How Many Calories Do You Eat? (Weight Loss)

[DarcyInOregon]

I am really puzzled by the math of the whole calories in, calories out thing, especially since this thread was started months ago. I rode my bike a LOT in August - mostly medium to high intensity rides. 930km, 38+ hours of riding. A conservative estimate of calories burned would be around 25,000 during the month. If 3500 calories equals 1 lb, then that is about 7 lbs worth right? During that month I ate "normally." I probably consumed about 1800-2000 calories a day averaged over time. Although I was not trying to lose weight during August, it boggles my mind that my weight stayed exactly the same the entire month. I did not gain or lose an ounce. If I had not done all the riding, I would have gained 7lb in one month!

Kelownagirl, I am puzzled and confused too. I don't get it either, because the math doesn't add up for me either. At least you stayed the same. I gained weight! I am pretty sure it is muscle and water gain, but still, oh gosh and darn, because it makes me heavier on the bike.

I did get my body fitness composition and I know my BMR. It is 2001. I input my calories into the nutrition software. I bike, and this summer I increased my fitness level dramatically with respect to distance, endurance and hill climbing. I am extremely pleased in that respect. I input the calories burned into the calorie software. I am careful to not eat too little, but not too much. I am careful with the sodium intake.

One factor for me is I have IBS, and I had a bad flare-up that lasted for the first half of this year. I think the flare-up killed off the friendly stuff in my intestinal and digestive system, and thus slowed down my digestive system to a crawl. I am now taking steps to restore the good stuff, but it will probably take another 6 months. The IBS flare-up might be the cause why my weight didn't go down this summer.

This is going to be my next try. Towards the end of October, when the weather starts getting too windy and rainy to ride as often, I will join a gym and hire a personal trainer with the goal of burning body fat and building muscle density. I will do the gym all winter, along with outside biking when I can, and see what happens. Maybe a diversity of exercise is what I need.

If none of the above works, I hate to admit this, but I might investigate liposuction. The only reason I haven't done so already is fear of the pain, the cost, any long-term bad health effects, and oh yes, once again, the pain.

Darcy

[indigoiis]

It is not the number on the scale. You are not only losing fat, but you are building muscle, which weighs more than fat. Particularly doing the amount of training you have been doing, I am not at all surprised that your weight stayed the same.

Measure yourself. Take a good look in the mirror. You might notice that the places where you used to carry fat are now changed.

You really cannot train and lose weight at the same time. Training as hard as you do, your body really takes those calories and uses every last inch of them. If you BURN far more than you CONSUME, then your body might possibly go into a state where it stalls and prevents further weight loss. I learned yesterday that my 65 mile ride burned around 2000 calories. I rarely eat more than 2000 cals a day. Sure, much of that was water weight (which, by all means needs replacing), but some of that was certainly fat stores. And if you are eating only 1800 - 2000 calories a day, then burning 2000, you've got nothing leftover to "merely" survive on.

To lose weight, cut back on your training, reduce calories.

While training, don't worry so much about weight loss. Eat plenty to fuel your body.

[limewave]

I'm eating about 1600 calories a day--per my doctor. A BIA test revealed that during inactivity my body burns approx 1800 cals a day. My goal is to lose 30 lbs. Here is the diet she has me on:

2 servings of legumes
1 serving of Veg type 2 (carrots, potatos, corn)
5+ servings of Vegetables
2 servings of Fruit
3 servings of protein (no red meat or pork)
1 serving of whole grains (quinoa, brown rice, whole grain bread)
1 serving of Ultra Meal Shake or Bar

I was really worried I wouldn't have enough energy to sustain longer workouts, but the vegetables are really great for providing long burning carbohydrates. I feel so much better and have more energy than I've had in a long time. For long rides and runs longer than an hour, I use Endura sports drink to help keep me going.

I had my second BIA test last week. In 2.5 weeks I lost 8 lbs. Unfortunately it was mostly muscle and not fat. However, I had a MRSA infection which tends to attack muscle tissue. I'm going to step up my WT to promote building muscle and hopefully burn that fat!

For months and months I had been trying to lose weight. I saw several different nutritionists that said I needed to eat 2200 to 2500 calories a day to support my training but that I should still lose weight. They were having me eat about 3-5 servings of grains a day. I kept gaining weight. So I lowered my calories and still gained weight. This has been the first diet that has worked for me.

[Zen]

1 serving of Veg type 2 (carrots, potatos, corn)

what is a type 2 vegetable? Just those three things? they all appear to be high on the glycemic index

1 serving of Ultra Meal Shake or Bar

Is this Ultra Meal something from a medical source (hospital wellness center or the like) or is it commercially available?

[Starfish]

I noticed that freedieting.com link had links to Medifast, a plan where they sell you a packaged plan...like 4 weeks of food, etc.

Has anyone here used this? I am considering it for a very short term. I am a little out of control right now, and also seriously crunched for time, so I thought maybe just eating what I was sent, totally pre-packaged so as not to have to make portion choices, make time to shop/cook, etc, might help sort of snap me back to some healthier habits and help me get back on track.

[limewave]

what is a type 2 vegetable? Just those three things? they all appear to be high on the glycemic index
Is this Ultra Meal something from a medical source (hospital wellness center or the like) or is it commercially available?

Type 2 Veggies are all the ones that rank higher on the glycemic index, those three were just examples.

You can get UltraMeal online: http://www.thenaturalonline.com
I haven't found it at any of the local health stores yet.

[RolliePollie]

This is a very interesting thread! Like kelownagirl, I did a lot of riding in August. I assumed I would lose weight, but I didn't. I didn't really count calories, but I know I've been eating a lot. The thing is, I'm just plain hungry...all the time!!! This makes sense to me though, because my body is asking for fuel due of the amount of exercise I'm getting. I'm thinking that I'll try to lose 10 pounds or so this winter when I'm not riding as much, because I do believe that it's virtually impossible to lose weight when you are training. At least that's the case for me. I also like the idea that we're all losing the really bad internal fat (although I certainly wouldn't mind losing some of the external belly fat!).

[kelownagirl]

Re: gaining muscle, losing weight. In my case, I've no doubt I gained some muscle - my jeans are now tight on my lower thighs because my quads are bigger. (Wish I had measured there as well instead of just the upper thigh.) HOWEVER, my waist and belly measurement is also bigger (by 1 inch) and that is not muscle.

Generally I go by how I look and feel and what clothes I can wear over the scale numbers. I guess I was just surprised that I didn't lose anything when I rode darn much.

Darcy - I'm assuming you've talked to a doctor about weight loss - how about meeting with a nutritionist before you resort to lipo?

I have (did have) IBS. I finally learned to manage it and now it looks like I have defeated it for the most part. PM me if you want more info.

[Starfish]

I have (did have) IBS. I finally learned to manage it and now it looks like I have defeated it for the most part. PM me if you want more info.

Me too, actually. Darcy, feel free to PM me also.

[DarcyInOregon]

Has anyone here used this? I am considering it for a very short term. I am a little out of control right now, and also seriously crunched for time, so I thought maybe just eating what I was sent, totally pre-packaged so as not to have to make portion choices, make time to shop/cook, etc, might help sort of snap me back to some healthier habits and help me get back on track.

Starfish, don't do it. Those packaged foods are not healthy, not even for the short-term. If they were effective for weight loss, everyone would be standing on the roof tops shouting the news.

Regarding my IBS as mentioned in other posts, I have had IBS for a lot of years. Animal fat in my diet triggers it for me, so I've eaten low fat for more years than I can remember. What happened to me is I was without symptoms for so long, I truly forgot I have the disorder. Last autumn I went to Las Vegas for a long weekend and I indulged in meals at the fancy expensive chef restaurants. The portions are small, but there are more courses. After the trip, I got problems internally, without being graphic about it. And the symptoms lasted. It wasn't until June of this year that the light went off over my head and I thought oh my goodness, this is my IBS. Those tiny little portions at the fancy chef restaurants were high in cream and butter and who knows what type of animal fats, and that did it to me. By then I had been having intestinal and digestive problems ongoing for over six months. Once I realized what it was, I upped my fiber, and I took my animal fat down to almost nothing. The symptoms abated and disappeared, but I believe that because the problem lasted for so long, that the good stuff in the digestive system and intestines were all killed off. So I am taking that pill that starts with an A, eating the Dannon Activia every day, and this week sometime my order of Kylea will arrive in the mail and that will add more pro-biotics and enzymes into my system. I hope to have everything inside me back to normal by the end of the winter.

There is no need to PM. People should talk about IBS openly because a lot of people have it and don't know it. And it is difficult to lose weight with IBS because it changes the digestive system. If we discuss IBS openly on this forum, then others can learn, and maybe the knowledge will help others.

Other than messing up my weight loss, I am not really afffected, not like others who suffer seriously. I control my IBS through diet, or at least I did until the Las Vegas weekend. No more fancy chef restaurants for me.

Darcy

[kelownagirl]

IBS - yeah, doesn't bother me talking about it, just wasn't sure if it was ok with you. Anyway, sounds like you and I are pretty much alike. Animal fat's a bugger. My biggest saving grace was taking a glass of metamucil immediately before I eat dinner (then later 5 capsules and big glass of water). Almost always saved me from the terrible cramping and subsequent, well, you know... Anyway, after several years of doing that, eating more fiber, fruit, veg, etc, and really decreasing my stress levels (divorce) - I think I've almost got it beat. I rarely get any symptoms now and when I do, I always know what has caused it...

[indigoiis]

This is a very interesting thread! Like kelownagirl, I did a lot of riding in August. I assumed I would lose weight, but I didn't. I didn't really count calories, but I know I've been eating a lot. The thing is, I'm just plain hungry...all the time!!! This makes sense to me though, because my body is asking for fuel due of the amount of exercise I'm getting. I'm thinking that I'll try to lose 10 pounds or so this winter when I'm not riding as much, because I do believe that it's virtually impossible to lose weight when you are training. At least that's the case for me. I also like the idea that we're all losing the really bad internal fat (although I certainly wouldn't mind losing some of the external belly fat!).

Exactly.

[FH Cyclist]

How does one get a BMR? I've never had one and would like to get one just to see what I need to maintain my weight. I too am gaining weight - I even gained a pound after giving blood and then doing a couple of rides this week (slow rides - I don't have much energy for about a week after I give blood).

Also, what method are people using for the body fat composition? I've had the skin fold but when I was really serious I went the underwater route. I would prefer not to do that - I'm hoping to find an easier way.......

[limewave]

How does one get a BMR? I've never had one and would like to get one just to see what I need to maintain my weight. I too am gaining weight - I even gained a pound after giving blood and then doing a couple of rides this week (slow rides - I don't have much energy for about a week after I give blood).

Also, what method are people using for the body fat composition? I've had the skin fold but when I was really serious I went the underwater route. I would prefer not to do that - I'm hoping to find an easier way.......

I had a BIA done at my doctor's office. They stick little things to your feet that shoots an electronic pulse through your body. Then it feeds out all sorts of interesting facts about yourself. Like how much of your weight is fat, muscle, and water. How much of the water is intra- vs. extracellular water. You want water in your cells more than you want it outside your cells. It also tells the doctor stuff about how well your organs are functioning. I'm in a program where my doctor is going to do this once a month for 5 months. I've had two done so far. It's pretty cool. I think it cost about $50 to have each one done but I'm not certain.

[michelem]

From what I understand, BIA isn't as accurate as the underwater method.

http://www.unc.edu/~zartman/BIA/error.html

Seems like it's harder to prepare too:

No food or liquid 4 hours before test
No exercise for 12 hours prior to test
Urinate completely before test
No alcohol for 48 hours prior to test
Test at the same time of day (first thing in the morning is recommended after drinking one glass of water)