Need help losing weight

[CaptainDura]

What about coffee ?

I drink about 3 -4 cups during the day.

[GFishy]

Loose half the sugar and milk

[Cois]

Or try to cut it down to one cup a day.  O yes.  If you use a shaker wash it.  I got a nasty suprise.  Forgot to wash mine on Friday and wanted to use it now.  It can now be seen as a toxic waste site...

[IMPI]

Thanks Captain Dura for raising the topic of losing weight. I have also lost several kilos since I start cycling. I have been cycling for 4 years now. I still want to loose at least another 10 kilos! I have also ordered the book!!

[porky]

There is no secret to loosing weight Captain Dura, its exactly as someone else said - you need to put in less than what you expend calorie (energy) wise.

It really dont matter what foods you eat as long as you reduce overall calories.

 

The main reasons for excess weight are -

 

1)We eat too much

2)We eat the wrong food (junk)

3)We excercise too little.

 

That said, your objective should NEVER be to just loose pounds - it must be to loose FAT - there is a huge differance, make sure you need to loose fat before dieting otherwise you stand to loose that hard earned muscle as well. 

 

Most folk when they start to excercise loose weight quickly, but thats just because you are burning more calories than in your previous sedentary state, once your body has reached its "happy" level (ie) its thermodynamic state - where you are taking in as many calories as you are expending, you will stop loosing weight and you will need to up the anti again.

 

Just remember it gets harder and harder every time, as you get leaner and leaner your weight loss will become harder and slower. 

 

The body never gives up anything without a fight.!

 

The problem is when you are close to a thermodynamic state (as you are) loosing weight takes more and more will power, and just giving up white bread will do little to help, you really will have to look closely at all the nice things like Jam, nuts,sugar,colas,cakes, chocolates, beer, alcohol etc, you know whats good and bad, theres no secrets, you will also need to restrict high calorie foods like meat, fat and dairy, which leaves you with a bland diet of fruit, veg, salads (no dressing) potatoes and whole grains.This takes serious will power to stick to.

 

Giving up weight means giving up energy, it takes a hard man to go cycle 100 kms on a reduced caloric diet - but believe me, thats exactly what it takes.

 

Good luck.

[NotSoBigBen]

As SwissVan and the Crazy German would know or have heard the saying goes :-

 

'essen Sie H?lfte' loosely translated eat half!!! or something like that anyway

[CaptainDura]

Thanks Porky

 

Good Post.

 

I think you've hit the nail on the head.

 

To cycle you need energy.  and alot of it.   To get the energy you have to eat.

 

As you said, it is difficult to go and cycle with no energy, much less go and race.

 

So I guess it all boils down to really watching what you eat and dropping the kilos (fat) really really slowly on a very consistent basis.

 

And to achieve this I am going to have to get an eating and training plan and stick to it.

 

That will be the challenge.

 

 

[widget]

Yup, a good post porky.

 

I think the point on fat and muscle is so valid, I dont think the scale is a good reflection of fat and muscle ratios and just going on a willy nilly diet may reduce the "scale weight" but is it weight you wanted to loose anyway.?

[CaptainDura]

True

 

I want to loose some fat.

 

Get the fat percentage down fom 17% to 13-14%

[SeanMort]

Just a slightly different perspective on the subject; when the average person lives on a diet of fast food, and refined/processed foods, the weight factor is the obvious problem to tackle when they decide to improve on their health, and it does help to lose weight, but the hidden factors that are often not considered at the outset of this course of action are high cholesterol, high blood pressure and high blood glucose leading to diabetes and insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is important to weight loss, and the former two conditions will simply kill you in time if not kept in check with an appropriate diet or medication. I would suggest that everybody should know where they stand with these three factors. Please get a quick check on this at your nearest Dischem for around R55, or your GP for a more thorough check. You owe your family that much effort. I've had some very fit friends who have been surprised and concerned at their results despite their great physical condition. It's changed their eating habits forever. I get mine checked every 3 months to be sure where I stand, and it goes hand-in-hand with cycling fitness and especially my eating habits. Three years ago my cholesterol was 8.2 and, as of two weeks back, it's 3.7 ... and with no expensive medication. Check it out, some of you will be surprised !!

[Renay]

You probably put on weight because you put on muscle! It does weigh more than fat you know! When I take my break in the off season I usually lose weight at first because I lose a bit of muscle mass, then I start putting on weight after about a week.

[EugeneP]

Eat a normal breakfast, eat and drink during you ride and then for the rest of the day eat half of what you usually would. You will then have enough energy to be able to train like you usually would. This works for me and it works fast (+- 1kg per week, with training rides between 3 and 5 hours)

[widget]

Just a slightly different perspective on the subject; when the average person lives on a diet of fast food' date=' and refined/processed foods, the weight factor is the obvious problem to tackle when they decide to improve on their health, and it does help to lose weight, but the hidden factors that are often not considered at the outset of this course of action are high cholesterol, high blood pressure and high blood glucose leading to diabetes and insulin resistance.................

CUT, CUT,CUT........................SNIP SNIP 

 

Three years ago my cholesterol was 8.2 and, as of two weeks back, it's 3.7 ... and with no expensive medication. Check it out, some of you will be surprised !!

[/quote']

 

Yes, I agree, and dont think just because you are young and fit and cycle and play sport you wont have BP or cholesterol issues, sometimes (especially cholesterol) they can be genetic and BP issues can strike anyone..

 

I am interested in your drop (actually severe drop) in cholesterol levels over such a short period Sean Mort, you are obviously aware there are 2 types of cholesterol - good and bad and sometimes the basic tests just give an overall picture, which can be misleading and your bad cholesterol can be high within this ratio.

 

I am very interested in self medication (ie) correct diet, reducing stress, inner healing, meditation etc in other words just living a holistic lifestyle, (okay I dont go off to the mountain to weave baskets and grow dreadlocks, a long beard and call everbody "dude", but you know what I mean  )  but I have a genetic cholesterol issue where it sits at 5.5 irrespective of diet, activity or weight - all other vital signs are in acceptable levels like BP, Blood composition etc and I am fairly lean at 74kgs, - for a 49 year old toppie, its quite good.

 

The only thing that brings it back is medication which I have used for 10 years now, mild doses (10mg lipitor daily) admitidly but I have tried controling it alternatively, to no avail, go off the Lipitor and within 6 weeks its climbing again.

 

What, if you dont mind posting, did you actually do to reduce it so dramatically so quickly, generally cholesterol is slow to respond and takes months to reduce slightly, but yours has been very rapid which may mean you must have done something out of the ordinary which I can look at?

 

   

widget2007-12-20 05:49:33

[nitsckie]

 

Thanks Porky

 

Good Post.

 

I think you've hit the nail on the head.

 

To cycle you need energy.  and alot of it.   To get the energy you have to eat.

 

As you said' date=' it is difficult to go and cycle with no energy, much less go and race.

 

So I guess it all boils down to really watching what you eat and dropping the kilos (fat) really really slowly on a very consistent basis.

 

And to achieve this I am going to have to get an eating and training plan and stick to it.

 

That will be the challenge.

 

 

[/quote']

 

Thats fine if you want to lose the weight. But I will rather have a good meal before going to my ride and have more energy to go harder during my ride thus making my stronger and increase my power. So I will rather up my fitness than starve myself and still not be fit enough to finish with my group. Also, the harder I ride the more calories I will burn ...

 

[Cois]

one tip... Don't read my treads.  Most are about stuffing your face with food....

[SeanMort]

Just a slightly different perspective on the subject; when the average person lives on a diet of fast food' date=' and refined/processed foods, the weight factor is the obvious problem to tackle when they decide to improve on their health, and it does help to lose weight, but the hidden factors that are often not considered at the outset of this course of action are high cholesterol, high blood pressure and high blood glucose leading to diabetes and insulin resistance.................

CUT, CUT,CUT........................SNIP SNIP 

 

Three years ago my cholesterol was 8.2 and, as of two weeks back, it's 3.7 ... and with no expensive medication. Check it out, some of you will be surprised !!

[/quote']

 

Yes, I agree, and dont think just because you are young and fit and cycle and play sport you wont have BP or cholesterol issues, sometimes (especially cholesterol) they can be genetic and BP issues can strike anyone..

 

I am interested in your drop (actually severe drop) in cholesterol levels over such a short period Sean Mort, you are obviously aware there are 2 types of cholesterol - good and bad and sometimes the basic tests just give an overall picture, which can be misleading and your bad cholesterol can be high within this ratio.

 

I am very interested in self medication (ie) correct diet, reducing stress, inner healing, meditation etc in other words just living a holistic lifestyle, (okay I dont go off to the mountain to weave baskets and grow dreadlocks, a long beard and call everbody "dude", but you know what I mean  )  but I have a genetic cholesterol issue where it sits at 5.5 irrespective of diet, activity or weight - all other vital signs are in acceptable levels like BP, Blood composition etc and I am fairly lean at 74kgs, - for a 49 year old toppie, its quite good.

 

The only thing that brings it back is medication which I have used for 10 years now, mild doses (10mg lipitor daily) admitidly but I have tried controling it alternatively, to no avail, go off the Lipitor and within 6 weeks its climbing again.

 

What, if you dont mind posting, did you actually do to reduce it so dramatically so quickly, generally cholesterol is slow to respond and takes months to reduce slightly, but yours has been very rapid which may mean you must have done something out of the ordinary which I can look at?

 

   

 

Sent you PM .. to avoid boring hubbers with all the details