Busting ass for 3 inches less

Carrera said:

I've been cycling more seriously now for a few months and, of late, have also been really spending some time on the seat. Typical rides last some 4 hours, vary in intensity but are regular. On occasions, the rides are gut-busting.
What kind of surprises me is I took my waist measurement again this morning and measure about 35 inches round the midsection. Clearly I have lost fat but am a little surprised I haven't lost more.
I have friends who go everywhere by car, eat pizza, drink beer and do no real exercise but their waist lines only notch up 3 inches more than myself. Yet they do zilch!!
Then there's me busting my ass e.t.c. I wouldn't say I'm disatisfied by the results I've obtained fitness wise but I confess I find it odd that so much aerobic work doesn't burn off more.
I recall a Cuban athlete who had a 28 inch waist and used to eat stacks of doughnuts and coca cola to swish it down. By day he sweated and worked really hard in a metal foundry and by night trained for 3 hours. When asked how he managed to keep a 28 inch waist and stuff doughnuts as well, he simply replied he just burnt it all off.
Sometimes I think I could cycle for 5 hours a day and would still have to watch what I ate.
Does anyone know of any way you can further speed up the metabolism? How about fat-burner tablets they sell in health shops?

train harder.

the tablets are rubbish and don't work

ric

Seems you have a very slow metabolism (i.e. a very efficient body).

Since you are still losing fat, keep it up. It just comes off slower that’s all. You will eventually plateau. When this happens you will have to change things up if you haven’t met your goal.

Currently I am trying to get to my race weight which is 160 ( I’m 5’8”). My weight plateaued at 170. I started eating smaller meals (about 6 or 7 a day) and this has helped. I also totally stay away from refined sugars and anything with partially hydrogenated oils.

Everybody’s body is different and since you are still making progress I would stay with the plan.

micjohns said:

Seems you have a very slow metabolism (i.e. a very efficient body).

Since you are still losing fat, keep it up. It just comes off slower that’s all. You will eventually plateau. When this happens you will have to change things up if you haven’t met your goal.

Currently I am trying to get to my race weight which is 160 ( I’m 5’8”). My weight plateaued at 170. I started eating smaller meals (about 6 or 7 a day) and this has helped. I also totally stay away from refined sugars and anything with partially hydrogenated oils.

Everybody’s body is different and since you are still making progress I would stay with the plan.

Typically, fat loss is seen from the "outside" in meaning that your fat loss will occur in your limbs (arms and legs) and then move inward to your back and abdomen. Now, this is not to say that you won't lose any fat in chest, back, abodomen areas - I'm just saying that the majority of fat loss will happen in those areas last

Remember, you can't decide where you want to lost the fat.

People are different, and while some people can sit around all day eating McDonald's and never gain a pound, many others don't.

Carrera said:

I've been cycling more seriously now for a few months and, of late, have also been really spending some time on the seat. Typical rides last some 4 hours, vary in intensity but are regular. On occasions, the rides are gut-busting.
What kind of surprises me is I took my waist measurement again this morning and measure about 35 inches round the midsection. Clearly I have lost fat but am a little surprised I haven't lost more.
I have friends who go everywhere by car, eat pizza, drink beer and do no real exercise but their waist lines only notch up 3 inches more than myself. Yet they do zilch!!
Then there's me busting my ass e.t.c. I wouldn't say I'm disatisfied by the results I've obtained fitness wise but I confess I find it odd that so much aerobic work doesn't burn off more.
I recall a Cuban athlete who had a 28 inch waist and used to eat stacks of doughnuts and coca cola to swish it down. By day he sweated and worked really hard in a metal foundry and by night trained for 3 hours. When asked how he managed to keep a 28 inch waist and stuff doughnuts as well, he simply replied he just burnt it all off.
Sometimes I think I could cycle for 5 hours a day and would still have to watch what I ate.
Does anyone know of any way you can further speed up the metabolism? How about fat-burner tablets they sell in health shops?

That Cuban wouldn't have been Sergio Olivia would it? http://www.sergiooliva.com/

Don't be so hard on yourself. Much of the girth around a person's waistline is gentically determined. Rather than measuring your success with a tape measure you should be using % of bodyfat. I've found that neither the calipers or scales are very accurate but they can provide a guidline for judging progress. Just using scales and tape measurs don't really provide the whole picture.

also remember the slower fats comes off then it wont go back as quick if
you quit for some reason
seems if you lose weight fast and at some time start putin it back on it goes back faster

also as a note something I learned in the military, if your takeing a dump once a day then your eating more than your body can use in a day, and of course some of it will be stored

TechJD said:

also as a note something I learned in the military, if your takeing a dump once a day then your eating more than your body can use in a day, and of course some of it will be stored

this is quite literally [censored]!

ric

TechJD said:

if your takeing a dump once a day

NIIIICE 😄

Carrera said:

I've been cycling more seriously now for a few months and, of late, have also been really spending some time on the seat. Typical rides last some 4 hours, vary in intensity but are regular. On occasions, the rides are gut-busting.
What kind of surprises me is I took my waist measurement again this morning and measure about 35 inches round the midsection. Clearly I have lost fat but am a little surprised I haven't lost more.
I have friends who go everywhere by car, eat pizza, drink beer and do no real exercise but their waist lines only notch up 3 inches more than myself. Yet they do zilch!!
Then there's me busting my ass e.t.c. I wouldn't say I'm disatisfied by the results I've obtained fitness wise but I confess I find it odd that so much aerobic work doesn't burn off more.
I recall a Cuban athlete who had a 28 inch waist and used to eat stacks of doughnuts and coca cola to swish it down. By day he sweated and worked really hard in a metal foundry and by night trained for 3 hours. When asked how he managed to keep a 28 inch waist and stuff doughnuts as well, he simply replied he just burnt it all off.
Sometimes I think I could cycle for 5 hours a day and would still have to watch what I ate.
Does anyone know of any way you can further speed up the metabolism? How about fat-burner tablets they sell in health shops?

Im kind in the same boat. I started cycling late last year. When I got my bike I was 5"9 ans 202 lbs. Which is by far the heaviest I have ever been. My goal was to eventually get down to 160 lbs. I lost 20 lbs. last year and was hoping to finish off the other 20 this year.
well I have weighed as little as 162 but I usually weigh anywhere from 164-168.It has been that way for about a month now. I try to eat as smart as I can eating a variety of complex carbs,protein, vegetables etc. But every now and then I can't resist knocking down a few slices of pizza. The weight loss seems to be slowing but my waist has shrunk quite a bit. It's fun to put on a pair of shorts or pants from last year and see how huge they are. I laugh like crazy. I love what cycling is doing for me but if I really want to get to 160 and stay there I am going to have to excercise a bit more discipline and maybe only eat pizza once every 2-3 weeks instead of once a week. It is really my only weakness.

N_laplaca said:

Im kind in the same boat. I started cycling late last year. When I got my bike I was 5"9 ans 202 lbs. Which is by far the heaviest I have ever been. My goal was to eventually get down to 160 lbs. I lost 20 lbs. last year and was hoping to finish off the other 20 this year.
well I have weighed as little as 162 but I usually weigh anywhere from 164-168.It has been that way for about a month now. I try to eat as smart as I can eating a variety of complex carbs,protein, vegetables etc. But every now and then I can't resist knocking down a few slices of pizza. The weight loss seems to be slowing but my waist has shrunk quite a bit. It's fun to put on a pair of shorts or pants from last year and see how huge they are. I laugh like crazy. I love what cycling is doing for me but if I really want to get to 160 and stay there I am going to have to excercise a bit more discipline and maybe only eat pizza once every 2-3 weeks instead of once a week. It is really my only weakness.

Agree the diet takes constant discipline, at least for those in the "advancing maturity" age bracket. I lost 4 inches off my waist, from 37 to 33 last year, in getting to my goal weight. But controlling the diet to keep the weight off is still a tougher challenge for me than the riding.

Yeah, you're right. It was Sergio Oliva I had in mind. He had a notoriously fast metabolism.
The story was he represented Cuba as a weightlifter but fled to the American Embassy while competing overseas. He then found work in an iron foundry where he worked his ass off and sweated all day. After work he would train for 4 hours but it was said nobody trained as hard or as fast.
When interviewed, Sergio pointed out his overall work output was so immense that he didn't have to worry what he ate. If he wanted pizza, doughnuts, cookies, whatever, he'd simply eat. He said he tried out the Frank Zane approach of dieting and found the whole thing to be ridiculous.
This is what was on my mind. I was kind of stunned when Lance Armstrong said he wouldn't dare eat something or other during the tour de France for fear of putting weight on. I couldn't believe it. Lance cycles a a minimum of 4 hours a day (more during competition). You would think the amount he must be burning up would justify the odd pizza slice or glass of wine.
At present I'm also cycling for 4 hour periods, sprinting, climbing and on the flat. I follow that by a 2 hour session with weights. I have to literally eat on the job or I wouldn't eat at all for 6 hours. Sure, my waist isn't too bad at 35 inches but I've had 34 in the past with less output. Plus, I'm still very careful what I eat. My only vice is I have sweets once a day when I'm on the computer but I don't have large amounts.
Now I'm doing crunches as well but I still don't see a six pack. I'm trim but hardly look as good as Stallone in The Specialist. Did you check out the definition he had in that film?

Doctor Morbius said:

That Cuban wouldn't have been Sergio Olivia would it? http://www.sergiooliva.com/

Don't be so hard on yourself. Much of the girth around a person's waistline is gentically determined. Rather than measuring your success with a tape measure you should be using % of bodyfat. I've found that neither the calipers or scales are very accurate but they can provide a guidline for judging progress. Just using scales and tape measurs don't really provide the whole picture.

TechJD said:

also as a note something I learned in the military, if your takeing a dump once a day then your eating more than your body can use in a day, and of course some of it will be stored

I have to agree with ric_stern.

The mass you put in = mass you put out, unless you are gaining/losing.

If you are working out enough to need more than twice the calories most people need, you have to get the mass of that food out of your system.

I am a big guy (6'1" 195lbs) and I exercize A LOT, not just biking, but running (I am a 2 time marathoner) and lifting. I have to eat 4500-5000 calories a day to maintain my weight. I [censored] 3 times a day. I would be shocked if Lance (who eats a lot more than I do), or anyone else on the tour could hold enough waste in their bowel to only have to exacuate it once a day.

Using up the energy in food, has nothing to do with using up the mass of the food. Who ever told you that was full of it...

Carrera said:

Yeah, you're right. It was Sergio Oliva I had in mind. He had a notoriously fast metabolism.
The story was he represented Cuba as a weightlifter but fled to the American Embassy while competing overseas. He then found work in an iron foundry where he worked his ass off and sweated all day. After work he would train for 4 hours but it was said nobody trained as hard or as fast.
When interviewed, Sergio pointed out his overall work output was so immense that he didn't have to worry what he ate. If he wanted pizza, doughnuts, cookies, whatever, he'd simply eat. He said he tried out the Frank Zane approach of dieting and found the whole thing to be ridiculous.
This is what was on my mind. I was kind of stunned when Lance Armstrong said he wouldn't dare eat something or other during the tour de France for fear of putting weight on. I couldn't believe it. Lance cycles a a minimum of 4 hours a day (more during competition). You would think the amount he must be burning up would justify the odd pizza slice or glass of wine.
At present I'm also cycling for 4 hour periods, sprinting, climbing and on the flat. I follow that by a 2 hour session with weights. I have to literally eat on the job or I wouldn't eat at all for 6 hours. Sure, my waist isn't too bad at 35 inches but I've had 34 in the past with less output. Plus, I'm still very careful what I eat. My only vice is I have sweets once a day when I'm on the computer but I don't have large amounts.
Now I'm doing crunches as well but I still don't see a six pack. I'm trim but hardly look as good as Stallone in The Specialist. Did you check out the definition he had in that film?

Yeah, Sergio was awesome! He was just one of those freaks that could carry that kind of mass and still have a super small waiste line. Not many like that around. Have you seen the guys that are winning the Olympia lately? I'm willing to bet that every one of them has a 40" waiste. It's a lean and muscular 40" waiste but they all look very thick to me. Even Frank Zane once weighed 240 Lbs.

As far as Lance being so meticulous about his diet, he's obsessed with his power to weight ratio. Also, he leaves no stone unturned. Ullrich was said to have gained some weight (8 Lbs. I believe) during the off season and had a hard time losing it even though he was riding 3 to 4 hours a day averaging 25MPH! Some people are just naturally leaner than others. Frankly, I think that competition level bodybuilders are leaner than most of the guys in the TdF. But you have to wonder what kind of steroids and other drugs they're on to get like that.

I've always thought that Stalone looked pretty good (except his legs. He never had any legs) ever since the 3rd Rocky movie where he fought Mr. T. I've heard romours that he was using primabolin. I don't know how true they are but he went from looking like a normal guy with a little muscle in Rocky 1 & 2 to being super taught and lean in a short time. He also had plastic surgury.

I had a friend that went on a 6 month cycle of HGH (a non-controlled substance in the States) and he got ripped! He lost about 5 inches in his waist with no special dieting. He was told by a few of the other guys that were on it that they could get ripped eating pizza and ice cream! Supposedly it will give you the metabolism you had when you were 16 and could do anything without consequence!!! Boy, if I could afford that stuff ... !!! 😄

Carrera said:

I've been cycling more seriously now for a few months and, of late, have also been really spending some time on the seat. Typical rides last some 4 hours, vary in intensity but are regular. On occasions, the rides are gut-busting.
What kind of surprises me is I took my waist measurement again this morning and measure about 35 inches round the midsection. Clearly I have lost fat but am a little surprised I haven't lost more.
I have friends who go everywhere by car, eat pizza, drink beer and do no real exercise but their waist lines only notch up 3 inches more than myself. Yet they do zilch!!
Then there's me busting my ass e.t.c. I wouldn't say I'm disatisfied by the results I've obtained fitness wise but I confess I find it odd that so much aerobic work doesn't burn off more.
I recall a Cuban athlete who had a 28 inch waist and used to eat stacks of doughnuts and coca cola to swish it down. By day he sweated and worked really hard in a metal foundry and by night trained for 3 hours. When asked how he managed to keep a 28 inch waist and stuff doughnuts as well, he simply replied he just burnt it all off.
Sometimes I think I could cycle for 5 hours a day and would still have to watch what I ate.
Does anyone know of any way you can further speed up the metabolism? How about fat-burner tablets they sell in health shops?

I can definately relate to this. The sport that I achieved near-elite levels in was rowing, so there was not nearly the same importance placed on weight. As such I focused only on getting faster and assumed that my body would change accordingly. I was able to obtain a fitness level that was quite high (for any rowers out there, sub 6min 2k and sub 34min 10k) but my body was never as cut-up as the other people I knew or saw who were at comparable levels.

I came to the conclusion that my metabolism was just slower and it would require a herculean effort to get rid of that extra bit of fat. I decided that I'd rather spend my mental energy preparing for races and workouts than also trying to deny myself food in order to look a certain way (I'd heard quite a few stories about lighweight rowers going a little nutty trying to cut weight and such). An easier decision for rowing as weight is not nearly as large a factor as it is in cycling.

I also have theories that you really need to suppliment your cardio work with some weight training to lose fat more quickly (kicking your metabolism in the ass with good cardio _plus_ having a bit more muscle mass lying around to burn calories just seems to make sense).

Most of all though some of us with slow metabolisms have to come to grips that getting that last bit of fat off will be alot of really hard work. I'd much rather concentrate on being able to row or ride past someone who is all cut up and let my body look how it will look.

Carrera said:

I have friends who go everywhere by car, eat pizza, drink beer and do no real exercise but their waist lines only notch up 3 inches more than myself. Yet they do zilch!!

Well, that 3 inches is A LOT. I went from a 36" waist down to a 32" waist and for me it meant 25 lbs. I've since gained back about 6 lbs. & moved up to a 33" waist. So, that 3" waist differential between you and your friends is quite a bit.

I will say this, though. I lost my weight running on a treadmill (interval paces), lifting weights, and dieting. I followed the Body-For-Life program. Since I've started cycling, I haven't lost any weight. I've found that my rides (approx. 25 miles x 3 days a week and one long weekend ride of 50-60 miles at 18.5 mph), while burning a lot of calories, have also given me a voracious appetite. Knowing that each of my weekday rides burns about 1,200 calories is actually a psychological disadvantage for me, because it makes me feel like I can eat whatever I want!

I just came across a biography on Stallone in the library today so I guess I'll read it soon. I already read Sharon Stone's biography.
I was kind of disappointed in Jan Ullrich's performance in the last tour. I think Armstrong is certainly a better climber but Ullrich has proved himself to be an awesome time-trialer. However, he put weight on prior to the tour and then atempted a crash weight-loss - murder on the boy, of course.
Armstrong also took the tour far more seriously, riding the selected routes and checking out the cobble stones. He probably figured out what specific gears he would be most effective in before the major climbs began. Ullrich proved his abilities in the Olympics when he excelled in the time-trials but this year in the tour he was way off form.
The thing about Sergio was he thought all this dieting was so much baloney. Whenever he tried eating salads and low fat foods he lost power and muscle. He felt he really needed some sugars and a bit of grease in his system when he trained so hard and worked his butt off in the foundry. Even Schwarzennegger, for that matter, had the odd hamburger for breakfast.
So, I kind of find it odd I need to be so careful with my food. I don't really do bodybuilding anymore (apart from 3 weight sessions a week) so I figured with 3 - 4 hour rides I'd be able to break the rules a little more. My fitness level is fine at the moment, climbing is going really well and I'm faster so I guess I can't complain too much. Just wish my metabolism was a touch faster, though.
I suspected Madonna of being on HGH not too long ago when she developed biceps and put it down to yoga. The stars tend to flirt with it as it's said to keep them looking younger. Don't know for sure whether she was on it or not - it's just a guess. Myself I drink plenty of red wine as it's being researched extensively by scientists who claim it inhibits ageing and sharpens the brain. Red wine is also good for the heart and is thought to reduce cancer in those countries where it forms part of the national diet. I think HGH runs into $1,000 U.S. dollars for a weeks supply.
Finally I prefer the former bodybuilders like Serge Nubret (check out the abs), Tom Platz, Mike Mentzer and Sergio Oliva. Today bodybuilders are doing too much drugs compared with the old days when they trained harder and longer.

Doctor Morbius said:

Yeah, Sergio was awesome! He was just one of those freaks that could carry that kind of mass and still have a super small waiste line. Not many like that around. Have you seen the guys that are winning the Olympia lately? I'm willing to bet that every one of them has a 40" waiste. It's a lean and muscular 40" waiste but they all look very thick to me. Even Frank Zane once weighed 240 Lbs.

As far as Lance being so meticulous about his diet, he's obsessed with his power to weight ratio. Also, he leaves no stone unturned. Ullrich was said to have gained some weight (8 Lbs. I believe) during the off season and had a hard time losing it even though he was riding 3 to 4 hours a day averaging 25MPH! Some people are just naturally leaner than others. Frankly, I think that competition level bodybuilders are leaner than most of the guys in the TdF. But you have to wonder what kind of steroids and other drugs they're on to get like that.

I've always thought that Stalone looked pretty good (except his legs. He never had any legs) ever since the 3rd Rocky movie where he fought Mr. T. I've heard romours that he was using primabolin. I don't know how true they are but he went from looking like a normal guy with a little muscle in Rocky 1 & 2 to being super taught and lean in a short time. He also had plastic surgury.

I had a friend that went on a 6 month cycle of HGH (a non-controlled substance in the States) and he got ripped! He lost about 5 inches in his waist with no special dieting. He was told by a few of the other guys that were on it that they could get ripped eating pizza and ice cream! Supposedly it will give you the metabolism you had when you were 16 and could do anything without consequence!!! Boy, if I could afford that stuff ... !!! 😄

Carrera said:

so I figured with 3 - 4 hour rides I'd be able to break the rules a little more. My fitness level is fine at the moment, climbing is going really well and I'm faster so I guess I can't complain too much. Just wish my metabolism was a touch faster, though.

rather than just doing 3 - 4 hour rides, make them more intesive so that more energy is expended. that way there maybe more weight loss

ric

gee I always been told the way to lose weight was to burn more calories than what you take in
but guess you all know more than the doctors

Probably assuming that harder/more training will increase the number of calories burned=higher chance of OR more weight lost.