Bit of Advice on my fitness regime.

cluffy
cluffy Posts: 27
Hi All

right i now have the bike and now its time to get fit and loose some weight!!

currently i weigh 15st10 and want to drop down to bout 13-13.5st, what i feel comfortable with really.

ive come up with a very basic training regime which im hoping will help me lost the weight quite easily (he says!!)

riding wise i will be doing 3 rides in the week, its the same basic ride that covers a variety of flat, uphill and down hill sections on roads, canal paths and bridal ways. its 6.4miles long and takes me bout 35-40mins. then on the weekend i will do a slightly longer ride which is about 13miles. after the 3 rides in the week il go for a 30min walk with the dog, i read on here a long walk after a good ride helps with the weight loss?

food wise im usually eating pretty well but as with a lot of people i snack on crap like crisps and chocolate so ive dumped all that and now have decent breakfast, midmorning snack via a piece of fruit, some form of salad for lunch and a good evening meal.

im also a big tea drinker, probable having 7+ cups a day at work, so ive now changed that to a tea in the morning and having water instead of tea throughout the day.

anyways, just wanted to list it out for myself and for you guys to have a look and give me any pointers / advice on any change i should do.

Comments

  • I have found that, going on what the good folk on here have advised, I was eating far too little for my fitness regime. I work out 3 times a week with various rides throughout the week - commuting, fitness or just a leisurely pootle about for fun (I am trying to do a bit of exercise per day with one day of rest per week) I have seriously cut down on crappy junk foods and sweets. My beer intake is now negligable really but I still have a social life so imbibe on occasion. I found that even though I thought I was eating well enough the weight wasn't coming off after an initial good drop ( 1st 1lb) in the first six or so weeks. That's when I found I had eaten incorrectly for what my body needed. I have taken the advice on board and am aiming for 2500+ calories of good nutrition which, in all honesty, I was getting nowhere near.....I was probably down to 1200-1500 on some days. I didn't necessarily feel that I was doing anything wrong but it would explain why I have hit a weight-loss "plateau". I have been away this weekend for a family celebration and therefore have let things go a bit, but after going to the gym today it would seem that I am at the same weight as I was before I left so that's okay. I can just push on now with an updated workout from the gym, and my new better diet (that's not "diet" in the Rosemary Conley sense -heaven forbid)
    Just eat well, play well and live well.
    Start Weight: 128 kilos (20.2 st) (April 17th 2009)
    Current Weight:119 kilos (18.7 st) (June 18th 2009)
    Target Weight: 92 kilos (14.5 st) (sometime mid-2010, hopefully sooner)
  • Nik_B
    Nik_B Posts: 270
    cut out the white processed carbs (white pasta, doughy white bread etc) unless you're exercising, and especially in the evening when you are probably inactive.

    Cut out the booze especially beer.
  • Hit the Food Standards Agency's eatwell website for good information on balanced diets. Mountain Bike Fitness Training by John Metcalfe is a good book if you're wanting to get a little more serious about your training.
    Starting Weight: 25 st 13.44 lbs - On: 20/05/09
    Current Weight: 16 st 7 lbs - On: 10/11/12
    Weight Loss: 9 st 6.44 lbs
    Current BMR: 2095 Calories
  • cluffy
    cluffy Posts: 27
    thanks for the info guys.

    i reckon i have been taking in bout 1000-1500 cals a day since last week so i know now after having a good read that its not all about eating less but eating little and often and no crap.

    cheers
  • cluffy wrote:
    . . . i reckon i have been taking in bout 1000-1500 cals a day . . .
    Also check out your daily calorific requirements by working out your Base Metabolic Rate with your current activity level.
    Starting Weight: 25 st 13.44 lbs - On: 20/05/09
    Current Weight: 16 st 7 lbs - On: 10/11/12
    Weight Loss: 9 st 6.44 lbs
    Current BMR: 2095 Calories
  • Ditch Witch
    Ditch Witch Posts: 837
    Jesus, 1000 cals a day at 15 stone? :o
    I ride like a girl
    Start: 16.5.x Now: 14.10.8 Goal: 11.7.x
    www.ditchwitch.me.uk
    www.darksnow.co.uk
    Specialized HardRock Pro Disc 04
  • Jesus, 1000 cals a day at 15 stone? :o
    You sure you worked that one out correctly?
    Starting Weight: 25 st 13.44 lbs - On: 20/05/09
    Current Weight: 16 st 7 lbs - On: 10/11/12
    Weight Loss: 9 st 6.44 lbs
    Current BMR: 2095 Calories
  • Ditch Witch
    Ditch Witch Posts: 837
    Who me? I'm just echoing what cluffy said.

    He's 15st10 and eating 1000-1500 cals a day.
    I ride like a girl
    Start: 16.5.x Now: 14.10.8 Goal: 11.7.x
    www.ditchwitch.me.uk
    www.darksnow.co.uk
    Specialized HardRock Pro Disc 04
  • Who me? I'm just echoing what cluffy said.

    He's 15st10 and eating 1000-1500 cals a day.
    Sorry. Thought you'd been working out your own BMR! :oops:
    Starting Weight: 25 st 13.44 lbs - On: 20/05/09
    Current Weight: 16 st 7 lbs - On: 10/11/12
    Weight Loss: 9 st 6.44 lbs
    Current BMR: 2095 Calories
  • Ditch Witch
    Ditch Witch Posts: 837
    Oh hell no :lol: My BMR is WAAAAAAY above that. WAY above :lol:
    I ride like a girl
    Start: 16.5.x Now: 14.10.8 Goal: 11.7.x
    www.ditchwitch.me.uk
    www.darksnow.co.uk
    Specialized HardRock Pro Disc 04
  • boneyjoe
    boneyjoe Posts: 369
    Looks good to me, but I agree that cals figure just isn't right! I've found you really have to look at it as a lifestyle change, and not just a diet, to make it work properly in the longer term. Cutting down on booze and fatty foods makes a massive difference in particular. Variety is also key - both for food and excercise - as you can get a bit bored otherwise.

    Once you've got some decent base fitnes, try some interval training, as this increases the body's metabolism and helps to lose weight.

    Perhaps set yourself a goal, to do an MTB marathon or classic, multi-day route towards the end of the summer, which will give some purpose and focus to your regime.

    Hope that helps, and best of luck!
    Scott Scale 20 (for xc racing)
    Gary Fisher HKEK (for commuting)
  • Oh hell no :lol: My BMR is WAAAAAAY above that. WAY above :lol:
    You hide it well! :wink:
    Starting Weight: 25 st 13.44 lbs - On: 20/05/09
    Current Weight: 16 st 7 lbs - On: 10/11/12
    Weight Loss: 9 st 6.44 lbs
    Current BMR: 2095 Calories
  • cluffy
    cluffy Posts: 27
    1000-1500 calories was worked out on the following

    weetabix for breakfast - calories ?
    midmorning banana as snack - not many calories
    lunch is a muller light yoghurt and
    a bought prawn or tuna salad - 350 calories (off the packaging)
    midafternoon banana as snack
    then diner which changes everyday but yesturday was 2 chicken breasts, salad and potatoes.


    thats all i ate yesturday so thats where i got my 1000-1500 calories from

    from looking round on here, i have decided to through some protein shakes into the mix as snacks.

    boneyjoe - already been looking at some big rides like the kona mashup in december or similar to set as a target, thanks for the advice.
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    If exercising you still need carbs - with thte right intensity you will burn fat too. Take food on the ride, ie fig rolls and bananas and water or isotonic drink. Jelly babies are good for instant sugar hits.

    Hitting the wall on the ride because you have no carbs available is bloody awful!
  • cluffy
    I'd forget protein shakes at the moment and seriously look at upping your calorie intake through natural foods first. It's what your boy's designed to run on.
    Starting Weight: 25 st 13.44 lbs - On: 20/05/09
    Current Weight: 16 st 7 lbs - On: 10/11/12
    Weight Loss: 9 st 6.44 lbs
    Current BMR: 2095 Calories
  • supersonic wrote:
    Hitting the wall on the ride because you have no carbs available is bloody awful!

    I concur, unfortunately from experience!

    i *think* you need to eat more than what you indicated for tuesday... and having two bananas in one day is probably not the best idea, unless you are out on your bike.

    now i'll probably get shot down in flames on the banana comment, but they do release their energy very quickly, i understand!

    little and often is definitely the way to go, though!
    Ned Flanders: “You were bicycling two abreast?”
    Homer Simpson: “I wish. We were bicycling to a lake.”

    Specialized Rockhopper Pro Disc 08
  • Ditch Witch
    Ditch Witch Posts: 837
    Cluffy, try keeping a food diary on something like the daily plate (livestrong.com) for a week and see what you're actually eating.

    Measure everything properly.

    For example, how much milk do you put on your weetabix?

    How do you cook your chicken? Grilled, fried? Skn on or off?
    I find the calories in salad to be so negligible that I don't bother to count them, but potatoes are another matter. And how do you cook them? Boiled? Do you add butter?




    Also, lay off "low fat" dairy. The fat is usually replace with sugar or, even worse, artificial sweeteners. These are being shown to trick your body into eating MORE, not to mention a load of other potential issues.


    Either eat the real thing or don't eat it at all.
    I ride like a girl
    Start: 16.5.x Now: 14.10.8 Goal: 11.7.x
    www.ditchwitch.me.uk
    www.darksnow.co.uk
    Specialized HardRock Pro Disc 04

  • Also, lay off "low fat" dairy. The fat is usually replace with sugar or, even worse, artificial sweeteners. These are being shown to trick your body into eating MORE, not to mention a load of other potential issues.


    Either eat the real thing or don't eat it at all.

    well said, ma'am.
    Ned Flanders: “You were bicycling two abreast?”
    Homer Simpson: “I wish. We were bicycling to a lake.”

    Specialized Rockhopper Pro Disc 08
  • sampras38
    sampras38 Posts: 1,917
    cluffy wrote:
    thanks for the info guys.

    i reckon i have been taking in bout 1000-1500 cals a day since last week so i know now after having a good read that its not all about eating less but eating little and often and no crap.

    cheers

    You really should be eating around 2000-2500 a day, and even more if you are exercising. Otherwise your body will go into shut-down mode and it'll end up storing the calories you're eating as fat.