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05-20-2004, 08:14 PM

I suggest you try "something like" the Zone diet. It's much easier
than some of the press it's got, and I'm not even suggesting that you
count calories, or even worry about the glycemic index. Simply try
this. Whenever you eat anything---meal, snack, etc.---try to ensure
that approx. 30% of the calories are from fat, 30% are from protein,
and 40% are carbs. If you buy prepared foods this is tremendously
easy, if you look at the food label. Take the number of grams of
protein, and divide by two. If that's aproximately the number of grams
of fat, you're in the ballpark. Then add the number of grams and fat
(or, multiply the number of protein by 1.5); if that is approximately
the number of grams of carbs, great! You're looking at a balanced food,
go ahead and eat it. Aside from that, increasing one's protein intake
generally aids in loosing weight. But don't do anything extreme! And
for heaven's sake, stay away from that stupid Atkins diet. You need
carbs to ride well!

O.K, other advice. Keep riding your bike, as long as its fun, and
don't ride so hard that it's not. Ten months isn't all that long. If
you continue cycling regularly, your body will continue to change.
Hopefully you're not riding just to lose weight. Please ignore your
wellness expert friend. Sorry, but that's pretty whacky advice (IMHO).
Yes, the books say that 75% is about right to get your body to burn
fat. Still, I would attempt to ride harder once a week. Do intervals
or sprints or something, but don't overdo it. Do just enough to
challenge your body.

Finally, unfortuneatly, riding is really not an excuse/reason to eat
more (damn!) The problem is, as you ride more, your body learns to
operate more efficiently, so your caloric intake probably doesn't need
to vastly increase.

Hope some of this helps. Keep riding!

Doug Cook wrote:
> The story thus far....
>
> 12 years ago - single, 6'3", 180lbs., hair, and competing in citizens
class
> triathlons.
>
> Fast forward to last July... Married, two kids, mortgage, no hair,
> sedentary, 279lbs.
>
> Sick of that fat man in the mirror, I bought some XXL cycling
clothes,
> dusted off and tuned up my old Trek, and started riding again. Now
10
> months and close to 3000 miles later... I still weigh 274! I mean...
come
> on! 3000 miles for 5 pounds?!
>
> My fitness level has increased tremendously. I use to struggle on 10
mile
> rides. Now I do at least 3-4 weekday rides of 15-30 miles each and
one
> weekend ride for 50-70 miles - all solo. My computer puts my average
speed
> for these rides between 16-18mph depending upon the particular
ups&downs of
> the ride. My HRM says my average rate is usually right about 75% of
max
> (although that can vary, usually on the high side, when the ride has
> climbing). I feel lean and mean while I ride, but when I get home I
wonder
> who that fat guy in the mirror is!
>
> I don't diet per se, but I do eat sensibly. The days that I've
tracked my
> caloric intake it's usually right between 2500 - 3000. One friend
who is a
> "wellness" expert suggests I'm not eating *ENOUGH*. Although she
readily
> admits she doesn't specialize in athletes ("slovenly couch potato" is
how
> she describes her typical client), she says that with my activity
level my
> BMR is 5300... as she explained it that's the number of calories
needed to
> just maintain my weight! Therefore she thinks my body thinks it's
being
> starved and refuses to let go of the fat. She thinks by eating MORE
the
> body will move away from this starvation reflex and start shedding
pounds.
> She also suggested riding easy first thing in the morning BEFORE
breakfast
> so the body has to switch to fat because the glycogen stores will be
low
> (sound like a recipe for the BONK to me).
>
> Well, I tried to eat 4000 calories today and about died! I felt
horrible,
> stuffed, tired, etc. I tried riding with just water (no sport
drink), and
> found myself craving sugar after the ride.
>
> Any experts lurking out there that would like to comment? Are there
any
> coaching services online that could help customize my training to
help me
> lose weight? I can't afford to hire a coach.
>
> Any thoughts would be appreciated.