So the doc tells me to lose weight. I can either change doctors or lose some weight I guess. He gave me a diet ("Whole foods diet" from Texas Tech I believe) that cuts back on the carbos some. I have been riding the road bike three to four times a week at 10-12 miles a ride for probably 4 to 6 weeks now. I haven't dropped a pound yet and I know that some of it is due to muscle weight. I hope to increase the frequency of rides and mileage in the future.

Reading biking stuff says to eat carbos for energy and the doc says to decrease carbos. What to do?

I'm in a tough situation. I have to be the pickiest eater on earth. It's not that I don't want to eat normal foods, they just taste awful to me. I'd say that 95% of the foods on the diet I don't eat and they would be considered every day normal foods like veggies.

Any advice appreciated. I've got to lose. I have to go back for blood work in a couple of weeks to see if my chol has dropped any from my test 6 months back. I need to make a little progress by then concerning the weight issue. I'm sure my exercising has atleast affected my chol to some extent.

with the mileage you are doing it isn't going to hurt to cut down on the carbs unless you are doing longer rides. Other threads have talked about high protien diets, (including Atkins which I don't favor and I'm not going to rehash my reasoning.) Overall, the new food pyramid does advocate a higher protein to carbohydrate ratio which sounds like that is what your doc has recommended. Be patient. Remember diet and excercise mostly lowers triglycerides and raises HDL (good cholesterol). The LDL (other bad cholesterol) for the most part is genetically determined but weight loss and excercise does help it some.

You could do a couple of things.

Sounds like you like carbs and don't want to drop those.

My advice is to ride at least 30-50 miles per day. Then you should be able to eat as many carbs as you want, as you will be riding at least 3 hrs.

The 10-12 miles is probably taking you under 1 hr. No chance of bonking there!! Heck I just rode to work this am 13.3 no breakfast until I got to work, I rode just fine.

Anyhow, you can either adjust your exercise to meet your diet or adjust your diet to lose weight.


BTW, you don't have to ride the 30 miles all at once. 3-10 milers will do the same, your burning calories that's all that matters. Though I would also incorporate some resistance training and do some other cardio so that your don't get any injuries for just biking.

I would also suspect when you do start to lose weight--once your find the right combo, it will come off pretty quickly after that. But you have to change your metabolism!! Make sure your not just checking your weight as well, Tape your chest and your stomach to see if your losing there. Also might want to tape a thiegh and your neck, write down the measurements and keep track, I bet you will be suprised at the results after a few weeks.

I don't know how much you weigh, but right now measurements are likely more important as an indicator then weight loss. You may be putting some muscle on and losing some fat at the same time.

I am on the "Body for Life" program, which includes intense cardio 3 x's wk, weight lifting alternating days 3 x's wk and an eating plan of 6 small meals daily, each meal including 1 low-fat protein (turkey, chicken, low-fat beef), 1 complex (whole grain) carbo and all the veggies you want. Each serving size is one fistful.

No refined carbs such as sugar. I estimate that it all comes (for me - I have a BIG fist) to about 1800-1900 KCal per day. The point of this 12 week program is a permanent change in eating, diet and exercise habits.


Looks to me like it is going to be easier if you learn to like more foods.

Good luck. I AM losing weight on this diet, any my blood pressure yesterday was 111/66, the lowest it has been in a looonnnggg time!!

You need to enjoy the food you are eating and the excercise you are taking if you are to stand a chance of making this a permanent lifestyle change.
For excercise, start using your bike for all your local transport, including shopping, commuting, visiting friends etc. I manage to clock up about 10miles/day of utility riding and I dont have to set aside "training time" for that.

You wont need the high calorie intake of a hard-training racing cyclist or endurance rider . The diet advice to "cyclists" is really meant for athletes, who have a very high physical output, so need a high input of calories.

Well the distance you are doing does not require much in the way of carbohydrates.

In bicycling, you fuel your exercise either by burning fat or burning carbohydrates. The rule of thumb is that you burn between 30 cal and 55 cal per mile depending on speed and weight (rider+bike). So 10 miles is only going to burn 300 calories and that is not a real big deal.

If you are riding at a low level of intensity (just starting to breathe differently), then you will burn more fat. If you are riding nearly flat out, you will burn nearly 100% carbohydrate. After intense rides, I find that my hunger cravings especially for sweet stuff just goes off scale. On long less intense rides, I have less of a hunger effect.

Also everyone responds a bit differently both to food and exercise. I can get up and reel off 50 miles before breakfast, but that is me and I wouldn't advise that for the general population.

A problem with exercise is that a lot of people go out and exercise a little and then eat a lot more to "reward" themselves.

What has worked for me, is to get rid of the junk in my diet (fats & sweets) and not increase my food much if any and exercise.

I can lose weight at an incredible rate if I wish. I was on a 2 week tour in the Rockies where we rode about 70 miles per day and climbed around 4000' per day and I lost 10 lbs in 2 weeks. I ate enough carbohydrates to replenish my muscle glycogen but otherwise, I was reasonably careful (I still ate a fair bit). But some people on the same tour GAINED weight because they came in and went out and ate a big old cheese burger and fries with a soft drink and then had a large hot fudge sundae to top it all off! I suppose that no matter how much you exercise, you can eat enough to eliminate any possible benefit.

mkwdrs: Good luck on the weight loss. I'm working hard at losing weight and I'm having good results - slow gradual weight loss is what is working for me. I didn't put all of my weight on overnight and I know I'm not going to lose it all overnight. I figure I'm about 50 weeks away from being a lean mean cycling machine.

Some tips that may help.

Water, water, water. That's about all I ever drink anymore. As soon as you empty the bottle fill it up and start drinking again. On special occasions I'll have a glass of sweet tea or a soda but I make sure I earn the right to enjoy one of those beforehand.

30 minutes before a meal drink a full bottle of water. That will help fill your stomach and you'll feel fuller sooner.

Ride more and eat less. It's OK to eat only the foods you like, just eat less of them. Buy yourself a smaller plate to eat from. You can still fill it with food, but since the plate is smaller you'll be eating less.

Ride before breakfast. I have delayed eating breakfast until after I commute to work. I'll get to work, shower and then have a plain english muffin with my first cup of coffee.

Vary the intensity of your rides. You'll burn more calories overall in a short hard ride so mix those in with your long steady distance rides.

Keep working at it. There will be plateau's along the way. Just accept them and work through them.

Zack

Can you see a nutritionist/dietitian at any point soon so they can work with you on your eating habits? If you're a picky eater, they can also help you find foods that you can tolerate eating, and they can also help you figure out how much food you should be eating with the amount of exercise you're doing. 1- 2 sessions ought to get you on the right track, and it would do you a lot of good to get started on setting an appointment asap.


Koffee

Damn good advice, i tried running, hated it, gym, boring, but since i have bought the road bike, i have lost 5kg (probably because of cut down in coke too) in about two weeks! Good enough for me.

Good luck with the diet mkwdrs, all the best,



Cheers.

Without knowing your exact diet I suspect you are cutting back on sugery carbs and substituting more whole grain carbs and vegies.Any major change of eating habits will be difficult at first but if you stick with it you will lose your taste for refined carbs.More refined carbs are suggested for longer duration cycling performance but if fat loss is your goal they are not necessary in large quantities.I would stick with your doctor and exercise plan but maybe if the diet seems too difficult to maintain try transitioning to it more gradually I'm sure he will understand this concept and suggest ways to gradually eliminate the unhealthy food choices.But as a rule of thumb try to cut out one unhealthy food/type each week and substitute something better.As I said before you will gradually develope a taste for the healthier foods and eventually eliminate the others.

High protein diets and reducing the sugar carbs is claimed to alter insulin levels which helps the body burn stored fat. This is why high protein diets are good, they help the body burn fat more efficiently. Carbs are only quick energy, and if its not used, it turns to fat. Instead of eating on your rides, take a bottle of gatorade or similar for energy. Do longer rides, go faster, and hit some hill. I did 40 miles today and only ate 3 oatmeal granola bars and a protein bar the whole day, plus 2 liters of Cytomax (like Gatorade). I ate a bunch of protein, tuna, when I got home.

High protein diets (more than the .7g / pnd recommended by health orgs) also facilitate muscle growth which in turn (with that growth) increases your overall metabolic rate which in turn allows your body to naturally burn more calories than someone with less muscle.

Well, I have dropped a few pounds. I've been a chronic fast eater and slowing down my eating has helped some. Cutting back on the snacks too and not eating as much after dark. It's mentally driving me crazy, but maybe I'll get over it.

Cut out the soft drinks. That alone will help you lose weight. Drink diet drinks if you must.

If this is of any help:

I'm 5"9", 37 years old and weighed a smidge over 230 lbs at Christmas. At that time I was wearing 40x30 pants and had a size 48" chest. I lost 38 lbs since then, I'm in 34x30 pants and only need large shirts. And this is how I did it:

8-12 miles 2-4 days a week. With an uphill sprint at the end (gets everything burning).

I eat a McDonald's Breakfast sandwich every morning M-F (bacon three time a week , sausage on other, english muffins are the better for you you so I only get the bagel once or twice a week- no special sauce and I only eat half the egg).

I eat at Subway for lunch 5 times a week (no, I'm not that guy) but I'll be damed if it does not work. (or an equivelent, no meatballs or steak but I do get the fattening chips with 14 grams of fat and a diet cola, but I love my potato chips).

I don't eat dinner until the sun goes down and then it has usually been a very lite meal such as a sandwich, hot pocket (one of the "lean variety"), grilled chicken, or a big salad. On weekends (Friday too) I eat what I want but pretty much keep it "normal". ie 2 pieces of pizza as opposed to the whole thing, One grilled burger instead of two and a hot-dog chaser. Popcorn most nights before bed or some toast helps take the pangs away.

It really has been slow going, but as more comes off the more motivated I am at keeping it up. Up until about four years ago I was around 190 lbs but it seems that the stuff old guys told me about "metabolism changes", are true. After these six months of "dieting" I can't believe how much I used to eat.

Hope this helps,

ehenz

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and this is not healthy advise. Eating "fast food" ten times a week is not good for everyone. I do not work for Subway, nor McDonalds. Do this at you own risk.

Special warning: Spending six dollars a day on breakfast and lunch can make you broke (if you are poor to begin with) but if you are used to dropping $12.00 for lunches anyway, you will have more money at the end of the week for bike parts, or in my case I have to go to Kohl's tonight for some clothes.

Extra special warning: DO NOT EAT FRIED FOODS (except for tasty potato chips), EVER!

I have lost 14 pounds since May 7th. That is only because every time I eat, I get sick.....so I pretty much have quit eating.

I would NOT recommend that method of weight loss.

Ive been doing the Atkins thing, and riding 4 to 8 miles, 4 or 5 nights a week. The roads I ride are mostly hills. You get your legs burning, and have just enough time to recover down the next before you start up again. I find that the hard part is eating as often as you need too. Im just not that hungry. Ive lost 20 pounds in 4 weeks. Im 6'0 and have gone from 206 to 186lb. I eat alot of lean meat, and vegetables. I eat a salad with grilled chicken and light Italian dressing 3 or 4 times a week. I grill alot of chicken and take it to work. I eat low carb power bars for snacks. I eat slim jims if I need something in between meals. I chew sugar free gum for that sweet craving. I eat steaks now and then. I drink nothing but water. I drink from wake-up until sleep. I still wake up dehydrated every morning. You need water to dispose of broken down matter. Drink all you can.

Hi,
Have you tried Weight Watcher's? My Dr. also told me to lose weight. I've lost 65 lbs. I ride about 5-6 days a week, long rides on the weekend. I've been able to keep off the weight and feel great! www.weightwatchers.com

New to this section here! just thought i'd post a few of my experiences..

since i've been excercising and eating subways sandwhichs (turkey breast no cheese or mayo) and eating salads (even the ones at mcdonalds aren't too bad.. 12 grahms of fat, DONT EAT THEIR RANCH DRESSING!! 30 GRAMS OF FAT!!).. I find that I just dont really like the taste of their quarter pounders anymore, or other fast foods.. I'm just not liking them as much as I used to.. Tho a properly flame broiled hamburger on a BBQ still gets my juices flowing.. The fast food is starting to be less apatizing to me.. I'm trying to loose weight too, i think the sub's help alot.. i've only lost 4 or 5 pounds in the 3 weeks i've been at it.. but i ride an average of 30 miles a day in one trip usually 3 sometimes 4 times a week.. Tho lately i find when i eat healthier foods for me (less fat grams) That i want to eat MORE often.. like every 3 hours or something.. thats wierd.. I think one of my favorite treats at home that fills me up is deli turkey on wheat bread with less then 1tbls of low fat mayo...

One thing i will never be able to give up is my coke.. I just cant do it.. Diet soda is pig $#!t and i will never drink it.. I am addicted to coke.. Have been for 10 years and allways will be.. its only 130 calories per a can.. no big deal.. So I drink 4 or 5 a day who cares! I love it!! I'm trying to cut back tho! And i Do drink the cafine free stuff! (thats hardly any different then the cafine stuff)..

I've lost a little bit of weight so i hardly think the coke is the KEY.. I allways laugh when i see an overweight person go to mcdonalds and get 2 big maks 2 large fry's and a DIET coke.. like the coke is where the weights coming from..

Hey Y'all! I'm new to this area also,Koffee turned me on to it. I'm currently 245lbs. Less than a year ago I weighed 308lbs. I'm still learning to change my eating habits. I'm 39 years young, and like someone elese said, I did not get this weigh (Cute Huh?) overnight. It will take me a while but I plan on reaching 180lbs sooner or later! Thanks for all your great suggestions! I'll be back to this thread often

Someone else mentioned Weight Watchers and I have to agree. I lost 45# in approximately 5 months. At the time of the weight loss I was not biking and exercising in only minimal amounts.

I have keep the weight off for over 8 months. I started biking again 4 months ago and feel great. Now do over 15 mi per day with long rides of 25 mi.

Weight Watchers recommends a balalnced diet. Never tells you to drop all the carbs or all the protein. They are based upon a range of points per day. A food's point value is calculated using a formula based upon calories, fat, and fiber.

All I can say is that it works well for me.

Mark

Hi.

The last thing that my doctor did for my physcial two years ago, was to check my blood pressure - 165 over 115. I had no idea at that time the significance of that reading. My previous doctor always told me that my BP was normal. Why now? What do I do? He told me to do nothing different so that he could check it again in a month. He wanted to monitor it to assess for possible medication.

No dice. I started to search the web. Went to the Heart & Stroke Fdtn and other reliable health sites to get info. Checked out the forums at Bicycling magazine.

My weight at that time was 207 lbs. Took over twenty-five years to get to that, from 135 lbs on my wedding day. My physical activity was the weekly Sat AM rides with a friend. Snacked a lot, into the evening, eating a lot of processed breakfast cereals, etc. And ate whatever sized portions I wanted. The last big meal that I had that I remember so well, just before my physical, was a 32 oz (guessing) slice of Prime Rib at Smith & Wollensky on Third Ave in Manhattan on my first trip to NY. No vegetables or other good stuff.

I had to lose the weight. So, with all the info I obtained and my wife saying "I told you so", I made a lifestyle change. The only way to lose the weight in a healthy way was smaller portions, cooked oatmeal for breakfast, out with the cookies and cakes, 5 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables per day, complex whole grains, no snacking after 7 PM, etc. No fancy diets, aka Atkins, etc. Just my wife's great cooking and meal preparation. No salt.

Increased my physical activity to 4 to 5 rides per week of 20 km minimum, walking at lunch hour on the no ride days, getting proper rest every night and drinking water of 6 to 8 glasses per day.

Now, after two years, I'm down to 168 lbs., 39 lbs lighter. From a size 38 to size 34 and now the 34 is starting to feel a little loose. I like to lose another 5 to 8 lbs.

My BP now is 127/120 over 70/74, with medication - 10 mg Ramipril + half tablet of Hydrochlorothiazide. Will I be able to get off medication, eventually?

The key is to eat healthy and eat proper size servings (keep your sights low, your eyes are bigger than your stomach), maybe splurge a little once a week, at least one hour a day of good physical activity, at least a walk after dinner if nothing else and drink water. Stay away from fast food and/or processed and refined foods, sugars, flour, etc.

So, what else do you want to know?

That really sounds like you have a sensible plan! I like it! Thanks Antonius.

If anyone wants to know, When I was trying to get used to drinking water instead of milk, soda ect. I would get out whatever I was going to drink but instead of just pouring a glass, I would fill the glass with water instead and drink as much as I could or felt like, then I would decide if I still wanted the milk or whatever. Usually ended up just putting back in the fridge. Might could give it a try if your trying to give up sodas. As for eating, I try to eat (when possible) before I get hungry, that way I am not ravenously just grabbing whatever is out and ready to eat (usually junk food), I am able to think clearly about what would be the best thing to eat and not be influenced by that strong desire to eat something.

Just two tactics that have worked well for me, nothing more, nothing less.

Paul J.

There are a lotta good tips here.

The biggest thing to remember is if you are not seeing the results you want change something . Also remember that weight loss comes best when you eat fewer calories and burn more calories.

And my favorite Weight Watcher tip? Write every thing you taste, eat or drink down in a diary. If you want to enhance this process, measure everything you taste, eat or drink. This forces you to become aware of EXACTLY how much you eat, and believe me--I know this from hard personal experience--most people who are overweight eat alot more than they need. If you are sedentary, a couch potatoe, you really need very little food to keep you alive and moving.