Porkponey

I'm entered in the tour de cure in orlando february 28th. That gives me a little over 30 weeks. I currently weight 210lbs and 32lbs would put me in the 170's which would be the first time I've been there since grade school. I'm entered to ride the century but for the first few months will be focused mainly on weight loss. I know that 1lb a week is a conservative goal, but I believe it qualifies as healthy loss. Any help at all with the diet would be greatly appreciated. I'll only be drinking water. Excercise looks like a bike ride 4-5 days a week, plus time in the pool, plus time playing soccer and some occasional gym time if it's raining. However despite the fact that I do this regularly I've lost no weight since purchasing my bike. Granted everyone says I'm skinnier, my clothes fit better and I have put a noticeable amount of muscle on the legs. I should stop here since I'm sure there will be questions to answer, so ask and advise away!

gearhead82

Do you do any weight training at the gym? That would help tremendously if you're not already doing that. Also, make sure you're eating enough. Might be a good idea to track your calories for a week or so. My guess is that 2500-ish/day (or even a little more) would easily let you drop 1#/week with your current activity level. Eating properly and adding some weight training will help to ensure you're losing fat, not losing muscle.

Porkponey

I currently try and average out at around that for calories. I don't like to exceed the 3k mark unless I'm really really riding that day (30+ miles and other activities.) However I do not count calories to the t. I eat when I'm hungry and don't when I'm not. I try and stick to more frequent small meals and avoid big giant ones. I notice that I gain a lot of weight very easily when I weight train and that is the reason I tend to avoid it. I wouldn't say that I'm weak. I'm 5'7" 210 and wear a comfortable 36 waist levi and either a medium or large tshirt (large fits, I just like the snug touch of a medium) so I imagine I'm not all fat. However I am A LOT fat. Should I stick to lighter weights and higher reps to try and stay clear of significant muscle gain?

Porkponey

https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k2...y/_MG_0614.jpg

I'll add that for reference. I'm not naked but it gives a general idea of my size. Medium t and 36's.

CliftonGK1

I use the Keyoe diet/exercise tracking software to keep general counts of my caloric intake, and I manually input my approximate expenditures as calculated by my Polar HRM (as accurate as that can really be.)

Watching weight is good, but as you said; you're not noticing a big drop in weight but clothes are fitting better. The real key isn't to watch your weight (if you're not significantly overweight), but you're better off watching your bodyfat percentage. I've found that it's an easier metric to keep good tabs on, either by a 5-point tape measure calculation or by a handheld impedence meter (Omron makes one that goes for ~$30.) Your weight may fluctuate a few pounds depending on time of day, recent activity, recent meals, etc. Total bodyfat measured by impedence I've found to be more consistent if you're keeping daily track of things. The only thing that really throws it for a loop is if you chug a ton of water a little while before taking the reading.

gearhead82

When you first start weight training you will gain a little bit of muscle, but as long a you're in a calorie deficit (eating fewer than you burn) you won't gain much, especially after the first couple months. Your muscles will also hold on to more water for a few weeks when you start working out, so that may be the reason why you gain a few pounds. Muscle is a good thing to have. It keeps your base metabolism higher and makes it easier to lose fat. You're not going to really "bulk up" significantly unless you're trying to do so which involves eating more food and spending many many hours in the weight room. Weight training also keeps your metabolism higher throughout the day than cardio does.

I would start doing about a 45 minute full body workout 3 days/week. I would do as much weight as you can do for 8-12 reps, and do 3 sets of each exercise.

edit: Start off slowly so you don't get injured or end up too sore to get out of bed!

That's just my opinion though. It largely depends on your goals. If you strictly want to lose WEIGHT then don't worry about weight training. Most people want to lose FAT (even if they gain a few pounds of muscle) and if that's the case, weight training will help significantly.

You can also try doing some cross training. Maybe ride 3 days/week and do something else (elliptical, swimming, jogging) 1-2 days/week. That will keep your body "on it's toes" and will help train muscles that you're not working while cycling.

It all basically comes down to burning more calories than you're consuming. If you're stuck at your current weight, then you either need to increase activity, or eat less, or both. I personally don't have great success when I rely on my mind to keep track of calories. I now track calories along with carb/protein/fat ratios online and have for most of the last 3 months or so.

gearhead82

I totally agree with CliftonGK1

Body fat is the best measure of your fat loss success. And also about your weight fluctuating. I occasionally take an "off week" to recover or when I'm on vacation. I can gain 10 or more LBS when going just by the scale. A few days after getting back to my normal routine, the weight is gone. It's a combination of replenished glycogen stores, water (due to increased salt intake), and increased "colon contents." The scale can be useful, but it's not perfect.

TrekJapan

32 lbs. in 32 weeks is an excellent and very achievable goal. In fact you likely can do it quicker and do it safely as well.

You talked a lot about your exercise regime but nothing about your food intake. You didn't say how tall you were but if you're 210 you probably should consume around 2000 calories per day.

1 lb. is roughly about 3500 calories so eating 500 calories less per day than you do now is what it'll take to lose 1 lb. per week.

For a lot of people that 500 calories can be as simple as dropping one snack over the course of the day or just generally cleaning up their diet.

The bigger you are the more calories you burn. As you get down to a lower weight you'll probably have to adjust your daily calorie intake down some.

For example I was 300 lbs once and could eat 2500 calories per day. Now that I'm in the 180's my daily net calories are 1750.

You have to get a grip on calorie intake. Most people big time overestimate portion size. Usually by about 30% or so.

John

deraltekluge

If your weight has been stable, keep on doing the same physical activity, consume 500 calories per day less, and you should lose about a pound a week. Or, you could eat 250 calories a day less, and increase the amount you burn by 250 calories a day...that's about equivalent to walking/running 2 miles a day, or biking 6 to 8 miles.

sakonnetclip

The photo helps...I have a somewhat similar build.

Eat less, eat early, don't eat late.

Bike a lot.

Your goal should be easily obtainable.

-spence

perryw

This is a good one. Weigh and measure your food to see how much you're eating.

Keep a food diary. Record everything. Be honest. Mayo on the sammich? Write it down. Slice of cheese too? That counts. Once you see it all there in front of you, you'll probably be pretty surprised. Read the labels at the store.. bread with 100 calories per slice vs bread with 80 calories for 2 slices. BIG difference..

I've been doing this for a couple weeks now and it has been eye opening for me. I still eat whatever I want (I have noticed I've been eating better though), I just have to keep track of the calories in everything. I'm not doing it with scientific precision, but getting the rough sizes of things and recording them helps keep me in my daily quota. And the best part about exercising? I get to eat more!

Porkponey

All excellent advice and all certainly appreciated. I said I was 5'7" in an earlier post but it was so cluttered I wouldn't be suprised if no one saw it. I'll start counting calories and see if I can't keep to a tight 2k a day.

deraltekluge

No, don't set an arbitrary figure for your calorie intake. Figure out what you've been consuming to keep your weight stable, and then reduce your intake by 500 calories per day.

SchnauzerHerder

Everyone's posted some great advice: reducing calorie intake, keeping a food journal, etc.

What you eat is going to make a big deal as well. I suggest eating a lot more fruits and veggies. and you may also want to cut down on carbohydrates from other sources, as well as protein. The human body cannot store protein, and breaks what it cannot use into glucose, and if not used, this gets stored as fat(like unused carbohydrates do). If i remember correctly, your intake of protein should be between 0.8 grams and 1.0 grams per KILOGRAM of lean body mass. This means you need to keep track of your body fat percentage(which CliftonGK1 mentioned).

What I've found is that as I eat better, it's easy to tell when I've eaten too much, because i have a ton of energy, and that means I feel the need to do something (like jump on my bike), which helps offset some of that extra intake.

Remember, you cannot undo a workout by eating, and vice versa. You can offset calories you eat, but that doesn't mean you didn't eat them, and having a brownie for desert isn't going to undo 30 minutes of weight lifting or cycling.

Porkponey

Sounds good. Two years ago I came down from 225 to 185 and I'm incredibly frustrated that I put the weight back on. However hopefully I've learned from my mistakes. Losing the weight then was a combination of running in the mornings, gym in the afternoon and a diet of mostly salad and water.

JPritch

Porkponey,

Your goals are absolutely within reach within the timetable you indicated. You will need to be resolved that you will keep moving toward your goal. You will have a much greater liklihood of sucess if you are 100% committed to your goal, rather than just winging it. Put together a plan and execute it. If necessary, modify it as you go. If you fall off, get back on.

At the end of April, I was 240 lbs, the heaviest I've ever been. The realization that I had gained a full 100 lbs since high school shocked me into waking up and taking responsibility. Weight loss isn't alchemy - It is simple math. Like others have said, determine how many calories it takes to maintain your current weight, then create a deficit by reducing the calories you consue, upping the calories you burn, or both. Generally speaking, eliminating 3200 calories translates into a pound of weight loss.

I started taking walks several evenings a week and cut out the trips to Burger King. Next, I cautiously started biking, only making it about five miles the first several times. I also cut way back on the diet soda and make a conscious effort to drink enough water every day. On June 1st, I began a weight training program and started upping my bike time. I also started tracking EVERY SINGLE CALORIE i eat. There are several free online ways to do this that make it much less of a hassle than it used to be. If you do this diligently for just a couple days, you'll be amazed how many calories you are consuming that you never took in to account.

I'm working on changing the way I look at food. In the past, flavor and pleasure were paramount. Now, I'm trying to look at food as fuel. Before stuffing something into my mouth, I ask, "What does this food do FOR me?" I try to keep my calorie intake to 1800 per day - 40% carbs, 35% protein, & 25% fat.

I weight train Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I also ride about 15-20 miles on those days. On Tuesday and Thursday I ride 20-25 miles and on either Saturday or Sunday I usually get in a 30-35 mile ride.

I am 6' tall and built very slender, Clydesdale designation notwithstanding. I'm in my late 40's. From May 1 when I started, until July 4th, I have lost 30 lbs. (That works out to around 3.2 pounds per week.) I still have another 30 to go to meet my first goal of 180. At that point, I'll probably up the calorie intake and ramp up the weight training. to add more muscle. Right now, the fat has to go!

I know that many here will think that I'm eating too few calories for my weight & exercise level, or that the rate of weight loss would suggest I won't be able to keep it off. The fact is, on those days that I blow it and go over 2000 calories, I end up gaining again. (The 4th of July will have to be considered a free day. . . ) My energy level is fine and I'm not famished all the time.

Sorry to go on so long.

Schwinnrider

You mentioned you can put in gym time. I'm sure a trainer at your gym would be glad to measure your bodyfat percentage. That knowledge is indispensable for planning your weight loss. You don't LOOK like 210 in your pic, so I'm guessing you carry a bit of muscle. If you eat at maintenance level calories and keep exercising, you will drop weight. Keep your protein up, and try to get your carbs from fibrous sources, and the fat will melt away.

daveprozac

May want to look into juicing as well, and I don't mean steroids. I Just began juicing 2 weeks ago and it has made an incredible difference in my energy level as well as lowering my food cravings; I am by no means a super active person but I don't just sit around watching TV either. I hit the gym 5 days a week, one muscle group per day (shortens the time I am at the gym and leaves energy for cardio), and my daily rides vary from 6 to 10 miles long, mostly commuting. Might be worth looking into; a great way to get your veggies without having to really prepare them.

Porkponey

WEEK 1 UPDATE.

Last sunday 211.6lbs naked.

This sunday 208.6lbs naked.

Yesterday I did a 10 miles at a 15.3mph average with no pauses and for the most part no coasting. Sunday is my cross training day so I'll be hitting the pool for some laps and likely playing a bit of soccer.

I really really appreciate all the helpful replies and will be happy to keep everyone updated. It's motivational and inspiring posting here.

Missbumble 

Go Porkponey thanks for the post and for inspiring us.

Porkponey

My goal for this week is to drop into the 206lb region. I weighed 208.0 this morning so that means I need to lose just over 1lb. I also picked up a parts bin saddle for 15 bucks today which had me riding on my rest day, and I'm feeling pretty freaking good. Can't wait for tomorrow.

Porkponey

207.2 this morning as I did not have time to weigh sunday morning. I actually dipped down to 205lbs this week but quit doing cardio at that point (thursday) and have only been lifting and crosstraining since then. I have been eating healthy and counting calories and have done very well.

HOWEVER I have not had a real poo in 4 days. Small poos yes, but my body feels a bit bloated and very ready to get rid of some serious weight, it just apparently isn't done brewing yet. TMI, nate. Maybe coffee?

God I hate coffee.