20 pounds by New Year's Eve - resolution

[SandySwimmer]

I started biking again a week ago after the summer away. I have a Trek 1000c that I bought this past year. I am loving getting back to it, and loving how I feel after a ride, but biking is making me very aware of the extra 20 pounds I still have on my frame. I lost 30 pounds a few years ago (and have kept it off), but this last 20 pounds has stayed. Biking is giving me the motivation I've needed to get back to watching my intake.

18 weeks from Saturday (August 27th) is New Year's Eve. My resolution is to have these 20 pounds gone by New Year's Eve.

My goal is to lose one pound a week while maintaining high energy levels. I am planning on doing this by watching my portions, eating whole foods (non-processed), and biking, biking, biking - 6 days a week. Right now, I have a 17 mile loop I bike on TTHSat and a 4 mile loop on MWF. Once a month, I will add about 6 miles to my TTHSat rides.

I'm hoping to train for a sprint triathlon in the spring, but I want to focus on shedding the excess storage and building up a nice base of miles on the bike (500 - 1000) before training begins.

I'm planning on checking in once a week - every Saturday - to update my progress and count down until New Year's.

Please join me. It would be great to have company on the way down.
Sandy

[SandySwimmer]

It has been a good first week. I'm amazed at how much better I feel after just a week. I logged over 70 miles on my bike. The hilly long rides 3 days a week are becoming more fun. I wear a heart rate monitor and it doesn't beep the entire uphill anymore. It still beeps, but it waits until I am almost at the top of each hill . . . lots of hills. And, they are actually fun. The first ride, I wasn't sure what I was getting into, but now I know the downhill follows soon. Sooo much fun.

I try to go for a 30 minute swim before my long-rides. It has been working out perfectly so far. The swim gives my body a chance to warm up and wake up.

Generally, I am avoiding the scale, but to give myself a reference, I am weighing in on Saturdays. 149.5 today. I have actually gone down 2.5 pounds in a week. I know it won't continue at that rate and that my body is just experiencing the initial shock of the extra activity, but I'll take it.

Food Discoveries:
Pre-ride: 10 oz of Soy Silk (light soy milk), 1 oz. of protein powder (Naturade brand), 2 tbsp. ground flaxseeds, and a banana make the perfect pre-ride smoothie.

Post-ride: Hashbrowns (a grated potato baked in the oven) eaten with hot salsa make the perfect post-ride, pre-shower meal.

Eating small meals has been helping with the energy. . . for example, two hours after the hashbrowns, I have a cup of lentils with ricotta cheese . . . two hours after that, I have half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich . . . two hours later a salad . . . two hours later dried fruit and nuts.

An apple right before I go to sleep takes any edge off.

This next week's plan:
Sunday is completely off.
Keep my long rides at 17 miles, but try to go earlier
Add strength training on Wednesdays and Fridays this next week to prevent injury.

Ride well,
Sandy

[SSP]

Losing one lb per week is a very good goal...fast enough that you'll get positive feedback, but slow enough that you're not starving or risking your health.

70 miles on the bike will certainly help too. Using the rule of thumb of 40 calories per mile, that's 2800 calories you burned from cycling this week.

However, you'll still need to be careful with your food choices and portion sizes. I can't tell you how many times I've heard "I ride 150 miles per week but can't lose 1 lb!". It's really easy to subvert a good exercise program with a few poor food choices, and exercise tends to increase one's appetite too. Also, try not to "reward" yourself with food every time you exercise.

Anyway, it sounds like you're on the right path...just be patient and persistent and hopefully you'll achieve your goals.

[SandySwimmer]

Thanks for the rule of thumb (40 cal. per biking mile). That's good to know. I used to meet a lot of runners who ran serious miles at a time (18 for instance), but never lost weight because they would come home from a run and eat an entire pizza.

This morning the spinning class was full, so I took an unexpected bike ride around my loop (that I usually do on TTHSat). Over the weekend, to celebrate my first week of healthy dieting and riding, I bought a reflective vest, a halogen front light, and blinking back lights for my bike. So glad I did. This was my first morning to bike in the dark. About 20 minutes into my ride, I had the chance ot watch the sun come up over the hill I huff and puff up. Really beautiful and quiet.

I ate an apple before I left. My stomach started some serious growling before the ride was over. It felt good though. I remember that from the first 30 pounds. My trick used to be to let my stomach growl at least twice a day. When it would happen, I would make some green tea, let it steep, drink it and then eat. I think my own little tea ceremony gave me the pause before meals, so I wasn't as inclined to inhale food. (I am often inclined to inhale food especially after exercise).

Also, I use a digital postal scale ($20) to weigh my food and then I log it into fitday.com. This is a free website that keeps track of calories from food and activities, as well as shows you the % of carbs, protein, and fat. I'm hoping to reduce my fat to under 30% of my diet.

Endorphins before sunrise are a very good thing,
Sandy
149.5 . . . 18 weeks and 20 pounds to go!

[KeithA]

Just noticed this thread, Sandy.

I'd love to join you. I've lost about 30 pounds already and this week started my one pound a week goal, down from 11/2 to 2 pounds a week.

Right now, I'm at 179 pounds, so at one pound a week, I'll aim for 161. I'm planning on losing a couple of pounds for a few of the weeks, so that I can fully enjoy Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.

Keep on bringing back this thread. I'll post my progress as well.

Anyone else?

[kuan]

I can't tell you how many times I've heard "I ride 150 miles per week but can't lose 1 lb!".

You talking to me? ;)

[konageezer]

Anyone else?
Oh, all right, count me in. Damn! Giving in to peer pressure again.

I'm at 245, and I shudder to think of the shame spiral that will ensue if I can't keep up with you skinny folks. I'll post my progress here. Good thing lemon meringue pie season is over.

[BuckyYuen]

Okay, me too... I need to lose about 20 by New Year's. Today's a good start for me - commuted to work! I know I exercise enough, just need to watch what I eat... On Saturday, I'll weigh in again (last Sat was 155).

[Patellapedler]

Sandy, Your plan seems great and inspiring. You seem to have it under control. I like the tea ceremony idea. Good luck to you and reaching your goal.


I'd like to join in cause I'd like to lose about 10-15lbs, but I don't know I would visit this thread often enough to contribute anything to it. Thanks for getting me motivated to do it myself though, that is a GREAT goal. For me, at least 10lbs by Thanksgiven would make me happy and then to lose the last wanted 5 by Christmas/New Years.

[SandySwimmer]

Welcome! It's great to have company and encouragement. We can do this. Slow and steady. We will be so healthy by New Year's when the rest of the country will be just starting to focus on health, so we can ride the wave at that point.

One benefit of adding the biking most days . . . as a formerly light bordering on insomniac sleeper . . . it now takes me a minute and a half to fall asleep (it used to take me almost two hours). And, it's a deep sleep. Last night I slept 9 hours and woke up feeling rested and healthy. I'm usually lucky if I get 6 hours.

It could also be that I have cut out eating at night, with the exception of my before bed apple. A few weeks ago, I flipped through a book at the bookstore called "Potatoes not Prozac". It said a potato or an apple before bed, but three hours after the last meal, evens out seratonan levels in the body . . . which makes the body happy. I figure it can't hurt to try since high energy is one of my main goals. On the up-side, it definitely takes care of any before-bed hunger.

My food discoveries:
Del Monte Lite 4 oz. fruit cups (mixed fruit and diced peaches). I have one of each of these each day. These are convenient. I don't usually have sugar, but these make me feel like I've had a treat.
Dannon Light 'n Fit Smoothie (7 oz). Also convenient. One of these gives a nice little calcium boost and it helps me between meals.

Observations:
I was at a grocery store yesterday and I signaled with my left arm when I turned the cart. I didn't notice, but the woman behind me did. She said, 'you must be a cyclist, my husband does that when I take him out in public.'

Also, sample ladies at grocery stores are evil (I know they are just doing their jobs and they are probably perfectly nice people). Yesterday, it was a Sun Chips lady. She must have seen the desire in my face because she kept popping up around the aisles pushing the chips at me asking me if I wanted a sample. She actually said, 'one wouldn't hurt. Just try them, you know you want to.' I started seeing her as a drug pusher at a playground which helped my resolve. When I made it to my car Sun-Chips-free I found myself pumping my arm saying 'yes' . . . like Lance Armstrong at the end of a race. Small victories.

Good fuel the day before makes for the best rides,
Sandy

[Walkafire]

WTG Sandy...

I would be careful of Bananas... lots of people think they are healthy foods for ya, and they might be, but for a DIET, they are more then you think. Nuts and Cheese are another to watch.

I have lost a ton since New Years (2005)
I had tried other diets to try to lose the weight...
I finally tried one I never thought I would Try....WeightWatchers.
Cripes paying someone to weigh in keeps ya honest for sure.
First 3 months, I followed the WW Diet plan pretty well, I even allowed for Beer at the end of EVERY DAY! I lost about 30 lbs at that point.
I gave up the booze in early March and started commuting to work in June.
Now I reached my goal ... lost over 90 lbs.
The thing I like about WW is you can eat what ever you want, just not as much as you use too.
Hell, I sound like a frickin commercial.

Do what ever works for ya and stick with it! =)


*edit...just noticed you posted about the same time as me... =)

[FXjohn]

WTG Sandy...

I would be careful of Bananas... lots of people think they are healthy foods for ya, and they might be, but for a DIET, they are more then you think. Nuts and Cheese are another to watch.

I)


I'm sorry, but i highly doubt many people are overweight because of eating too many bananas.

http://www.bananageorge.com/

[Walkafire]

I'm sorry, but i highly doubt many people are overweight because of eating too many bananas.

http://www.bananageorge.com/


NOT overweight... but trying to LOSE weight will slow things down. Just something I found out during my weight loss. If you plan right and PUT it in your diet...sure you can have all the frickin bananas ya want.

Hell I allowed to have 2-3 beers (lite) every night.... lost 30 lbs, then quit drinking, lost a lot more...

It's all on how you PLAN. Geeeeeeesh

[SandySwimmer]

I've actually read that about bananas (Pritikin etc.). Something about the sugar and what the body does with it make it so you aren't supposed to go crazy with them. Lots of Ornish recipes (Eat More, Weigh Less) use bananas as a sweetener and as a replacement for butters and oils. One discovery I made is it only takes 1/2 a banana for a full serving of fruit. That was a shock to find out. Plus, a banana has 100 calories, about the same as a half a cantaloupe. I love them for the potassium though . . . and so convenient.

By the way, Walkoffire, 90 pounds is incredible. Nice to hear stories like that.

Sandy

[FXjohn]

NOT overweight... but trying to LOSE weight will slow things down. Just something I found out during my weight loss. If you plan right and PUT it in your diet...sure you can have all the frickin bananas ya want.

Hell I allowed to have 2-3 beers (lite) every night.... lost 30 lbs, then quit drinking, lost a lot more...

It's all on how you PLAN. Geeeeeeesh

I say eat all the raw food, bananas apples etc when you're hungry, and doubt if it will have ANY effect!

(Geeeeesh)

[LordOpie]

I'm in! I've been losing about a pound a week for a couple months now. By NYE, I should easily be at my ideal weight :)

As for bananas, they're a good source of potassium. Remember, you NEED electrolyes, especially if you're exercising!

As for the weight I've already lost, I've noticed that I'm riding faster and easier. Hills are easier, I'm not fatigued on longer distances.

ADVICE: don't buy new clothes if you're losing weight... wait a bit ;) :D

[Walkafire]

~~BINGO~~

Sandy you said it: Bananas ARE considered 2 servings of Fruit.


:crash:

[Portis]

Go Sandy! Go Sandy! GOOOOOooooooooooooo! :)

Sounds like a great plan. However, remember that likely the world won't end on New Year's next year, at least i hope not. So devise a plan you can live with for the rest of your life. Don't adopt a diet and lifestyle that is too confining.

Leave room for fun and occasional "rule breaking." Cyling in addition to diet basically just gives you a buffer in which you will either a. lose more weight or b. be able to cheat on your diet more. The more you ride the more you can cheat, the less you ride--------------------> no room for cheating!

Remember that dieting is really simple. Don't eat more than you can get rid of! If you only ride for one hour you may burn as little as 300 calories. That is equal to a couple cans of regular soda. BUT (here is the important part) Do that 365 days per year and you have erased 730 can's of soda! :eek:

You see why making it a lifestyle is important. Compare each bike ride to the construction of Mount Rushmore. The ride is the hammer and your diet is the chisel. After dieting and exercising for 1 day you likely will have what still looks like a plain ol' rock. Do it for a couple of year's and you will have a masterpiece!

[Thorco]

Alright screw it, I'm in as well. I just got a bent last week and I love it. I'm 34 years old, married, 2 little ones and have become a bit inactive over the last few years. I'm 6'1" and weighed 275 lbs. last Saturday. While the biking will help on the exercise end I am really going to have to watch the calorie end. I love a cold beer or three every now and then (mostly now) and with 2 young kids it's hard to eat healthy every meal. But I'm up for it. I need to lose about 50 lbs. by new year. No problem, right. Good thread Sandy, Thanks.

[af895]

1lb a week is VERY doable! Watch the food intake, try not to eat within 3 hours of bedtime, ditch the soda-pop (it's liquid candy) unless it's diet, get *even a little* exercise to get the muscles working.

I'm in with you! I was 260lbs in May. I got a new bike around June 1st - I'm now at 242lb and dropping. My goal is drop another 40lbs by New Year's. :D

I hear they let you take your saddle and seat-post to spinning classes! I'm totally stoked about putting miles on the Brooks - without "going anywhere"... ;)

[Portis]

I also have 2 little ones and i am 36 yrs old. I am 6'2" and 148 lbs, down from over 200 before diet and cycling. I have ridden 14,000 plus miles in the last two years. I have learned a couple things that might help you.

Beer

You don't have to give up beer. Chances are if you don't have the couple of beers you will end up substituting some food in it's place. I quit drinking beer last year. I used to come home and hammer anywhere from 3 to 8 beers depending on the day i had. I decided to quit the beer deal since it was one of my last remaining bad habits from college that i needed to get rid of. :D

Instead of coming home from work and grabbing a beer, now i usually have some form of a snack. So still i am taking in calories.

Diet

This doesn't have to be a bad word. There are all sorts of stupid diets out there and i really don't subscribe to any of them. I mainly listen to what the health experts say. They say that diets low in fat are good for you. So just about everything we buy is low fat. Look for it on the label at your supermarket.

Forget fast food. I haven't had it in 3 years. Never will again. Go to Subway, or something similar instead.

No fried foods.

No beef for me either.

Lastly, have some fun. Ride your bike a lot and eat some pizza and low fat icecream. I eat probably two gallons of ice cream per week. I usually eat pizza at least once per week. Also I eat a LOT of food! More than most people. Remember, that i am 6'2" and only 148 lbs.

Most people look at me and tell me i need to eat. I laugh and tell them that i probably eat twice as much in a day as they do. It's just that i eat the right things and burn tons of calories on the bike. Example: Friday i plan to ride 113 miles. I will burn around 4500 calories on that ride. I will likely consume 6000 or more calories that day, while riding and after i am done.

Granted, most of my rides aren't that long, but this is an example of how exercise let's you eat!

[SandySwimmer]

Welcome! Nice, healthy weight loss going on. Good to have you along.

No beef for me either, or cheese. Good food goes so much further in our bodies. I started adding an entire roasted eggplant to a cup of whole wheat pasta. It only adds about 60 calories, but the portion now is the same size as my head. When I'm done, I feel like I've eaten a lot.

I agree that treats are important along the way. I have been known to buy raspberries out of season. I love that . . . really good fruit out of season . . . best decadent treat I’ve found. I also try to give myself non-food related rewards. When I lost the first 30 pounds, I gave myself six months of tennis lessons . This weekend I’m buying a new pair of cycle shorts and the next week I have a deep-tissue massage scheduled. It has also been non $ related . . . like a drive to the beach.

This morning, I went for my ride after the sun came up, but I was still decked out in my reflective vest and my blinkers. At a stoplight a guy in the car next to me rolled down his window to say something to me. I was thinking, ‘oh, great,’ but he ended up saying, ‘you’re one of the first cyclists we could actually see.’ Just a little reminder that we are pretty invisible out there.

Also, a group of butterflies joined me on my downhill. I was going at least 20. They joined me for about 10 feet, right next to my shoulder and then turned away. It was a first for me, interesting . . . it was my first group ride.

I like the Mt. Rushmore analogy. So true that we can’t always see the changes that are happening.. It makes me think of one of my favorite sculptures by Michaelangelo . . . a beautiful muscular foot emerging out of a slab of marble. These last 20 pounds, for me, are the difference between being healthy and being sculpted (faster, athletic, lighter on the bike). I can't wait, I'm ready.

Every day, just a little closer,
Sandy

[Thorco]

Awesome, I'm gonna pick up a twelver on the way home then. j/k. I think if I can wait till the weekend on the beer, eat less more often and ride about 100 miles a week I will start to notice a significant improvement. Is there any low fat/low carb protein bars (homemade or not) out there? They seem to be an easy snack in between meals. I have been eating 1/2 of a Pria Powerbar Carb Select for my snack but I noticed that they have 8g fat (5 saturated) per serving. It's probably from the chocolate coating which I don't really care for (not a big fan of chocolate).

[SandySwimmer]

Ranger - impressive miles

Thorco - I've also been in search of the low fat power bar. I used to eat Balance Bars because I liked the distribution, but cut them out completely when I started to pay attention sugar. They seemed to be just one step better than a Snickers Bar. I also used to eat fig newtons because they were easy, but discovered I liked dried figs better. I'm also hoping to reach 100 miles a week. . . It looks like 85 this week, perhaps next week I will reach the magic number.

The trick seems to be consistency with exercise . . . and intake. This morning during my ride I thought, "I'm working too hard at this to be leveled by something like carrot cake." I'm enjoying the rides, but am even more committed to work harder at the push away (from the table).

Two little bike tires, will soon be one, and then there will be none (around the middle).
Sandy

[rusty_2000]

Go Sandy!!!
Just joined this forum, and one of the major reasons I got back into bike riding was weight loss/ increases fitness and energy. I have been going for 4 weeks and managed to drop 2Kg (4.4lb) - my aim has been 0.5Kg/ week - I'm already in with you guys!!

I wanted to enter my '40s at the same fighting weight as my '30s so I needed to drop almost 10Kg (22lb)

My approach has mainly been more care with what goes in (started working for a chocolate manufacturing company put ALOT of Kgs on!!) and uping the ante on output. Been increasing my weekly distance from an initial 100Km to now 200Km, with continued increases - I intend to commute, which is 28Km each way.

Will keep postnig with progress............

[SandySwimmer]

Welcome!

I added a grated (peeled) apple to my slow-cook (McCann's) oatmeal during the last 5 minutes of cooking this morning. It was great and it doubled the amount.

Today is the first of September. 12 weeks from today is Thanksgiving. I like frames of time like that. They really help me focus. I will continue to cycle my loop 4 - 6 days a week. But because cycling is a joy, my challenge for myself for the month of September is intake . . . I will 1.) count calories and 2.) reduce them by 500 a day.

Prevention magazine (June '05) gave a nice math problem to figure out daily calorie needs. I thought I would pass this on:

[10 x weight (kg*)] + [6.25 x height (cm*)] - [5 x age (yr)] - 161
*to convert, multiply pounds by 0.454 and inches by 2.54

Now multiply that number by your activity factor:
Inactive: walking to and from car = 1.2
Lightly Active: 30 min. stroll 1 to 3 days a week = 1.4
Moderately active: 30 min. brisk walk 3 or more days a week = 1.6
Very Active: 30 min. of exercise like running or cycling 3 to 5 days a week = 1.7

The result is the number of calories you need daily to stay at your current weight. To lose a pound a week, cut 500 calories a day.

According to this, my body burns 2360 calories. To lose a pound a week, I would cut calories to 1860. That's doable! Now, I just need to do it!

Every day things are shifting in good ways. I'm starting to hear the woooosh of the furnace melting off the extra storage.
Sandy

[cuda2k]

I've also been on the slow and steady decrease in weight after getting back on the bike in mid-May. Really started getting serious about riding reguarly probably in early June, so let's say that was - 8 weeks ago. I'm now down, imagine that, about 8-10lbs. Looks like I'm right on schedule with you all. :) I think sometimes that I'm gaining more muscle mass weight than I'm loosing from around the stomach. But I'm not really complaining about that either. My pants fit better and I look better in shorts, a win win situation!

As far as my diet - I've had good days and bad days. One large problem is that I live at home and often at the mercy of what my father declares he wishes to have for dinner. He's on the low carb diet at the moment - which in his mind - translates to as much (red) meat as possible. Mix in work and school scheudle and it's often hard to eat well. I trim and make good decisions where and when I can. Little bit less at lunch, smaller plates at dinner too when I can't choose to eat really healthy. I still stop off at Wendy's or Arby's now and then, but try to keep the 'junk food/fast food' stops to once a week max.

I'm currently riding 60-75 miles a week, 4 days a week. The tank of a road bike (Schwinn Traveler) that I ride currently really makes up for the weight I'm dropping and still hauling around ~200lbs of bike and rider. My current goal is to be at 155 by May 13th, 2006 (getting married that day) so at my current rate, I hope to be there by early Janurary at the latest. :)

Best of luck to everyone working towards their personal weight and fitness level.

[KeithA]

I take my weekly weight Friday mornings, so I guess I'll be the first to report in this week - two pounds. Hope all goes well for all those that are taking the Sandy Slimmer (pun intended) challenge. For me, some weeks, it's no loss, some two pounds. Glad to start out for the best and glad that this thread will help keep me on track.

Keith: Member of the Sandy Slimmer Swimmer challenge.

[SandySwimmer]

17 weeks from today is New Year's Eve!

Keith - it sound like you are on your way. The Sandy Slimmer Swimmer challenge - I like that.

cuda - you're doing well. You will have such a healthy start to a marriage, by being a healthier person, that's great.

It will be nice to have a healthy foundation when the new year starts . . . to have healthy habits in place. Today was my weigh-in. The scale shows a 1/2 pound drop (149), but I am starting to be able to see my oblique muscles in my stomach, so I know something is happening. Also, my quad muscle is much more defined that it was . . . must be the biking.

observations:
I'm getting serious with myself with the calories. The main thing I am noticing is I am tempted to eat at night. I'm not actually hungry. I am going to remedy this by going to sleep earlier. I have had almost a week of 8 - 10 hours of sleep each night. Amazing . . . must be the biking.

Sandy

[SandySwimmer]

My reward for myself this week was a new pair of cycling shorts, Pearl Izumi Ultrasensor short. They were $80. A bit expensive, but in asking around, I discovered this is what several century riders around here wear. . . and one person said his pair lasted four years before they started wearing out.

I tried them out on my ride this morning. It was a great investment, especially since I am increasing my miles a little each week. A few weeks ago I bought some gel cushioned fingerless gloves. Also, great. My rewards are intended to continue to support my cycling and health.

Other observations:
I found cycling was an even more welcome respite from the stress of the hurricane news. The workouts gave me something else to focus on for some time each day. Now, I'm starting to see how necessary workouts (and healthy eating) are for good mental health. Healthy habits can keep us going. It gives us more energy, so eventually we are in a better position to help others.

I discovered that I am prone to stress eating, but I caught myself in time (over and over). I didn't realize I did that. In addition to having teas, I started keeping candied ginger and sugarless mints in my cupboard. The candied ginger is good for digestion and I'm not tempted to eat too much.

Also, chocolate soy nut butter (by I.M. Healthy). I'm enjoying it on apple slices, but I limit myself to 1 - 2 tbsp.

I would encourage everyone to take measurements. Not just chest, waist, and hips, but also thighs, calves, and biceps. This week I have had a definite feeling of 'my thighs are gigantic', which I don't usually have. When I took my measurements today, I discovered that I have actually lost an inch and a half around my hips, but my thighs have stayed the same, which is why they LOOK bigger, so it was something to celebrate. I wouldn't have known that if I didn't have the measurements. It takes a moment of courage, but it is worth it to have a running record. I will measure again on October 1st.

Sandy

[Thorco]

My Saturday morning weigh in had me down 11 lbs at 264 lbs. Of course that is from 275 lbs last Saturday and I participated in a little "over-endulgance" Friday night before weigh in (kind of like "Celebrity Fit Club" where they could eat whatever they wanted to the night before weighing in). At any rate I rewarded myself with a 45 mile ride this morning followed by some pizza (took the kids to Chuck E Cheese's for lunch <--that's a place where you go to let your kids go absolutely crazy and tire themselves out while you sit around and get fat) and cold beer. I just hope I hit my mark next week so I can enjoy some more of nature's nectar (the beer that is). Good job to the two of you for losing as well.
Take care,
Kevin

[Guest]

I'm there.

I just lost my first twenty, and the hills are so much easier to tackle. I can't wait to get the next twenty off. These hills will be so much easier... then all I have to do is get my bodyfat analysis at that point and see what my bodyfat percentage is and how much bodyfat I need to shave from there to be in tip top condition. New Year's is a great goal to shoot for.

Koffee

[KeithA]

My Saturday morning weigh in had me down 11 lbs at 264 lbs. Of course that is from 275 lbs last Saturday and I participated in a little "over-endulgance" Friday night before weigh in (kind of like "Celebrity Fit Club" where they could eat whatever they wanted to the night before weighing in). At any rate I rewarded myself with a 45 mile ride this morning followed by some pizza (took the kids to Chuck E Cheese's for lunch <--that's a place where you go to let your kids go absolutely crazy and tire themselves out while you sit around and get fat) and cold beer. I just hope I hit my mark next week so I can enjoy some more of nature's nectar (the beer that is). Good job to the two of you for losing as well.
Take care,
Kevin


Dang, Kevin, very impressive. Congratulations!!!

[twahl]

Hell, count me in. I guess I'm starting at 193, which is down from about 205 the first of July. I'm hoping that with school starting next week I can get more miles in while the kids are in school. I actually expect that I can shave the 20 by the end of October with my current plan, but I also realize that the first 10 was probably a lot easier than the next 20 will be. My logs for the last 60 days shows 667 miles, accounting for almost 8 lbs. accourding to Cyclestats, which I love dearly. The other couple of pounds is some moderation on the food intake.

[Arsbars]

Hmm.. I want to join this, but I don't think I have a scale. Must go buy one!

[SSP]

My logs for the last 60 days shows 667 miles, accounting for almost 8 lbs. accourding to Cyclestats, which I love dearly. The other couple of pounds is some moderation on the food intake.

The intake side of the equation is very, very important. Exercise can stimulate appetite, and it's way too easy to eat more calories than you burn while riding (unless you're doing like 200 miles per week).

Fortunately, cycling is a very efficient way to burn a bunch of calories, so it can be really useful in a weight loss program...but, it doesn't mean you can consume all the pizza and beer you want either. On a couple of ocassions, I've completed week-long 400+ mile cycling tours, and actually gained a couple of pounds - due mostly to post-ride beers, nachos, cookies, etc.

Glad you're enjoying CycliStats too (www.CycliStats.com), and thanks for the nice words.

[Thorco]

it doesn't mean you can consume all the pizza and beer you want either.

If that response was aimed at my earlier post I would like to state that I never said anything about eating/drinking "all that I want" and not gaining weight because I was cycling. That would be ridiculous.

[twahl]

If that response was aimed at my earlier post I would like to state that I never said anything about eating/drinking "all that I want" and not gaining weight because I was cycling. That would be ridiculous.

Depends on how much you want!

[Guest]

I've also been on the slow and steady decrease in weight after getting back on the bike in mid-May. Really started getting serious about riding reguarly probably in early June, so let's say that was - 8 weeks ago. I'm now down, imagine that, about 8-10lbs. Looks like I'm right on schedule with you all. :) I think sometimes that I'm gaining more muscle mass weight than I'm loosing from around the stomach. But I'm not really complaining about that either. My pants fit better and I look better in shorts, a win win situation!

As far as my diet - I've had good days and bad days. One large problem is that I live at home and often at the mercy of what my father declares he wishes to have for dinner. He's on the low carb diet at the moment - which in his mind - translates to as much (red) meat as possible. Mix in work and school scheudle and it's often hard to eat well. I trim and make good decisions where and when I can. Little bit less at lunch, smaller plates at dinner too when I can't choose to eat really healthy. I still stop off at Wendy's or Arby's now and then, but try to keep the 'junk food/fast food' stops to once a week max.

I'm currently riding 60-75 miles a week, 4 days a week. The tank of a road bike (Schwinn Traveler) that I ride currently really makes up for the weight I'm dropping and still hauling around ~200lbs of bike and rider. My current goal is to be at 155 by May 13th, 2006 (getting married that day) so at my current rate, I hope to be there by early Janurary at the latest. :)

Best of luck to everyone working towards their personal weight and fitness level.

Run out to the store and get those instant noodles. Not ramen, but the stuff that is like chicken flavored noodles where you add milk and water, then mix and stir... or get spaghetti or something. Don't fall into that atkins trap and end up doing more harm than good when you get off that diet.

Koffee

[SandySwimmer]

It's great to hear progress.

Kevin - it sounds like you've found a system that is working for you.

Koffee - 20 pounds . . . congratulations. It's good to hear about your speed going up. I'm hoping that will happen in my up hills.

Tom - 667 miles in 60 days is a nice accumulation of miles and 12 pounds since July is great.

Arsbars - welcome aboard

Carda - I agree with Koffee about Atkins. Even when South Beach came out (which is, perhaps, a healthier version of Atkins) several articles in health magazines showed that low carb is almost impossible to maintain with endurance sports such as cycling and running. We need our carbs. Healthy carbs . . . oatmeal, whole wheat pasta, vegetables, fruit. When I'm visiting people or I don't feel like cooking, I have a peanut butter and jelly sandwhich, a piece of fruit and a yogurt or milk. convenient and good energy


I's important that we celebrate every pound of extra storage that we lose.

Every extra pound of body fat . . .

*is the equivalent of an extra mile a corpuscle takes to travel through the body. Losing 20 pounds means 20 miles of less strain and work for the circulatory system.

*is the equivalent of 4 pounds of impact on the joints (for runners). Losing 20 pounds means we are losing 80 pounds of impact.

*gives the body a 2.5 seconds per mile drag . . .so if you were running a marathon, just by losing 20 pounds you could shave off 22 minutes off your finishing time.

and for cyclists going up hill, a 20 pound weight loss shaves off almost 2 minutes for every 3 miles (7% grade hill climb).


Some days we just don't want to do it, but we do it anyway. That's what separates us. We keep going . . . and going . . . and going . . . and going
Sandy

[SandySwimmer]

The wonderful perk of losing weight is, of course, increased energy, fitness, speed going up hill, and health, but also, our clothes will fit better and we generally feel better in our bodies (which leads to increased self-esteem and all that goes with that).

But, to continue on with adding healthy habits, I've been thinking about rewards.

In January, as a reward for sticking with my healthy lifestyle (and, hopefully letting go of this extra 20 pounds), I am planning on trying on some wet suits for the swim portion of the sprint triathlon I am hoping to try for in the spring.

Also, I am starting to think of trying my first bike trip/tour in the spring or summer. My dream is France, but I'm considering someplace in the U.S. for my first. I can't think of a better reward for myself for losing storage and gaining riding fitness.

What rewards are you considering?

Sandy

[SandySwimmer]

I hope everyone has had a good week. 16 weeks from today is New Year's Eve!

My scale stayed the same this week. I am assuming my body is catching up to the 3 pounds I have lost in 3 weeks (2 1/2 the first week, and 1/2 the second week). I am going to be extra mindful of counting calories and measuring portions this week, just to make sure I am not sneaking in some calories somewhere.

my observations:
+ The hills that make me huff and puff are getting easier. My heart rate has dropped from the 170's to the 150's during the hills.
+ I went to a pilates class on Tuesday and a strength training class on Friday. Since I wasn't doing strength training at home, I figured I needed the push of a class. The time went surprisingly quickly. I am going to add those to my schedule.
+ on days when I didn't eat after 5pm (except an apple that I have before bed), I slept better, felt better in the morning, and woke up with more energy.

I read a study that said 16 weeks of relatively intensive exercise 5 days a week helped alleviate mild to moderate depression for 90 - 98% of the participants vs. antidepressive drugs that alleviated symptoms in 60% of participants. They listed cycling 10 - 15 mph for an hour five days a week as the example. A third group that considered their mood 'normal' at the beginning of the study, reported a 'happy drug' effect after 16 weeks. So, in addition to being 20 pounds lighter, we will be entering the New Year happier.

And, how was your week?
Sandy

[Moonshot]

Anyone else?

Ok, I'm in too. I'm going to commit to losing 15 lbs by 1/1/06. :)

Good luck to us all.

[twahl]

This being the first week of school for the kids, and a short week, I didn't make much progress. My planned week is to go build bikes Mon. Wed. Fri. and get rides in on Tues. and Thurs.. Well this week I only took Thursday off so used it to catch up on things around the house, plus the wife wasn't up to getting up early this week.

Bottom line is that I remain at 193 today.

[BuckyYuen]

Lost only 2 pounds in 2 weeks, but then I haven't really been making that much of an effort... and I guess it's better than gaining....

[KeithA]

Lost only 2 pounds in 2 weeks, but then I haven't really been making that much of an effort... and I guess it's better than gaining....

Two pounds is still two pounds. If someone paced that out over a year, that would be a very big 52 pounds, so you're doing just fine.

[Sakae Custom]

For the past 2-3 or so i think my muscle gain has equalized with my fat lose, so the scale hasnt changed, but i lost nearly an inch off my waist, legs look more defined. I think its the squats, they add so much muscle.

[Santaria]

I'll say this, and I don't mean to be disparaging against any system that works, but here goes my 2-cents.

Stop worrying about what book, diet, person says to do or don't. Do what you know works for you. If that means eating bananas, eat them, whatever - removing things you like will screw you over in weight loss.

Personally, for me, I ignored the one pound per week theory. Why? Not because I didnt' believe it, but because it was easier just to do it, instead of nitpicking and adjusting based off weight loss. What do you do if you start Monday and by Wednesday have already lost more than 1 lb? Do you have to go into a maintenance mode for the rest of the week, then a reduction mode again come Monday? This is just too complex and imho would lead to failure.

Lower intake
Increase outtake (caloric burn)
Lose weight.

It really is that simple; there is too much of an effort to complicate this.

For me, that meant going vegetarian, for you who knows other than you?

I eat brocolli, spinach, pineapples, nuts, grains and a couple oatmeal w/ raisin cookies a day (read that as about 3.5k calories worth of veggies, fruits, grains, etc.) because I ride a lot on a daily basis, plus have a pattern of obsessive compulsive actions that means I ride 40 miles a day, then finish the day off before I can sleep with a 5-10 mile run. I also do not get 8 hours of sleep other than 3 days a week, work two jobs and attend college as a junior full time while keeping a wife who is 8 months pregnant happy and my 4 year old son clothed and saitiated, as well.

My point in all that is that your lifestyle, diet and exercise output play a huge role in how much you ultimately lose and keep off based off stressors, etc.

[Thorco]

Lost 1 more pound this week down to 263. I should have dropped more but I didn't stay as focused as I needed to be. Time to get back in the zone next week.

[Merriwether]

Good thread.

I thought I'd add a note about weight loss. There's a lot of urban mythology about dieting. Consumer diets that are complicated with respect to the *kinds* of foods you can eat-- Atkins, Pritikin, whatever-- are psuedoscience.

Weight loss is a straightforward matter. You must eat fewer calories than you burn. If you do, you will lose weight. If you don't, you won't. It doesn't matter from where the calories come.

So, for my money, anyway, the easiest way to lose weight is to count calories. Keep an index card around, and note the calories you eat throughout the day. Stop when you get to maintenance - 500. You will lose about a pound a week. That's all there is to it.

Some people might find this too much trouble, or too intimidating. To each his own. I myself prefer this approach to any other, even non-gimmicky routines like Weight Watcher's point system. Counting the calories takes the guess work out planning your meals. You know exactly, or as exactly as possible without your own lab, how much you've eaten during the day. More importantly, you can eat whatever you want. There are no games to play along the lines of "good carbs", "bad carbs", pyramid power, citrus fruits, or whatever.

Furthermore, this system is *guaranteed* to work. If you follow it, you will lose weight. That's it.

As a practical tip to stick to the plan, many people find it helpful to switch to lower density foods to beat cravings. Vegetables, fruits, those Quaker rice cakes, they can all help to keep you feeling satisfied but still burning calories.

If you start dieting for a while, you might find there are some days on which you don't even eat as much as maintenance - 500. Go with it. Drink some cold water to beat the late night cravings, and go to bed.

Exercise can make it easier to diet, too. A two-hundred pound man can burn 1,000 calories in 90 minutes of vigorous cycling. That's a lot of food that is, so to speak, free that day. You can eat a fair amount, and of something you enjoy, and still get in well under the M - 500, or less, for the day.