Originally Posted by
Arvadaman
I have been riding now for about two years and have not lost a significant amount of weight. On the other hand, I can tell that I have had a significant improvement in my stamina and overall health. Now, it is time to confront the elephant in the room and tackle the diet side of the equation.
For those of you who have made diet changes, what changes have given you the biggest bang for the buck in terms of weight loss?
Many have had good success by tracking what they eat, which makes a lot of sense.
On the other hand, I am part of the group that has had great success by eliminating - completely zeroing out - the bad actors in my diet. For me, it is simple and effective (and I was previously consuming enough garbage that I found I had a lot to 'cut'). Here is what I zeroed out on my way to 55 lbs weight loss:
- fast food
- fruit juice and sugared drinks
- beer
- chips and packaged snacky stuff
- sweets and desserts
- HFCS in anything
Originally Posted by
fietsbob
Zero out intake of high fructose corn based sweeteners..
Zeroing out HFCS requires some effort in grocery shopping, but I am now a believer in it. For example, I make my own homemade granola (which has oats and almonds to help my cholesterol). I go out of my way to buy, among other things, 100% natural maple syrup for the recipe. The stuff is $18 a bottle, compared to $2 for Aunt Jemima, but I do it to stick to my commitment.
Eating when I travel was previously a problem area for me. Now, I take some of the granola with me in my bag. If I have to eat out on the road, I find a Subway or Jimmy Johns and get a sandwich with no liquids on it (ie. just turkey, lettuce, onions and cheese, no liquid anything). After almost a year off of fast food, I don't even like the smell of french fries any more.
This approach has worked wonders for me. I am getting the double-takes and comments on improved appearance from people who haven't seen me in a while.
For some folks though, the approach of tracking/counting and moderating, but not zeroing out, works best. Find what works for you and make it happen. Good luck!