So, here's the "plan"...........
 

I need to lose about a stone off my gut and ar*e now! :(

I will be going back on the bike this week and will start swimming and lifting weights again.

I have been told to cut out bread and potatoes completely and eat more rice instead. Will this work?

I have never had problems with my weight as i am usually very active, however I was diagnosed with osteoathritis in my knee joint 2 years ago and struggle to keep fit for the sake of it as I used to play lots of sport as a hobby and kept fit while enjoying myself, now motivation to go the gym has reached zero!

Getting back on the bike should be OK as I love being out on the road!

Advice would bve appreciated, or just motivation :D

Take care all

There are a bunch of us here who have lost a ton of weight, including me (30 pounds).

The biking should be good for your osteoarthritis. It is generally recommended by physical therapists.

You need to take Glucosamine (and if possible, add Chondroitin) for your osteo. It actually builds back the cartilage.

As to diet,

1. Only whole grains - oatmeal, whole grain rice, whole wheat bread, etc.

2. Low fat meats and other protein.

3. Lots of veggies of all sorts

4. No sugar, candy, sweets.

Eat six small meals per day with a small portion of protein, carbo and all the veggies you want.

Do weight lifting and other resistive exercises.

Good luck. You can do it.

Diet is like exercise. Exercise that you do is far superior to any exercise that you don't do even if the one you don't do is rated as "better". A good diet that you can follow consistently, year in, year out, is far to be preferred to a superb diet that drives you crazy and makes you quit.

I eat quite a few carbohydrates and even sweets. But I put in a fair amount of miles. I need the fuel and if some of it is sweets, that isn't great but it isn't terrible either. I do avoid the saturated fats which is far more important.

As to losing weight, it is pretty simple. Burn more calories then you consume.

Exercise and diet is a good approach. You need the exercise any way. Also when people diet, their bodies seemingly convinced that they are in danger of starvation will scale down the metabolic rate in an effort to save precious fat. Our bodies haven't figured out the we are not going to have a famine any time soon. Our bodies are made for a calorie restricted life style and that is deadly in the land of Big Macs.

If you exercise, you body has to maintain your metabolic rate and you will lose weight much more easily. Of course, you are doing that.

I think the advice you got about potatoes and rice had to do with the glycemic index. That is how fast the carbohydrate is processed by the body. The idea being that fast processed carbohydrate causes spikes in blood sugar which is not a good thing - we have an epidemic of diabetes. But white rice, is not really any better then bread, pasta or potatoes.

Pat, I'll endorse the glycaemic index angle as well. Potatoes have a higher index than rice so gram-for-gram a spud can produce more glucose than say rice. But if you reduce the size of the spud that gives you variety of diet whilst not pushing your weight up dramatically. Extreme diets can be really boring and so unmotivating. Most weight loss is initially water so there is a feel-good factor in the first week or two, but then it becomes harder.

As you rightly say, losing weight is simply to eat less calories than you consume.

Thanks for all the help

I have made a start, been the gym 3 times since christmas day and cut out as much sh*t as possible from the diet (difficult at the holiday period!) and feel better already. Been on the stationary bike mostly to get the legs working again, will keep it going for a few weeks before I try anything strenuous on the road, too cold anyway this week!!!!

Oh and dont forget to keep taking carbos, most efficient fuel!


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