garysol1 

Hi everyone, This loosing weight thing sure is getting frustrating. I have been working really hard for about 3 weeks now to lose weight. I am 39yo 5'8" and 236LBS. For almost the past month I have lived a sensible diet. No white anything (breads, mayonaise,pasta's...etc..) Everything has been replaced with wheat and even that has been at a minimum. I have some whole grain cerial for breakfast, piece of fruit for a snack, chicken breast for lunch, fruit for a snack and either a lean cut of steak or chicken (skinless) for dinner. I have drank nothing but water for a month now and LOTS of it. I have ridden religously a minimum of 25 miles, 4 times a week. So far my total weight loss has been 4 lbs for the 3 weeks. My clothes do fit better..not a huge differance but better and I do feel better.
Am I missing something here? May there be another issue?

I love this forum and it has givin me lots of drive to continue. Thanks all.

cheebahmunkey

maybe I'm missing something but why are you trying to lose weight? 5'8 136 pounds?!?!?!

mwickens

Two questions:

(1) How fast do you expect to lose weight? Over one pound a week sounds like a good rate to me.

(2) How much weight do you really need to lose? I'm 39, 5'8" and my goal weight - what I weighed in high school - is 140.

garysol1 

SORRY, I meant 236lbs currently with a goal weight of around 175lbs give or take. My first goal is 195 than I will takle the other 25lbs.

cheebahmunkey

oh I gotcha

Dr. Moto

How fast are you riding on your 25 mile rides? Are you getting your heartrate up? Also three weeks isn't that long, but it sounds like you're doing the right things.

garysol1 

1. I WAS hoping for 10lbs a month lose because of the drastic changes I made. Maybe that is a little much to hope for.

2. I need to lose 40lbs and Want to lose 60ish.

garysol1 

Is this were all us cyclists lie...LoL.....My true average from the computer is 15.4-15.6mph average. I dont have a HRM but my heart rate is very much elevated for much of the ride. I recover pretty quick from the climbs but yes......I do push the pace.

thad

Over a pound a week, I wouldn't be too worried about that result at all.

fsor

I spent a year losing 50#. As time went by, I was able to ride harder and my body quit craving the crap food that I had been adicted to. I would say that you are doing just fine.

terrymorse 

10 lbs is far too much to hope for. It's too much to lose safely. A pound of fat is 3500 calories, so to lose 10 pounds requies a calorie deficit of 35,000 calories, or a daily deficit of 1167 calories. That's a starvation diet that is unhealty. Your body would be forced to consume lean muscle with that kind of diet.

Aim for a weekly calorie deficit of 3500-5000. You'll lose fat and maintain muscle.

Guest

Crash diets just don't work over the long haul. I think you're doing great by choosing foods that are healthier (ie: avoiding processed foods) and with your exercise. But I hate the word "diet". It implies temporary changes, and for you to make this a permenant thing, you have to think "lifestyle change". Eating well, choosing good foods, doing cardio at least 4- 5 days a week, and doing weightlifting regularly will definitely be something you incorporate into your lifestyle. And as you continue to lose, you'll feel the benefits of being healthier, then you'll SEE the benefits of being healthier, and that should motivate you to get to your goal.

Think long term lifestyle change. You'll get there.

Koffee

outashape

How long have you been over-weight? Have you stabilized or were you in the process of gaining about 1 pound per week. One thing I noticed, is that when I went on a diet, I would compare my "diet" calories to what I had previously been eating. That is not fair, as I was continually gaining weight. If you use a calorie counter and see what calories are needed to maintain your normal over-weight, you will probably notice that is was less than you were eating. So....first you have stopped gaining weight, and you have lost weight. In addition, weight does not always fall off at the rate you are consuming less calories. Often, I will maintain the same weight for a couple of weeks, drop 1 pound the next week, gain a pound, and then drop 4 pounds. I can eat just about anything and not gain weight for about a week. So, if I had just been patient, more pounds would have dropped off. Hang in there!

galen_52657

Your goal is unrealistic. Plus, you are not working out long or hard enough. 25 minutes is a warm up. Hoping for a big loss after such a short period of time is setting yourself up for failure.

It took me 3 years to lose 30 lbs. Every year I gain 5-10 in the winter and lose it in the Spring/Summer (old guys who get fat in winter racing team!!!).

Your diet sounds extreme. There is nothing wrong with white bread or pasta. As far as weigh loss is concerned, a calorie is a calorie. Nutritionally, whole grains are better, but if you eat 400 calories of whole wheat breat vs. 400 calories of white bread, makes no difference as far as weight loss is concern.

My advise, worry less about the food and and make more time to work out longer and harder concentrating on at least one really hard day of riding with a ton of climbing.

teamawe

Sounds like you gained some muscle. Speaking of muscle, are you doing any work in the gym?

It will happen, just give it time. I was 230 pounds about 18 months ago (I'm also 5'8", age 38). Been hovering around 195 for a while and am losing that now towards my final goal of 185 or so.

Proof is in the pudding!

twahl

I scanned through the replies, so hopefully I didn't miss something. One thing you have to remember is that muscle weighs more than fat. So as you work out, you are building muscle weight at the same time you are losing fat weight. Riding regularly, you're going to build muscle in the legs.

Another thing (my plan btw) is the long steady ride idea. Get your body burning fat by riding longer distances, and at fairly high cadance. In other words don't work hard, don't mash on the pedals, but keep your legs spinning.

Treespeed

One more thing I would add to the other advice is a little cross-training, swimming, and running are other great ways to lose a few extra pounds and help with toning. Also a run is a good way to burn more calories if time is an issue. I wouldn't be so hard on yourself, it sounds like you are heading in the right direction and just need to stick with it.
I also want to second Koffee's advice, you can't think of it as a diet, you need to think of it as a permanent change.

garysol1 

25 MILES..not 25 minutes........Thanks for the info guys.....Sounds like I am doing ok and I need to hit the gym and do more than just cycle.
Thank you all again.

garysol1 

Great pics!! Proof is right there. No work in the gym but I guess that will be my next step.
Thank you

Nelf

Give it some time, if you keep eating right and riding, you'll lose weight. Not only that, but you'll become much stronger, which will allow you to be able to push yourself harder and farther, in turn burning even more calories. Don't even think about your weight while you're doing this, hide the scale from yourself, and just go out and ride for the sake of riding. It'll make it much easier.

Dewbert

I've had some success but not in the way I expected...
On Easter 2004 (after a huge dinner) I weighed 310 lbs and my grandfather just had open heart surgery (my other grandfather died from heart disease). My blood pressure was 135/95 and my cholesterol was about 250. I'm also a diabetic who had blood sugars that were out of control at the time.

That evening, I started a way of eating (not a "diet") called "Sugar Busters" (reduced carbs, focusing on lots of whole, less-processed foods). After a few months, I started doing Yoga every single day (I've not missed a day since I started). After a few more months, I gave up all beverages except for water and an occasional glass of milk. This spring I took up cycling and last weekend I rode in my first organized ride and completed 50 miles and felt very good, tired, but good.

Today, I weigh 240 lbs, my blood pressure is 110/70, my cholesterol is 101 and my blood sugars are near normal (a1c=6.2).

Here's the funny part: After I dropped about 20 pounds (many months ago) people would ask "What are you doing?" I'd religiously answer "It's this really great diet called SugarBusters!" Now, after losing 70 pounds (20-30 more to go, by the way) my answer to that question has become: "Well, there's a lot to it, but it basically boils down to exercise and eating right."

My point is: The pattern above is working for me. But for you: Do whatever (reasonable) diet you think you can live with. Do whatever exercise you can fit in. Any improvment is a move in the right direction. Celebrate your successes on a daily basis. Realize that the path to a more healthy you isn't a straight line, but is more of an upward spiral filled with progess and setbacks. If you stick to it, and constantly find ways to make better daily choices, you'll eventually end up in a lifestyle of "just eating right and exercising".

Good luck and hang in there!
Dewbert

garysol1 

Quick update. 226.5 this morning ...so down about 10lbs since my post 16 days ago. Thanks for the support. This is going to happen

C_Heath

word. good job

terrymorse 

Congratulations, that's a big change. Just be aware that your current rate of weight loss isn't sustainable over time. Your rate will slow as you lose more weight, so don't let that get you down when it happens. 2 lbs per week is an excellent weight loss rate.

garysol1 

Thanks Terry....I am very excited about the future and my health...not to mention my hill climbing..
So far it has been pretty easy. Lots of chicken and lots of riding.