Fatty looks for help

Got-to-get-fit · June 2007

can anyone suggest a good eating plan for me?

I have been back into cycling now for about 3 month and absolutely love it....mind you i only commute to work and back but that is a good 25 mile a day 5 days a week. I have a 2 yr old son and another baby on the way so its hard to make the commitment to join a club.

When i started off cycling again i was getting overweight...nothing really dramatic but enough for me to notice when im standing in my undercrackers. I reckon i was about 2.5 stone overweight.
Anyway cycling has started to tighten everything up and i feel a much better man than i did 3 month ago, what does bother me though is that i seemed to have stopped losing weight and i still have a long way to go ....probably another stone. I must admit that i eat a lot of crap and certainly tend to gorge myself after a ride as im so bloody ravenous. Ive heard fitness instructers talking about getting to a point where we stop losing weight and need to do something to kick start out metabolism again but not sure how to do this.

Do i need to diet? What would you reccommend? are some foods good precycle and post cycle ...etc etc etc

Thanks for the time and sorry for rambling

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CraigUKcp · June 2007

Personally I think you can't go wrong with a good normal balanced diet, ie cereal or toast for breakfast a sandwich with healthy filling or soup and fruit for lunch and then a dinner with lean meat or fish with lots of veg and salad for dinner. If you are pregnant then although I'm no expert I'm fairly certain that you shouldn't try and diet too much as it'll affect your unborn child. As for cycling, lots of long low intensity riding is what you need for losing weight as opposed to anyhting too fast and intense. Try cutting back slightly on portion size and for main meals try and put more veg and less potatoes. Also foods which have a high GI index take longer to digest and leave you feeling full for longer, hopefully this will help stop snacking.

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Felix-da-house-mouse · June 2007

try and find alternatives for the crap, like plain cashew nuts instead of crisps or peanuts, eat as much fruit as you want basically, try smoothies (make them yourself as you know whats in them) and there quite filling, Bannanas if you crave chocolate as it produces the same endorfins in the brain. try running and saunas to lose weight works a treat.hope it helps and good luck,

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Fab Foodie · June 2007

Hi GTGF

Firstly, don't worry about the scales, just use the mirror. I've only lost 4 lbs in the last 6 months of my "diet" but have changed shape significantly (for the better).

OK better diet:
More fruit, veg, beans, salads, pasta and higher GI stuff, swap white rice and bread for brown versions. (you know this really, everybody does)...reduce the alcohol intake and fizzy drinks.
Good breakfast, go for something fibre-packed, porridge, muesli, granola weetabix/oatabix. Swap biscuits for oat-bars/health bars, reduce cake consumption unless heavily fruit laden. Dried fruit is also a good substitute for sweets.

I have had success by trying to eliminate wheat-based products (started as a Lent challenge as I work in a company that uses a lot of wheat flour in its products), I also have a serious cholesterol problem, so I changed my diet to look for oat-based or Rye-based alternatives. Now I eat much more Oat Granola or Oatabix for brekkie. Lunches (packed in my case): Ryvita products both sweet and savoury, Rye bread for a change, bean salads (cheap in tins, just add a tad of vinagarette), tinned Sardines/mackeral, Oat chilli bites, oat-baked bars, fruit, dried apricots. (you get the idea, it's not religious, I still eat crispy cremes and McD's, but the backbone of my diet is based around the stuff I mentioned). There's a lot of stuff in the Supermarket that makes changing diet quite fun.
These kind of products help keep you full and provide even energy release, not the big carb/sugar spikes of more refined foods. A Banana 1 hour before a ride should be more than enough (I can happily do nearly 40 miles with that and water). After a ride, milkskake/choccy milk is great for recovery and will stave-off the munchies long enough to allow you to have a shower and prepare some healthy food.

I hope that helps...

The pessimists of this world are rarely disappointed....
Fab's TCR1

pgw777 · June 2007

"I must admit that i eat a lot of crap and certainly tend to gorge myself after a ride as im so bloody ravenous"

That says a lot to me. I would suggest you need to eat enough during the day to give the energy to get home. I was about 3 stone over weight and used to ride 28 miles a day and the weight dropped off. I was eating the following.

Banana for breakfast
Salad Ham/Chicken etc for lunch with an apple
1/3 of malt loaf in the afternoon and possibly another Banana
Plenty of water and 2 or 3 cups of tea
A Balanced evening meal, with at least 2 portions of veg.

It doesn't sound much but enough of the right food at the right time of day will ensure you have the energy to exercise and loose weight.

Others may disagree, and it wont work for everyone, but I am currently overweight again due to a period of inactivity and too much lager! I am eating exactly the same, but this time I can't manage the time to do 20 - 30 iles a day, so i run when I can and get out on the bike when I can. I have still managed to lose 10lbs in 5 weeks.

Plus this time I feel as if it will be a permanent change in dietary habit. I don't like the use of the term dieting. You need to find the correct balance of foods along with regular exercise permanently.

When you eat well and exercise i find your body craves the correct foods eg nuts, fruit, fish etc.

Oh and by the way you need dicipline! Good luck.

Ste_S · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Got-to-get-fit
I must admit that i eat a lot of crap and certainly tend to gorge myself after a ride as im so bloody ravenous.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

You've identified the problem yourself. Stop eating crap, and eat little often instead of gorging yourself.

Danger ! Men at work

Got-to-get-fit · June 2007

Thanks Guys thats certainly food for thought (forgive the pun)
Im just going to have to try to discipline myself more and try to cure the munchies with 'good' grub.
All the food suggestions mentioned are brilliant and lots there i had'nt even thought of.
I find being at work the hardest time really as i work in an office on my own, managing a team of 15 over a 12 hour shift basis - very little ever goes wrong so i have a lot of time to myself and i sometimes eat to fill in the hours.

Im going to give serious healthy eating a try and see if it will kick start my weight loss again.

Oh just one more thing to clear up.....when i said i was expecting our 2nd child i meant 'my wife is' im actually a bloke and although my belly may look like im pregnant im certainly not. LOL

my evil toad army will rule the world

CraigUKcp · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">
Oh just one more thing to clear up.....when i said i was expecting our 2nd child i meant 'my wife is' im actually a bloke and although my belly may look like im pregnant im certainly not. LOL<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

[:)] I obviously read your post the wrong way!!!

I've just noticed that you are down the road from me, I'm up near Spennymoor. If your up for it you should pop out with our club one weekend, Ferryhill Wheelers. We normally do anywhere between 50-85 miles on our Sunday club runs which includes a cafe stop for a quick refuel. You can find more info on our website>>>

http://www.ferryhillwheelers.org.uk/

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2old2dieyoung · June 2007

Craig,
Forget the scales. The more you exercise the more muscle you build and muscle is heavier than fat.

2old2dieyoung · June 2007

Whoops, that should be to gottogetfit!

Got-to-get-fit · June 2007

Thanks for the offer Craig, i might just take you up on it someday. Ive never ridden with a club before and am intrigued but as i said in the earlier post i dont get much free time, But i will certainly try to get a free weekend soon.

DOnt know if im up to the sort of distances you cover though....24 mile a day is what i normally cover ......but then thats because that is what my commute is.....ive never tried going any further than that!!

my evil toad army will rule the world

Fatty looks for help

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