Weight Loss Discussion Thread

[mrcharly-YHT]

Weightloss/gain makes no damn sense.

I stopped eating dairy (just for cholesterol-level reasons). Lost 800gm a week for several weeks, dropping from a high of 83kg to 75kg. No change to diet during that period but the weight loss seems to have ceased (which is a good thing, some of my clothes are hanging off me).

I hypothesize that my body has shifted to making more efficient use of the food I'm eating. If that's the case, then no wonder  diets keep 'failing' for people.  Initial weightloss, then they stop losing weight. From living with a serial dieter, the next stage is upset at not losing any more weight, followed by comfort eating.

[Butterfly]

I seem to have lost almost 3kg this month. I wish I could do that every month until the end of the year.

I've lost 7kg this month!

I'm not expecting it to happen again

[L CC]

84.7. Are you ducking kidding me?

Cycling seems to directly correlate with weight gain. More I do, the more I get. Ducking a

[jogler]

Cycling seems to directly correlate with weight gain.

hmmm,you might be right.
Despite a week of high grade lard arse lounging about doin'nowt I've lost 1kg with only 10km of  cycling involved.
I have however been eating less of late.Particularly bread & chocolate 'cause an outofwork metabalism needs less of such things.

[citoyen]

The good news is that I'm the joint-lightest I've been this year. The bad news is I've shrunk.

I don't mean my waistline, I mean my height.

I had to take my measurements this morning, see, and it turns out I've been deluding myself that I'm "a shade under" 5ft 10. In fact, I'm several shades under. More like 5ft 8 (172cm) if my measurement this morning was accurate. 

[clarion]

OK.  One week in, I've lost some weight.  That's a good start, though I am primed for it not to continue quite so well.

I think my target for the year should be to get back to the weight I came in with

[Wowbagger]

The good news is that I'm the joint-lightest I've been this year. The bad news is I've shrunk.

I don't mean my waistline, I mean my height.

I had to take my measurements this morning, see, and it turns out I've been deluding myself that I'm "a shade under" 5ft 10. In fact, I'm several shades under. More like 5ft 8 (172cm) if my measurement this morning was accurate. 

If you are serious about this, and your previous height is not just wishful thinking, get a chest x-ray. I had one which showed that I have osteoporosis and that my vertebrae have shrunk so I have, apparently, lost some height. The normal test for osteoporosis is a dexa scan of the hips and thighs. I had one of those and it came out normal.

It was my GP who first diagnosed shrunk vertebrae. After the dexa scan I asked my rheumatology consultant if I could stop taking the anti-osteoporosis drugs. He looked at my chest xray and confirmed that my vertebrae had shrunk so I had to keep taking the bloody tablets.

You're a bit young for this to start (which side of 40 are you?) but it's worth checking.

[citoyen]

You're a bit young for this to start (which side of 40 are you?) but it's worth checking.

I think it probably is just wishful thinking - gradually rounding it up over the years - but it is slightly alarming, so I will think about getting it checked out. I slipped over to the wrong side of 40 six months ago, so it's probably downhill all the way from now on.

[Wowbagger]

No "probably" about it! 

For me, it started with eye tests. I didn't know anyone who had better eyesight than I did up to about the age of 42. Then I started to struggle to read the print of the telephone directory. That led to reading glasses and that, of course, led to the eye muscles not working as hard as they had, stronger prescriptions and now quite strong varifocals. Now I reckon that, without glasses, I would fail the eyesight test associated with the driving test.

The lard, which crept up on me, always had a tendency to be there. Not Cycling, which was what I did from about 30 to about 50, didn't help. Then in the early 50s came arthritis, then osteoporosis, general decrepitude...

[mrcharly-YHT]

You're a bit young for this to start (which side of 40 are you?) but it's worth checking.

I think it probably is just wishful thinking - gradually rounding it up over the years - but it is slightly alarming, so I will think about getting it checked out. I slipped over to the wrong side of 40 six months ago, so it's probably downhill all the way from now on.

Definitely.

If you haven't looked after your back before now, well . . . .

For me what I really noticed is that I didn't heal as fast. Used to recover from bumps, cuts or falls with incredible rapidity. Cuts healed overnight. Bruises disappeared in minutes. I could run because although it made my hip hurt, that healed by the next morning.
Now I'm just generally stuffed. Can't even run for the bus.

[hellymedic]

I am pleased to report both my weight and waist are less.
I seem to be making a pig's ear of the table though.
Maybe boab is right. Zero cycling in 10 years and I've lost 10kg in two years.
David has lost 12kg but he does cycle...

[citoyen]

For me, it started with eye tests. I didn't know anyone who had better eyesight than I did up to about the age of 42.

My eyesight has always been excellent but my arms must be shrinking because I can no longer hold my book far enough away from my face to focus on it easily. (I think they call it presbyopia.)

To get back on topic, weight is perhaps the least of my problems for the short to medium term. 

[SteveC]

Two extra pounds.  Mind I have been on holiday for a week and not managing even a cycle commute the week before so I'm not too disheartened.

[GothonaBrompton]

I've found I have put on weight since taking up cycling about 5 years ago.  I watch what I eat, within reason, but do wonder about the whole low fat thing and if sugar is more of the culprit.  Sometimes I try to eat a low fat lunch and count the calories, and end up heavier.

I wouldn't mind the Hoy thighs if the weight would bugger off elsewhere.  I am a classic apple shape and short, but if you look at all the female members of my family we are all variations on the same shape.  Apparently my mum started putting on weight around her mid 40s as well, before a relatively early menopause at 46.  I need to fight back as I don't want to automatically gain weight as I get older.

What is annoying is my husband, who I met when he was 40 (now 64), was heavier back then, and now he is built like a stick insect, albeit with an accompanying loss of muscle tone as well. He can eat two portions of everything and never puts on weight.

[Ham]

You're a bit young for this to start (which side of 40 are you?) but it's worth checking.

I think it probably is just wishful thinking - gradually rounding it up over the years - but it is slightly alarming, so I will think about getting it checked out. I slipped over to the wrong side of 40 six months ago, so it's probably downhill all the way from now on.

I'm pretty sure that mine is loss of disc thickness rather than anything else, I've also lost about 2" over the years as well (relative height difference to Mrs Ham has reduced and is proof positive that it isn't just rounding) . I think that translates into potential for nerves to become trapped with consequent non-mechanical aches and pains.

[Lady Cavendish]

I've been trying a new technique recently. I can't do any of the low-carb stuff which I think would probably work for me. Or, well, at least I can't do the ketosis thing anyway. Plus I love my cereal type stuff too much.

Lots of people have been nagging me for ages I don't eat anywhere near enough, but I've always justified it with the fact I just get heavier. But I've tried something else. That myfitnesspal app- I've put all my exercise n stuff in (not using the RIDICULOUS figures that MFP use for cycling/running/gym, but more realistic ones), set it up for a 500 cal a day deficit, and eating back the exercise calories, or at least most of them. This means that I am eating a lot more. It scared the hell out of me at first, but I said I would give it a couple of months to see what happened.

So it gives me 1200 calories a day as a base, and then I eat back my exercise calories on top (I'm quite conservative I think with what I'm putting in I burn off but I'd prefer it that way round to the other way). I'm eating a large bowl of porridge for breakfast (with added protein powder, cinnamon, banana, berries and a few seeds)- prob 500 calories worth (I do a lot of exercise in the mornings on empty so am starving) and then try and keep carbs back for the rest of the day. I'm eating fruit and veg, and not being really strict, but I mean just not eating anything like pasta, rice, bread, you know, the usual stodgy stuff. If my family is having something like spag bol, I'll have the bol but with veg not pasta on the side. My evening meals are relatively small, but I'm eating a lot through the day.

So far, it seems I'm generally about 5lbs down. (it's not easy to tell as I'm always lower during weeks where I'm ill)

It's been very hard as I get sick of so many people saying 'are you eating again, ooooo are you eating again, ooo that's a lot of porridge' and it REALLY pisses me off. Having taken years to get over an ED, I still fcuking hate people going on about it. I exercise for hours a day FFS, and I think the reason I got in this position was because I became so paranoid about people commenting on how I was eating all the time. So ate less and less. Erm, yep. I burn loads off EVERY DAY. I'm HUNGRY.

Anyway, the result of this far too long ramble is that from eating more, I seem to have lost some weight (still a long way to go!) and I feel literally 10 million times better, both physically and mentally. And it's all co-incided with a) eating more and b) having stopped the longer rides all the time. The cortisol levels in my body are also much lower (stress hormone) and cortisol mainly makes you cling to fat so I guess it's all adding up. I'm still doing loads of exercise, but not killing myself by trying to ride all night whilst not being healthy enough, and it seems my body is happier for it (no sh!t!)

[Chris S]

  Sounds good.

You're not the only one I've heard talking about cortisol. Out of interest, how do you know your cortisol level is lower? Is it a feeling? Do you measure it? How would I know if mine was high?

[citoyen]

Sounds like good news, Lady C.

Shame about the unhelpful contributions from your colleagues. I recognise the problem - I occasionally get similarly ignorant comments from colleagues about how much and what I eat. Water off a duck's back to me but I guess it's not so easy to ignore if you have a more complicated relationship with food.

[Lady Cavendish]

Chris, me and the NHS are obviously best buddies right now, and as I'm having loads of blood tests constantly, I asked them to check it at the same time whilst they were checking everything else under the sun!

[Chris S]

Chris, me and the NHS are obviously best buddies right now, and as I'm having loads of blood tests constantly, I asked them to check it at the same time whilst they were checking everything else under the sun!

Ah yes, fair enough.

[hellymedic]

There's a case in this week's BMJ (sorry, paywall) about a chap who got beri-beri (thiamine deficiency) from giving up all carbs.
Seems he was not the full shilling (diplomatically stated in medicalese in the report).

[L CC]

What on earth was he eating? Surely thiamine is barely found in the carbs we eschew?

Or was it just that, without toast, marmite was absent?

http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/thiamin-b1-foods.php

[hellymedic]

The report states his parents described his diet as 'starvation' and he took no supplements of any sort.
He was losing about 10kg per MONTH!
(In comparison I have lost 10kg in 18 months and I'm happy with that.)
There's added thiamine in my cornflakes. (Breakfast this morning: cornflakes topped with fresh strawberries & cherries + milk, 1 glass orange juice, coffee)

[Glover Fan]

Lady Cav, one thing what I think you may be learning, which is what I had to do is ignore what everyone else is saying regarding your diet. When I lost 4 stone in 6 months a few years ago, I had all and sundry (friends and relatives) questioning my eating. Yes I was eating less, but the problem I had before was that I was eating too much, hence the fact I was pushing 30 on the BMI scale and couldn't run half a mile.

Funny how no-one questions your eating habits when you are actually overweight isn't it?

Deep down only you know what is working for you and whether you are eating too much/too little/just enough. Relationships with food are funny things and i'm not sure I still have the balance right. I still get odd looks at work when I eat a cereal bar, yoghurt and copious amounts of fruit for lunch instead of a big fat sandwich or whatever, but I don't care. I can cycle 200km in a day, weigh just a smidge over 10 stone and I feel healthy!

I think I saw you at the gospel pass 200km ride (if you were riding a Scott) and you looked fine to me, so crack on with whatever you are doing.

[Lady Cavendish]

That was indeed me I'm not overweight, just overweight for running. And that is a totally valid reason for wanting to be lighter. I'm a healthy weight, but not an efficient one for what I want to do!