What did you eat today?

[goldfinch]

The body fat goal will be affected more (positively!) by the weight training than by diet.
It sounds like you are doing pretty much what I do, but on a much more stringent basis. The kickstarting your metabolism is exactly what I did by changing to a lower carb diet and changing my exercise patterns to rely less on just aerobic stuff. But, at this time of year, I mostly just ride and do a little core work. Just protein doesn't help me on rides, although I do eat those little packets of nuts and cranberries from Trader Joe's, sometimes, in place of a Luna Bar. But, on days I do really long or hard rides, my appetite is up a lot (after the ride) and I just eat. I don't eat junk, so it doesn't really affect my weight. I gain the same 1-2 lbs over the weekend and they are gone by Tuesday.
When I was in my thirties, I weighed about 92 pounds as a result of teaching 7 aerobics classes a week and eating really small breakfasts and lunches, on a diet high in complex carbs. That stopped working as I got closer to 40. By the time I was 45 I was 20 pounds overweight. I started cycling at age 47 and tweaking my diet. I've been at about the same weight for ten years, which is pretty much what I weighed in high school (106-107). Since i am almost 58, I am happy, but it takes constant vigilance to keep it in control.

I weighed about 90-95 pounds when I was in college and for a few years after but starting in the early 80s I started slowly putting on the weigh. I wish I would have started riding 10 years ago and looking at my diet then! But, it never is too late for healthy habits. I figure that constant vigilance will be the rest of my life.

[GLC1968]

The body fat goal will be affected more (positively!) by the weight training than by diet.

I wholeheartedly disagree, actually. Diet is king for body recomposition. Weight training is key for adding lean mass (or maintaining it), but you cannot add appreciable lean mass in a deficit. You can manage it with a cyclical type intake (days in surplus, days in deficit), but it must be very controlled and it's not for everyone.

Weight training is very, very important for maintaining your lean mass while losing body fat, but the nutrition is the more critical factor for fat loss.

Goldfinch - awesome job with the weight loss so far! Those last 10 are usually the hardest to get off (I've never done it!), so don't give up. It sounds like you have really done your homework.

[GLC1968]

yesterday ~

B: smoothie - 1.5 c spinach, 2/3 c blackberries, 2/3 c raw goats milk, 1/2 banana, 1 scoop protein powder

L: grilled seasoned chicken breast, steamed zucchini

D: grilled seasoned chicken breast, sauteed zucchini, roasted sweet potatoes

Snacks: 3 medjool dates, 2 handfuls of mixed nuts, 2 plums

Today:
B: apple and a smoothie - 1.5 c spinach, 1/2 c blueberries, 1/3 c cherries, 2/3 c raw goats milk, 1/2 banana, 1 scoop protein powder

L: grilled seasoned chicken breast, sauteed zucchini, roasted sweet potatoes

D: halibut, cuke/tomato salad, grilled zucchini, sauteed broccoli

Snacks: 3 medjool dates, handful of mixed nuts, 2 plums, carrots and snap peas

[Crankin]

Sorry, GLC, I guess I had my science mixed up. But, I know that weight loss is easier for me when I am doing resistance work. My body fat % rarely changes unless I totally stop moving for a few days! I guess that my whole point is that sometimes we get so caught up in the endurance stuff, we forget the other.
I guess it's a good thing that the 2 times I had to lose weight, and also after my pregnancies, I was able to lose weight my way, because I could not be so caught up in calorie counting, etc. I upped my exercise, cut portions a little, and cut out the carbs. The first time I had to lose weight, after college, I was not exercising, more than a little walking and some calisthenics. It took me a year to lose 25 pounds. Slow and steady. But, that's when I cut out the junk food and started eating right. I just can't deprive myself that much!

[GLC1968]

But, I know that weight loss is easier for me when I am doing resistance work.

I totally agree! And you are absolutely right - in the midst of endurance training, we often neglect weight training and its so important.

I think for me, the biggest benefit of resistance training (besides making me feel stronger all around) is the whole 'mix it up' factor. If I do all of one thing, loss always stagnates quickly. I need lots of variety in my activities to keep me 1) enjoying it and 2) actively losing.

[goldfinch]

I can't find the cite so my memory may be faulty. . .

I believe that if I ingest at least my basal metabolic rate worth of calories I am unlikely to lose muscle when dieting. I recall a study comparing dieters that were and were not exercising and also comparing the type of exercise, aerobic or aerobic plus resistance training. All lost fat not muscle. But the reason likely was that the diet did not severely restrict calories.

But I agree with you folks, mixing it up on the exercise front is good. For motivation and for health.

[shootingstar]

Congrats. goldfinch. Just keep on cycling/engaging in physical activity that you love so that your body become addicted and wants it often each week. Endomorphins induced by exercise are real motivators for weight maintenance.

I doubt I'm a great example. Today:

B
cornflakes with fresh blackberries and skim milk, tea with skim milk
Snack: coffee with milk, some cherries and 2 golden plums

L
roasted sliced duck with brie cheese, lettuce and tomato focaccia bread
Green tea panna cotta
coffee with milk

Supper
yogurt with fresh raspberries and blackberries
tea with skim milk

I went to a worker's retirement luncheon. Under such circumstances, supper is kept small. Right now it's 85 degrees F. Just came back from cycling 30 lbs. of groceries.

I nearly lost my box of cornflakes and toilet tissue at peak afterwork hrs. on the road.

Goldfinch, I've eased off bread alot in past 8 months. And am living in a city that has longer, colder and icier/snowier winters. So am cycling less overall. I think this latest diet change helped me. I naturally fell into it gradually over time without really thinking much about: I kept on forgetting to buy bread.

[Crankin]

B: 2 soft boiled eggs, half a whole wheat bagel, cream cheese and lox, half a grapefruit, coffee

20 mile ride, bottle of Nuun and water
L: salad with left over bean salad, chicken, goat cheese, other half of the bagel

S: Iberico cheese and handful of ww pita chips

Went for my bike fit for the Guru, ate dinner out, portobella and avocado sandwich, cole slaw, one beer
I am going to be eating out the rest of the week.... hope I can control myself

[redrhodie]

2 eggs and ww toast
ww english muffin with cc
pasta with tomato sauce
Greek yogurt with walnuts
slice of bread with pb
ginger candy
provolone sandwich
ramen noodles
another slice of bread with pb

[spokewench]

B: rice chex, blackberries and strawberries, 1% milk, coffee
2 hours tennis
L: two slices of swiss cheese, 1 chicken leg, grazing, not a lot in the fridge
2 more hours tennis
D: 1 chicken thigh, roasted potatoes, green beans, cucumber, yellow and orange sweet peppers, vinaigrette dressing with a sprinkle of blue cheese, 2 glasses proseco

That was a light day for all the exercise. I was just too busy, I bet I'm real hungry today

[Catrin]

Been awful about doing this, and it is a good incentive for me to be good..

Yesterday:

B: Steel-cut oats with blueberries, a bit of PB, skim milk
S: banana
L: Leftover saute of poblano peppers,chicken, quinoa, onion and garlic
S: apple
D: roasted skinless chicken breast sandwich on sprouted bread with low-fat Havarti cheese

12 mile bike ride...HOT and WINDY - it took far longer than normal which is why it was only 12 miles...finished with a PB 22 mph sprint for about .5 mile though

S: small amount of bran cereal with skim milk

[Crankin]

non fat Greek yogurt and peaches, blueberries, slice of ww raisin toast with soy nut butter

small salad with low salt ham, cheddar, tomato, vinegar, an apple, nuts and cranberries

Luna Bar, handful of ww pita chips and hummus

black bean burger, about 10 curly fries, one beer We met the son of one my closest friends from AZ... he's been here for a month doing his opthalmology rotation for the last yr. of med school. Oy, I feel old, but as DH said, everyone turned out good...

[goldfinch]

blueberries, strawberries and whole milk.

chicken on a slice of bread

blueberries and milk

slice of cheese

vietnamese salad with fish sauce, a small amount of rice noodles, chicken, cucumber, carrot, green onions, spinach, and peanuts

cup of milk

I guess I like milk.

[spokewench]

B: egg, ham and cheese burrito, coffee
L: juice drink, beet, spinach, apple, etc. (supposed to be an iron booster)
D: Spagetti with tomato meat sauce, some leftover green been salad from yesterday,1 glass red wine

[Crankin]

egg white omelette with gruyere cheese, ham, blueberries, coffee

slice of ww raisin bread with soy nut butter before 19 mile ride

2 small cheese crisps on corn tortillas, with low fat cheddar, chicken, salsa, peach

I went out for Chinese food with friends for dinner. Won't say anything more, except that I used to eat it at least once a week and now it's once every 6 months.