Anyone in the same situation as me?

[Pheard]

I have the cardio down, I'm getting at least an hour everyday. Some days I'm getting 3+ hours mtbiking. But for some reason I just can't cut down on the hohos and twinkies. I still eat like crap, and I must say, my cardio level is feeling sooo much better but, my weight it basically staying around 193. My weight isn't going anywhere, it's starting to be a little discouraging. After a 3 hour ride, I just want a slice of pizza dammit. I'm trying to think of some ways to reward myself after a ride without binging(for some reason after a long ride, I have an insane appetite). Maybe 2 meals a day I eat healthy, one I just eat how I want. I don't know, but I have to change something.

[mateo44]

Maybe more frequent, but smaller, meals. It's much easier to eat well when you're not starving. Keep the blood sugar levels closer to constant. And, maybe more food while on the bike, too, to keep you from gorging when you get home.

[late]

After our ride today we split a platter of Super Nachos at a local restaurant.
You earned that post ride treat.

Cut out sugar. Eat a good breakfast. Lots
of fruits and veggies.

What kills me is chocolate, I am utterly addicted.

[chinarider]

[QUOTE=Pheard, my cardio level is feeling sooo much better but, my weight it basically staying around 193My weight isn't going anywhere, it's starting to be a little discouraging. [/QUOTE]

Do you clothes fit any different? You may be losing fat & gaining muscle. This will not show up on your scale.

Dan

[EJ123]

Doesn't it take months to add significant muscle-weight? Since he does do an hour plus cardio a day, I'd imagine some pretty high muscle and maybe fat catabolism, which should help him lose weight. Hm. Some may not agree to what I'll say, but instead of increasing intensity perhaps lower the calories just a but since you do not necessarily require as much calories as you did at day 1.

[chadasm]

Small changes...

It sounds like you've tried to change everything at once and that didn't work; it hardly ever does. The next step, in my opinion, is to make small changes one or two at a time. Mateo44 suggested more frequent smaller meals. That is a terrific suggestion. Eating five or six meals a day rather than the "normal" three can greatly increase your metabolism and curve cravings.

Another suggestion is cutting out one thing at a time. But please do not replace it with something just as bad or worse, replace it with something good. Say to yourself no more hohos (or limit yourself to once every week or two weeks). Once you break yourself of the hohos move on to twinkies... It can be a lengthy process, but it is better to do it slowly rather than to not do it at all.

Something else that might be worth a shot: give yourself times to cheat. Let's say you exercise six days a week. Instead of each day trying to stop yourself from eating bad and failing, say, "On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays I'm going to let myself have whatever I want to after I exercise." Then on the other days tell yourself that you are going to be able to eat that twinkie topped pizza hoho tomorrow. After a while cut that down to two days a week and then only one day a week. Making your diet so strict that you can only have a cheat meal less frequently than once a week is only for competitors that every ounce counts, in my opinion.

The key in controlling cheating on your diet is allowing yourself to do it and not feel bad about it. Be reasonable with yourself. Set your goals somewhat low and keep making new ones once you achieve the first.

[kuan]

I'm like that too. I love food way too much.

[cbip]

"I don't know, but I have to change something."
Yes your correct! You need to change your attitude.
First of all it sounds like you know nothing about correct nutrition. Second, why do you need a reward for getting off your butt and excercising! Look I'm not trying to be a smart ass but the attitude you take in life shows up in your physical makeup. Stop saying I cant and start saying I can. Stop eating crap and you wont look like crap, and feel like crap. It is very simple to eat healthy and still eat good food, food that feels like a "reward". The reward is in buying new clothes because your old ones are way too big. The reward is when people tell you how good you look and when you realize how much better you feel because your healthy and fit.
There is nothing anyone can do for you to make you stop with your bad habits. You are going to have to reach that point in your life where you are tired of being tired, overweight, out of shape and make the decision to change your attitude and say " I am going eat good things only, I am going to excercise and be a positive influence on those I meet" until you make that attitude change you will never get anywhere. Except maybe to the next sugar fix.

[DannoXYZ]

Doesn't it take months to add significant muscle-weight? Since he does do an hour plus cardio a day, I'd imagine some pretty high muscle and maybe fat catabolism, which should help him lose weight. Hm. Some may not agree to what I'll say, but instead of increasing intensity perhaps lower the calories just a but since you do not necessarily require as much calories as you did at day 1.Yeah, about 1-2 lb/month is about the maximum you pile on lean muscle-mass. More will most likely be fat.

In Jon's case, he needs to control his hunger. He's ravenous because he's letting his blood-sugar level drop too low. So bring along some energy-bars/gels on the rides. Or energy-drinks. Start taking in 200 cal/hr after the 2nd hour.

Then right when you get home, take in 200-300 calories from an energy-drink or eat a PB&J. Maintaining an even blood-sugar level will prevent the binging from feeling really hungry due to low blood-sugar. Other people have posted drinking a tall glass of water with a spoon of sugar and olive-oil.

Lately, I've noticed I eat to satisfy an oral-fixation of sorts. So now, rather than scarfing down an entire meal, I just nibble on a carrot-stick. One bite at a time, then swirl it around, run track-races with it around my mouth with my tongue. Finally I swallow it. A single carrot stick can entertain me for about an hour, zero fat and low on calories, high on fibre & vitamins. :)

[EJ123]

Yeah, about 1-2 lb/month is about the maximum you pile on lean muscle-mass. More will most likely be fat.


Wow! I never knew the exact amount, but whew that's little:eek:

[Pheard]

Oh, just to let everyone know, I don't actually eat hohos and twinkies, I was just using that as an example for eating terrible. Processed, preservative packed oily treats don't really hit the spot for me.

I think you guys are right. What will happen is I'll pack in some carbs before the ride. A yogurt, some cereal filled with nuts and granola, maybe some wheat toast. I ride, and sometimes we eat some peanut butter sandwiches if the ride is over 2 hours. When I get home, I go crazy. I feel insanely hungry. The other night, I ate an egg on an english muffin, 2 small pieces of pizza, a bananna split, 2 yogurts, and almost a half a gallon of water when I got home from a ride. I have no idea where that appetite came from but it was scaring me. I'll try keeping my metabolism going, eating smaller meals. Slowly one step at a time weeding out bad things. Thanks for the input guys.

[babydee]

I have nothing but the same advice as others have given:

1) more frequent meals - a) you lose the urge to pig out when you are never starving, b) you feed your body the same way it burns energy (gradually), and c) you get protein gradually so you don't store it as fat (and you will if you get it in 2 or 3 huge helpings per day)

2) calories on the bike - so you don't come home dying of hunger, might as well pack an endurance drinkl with carbs/protein/electrolytes in it and you'll kill hunger, thirst, and electrolytes in one shot

3) change in small increments - once you're eating smaller more frequent meals, change a little thing or two every so often (like putting less butter on food, less dressing on salads, drinking less fatty milk, eating leaner meats, etc)

4) eat more protein - if you feed your body small amounts of quality protein throughout the day, you a) get full more quickly than if you got the same amount of calories from carbs (it's true!), b) maintain your muscle mass better, which burns calories, c) burn more calories in the process of digesting your food (you burn 30 calories for every 100 calories of pure food protein you digest)

5) stay very well hydrated - drink lots of water, or sports drink if you're working out, because your body needs it, and many times a lack of fluids is perceived as hunger


Good luck! :)

[EJ123]

I don't know what bread you eat but try something low glycemic like the Ezechiel 4:9 whole grain bread. I haven't found a better bread than that, and it's really high in fiber, and tastes great. You will find it in a refridgerated section if you're curious.

[slynkie]

FWIW, I use sunflower seeds to indulge my hunger/oral fixations. A small handful in the mouth, slowly crack each shell open + eat it, lasts me a while. I'm sure the carrot stick Danno suggested is healthier, but the sunflower seeds are tastier and I don't think they're too unhealthy. Just have to watch you sodium intake..