Viewing 26 posts - 1 through 26 (of 26 total)
  • Illness, Athletism & calorie intake
  • Kryton57
    Full Member

    As one who follows a religious calorie count in order to stay lightish (6ft average build, a shade under 12st) for competitive cycling, I stick to 2100 calories on non bike days and that plus what I’ve lost on a workout day. I don’t find it easy.

    I’m ill with manflu and a three week old cough at the moment – off to the docs tomorrow – but I’m wondering, should I be eating more to help my body recover? At the back of my mind is gaining weight, something that I can do very easily. I’m not hungry, but my brain is screaming “eat biscuits”.

    Should I eat and forget the weight gain, or continue as normal?

    andyfla
    Free Member

    Always give into the urge to eat biscuits – you know you should

    bearnecessities
    Full Member

    I’ve just had a couple of plain rich teas.

    It was a haunting flashback to life before chocolate hobnobs.

    Suggsey
    Free Member

    From a big bloke, yes eat more….your bodies trying to give you the clue you’re starving it of vital nutrients and minerals…….unless you’re striving to be a pro athlete with all the relevant support, feed yourself properly, everything in moderation and you will find that your immune system may return to normal!

    ricky1
    Free Member

    Hmmm must be biscuits day,I hammered a load of digestives,nice and malted milk via a brew with 2 sugars,felt so good….and bad.

    fasthaggis
    Full Member

    You are ill ,just give yourself a break and stop worrying.

    instanthit
    Free Member

    I am in a similar predicament, in that I have had a hammer toe operated on and off the bike for a while, therefore I have indulged in cake, biscuits and chocolate with the view that when I get back on the bike in January I can start slow fat burner sessions and Burn it all off again. It’s the off season, feed your face!

    Kryton57
    Full Member

    unless you’re striving to be a pro athlete

    Yes. 🙂

    P-Jay
    Free Member

    I’m on 1750 cals a day at the moment to lose weight and I’ve got a streaming cold – it’s getting harder to pass the Indian Takeaway…

    Yay, boiled chicken with veg and a light dash of snot for tea.

    midlifecrashes
    Full Member

    When on 5:2 fast days and in need of 3/4 of a pack of Jaffa Cakes, cherry tomatoes and small apples get me through. Though as my mate says, on the 5:2 you’re never more than 24 hours from a pork pie.

    yunki
    Free Member

    all atheiests are fat

    mrblobby
    Free Member

    Think there is some truth in the old saying of “feed a cold and starve a fever”. Wouldn’t worry about a few pounds at this time of year.

    Anna-B
    Free Member

    all atheiests are fat

    I read it as that too 🙂 I thought it was going to be about not believing in baby Jesus but eating lots of chocolates and brandy sauce anyway.

    bearnecessities
    Full Member

    You’re thinking of agnoshtics.

    mrblobby
    Free Member

    Also is it wise to vary your intake so much from day to day? Guess if you get a hard ride in you could be easily doubling your intake on some days. I’d probably try and estimate what I’d need for a week or a month then divide that by days and just have a fairly constant daily intake. I guess it would hit hard if you are ill and suddenly restricting for a few days in a row. I am no expert though and would be interested to hear other views on that.

    Kryton57
    Full Member

    Also is it wise to vary your intake so much from day to day? Guess if you get a hard ride in you could be easily doubling your intake on some days. I’d probably try and estimate what I’d need for a week or a month then divide that by days and just have a fairly constant daily intake.

    I think you are supposed to. A typical turbo day adds 600 cals to my daily intake, 347 of which are taken up by post ride chocolate milk.

    There’s some kind of calculator with a scientific name for this I think…

    Kryton57
    Full Member

    Thats is – the Harris Benedict formula – which is where I got my 2100 cals from as follows:

    Your estimated Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is
    1719 kcal/day.
    A rough estimate of the number of calories required per day based on your current activity level is: 2664 kcal/day.
    If you consume 2664 kcal/day you would simply maintain your current weight assuming that you consistently maintained the same activity level. If you completely eliminate any exercise (sedentary), you could consume 2063 kcal/day without gaining weight.
    Weight loss:
    The generally accepted rate of weight loss is 1 to 1.5 pounds per week or approximately 6 pounds per month. If you eliminate 500 kcal per day from your diet (or approximately 3500 kcal/week), you should be on track to meet this degree of weight loss.
    Note: there is approximately 3500 calories per one pound of fat (0.45 kg).

    After subtracting 500 calories your new target (calories/day) would be 2164 which should result in roughly one-pound of weight loss per week.

    wilburt
    Free Member

    I was listening a BBC podcast recently and apparently the only thing unquestionably proven increase live expectancy is reduced calorie intake.
    Easy to say though, I’m doing in a loaf of warburtons everyday atm!

    Oh..they also said fasting for a couple of days was increasingly linked to health benefits.

    Kryton57
    Full Member

    I would say that in 18 months of doing that ^^ I’ve gone from 13.5 to 11.11 stone.

    But I can’t seem to shift any more, and at 2100 per day with no turbo or bike in the last two weeks with the exception of a sunday mtb ride, i’ve gains 2lb already. Hence I’m reluctant to eat more.

    MrPottatoHead
    Full Member

    Surely the point of being an athlete is to be at your strongest. If you current regime is making you ill then getting yourself healthy again is the priority. I’d add the extra calories and focus on getting better. If a slightly heavier weight means you can train harder then so be it. You can always cut back again once you’re well. The loss of training would far outweigh the effect of a few extra calories.

    Kryton57
    Full Member

    I think its the kids bring the germs back from school / nursery thats making me ill, but I take your point.

    barrytheflea
    Free Member

    Children are filthy creatures.

    Chicken soup and stews can’t harm you, I’m not sure biscuits will do any good though.

    miketually
    Free Member

    Your body needs calories to fight illness.

    miketually
    Free Member

    I’ve eaten 4 mince pies every day this week, and have lost a kilogram since Monday.

    IanMunro
    Free Member

    Thats is – the Harris Benedict formula –

    Your basal metabolic rate typically rises with illness. I don’t know by how many extra biscuits though.

    Kryton57
    Full Member

    Well, the doc says a Viral infection has left me with the cough, nothing to do except ride it out, and pop some paracetamol to feel better.

    So ive the option of a short base road ride tomorrow or an Mtb race on Sunday which I’ve paid for – I suspect I should go for the former and give my body less of a battering. Doc says it’s good to clear my respitory system.

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