Yeah, so I read this: Calories and Power
The estimate trainerroad gives for a training, let’s say 700 kcal. Does that mean I need to eat 700 kcal or more than 700 kcal?
I ask this, because often in the weekend rides I feel I should eat more. And strava / wahoo bolt estimate more calories exerted over similar distance and intensity rides outside.
If you’re using a power meter then you have a very accurate measure of kcals burned.
If you aren’t using a power meter then it will be a rough estimate.
If you want to maintain your weight, eat those 700 kcals throughout the day.
If you’re aiming to lose weight, eat approx 200 kcals throughout the day, giving you a 500kcal defecit overall for the day.
If you want to gain weight, then eat more than the 700 kcals.
You will need to look to see whether those 700kcals are actual calories burned purely as a result of you training or if they also include how many calories you would have burned if you were just sitting on a couch during that time.
Some heart rate monitors will tell you that you burned 1000kcals in an hour but don’t tell you that if you daily calorie intake was (for example) 2400kcals, then 100kcals of the 1000 you just burned you would have burned anyway. That means you would have to only add in 900kcals to replace total fuel burned.
I can’t remember the name for these two types of measurements but for longer rides this probably becomes more important.