Riding to Lose Weight

[tulip]

What everyone else said, plus

cut out the Starbucks and cakes (my former triple latte and "low fat" cinnamon swirl coffee cake was about 1000 calories--all before my day had even started)
eat an apple a day
slow down and think about how and what you are eating
stay away from processed foods (stick to the perimeter of the grocery store)
go with whole grains: bread, rice, pasta, cereal
reduce sweet treats to half portions
start pilates with a good, certified teacher

Worked for me (and still does).

EDIT: also, I found that learning to cook with fresh foods from the farmers market really made me appreciate food more, not just stuffing it in my mouth, but slowing me down and really thinking about and creating what I was eating

[sundial]

stay away from processed foods (stick to the perimeter of the grocery store)

Tulip, that advice has really made an impression on me. I did just that the other day at the store. Thanks for the great tip!

[Jiffer]

I'd also like to point out that the more you work your muscles, the bigger they will get, which means muscle weight. So, don't beat yourself up if the scale doesn't say what you think it should say if you are feeling good and your clothes are fitting better. Muscle weighs more than fat.

One of my favorite tips is to never deprive yourself of the foods you love. You can have ice cream, just not three scoops. It's amazing how a half a cup of ice cream can satisfy when you know it's legal to eat and still lose weight. I'd rather have half a cup of my favorite "all the fat in it" ice cream than a rice cake! (Or a bigger quantity of a low fat, low sugar, low taste ice cream.)

[Tuckervill]

Life is too short to eat bad food. That's why I eat REAL ice cream! No Sonic for me. I just don't eat much of it!

Karen

[tulip]

You can have ice cream, just not three scoops.

That's the reason that, when I want ice cream, I go out to the best ice cream shop I can find and have a cone (or a small malt if I'm in the mood).

If I buy a half-gallon of Breyers mint chocolate chip, or worse, a pint of Haagen Dazs chocolate chocolate chip, I know I have no will power and it will be GONE in a day or two (less for the pint...)

So I ride my bike to the ice cream shop and get a scoop!

[tulip]

Tulip, that advice has really made an impression on me. I did just that the other day at the store. Thanks for the great tip!

I'm glad you tried it. It's interesting. I can't take credit for it--it's from Michael Pollan. Speaking of whom, if you want to lose weight and become a healthy eater, read his books!

[Raindrop]

It's totally natural to crave carbohydrates when riding more or doing any effort that depletes your energy stores. The trick is to choose those carbohydrates that not only replenish your stores, but give you some "mouth fufillment" too. I deal with this all the time with clients, and myself.

Some of my suggestions sound weird or unappetizing until you try them; combinations like lowfat cottage cheese with salsa stirred in, or blueberries in lowfat/nonfat cottage cheese. Another one, slice up raw yams and dip them in a low fat dressing, or grill them after brushing them with olive oil. Try whole-wheat tortillas spread with a little peanut butter, sunflowerseed butter, or even some nutella, then zapped in the microwave. Sometimes, we're craving the crunch, or the mouth feel or whatever. Fill those needs with healthy and flavorful snacks and your body will respond by staying strong while changing the body composition from fat to lean.

As someone else mentioned, don't rely on the scale to tell the whole story. Fat is like feathers and muscle is like gold. Fat takes up a lot of room, while muscle is dense and also uses a lot more calories to maintain. More muscle, more calories used even at rest. It's a win win.

[sundial]

As someone else mentioned, don't rely on the scale to tell the whole story.

I bought a Tanita scale that measures weight and body fat. It's reassuring to know that when I am not losing weight I am still losing fat.

[Tabby]

Try whole-wheat tortillas spread with a little peanut butter, sunflowerseed butter, or even some nutella, then zapped in the microwave.

I love this snack, the nutella is great on a warm ww tortilla. I'll have to try sunflowerseed butter, never had that.

It's easy to get bored or run out of ideas, so it's always great to have suggestions for the 'good' snacks. Keep 'em coming!

PJ

[Tuckervill]

Wrap that tortilla around a peeled banana and you've got yourself a real treat!

I figured out the "shop the perimeter" thing all on my own, many years ago when my husband was doing Atkins. I still rarely go in the center aisles, except for tea, bread, sugar and oatmeal.

Karen

[sundial]

Wrap that tortilla around a peeled banana...

I kept reading banana peel, LOL!

[TahoeDirtGirl]

sundial- I am the same way. If I log 90 to 100 miles a week, I lose. Less than that, I maintain. You know, I could strap on the heart monitor and figure out the balance but I think my advice is, make it simple. I used to measure everything, it's good to get your bearings, but when you start not wanting to ride because you are hooked up like you are doing a stress test (ie heart monitor, cadence, etc) it's time to just toss it all off, keep the odometer and just get out and ride.

I guess my advice is find a workout you love and actually feel antsy when you miss it. Some days you won't want to, don't punish yourself. Take a break. Because when you do, you will ride even better and want to keep riding even more!

[teawoman]

That's the reason that, when I want ice cream, I go out to the best ice cream shop I can find and have a cone (or a small malt if I'm in the mood).

If I buy a half-gallon of Breyers mint chocolate chip, or worse, a pint of Haagen Dazs chocolate chocolate chip, I know I have no will power and it will be GONE in a day or two (less for the pint...)

So I ride my bike to the ice cream shop and get a scoop!

+10. I can't have anything like that in the house.

[Tabby]

I'd also like to point out that the more you work your muscles, the bigger they will get, which means muscle weight. So, don't beat yourself up if the scale doesn't say what you think it should say if you are feeling good and your clothes are fitting better. Muscle weighs more than fat.

One of my favorite tips is to never deprive yourself of the foods you love. You can have ice cream, just not three scoops. It's amazing how a half a cup of ice cream can satisfy when you know it's legal to eat and still lose weight. I'd rather have half a cup of my favorite "all the fat in it" ice cream than a rice cake! (Or a bigger quantity of a low fat, low sugar, low taste ice cream.)

I'm like that too, if I'm gonna have my ice cream, I want the GOOD STUFF! I quit buying the half gallons to encourage myself to have less, so I bought pints. That back fired, I ate the whole pint (duh!). So recently I found the single serving size of B&J and I will eat one of those ... 250 calories, but that's better than 1000 calories for the whole pint. It helps when I want a bit of ice cream, oh, and I've never have had a rice cake! lol (maybe should) LOL

[Possegal]

Of course I don't know about you folks, but my grocery store has the bakery on the perimeter.

hmmmmmmm, donuts.