Training & Nutrition - Cutting weight.

I really really want to cut some weight. Just a week ago I was 195 and today I weigh in at 187. I really honestly can't figure out why I've lost any weight, I've had maybe 1-2 days a week doing some stuff of a phyical nature, but not much. I'm thinking maybe some water loss, my muscles are looking more defined when I flex in the mirror...err I mean I never do tha.... yea.

But anyways I really want to cut down to 165, maybe 170. First of all, everyone I tell this too thinks I'm crazy and there is no way I can healthily be at that weight. If pics are needed I can supply, I'm not really overweight. I just wanted to know some practical weighs to cut. But thing is here's some factors.

-I can only eat what I have, no financial support to have specific things(portion control? suggestions?)
-Cardio plans? I'd like to have jogging added in with my cycling. (tips for cardio? upping intensities?)

Suggestions, comments, whatever?

Kay thanks.

Eat less, and more frequent? Having a food log helps, at least it helped me. If you don't want to loose muscle mass hit a gym.

What is your height? For any meaningful discussion of your weight, knowing your height would be helpful.

I'm 5' 10' & 46 years old. Haven't exercised regularly in 17 years. In February, I weighed 192. Got pneumonia and lost six pounds. Managed to recuperate and keep the weight off. Definitely was not fit.

Fast forward to this July, at annual physical my doctor "spanks" me over my cholesterol. He's an avid cyclist. I take heed, dust off my old road bike and get to work. Spent most of the time with high cadence riding, just now adding bigger gears and steep climbs.

I completely cut out fast and fried food. Ate more veggies/fruit. The rest of my diet remains about the same (except for the volume).

Nearly two months later, I've lost 8 more pounds.

I'm 6'1''. Wide chest and hips. 20 years old.

I'm 6'1''. Wide chest and hips. 20 years old.

It depends on your body type. I'm 6'2" and currently at 165 pounds.

My tips for taking off more weight:

1) Longer rides are better than shorter ones
2) Recovery nutrition is really important to moderate appetite after eating.
3) Don't try to lose quickly. No more than a pound a month.

I think Eric means a pound a week.

I am also 6'2" and weigh typically between 165-167. But if you're worried about flexing in the mirror, I'm not your answer. When I flex in the mirror all I see is the wall behind my missing upper body muscle. So, you also need to define whether or not having that upper body means anything to you.

I race in Japan where going up hill is always an issue, so I let the upper body almost completely atrophy in my weight loss mission.

Count calories, count calories, count calories. I just posted this in a different forum on weight loss and will repost here because well.. I think it was a pretty good post on weight loss.


You should plan on that weight loss taking up to a year or more (less for your 30 pounds than the 60 the other guy wanted to lose). A healthy and sustainable weight loss is roughly 1 lb per week. Initially you'll probably see pretty quick weight loss, then a plateau, and then another drop. Don't sweat this, and just keep doing what you know is right.

What you know is right is that calories in minus calories out is your key to losing weight. This means counting calories down to the gnats rear end and just make it a habit. Find a computer program that will help you out with a good size food database to make manual entry less a hassle. In two or three weeks of doing it, you'll find it becomes a habit and it is much easier to keep track of. You'll also find it easier to look at a portion of food and have an idea of the calories it contains and be able to consider whether or not you should be eating it or how it affects your daily caloric needs.

To lose 1 lb per week, you need to have a calorie deficit of 3500 calories, so about 500 calories per day. The great thing is, your cycling returns to you some of that deficit. If you're doing 15 miles, you're burning probably around 400-600 calories, depending on your pace. There are tons of calculators that will tell you what calories you're burning while cycling. Without a powermeter for accuracy, you could use a number from 35 to 40 calories per mile cycled and be pretty spot on.

You also need to have an idea of what your daily caloric burn is - aside from any time on the bike. The closest thing I've used that compares to my measured resting metabolic rate is the calculator here:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/calrmr.htm

If you know your % body fat, it is pretty accurate, otherwise it tends to calculate a bit on the low side for me. (all numbers without body fat show 1800ish cal/day, with known body fat it's 2200ish. I was recently measured at 2052, so that's the rough number I use)

Finally, weigh yourself daily and keep track, but don't get wrapped up around day to day weight changes. Remember that how much you drink/eat at times of day changes your morning weight. If I drink a gallon of water at 9pm, I'm going to be heavier the next morning even though I won't have actually consumed calories. Watch your weight trend week to week.

There are tons of web sites to help you track your weight and calories. The one that seems to get a lot of attention right now is fitday.com.

How about this as a weight loss strategy? Stabilize your weight first with 1/2 hour of exercise a day. Then start increasing aerobic exercise?

There are tons of web sites to help you track your weight and calories. The one that seems to get a lot of attention right now is fitday.com.

Was just checkin this out and it seems like the estimates for how many calories are burned just living seem way out of line. This is putting me at over 3300/day just for living (and that's with entering seated work, some movement). The BMR seems about right, at 2050 for me (~195 lbs), but the lifestyle is outrageous (1300). Add in the 25 miles I generally commute and that's over 4500 cals on a weekday. Around 6000 on a weekend with a longer ride. There is no way I am eating more than 3000/day and I seriously doubt I am losing nearly a half pound/day.

^^^^ first you must enter sleep as an activity. it will decrease the estimated daily burn as one burns less while sleeping. do this plus select the sedentary lifestyle/work and the number should be more accurate. in the end the numbers are just estimates, but they can be helpful. i dropped 70 pounds in 2006using fitday as my log and main tool. later.

^^^^ first you must enter sleep as an activity. it will decrease the estimated daily burn as one burns less while sleeping. do this plus select the sedentary lifestyle/work and the number should be more accurate. in the end the numbers are just estimates, but they can be helpful. i dropped 70 pounds in 2006using fitday as my log and main tool. later.

Yep. It was over estimating mine too, even with sedentary lifestyle. Once I started to put in sleep it became more reasonable. Also at least for fitday for cycling it over estimates your calories. So if you averaged 18 over two hours pick 14-16mph. It would be closer to what you actually burned.

eat less

ride more

get lots of sleep, and try to reduce stress

http://www.boloji.com/wfs3/wfs386.htm

Eat less, at any one time. Weigh yourself five times a day until you learn the how much your weight changes due to fluid retention. Then you'll realize your 195 and 187 readings were really the same weight.