General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Ironman Ideal Race Weight.. Rss Feed  
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2009-12-31 12:52 PM
in reply to: #2582081

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2010-01-05 12:10 PM
in reply to: #2557233

Elite
4235
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Spring, TX
Subject: RE: Ironman Ideal Race Weight..

How much impact does your BF% have on your ability to use fat as fuel over an IM distance? 

I raced IMCDA at around 160(5'11") and 7% body fat.  I felt strong at this weight and suspect that I could go even lower without losing any strength/speed.  However, I've wondered if calorie intake during an IM has to go up to offset the fact that you have less fat available to burn? 

Does that even make sense or am I way off the mark?

2010-01-05 12:20 PM
in reply to: #2595310

Not a Coach
11473
5000500010001001001001002525
Media, PA
Subject: RE: Ironman Ideal Race Weight..
AndrewMT - 2010-01-05 1:10 PM

How much impact does your BF% have on your ability to use fat as fuel over an IM distance? 

I raced IMCDA at around 160(5'11") and 7% body fat.  I felt strong at this weight and suspect that I could go even lower without losing any strength/speed.  However, I've wondered if calorie intake during an IM has to go up to offset the fact that you have less fat available to burn? 

Does that even make sense or am I way off the mark?



Even a very lean individual has plenty of stored body fats to get through an IM.  You'll still need to take in carbs to help burn them, but the amount is probably no different at 7% than at 5%.  Whether dropping to that level is a good idea for you or not, I have no idea.
2010-01-05 12:23 PM
in reply to: #2595338

Elite
4235
2000200010010025
Spring, TX
Subject: RE: Ironman Ideal Race Weight..

JohnnyKay - 2010-01-05 12:20 PM
AndrewMT - 2010-01-05 1:10 PM

How much impact does your BF% have on your ability to use fat as fuel over an IM distance? 

I raced IMCDA at around 160(5'11") and 7% body fat.  I felt strong at this weight and suspect that I could go even lower without losing any strength/speed.  However, I've wondered if calorie intake during an IM has to go up to offset the fact that you have less fat available to burn? 

Does that even make sense or am I way off the mark?



Even a very lean individual has plenty of stored body fats to get through an IM.  You'll still need to take in carbs to help burn them, but the amount is probably no different at 7% than at 5%.  Whether dropping to that level is a good idea for you or not, I have no idea.

I definitely don't know the physiology behind it.  I just know I struggle to take in enough calories and my wife insists it's because I'm too lean!

2010-01-05 12:25 PM
in reply to: #2595351

Not a Coach
11473
5000500010001001001001002525
Media, PA
Subject: RE: Ironman Ideal Race Weight..
AndrewMT - 2010-01-05 1:23 PM

I definitely don't know the physiology behind it.  I just know I struggle to take in enough calories and my wife insists it's because I'm too lean!



That I can help with.  Eat more and more calorie dense foods.  Beer can help as well.
2010-01-05 12:28 PM
in reply to: #2595356

Elite
4235
2000200010010025
Spring, TX
Subject: RE: Ironman Ideal Race Weight..

JohnnyKay - 2010-01-05 12:25 PM
AndrewMT - 2010-01-05 1:23 PM

I definitely don't know the physiology behind it.  I just know I struggle to take in enough calories and my wife insists it's because I'm too lean!



That I can help with.  Eat more and more calorie dense foods.  Beer can help as well.

Can Scotch be substituted for beer?  Wait...don't' answer that.  I'm going to assume the answer is yes and start my Iroman diet tonight!



2010-01-05 1:18 PM
in reply to: #2595367

Not a Coach
11473
5000500010001001001001002525
Media, PA
Subject: RE: Ironman Ideal Race Weight..
AndrewMT - 2010-01-05 1:28 PM

JohnnyKay - 2010-01-05 12:25 PM
AndrewMT - 2010-01-05 1:23 PM

I definitely don't know the physiology behind it.  I just know I struggle to take in enough calories and my wife insists it's because I'm too lean!



That I can help with.  Eat more and more calorie dense foods.  Beer can help as well.

Can Scotch be substituted for beer?  Wait...don't' answer that.  I'm going to assume the answer is yes and start my Iroman diet tonight!



Nah.  At 7%BF you will pass out before you can get enough calories in.  Mix with eggnog and you might be OK.
2010-01-05 3:42 PM
in reply to: #2595501

Elite
3495
20001000100100100100252525
SE
Subject: RE: Ironman Ideal Race Weight..
where are these dexa scans found at? i cant find it on google for athens ga.
2010-01-05 8:34 PM
in reply to: #2557233

Expert
708
500100100
work, road, bike, pool
Subject: RE: Ironman Ideal Race Weight..
i work at the university of Kansas and we have 2 of them in Lawrence, 1 at KU Med and 1 at a local hospital.

My guess is that they are located at hospitals or university's in the exercise phys labs (university of Georgia Public Health department might have one)


I ahve also talked to some people that at 8% you are at optimal body fat for IM... this is coming from a masters in Exercise physiology and an X- USA cycling coach from the 80's... ill ask some of our professors and see what they think the optimal BF is for Endurance sports / IM
2010-01-05 8:57 PM
in reply to: #2596569

Master
1322
1000100100100
Chicago
Subject: RE: Ironman Ideal Race Weight..
tri-dg - 2010-01-05 8:34 PM

i work at the university of Kansas and we have 2 of them in Lawrence, 1 at KU Med and 1 at a local hospital.

My guess is that they are located at hospitals or university's in the exercise phys labs (university of Georgia Public Health department might have one)


I ahve also talked to some people that at 8% you are at optimal body fat for IM... this is coming from a masters in Exercise physiology and an X- USA cycling coach from the 80's... ill ask some of our professors and see what they think the optimal BF is for Endurance sports / IM


Can you ask about percentages for women too? Just curious. Not as if I'm anywhere near optimal.
2010-01-06 9:10 AM
in reply to: #2596569

Not a Coach
11473
5000500010001001001001002525
Media, PA
Subject: RE: Ironman Ideal Race Weight..
There is no single "best" number.  People are different and the best you can do is provide a range.  8% may be the average for competitive male triathletes, but some may be best with a bit lower while others will do best a bit higher.

FWIW, I have seen ranges for triathletes of roughly 5-12% for men and 10-15% for women.


2010-01-07 4:54 PM
in reply to: #2557233

Expert
708
500100100
work, road, bike, pool
Subject: RE: Ironman Ideal Race Weight..
yes. there is no specific perfect race BF and it varies by person to person.

I talked with our Dr. - Professor at the Exercise Physiology Lab about what he thought to be the optimal BF for endurance athletes (he was a elite cross country skier)

Men-
Skin fold 8-10%
Dexa Scan 13-17%

Women
Skin fold 13-18%
Dexa Scan 18-22%


also today i went ahead and jumped on our dexa and I came out at 25.2% and got our experienced doctoral student to do a skin fold and came out at 19.47%. a difference of 5.73%. (yes i put on some BAD weight this winter but dont really care.) Im going to try to do this every other month to get a good idea of how training and eating better will change my body.

I also talked to our Exercise Phys. Dr. about how much the cost of doing a dexa scan would be he said they charge $90 for the test also includes bone mineral density. He also said these are mainly made for experiments that they have going on and one way that you could get one done is to ask your DR. to get one done cause your "worried" about your bone density.

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  • 2010-01-07 5:04 PM
    in reply to: #2601360

    Subject: ...
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    2010-01-08 9:23 AM
    in reply to: #2557233

    Expert
    708
    500100100
    work, road, bike, pool
    Subject: RE: Ironman Ideal Race Weight..
    it was more of a joking around "worried" but some doc. would let it go through...

    If any one wants to know what my plan is going to look like im doing Triathletes week by week guide level 4 for HIM (texasman) and level 3 IM for Louisville.

    Some other useful tools that can help determine caloric intake would be Resting Metabolic Rates and Energy Expenditure tests
    2010-01-08 12:53 PM
    in reply to: #2557830

    Master
    2621
    2000500100
    Almaden Valley, San Jose, California
    Subject: RE: Ironman Ideal Race Weight..
    PennState - 2009-12-14 10:13 AM
    trishie - 2009-12-14 11:59 AM
    bryancd - 2009-12-14 10:59 AM
    Gritty - 2009-12-14 9:40 AM

    As an aside here, what type of body fat test is usefull?  Calipers, weight scale, something else?  I've always wondered what my percentage would be but the only test I've ever done is with calipers.  Not sure how accurate those are.

    Calipers are pretty accurate.


    ... but only if the person using them knows what he or she is doing.

    The most accurate way to get yoru BF% is an autopsy but short of that, I think the water displacement way is the most accurate.
    . Ummmm no. Dexa scans are now considered the gold standard. Very few labs are using water displacement anymore.


    I thought Dexa scans measured bone density - no?
    2010-01-08 7:53 PM
    in reply to: #2603313

    Subject: ...
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    2010-01-09 7:58 AM
    in reply to: #2557233

    Extreme Veteran
    373
    1001001002525
    Subject: RE: Ironman Ideal Race Weight..
    I got a Dexa Scan the other day. My body fat scale reads 8.x in athlete mode and 18.x in normal mode. At checkin to ironman KY last August their scale showed 12%. I also had a caliper test done last year and it was 16 %. I would have been happy if the Dexa Scan spilt the difference.

    I was very frustrated with the results. The Dexa Scan indicated that my body fat was 17.5 percent. I was surprised that it was that high. My friend – who is a faculty member in the Human Performance Department at the university was very surprised it was that high. I mean I can see my ribs and some of my abs (very vague but they can be seen in just the right light). There is slight definition. But the Dexa Scan is very accurate. What are you going to do?

    On a positive note I now have my scales offset (in the athlete mode I need to add 9.2 or in the normal mode I need to subtract 1.3 – it would appear that my bathroom scale is pretty accurate in the normal mode) and while my body fat is higher than I want it – it is a vanity number – my body fat composition is normal. I do not have any disproportionate body fat in my torso or anything – and my bone density is fine.
    2010-01-09 8:03 AM
    in reply to: #2604563

    Elite
    3495
    20001000100100100100252525
    SE
    Subject: RE: Ironman Ideal Race Weight..
    which university did you have it done at?

    ps cool blog too!

    Edited by phatknot 2010-01-09 8:05 AM
    2010-01-09 12:47 PM
    in reply to: #2604567

    Extreme Veteran
    373
    1001001002525
    Subject: RE: Ironman Ideal Race Weight..
    Thanks -

    I work at the University of Southern Mississippi (IT department) and just happen to know a lot of people in the Human Performance College - fellow triathletes.

    2010-01-09 4:09 PM
    in reply to: #2557233

    Master
    2411
    2000100100100100
    Goodyear, AZ
    Subject: RE: Ironman Ideal Race Weight..

    I always wondered how accurate those bathroom scales were at body fat. Our scale has that function and I have no idea if it's right or not, or even close.

    In any case, a look in the mirror of how I feel on a run usually tells me if I am at or near my goal race weight, I just go by how I feel. Try not to get too caught up int he numbers

    2010-01-09 4:47 PM
    in reply to: #2605147

    Champion
    9600
    500020002000500100
    Fountain Hills, AZ
    Subject: RE: Ironman Ideal Race Weight..
    riorio - 2010-01-09 4:09 PM

    I always wondered how accurate those bathroom scales were at body fat. Our scale has that function and I have no idea if it's right or not, or even close.

    In any case, a look in the mirror of how I feel on a run usually tells me if I am at or near my goal race weight, I just go by how I feel. Try not to get too caught up int he numbers



    I agree, Sally, and I think it actually may not be as "lean" as some people think.


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