Weight Loss Discussion Thread

[mcshroom]

Hi OD and good luck.

How are you intending to do so?

[caerau]

I've gained 3kg since the weekend. Since Monday 6am in fact.
Go me!

My turn - a whole 7 lbs gained over the weekend - bloody audaxing.    2 lb back off this morning - hoping for my usual Wednesday plummet - I like the fact that these weigh-ins are on a Wednesday...


Oh and good luck Oscar's Dad 

[hellymedic]

Welcome to our weight loss world, OD!

Losing weight can be a long trek, with many 'temporary blips'.

Don't let these deter you! I can guarantee that it will be Christmas in 15 weeks (+1 day)'s time and there will be food of a calorific nature. Dieters often gain a discouraging amount over the Festive Season. Don't worry! Most of this gain is temporary and it's difficult to gain more than a kilogram of real fat in a week.

That's the point. It's 15 weeks till Christmas and what you eat and your activities, day after day are what makes the difference.

Don't get too hung up about weight per se. A litre of water weighs a kilogram but contains no calories. Long term trends are what matter. I find a tape measure useful to keep an eye on trends.

Because it's awkward to weigh me, I don't do this very often and sometimes the results are disappointing. I bought new trousers a fortnight ago, in a smaller size, without trying them on. When I first wore them, they were very snug but they've got easier now so something must be happening!

It's a journey of a thousand miles.
Good luck with your first steps!

[Wowbagger]

[Shuffles to feet, stares at the floor, clears throat ...]

"Hello, my name's Oscar's dad.  For the first time in my life I have decided to go on a diet and lose some weight.  So I thought I'd join this thread for some help and encouragement.  Thanks for listening."

Wot, your pound shop Christmas outfit too tight?

[Oscar's dad]

Marvelous, words of encouragement already (I'm ignoring you Wow  )  Here's the story ...

Normally I put on a few pounds over the winter due to a lack of miles and then shed them as the weather improves and the miles build up again.  This year I haven't lost my winter flab.  To be fair I haven't done as many miles this year but if I'm honest with myself it's apparent that my weight has been slowly rising over the years.  Given I am scheduled to turn 50 next February I think now is the time to reverse the trend.

I am a gnat's cock under 6 foot 2 and am currently 13 stone 10 pounds.  I am lightly built and in 2011 was 12 and a half stone.  When I was 20 years old I was the same height as I am now and about 9 and a half stone  .  Here's skinny me in July 1987 aged 23:



My plan is to get back down to 12 and a half stone.  The Current Mrs R has achieved significant success with Slimming World so that's what I'm doing.  I'm not attending the meetings or doing their on-line thing as we know how it works and have all the books and recipes.  I am combining SW with cranking up the miles.  TCMR is doing likewise so we are supporting each other.  We are also researching joining a gym and possibly getting a personal trainer.

I have the 2015 PBP as a long held goal and my build up will begin next year.  I'd like to be at or below my target weight by the time I start my PBP preparations in earnest

I started my "slim down, get fit" campaign on the 1st September and last week lost 3 pounds.  It was a good start but there's a long way to go.

[simonp]

Forgot to weigh myself this morning.

But I was even heavier earlier in the week than just after Spain: 76.5kg. The records just keep falling.

[Jakob]

Things have finally settled down somewhat and it's time to attack the flab.
I have steadily increased the workouts and now it's time for attacking on the main front: The diet.
I will mostly be following the Leangains/IF principle, as detailed on this site: http://rippedbody.jp/ but I will also try to cut out as much grain and sugar as possible.
Weight is currently at 93kg. Goal is to get down to 80kgs in 6 months.

[Oscar's dad]

I have just had my second post poo, pre breakfast weekly weigh in.  2 pounds lost which I am pleased with.  I weighed myself on Tuesday and hadn't lost anything which was disappointing as we had done 25 reasonably quick miles on the tandem on Monday evening.  Mind you the 25 miles was followed by 2 pints    35 even quicker miles were done on Wednesday night followed by 2 and a half pints.

Its good to know I can loose weight without massively changing my lifestyle which bodes well for keeping this up in the long term and not putting the pounds back on again once I hit my target weight.

[Pedaldog.]

I'm coming back into this regime as of now. The other medical problems have been used as an excuse for me to let the weight get out of control but I have, at last, been given some definite boundaries in the "This is as good as it will get so tailor your lifestyle to suit" and other problems are finally getting some official attention so I am back in focus.
I was always a bit overweight but down to 11st 7lb after the accident and now at 19st 13lbs so it's about time I worked a bit.
Wish me luck etc....

[L CC]

Its good to know I can loose weight without massively changing my lifestyle which bodes well for keeping this up in the long term and not putting the pounds back on again once I hit my target weight.

I hesitate to 'do as I say, not as I do' but you are kidding yourself here.

You know what your current lifestyle leads to: your current weight. The one you don't like and are trying to reduce.

You have to change your lifestyle to get results. The trick is to make lifestyle changes that are sustainable.
I'd also add that any regular cyclist who attempts to use cycling as weight management is on a hiding to nothing. You need to change your diet and exercise patterns and diet, unless you are currently completely sedentary, is the one to change.

This year, it was the month of April that had the most sustained weightloss for me. I rode 1400km (as opposed to >2000 in June & July) and I don't think it's any coincidence that April is the month I was most consistent in both eating low carb and lifting weights 3 x a week.
Weight loss, though it would be wonderful, has played second fiddle to riding audax this year, and as soon as I hit the big rides(400k+) in May, I've been too tired through the week to be very consistent in my gym visits, and eating from forecourts too long to be righteously low carb. I fully expect that when I get back to it in October we will once again see results.

[Oscar's dad]

Its good to know I can loose weight without massively changing my lifestyle which bodes well for keeping this up in the long term and not putting the pounds back on again once I hit my target weight.

I hesitate to 'do as I say, not as I do' but you are kidding yourself here.

You know what your current lifestyle leads to: your current weight. The one you don't like and are trying to reduce.

You have to change your lifestyle to get results. The trick is to make lifestyle changes that are sustainable.
I'd also add that any regular cyclist who attempts to use cycling as weight management is on a hiding to nothing. You need to change your diet and exercise patterns and diet, unless you are currently completely sedentary, is the one to change.

This year, it was the month of April that had the most sustained weightloss for me. I rode 1400km (as opposed to >2000 in June & July) and I don't think it's any coincidence that April is the month I was most consistent in both eating low carb and lifting weights 3 x a week.
Weight loss, though it would be wonderful, has played second fiddle to riding audax this year, and as soon as I hit the big rides(400k+) in May, I've been too tired through the week to be very consistent in my gym visits, and eating from forecourts too long to be righteously low carb. I fully expect that when I get back to it in October we will once again see results.

You're right, I can't maintain the same lifestyle and expect a different result.  I have made changes but my comment refers to the fact that I am able to retain the elements of my previous lifestyle that I value.  For example, I am faithfully following the Slimming World eating regime so consequently have a much healthier diet.  I am not drinking during the week, with one exception that I will come to shortly.  I have ramped up the miles so getting more exercise than over the last 2 to 3 months.

When I get out on my bike it would appear that I can sink 2 or 3 pints of Essex energy drink (aka beer) and still loose weight ... so far.  Clearly I can't do this every night of the week.  If my weekly weight loss stops I know I can carry on with the regular rides and bin the beer.

I totally understand that lifestyle changes need to be sustainable if lost weight is to stay lost.  Part of this experience is finding out what is sustainable and what isn't.  Again, you've hit the nail on the head by saying cycling alone won't lead to weight loss - I know of quite a few regular cyclists who do more miles than me yet are luxuriously proportioned!

[Oscar's dad]

I'm coming back into this regime as of now. The other medical problems have been used as an excuse for me to let the weight get out of control but I have, at last, been given some definite boundaries in the "This is as good as it will get so tailor your lifestyle to suit" and other problems are finally getting some official attention so I am back in focus.
I was always a bit overweight but down to 11st 7lb after the accident and now at 19st 13lbs so it's about time I worked a bit.
Wish me luck etc....

Nice one!  Good luck!

[hellymedic]

Cycling alone certainly isn't the answer. I am not cycling but still think I'm losing weigh, albeit slowly.
I've not been weighed for over a fortnight but a tape measure suggests I'm shrinking slowly.

Changing eating habits and persistence are what matter.

[Oscar's dad]

Slimming World make no real mention of exercise being the key success, following their eating rules are enough. This has been my wife's experience. Obviously, exercise is important for other, but not unrelated reasons.

[hellymedic]

FWIW we are not following any specific diet. We eat little (maybe just the odd fresh fruit) between meals and modest, lowish fat, lowish carb main meals. We were both around 74-5 kg in January 2012. He's about 59kg now and I was 64kg when last weighed. It's a long haul. I keep telling David he's thin enough but he won't listen!
We do eat 'naughty' foods when away from home. We've never had much alcohol. I won't drink sugar, on principle when I'm out. There's about 28 grams in a bottle of J2O. If I'm going to have an ounce of sugar LET ME EAT CAEK!
I think it's really important NEVER to eat anything you don't enjoy. Personally, I'm not keen on pastry. Savoury pastry is a HUGE calorie load and as it gives me no pleasure, I'm quite happy to leave it on the plate.
YMMV.

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

This summer I managed to get back down to 80kgs from 85 which is pretty much my ideal weight having lost everything round the middle and flattened out the stomach.

It's taken a while.  And cycle-touring in the alps for a fortnight is pretty much the only explanation I can come up with.  I just need to get through the winter without putting it back.  Snow and Ice are my enemies, I hate cycling in snow and ice, give me 30C and I am happy.

[L CC]

Ooo lookie.

An entire freight train of wagon wheels over the last week, and I gain 3kg. Who'd've thunk it.

I went to the gym today. I'm easing back into it (munches on shortbread).

[DrMekon]

Chest infection. Bye bye 1.5kg in a week - no appetite, and the cold that it's come from means no sense of taste. Everything tastes of mucus.

Back below 70kg, and BMI down to 19.6. Doubt the weight loss will make up for the reduced lung capacity, albeit peak flow is still at 690, down from 710.

[citoyen]

Personally, I'm not keen on pastry. Savoury pastry is a HUGE calorie load and as it gives me no pleasure, I'm quite happy to leave it on the plate.
YMMV.

Oh boy, I wish that were true for me. I love pastry. And it doesn't help that my wife both enjoys making pastry and is very good at it... she makes a fantastic cheese and onion pie, one portion (quarter) of which weighs in at about 600 calories. I could easily eat a whole one in a single sitting, given the opportunity.

[hellymedic]

Personally, I'm not keen on pastry. Savoury pastry is a HUGE calorie load and as it gives me no pleasure, I'm quite happy to leave it on the plate.
YMMV.

Oh boy, I wish that were true for me. I love pastry. And it doesn't help that my wife both enjoys making pastry and is very good at it... she makes a fantastic cheese and onion pie, one portion (quarter) of which weighs in at about 600 calories. I could easily eat a whole one in a single sitting, given the opportunity.

I said YMMV! 

Still haven't weighed myself/been weighed...

[crowriver]

I had a serious attack of CBA with the fasting regime over the past fortnight. As a result, I'm slowly gaining a little weight, but less than I feared, only a few hundred grams. It's a bit of a mystery: either I'm subconsciously managing portion control (ie. eating less at main meals) or I've trimmed my snacking habit. I should probably try to start the fasting again to try and get back on track, but may have to push back the deadline for my target weight...

[Wowbagger]

Personally, I'm not keen on pastry. Savoury pastry is a HUGE calorie load and as it gives me no pleasure, I'm quite happy to leave it on the plate.
YMMV.

Oh boy, I wish that were true for me. I love pastry. And it doesn't help that my wife both enjoys making pastry and is very good at it... she makes a fantastic cheese and onion pie, one portion (quarter) of which weighs in at about 600 calories. I could easily eat a whole one in a single sitting, given the opportunity.

Mrs. Wow is also a pastry fiend. Steak and kidney pie is her piece do resistance. Meanwhile, not having been near the scales for a month or more, I'm delighted by the loss.

[Jakob]

Down to 90kgs.(from 93+) This might just work.

[Oscar's dad]

 

I'm expecting some bad news from the scales tomorrow morning.  fboab is right, exercise alone doesn't work (*)

(*) Unless you're doing a massive amount of exercise versus the rubbish food you're eating.

[Chris S]

OD - look up "Banting's Letter on Corpulence", dated 1864.

"I consulted an eminent surgeon, now long deceased —a kind personal friend,—who recommended increased bodily exer­tion before my ordinary daily labours began, and who thought rowing an excellent plan. I had the command of a good, heavy, safe boat, lived near the river, and adopted it for a couple of hours in the early morning. It is true I gained muscular vigour, but with it a prodigious appetite, which I was compelled to indulge, and consequently increased in weight, until my kind old friend advised me to forsake the exercise."

Exercise is great for all manner of reasons - but weight loss isn't one of them. Exercise makes you hungry, and there's a bunch of science about how and why, and the human mind is sneaky in the extreme about how it gets you to address any imbalance.

Being overweight is not a new thing (although the sheer numbers are - obesity in Banting's time was a rare metabolic disorder) - and up until the 70s, we knew what to do about it.