So I have never really counted calories until this last week. I now know that habit is I will eat 1800ish calories on a regular day basis. I'm 22, male, weigh 230 lbs and 6' tall. Now after searching and doing the calculations it is recommended that I consume 2300 calories a day.
Heres my regular eating schedule:
8 AM-Oatmeal, raisins and milk---------350 cal
10AM-Granola Bar---------------------100 cal
12PM-Fish, Turkey, or PB&J------------400 cal
Add baked chips to the above----------250cal
3 PM-Granola bar----------------------100cal
6PM-Dinner(Pasta or soups)------------600 cal
total=1800 cal
Now I have eaten this way for a few months after I gave up being vegetarian and went on to eat fish and poultry. I ride my bike to school 3 days a week and to run whatever errands. I average only 40 miles a week, but its much better than being inactive and driving everywhere.
I have seen about a 10lbs loss from 240lbs in Fall 07 to now...what am I doing wrong?
I'm going to see what reducing my intake to 1400 calories a day will do. I realize I am not getting enough protein so I'm also adding a protein shake a day. After passing a kidney stone I dropped soda off the list.
Mazama
03-28-08, 02:46 PM
Remember, that muscle weighs more than fat. You are converting your body. I have ridden 8,000 miles with no weight loss, but I have substantial muscle gains in my legs.
It's not always about weight, but how healthy you are. You may weigh the same but your cardiovascular capacity and muscles have improved! Keep chugging along.
I do not recommend you dropping to 1400 calories. You need fuel to burn, otherwise you end up burning muscle.
Ray Dockrey
03-28-08, 02:52 PM
There seems to be a lot of carbs in that meal plan.
TrumpetMurph
03-28-08, 02:53 PM
Another thing-- Your body will go through phases where it will drop the weight, and plateau for a while, and drop weight, and plateau again. Your body has to play "Catch Up" to your lifestyle changes (I don't know much about all the physiology of it) and my understanding is that basically over time it has learned to function on the 1800 calories/day you're giving it. Keep after it, and the weight will start dropping again. (Any scientific types out there know anything official about this?)
Tom Stormcrowe
03-28-08, 03:35 PM
It's called adaptation syndrome. ;) Your body takes this as a norm. Make a switch for a week or 2 to circuit training or cross training to break through the plateau. You might also bump the calories UP a little for a bit, since your body is likely in famine mode and conserving body fat by slowing down your metabolism. It's a holdover from prehistory when we were hunter-gatherers and more subject to shortages, etc.
I'd really lean toward a period of either short, VERY high intensity circuit training. Look at Periodization of your training as well.
Another thing-- Your body will go through phases where it will drop the weight, and plateau for a while, and drop weight, and plateau again. Your body has to play "Catch Up" to your lifestyle changes (I don't know much about all the physiology of it) and my understanding is that basically over time it has learned to function on the 1800 calories/day you're giving it. Keep after it, and the weight will start dropping again. (Any scientific types out there know anything official about this?)
CastIron
03-28-08, 03:54 PM
I'd look very carefully at calories you're not counting: drinks and nibbles.
Next, you don't mention what you're doing to exercise beyond 40 miles a week of commuting. Generally, for weight loss you need to be pushing 1-2 hours daily of vigorous exercise.
Lastly, up your raw fruit and vegetable intake and scale back on the pasta and white starch foods. Those are pretty much human rocket fuel.
JosephPaul86
03-28-08, 04:21 PM
Thanks for the input everyone.
My current routine is 3 times a week do ab work outs, push ups, and dumbbell arm exercises. These are the days that I am not riding my bike and stay home. For drinks I have regular tap water and a glass of milk. Sometimes I'll throw a V8 in the lunch but rarely.
deraltekluge
03-28-08, 04:57 PM
I have seen about a 10lbs loss from 240lbs in Fall 07 to now...what am I doing wrong?I'd say that you're doing fine. You're probably getting all the protein you need with the fish, turkey, and peanut butter. You really don't need very much. How much do you want to lose and how fast do you want to lose it? Reducing your intake by 250 calories a day without changing anything else should cause you to lose about a half a pound more a week, on the average. A loss of 10 pounds since last fall is about a half a pound a week, so cutting by another 250 calories should about double your rate of loss. You shouldn't try for a crash loss...slow and steady works best, and you're more likely to be able maintain your weight when you decide you've lost enough.
wrk101
03-28-08, 06:39 PM
Be sure to measure serving size, if not, you could be mistaken on calorie count. My wife and I split a lean cuisine skillet sensation. Very tasty. I went back for a second serving. None left. Looked at the box, it was (gulp) FOUR servings!!
If your system can tolerate olestra, I would drop the 250 calorie baked chips for 70 calorie fat free pringles. Even if you eat more than one serving (say double it), you are still well ahead calorie wise.
I tend to eat for bulk, so if I can get the same bulk with fewer calories, I am ahead of the game.
racethenation
03-28-08, 06:52 PM
There seems to be a lot of carbs in that meal plan.
+1 If I ate that many carbs in a day, I would be gaining weight. In my opinion, you need some fresh fruits and vegetables in that diet. If your concerned about the calories, try foods like steamed broccoli. It has very little calories and lots of fiber. I also have eaten a lot of bananas since I started exercising and losing weight. They have as many carbs as the average person needs and lots of other vitamins and minerals that the breads do not have.
Personally I have never been able to count total calories. I instead look for ways that I can trim calories and still feel as full or fuller and get more nutrients. Things like replacing ice cream with yogurt, sweet tea with water with a little lime juice, and southern style green beans with broccoli, have gone a long weigh toward shaving about 500 calories a day off of my diet. In this way it does not feel like a diet, because I am still eating what I want to, and I am not stressing over it. This combined with getting off of the couch and onto my bike at least three days a week, have helped me to lose 35 pounds since January 1.
ronjon10
03-28-08, 07:03 PM
Green leafy vegetables the best way to get bulk with low calories. You can eat a whole bag (6 or 9 ounces) of spinach for under 100 calories. At that rate, you can get a decent dressing for it and keep it under 300 calories. Of course, it's also got tons of nutrients that really make your system go (in more ways than one for a while :) )
JosephPaul86
03-28-08, 08:29 PM
Alright...I'm going on a grocery run(that and I am out of TP!!!)
I admit I have cut veggies out of my diet a lot. I always manage to have some baked potatoes. :D
I wish there was an instruction manual for my specific dietary needs.
CastIron
03-28-08, 08:42 PM
Fresh veggies. Watch what you coat them with--carefully.
John5.0
03-29-08, 05:23 AM
WATER!
1 cup of water for every 15 pounds you weight...everyday!
I have found this year that the more water I drink the more weight I loose.
254 on 1/1/08 and now at 226.
I have also cut the carb intake way down.
And I have rode or spun for about 1200 miles to date
TOSRV and Tour de Cure are great motivators!
Plus buying a new bike doesn't hurt.
dayrun
03-29-08, 03:33 PM
There's no fresh fruit or vegetables in your diet- at all. That's not good to be sure. Maybe get yourself a Power Juicer at least so you get the recommended servings of fresh fruit and vegetables.:)
ronjon10
03-29-08, 04:20 PM
There's no fresh fruit or vegetables in your diet- at all. That's not good to be sure. Maybe get yourself a Power Juicer at least so you get the recommended servings of fresh fruit and vegetables.:)
Better off to get a blender if you want to go that route. Blend up fruit and leafy green vegetables. You get all the fiber and nutrients from the veggies, and all the sweetness and good taste of the fruit. With juicers you waste the good fiber which is both filling and good for you.
Spake Blencer
03-29-08, 05:39 PM
Hey JosephPaul86 Good for you for sticking with the routine and not straying too far. You and I seem to be in the same boat. I'm 23 y/o, 6ft. #230, and vegetarian. My weight has gone up and down over the past 8 years. I know that I eat healthy foods (nothing processed, lots of whole grains, lots of veggies and fruits, lots of water +1 John5.0 for that) but i just eat too much of it.
Some of the most successful weight loss I've had has been through weight watchers' points plan back in high school. I stopped doing that because i hated counting everything I ate). However, some of the best things i learned from that time was: Eat small ammounts of food very often (like you're doing, approx every 1-2 hours), water and (most) veggies don't have enough calories to outweigh the good they provide you through nutirents and fiber... FIBER IS AWESOME.. it's not just for grandma anymore. the more fiber you can fit into your diet, the more full you will feel. Apples are the classic example, 100cal per, and it keeps you full. I have some great granola bars from Fiber One. They have nine grams of fiber in them, four grams of fat, taste great and have about 150 calories per bar.
so great job dude, keep on it. if you can't fit much more exercise time in there, try to work a little harder on your way back from school and errands. (I commuted to school as much as i could by bike as well) showing up to class soaking wet is no good, but maybe start timing yourself on the trip back home, and work at chiseling away that number.
Speaking of food, i have to go eat. but good work man, keep it up. If you want to talk about more day to day strategies, etc. my mailbox is always open
Peace & Wheels, keep it up!
tssa
04-01-08, 02:26 PM
You've got tons of great advice from others about what you can do to your diet that might help out (green leafy veggies, fruits, less carbs), but one thing I would suggest is starting a food journal. My fiance and I each started journals and at the end of the day we look through them together. It just helps keep you honest; I used to think I ate healthy and I did for the meals, but when you look at all the junk that I snacked on during the day it really added up.
It's not for everyone, but it can definitely be a motivator.
And also 10lbs is nothing to sneeze at, it may not be your ideal weight but you're definitely on your way there and are doing the right things. Good luck and keep up all the hard work!
RoaringMad Mac
04-01-08, 02:37 PM
Absolutely the correct answer.
Plus, a few others were right on the money also.
There are some things about your diet that could be cleaned up on a whole. When everyone talks about eating green leafy vegtables or at least vegtables that is a good point. Vegtables are very bulky and fiberous that helps regulate your digestion.
What Tom stated is a very well known fact that bodybuilders have used for years. In our circle of bodybuilding and Powerlifting we call it carb cycling. You use High days of carbs then a go 4 or so days low carb then carb back up.
The problem here is you are doing an exercise that takes so much energy that it would make sense to stay relatively low carb high protein and moderate fat. This way your body will convert fat cells after a prolonged time to use as fuel for energy.
Plenty of water
Green vegtables
Lean Proteins
good fats
complex carbs.
These are the essentials.
I am just adding to what already has been said here.
It's called adaptation syndrome. ;) Your body takes this as a norm. Make a switch for a week or 2 to circuit training or cross training to break through the plateau. You might also bump the calories UP a little for a bit, since your body is likely in famine mode and conserving body fat by slowing down your metabolism. It's a holdover from prehistory when we were hunter-gatherers and more subject to shortages, etc.
I'd really lean toward a period of either short, VERY high intensity circuit training. Look at Periodization of your training as well.
I agree with the others. Get rid of some of the pasta and replace it with a bunch of veggies and some fruit. I'd also mix the carbs and proteins together instead of one at a time. It's also beneficial to time your eating around your work out. Take is a little carbs an hour or two before you exercise. Take in some carbs and protein right after you exercise. Then just maintain the rest of the day.
RoaringMad Mac
04-01-08, 03:06 PM
I agree with the others. Get rid of some of the pasta and replace it with a bunch of veggies and some fruit. I'd also mix the carbs and proteins together instead of one at a time. It's also beneficial to time your eating around your work out. Take is a little carbs an hour or two before you exercise. Take in some carbs and protein right after you exercise. Then just maintain the rest of the day.
Awesome reply, Mixing Carbs and Protein is an excellent way to keep your blood sugar levels nice and level.
It is called Linking and balancing.
The basic rule for L & B is always eat a lean protein with a complex carb.
ludeboy_77
04-01-08, 03:48 PM
Everyone else here has had great advice and I follow a diet plan similar to the OP and loose an average of 3 lbs a week, but it is not steady, some weeks there is no loss, other weeks it acts like it is falling off by the buckets, but overall it averages. Exercise helps alot, and even a one day slip up, like over-eating at a party will set me back quite a bit so I try to stay on track everyday.
You should also get a physical if it has been more than a year to make sure everything is ok. I only started to lose weight after I got the go-ahead from the doctor. Plus my doctor places my history on the computer and compare my vitals to years before, it is a good motivator.
jimbobborg
04-02-08, 08:31 AM
Thanks for the input everyone.
My current routine is 3 times a week do ab work outs, push ups, and dumbbell arm exercises.
:eek: If you really want to lose weight without looking like a twig, get a real routine. You're just working your "mirror muscles." Drop the "arm exercises." Try this:
Pushups
Pull ups
Body Weight Rows
Dumb bell shoulder presses
Planks
Side Bridges
Also, don't drop your calories below 2000, that's just asking for problems.
Jim
RoaringMad Mac
04-02-08, 09:39 AM
Well to be perfectly honest one of the best all time programs to do is doing compound movements: Whether or not you are cycling or training for what ever sport if you add in Compound movements like:
Deadlifts
Squats
Bench press
Military Press
These basic lifts will do more for you than simple isolation exercises.
They use more muscle and in turn burn more calories.
I would suggest that if a person starts this they limit their sets to 3 and stay in a rep range of 10 to 12.
Like Jim said above these are considered compound also. Anything that uses more than one muscle group at a time.
lil brown bat
04-02-08, 11:24 AM
+1 for compound movements! My trainer got me onto exercises for functional strength, which included squats, lunges, bench press, and a variety of others that are centered on the core but that bring multiple muscle groups into play in a way that develops functional strength for activities. You can spend a lot of time on little wristy exercises and not have much to show for it.
I'd also say that unless you're pretty hardcore, you probably don't want to consider your strength training as a calorie-burning workout. Sure, it burns some -- and it can burn a lot depending on who you are and how you do it -- but the goal is to develop strength. If calorie-burning is the goal, there are more efficient ways to do it.
RoaringMad Mac
04-02-08, 11:45 AM
It is kinda the whole sum of one in a manner of speaking. Strength training helps so much even when it comes to aerobic activity. Strengthening of major muscle groups and actually gaining muscle size makes you manage calories that much better.
In other words having more muscle mass enables your body to manage your metabolism much better. There are all sort of sports that gain from doing basic compound movements including cycling.
JosephPaul86
04-02-08, 04:40 PM
Thanks for all the advice everyone. I went shopping with my friend(a nutrition freak) and she pointed out the benefits of Beans;fiber, protein...both filling and delicious. So I've added veggies and beans to the diet and cut back on so much bread and pasta. I'm not going to crunch numberd till I get used to this dietary change to make sure I am getting enough.