Cant Lose Weight!!

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THis is driving me nuts.....Trying to drop some pounds for hilly century. Training religeously since Jan. Weighed in at 192. (6'1")

Riding 3-4 days/wk. 30-50 miles per day. Upping long day each week or two to 75-80 this month. Shorter rides @ 19-20 mph. Sometimes intervals. Longer rides 17-18 mph. Burn 6000 - 7000 calories/week.

Run tread mill, light weights, stretching 1-2 days/week.

Diet:

Breakfast: Usually yogurt mixed with granola. 1 cup each. Maybe banana mixed in.

Lunch: Turkey sandwich with apple or grapes.

Dinner: Chicken and rice or pasta. Normal portions.

Cut out most snacking, keeping to healthier ones, carrot sticks, granola bars. Cut out sodas. Drinking LOTS of water.

Bottom line: Cant get below 180 lbs. 30 weeks of training and dieting and I'm down only 12 lbs!!! What am I doing wrong? Also, most extra weight in belly, below belly button, and love handles. Waist not getting smaller, and body fat/BMI not being reduced. Getting discouraged.

One thing about weight loss is that there is a lot of disaggreement. So you should get some conflicting responses.

Are you 100% sure you are not loosing weight, you may be in fact putting on muscle at the same rate you are loosing fat.

Changing things around can sometimes help, the body gets use to what it is doing. I never stick to the same routine for too long, also helps with motovation, you get bored after a while.

Diet. You aren't eating many calories, I eat at least double what you have described. Have a go at increasing your protein intake and decreasing your carb intake, or to put it another way, for dinner double the amount of chicken and half the amount of rice or pasta. Better still, eat a decent slab of chicken with a salad containing a bit of fat, such as avocado.

I agree with the previous speaker. You're probably putting on muscles instead of fat and muscles weigh more than fat and LOOK SO MUCH BETTER!

Another thing; eating so very little that you do might in fact decrease you metabolism. You should try noting everything you eat down and use one of the on-line nutrition counting services so that you are sure that you get enough. If you don't eat enough your body is set on "starvation":( .

I agree with the previous speaker. You're probably putting on muscles instead of fat and muscles weigh more than fat and LOOK SO MUCH BETTER!

Another thing; eating so very little that you do might in fact decrease you metabolism. You should try noting everything you eat down and use one of the on-line nutrition counting services so that you are sure that you get enough. If you don't eat enough your body is set on "starvation":( .Ha, its sounds like we have similar approaches.

As per Hazyjane's recommendation, log your stuff in an online log, I use to use fitday, but have long since given up. The link is still at the bottom of my post.

Indeed we do have similar approach.

I tried your free on-ine service and, although the foods already put in the database are a bit different from what we have here in Sweden, it's not a problem and I find it easy to use (and you can always add a custom food).
Currently I use a Swedish nutrition software on my PC for logging my eating during periods of hard training, just to make sure, but if I didn't I would definitely use your site... and maybe even buy your software.

Ha, its sounds like we have similar approaches.

As per Hazyjane's recommendation, log your stuff in an online log, I use to use fitday, but have long since given up. The link is still at the bottom of my post.I've been having similar problems increased the exercise a lot and watching what I eat, readuced my sugar intake, cut out alcohol completely, takeaways are a thing of the past, but I'm not losing any weight, although I have lost 15cms from round my waist. So there is one positive.

I've been looking for something similar, in relation to the on-line log, obviously not looking hard enough. What is your views on this particular one?

Indeed we do have similar approach.

I tried your free on-ine service and, although the foods already put in the database are a bit different from what we have here in Sweden, it's not a problem and I find it easy to use (and you can always add a custom food).
Currently I use a Swedish nutrition software on my PC for logging my eating during periods of hard training, just to make sure, but if I didn't I would definitely use your site... and maybe even buy your software.It gave me an understanding of what I was doing and once I had settled into a natural eating routine, I lost interest in keeping the log, but by that time it had done its job. Finding equivalent foods was a challenge, as was the imperial measurements, metic is much easier to use.

BTW my wifes part Swedish, pm me me you know any blonde Swedish jokes that are translatable into English http://www.cycling.net.au/images/smilies/smile.gif

I've been having similar problems increased the exercise a lot and watching what I eat, readuced my sugar intake, cut out alcohol completely, takeaways are a thing of the past, but I'm not losing any weight, although I have lost 15cms from round my waist. So there is one positive.

I've been looking for something similar, in relation to the on-line log, obviously not looking hard enough. What is your views on this particular one?It educated me about my eating habits. A bit fiddly to use, and didn't have metics, but FREE so I can't complain. Have a go.

Learn about glycemic index and glycemic loads in foods. Eat foods that provide slow release of energy.

I've stripped weight fast in the past when it's time for race season and when I'm coming off of weight lifting in the winter eating mostly: Low fat cottage cheese, Salmon, tuna, egg whites, different types of beans(kidney and black beans), oatmeal, whole wheat pasta, eating fruits only post work out when you need the simple sugars to restore enegy quick and then eating no more for the rest of the day, green leafy vegatables, mixed vegatables.

You stick to these foods and completely eliminate sugar and saturated fats, fruit juice or bread needs to be taken out of your diet also.

You want to make yourself full from fiber, you also need to make sure you never feel hungry or your metabolism will slow down and you're just shooting your self in the foot. I've striped 68 pounds in less then 4 months years ago and most of this diet stuff is from first hand experience and is apart of my permanent lifestyle.

http://www.wtcycling.com/BonkTraining.html


BONK TRAINING
It's morning. Give your fat a kiss good-bye and get to work.
(an excerpt from the September 2002 Bicycling magazine)

If you're normal, well adjusted and sentient, you have to ask why any cyclist would submit himself to "bonk training." It's the ultimate in hair-shirt riding. You wake up in the morning, drink two cups of coffee without putting anything else in your stomach, then go for a 60-90 minute ride. The answer: To lose weight. FAST.

Andy Pruitt, clinical director of the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine, has seen plenty of clclists shed their guts with bonk training. "If I have a patient who's trying to lose weight- cyclist or not- I have him ride 20-30 minutes before breakfast on a stationary bike at about 60 percent of max heart rate," says Pruitt. "This ignites your fat-burning metabolism, and it stays lit during the day." If you have an extra 5-10 pounds to lose, empty-stomach exercise first thing in the morning is ideal, he says.

Bonk training works, according to Pruitt, because there's no readily available fuel source for your muscles (there's very little glycogen in the bloodstream when you wake up), so your body has to seek out fuel...stored fat. To get the full effect, you have to maintain an endurance pace; you should be able to converse without panting.

The name of this weight-loss comes from the idea that the training mimics the conditions that lead to the scourge of cyclists- bonking. In fact, true bonking is a danger.

"If you ride like this longer than 90 minutes, your body starts breaking down muscle and protein in organs," says Liz Applegate, sports nutritionist at the University of California-Davis, cyclist and author of Eat Smart, Play Hard. "Then you're not just losing fat, you're weakening your body."
Laura Gabrels Metcalf HOW TO BONK TRAIN

1. Upon waking, drink 2-3 cups of coffee, up to 45 minutes before cycling. Don't eat.
2. Ride at endurance pace- 60-70% of your max heart rate, or a casual pace that doesn't make you pant when you talk.
3. Keep it up for 20-90 minutes.
4. You can do this on consecutive days, but mix in at least one normal breakfast per week.
5. Eat your typical breakfast as soon as the ride ends.
6 . Watch the blubber ignite!!

Got a stupid quetion what if i dont like coffee. I dont like the taste or what it does to my teeth or breath.

I am getting back into shape after a bad knee injury. Cant run like i use to witch was 10-15 miles depending on my day i was a cross country runner for 5 years got tripped up in a race and it was over for me. I dont go to work untell noon. (i love working for myself.)

http://www.wtcycling.com/BonkTraining.html


BONK TRAINING
It's morning. Give your fat a kiss good-bye and get to work.
(an excerpt from the September 2002 Bicycling magazine)

If you're normal, well adjusted and sentient, you have to ask why any cyclist would submit himself to "bonk training." It's the ultimate in hair-shirt riding. You wake up in the morning, drink two cups of coffee without putting anything else in your stomach, then go for a 60-90 minute ride. The answer: To lose weight. FAST.

[/url]BONK TRAINING Actually not too far off how I train except I don't do the coffee, pretty common amongst runners too.

Basically you train before you eat. The body burns its energy reserves and replenishes from fat.

Of course in Australia we do a different type of bonk training. Look up bonk [url="http://www.macquariedictionary.com.au/anonymous@FFC21101360/-/p/dict/slang-b.html"]here (http://www.wtcycling.com/BonkTraining.html). (scroll down to bonk).

I think all English speaking people knows what other meaning "bonk" has. And a lot of people prefer that kind of activity in the morning... I mean, you're already in the sack so why waste the opportunity?:D

THis is driving me nuts.....Trying to drop some pounds for hilly century. Training religeously since Jan. Weighed in at 192. (6'1")

Riding 3-4 days/wk. 30-50 miles per day. Upping long day each week or two to 75-80 this month. Shorter rides @ 19-20 mph. Sometimes intervals. Longer rides 17-18 mph. Burn 6000 - 7000 calories/week.

Run tread mill, light weights, stretching 1-2 days/week.

Diet:

Breakfast: Usually yogurt mixed with granola. 1 cup each. Maybe banana mixed in.

Lunch: Turkey sandwich with apple or grapes.

Dinner: Chicken and rice or pasta. Normal portions.

Cut out most snacking, keeping to healthier ones, carrot sticks, granola bars. Cut out sodas. Drinking LOTS of water.

Bottom line: Cant get below 180 lbs. 30 weeks of training and dieting and I'm down only 12 lbs!!! What am I doing wrong? Also, most extra weight in belly, below belly button, and love handles. Waist not getting smaller, and body fat/BMI not being reduced. Getting discouraged.

With the amount of calories you're burning, you're not eating anywhere near what you should be. You need to get more protein in there, more meals and more often. Sometimes the best way to lose weight is to eat more. Just make sure it's quality.

I used to weight 225lbs in Jan. I now weigh 170 (and i'm 6'1" too) from hardcore training, but I eat about every 2-3 hours. Something small and usually not over 300 calories.

Make sure you eat breakfast and a meal RIGHT BEFORE you go to sleep. Then get as many others in during the day as needed. Just watch the sugar intake, like in meal replacement bars (which are just healthier candy bars) and high fats. Think of your body as a furnace. If you keep throwing coal into it, it will stay very hot, like your metabolism.

Also, don't turn to diet pills. They are not an answer to a problem! Just play around with your diet. Don't be afraid to play with your caloric intake too. With the amount of calories your burning, you'll be fine regardless.

Good luck.

same here on the bonk training. train first, refuel after.
i used to run for around an hour, but keep my pace low so that my heart-rate was around the 60-70% of max, which is the "fat burning" level.
you actually need to do this for a while to teach your body to use fat as a fuel - it will then feed of this later when you step up your training.
unfortunately, i have to start again after the last 3months of nothing thanks to a knee injury...

With the amount of calories you're burning, you're not eating anywhere near what you should be. You need to get more protein in there, more meals and more often. Sometimes the best way to lose weight is to eat more. Just make sure it's quality.

I used to weight 225lbs in Jan. I now weigh 170 (and i'm 6'1" too) from hardcore training, but I eat about every 2-3 hours. Something small and usually not over 300 calories.

Make sure you eat breakfast and a meal RIGHT BEFORE you go to sleep. Then get as many others in during the day as needed. Just watch the sugar intake, like in meal replacement bars (which are just healthier candy bars) and high fats. Think of your body as a furnace. If you keep throwing coal into it, it will stay very hot, like your metabolism.

Also, don't turn to diet pills. They are not an answer to a problem! Just play around with your diet. Don't be afraid to play with your caloric intake too. With the amount of calories your burning, you'll be fine regardless.

Good luck.

I completely agree with reply quoted above.

I had trouble gaining weight, and as a result did a considerable amount of research into proper cycling nutrition. You need to accellerate your metabolism to a steady, predictable rate, and tweak your diet from that point on. With such a relatively stable (and fast/high) metabolism you will be able to "play around" with caloric intake, and nutrient input to maximize your fitness goals.

The best way to elevate and stabilize one's metabolism is definately to graze on the proper foods throughout the day. Avoid large 600-700+ calorie meals at all costs, instead consuming 250-400 calorie snacks every 3 or so hours.

As for the proper foods to eat, read up on the Glycemic Index of foods. The GI is a method of separating foods by the way they affect your blood sugar. Check out http://www.glycemicindex.com for more information on the GI. In general, try to eat foods with lower GI scores before your workouts to give long, slow-burning energy. While excercising, graze on higher GI foods to sustain your activity level without "bonking." Post excersice, restore your body's glycogen (your muscles' main fuel source) levels by eating a high GI food and consuming sizable amount of protein.

An excellent book to follow for getting in cycling shape is Eric Harr's Ride Fast... Good advice and motivation :)

Good Luck!

one thing you never said is how long you actual rides are. you said you are burning 7000 calories a week riding, well pro's lose 7000 calories a race. i'm not saying they're such gods and you're not or anything, just pointing out that they can eat anything they want with their training/racing, but you and i can't.


one that that intrigues me about what you said was that you had fat just around the midsection. that is classic insulin-produced fat and caused by eating food with too high of a glycemic load.

here is a list of the glycemic index and glycemic load of common foods:

http://www.mendosa.com/common_foods.htm

basically what i would do is eat salads with meat mixed in while you are cutting and nothing else. you can take some honey or sugar or energy gels or whatever when you ride and take them ONLY IF YOU'RE BONKING. otherwise don't eat anything with quick energy.

some people will tell you bonk training is garbage but in my experience it works well. i have oftentimes not eaten breakfast and gone riding or running or whatever as long as i could and then eaten afterwards. it works really fast for me, and it's easier to stick to than a strict diet.

of course, i think you should combine the 2 and do them both as strictly as possible.