Weight Loss Question

[endosch2]

I am making a concerted effort to lose about 8-10 pounds through micro-managing calories consumed. I have never tried this before, only more riding and a weak effort at some cross training with limited results. My target weight would be lower than I have hit in 9 years or so. I am down 3 lbs so far in a week or so.

So my question is how many pounds per week have people been able to shed without feeling like it affects you on the bike? I know the experts say 1 or 2 pounds per week can be tolerated but I was curious about people who have been through this.

[92degrees]

More than 1-2lbs and you are likely losing muscle not fat -- which is not ideal. I've had far better success over the years by increasing calories burned rather than decreasing calories consumed -- building lean muscle via plyo or kettlebell workouts has been far more efficient than dieting.

[gone]

Between mid-March and mid-July of last year I went from just under 200 lbs to 175 (I'm currently 165) which works out to about 1.5 lbs/week. I'd usually eat something small (fruit/toast) before heading out on the bike and usually at about 40 miles I felt "empty" and like I had to have something to eat now.

Strangely enough, after I reached my current weight, this doesn't seem to be an issue anymore and my "during the ride" and post ride need to eat seems to be about what it was when I weighed more.

I also noticed that I hit a plateau at about 187 lbs that I was stuck at for a while. I didn't change anything really but all of a sudden started losing again. My target weight was 175 and I was surprised when I kept losing. I've been between 165-168 for about 7 months now (no easy feat over the winter) so I'd say I've stabilized and this is my new "normal" weight.

Good luck in your weight loss!

[crownjewelwl]

i don't think managing weight loss to lbs/week is realistic. first, there is the whole body composition issue. and second, there are just too many other variables.

i've spent the winter doing a ton of conditioning work and while i'm much leaner, my overall weight hasn't dropped.

also depends on your starting point. if you have a lot of excess baggage, the weight will come off quickly at the beginning then taper off. if you're already in good shape, then see prior comments.

good luck!!!!

[godfrey1112000]

last year I dropped 38 pounds,

it took about 12-18 week,

I was dropping about 2-3 per week,

1. did and still do P90X
2. did not bike as much in J F and March
3. cut out sugar and wine beer, did follow a calorie control diet, lots of broccoli

4. no eating at night, usually after 7pm

It did not effect me on the bike, my climbing improved, I wonder why


feel better and trying to maintain the weight, sometimes it is hard

good luck

[endosch2]

I should have given more background, I am 5'9 1/4" tall, I currently weigh 176, I have been as high as 180 in the past month, my goal or target weight is 168 to 170. Last year my lowest weight was 175. When I was 27 I weighed 155. I am 41 now. I have hovered around 180 for the past 5 years or so with little change. I now really want to find a "new normal".

[Frankwurst]

I look at it like putting money in the bank. A little at a time and it adds up. Losing it is not a problem for me, not finding it again is tough. Mrs. Wurst blames it on the beer. I blame it on her good cooking.

[godfrey1112000]

Originally Posted by endosch2

I should have given more background, I am 5'9 1/4" tall, I currently weigh 176, I have been as high as 180 in the past month, my goal or target weight is 168 to 170. Last year my lowest weight was 175. When I was 27 I weighed 155. I am 41 now. I have hovered around 180 for the past 5 years or so with little change. I now really want to find a "new normal".

I am 55, 5'9", started at 212 ended at 174, current about 180
body fat at start, 22%, at end 15.9, this is on the Dex Machine,

I would think you would try to see how you feel at 5 pounds less,
but not even weight loss but consider muscle gain

I improved my muscle mass with the P90X
it really helped, especially the yoga and cardio movement

[biker72]

I'm 6'1" with a present riding weight of 193 pounds. If I can string 3 concecutive 100+ mile weeks together my weight will start to drop. I've gotten as low as 182 pounds by the end of summer.

My diet is normally fairly low fat. I really don't worry about calories.

[Kane]

-Drink unsweetened water, tea or coffee. This alone will probably get you to your target weight. Fluid calories have no appetite suppression.
-Weigh lifting builds muscle and muscle burns calories.

Fiber meal once a day. Salad (greens + vegetables), 3-4 oz of protein per day and all the vegetables that you can eat.

Cheers,

Kane

[dogdriver]

+1 all of the above. Much more than a pound/week and you're either getting dehydrated or putting your body in a starvation mode, which it will rebound from (think the Oprah thin/fat yo-yo). Rather than thinking "diet", take an assessment of your lifestyle (food/activity) and commit to change it. No brainers are eliminating sweetened drinks and empty carbs.

As an aside, if you start a serious weigh training regimen, don't be surprised if you don't lose (or even gain) a little weight-- muscle is a lot more dense than fat. A look in the mirror is a lot more useful to chart your progress than jumping on the scale, anyways...

[Louis]

As mentioned in passing above, I find tracking % body fat to be much better than tracking weight. That way you don't penalize yourself for muscle gain.

I use a Tanita scale. They aren't perfect, but used properly and consistently will give you a good way to track % fat. (One issue is that the results are significantly affected by how well hydrated you are, but that is a problem that is easily avoided.)

[bumknees]

I'm 5'7" and weighed in at 195 lbs in July. In about 20 weeks, I was down to 150 lbs (~ 2.25 lbs/week), and I've been stable at the weight so far. I never felt any ill effects on the bike, aside from not hitting the same max speeds going downhill (less momentum, perhaps?).

I mainly just cut most of the junk out of my diet by substituting fruits and vegetables for the chips, candy, and ice cream that I used to eat. Additionally, I do some old-school workouts 2-3 times a week (sit ups, push ups, pull ups, squats, etc).

Maybe it's psychological, but the hills are easier for me, since I don't have that 45 pound tire around my waist anymore...

[false_Aest]

Hommé,

change 1 behavior at a time.

booze
sugar
coke
hookers
etc.

5 beers ~ 1000cal 1/3 lb

caffeine tends to trigger hunger.

1-1.5 lbs a week will make your body more happier.

w0rd

[gone]

I said above how much weight I'd lost but didn't say how I'd done it so I thought I'd elaborate. For me, breakfast and lunch are usually moderate to small meals. As I said above, breakfast (pre-ride) is usually fruit and toast and lunch is something like pancakes, eggs & toast, etc.

For me, the killer was dinner and the pre/post dinner habits I'd fallen into. Pretty much every night at around 5 I'd have a snack and usually a bad one (glass of wine with some shrimp, beer & chips, etc) then dinner at around 6 which was usually a gorge fest and a couple of cookies or brownies at around 7:30 so I'd basically be eating non-stop for 2.5 hours. As long as I rode a lot (which I did) I'd maintain on that diet but if I was off the bike for any length of time I'd pile on 5 lbs really fast and that would be the new "normal" so over about 3 years my weight went from the 170's to just under 200.

How'd I lose? Easy. Same breakfast & lunch, eliminated pre/post snacks and ate the same things for dinner just less of it. I also used all of the "tricks" that people recommend and they do work:

• An apple if I feel hungry. Often, I'd have one at about 3:30-4:00 so I wouldn't attack my dinner.
• Eat slowly, give your body a chance to catch up with what you're shoveling down. I'd often work a crossword puzzle or something similar during dinner just to force myself to do something than cram food in as fast as I could.
• Drink water. I usually drink a fair amount anyway but I did increase slightly.

I never counted calories and my exercise regimen remained about the same. Obviously, since I started this in March my riding increased as the weather improved but no more so than it does every year.