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Why don't I have a body like Brad Pitt

This year I have increased my commute from 18 miles a week to 90 miles a week. I also did the Tuesday Decaf rides that are usually 20 miles then add Flock rides trips to the store and whatever I can put in between 100-200+ miles a week in. But my spandex is starting to get a little snug, soon people are gonna mistake me for The Historian in my spandex. Sigh......


marvelousm3
2011-10-18 13:47:38

lol, sorry to hear that mr marv! However, I'm pretty sure that Brad has to lift weights and probably watch what he eats (at least before a big shirtless scene) in addition to a little cardio.


tabby
2011-10-18 14:02:04

It's obvious that the cooler temperatures are shrinking your spandex.


chemicaldave
2011-10-18 16:50:37

i do about that much in a week also but i love food. specifically carbs.


stefb
2011-10-18 16:59:01

Brad Pitt's full time job is to keep looking like Brad Pitt. Most people don't have that kind of time available.

Riding has never been useful as any kind of weight control for me, whenever I start to get in any amount of decent riding, I seem to get 3x hungrier. Plus I love beer, nothing better after a good hard ride than some beer. Mmm.


edmonds59
2011-10-18 17:18:14

Cycling is probably unique among endurance sports in that one can be reasonably fit and even kinda fast, yet still carry a spare tire (or two!). IANAN[1], but I suspect that your metabolism has much to do with how much weight you actually lose. And as Edmonds points out, cycling does make you hungrier. If you still eat as much as you're burning (or even a little less), you actually aren't to lose any weight.


[1] I am not a nutritionist.


bjanaszek
2011-10-18 17:37:49

I'd say that's pretty close, bjanaszek. IAAN/D[1] and what you eat and how you refeed after cycling make a big difference.


[1] I am a nutritionist/dietitian :)


tabby
2011-10-18 17:49:37

I usually try to lose weight off season when riding less, because it's so hard (or counterproductive) to run a calorie deficit when training and racing hard all the time.


johnwheffner
2011-10-18 18:20:32

I put on weight this time of year through the new year then it all comes off in the spring. I think I eat more and drink more beer to compensate for less sun light.


rsprake
2011-10-18 18:32:16

I know for me the day after a long ride is what stops me from losing weight. I don't know if it is the "after burner effect" or I don't eat enough during and after my rides, but the day after I feel like I can't eat enough and I probably end up eating more calories than I burnt the previous day.


dvilliotti
2011-10-18 18:52:41

I've found that if i ride home after drinking that I'm not hungover the next day.


boazo
2011-10-18 18:56:43

I _do_ have a body like Brad Pitt, which I attribute entirely to cycling.


'Tis a pity that it's trapped inside the rest of me.


reddan
2011-10-18 19:06:49

I like the idea that the cold weather is shrinking my spandex. IIts true after a ride I am super hungry, I can put down almost an entire large pizza after a Team Decaf ride.


marvelousm3
2011-10-18 19:08:15

Dan, your quads have muscles upon muscles! It is ridiculous and I am jealous.


I also find that I am starving after riding more. I do about 10.5 to get to work and I usually grab a granola bar or candy bar after I change out of my commuting clothes.


stefb
2011-10-18 19:37:06

My wife got me a new suit for Christmas, going to some trouble to ensure a good fit. Then I rode a good bit over the winter, and even more in the springtime. I've never been particularly heavy, but I went to put on the suit for an interview in July, and the fit was all off. Baggy! I'm less concerned about the shape change from the riding (probably only 1,000 miles all told, the first six months of 2011), and more irritated that we paid a couple hundred bucks for a suit I can't use.


stuinmccandless
2011-10-18 19:39:33

I think cycling has actually made me gain weight


marvelousm3
2011-10-18 20:12:09

Muscles weigh more than fat I hear


stefb
2011-10-18 21:27:14

Then I must have a lot of "muscle" around my mid-section : )


marvelousm3
2011-10-18 21:58:24

I've been thinking about this for a while, I trying to figure out a good route to ride alone thats like a Tuesday ride but you don't need a group to do it. Something with good climbs thats away from heavy traffic. I want to shave off 10 pounds and keep my legs strong over the winter.


marvelousm3
2011-10-18 22:02:15

My first time reading this thread, and damn, I'm starving now. I'm going after one of those pizzas mm was talking about.


teamdecafweekend
2011-10-18 22:38:54

Actually mr. M, I'd say, minimize the climbs, find some long flattish routes, use low gears and spin a high cadence, 80+, and ride for at least an hour at a time.


edmonds59
2011-10-18 22:43:30

@ TDW since I started this thread I haven't stopped eating. I already ordered my pizza : )

@edmonds59 thanks for the tip.


marvelousm3
2011-10-18 22:45:48


I've been thinking about this for a while, I trying to figure out a good route to ride alone thats like a Tuesday ride but you don't need a group to do it. Something with good climbs thats away from heavy traffic. I want to shave off 10 pounds and keep my legs strong over the winter.


Single speed MTB + headlight + Frick park. Plus the walking makes it cross training.


ndanger
2011-10-18 23:19:54

I am currently eating m&ms.


stefb
2011-10-19 00:39:56

I work in a bakery and live off of free food from work. I am doomed to never lose weight.


rubberfactory
2011-10-19 00:55:02

Losing weight, while difficult, is actually a breeze compared with keeping weight off.


I advise slow, modest weight loss.


mick
2011-10-19 01:00:26

@ Mick its just really hard for me to stay disciplined and not over eat after a ride, I don't think about it till the entire pizza is gone


marvelousm3
2011-10-19 01:08:46

I'm eating popcorn now. This tread is really working against me.


marvelousm3
2011-10-19 01:14:31

oooo noooo mr m!

i lost a bunch of weight a few years ago by eating less bread & more greens, beans & rice.


pseudacris
2011-10-19 01:38:38

@Mr M -- two things to think about here. One you're already dancing around.


1. The human body seems to have metabolic changes at about 25 and 40. Your mteabolism slows. Exercise helps to keep the rate up, but less food still goes further. Look at all the ex-jocks who start to pack on pounds in their mid-twenties. I think a lot of that is because they continue to eat the same volume of food they always have with no adjustment for age and less activity.


2. Cut the portions of what you eat. Personal experience. Several years ago I was about 20 lbs overweight. I'm not a small guy so I could get away with it. Every year I would drop an inch off the waistline during biking season, then put it back on over the winter. One year without realizing it I cut the portion of what I was eating by about 20%. Over the winter I continued to eat the same amount. Come spring I realized I hadn't put the weight back on. When I realized why, I said, "Let's do that again this year." Result: another inch disappeared off the waistline. I did it a third year to stabilize the weight. Waistline today is 35, 1 1/2 inches more than it was many years ago in my 20s.


You can't sit down and eat a whole pizza and not see it appear somewhere. Pseudacris has a good idea. Content of your diet needs to change. For a lot of people, that's easiest if you change one thing at a time.


Stop listening to your inner mother who keeps telling you that you should eat. Besides, I am sure that some attractive female bicyclist in spandex will show up and will really like you even more without a paunch. :)


cdavey
2011-10-19 02:53:15

+1 "Cut the portions"


atleastmykidsloveme
2011-10-19 03:04:54

this sexy spandex wearing gal thinks mr marv looks just fine. but if it's really a concern I think that some weight lifting and not eating a whole pizza in a sitting will help. :)


mrs-marvelous
2011-10-19 11:53:24

"These weight-loss shakes don't work! I've been drinking two or three after every meal, and I'm STILL gaining weight!"


Might also be worth trying to eat a bit more during the rides, so you're not starving at the end. Couple of fig bars or peanut butter crackers or some such will go a long way to keeping the tummy quiet.


reddan
2011-10-19 12:24:05

wow that sexy spandex wearing mrs. marvelous thinks I look good just the way I am, just wait till she sees me after I get in a little better shape.

@ reddan your idea of peanut butter crackers does work, its something I always forget to bring on a ride.


marvelousm3
2011-10-19 13:06:11

You say you want to lose weight, but I keep hearing you mention "pizza."


Just sayin'


mick
2011-10-19 15:13:50

Actually, the key word isn't "pizza"...the key is "whole pizza".


Eating one or two slices for dinner after a ride is perfectly reasonable. Eating one or two whole pies, well...


As has been mentioned before, portion control (my nemesis, FWIW) is your friend.


reddan
2011-10-19 15:18:28

Yeah I know I need to cut back and I know I eat way too much pizza, I guess I was hoping all the riding I do I wouldn't need to change my diet that much, but starting today mrs. marvelous is changing our diet to a more heathy one. Goodbye pizza and hello salad.


marvelousm3
2011-10-19 15:26:00

Fun fact: you _can_ put vegetables on pizza, thus making it a healthy food item by the transitive property of nutrition. But you have to put on enough veggies to conceal the sausage.


reddan
2011-10-19 15:30:08

For me, if I get food from a pizza shop, I get a sub. "No cheese, no dressing, no mayo." With veggies.


If it were just pizza versus salad, I would have to settle for being a very fat boy. Salad doesn't ease my craving! (YMMV on this.)


I shoot for moderately healthy food that satisfies, not excruciatingly healthy stuff that doesn't.


Years of that leaves me pretty tired of turkey on whole wheat and fig newtons, but hey.


mick
2011-10-19 15:38:45

Another option: make your own pizzas, then you can control the amount of toppings (particularly cheese).


bjanaszek
2011-10-19 15:44:40

I've learned by observation that most people eat for 20 minutes, regardless of amount, calorie density, who they're with, or what they're eating, as long as that is their primary activity. That said, some people's silverware never stops moving; it's like a race with their teeth and throat to see which can move food faster. I've seen people with twice the food I started with empty it in half the time it takes me.


I suppose if you see yourself in any of this, you can figure out what to do.


stuinmccandless
2011-10-19 17:17:42

With the exception of breakfast, I've given up meals altogether. Now I just snack throughout the day (nuts, fruits, grains, Snickers bars, etc). This has led to a decrease in appetite which is a good thing, because I've heard that dinner should be the smallest meal, not the largest.


Also, I'm guaranteed leftovers when I eat out since restaurant portions are absolutely enormous nowadays.


chemicaldave
2011-10-19 17:41:46

^^ This


what is up with ridiculous restaurant portions?? Part of the reason I eat in so often is due to my inability to portion control a paid-for meal.


People look at me weird when I say I prefer some of the more expensive restaurants that give you smaller portions…


wojty
2011-10-19 17:48:04

Look at how well you're sleeping too -- and breathing. Both of these things can throw off your metabolism without you realizing it. If you're doing that much more commuting, you're also exposing yourself to that much more exhaust emissions which'll exacerbate hay fever, asthma, sinus infections, and all kinds of fun stuff. Then, if your head gets all stuffy, you don't sleep as well, so your body doesn't do all of its jobs as well. Like digesting an entire pizza you ate right before bed.


/totally breathing-related

//not age-related

///self-referential? what does that even mean?


justray
2011-10-19 19:52:11

While I don't eat at chain restaurants much, sometimes I end up at the cheesecake factory, where a dinner portion makes three meals for me. A lunch portion is still two. I could finish it in one sitting, but then I would be kicking myself afterwards.


kgavala
2011-10-19 20:01:45

It's true when I go out to eat I over eat. When I eat at home I eat a fraction of the portion that restaurants serve.


marvelousm3
2011-10-19 22:04:36

Tomorrow I'm starting my get back in shape bike riding, and eat healthier diet.


marvelousm3
2011-10-19 22:07:14

I tend to eat worse if I'm short on time and haven't planned ahead. So, I try to stock up on healthy "fast dinners" or make a couple of large servings of healthy whatever that I can eat all week long. For example, Lentil soup with lots of chard and a little bit of sausage, or a huge pan of roasted veggies that i can reheat or put a little bit of aoli on top of. Keep some different textured snacks around that are ready-to-go, but not too bad for you. Drink lots of water, chew longer, etc. Good luck!


pseudacris
2011-10-19 22:14:14

I've always laughed when people say they'll start something tomorrow. You havent even started changing anything and you're already setting yourself up for failure.


Portions are only part of the problem, the real problem is actually watching what you eat. There are thousands upon thousands of health conscious recipes out there, ranging from full 7 course meals to quick simple meals that you can just grab and go.


I've always been a really fast eater so over eating was always something I struggled with. By actually trying to pace yourself and enjoy your food you might be surprised at the reduction in food it takes to get full, like Hyla said.


boostuv
2011-10-19 22:38:23

Kyle, that's my problem too. You could have finished that footlong burritos had you eaten faster.


kgavala
2011-10-19 23:01:40

There are calorie trackers for smart phones. I believe livestrong is one. You can also log in and do it on the Internet on your computer if you don't have a smart phone. you can search for food and put in how much you had. If you keep track, you will realize how much you are really eating. You have to keep up with it though. I can't tell you how many times I have started to keep track but then got busy and stopped. You can put most of your exercise activities in and it will keep track of calories burned. There is a section to put in your current weight and your goal, so you can see how you're progressing.


stefb
2011-10-19 23:34:39

Kayla, that thing was way bigger than 12"... (thats what she said)


boostuv
2011-10-19 23:50:06

despite the doubters ^ my quest for perfection started today. Ridding in the wind made the ride that much more intense. If anyone has any healthy Kale recipes please share.


marvelousm3
2011-10-20 12:44:36

Beans and greens:


Two bunches of kale

1 can of cannellini beans (plus liquid)

Some garlic

1.5 cups of water + bouillon (or stock)


* Slice/crush garlic

* Bring the water/stock + garlic to a boil in a big pot (I use a wok)

* Add kale, cook 'til tender (best to cover the cooking vessel)

* Add beans + liquid, and allow to cook 'til the kale suites your fancy.


Serve with grated Parmesan/Romano cheese.


This is eaten at least three times a week in our home.


bjanaszek
2011-10-20 13:38:20

We have beans and greens about once a week at this point... I also recommend using dried black eyed peas as they don't need to soak overnight, and cooking them with a couple cloves of garlic is heavenly.


dmtroyer
2011-10-20 13:51:18

I've got a recipe for Tusacan Bean soup that uses kale. It's a basically a banquet vegetable soup with the kale and cannelini, lots of vegetables and some bacon, spices and a little bit of wine vinegar. It's a fairly long recipe. I can PM it to you if you want it. On the other hand, if anybody else on the board wants to try it, I'll just go ahead and post it here for everyone.


cdavey
2011-10-20 14:37:05

Pan: a little olive oil, garlic, sauté, throw in kale + 1/4 c of balsamic, steam a bit, eat.


benstiglitz
2011-10-20 14:40:53

@ cdavey post it so we all can get our Pitt/Jolie bodies.


marvelousm3
2011-10-20 14:45:34

Though this may not help you get the Brad Pitt figure, adding bacon/pancetta to beans and greens is quite heavenly, too.


bjanaszek
2011-10-20 15:03:34

I love kale and make it often the same way benstiglitz does. Also kale "chips" in the oven are great for a change in the texture.


tabby
2011-10-20 15:09:04

@bjanaszek Though this may not help you get the Brad Pitt figure, adding bacon/pancetta to beans and greens is quite heavenly, too.


It would take a lot of bacon - I mean a whole lot - before this got even near the territory of even a "veggie lover's" pizza.


mick
2011-10-20 15:17:06

Look up some homemade pizza recipes. Homemade crust can be very good if you control the ingredients.


orionz06
2011-10-20 16:34:02

@orionz: I agree. In fact, aside from pizza prepared in a wood-fired (or similarly hot) oven, I prefer my homemade pizza.


bjanaszek
2011-10-20 16:57:45

i don't want a jolie body. she looks anorexic. the magazine in the waiting room said that she weighs 94 pounds. gross.


(if you weigh 94 lbs and are reading this, you are likely just a small, fit person to begin with. i doubt you would be able to have the muscle to ride a bike if you were 94lbs and anorexic.)


stefb
2011-10-20 17:32:37

^ I just couldn't think of a fit female when I posted that earlier.


marvelousm3
2011-10-20 17:40:02

Kale is wonderful! I eat kale raw often, chopped up with a lot of olive oil, a little salt, and some garlic (generally also raw, but chopped fine[I've fed this to normal people, too, who liked it in spite of not normally eating an unreasonable amount of garlic]) It is a nice salad by itself, or I'll put it with bread or something.

Also pesto with kale (this is almost as good as with collard greens), olive oil, walnuts, garlic and nutritional yeast, and a little salt, depending on what I'm going to do with it.

It is good sauteed or in soups, too, though.


aryn
2011-10-20 18:04:16

This may sound strange, but when I think of the body of a fit female, I think of Tonya Harding. Remember the Tonya vs. Nancy thing before the 1994 Olympics? Yeah, messy & all that. But as an athlete, where Nancy was the tall supermodel, Tonya was the solid little package of dynamite. Never mind the snotty personality, the rotten upbringing, the already one divorce, not to mention the hit on Nancy, she exemplified a woman who I'd rather my girl grew up to be, not Barbie-doll Disney-princess Nancy.


She's put on a few pounds in the last couple of decades, but look at those pics of her from the early 1990s. As one of the guys from WDVE said on the air at the time, "When you and your woman are moving into the new house, which one would you rather have helping you haul the sofa up the steps, Tonya or Nancy?"


stuinmccandless
2011-10-20 18:08:41

Kale:


Cut out stems and chop coarsely.

Sautee in olive oil to the tenderness you like.


version1: with chopped garlic and tomatoes

version2: with pine nuts and raisins


It's also good sliced very fine as a cole slaw ingredient.


And, it is tasty in scrambled eggs along with a few chopped green olives& garlic (let the kale wilt a bit in the pan before tossing in the eggs & garlic).


Kale is probably my favorite vegetable.


pseudacris
2011-10-20 20:41:06

I knew as soon as I made that offer I would be posting this. By popular demand – ‘cause we all know Mr. Marvelous is a popular dude and is in demand, at least by Mrs. Marvelous.


Tuscan Bean Soup


3 oz bacon strips or pancetta

1 tbsp olive oil (more if you omit bacon)

1 stalk celery chopped

1 medium onion chopped

3 medium carrots chopped

2 cloves garlic – large dice

1 ½ cup cabbage chopped

1 cup cubed potato

6-8 oz regular white mushrooms (or 1 pkg porcini mushrooms)

½ tsp sage

½ tsp black pepper

1 tsp thyme

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1 796 ml (2 14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes

1 540 ml (1 18 oz) can cannellini drained and rinsed

4 cups kale (leaves only)

1 tbsp red wine vinegar


Cut bacon strips into ½” pieces.


Cut celery and carrots into ½” pieces. Cut onion in half lengthwise, then cut halves into ½’ to 1” inch pieces. Cube potato into ½’ to 1” cubes. Cut cabbage into 1” pieces. Core mushrooms and the slice caps into pieces. Dice garlic.


Heat pan/pot, add oil, and fry bacon if using. Add celery, onion, carrots, garlic, cabbage, potatoes, and spices. Cook until tender, stirring frequently.


Add stock, diced tomatoes, mushrooms. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.


Add cannellini and kale. Simmer 5 minutes or until kale is tender. Turn off heat and add vinegar.


NOTES:

1. You can omit bacon and have a vegetarian soup. (Pierce, I hope you see this if you want try it.)

2. Original recipe calls for porcini mushrooms. I don’t think they’re worth the cost, so I substitute the regular white mushrooms. If you want to use porcinis, soak them first, reserve the liquid, and add both the mushrooms and the soaking liquid to the pot at the appropriate point.

3. I don’t care that much for large beans, so I substitute 1 cup dry white navy pea beans for the larger cannellini. If you do that, soak the beans overnight (they will double in volume) and drain. Add the stock to the pot first without the other vegetables and cook the beans 10-15 minutes before adding the other vegetables, garlic and spices. After adding those, let everything simmer for few minutes so the vegetables soften that way. Then add the stock tomatoes and mushrooms and continue with the directions as written.


cdavey
2011-10-20 22:10:33

I agree, stu


stefb
2011-10-20 23:43:05

I'm popular? Even if all of my post are kinda irritating? I've never been popular even in high school. Yeah I do have a crush on that mysterious mrs. marvelous.

Thank for the recipes everyone! Just got back from Market District with a bunch of kale.... time to get cooking!


marvelousm3
2011-10-20 23:47:53

Like Pseudacris says: you cook Kale almost like 2 vegetables. Separate the stalks from the leaves. Cook the Stalks like it's an aromatic (sautee early with onions, garlic, etc). Then Sautee the leaves. Kale, like spinich and every other leafy green likes a little fat -- especially pork. But a little goes a long way.


justray
2011-10-21 00:01:59

@ mr marvelous I have a crush on you too. But you're cutting up your own Kale. ; )


mrs-marvelous
2011-10-21 00:12:26

@ mr m -- I don't find your posts to be irritating at all. Am I missing something here? Self-esteem issues maybe (not mine)? :)


Anyway, a meal of all those good kale recipes you've gotten will no doubt do wonders for anything that's wrong.


cdavey
2011-10-21 00:15:10

I have been told some of my posts are irritating. But the smell of the good healthy cooking is boosting my mood already.


marvelousm3
2011-10-21 00:19:55

cdavey: that sounds delicious!


One of the people I buy veggies from at the Farmer's market recommended this site (food porn!).


http://foodgawker.com/?s=kale&cat=0


pseudacris
2011-10-21 02:05:13

I'm w just ray, save those stalks!


dmtroyer
2011-10-21 02:36:47

@pseudacris -- It is. It's one of those soups that has a little broth to go with all veggies in it. Add a couple of rounds of pita bread with it and you've got a meal.


Yay for food porn!! I looked at the link you provided and saw at least three things on that page alone that I thought would be neat to try. I was immediately hungry. I'm bookmarking the link so I can get to the home page in the future to see what else is there. Yum, yum!!


cdavey
2011-10-21 03:46:52

for a totally different twist on kale:


kale salad:


1 bunch kale, chopped to bite sized pieces

some sun dried tomatoes, chopped to raisin size (1/2 to 1 cup, to taste)

some nuts (I like walnuts, my mom uses pecans, I've used pine nuts, just not sweet, 1/2-1c, to taste).

*mayo or mayo-like dressing, just enough to combine everything (don't drown it, this isn't macaroni salad)

salt/pepper/herbs to taste (sometimes I skip these entirely, usually just pepper)


combine. eat. It's my favorite way to eat kale. yes it's got fats, but it's a good way to get down a veggie that i otherwise have trouble eating. A giant container of this will be a very filling lunch for me.


My other favorite way to eat greens (non-salad) is Eggs in a Nest, from that book by Barbara Kingsolver. I kind of use her recipe as loose guidelines.


1-2 bunches greens (I prefer chard, but kale works well).

onion, chopped.

garlic (lots), minced.

[some veg: sun dried tomatoes, carrots, scapes, asparagus, sometimes I add some leftover black beans and some salsa at the end, but the greens are the bulk]

heat oil in a pan, saute garlic and onion, then add any hard veg, a bit later add the dried veg and a bit of water to rehydrate, then add in all the greens and more water, steam the greens (lid on). When the greens are mostly steamed, make little depressions in them with a spoon. crack eggs into depressions, put the lid back on until they're cooked the way you like (I like runny yolks but they don't last in the fridge). When done, I split it up into little pyrex containers, 2 eggs in each. My pan is big enough I can get 6-8 eggs, so that's 3 or 4 breakfasts. Supposed to be served over rice, but I never have room in the pyrex or belly for that.


It's easier to eat smaller portions when the food is extremely high quality and prepared very well... in other words, "satisfying". I've decided it's worth learning to cook, I eat three times a day, and potentially have another 43,800 meals left to eat. Way too much opportunity and repetition there to do it poorly.


ejwme
2011-10-21 15:22:14

Is she giving birth to a bicycle?!


chefjohn
2011-10-23 16:08:58

Just read a report of a news weight loss study. This one seemed good and went on for at least a year - and possibly longer. So it at least deals with short term weight loss, rather than the temporary 6 month weight loss most studies work with. ("How to make money offa overweight suckahs")


http://healthland.time.com/2011/10/27/why-dieters-cant-keep-the-weight-off/


Reminds me that, no matter how hard weight loss seems, the weight loss itself is the easy part.


Keeping it off is the only game that counts. At all.


Doesnt' matter how much you weigh a coupl of months from now. That is no indication of success nor failure.


The key is 5 year goals.


mick
2011-10-27 14:56:36

Followup article (after all, "Why they fail" is depressing, and no help)


How Successful Dieters Make Weight Loss Stick


http://healthland.time.com/2011/10/21/long-term-weight-loss-is-possible-how-successful-dieters-do-it/


Bullet point list- successful dieters do this:


-Track their food intake


-Count calorie or fat grams or use a commercial weight-loss program to track food intake


-Follow a low-calorie, low-fat diet. They take in about 1,800 calories a day and less than 30% of calories from fat.


-Eat breakfast regularly


-Limit the amount they eat out. They dine out an average of three times a week and eat fast food less than once a week.


-Eat similar foods regularly and don't splurge much on holidays and special occasions


-Walk about an hour a day or burn the same calories with other activities


-Watch fewer than 10 hours of TV a week


-Weigh themselves at least once a week


mick
2011-10-27 15:04:28

I think what Mick is saying is true. I have reached my fitness goals in the past but to stay disciplined enough to stay that way is hard. I have changed my lifestyle and diet to a healthier one. Not sure if my weight has changed but I definitely feel better, climbing Troy Hill was much easier, coming back down was a little intense.


marvelousm3
2011-10-27 16:20:08

It's true that any self-improvement program is hard to sustain, but much mor4e so for wieght.


After all, the more you exercise, the easier exercise becomes. Not so for weight control.


mick
2011-10-27 18:24:10

those bullet points depress me, especially the "eat similar foods regularly"... that idea is anathema.


So far, I'm having fun nerding it up with our new scale (after the initial "oh my god that can't be right..."). Standing on the scale and recording the number once a day in a spreadsheet has helped me drop 10#, though I'm trying to avoid making conscious decisions and efforts to "lose weight". That's also post injury return to activity and post vacation return to "la vie sans croissants". I'll do that for a month, and see what my weight does. Then I'll try a month of "portion control", recording what happens, then add a month of "content control" (fats, sugars, etc), then finally a month of "increased activity". Then I can graph each month and see if I spot trends.


The trick is, once you get to where you're going, you have to keep doing whatever it is that got you there. And most people hate "dieting", so they stop once they get to their magic number. That's part of the reason I'm reluctant to do real dieting like tracking calories - for me, there's no joy in that life and I simply won't do it long term. I know that, so I need to bike and run like hell, because home made macaroni and cheese from scratch is proof that there is a god, and he loves me to pieces.


ejwme
2011-10-27 18:51:16

@ejwme - have fun with your tracking. I bet you will find out some interesting info for yourself.


I wouldn't rule out the tip about eating similar food though. Even that mac and cheese every day for lunch for a week straight becomes much easier to eat sane portions of and less of a temptation.


Another way to play off that concept is to just limit choices at any one time. For example, intead of having multiple snacks and sweets in the house we only will have one treat type of food at a time. Right now it's mango sorbet and maybe next week it's newman-o's but that way you can't spend an evening plowing through junk food trying to satisfy a craving.


tabby
2011-10-27 19:14:46

I surely hope you're right Tabby, but so far "sanity" has far less to do with it than "temptation". Though I won't go near Kraft again, it has cured me of that. Small blessings :D


ejwme
2011-10-27 20:33:51

I always like to think of "diet" as a noun (as in what I eat) rather than a verb (as in somethink I HAVE to do).


And everyone remember that the scale only tells part of the story unless yours reads percentage body fat.


helen-s
2011-10-27 21:15:05

I dropped 6 pounds already. Thanks for all the Kale recipes.


marvelousm3
2011-11-02 23:55:25

That is freakin' awesome!

I hope you are *enjoying* the kale?


pseudacris
2011-11-03 01:12:46

My breakfast is egg whites mixed with dices tomatoes and sautéed Kale. Lunch Lunch turkey sandwich and dinner I've tried everyone of the Kale recipes posted here.


marvelousm3
2011-11-03 02:11:29

Back at the beginning of this thread, before the various kale recipes, Tabby mentioned that Brad probably has to lift weights. This is definitely correct. Biking will help keep your body fat percentage down (and improve your cardio and overall conditioning), but won't give you the musculature of Brad Pitt.

If you already have a reasonably low body fat percentage from cycling, it takes a surprisingly small ammount of lifting to see visible results. Try doing some light upper-body lifting once or twice a week for a couple months.

Having slightly larger shoulder, chest, and back muscles helps disguise a slightly pudgy belly :P

It probably won't help your cycling any though, because if you put on 5 lbs of upper body muscle you're going to have to drag that weight up the hills.


avis187
2011-11-03 02:53:29

You can also ad in a core workout and avoid the gym. Pull-ups, Push-ups, chin-ups, jump squats, dips, crunches, etc... will all help you add some definition/size. They are also great all around exercises as most use more than one muscle group in their action.


boostuv
2011-11-03 10:52:52

Truthfully I more than having a body like Brad I want to be a stronger cyclist. I'm hoping getting in better shape and loosing a little weight will help me keep up with faster riders. If I end having an awesome body great. If I can drop someone who rides a recumbent even better :)


marvelousm3
2011-11-03 11:51:54

that is so awesome MrM! Congratz!


less weight = less stress on the joints no matter what you're doing. So bad backs, knees, feet, hips, etc should all improve.


Brad also has a full time staff of helpers to go with his full time job of looking like Brad. I've found some part time help with floppy ears and a wagging tail. Just one helper of any species really does help.


Some flow yoga classes (or get books from the library and just do some sun salutations) also develop the core. A solid core will only help any activity you do, cycling or other.


As a runner, the best thing I did for running was swimming. Forced me to get the most out of my breathing and move at a pace that didn't make me "out of breath" (literally). that kept my heart rate at a nice aerobic level and my running improved dramatically. wasn't biking at the time, but I can't imagine swimming wouldn't help that either. Just another idea :D


ejwme
2011-11-04 13:37:14

@mrmarv: You should come out for the Tuesday night rides, you'll have plenty of opportunities to drop a 'bent rider. :-)


Additional congrats on the weight loss. I need to get serious about that myself.


reddan
2011-11-04 13:52:17

@reddan: You Stefb and Marko are the reason I started working out and going on training rides. I'm not up to keeping up with you guys just yet. But I'm hoping once spring comes I'll be in top form.

@ejwme: I just started adding running to my workout and swimming sounds like a good idea. My legs are strong enough to keep up with the best of them my lungs are not.


marvelousm3
2011-11-04 23:28:16

My lungs have always been poop, even when I used to run :(. My limiting factor.


stefb
2011-11-05 01:14:06

the weird thing with my lungs was, I played bassoon and trombone - I could hold my breath longer than anybody I knew. Sitting still. Moving, I turned into a gasping flailing mess in the water. Swimming a lot (five times a week, 20 minutes straight laps, for three months) fixed that, I still don't have the same problem even though I don't swim much anymore (when I do, breath isn't the issue anymore). I don't know what "that" was. I don't know any other way to fix it. Very curious, if the more informed know what the deal is, I'm interested in learning.


ejwme
2011-11-05 01:50:10

Well all that progress I have made has been lost in one epic Thanksgiving dinner.


marvelousm3
2011-11-25 02:39:15

@mr marv -- Surely not. There's 3500 calories in a pound of fat. If you have dropped even 5 lbs, that's almost 18,000 calories you would have had to eat today. I doubt you could do that without making trips to the bathroom to purge.


And so what if you did eat that much and it's all going to re-inflate those empty fat cells? You took the weight off once. You can take it off again. And you'll know not to do that again.


You fell off the wagon. Pick yourself up and just climb back on.

You go, dude. :)


cdavey
2011-11-25 05:03:19

The more you build up muscle from riding, the faster you burn fat sitting still. Stated another way, the better shape you are from putting miles under you, the greater license you have for digging in at holiday dinners.


stuinmccandless
2011-11-25 11:46:56

Stu's right. Cycling has increased my metabolism. So even though I don't ride every day, I still eat more calories on a resting day than I used to. I can't count how many snickers bars I've eaten in the past 3 months and haven't gained any weight. If anything, I've lost fat and gained leg muscle.


chemicaldave
2011-11-25 21:24:09

Good because I have dropped a good amount of body fat, and gained some muscle, I don't want the holidays to set me back.


marvelousm3
2011-11-25 21:37:36

Food binging doesn't mean you absorb all the food either. While your body will store more for sure, you'll also poop more. Even if you ate 4 lbs of food on Thanksgiving (which I'm sure I did), there's no way you'll gain 4 lbs either.


It's the repeated food binging that makes people overweight.


rice-rocket
2011-11-25 22:39:04

Poop babies will be had by all


stefb
2011-11-26 02:01:23

LOL, I have seen "food baby" used regularly but never "poop baby"...


orionz06
2011-11-26 02:58:15

I called my weight loss process to a temporary halt at the beginning of November.


As long as I maintain the same weight for November and December, I consider it a win. I'll start losing weight again in January.


For most people, permanent weight loss is an extremely gradual thing.


Some people lose quickly and keep it off. Planning to do that is about as wise as playing the Super-Lotto as your retirement plan. People have succeeded at it, for sure, but...


mick
2011-11-28 19:21:00

Hey, fellow kale eaters. Here's a delicious way to make brussels sprouts (aka "bird heads").


- Cut em in half.

- Nuke in a covered dish with a bit of water for 1 minute, just to soften them a bit

- Drain, toss in olive oil and roast in a 400 degree oven on a cookie sheet til the edges start to caramelize (only about 20 min!).

- Toss again with fresh lemon juice and parmesan cheese.

- eat


mmmmmm. same recipe works with broccoli and rapini.


pseudacris
2011-12-01 02:39:46

^ looks like someone has been having fun with pollination?


pseudacris
2011-12-01 03:18:54

Now that the holidays are over I stepped on the scale and I have gained all of the weight I have lost back. Sigh..... It's time to get back on track, I'm looking over this thread again to try all the great Kale recipes again.


marvelousm3
2012-01-03 23:59:37

I am not gonna even tell you how much weight I am gaining.


stefb
2012-01-04 00:03:09

@ stefb in your case it's good weight, I've just been really lazy and enjoying holiday cooking way to much.


marvelousm3
2012-01-04 00:21:02

I want to cry. And I have been eating too much probably. Anyway, once you get back on track, you will be fine. Fortunately it is easier for men to lose weight than women. I didn't think you had any extra weight to lose in the first place.


stefb
2012-01-04 00:26:40

this is the time of year when I add toasted flax seeds to every meal and pretend that it does something in this regard. Usually in january, my meals are oatmeal with flax, yogurt with flax, and brown rice with flax.


rubberfactory
2012-01-04 01:35:40

Mick, from personal experince I think you make a good point that often gets overlooked.


Over my adult years I gradually put on about 20-25 pounds and 3 inches on the waistline. Since I am a fairly big guy, I got away with carrying it. Every year over biking season I would drop an inch off the waist, then put it back on over the winter when I was less active.


One summer for some reason I cut down the volume of food intake by about 20% but didn't realize it. Come spring I realized I hadn't put the inch back on. I figured out why with a little bit of thought.


So them I said to myself, "Gee, let's do that again." I did with the result that I dropped another inch. I did it again a third year. My weight has remained stable ever since -- about 10 years.


In my case it was a matter of cutting volume to cut calories. But I got so used to eating the smaller amount of food as "normal" that the lower weight became "normal" too and it's been easy to keep it off.


cdavey
2012-01-04 05:16:56

We are all creatures of habit, continuing on a previous path is much easier than changing, whether it's amount of exercise or food intake. Slow makes sense in that it lets your habits adjust progressively, but if you can be disciplined, fast works even better (as long as you don't grind your metabolism to a halt).


I plot my weight and muscle mass, because I'm a nerd and I like charts, but it also keeps me on task and gives me a better idea of what works and what doesn't.



Notes: Maintained a 1700 calorie diet Jan-March. Bumped it up to ~2500 (excluding additional riding calories) for the riding months (didn't ride last winter). Riding on a big calorie deficit is really tough. Crashed mid-June, broken collarbone, which kept me off my bike for 6 weeks. Back on the bike in late July. Started lifting and eating 3500-4000 calories in early August till now.


Will probably cut down to 2000 calories at the end of February and continue lifting while I do my some long base miles. Brrrr. Hopefully I'll keep most my muscle mass and cut the fat out.


Oh, and poop babies.


rice-rocket
2012-01-04 05:30:43

What do you use to obtain this info? Do you have one of those body media things?


stefb
2012-01-04 10:14:29

"One summer for some reason I cut down the volume of food intake by about 20% but didn't realize it..."


This, I believe, is the operative sentence in your story. Sometimes I think the biggest impediment to weightloss is the psychology - if one could "diet" without knowing it, success would be more normal.


ejwme
2012-01-04 16:46:41

Rice Rocket- I've never seen any data that indicates that fast weight loss has any benefit (except to those that make money from weight loss programs. Plenty of evidence in peer-reviewed papers for that.)


I am very interested in seeing what happens in the next year or two with your charts.


BTW, how are you measuring? I'm skeptical of your muscle mass going up 4.3 lbs one week in March. Of course, there are errors in any measurement and you just have to take the readings you have, knowing that the more extreme values are probably not valid.


I don't think your program would work for me. I am lacking in exercise discipline and perseverence.


I can get with an exercise program for a few months with a specific goal. So I make a few goals a year, like swimming a 2 1/4 mile "race" or biking to DC and train a few months for those.


I'm at an age where under-training then just going for it regardless of the strain is (understatement) not a wise option.


mick
2012-01-04 21:01:25

@cdavey - Yeah, dude! three years strikes me as a great weight loss scheme.


And 10 years is a great success! Like, even if somehow you totally got it back, the decade without the load will lengthen your life.


mick
2012-01-04 21:04:49

I've never seen any data that indicates that fast weight loss has any benefit


Well, there's the benefit of losing weight... ;)


I use one of those Tanita bathroom scales w/ electrodes on the bottom that measure the resistance through your two legs. They're not terribly accurate (varies depending on where you're genetically inclined to store your fat) nor precise (+/- 1% depending on how much water is in your body), but being able to follow the trends is good enough for my use. The only really accurate way to measure is water displacement, but I'm not paying for that every week (nor am I going to flood my bathroom).


rice-rocket
2012-01-04 23:02:52

I can't help but notice that Rice Rocket's weight curve has an eerie correlation to the length of the days, so that the minimum weight was on the summer solstice. Perhaps that blip in February-March was an eclipse?


:-)


ieverhart
2012-01-05 21:16:07

I experienced a rapid and lasting weight loss a few years ago when I switched from a daily morning flagon of coffee complete with 3 tablespoons of sugar to a more normal sized cup, with only 3 teaspoons. I lost around 5 pounds in a matter of a few weeks.


helen-s
2012-01-05 22:08:51