Fifty Plus (50+) - keeping weight off(50+)

Each winter I have a terrible battle keeping 5-10 pounds off during the winter. The problem occurs when I can't ride outside due to ice and snow (notice I didn't say cold since I'll go out as long as it's double digits above zero). I belong to a gym but this year it is not working that well. How do you folks keep the weight down or off during really bad weather. I ride a stationary bike 3 or 4 times a week for 30 -40 minutes each time. Any idea?

Thanks.

I ride my bike in a cycle ops 2 trainer 5 hrs a week and make sure I keep from eating empty calories, so far my weight has stayed put from the summer.

Applause, Applause -

November 1st - 232 lbs

January 22 - 211 lbs!!

Increased exercise (walking, bicycling, trainer, gym - elliptical, stair stepper, treadmill, lifecycle, - weight lifting), portion control, no empty calories.

:beer:

Used to live in 'cold and snow country' . . . Michigan.
When there is snow on the ground, do some x-country skiing . . . great for the biking legs + upper body workout.
If dry out and at least 20 degrees . . . ride!

I've always had the same problem but a year ago in Jan. I tried the "anti-biker" low carb South Beach diet and dropped about 12lbs before the riding season in WI started. I felt so much better starting the season at the new weight and gradually added the carbs as needed. I'm 50 years old, 5'-10", and maintaining 160lbs by watching the carbs this winter. Most of the weight dropped off the mid section which made the jerseys fit better too!

Slickrock,

The only exercise that will help you now is the "pushaway." Pushaway from the dinner table, pushaway from the beer, push a way from the snacks. It is one boring exercise, if you ask me, but just like windsprints, they are good for you even though you hate them at the time.

Tyson

One more thread moved from the 50+ forum!

Remember to write, "I want to know how 50+rs keep weight off, rather than "I want to know how to keep weight off."

EDIT: AT my request it has been moved back and the title modified (50+)

My normal resting weight is 11 stone. At the end of the summer, I am within a lb or so of this weight, but from September to January, although I slacken up a bit on the training, I do not gain a great deal of weight if any. However as soon as I start training down at the gym and get into the full swing of twice a week and the normal Sunday ride, the lbs drop off me till I have lost about 7lbs. This normally takes about 3 weeks. From then on, I start gaining weight up to my normal weight of 11 stone. I may not weigh any more in December, but boy, do I feel bloated and unfit.

Dnvrfox

You do deserve applause, good work. During that period I managed to put 6 lbs back on from what I lost last year (24 lbs). I do hate cold weather. Even with the proper riding clothes I have a hard time getting on the bike if it's below 50 deg. I have a trainer, but it's just not the same. Outside I can ride for hours. Inside, after about 30 minutes I've had it.

Dan

Dnvrfox

You do deserve applause, good work. During that period I managed to put 6 lbs back on from what I lost last year (24 lbs). I do hate cold weather. Even with the proper riding clothes I have a hard time getting on the bike if it's below 50 deg. I have a trainer, but it's just not the same. Outside I can ride for hours. Inside, after about 30 minutes I've had it.

Dan

Thanks - down to 210 this morning.

I walk a lot, even if riding also. 4, 5, 10, 12 miles per day. Outside in whatever weather except the most extreme. I think walking takes it off faster than biking!

Thank goodness for the trainer.

Age between 50 and 70

6-1 180 been that weight for 8 years was 175 for decades before that

I don't eat bread daily, skim milk only, fruit juices, only FRESH fruits and vegetables

NO fast or junk foods ever, always eat breakfast, plus 4 other small or medium meals a

day,NOTHING with processed sugar in it, NEVER snack in the eve watching TV cause I

unplugged my tv years ago;on the treadmill, stationary cycle or stairmaster daily till

I'm sweating heavily, ride the bike every afternoon, walk the dog 3 times a day and

walk to and from the beach 6-8 miles round trip. Clean out the refridgerator, and the

pantry, throw the garbage in the trash

I don't know if I should talk about it yet (it's early days...), but I've kept off the 20 lbs. I've lost since August. In the Newsweek from a couple of weeks ago, there was an article about some fellow d'un certain age who had just written a book about staying fit into one's 60's, if I remember correctly. His advice:
Train 6 times per week, and
Don't eat crap.

That's what I'm doing, and it's seen me through Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, and numerous visits to my in-laws, where Sunday dinner isn't complete without a lasagna to accompany the roast pork, two kinds of potatoes, and butter in the applesauce.

Ditto on that 30 minutes on the trainer, I ride 30 minutes on my rollers and I've had enough! Just can't get into indoor riding and can't wait till spring rears it's beautiful head!

-- OK this works for me... at age 56. I DON'T eat when I'm not hungry.
I took a while to get out of the habit of eating for the entertainment of eating.

Ditto on that 30 minutes on the trainer, I ride 30 minutes on my rollers and I've had enough! Just can't get into indoor riding and can't wait till spring rears it's beautiful head!

As we Quakers say, this friend speaks my mind. Beyond the boredom, there's another thing: I keep the trainer in the garage. At this time of year, the garage is AT LEAST 30° F colder than the house... and I'm STILL sweating all over myself, the bike, and the floor. Riding the trainer is grim, at best.

As we Quakers say, this friend speaks my mind. Beyond the boredom, there's another thing: I keep the trainer in the garage. At this time of year, the garage is AT LEAST 30° F colder than the house... and I'm STILL sweating all over myself, the bike, and the floor. Riding the trainer is grim, at best.

I find that videos/cd's such as spinervals.com are helpful.

That said, the weather has been so great around here that I am actually bicycling!

I dropped 35 pounds from riding/eating right, but have put about 5 pounds back on this winter. Its hard around the holidays to not join in and eat, plus some other things I do that seem to center around eating.

I used a trainer when the weather started to turn, but I haven't been on lately. It is just too boring, and I've always found that getting back on the road does more in a week than the trainer does all winter long.

As long as I remain steady until around March I feel like I'll be OK, I know once I start riding again the weight will come off.

Hey folks: I try to eat according to my excercise level. If I'm working hard then I'm eating hard, if I'm slacking then I fast. Like to eat so I tend to slack very little. I've always gone with whatever mother nature throws our way....rains I paddle, snows I xcountry ski, dry climbing and biking. I only lose to weather when it's 35F and rain. Charlie

I train or ride at 12 to 20 hrs/week, have for over 3 years (1 year of running-2year cycling) and work on my feet from 9 to 6 in retail. People who havent' seen me for a while first ask if I am sick (they think if your not pudgy you have cancer). But no matter how hard I try there is a little love handle left from my sedate days that just won't go completely away.

I was going to comment that it's been too icy to ride much here in Massachusetts, but not enough snow to xc ski (boy, did that just change!)

I've been going to the gym, doing some spin classes, and riding the trainer (w/Spinnervals) on occasion,a dn of course, shoveling snow. I was hoping to lose a little, but I seem to be just maintaining so far. At least I've made it through the holidays.

How is keeping the weight off any different at 50+
Are there supposed to be "tricks" for keeping weight off at that age?

How is keeping the weight off any different at 50+
Are there supposed to be "tricks" for keeping weight off at that age?

You have to work harder at it as you just generally slow down.

My normal resting weight is 11 stone. At the end of the summer, I am within a lb or so of this weight, but from September to January, although I slacken up a bit on the training, I do not gain a great deal of weight if any. However as soon as I start training down at the gym and get into the full swing of twice a week and the normal Sunday ride, the lbs drop off me till I have lost about 7lbs. This normally takes about 3 weeks. From then on, I start gaining weight up to my normal weight of 11 stone. I may not weigh any more in December, but boy, do I feel bloated and unfit.


Update on this posting. third week into my training programme and I am 10st 8lbs. 6 lb fat loss of the 7lb I expect to lose. From here on in I expect to start putting weight back on as Muscle Builds up. Mind you, I did perspire a bit tonight, but being a little bit leaner, I felt like working.

I dropped 35 pounds from riding/eating right, but have put about 5 pounds back on this winter. Its hard around the holidays to not join in and eat, plus some other things I do that seem to center around eating.

I used a trainer when the weather started to turn, but I haven't been on lately. It is just too boring, and I've always found that getting back on the road does more in a week than the trainer does all winter long.

As long as I remain steady until around March I feel like I'll be OK, I know once I start riding again the weight will come off. I'll ride my trainer all winter and you can ride your bike on the road for a week and we will see who is faster. LOL

I am 62 yo. I weighed 194 in the 12th Grade (16yo), I weigh 194-196 now. I had the advantage of being a Pro Athlete, owning my own gym. However, I never have eaten crap foods. I eat well Monday thru Friday, have fun on weekends, even Beer and Wine. I still go to the gym 3 times per week, and ride my Bike 2-3 times (100-150 miles). I see too many fat people, that keeps my enthusiasm for eating well, and exercising at a peak. :)

I'm 58, retired, and put approx 30 min/day on my elipticle trainer. Eat fresh fruit, veggies or a no-fat yogurt instead of cookies and crackers between meals. Been dropping 1 lb/week for the past 5 months. The goal is within sight (under 10 lbs to go)!

stapfam - what weight is a "stone"?

stapfam - what weight is a "stone"?

Sorry but a stone is 14lbs, so 11 stone is 154lbs, or if you want to go metric, 70kgs.

When I go by the beer case at the supermarket I have to avert my eyes. Even looking at the stuff causes me to gain weight. *sigh* used to like a pint or two. Three sometimes. Ok.... even 4. Anyway. Not drinking is the best weight loss program for me.

As many of you have discovered, it's all about caloric balance (food in / exercise out), but one's weight seems a bit more sensitive to one's exercise level than to one's eating habits. I am not a naturally slender person, and I have to control my weight (and blood pressure) by staying very active and eating a restricted-fat, high-fibre whole-foods diet with minimal junk (e.g. "empty calorie") food.

You can ride in the snow and ice if you want to, and you have the right gear. I ride in the snow and ice every week. It is a lot of fun. It is much better that the trainer.

Take a look at the ICEBIKE website or the winter biking section of this forum. It's very popular.

Old weights in the UK are 16 ounces to a pound, 14 pounds to a stone, and 8 stones to a hundredweight, and finally 20 hundredweight to the ton. Just to cause total confusion a metric tonne is 2200 pounds and the imperial one is 2240.

However in 2003 i got my weight down to 187 pounds and then over that winter I gained again up to 210. Last summer I managed to reduce the gain to roughly 200, and this winter despite some very wintery cycling I am up to 215. The target for this summer is to drop at least twenty pounds.

I achieved this in 2003 by eating carefully and cycling a lot of miles. Roughly 4-500 a week when ashore and at least using the gym when offshore. So all I am lacking at the moment is the will power.. but the longer rides beckon and tomorrow I return to dry land and the miles are going to be ridden again. I bought good winter shoes in October and what a boon they have been. Coming home chilled to the bone after a modest 12 miles my feet have still been warm which says a lot for the shoes. At least this winter I have managed to keep my daily rides going which was more than I achieved last year.

Good luck to your own endeavours.

cycle trainer + weight training + studded tyres + cross country skiing

Just as JohnE said, for me I've found its simply a matter of "calories in versus exercise calories out". Unless we live in an area or our work schedule allows us to get out and ride/exercise during the day in these winter months, some weight gain is the standard. From talking to my cycling buddies, 5-8 lbs seems the range that most wind up putting on, even with weekend rides and some time on a trainer during the week. Those with larger appetites probably put on even more.

I'm looking forward to when I can get in a couple hours after work and burn off more of those calories. I don't know about you but I've got to have my daily dose of chocolate.........

Do I feel fortunate!!!!! It does not matter what I eat, I do not gain weight. My changes in weight come from exercise. Initially I lose Fat, and then I put on Muscle. After strenuous exercise, I am Hungry. I treat it as part of me training, but before I do an extended ride, I carbo load for a couple of weeks. Plenty of Pasta, Rice, Bread, Potatoes, sticky buns but this is what the body tells me to eat. I may put on a couple of lbs with this diet, and that is what I plan for. During the extended ride, I lose these lbs plus a bit more, So as I said,Do I feel fortunate.

After 30 years of listening to the doc tell me to eat more complex carbs and less meat, now he's saying I'm not getting enough protein! The food pyramid we've all known since childhood was accidently published upside-down, or some such foolishness. <Sigh>

Regarding beer... With Super Bowl Sunday, I, along with most other Americans, made a trip to the beer store this week. In line with the guys carting up cases of Bud light, there I was with three measly four-packs of an assortment of Unibroue's finest (Unibroue is a company that brews Belgian style ales in Quebec). 12 bottles for about $24 dollars. I could have purchased 5 gallons of Bud for $24. With beer, wine and food in general, I'm buying better and fresher - and consuming a lot less. With this regimen, the benefits of weight control obtain - with about 80 miles of riding under my belt over the weekend (in addition to some beer, wine - and cheese).

Terex

"A meal that ends without cheese is like a beautiful woman with only one eye." Brillat-Savarin