Training for weight loss
- Thread starter bshed13
- Start date
Yeah, here's a program guaranteed to work. (1) ride at 75% of max HR, which doesn't require recovery days; (2) work up to 2 hrs a day as quickly as you can; (3) ride at the time of day you normally eat your largest meal -- for me, that would be supper; (4) every week that your weight doesn't go down by at least 1% over the prior week, you have to do your rides for that week indoors, in the dark, with no entertainment except your least favorite music, as selected by your spouse or girlfriend.bshed13 said:
...and on a serious note 
The basic science behind weight loss is if you expend more calories than you consume you will lose weight...end of story. There are no magic pills, no special fad diets, no bizarre exercise regimes based on over-complicated use of percentages of max heart rate. If you cycle 20 miles at either 20mph or 10mph you will use the same amount of energy (kcals) except that if you cycle at 10mph you will take twice as long to do it (obviously).
So if your training is going well and you are riding plenty of miles/hours but still not losing the desired weight you have to analyse your diet and try to reduce the amopunt of calories in it. The general rule of thumb is to consume 60-70% of your calories from carbohydrates, 10-15% from protein and try to keep fat consumption below 30% (obviously a bit of room for manoevre in those figures).
Remember that 1g of fat comtains about 9kcals where as 1g of carb contains only 4kcals. Also remember that carbs are the 'high octane', prefered fuel for exercise and the one the body finds most easy to break down and utilise.
If you are exercising fairly regularly (e.g. 2 hours per day) try to consume roughly 7-10g of carbohydrate per kilogram of bodyweight per day. For example, a 70kg (154lb) male should consume around 500 - 700g per day.
Eat foods such as bread, rice, pasta, oatmeal, breakfast cereals, fruits (esp. bananas), potatoes etc.
Eat in moderation foods such as cakes, burgers, sausages, chocolate. If you like biscuits (cookies) go for fig roles or jaffa cakes (sorry, don't know what these are called outside the UK).
Alcohol consumption in moderation is okay and evidence suggests a fair few benefits. One or two glasses of wine per night is fine. Alcohol contains 7kcals per gram, one pint of normal strength beer contains abut 200kcals so if you go out for a heavy night quite often it's easy to gain weight and very difficult to shift it!
Don't wory about protein, if you're diet is correct in terms of carbohydrates, you'll be getting plenty of protein especially as you only need around 1.4 - 1.8g per per kilogram of bodyweight per day, anymore puts a strain on your kidneys and isn't necessary
Hope that helps
Andy
The basic science behind weight loss is if you expend more calories than you consume you will lose weight...end of story. There are no magic pills, no special fad diets, no bizarre exercise regimes based on over-complicated use of percentages of max heart rate. If you cycle 20 miles at either 20mph or 10mph you will use the same amount of energy (kcals) except that if you cycle at 10mph you will take twice as long to do it (obviously).
So if your training is going well and you are riding plenty of miles/hours but still not losing the desired weight you have to analyse your diet and try to reduce the amopunt of calories in it. The general rule of thumb is to consume 60-70% of your calories from carbohydrates, 10-15% from protein and try to keep fat consumption below 30% (obviously a bit of room for manoevre in those figures).
Remember that 1g of fat comtains about 9kcals where as 1g of carb contains only 4kcals. Also remember that carbs are the 'high octane', prefered fuel for exercise and the one the body finds most easy to break down and utilise.
If you are exercising fairly regularly (e.g. 2 hours per day) try to consume roughly 7-10g of carbohydrate per kilogram of bodyweight per day. For example, a 70kg (154lb) male should consume around 500 - 700g per day.
Eat foods such as bread, rice, pasta, oatmeal, breakfast cereals, fruits (esp. bananas), potatoes etc.
Eat in moderation foods such as cakes, burgers, sausages, chocolate. If you like biscuits (cookies) go for fig roles or jaffa cakes (sorry, don't know what these are called outside the UK).
Alcohol consumption in moderation is okay and evidence suggests a fair few benefits. One or two glasses of wine per night is fine. Alcohol contains 7kcals per gram, one pint of normal strength beer contains abut 200kcals so if you go out for a heavy night quite often it's easy to gain weight and very difficult to shift it!
Don't wory about protein, if you're diet is correct in terms of carbohydrates, you'll be getting plenty of protein especially as you only need around 1.4 - 1.8g per per kilogram of bodyweight per day, anymore puts a strain on your kidneys and isn't necessary
Hope that helps
Andy
It also helps if you can log all that you are consuming and then total it up. You'd be surprised what you actually intake in a given day. I know that I was shocked to find out that my 20oz. Quicktrip mug is 12 calories without any sugar. Given the fact that you have to expend 3500 more calories than you intake over a given period to loose 1lb. it all adds up. I was reading a previous post on the board and saw were someone was referencing the fact that LA measures his food or at least he indicates that he does in his books. I figure that a skinny guy like that can measure than a larger guy like me can measure food. I can certainly say that it has made a difference.
Here is a site that I use often if I'm unable to find Nutritional Information about a given food. http://www.nutritiondata.com
Here is a site that I use often if I'm unable to find Nutritional Information about a given food. http://www.nutritiondata.com
Andy/RST said:...and on a serious note
The basic science behind weight loss is if you expend more calories than you consume you will lose weight...end of story. There are no magic pills, no special fad diets, no bizarre exercise regimes based on over-complicated use of percentages of max heart rate. If you cycle 20 miles at either 20mph or 10mph you will use the same amount of energy (kcals) except that if you cycle at 10mph you will take twice as long to do it (obviously).
So if your training is going well and you are riding plenty of miles/hours but still not losing the desired weight you have to analyse your diet and try to reduce the amopunt of calories in it. The general rule of thumb is to consume 60-70% of your calories from carbohydrates, 10-15% from protein and try to keep fat consumption below 30% (obviously a bit of room for manoevre in those figures).
Remember that 1g of fat comtains about 9kcals where as 1g of carb contains only 4kcals. Also remember that carbs are the 'high octane', prefered fuel for exercise and the one the body finds most easy to break down and utilise.
If you are exercising fairly regularly (e.g. 2 hours per day) try to consume roughly 7-10g of carbohydrate per kilogram of bodyweight per day. For example, a 70kg (154lb) male should consume around 500 - 700g per day.
Eat foods such as bread, rice, pasta, oatmeal, breakfast cereals, fruits (esp. bananas), potatoes etc.
Eat in moderation foods such as cakes, burgers, sausages, chocolate. If you like biscuits (cookies) go for fig roles or jaffa cakes (sorry, don't know what these are called outside the UK).
Alcohol consumption in moderation is okay and evidence suggests a fair few benefits. One or two glasses of wine per night is fine. Alcohol contains 7kcals per gram, one pint of normal strength beer contains abut 200kcals so if you go out for a heavy night quite often it's easy to gain weight and very difficult to shift it!
Don't wory about protein, if you're diet is correct in terms of carbohydrates, you'll be getting plenty of protein especially as you only need around 1.4 - 1.8g per per kilogram of bodyweight per day, anymore puts a strain on your kidneys and isn't necessary
Hope that helps
Andy
Good advice. Fig rolls are called Fig Newtons in the US (and maybe other places). I seem to recall that they were called something like fig a lu when i lived in France (my French isn't very good so apologies to the French people here and hopefully, they'll correct me). I've no idea what Jaffa Cakes are in any other country or whether you can even get them!??
ric
I agree with the advice given here…bshed13 said:
Weight loss is as simple as we all have been told for years, eat properly and exercise regularly.
As long as calories you eat are less than calories burned up during exercise and your normal daily activities, you WILL lose weight.
If you lose about 1 pond a week, you will probably succeed better than if you lose a lot all at once. Because, you need to change your life style permanently (no diets, no pills, no quick fixes here), just change you daily eating habits, and exercise more.
Keep a log for a week of all the food you eat. Count the calories, and you will be shocked to see what you are consuming. I know I was….
How do I know this works? Because I started to ride again in 2003 after a 25+ year rest from cycling and I’ve lost 40 pounds. I haven’t lost weight for 6 months now, but I haven’t gained any weight either.
I only started to get a fatburning effect from cycling when combining with rigourous calorie counting.
I found I wasn't burning off as much through cycling as through running/walking (given time & perceived effort) but it only took backing off by about 200 cals a day to make the difference, which isn't much in terms of instinctive eating errors.
My take is that running / walking are more natural so easier to get results from, cycling more 'technical' but does work.
Makes me look very obsesssive but it's easier in the longrun, adapting cal level to how much cycling i feel like doing given the weather / work etc..
Keeping data in excel to plot trends has helped enourmously, turning what otherwise might seem a chore into a fascinating experiment.
Since doing that I'd hit an all time low bodyfat level (which i still only managed to sustain for a few weeks.. )
I've taken to counting cals on a simple app on my mobile for convinience (that makes it feasible to track %p,c,f too), to take some of the neurotic scribbling & mental arithmetic out of mealtimes..
I found I wasn't burning off as much through cycling as through running/walking (given time & perceived effort) but it only took backing off by about 200 cals a day to make the difference, which isn't much in terms of instinctive eating errors.
My take is that running / walking are more natural so easier to get results from, cycling more 'technical' but does work.
Makes me look very obsesssive but it's easier in the longrun, adapting cal level to how much cycling i feel like doing given the weather / work etc..
Keeping data in excel to plot trends has helped enourmously, turning what otherwise might seem a chore into a fascinating experiment.
Since doing that I'd hit an all time low bodyfat level (which i still only managed to sustain for a few weeks.. )
I've taken to counting cals on a simple app on my mobile for convinience (that makes it feasible to track %p,c,f too), to take some of the neurotic scribbling & mental arithmetic out of mealtimes..
I use a combo of CalorieKing desktop version, excel spreadsheet that includes cycling, HRM, running and Weight/Measurements/Body Fat% information. I use the check-in in Calorie King, but do not account for any exercise as that would change the totals for my caloric intake. That seems to work for me!886014 said:
I went to http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/CT010482871033.aspx
cause I'm generally too lazy to try to create something from scratch.
I just wanted to hightlight this statement again.bikeguy2004 said:
As a general rule 1 pound per week is a good rate.
I personally like 1/2-pound per week in order to be even more careful to retain lean mass over a longer period of time of leaning out.
That is the core problem with many commercial market type of diets that are programmed for quick results and typically there is a holistic loss in body composition, meaning a loss of lean mass as well as bodyfat.
Become active, disciplined, informed in nutrition and have a desire to have a healthy lifestyle and over a period of time things will change for the positive.
Yep. At about 3300 kcal per pound of fat, it's hard to conceive being able to sustain a burn rate much greater than 1 pound per week.Felt_Rider said:
Makes you wonder what kind of hell must be going on inside the body for the "I lost 12 pounds in 4 days!" class of fad diet supplements.
It may not be for everyone but I found the South Beach Diet was the only one I could stick to. I lost 16kg in 12 weeks. Never got hungry. Cycle 200-300km per week and 3-4 days a week in the gym for boxing (sparring) and weights.
It's worth checking out. The only problem I have with the diet is the use of artificial sweeteners so I use sugar (only in tea and coffee) instead. I'm on stage 3 of the diet and still loose abot 1-2kg a month.
It's worth checking out. The only problem I have with the diet is the use of artificial sweeteners so I use sugar (only in tea and coffee) instead. I'm on stage 3 of the diet and still loose abot 1-2kg a month.
When I consult a person trying to lean out I ask them a this question to get the light bulb to come on in their head, "How long did it take you to put on this weight?"
I typically get an answer of "x" amount of years.
I then say to them (for example) if it took you 5 years to put on this weight than why do you insist trying to take it all back off in a matter of a couple of months?
It's just a little something I do to get them away from thinking of fast results.
I go into deeper explanations of course to clarify my approach and expectations with the client.
I would get slammed on other fitness forums for my negative thoughts on keto type diets.
I typically get an answer of "x" amount of years.
I then say to them (for example) if it took you 5 years to put on this weight than why do you insist trying to take it all back off in a matter of a couple of months?
It's just a little something I do to get them away from thinking of fast results.
I go into deeper explanations of course to clarify my approach and expectations with the client.
I would get slammed on other fitness forums for my negative thoughts on keto type diets.
Felt_Rider said:
I may be wrong but I don't think the South Beach Diet is a "keto diet". It is different from the Atkins Diet. It does not forbid carbs. What it does is avoid high glycemic index foods (e.g. potato chips and watermelon). Foods with a low glycemic index (e.g. All Bran Cereal and grapefruit) are okay. It also recommends avoiding saturated fats of the type found in animal products and instead consume more healthy oils such as olive oil and canola (rape seed oil). For more on glycemic index take a look at the following fact sheet (a pdf file) from Utah State University (not the author of the South Beach Diet!). The fact sheet states that a low glcyemic index diet can help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, can reduce the risk of heart disease and is appropriate in the treatment and prevention of obesity.
http://extension.usu.edu/files/factsheets/fn01.pdf
Personally, I think the South Beach Diet makes a lot of sense and it does help people lose weight (especially when combined with lots of exercise - preferably on two wheels
). For people (like me) who don't have a weight problem I guess they don't need such diets.
JungleBiker, just to clarify my post was not a response to Dominic. Rather it was my on-going thoughts from previous posts on this very thread. Glad you brought it up because perhaps others may have thought that I was also responding to Dominic.JungleBiker said:
To be honest the South Beach Diet is one of the few commercially marketed diets that I am unfamiliar with. Typically I make it my business to learn each approach so that I can relate the pros and cons, but I haven't had time to read the book or even look into it.
You also make another point in your post that I want to highlight and once again make my personal negative opinion about the Atkins diet. If the SBD states to avoid animal fats that is one step closer to getting my approval.
I could not personally endorse a diet that has increased consumption of saturated/animal fats as part of a daily nutrition guideline.
When I got into cycling last year my initial goal was weight loss, and also to do something outside of weight-training (which I spent over the first half of my life doing).
I don't particularly buy into Atkin's, South Beach, or any of the other current diet fads.
In fact, about the only thing I did was:
1. Stop drinking soft drinks. Actually I only drink water, or coffee. Ummm.. and the occasional alcholic beverage.
2. Stop eating saturated fat. The only saturated fats I eat are present in very small quantities as part of food that's otherwise very good for you.
3. Eating A LOT of fruit, it's normal for me to have 5-6 servings a day, especially bananas. Apples and grapes frequently also.
4. I also cut way back on red meat. I eat turkey a lot, some chicken, and salmon.
What I didn't do is stop eating when I'm hungry. I haven't fasted at all.
Strangely enough, I've found it very easy to lose weight, due in no small part I'm sure to the miles on the bicycle. At times it was as much as 2 lbs. a week whether I wanted it to be or not.
As for Atkin's and it's wonders, I probably average 500-600 grams of carbs a day. Atkin's certainly wouldn't like my "diet".
Obviously, I was/am running a calorie deficit, but it's certainly been comfortable (not hungry).
Simple works, at least for me.
John
I don't particularly buy into Atkin's, South Beach, or any of the other current diet fads.
In fact, about the only thing I did was:
1. Stop drinking soft drinks. Actually I only drink water, or coffee. Ummm.. and the occasional alcholic beverage.
2. Stop eating saturated fat. The only saturated fats I eat are present in very small quantities as part of food that's otherwise very good for you.
3. Eating A LOT of fruit, it's normal for me to have 5-6 servings a day, especially bananas. Apples and grapes frequently also.
4. I also cut way back on red meat. I eat turkey a lot, some chicken, and salmon.
What I didn't do is stop eating when I'm hungry. I haven't fasted at all.
Strangely enough, I've found it very easy to lose weight, due in no small part I'm sure to the miles on the bicycle. At times it was as much as 2 lbs. a week whether I wanted it to be or not.
As for Atkin's and it's wonders, I probably average 500-600 grams of carbs a day. Atkin's certainly wouldn't like my "diet".
Obviously, I was/am running a calorie deficit, but it's certainly been comfortable (not hungry).
Simple works, at least for me.
John
My point exactly…. You lifestyle needs to change. In 2003 I realized that it was all the habits I created over the years that got me to where I was. I went on a vacation in June of 2003 and was looking at the pictures of the trip. And that’s when I was wondering who that fat guy was in the pictures, it certainly couldn’t be me.Felt_Rider said:
So that’s when I had the revelation that I needed to change my lifestyle, and not just try for a quick fix. Too many people ‘go on a diet’, and for most it’s a short term plan. So they select the diet that’s the most popular, and try it for a while. Maybe they lose a few pounds. They feel good about their success, so they quit the diet, and maybe they even reached their goal. And then they go right back to what they have been doing for years. So a few weeks (or months) later, the weight comes back, and of course the diet didn’t work.
So whatever the diet plan is you use, you need to use the plan for the rest of your life. What’s my plan? It’s quite simple, moderation. I eat what I want, but no were near the quantities I previously eat. For example… most of you reading this have probably visited an Olive Garden restaurant at least once (at least in the US). In the past I’d always finish off some bread sticks 1 (or 2) bowls of soup, and then the main meal. The last time I was at an Olive Garden, my grandson (who is 13) was with us, and he even remarked about the fact that between ½ and 2/3 of my pasta was boxed for take home. I also try to eat more often, but less quantity so I’m not hungry, but overall I’m still eating less food.
Good job bikeguy2004
My meal schedule was derived from competition years, but it was so sucessful that I maintained that same schedule up to present day and now I have had sucess for the past 20 years.
Same approach.
Small frequent meals.
I prepare all my food the night before and load up the plastic containers and take a big cooler with me to work. I eat approximately every 2 to 3 hours, but the portions are about 1/3 of what most people eat for lunch or dinner.
A typical day for me would look something like this.
(disclaimer - I am not suggesting others do this schedule)
5:00 am - 20 gr whey protein drink
5:30 to 7:00 - weight training & interval training
7:00 am - 40 gr whey protein drink w/10 gr. carb (post weight training recovery)
8:00 am - 1/2 cup oatmeal w/raisins & splenda
10:00 - 30 gr whey protein drink
12:00 - grilled chicken breast(30-40 gr protein), 1 cup green beans, 1/2 cup pasta
2:00 - 30 gr whey protein drink
4:00 - same as 12:00
5:30 to 6:30 - do a lap at mt. bike trail
7:00 - steak (30-40 gr protein), 1 cup squash, 1/2 cup rice
The day that I road bike I eat a lot more and usually that day is also my cheat day and I may eat pizza or what ever I feel after the ride plus the nutrition necessary to recover from the ride.
While it appears that I have a lot of protein in my diet, but if you add it all up it is approximately 180 grams which is only 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. I use the protein drinks mainly because I don't have time or money to eat that much chicken, eggs or steak.
My meal schedule was derived from competition years, but it was so sucessful that I maintained that same schedule up to present day and now I have had sucess for the past 20 years.
Same approach.
Small frequent meals.
I prepare all my food the night before and load up the plastic containers and take a big cooler with me to work. I eat approximately every 2 to 3 hours, but the portions are about 1/3 of what most people eat for lunch or dinner.
A typical day for me would look something like this.
(disclaimer - I am not suggesting others do this schedule)
5:00 am - 20 gr whey protein drink
5:30 to 7:00 - weight training & interval training
7:00 am - 40 gr whey protein drink w/10 gr. carb (post weight training recovery)
8:00 am - 1/2 cup oatmeal w/raisins & splenda
10:00 - 30 gr whey protein drink
12:00 - grilled chicken breast(30-40 gr protein), 1 cup green beans, 1/2 cup pasta
2:00 - 30 gr whey protein drink
4:00 - same as 12:00
5:30 to 6:30 - do a lap at mt. bike trail
7:00 - steak (30-40 gr protein), 1 cup squash, 1/2 cup rice
The day that I road bike I eat a lot more and usually that day is also my cheat day and I may eat pizza or what ever I feel after the ride plus the nutrition necessary to recover from the ride.
While it appears that I have a lot of protein in my diet, but if you add it all up it is approximately 180 grams which is only 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. I use the protein drinks mainly because I don't have time or money to eat that much chicken, eggs or steak.
I just thought you guys might be interested in these studies:
Tremblay, A., J. A. Simoneau, and C. Bouchard. Impact of exercise intensity on body fatness and skeletal muscle metabolism. Metabolism. 43:814-818, 1994.
Yoshioka, M., E. Doucet, S. St-Pierre, N. Almeras, D. Richard, A. Labrie, J. P. Despres, C. Bouchard, and A. Tremblay. Impact of high-intensity exercise on energy expenditure, lipid oxidation and body fatness. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 25:332-339, 2001.
Basically high-intensity training is more effective for reducing fat mass than is low intensity exercise which uses the same number of calories. Just another nail in the ol' 'fat-burning' intensity myth.
L.
Tremblay, A., J. A. Simoneau, and C. Bouchard. Impact of exercise intensity on body fatness and skeletal muscle metabolism. Metabolism. 43:814-818, 1994.
Yoshioka, M., E. Doucet, S. St-Pierre, N. Almeras, D. Richard, A. Labrie, J. P. Despres, C. Bouchard, and A. Tremblay. Impact of high-intensity exercise on energy expenditure, lipid oxidation and body fatness. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 25:332-339, 2001.
Basically high-intensity training is more effective for reducing fat mass than is low intensity exercise which uses the same number of calories. Just another nail in the ol' 'fat-burning' intensity myth
.L.
I don't know if it mentions it on that fact sheet, but it's worth bearing in mind that high GI carbohydrates, when combined with protein, become a low GI meal. Glycemic indices are only really relevant for that food eaten in isolation.JungleBiker said:I may be wrong but I don't think the South Beach Diet is a "keto diet". It is different from the Atkins Diet. It does not forbid carbs. What it does is avoid high glycemic index foods (e.g. potato chips and watermelon). Foods with a low glycemic index (e.g. All Bran Cereal and grapefruit) are okay. It also recommends avoiding saturated fats of the type found in animal products and instead consume more healthy oils such as olive oil and canola (rape seed oil). For more on glycemic index take a look at the following fact sheet (a pdf file) from Utah State University (not the author of the South Beach Diet!). The fact sheet states that a low glcyemic index diet can help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, can reduce the risk of heart disease and is appropriate in the treatment and prevention of obesity.
http://extension.usu.edu/files/factsheets/fn01.pdf
Personally, I think the South Beach Diet makes a lot of sense and it does help people lose weight (especially when combined with lots of exercise - preferably on two wheels
L.
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