Training & Nutrition - Food intake - weight gain? cleansing teas?

Been watching my calorie intake lately and noticed a weight drop (lost roughly 16 lbs over the last six months - 228 to 212). Been laying off the crap and it's paid off. Couple of questions...

- Regarding general metabolism... if you take in 3000 calories in a day and only burn 2000 of them, where does the extra 1000 calories go? Out your backside or to fat deposits? Bit of each?

- Regarding cleansing teas... if you have a large meal and drink one of these teas which seem to loosen things up, will your body have less of a chance to absorb nutrients since your tea has put your food on the fast tract?

- I read a note someone wrote about a riders target weight being two lbs per inch of height. Is that realistic? That puts my target weight at 168lbs which seems pretty thin as I am big boned.

Appreciate any input!

somegeek

Congrats on the weight loss.

That thing you're saying about the cleansing teas sounds a lot like what bulemics do - binge & purge via laxative abuse. Not healthy.

If you eat more calories than you burn it turns into fat or muscle (if you are working out... not really sure how the body decides). It doesn't just leave through the back door later - if it did, no one would be fat.

Been watching my calorie intake lately and noticed a weight drop (lost roughly 16 lbs over the last six months - 228 to 212). Been laying off the crap and it's paid off.

Great job, congrats! :thumb:


- Regarding general metabolism... if you take in 3000 calories in a day and only burn 2000 of them, where does the extra 1000 calories go? Out your backside or to fat deposits? Bit of each?

Well, it will turn into added weight...how that is distributed varies between people. For a weight-lifter it might turn into muscle.


- Regarding cleansing teas... if you have a large meal and drink one of these teas which seem to loosen things up, will your body have less of a chance to absorb nutrients since your tea has put your food on the fast tract?

Nutrient absorption takes place in the stomach; laxatives act on your colon. They might cause you to temporarily lose water weight, but that's it. Note that some people with eating disorders abuse laxatives.


- I read a note someone wrote about a riders target weight being two lbs per inch of height. Is that realistic? That puts my target weight at 168lbs which seems pretty thin as I am big boned.

You're 7' tall?

I think you are probably better off using the BMI (not perfect, but a better measure). If you google "BMI calculator" you'll find plenty you can type in your height and weight.

Woah - my math was off... 6'5"... 154lbs rather.

No eating disorders here... just curious regarding those teas that clear you out. :)

Thanks for the replies. Will check out the calcs.

Edit - guess I am close... # Normal weight = 18.5-24.9 - my BMI - 25.1
That 2lbs per inch is close to the minimum... minimum normal range BMI is 156lbs for a BMI of 18.5.

The 2 lbs per inch is a typical weight for pro climbers. For most people, it's not realistic.

I think you are probably better off using the BMI (not perfect, but a better measure). If you google "BMI calculator" you'll find plenty you can type in your height and weight.

BMI is a HORRIBLE measure. IIRC, it was designed for statistical calculations in large populations, not for individuals. It is notoriously skewed when using it with athletic people. Body fat % would be a better measure to use but even that has its faults.

BMI is a HORRIBLE measure. IIRC, it was designed for statistical calculations in large populations, not for individuals. It is notoriously skewed when using it with athletic people. Body fat % would be a better measure to use but even that has its faults.

I think it is a reasonable starting point for someone overweight trying to lose weight and looking for a goal weight. I agree it's not accurate especially for very athletic people, but it is more realistic than the 2x height measurement.

Body fat is great but the only real way to measure it accurately is with a water tank and very few have access to that setup.

Btw the BMI has me as slightly underweight. I would be severely underweight by the 2x height measurement.

If you're going to take any kind of tea, try what is offered at Chinese restaurants that serve Dim Sum for lunch. In Cantonese its sounds like Boy Nay Cha. In Mandarin it sounds like Pu-erh Cha.

It works to break up saturated fats and thereby help lower cholesterol. Chinese Dim Sum has some meat in it and therefore is on the saturated fat side of the equation.

Not all Chinese Dim Sum restaurants serve Boy Nay Cha. The one's in Chinatown usually serve it and the waiter will ask what kind of tea you would like.

- I read a note someone wrote about a riders target weight being two lbs per inch of height. Is that realistic? That puts my target weight at 168lbs which seems pretty thin as I am big boned.

somegeek

I'm 6'2" (74"), which would put me at 148 pounds. I'm really, really thin in the low 160s, so I think this is far too low.

Rather than ingesting a cleansing tea, try increasing your fiber intake. Fruits and veggies fill you up without a lot of extra calories and the fiber makes everything move through quickly.

Nutrient absorption takes place in the stomach; laxatives act on your colon. They might cause you to temporarily lose water weight, but that's it. Note that some people with eating disorders abuse laxatives.


Actually, there is almost no nutrient absorption happening in the stomach. Most of it occurs the brush border of the small intestine. The stomach serves to break down foods into smaller units so they can be worked on by chemicals in the small intestine. The large intestine serves to reabsorb water and some minerals.

Depending on the laxitives, they will work on certain parts of the intestine: Stimulant laxatives work on the intestinal wall; hyperosmotic laxatives work by drawing fluid into the large intestine; some osmotic laxitives tend to reach the large intestine unchanged and thus draw water into the large intestine.

weight=2x height is the "ideal" climbing weight, based on a statistical sample of the best climbers, and it is probably not practical for all people or body types. Note that 2xheight is linear while BMI is not, because the weight is scaled by the square of the height, so the taller you are the lower your BMI would be. For me, 5'9" = 138, which is a BMI of 20.4, normal. For someone 6'3" = 150, which is a BMI of 18.7.

weight=2x height is the "ideal" climbing weight, based on a statistical sample of the best climbers, and it is probably not practical for all people or body types. Note that 2xheight is linear while BMI is not, because the weight is scaled by the square of the height, so the taller you are the lower your BMI would be. For me, 5'9" = 138, which is a BMI of 20.4, normal. For someone 6'3" = 150, which is a BMI of 18.7.

To add:

Everyone has a lean weight, which approximates to that measurement (at least for me, it did). Lean weight is your weight at the lowest allowable body fat. This would be good for pro cilmbers who need to shave all the weight that they can, but I've noticed that when I dropped too much weight, I can't think as well, I'm not as energetic and I looked like crap (being lean is one thing, but being skinny as a f*** is another).

being lean is one thing, but being skinny as a f*** is another.

I got scolded by a moderator for using asterisks like that. Since you are a mod, I think you should apply some consistency in the rules. Just sayin'.

I'm 5'4", and 2x height would put me at 128 lbs (BMI 22), which would be pretty heavy for me (I'm at a BMI of 18). I really think this measurement only works for a very limited range of heights.

I'm 5'4", and 2x height would put me at 128 lbs (BMI 22), which would be pretty heavy for me (I'm at a BMI of 18). I really think this measurement only works for a very limited range of heights.

That's my point. As with MHR = 220 - age, it is an after-the-fact model to "best fit" a line to observed data points, not a prediction of performance.

I'm 5'4", and 2x height would put me at 128 lbs (BMI 22), which would be pretty heavy for me (I'm at a BMI of 18). I really think this measurement only works for a very limited range of heights.The 2x height climber guideline is for men. Women would likely have a different number due to lower muscle mass.