Diet and training/weight loss

[Mtventoux]

I've read a lot of posts about weight loss, and many say the diet is as, if not more, important to the weight loss. I was able to lose about 15 -18 lbs in 6 months by riding 8-10 hours per week. Unfortunately, the winter has added almost all of that weith back on. One of my biggest problems is that I spend 3-4 days per week in hotels, so dont have many good choices. But, so many talk about the best diet to lose a few inches and pounds, but dont post many eating programs. What has worked for some of you? Lets post some details. I'd like to quickly get back to fighting weight, and drop about 20 lbs and keep it off.

 

[sparkywowo]

I am 40 yrs, 5' 8", 165lbs. My daily caloric needs are about 1800 kcal if I don't ride. If I ride, I eat an extra 30 kcal per mile ridden. If I eat more than this I will gain weight, if I eat less I will lose weight. Every +3500 kcal is +1 lb, every -3500 kcal is -1lb.

Note that if I ride 15 mph, 8-10 hours per week, that burns off 3600-5400 kcals per week, or about 1-1.5 lbs per week assuming I eat only 1800 kcals per day whether I ride or not.

If I eat 1 Big Mac Meal (Big Mac + Medium Fries + Medium Coke) that is !! 600 + 450 + 210 = 1360 kcals !!, vs 1 Grilled Chicken no mayo, plain ice cream cone, diet coke = 340 + 150 + 0 = 490 kcals the difference is !! 870 kcals !! almost half my usual daily intake and I would have to ride 29 miles to burn that off.

Watch what you eat! Count calories, watch fat intake, read labels , eat vegetables, eat a balanced diet.

500 kcal breakfast
500 kcal lunch
800 kcal dinner

Examples:

"Low Fat/Low Cal Breakfast Foods"
Ham
Fat free cream cheese or lite margarine
Low sugar cereal (cheerios, corn flakes, oatmeal, cream of wheat)
Skim Milk
Low fat yogurt with artificial sweetener
Bagel, English Muffin or Toast with fruit spread
Bananas, oranges, melons
Fat free, low sugar muffins
Low fat granola bars

"High Fat/High Cal Breakfast Foods"
Bacon, Sausage
Egg omelette with Cheese
Butter
Whole Milk
Coffee with Cream and Sugar
Pancakes with whipped cream and syrup
Cream filled donuts
Coffee Cake
Hash Browns

 

[frenchyge]

Really, it's the combination of diet and exercise. IOW, maintaining the caloric deficit between what is ingested and what is burned is what produces the weight loss.

Some people will say it's important to eat organic stuff and whole grain stuff and low fat stuff, and it probably is better to go that route if you have a lot to lose. Personally, I bike ~8-10 hrs/wk and eat about whatever I want (including plenty of junk food) with a stable body weight. This winter I've found that by just moderating my calorie intake slightly (switching to diet soda, occasionally grabbing a piece of fruit instead of a handful of cookies, eating carbs sensibly rather than binge eating after a hard ride, etc.) I've been able to steadily drop a pound here and there (~5-6 total so far this winter).

As far as hotels go, the problem in my mind is that the portions you get from restaurants are just too big. When I travel I'm just amazed at how much I eat. I'd suggest having cereal or oatmeal from the hotel continental breakfast (maybe grab a bagel for a snack later), and if you have to eat lunch and dinner out, just stop when you're satisfied rather than full. The hotels sometimes have a fruit bowl out that you can grab from in the afternoon or evening (whenever the craving hits), or microwave popcorn is filling and has very few calories.

 

[MichaelB]

If you want to ride fast and enjoy cycling you cant restrict your carb intake too much. Its obviously a better idea to produce an energy defecit through fat not carbs. Foods like pasta, tuna and rice etc... with minute amounts of fat will still give you enough protein and carbs to keep your full of energy and stop you risking losing muscle (which would reduce the amount of energy you use when resting) and still help you lose the fat. You will always use fat even if you dont eat any.

If you just reduce your energy intake you metabolism will slow and you will break muscle down for parts of you body which cant use fat which inturn will lower your metabolism further.

I'm not trying to lose weight and I'm doing less miles now than ever but I am slowly losing body fat at the moment due to eating healthy. I avoid foods with decnt amounts fat in them. I dont eat chips, pizzas or any **** like that.