Weight loss

Rhod81

Hey all.

Through sensible eating and cycling, I have managed to drop from 107kg to 100kg In the two months after Christmas. However, whilst the initial 7kg seemed to drop off quite quickly and easily, I seem to have hit a bit of a plateaux.

I have been sticking with quite a good diet of a couple of bits of fruit for breakfast (mid morning) bit of pasta and some salad for dinner, banana for afternoon snack and a smaller portion of a normal family-type meal for tea. My only real vice really is I cannot give up sugar (1 teaspoon) in my cuppas - of which I have several a day. Oh, and a few bottles of Coors Light come the weekend....

I cycle to work every day as it is only 3 miles each way, which obviously I enjoy and gives me a bit of fresh air, but I am a little disappointed in my weight loss (or lack of) for the past few weeks. I kind of feel the only real reason for my weight loss is cutting the rubbish out of my diet.

I have read that your body uses stored glycogen for the first 30 minutes before moving onto the body's fat store for fuel. So I guess what I am wondering is, from a weight loss perspective, do I need to be cycling at least 30 minutes each ride before I start to burn fat?

Ideally, I want to get to about 90kg.


Cheers 8)

amaferanga

Your 6 mile commute probably burns only a couple of hundred calories.

Rhod81

Exactly, according to my average pace (18mph), height and weight I burn about 300 each way. So 600 a day, 3000 a week. Plus, whatever I do on the weekend I should easily be doing 3500 a week, which should account for 1lb.

So over a three week period I 'should' lose at least a kilo.

The fact I have barely even lost 100g is what's baffling me. Hence me wondering whether I am using only stored glycogen from say, my meal the night before, and not actually burning fat???

imposter2.0

Rhod81 wrote:

Exactly, according to my average pace (18mph), height and weight I burn about 300 each way. So 600 a day, 3000 a week. Plus, whatever I do on the weekend I should easily be doing 3500 a week, which should account for 1lb.

So over a three week period I 'should' lose at least a kilo.

The fact I have barely even lost 100g is what's baffling me. Hence me wondering whether I am using only stored glycogen from say, my meal the night before, and not actually burning fat???

On a normal diet, you will have enough glycogen stored for around 2 hours of exercise. You burn fat and carbs in equal measure pretty much all of the time. You may burn slightly more fat at lower levels of intensity, but that doesn't necessarily imply that low level exercise is better for fat loss. Realistically, the best way to control weight is through diet, not cycling.

Rhod81

Thanks, so basically keep up the healthy eating and keep up on the cycling and over time hopefully it'll drop off? I've got the turbo trainer set up so I'll just start using that a bit more too...

dodgy

Rhod81 wrote:

Exactly, according to my average pace (18mph), height and weight I burn about 300 each way.

I highly doubt those figures. Very roughly speaking, cycling at high intensity will use up in the region of 800 kcals per hour. Your commute is what, 10 minutes roughly?

Rhod81

According to this page (albeit the first one I quickly searched for) http://www.nutristrategy.com/fitness/cycling.htm it gives 1117 calories @ 205lbs. Or 5.45 calories per lb. So at 220lbs (100kg) that would be 1199 calories. So yes, a ten minute commute would only be 199.8 calories.

So admittedly, my first calculation of 3000 calories a week was slightly out. More like 2000.

Rhod81

I still feel at those rates, the loss of a kilo per 3 week period should be feasible.

amaferanga

No way will you burn 200kCal on a 10min commute.

You're doing so little cycling that you can almost ignore it from a weight loss point of view and concentrate on your diet. If you want to use your commute for weight loss then extend it to at least an hour a few times a week (and don't assume you're burning 1200kCal/hour).

Rhod81

Right, thank you! That's what I was thinking, that the cycle from a weight loss point of view was pretty much irrelevant. I will have to do a little bit of Google maps research for I longer route I reckon!

jgsi

Log them foods and drinks..
Myfitnesspal
I was sceptical.. very.. but i gave in and logged in
it is almost a necessity for successful weight loss and control

team47b

Portion size can make a lot of difference, I eat 30grams (un-cooked weight) of pasta for lunch, I am not trying to loose weight.

How much do you call "a bit of pasta"?

Rhod81

Thanks JGSI. I will give that a look.

Team47b. It's a tough one that. I don't weigh my portions or anything. The best I can say really is that regards portion control I have about 2/3rds of what I used to have for my main evening meal, and for dinner (with my large portion of salad) I have about half of what I'd consider a "restaurant portion".

Vague, I know...

chrisaonabike

I'd strongly suggest you revisit this 'cannot give up sugar' claim. If by that you mean, you tried tea without sugar once and it was disgusting, then I'd definitely give it another go.

I had two teaspoons of sugar in tea and coffee until my mid twenties, and decided to give it up - calories, teeth, you name it - and for about three days I didn't like tea or coffee. But then, my taste changed, and I started to quite like them both without sugar, and never looked back. Indeed tea in particular, actually tastes quite sweet now on its own with a little milk.

Funnily enough, after a month or two of giving up sugar, my OH at the time put a couple of spoons of sugar in a cup of tea, just for grins, and it was the most vile syrupy un-tea-like devil's brew I could imagine. It was literally all I could do not to spit it out.

Just give it up, man - don't do it by cutting down gradually - that's hundreds of calories a day you can lose without even trying.

I did the same with butter on bread, by the way, too. Never have butter on bread or toast now - can't stand the taste any more. Every little helps!!

markos1963

I managed to start losing weight by commuting but it only came about because I have an hours ride each way. Before my three or four rides a week wasn't enough to shift anything much. Now with ten one hour rides a week the weight has dropped off, roughly two stone and I haven't had to dramatically cut consumption of food. I do make sure I have plenty of good quality foods, fruit, fish etc but have cut out about half of my bread intake.
I would look to extend your commute to get your time in the saddle up.

charlie_potatoes

Rhod81 wrote:

I seem to have hit a bit of a plateau.

IME this is normal. A few weeks of losing weight then plateau followed by a few weeks of losing weight then plateau followed by etc. etc.

I would stick with it. Cycle more and replace some fat with protein. Worked for me I lost 22kgs last year.

Now eating loads just to maintain my current weight 8)

wavefront

I'd agree with all the replies above - if you're not cycling that much it has to be diet controlled, really looking at what you're eating and portion size. It still amazes me how many calories are in some foods that you think have next to nothing. I was shocked a few weeks ago when I had to go with a client to McDonald's whilst away on business (still cant believe we had to, as I hate the place) and saw that their big mac was 510kcals, chips were 475kcals, and along with a drink that would be close to half the recommended intake for a women. In one sitting. Which probably doesn't fill you up.

Cut out the sugar, watch your portion size, and if you can, cycle a lot lot more. I would argue that you'd burn more like 600cals in an hour, with your commute only being 10 mins, your only burning 120cals a day. That's 1/4 of a big mac.

Good luck!

wavefront

<cough>

..... Think I need to go back to maths class. I meant 200cals obviously. Just ignore me

team47b

Rhod81 wrote:

Thanks JGSI. I will give that a look.

Team47b. It's a tough one that. I don't weigh my portions or anything. The best I can say really is that regards portion control I have about 2/3rds of what I used to have for my main evening meal, and for dinner (with my large portion of salad) I have about half of what I'd consider a "restaurant portion".

Vague, I know...

Well, weigh it next time you have pasta then you won't need to be vague :roll:

dodgy

wavefront wrote:

<cough>

..... Think I need to go back to maths class. I meant 200cals obviously. Just ignore me

10 minute commute, in which case that would be 1200 kcals per hour. No way.

Probably more like 120kcals.

Rhod81

Thanks everyone.

Chris: I will try this no sugar thing. Yes, you're quite correct, I tried it a few times and found it to taste far too bitter, but I will persevere. As for the bread and butter thing, I try to keep consumption to a minimum, and when I get the chance, I favour olive oil over butter anyway, but thanks.

Markos & Charlie: thats a lot of weight, fair do's. that's great going!

Wavefront: I know what you mean about McDonalds. Evil in "food" form! I avoid that, and other similar establishments like the plague! Though I can occasionally be persuaded to a KFC.


As I mentioned, I do do weekend cycling also. I try to get a decent ride in every weekend usually consisting of the black @ Llandegla on the mountain bike or an hour or two on the road bike. Last weekend I did a 32 miler which included riding Mold > Ruthin (which, if you know the area is a bloody big hill!), and then from Ruthin to llandegla (a loooong drawn out uphill).

I will try to extend my morning commute a couple of times a week. Directly, work is only a mile and a half away anyway, i have extended the route to practically 3 miles by riding away from work and doubling back on myself as it is! As I've said previously, I'm going to have to consult google maps I reckon!

wavefront

dodgy wrote:

wavefront wrote:

<cough>

..... Think I need to go back to maths class. I meant 200cals obviously. Just ignore me

10 minute commute, in which case that would be 1200 kcals per hour. No way.

Probably more like 120kcals.

Think we're saying the same thing, I meant a day (there and back, 20 mins)

ut_och_cykla

Cut down on the carbs slightly, up lean protein. Eat a carb richbreakfast (not just fruit) and then less & less carbs during the day. Be very careful about portion size. Just a little too much day after day makes the difference between losing steadily and plateauing. Weighing/counting for a week or so is worth doing - often quite an eyeopener Also - make your life generally more active - stairs instead of lifts, stand instead of sit etc. And on your way home spend a few minutes cycling quite a bit harder than feels comfortable to 'shock' your body a bit.

slowbike

I lost a bit of weight last year - just with weekend rides - so it wasn't that - but I think it was more to do with cutting down the portions so I wasn't completely full - I recall that I was hungry quite often, but I just ignored it ...
and I still have sugar in my tea/coffee ...

As previously said - measure your portions and use MyFitnessPal - and don't cheat - you're only cheating yourself.

chrisaonabike

Rhod81 wrote:

Chris: I will try this no sugar thing. Yes, you're quite correct, I tried it a few times and found it to taste far too bitter, but I will persevere.

Don't make the tea too strong to start with, once you go cold turkey, and give it a week of forcing it down, four cups a day. Hopefully if your experience is anything like mine, it won't take that long for it to become bearable.

The downside is that once I gave up sugar, I couldn't stand instant coffee any more. I love strong real coffee, but if there's only instant on offer, I'll have tea instead.

Good luck!

ShutUpLegs

Nothing like a bit of willpower to get your training/ weight loss underway.

Paulj700

Lots of good advice. Calorie counting is a good idea if your obsessive about it. Its certainly very easy to over-eat.

One thing I would like to suggest though from my own personal experience is try some strength training. The calorie burning benefits of low intensity long duration exercise really only last just a little longer than the exercise itself. We are just too damn efficient at that kind of stuff as a species!
Strength training on the other has has been shown to increase metabolic rate for up to 48 hours after exercise. And on top of that any lean muscle gained = more calories burnt to sustain that new muscle.

Just a few weeks ago I decided I needed to lose some weight and set about it with this strength training approach. I'm currently supplementing my cycling with a day in the gym and sessions at home doing body weight exercises. I've not gone mad on the diet, ive cut out all the cheese sarnies and choccy biscuits but im still enjoying a few pints on a weekend. Ive lost 6 lbs in 2 weeks and personally I'm totally sold on strength training as the best way to burn fat.

Anyhoo, I got my info and motivation from a book, written by a US Navy Seal Fitness instructor. I really cannot recommend it highly enough. The information in the first few chapters regarding diet, types of exercise and strength training totally blew away some misconceptions ive been holding onto for more than 20 years. Everything the guy says is also backed up by reference to scientific evidence and studies.

Give it a go. Hope it helps.

Paul

Edit: Link to book

http://www.amazon.co.uk/You-Are-Your-Ow ... 0345528581

mmacavity

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-lu ... 59564.html

http://www.fabresearch.org/3210