Aaargh can't shift weight
chriskempton
Posts: 1,245
I'm getting frustrated by not being able to lose any weight. I normally run at about 76kg through winter then reduce to 74kg at about this time of year (I'm 5'10" so bang on healthy BMI). This year, it just ain't happening. I train for triathlons, so that typically means 2x50-60 min runs/week, 1 coached 60 min swim session, and cycling 2x30 mile round trip commutes, 1x12.5mile hilly time trial and a 3 hour brisk ride at the weekend. Total c.7-8000 cals/week according to my log.
I do all this, eat very healthily e.g. (cereal/porridge for breakfast), chicken salad for lunch, normal dinner, some healthy snacking like prunes, fruit, pitta. As for alcohol, I've stopped drinking anything midweek, and have a few glasses of wine or beers on the weekend.
And still I don't lose any weight :? I'm 41, so I know it's not supposed to be easy but this is just silly. I worry that if I stopped training I'd be a blimp in weeks.
Should I see a doctor? If so, how do I go about it - if I go to my GP as a 41 yo bloke in outwardly great shape not at all overweight, I'll not be taken seriously. Would a nutritionist be a better bet?
Point is I want to lose weight to perform better, but also that I'm worried that I might have an underlying issue that is being masked by a fairly intense training regime.
I do all this, eat very healthily e.g. (cereal/porridge for breakfast), chicken salad for lunch, normal dinner, some healthy snacking like prunes, fruit, pitta. As for alcohol, I've stopped drinking anything midweek, and have a few glasses of wine or beers on the weekend.
And still I don't lose any weight :? I'm 41, so I know it's not supposed to be easy but this is just silly. I worry that if I stopped training I'd be a blimp in weeks.
Should I see a doctor? If so, how do I go about it - if I go to my GP as a 41 yo bloke in outwardly great shape not at all overweight, I'll not be taken seriously. Would a nutritionist be a better bet?
Point is I want to lose weight to perform better, but also that I'm worried that I might have an underlying issue that is being masked by a fairly intense training regime.
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Comments
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Maybe your fat is now muscle and your weight is appropriate?0
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Don't just take everything from BMI it's not an entirely accurate system. If you really are worried try looking for people who run a body health check / body composistion check or something similar in your area. It uses a wider range of tests to give you a better understanding of your body makeup.
I saw an advert for Virgin heath centres saying they do them. I didn't get it done though, as you can see from my signature....i'm fat and I don't need someone else to tell me that!0 -
What are your time splits, or your power figures like?
At the end of the day, it's your speed that matters and losing 2kg is only really going to have any impact on the run.
Ultimately you can't beat the equation: Calories in - Calories expended = weight gain/loss.
Write down everything that you are eating and see how much it is, if the weight doesn't come off, then drop your intake by 500 calories per day (at the most) that should take about 1lb per week off your weight.
But don't stress too much, maybe it is muscle build and you are getting faster?0 -
See a nutritionist. They will asses your diet and recommend some supplements and foods you can eat that will help shift additional weight.
Sounds like you are taking in more calories than you think and/or your body has adjusted to the amount you take in to maintain a balance.
Also - your guess at your calorie expenditure per week is likely too high. Many people use flawed calculations to work out their calories burned and are then surprised they are not losing weight. Lower this figure (to say 6-7000 instead of 7-8000), adjust your intake to match and see if it makes a difference. Or cut the alcohol out completely for a few weeks.
But I wouldn't obsess over 2KG. I can fluctuate that much on a daily basis myself.0 -
Speak to Barry at http://www.optimumnutrition4sport.com
I was struggling to lose weight and was hovering at approx 92kg for a long long time.
In 5 weeks I'm down to 87.5kg and feel fantastic in myself.
Best £85 quid you can spend on yourself!0 -
Eat less carbs.
Go training on a coffee and a sesame bar.
Works for the BC team.0 -
Restrict yourself to carbs only when you exercise and you lose weight good.0
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hi.
would agree that you should write down what you have eaten each day
It is possible that you aren't eating enough.
I have found that not eating enough can stop my weight loss.
Check your base metabolic rate - eating the amount of calories that this gives will allow you to lose the weight steadily.0 -
Dropping the weight is a tough thing to get right while trying to maintain energy levels. Personally the best success i've had in the past was with higher carb ratio, decent amount of fats and light protein sources. The high protein/low carb routine didn't work for me at all - not sure how some people manage to train on that, I felt lifeless so had to jack it in.
Like chuckrock says, ensure you are eating enough. If you are cycling a lot and eating minimally, then your body could be holding onto everything it can get. I get this if i'm training a lot and restricting intake - my body seems to hold onto water/calories and I see no weight change. 2 days off the bike and bingo, the weight loss suddenly appears.0 -
Dump the meat and have 'low fat' everything. Worked for me. Still can't ride for toffee though!0
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sunburntknees wrote:Dump the meat and have 'low fat' everything. Worked for me. Still can't ride for toffee though!
completely the wrong advice for weight loss as a athlete!
I had a similar problem until I did a reality check on the quantities I was eating. I cut my portion size donw by 50% and have lost about 3 - 3.5Kg in about 6 weeks, but more importantly I have lost more than that in body fat as my muscle weight has increased. I was at circa 24% body fat, its now 19.5 ish. The big mental change was to make sure I had enough fuel to ride a training ride, and not to fuel up before it. I have a couple of hypo moments that an energy gel and some Go bar cured. In other words, I don't worry about being hungry before riding, even a longish ride up to 2 hours at tempo as I know that a gel and some PSP has enough energy to get me through it. When I finish a hard ride I now always use a receovery drink wth protein, and have a high protein meal, with fewer carbs that used to. So less pasta, potatoes and bread!0 -
Double. Whoops!0
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SteveR_100Milers wrote:sunburntknees wrote:Dump the meat and have 'low fat' everything. Worked for me. Still can't ride for toffee though!
completely the wrong advice for weight loss as a athlete!
Please explain Mr Expert. How is removing fat from your diet poor advice for an "athlete"?0
