# Unexplained Weight Gain



## SheFly (Aug 11, 2004)

I'm hoping someone here can give me some advice.

Last year, I really cranked up my riding, and could definitely see results. I dropped a bunch of weight over the season, getting down to my college weight (150 - I am 5'10"). I felt great, was really active, and wasn't really doing anything in particular to my diet regimen.

This year, the training has gone up to a whole new level. I have ridden more this season than in many of my past years, and am on target for my biggest mileage ever. I also started road racing this season, and am having a blast. My issue is that I can't seem to drop any weight, and have, in fact, gained weight over the past few weeks. I am currently almost 13 lbs OVER where I was at my lowest last year. :eekster: 

I know that putting on muscle would increase my weight, but I don't think that is the issue (at least not 13lbs worth!). My clothes are fitting tighter whereas they would be fitting a bit more loosely if this were a muscle increase.

I don't feel that I have significantly changed anything in my diet or habits other than riding more, so am at a loss to explain the weight gain (FWIW, I just turned 38). Any thoughts?  

Thanks,
SheFly


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## Bikergal (Oct 10, 2005)

SheFly said:


> I'm hoping someone here can give me some advice.
> 
> Last year, I really cranked up my riding, and could definitely see results. I dropped a bunch of weight over the season, getting down to my college weight (150 - I am 5'10"). I felt great, was really active, and wasn't really doing anything in particular to my diet regimen.
> 
> ...


I wished I could give you some advice but I have to say I'm in the say boat as you. I can ride, ride, ride and not lose a pound. It makes me mad cause I'm such a health nut when it comes to food as well. My diet and my life style hasn't really changed much in the last 10 years. I have always been active if that meant working out in the gym, running, biking etc. 
I have thought about hiring a dietician to see if I'm getting the proper amount of calories for the what I am burning but haven't done so yet.

Well if you learn something new chime me in on it.


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## AZtortoise (Jan 12, 2004)

Age may be part of it. Around 40 women go through changes, then again about 50 YO it gets worse! 

Your exercise has been stepped up, are you still doing everything else the same(housework, yardwork, etc.)? That can make a huge difference. Other than that it may be your thyroid. Or are you retaining water? Might have to go to your doctor to find out what is going on.

Rita


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## irieness (Feb 22, 2004)

I'm not an expert...just took a few nutrition classes this semester and last...but what I've found out...is that you go through a few stages in your life of metabolism changes...especially women...it seems to be right around the end/beginning of each decade...there's not a whole lot you can do about this, from what I know, other than just continue to watch what you eat...and unfortunately, as you get older your body's metabolism slows down and if you want to continue your same weight, then your food intake will have to decrease along with the decrease in metabolism...you could just exercise more and more...but there will come a point where it just isn't possible to exercise any more than the day before...

I 'm 5'9"...got up to my heaviest in my life when I turned 30...153.5 pounds...went on the Met-rx meal replacement program, along with bike rides and weight lifting and muay thai...lost 20 pounds in 5 weeks...still going for the last 8 or so...although I've resorted back to my habit of buying chocolate at the store and chowing it down before I get home...what people don't see me eat doesn't really count, right??   

good luck...that's all I can really add...and I probably rambled too long at that...


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## IttyBittyBetty (Aug 11, 2005)

*Over 40 Weight Maintenance Suggestions*

I too have seen my metabolism change as I entered my 40s. One thing I have found that really helps is weight training (lifting weights) to maintain a high level of muscle mass. I find this even more important as I age. Loss of muscle mass as you age is what causes the slow down in your metabolism. Muscle burns calories.

I gave up weight training for about a year, substituting yoga. Yoga is great, but I found that I gained weight even though I was riding and running like mad, so I added twice a week weight training. I lost the weight I'd gained in a couple months. I recommend a functional weight training plan - a personal trainer or a class at a gym for a few weeks can get you started. I think this might help you since it sounds like you are doing loads of aerobic training but not much weight training. Good luck!


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## SheFly (Aug 11, 2004)

And till now, I was so looking forward to 40! Thanks for all of the advice. According to my scale, it is showing a high percentage of water, but who knows what that really means (and how accurate it is...).

It just seemed strange to me to have put the weight on so "quickly" without increasing any of my caloric intake... Guess I need to step up other aspects of my training besides just pedaling the bike.

SheFly


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## irieness (Feb 22, 2004)

IttyBittyBetty said:


> I too have seen my metabolism change as I entered my 40s. One thing I have found that really helps is weight training (lifting weights) to maintain a high level of muscle mass. I find this even more important as I age. Loss of muscle mass as you age is what causes the slow down in your metabolism. Muscle burns calories.
> 
> I gave up weight training for about a year, substituting yoga. Yoga is great, but I found that I gained weight even though I was riding and running like mad, so I added twice a week weight training. I lost the weight I'd gained in a couple months. I recommend a functional weight training plan - a personal trainer or a class at a gym for a few weeks can get you started. I think this might help you since it sounds like you are doing loads of aerobic training but not much weight training. Good luck!


Thank you!!! I forgot to add that little tid bit...meant to though...

resistance training is key to burning fat...and the best thing is to do resistance training before the cardio...this gets your metabolism going and then helps you burn more fat during your cardio...it also is better to do the resistance training first or else the cardio may make you too tired...I can't explain it offhand thoroughly and technically enough...but it's an easy google...


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## Christine (Feb 11, 2004)

I noticed my stomach "pooching" out about 1-2 years ago, thought it was some kind of mysterious bloating as my stomach and waist have always been small (pear-shaped.)

If I do 2hrs of cardio around 5x/week (like before a vacation or training for a race) then I can drop about 8 lbs. Otherwise my weight won't budge. Freakin' sucks being at the setpoint. 

Best I can do is mix it up a little with weight training I suppose. My diet is reasonable enough.


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## *rt* (Jan 15, 2004)

Thanks for asking this SheFly. as i creep ever closer to my 40th b-day (9 months) i've noticed that not only have i gained weight in the last year or so but it just doesn't seem to go away like it used to as i increase my training. i'm heavier now than i think i've ever been and feel like none of my clothes fit properly any more.

thanks also to all who responded. the info about weights is interesting since last year i did a lot of weight training and although i was heavier than i was used to it was all muscle and my clothes fit fine. i guess once my 15 hrs/week on the bike training period is over i should look into going back to the gym a few times/week. 

as an aside i also noticed some physical changes around my late 20's and my mid-30's but it was mostly in flexibility and recovery. for years my family would do an annual ski vacation in CO or UT and i can remember how after the 1st day of skiing my parents would complain about how sore they were. i was never sore.....until i was about 28. woke up the morning after our first day of skiing and felt like i'd been run over by a mack truck! i guess that mack truck has just kept getting bigger over the last 11 years!  

rt - please don't say "40" and "middle aged" in the same sentence


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## namrita (Jun 1, 2005)

if you truly believe you haven't increased your caloric intake, it's probably worth going to the doc to have them check your thyroid hormone levels just in case.


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## Digitaljs (Aug 12, 2005)

namrita said:


> if you truly believe you haven't increased your caloric intake, it's probably worth going to the doc to have them check your thyroid hormone levels just in case.


I agree. If you have increased your workouts and have not increased your caloric intake, I would see a doctor. How fast have you gained the weight? Has the weight gain been isolated to one area? If I had a sudden change in weight without any changes in my diet, exercise, etc, I would go to the doctor. There are many things that can cause sudden changes in weight.


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## pixy (Nov 8, 2005)

hey girls, life does not have to go downhill at 40. My cycling career started at the age of 40. While the men are starting to self distruct at that age, we ladies are just coming to maturity.

Unfortunitaly, I too am no expert on loosing welght. It seems whenever I have tried to loose, I end up gaining weight. I am 48 now, and have sworn off all diets. I just ride my bike and try to have fun doing so. My weight has stayed between 117 and 124 for years. I try to eat well to live longer and ride stronger rather than to lose weight. If I have room left over after eating what I need, I have treats, but I usually don't have enough room. I also do weights as mentioned here by others. That becomes more important as you age. 

Ride on girls, it may get easier as you get older.:thumbsup: 

pixy


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## SheFly (Aug 11, 2004)

*Thanks! And UGH!*

Thanks to all of you for the great advice! I will definitely do a check in with the dr to make sure nothing is amiss (I did start counting my calories, just to be sure, but I don't believe I have an increase here). I will also, begrudgingly (VERY begrudgingly) look at doing some weight/resistance training. YUCK!

I was so excited about the thought of turning 40, but if this struggle is what I have to look forward to, I'm not so sure (like I could do anything about it anyway  ). I just hope that in a couple of years, I have the same chutzpah as RT - great race report!

I'll keep you all posted on my progress (if any!).

SheFly


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## Sabine (Jan 12, 2004)

Maybe the frozen yogurt really isn't non fat?

Sabine


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## Mary Ann (Jan 13, 2004)

Um, maybe you're pregnant? ;-) (sorry, couldn't resist).

I second the idea from the previous posters: get your doc to check you out. I'm 40 and my weight gains/losses are directly proportional to the calories in-out ratio. So unless you are missing a significant source of calories, something physical could be going on that your doctor could find.

Good luck!
Mary Ann


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## *rt* (Jan 15, 2004)

Digitaljs said:


> I agree. If you have increased your workouts and have not increased your caloric intake, I would see a doctor. How fast have you gained the weight? Has the weight gain been isolated to one area? If I had a sudden change in weight without any changes in my diet, exercise, etc, I would go to the doctor. There are many things that can cause sudden changes in weight.


ok, let me clarify. i'm talking about the difference between 100 lbs and 107 lbs. which, honestly i don't think needs a doctor's attention. in fact, when i mentioned it to my dr on a recent visit for something unrelated she just snorted at me and said, 'well, we can't all be a size 0 forever.' (which is not to say she was dismissing my concerns but rather putting them in perspective.)

now, if you are responding to the original poster, i can't speak for her.

rt


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## *rt* (Jan 15, 2004)

SheFly said:


> I was so excited about the thought of turning 40, but if this struggle is what I have to look forward to, I'm not so sure (like I could do anything about it anyway  ). I just hope that in a couple of years, I have the same chutzpah as RT - great race report!
> 
> I'll keep you all posted on my progress (if any!).
> 
> SheFly


thanks girl. don't know if i'm excited about turning 40 but i don't fear it either. many of the really strong girls i race against are in their late 30's and early 40's, so life cant' be that bad after 40. hee hee.

with regard to the weight thing, for me it may simply be a redistribution of weight + a few more lbs than i'm used to having. maybe it's the same for you?

rt


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## chuky (Apr 3, 2005)

All of the above are good suggestions. 

I would disagree with 2 statements from the original post, based on personal experience:

1. you can add a LOT of weight via increase in muscle mass. I gained a calculated 8 lbs of muscle the first year I was serious about weights (this was a lot in proportion to my original weight of 122 lbs, 5'6"). 13 lbs at 5' 10" fits in that range.

2. You clothes aren't going to get universally looser if you gain muscle (as opposed to gaining fat). If that were the case, I would still have a certain pair of $180 jeans that my quads no longer fit into (those jeans were pure sex, giving them up was painful).

Working with a nutritionist is an amazing thing - you can learn things about yourself and face some interesting truths. If the doc doens't have anything constructive to say, try that.

Cheers,
C


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## SheFly (Aug 11, 2004)

Mary Ann said:


> Um, maybe you're pregnant? ;-) (sorry, couldn't resist).


Please allow me a moment to wipe the water off of my screen and keyboard after coming out my nose! God FORBID that were the case at this point. And no, I am definitely NOT pregnant....



SheFly


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## SheFly (Aug 11, 2004)

*rt* said:


> now, if you are responding to the original poster, i can't speak for her.
> 
> rt


Size 0, huh? I won't say what I'm thinking.... 

I went from about 155 to 163 in about a two week period... Still trying to figure it out.

SheFly (sadly fitting into my "fat girl" pants)


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## SheFly (Aug 11, 2004)

chuky said:


> All of the above are good suggestions.
> 
> 1. you can add a LOT of weight via increase in muscle mass. I gained a calculated 8 lbs of muscle the first year I was serious about weights (this was a lot in proportion to my original weight of 122 lbs, 5'6"). 13 lbs at 5' 10" fits in that range.
> 
> ...


I agree that one can put on a significant amount of muscle weight, but not in this short time span... I am seriously thinking about going to a nutritionist/dietician to see what advice I might get (likely the "lay off the fried foods" spiel  )

SheFly


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## Mary Ann (Jan 13, 2004)

Glad you took it with the humour it was intended. Sorry about your screen and keyboard. 
;-)

Seriously though, here are some sources of calories you may have overlooked:

--fruit juice (a friend's mother used to drink a CAN of apple juice or orange juice a DAY and gained weight without knowing why; figure about 100-150 calories per cup of unsweetened juice).

--nuts (3.5 oz of almonds has over 600 calories!)

--avocados (1 cup has 22g of fat)

--alchohol (about 100 cal/drink--done any extra celebrating lately?)

If your nutrition isn't the culprit then for sure, get checked out by the doctor.

Mary Ann


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## Brodiegrrl (Jan 12, 2004)

how does the weight look on you? 

I'm 5'9" weigh 150 lbs and I don't think i COULD lose weight if I tried nor would I want to! 

I'm pretty active though, I ride 4-6 times/week, aikido 2X/wk, kickboxing 2X/wk. I eat less on days I'm less active, eat more when I'm more active. 

If you feel good about your body then it shouldn't matter how much you weigh.


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## su.ling~ (May 23, 2006)

Newb here so bear with me....hopefully I won't bore anyone out of their mind. 

Our bodies are pretty d*mn amazing and can adjust for just about any condition you throw at it. It may be that your body has become accustom to your new level of activity and has found a way to store fat regardless. You may be taking in more empty calories than you realize too. Alot of people plateau and even gain and have to change up their routine and work in crosstraining techniques.

Calories in, Calories out is the key. Consume fewer calories per day than your body needs. For every 3,500 calories that your body takes from its fat reserves, you lose 1 pound of body fat. You can create the deficit either by monitoring and restricting your intake of calories. Cutting back 500 calories a day for a week (7 days) will be 3,500 calories or a pound. Unfortunately, our bodies are incredibly efficient at storing fat for leaner times and if you crash diet you will also slow up your metabolism. Sometimes to the point of it actually giving up its muscle in exchange for keeping the fat. But I think that is in more extreme cases like marathon runners and such. But its a balancing act to be sure.

Try cutting back and really counting your calories. Don't neglect your proteins and carbs, otherwise you'll lose energy and become fatigued easily...but do cut out sugars, sodas, drinks with empty calories etc...etc... They say eating 6x a day...small...enough to trick the body it isn't in starvation mode is good to do. Find your Basal Metabolic Rate and compare what you expend to what you truly take in during your normal eating habits then see where you are and where you can cut back.

okay...done babbling

su ling


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## Sabine (Jan 12, 2004)

If you really want to track your food, I'd recommend this website.
http://www.fitday.com/

I've been using it for years. Its free, easy, flexible and gives lots of good info about the nutritional composition of what you are eating.

I've used it to count calories and to track iron (I was once anemic)
I also used it when I was on coumadin and had to track Vitamin K.

I was also suprised to see that I was getting all of my recommended nutrients except calcium. That was good to know.

You just have to be really honest about everything that you eat. Even those little sample nibble mini size just have one tiny piece things.

Sabine


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## chuky (Apr 3, 2005)

A good nutritionist won't give a spiel. They set you up on a trackable program and adjust it based on your reactions over time.

I highly recommend talking to one who is familiar with the demands that an endurance sport places on your body, and if they don't set up a way for you to contact them every week for the first 8 weeks or so, your results will probably not be particularly sustainable, nor will you really gain much insight into how to fuel your metabolism correctly.

FWIW, I worked with Cathy Sassin (a highly ranked adventure racer and nutritionist). She was pretty amazing:

http://umanitoba.fitdv.com/new/articles/article.html?artid=43


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## Christine (Feb 11, 2004)

UGH, so true about sneaky calories. "Every grape counts" I once heard. 

Fruit juice is a big one people forget about. I haven't allowed myself to drink it "straight up" in years (pure grapefruit juice being an exception, but I don't often have it around.) Think of juice as flavoring for your seltzer or water, use as sparingly as you can stand. 

Long time ago, gave up the calorie-dense things like potato chips, PopTarts, ice cream, beer and fast/fried foods. Now, it's in careful moderation.

My big thing is boredom- when it's slow at work, when I'm lonely, that sort of thing. Herbal tea has been helpful with that. Whenever I crave candy at work, I go for either a little box of Froot Loops (100 cal/box, and are slowly eaten) or a bag of M&Ms (always shared with co-workers!) 

Speaking of which, today my non-athletic co-workers decided that we'll each take turns cooking lunch for each other. Today I had some baked ziti (ate carefully around the meat.) Then after work, I was asked if I like fried chicken since that'll be tomorrow's offering.  

I can't complain to them b/c they think I'm skinny! If I say anything about my poochy stomach or wide hips, they're like, "OH, go outside and do a sit-up!!"  They talk about going on Weight Watchers and attending Curves etc. but when I brought up the subject of hidden calories, it didn't seem like a welcome topic- they gave me this look: :skep:


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## Impy (Jan 6, 2004)

Sabine said:


> If you really want to track your food, I'd recommend this website.
> http://www.fitday.com/


Neat site!


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## connie (Mar 16, 2004)

I've used Fitday too.

And personally, I've had success losing weight with a combination of weight training, cardio, and eating healthy small balanced meals (5-6 meals a day).


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## *rt* (Jan 15, 2004)

SheFly said:


> Size 0, huh? I won't say what I'm thinking....
> 
> I went from about 155 to 163 in about a two week period... Still trying to figure it out.
> 
> SheFly (sadly fitting into my "fat girl" pants)


LOL. 

wow. that's a quick gain. much different from what i've experienced where it came on slowly and has hung around (literally!!). doesn't sound like a calories in/out issue. maybe just water weight?

rt


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## SheFly (Aug 11, 2004)

Thanks to all of you for the great responses and encouragement! I have started using www.fitday.com to track the calorie intake (which turns out to be a little on the low side actually). I have also made an appointment with the dr and will get a referral for a dietician/nutritionist while there.

One other question for all of you - what is "water weight"? Does that mean I am overhydrated? Dehydrated? Something else? I have one of those silly scales that shows weight, % body fat and % water, and this morning it said i am at about 57% water...

Thanks again!

SheFly


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## litespeedchick (Jan 13, 2004)

I turned 40 last year and started putting on belly fat like some genie with a calendar snapped her fingers. I've been debating if it really is an age/metabolism thing, or if it's just because I eat like a pig. And really, I do, I'm not kidding anybody. I eat MOSTLY healthy stuff, but lots of it, plus I tend to let myself have whatever I want on the weekends before and after rides (Scones before, full fat ice cream after...you get the picture) Plus I like wine and tend to drink a bottle per weekend. I think my wine frequency has increased in suspicious proportion to my belly. And I have some issues with artisinal bread and cheese.

Even though I've drifted north toward 115 from my normal 110, It's amazing the difference having an athletic body makes. At age 17 I weighed 115, but instead of having my size 2's starting to fit tight, I was wearing a size 7. Muscle sure does weigh more than fat. Unfortunately, part of that 17-year-old 115 lbs included C cups, which are now B cups, dammit. 

My diet advice, which I will have to start following soon, is to go to bed hungry several nights in a row. This will (at least for me) flatten the belly, make you feel like you're accomplishing something, and get you started down the right track.


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## Brodiegrrl (Jan 12, 2004)

litespeedchick said:


> My diet advice, which I will have to start following soon, is to go to bed hungry several nights in a row. This will (at least for me) flatten the belly, make you feel like you're accomplishing something, and get you started down the right track.


or you could do crunches...


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## Neen (Sep 27, 2004)

I could do crunches for the rest of my life and I am convinced I will never get a completely flat tummy. That went out the window at about age 25.....never to be seen again damnit!


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## litespeedchick (Jan 13, 2004)

au contraire. I have awesome abs already from many, many crunches. If only one could see them under the layer of fat ! In fact two years ago, my nephew's 18-year-old girlfriend asked me for workout tips because of my "six pack" I though I would weep with joy. This was a proud moment for the girl who spent high school worrying about being the "fat one" standing next to her best friend. 

Unless I do some serious staying out of the office birthday cake , nobody's going to say the phrase "six pack" to me this year, unless it refers to the 1/2 case of wine I just picked up at Whole Foods. (10% off!)


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## Neen (Sep 27, 2004)

LSC-exactly how many is "many, many crunches"??? I mean, at one point, (and its definately not NOW) my stomach _felt_ hard, but I certainly did not have a 6 pack appearance. Now it looks more like jello......


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## Maida7 (Apr 29, 2005)

Neen said:


> LSC-exactly how many is "many, many crunches"??? I mean, at one point, (and its definately not NOW) my stomach _felt_ hard, but I certainly did not have a 6 pack appearance. Now it looks more like jello......


Crunches build your abs and give you a six pack. But if you've got a bit of flab on the belly nobody will be able to see your six pack thru that flab. The crunches do nothing to get rid of the flab. You must loose that flab with diet and a fat burning exercise like riding your bike. For many the belly flab is very stubborn and many never go (for others it the hips and rear). I can look like a Greek god everywhere else and I still have a bit of belly flab. In the end don't worry about having six pack abs. If you are healthy, enjoy riding and can smile when you look in the mirror then your doing just fine. Sometimes an obsession with health is just not healthy.


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## *rt* (Jan 15, 2004)

SheFly said:


> Thanks to all of you for the great responses and encouragement! I have started using www.fitday.com to track the calorie intake (which turns out to be a little on the low side actually). I have also made an appointment with the dr and will get a referral for a dietician/nutritionist while there.
> 
> One other question for all of you - what is "water weight"? Does that mean I am overhydrated? Dehydrated? Something else? I have one of those silly scales that shows weight, % body fat and % water, and this morning it said i am at about 57% water...
> 
> ...


water weight is that bloated, stick a pin in me and i'll leak, i'm going to get my period in the next 3 days feeling you might get. or at least it's the feeling that i get for about 7-10 days before my period. 

i think it has more to do with sodium intake than anything else. i know that if folks who are hypertensive eat too much salt they will get bloated. same sort of thing with water weight. your body just isn't flushing out the extra liquid you take in so you cells get bloated with extra fluid.

rt


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## litespeedchick (Jan 13, 2004)

I don't do this all year, but in the summer, when I'm trying to look good in a swimsuit I will get in the floor before I go to bed as many nights as I can force myself (aiming for every night) and knock out somewhere between 100 and 200 crunches (or similar move so I don't get too bored.) Side crunches so I have some obliques, leg raises for lower abs, "bicycles", whatever. 

Although you won't be able to see them without doing a little dieting, I think when I've been working my abs diligently my stomach does not poke out as much after a big meal. See, it always comes back to food with me ;-)

The freind who taught me my routine to begin with had a stomach that was , I'm not kidding you, concave. She looked awesome. I swear, some of that had to be genetic. But she called me from her hospital bed after her C-section and said "I just did a crunch to make sure I could still do it" That's dedication.


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## Maida7 (Apr 29, 2005)

Strong abs besides looking hot will help your posture and keep your back healthy. Many people with chronic back problems have weak abs and bad posture. I don't do crunches I find them boring torture. My thing is push ups. I'm a guy so the upper body strength is more attractive. Also arms and chest muscles are quicker to respond to exercise. At least for me.

My wife had a c-section last Thursday and I can't imagine doing a crunch after that. I mean her guts were unpacked on a table and the packed back in. To get her closed up one doctor basically sat on her while the other stapled her shut. Kinda like zipping up an overstuffed suitcase. Your friend must have some serious abs and been on some good pain killers.


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## Neen (Sep 27, 2004)

>>I mean her guts were unpacked on a table and the packed back in. To get her closed up one doctor basically sat on her while the other stapled her shut. Kinda like zipping up an overstuffed suitcase. <<
Okay that right there is an excellant plug for birth control! ewwww!


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## litespeedchick (Jan 13, 2004)

Yeah, she was a monster. I met her my first day on the job right out of college, when I was still a couch potato and she was an excercise junkie. A few years ago she got Rhuematoid Arthritis, constant pain, and just had a knee replacement at age 41. Now she just hopes to be active enough to play with her little boy. Life is not fair and we all need to pack in as much fun stuff now as we can. (sorry for the downer)

Coongratulations on the baby!


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## Berkeley Mike (Jan 13, 2004)

*I went to Fit Day*

I can tell I will have to have "my people" fill every thing in. This is weird. I will see how it works.

Who is going to remind me to fill in my stuff?


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## Digitaljs (Aug 12, 2005)

Shefly,

If you feel the weight you have gained feels like bloat (it's all in the tummy and came on fast, pants are hard to zip up) you may want to mention it to your obgyn. That can be a symptom of ovarian cancer, which can be pretty tough to detect. Many women are not diagnosed until the later stages. It's more common in women after menopause, so you're a bit young, but it's still something to consider. It's unlikely, but maybe something to at least discuss with your doctor.

Here's more info:

http://www.oncologychannel.com/ovariancancer/symptoms.shtml


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## smw (Jun 22, 2005)

SheFly said:


> Size 0, huh? I won't say what I'm thinking....
> 
> I went from about 155 to 163 in about a two week period... Still trying to figure it out.
> 
> SheFly (sadly fitting into my "fat girl" pants)


 That much that quick sounds like water retention.

Sean


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## dr.endo (Mar 18, 2006)

A couple of things I haven't seen mentioned, but that my docs & a personal trainer told me was 1: change up your work-out/training routine. If you do the same thing over & over, it's kind of like your body builds up a "tolerance" and 2: you may need to actually increase your caloric intake in order to meet your body's needs and also increase metabolism. This was definitely the case for me. I got very strict there for a while cutting back on my calories, but I ended up gaining weight despite less food & increased training. When I went back to my less stringent diet, the pounds started coming off.


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## litespeedchick (Jan 13, 2004)

I thought you ladies might enjoy this thread on Road Bike Review, in which the MEN are discussing those pesky, post-35 extra pounds.

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=62699


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## asuperstar103 (May 31, 2006)

Last year I weighed 125....five pounds more than I did in high school about 6yrs. ago. I began to ride my bike and bought a calorie counter, but was still not losing weight. I then realized that I was not taking in enough calories to burn any calories. So keep eating your salads and all that good stuff for you, but you also have to eat a cheeseburger occasionally to get enough calories. I did this and am now down to 115 and I only wanted to lose five lbs, but hey not complaining. Now I watch what I eat, but also let myself splurge like once or twice a week. It's awesome. I just hope I can keep it up.

http://www.superflysunglasses.com


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## Berkeley Mike (Jan 13, 2004)

*Okay. this diet thing sucks./*

Counting every little thing you eat. i don't want to know anymore. I'm chewing every bit to get all the goodness out of whatever I eat instead of wolfing down mass quanitities. Jezz-us. Is this how women live? Salads? It is eating grass ro save calories! Put something on it to make it taste something like food and, bingo, you have 500 calories. 
No wonder. It explains everything. EVERYTHING. God. Please God, I just want to forget that anything had any nutritional value at all. I just want a huge greasy cheeseburger and steakfries and 4 beers. No. Two greasy cheeseburgers and cheesecake to follow. 
I have lost 6 pounds in 14 days. I want them back. Screw Fit Day.
At least Wine is low calorie: speaking of which red wine has lots of trace ........ahhhhhgh! Shoot me now!


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## SheFly (Aug 11, 2004)

Berkeley Mike said:


> Counting every little thing you eat. i don't want to know anymore. I'm chewing every bit to get all the goodness out of whatever I eat instead of wolfing down mass quanitities. Jezz-us. Is this how women live? Salads? It is eating grass ro save calories! Put something on it to make it taste something like food and, bingo, you have 500 calories.
> No wonder. It explains everything. EVERYTHING. God. Please God, I just want to forget that anything had any nutritional value at all. I just want a huge greasy cheeseburger and steakfries and 4 beers. No. Two greasy cheeseburgers and cheesecake to follow.
> I have lost 6 pounds in 14 days. I want them back. Screw Fit Day.
> At least Wine is low calorie: speaking of which red wine has lots of trace ........ahhhhhgh! Shoot me now!


Hey Mike - diets don't work. And 6 lbs in 14 days is too much weight too fast to keep it off.

The one good thing I learned a number of years ago from Weight Watchers is that if you deprive yourself of what you really want, you will just end up binging on that and more. Losing weight is really about changing your eating habits, not about dieting. I actually lost a total of over 25 lbs on Weight Watchers, and ate a Big Mac, fries and diet coke once a week!

Slow, steady weight loss is key. One to two lbs per week. And go ahead and have your cheesburger - just skip the bun!

BTW - it seems several of you were correct on the water weight guess - I am back down to 155 and haven't really changed calorie intake or exercise amounts. Thanks for all of the input though. Now if I can just get rid of those last 5 lbs... 

SheFly


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## pacman (Jan 16, 2004)

*Diets don't work*



SheFly said:


> Hey Mike - diets don't work. And 6 lbs in 14 days is too much weight too fast to keep it off.
> 
> The one good thing I learned a number of years ago from Weight Watchers is that if you deprive yourself of what you really want, you will just end up binging on that and more. Losing weight is really about changing your eating habits, not about dieting. I actually lost a total of over 25 lbs on Weight Watchers, and ate a Big Mac, fries and diet coke once a week!
> 
> ...


That was the strangest post ever from Mike (sarcastic?), maybe someone hacked his ID.

Shefly,

If you count my socks I'm also 5'10" and weighed 157 this morning, 5.8% fat, and 60% water. Don't fret the water, muscles also contain water. It's fat that floats in water.
Yes, steady weight loss by burning more calories than consumed is the way to go. Ice cream in moderation.  I'd keep the bun "_Fat burns in the flame of carbohydrate_".
My resistance training is singlespeeding.

Don't fret about turning 40, I''ve done that, and 50, and 60 ...


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## Berkeley Mike (Jan 13, 2004)

*Just so you know*

my wife thought the post hilarious. She has been teasing me by saying things like "now you know what it's like" and "you're turning into a foodie!" All in good fun. Having her around to share the effort has been nice. I have been listening to her cavetch about diets forever. Well, through 18 years of marital bliss. It's my turn.
And, as to "diets don't work"; your daily eating habits are a diet. I have always been "slender" and through my late thirties I could eat whatever I wanted. I put on weight 'round the middle at 40 and now, at 54 and riding sweep for my high school MTB team for 8 months, put on more. Two weeks ago I was at 176 with flab on my belly. At 6 foot at 52, in good shape, I was 164. 
On May 25 I started Fit Day and got back on the bike and got to work. I dropped 6 pounds in 8 days. Working harder and eating less was stressful but no big deal; I was just having some fun with my post. I am settling at about 170 and am pretty sure that those are the "easy" pounds. I'm flirting with 169 but am probably increasing my muscle mass by now so things will change differently from now on.
Fit Day made me aware of food values for sure but mostly how much I eat. My food selection changes have been to more fruit, water, and smaller portions. One burrito instead of two, less butter, one piece of bread instead of two, no cokes, less syrup on fewer waffles, smaller portions of sirloin or chicken with less skin, fewer pieces of pizza, that sort of thing. In the evenings, when I log my food info in, I can get munchy but when I see my totals approach 2200 I have a glass of water.....sometimes.
There is a huge difference between eating 3000 weird calories and little exercise and eating 2000 thoughtful calories and exercising. That is where the weight loss is happening. I know that in a few weeks I will modify what I eat again to increase my caloric intake to support my "training." It's just no big deal, really, but I will need another website for that part of my effort!
One of the nice things about this is that if I am thoughtful about what I eat generally and exercise I can feast when I want to. No, mark that, when I choose to. The other night at a meeting I had a big plate of Fish and Chips; 1000 calories, tons of saturated fat, and it wasn't very good.
Having said all of this I have to also admit that I am luckier than most where this sort of thing is concerned. This is much easier for me. My body type, my lifestyle, and my support system and the fact that fruit in season in California is tasty, plentiful and cheap are factors I won't take for granted.


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## martita (Jun 27, 2005)

*Endometriosis*

Can cause symptoms like pregnancy and bleeding with exercise. I had what they called postmenopausal bleeding a few years back. I accidentally overdosed on my hormone pills, the progesterone--supposedly a low dosage which initiated the bleeding on a ski trip. I didn't do anything for 6 months.. . . (Stupid.) When I called my doctor about the bleeding, they got me right in for an ultrasound and discovered I had an inch layer of tissue in my uterus. After a D & C, I promptly lost 10 lbs. and the extra fat on my boobs (the only sad part), in a one month period. My gums got better as well. Those are all side effects of pregnancy. My mother had this condition, but was not diagnosed until after she was 70 and all fat in the torso, and she had a large growth. I keep getting the ultrasound every year, hoping to have another quick weight loss, but there has been no further buildup of tissue. I pass along my story to women who have not borne babies or at least not for a long time, in case they might have no idea what these symptoms might mean.
marti


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## onebratt08 (Jul 29, 2006)

I saw one person say what I was thinking...you might not be eating enough. I would suugest you find a place that does Resting Metabolism testing to get your at rest number. From there, you can determine what you need to eat daily based on your activity. I would also suggest a good HR monitor programmed to your specifics to determine the exact calorie burn while riding. To get good numbers, you would need to do a VO2 max/submax test to determine how efficient your body is during exercise. You can use baseline numbers for the HR at which your should be at during activity and resting metabolism, but they can be way off. My numbers are way above norm for a woman of my age, height and weight. I took my resting metabolism up 550 calories a day (at rest, remember) in 2 months because I started eating more and monitored the intensity at which I was working during activity. 

As far as that much weight gain in 2 weeks? You'd have to eat tens of thousands of excess calories in that period of time to gain that much. Remember that most people's weight fluctuates 4-8 lbs. per day.


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## r39205 (Aug 8, 2005)

Berkeley Mike said:


> No wonder. It explains everything. EVERYTHING. God. Please God, I just want to forget that anything had any nutritional value at all. I just want a huge greasy cheeseburger and steakfries and 4 beers. No. Two greasy cheeseburgers and cheesecake to follow.
> I have lost 6 pounds in 14 days. I want them back. Screw Fit Day.
> At least Wine is low calorie: speaking of which red wine has lots of trace ........ahhhhhgh! Shoot me now!


ROFL!!!

I'm with you Mike, looking good is wonderful, but life is too damn short to try to keep up on all this, count every grape you eat, never have any ice cream, etc.

My philosophy is, I eat when I am hungry. Not when I want food, but when I am actually hungry. I eat what I am hungry for, and in an amount proportional to my hunger. If that means I am destined to forever be a size 6 and never a 2 or 4, I'll consider it a good trade.


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## Zion Rasta (Jan 7, 2004)

*Run, Gym, Run*

Here is the formula:

Run (on the street 3 miles as fast as you can), then eat kellogs Complete cereal with 1% organic milk - every morning before work

10:00 am eat fruit snack

Weights - at lunch (I mean free weights and not machines or eliptical BS training)

Eat subway, lean cusine, or taco bell, or better yet - left overs

Ride - afternoons no matter how short the ride is....

Diner - Chicken, pasta, or small portions of your favorite food

This formula works every time. Any deviations and you start ganing weight.

Weekends - Smoke everyone on the trail and feel good for Monday. Go for the 50 mi on Sunday on the road if you can.

Diets - such. You will never get fit by eating, popping miracoulous pills, no eating fat, carbs or what ever. You need to excercise regularly (as described above).

American for exercise = walking for 30 min. No wonder there is so much obesity in this country....

Metabolisms do not slow down, people stop exercising. Its like saying my car stoped working, no, you stopped changing the oil in it....................


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## onebratt08 (Jul 29, 2006)

Zion Rasta said:


> Here is the formula:
> 
> Run (on the street 3 miles as fast as you can), then eat kellogs Complete cereal with 1% organic milk - every morning before work
> 
> ...


That's too much exercise for one day (esp. if you are going at a high intensity for each) - that much will cause your system to break down and you will have all kinds of problems. I know, I've been there and was very ill. It's called overtraining. Sleep disturbances, skin, hair and nail problems, exercise induced injuries, difficulty healing, lowered white blood cell counts, difficulty concentrating, depression, anxiety, chronic colds/infections, trouble sustaining a social life and/or job - those are just some of the problems that can result from overtraining. If you've overtrainined for a short period of time, a week or two of rest will help you bounce back, but if you've overtrained for a long time, it can take weeks or months of rest to recover. It's also best to do cardio and weight lifting on seperate days. Your body will be most effective on that schedule. The only people I know that consistently do both in the same day are body builders preparing for competitions and they are undoubtledly the "sickest" people I know (meaning catching colds all the time, tearing mucles and tendons, having brittle bones, etc.)

The body can adapt very easily. If you aren't eating enough to sustain the amount of activity that you do, your metabolism WILL slow down. Diet is the biggest piece of the puzzle - quality, quantity and frequency of eating. Also, if you eat the same way every day, your body will adapt. If you have a day or meal each week in which you splurge and overdose on calories - you keep the body guessing, therefore the metabolism doesn't want to slow due to a lowered intake of calories.


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## SheFly (Aug 11, 2004)

*Update*

Thanks to everyone who posted about my original question. I figured that it was time to provide you all with an update.

After a full season of riding and racing (sorry - almost exclusively on the road, my MTB is lonely), I am now BELOW my goal weight of 150 - woohoo! Small change in diet, slight increase in exercise. I do believe, as many of you suggested, that the initial unexplained gain was attributed to water weight.

Zion Rasta - that is an awful lot of excercise for one day. And cycling coaches agree that running is the devil if you are in training for any type of road or endurance racing (of course, with the advent of cross season, I do have to start doing SOME running). I also agree with onebratt08 that doing cardio and weights on the same day is not recommended by most fitness gurus/coaches.

Now, if I can just keep this weight off through the winter months, I will be all set  .

SheFly


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## Berkeley Mike (Jan 13, 2004)

*Update; it's all your fault*

Shefly instigated this thread and Fit Day was suggested and I started using it. Reducing my intake from 3000 to 2000 calories a day and riding 4 days a week brought me from 176 to 165. the early weeks were hard; trying to lose weight and increase stamina is stressfull. It has all evened out. There are a few extra pounds i would like to shed but this has been a great start.


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## Impy (Jan 6, 2004)

Berkeley Mike said:


> Shefly instigated this thread and Fit Day was suggested and I started using it. Reducing my intake from 3000 to 2000 calories a day and riding 4 days a week brought me from 176 to 165. the early weeks were hard; trying to lose weight and increase stamina is stressfull. It has all evened out. There are a few extra pounds i would like to shed but this has been a great start.


Wow mike have you been using it failthfully daily? Kudos. That is hard to track every calorie, I have a hard time doing that.


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## Zion Rasta (Jan 7, 2004)

SheFly said:


> Thanks to everyone who posted about my original question. I figured that it was time to provide you all with an update.
> 
> After a full season of riding and racing (sorry - almost exclusively on the road, my MTB is lonely), I am now BELOW my goal weight of 150 - woohoo! Small change in diet, slight increase in exercise. I do believe, as many of you suggested, that the initial unexplained gain was attributed to water weight.
> 
> ...


you are right. My point is, you have to keep doing something.... Never quit exercising what ever it is. Running is just for weight control. Do you abs, push, and you are good to go... Ride - Ride - Ride - Ride, have sex lots of it, do not drink, do not smoke.....


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## chuky (Apr 3, 2005)

*Isn't it kind of fun?*



Berkeley Mike said:


> Reducing my intake from 3000 to 2000 calories a day and riding 4 days a week brought me from 176 to 165. the early weeks were hard; trying to lose weight and increase stamina is stressfull. It has all evened out./QUOTE]
> 
> Mike -
> 
> ...


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## SheFly (Aug 11, 2004)

*Congrats!*



Berkeley Mike said:


> Shefly instigated this thread and Fit Day was suggested and I started using it. Reducing my intake from 3000 to 2000 calories a day and riding 4 days a week brought me from 176 to 165. the early weeks were hard; trying to lose weight and increase stamina is stressfull. It has all evened out. There are a few extra pounds i would like to shed but this has been a great start.


Nice job! :thumbsup: I, too, started using Fit Day, but didn't stick to it. Good for you on sticking it out and seeing great results!

Trust me when I tell you that I have been blamed for worse things! 

SheFly


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## Berkeley Mike (Jan 13, 2004)

*It is a matter of attention*

Each of us manages that according to how we are put together and it is an individual choice. There are obsessive food martinettes out there with their absolutes about what ought and ought not be eaten and precisely how much and when. At the other end is a marketplace repleate with truths and promises for a price with hollow guaranteees without redress. The sad thing is that those very regimes can also be part and parcel of an endless treadmill of diet hell.

It is only food and, like just about everything else, success with food is about moderation. Moderation finds its base meaning in reasonable limits, and reason being central to all of that, requires us only to be mindful. A handlfull of Cheetos is very different from an entire bag. And that is what Fit Day does for you; it keeps me mindful of the stuff I eat in the hurly-burly of the days events. It reMINDS me of what we have eaten and displays its consequence. From that I can make choices. One burrito instead of two.

As to how it will effect my coaching it is hard to tell. Where safety and courtesy are concerned I have no flexibility. At all. Yet for health, skill, and stamina a more supple approach is needed. One of my many functions is to mimic Fit Day, so to speak. In my lifetime I have had all sorts of people give me their undeniable truths about food but that doesn't work for someone like me. It isn't enough to tell people what to do but to appreciate who people are, encourage, refine, take in information, evaluate, and feedback, letting personal decisions take hold.

In the context of our club the issue of foods starts slow. Clif Bar has been a huge and generous supporter of our work and we are able to provide their products as part of our programs. While some may argue their nutritional value they are a constant fact which, fortunately, comes in a zillion flavors. As they are used by our kids their value becomes apparent and we are able to refine usage in terms of timing and amount with results that cannot be ingored. This establishes a framework, a templat, for other dietary considerations.

As you might imagine the teenage eating model is as incredibly varied as the body types. I'll never forget the time I asked one petite freshman what she had to eat before her race. She thought for a minute and said, " I had a strawberry." I said in as flat a tone as I could muster,"a strawberry?" To which she replied "but it was a big one!" I could only smile and barely resisted my temptation to hug her; what else could I do? It was a place to start. Now, five months later, I was expressing my well-earned descent back down the slopes of Mt. Shasta at the Shasta Century this weekend. I thought I saw our kit on this little gal humping the climb. It was our Strawberry girl. 3 weeks ago the family bought her a Stumpy M4, WSD, 13", XT/XTR, Discs. She has expanded her pre-race menu.

So, yeah, diet will be appreciated as ever along with duty, dating, and daring but I hope my guidence will be, while mindful of the goal, thoughtful.

And Chuky, as to when the "season begins?" It never stops for me. I ride with some of my kids during the summer and try to hook them up with each other. I am adminstratively busy now refining legal, liablity, and financial issues, co-ordinating the handoff of my varied duties to parents who have stepped forward to help, and developing sponsors for the new Jersey Kit I am producing. We are amidst the exciting update of our website (which Strawberry's Dad is cobbling from my parts, ECHSMTB.COM) and I am working with my coaches to understand how to keep them happy.

We start officially meeting with the kids in Octobr with a Parent meeting early in November, with some light riding around Thanksgiving. Do we need anything? Of course; we need your thoughts and heartfelt support as always. When we need stuff I am not shy offering an opportunity to share in what we are creating. The glow of generosity is a wonder. Thanks for asking.


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## chuky (Apr 3, 2005)

*The season of leftovers, spare uniforms and extra equipment is just around the corner*



Berkeley Mike said:


> When we need stuff I am not shy offering an opportunity to share in what we are creating.


Just let me know - I think I can help you in the uniform dept again, and perhaps with other things. A list of needs before Sept 1 would help us to snag a lot of the stuff that might otherwise go onto ebay post race-season...

Cheers,
C


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## Berkeley Mike (Jan 13, 2004)

*As I have your attention.*

Small and medium clothing is always welcome. As we start riding in early winter if there is some long sleeved stuff, tights, arm warmers, that sort of thing, it is coveted. Thank you for thinking of us.


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## YetiChickSC (Mar 10, 2005)

*Eye Opener!*

Wow, thanks to this post I got on Fitday.com several days ago. I'm 48 and have seen my weight starting to edge higher on the scale. I have never had a weight problem, haven't had to diet, and have exercised regularly. I thought I was watching what I was eating! I would keep track, on paper, of what I was eating through the majority of the day, but when I got home I would mentally keep track and thought I was doing pretty good. Now that I am on Fitday, I find I wasn't being completely honest tracking what I was eating. Fitday makes it so easy to put it into the computer, and then take an honest look at your day (food and exercise). Thanks for the post and info!

Has anyone tried their PC product? Is it worth buying?


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