Bike and Food Nutrition

[Tim Kelley]

@vvill 23717 wrote:

I’m fortunate that my weight never varies too much but as I get older I’m sure my metabolism will slow down.

Not if you keep riding! Your body may become more efficient with the calories you give it though.

[vvill]

@Tim Kelley 23723 wrote:

keep riding!

That’s my plan!

[KLizotte]

@Tim Kelley 23723 wrote:

Not if you keep riding! Your body may become more efficient with the calories you give it though.

Oh you youngsters don’t know what you’re in for…..Enjoy your high metabolisms while you can.

[Tim Kelley]

I’ve already had my metabolism slow down once when I was in my mid-twenties. Turns out it wasn’t my metabolism, it was the fact that I was over eating and not getting enough exercise. Once I started exercising and eating more healthily “my metabolism sped up.”

[dasgeh]

@Tim Kelley 23793 wrote:

I’ve already had my metabolism slow down once when I was in my mid-twenties. Turns out it wasn’t my metabolism, it was the fact that I was over eating and not getting enough exercise. Once I started exercising and eating more healthily “my metabolism sped up.”

Yes, but try having a kid and turning 30. To keep a speedy metabolism, you have to get a lot more exercise.

[Tim Kelley]

@dasgeh 23801 wrote:

Yes, but try having a kid and turning 30. To keep a speedy metabolism, you have to get a lot more exercise.

Technically *I* wasn’t the one who had the kid, but I did personally turn 30 all by myself.

[dasgeh]

@Tim Kelley 23803 wrote:

Technically *I* wasn’t the one who had the kid

Trust me, it makes a difference.

[Tim Kelley]

It’s all about priorities and balance. Remember that thread Dirt started a week or two ago?

[ShawnoftheDread]

Speaking of nutrition, I pulled out my go-bag from a cabinet at work today and found a granola bar. Checked the expiration date: March 2006. I was hungry, but not that hungry.

[americancyclo]

I’ve been making variants of the Feed Zone Cookbook bars as snacks, and just upgraded to an extra banana and fruit for the hot weather. This is in addition to the four meals, two snacks and normal grazing I do. My weight dropped 12 lbs recently and I freaked out a bit. Turns out three meals a day wasn’t enough.

[RESTONTODC]

@Tim Kelley 23793 wrote:

I’ve already had my metabolism slow down once when I was in my mid-twenties. Turns out it wasn’t my metabolism, it was the fact that I was over eating and not getting enough exercise. Once I started exercising and eating more healthily “my metabolism sped up.”

I agree with this. My metabolism is higher now than 5 years ago since I started biking to work. My weight is less but I need to learn eating healthy. I don’t like the healthy food because it doesn’t taste good.

My friend said his sixty is healthier than his fifty or forty. Since his kids already had their own family, his wife doesn’t need him anymore and kick him out of the house. So, he goes biking all day long.

[NicDiesel]

Does anyone here know of a trainer or a nutritionist/dietitian that works with heavier cyclists? I’ve been stuck at around 400lbs for the past six months despite keeping a relatively stable caloric intake (~3,000) and cycling an average of 40 miles a week in addition to weight training. Granted, I did lose a significant amount of weight (60lbs) in the six months prior, but I need to make some changes to get this extra weight off of me.

[Tim Kelley]

@4st7lbs 28596 wrote:

Does anyone here know of a trainer or a nutritionist/dietitian that works with heavier cyclists? I’ve been stuck at around 400lbs for the past six months despite keeping a relatively stable caloric intake (~3,000) and cycling an average of 40 miles a week in addition to weight training. Granted, I did lose a significant amount of weight (60lbs) in the six months prior, but I need to make some changes to get this extra weight off of me.

Interesting question. I’ll ask around and let you know if I get any recommendations.

My take on weight loss is that in most cases it is simple math of “calories in” vs. “calories out.”

I’m sure you’ve heard all this before, but if you’ve hit a plateau you need to either increase your exercise or decrease your calorie intake. 40 miles a week is a great start, but you can definitely work up to longer distances! How did you arrive at the 3,000 calorie intake number, and are you certain you’re accurate with that number?

[NicDiesel]

@Tim Kelley 28600 wrote:

My take on weight loss is that in most cases it is simple math of “calories in” vs. “calories out.”

Tis true, which is why I’m so frustrated.

@Tim Kelley 28600 wrote:

40 miles a week is a great start, but you can definitely work up to longer distances!

No doubt, my goal is 100 miles a week but work (read: travel) and injuries keep getting in the way. Up until the weather got too much for me to handle I was doing 70 miles a week commuting to work. Starting next week I’m going to try and do at least 10 miles every day, should be able to make the 100 miles/week mark by the end of September barring injuries.

@Tim Kelley 28600 wrote:

How did you arrive at the 3,000 calorie intake number, and are you certain you’re accurate with that number?

I modified the meal plan that I developed with the dietitian I worked with when I was over 450lbs and just reduced the total calories from 3,700 to 3,000 (which is also in line with LoseIt!). The problem is that even at 3,000 calories I’m pretty hungry throughout the day, especially if I bike to work (and have a banana once I cool down) or did a 25 mile ride the night before (with a banana and two stinger waffles consumed during my break). With weightlifting I don’t experience this as much (I have a Muscle Milk shake right after I lift) but that’s shorter periods of extreme exertion vs. the continuous medium impact of spinning with cycling.

I think one of the biggest issues right now is that unless I’m cycling or lifting out I don’t drink enough water during the day (~2.5L). When I do long rides I tend to drink 4-5L the day before and 6-7L the day of and drink 5-6L throughout the day and at the gym when I lift weight. If I can just get into a rhythm of drinking 6L each day, regardless of physical activity, I have a feeling the weight would start coming off. Still, I’m interested in an feedback or suggestions you all have.

[DaveK]

When I was really into losing weight I was eating below 2,000 calories a day, sometimes below 1,600. It comes off fast, but I was hungry all the time and resorted to tricks like drinking gallons of water and eating soup at every meal. Don’t do this. It sounds like you’ve done it right and developed a healthy plan and calorie level for you.

Cycling in and of itself isn’t the best exercise for weight loss unless you can really devote a lot of time to it. Even a 40-mile ride might burn you 3,000 calories at your size, aka not quite a pound, and I’m estimating on the very high end. If you feel like you’re healthy enough and your body can handle it, I would recommend running. The Couch-to-5k program worked for a lot of my friends – check it out for a great intro-to-running program. I promise you no single activity will melt weight off you like running. I’ve been where you are and lost a lot of weight with running as my only activity. I got started just walking the dogs every evening and it turned into a nightly 30-minute run. Running is easy to fit into your day – take a half hour or an hour or whatever you have and just run around the neighborhood. Can even do it at lunch if you’ve got showers at work.

If you don’t think you are ready for the impact of running on your joints or body, swimming is also a great exercise that has virtually no impact.

One little thing I’d suggest – Muscle Milk is kinda junk. Buy your own whey protein powder for post-workout shakes and mix it with milk. Higher protein content with less crap in it.

[Author]

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