January/February weight management challenge

[Gypsy]

Oh and one last thing. I don't know how to lose weight and still train!

[gnat23]

Oh and one last thing. I don't know how to lose weight and still train!

Holysnot, I'm still trying to figure that out, too.

So far, I'm trying to attack it by dieting at the same time as cutting *back* on my cycling, doing more weightlifting. Bigger rides for me means WAY bigger appetite and gaining weight. Haven't found that sweet spot yet.

-- gnat!

[salsabike]

Holysnot, love it.

I went to a sports dietitian last year to ask about this (she and her partner serve as sports dietitians for all the UW teams). I was training for Olympic length triathlons, most workouts around an hour except for the long weekend bike ride. I had a resting metabolic rate that had been done the year before that showed I burn around 1700 calories in a day (sans workouts, which typically burn 400 calories or so an hour depending on a bunch of stuff). Given all that: she said, eat about a 500 calorie breakfast, ditto lunch, ditto dinner, with a couple hundred left over for snacks. That was quite workable. For the longer bike ride, I'd add a 100-200 per every 2+ hours. I don't seem to need a lot on the bike,

It worked pretty well. That is, it fueled the workouts and allowed me to lose about a pound a week.

[Catrin]

....I had a resting metabolic rate that had been done the year before that showed I burn around 1700 calories in a day....

I am starting to think that I need to do this (again). I did this back before I lost all of my weight and learned that my metabolism was faster than expected - given my weight. That was a couple of years ago, 60 pounds and a hysterectomy ago...

The new gym I am moving to provides one "bod pod" analysis a year + a discount on a metabolism test. I think I need to go there. My weight is just stuck, diet solid, lots of exercise, yet my level of body fat is more than it should be. Diet probably needs tweaking, but probably good to check my metabolism. I've always been resistant to eat as much as they tell me to, so perhaps it is time to finally start paying more attention to that.

[Anelia]

An interesting article worth reading.

[Gypsy]

An interesting article worth reading.

Very interesting!

I had seen the link between IR and leptin in the past, but just as a minor comment. I didn't realize there was such a significant link.

This actually would explain a lot...

[tulip]

Gypsy, I think you need to eat MORE during the ride, and make sure you are drinking enough. As an example, on my rides I eat a big bite of powerbar (my preferred ride food) every 15 minutes and take a big gulp of diluted G2 every 5 minutes. On a longer ride, like 50 miles, I stop a few times and eat a banana or two, pbj sandwich, or come cookies.

I have no insulin issues, so your requirements might be different. Definitely see a nutritionist who knows cycling.

[Gypsy]

I also have insulin resistance, and I've found it is quite important for me to eat DURING the ride. Before/after is good, but during is equally important. After guidance from my specialist and dietician, I actually don't "count" what I consume before/during the ride.

Sorry, I should have been clear that I ate during the ride -- I had a granola bar and a snack pack fig newton too.

When I first started riding I had to eat during every ride, regardless of length, but that's changed. I still, however, need to eat during any ride > 25-30 miles. <20 miles I just drink water, greater than that I have Heed in either bottle or hydration pack. For on-the-bike food I've learned that my body likes Cliff bars, for road riding I break them up and put them in my Fuel Belt that is mounted on my top tube. For a 50+ mile ride I need to have something like a PB and Banana sandwich stored somewhere and will also have Shot Blocs just in case - if it is hot I will also have a bottle of Accelerade. For mountain biking I judge this more by the amount of time I think I will be on the bike rather than distance as I am quite slow.

I need to take a sandwich thing with me next time, then -- on this ride, I took both the granola bar and the fig newton pack because I knew 50 miles was a lot and I would need it. But my friends thought I was crazy to have that much food. Obviously I need more. I like that idea a lot.

Of course our bodies are different, and some couldn't tolerate my Cliff bars as they are rather dense - but I've found that other bars or real food other than what I've mentioned either upsets my stomach or doesn't give me enough.

Considering your insulin resistance, would it be possible for you to visit a sports nutritionist who understands both cycling and insulin problems?

I had NO idea there were sport nutritionists. I'll need to look one up in my city and probably ask for an appointment. I will try your ideas on this weekend's ride -- we'll be doing 55 miles (we average around 15 mph, so it'll take us just under 4 hours to do).

Holysnot, I'm still trying to figure that out, too.

So far, I'm trying to attack it by dieting at the same time as cutting *back* on my cycling, doing more weightlifting. Bigger rides for me means WAY bigger appetite and gaining weight. Haven't found that sweet spot yet.

-- gnat!

Glad I'm not the only one!

I've been attending spinning classes for a few years now, so I know that I can lose weight and exercise intensely, but I just haven't found the right balance with these hours long rides.

I think part of it is psychological too... thinking I can eat whatever because I was on a ride for 2 hours. My body just doesn't work that way.

[Giulianna23]

196.3

[Giulianna23]

197 last week..196.1 this week. not a big improvement. but I am feeling awesome!!...


Question?....how can someone look like 40 pounds less than their actual weight?... I saw a few friends today that I havent seen in a few months and they were all excited about my weigh loss and the way I am looking now. They kept asking me and I asked a few of them how much they think I weight..and they all said around 155 -170 . I know I have dropped more size than weight but thats my problem with gaining weight in the past ... I always look way less than what I really weight......but why is that?..some poeple say it depends on your body type or/and bone structure..and also if you were into sport when young. But I am just wondering.

[Susan Otcenas]

141.0

[five one]

138. No excuses. Bad week at work, fitful sleep, very little exercise.

Looking forward to getting out on the road this weekend to burn off some frustration and calories. No rain expected, temps predicted to be in the 60s.

I have my trainer bike back from the shop, so I hope to spend some pre-work morning time spinning before the next weigh in. My wrist also feels better. Limiting the time spent on my cross-stitch project (almost finished!) has helped. So back to the weights.

One month of the challenge gone and I'm still where I began. Hoping for some downward movement before the end of February.

[ny biker]

142.6. I think oranges might make me gain weight, too. Damn clementines. I bought a box last weekend because they were on sale.

(Anyway, they look nice in a glass bowl on my windowsill. My new kitchen is white cabinets, black counters, white tile backsplash with silver gray grout, robin's egg blue walls, gray floor, silver gray window shade. I find that having something that is red, orange or yellow on the windowsill looks really nice.)

[yellow]

ny biker, I call clementines crackentines. I can never eat just one.

[jobob]

149.0

Hot dang! I'm below 150 !!!

The funny thing is, I've been sitting on my butt watching figure skaters all this week (US Figure Skating National Championsips in San Jose -- a front-row seat, no less )

Wonder of wonders, the HP Pavillion is actually letting people bring in their own food -- which has not been the norm at FS competitions I've attended in the past! -- and that's helped a lot. I've lived on turkey & mustard sandwiches, fresh fruit, carrots, and fat free greek yogurt. And I've ridden on my trainer almost every morning for 30-45 minutes before heading down to the arena.

I pass by the concession stands and I think "I don't want to eat that crap!" It helps that the concession food costs a bloody fortune, although I have spent an ungodly amount on mediocre coffee this week. There's a Peet's coffee shop about a half-mile walk from the arena though -- good coffee and activity points, can't beat that.

Oh, and I've had only one adult beverage so far this week, at the tres swanky bar in the Fairmont hotel (and it was pretty darn good).
Heh heh, this is where maillotpois pipes up and asks "Who are you and what have you done with jobob?!?"

Oh, and I have only one pound to go to my Weight Watcher's goal weight. Booyah!