OK, so I have been following a diet plan and upping my exercise since Xmas in order to lose weight and gain endurance.

Running 4 times a week, cycling about 30 miles a week. The weight loss is happening, I am averaging about 1.5 pounds week of weight loss, but I seem to be getting weaker; My running is not really improving and riding the bike seems pretty hard at the moment.

My diet is not quite idave, I am restricing calories to around 1500 – 2000 a day depending on training and eating very little carbs – its mainly good protein and fruit with a small amount of carbs, usually rice. This was set out for me by a non cycling personal trainer.

Any nutrition experts on here that can comment? Or do I just need to stick with it to see results?

Ta

Sounds like you aren’t eating enough to me, maybe over training too.I’m presuming you are male?!1500 calories and exercise on top! Probably eating into your muscle mass.

Can’t think of anything useful to add but it doesn’t sound like many calories if you’re expecting performance improvements.
I guess it also depends on if you’re running 4 x 1K a week, or 4 x 10 miles a week.

My diet is not quite idave, I am restricing calories to around 1500 – 2000 a day depending on training and eating very little carbs – its mainly good protein and fruit with a small amount of carbs, usually rice. This was set out for me by a non cycling personal trainer.

That calorie intake is pretty low.

Work out your BMR then use the Harris Benedict equation to work out your calorie requirement relative to the amount of exercise you’re doing.

http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/bmr-formula.php

http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/harris-benedict-equation/

You could be getting about 50% of your required calories depending on how much you weigh. I believe the recommendation is never to cut more than 20% from your required calorie level in order to safely lose weight and maintain performance at the same time

Do you have recovery weeks? So every third or fourth week take things easier?

eat more and you’ll start to lose weight

too few calories, wrong sorts of foods for the exercise you are doing.

“very little carbs”

So not at all iDave then?

Thanks for the comments guys, some useful info, I will definately look much further into the Calorie requirement formulas.

To be honest the program was worked out by a PT as part of a gym introductory offer, I had begun to suspect it was not ideal for my needs. I knocked the trainer and gym on the head when she suggested I try her Zumba class.

My knowledge of iDave was based on reading threads about idave, not actually sitting down and reading the program, I will now do so as it seems to work for a lot of you, I am not short of willpower so it might work out.

Ta

It’s your mind that is weaker!

I suggest you toughen up by watching Cool Hand Luke.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n0mgkaEGQc[/video]

1500 is to low for a male exercising 5 x a week thats a womens allowance !

Do you do a manual job or sit at a desk?

Wow, just did the sums, I am under eating by about 550 kcals a day.

I am desk bound during the day, but even taking this into account I am definitely starving myself, not good.

Thanks for the advice, new question, do I fill this gap with more protein or do I start to eat carbs again?

http://www.bikebrothers.co.uk/billandjackie_p04.htm

Sit down and read the iDave diet as you said. The answers are in there. 🙂

Was just reading this, and it’s somewhat applicable to your post.

http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/hill-skills/monday-tip—dont-forget-to-rest/9341.html

Thanks for all the comments. Having spent a couple of hours last night reading threads about iDave, the only conclusion I could reach is that it cant be worse than the low calorie nonsense I am on now so I will give it a go starting March first (will need a couple of days to gather supplies).

Also having asked around about gym based PTs it seems that some of them are above all else are sales people, so there advice is to be taken with a pinch of salt.

Don’t bother with the iDave threads, they’re mostly full of confusion and hearsay. Just follow the program. It’s not hard, it’s not based on restricting calories or portion size, and you get to eat proper food. It works and isn’t based on what one bloke did either.

OP, have you thought about speaking to your trainer?

Cynic-Al.

I ditched her as soon as she started talking about Zumba classes.

I agree with Bagstard. You’re not eating enough and your body is using your muscle mass as well as fat stores to provide your energy.

At the moment you are at slight cross purposes. Cutting back the carbs to lose weight and training for endurance require different things. Effective endurance training requires lots of carbs (as well as protein, good fats, etc) and you should see that amount that TdF riders eat at 4-8% body fat as an extreme example.

At the moment your body will be going into starvation mode, it will lower your metabolism, reduce recovery ability, and actually hinder your weight loss.

Eat more to match your training goals and get your body firing on all cyclinders as a first step. Then alter your diet accordingly so you are in a slight calorie defecit each day after taking exercise into account. 1500-2000 kcals + all that exercise is going to run you down.

iDave- “Just follow the program”

Where can I get the details from?

Hi Sneakyg4,

Although you commented that are eating “good protein” you don’t say how much. As someone using the Herbalife diet to enable me to train and gain muscle whilst fat I have to ensure that I consume a specific number of grammes of protein per day whilst staying within a kcal target (which can be quite challenging to achieve without the aid of the Herbalife products!). The amount of protein and the kcal target are calculated specifically for me as part of the Herbalife scheme. As a guide, I am 6’4″ and 39y/o and my targets are 141g protein/1700kcals (not allowing for additional exercise requirements).

So, although you are eating “good protein” are you eating enough of it? Protein helps you feel fuller for longer and of course is vital for muscle recovery and growth. If you are getting insufficient quantities of protein this could explain why you are experiencing a loss of fitness.

Another thought is that carbs should always be complex carbs. This is usually taken to mean brown rice/pasta/bread, skins left on potatoes etc. However, as I understand it there are actually only a few genuine complex carbs out there which include quinoa and two others (which I can’t remember or successfully Google for just at this moment). Apparently brown rice/pasta/bread etc. are nearly as bad as white rice/pasta/bread in that they almost immediately get turned into sugars from their starch content when consumed.

Good luck!

Herbalife products!).

😆

OP, FD.

If you PM me, I’ll forward a copy of iDave’s program

I’m not sure why he doesn’t post the link, whatever.

I seem to have to take more simple carbs around exercise than the diet suggests. You might try increasing the amounts until you feel you can exercise at your desired intensity.

I found myself eating more simple carbs in the form of chocolate bars, and then starting to lose more weight as it allowed me to train harder. I have trouble eating enough volume of legumes and veg to get enough carbs to train hard even taking the suggested simple carbs.

I’m not saying the iDiet’s wrong, but that it’s a very sound starting point. I suggest starting by sticking to the plan for several weeks (as I did) and then seeing how you get on. If you feel weak start introducing more simple carbs at the suggested times. Many people on here have great results sticking to the original programme mind.

Don’t take the above advice as carte blanche to keep stuffing chocolate down your face when you feel bored though, that’s not what I’m saying!