Ok...what Gives With The Weight?

[pedalfaster]

I lost 70+ lbs 16 years ago. Mine was "pregnancy" weight that just kind of "hung out" after the baby. It took my about 2 years to loose the weight and I did it the boring old fashioned way: sensible eating and more activity.

Along the way I fell in love with running and actually went the OTHER way developed anorexia and was way underweight. The thing with running is that the lighter you are, the faster you go. As long as you don't get injured.

I actually took up cycling to become more balanced and to GAIN weight and build muscle. Cycling develops (on my body at least) large strong butt and thigh muscles. It also seems to make me wicked hungry and my eating improves.

If I need to shed some fat (like after the holidays, ugh) I add a few longer runs into my week and that seems to do the trick for me.

[caligurl]

perhaps a better choice than atkins, for a cylists.. is south beach. i'm new to cycling.. but hubby is a long time cylist.. and in january we started south beach. it has been easy to prepare him for long rides or heavy training because with south beach you CAN eat GOOD carbs...

we eat whole wheat pasta, whole wheat tortillas, whole wheat bagels and english muffins.. you get the picture.

granted he eats more cuz he needs more calories than i do...

you don't buy special low carb foods (as a matter of fact... most of them are not good for you with added sugar and trans fats) you eat real whole foods! so once you loose your weight.. you just maintain your healty eating habits.

i don't like and have never done other diets before (i.e. WW, zone, etc) but south beach teaches you how to eat real foods properly..

i love it!

also.. muscle weighs more than fat... so no doubt the muscles being built up in your legs are weighing more.

i don't seem to get any lower on the scale.. but because i have been working out with weights.. my clothes are still getting smaller.. and i'm sure riding will just add to that..

[TwoTiredGal]

I agree that South Beach is another good option for weight loss. I have to say that though there are low carb foods available, the focus of Atkins is also on healthy eating habits using "real" food. Aside from the Atkins bars, I eat regular foods from the grocery store. I think there's a misnomer that Atkins is low or no carbs when in actuality, it's a controlled carb diet. In other words, eat the good carbs (veggies, fruit) rather than the useless carbs (refined sugars and such). Sounds a lot like South Beach although I know there are also differences between the two. What I love is that there are healthy plans out there for a variety of people so we don't all have to try to fit into one program. Diversity in nutrition!

[ACG]

I started riding so that I could firm up my big backside AND so that I could get out of the house alone. I lost weight initially, then gained some back, probably cuz I started lifting weights. What I did gain was muscle. I started measuring my arms, thighs, etc. While my weight seemed high, everything was smaller!

Muscle weighs more than fat and it looks 100% BETTER on you.

I keep track of my food and exersize.

I noticed I eat way too much saturated fat, so when I started watching the intake of sat. fat I started loosing weight. I"m loosing about 2 lbs a week, which is safe. I'm not starving either.


My advice is to join WW, I think it works best, cuz you do get to eat the foods you like, just in moderation.

[KSH]

I lost about 40# on the Atkins' diet last Summer. I had to add carbs back into my diet to stay on the bike for extended periods of time. I am brand, spanking new at this cycling thing...so this might seem like a stupid question...

I have to watch what I eat now! I am gaining weight in all the wrong places. I try to ride my bike on the trainer about 4 times a week at 60-85% mhr for 45-60 minutes. I am trying to build up base miles and endurance so I can ride competitively in the Spring. Why am I gaining weight now?

I guess I need to change the types of carbs I am eating. I will admit that I eat way too many sweets again! I need to cut that out. What else?

Kim in TN

Well... I did not read all the responses... but what it comes down to is CALORIES IN and CALORIES OUT.

If you are eating more calories than you are burning... then you will gain weight. Plain and simple.

And even though cycling is great, it does not mean that you can now what you want.

I suggest that you count your calories (sucks, I know, I have done it for about 2 years now... with a few breaks here and there).

For me, my body burns 1850 calories a day (with no exercise, I had it tested at the gym). So, if I do some cardio, then I get to eat around 2200-2400 calories a day. YEA! And that goes really quick, even eating healthy.

Best of luck!

[trigurl]

Trek, congratulations! I too lost 40 lbs doing Atkins and exercising. I can eat most carbs now but you MUST stay away from the sweets! when I do eat them I make sure to eat them on a day I have a good hard workout

I can eat pretty much anything (besides sweets) I want - you have to remember portion control, it is hard after doing Atkins and eating what you want I know

It has been almost 2 years now and I have kept the weight off, and just recently I started counting calories and lost about 4-5 lbs, I want to lose about 5 more but I am waiting to see if my increase in training helps first.

My problem, as your may be, is finding a balance, you need carbs but if you eat too many good or bad, you can gain, I try to eat most of my carbs in the morning and eat a little at each meal/snack afterwards, I still find myself not eating bread when it is available - I just don't want bread anymore! I also eat whole wheat only and brown rice, think of it as being on maintenance.

I also eat more carbs on hard workout days, it seems to help and if I skip a workout or have a day off I don't eat a lot of carbs. It has worked for me, I hope you have the same luck

PM me if you wanna talk more

[CorsairMac]

I lost over 40 lbs 2 1/2 yrs ago when a nutritionist recognized that I suffer from Syndrome X. It is a metabolic instability that doesn't allow me to process sugars/starches right. My meals consist of a protein, a veggie (non-starch) and a fruit every meal. I started back into riding in Aug of last year when my office moved right next to one of the main bike paths that run through my city. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed riding a bike!! Since I've increased my miles I've had to add in some more complex carbs but I have to be very careful. Now my meals consist of a protein, a veggie, a fruit and 1 whole wheat tortilla or 1 cup of pasta. Anything more and I get thrown out of whack. I"ve also discovered Luna Bars, which I can eat before I ride but I have to be sure it isn't my only source of food over the next few hours or it'll give me a whooping headache. I've also just recently been introduced to Larabars which have NO sweeteners in them at all and don't give me the headache. I'm trying to finish up my 5 boxes of Luna Bars now and then I'm switching to Larabars full time. I haven't put the weight back on, and I haven't missed it or anything else I had to give up. I feel better than I have in years and can see myself looking and feeling just as good ages from now!

[RoadRaven]

Which gets me wondering,
for those among us who have managed to shed some pounds ...

Did you deliberatly take up biking as a part of your weight loss program?

or, Did you take up biking after you lost weight, taking advantage of your new-found energy (not to mention looking better in spandex ), and/or as a way to keep those lost pounds off?

or, none of the above?

- Jo.

Um... I have been trying to reclaim my body since the birth of my babies unsuccessfully for some time - sporadic attempts at aerobics and tai chi... but I would be enthused for a couple of months and then slack off... then back into it... of course unsuccessfully...

But the family has the cycling craze so part of my motivation is to be part of that - and part is to be able to fit the clothes in my wardrobe I still love but haven't worn for a few years...

My family have become my motivation and I have passed my first 1000kms since reclaiming cycling November, and I although I have noticed my body changing shape, I have finally noticed it on the scales tooo - half a stone, gone... and I feel great... and that becomes motivation in itself...

[Dogmama]

Interesting about the sweets - the older I get, the less I can eat sweets. And I'm in better shape (muscle wise & aerobic wise) considering my advanced age (compared to you puppies - 50 isn't old if you're a rock!).

But I digress,

I used to think it was calories in/calories out and I believe that is still a big part of the weight equation. But, the type of calories seem to be an issue for me.

Anybody out there crave carbs after work? I mean, the apple is staring at you but you head for the crackers instead? And once I start, I cannot stop. It is another addiction...whhhaaaa!!!! How do you get over it?

[Veronica]

I give myself a fixed amount of what I want. If I'm still hungry or craving after I eat that, I set a timer and go do something else for 30 minutes. Still hungry when the timer goes off... I eat some more. My big weakness - ice cream!

V.-

[DirtDiva]

Dogmama - totally with you on the after work hunger pangs. In the whole day, I'm generally hungriest around 4/5pm. I always reach for the crappy, junky food too. I know it would be better to have that banana or make some toast or something, but...

[nuthatch]

I used to think it was calories in/calories out and I believe that is still a big part of the weight equation. But, the type of calories seem to be an issue for me.

Doesn't Dr. Andrew Weil talk about this? If the body is presented with something it can use easily for fuel, like glucose, it will convert that to it's usable components with less energy expediture than it would, say, a bowl of oats. And any fuel left over is converted to fat if it's not used. So if you ate an equivalent caloric amount of sugar or broccoli, the broccoli is going to cost your body more calorie expenditure to make it useful than the sugar does. Have I got this right? That's why those gels and goos make us feel good so fast - beans and broccoli take too long to get the fuel where it needs to go in our muscles to prevent a bonk.

[Surlygirl]

Here's what my cardiologist told me and he is a very respected man in the Framingham Heart Study. Dr. Atkins died in his early 60's, which is young for a man, and his autopsy showed every artery in his body was clogged. My Cardiologist is in his 80's and still rides his bike. Something to think about.

[AutumnBreez]

I lost about 40# on the Atkins' diet last Summer. I had to add carbs back into my diet to stay on the bike for extended periods of time. I am brand, spanking new at this cycling thing...so this might seem like a stupid question...

I have to watch what I eat now! I am gaining weight in all the wrong places. I try to ride my bike on the trainer about 4 times a week at 60-85% mhr for 45-60 minutes. I am trying to build up base miles and endurance so I can ride competitively in the Spring. Why am I gaining weight now?

I guess I need to change the types of carbs I am eating. I will admit that I eat way too many sweets again! I need to cut that out. What else?

Kim in TN

What I have read is that when you are craving sweets, is that your body is actually craving good fats. Especially the Essential Fatty Acids. Omega 3 is a priority. Flax seed, walnut, salmon. You can also get some of your good fats from avocado. Add in some 100% cranberry juice (no sugar added juice) with your water. Add some warming spices, cinnamon, cayenne pepper (like on scrambled egg), cumin. Try to cut down the sugar. I know it is hard, I suffer from sweet-toothitis as well, but sugar is not our friend no matter how good it says it tastes.
Keep up your riding, you will get it evened out.

[SandyLS]

I am certainly no expert, but I did loose 40 lbs. on Weight Watchers in 1999. I have remained a lifetime member since then. What keeps me on track is weighing in faithfully each month. I know as long as I don't go over my goal weight by more than 2 pounds I don't ever have to pay the monthly meeting fee. Having to account to someone besides myself each month is helpful to me.
I begain biking since I lost the weight. It gives me one other way to keep burning calories and keep the heart in shape. I also became a certified scuba diver in 2000 at the ripe old age of 53. This is one grandma that is trying very hard not to rust.
Sandy