weight loss

[pperlroth]

Does anyone have any suggestions for losing weight while riding? I am riding 125-150 miles per week and don't seem to be able to get off any weight. I tried weight watchers and increased my calories to try and match the riding but only dropped 4 lbs in 6 wks. I am really motivated but really frustrated.

[MightyMitre]

That's some pretty good milage per week Pperlroth!

Are you actually over weight or do you just want to be extra lean and shed a few extra pounds?

[Jacqui C]

Ppelroth,

I followed the Weight Watchers plan while riding anything from 30 to 150 miles a week. I managed to get rid of 3 stone. Although it did take the best part of a year. But what I found was that I'd have to stick to their points system Monday to Friday (this is when I'd do the 30-35 miles to and from work) Then on the weekends when I would sometimes ride 70 one day and 80/90 the next I'd just eat what ever I wanted. This took a long time to figure out as I was trying to keep within the points and still ride 70/80 miles, I'd generally hit the bonk before lunch time then again in the afternoon. Now that I've hit my target weight I find on long day rides I go with everyone else and have a scone at both morning and afternoon coffee break and make sure I take something really sensible for my lunch - like pasta or rice with veg.

Just don't be tempted by any of the diet plkans that make you miss out a whole food group like Aitkins- no carbs is no good.

But like MM said, first you need to asses if you really do need to shed weight or if you'd just like to be a bit more trim.

Hope this helps.

Jacqui.

[pperlroth]

I'm about 20 lbs overweight. Just ate too much. Thanks for the tips. My weekend milage is increasing and will until the El Tucson ride in Nov. I'll ave 100-120 for the weekends and then30-60 mid week. You would think I could eat anything, but last year for Tucson I put on weight and I want to be a size 8 not 12!

[Veronica]

I can only tell you what worked for me. To lose 30 lbs I was working out twice a day - usually an hour of spin in the morning and swimming a mile in the afternoon. I stopped eating anything that I didn't bring to work. There's always a ton of junk food at my work. I had my own little treat to keep myself from feeling deprived. I also logged on to the Healthy Eating Index

http://147.208.9.133/Default.asp

just about every day and tried to be absolutely honest about what I was eating and how much - weighing and measuring portions as needed. This helped me keep my diet balanced and let me see where I needed more nutrients. I tried to keep my calories around 1800. It took me about 5 months to lose the thirty pounds and I've kept it off for nearly two years now.

Good luck!

Veronica

[peepsmack]

Hon you may still be losing fat but gaining muscle mass and that's why your weight is stuck. That's what's going on with me right now. I haven't actually lost any WEIGHT in a few months, but my shape has continued to change. I even went down a size last month, which shocked the heck out of me because of the weight staying the same.

Jessie

[MightyMitre]

Like the Healthy Eating Index Veronica - might use this for a few days and see how I'm doing.

[Veronica]

I log in every now and then just to check up on myself.

What surprises me is how little food I need to eat to feel satisfied now. A pint of ice cream used to last me one serving - now I get 6 - 7 servings and I actually eat it straight from the pint. No kids so I don't need to set a good example.

And I ate real food the entire time I was losing weight. It wasn't a diet, it was more of a revamping my whole approach to food 'cause I really like to eat good food.


Veronica

[pperlroth]

I find it hard to believe I'm still after almost 2 years of riding building muscle mass, but that maybe true. I just don't seem to be losing much of anything. Just staying the same. I will go and weigh in one of these days but I'm trying to cut out the junk and eat healthy things that are good for you when you ride, nuts, fruit etc. I'm trying to cut out some of the pasta and excess carbs except for long rides or right before a long ride. The truth is in my next weigh in.:

[MightyMitre]

Hi pperlroth

Have you considered portion control? A friend of mine was doing the Etape last year and she just reached a standstill weight wise. She was riding loads during the week and eating healthily - low fat, no junk, but she finally twigged she was just eating too much.

Although she ate a very healthy, balanced diet, the portions she ate were just too big. So she gradually downsized her portions and the weight gradually came off. Like Veronica mentioned she was amazed at just how little food she actually needed.

I must add she did this very slowly, so her body became accustomed over time.

I also did a similar thing as I realised when I served up dinner, I gave both me and my boyfriend the same sized portion, (so either he wasn't getting enough or I was getting too much! ).

I certainly don't suggest you go on a crash diet and stop eating, but maybe you could look at the actual amount you eat, as even if it's very healthy it can still be more than you need.

A lot of diets are about denying yourself things - either particular foods or the amount you eat, but even though you might be eating smaller servings you can trick the brain.

Tip: even though you might have a smaller portion than usual, as you eat, think to youself what a huge plate of lovely food you've got .
Eat slowly, really taste your food and think how each mouthful fills you up far more than ever before. Don't think how you must finish everything on your plate, but instead think, 'Wow - if I eat all this I'll be so full. On a diet you get hungry right? So this can't be a diet.'

I'm also a great believer in a little bit of what you fancy does you good. If you feel like pigging out why not buy the most expensive, luxurious chocolate you can find, then see just how slowly you can eat it.

Break off the tinest piece and let it just melt in your mouth so you can really taste it, as though it's something you've never eaten before. Why not challenge youself to see how long you can make the bar last? That way, you can still eat ' bad stuff' but in a way that you can apprieciate it more. You'll also feel more in control - ' I could eat this whole tub of ice cream in one go , but I don't need to...'

Hope this helps

[pperlroth]

Great tips. I will try to do that. At weight watchers they teach you that (just as you said) the portion size is the same for a man as a women. Guess who gets to eat more? I also will try eating more meals, just smaller portions. I think those are great suggestions. Everyone is just so supportive, now it is up to me!!!

[Dogmama]

Your body will adapt to the same exercise and require less energy to do the same work. You may want to cross train & do running, weight lifting, stair climbing, etc. Not all at the same time though

[hibiscus09]

I tried to keep my calories around 1800.

Veronica, you did it the smart way! So many people cut their calories way too low & this totally slows the metabolism.

pperlroth -- make sure you don't do that. It's also smart to try to get in about 5 meals a day -- eat carbs but try to eat the right kinds -- medium to low glycemic for the most part, higher glycemic is fine pre and post workout.

[trekchic]

Let me just say that I did the Atkins diet, starting April 1, 2003 and came off July 31, 2003. I lost 40# and have not gained an ounce back since I came off. I have incorporated some carbs back into my diet, but I have followed this guideline:

No white flour products (white bread, pasta, rolls...)
No white rice
No white sugar; refined sugar--sweets!

I have added potatos (1-2 x a week), brown rice, carrots, corn and beans (1-2 x a week); and fruit back into my diet. I just watch the combinations. If I am going to eat fruit for lunch, I cut a carb for dinner.

I have just started cycling in the last few weeks. I don't ride a long distance or for speed right now, so it hasn't affected me. If I know I am going to ride that day, I will have a higher carb lunch and a snack before the ride. I am still playing with it, so I will keep you posted.

Kim in TN

[bikerchic]

Hi pperlroth,

I hope I'm not comming into this conversation too late. I had much the same experience as you with lots of miles on the bike and not much weight loss. I now realize I had built up a lot of muscle, and of course it weighs more.....

Anyway the thing that seemed to get me burning fat and finally dropping some poundage was adding speed walking/jogging to my schedule. I only did it 3 times a week and in no time the weight started dropping off. It seemed my body had adjusted to the cycling and I needed to rev it up a bit.

I was also dieting 1200 calories a day.

Hope this helps!

Kate