Rancid

I just need a very simple, not expensive diet to drop some weight but still be able to log about 200 miles a week without being absurdly exhausted. Should they be small meals through out the day or 3 squares? I'm doing alot of core and ab work at the gym and will probably start running again. I just came back from an injury that laid me up for sometime and put on a few pounds I can't seem to drop. By a few I mean 15 pounds...I feel gross now.
Thanks

ken cummings

If it tastes good don't eat it . my wifes' diet is to not eat after 6 PM. I tried it and my acid reflux lessened. Almost any diet works if it makes you aware of exactly what you are eating. Try keeping a list for two weeks of every last thing you eat without being judgemental about it. Then look at the list and think about it.

jennings780

Read "Eat to Live" by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. Weight will melt off.

pedex

do the 200 miles a week religiously, the diet wont matter nearly as much, exercise regulates appetite and diet quite well if you let it and you keep at it, want the poochy belly to go away, quit feeding it what it wants

Pasta,rice, potatoes, chicken, fish, sausage, some veggies, bananas, homemade wheat bread or biscuits, water, daily vitamin, no soda, no sweets,no fast food, if its processed be afraid. Staples of my diet. No snacks, 2 meals a day, one small around lunch, one big after work. Maybe a third before bed on days when Ive had to do like 75 or better miles at work(messenger). Been doing this for going on 6 years, my weight unless sick like this week has been very stable. I lost 4 lbs since sunday, had some sort of stomach flu or bug. Today was the first day I ate and it actually got digested since saturday, and I rode most of the week with a fever and empty belly. No problems with bonking EVER. That went away years ago too when I quit eating like a typical american and being such a pansy about exercise. We are not meant to be sedentary or eat every 2-3 hours. Eat till full but not stuffed and walk away.my 2 cents, I call it the reality diet, it works for me.

ericgu

Do you honestly need to drop the weight? By that, I mean, can you see visible places where you're carrying around too much weight?

Or do you have a number that you're fixed on?

I have a friend who is fixed on the number "140", because that's how much he weighed when he was competing. But given his time constraints, it isn't really realistic any more.

On the diet side, of you're planning on riding 200 miles a week, your concern should be fueling for your workout, not really for losing weight. What you eat before, during, and after your ride is the most important.

I think Carmichael's food book is pretty good.

CrashVector

I am going to assume a few things in my post. These assumptions are that you actually NEED to lose weight, and that you are already moderately fit. If these two things do not apply, then my post is invalid.

There is only ONE way to lose weight: Expend more calories than you take in. No pills, or bracelet can do that for you. Its simple. You simply have to burn calories....and more than you eat, forcing your body to burn fat for energy.

Ideally, you should eat 5 smaller meals a day. Make sure they are balanced. 5oz of lean protein max per meal. If you are weight training, make SURE you eat enough carbs. Take a multivitamin to be sure you are getting enough minerals. Centrum is the one I personally recommend to my patients.

Drink CRAPLOADS of water. You should drink so much water, that having to pee is almost annoying because you have to go so often. I recommend 8oz of WATER every 1-1/2 hours. Notice I didn't say GATORADE...drink WATER. If you maintain a proper diet, you do not need gatorade and all the added sugar.

Make sure you diet contains enough potassium (eat 1/2 a banana in the morning, and the other half at night as a snack).

Eat a moderate breakfast, then a snack, then lunch, then a snack, then dinner. That should be more than enough.

For the record, my favorite dinner is steamed chinese veggies with shrimp. I toss the veggies into a steamer pot along with the shrimp. I add a little bit of soy sauce (also watch your salt intake closely) and eat it just like that. That is my dinner probably 4 or 5 nights a week.

Redrom

+1: Read "Eat to Live".

This is more a compreshensive logic and understanding of what foods are nutritious, how they should be prepared, and why it is so important to eat them, than a "diet" per se; but anyone looking for better health should read it. You could think of it as a diet if you want to follow the meal plans and recipies he suggests, but they are included more as examples than strict rules to follow.

If you also have kids, take a look at "Disease-Proof your Kids" by the same author.

Interestingly enough, eating like "Eat to Live" suggests, is not too far from the Weight Watcher's "Core" program, without all the time and money wasted at weekly meetings.

WantToGoFaster

I have found that the "Abs Diet" is very good and very healthy. It seems kind of silly at first with it's bright orange cover and "Men's Health" attitude, but it is good solid advice that makes sense and leaves me with enough strength and power to cycle.

WantToGoFaster

I have found that the "Abs Diet" is very good and very healthy. It seems kind of silly at first with it's bright orange cover and "Men's Health" attitude, but it is good solid, advice that makes sense and leaves me with enough strength and power to cycle.

drivers

I've lost about 25 pounds this year on Weight Watchers. I did it because I'm sick of not being able to climb hills while cycling and my goal was to lose weight by this summer, but I wasn't going to reach it unless I figured out what to eat to do it (correction, how MUCH to eat). It's about $12/week plus I use the etools which is about $10/month to track "points" which makes it really easy since I can do it on the web instead of by hand. Expensive? Depends on how you look at it. You also earn activity points for exercise so that you can account for your exercise, which it looks like you do a lot of.

drivers

I forgot to mention that I still have about 55 more pounds I want to lose, but I should get there sometime this year. Also, you can visit the forums for free on www.weightwatchers.com. I usually read the "Guys on a Diet" forum.

mrfreddy

LOW CARB LOW CARB LOW CARB LOW CARB LOW CARB LOW CARB LOW CARB LOW CARB LOW CARB LOW CARB LOW CARB LOW CARB LOW CARB LOW CARB LOW CARB LOW CARB LOW CARB LOW CARB LOW CARB LOW CARB LOW CARB LOW CARB LOW CARB LOW CARB LOW CARB LOW CARB LOW CARB LOW CARB LOW CARB LOW CARB LOW CARB LOW CARB LOW CARB LOW CARB LOW CARB LOW CARB!

low carb!

phillydcbiker

Ok, I'm of no help but I lost 15 pounds in the past 6 months that I probably should not have lost. But then again, I didnt' do it on purpose, it just happened

RiPHRaPH

all you need to do is to eliminate 'empty' calories. By empty I mean eating for the sake of eating. because its there. or fatty foods that do nothing to fuel your engine. I wouldn't do anything drastic. Cutting back on fatty foods (don't cut back on carbs please) and riding/exercising more often produces a greater calorie decifit than you might think.

There is a bell shaped curve for calorie intake and power needs. You don't want to deprive your body of the power needed to increase your time and intensity in the saddle. You've still got to fill your tank, right?

Just remember not to shock your body by eliminating too many calories at once or by increasing your miles by an insane rate right away.

Stoking the engine with kindling (many, smaller meals) is advantageous to putting an uncut log on the fire (2 huge meals)

But now that your activity will increase after your layoff, you'll see moderate improvement right away.

mrfreddy

no, no, noo... you dont need carbs, and you dont need to cut out fats... your body needs fats for all kinds of reasons... what you need to do is convert yourself from a sugar burning machine to a fat burning machine. cut way down on the carbs, and eat all the fat and protein you want, and train like a bastard... of course, give it a few weeks for your body to adjust. once you do, you'll never listen to these anti-low carb naysayers again, and you'll have a way of eating that will keep you powered up and satisfied for the rest of your life.

RiPHRaPH

I am a Cat5 racer, and train with former Cat3's and many good, good racers. CW says that you indirectly get fat in your diet, no matter how good you are so cutting back on foods that are exclusively fat (ice cream, donuts, etc) won't eliminate your fat.
You just need a different relationship with your food. Food is fuel. Look at Accelerade, Cytomax, Powerbars, etc. Look at the nutritional content. After a hard, intense ride. What is the first thing you reach for. yogurt, banana, cereal, OJ. fuel......carbs.
or you can continue to eat as you have been (let me guess, lots of fat and protein) Don't deprive yourself of any food group. Increase your fiber content. Nobody has a problem with that. An apple has simple fructose sugar and is high in fiber. perfect snack.

portion control is a better way of modifying your diet right off the bat. Eat to satisfy hunger, not to clear the plate. My Thursdays - Sundays are pasta fests. carb, carb, carb. Intervals, fast group rides avg'ing over 20mph. Mon-wed is more protein. Fish, meat. The night before a 70 mile legtrash fest, a big plate of pasta. yes!

Show me one successful racer who goes light on carbs. one.
unless you don't want to be fast, but just ride recreationally....then you can go around without the carbs. yes, i know that carbs are sugar. if you cut out the heavy starchs and complex carbs, then you are improving your fat burning, not even needing that much insulin response.

If you are riding 200 miles per week or so then you need adequate recovery. Don't try to recover without carbs. that's just plain silly. Yes, a couch lounger with benefit from a low carb diet. you are not a lounger my friend.