July/August weight loss thread

[VeloVT]

137.5. Recovering from hamstring strain + ITBS so I'm only allowed limited exercise and I guess I haven't adjusted my eating down to compensate.

[deeaimond]

did my almost double century, but still not much loss.. 66.9kg/147lbs but i'm now 2 lbs from my end of august goal!!

[Possegal]

Glad you finished your long ride, good for you!

Been adding in the updates!

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?k...6HkNrOqg&hl=en
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?k...qg&output=html

[Little Lyon]

How does this work? I can't ride right now, but I want to lose weight very badly.

[ABeezles]

Do people here want to lose weight for an aesthetic thing? Health reasons? providing your eating healthily and riding your bike it shouldn't really matter!
This is coming from someone who has been 69kg, then 35kg, and now healthily in the middle.

[nolemom]

Do people here want to lose weight for an aesthetic thing? Health reasons? providing your eating healthily and riding your bike it shouldn't really matter!
This is coming from someone who has been 69kg, then 35kg, and now healthily in the middle.

It started out as a health decision. I am at high risk for developing Type II diabetes due to my three rounds of gestational diabetes (including one pregnancy that required insulin). I had always done the yo-yo diet thing - lost 40 and regained 25, etc. After my brother passed away unexpectedly at 47, I decided to make real lifestyle changes. I began to focus on healthy eating and decided to try bike riding since my DH loved it so much. He had lost 40lbs by eating right and cycling like a maniac. When I began to seriously cycle in September of last year, the weight came off and I could still eat enough to not feel like I was on a diet. I now ride between 140 and 180 miles a week and have become a decent cyclist. In December of last year, I finally hit a normal BMI for the first time in over 20 years. Now, I want to lose the last pounds to be a better cyclist. I am happy with the way I look and feel great, so I am just trying to focus on making wiser food choices. I still struggle with the emotional eating issues but I find being part of this group helps me to think about the long-term goals instead of the immediate craving.

[VeloVT]

Do people here want to lose weight for an aesthetic thing? Health reasons? providing your eating healthily and riding your bike it shouldn't really matter!
This is coming from someone who has been 69kg, then 35kg, and now healthily in the middle.

ABeezles, I should give you the benefit of the doubt, but this really seems like a trolling question on a thread titled "July/August Weight Loss Thread." Clearly, before opening the thread, you could tell that most posters would be discussing losing weight. Why is it necessary to question their motivations?

Personally, I have absolutely no shame is saying that I am trying to lose weight primarily (although not solely) for cosmetic reasons. At 5'6" and 137ish, my BMI is 22, which is perfectly healthy. However, I'm heavier than I've been my entire adult life. I'm 29 and my "set-point" has been in the low 120s since maybe age 18. I had a number of stressful life situations over the past two years and put on over 20 pounds (I was up to 144.5). I'm still not "fat" by the "average American" scale, but you had better believe that I notice the extra weight all the time (not only because I ballooned from a size 4 to a size 10, but I notice it when I wake up in the morning and I"m lying on my arm, and my arm isn't lean and hard, and I notice it hugely when I climb hills on my bike and when running). I also am considering a marathon in a little under a year, and I want to drop the weight before I begin serious training so I will have a chance at my goal time. Everyone has a right to decide her own ideal weight without a complete stranger sticking his or her nose in and suggesting that it's unnecessary, shallow, or disordered.

/Rant

[ABeezles]

ABeezles, I should give you the benefit of the doubt, but this really seems like a trolling question on a thread titled "July/August Weight Loss Thread." Clearly, before opening the thread, you could tell that most posters would be discussing losing weight. Why is it necessary to question their motivations?

Personally, I have absolutely no shame is saying that I am trying to lose weight primarily (although not solely) for cosmetic reasons. At 5'6" and 137ish, my BMI is 22, which is perfectly healthy. However, I'm heavier than I've been my entire adult life. I'm 29 and my "set-point" has been in the low 120s since maybe age 18. I had a number of stressful life situations over the past two years and put on over 20 pounds (I was up to 144.5). I'm still not "fat" by the "average American" scale, but you had better believe that I notice the extra weight all the time (not only because I ballooned from a size 4 to a size 10, but I notice it when I wake up in the morning and I"m lying on my arm, and my arm isn't lean and hard, and I notice it hugely when I climb hills on my bike and when running). I also am considering a marathon in a little under a year, and I want to drop the weight before I begin serious training so I will have a chance at my goal time. Everyone has a right to decide her own ideal weight without a complete stranger sticking his or her nose in and suggesting that it's unnecessary, shallow, or disordered.

/Rant

I never suggested that any individual's weight loss was unnecessary, shallow or disordered. And indeed, beside my theory for health at any size I am sure there are people who genuinely would like to lose weight here for health reasons.

And despite you stating that I am sticking my nose in, I haven't directly commented on anyone's post, merely stated that—far out—there is a number fixation here. And just that in my experience (and in that of a number of female AND male cyclists that I train with) this has resulted in them doing damaging things to themselves.

I am not accusing anyone of doing damaging things to themselves on this forum, as mentioned above, I am merely suggesting that perhaps there is another way at looking at things. That is all.

[VeloVT]

I suppose I shouldn't continue this discussion here since it's a distraction to the thread. However, I would again draw your attention to the fact that the thread title is "weight loss challenge" and it's laid out in the first post that a spreadsheet will be maintained to help motivate posters to achieve their goals. It's nice that you have an approach that works for you, but it's inappropriate for you to barge in on this thread where posters are supporting each other in working toward their goals and suggest that it looks like "numbers fixation."

If you want to start your own thread about your "fit at any size" theory, go ahead, but this thread is really not the place to proselytize.

[jesvetmed]

Well I have been SO sidetracked for awhile! I missed the end of the last challenge, and totally missed the first part of this one! I'll keep up for the next one! Come fall I'm ready to focus again on maintaining or losing a little weight, instead of gaining again!

GOOD WORK EVERYONE!
Jes

[Possegal]

How does this work? I can't ride right now, but I want to lose weight very badly.

We just keep a running spreadsheet here with our weights, and our goal for the 8-week period. People check in every week and I update the chart. For me, it sort of helps me be accountable (though so far I've not been too successful, but I still believe I will be) and also folks here are all in the same boat so they all have some good advice and always a lot of encouragement.

We do this in 8-week increments, so as we near the end of this one, I'll post a new thread that will have the next 8-weeks and people will post if they want to join in and I'll add them in.

You can join in any time though, just by giving the current weight. You can give a goal weight too, but some folks find that doesnt' help them and we're OK with that too. Basically, just here to help in any way.

[Reesha]

How does this work? I can't ride right now, but I want to lose weight very badly.

I think that walking fast 45 minutes to an hour every day is probably one of the most effective weight loss regimens I ever did. I could do it anywhere I wanted, every day. I also watched my calorie intake overall, but that should go without saying.

[GLC1968]

I am not accusing anyone of doing damaging things to themselves on this forum, as mentioned above, I am merely suggesting that perhaps there is another way at looking at things. That is all.

Perhaps not, but honestly, coming into THIS particular thread and questioning our motivation is a bit rude.

Yes, in theory, exercising and eating well should make us all healthy individuals. And that's great if you've figured that out for yourself. But there are many of us who find that tracking our weight is as good a number as any to track. There is no 'fixation' here. Hell, look back over the past year of these posts and see how we all have been on and then off again. It's not an obsession by any stretch of the imagination - we are purely looking for camaraderie and motivation here.

And seriously, I'm 5'4" and according to BMI, I'm 30 lbs overweight. According to MY personal goals, I'm 40 lbs overweight. According to the charts and what is 'normal' for my height, I'm 50 lbs overweight. Gee... do I need to lose weight? Aestheticly? For health? For performance? Yes, yes, yes, and yes.

[limewave]

Perhaps not, but honestly, coming into THIS particular thread and questioning our motivation is a bit rude.

Yes, in theory, exercising and eating well should make us all healthy individuals. And that's great if you've figured that out for yourself. But there are many of us who find that tracking our weight is as good a number as any to track. There is no 'fixation' here. Hell, look back over the past year of these posts and see how we all have been on and then off again. It's not an obsession by any stretch of the imagination - we are purely looking for camaraderie and motivation here.

And seriously, I'm 5'4" and according to BMI, I'm 30 lbs overweight. According to MY personal goals, I'm 40 lbs overweight. According to the charts and what is 'normal' for my height, I'm 50 lbs overweight. Gee... do I need to lose weight? Aestheticly? For health? For performance? Yes, yes, yes, and yes.

+1
Well said.

[solobiker]

I have to agree with the above post as well. I have participated in the other challenges the past few months, just took this one off as I have a lot going on in my life right now. I find it rude to to ask a question like that. People are participating in this for a variety of reasons. I enjoy it for the support..either to recieve it or provide it.