Anthony8858

Incredible and motivational advice from all of you.

I thank you all for taking the time to respond to my thread.

Are any of you willing to post a typical daily meal plan? I'd like to see what somene like me SHOULD be eating. (just a starting point, to satisfy my curiosity)

kuan

You should be consuming about 1600 calories per day. First of all, replace some glycogen you've lost while sleeping.

Breakfast: 200 calories. Cereal and skim milk

Workout: 60 minutes cycling

2nd breakfast: 200 calories simple carbs plus protein to keep hunger at bay, eg., glass of OJ, 2 eggwhite omelet plus 1 egg omelet, slice of toast, slice of tomatoes, slice of cheese.

Lunch: 400 calories Fuel, complex carbs, fiber, eg., Whole Wheat Pita with white meat chicken, salad, whole fruit.

Snack: 200 calories Energy bar and carrot sticks

Dinner: 600 calories: 6oz seared salmon w/nonfat tzatziki sauce, wild rice, and as much green leafy veggies as possible

After a few weeks, change up your routine. Try throwing an easy 20 minute jog once a week and see what happens. Key to not getting stale is to mix up your exercise routine. Hit the weight room, etc. If nothing happens, you'll get fitter, stronger, your BP will drop, and you will be able to "manage" your carbs better.

Val23708

i havent read any of the replys here but there is something very important missing from your diet:

carbs.

you need about 60% of your calories to come from carbohydrate.

umd

I don't think it is necessary for everyone to have that much carbs. Also, for what it's worth, I have a lot more than 60% of my diet from carbs, because the protein and fats are fairly fixed but when I need more calories I make up the difference with carbs.

10 Wheels

That is Good. I rode 413 miles one week ( 5 days) Gained 2 lbs.
Simple::::: Calories In Versus Calories Burned. Eat Less ::: loose more.

RalfR

I have been through this as well. I really is an issue of how long you are riding for. You body is using fuel in your bloodstream for the first part of the ride. That is not going to affect your weight at all. You need to ride for significantly longer so that your body seeks energy from it's storage areas (FAT). The longer you can ride in that zone, the more fat you burn. Once you get into a routine, the weight will fall off consistently and regularly. Although others will disagree, I think you should go as hard as you can comfortably manage. A HRM will help a lot, you will quickly guage where your sweetspot is. For me, it's 160 bpm, I can ride on that for 2 hours without feeling too knackered afterwards, but also feeling like I had a thotough workout. If time is limited, ride longer, but less often. One two hour ride is probably better that 2 one-hour rides, all other things being equal. I'm 43yo and overweight (200lb).

I also learned that is helps to weigh yourself once a month only, or fortnightly at the most. Your body changes in weight all the time for lots of reasons, and it's easy to get disheartened if the wrong number comes up.

Hang it there, once you work it out, the weight will fall off easily.

Cheers

PotatoSlayer

here is a breakdown of my diet and I've been losing 1-3 pounds per week... it's not perfect so I'm open to critiqueing:

I work 4 days a week and here is what I do on my ride days..


basic breakdown (not including measurements but generlaly a serving of each)

Wake up around 2:15am

For breakfast I have honey nut cheerios with dry oatmeal added over mlik. (2:30 am)

I have gatorade on the commute in along with water. (3:30am)

Upon arrival at work I have:
orange juice, 2 hard boiled eggs, bran cereal with milk, banana or fruit yogurt (5am)

First break: 5 tomato slices, pickles, 1 cup cola (9am)



Lunch: Turkey sandwich with lettuce, tomato, mayo, mustard, cheese, rice or potato, vegetable, fruit yogurt (11am)

Last break: peanut butter and jelly sandwich. On days I'im feeling extra tired I will make it with 3 slices of bread and extra peanut butter. (2pm)

Ride home: Orange juice (watered down) and gatorade (4:30pm)

Arrival at home: milk, pasta with light coating of cajun alfredo sauce. (6pm)

I have water throughout day and with every meal.

In bed around 8pm.

earthirv

Hi,
I'm 6'3" and 240lbs. I was 260 a few months ago. I do low carb and lots of egg white omelets and I try to bike for one hour fiive days a week. Sometimes I do shorter rides on my off days and it's working for me. No alcohol, starches, or sugar. Lots of brocoli and fish at dinner. I drink alot of fluids. I also fast for 24 hrs once a week. Sounds terrible but a friend says it works. Verdict is out on that. Good luck.

umd

Being a small guy, there is one thing I don't understand. Don't take this the wrong way, but how does someone let themselves get so big to begin with? I feel like a fat slob at 160, I can't imagine ever getting up to 200 I mean it hurts to move, its hard to breath, etc... Was there somwhere along the way that you realized you were too big and just didn't know how/didn't have the will to stop and/or reverse it? Again, I'm not trying to insult anyone, just trying to understand the physcology of it.

PotatoSlayer

For me it has been a number of factors..

First of alll, my parents are both overweight. My diet growing up was poor. My dad refused to eat any vegetable except corn. It was a lot of red meat and mashed potatoes that were loaded with butter.. processed foods like Kraft Mac & Cheese... And of course the portion sizes were way too big. We'd go out to eat at least once a week, sometimes a few times in the same week and we'd have contests on who could finish fastest. Oh yeah, we drank soda soda and more soda. Occasionally milk or orange juice.

When I got on my own I knew I was big (around 200, 5'9") and I still ate like crap. I didn't know what a true serving was at the time and I still continued to gain weight, but I was aware of it. I just didn't know what to do. I was, though, starting to eat vegetables more since I hadn't had them growing up.

And then I started travelling for a living. It'd be constant mountain dew and fast food. And I knew deep down it wasn't good for me, but I really didn't know how bad it was for me. I ballooned up to near 300 pounds. I cannot explain to you how hard it is to travel for a living and eat healthy. I broke the cycle a couple years ago and started to lose weight during the summer (swimming, cutting out soda) my job went along with school year and once I was back out on the road it only took a month for the crap cycle to continue.

I tried doing exercises (i.e. weight lifting, treadmills) but just had no interest in it. It, to me, accomplished nothing. And they always had the stupid TV blaring with something stupid like Judge Judy and that motivated me even less.

Finally this year I broke the cycle. What did it for me was hopping on my home scale reading 280 (which was usually 10 pounds less than the doctor's scale) So let's say 290 was my weight. My blood pressure was 154/105 WITH medication. I was having chest pains, a numbness in my arm, loud snoring and trouble sleeping. And after all this, I visited the denist for the first time in years and they told me I was in the process of starting to lose my teeth due to excess tartar and plaque buildup from years of poor dieting and bad hygeine.

On top of this, gas was $4 a gallon and I kept thinking about how in high school I did commute by bike to school and work and never sweated the price of gas.

So I ended up doing things in steps...

First I cut out soda... and started drinking (home brewed) green tea.

Second, I went 90% vegetarian. I figured cutting my fat intake would help me lose weight.

Third, I started biking around town running errands..

Fouth, I started riding TO work 14 miles once a week. Getting a ride home. Then I started adding days riding to work. Then I got to all four days riding in. Then I started doing the round trip -- 28 miles a day. Each week adding another day of round trip. the entire time I'm learning about proper nutrtion. BECAUSE I HAVE TO.

It came down to finding a practical purpose for exercise (getting to work) and top of enjoying riding the bike and in order to do those things I have to maintain proper nutrition otherwise I'm back in the car and the cycle can start over again.

I'm now below the 260 mark and I think that's an accomplishment. My blood pressure is 110/70 and my doc says I'll be off meds within a few months.

umd

Congrats

earthirv

Well, life throws you some curve balls. I had cancer 8 years ago and had to stop running and biking. I gained 50 lbs,220 to 270. At 6'3" 220 was good for me. So don't judge people. Life gets complicated. The weight gain was from inactivity but I'm down to 240 and losing it after getting back into biking. There's also the gene thing. My wife is amazed that I don't lose faster because I don't overeat. I think I have caveman genes that keep me big. My wife is 5'2" and can eat all she wants to and stay at 120lbs.

telebianchi

Life happens. Two years ago my job had me traveling a lot more than previously. I continued to eat pretty good things (I love Whole Food Market's fresh produce section on an expense account!) but I ate too much and although I exercised on the road it wasn't nearly as much as I did at home. And because I had never worried about it too much in the past I didn't have the tools (calorie counter, etc.) to change things.

Added to that is that nobody told me I was getting/becoming/became fat and overweight. If I had big rash on my forehead, people would tell me to get too the doctor. If I was constantly fatigued, people would ask me what was wrong. If I was showing up to work ever other day with a hang over, somebody would try to get me some help. But I was just putting on 35 lbs so nobody wants to open up that conversation.

Here's a picture of my at about my biggest -- approx 205 lbs. And then me down to 170 (actually the second picture is post ride dehydrated so I'm about 166 which was regained in a couple hours of food and water).
May2007_to_July2008sm.jpg

One thing that helped me as that I never stopped being somewhat athletic -- I kept riding, hiking, some tennis, some running. So even before I thought about losing weight I decided I wanted to be a better rider. That lead to a HRM and training information which lead to diet for performance and that then lead to calories for losing the weight. But I could see how this would be more difficult mentally for somebody who just doesn't enjoy (or doesn't know they enjoy) pushing themselves into a big sweaty mess.


To the OPs question about sample daily diets, I think with a little searching on the ol' interweb you'll find a lot of good examples. For me, I started by pretty much eating the same few things for about two or three weeks. What keeps me going now is the quest for new foods that fit into the diet (sweet potatoes! Beets! pumpkin soup with barley!) All low calorie and very good for you. Find what is fresh in the vegetables and fruits at the grocer or local farmers markets. If you don't know how to cook, take it up as an ancillary hobby.

Dubbayoo

Not everyone has the same body type and not everyone over 200 lbs is fat. I'm 5'8 and I haven't weighed 160 lbs since my senior year of high school. Then I started lifting year round and within a year I was up to 185 and still <10% bodyfat. Now I'm 43, only toy around with lifting here and there yet even at 245 I was only about 14% bodyfat. That's low end of the healthy range for my age group...not that it makes cycling very easy. If I never lifted a weight I'd probably still weigh 190 lbs even cycling year round. Since age 34 or I've probably gained about 2 lbs per year. It sneaks up on you.

umd

I had hoped I made it clear that I was not judging, just trying to understand. For me, hitting 160 was pretty much a wakeup call. I felt like crap at that weight. I was just wondering if people hit a certain weight a felt like crap and kept getting bigger anyway, or if they never even got that signal to begin with. And if they got that signal but kept getting bigger, was it because they didn't know how to change or were unable to for some reason?

Also, I've posted here before about my experience, but you all may not have seen it. To help understand my perspective, I got really good at losing weight. Too good, and I became anorexic. Then I rebounded and started binging. So I understand all about control and willpower (and lack thereof) and the funny tricks our brain plays on us.

umd

Hopefully I clarified myself above, but let me reiterate that I do not think that everyone over 200 pounds is fat. I cannot imagine me being 200 pounds. I cannot imagine that I could let myself get up that high without knowing that something was wrong and trying to correct it. The OP obviously thinks he is considerably overweight so any discussion of body type is irrelevant there.

That is the kind of answer I was looking for.

ConfusedClimber

I think you definitely need to be putting some more cards in your diet. Carbs are energy and you NEED them if you are going to be exercising.

What might be happening is that your boday is taking whatever it can and storing it in place of the carbs you aren't getting.

Also try to be more well rounded in your diet. Beans and legume are excellent sources of fiber and protein and low in fat (unless you only like refiried beans). And plus if you like salad, chickpeas, kidney, pinto and black beans are excellent toppings.


Olive oil is good for you, but try cutting it down a bit. The amount of fat it packs is very large. There are other ways to top a salad that doesn't require a large amount of oil.

The biggest help for me was to cut down my sugar intake to only the sugar that comes naturally from fruit. Stay away from any processed sugary food. Be careful with juices though, especially if they are adding their own sugar.

The best advice i have been given is to eat with a lot of variety. And make sure your meal is filled with COLOR. EAting green things is good, but not if its the only thing you are eating. Throw in some colorful veggies, fruit, beans... variety is essential

dirtyphotons

anthony, as someone who's had a lot of struggles with weight loss, and ultimately a lot of success i think you're doing well.

you didn't mention how much you'd been exercising before the beginning of the month but if you've increased your activity at all there's a good chance you've been building some muscle. muscle mass grows fast at first, and i wouldn't be at all surprised if you've lost 5 lbs of body fat and gained 4 lbs of lean muscle. i know that doesn't seem like much consolation, but muscle not only conditions you to be able to extend your workouts in time and intensity, but the muscle itself metabolizes more calories when it's used. the first month or two of a weight loss plan can be very frustrating because of this but hang in there.

which brings me to my other point. it sounds like with that diet and exercise regimen that you've been very disciplined so far. that's the hardest part of weight loss by a long shot. that being said i don't personally think that total self depravation is the answer. i say have a scoop of ice cream (the good stuff, not that nonfat crap) once in awhile. not as a "reward" but because you're working towards a lifestyle that allows "unhealthy" foods in small amounts from time to time. just remember that fatty and sugary foods are a slippery slope, and eating them in moderation can be more difficult psychologically than cutting them out entirely. but its an ability worth cultivating, as you're not going to be on a diet forever.

my last one is that aside from getting a variety of healthy food (which is good advice) i recommend getting a variety of different types of exercise. any one workout is going to wear thin eventually, and working different muscle groups really speeds up your metabolism. shoot some hoops, go for a hike or a swim, rent a canoe, do something active that you've always wanted to do.

best of luck, you'll get there.

jim6b

Agree with those suggesting OP's body is shutting down. Way to avoid that is putting exercise/activity first and diet second. Guideline is you need to be active, for example just walking about, for at least an hour a day to maintain your present weight level and prevent your body from shutting down. To lose weight, one and a half or more is needed, every day.

Activity, especially if it reaches the aerobic state, has three benefits. The first two are widely known. You burn additional calores with activity. If aeorbic, you raise your matabolism and burn still more calores. The third benefit is only recently begun to recieve recognition. Activity, say 20 to 30 mins walking, riding, reduces food cravings. If we have had a weight problem we are familiar with cravings. Anything we do to reduce the cravings makes sticking to a diet acheivable.

So my suggestion is to focus more on the excerise/activity, and write down everything you eat and its calories.

Good luck

Anthony8858

Update:

Since my original post, I made a few minor changes.

First, I increased my riding time to AT LEAST 1 hr, and lowered my pace to approx 65-70% mhr. I found myself able to sustain a nice pace, have a conversation, and still work up a drenching sweat. I've done this twice since posting, and I feel more energetic after my workouts.

Second, I've increased my fruit, green veggie intake, and added more protein to lunch and dinner. I've added more complex carbs by adding some brown rice to dinner, and went out and purchased some grain pasta.

I've also increased my water intake up to a minimum of 64oz a day.

I'm on a mission, and won't stop. This extra weight does not belong on me, and I have no intention on keeping it.

Keep the great advice coming, I'm reading all of it.

Thanks

kipibenkipod

Yep,
This is what I wanted to write.
You need to find more time for exercise.
Start with a crud calculation of 500 calories per hour, so you get:
1 hour each day, 7 days a week = 7*500 = 3500 or 1 lb
2 hr, 7days is 2 labs...
So, for each hour you spend each day, you loose 1lb.
I can also recommend eating some good fats like avocado or olive oil. This help the body release fats.

Good luck,
Kfir

kipibenkipod

Very good.
I would also add salad to every meal.
Keep us update ;-)

Kfir

dallasmike

No offense to anyone, but you sound like a teenage girl. Don't worry most people are the same way when they start, including me.

Stop focusing on the scale and start thinking like an athlete. Eat when you are hungry, but also before you are hungry. Use portion control methods (I read a good one somewhere about taking 1/2 of what you think you can eat, then go back for 1/2 that amount again for your "seconds" and you end up with a 25% reduction in consumption).

Weight loss isn't a one month process, and you seem to be aware of that, but you cannot throw in the towel because you haven't seen the immediate results.

Someone mentioned 1600 calories and an hour of cardio per day. He weighs 226 lbs. Even an aggresive caloric deficit of 10cal/lb is still 2260 cal/ day (where 14-15cal/lb/day is sustaining caloric intake).

I started my weight loss on 5/11/08 and lost 18lbs in 12 weeks, and that doesn't count the initial 2 weeks that I was putting the plan together. I have actually stopped trying to lose weight because I needed the energy to ride like I want to and NEED things like dreaded carbs and healthy fat.

I made myself an excel spreadsheet that outlines all my important factors I used to get started. If you want it, PM me and I'll email it to you.

Good luck, and don't quit.

merlinextraligh

I have to completely disagree with this. If you only have the time or inclination to ride an hour, your going to burn more calories, and lose more weght riding at a higher intensity.

I understand the data that you burn more fat riding at a lower intensity. Thus riding at 65-70% is fine if you're going out and riding 3-4 hours. But if you've only going to devote an hour, you'll burn a lot more calories and ultimately lose more weight if you bust it for that hour, than if you ride slow for the hour.

So you might consider mixing your rides up a bit. Do one day with 2x20 intervals at LTHR, do another day, at your low endurance pace (the 65-70%) And do a third day with 5 or 10 1 minute intrvals , mixed in with otherwise riding at your 65-70% pace.

Doing some intensity work like this will 1) burn more calories, 2) make you a stronger cyclist, and 3) increase the pace you can ride at, which in turn will allow you to burn even more calories in the available time.

fietser_ivana

Quickly skimmed through the replies and wanted to say a few things

- it's a myth to not eat late at night
- it's a myth you have to eat more than 3 meals to lose weight.. you can eat 3 meals and be fine

From what I see, you were/are eating too little for too many days on end.

Agreeing with Dubbayoo:
Upping calories & carbs every 4-5 days will work wonders. Perhaps even as much as every 3rd day!

Re the carbs, the easiest & healthiest way to cut calories is to cut carbs. Those are the first ones to add back in on days you eat at/over mtn again. They will recharge your batteries again..
And .. why the hate on yolks? I eat a 3-egg omelette every day, even when cutting.. only on 1100-1200kcal days I would substitute 2 eggwhites for 1 whole egg but still get 2 whole eggs in.. Yolks have so much good nutrients!