Training & Nutrition - I give up

i freaking give up.

all this dieting and working out for the last 5 months left me without any desire to continue anymore.

even taking all these tips, changing my diet, working out harder, im still 195. ive been 195 for the last 7 months. nothing has changed. im really sick of this dieting crap. all i want to do now is dive into a family size bucket of fried chicken.

at this point, im willing to take drugs (ephedra) or severely change my diet to drop more weight. its getting pathetic now. i bike and run till i drop dead everday. im more physically active now than all of my 20 years on earth. but with all this working out, i dont have waistline to show for it. its so god damn depressing now.

did i mention i also got fired from my job? what a week to ***** about my weight problems.

Its a bummer about loosing your job. Im there right now, and job-hunting is a drag. Maybe you can use the the time you have now to get some more riding in. Ive just got a cheap daytime ticket at my local pool, so Im doing some serious swimming as well. Dont be too worried about not seeing any fast changes. The quicker it comes off, the quicker it goes back on again. You have to think in terms of a permanent lifestyle change, not an excerise "programme" or a fad.
Be careful about "punishing" yourself with excecise. It shouldnt be some hair-shirt activity. Try to put some fun into riding, go exploring the city or countryside.

Everyone hits plateaus, and you've got to just give it time and don't get discouraged. It took me 3 years to reach my ideal weight, and a full year of that was stuck at a plateau. What made my weight loss successful was making gradual small changes in my life over time, not temporary changes due to dieting. (e.g. switching from regular soda to diet or water, slowly increasing the duration of my bike rides, etc.)

Take it easy for a while, and make those small changes as you're able to, and you'll do great. Remember it's not a race or a short-term goal, so don't get discouraged when it's not going as fast as you think it should.

Best of luck!

Tim

Rather than give up, is it possible you could go to the Y and see a nutritionist (that is, once you've found another job, of course)?

If you're exercising that hard, and you're being strict with your eating, it may be that you're not eating enough- and when your body doesn't get enough food to perform the activities you're asking it to do, it will tend to slow itself down to compensate, which would make it look like you're not losing.

Nutrition is often a delicate balance- too much, and you'll end up gaining fat, and too little, and you just can't burn enough calories to shave off the excess fat. A dietitian/nutritionist can help you to tighten up your eating so you can finally see the changes you've been working towards.

I always advocate calling the local universities and finding out if they have a kinesiology department. Then call the kinesiology department and see if they're doing any studies that you can volunteer to participate in. And check if there are any dietitians or nutritionist students also- they need to interact with so many people in order to get the practical experience to graduate. You can often get these services for free just by volunteering as their local lab rat- and they'll continue to keep you in mind when they have future studies.

If you can, drop me a PM and let's go over everything you eat and everything you do for exercise. Maybe we can figure out what's going on here without having to do all that running around.

Don't give up, and don't reach for the ephedra!

Koffee

Have you seen your doc? he/she can check basic things like thyroid etc.

At 195 lbs. particularly if you have a large frame and are muscular you do not have as far to go as many dieters and shouldn't take as drastic measures.As others have said go with the slow and steady approach.As I recall you spent quite a few months getting up to speed with the aerobics because it was cold out and you didn't like indoor cardio etc.Also your diet as I recall is very low calorie with low fat and relatively low carbs as well which tends to result in alot of binging/cheating and lack of dicipline to stay on the diet.I suggest you up the calories somewhat by balancing out protein/carbs and fats and maintain a high activity level to create at least a 500 calorie deficit and enjoy losing the weight over time.

thanks for the words of encouragement.

ill give it some more. ill try to be more strict with my diet and start keeping track of what i eat.

Well...this is gonna be weird to here but take a long break. Don't worry so much about everything. Take a month and just enjoy life, riding for the sake of riding and eating enjoyable foods. I bet you will find the craving for crappy foods is lower and your enthusiasm to ride will be higher hence loosing more weight. No need to force stuff down. If you haven't felt like you progressed in a year it is probably mental (you could have lost 10 pounds fat and gained 10 pounds muscle. Weight screws with your head you should be measuring bodyfat %) which to me screams out BREAK TIME.

i took a break in the month of december/january. in that time, i gained about 15lbs.

there has to be more than just taking a break from working. it sounds too simple.

you could have lost 10 pounds fat and gained 10 pounds muscle

this is very true.

sometimes you have to give it time man. how tall are you? and what is your build like?

keep it up man, you'll get there!

later

It can get extremely agravating and depressing trying to lose weight and you are stuck at a plateau, and losing a job I understand that part extremely well. Which is a depressing thing to begin with, I agree with the others make sure you don't lose the enjoyment of riding especialy during this time. And you have not gained any weight and stayed at 195 that is a major accomplishment, especialy if you gained 15 back in Dec/Jan. Don't take that so slightly you might be stuck at a plateau but you are maintaining your weight and not gaining any back! How many people can say that after losing any amount of weight?

Forget diets, they don't work.... you get quick results, then nothing, give up, and then boom, you're up there again.....

I am not affiliated with this group - my wife is doing it and has had great results....

especially since you get one FREE DAY a week to eat ANYTHING you want - really!

www.bodyforlife.com


It is a change in mindset, lifestyle, and you eat 6 x a day.....

it works

Quote:
"you could have lost 10 pounds fat and gained 10 pounds muscle"

Quote:
"this is very true."

Actually, it's not. I've posted this before but it was a long time ago. I read once when I was really into bodybuilding that if a bodybuilder can put on 1 lb. of muscle mass in a year, he's doing really good.
Don't get discouraged, it will happen. Just be really honest with yourself on what you eat. No cheating! :)

forget the weight.
Be happy

Originally posted by Dirtgrinder
Quote:
"you could have lost 10 pounds fat and gained 10 pounds muscle"

Quote:
"this is very true."

Actually, it's not. I've posted this before but it was a long time ago. I read once when I was really into bodybuilding that if a bodybuilder can put on 1 lb. of muscle mass in a year, he's doing really good.


Wrong.

While it may be difficult for a fully developed body builder to add additional pounds of muscle, it is most common for someone not fully developed to keep or even lower their body fat percentage and gain 20-30 pounds while lifting weights. Happens all the time.

If their body fat remains the same or lowers, and they gain 20 pounds, it has to be muscle.

Similar to ability to lose fat easily genetics has alot to do with your ability to gain muscle .Even as a hardgainer I have basically done just what Denver said ie gained 20-30 lbs of muscle while lowering bodyfat level.Thing is I did it over a 5 or 6 year period and it involved not missing workouts not missing meals and not missing rest ie consistency.There are many parallels between a hardgainer trying to add muscle and a easygainer trying to cut fat as both are basically fighting against genetics and must do everything right to see any progress and not lapse or their gains(or losses) vanish seemingly overnight.For the longest time I didn't see any results or results were underwhelming but rather than whine or give up I just stuck with it because I enjoyed training and eating healthy and reading up on new training or nutrition ideas .If I keep at it one day maybe I'll be at 195 lbs. at less than 10% bodyfat but I don't really set such goals I am really more interested in enjoying the journey than reaching any specific destination.

Originally posted by Dirtgrinder
Actually, it's not. I've posted this before but it was a long time ago. I read once when I was really into bodybuilding that if a bodybuilder can put on 1 lb. of muscle mass in a year, he's doing really good.

I would disagree here to a point. It is a degrading points system This is the most common (and VERY subjective) growth pattern in bodybuilding. Because of bodybuilders advanced muscular state it is very difficult to continue growing once they are large. This is a natural state of their body.

Year 1 - 10 to 15 pounds (sometimes more for those genetic freaks) is a pretty common growth for dedicated bodybuilders.
Year 2 - 3ish - 7pnds (or around half of year one for these two years)
Year 5 and up is around 2-4 pounds / year

Like I said I don't know if there is any studies but I know this applied to me as well as all of my friends and I did read this in many mags. And to date without any really dedicated training I easily put on 3 pounds of muscle a year for the last 4 years. 1 pounds is very easy to do especially if you are just starting out :)

Obviously there will be a limit to lean muscle at some point that can only be broken through unatural means but 10 pound in a year is hardly impossible.

Originally posted by DnvrFox
Wrong.

While it may be difficult for a fully developed body builder to add additional pounds of muscle, it is most common for someone not fully developed to keep or even lower their body fat percentage and gain 20-30 pounds while lifting weights. Happens all the time.

If their body fat remains the same or lowers, and they gain 20 pounds, it has to be muscle.
Sorry to disagree Dnvr but gaining 20-30 lbs. of muscle would take years. And that's someone who is totally dedicated to it. It may appear to happen all the time, but it's wishful thinking.
It's true that a fully developed bodybuilder would have a harder time adding muscle, but even an undeveloped person can't add it that fast.

"The Colgan Institute of Nutritional Sciences (located in San Diego, CA) run by Dr Michael Colgan PHD, a leading sport nutritionist explains that in his extensive experience, the most muscle gain he or any of his colleagues have recorded over a year was 18 1/4 lbs."

"Frequently, it’s a beginner who testifies to the astounding feat of gaining 30 pounds over a period of several months. This is, no doubt, a great achievement but most have been fooled into believing that a large percentage is muscle when most of it is due to an increase in glycogen stores, body fat and water. "

Sorry to disagree Dnvr but gaining 20-30 lbs. of muscle would take years. And that's someone who is totally dedicated to it. It may appear to happen all the time, but it's wishful thinking.

Okay, I will take back the 20-30. When I read what I posted the next day, I thought "Oh oh" that was just a bit high.

The point I wanted to make is that you CAN gain more than a pound, which is what I was responding to. I do think 10 pounds or a bit more of muscle in a year is quite reasonable for someone who is a beginner.

By your own quote you negate your original statement of 1 pound, which seemed at the time to be remarkably low.

And, from the article which you apparently quoted about the Colgan Institute, we find:

http://www.wannabebig.com/article.php?articleid=68


When it comes to muscle gain there is no dramatic technique or quick fix that will allow you to pack on more muscle naturally. It’s better to stay focused and realistic by training hard, eating meticulously and spending time to recuperate properly; this will result in your achieving a more muscular physique. Keep in mind that it’s physiologically impossible to gain more than one pound of lean muscle per week. For most weight-gainers, .5 pounds per week would be an even more realistic goal as they reach their genetic limit. Remember that gaining muscle is a long-term project and not something that can be simply turned on. If you’re dedicated and diligent in your efforts, you’ll not be disappointed!

One-half pound per week of lean muscle gain, over a 6 month period, would, IMHO, be quite remarkable. But it appears possible.

I think an important point for this discussion is yes 10-15 lbs.of muscle gain the first year and relatively high levels therafter are doable for easygainers but keep in mind these are the same types that will often tend to add along more fat in the process than they would like and then be the first to cry genetics when the fat doesn't come off as easily as they would like .As I said before to fight genetics you have to prioritize this objective do everything right and then be patient trying to ignore those who can drop large amounts of fat in a short period of time.It seems to me killerasp is just getting started doing the necessary aerobics for fat loss and I am not convinced he has a proper diet down yet as it sounds like he tries to cut calories too low and then blows the diet by binging.

I too hadn't thought of the fact that a pro bodybuilder is already pretty maxed out on muscle. I should have thought of that but didn't.
I was just trying to point out the fact that I've heard that so many times about exchanging huge amounts of fat for muscle. It's easy to delude oneself into believing it. My wife has tried to tell me that about myself before, but I know better. :)
Sometimes losing weight is a very hard struggle, especially with age added to the equation. There's just no quick fix.

Dirtgrinder I think you make a good point I think many people underestimate the work needed to add muscle and I have to laugh when hardgainers say the don't want to lift weights because they will get too bulky.However Killerasp apparently just started a weight program last fall/winter(and given some of his amounts I recall him saying he lifted I suspect he has favorably genetics to add muscle) and this spring/summer has upped the cardio significantly(and given his complaints I suspect his genetics are not as favorable here).Just an example to illustrate how Maelstroms point could work say you go through a muscle gain phase prioritizing weights you may gain say 10lbs of muscle along with 4lbs of fat .Then you go through a cutting phase prioritizing aerobics you may lose 10lbs of fat but 4lbs of muscle.So at the end of the combined cycle you have gained 6lbs of muscle and lost 6 lbs of fat. This is the way most bodybuilders trade muscle for fat they don't do both at the same time though the length of the cycles can vary I myself go through fairly short cycles switching between the two frequently (weeks vs. months)but it has taken me quite a while to perfect this it is much easier to focus on one or the other for a more exrended length of time.

killerasp

If you want a diet plan that really works without killing yourself with tons of cardio I recommend you check out this link http://www.physiquetransformation.com/home.htm
I have done this and it works. The first things you will probably need to do is eat more and exercise less. If that sounds appealing check it out. I am not receiving any monitary considerations for this referral. I'm only a satisfied customer.

Helmut

Hmm 5 months and no loss? Also at 195 lbs, I doubt that you are really solid muscle unless you are a pretty big person. One way to do find out is to use your fingers as calipers and pinch places around your body to see how thick your fat layer is. The old addage of pinch an inch at the side of your abdomen at waist level is a good one and it is thickness of an inch not a thin fold that is three inches long (that is just skin with a lil fat). Try the top of the thigh, over the triceps, on your back just below the shoulder blade and the lateral side of the waist. If you are talking a half inch or less at all spots, you are running out of body fat. The simple thing to do then is to borrow or buy some fat calipers and do a skin fold estimation of your percent body fat. Competitive body builders can hit about 5%. Sometimes people claim to hit 0% but that is impossible except in the minds of the ignorent. Cell membranes are mainly fats (phospholipids) and a person with 0% body fat would melt like warm jello. If your body fat is under 10% that might be your problem. Your body is tricking you into not letting yourself get lower. And it probably is not worth the effort anyway.

But maybe you have fat. If so it takes about 70 miles on a bike to burn a lb of fat. Also your pace has a lot to do with it. If you push hard, you burn glycogen. I find when I ride hard, I come home ravenous and gobble up food until I have probably negated the work out. So riding hard is great for gaining conditioning and bad for weight loss. Ride at just above your aerobic threshold. You will burn much more fat at that intensity. Also even then, you are probably only burning about 50% fat and 50% glycogen. So to really lose a lb of fat takes about 140 miles and that is if you don't sabotage yourself in your diet.

I think everyone has a sort of magic method of weight loss and it seems different for everyone. I do great with lots of miles and eating a high carbo low fat diet. Shoot I did 2 weeks in Colorado climbing passes and lost 10 lbs but that was a bit extreme.

A rule of thumb is that you should lose weight at 1 lb per week, otherwise you are doing something too extreme to be a good lifestyle to keep the weight off.

I find weight loss to be really strange. I am coming back from an injury and I gained weight. I was up at 215 and went no where for about 6 weeks and in the last 4 I have supposedly lost 10 lbs but I was noticeably losing fat in various places - with the above "finger caliper" method. So I had to be losing fat all along, my body was just fooling the scales somehow. So try to find alternate methods other then scales to track your progress because otherwise it is mighty easy to get discouraged.

The suggestion of getting your diet reviewed by a nutritionist is a good one. Another thing you could do is get a book with nutritional data listing common foods and their calories, grams of fat, carbo and protein and keep a log of your daily consumption of all three. I taught a class where I gave this assignment to students and many were amazed that things they thought were healthy like salads with dressings were actually sabotaging their diets.

Also losing a job is bad news. Shoot it is so discouraging. And looking for a job is hard mentally. You have my sympathy. I hope you manage to find a new situation.

Hey KA,

Whats the point of your thread? Are you trying to "say" something? Usually, people ask for help or information in internet forums.

In case you have forgotten, bicycling is a great way to keep yourself in good condition. Maybe if you would just take the time to relax and enjoy riding a bicycle you'll feel better.

I feel sorry for people who believe that "dieting" has to be a way of life. Normally, life itself should present enough "interests" to relegate food to a backseat. But when that doesn't work, an activity like bicycling can substitute for "food addiction" and in many cases provide a "healthy wake-up call" for those to dim notice.

Originally posted by Richard Cranium
Hey KA,

Whats the point of your thread? Are you trying to "say" something? Usually, people ask for help or information in internet forums.



Judging from the two pages of replies I think you might have missed something in your quest for a mean spirited post.


Originally posted by Richard Cranium
Hey KA,

I feel sorry for people who believe that "dieting" has to be a way of life. Normally, life itself should present enough "interests" to relegate food to a backseat. But when that doesn't work, an activity like bicycling can substitute for "food addiction" and in many cases provide a "healthy wake-up call" for those to dim notice.



Who are you quoting, yourself? :rolleyes:

Anyway, to the original problem:

I would suggest a break as well. Let your body bounce back as it seems your body can function on what you are putting into it, and taking out of it, energy wise. I have heard that in situations like this your body essentially thinks you are starving it, so it uses all the energy you put into it and stores it for later use, like when you run and ride. I'm not sure if its true, but it sounds good.

I had the same problem this spring and was stuck at 200 lbs for what seem like years (only a couple months though). I stopped watching everything I ate, and exercised a lot less for about three weeks. My weight did pop up to 207 but after I restarted my routine I was down to 188 in the matter of a six weeks, and yes, that was six weeks ago.

Hope this helps,

ehenz

Part of your lack of desire to excersiceand wnating to give up is most likely related to the depression that pairs itself with being unemployed. Maintain your current training schedule. Excercise releases endorphines that can counteract some of the depression, and you need to be sharp when you start getting those interviews!

Good luck... we're all pushing for you!:beer:

Hey everyone. Thanks for the replies.

Im still working out everyday whenever i wake up. Now that im not working, i just dont feel like getting up at 8:30 just to workout. Whenever i naturally wake up, ill get up and work out.

Even though im still working out, i dont feel that my "depression" has gone away in any sense. I forget about when im out, but when i get home, it just sinks in again.

I was the same way last year. Lost the job, but I had a decent buyout so I didn't have to work right away. But the feeling of inadequacy doesn't just go away that easy. I mostly run, and i kept it up, but the intensity and quantity dropped significantly. I got an offer after two months of looking, and I got a "second wind", as they say.

Keep trudging through this, because there is a light at the end of the tunnel. When you get there, though, you don't want to be starting from scratch. Keep up the training. The results will be positive, and that could only translate to improved confidence in you job search.

There are a number of us on the forums that have lost a job, either by the economy, our own fault, or any number of reaons. It definitly isn't easy, but you can probably sense that we've all gotten through it. You will also get through it. People with goals and a competitive spirit always succeed. Your turn is next!

I hope that your life turns for the best. Hang in there, I realize its not easy. I have been where you are in the past. Was without a steady job for over a year, and gained a lot of weight. I stand 5'8" and I gained over 60 lbs, I went to a 44 plus waist, weighed in at 210.

If you saw me today, you would never buy my story, but its true. I can remember going to the big & tall shops, kinda gives me the eby gibbys anytime I pass by that section, superstition you know. I can always sympathize & emphatize since I know how it is.

I guess that probably explains my tendency to overtrain. I am always concern when I need to take down time to rest, or nurse an injury. Plain & simple, I love food, its a passion.

I have read all of these threads, and there has been a lot of good information written. The only thing that I did do when I lost my weight, was I just cut out anything that wasn't nutrionally healthy, no sugars,or any junk. I found that I am a sugar junkie, or sugarholic. Folks always tell me, you need to at least satiate your appetite or else you will go over the edge. Well for me, that isn't true, I just cannot have a little. I use fruits as my crutch, and it works well, for over 10 years.

Good Luck

You might be working out too hard. At a certain point, your body starts storing more energy. All you need to do, is work out at a moderate pace. Get on the bike, ride just fast enough to start to get winded. Dont allow yourself to. Keep that level of activity for 45 minutes. If you do that 4 or 5 times a week, you will lose fat. I usually put it one more intense day, to help increase my stamina. The Atkins diet is a great way to lose, without feeling like you are hungry all the time. Just dont over do the rides. You dont have enough carbs in you for super hard rides. Once again,,, all they have to be is moderate. You don't have to kill yourself. Working out is very enjoyable, if you are working at the right pace.