x

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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

Here you need to add more duct tape. All that loose weight
can really clank around. ;->

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for heaven's sake, stay away from that stupid Atkins diet.
You need carbs to ride well!

The Zone diet can actually work. I have a couple friends who
use it and they look pretty good, but it's a rather steep
learning curve. If you have a friend who is doing it and
will help you, it's not bad.

Unfortunately the Zone diet fans may not know why it's
working, may not understand the mechanics behind it and are
lost without their books and charts and tables.

A big plus is that it's one of those diets that don't seem
to have a potential for rebound, but you have to manufacture
your own motivation, and can't be a comfort eater, or go
much off plan. Many Atkins users who are into details can
move over to Zone. Some find it tedious, but it's not bad.

Whatever works for you. Decent first para, man.

-B

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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 said:

The story thus far....

12 years ago - single, 6'3", 180lbs., hair, and competing
in citizens

class

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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,

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dusted off and tuned up my old Trek, and started riding
again. Now

10

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months and close to 3000 miles later... I still weigh
274! I mean...

come

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on! 3000 miles for 5 pounds?!

My fitness level has increased tremendously. I use to
struggle on 10

mile

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rides. Now I do at least 3-4 weekday rides of 15-30 miles
each and

one

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weekend ride for 50-70 miles - all solo. My computer puts
my average

speed

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for these rides between 16-18mph depending upon the
particular

ups&downs of

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the ride. My HRM says my average rate is usually right
about 75% of

max

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(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

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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

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caloric intake it's usually right between 2500 - 3000.
One friend

who is a

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"wellness" expert suggests I'm not eating *ENOUGH*.
Although she

readily

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admits she doesn't specialize in athletes ("slovenly
couch potato" is

how

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she describes her typical client), she says that with my
activity

level my

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BMR is 5300... as she explained it that's the number of
calories

needed to

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just maintain my weight! Therefore she thinks my body
thinks it's

being

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starved and refuses to let go of the fat. She thinks by
eating MORE

the

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body will move away from this starvation reflex and start
shedding

pounds.

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She also suggested riding easy first thing in the
morning BEFORE

breakfast

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so the body has to switch to fat because the glycogen
stores will be

low

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(sound like a recipe for the BONK to me).

Well, I tried to eat 4000 calories today and about
died! I felt

horrible,

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stuffed, tired, etc. I tried riding with just water
(no sport

drink), and

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found myself craving sugar after the ride.

Any experts lurking out there that would like to comment?
Are there

any

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coaching services online that could help customize my
training to

help me

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lose weight? I can't afford to hire a coach.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.