weight loss/fitness

[mastoidbone]

Have decided to regain lost fitness while losing gained weight.
Age 42
ht 6'4''
starting weight 280
frame-wide shoulder, muscular.
Goals-225 pounds, fit to ride 100 mile bike rides over high mountain passes.

Strategy---eat less, exercise more----brilliant right???

Started in end of May.
Now at 255. Riding 1-2 hours on hilly CA terrain most days---burning 800-155 calories on rides.
Restricting diet to 1800-2000 calories a day when not exercising, but always hope to be 1000 calories under daily calories burned.

Gaines surprising muscle mass.

2 weeks did no riding while in Italy---this was diet and exercise challenge---but lost 2-4 pounds even while on vacation---swimming up to 2km and hiking up STEEP mountains for 60-90 minutes each day.

Also I have used a FREE AP---my fitness pal----HUGE HUGE help.

I eat ANY and EVERY thing---just watch the calories----am often hungry, often, would kill and eat your dog on some days....but so far no animals have been injured in the creation of this post or weight loss journey.

[Dreamliner]

Spectacular! Generally, I advise my clients to simply disassociate the notion of calorie burn and exercise and focus on the eating end. But mountain cycling is a whole 'nother animal. I wouldn't be surprised if you burned 1,000 calories a ride.

And another vote for calorie restriction over food restrictions. You da man!

[ATL_Gator]

Congrats! Feels great doesn't it?

I eat ANY and EVERY thing---just watch the calories----

Works every time.

I also use my fitness pal from time to time, it is a very good app, especially for the price :)

I will be very interested to see how things change once you hit your goal, if you will come up with another goal that is beyond what you wanted to go when you started out. This is exactly what happened to me.

I started at 265. Had a goal of 210, hit it and went past it to 205. Was happy, but not at the desired "look".. Currently still fighting/seeking that, am at 188 now and dropping. End goal is to be closer to 195ish, but with muscle, not the 195 I was at about a month ago (more fat than muscle). Anyway, long story short, the initial goal was not enough. :(

Keep up the great work.

[mastoidbone]

Yea riding is great because I can ride 1.5 hours, 90% uphill and drop 1000+ calories with views of the BAY!!!!!

I dont see point of restricting WHAT I eat, just how MUCH I eat.

My hope is once I reach wt/fitness goal me and buddy will hit Tenerife for a week of beach and road bike climbing the big mountains there.....

Fear is after ride there I will return to the OLD way!!!!

well 2 more hours here at work and then an quick 1 hour ride before dinner----the more I ride, the more I get to eat!!!!!!

[mastoidbone]

down to 247 from 280....20 more to go.

God I am often hungry, but well nourished.
The nice thing about calorie restriction, when you DO get to eat, it feels so goooood.

[LeafUF]

Good job. One thing on the being hungry all the time, how are you splitting up your calories? A bunch of small meals or a few big ones?

[ladyrockess]

down to 247 from 280....20 more to go.

God I am often hungry, but well nourished.
The nice thing about calorie restriction, when you DO get to eat, it feels so goooood.

Good for you!

I've been tracking my calories on livestrong and swimming for at least an hour every day for three weeks and I haven't lost any weight yet. Just hoping some of the fat is transitioning into muscle and that's why the scale stays the same.

[mastoidbone]

While in Italy I swam every day---and it helped build a fair amount of muscle strength in a short period....it was hard though.

I try to eat 200-300 calorie breakfast, a 300 calorie lunch, a fruit snack before and after lunch, and then a early but BIG dinner---so I am not hungry around the house---if I have small dinner---I WILL EAT ALL NIGHT and ruin the calorie counter.

But I eat WHATEVER is around---lots of CARBS in fact.
Sushi is great because i LOVE it, low in calories, and somewhat filling---especially with sashimi on side.

Odwalla shakes are good for me as breakfast---and a protein shake for lunch---

Sour candy helps me when hungry.

But basically I am ALWAYS hungry....but weight is flying off...so will stick with it till I get where I am going.

Good luck---but I dont see anything that can work besides calorie restriction and hunger.

[Dreamliner]

mastoid, do most Italians eat around the clock, like Americans, or do they do basically three meals a day ?

[LeafUF]

Since the big meal at night seems to work why not try doing the same earlier in the day. Either a big breakfast or lunch plus your snacks to hold you over.

Recent studies seem to show people do better with fewer larger meals.

[mastoidbone]

because if I am NOT full at night---I will eat ALL evening long and destroy my calorie count. I know I just wont be able to do well at night---but during day, while busy and working---no problem----but at home in evening----disaster.

Most italians eat NO breakfast first of all-----just a coffee and maybe a breakfast cookie or juice.
Then usually NOTHING until lunch--which is VERY large, 2 courses----no sandwich stuff---but REAL food---like a pasta or risotto dish and some fish or pork to follow.

Then kids will eat snack after school----nutella/bread, etc---adults nothing until dinner at 8 or 9 (7-8 in winter)....and dinner is light---soup/salad---or cheese and some cold cuts---that is it....stuff like that.

They also dont eat out very much. And they hardly ever snack compared to US. They also walk alot more then us---most downtowns are car free, and not unusual to walk 1-3 miles a day just to get to work, do shopping, etc.

[Dreamliner]

Thanks, confirms my suspicions.

[mastoidbone]

My daughter's school in Italy has 250 kids----not ONE is obese----a couple are a bit pudgy, but none are really fat.

There is a dietician that visits often and weighs ALL the kids---if any are fat the parents get called and a plan is made. Parents also randomly come to lunch to taste and eval food the kids are given.

No fried foods EVER---fresh ingredients cooked well----salads every day---and kids are NOT allowed to bring food from home and no vending machines----

Water only.

If you want to eat home food---you go home to eat---and come back.

[mastoidbone]

yesterday was tough---rode 210 minutes, about 3500 calories burned----50 miles, multiple climbs, very hot. Ate 2370 calories for the day---so almost 3000 calorie deficit for the day---I know that is TOO much, but for one day it is fine.

Why long bike rides in mountains have always been best way to lose weight for me----can easily burn 5000-6000 calories in a day at my size---eat 3500 calories and feel full yet lose weight.

[Dreamliner]

You're right, no such thing as 'TOO MUCH' when we're talking about one day ... unless you, say, ate 8,000 calories. That's the kind of thing that's hard to overcome.

[mastoidbone]

LOL---i can easily put back 8000 calories in a day.....and have, which is how i ended up needing to go on this path.

But I agree---on any given day, having a large calorie deficit does no harm, unless you need major glucagon stores for a long endurance event.....but on long rides when i want to push myself, I eat JUST enough to have the fuel to keep pushing it----and as SOON as i feel the bonk close I refill with some energy---and it does not take alot of calories to get fuel needed to push for another hour or so.....

[mastoidbone]

down to 243---did 1 hour on treadmill at 12-15% at 3 MPH---900 calorie burn and then some pull ups/sit ups, and a bench....17 or so more pounds to go....

[mastoidbone]

Huge ride yesterday, going into dinner I had a 3100 calorie deficit left to eat---which would take me to 1000 calories UNDER calories burned for the day.

After chicken shnitzel, white rice it was time for my favorite part of the day---post dinner calorie up!!!!
3 PF sausalito cookies, and 4 tbsp of Nutella.....bliss.
Still ended up at 2800 calories eaten for day, 1800 calories burned on bike, 2800 daily needs----NEGATIVE 1800 or so for the day with nutella in my stomach to go to sleep......

[Dreamliner]

mastoid, sincere question: do you have any trepidations about radically scaling-back food consumption when you are no longer able to pursue prodigious levels of activity ?

[mastoidbone]

well---yes. However, weather he is great, and my planned ride for which I am training wont be until spring---so I am ok for next 6-9 months.

After that--I hope to keep riding. But even if I dont----I can go from my 1800 calorie diet to 2800 calorie and maintain---and I HOPE I can keep to 2800 calories/day....i better!!

[Dreamliner]

well---yes. However, weather he is great, and my planned ride for which I am training wont be until spring---so I am ok for next 6-9 months.

After that--I hope to keep riding. But even if I dont----I can go from my 1800 calorie diet to 2800 calorie and maintain---and I HOPE I can keep to 2800 calories/day....i better!!

Well, you have one thing working in your favor: you're a tall male. So, at 2,800 calories a day, even a modicum of exercise should keep you in the maintenance range.

[mastoidbone]

yes---good thing about being male and 6'4'' is high caloric allowance----bad thing is capable of eating TREMENDOUS amounts----i can recall in high school----after BB practice eating 5 burrito brothers beef burritos, double wrapped, xtra lettuce!!!!

But when you place 2800 calories on a table and say this is ALL you can eat for the day----assuming no exercise----it is a FAIR amount, and only gluttony really can explain eating more then that on a regular basis.

Though, to be fair, I am a bit of a glutton.

[Dreamliner]

^ Well, at least you're honest about it. :wink:

I'm campaigning to bring terms like 'gluttony' and self-control' back into the lexicon. People in my industry are so afraid of wounding people.