# My Ten Point Plan to Lose Weight



## Rooster1 (21 Dec 2016)

I am in good health and only slightly overweight, but I have a bit of a belly and extra love handles around the waist so.....

My plan for 2017 is...

1. Stop eating biscuits, especially the ones but directly behind me in the office!!!
2. Stop eating the kids leftovers at tea time, or finishing off "extra" portions
3. Stop eating crisps
4. Stop using full fat milk in tea and coffee
5. Cut down on the beer, wine etc.
6. Do some sit-ups each morning and evening
7. Push harder on my lunch time rides 
8. Cut out sugar for a week (or as long as it is possible) - I dont take sugar in tea and coffee
9. Stop stuffing my face after a ride, just eat normally
10. Any suggestions______________

I will get myself weighed now, after XMAS and check in end of January!


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## ColinJ (21 Dec 2016)

Simplify to ...

1. Eat good quality food in sensible amounts.
2. Cut down drastically on treats/junk food.
3. Cycle more.


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## Dayvo (21 Dec 2016)

Sit-ups won't help. You won't burn fat, you'll possibly damage your back, and you limit the muscles being trained.

How old are you? If you're under 40, then you should be doing more cardio exercise (running [fartlek/interval style], skipping, swimming). If you're over 40 then look at doing compound training (there's plenty of good advice on the net, this is the first 'decent-looking' one I found):

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/mahler108.htm


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## Big Andy (21 Dec 2016)

Joining slimming world worked for me.


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## tyred (21 Dec 2016)

The one simple exercise guaranteed to work is to get up and walk away from table.


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## Oldfentiger (21 Dec 2016)

I limit my sit-ups to one a day, straight after I wake up


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## r04DiE (21 Dec 2016)

Oldfentiger said:


> I limit my sit-ups to one a day, straight after I wake up


POTW, surely?


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## Oldfentiger (21 Dec 2016)

r04DiE said:


> POTW, surely?


I have no idea what POTW is. Sorry.


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## helston90 (21 Dec 2016)

If I didn't eat my kids leftovers I would pretty much starve- this explains the 10kg extra I could easily do with losing.


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## Rooster1 (21 Dec 2016)

Me is 38


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## Dayvo (21 Dec 2016)

Rooster1 said:


> Me is 38



Well, now you know what to do. And it'll be a lot of sweat, but if done regularly, you WILL see results.


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## ianrauk (21 Dec 2016)

Rooster1 said:


> I am in good health and only slightly overweight, but I have a bit of a belly and extra love handles around the waist so.....
> 
> I will get myself weighed now, after XMAS and check in end of January!



I was the same age (38) when I came back to cycling after a 14 year lay off. In that time I ballooned up to nearly 16 stone.
So.. what I did was...............

1. Stop eating biscuits, especially the ones but directly behind me in the office!!! _*This, but not completely, can't do without biccies now and again. *_
2. Stop eating the kids leftovers at tea time, or finishing off "extra" portions. _*This, well the extra portions bit*_
3. Stop eating crisps _*This, but not completely, can't do with crisps now and again. *_
4. Stop using full fat milk in tea and coffee. _*Changed to Semi Skimmed*_
5. Cut down on the beer, wine etc. _*This, big time. No more drinking for me on a school night*. _
6. Do some sit-ups each morning and evening._ *None of this malarky, not needed.*_
7. Push harder on my lunch time rides._ *Didn't do any of these. But fill your boots.*_
8. Cut out sugar for a week (or as long as it is possible) -_ *I stopped all sugar in tea and coffee but gone back to sugar in coffee (it's just too bitter). *_
9. Stop stuffing my face after a ride, just eat normally. _*This, though it can be very hard to resist fridge raiding after a ride. *_
10. Any suggestions_______________ *Yes, ride your bike on a very regular basis*_*.*

As with all things with food and drink, moderation is the key. Cut out the crap, eat more healthy, cut down on the booze and ride your bike more regular,further and faster.

Withing 6 months I had lost 3 and a half stone. I'm now 50. Still have a bit of a belly and extra love handles, but that's because I love my food too much. If I worked harder and went on a strict diet I could probably lose another half a stone. But where is the fun in that?.


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## kingrollo (21 Dec 2016)

Try the 5-2 diet 
It does educate you as how much hunger is in your head. 2 non consecutive days you limit your calories to 600 (which takes some doing) - the real eye opener for me though, was that the next day you expect to wake up starving - but you aren't ! 
Don't try and mix it with full eyeballs out training though ! the fast days should be lighter training or rest days....


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## User6179 (21 Dec 2016)

Rooster1 said:


> I am in good health and only slightly overweight, but I have a bit of a belly and extra love handles around the waist so.....
> 
> My plan for 2017 is...
> 
> ...



Sounds like you have made up a list for 2017 so you can eat like a pig over the festive period 
I used to do this every year


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## Racing roadkill (21 Dec 2016)

Try using 'sprays' in your pans, if you fry stuff, rather than straight out of the bottle liquid oils, you'd be amazed how many calories you can save.


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## mjr (21 Dec 2016)

Oldfentiger said:


> I have no idea what POTW is. Sorry.


Pee'd Off The World.





kingrollo said:


> Try the 5-2 diet


Eating 5 loaves and 2 fishes seems appropriate for Christmas but I don't see how it'll help lose weight. 



kingrollo said:


> Don't try and mix it with full eyeballs out training though ! the fast days should be lighter training or rest days....


How are you going to go fast on a rest day?


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## smutchin (21 Dec 2016)

ColinJ said:


> Simplify to ...
> 
> 1. Eat good quality food in sensible amounts.
> 2. Cut down drastically on treats/junk food.
> 3. Cycle more.



That's fine as a principle but it's generic and vague, and therefore not so easy to follow. I think the OP has the right idea to identify specific causes (such as the biscuits at work) and address those - much easier to work to a well-defined strategy.

Of course, it will only work if the OP is brutally honest with himself and isn't ignoring other specific sources of excess calories. I found that keeping a food diary helped (myfitnesspal) though it does require a lot of self-discipline to keep it up.


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## r04DiE (21 Dec 2016)

Oldfentiger said:


> I have no idea what POTW is. Sorry.


Its Post Of The Week, of course!! You might even have won POTM with that one


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## smutchin (21 Dec 2016)

Rooster1 said:


> 4. Stop using full fat milk in tea and coffee



Assuming around 30ml of milk per cuppa, swapping whole milk for semi-skimmed will achieve a reduction of 6 calories, skimmed milk will achieve a reduction of 10 calories. Unless you're drinking gallons of tea and coffee every day, that's not going to make a significant difference.

One digestive biscuit is around 70 calories, so doing without that biscuit to go with your cuppa is a far more significant benefit.

Cutting out those extra portions of dinner will be even more significant, probably accounting for several hundred calories a time.

Consider also that one less post-work pint with your colleagues is a saving of 200-250 calories.



> 9. Stop stuffing my face after a ride, just eat normally



This is a good one. It's easy to deceive yourself that you've 'earned' a big feed after a ride.


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## Racing roadkill (21 Dec 2016)

Oh, don't forget the classic mistake. It's very easy to confuse thirsty with hungry.


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## Racing roadkill (21 Dec 2016)

I know a thing or two about how to lose a few pounds.
Exhibit A. 
Me after a severe injury enforced 18 month cycling hiatus, back in 2009







Exhibit B.

Me 12 months later, having got back to the cycling, and doing my own version of dieting.







That's 7 stone lighter.


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## Banjo (21 Dec 2016)

That is a serious achievement. Am I reading correctly that you lost 7 stone in one year ?Wow.

I am about 2 stone above my ideal weight and plan on starting a weight loss plan on 27th December. Also wont be going silly over Christmas .


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## User6179 (21 Dec 2016)

I have lost nearly 3 stone since August with the four hour diet which I invented myself , I can only eat every 4 hours , no snacking unless on a ride, no fry ups, no cheese, takeaway on a Saturday, no alcohol 

I have about a stone left to lose which I think will take as long as the previous 3 stone as the weather is stopping me getting some miles in .


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## Rooster1 (21 Dec 2016)

[QUOTE 4606292, member: 9609"]stone [/QUOTE]

no, in stone, 11


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## Racing roadkill (21 Dec 2016)

GGJ said:


> Cut out Chinese/Italian/Indian/Mexican takeaway meals
> Cut out 'supermarket' ready meals
> Cook proper meals using fresh ingredients
> Plenty fresh fruit & vegetables
> ...


Steady on there.

Don't cut out all the 'treats' completely. Just cut them out on non riding days, and be aware of portion size. Allow yourself 'sins'. These are things that shouldn't really be eaten / drunk during a diet phase, but be aware of the calorie content of the 'sin', and limit them accordingly. If you do drink alcohol, swap things like beers and wines, for spirits. If you're a spirit and mixer type of drinker, swap the normal mixer for a low cal version, some alcohol free beers aren't too obnoxious either ( Becks Blue for example ). Remember to tell yourself that the diet your on, is not a permanent thing, just a way of fixing a problem. When you have shifted the weight, remember not to do the things that caused the weight gain in the first place again. 90 percent of the battle is mental, you beat that, you'll win.


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## cyberknight (21 Dec 2016)

I need to cut back atm , night shift is my problem as i get up and stuff my face with all of the aforementioned biccies/ choc if im not careful , that and i put my back out the other week so i have been taking it easy .
Aiming to get back to my proper weight of 147 llbs for the new year .


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## keithmac (21 Dec 2016)

Rooster1 said:


> no, in stone, 11



How tall are you?, my ideal weight is 76kg at 5'10" which is around 11 stone iirc?.

Remember if you've got muscle on your legs it'll scew the BMI slightly.

For me the top end of "healthy" BMI is what I aim for, the bottom end would be too light..


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## cyberknight (21 Dec 2016)

keithmac said:


> How tall are you?, my ideal weight is 76kg at 5'10" which is around 11 stone iirc?.
> 
> Remember if you've got muscle on your legs it'll scew the BMI slightly.
> 
> For me the top end of "healthy" BMI is what I aim for, the bottom end would be too light..


76kg is close to 12 stone, 11 stone is about 70 kg


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## screenman (21 Dec 2016)

I have gone up 20lb this year and it will come off next, to much comfort eating unfortunately. All I have to do is move out of the house and stop going to Boston, that should lose that much in just a couple of weeks.

Or another idea is super glue my gob shut.


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## kingrollo (22 Dec 2016)

Eddy said:


> I have lost nearly 3 stone since August with the four hour diet which I invented myself , I can only eat every 4 hours , no snacking unless on a ride, no fry ups, no cheese, takeaway on a Saturday, no alcohol
> 
> I have about a stone left to lose which I think will take as long as the previous 3 stone as the weather is stopping me getting some miles in .



You should put that in book - you could be sitting on a goldmine. !


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## steve292 (22 Dec 2016)

Racing roadkill said:


> Steady on there.
> 
> Don't cut out all the 'treats' completely. Just cut them out on non riding days, and be aware of portion size. Allow yourself 'sins'. These are things that shouldn't really be eaten / drunk during a diet phase, but be aware of the calorie content of the 'sin', and limit them accordingly. If you do drink alcohol, swap things like beers and wines, for spirits. If you're a spirit and mixer type of drinker, swap the normal mixer for a low cal version, some alcohol free beers aren't too obnoxious either ( Becks Blue for example ). Remember to tell yourself that the diet your on, is not a permanent thing, just a way of fixing a problem. When you have shifted the weight, remember not to do the things that caused the weight gain in the first place again. 90 percent of the battle is mental, you beat that, you'll win.



^^^^^^^^ this in spades. that's almost exactly what I did, but I cut out the beer almost completely. even the alcohol free stuff


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## Prometheus (23 Dec 2016)

Have you had a look at ketossis or a ketogenic diet it works.
It has prob's but you can go down to 500 cal's per day.
I am losing a .5 kg per day average and don't feel hungry, and that is the main consideration.
Downside you cant ride bike due to lack of glycogen in legs!
But everything else functions.


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## Racing roadkill (23 Dec 2016)

Prometheus said:


> ketosis or a ketogenic diet it works.




Granted It makes you lose weight.



Prometheus said:


> It has prob's



Serious ones, that don't become obvious for a while.

You'd be better off sticking your finger / a tooth brush down your throat after eating.


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## JohnClimber (23 Dec 2016)

Prometheus said:


> Have you had a look at ketossis or a ketogenic diet it works.
> It has prob's but you can go down to 500 cal's per day.
> I am losing a .5 kg per day average and don't feel hungry, and that is the main consideration.
> Downside you cant ride bike due to lack of glycogen in legs!
> But everything else functions.



I affect different people in different ways, I'm not fully Ketogenic, but i've given up bread, Rice and pasta. And my endurance has gone up although my sprint speed has dropped a little it doesn't affect my type of riding that much.

Lost a stone, although yesterday was a full on pizza day (I'm weak) andI can't give up my Coke Zero or Diet Irn Bru.

It works for some


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## Prometheus (23 Dec 2016)

Racing roadkill said:


> Granted It makes you lose weight.
> 
> 
> 
> ...





Quite right, best to keep it secret for the time being.
Needs a lot of research and testing first.
The Hunters of the Neolithic have a lot to answer for.


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## Prometheus (23 Dec 2016)

JohnClimber said:


> I affect different people in different ways, I'm not fully Ketogenic, but i've given up bread, Rice and pasta. And my endurance has gone up although my sprint speed has dropped a little it doesn't affect my type of riding that much.
> 
> Lost a stone, although yesterday was a full on pizza day (I'm weak) andI can't give up my Coke Zero or Diet Irn Bru.
> 
> It works for some




That's good to hear that you been successful.

I try to get *all* my carb out of low carb veg's
with a 100 cal's top up from time to time.
That way I can have a steak for diner and
still lose weight fast.


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## Racing roadkill (23 Dec 2016)

Prometheus said:


> Quite right, best to keep it secret for the time being.
> Needs a lot of research and testing first.
> The Hunters of the Neolithic have a lot to answer for.


Well, if you need the science behind the problems, they are quite simple.

You feel the issues in your leg muscles, you mentioned it, yes?

What do you think your heart is?

A bit of leg muscle damage, and all you'll get is a bit of loss of function, in the long term.

Any heart muscle damage, is a much bigger problem.

There are better, safer ways to lose weight. Ketosis diets are effective in the short term, but relatively risky. There are many reason humans now routinely live past their early thirties these days, evolution, education, understanding of diet and nutrition are but a few.


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## JD42 (2 Jan 2017)

Admittedly I have lost a stone in last 14 days due to illness but prior to that I lost 2 stone with no diet or lifestyle change...just head down arse up on the bike. We only have a takeaway once a month in the house and eat properly every day. I still like a treat with a brew... it's all relative.


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## Julia9054 (2 Jan 2017)

I intend to stop drinking except for very occasionally. I used to drink very sparingly but took up beer when we moved house 18 months ago. In the last 18 months, 7 - 10 pounds have crept on - clearly not a coincidence. I am still within the healthy BMI range but flabbier than I'd like to be.
I am also awaiting the results of some potentially serious medical tests. If I am going to have a really crappy start to 2017, it will help if I am as healthy as I can be.
Time for all the clothes on and off on my bike . . .


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## Racing roadkill (2 Jan 2017)

JD42 said:


> Admittedly I have lost a stone in last 14 days due to illness but prior to that I lost 2 stone with no diet or lifestyle change...just head down arse up on the bike. We only have a takeaway once a month in the house and eat properly every day. I still like a treat with a brew... it's all relative.


That's exactly right. Eat a healthy, balanced diet, don't wait until you feel hungry before you eat, that's a sure fire way to find yourself over eating.


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## Drago (2 Jan 2017)

I had all sorts of plans that worked with differeng degrees of success, but the only one that worked long term was to bin the fizzy pop and start running.


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## fixedfixer (2 Jan 2017)

I use an App called MyNet Diary where you log what you eat and your exercise. You can use barcodes to scan food values - you'd be surprised how many miles you need to cycle to burn off those biscuits.


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## Saluki (2 Jan 2017)

Short term goals are a really good incentive. I gave myself little rewards too, when I was losing weight (lost 3 1/2 stone the year before last). For every 7lbs I lost I bought myself a new CD. For every 1lb I lost I stuck a quid in a jam jar. I drew a smiley for every day I stuck to plan on my calendar, same with riding, I drew a bike. You get to the point where you just don't want to break a 'streak'. Its a visual thing.

As for treats, a freezer is a beautiful thing. If you like chocolate, break the bar into chunks and stick them in your freezer. they last an age in your mouth then and you feel satisfied with one or two bits instead of the whole bar. Works with snickers, mars etc too. just slice them up.

I give (and gave) myself weekly exercise challenges. Things like walk 10,000 steps in a day or ride for 5 hours in a week, get at least 2 swims in. 
Breaking things into smaller chunks is often a key tool in weight loss and getting fitter. I ran a few half Ironman events a decade and a half ago. My first goal was not to run a half iron man, it was to be able to ride 10 miles on my bike (I was already a good, fit runner) and to swim for half a mile without stopping. It just grew from there. Little goals that you achieve end up becoming stepping stones to that big huge goal that is looming in your mind.

Just my four penneth worth. I'll shut up and go away now.


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## ColinJ (2 Jan 2017)

Saluki said:


> My first goal was not to run a half iron man, it was to be able to ride 10 miles on my bike (I was already a good, fit runner).


I am not being funny here, but this is something that has always baffled me ...

Riding a bike (at a moderate speed) is so much easier than running that I can never understand why a runner would not automatically be able to ride a decent distance.

I know that muscles are used differently so a fit cyclist might be able to ride faster than a fit runner, but I really can't see why any runner would struggle to ride (say) 20-30 (flat) miles.

Having said that, I remember reading about pro cyclists getting knackered doing less than an hour of _walking_, so maybe it _is_ just a question of different muscle groups.


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## JD42 (2 Jan 2017)

ColinJ said:


> I am not being funny here, but this is something that has always baffled me ...
> 
> Riding a bike (at a moderate speed) is so much easier than running that I can never understand why a runner would not automatically be able to ride a decent distance.
> 
> ...


Cycle fit and running fit are two totally different things. Muscle groups used in different ways.. the impact of running on the body itself means it takes alot more conditioning.


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## ColinJ (2 Jan 2017)

JD42 said:


> Cycle fit and running fit are two totally different things


Riding 10 miles doesn't require you to be fit!

I had a 20 year break from cycling and the first ride I did after that was 15 miles long with a steep hill in the middle. I wasn't fit.


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## smutchin (2 Jan 2017)

ColinJ said:


> I know that muscles are used differently so a fit cyclist might be able to ride faster than a fit runner, but I really can't see why any runner would struggle to ride (say) 20-30 (flat) miles.



I once did a group duathlon (run-bike-run) duathlon where most of the group were predominantly runners rather than cyclists, while I'm more of a cyclist than a runner. I was several minutes behind them on the run, but they struggled to keep up with me on the bike, even sitting in my draft. 

I don't think it's just using different muscles, it's those muscles being accustomed to being used in certain ways - the action of running and the action of pedalling are quite different.


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## JD42 (2 Jan 2017)

ColinJ said:


> Riding 10 miles doesn't require you to be fit!
> 
> I had a 20 year break from cycling and the first ride I did after that was 15 miles long with a steep hill in the middle. I wasn't fit.


Certainly doesn't if you ride at 5mph... it's all relative. But if you want to ride 10 miles in 30 minutes... different story. That's why I said the two types are so apart. The effort required is totally different and so is the expended energy.


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## Pale Rider (2 Jan 2017)

My 10 point plan to lose weight:

1. Eat less.
2. Repeat 1 nine times.


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## Julia9054 (2 Jan 2017)

ColinJ said:


> I am not being funny here, but this is something that has always baffled me ...
> 
> Riding a bike (at a moderate speed) is so much easier than running that I can never understand why a runner would not automatically be able to ride a decent distance.
> 
> ...


Odd, isn't it!
I took a friend on a bike ride a couple of years ago and almost broke her! We only rode 25 miles and I had to leave her in a cafe, cycle home and get the car. She runs marathons!
I'm fairly sure I couldn't run to the end of the road ( disclaimer - never tried!)


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## CanucksTraveller (2 Jan 2017)

Pale Rider said:


> My 10 point plan to lose weight:
> 
> 1. Eat less.
> 2. Repeat 1 nine times.



Mine is similar: 

1: Eat less. 
2: Do more. 

Bizarrely, it seems to work.


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## Pale Rider (2 Jan 2017)

CanucksTraveller said:


> Mine is similar:
> 
> 1: Eat less.
> 2: Do more.
> ...



Aye, fearsomely complicated business isn't it?


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## Spinney (2 Jan 2017)

Saluki said:


> As for treats, a freezer is a beautiful thing. If you like chocolate, break the bar into chunks and stick them in your freezer. they last an age in your mouth then and you feel satisfied with one or two bits instead of the whole bar. Works with snickers, mars etc too. just slice them up.


As someone who thinks nothing of guzzling a whole bar in one go  - that sounds worth a try!


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## Saluki (2 Jan 2017)

Spinney said:


> As someone who thinks nothing of guzzling a whole bar in one go  - that sounds worth a try!


It works for me. I also hide my chocolate in various places in the freezer. I buy expensive 70% stuff now as I get my choc hit with the little bit that I eat. I can shave little curls of the stuff off with my front teeth and make one bit last half an hour or more. I might refreeze it (not killed me yet)


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## dim (2 Jan 2017)

nutribullet, plus cycling plus running .... thats all you need to loose weight


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## Saluki (2 Jan 2017)

ColinJ said:


> I am not being funny here, but this is something that has always baffled me ...
> 
> Riding a bike (at a moderate speed) is so much easier than running that I can never understand why a runner would not automatically be able to ride a decent distance.
> 
> ...


I lived in N Staffs. It was lumpy. I am a Norfolk girl and lumps are an anathema to me.

Yup, riding is easier than running but running muscles protest like buggery when you start riding. Nowadays I couldn't run if my life depended on it, well I probably could but it wouldn't be pretty or efficient


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## ColinJ (2 Jan 2017)

Saluki said:


> I lived in N Staffs. It was lumpy. I am a Norfolk girl and lumps are an anathema to me.
> 
> Yup, riding is easier than running but running muscles protest like buggery when you start riding. Nowadays I couldn't run if my life depended on it, well I probably could but it wouldn't be pretty or efficient


Ah, well, hills definitely do make things harder.

I always found running difficult but that isn't surprising because there is the pounding that it gives one's legs which cycling doesn't do.


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## Saluki (2 Jan 2017)

ColinJ said:


> Ah, well, hills definitely do make things harder.
> 
> I always found running difficult but that isn't surprising because there is the pounding that it gives one's legs which cycling doesn't do.


I have no hankering, any longer, to run. Cycling is all I need. That and a bit of planking to keep my core in shape


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## MarkF (2 Jan 2017)

Interesting read..................I am 54 and the same weight as when I was 25, but I have a better physique now. I drink like a fish but have a real fear of being a fatso, so I only eat when I am hungry (never meat) and I only eat well. I never touch, or want, sweets, pasties, stodgy stuff and I can't see my weight doing anything but go down a bit as I age.


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## ColinJ (2 Jan 2017)

MarkF said:


> Interesting read..................I am 54 and the same weight as when I was 25, but I have a better physique now. I drink like a fish but have a real fear of being a fatso, so I only eat when I am hungry (never meat) and I only eat well. I never touch, or want, sweets, pasties, stodgy stuff and I can't see my weight doing anything but go down a bit as I age.


You are getting a lot of 'empty calories' from the alcohol. Since you are not putting on weight you must be eating correspondingly less food. You are not getting the nutrients and fibre that you would normally get from the missing food.


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## MarkF (2 Jan 2017)

ColinJ said:


> You are getting a lot of 'empty calories' from the alcohol. Since you are not putting on weight you must be eating correspondingly less food. You are not getting the nutrients and fibre that you would normally get from the missing food.



Yeah I know, it's my "normal" diet. 

I always give up alcohol for a period after Xmas so I'll keep an eye on my weight.


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## jay clock (2 Jan 2017)

Eat less move more. Stick to My Fitness Pal. Will work for most of us. 89kg and want to get to 80 over next few mths as doing another Ironman and the less I weigh the faster i am


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