damnable

OK, like a lot of folkes here I am going to lose some weight. However, I haven't been as successful as I would like so far. And I get the feeling it is going to get worse.

I started back at work this week, well it's not really work, but it's at uni but it really is work hours, pretty much nine to five each day. I use public transport to get to uni each day and that is a one and a half hour trip each way. And because it is uni, when I get home, I generally have to continue studying for the most part. This is a very important year for me and I can't afford to slack off, however, I don't want to do it at expense to my health in terms of eating junk and not exercising just because I don't have time.

OK, so can you please give me some tips about how I can do this. I anticipated it somewhat and got myself some lights for my bike so I can go out at night. I do have access to a fridge and freezer at uni that I can use to store meals and I would like to make myself some healthy ones that I can take instead of using the cafeteria all the time (it will be cheaper too).

So, any tips, pointers and personal experience would be excellent.

From past success I seem to work well when I do something little in terms of exercise each day. I was going on a good run for a while and the only difference I could see in my activity and eating habits was that I was doing regular simple exercises each night just in terms on sit ups, push ups and similar movements.

I really don't want to get in a rut just because I am busy.

Thanks guys.

kk4df

Any chance of shortening your commute by moving? Probably not, but 3 hours per day is a lot of time. I hope you're able to get at least some of your study done during the commute, but that's probably tough. I used to commute to college, but my trip was only about 30 minutes.

You could get one of those trainers for your bike, along with one of those book stands that mounts to your handlebar. Pedal while you read, when reading is part of your study time. Not much else I can think of, except to make more time in your day. I'm up just after 4AM for my morning ride before hitting the shower and heading off to work. Lots of lights in my bike, and I feel quite safe with very few cars on the road that time of day.

Tom Stormcrowe

I agree with kk4df. Time management! After all, you need to make time for physical activity, there's plenty of time to veg out when you take that dirt nap! Not being cruel here, but managing and losing weight is more about lifestyle change than it is about dieting. It's a holistic process with dietary, physical AND psychological adjustments. All three have to be in balance to maximize your success.

dietary= Frequent small meals of the right kind of foods suitable to your particular metabolism to maintain stable blood glucose levels and prevent insulin spikes which lead to eating more than you need which leads to another spike in insulin.....it's called a negative feedback loop.

Physical: Exercise as a lifestyle choice. It's critical to maintain lean muscle mass

Psychological: Motivation and belief set you up to succeed, self fulfilling prophecy cuts both ways. If you believe, you have a better chance of success than if you don't. The belief helps support your motivation

Motivation: Frank self assessment as to WHY you want to lose weight. Are you doing it for yourself or some external factor? Doing it for yourself is always the strongest motivator.

Sabotage by yourself or others: This is also an issue you have to deal with. The self side is partially where you are in an uncomfortable zone. You start to change and it creates a dissonance in you. You have to adjust your self image as you make these changes, otherwise you backslide.

Others, however, through no malice on their part, can also sabotage your efforts. You are changing, and again this creates a conflict with THEIR image of you. My Mum, for example, often tells me I'm getting too skinny! I'll 6'3" and 218 pounds, I'm NOT starving to death! My wife thinks I'm getting too thin as well, but after the body fat redistributes, I'll lose the selectively gaunt look I have in my shoulders, etc.

Tom Stormcrowe

Before I forget, HYDRATION is important as well! Drink water, and soy milk if you are lactose intolerant. Skip the sodas, even diet, as they make you retain water.

jaxgtr

I was kinda of in the same spot. I get early take my kids to school, work all day, get off at 6 and then make dinner, my wife works 12 hours days. I typically leave for my evening ride after 10 pm, but I do it almost daily, nothing mind boggling, 1 hr to 1.5 hours, I try to get to 15 miles and then call it a night. I will take longer rides on the weekends. It all in what you want to achieve versus what your mind is telling at present. I had to really get over the It's after 10pm thing.

(51)

I have a full time job and I am going to grad school. I get up at 3AM and ride between 4AM-6AM, then I am off to work by 7AM. I get home around 4PM and take a nap, get up and do homework or go to class. Finally, I try to get to bed by 10PM. It is only 5 hours of sleep, but I've managed to do this for over a year now.

It can be done, but you have to sacrifice some sleep time to do it.

Hambone

the trip is 90 minutes but how far?

My public transport trip in NYC is between 60 and 90 minutes each way. By bike it is 5-50 minutes in the summer and about 10 minutes longer in the winter. (Guess which I opt for most days?)

Is something like that an option? Is there a secure place for your bike at school? You could ride in one day and home the next.

As far as the other stuff, my mantra of late has been "what would a skinny person do?" I'm doing Weight Watchers and that is working for me (and Mrs. Hambone.)

One concrete suggestion: I make a big pot of soup every weekend. The actual work time is not significant and if you are going to be around studying anyway, it is not a big deal.

bbunk

Can you take your bike on the bus? Bike part way and then catch the bus. That way you can use your commute time as exercise time, multi-tasking.

Seamus

I was going to suggest this too. A lot of public transport has places to load a bike. Do part of your commute on two wheels, then load the bike on transport and study/read the rest of the way.

Jim

damnable

Unfortunatly the whole commute is too far for a ride. It's because the public transport takes about the same route I would with the bike. I also catch the train and that allows it to take a lot of short cuts. I was thinking of catching the train part way with my bike and then riding, however bikes are forbidden on the trains during 'peak hour' from about 7am-10am and 4pm-7pm. Exactly the times I need to go. I would rather be allowed but I can understand the reasoning of the rule becuase the trains to get quite crowded and more people can fit if I don't take my bike.