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A weight loss plan that works for average cyclists?



 
 
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  #1  
Old December 28th 04, 03:17 AM
Preston Crawford
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Default A weight loss plan that works for average cyclists?

I know this is a possible flamewar post, but I have to ask this. And first
off, please refrain from flaming each other's diets. I'm coming into this
eyes wide open, honestly asking questions about what people eat, what
works for them, etc. I don't want this to turn into another "Sheldon Brown
is a party doll" post. Just please, try to resist the urge.

Okay, as to my question. Many of you know my story. I went vegetarian and
started cycling 5 years ago and lost 160+ lbs. I went from over 400lbs. to
238lbs. at my lowest. I've, unfortunately, slowly climbed back up to
around 270lbs. I'd like to get back on track, but it seems like nothing
I've tried has worked. I eat some meat again. Eggs, fish and turkey. I'm
on a pretty decent diet. But basically I've hit a major 3 year long
plateau. My wife is on a plan that, while not Atkins, cuts out a lot of
carbs and emphasizes carbs like rice. i.e. You can't eat bread, but you
can eat rice, cous cous, stuff like that.

It's working well for her so far, but I just can't imagine not having
bread. I know from my own personal experience that refined sugars and
grains are a big problem. Cutting them out was a big part of why I was
successful. However, how far can someone who cycles quite a bit take that?

And a bigger question is this. Have any of you experienced a dramatic
weight loss, then a plateau? And if you have, what did you do to get
yourself kick-started off the plateau? I feel like, maybe in part because
of my dramatic weight loss, my metabolism or something has shifted to the
point where weight loss is more difficult than it was before. I don't know
if that's just bunk, but I can't explain otherwise why I've been stuck for
so long in spite of the fact that I'm still eating right.

Any experiences are welcome. Please no flaming. I'd just love to hear a
sampling of what's worked for those of you out there. Especially those of
you who have struggled with, and moved off of plateaus.

Preston
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  #2  
Old December 28th 04, 03:31 AM
C
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Default

In article ,
Preston Crawford wrote:
I know this is a possible flamewar post, but I have to ask this. And first
off, please refrain from flaming each other's diets.


Too many diets focus on what you eat. Yes, eating healthy does help,
but you can still get fat by eating too much healthy food. In order to
lose weight, you need to limit the total amount of food (total calories)
that you eat. Reducing your intake of high calorie foods (like sugar)
helps the most, but you don't need to completely eliminate carbs from
your diet as long as your total calorie intake goes down.
  #3  
Old December 28th 04, 04:06 AM
Brian
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I too, plateau'd at about 225-230 for a couple of YEARS...

so...how did I start losing again?

I caught one WICKED case of the flu (couldn't eat)...and I stopped snacking
between meals...

And I started drinking a LOT of water every time I got munchy-like rumblings
from the stomach area.


  #4  
Old December 28th 04, 05:28 AM
GaryG
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Default

"Preston Crawford" wrote in message
...
I know this is a possible flamewar post, but I have to ask this. And first
off, please refrain from flaming each other's diets. I'm coming into this
eyes wide open, honestly asking questions about what people eat, what
works for them, etc. I don't want this to turn into another "Sheldon Brown
is a party doll" post. Just please, try to resist the urge.

Okay, as to my question. Many of you know my story. I went vegetarian and
started cycling 5 years ago and lost 160+ lbs. I went from over 400lbs. to
238lbs. at my lowest. I've, unfortunately, slowly climbed back up to
around 270lbs. I'd like to get back on track, but it seems like nothing
I've tried has worked. I eat some meat again. Eggs, fish and turkey. I'm
on a pretty decent diet. But basically I've hit a major 3 year long
plateau. My wife is on a plan that, while not Atkins, cuts out a lot of
carbs and emphasizes carbs like rice. i.e. You can't eat bread, but you
can eat rice, cous cous, stuff like that.

It's working well for her so far, but I just can't imagine not having
bread. I know from my own personal experience that refined sugars and
grains are a big problem. Cutting them out was a big part of why I was
successful. However, how far can someone who cycles quite a bit take that?

And a bigger question is this. Have any of you experienced a dramatic
weight loss, then a plateau? And if you have, what did you do to get
yourself kick-started off the plateau? I feel like, maybe in part because
of my dramatic weight loss, my metabolism or something has shifted to the
point where weight loss is more difficult than it was before. I don't know
if that's just bunk, but I can't explain otherwise why I've been stuck for
so long in spite of the fact that I'm still eating right.

Any experiences are welcome. Please no flaming. I'd just love to hear a
sampling of what's worked for those of you out there. Especially those of
you who have struggled with, and moved off of plateaus.

Preston


As for a weight loss plan that works for the average cyclist, here's mine:

Eat a little less, and/or ride a little more.

I know this sounds simplistic, but weight loss really is pretty simple
(though, clearly, not easy). You just need to achieve a modest daily
calorie deficit by eating less, or by exercising more, or (ideally) by doing
a bit of both.

Unfortunately, a lot of cyclists have stories similar to yours. There are
many cyclists who ride their bikes 150-200 miles per week, and are still
overweight due to over eating. It's easy to subvert a good exercise program
with a few extra slices of bread each day. You need to cut back slightly on
food intake, and not succumb to the temptation to pig out just because your
rode your bike 20 miles today.

Plateaus are pretty common in any weight loss program, but yours sounds more
like a back-slide than a plateau (you've gained 22 lbs since your low
point). You need to seriously think about how you can cut out a few hundred
calories each day. If you drink sodas with sugar, stop right now. If you
have any "problem foods", cut way back on them.

3 less slices of bread each day is around 300 calories. If you overeat by
this much, you'll gain about 0.6 lbs per week, or 31.3 lbs per year.
Likewise, if you undereat by this much, you'll lose a significant amount of
weight.

Best of luck.

--
GG
http://www.WeightWare.com
Your Weight and Health Diary


  #5  
Old December 28th 04, 05:58 AM
Bill Baka
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Default

GaryG wrote:
"Preston Crawford" wrote in message
...

I know this is a possible flamewar post, but I have to ask this. And first
off, please refrain from flaming each other's diets. I'm coming into this
eyes wide open, honestly asking questions about what people eat, what
works for them, etc. I don't want this to turn into another "Sheldon Brown
is a party doll" post. Just please, try to resist the urge.

Okay, as to my question. Many of you know my story. I went vegetarian and
started cycling 5 years ago and lost 160+ lbs. I went from over 400lbs. to
238lbs. at my lowest. I've, unfortunately, slowly climbed back up to
around 270lbs. I'd like to get back on track, but it seems like nothing
I've tried has worked. I eat some meat again. Eggs, fish and turkey. I'm
on a pretty decent diet. But basically I've hit a major 3 year long
plateau. My wife is on a plan that, while not Atkins, cuts out a lot of
carbs and emphasizes carbs like rice. i.e. You can't eat bread, but you
can eat rice, cous cous, stuff like that.

It's working well for her so far, but I just can't imagine not having
bread. I know from my own personal experience that refined sugars and
grains are a big problem. Cutting them out was a big part of why I was
successful. However, how far can someone who cycles quite a bit take that?

And a bigger question is this. Have any of you experienced a dramatic
weight loss, then a plateau? And if you have, what did you do to get
yourself kick-started off the plateau? I feel like, maybe in part because
of my dramatic weight loss, my metabolism or something has shifted to the
point where weight loss is more difficult than it was before. I don't know
if that's just bunk, but I can't explain otherwise why I've been stuck for
so long in spite of the fact that I'm still eating right.

Any experiences are welcome. Please no flaming. I'd just love to hear a
sampling of what's worked for those of you out there. Especially those of
you who have struggled with, and moved off of plateaus.

Preston



As for a weight loss plan that works for the average cyclist, here's mine:

Eat a little less, and/or ride a little more.

I know this sounds simplistic, but weight loss really is pretty simple
(though, clearly, not easy). You just need to achieve a modest daily
calorie deficit by eating less, or by exercising more, or (ideally) by doing
a bit of both.

Unfortunately, a lot of cyclists have stories similar to yours. There are
many cyclists who ride their bikes 150-200 miles per week, and are still
overweight due to over eating. It's easy to subvert a good exercise program
with a few extra slices of bread each day. You need to cut back slightly on
food intake, and not succumb to the temptation to pig out just because your
rode your bike 20 miles today.


If you are going to eat a large meal, do it before a long ride, not
after. Same for breakfast and dinner, eat a large breakfast if you must
but never eat a large dinner. This is one of the
American traditions that probably should be done away with. A big
breakfast can be worked off during the day, but you still need to be
careful and not overdo it. Lunch should be sized according to what your
afternoon is going to be like. Dinner should be as modest as you can
tolerate since you will be going to bed sometime not too long after
dinner. A large dinner gives your body nothing to do except convert it
to stored energy AKA fat.
FWIW I have gained a few pounds during the holidays due to the customary
big dinners and an addiction to chocolate. All of us deal with it but if
you can modify just a few habits the results should be worth the effort.

Plateaus are pretty common in any weight loss program, but yours sounds more
like a back-slide than a plateau (you've gained 22 lbs since your low
point). You need to seriously think about how you can cut out a few hundred
calories each day. If you drink sodas with sugar, stop right now. If you
have any "problem foods", cut way back on them.

3 less slices of bread each day is around 300 calories.


Read the labels before buying any bread and you will find that some are
nearly twice the calories of others. On a side note I was eating low fat
Turkey hot dogs and started reading the labels when I found out that the
bun had twice as many calories as the hot dog itself. Bummed out that
day. Try to find a way to bike at least a little bit every day, even if
it is at lunch and at work. Every little bit helps.
Read those labels before eating anything.
Bill Baka

If you overeat by
this much, you'll gain about 0.6 lbs per week, or 31.3 lbs per year.
Likewise, if you undereat by this much, you'll lose a significant amount of
weight.

Best of luck.

  #6  
Old December 28th 04, 06:16 AM
Roger Zoul
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Default

Bill Baka wrote:
|| If you are going to eat a large meal, do it before a long ride, not
|| after. Same for breakfast and dinner, eat a large breakfast if you
|| must but never eat a large dinner. This is
|| one of the
|| American traditions that probably should be done away with. A big
|| breakfast can be worked off during the day, but you still need to be
|| careful and not overdo it. Lunch should be sized according to what
|| your afternoon is going to be like. Dinner should be as modest as
|| you can
|| tolerate since you will be going to bed sometime not too long after
|| dinner. A large dinner gives your body nothing to do except convert
|| it
|| to stored energy AKA fat.
|| FWIW I have gained a few pounds during the holidays due to the
|| customary
|| big dinners and an addiction to chocolate. All of us deal with it
|| but if
|| you can modify just a few habits the results should be worth the
|| effort.

I disagree with this, Bill. If you only eat one meal a day - dinner - it
can be large (1500 to 2000 kcals) and if you burn more than that you'll
still lose weight.


  #7  
Old December 28th 04, 06:27 AM
Blair P. Houghton
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Default

Preston Crawford wrote:
I know this is a possible flamewar post, but I have to ask this. And first
off, please refrain from flaming each other's diets. I'm coming into this
eyes wide open, honestly asking questions about what people eat, what
works for them, etc. I don't want this to turn into another "Sheldon Brown
is a party doll" post. Just please, try to resist the urge.

Okay, as to my question. Many of you know my story. I went vegetarian and
started cycling 5 years ago and lost 160+ lbs. I went from over 400lbs. to
238lbs. at my lowest.


Rockin'.

I've, unfortunately, slowly climbed back up to
around 270lbs.


Hard to do on veggies. Takes a *lot* of calories to maintain
250 lbs of bulk. I know. I used to eat in a meal what I now
eat in a day, and I'm eating pretty hearty now.

I'd like to get back on track, but it seems like nothing
I've tried has worked. I eat some meat again. Eggs, fish and turkey. I'm
on a pretty decent diet. But basically I've hit a major 3 year long
plateau. My wife is on a plan that, while not Atkins, cuts out a lot of
carbs and emphasizes carbs like rice. i.e. You can't eat bread, but you
can eat rice, cous cous, stuff like that.


Atkins is nuts. All the research shows that it just bores people
into eating fewer calories.

It's working well for her so far, but I just can't imagine not having
bread. I know from my own personal experience that refined sugars and
grains are a big problem. Cutting them out was a big part of why I was
successful. However, how far can someone who cycles quite a bit take that?


Nothing is a "big problem" except total calories in minus total
calories out being a positive number.

And a bigger question is this. Have any of you experienced a dramatic
weight loss, then a plateau? And if you have, what did you do to get
yourself kick-started off the plateau?


I learned about food and energy and losing weight.

I thought I knew about it before.

Turns out I didn't, even though I actually had the information
all along. It's just never presented to us coherently, so it
looks haphazard, and we apply it haphazardly. And it doesn't
work because we find a way to defeat it inadvertently.

I feel like, maybe in part because
of my dramatic weight loss, my metabolism or something has shifted to the
point where weight loss is more difficult than it was before.


It has, but if you were still significantly fat at 238,
you weren't close to having a problem metabolism.

You won't see real problems until you're well under 10% bodyfat.

I don't know where that is for you, but even if you're a
tall, broad guy, it's probably when you're under 200 lbs.

I don't know
if that's just bunk, but I can't explain otherwise why I've been stuck for
so long in spite of the fact that I'm still eating right.


Define "eating right". Do you know exactly how many calories
you're eating now? Do you know how many you will eat tomorrow?

If you knew how many you were eating on average over the last two
weeks, and that your weight was stable at that rate, and that your
exercise is consistent (even if it's zero) and not merely occasional,
could you then be disciplined and reduce your calories by 300-800
per day? Or reduce your calories and increase your exercise to total
a 300-800 calorie difference per day?

Because if you can do that, you'll lose 0.5 to 1.5 pounds a week.

Period.

The trick is, you need to track it carefully to be sure
you aren't sneaking in things that are sandbagging you.

An unaccounted handful of pretzels, a bag of chips, anything,
done just once per day, can undermine your "eating right".

Even with my spreadsheet open 5 times a day, I have 100-200
calories of variation in my intake by the end of the day.

Every time I ignore tracking, I start to "forget" that
I'd already had a meal that was 100-200 calories over
the average, and do it again. At 5 meals a day, I can be
500-1000 calories over and hardly notice.

All that stuff about food composition and glycemic levels
and meal timing can modulate your loss rate by maybe 20%.
But sometimes focussing on that can help you get the
calorie balance right in the first place. Which may
be why every diet has a gimmick.

Any experiences are welcome. Please no flaming. I'd just love to hear a
sampling of what's worked for those of you out there. Especially those of
you who have struggled with, and moved off of plateaus.


Look for Tom Venuto's "Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle"
online. It's only available in e-book form (as a PDF file
you can probably read if you've ever used Adobe Reader in
your web-browser), but that means you'll have it in hours
instead of days.

It's kind of geared towards athletic people looking to
get ripped by cutting to very low bodyfat percentages, but
it's also applicable to anyone at any bodyfat percentage.
He doesn't have a fad or a gimmick to sell. He just
did the homework we all should have been forced to do in
grade school.

He'll spend 337 pages telling you what I told you above,
and then detail why it's that way, and then discuss the
things you can do to tweak it. If you're like me, you
won't be able to put it down.

And you'll probably be able to build your own working diet
out of the foods you like to eat now. Which is the point.

--Blair
"Lose 30 lbs in 30 days^h^h^h^hweeks!
Ask me how!"
  #8  
Old December 28th 04, 06:54 AM
toa
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This is what works for me:
(1) Read food labels and calculate your total energy intake.
(2) Calculate energy expenditu Baseline is 10.000KJ plus what I
spend training. Polar HR-monitors are very handy for counting KJ's
spend during training.
(3) Keep a daily energy deficit of max(!) 2000KJ and you drop 0.5kg a
week continously.

I kind of eat what I fancy, while keeping a lookout for getting the
recommended amounts of fat, protein & carbohydrates.

Tips (all learned the painfull way):
- I never exeed the daily deficit of 2000 KJ, more than that impairs
my training and makes me very prone to bying and eating all sort of
sugary stuff
- Always keep a little bag(50-80 grams) of candy in my home, that way
I'll dont have to hit the supermarked when I get a lust for something
sweet
- Don't go shopping hungry, that way you don't bring back loads and
loads of 'nice' things
- Keep eating the food you really, just in smaller amounts so that
you still keep the planned deficit. Personally I'm a sucker for Nutella
and cupcakes, and any longer time without that makes me a very cranky
customer


*Tommy*


--
toa

  #9  
Old December 28th 04, 12:08 PM
Roger Zoul
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Blair P. Houghton wrote:
|| Atkins is nuts. All the research shows that it just bores people
|| into eating fewer calories.

Nonsense



  #10  
Old December 28th 04, 12:21 PM
Just zis Guy, you know?
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On Tue, 28 Dec 2004 06:08:15 -0500, "Roger Zoul"
wrote in message
:

|| Atkins is nuts. All the research shows that it just bores people
|| into eating fewer calories.


Nonsense


Indeed. It /fools/ people into eating fewer calories, an altogether
different thing.

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

85% of helmet statistics are made up, 69% of them at CHS, Puget Sound
 




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