Use carbs strategically. Eat them around your rides (before, during, after) to fuel performance, then trim calories from snacks or less active parts of the day.

❌ Myth 3: “Just ride more, the weight will fall off”

Reality: More miles without smart nutrition usually just means more hunger — and often overeating to “reward” yourself after. Net result? The scale doesn’t move.

👉 Better approach: Balance training with nutrition. You don’t need endless hours on the bike. Instead, ride consistently, fuel the work, and manage your intake steadily across the week.

The Big Takeaway

If you want to lose weight while cycling, don’t fall for the “quick-fix” myths.

• Fuel your rides properly.
• Keep your calorie deficit steady but sensible. Aim for 300 - 500 kcal deficit per day.
• Stop chasing extremes that leave you wiped out and raiding the fridge.

Do this, and the weight comes off steadily while your power and energy stay strong.

Whenever you're ready, here are the ways I can help you:

1. The Cycle Lean Blueprint: This comprehensive, all-in-one product is everything you need to shed kgs and ride faster.
2. The Cycle Lean Collective: Get ready to transform your fitness journey with our new and improved monthly membership program.

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