How have you lost weight? « Singletrack Forum

Chat Forum

[closed]

How have you lost weight?

68 posts & 41 voices | Started 2 years ago by satsoma | Latest reply from nickc

Tags:

No tags yet.

Pages: « Previous 12

enduro-aid - Member

I used to weight 16 stone and im now down to 12.5 and its been a long slow and steady process i can tell you!!

quit eating crap a choccy biscuit with your cup of tea at night is fine but not every cup of tea and your post ride cake is fine because you have earned it.

took me 18 months to drop the weight and it was simply diet and 3/4 workouts / rides a week. it can be really easy if you work it right a couple of runs during the week (or rides if the weathers good) and a long bike ride at the weekend. No beer during the week and 3 square meals a day if you have to snack have fruit, and the biggy is water drink 2L everyday min

Posted 2 years ago #
Bagstard - Member

Eat smaller meals more often. Don't allow yourself to go hungry for long or you will feed on your muscles, slow your metabolism and make it even harder to lose weight.

As an MTB'er I presume you already do some cardiovascular exercise?! Training with weights will build muscle and increase your metabolism, meaning your body will be a more efficient fat burner. It shouldn't be all about weight loss, but long term fat loss. Going hungry for a month may show on the scales, but it wont be long term loss, mostly fluid.

Posted 2 years ago #
grumm - Member

Did a sort of Atkins-lite

Me too - lost quite a bit of weight that way. Need to be careful doing lots of exercise though.

Posted 2 years ago #
Keva - Member

I've only managed to lose half a stone in fifteen years. No idea what Im doing wrong.

Posted 2 years ago #
porterclough - Member

Cutting down on booze is one effective method IMHO - 1000 calories every time you go to the pub...

Posted 2 years ago #
molgrips - Member

There's only one way - Eat less, eat less crap and do more.

Theoretically very simple, in reality quite complex.

Posted 2 years ago #
takisawa2 - Member

Determination & hard work.
And if you love your food (like me) its bloody hard work breaking the habit.
First time you see some results is good though, gets easier from then on. What works for some might not work for you though, but the recurring theme is eat less, move more even if its just a lunchtime stroll instead of sat at your desk being on here. Like me. Right now. I'm off.

Posted 2 years ago #
matthewjb - Member

if you love your food (like me) its bloody hard work breaking the habit.

Agreed. I noticed I could easily eat all day at work. There are always cakes and sweets around from someone's birthday. I just had to stick to what I had planned to eat.

Posted 2 years ago #
Alex - Member

Matt Hart wrote something in STW a while back about how easy it is to put weight on (creeping obesity) and how hard it is to get it back off.

I don't every get on the scales because it's pretty irrelevant to me. No diets, just stuff in moderation, don't clear the kids plate, enjoy luxuries as just that, and make more of your own food (Pizza's are way nicer/healthier if you make them yourself).

If my trousers feel a bit tight, I'll eat less, that's about it I know I'm way fitter than I was because I moved somewhere with big hills and ride as often as I can. That's the motivation for me, ride longer and faster and be able to do the same the next day.

I reckon if you didn't have a hobby that involved exercise that you enjoy (as opposed to trudging down the gym with a feeling of duty), it'd be harder to shift the flab.

Posted 2 years ago #
bintangman - Member

less beer and far too much stress is doing the job at the moment unfortunately. I'd prefer it if I could say 'riding for 2 hours a day'

Posted 2 years ago #
simonfbarnes - Member

Don't allow yourself to go hungry for long or you will feed on your muscles, slow your metabolism

I don't think there's any evidence for either of these. Fat is your primary energy store and 'metabolism' depends on how much you use your muscles

Posted 2 years ago #
MrTall - Member

I've just lost half a stone as a result of now being a newly diagnosed diabetic.

Not a weight loss program that i'd recommend though.......

Posted 2 years ago #
5thElefant - Member

Theoretically very simple, in reality quite complex.

Theoretically very complex, in reality quite simple.

Posted 2 years ago #
satsoma - Member

Brilliant advice from all

So, from this I've deduced that I need to:

a) Cut down my portion sizes
b) Snack on fruit
c) Cut down on bread
d) Have a little treat every now and then

The Weight Watchers thing sounded good - if only to give you the 'food knowledge' about portion sizes and fat content.

Posted 2 years ago #
Jamie - Member

One last tip. Keep a food diary, you will be surprised how easy it is to eat more than you should/need.

I use MFP as it has a iPhone app that goes with it and is free.

Posted 2 years ago #
molgrips - Member

The thing I'd mention is that if you are biking lots, and you cut down your carb intake you'll start to deplete your reserves and feel terrible and/or incredibly hungry, and if you can tough those two out your riding will go to sh*t. So you want to judiciously take carbs when you need them, but not too much. Start by taking say a 2/3 strength energy drink when biking...

Posted 2 years ago #
nickc - Member

Eat less, properly concentrate on it. That's everything, don't fool yourself that you can eat loads of "healthy food", it's still calories, just eat less of it. Cut out the alcohol, all of it, even at weekends, sorry. Do loads of exersize, lots and lots, 100km roadie at the weekend, 40km of running during the week, that kind of "loads".

Then you'll loose weight.

Edit, oh, and drink loads of water.

Posted 2 years ago #
molgrips - Member

40km of running during the week

That's just silly. Some folk aren't runners, 40km would kill me even if I were at my fittest. 100km road ride is nothing, but I can't run for toffee.

As for water - don't drink more than you need, it just comes straight out again.

Posted 2 years ago #
5thElefant - Member

Or... do no CV at all. Stick to lifting weights. You don't need CV to shift fat.

Posted 2 years ago #
molgrips - Member

You don't need CV to shift fat.

That's the opposite of what all fitness trainers and coaches say..!

Posted 2 years ago #
rangerbill - Member

Theres loads of info in the Mens Health/fitness type magazines.
Plenty of water throughout the day (helps convert your stored fat into energy) eat 5 times a day, but healthy food and smaller portions (your body can digest it easier and quicker so doesnt store excess as fat).
Yes your body does go for muscles rather than fat, so if you do loads more CV but dont give yourself protein you'll lose muscle.
Never weigh yourself but look for definition in your body. There are products out there that arent just for weight lifters. Ive used maximuscle in the past and always found it good

Posted 2 years ago #
willard - Member

I lost a load of weight over the last couple of weeks using this simple method:

Go away with the army for two weeks and don't drink or smoke in that period. Get five hours sleep or less a night and maintain a high level of physical activity for the entire set of waking hours.

Eat three big meals a day, but ensure that a shouty welshman is making you do press ups and punishments runs, in addition to normal PT and weights, at least once a day. It might also be advantageous to spend four days out on exercise eating rations whilst there is an eight inch layer of snow on the ground, although you should ensure that you have a maximum of ten hours sleep over this or you'll not have as much fun.

I saw the weight just fall off. Can't beat it.

Posted 2 years ago #
buzz-lightyear - Member

If you starve yourself, you will not have sufficient energy to exercise so your losses will be minimal.

Personally, I'm a snacker/grazer and I'm happy with small evening meals.

Posted 2 years ago #
Jamie - Member

Plenty of water throughout the day (helps convert your stored fat into energy)

Really?

Posted 2 years ago #
zaskar - Inactive

102kg at Xmas.

98kg at 10/01/2010 Moobies firmed up and size 36 trousers falling down and using more eyes on belt!

Weighed in today at 95.5kg. Hope to lose 4kg end of Feb and be 90-91 Kg?

Goal: 78kg by June but it sucks training in cold weather!

Just had Special K for breakfast and 2 cups of green tea, 2 protein bars for lunch and water and now some chicken breast and water.

Bland but added garlic when cooked tika diet sauce etc but regardless o fbasic food I've lost 6.5kg (can't train until injured knee mends)

Do what the guys said-less junk food, goals and patience.

Posted 2 years ago #
5thElefant - Member

That's the opposite of what all fitness trainers and coaches say..!

No it's not.

Posted 2 years ago #
molgrips - Member

Zaskar that is a shocking diet. Where's the fruit and veg? Nothing like enough carbs either.. you'll be losing muscle mass there along with your fat, and giving your body a really hard time.

Posted 2 years ago #
zaskar - Inactive

Oops I meant so far today lol have mixed juiced up veggy juice in a minute for the antioxidants and fibre and banana before bed.

Eating around 2000Kcal.

I munch on bananas and love steamed broccoli if I get peck'ish I take them to work too-running late today though

When I ride I just eat anything and everything -up to a point and the weight comes off.

Then for 2 weeks I eat a bit more and do weights and after two weeks loads of cardio and change my diet again-not to let my body get used it.

My fault for getting out of shape as I had 2 jobs and too much junk food and after 6 months I quit 2nd job and my GF gave me a wake up call to get back to health and shape.

Posted 2 years ago #
big-chief-96 - Member

im 14 and i lost 3 stone in 2 years, (before anyone says thats bad, i was a FAT ba****ed)

Eat 3 meals a day and plenty of fruit and veg, (it is important not to cut out the meat or dairy though, just eat it in decent ammounts) if you struggle to go a whole day with no snacks, have breakfast, have dinner when you get home from work and then have tea later at night so they are spread out more.

Keep up riding and it should be no problem

good luck

Posted 2 years ago #
rangerbill - Member

Jamie, apparently, but I'll obviously have to dig out the article to back up the statement!

Posted 2 years ago #
matt_outandabout - Member

I rode/walked/was more active.
I stopped eating crap and stopped/controlled my snacking.
I drank more water.
I have lost 1.5st in 8months.

Posted 2 years ago #
RichPenny - Member

Last January I was 14st4lb. Currently about 12st7lb, I'll probably end up just under 12st. Not specifically dieting, just a bit more thoughtful about what I eat. 3 cakes and a pie per day was fairly easy to cut out once I got used to it. I've ridden lots more this year, and will be doing an absolute minimum of 50 miles a week (normally 80+) since ditching my car.

Do you want to be thinner? If you do, then eating less crap and moving more WILL get you there. You can obviously go on a mental diet, but if you don't enjoy it you will struggle eventually. Best to approach it slowly and turn your lifestyle around IMO.

Posted 2 years ago #
nickc - Member

molgrips, I wasn't suggesting that 40k a week is the only route to losing loads of weight, I meant that "sort" of amount of exercise is what's needed, IME people under-estimate what they eat and over-estimate the amount of exercise they do.

Posted 2 years ago #