My last post stated that I was riding more and such and so on, but that has waned. It's tough to stay motivated and ride solo which means on the trainer for those that work till it gets dark. And the group rides sometimes are demoralizing since others can hold a conversation at their easy pace going uphill while I'm above LT and drifting off the back.
Meh. MEH I SAY!!!
I need to lose 10-20 lbs. If only I could go on a bike ride without my bike. That would drop the weight right there!!! I tried to cut out breakfast to reduce caloric intake, but after a few weeks of that, I saw no change in weight. If anything it crept up a pound or so. I think I snacked more in the evening after starving all morning. So that didn't work.
Now I'm going to try to change my liquid consumption. I've tried it before, but I think I really want to cut out beer and coffee. I know that's lunacy to most cyclists if not most the population, but I'm tired of spending the extra mullah on beer and always needing an extra boost in the morning from coffee. I've been off the beer for a week. Yesterday afternoon was rough as I was really craving one, but I made it through with a few tall glasses of water. Now I just have to cut out the morning joe without going into convulsions due to a caffeine headache. I have titrated down to 1 cup each morning this week and will try to be done with it over the weekend. Well, "cup" meaning 16oz or so, not the 8 ouch cup of coffee that doesn't exist anymore. I know beer has a bit of calories, but the way I drink coffee - with cream and sugar - is part of what's keeping me plump. I recently read somewhere that the caffeine in coffee transports sugars to your body quicker. Since I don't burn those sugars while I'm at work, I store them as fat. I know I could just go with black coffee, but doctoring it up makes it barely palatable as it is now, so I don't think I could go that route. Besides, if I want to feel some actual jolt from coffee I have to down half a pot now. I miss the days when one cup made me feel like a meth head. Not that I know what a meth head feels, but I remember first trying coffee and feeling like I could see into the future.
I never remember seeing past 2012 though. Hmmmmm......
8 comments:
Not that you asked for tips, but here are a few guidelines that help me:
Never skip breakfast. Have more, but smaller meals to maintain blood sugar and avoid feeling a level of hunger that can lead to unintentional overeating.
Make sure you're not eating too quickly. Set down your utensil between each bite. Drink a glass of water before a meal. Cut out as much sugar and flour from your diet as you can, getting the carbs from fruits, vegetables and legumes. Enjoy whole grains like quinua, brown rice, etc.
Finally, I find a sort of positive affirmation in the morning helpful to staying on target during the day.
Thanks for the suggestions, Syd! Sugar is the other thing I know I need to watch. Doesn't help that the wife's teeth are all sweet tooths aside from 1. And that one got pulled last year.
Don't cut all the coffee out completely. The caffeine and phytochemicals help with burning calories. It's not the solution, though.
Sugar and starch aren't bad for you. Solution: time it for when you are active. Mostly, when you're active on the bike. Also, an hour before to an hour after.
Protein and fat can cause weight gain as much as carbs. It's total caloric intake that might be the problem. Solution: to loose weight sensibly cut your caloric intake 500 cal a day. This can also be split by exercising and reducing calories. You need energy to burn calories. Don't diet. It's a fact that it doesn't work. 1 lb but no more than 2 lb per week loose. Anywhere from 5 to 20 weeks to loose 10 to 20 lbs.
It's easier to put on weight than to take it off. Solution: ride your bike more.
Maybe not what you want to hear but the facts
500 Calories!??! That's like, half my cereal bowl!! Just kidding.
Yeah, the only reason I haven't blown up like the stay puff marshmallow man is because I ride to and from work 4-5 days a week and eat semi-sensibly. The round trip's only 6 miles each day, but it's some sort of calorie burn. I've dared myself to take my bike inside right when I get home and just hop on the trainer, but so far I haven't been brave enough.
I guess there's no time like the present! Goal for the day - ride 1 hour on the trainer right when I get home.
Did you get the trainer ride in?
Since we are talking about fat loss, caffeine, and coffee I'll pass on a few websites on supplements that I think are good.
This site is fairly new but backed up by a lot of science http://examine.com/ You can also check the National Institute for Health website if you don't find it at examine.com.
Then there's this site which just rocks cause it's so cool http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/play/snake-oil-supplements/. You'll have to read more into this site. It is just way to cool for me to put into words.
I apologize if this is boring or you don't care that much. This is what trips my trigger, nutrition. I'm much better at facts than fiction.
keep riding!
Yup, I got a little over an hour outside since I left work at 4pm. It was awesome out.
I know from personal experience eating quality, nutrient dense food helps me recover, so I am interested in the subject. Thanks for the links, I'll read them over.
Mike,
I know how you feel i've been there.. Remember about 4 years ago when you pulled me to that gas station on 36th st....
Ah yes, fun times. Now I get the pulling sometimes.
My coffee experiment worked. On Saturday I had to have a couple cups of black tea for some caffeine and I still had a slight headache. But then I felt fine on Sunday. I tried a single cup of coffee on Monday and it felt like the very first cup ever again. I was jittery and wired all day. Now, I'm back on the tea and will only use coffee when I ride with others so I can have some PED effect.
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