# how to other women lose weight



## ralph3 (Dec 16, 2007)

My wife is stuck and needs to lose 10 pounds. She has cut out tea and soft drinks, no sweets, and no bread. She eats a egg for breakfast, grilled chickend salad for lunch with lite italian dressing, snacks are Chobani yogurt and Kashi dry cinamon cereal. She drinks only water and coffee. She walks 3 miles a day 5 days a week. Her weight will no budge. Any expert advice. She eats no sweets. several nights a week she may eat some popcorn. She also snacks on watermelon, grapes or apples. Any advice?


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

So is this your idea or hers?

At any rate, that's not enough _nearly_ enough exercise to burn calories to lose weight. I'm no expert, but to get that last bit you usually have to really ramp up the cardio. Like, an hour at day at least of fairly intense, moderately high heart rate exercise.

I'd recommend a training program something like Lynda W's 12 week mountain bike base training and weight loss program.
www.lwcoaching.com


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## verslowrdr (Mar 22, 2004)

I'm with formica, although if she's really pressed for time she could focus on ramping up the intensity of her exercise during what I'm guessing are 45 minute sessions. 

And she has my sympathy- I've got a stupidly low metabolism.


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## Impy (Jan 6, 2004)

have her start running the 3 miles and do it 6 times a week


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## Swthrtsuzy (Sep 1, 2008)

It sounds to me like she's not eating enough calories for her body to let go of those 10 extra pounds although you didn't mention what she ate for dinner. Especially with the fact that she's working out, albeit at a low intensity, 5 days a week. You have to have at least enough calories to maintain your body at its current activity level so it doesn't go into fat saving mode. You should take the advice of the ladies who posted above me and have your wife ramp up her training slightly. Walk 3 days, run 2 and do weights, pilates or yoga 1 or 2 times a week. The body adjusts to your activity levels after you do the same thing for a while, so the routine really needs to be changed up regularly to continue losing. Also, sign up on a website like fitday.com or livestrong.com. They both are programs where you enter your height, weight, gender, etc, and it will figure out aproximately how many calories you should eat a day, and then you can track what you eat to see if you're on target. They work wonders.

Good luck to your wife. I'm having the same issue. Plateau's are no fun.


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## Impy (Jan 6, 2004)

Also, time frame would be helpful. After all , that is a very calorie restricted diet but you don't say how long she has been on it.

If she hasn't been on it long, well, there you go.

If she HAS been on it a long time and is still not losing, well, something has to change as it is obviously not working (see above sugestions). 

You don't mention dinner. If one is starving after a very calorie restricted day then you can easily overeat at dinner and negate all the sacrifice that you have suffered during the day.

Btw, that sound like a very unsustainable diet. I'd be a basket case if that's all I ate all day long.


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## verslowrdr (Mar 22, 2004)

Impy said:


> ...Btw, that sound like a very unsustainable diet. I'd be a basket case if that's all I ate all day long.


My motto: Ride farther & harder, have more fun, eat more ice cream!


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## MtbRN (Jun 8, 2006)

verslowrdr said:


> My motto: Ride farther & harder, have more fun, eat more ice cream!


Mine too. I've never been any good at dieting


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## Swthrtsuzy (Sep 1, 2008)

verslowrdr said:


> My motto: Ride farther & harder, have more fun, eat more ice cream!


I think you're my hero. That's the best motto I've ever heard. :thumbsup:


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## connie (Mar 16, 2004)

Exercise and weight loss are an interesting thing for me.

Personally, if I just want to lose weight on the scale, I get the best results by counting every calorie and doing very low intensity exercise (which rules out mountain biking for the most part). Adding high intensity/longer duration exercise makes me drastically hungrier. Same with any serious weight training. I get in better shape and look better but the number on the scale is very hard to budge. Lots of exercise makes me ravenously hungry.

Part of it is that the number on the scale can be misleading, and I've found that I'd rather be heavier with more muscle and curves and feel like I'm in great shape than diet my way down to a more acceptable number on the scale. 

But I guess it depends on what your goals are. I started speed skating this winter and it made my butt and thighs bigger... but also gave me nicer curves and stronger muscles and I've got no problem with that... But I know some women are only interested in skinny and the number on the scale.


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## miss rides a lot (Jul 23, 2008)

Sounds like her body is used to the food/exercise routine. Time to shake it up.

Have her do fitday.com or similar to count calories in vs. calories burned and see what it comes up with (e.g. way too many calories in vs. burned, or way too little). 

Definitely running/jogging might help out, and maybe eating more veggies? Is she using a lot of dressing? Does she put cream in her coffee? How much yogurt and cereal? Could be too much protein?


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## MtbRN (Jun 8, 2006)

Erm... maybe she should try cycling 
(just trying to keep on topic. Since this is, after all, a cycling forum )


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## ralph3 (Dec 16, 2007)

Thanks for all your help:thumbsup: Trying the ride thing just not easy:madman:


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

just curious, is losing the extra 10 her idea or yours?


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## poff (Dec 23, 2003)

I am a guy, but here is my advice. (1) Drop coffee from the diet. (2) Switch to 2 low carb/high protein meals per day and no food after 6pm. (3) Instead of just walking 3mi per day do something similar to intervals - day of hard exercise, then relaxed routine, then hard, relaxed, rest, hard and so on. Our bodies adapt to the same routine. (4) Situps every morning. (5) Yoga 2ce a week.


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## ralph3 (Dec 16, 2007)

This is Ralph3's wife. Thanks for all the input. Just getting near 40 and is much harder than it used to be. He should have been more in depth about my routine. I did hardcore bootcamp for 4 months 3 days a week. That intense excersise made me hungrier and could not control my cravings, therefore put on the weight. After stopping boot camp I feel I am in worse shape than when I started. I walk/run 3 miles at least 5 days a week. I walk 1/4 run1/4 and so on. For supper I do agree I eat to late at night. I try to stick to chicken and squash and sometimes I splurge every now and then and eat maybe pizza or something not what I should be eating. Give me examples of your diet. I do love my coffee in the morning but just one cup, I use coffeemate original creamer, no sugar. I drink only water. I just need some nutrional and fitness advice. thanks for all your input. My body just seems to have more fat than I have ever had and it will not budge. I am 5"5 and weigh 130, which I know is not bad but it is not toned like it should be.


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## Swthrtsuzy (Sep 1, 2008)

ralph3 said:


> This is Ralph3's wife. Thanks for all the input. Just getting near 40 and is much harder than it used to be. He should have been more in depth about my routine. I did hardcore bootcamp for 4 months 3 days a week. That intense excersise made me hungrier and could not control my cravings, therefore put on the weight. After stopping boot camp I feel I am in worse shape than when I started. I walk/run 3 miles at least 5 days a week. I walk 1/4 run1/4 and so on. For supper I do agree I eat to late at night. I try to stick to chicken and squash and sometimes I splurge every now and then and eat maybe pizza or something not what I should be eating. Give me examples of your diet. I do love my coffee in the morning but just one cup, I use coffeemate original creamer, no sugar. I drink only water. I just need some nutrional and fitness advice. thanks for all your input. My body just seems to have more fat than I have ever had and it will not budge. I am 5"5 and weigh 130, which I know is not bad but it is not toned like it should be.


Hey! I'm doing bootcamp right now, and I'm finding that losing weight is darn near impossible...but it's my own fault because I'm supposed to be doing cardio every night for at least 45 minutes...on top of bootcamp sessions 3 times a week and I don't . I totally feel your pain about always being hungry, too! I thought I was going to die of hunger for the first couple months. :madman: Anyway, here's a sample of the menu my trainer gave me, and then what I actually eat...when I'm being good.

Trainer:

Breakfast: 2 scrambled egg whites, 1 whole wheat english muffin w/apple butter, 1 cup fruit
Snack: 2 cups veggies
Lunch: 2 cups veggies, 3 oz lean protein, 1/2 cup brown rice
Snack: 20 almonds, 1 cup fruit
Dinner: 2 cups veggies, 4 oz lean protein
Snack; 1 piece fruit

Me:
Breakfast: 2 scrambled egg whites, 1 whole wheat english muffin w/peanut butter or apple butter, 1 cup fruit
Snack: banana, 1 other fruit, 3 strips turkey bacon
Lunch: 2 cups veggies, 3 oz lean protein, 1/2 cup brown rice
Snack: 20 almonds, 1 apple
Dinner: 2 cups veggies, 4 oz lean meat, starch of some sort. Either a dinner roll or rice or pasta
No snack

I don't always stick to that, but when I do deviate, I try to make better decisions. Always whole wheat things, brown rices, corn tortillas, chicken over beef, as many veggies as possible, stay away from fried stuff...I even make whole wheat pizza dough and use ground turkey and turkey italian sausage...

Keep at it. You can do it. I know how you feel, it's really frustrating, but possible.


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## poff (Dec 23, 2003)

I am not a trainer but you eat way too much. Here is what I eat:
BFST: Cup of rice with mushrooms or cup of pasta with sprinkles of cheese, tea with a spoon of sugar and on my bike to work

LUNCH: Piece of fish or meat with pasta, mineral water.

SNACK: Before riding back home (3mi/1kft of climbing on SS) I have a power type bar. No food afterward.

I am riding 120-200mi/10-20K per week + 300 pushups/500 situps daily as an exercise.


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## verslowrdr (Mar 22, 2004)

The verslow highly unprofessional program... lessee...

8 am- 2 pieces of whole wheat toast or 1/2 c cottage cheese & 1 piece toast
11 am- balance bar
1 pm- Kashi carmel bar
3 pm- apple
3:30- 4:30- riding or at gym, usually get a hard 40-60 minutes of intervals or hill climbing or whatever in
5 pm- balance bar
7 pm- get home to dinner, which is whatever husband makes. Tonight it was beef stew. Last night it was steak & corn on the cob & broccoli. We had taco salad last week. I ALWAYS vote for 'vegitative matter', and occasionally I get enough. Sometimes it's all meat man pizza. I just try to keep the portions down to a dull roar.
7:30-8 or so, time w/ kid & husband and dogs, whatever outside chores are nagging.
8:30-10pm- sometimes a roller session, sometimes a bit of yoga, often laundry, more often ice cream, ALWAYS picking up/getting stuff ready for me & the kid tomorrow.
11pm- bed. IF I'm lucky, I get to sleep until I get up to do it all over again.


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## Swthrtsuzy (Sep 1, 2008)

poff said:


> I am not a trainer but you eat way too much. Here is what I eat:
> BFST: Cup of rice with mushrooms or cup of pasta with sprinkles of cheese, tea with a spoon of sugar and on my bike to work
> 
> LUNCH: Piece of fish or meat with pasta, mineral water.
> ...


First, you need to realize that women's bodies are very different than men. It's why we have so much trouble losing weight while it seems to melt off men. Notice I said "seems" I'm just generalizing here.

Second, you're only eating what, 900 calories a day? Plus, you're burning probably 300-500 calories from your activity? That's unhealthy for anyone. Do you even eat fruits or veggies beyond the mushrooms for breakfast?

Thirdly, yes, it's a lot of food, but it's healthy and balanced and on most days I'm hard pressed to meet my daily caloric needs, and that's before I count the calories I burn working out. Trust me that I know how hard it is to eat several cups of vegetables at one sitting. I didn't make this up, my trainer is also a nutritionist, so I do tend to take her word for it when she tells me what I should eat. It's also pretty commonly known that in order to be healthy and lose weight, you're likely to eat way more than you were eating before...it's just good healthy food instead of fried, processed crap.

I'm not trying to be argumentative, and I'm in no way suggesting that anyone besides myself should eat what I'm eating, but I do think it's a pretty good illustration of a healthy diet.


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

ralph3 said:


> it is not toned like it should be.


Perhaps you should look at some types of exercise that will improve muscle tone and shape? Read Connie's post about what speed skating did for her butt.
There's core, straight weights, weight bearing exercise... lots of options that will give you muscle tone. It's not always about what you are eating and what the scale says.


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

poff said:


> I am not a trainer but you eat way too much. Here is what I eat:
> BFST: Cup of rice with mushrooms or cup of pasta with sprinkles of cheese, tea with a spoon of sugar and on my bike to work
> 
> LUNCH: Piece of fish or meat with pasta, mineral water.
> ...


This sounds like a starvation diet to me. Less than 1000 calories a day?Something is missing here.


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## poff (Dec 23, 2003)

I actually disagree that it is easier for men to drop weight. It is not gender related and depends on your metabolism. I am 44 with very slow metabolism so I have to eat less and excercise more. I try to eat more than 4 oz of meat/seafood at lunch and my major intake of calories does happen at lunch. As far as fruits/veggie go I do eat fruits but not on a regular basis - mostly during my training road rides. So far I have not starved. If you think that your diet is healthy but your weight is going up while muscle group does not change than you have to rethink your diet. Just my 2c.


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## Impy (Jan 6, 2004)

I dont understand where the cookies fit into your people's diet plans


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## deanna (Jan 15, 2004)

Impy said:


> I dont understand where the cookies fit into your people's diet plans


I don't either... No pizza or ice-cream?


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## MtbRN (Jun 8, 2006)

For toning I would suggest pilates. If you can't go to a class try a tape. It is good for an all-over generalized workout and helps with flexiblity too.

I was just wondering... why cut coffee out of a diet? It has minimal calories and acts as an excellent appetite supressant. Plus, I love my coffee


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## Swthrtsuzy (Sep 1, 2008)

poff said:


> I actually disagree that it is easier for men to drop weight. It is not gender related and depends on your metabolism. I am 44 with very slow metabolism so I have to eat less and excercise more. I try to eat more than 4 oz of meat/seafood at lunch and my major intake of calories does happen at lunch. As far as fruits/veggie go I do eat fruits but not on a regular basis - mostly during my training road rides. So far I have not starved. If you think that your diet is healthy but your weight is going up while muscle group does not change than you have to rethink your diet. Just my 2c.


I never said that I was gaining weight, and I never even mentioned my muscle mass, which, since you brought it up, is indeed increasing. Yay bootcamp and yoga. I said I was having a hard time losing the excess weight, and that's my fault because I'm not doing the cardio like I should. I also said that I don't always follow the meal plan, which is also my fault, but whatever. You're convinced you're correct and that's all there is to it, and that's fine. To each, his own.


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## connie (Mar 16, 2004)

formica said:


> Perhaps you should look at some types of exercise that will improve muscle tone and shape? Read Connie's post about what speed skating did for her butt.
> There's core, straight weights, weight bearing exercise... lots of options that will give you muscle tone. It's not always about what you are eating and what the scale says.


It does sound like you're more concerned with just wanting to improve your body composition and how you look and feel, not just look supermodel thin or hit a certain number on the scale. :thumbsup:

Personally, I'd find some exercise that builds muscle and tones your body up that you find FUN. Maybe that's biking, or yoga/pilates, or weight training... or skating, or cross country skiing in the winter or... a combination of all of the above. Who knows, but personally, I think if you don't really LIKE what you're doing, you'll never stick with it.

Find a sport/physical activity that you think sounds fun, and then incorporate the appropriate training to help you with it. For speed skating it required adding in extra cardio and weights, but I was having so much fun getting faster on the ice it all seemed worth the extra work this winter. And I just love to bike, so I'm usually more motivated to go out riding just because it's fun. For me, it's too easy to skip the exercise if the only benefit is my appearance.

And for food... I just try to eat healthy food. I generally don't drink coffee, soda, or any sweetened drinks. And I avoid bread and cheese except as special treats. I try to eat unprocessed natural foods as much as possible. Though I admit I occasionally get lazy or tired and give in to the pizza my husband has sitting on the counter or the ice cream he has in the fridge. But typically, I exercise a lot and if nothing else, don't gain weight unless something has changed drastically (something has been keeping me from exercising or I've gone crazy with eating junk food for an extended period of time...)


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## verslowrdr (Mar 22, 2004)

Are your jeans getting looser? If so, I'd probably quit worrying.

I avoid scales for the most part, although I finally got curious recently and found I'd gotten down to 150. BUT... at 5'8", magazines and books will insist I've got #10 to loose. The reality is that I'm lean enough that I'm starting to get cold when everyone else is comfortable, and visibly carrying the most muscle I've ever had.

Scale, schmale.


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## connie (Mar 16, 2004)

MtbRN said:


> For toning I would suggest pilates. If you can't go to a class try a tape. It is good for an all-over generalized workout and helps with flexiblity too.
> 
> I was just wondering... why cut coffee out of a diet? It has minimal calories and acts as an excellent appetite supressant. Plus, I love my coffee


It is? Well, I guess it would be for me too because if I have a cup in the morning I'd be spending the day curled up in a ball in bed. My stomach cannot deal with it - yet I can eat egg whites buried in tabasco sauce for breakfast. That's never made sense to me.

But back to the question - don't most people say one of the keys to losing weight is to eat a healthy breakfast? It kick starts your metabolism. I don't think you'd get the same effect from a drink with no calories. I think most of us need an appetite suppressant for dinner, not breakfast, no? (Though I guess it depends on the person, how you drink your coffee, when you tend to overeat, etc.....)


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## connie (Mar 16, 2004)

Impy said:


> I dont understand where the cookies fit into your people's diet plans


I rode a centry last weekend and ate oreos at every single rest stop.

Of course, the next day I had gained 2 lbs after riding 100 miles... that's really not fair, I tell you. You should be able to eat any damn thing you want when you're riding that far.

In reality, the reason I tend to gain weight after 5-6 hour rides is probably because I crave salt and then retain water afterwards. Either way... :madman:

But seriously - in my normal "diet plan" - there is room for cookies (I get one of those "speltacular fruitrageous" cookies at Whole Foods every once in a while - those are my favorite). And dark chocolate. When it's over 70% cocoa, it's intense, tastes wonderful, but I don't have the urge to eat a ton of it like I do with milk chocolate. Plus you are getting more of the good anti-oxidants.


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## verslowrdr (Mar 22, 2004)

FWIW I drink an unsweetened south american green tea all day that I fell in love with while spending a year in Uruguay as an exchange student ages and eons ago. AKA yerba mate. It has caffeine but I suspect either some of the other stimulants of coffee (theobromine, xanthine, etc) are missing/dialed back, or there's something else in the kaleidoscope of stuff in it that tends to affect people differently than coffee... you get the 'up' from the caffeine but without the usual coffee jitters, it's widely known to calm the stomach down, and IMO I actually sleep BETTER at night when I'm drinking it. It's also got an insane quantity of anti oxidants. I'm probably an oddball in that I love the flavor also... it's pretty strong stuff that most USians aren't accustomed to.

Unfortunately my heart rate/BP is so sluggish in the morning that I have a really hard time without some supplemental boost. The medical establishment doesn't have much for treating this type of condition, but fortunately caffeine is enough for me. My grandfather had the same issue and I remember he drank at least a half a pot of coffee every morning.


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## robbybird (Oct 18, 2008)

*Crossfit and Paleo Diet*

Ralph3's Wife -

I have been doing crossfit (www.crossfit.com) for about 6 months (similar to boot camp, but different) and cutting out refined carbs and any processed foods (except the occasional splurge). Recently I started the paleo diet (www.thepaleodiet.com) which is based on lean meat, lots of veggies and fruit and nuts. I also run, hike, and bike a lot (but been doing that for years). I am have lost inches, toned up incredibly, and my endurance and strength on the trails is amazing.

My goal was to get "functionally fit," meaning I wanted to be a better biker and trail runner. However, I got a much better looking body too. Crossfit and cutting out grains made the most difference.

Weight loss is 80% nutrition and 20% exercise. For a BUNCH (400 pages worth) of nutritional science on why what we eat matters more than how much read the book by Gary Taubes "Good Calories, Bad Calories." There is also a lecture on google video that summarizes the main ideas of the book.

Good luck!


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## simian23 (Aug 13, 2004)

ralph3 said:


> My body just seems to have more fat than I have ever had and it will not budge. I am 5"5 and weigh 130, which I know is not bad but it is not toned like it should be.


5'5" and 130 isn't bad at all. Question: do you keep a food journal? As the poster above me said, proper diet is the key. I'd like to drop kick the moron that started using "diet" as a synonym for "weight loss."

Ever consider Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers? I know a bunch of people of all ages that have had amazing success with both of those programs - particularly women that have just had children (often their 2nd children, after which weight gain often seems particularly problematic). The key to those programs is precisely tracking caloric and nutritional intake based on the needs of the individual.

Anecdotally, I lived in Austria for 5 years, where almost no one gets even chubby until well past 50. Things are becoming more like the US (starting to see lots of overweight children :madman: ) but the general way of life facilitates a healthy body: very healthy breakfasts (NO CEREAL - which in any form is junk food) including a bit of meat, a slice or two of hearty bread, some yoghurt-based spread and sliced veggies, a fairly heavy lunch, and almost no dinner (light salad, a little meat maybe). No one ever drinks juice "pur" - they combine it with water or club soda, limiting sugar intake.

Walking year round is a huge part of the culture - day hikes on the weekend, walking place to place during the day. Restaurant portions (except Italian) are 1/4 - 1/2 standard American size. Since returning to the US my wife and I together can't finish one Chili's appetizer. Meals over there, aside from being fresh (it is hard or VERY expensive to find instant food at grocery stores), aren't really particularly healthy - lots of whole milk, fried food, heavy sauces, fatty meats. The key is portion size and regularity. They NEVER eat late, they NEVER skip meals, and they almost never snack (unless they're playing board games, in which case they drink, snack, and smoke like teenagers).

The only thing consumed in mass quantities are beer, wine, and chocolate. As good and cheap as they are, you can hardly fault them for it!


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## H2oChick (Dec 14, 2006)

Funny, after an exhausting weekend of riding I will gain 2-3 pounds of what I'm guessing is water-recovery-weight and keep it for a couple of days while my husband will be in a weight deficit. I think my body is "hoarding" fluids 'cause it knows I'm going to do it all over again in a couple of days. 

Also, don't you notice if you really skimp and diet you don't have the energy or strength to do the activities you like? My spouse would rather have my arse a little rounder (and shelf-ier) and a slight pooch than not have anyone to ride or play with.


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## jaclynj (Jun 11, 2007)

connie said:


> I rode a centry last weekend and ate oreos at every single rest stop.
> 
> Of course, the next day I had gained 2 lbs after riding 100 miles... that's really not fair, I tell you. You should be able to eat any damn thing you want when you're riding that far.


That isn't fair. I think the only reason I'd ever bike that far would be to eat my body weight in cookies!


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## CougarTrek (Jan 27, 2007)

poff said:


> I am not a trainer but you eat way too much. Here is what I eat:
> BFST: Cup of rice with mushrooms or cup of pasta with sprinkles of cheese, tea with a spoon of sugar and on my bike to work
> 
> LUNCH: Piece of fish or meat with pasta, mineral water.
> ...


If *I* were on anywhere NEAR this diet I would be IN THE HOSPITAL IN A COMA!!! Even if I was not exercising. That is NOT a joke or an exaggeration. This is not only unhealthy but DEADLY for some people.

I eat small to medium "meals" 5 or 6 times a day and it normally takes me 2 powerbars to get me through a 40 mile road ride (and by "get me through" I really do mean preventing the ride leader from having to call an ambulance because I'm unresponsive, NOT KIDDING. I came within seconds of passing out 2 weeks ago because I tried to make it with just one bar, scared the crap out of everyone).

Just goes to show you. PLEASE be careful following advice you get on the internet. What is manageable for one person could kill you and it's just not worth it!

If you are really at a stalemate and basic things (like the slightly increased exercise or moderate diet changes suggested by most posts here) aren't working anymore seek out a professional that can know YOU and make sure what you are doing is safe!

And no, I'm not the picture of perfect fitness or weight. That is because I do not put enough focused effort into my workouts for targeted weight loss and I refuse to cut some things back in my diet (ice cream and pasta are major weaknesses), but I am still fit and getting fitter (and definitely not fatter) eating far far more than the quoted post suggests.


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## catzilla (Jan 31, 2004)

I eat food.

It's been working for me so far, so I think I'ma keep it up.


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## Swthrtsuzy (Sep 1, 2008)

CougarTrek said:


> If you are really at a stalemate and basic things (like the slightly increased exercise or moderate diet changes suggested by most posts here) aren't working anymore seek out a professional that can know YOU and make sure what you are doing is safe!


+ a bajillion

To the OP's wife: We can all tell you what we eat (or not) and it's not really going to make a difference because you need to eat what YOU need to eat. When I posted what I ate, I wasn't trying to start an argument or even imply that anyone else could/should/would eat that. I was just trying to illustrate what might be a healthy, balanced diet. Diet as in "what you eat" not as in "Crash diet". 
There's so much good advice on this thread, and what everyone does works for them, so I hope you've gotten some good ideas for yourself, and can find the right combination of things to help you meet your goals. Good luck.


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## verslowrdr (Mar 22, 2004)

As opposed to eating paste like I do?


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## ralph3 (Dec 16, 2007)

robbybird said:


> Ralph3's Wife -
> 
> I have been doing crossfit (www.crossfit.com) for about 6 months (similar to boot camp, but different) and cutting out refined carbs and any processed foods (except the occasional splurge). Recently I started the paleo diet (www.thepaleodiet.com) which is based on lean meat, lots of veggies and fruit and nuts. I also run, hike, and bike a lot (but been doing that for years). I am have lost inches, toned up incredibly, and my endurance and strength on the trails is amazing.
> 
> ...


Thanks! I will look into this. I really appreciate all the good advice, I will get off my husband blog now. Just needed some advise and got some really good insight


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## connie (Mar 16, 2004)

Swthrtsuzy said:


> + a bajillion
> 
> To the OP's wife: We can all tell you what we eat (or not) and it's not really going to make a difference because you need to eat what YOU need to eat. When I posted what I ate, I wasn't trying to start an argument or even imply that anyone else could/should/would eat that. I was just trying to illustrate what might be a healthy, balanced diet. Diet as in "what you eat" not as in "Crash diet".
> There's so much good advice on this thread, and what everyone does works for them, so I hope you've gotten some good ideas for yourself, and can find the right combination of things to help you meet your goals. Good luck.


Ditto.

I lose approximately 1-2lbs per week when I restrict myself to 1950-2100 calories per day. 900 or less is a recipe for destroying your metabolism. If the guy who posted that has been eating that way for a long time - thats WHY he has a slow metabolism. Personally I would never recommend any one eat less than 1500 calories per day, or 1800 if they are exercising much. (obviously this depends on your size, if you've already seriously damaged your metabolism by starving yourself, etc. If you think you need to do something exceptionally drastic, I wouldn't do it without consulting a nutritionist or something first).

And not eating after a ride? That goes against every principle out there. Your body needs nutrients to recover after exercise. The goal is not to become a skeleton, it's to be healthy and strong. You can't build muscle if you exercise and tear it down and then give your body nothing to repair itself with.


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## connie (Mar 16, 2004)

jaclynj said:


> That isn't fair. I think the only reason I'd ever bike that far would be to eat my body weight in cookies!


Heh - one of my friends and I were joking about how our goal was to eat our entry fee's worth in food at the numerous rest stops. I ate cookies, and fritos, and bananas and oranges and gummi fruit... They even had chocolate fountains at the finish line where you could dip bonbons and strawberries in chocolate.

Trust me though, I'm not feeling bad about any of it. Honestly, I think the real culprit is the salty stuff I become ravenous for after long rides....

And regardless of what the scale says, I've been feeling extra good looking in the mirror since then. And that's all that really matters.


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## connie (Mar 16, 2004)

verslowrdr said:


> As opposed to eating paste like I do?


She only sniffs glue, apparently she doesn't eat it.

(see the line above her avatar....)


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## brownieinSC (Apr 19, 2004)

I would hurt someone if they tried to cut my ca:300lories
6:00 breakfast ~ english muffin, two soy patties and a slice o' cheese with glass of OJ
9:00 snack ~ yogurt and banana
11:30 lunch ~ rice with fake chicken or peanut butter sandwich and chips
2:00 snack ~ luna bar or crackers and cheese
4:30 snack ~ If I am riding, I got to eat again before the ride ~ hammer bar or luna bar
5:30-8:00 ~ dinner ~ pasta/rice, vegetable protein and veggies

Some days I have a drink, some days I have a sweet but they aren't every day. I added it up one time and it was around 2200-2500 calories a day. When I was preggers I actually ate two or three more snacks than this a day.
I think keeping your body doing different types of workouts is important. It is easy to get into a routine and then your body gets bored. I found if I do start adding a few pounds, doing free weights helps ~ maybe because of the muscle building. more muscle = more calories burn
last weekend I burned 2000 calories in a race. Hard cardio does burn the calories


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## johnlh (Aug 16, 2008)

poff said:


> I am not a trainer but you eat way too much. Here is what I eat:
> BFST: Cup of rice with mushrooms or cup of pasta with sprinkles of cheese, tea with a spoon of sugar and on my bike to work
> 
> LUNCH: Piece of fish or meat with pasta, mineral water.
> ...


This just doesn't sound possible. What do you weigh, %BF? How many calories do you consume per day, and how long have you been doing this? I would love to have your grocery bills:thumbsup:


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## verslowrdr (Mar 22, 2004)

uriel81 said:


> I have to cook so here's how I get more veggies into us:
> 
> Boil zucchini, brussel sprouts, Von's organic carrots, broccoli etc with a little red onion and garlic in Heaven's patented manna: Swanson's Organic (which is reduced-fat) Chicken Broth. I can keep the veggie broth around for a few days until I make "homemade" soup e.g. Healthy Choice split pea with ham with some fat-free refried beans thrown in to thicken it. Very easy, tasty and better for you than just steamed veggies with butter.
> 
> Sometimes I'll use the veggie broth to make an instant pot of brown rice in the $15 Oster rice cooker with some carrots thrown in half way for flavor.


Sudden brainwave/DUH moment: if I did something like this, I could freeze it into smaller portions for a quick-grab later.... :thumbsup:


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## santacruzchick (Jun 27, 2007)

*ha ha, I tell people that's why I ride. .. .*



jaclynj said:


> That isn't fair. I think the only reason I'd ever bike that far would be to eat my body weight in cookies!


So I can eat ice cream every night. I'm only 28 though, so i have a feeling these days aren't going to last forever!

There are lots of great workouts out there, and there are a few diet/lifestyle changes that actually make sense and work, but if you are into biking you should check out the workouts by James Wilson. He's the one that does the fitness articles in Decline every month and his weight training programs are all about functional strength. I got in fantastic shape last winter with them. I believe his website is www.bikejames.com And now back to my pasta with sausage and cheese!


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## NicoleC (Sep 28, 2007)

ralph3 said:


> This is Ralph3's wife. Thanks for all the input. Just getting near 40 and is much harder than it used to be. He should have been more in depth about my routine. I did hardcore bootcamp for 4 months 3 days a week. That intense excersise made me hungrier and could not control my cravings, therefore put on the weight.
> 
> ...
> 
> My body just seems to have more fat than I have ever had and it will not budge. I am 5"5 and weigh 130, which I know is not bad but it is not toned like it should be.


All the diet plans in the world won't help if you don't know how many calories you are burning vs. how many you are eating. Google "Katch McArdle" and learn how to figure out what your body's actual caloric needs are. Then trim your total daily caloric expenditure by 15-20%, but take rest break days where you eat at your TDEE about 2 or 3 days a week.

You shouldn't be hungry, but if you are eat more meals - 4 or 5 times a day. Just be sure to track your calories carefully to be sure you aren't eating more when you eat more often. Actually, eating 5 meals a day seems to help a lot anyway, but it's hard to plan for. Still, it sounds like you have all the discipline you need to pull it off.

The best thing about tracking your caloric needs this way is it makes you focus on your body fat percentage instead of the scale -- so you can get to your real goal instead of an arbitrary number.

Good luck!


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## Nerdgirl (Mar 13, 2007)

Good golly! I could never eat that little! FWIW, I'm 5'4" and weigh ~130 (I don't have a scale), but am very toned. I'm 37 and did find that gradual weight increase creeping on the last few years. I did little changes to my diet. I actually started putting a bit more salt on my food, which seems to have dramatically decreased my craving for chips (I used to eat a big bag at one sitting). I still probably eat a bag every week or two, but it's not as a big binge. For a while I was drinking less, but not this year (a couple of beers each week plus a couple of bottles of wine shared with the hubby over the weekend). That's one of the big benefits of riding - I can eat what I like.
Breakfast: glass of OJ, big bowl of cereal
Lunch: Bagel with cheese, banana, apple, orange (I often eat the fruit as a snack later in the day).
Dinner: Big plate of pasta with salad, or some manner of wrap (stews etc in winter); yogurt for dessert.

On race days, I eat a big bowl of granola, have a chocolate milk right after and try to eat lots right after. For long road rides (e.g. centuries), I'll often bring half a baked potato with olive oil, salt, pepper and parmesan (yum!), a bar or two (or a butter tart if we pass a farm market) and some gel. I can't do the potatoes mountain biking (I singlespeed, so I think it's too much output), but I'll do a bar every hour or so.

For endurance racing, as my husband says, you have to train to eat. If your stomach can't handle enormous quantities of food, you'll never make it through the day (or week).

The thing that helped me get more toned and start losing a bit of weight was just working out more. I bike or cross-train four nights a week (1-2 hours), with varying intensity and on weekends, ride for about four hours a day, depending on whether I'm racing or not. But - I do this because I love it, not because I think it'll make me look better. If the latter were my motivation, I would have quit long ago. One thing that really helps is that my husband is my training partner, so we get to spend that time together, which makes it extra fun.

Good luck!


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## VanHalen (Apr 1, 2009)

OK here's my general advice to everybody: throw that stupid scale out the window!!! Same goes for those BMI calculators!!!

Body composition is waaaayy more important, meaning fat/muscle percentage etc. Since muscle tissue weighs more than fat tissue, scales and calculators really don't tell you anything about your health.

Here's the important stuff: resistance/weight training for muscle and bone strength, cardio for heart and veins, stretching/pilates/yoga for balance and flexibility. Mix that up a little, create a little variety.

And remember, any minute you spend not watching tv or hanging around, is a minute of activity. Buy an uncomfortable couch, that way you don't sit on it.

The hardest part then is to figure out what nutrition your body needs, everybody is different, so it takes some experimenting. Make sure you try and get your vitamins from natural sources, that is still superior to vitamin pills, since other parts of fruits and veggies will help absorb them better. Pay attention to your digestion system, how long does it take to process food and does it happen smoothly, and adjust fiber intake accordingly. Don't cut out all the carbs, you will have no energy, and fruits/nuts and veggies provide a natural, and again, superior source of energy.

It's all about how your body feels. You can be skinny as a broomstick, but feel like sh*t. I wouldn't worry about those few extra pounds, I would worry about performance of your body in sports and digestion. Besides, apparently the guys really do prefer the more natural shapes.

I was always in shape, but didn't tone up until the heavy all mountain bikes and dirtbikes came along. Right now I'm going to the gym for upper body strength, since I'm tired of having to depend on guys to pull my dirtbike out of the muck. Big arms and shoulders might not be very womanly, but I can care less, really.....

And my last bit of advice: find a (dependable!!!!!!) training partner! Things are so much easier when you're having fun and yakking away. Try different activities on weekends, like rock climbing (bring the kids!), kayaking and other easy to try for a day sports. Plan a hike, go camping etc. etc.


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## connie (Mar 16, 2004)

VanHalen said:


> And my last bit of advice: find a (dependable!!!!!!) training partner! Things are so much easier when you're having fun and yakking away. Try different activities on weekends, like rock climbing (bring the kids!), kayaking and other easy to try for a day sports. Plan a hike, go camping etc. etc.


Ditto. It's funny how my friends and I all insisted that road biking would be boring... and then we went and did a century with a group of 6 women and we chit chatted all day long and time flew by. With the right friends, just about anything is fun. :thumbsup:


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## dayuhan (Jun 11, 2006)

Granting I'm only male, but having been through similar issues as the body changed (age 50), a comment...

It sounds like you have the diet end reasonably sorted. That being the case, I say toss the scale and forget weight.

Instead of tracking weight, an eternal frustration, set positive performance benchmarks for your exercise program. Don't aim to _lose_ weight, aim to _gain_ fitness. If you now run/walk 3 miles 4 times a week, try to increase the run intervals. Do it by a small margin, even an extra 50 yards at a time per run interval. Try to pick up the pace slightly, keep track of your overall time and try to bring it in a little faster. Keep the increments low (don't set a benchmark WAY beyond what you do now) and push them out regularly. If you get to running 3 full miles, add some sprint intervals... there is always a little more you can do.

If you do the same exercise routine for a long time your body eventually gets very efficient at performing that task, so you burn less and less energy doing the same thing. Good to shake it up and keep changing.

I personally find yoga really useful, not for burning energy or building mass, but just to keep everything stretched out, flexible, and lined up. Adding some resistance exercise would help, and there too you can keep adjusting your benchmarks as you go. You just don't want to be static and settle into a grind.

If you're eating reasonably, running 3 miles 4x weekly, working out a few times a week, doing a bit of yoga... then forget about what anyone's table or chart says, the weight you are at is perfectly alright for you!

I went through a period (mid-late 40's) of desperately trying to maintain the same weight (170-175, at 6') that I held when I was in my 20s and playing competitive soccer. What I found was that it is possible, but only by completely obsessing over it, essentially building my whole life around a routine aimed at keeping an arbitrary weight. Getting a little smarter, I found that with a basic smart diet, averaging 2 hrs a day on the bike, doing a long (6-8 hrs) ride at least once a week, yoga and some resistance work, I can stay as fit as I want to be and a whole lot happier in a 180-185 range. Maybe I can't see my abs, but it just isn't worth the stress and constant effort. I still have the satisfaction of dumping 20-something hotshots gasping in my wake on long climbs, and I figure this is where my body wants to be at this point.

If you're eating right, feeling good, and keeping your physical performance level strong, what the scale says is completely irrelevant.


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## VanHalen (Apr 1, 2009)

dayuhan said:


> If you're eating right, feeling good, and keeping your physical performance level strong, what the scale says is completely irrelevant.


See!  I knew there was a shorter way of defining a healthy weight... :thumbsup:


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## William_Cannon (May 5, 2009)

I have found that both cardio and muscle building is important to weight loss. Now I'm not saying that your wife needs to bulk up like Arnold. However, a huge reason our metabolism decreases is because we loose muscle mass as we get older.

There is a lot of good advice on this thread: a really good one is smaller more frequent meals, make lunch your "largest" small meal. Also don't forget about calcium and omega fatty acids - those will certainly aide fat loss.


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## il sogno (Jul 25, 2007)

Have her increase her walks to 4 or 5 miles.


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## BushwackerinPA (Aug 10, 2006)

just a little for for thought here.

It takes roughly 3500 carlories to burn 1lb of fat. Meaning to get fat off your body you have to consume and burn off carlories alot more than most people are use too.


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