Pupkiss

Hello,

I have been biking to and from work for about a month now. The last mile of my ride home is one steady incline. Going to work it's maybe the last 1/4 mile or so. On my ride home I have to take a lot of breaks, but am getting better.

I have about 20 - 30 pounds to lose. I am not sure what I need to do to lose it. I don't know what kind of diet is good for biking? A lot of carbs? Protein? I try staying away from breads and creamy things. Beyond that, I don't know what I should be eating.

Is there any special diet for bikers?

Oh, also, I have tried taking redline drinks this week. I don't really notice a difference, but it does make me very talkative. I only take it in the morning, and I seem to crash very early evening. For example, I could go to be now and it's only 7:30. Am I taking too little? Has anyone else tried redline?

Thanks -

astonmartinag

Drink Tons Of Water!!!!

TexasKid

I'v been riding hard for 6 weeks - just did a century ride. I weighed 270 before I started riding 6 weeks ago and still weigh 270. I don't really look "fat", but I have a slight gut that I carry well. My clothes feel a little loser, maybe my thighs are developing, I don't knjow. I want to lose 50 pounds but not sure what to eat or not eat. I know one thing for sure - I am eating less and drinking a lot of water. Maybe it just takes a while for the metabolism to change??

Not trying to steal your thread - but it looks like we could use the same advice. Suggestions?

aham23

ok, it is very simple, calories in and calories out. most people have no idea how many calories they take in. eat whatever you want and when ever you want as long as you limit the daily total. quality is less important then quantity. this is soooo true for those just getting started.

get over to fitday.com or thedailyplate.com and start counting calories. be true, be honest, as you only cheat yourself if not. over estimate what you eat and under estimate what you burn.

it is a science. 3500 calories equal one pound of fat. so a 500 calorie deficite per day will be 1 pound dropped per week. this is real life stuff, not made for TV biggerst loser stuff. you want more?? PM me i can send you an email with my story. its simple, but not easy. dont get caught up in the crap.

eat less and burn more.

later.

TexasKid

Sounds simple enough. Alright, here's a question: I drink way to much caffeine free diet coke. How "bad" is it for me? Will it keep me from losing weight?

stevesurf

For on the road nutrition, I've been using CLIF Shot Bloks and water.

Pupkiss

What do people think about dieting and caffiene in general? I don't drink soda, but I drink coffee. Also, the redline is full of caffiene.

ukmtk

I drink a reasonable amount of coffee (a few cups a day). But I try to be careful what I eat. A good breakfast, light lunch + a good dinner. I generally try to avoid "junk" food but occasionally have a little.

UmneyDurak

Well... As steve posted there are some correlations, but correlation is not causality. From what I read it's not clear if diet sodas directly cause people to be over weight, or that people who are already over weight just tend to drink diet sodas. There are some studies that show that some people tend to eat more when drinking sweet drinks. Something about stimulating appetite, or whatnot. Bottom line keep track of what you are eating. If you fee like you get hungry faster after drinking diet cokes and tend to eat more then maybe it's time to cut back. There is also an issue of the artificial sweeteners that are being used in diet cokes, but that is a whole OTHER discussion.

ericgu

For a base diet, I suggest looking at something like South Beach (the diet, not the prepared foods). What you eat can have a considerable impact on how hungry you are, and how hard it is to keep a calorie deficit. Limit the refined sugar and refined flour especially, and don't eat too much fat. Complex carbs, fruit, and vegetables will help you feel more full and keep your blood sugar constant (which is the key to controlling hunger).

That's a decent diet for somebody who is sedentary. As you start to exercise a fair bit (more than, say 800 calories per session, or a bit more than an hour of hard riding), you tend to burn enough carbs that you need to eat more carbs, preferably simple ones during riding. Yes, it's the exact opposite of what you want to do the rest of the time. If you can take in 250 cal/hour while riding, it keeps your blood sugar up and you will be less hungry afterwards. There are lots of good hydration drinks out there, but avoid the ones with high fructose corn syrup. When you start to get pretty hungry 45 minutes after a ride, that's a good time to start eating on the ride. Or, if you get sleepy afterwards, that's also a good indication.

Diet sodas don't have the sugar, but there is some evidence that their sweetness tends to make you want to continue to eat very sweet food. I still have one now and then.

Caffeine is also a mixed bag. I don't think it's an issue with moderate use, but it does tend to mess with your energy levels and I think it makes it harder to tell whether you're tired due to lack of food or because the caffeine has worn off.

Good luck.

Pupkiss

Thanks everyone. I'll look into South Beach and start writing down my food. I have a notebook for this already, just don't want to start for some reason - ha.

Talus

I've lost about 40 pounds over the last 9 months. For me, it took a lot of hard work. I lift weights 3 times a week for about 45 minutes and do at least 30 minutes of some kind of cardio 3 days a week, and at least 45 minutes of cardio twice a week. I also throw in a weekend ride or 8-10 mile hike. As far as diet, I eat a bunch of small things during the day rather than a few large meals. I eat only one or two servings of red meat a week and almost no fried foods. The more fresh fruit and veggies you can get the better.

Hard work and eating less are sure fire ways to lose weight...