ZippyThePinhead

I thought this video of Penn Jillette shared some wisdom. It is consistent with my experience that we are creatures of habit, and that habits can be changed by diligent effort. I'll give you an example, I hated vegetables before becoming an adult, but I eat a lot of them now, and though I would never fully embrace the vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, the family curse of adult-onset diabetes gives me plenty of motivation to keep on eating a lot of them.

canklecat

I'm thinking about trying to optimize my weight. I'm only a few pounds from optimal, around 155. I'm hovering between 158-160 now.

I've already dropped very gradually from 205 about 10 years ago, to 175 when I resumed cycling in 2015, to 160 now. I'm so close to optimal weight it seems like I could make a few dietary sacrifices to get there. I've already cut back on the junk carbs -- muffins, cookies, etc. After that I'd just need to cut back a bit on the beer.

The main thing keeping me from that bit of sacrifice is it wouldn't really help with my primary obstacle to fitness -- a wonky thyroid, asthma and a few other pesky health issues. A few more pounds won't make any difference there.

I would like to improve my hill climbs on the bike, but that's been the most elusive goal. Losing weight hasn't made much difference.

But if a different thyroid med and asthma med help, I'm close enough to optimal weight that I could be motivated to pare off those few pounds around the middle.

KraneXL

In that case you need to get rid of carbs (save the fibrous one). I had spinach for dinner just a while ago.

As for the video, his mistake is believing that animal products are detrimental. Refined carbs, yes. Chicken, no.

bruce19

Having 'viewed the vid I'd say there is one statement that he made that I consider to be close to a universal truth...."....what I want has changed profoundly." Basically, if you eat "good" stuff, eat less and exercise you can lose weight and be healthier. For the vast majority of people this is the truth they've been seeking. It is often not easy but it is simple.

KraneXL

Americans eat way too much. Typically, twice the amount they need per meal. Whenever I mention this to folks I know this happens:

gettingold

I'm 5'6" and each winter I put on about 5lbs above my ideal riding weight of about 142. My wife thinks I look emaciated in normal clothes at that weight but I love the feeling on the bike (lots of steep grades around here).

The thing I've found about cycling is I actually gain weight or barely maintain until I get into my regular rhythm of about 3 or 4 rides per week. Up until then, I get hungrier, eat more, but am not doing enough riding to counteract it.

KraneXL

If this is just a seasonal thing then I wouldn't worry about it too much. Although I have to admit the statement "I get hungrier" does sound unusual. Why do you think that is?

I do know that you burn more calories during the winter months just compensating for the colder weather. However, I wouldn't try to compensate by riding more. That almost always never work. Rather, I'd modify my diet to more sustaining foods.

CliffordK

My secret weapon is blackberry season, which won't come until Fall, so perhaps I'll be able to drop 5 pounds or so over the next few months, then target another 10 pounds or so once the crop of blackberries comes out. Mmmm

gettingold

I don't really think it's unusual to want to eat more when you are working out more. I think it is the body's way of trying to sustain itself.

KraneXL

The problem is the body is a dumb indicators -- it wants to store fat. In addition, the modern diet can overwhelm the body's feedback mechanism.

rumrunn6

re: "Anyone Cutting Weight This Spring?"

... not yet ...

GuessWhoCycling

About 3 pounds down in the last week and a half. Eating all good stuff after a rough Winter.

ZIPP2001

The last 4 to 5 years I always ended winter at around 225 - 230 lbs. This year I bought two bikes a 29plus and fat bike to be able ride outside in the winter. Even with a month off the bike because of injury in mid January early February (non-cycling) I finished this winter at 202 lbs.

KraneXL

It's actually the winter cutting for the spring. At least that's the way I did it a few years ago. However, at the time I wasn't considering cutting weight as much as cutting down on my midsection. It was a promise I made when I was just a teenager that I would never have a belly (like my father) even if I had to stop eating. At 500 cal/day I didn't stop eating but I got pretty close. Not recommended.

Biker395 

My weight is still holding steady.

It's bizarre really. I have given cycling credit for keeping my weight in check. But I haven't ridden a bike in well over a month now, and my weight hasn't changed. By the usual measures, I was burning 1000+ calories a day riding to and from work. I'm eating less, but I'm not eating that much less.

I have a few theories:

1. That the body adjusts itself to habitual exercise and burns fewer calories in doing it over time.
2. That I am losing muscle mass as fast as I am gaining fat mass.
3. My metabolic thermostat is working well.

It could be a little of all three, I suppose.

KraneXL

As do I:

1) Exercise increase your body's ability to burn calories. Even during rest.
2) Fat is your body's energy reserve. It will burn muscle only as a last resort.
3) You grossly overestimated the number of calories you were burning originally.

Biker395 

(1) True!
(2) There is more going on here. My injured leg is experiencing some atrophy. I'm trying to avoid that.
(3) I think that is exactly it. The calorie counting programs and publications I have someone of my weight, going the speed I ride, as burning about 700 calories an hour.

Check this out:

Calories Burned From Exercise | MyFitnessPal.com

At my weight (~160 pounds), 2 hours of cycling at 14-16 MPH should result in ~1400 calories. That is consistent with a lot of other information I've read as well. I'm at it going at least those speeds for 2.5 hours a day and have been estimating only 1000 calories. It's bizarre. I honestly thing I'm really burning maybe 200-300 calories an hour.

jfan

I just hit my goal wt. of 175lbs from a high of 262 in late October. I had to do something, as I was gasping for air just tying my shoes, so I entered a rapid weight loss program (non surgical) sponsored by the hospital I work at. I also did a lot of both weights and cardio, and also riding my bike whenever possible. Now, the hard part begins.....keeping it off. I've been bike commuting to work on a Diamondback hybrid, and just rewarded myself with a Fuji road bike for long rides. The key will be to maintain the good habits I've developed over this endeavor. I'm 57 and haven't felt this good since early adulthood, and many of what I thought were age related aches and pains have disappeared. If any of you are tossing around whether to drop some weight, do it now.

OldsCOOL

Good job, man! For me just being on the bike as much as possible to keep metabolistic rate up is what makes the difference to me. Ride on!

OldsCOOL

Ok, major snowstorms behind us, our heavy accumulations are melting in the sunshine and I’m back to riding. In March it was a challenge to ride twice weekly ane when April arrived so did the snowpiles. Yesterday the Criterium Series came out and the weightloss is in fullswing. I did manage to lose 2lbs in all that mess.

Feels so good to be on the roadbike even with bluejeans and hoodie.

Knoffler

Have to internalize that cutting is 24/7, think of it as living normal every day life.

Until one too many drinks on Friday night ends up in a text to your ex. But thats life too

KraneXL

Any good intermittent fasting (IF) threads out there? Been using it for cutting and to stay in shape with good results and have been wanting to contribute or start a thread.

bruce19

OK how about this? Six weeks ago I decided to change my diet and especially my intake of alcohol. FWIW, I had been averaging about 400-600 calories a day of alcohol. I cut it back to 200-300. These are averages. I also had my annual with my MD and she thought that was reasonable. So, I started at 190.5 and after 5 weeks I was down to 185.6 lbs. Nice reasonable pace of weight loss. Three days ago I was about 188. Then yesterday I was 187. This is typical for me. I bounce up a couple Lbs and then down. But both the highs and lows were getting lower. Today,expecting that I was still on a downward trajectory, I got on the scale expecting something in the 186 range. But, glaring at me was 190.3 lbs. WTF! I don't get it. Now before you start thinking water retention, I am monitoring all of this and can find no difference in anything I've been doing for the past 6 weeks. I don't get it. BTW, at my annual physical I had blood work done and everything is good. I'm at a loss.

wphamilton

I have to question this. Speed increase at 5% slope, from losing 10 kg, would be the same as speed increase at 10% slope. Except a little more speed increase at the higher slope, due to less air resistance at the lower speeds. The chart should be fairly flat, with just a bit of rise as it moves to the right with higher slopes.

rob214

1 weighed 200 lbs 1.5 years ago when I started cycling , now I'm at 185 consistently. during the summer I got down to 175 but then the holidays and a lot of bad weather meant I went from 500 miles per month to about 200 and got back to the current 185. I hope to continue the miles as the weather is getting better . I live in the south almost all flat terrain very few hills and most of them are less than 4% grade this weekend in Mississippi there where a couple of 8% but most hills here in the south are very short climbs. in my 60 5to 100 mile ride there is typically only about 2,100 of climbing.