Training & Nutrition - With me, it all starts with exercise

This weekend I really blew it as far as my diet. And, it also seems that the more I pig out, the more I want to pig out.

The only thing that gets me back on track is exercise. When I feel the burn, it feels good both then and afterwards. My whole focus changes to wanting to maintain that feeling and my eating habits change as a result. Exercise gets me on track.

Watching my diet alone does little but make me feel like I want to eat. It doesn't get me feeling that I want to exercise. In other words, it doesn't get me on track.

Exercise is the core of my fitness/weight loss. All good things seem to fall in line when I do it. Nothing seems to stick without it.

"Ride to eat", I say.

I used to have the worst eating habits and greasy foods were a particular favorite. Due to cycling I can't really bring myself to eat it anymore as jsu the thought of sweating that out makes me shudder.

I do agree with you Keith. But for me, no matter how much I exercize (and I average 10 to 14 hours a week), I always have to regulate my diet in order to take weight off or keep it off. It ain't fair, but that's how some of us are built!

I do as well, but my problem is that I don't do a good job regulating my food intake unless I exercise. :) It took me 54 years to figure myself out. :eek:

KiethA - that's not that unusual. I think that's true with most people. The Weight Loss Registry (of people who have lost and kept off an average of 60 pounds) shows that huge numbers of people, something like 85 - 95%, exercised along with diet in order to lose weight almost all of them report that they exercise to maintain the weight loss. I think that's how people are built.

I have seen people who have lost weight through diet alone and they almost always look rather unhealthy.

I know that endorphins first thing in the morning help me reach for healthier foods. And, when I've had a particularly difficult workout, I think 'I've worked too hard to be undone by garbage."

Sandy

Over the past couple of years, I've slowly given up unhealthy things in my diet. Sugared colas changed to diet colas changed to water. Potato chips and chips/salsa slowly went away. If they aren't in the house, I can't eat them. Fast food, french fries, most fried foods; I just don't cook them anymore. Replaced a lot of red meat with fish or gardenburgers and portobello mushrooms. Eat a lot more vegetables. Go slow carbs; stay away from quick carbs. Less beer, more wine/scotch.

I eat either plain Cheerios or oatmeal with raisins in the morning. A good breakfast is key; keeps you energized till lunch and you don't feel like pigging out at lunch. Then a good bike ride in the afternoon and I'm tired and don't feel liking pigging out at supper.

Right on, guys!!!

BBattle, what you say inspired me to eat a healthy fruit and grain breakfast this morning.

It was hard for me yesterday to even start exercising again. I had to force myself to his some weights and start a bike ride, but, after doing it, I felt back to normal.

I really think that eating cruddy foods begets eating more cruddy foods. It becomes almost habitual right away. I don't want to be in that cycle (no pun intended) ever again.

I fell off Sandy's 20 pounds by New Year's thing, but had already lost 12, so, even if I don't go down this Friday's weigh in, I'm still well on track.

KeithA - not fallen off, perhaps just bumped over a bit. You're doing so well. Keep going.

There is a lot to "eating cruddy foods begets eating more cruddy foods." I have felt this in many ways; most dramatically last year when I did an experiment with cutting sugar out of my diet. I don't eat a lot of sugar, but I cut out everything including dried fruits and higher sugar fruits such as bananas and pineapple. For five days I had intense cravings and even what felt like a hangover headache. After five days, all the cravings were gone and I felt strong as steel in my resolve. I have added the fruits back and treats, but now I notice whenever I overdo it (by having seconds or thirds with ice cream or cake) it always follows with five days where my body does not feel like it's my own. The body is pretty amazing.

I agree that grains for breakfast provide great energy. McCann's steel cut oatmeal with raisins (cardamom and cinnamon) and a grated apple is my favorite.

Sandy

In a way, it was good for me, Sandy. I feel rededicated toward the task at hand. Falling off the wagon, so to speak, has me focused clearly on long term goals again, rather than succumbing to short term indulgences.