Losing Weight?

[squirrell]

This cycling/weight thing has been a complete mystery to me. I can't believe that I have not lost weight with all the extra hours of activity I am doing. My weight was under better control when I did half an hour on the elliptical and 20 minutes of strength training 3 or 4 times a week. But, it wasn't as fun. I think I will get everything fine tuned pretty soon as far as what I have to have for fuel, but it is discouraging to ride over 100 miles in 2 days, be really careful about what you eat and drink, and still come home two pounds heavier.

I had this same type of problem--I would ride for a few hours and show a 2-3 pound gain the next day. I knew it had to be some sort of fluid retention to gain that much overnight but since I'm on a diuretic, I didn't understand how I could retain fluid. I discovered, through a lady who is getting ready to graduate with a degree in sports science/physiology, that it is due to glycogen depletion. When we exercise heavily, we use up our bodies store of "energy" in the muscles and liver. So, any body will immediately begin to use any carbs, sugars, etc. that we eat to rebuild that glycogen storage.

Well, here's her answer to me below--she was right, too. Four days after a last long ride, the 3 pounds I had gained overnight "disappeared" and I also lost an additional 1 pound. Same thing happened this weekend--long ride and again a 3 pound gain. This time, it took 3 days and I lost all 3 pounds overnight AGAIN and also an additional 8/10 of a pound to boot.

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You probably didn't see it at the time because you were well hydrated. Now you've been eating enough and your glycogen levels have increased, resulting in a moderate gain. I'm actually surprised you didn't gain more, I've gained 8lbs in just one day of carb-loading. Your fluid retention is in the muscles and liver, and it's BOUND to glycogen. You can't get rid of that until you break down the glycogen into glucose. Diuretics don't do that, they are based on solute levels in the blood.

We break down glycogen naturally throughout the day for fuel. When our blood sugar gets low, glucagon is released. It's the opposite of insulin, and causes the release rather than storage of sugar. The glycogen is just broken into smaller pieces--the glucose. This is accelerated during exercise. When we are totally depleted of glycogen, we feel tired and just plain bad (this is when we bonk). Then we start to produce ketones from fatty acids and some amino acids; we also produce more glucose from some amino acids and glycerol, so we never run out of glucose, we just can't store it at that point.

Your fluid retention is in the muscles and liver, and it's BOUND to glycogen. You can't get rid of that until you break down the glycogen into glucose. Once your body has reached a level where it's "happy" with its glycogen storage, some of the fluid will be released.

This is partly why people on very low carb diets lose so much so fast--they are simply depleting their body of glycogen storage by not providing the carbs with with the body is most able to make and store glycogen
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[Aggie_Ama]

I haven't read all the posts since my last one but something I forgot... Make sure you are getting some sort of impact exercise, running, walking, weights. There have been threads on osteoporsis but bone stress can really be an issue if you are only doing low-impact like cycling.

My mother works with a woman who was once a serious cyclists, 100+ miles a week but did nothing else. Her bones became weak and actually stress fractured. She asks my mother everytime she sees her if I am still only cycling and expresses her concern if my says yes. I know my own doctor has expressed concern about making sure I am getting some sort of impact exercise, he was very upset when I had stopped running. I don't know the full issue but may want to discuss with your doctor if that is a concern.

Not to mention variety seems to up my weight loss.

[channlluv]

Women tend to lose weight from the top down (sigh!).

+1 on the food diary. It keeps you from popping things into your mouth & forgetting about them.

Water helps fill you up. Some say it flushes fat out - but there's no evidence of that.

-1 on South Beach. You need carbs. Carbs help drive protein into your muscles. Good carbs = complex carbs.

+1 on weight training. Building muscle helps burn more calories at rest. Think of your muscles as your body's engine. A bigger engine needs more gas (calories) even when resting (idling.) We don't build muscles as easily as men, but it can be done. Put down the pink weights. Pick up something that will make you crank out 10-12 reps in good form. Now do it again.

This is SO encouraging. Thank you.

I got some real 10lb weights and one of those twisty foot thingies from Everlast, the thing you stand on and twist, for core training. It's got rubber tubes for arm work, too.

And I did 25-miles on my bike today. I am working up to 50, and then, eventually, I'd like to do centuries. I want to look like the woman at the top of this page instead of a giant pear in lycra.

Thank you, thank you!

Roxy, not giving up carbs

[AlwayzOnDaMove]

Congratulations WildHawks!

[TahoeDirtGirl]

IANAD...

but ketosis is a possibility. Are you getting enough carbs? I'd stay away from South Beach (at least the initial weeks) if you're already in ketosis...

If you are really noticing an ammonia smell after riding, definately get some good carbs in your system. And water. The reason water is important for weight loss isn't because it flushes you out (boy I wish I could do the big flush) but it helps the liver metabolize fat. It doesn't mean if you drink 4 gallons of water it will metabolize faster, but if you aren't drinking enough, there are other ways your body will provide energy and sometimes it doesn't involve metabolizing fat.

There is a great book called Our Body's Many Cries for Water which I had to read for a physiology class. You would think that would convince me to drink more water. Also, google 'water metabolism'. Some of the sites are not reliable but many that are written with reference to endocrinology can be trusted. Any book on endocrinology will also talk about it. Really interesting.

[CR400]

Wow, it is so cool to see how well you ladies are doing. Keep up the good work. I still have to lose another 67 pounds myself. I like seeing the one lady who was not afraide to show a picture of herself in kit in her avitar. You rock! I am normally horrified to see how bad I look in that clingy spandex. I have the slight problem of unless I get unnaturally thin I always look kind of fat, so that doesn't help.