Started cycling, gained weight...

[Fiona N]

Personally I much prefer WHR to BMI, as despite weight gain since I used to race, I've only gone up one category from extremely slim to slim whereas by BMI I've gone from normal to bordering on obese

It's not just vanity either - I often raced at <10% body fat towards the end of the season, which isn't healthy for a young woman but was still apparently well into the normal category by BMI - an indication of how daft it is for people doing sports.

 

[Vega]

If you want to lose weight and you're not changing your diet or at least monitoring it, you might not lose much weight or any at all. It is true that muscle weighs more than fat but if you are obese, you should be burning a lot more fat in the beginning compared to how much muscle you are building up. If you don't want to change your diet to lose weight, I would at least advise that you monitor what you eat because I have a feeling that you are eating more carbs and calories for energy to cycle. I would recommend that you at least cut your portions down and see if that helps.

 

[alasdairgf]

I would recommend that you at least cut your portions down and see if that helps.

Aye, seems that's the thing I must do... will recruit my wife to help on this, sure she'll be happy to help. Sigh... I hate being hungry, even when I rationally know that I've had enough food but the 'full' feeling just hasn't kicked in. (I've heard it said that one should also eat slower to help let that feeling kick in, any truth in that?)

 

[tyred]

Definitely try to eat slower. This was one of my problems. I do tend to eat less if I take the time to chew every mouthful. Also, I don't know if it applies to you but another problem I struggle to conquer is my habit of reading the newspaper or a magazine while I eat. I believe it's the same for people who watch TV while they eat. You don't concentrate on what you are eating and eat considerably more than you need.

 

[normgow]

Reading over a couple of other threads here gives me a target food to avoid - bread. Realise I eat a lot of bread. Not sure what I'm make sarnies out of now! Do wraps count as bread?


[/QUOTE]

Try eating wholemeal bread (if you aren't already) and if you can get it so-called black bread. Here in Germany you can buy it everywhere. On a slice of this you can supposedly march 20kms but I'm not sure if that means eating it or nailing to your sole.
Also wholemeal pasta and rice, minimal animal fat and salt.

Anyway good luck with the weight.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

I am overweight and my weight hasn't changed that much, however the one thing I have noticed though is that I have started loosing fat around my belly and my thighs have increased in diameter.

Lol....yeah have the same trouble.

From being sedentary up until last autumn, I've taken up walking, cycling and running - all leg-work.

As a result I have dropped 4" in waist size - but end up struggling wearing trousers 2" too large around the waist that want to fall down from the waist because if I bought by waistband, they are then too tight for my legs for freedom of movement!

If I were to kick you, you'd bloody well know it though!

 

[screenman]

Black Bread (Classic)
1 Slice =

140 calories

1g fat

28g carbs

5g protein

2g fibre

Butter

1 tbsp
100 calories

11g FAT

0g Carbs

0g Protein

0g Fibre

Seeing as an average diet should only have about 65 grams of fat per day net it is extremely easy to go over the top.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/myplate/#ixzz0pxUChG4Z
​

 

[Norry1]

I've been cycling about 6 weeks now and although I wasn't trying, I've lost over 1/2 a stone. I have tried eating a bit healthier - such as porridge every now and then instead of a hotel breakfast!

I agree BMI is a very clumsy measure. A combination of using scales which tell you your fat content and looking at your WTHR seem more sensible. I'm overweight using BMI, but have 22.5% fat which is okay, and a 48.9 WTHR which is alos okay.

Just try and quit the rubbish foods - you should never need to feel hungry.

Martin

 

[jeltz]

Aye, seems that's the thing I must do... will recruit my wife to help on this, sure she'll be happy to help. Sigh... I hate being hungry, even when I rationally know that I've had enough food but the 'full' feeling just hasn't kicked in. (I've heard it said that one should also eat slower to help let that feeling kick in, any truth in that?)

Drink water when you feel hungry, often thirst is mistaken for hunger. Don't look on it as dieting go for a lifestyle change, phase it in gradually and in 12 months time you will be a healthier, happier person!

 

[Augustine]

i'm in a very similar situation to you - overweight, trying to slim, etc. as has been mentioned above, i found that keeping a track of what i actually ate was a real eye-opener. i've started to use this site - http://www.livestrong.com/myplate/ - and found it v helpful. it has helped me understand the calorific content of different foods and to get a grip on portion size. it also allows me to enter the amount of exercise i've done so i can see how that affects overall calorie intake. it might help you?

 

[screenman]

The message is getting across, Livestrong does work, but only if you are honest with it. Have fun and get slim it is a whole new world.

I am now down nearly 4 stone and have just spent a week training a guy in PDR ( which is my business ) this guy is a year younger than me but he is the size I used to be, it felt like I was teaching somebody 15 years older than myself, that is what the weight loss has done for me.