Tried a new way to lose weight

[mtnbkr]

All last year, I struggled to eat less and exercise more as a path to weight loss.  It didn't really work and I was hungry all the time.

Over Christmas and New Year, I read two books that have me rethinking how to approach both my fitness and weight loss goals. 

The first book was Heft on Wheels by Mike Magnuson.  It is the story about Mike's journey from a heavy smoking, heavy drinking, heavy eating, heavy cyclist to a lean and superfit cyclist.  Beyond the obvious part about stopping the smoking and drinking, he also discussed how he had to learn to eat to maintain his fitness and allow him to gain strength and fitness.

The second book was The Guide to Long Distance Cycling.  It too covered a lot of material about appropriate eating to maintain and build strength/fitness.  There was some good training info there as well, some that I was already doing and some that I am going to adopt.

What I learned that I was effectively starving myself.  Even though I want to lose weight, I need to get some calories in during exercise and get some more right afterwards so my body doesn't consume muscle for glycogen replacement.  I started drinking a dilute electrolyte drink while biking and either eating a peanut butter sandwhich or some other form of protein shortly after exercise.  In the past two weeks, I've lost nearly 5lbs without "starving" myself.  I feel fresher after long bike rides and I've also made noticeable gains in the gym.  It's too soon to tell if this is a fluke or real progress, but I'm hopeful.

Example of how I'm eating:

Breakfast:
1 cup Fiber One cereal with half a cup of whole milk: 200 calories
Coffee: 0 cal

Mid Morning Snack:
1 Apple: 75cal

Lunch:
Fruit smoothie: 300cal
McD's Chipotle BBQ wrap: 160cal

Afternoon Snack:
Peanut butter sandwhich on whitewheat bread: 300 cal (100 for the bread, 200 for the 2TbSp PB, yes, I measured)

Biked 7 miles offroad with fixed gear mtb and consumed 140cal of Powerbar electrolyte mix...

Dinner:
McChicken sandwhich and water: 360cal
Organic protein bar: 190cal

Total: 1725cal

My overall intake was a hair lower than normal, but being spread out and strategically timed along with my exercise, I felt less "hungry".  It's more work than just "eating less" because planning your eating schedule around activities and life is a PITA, as is having the food handy when you need it, but I think the results will be worth it.

Chris

[Fly320s]

Good luck on dropping the weight.  It's a long process.

Your calorie count it good, but your sodium intake is high because of the fast food.  Drop the fast food and eat at home.  You'll be healthier and richer.

McD's Chipotle BBQ wrap: 160cal  Sodium 780 mg @ 32% RDA
McChicken sandwhich: 360 cal  Sodium 790 mg @ 33% RDA

You're not over the salt limit, but those two small sandwiches pack a lot of salt.

[mtnbkr]

Actually, endurance athletes (which I nominally am...) need more sodium.  I don't put salt in my food or eat salty snacks very often.

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/hydrationandfluid/a/Sodium_Salt.htm

http://www.ultracycling.com/nutrition/hyponatremia2.html

I eat most of my meals at home, but the wrap was a workday meal and the sandwich was the first thing I could get to after my ride.  I didn't want to wait till I got home because that would have been an hour after the ride.  The goal was to get some protein into my system quickly and then have a light snack later (the organic protein bar). 

Chris

[Fly320s]

Ah, you're right.

I shouldn't tell you how to eat, anyway, so, I apologize.  It's just that I have a huge repulsion to McDonald's so I hate to see other people eating there.  Especially those people who are attempting to be healthy.

[CAnnoneer]

Fly, the calories depend on your level of activity and your weight. If you do not tell us what they are, it is difficult to judge if the intake is correct. However, taking into account the average male needs about 2,500 cal a day under no significant physical activity, I'd say you are still starving yourself. 5 lbs of weight assuming the loss is fat corresponds to roughly 18,000 cal. If you lost it over two weeks, then your calorie debit is about 1,300 calories a day. That is way too much. What I have read recommended is about 500 debit a day, for a controlled loss of 1 pound a week.

Also, your diet is not sufficiently diversified to provide you with all the vitamins, "good" fatty acids, and minerals.

[K Frame]

I keep telling you...

Chainsaw and a shop vac.

Home liposuction.

[mtnbkr]

Fly, the calories depend on your level of activity and your weight. If you do not tell us what they are, it is difficult to judge if the intake is correct. However, taking into account the average male needs about 2,500 cal a day under no significant physical activity, I'd say you are still starving yourself. 5 lbs of weight assuming the loss is fat corresponds to roughly 18,000 cal. If you lost it over two weeks, then your calorie debit is about 1,300 calories a day. That is way too much. What I have read recommended is about 500 debit a day, for a controlled loss of 1 pound a week.

Also, your diet is not sufficiently diversified to provide you with all the vitamins, "good" fatty acids, and minerals.

I am 182 as of this morning and consider myself very active (lift weights at the gym 3x week, bike 1-4 times a week).    As for my diet, that's only one day.  I'll eat just about anything, so my diet is pretty diversified.  I take a vitamin supplement daily to offset any deficiencies.  I've read and been told by my doctor that weight loss up to 2.5lbs/week is safe and healthy as long as you're staying hydrated and eating properly.  I've done this before and kept the weight off.  What I'm trying to accomplish now is to get that last 10lbs of excess flab off for performance and cosmetic reasons.  I'm also trying to increase my strength and endurance, which is harder to do while losing weight.  I finally got it through my skull to eat a bit more, especially soon after exercising.  Previously, I was trying to remain as active as I am now, but not eating during and after exercise, which was causing me to overeat at meals.

Today's menu:

Breakfast:
1cup fiber one cereal with a half cup of whole milk: 300cal
coffee

Post Gym:
1 bottle Ensure "High Protein": 190cal

Mid Morning Snack:
Apple: 75cal

Lunch:
Uno's Southwest Salmon Skewer salad (greens, 'maters, salmon, etc): 600cal

No chainsaws or shop vacs.

Chris

[Iain]

Immediately before, during and after your training are excellent times to take in carbs. Especially immediately after, protein and simple carbs being an excellent idea, not so sure about peanut butter being a good idea immediately after.

It also seems to me that your calories seem a touch low overall. I don't count religiously, but I know I have to hit around 2500 a day to maintain. I try and keep Berardi's 7 habits in mind (although I don't follow his advice about carbs, I do eat rice pasta cous cous and some bread and I do drink milk) - I know you're not a bodybuilder, neither am I, but the advice is sensible

[K Frame]

"No chainsaws or shop vacs."

Wimp. 

[280plus]

I keep telling you...

Chainsaw and a shop vac.

Home liposuction.

That's where I thought this was heading... 

[280plus]

Yea... wimp! 

[Paddy]

Losing weight is simple, but not easy.  Just burn more calories than you consume. 
Biking HAS to be the fastest calorie burner, unless it's speed swimming or something.  I'm no athlete, but 1750 cal/day doesn't sound like enough to support a lot of physical activity.

[280plus]

Supposedly swimming the breast stroke will burn 750 calories a mile which is by far the highest calorie burning exercise I know of. Running only uses 100 calories per mile. From what I understand the breast stroke burns so much because it works the latisimus dorsi (sp?) which, contrary to popular belief, is  actually the largest muscle in your body. The glutes are second.

So in terms of burning calories, swimming the breast stroke one mile is the same as running 7.5 miles.

[mtnbkr]

Immediately before, during and after your training are excellent times to take in carbs. Especially immediately after, protein and simple carbs being an excellent idea, not so sure about peanut butter being a good idea immediately after.

It also seems to me that your calories seem a touch low overall. I don't count religiously, but I know I have to hit around 2500 a day to maintain. I try and keep Berardi's 7 habits in mind (although I don't follow his advice about carbs, I do eat rice pasta cous cous and some bread and I do drink milk) - I know you're not a bodybuilder, neither am I, but the advice is sensible

Peanut butter is supposed to be an excellent food due to the quality of it's fat and the high protein.  I don't use it as a strict after-workout food, but if it's the best option, I go with it.

I don't always limit myself to 1700 calories.  That writeup was just an example of what I'm doing.  Some days are  abit more, others are less.

Here is what I did last night rather than sitting on my arse watching TV:



Chris

[mtnbkr]

Biking HAS to be the fastest calorie burner

Actually, it's pretty low since cycling is such an efficient use of energy.  It takes a couple hours of brisk cycling to burn 1700 calories.

It's not as easy as burning more than you eat.  If you don't refuel, your body starts breaking down muscle to replenish it's glycogen stores.  I used to think electrolyte drinks and fancy post effort protein drinks were wastes of money, but in the few instances I've used them, I've noticed a big difference in performance and recovery vs water alone. 

Chris

[GigaBuist]

Supposedly swimming the breast stroke will burn 750 calories a mile which is by far the highest calorie burning exercise I know of.

Flailing about like a 'tard with 25 pound weights in your hands as you jump up and down will burn a buttload of calories too.

Running only uses 100 calories per mile.

Well, sure, if you're not towing or pushing anything!  I'm not sure how many calories you burn pushing a Ford F150 with your cross country coach steering it burns, but it's more than 100 per mile!

From what I understand the breast stroke burns so much because it works the latisimus dorsi (sp?) which, contrary to popular belief, is  actually the largest muscle in your body. The glutes are second.

It burns more calories because it's an inefficient mode of transportation.   See my "flailing" comment above for a more extreme example.

The number of Calories required to complete work (in the physics sense) is easy to compute.  Whatever the number is, it takes the same number of Calories to lift you 2' with a hi-lo as it does by your own hands.  Now, what's harder?  Doing a chin-up or squatting down 2' and standing back up?  Okay, so squatting doesn't lift your entire body weight:  add another 30 pounds for that below-the-knee weight you're not moving. Which is easier? Yeah, squatting.

Still, the same number of calories were burned.  That's why folks like using their legs to burn a large number of calories. You may be right in that the latisimus dorsi (sp?) is the larger muscle group, but it's not tuned up well enough to move around near as much weight as your legs are.  We use those suckers to walk around all day long.

[280plus]

You may be right in that the latisimus dorsi (sp?) is the larger muscle group, but it's not tuned up well enough to move around near as much weight as your legs are.

It is if you work it... 

[Brad Johnson]

Good for you keeping such detailed dietary records.  That helps tons.  Most folks simply don't realize what their daily caloric intake really is.

Brad

[mtnbkr]

Good for you keeping such detailed dietary records.  That helps tons.  Most folks simply don't realize what their daily caloric intake really is.
Brad

Thanks.  I'm a numbers guy, so paying attention to this sort of thing is 2nd nature for me.

I know what you mean about not knowing what your intake is or could be.  I used to love a pork burrito from Chipotle until I learned they were roughly 1000 calories.  That's too much for a single meal IMO.

Chris

[oldfart]

There is another way to lose weight.  Within the past month I've dropped 33 pounds and it's unlikely I'll gain it back.

Like most, I tried diets, exercise, several mechanical marvels that were supposed to melt the fat away.  They didn't work.  They didn't work because I didn't change my basic way of eating.  Sure, I ate less but it was the same old crap I'd gotten fat on in the first place.  Instead of three slices of pizza I'd just eat one.  Instead of eating a whole gut-bomb from the hamburger joint I'd cut back by eliminating the fries.

Then last month, on the 14th, I got my wake-up call.  Two days later (I think.  Things are pretty fuzzy.) I was split like a fish and had all four main coronary arteries by-passed plus a smaller one.  Since then my appetite has diminished until I can hardly eat the fuit salad my wife makes for me - - and it's good!

So you guys go ahead and read your books and ride your bikes, they'll help some.  But if you don't stay away from McDonalds, Burger King and Dominos and their equals in your area, you'll get to try my way.  I don't recommend it.

[Iain]

Hope you start to feel a little better soon, rough experience there.

I tried the double pneumonia weightloss plan when I was 17, lost about a sixth of my bodyweight in a week. That was about 20lbs.

[oldfart]

I read a sign in a resteraunt a couple of months ago.  It said, " If I am what I eat, then I must be fast, cheap and easy."

OBTW, so far the bill for all that has come to just under $56,000 and I haven't heard from the surgeon yet.

Life's savings, what life's savings?