Hi , I’ve just got onto Trainer Road. After realising that I wasn’t getting stronger at races that I did in previous years but was riding way more I knew something was wrong.. so I have now started doing indoor training. I’ve had so many questions but for now il keep it short… will I still burn sufficient calories sticking to TRs recommended training plan of which is currently (3 days a week, 1 hr intervals with one 1hr:30min interval on a Saturday..low- medium intensity… previously I was riding about 4-5 days a week, but as mentioned I wasn’t getting stronger , I think slower actually but I think I burnt more calories…. Now I’m doing less (more structured) but I’m worried I might start picking up extra weight… help?
First off, you should be eating to fuel your plan, not exercising to burn your fuel. Second, you should be able to see the caloric burn associated with each workout which, while not perfect, should give you a good idea of your expected energy needs. Third, the structured training is highly likely to make you faster than JRA.
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Thanks! I never looked at it like that in terms of ( eating to fuel my plan) 
my worry was that I was burning like 1000 calories OUTSIDE rides average( 2hr ride..) (also not 100% accurate but according to strava. So now it’s less calories burning, less riding but perhaps less eating… still figuring this out… my chief purpose when I started riding in 2021 was that I can now lose weight, do something I like, and enjoy food ( obviously eating healthy good food ) .. I currently weigh 91kg and 1.88m height. Im not overweight but I just don’t want to go backwards because I’m riding less now… if that makes sense…
One other thing I’d add (because this can be hard to overcome after so many years of association): rely more on how your clothing fits than what the scale reads, especially if you’re also regularly doing resistance exercises. That whole ‘muscle weighs twice as much as fat per volume’ thing can bite you if you let it. DEXA scans show me at about 9% body fat, but the BMI calculation has me as borderline obese. 
So find something that fits the way way like (or something you want to fit into) and let that be your benchmark.
Your body should have enough fuel in the tank for a 1 hour workout. Anything longer and you will need to add some fuel. It’s important that you take in enough food after your workout. I try to match what I burn.
Longer rides burning 1500 calories or more I try to take in at least 1/3 to 1/2 that while on the bike. To keep my weight in control I try to limit carbs off the bike, choosing protein heavy meals. In the winter when I don’t do as many miles I can gain weight if not careful. More miles are my best friend.
The good old clothing benchmark!! Il remember that . Yeah, BMI can be a real pain… . Thanks
Thanks, I am going to monitor my weight and see where I’m at after my current training plan . Some data needed now 
but I’m confident the training, my body and mind should talk well together hopefully and keep me in check! Let’s see
Training is about time in power zones, not calories used, but you need to have enough calories to do the work. Often those are what’s in the tank (stored in your body as glycogen and fat), but for longer/more-intense efforts, it may be necessary to add to that while doing the effort.
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Setting aside calories, I think your real question is will you be faster on lower total volume.
The answer is maybe and it depends.
In general, a higher total volume usually equates to better performance in endurance training. If you have more than 3.5 hours per week to train, have the prior training history, and want to train more, you probably should. There are settings in TrainerRoad to tell it that you want 8 or 10 hours per week plus how many hours per day you have. TR might have spat out 3.5 hours because you showed it no previous training so it’s starting you at the bottom.
Always remember, that with a product like TR, you are still the coach. TR is a software aid but you still need to adjust parameters as needed and keep your eye on the big picture.
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