Weight loss help

[LBTC]

thanks, slinkedog. that's a pretty good link. interesting the comparison between men and women. most of the sports research has been on men and we bear the brunt of that, I'm afraid!

I liked that she mentioned to drink water. I'm surprised she didn't mention recovery drinks. generally, if I have a recovery drink, I have no interest in eating dinner (I usually exercise right around dinner time. I always have a snack late afternoon about 2 - 3 hours before my workout. it usually has potatoes and cheese in it). I think that's fine - the recovery drink has a lot of nutrients in it.

I do think it totally depends on how hard the workout was, how well you hydrated during the workout and how well-fueled you were going in to the workout...all of that will determine how hungry you are after and how much you need to control the urge to binge....

what the article failed to mention is how a body with more muscles burns more calories just being than one with less muscle....so....even if you have trouble resisting the urge to eat a lot after a good hard workout, if you are building muscle, you're still eventually going to burn more calories. and even if you aren't losing weight according to a scale, ask any woman how she feels after she's been working out doing something she loves for awhile and she'll comment on how her butt is higher, she has more energy, she has more sex drive, she likes herself better, her clothes fit better, she stands up taller, etc....

it's still worth it!!

workout eat hard have fun

Namaste,
~T~

[trigurl]

good article! I am usually not hungry right after a workout, but give me an hour and I am starving! I actually mix a little gatorade with my water to help when I am working out hard.

[Crankin]

I ended up eating a small banana also. Geesh, I know what I should have majored in

I just got to thinking if I eat 1800 calories a day and burn 1200+ that isn't right is it? If I need to eat 1989 to maintain, 1800 to lose but I burn 1200, I need to be eating more right? I swear I ain't (really) blonde

Yep, you need to be eating more. You are training an incredible amount. Like I said before, more protein and some fruits and veggies. I also get hungry very frequently. I eat a snack of walnuts (a handful) and dried cranberries at about 9:45 AM (I eat breakfast really early) and a piece of low fat string cheese at about 11. Lunch is at 12:30. When I get home, between 3 and 4:30, I am dying for carbs, so I just go ahead and eat a piece of whole wheat bread. Then I'm fine until dinner. I love to cook and going out to eat is a big part of my life, so I have to exercise almost everyday to keep my weight down. Being short doesn't give you a lot of leeway... it once took me a year to lose 25 lbs and that was when I was young (25). But, establishing the good eating habits stays. I am 51 and I weigh the same as I did in high school.

[trigurl]

Thanks Robyn! I can be a little slow sometimes

I figured last night that on my days I have 2 workouts I need to eat at least 2000 calories, on easier days I can eat a little less. I am about 7 weeks a way from a duathlon and my training is 2 weeks hard one week easy, this is my first time doing this and I am beat! I will be glad when monday comes, that is the start of my easy week.

I will be adding more protein to my eating, last night I bought some cereal by General Mills that has more calcium protein and fiber and it is whole wheat, it is pretty good I will substitute my pretzels with that.

My othe problem is I don't get to eat dinner until after 8:00 b/c of my training, I am thinking I might want to eat the bulk of my calories before then and eat a lighter dinner.

I know what you mean, when I was in my 20's losing weight was nothing now I am 30++ and have a heck of a time with it. Also, after losing 40 lbs. I now have wrinkles and if I lose 10 more they may be worse, that scares me some. My mom lost 50 lbs. when she found out she had diabetes and looked much older than 50!

[trigurl]

Since my first post on this thread I have been counting calories
I figured I could eat 2000 and lose some weight, so I have been trying to eat about 600 each meal and divide the rest up on my snacks. My scales haven't moved but I am exactly where I was to begin with, 153, usually I go right back up to 155 whenever I drop below 155. So far I am thinking this is a good thing, maybe by the first of the week I will be down a pound, that will be about 7 days and one pound a week is good. If I don't lose I will drop about 200 calories a day and see if that works. I hate counting calories but.... if it works it will be worth it.

I actually feel like I am eating more food now - I think I wasn't eating enough during the day and at night I was making up for it by eating until I was stuffed.

Thanks everyone for your help, hopefully I am on the right track now.

[jobob]

Nancy Clark has also written a lot of good articles for the Adventure Cyclist, which is the magazine put out by the Adventure Cycling Association.

Many of her articles can be viewed via the library archive on their website:

go to http://www.adventurecycling.org/library/index.cfm
and type ' nancy clark ' into the search box - no need to select a category - and then click on the pointy-finger icon.

- jobob

[trigurl]

Heck!!!! I got a new scale Fri. night Sat morning I weighed 153 on it which is almost the same from my old scale - I'll take it - Sun morning I weighed 151.5 YEAH, it is working, this morning I weighed 154.5 I counted my calories too, I can see why some people can't lose weight, a set back like that gets very frustrating, I know I shouldn't weigh every day but it is an old habit and I have and can't seem to stop

This is my easy week for training so I am cutting my calories a little more so hopefully I will find the right balance soon.

[slinkedog]

Try doing it only once or twice a week. Water retention could be a major factor in the fluctuations you see, and remember to take into account your monthly cycle. I'm always heavier right before and during my period... a good 2 or 3 pounds.

[trigurl]

I know its a bad habit but I am used to the ups and downs now and don't fret much, but that was a whopping jump. I am curious to see what I am at tomorrow!

[trigurl]

Oh yeah, when I didn't weigh regularly I got up to 195lbs. its my reality check I suppose

[slinkedog]

Also, remember that most experts say that a reasonable goal for women is 1 -2 lbs. per week. Don't expect too much too soon and don't fall off the wagon just because of a discouraging weigh-in or a cheating binge here or there. Just forgive yourself or whatever you need to do and get back on the program! You'll get there!

[LBTC]

we're all friends here...so here's my advice on a good relationship with the scale:

weekly. I use saturday. I make sure that I've had a bowel movement before and have had nothing to eat. I weigh myself completely naked. If there is any reason that I cannot achieve all these variables (if I ate too soon, my bowels didn't do their thing...whatever), I do not weigh myself. I hate to second guess what the darned thing says!! You can get over your habit, and you'll be saner for it!!

oh, and I know what you mean about not regularly using a scale. I tell people all the time: never get depressed in a house that has no full length mirror and no scale!! (I'm a teeny little thing...happy to be around 120, though still have some padding I hope to lose once we're seriously riding....without those two items, in the depths of a depression I saw 145 on a scale one day. that was my wakeup call!)

Keep trying! And never, ever beat yourself up over any of it! Have fun, strive to eat healthy food, and keep active!

Namaste,
~T~

[trigurl]

Sorry this is kind of beating a dead horse but it sure helps me to talk about it and get some encouragement and tips.

I too make sure all business is taken care off and only weigh with my socks on.

It seems so difficult for me to lose at this point but I know I have more I can lose. I was only looking for 1 lb. a week that is why I kept my calorie intake at 2000, I will keep it there for my hard weeks and around 1700-1800 for my easy week. I have eaten 1104 already and still feel hungry, I am downing sugar free crystal light right now hoping to fill up on that, snack time isn't until 3:30. I did just have a tbs of lowfat creme cheez and one of s/f jelly, hopefully a little protein will help.

Thanks again ya'll, as I said talking about it really helps me

[LBTC]

Hey, trigurl

try boiled eggs! boil about 6 of 'em...keep 'em in the fridge and handy, bring one to work for you mid-morning snack each day.

it's frustrating when you've got the desire to eat. I really have found that what I'm drinking makes a big difference. a tip from another friend is 4 drops of chlorophyl in water. I've tried it before - it tastes a little minty, so it's not just water, and it might fool you into not wanting to eat more.

all that sugar free stuff you're eating is probably not helping at all!! sugary tasting things (whether it's sugar or artificial) will make you feel like eating more sugary things. try to find real food with real nutrients and eat what you need.

you can do this!! Really you can!! And weight loss is much more about long term than short term. don't get too hung up about this little blip. be nice to yourself. you're working very hard!!

how about this: the next time you decide to eat something - anything - stop whatever else you are doing. if you're reading this post and putting something in your mouth. STOP. think about what you're eating. enjoy the flavour of it, the texture of it, the process of chewing, how does it smell? think about the food, savour it, enjoy it fully. when you're done have a sip or a gulp of water or herbal tea. take a breath and enjoy the flavours you've just injested. now you can go back to whatever you were doing.

I do believe that's the number one thing to do when eating just happens. take control of it by totally giving yourself over to the food for just that moment. I bet it will help!!



Keep smiling, trigurl!

Namaste,
~T~

[bounceswoosh]

Nancy Clark has also written a lot of good articles for the Adventure Cyclist, which is the magazine put out by the Adventure Cycling Association.

Many of her articles can be viewed via the library archive on their website:

go to http://www.adventurecycling.org/library/index.cfm
and type ' nancy clark ' into the search box - no need to select a category - and then click on the pointy-finger icon.

- jobob

Geez, I almost wish I hadn't looked. Here's a quote from her article "Fighting Fat with Exercise Myths, Truths and Gender Differences":

Men and women differ in their response to exercise.
That is, men who add on exercise are likely to lose more
weight than do women. In one study with previously sedentary,
normal weight men and women who participated in an
18-month marathon training program, the men increased
their intake by about 500 calories per day; the women
increased by only 60 calories –– despite having added on 50
miles per week of running. The men lost about 5 pounds of
fat; the women none (Int'l J Sports Med, Vol 10 (S1),1989).
Similarly, other studies suggest normal weight women fail
to lose fat when they add on exercise.
Lean female athletes, in particular, struggle harder than
do males to lose body fat and maintain an even leaner
physique. In terms of evolution, nature wants women to
have fat and be fertile; men are supposed to be lean hunters.