Suggested three month training plan?

[moose8]

Anyone have any recommendations on how to structure a three month plan if that's even possible? I'm getting married at the end of June and want to be less fat, plus increasing fitness wouldn't be bad. My base fitness is fine from riding and hiking and running, but most of my riding has been for commuting and fun more than any specific training.

I did just finally get a powertap wheel (it's probably overkill for someone like me, but it was $150 at a bike swap with a cassette so I figured why not). Currently I'm 6 feet tall and 194, which is quite a bit heavier than someone like me should probably be, particularly given my general activity level - if I stopped exercising of quickly balloon up even more - I hit 210 a few years ago when I couldn't exercise for awhile. I'm also trying to change my eating habits (i.e. Cut down on beer) but I've got someone at home helping me with that. I also ordered the training with power book to try to learn more about that as well.

I realize this is probably a ridiculously general request, but if anyone has any thoughts I'd love to hear them.

[MattTuck]

Well, first I have no right to be giving you training advice, being fat and slow myself. But it is the internet, so I'm doing it anyway.

Weight loss is primarily a phenomenon of what you put in your mouth. Don't be Jan Ullrich and try to ride yourself thin. It takes attention to the diet.

As far as training for performance, there are tons of books out there that do a decent job at it. Intervals are your friend.

[christian]

Mondays: yoga in the evenings
Tuesdays: 10 min warm up, 2x20 Threshold workout (trainer) 5 min rest between sets, 10 min cool down
Wednesdays: Ride an hour endurance pace
Thursday: 10 min warm up, 4x5 superthreshold workout (105-108% of threshold) 3 min rest between sets, 10 min cool down
Friday: 45 mins, easy pace
Saturday: Group or fun ride; 2-4 hours
Sunday: Group or fun ride; 1-2 hours

And stop eating so much. 1500 kcal per day will leave you hungry but alive. (And you won't need PEDs to keep riding at that intake...)

[jonk]

I generally don't do any exercise over the winter and enjoy sitting in front of a fire eatting and drinking far too much. Winters are long here (i still have 3 feet of snow on my front yard) and i'm a week or two from getting on my bike. I usually gain around 20lbs (i,m 6'2"). In the spring I follow something like whats laid out here http://www.amazon.com/The-Time-Crunched-Cyclist-2nd-Ed/dp/193403083X In six weeks I'll have gained all the fitness i've lost over the winter and in 8-9 weeks i've have lost the 20lbs, and start really improving from last years fitness. It's worked every year since i've been doing this (3 years).

[moose8]

Thanks - I'll give that a weekly workout a try. And I think ultimately it is the eating less that I need to work on. I just really enjoy food.

[moose8]

:fight:I generally don't do any exercise over the winter and enjoy sitting in front of a fire eatting and drinking far too much. Winters are long here (i still have 3 feet of snow on my front yard) and i'm a week or two from getting on my bike. I usually gain around 20lbs (i,m 6'2"). In the spring I follow something like whats laid out here http://www.amazon.com/The-Time-Crunched-Cyclist-2nd-Ed/dp/193403083X In six weeks I'll have gained all the fitness i've lost over the winter and in 8-9 weeks i've have lost the 20lbs, and start really improving from last years fitness. It's worked every year since i've been doing this (3 years).

I'm definitely checking this out as it sounds like we have similar winter habits. Where are you located? Three feet of snow is quite a bit.

[jonk]

I'm north of Ottawa in the Quebec Gatineaus. On one of my 50km loops i'll pass 4 ski hills. Lots of hills to get the heart rate way up and lots of motivation to get the weight down. It's nice, I can jump on my bike from home and not hit a stop sign or light for almost 30km.

[nicrump]

you don't need a training plan. you need a spreadsheet.

it is quite simple. for every pound you want to loose you'll need to do ~3500kj more work than calories you intake(for that given time period) after adjusting your current intake which like most americans is probably a good 50-100% greater than they actually need.

safest bet is a goal of about 1lb per week. toss that BS about 2500 cal a day for an adult male. everyone is different but most adult males with a desk job only need 1800-2000 cal while someone walking the factory floor might need closer to 2200. if you cut your cal intake to 2k or below and do a moderate 1-1.5hr ride daily AND NOT TAKE ON ADDITIONAL CALORIES, you WILL loose a lb a week.

the key is also make those calories count. real nutrition from real food. not pills or "fortified" processed foods. i prefer smaller units spread out over 4 or 5 meals daily. grazing.

you are probably already riding more than that so you really most likely need nutritional help and consumption decrease.

just my opinion but fairly scientific.

[ctcyclistbob]

There's been a lot of good advice presented. Like others have said, the diet is the most important part as we can easily consume more calories than we burn through cycling or other exercise if not careful.

The South Beach Diet seems to be a common-sense and straightforward way to decrease consumption, while also differentiating between foods that are good and bad for us, not only for weight control but also for health. Also you won't typically feel hungry so it is something you can follow long-term.

[EDS]

you don't need a training plan. you need a spreadsheet.

it is quite simple. for every pound you want to loose you'll need to do ~3500kj more work than calories you intake(for that given time period) after adjusting your current intake which like most americans is probably a good 50-100% greater than they actually need.

safest bet is a goal of about 1lb per week. toss that BS about 2500 cal a day for an adult male. everyone is different but most adult males with a desk job only need 1800-2000 cal while someone walking the factory floor might need closer to 2200. if you cut your cal intake to 2k or below and do a moderate 1-1.5hr ride daily AND NOT TAKE ON ADDITIONAL CALORIES, you WILL loose a lb a week.

the key is also make those calories count. real nutrition from real food. not pills or "fortified" processed foods. i prefer smaller units spread out over 4 or 5 meals daily. grazing.

you are probably already riding more than that so you really most likely need nutritional help and consumption decrease.

just my opinion but fairly scientific.

I think I am usually well past the 2k calorie point everyday by lunchtime.

[moose8]

All good advice - people here do seem to be a knowledgeable bunch. Since it's for a very specific date I think for three months I will do as suggested in tracking calories and doing some more structured riding as suggested, at least on my trainer because of time constraints during the week.

[Tandem Rider]

2 a days are your friend. Raising your metabolic rate is the goal, the more time you can keep your metabolic rate up the quicker the results will come.

If you exercise at an aerobicly challenging rate for 45 minutes minimum, the body will raise it's metabolic rate to accomodate the increased workload. This increased rate does not immediately revert to it's original rate the instant you stop, but rather drops over a period of time. In other words, exercising for an hour in the am and another hour in the pm will give greater weight loss than a single 2 hour workout because of two "ramp downs" of your metabolic rate.

[John H.]

Diet is the key- riding and running are just a bonus.
Do what Nic said- track it. Either a spreadsheet or one of the online/ap trackers like lose it or my fitness pal.
If you know how much you burn and how much you take in you can leverage a net loss.
What kind of diet, and how to train, fed, unfed, etc is all up to you. Everyone gets different results.
If you know your daily metabolic rate and add the kj amount from your powertap, you have a pretty good number for how much you burn.
The only food tip that I have is to give up alcohol for this period.

[jimoots]

For the most part, I'd agree with everyone here. Weight loss is more a function of diet than riding.

I would add in that I find a heavy training schedule that is focused on improving performance is sometimes counter productive to weight loss. Eating sufficient food to keep me off the bonk train isn't conducive to losing weight.

Granted, I don't put weight on, but I don't drop it either.

If I want to lose weight I find that putting around at a very cruisy pace and not getting stuck into my glycogen stores is the way to go.

If you do try and run a calorie deficit and still maintain a moderate/hard training plan ensure that your diet is carb heavy. Carbs are what your muscles use when you're pushing hard.

And also just finally from my experience I seem to find that people (at least the ones without power meters) call their easy training 'grandma pace', moderate training 'easy' and hard training 'tempo'.

[John H.]

Not sure that is accurate.
You just need to know what you are burning and what you are ingesting- many people have a problem owning either or both.
Training should burn 500-800 calories per hour.
Eating and drinking during training should consist of 50-60 grams of carbs/hour. That should leave you with a deficit.
Eat according for recovery and you should still be able to create a small deficit.


For the most part, I'd agree with everyone here. Weight loss is more a function of diet than riding.

I would add in that I find a heavy training schedule that is focused on improving performance is sometimes counter productive to weight loss. Eating sufficient food to keep me off the bonk train isn't conducive to losing weight.

Granted, I don't put weight on, but I don't drop it either.

If I want to lose weight I find that putting around at a very cruisy pace and not getting stuck into my glycogen stores is the way to go.

If you do try and run a calorie deficit and still maintain a moderate/hard training plan ensure that your diet is carb heavy. Carbs are what your muscles use when you're pushing hard.

And also just finally from my experience I seem to find that people (at least the ones without power meters) call their easy training 'grandma pace', moderate training 'easy' and hard training 'tempo'.

[shovelhd]

One of the best ways to build base fitness and shed weight is by mixing up long rides at Z2 with a little less long rides at Z3. Keeping the power steady, especially down hills, is fatiguing. Mix some rest days in there.

Most of all be prepared to be hungry for several hours every day. Resist the temptation to snack. You'll blow all the hard work.

[Mikej]

You should have been thinking about this in December, not April. I would buy a 100$ generic training plan from one of the internet coaches, they really put it all together and give you something to chase. LW coaching looks pretty good.

[phcollard]

2 a days are your friend. Raising your metabolic rate is the goal, the more time you can keep your metabolic rate up the quicker the results will come.

If you exercise at an aerobicly challenging rate for 45 minutes minimum, the body will raise it's metabolic rate to accomodate the increased workload. This increased rate does not immediately revert to it's original rate the instant you stop, but rather drops over a period of time. In other words, exercising for an hour in the am and another hour in the pm will give greater weight loss than a single 2 hour workout because of two "ramp downs" of your metabolic rate.

This. I don't believe in the calorie intake vs calories spent thing. It makes sense but it is not as simple as weighting what you eat and then try to burn it all looking at your Strava numbers. What Tandem Rider said above, it's all about raising metabolic rate. Your body will carry on burning fuel for several hours after a good exercise session.

That said having lost a bit of weight myself since January I can offer a modest advice although I do not qualify as an expert. Weight loss is a battle that is won mainly in the kitchen and it is pretty simple : cut as much fat and sugar as you can. Drink water instead of fruit juices, sodas, switch to low fat milk. Stop eating everything that is fried, contains cheese, butter, mayonnaise, etc... You get the idea. Also add fibers and cut salt! Without following a very strict regimen just following those simple rules will make you lose weight. You will be surprised how well it works.

Weight yourself once a week, always the same day and at the same time of the day and follow your results in a spreadsheet. Gift yourself with a nice bicycle part every time you lose 5lbs :)

Exercise will help you of course and the benefits are way beyond weight loss. If you want a structure training plan I suggest TrainerRoad. They have plans that span a month and will take you to all levels and zones of training. I found them very helpful. I went through Base I, II and III since January and I feel I am in much better shape than three months ago. I can wear clothes again that I though would never fit me anymore.

So good luck. Believe in it, believe in you, you can do it and never give up! (that said if you fall for a juicy pizza once in a while don't whip yourself)

[texbike]

I'm far from fast, but have managed to stay in the same 10 lb weight range for the past 15ish years (with decreasing time for physical exercise due to kids and job). I've done it by trying (and mostly succeeding) to stay under 2K calories a day and not burning any of those on softdrinks or other crap food with a ton of sugar in it. I assume 500 calories burned for an hour of effort on the bike (or run) and work to burn a day or more worth of calories per week through those efforts.

I read a couple of books a few years back that while not intellectually mind-blowing, did at least provide an initial "WOW!" on how many calories commercially prepared food and drinks can contain. I tend to think back to those books when making decisions on what to eat/drink when eating out. If you haven't already seen them, check out "Eat This/Not That" and Drink This/Not That".

Good luck and congrats on the upcoming nuptials!

Texbike

[christian]

I don't believe in the calorie intake vs calories spent thing. It makes sense but it is not as simple as weighting what you eat and then try to burn it all looking at your Strava numbers.

No, it's really that simple. People just need to eat A LOT less than they think. When I went from 199 lbs to 160 lbs, I ate about half of what I eat on a regular day. Basically, if you're a healthy man who rides bike every so often, and you eat 1500-1800 kcals per day, you'll lose 1-1.5 lbs per week.

Added: yeah, don't eat more than 2000 kcal to maintain weight either.

[texbike]

Weight loss is a battle that is won mainly in the kitchen and it is pretty simple : cut as much fat and SUGAR as you can. Drink water (or unsweetened tea and coffee) instead of fruit juices, sodas, switch to low fat milk. Stop eating everything that is fried, contains cheese, butter, mayonnaise, etc... You get the idea. Also add fibers and cut salt! Without following a very strict regimen just following those simple rules will make you lose weight. You will be surprised how well it works.


This combined with a bit of regular exercise can do wonders.

Texbike

[phcollard]

No, it's really that simple. People just need to eat A LOT less than they think. When I went from 199 lbs to 160 lbs, I ate about half of what I eat on a regular day. Basically, if you're a healthy man who rides bike every so often, and you eat 1500-1800 kcals per day, you'll lose 1-1.5 lbs per week.

Added: yeah, don't eat more than 2000 kcal to maintain weight either.

Woah that's quite an achievement Christian. 40lbs! How long did it take you?

I agree with you but I disagree on your disagreement, or maybe. This is just me but if I solely look at my Strava (or TrainerRoad) numbers I burn 400-500kJ three times a week. I feel that it is a good workout but for a seasoned cyclist that is probably a walk in the park. Anyways... 500kJ is 120 kCal - that is one 200g fat free greek yogurt!

So if I follow the intake vs spent logic instead of exercising I could cut three greek yogurts per week and get the same results. I am not sure it would work...

Edit : better example : I could cut 1 1/2 Mars bar per week and and lose as much weight as exercising three hours on the trainer?

[moose8]

Thanks again for all the good advice. Obviously I should have started sooner, but I've got three months so I might as well try. I'm going to cut beer out of my diet during the week and focus on eating more healthy foods, though I eat pretty healthy now but just too much of it. I don't drink soda or juice - just water and black coffee. And I don't really like sweet stuff so staying away from it isn't hard. I love cheese though, so I need to cut back. I already get at least 45 minutes of riding a day but that's in commuting form so I'll also try to up that, especially now since spring is arriving.

[Joachim]

Woah that's quite an achievement Christian. 40lbs! How long did it take you?

I agree with you but I disagree on your disagreement, or maybe. This is just me but if I solely look at my Strava (or TrainerRoad) numbers I burn 400-500kJ three times a week. I feel that it is a good workout but for a seasoned cyclist that is probably a walk in the park. Anyways... 500kJ is 120 kCal - that is one 200g fat free greek yogurt!

So if I follow the intake vs spent logic instead of exercising I could cut three greek yogurts per week and get the same results. I am not sure it would work...

Your kJ to calorie conversation is flawed when taking into account the efficiency of the human body. Your are correct when talking physics but the body still need energy for other processes, like fueling your brain for example. So kJ is approx equal to calories.

[oldpotatoe]

Anyone have any recommendations on how to structure a three month plan if that's even possible? I'm getting married at the end of June and want to be less fat, plus increasing fitness wouldn't be bad. My base fitness is fine from riding and hiking and running, but most of my riding has been for commuting and fun more than any specific training.

I did just finally get a powertap wheel (it's probably overkill for someone like me, but it was $150 at a bike swap with a cassette so I figured why not). Currently I'm 6 feet tall and 194, which is quite a bit heavier than someone like me should probably be, particularly given my general activity level - if I stopped exercising of quickly balloon up even more - I hit 210 a few years ago when I couldn't exercise for awhile. I'm also trying to change my eating habits (i.e. Cut down on beer) but I've got someone at home helping me with that. I also ordered the training with power book to try to learn more about that as well.

I realize this is probably a ridiculously general request, but if anyone has any thoughts I'd love to hear them.

I'll give you a ridiculously simple answer-

EB, EL, DL, RL

Eat Better, Eat Less, Drink Less, Ride Lots🚲

Congratulations on your nuptials, very good.

[chengher87]

No, it's really that simple. People just need to eat A LOT less than they think. When I went from 199 lbs to 160 lbs, I ate about half of what I eat on a regular day. Basically, if you're a healthy man who rides bike every so often, and you eat 1500-1800 kcals per day, you'll lose 1-1.5 lbs per week.

Added: yeah, don't eat more than 2000 kcal to maintain weight either.

During the spring and summer last year, I usually alternated biking (15+ miles) and running (4+ miles) every day of the week. Although I didn't weigh myself at all, my pants were fitting a little tighter. I typically wear a 30W, but found myself ordering a 32W because my pants were a little tighter than usual. It didn't help that I was eating about 2 waffles (with peanut butter and jelly) and hot chocolate for breakfast, a huge tub of pasta or two sandwiches for lunch and then 2 baked potatoes and either beef or steak for dinner. This winter, I decided to cut down on my eating and because of the cold and snow, wasn't able to exercise quite as much (maybe every other day instead of every day). I'm less fatigued now and my 30W pants are fitting much better again. Although I am gasping for air on my outdoor rides and runs..but that probably has more to do with me being slightly out of aerobic shape. Please note that I am short, so I'm not a tall person complaining about a 30W pant size.

I love food too, but Fight the URGE!

[phcollard]

Your kJ to calorie conversation is flawed when taking into account the efficiency of the human body. Your are correct when talking physics but the body still need energy for other processes, like fueling your brain for example. So kJ is approx equal to calories.

That's what I said... It's not as simple as purely counting calories in vs calories out :)

[Joachim]

That's what I said... It's not as simple as purely counting calories in vs calories out :)

Ok I'm not being clear here but I'll PM you later and explain.

[Fatty]

But don't forget the upper body and core. Push-ups, light weights and planks are basic training that show quick results. And congrats on the upcoming wedding.

[christian]

Woah that's quite an achievement Christian. 40lbs! How long did it take you?

I agree with you but I disagree on your disagreement, or maybe. This is just me but if I solely look at my Strava (or TrainerRoad) numbers I burn 400-500kJ three times a week. I feel that it is a good workout but for a seasoned cyclist that is probably a walk in the park. Anyways... 500kJ is 120 kCal - that is one 200g fat free greek yogurt!

So if I follow the intake vs spent logic instead of exercising I could cut three greek yogurts per week and get the same results. I am not sure it would work...

Edit : better example : I could cut 1 1/2 Mars bar per week and and lose as much weight as exercising three hours on the trainer?

Basically, yes. Losing weight is a battle fought in the kitchen, not on the bike. It's basically a balancing act of a couple hundred kcal every single day.

It took me about 2 years to lose the weight. 15 years to put it on.

[MattTuck]

We're getting off track from what the OP had requested, but I think it is fair to say that there are a huge number of factors that play into losing weight. The idea of calorie in vs. calorie out is a complex one. The way that your body processes fructose (especially refined fructose) is different from the way it processes glucose... different biochemical pathways, different waste products different ways that those calories get stored in your body. Add to that, gut bacteria seems to play a significant role in weight gain/loss (fascinating article about the gut bacteria of fat vs. skinny people (http://www.livescience.com/39445-gut-bacteria-transplant-weight.html))

So, even when one person eats 100 calories of protein, their body may not treat it the same as 100 calories of glucose or 100 calories of fructose; and when two people eat an identical 100 calorie serving, their bodies may not treat it the same way.

More generally, eating less refined food is a step in the right direction, as is more high intensity exercise that can help raise metabolic rate. The thing that I'm guilty of is pre-eating the calories of an afternoon workout. Psychologically, if I know that I'll be riding later, I allow myself to 'cheat' with a snack or maybe a cookie at work. Contrast that to when I ride or workout in the AM, I seem to be more disciplined because I've already invested the effort and want to remain consistent with my choices for the remainder of the day.

Add on top of all of this, people are biologically wired to eat, and it is something that you cannot avoid. And it takes effort to exercise self-control -- you're acting against your instinctive impulses. It isn't easy, so you have to find the right motivator that is powerful enough to keep you strong when your instincts are telling you to be bad. That isn't always easy to do.

[John H.]

Let's agree that there are many ways to attack weight loss.
But the constant is that you need to manage input vs. output for as long of a time as it takes.

[ceolwulf]

Getting enough sleep is crucial too.

[potatochip]

Trainerroad and a trainer


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[moose8]

Again, thanks for all the advice. I started using the app lose it to track calories. I've learned that I kind of become a little irritable when I am not eating as much as I am used to, but hopefully that will pass, and hopefully being aware of it will keep me from being too annoying to those around me. I got up and did a 35 mile ride before work, too, and am going to try to work that into my being less fat training plan at least once a week, with longer rides on the weekends.

[Fixed]

Diet is the key- riding and running are just a bonus.
Do what Nic said- track it. Either a spreadsheet or one of the online/ap trackers like lose it or my fitness pal.
If you know how much you burn and how much you take in you can leverage a net loss.
What kind of diet, and how to train, fed, unfed, etc is all up to you. Everyone gets different results.
If you know your daily metabolic rate and add the kj amount from your powertap, you have a pretty good number for how much you burn.
The only food tip that I have is to give up alcohol for this period.
+1
Diet the often overlooked part of health and fitness .
Cheers

[DreaminJohn]

myfitnesspal.com really helped me in terms of understanding the impact of exercise. The site (and app) really serves to keep me honest.

Whether it's a spreadsheet or this - you need SOMETHING to track this stuff.

Good luck and congrats on your impending incarceration, er wedding. :)

[TomNY]

[QUOTE=christian;1525127]Mondays: yoga in the evenings
Tuesdays: 10 min warm up, 2x20 Threshold workout (trainer) 5 min rest between sets, 10 min cool down
Wednesdays: Ride an hour endurance pace
Thursday: 10 min warm up, 4x5 superthreshold workout (105-108% of threshold) 3 min rest between sets, 10 min cool down
Friday: 45 mins, easy pace
Saturday: Group or fun ride; 2-4 hours
Sunday: Group or fun ride; 1-2 hours

Great w/o suggestions.. any opinion on whether this is appropriate for GFNY distance? This winter I spent more time [40+] on snow than past years. Still managed couple to several trainer - spin workouts per week.

[moose8]

1 week down, 2.4 pounds shed. It turns out I was being optimistic when I said I weighed 194. It was actually 196.1 to start, confirmed by multiple weigh-ins the first few days. Which depressed me, so I remembered the tip offered here to only weigh yourself once a week at the same time. So I waited until this morning and was pleasantly surprised to see that it was 193.7. I'm still kind of fat, but at least it's trending the right way.

Given all the advice to track what I eat, I started using Loseit on my iphone, which really opened my eyes to how caloric some stuff (like pizza) really is in comparison to how hard it is to burn the same amount of calories. It didn't stop me from eating it, but it made me eat less of it.

The changes I've made to my diet so far are bringing lunch to work, drinking less beer, and following my fiancee's advice of waiting 15 minutes after the first course of dinner to see if I really want a second helping. I still had three times I kind of fell off the wagon and overdid it, but only at dinner rather than the whole day, when I saw people I like spending time with and didn't want to be the stick-in-the-mud who wouldn't have another beer or go out to eat. Combined with just a little bit more bike riding than usual (which coincides with marginally nicer weather here in Boston) and a little bit of running, so far so good. I also read somewhere that stating your goals out loud can serve as a motivator, hence the follow-up posting. If I don't lose more weight and you run into me feel free to call me fat.

[phcollard]

1 week down, 2.4 pounds shed. It turns out I was being optimistic when I said I weighed 194. It was actually 196.1 to start, confirmed by multiple weigh-ins the first few days. Which depressed me, so I remembered the tip offered here to only weigh yourself once a week at the same time. So I waited until this morning and was pleasantly surprised to see that it was 193.7. I'm still kind of fat, but at least it's trending the right way.

Given all the advice to track what I eat, I started using Loseit on my iphone, which really opened my eyes to how caloric some stuff (like pizza) really is in comparison to how hard it is to burn the same amount of calories. It didn't stop me from eating it, but it made me eat less of it.

The changes I've made to my diet so far are bringing lunch to work, drinking less beer, and following my fiancee's advice of waiting 15 minutes after the first course of dinner to see if I really want a second helping. I still had three times I kind of fell off the wagon and overdid it, but only at dinner rather than the whole day, when I saw people I like spending time with and didn't want to be the stick-in-the-mud who wouldn't have another beer or go out to eat. Combined with just a little bit more bike riding than usual (which coincides with marginally nicer weather here in Boston) and a little bit of running, so far so good. I also read somewhere that stating your goals out loud can serve as a motivator, hence the follow-up posting. If I don't lose more weight and you run into me feel free to call me fat.

Hey congrats that's a good start. You will see that during the first weeks you can easily lose 2 pounds per week. It will take time to reach your goals but you can do it. Stay motivated and see the long term benefits ahead of you. You will also notice after a few weeks that your body adapts and you feel less hungry. Actually some of the junk food will not appeal to you anymore and you will wonder how you were actually able to eat that sh1t before.

Please report :)

[commonguy001]

LOTS of solid advice
intake is really key
stay away from refined foods and sugars
cut beer down to once a week and keep it to two

Get an app for your smartphone that lets you track everything and make sure 6 out of 7 days you're not going over your calories and don't go crazy on that 7th day.

Both the wife and I always keep an eye on calories and the wife finds the phone app to be key in tracking all calories. Really easy to not go crazy when it's right there.

[nicrump]

my fiancee's advice of waiting 15 minutes after the first course of dinner to see if I really want a second helping.

you missed the point. you don't need seconds period. intake less than you use. it is the only way and it is not complicated, doest require an app.

here is the thing, its ok to feel hungry. you can get use to it. just when you think you need to stuff your face, consider that most of the world goes to bed hungry by no choice. join them and just be hungry for a while.

[azrider]

I started using Loseit on my iphone

neat.

just downloaded it and entered my day. I have 1200 calories to go for the day

[moose8]

Two weeks down, at 191.7. Started at 196.1 for a total loss of 4.4 pounds. Hopefully I can continue at this rate.

[shovelhd]

you missed the point. you don't need seconds period. intake less than you use. it is the only way and it is not complicated, doest require an app.

here is the thing, its ok to feel hungry. you can get use to it. just when you think you need to stuff your face, consider that most of the world goes to bed hungry by no choice. join them and just be hungry for a while.

It sounds so simple to you but it can be incredibly hard for some. Everyone has their own level of mental toughness. If he needs a crutch, so be it. My crutch is racing.

[zennmotion]

you missed the point. you don't need seconds period. intake less than you use. it is the only way and it is not complicated, doest require an app.

here is the thing, its ok to feel hungry. you can get use to it. just when you think you need to stuff your face, consider that most of the world goes to bed hungry by no choice. join them and just be hungry for a while.

The sheer volume of "information", often conflicting, about nutrition, dieting and weight loss is an indication that it IS nuanced and complex. "Just eat less" isn't really helpful in most cases as it can easily be interpreted as just a cynical expression of fat-shaming, especially crass when couched in reference to poverty related hunger (translation- just don't eat so much Fatty, you should be ashamed that there are hungry people in the world when you just can't control your weak self, what's your problem?). Maybe not the message intended here, but that's how it's received by some, including me. Maybe I get flamed as the PC police here, but I gotta call you out on that statement, while assuming your good intentions.

To make matters worse, I'll add a link to a short lecture I ran into that resonated with me. I've been a non-strict vegetarian for some time with a pretty good but not great diet, with a sweet tooth and great love for cheese. With a few other changes including a short 25 min easy run each morning (in addition to my bike commute that I've done for years and mostly weekend riding and CX racing), I've just dropped sugar and cheese completely. I follow the advice not to get too hungry (or too full)- I keep mostly fruit and nuts at close hand during most of my day for snacking, keeping the total nuts to less than 3/4 cup per day, unlimited apples and citrus, a banana is only allowed as ride food. 12 pounds lost (172-160 lbs) in 2 months, all body fat. The lecture talks about the addictive properties of some of my favorite foods (cheese is really scary) and advocates a vegan diet. I'm not ready to go there completely, but it's definitely interesting idea, I might try it for 3 weeks as suggested.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VWi6dXCT7I

[moose8]

Down to 186.1. I went for a run this morning and noticed it seemed less painful than before. I've got six more weeks to get down to 180. I think eating better lunches and drinking less beer have been the key for me.

[distanc3]

Down to 186.1. I went for a run this morning and noticed it seemed less painful than before. I've got six more weeks to get down to 180. I think eating better lunches and drinking less beer have been the key for me.

Dropped 10lbs that is great improvement! Keep it up!