Keeping The Fifty-Something Weight Down . . .
10-31-13, 11:26 PM
#51
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you eating more than 1700 calories a day at 180 pounds,,better brush up on your math.
So I am a diabetic i think a change in my medicine caused me to gain about 15 pounds over 2 years..I am 170 to be comfortable I need to be at 155. So I went out and got a fixie,,hoping it would be more of a work out cause you cant coast. Anyway I only rode it one day, it is the kewlest thing ever I wish I would of bought one 40 years ago lol. I hope to get back down to 155. I eat more than 1700 calories a day for sure probably closer 2500, 1700 calories a day would for sure put me down to 155 in no time.
So I am a diabetic i think a change in my medicine caused me to gain about 15 pounds over 2 years..I am 170 to be comfortable I need to be at 155. So I went out and got a fixie,,hoping it would be more of a work out cause you cant coast. Anyway I only rode it one day, it is the kewlest thing ever I wish I would of bought one 40 years ago lol. I hope to get back down to 155. I eat more than 1700 calories a day for sure probably closer 2500, 1700 calories a day would for sure put me down to 155 in no time.
11-01-13, 12:31 AM
#52
Bicycle Repair Man !!!
It is lifestyle:
Still a curmudgeon in training at 48 with a wife that just turned 40... she has lost almost 40 pounds since last March with 25 of those pounds vanishing since August and has a little ways to go to get back to her pre-surgical weight. I lost the ugly weight a year ago and am working my way back up by adding lean muscle instead of body fat and that has been coming along well as I have gained 3-4 pounds in the past 6 weeks where I have been doing more weights to add some bulk.
We practice a lower carb (me) and super low carb diet (her) and avoid wheat / gluten (she has celiac disease), most grains, fruit juice, sodas, processed foods, and potatoes.
After that we eat all kinds of meat, fish, nuts, eggs, cheese, lots of vegetables, and smaller portions of fresh fruit / berries... we love Polish sausage, sauerkraut, and bacon.
The most significant weight loss for my wife happened when she eliminated oatmeal, just about all sweets, and her morning oatmeal (now she has eggs or full fat yogurt)
We don't count calories or worry about fats and even indulge in a little alcohol on a regular basis... most often whiskey with no mix.
I can maintain a healthy weight even if my activity level varies and my wife would say she has lost weight without really increasing her activity level, has not reduced her caloric intake (she probably eats a little more), and never has any food cravings.
Lower carb for me is < 150 grams a day which is half the daily allowance in the food guide with no grains / potatoes / rice
You can trim the extra weight without radical levels of activity... it goes beyond calories in and calories out and what you eat is really important. Too many carbs causes insulin spikes / drops and can lead to insulin resistance which causes weight gain.
We know quite a few people who have reversed their diabetes and gone off a lot of medications after analyzing their diets and making changes to reduce the carbs and eliminate the "healthy grains" that cause diabetics so many issues because they have such a high glycemic index.
Not drinking soda is a no brainer for anyone... that **** is poison.
Still a curmudgeon in training at 48 with a wife that just turned 40... she has lost almost 40 pounds since last March with 25 of those pounds vanishing since August and has a little ways to go to get back to her pre-surgical weight. I lost the ugly weight a year ago and am working my way back up by adding lean muscle instead of body fat and that has been coming along well as I have gained 3-4 pounds in the past 6 weeks where I have been doing more weights to add some bulk.
We practice a lower carb (me) and super low carb diet (her) and avoid wheat / gluten (she has celiac disease), most grains, fruit juice, sodas, processed foods, and potatoes.
After that we eat all kinds of meat, fish, nuts, eggs, cheese, lots of vegetables, and smaller portions of fresh fruit / berries... we love Polish sausage, sauerkraut, and bacon.
The most significant weight loss for my wife happened when she eliminated oatmeal, just about all sweets, and her morning oatmeal (now she has eggs or full fat yogurt)
We don't count calories or worry about fats and even indulge in a little alcohol on a regular basis... most often whiskey with no mix.
I can maintain a healthy weight even if my activity level varies and my wife would say she has lost weight without really increasing her activity level, has not reduced her caloric intake (she probably eats a little more), and never has any food cravings.
Lower carb for me is < 150 grams a day which is half the daily allowance in the food guide with no grains / potatoes / rice
You can trim the extra weight without radical levels of activity... it goes beyond calories in and calories out and what you eat is really important. Too many carbs causes insulin spikes / drops and can lead to insulin resistance which causes weight gain.
We know quite a few people who have reversed their diabetes and gone off a lot of medications after analyzing their diets and making changes to reduce the carbs and eliminate the "healthy grains" that cause diabetics so many issues because they have such a high glycemic index.
Not drinking soda is a no brainer for anyone... that **** is poison.
11-01-13, 07:24 AM
#53
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When I got home from the hospital on August 1st I weighed 176 lbs. On the day of my bike crash (July 24th) I weighed 193 lbs. For a long time I had a goal of 178 lbs, which is what I weighed when I finished Basic Training at Ft. Jackson, SC in 1969. Some of my weight loss was attributable to muscle atrophy. Today, after a month of 3 day/week weight lifting at the gym, I weighed 181 lbs. In short, I've managed to stay about where I wanted to be. I attribute that to a decrease in both alcohol and carbs in the form of grinders (subs or hoagies to non-New Englanders) and bagels. A change of lifestyle without a sense of deprivation.
11-01-13, 09:32 AM
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Okay, fifty-somethings, how do you keep your weight down, especially in the winter?
No matter how I try, I cannot get below 180 lb...
What do you suggest? What would you do, in my shoes? As I've gotten more, err, mature, losing weight and keeping it off is no longer easy; it is getting harder.
No matter how I try, I cannot get below 180 lb...
What do you suggest? What would you do, in my shoes? As I've gotten more, err, mature, losing weight and keeping it off is no longer easy; it is getting harder.
11-01-13, 09:38 AM
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Alcohol and carbohydrates are the elephants in the room here. My suggestion would be draconian...allow your tastes to be subjuct to your will, not the other way 'round. Stop at the pub? Drink tea or water. Don't purchase unhealthy snack foods or alcohol for [consumption] at home. Holidays come? Shrink portions of sugars and carbs. Make sure to maintain aerobic fitness during Winter. Sugars...no. Alcohol...no. Snack foods...no. Carb rich foods...no. Inactivity...no.
11-01-13, 12:53 PM
#57
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No problem on ths sugar, I don't drink soda or eat candy, pastries, etc.
The carbs are trickier, I already don't eat much grain-based food (bread, pasta, rice, etc) - on average, my grain intake is the equivalent of 1 bagel a day. I will cut the grain intake even further, but will have to replace those carbs with vegetable and fruit-based carbs - if my carb intake goes too low, I get weak on the bike and my commute becomes no fun.
The alcohol is, sadly, straightforward enough - I'll replace half my beers at the pub with coffee (I go to Velocult here in Portland and they have interesting coffee in addition to lots of tap beer). In practical terms, that will mean about 2-3 pints of beer a week. It will be deprivation but I think I should be able to survive.
I will go back to calorie counting, and try to stick to about 1600 cal/day. I am still puzzled because every source I consult says that is far too low for a generic male of my size and activity level. But I've counted calories enough over the past few years so know, empirically, how my body responds.
As mentioned already, I have a cardio exercise plan for the fall/winter - basically is to do the equivalent of 4 hours/week hard riding (so, some weeks might be 6 hours of less hard riding). I can't see spending 4 hours/week in a windowless spin room, so half of that will have to be in the rain and cold. If we get a cold winter, as is forecast, then slick roads will be a worry. Some ice took me down hard on the point of my hip a couple years ago, and my friend broke both his wrists riding last winter. I may look into foam hip pads under my shorts. That is in addition to my daily bike commute which is rain or shine but unfortunately quite short.
However, I think I also need to be lifting weights and working on core and flexibility. Just riding a bike isn't balanced exercise - just look at the physiques of pro riders. I have to figure out if I'm going to do that alone or via a regular gym class/schedule.
11-01-13, 01:03 PM
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Avoiding sugary junk, carbs, and alcohol are the main dietary recommendations.
No problem on ths sugar, I don't drink soda or eat candy, pastries, etc.
The carbs are trickier, I already don't eat much grain-based food (bread, pasta, rice, etc) - on average, my grain intake is the equivalent of 1 bagel a day. I will cut the grain intake even further, but will have to replace those carbs with vegetable and fruit-based carbs - if my carb intake goes too low, I get weak on the bike and my commute becomes no fun.
The alcohol is, sadly, straightforward enough - I'll replace half my beers at the pub with coffee (I go to Velocult here in Portland and they have interesting coffee in addition to lots of tap beer). In practical terms, that will mean about 2-3 pints of beer a week. It will be deprivation but I think I should be able to survive.
I will go back to calorie counting, and try to stick to about 1600 cal/day. I am still puzzled because every source I consult says that is far too low for a generic male of my size and activity level. But I've counted calories enough over the past few years so know, empirically, how my body responds.
As mentioned already, I have a cardio exercise plan for the fall/winter - basically is to do the equivalent of 4 hours/week hard riding (so, some weeks might be 6 hours of less hard riding). I can't see spending 4 hours/week in a windowless spin room, so half of that will have to be in the rain and cold. If we get a cold winter, as is forecast, then slick roads will be a worry. Some ice took me down hard on the point of my hip a couple years ago, and my friend broke both his wrists riding last winter. I may look into foam hip pads under my shorts. That is in addition to my daily bike commute which is rain or shine.
However, I think I also need to be lifting weights and working on core and flexibility. Just riding a bike isn't balanced exercise - just look at the physiques of pro riders. I have to figure out if I'm going to do that alone or via a regular gym class/schedule.
No problem on ths sugar, I don't drink soda or eat candy, pastries, etc.
The carbs are trickier, I already don't eat much grain-based food (bread, pasta, rice, etc) - on average, my grain intake is the equivalent of 1 bagel a day. I will cut the grain intake even further, but will have to replace those carbs with vegetable and fruit-based carbs - if my carb intake goes too low, I get weak on the bike and my commute becomes no fun.
The alcohol is, sadly, straightforward enough - I'll replace half my beers at the pub with coffee (I go to Velocult here in Portland and they have interesting coffee in addition to lots of tap beer). In practical terms, that will mean about 2-3 pints of beer a week. It will be deprivation but I think I should be able to survive.
I will go back to calorie counting, and try to stick to about 1600 cal/day. I am still puzzled because every source I consult says that is far too low for a generic male of my size and activity level. But I've counted calories enough over the past few years so know, empirically, how my body responds.
As mentioned already, I have a cardio exercise plan for the fall/winter - basically is to do the equivalent of 4 hours/week hard riding (so, some weeks might be 6 hours of less hard riding). I can't see spending 4 hours/week in a windowless spin room, so half of that will have to be in the rain and cold. If we get a cold winter, as is forecast, then slick roads will be a worry. Some ice took me down hard on the point of my hip a couple years ago, and my friend broke both his wrists riding last winter. I may look into foam hip pads under my shorts. That is in addition to my daily bike commute which is rain or shine.
However, I think I also need to be lifting weights and working on core and flexibility. Just riding a bike isn't balanced exercise - just look at the physiques of pro riders. I have to figure out if I'm going to do that alone or via a regular gym class/schedule.
Yes, as I thought pre-trauma and have confirmed during this rehab process any exercise program that does not include weight lifting is severely deficient. Basically, strong bones are the basis of everything. Weight lifting makes strong bones. To avoid injury I recommend you get someone you trust and is knowledgeable to show you how to use the weights and machines before doing it on your own.
11-02-13, 02:57 PM
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Did a 2 hour ride today. To stick to my plan, I need to do a ride like this every weekend on average, plus two hours a week in the gym spin class.
It was not too chilly and only drizzled a bit. But the weather will turn colder, wetter and darker. I will have to get a good rain jacket - I don't want to use my commuter rain jacket and feel like I'm going to work - and better lights for the weekend bike.
https://cyclemeter.com/38b3ca9fd1f53a...31102-0808?r=s
It was not too chilly and only drizzled a bit. But the weather will turn colder, wetter and darker. I will have to get a good rain jacket - I don't want to use my commuter rain jacket and feel like I'm going to work - and better lights for the weekend bike.
https://cyclemeter.com/38b3ca9fd1f53a...31102-0808?r=s
11-02-13, 03:01 PM
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I am dismayed at how low my "maintenance" calorie intake is, at 50 y/o. Above 1800 cal/day, I gain weight. Somewhere around 1700-1800 cal/day is my maintenance level. That is even with daily commute, shopping, and errand riding - which admittedly is only about 50 miles/week, but I don't take it easy in the daily riding, I actually push harder than I do on "fun" or "exercise" rides.
This situation doesn't fit with any calorie burn calculator I've found online, and I don't really understand it. A few years ago I lost 30 lb (from 216 lb) by eating 1400 cal/day, which everyone tells me is too low, so maybe that wasn't great for my metabolism, but that was 2-3 years ago, so by now I think my metabolism "is what it is."
To gradually lose weight during the winter I will have to figure out how to fit interesting food and local Portland micro-brews into a 1600 cal/day budget. A daily pint of stout or IPA is about 200 cal, so that leaves 1400 cal/day for food. Well, cooking is one of my primary hobbies, I just will have to get creative about making interesting meals that are lower-calorie. I can't possibly go vegan; interesting food is too important to me.
I will also have to get in at least 3 to 5 few hours a week of reasonably hard, 600 cal/hour riding. That should be doable, with weeknight spin classes in the gym and some HTFU on the rainy weekends.
That is my plan!
This situation doesn't fit with any calorie burn calculator I've found online, and I don't really understand it. A few years ago I lost 30 lb (from 216 lb) by eating 1400 cal/day, which everyone tells me is too low, so maybe that wasn't great for my metabolism, but that was 2-3 years ago, so by now I think my metabolism "is what it is."
To gradually lose weight during the winter I will have to figure out how to fit interesting food and local Portland micro-brews into a 1600 cal/day budget. A daily pint of stout or IPA is about 200 cal, so that leaves 1400 cal/day for food. Well, cooking is one of my primary hobbies, I just will have to get creative about making interesting meals that are lower-calorie. I can't possibly go vegan; interesting food is too important to me.
I will also have to get in at least 3 to 5 few hours a week of reasonably hard, 600 cal/hour riding. That should be doable, with weeknight spin classes in the gym and some HTFU on the rainy weekends.
That is my plan!
Heck I only have one or two a day but that makes it tough to lose weight. It does get tougher the older you get, lol.
11-02-13, 03:20 PM
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I enjoy a good Scotch, I enjoy Ice Cream, I enjoy food in general, I do everything in moderation. My Doc says to give up the Ice Cream.........Nope. A wee bit of little Scotch, a little Penn State Butter Pecan Ice Cream......Butter/Scotch.....Very nice.
11-02-13, 03:45 PM
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For me, multisport is the answer. Your body gets efficient if you just do one activity all the time. I run and swim during the winter. It works wonders.
11-02-13, 06:33 PM
#63
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I have a scale with body-fat measurement (Tanita InnerScan 50), but I am not convinced the technology they use for body fat measurement works. It seems to be more a measure of my hydration. It varies by about 4% at various times during the day. I have lost 4 inches off my waist over the past year and it reads roughly the same. When I cross-checked with calipers ... not very close.
Does your work any better?
Does your work any better?
Using the Tanita on athlete mode, I held 5-7 % BF for about 3 years but I doubt that I was actually that low. Of course many friends thought that I had a terminal disease during that time, so it was probably pretty close.
I'm in the high teens now, and it may be closer to reality, but I weigh 15 lbs. more too.If I get motivated to do some research, I'll try to remember to update this post.
