Now at my target weight: What next / how to stop?!

Broonster · April 2010

So, I've lost 3.5 stone in the last year. I'm 6. 3" tall and currently now weigh in at 13.5 stone which, I think (?), is the ideal weight for my height. I figured that rather than spend stupid amounts of money on buying weight saving bits for my bike, I should concentrate on getting the weight off my body first!

However, now that I'm in an exercise routine, I'm continuing what is now my 'normal' healthy diet, how do I change my focus and stop losing weight? I'm a bit nervous that I'll just continue losing weight and end up like a rake!

What food groups do I need to start eating to maintain weight / stop weight loss? Do I just increase my calorie intake? Start doing different style of workout on my bike to stop losing weight & increase power etc?

Any advice appreciated

santacrews · April 2010

Mate first of all Congratulations,

And secondly you sound like a man after my own heart !

I cannot fathom out WHY ? there is such an infactuation with weight saving on bikes !
My theory is that if my steel coil weighs X and a Ti spring weighs Y the saving equals that bit more effort i have to put in to haul it arounnd the trail.

The same thing goes for air shocks, i,m still running a 5th Element on a Bullit for some reason this is a NO Brainer ! Air is soooooo much lighter !

As for you going forward, for optimum requirements and having come this far it may well be worth consulting a dietician ? but the extent of my knowledge is by no way scientific and i,m not an expert i just know what my body does.
You may well have found or gotton close to your ideal weight ? As for different food groups to maintain weight for carbs i only eat whole grain Bread in moderation, Whole Grain Rice, Pasta etc etc, Quinoa and all the other stuff thats banded about as the holy grail of GOOD STUFF.
I go easy on Fat's altho your body cant process the other stuff properly without this in youre diet so as long as its good fats i just crack on, Chocolate in moderation because if i didnt i would relapse, and meat good quality lean red meat, chicken & fish.
Whatever you do dont stop riding, what you have done has clearly worked for you and as for doing different styles of workout on your bike to increase power you could try more hill work and introduce sprinting, Fartlek training or Interval training,
Again i,m not an expert on Trng so i cannot give the required advice but mixing up my programme works,
Any way, after all the above whats the secret ? how do you train what mileage have you done to achieve the above results and what do you normally consume ?

asdfhjkl · April 2010

Congrats on what you've achieved so far - that's awesome!

As for how to stop - simply eat more, exercise less, or whatever combination of the two you prefer. You're losing weight because your body has to make up the energy deficit from "stored energy" (aka fat, muscle). Eating more to meet your energy requirements will stop this.

I'd be reluctant to actually change what types of foods you are eating - because you've obviously found what's right for your body.

Surf-Matt · April 2010

Eat sensibly, don't up the distances too much and you should stay the same - weight control is easy if you follow the basics.

I wanted to gain weight so hit the gym and put on three stone. Decided it was a bit much (too heavy for surfing and running) so trimmed off a stone - just by being sensible.

Maintaining a weight is pretty easy really - MUCH easier than gaining or losing it.

And well done!

Broonster · April 2010

Thanks chaps.

I cannot stress how much better I feel on the bike having lost the weight. Anyone who is carrying excessive weight would be blown away by how much faster & easier they can climb on a bike by losing it! It's almost as if I fly up hills now and the satisfaction of actually passing other fitter people on hills - which was unknown to me before! - is fantastic.

Anyway, I stopped eating bread compleley, as I really lovd the stuff previously and probably ate TOO much of it. I now eat wholegrain pita bread instead (which I really enjoy), leave chocolate for a Saturday night in with the wife, cut right back on the drink (last drink was at New Year) and don't eat other crap like crisps and cakes etc.

Meal wise: LOTS of homemade chunky soups, chicken & vegetable stews, museli or fruit for breakfast, pasta & rice (but not too much) stirfrys and snacks are generally fruit or nuts. Nothing that's really unusual. I used to think of it as being 'on a diet' but this generally now IS my 'normal' diet. I have no desire at all to go back to eating crap if I'm being honest.

I probably ride about 3-4 times week now, varying from gentle 60 min rides just spinning the legs on-road, to 2-2.5 hour rides off-road at Glentress at the weekends.

Like I said, anyone thnking about doing it SHOULD - you seriously won't regret it!

hearndenemma · April 2010

Hi bronster in very similar position with you now at my ideal weight lost 3 stone since christmas, ride 2/3 times a week, and eat much the same as you

now the weights is off I have kept the diet the same except allowing the saturday nite treat

which I wasn't before, the weight loss has remained the same for a few weeks so i think once you get to your ideal the weight loss steadys out??

Going to treat myself to lighter wheels now I have done my bit, hoping this will make a difference as doing sleepless in saddle in aug and end2endiom in sept.

Valy · May 2010

Broonster - yo usay that's what you eat now. Indeed try to eat a chcocalte bar or something along those lines and it would not taste nice, now that you are used to "stuff more natural"

hearndenemma - once you get to a certain weight, it is very hard to loose the the little amount that remains.

Think of an exponential curve for effort vs weight loss.

Broonster · May 2010

Valy wrote:

Broonster - yo usay that's what you eat now. Indeed try to eat a chcocalte bar or something along those lines and it would not taste nice, now that you are used to "stuff more natural"

hearndenemma - once you get to a certain weight, it is very hard to loose the the little amount that remains.

Think of an exponential curve for effort vs weight loss.

I still like a bar of chocolate!

But, saying that, it's a Saturday night treat nowdays and I enjoy it MUCH more by just savouring the moment!

It's crappy food such as chips that don't taste so good nowdays to me.

Now at my target weight: What next / how to stop?!

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