# Losing that final stone.



## bikingdad90 (13 Jun 2016)

I have been commuting daily by bike to work. It is 5miles each way. Over the last 6 months I have lost 12lb's and got myself down to 11st 2lb. I would ideally like to get down to about 10st which is in the middle of my bmi range.

Currently my weight loss has plateued and it has stopped. I am looking at ways to kick start it again and was thinking of throwing in some HIIT, a fasted ride (with a shake ready to go at work as don't have time once I get to work) on my commute. Any ideas?

My wife has also committed to slimming world so I am eating slimming world meals at tea time. The rest of the time I am counting calories (app on phone) and aiming to eat the equivalent of my BMR using my exercise as the deficit of 500cals a day.

Are recommendations to mix it up on the bike and get the final stone lost.


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## jonny jeez (13 Jun 2016)

I find its the first one that the problem!

Good luck


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## steve50 (13 Jun 2016)

I would certainly consider HIIT but a fasted ride, it all depends on the distance you are traveling. If just a short ride then yes fine but if a reasonable distance you could "bonk", you need to fuel the body to get the energy output required to cycle any distance so cycling on an empty stomach is not a great choice.
As for BMI index, imo that is something someone made up one day when they were bored and personally I don't believe it means a damn thing. 
The only way to lose weight and stay fit is to eat a sensible diet and exercise. Change your routine, give your body a bit of shock treatment, go to work on a different route taking in a couple of hills and bit more distance.
When i used to weight train my body would occasionally plateau, it got used to routine, the method used by many body builders to start the growth process was to change routine, swap training days / sessions about and shock the body into growing again, a favourite trick was to hit the weight room and do some VERY heavy deadlifts hitting every muscle in the body. http://www.builtlean.com/2012/05/22/weight-loss-plateau/


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## bikingdad90 (13 Jun 2016)

I have no choice. We went down to one car so I cycle to work and my wife uses the car. On wet days it can be hard but I grin and bear it.


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## Racing roadkill (13 Jun 2016)

chris harte said:


> I have been commuting daily by bike to work. It is 5miles each way. Over the last 6 months I have lost 12lb's and got myself down to 11st 2lb. I would ideally like to get down to about 10st which is in the middle of my bmi range.
> 
> Currently my weight loss has plateued and it has stopped. I am looking at ways to kick start it again and was thinking of throwing in some HIIT, a fasted ride (with a shake ready to go at work as don't have time once I get to work) on my commute. Any ideas?
> 
> ...


Plateau ing, is very normal, when losing weight. It's a function of your body beginning to use energy stores, more efficiently, as you become fitter. If you really want to push back into weight loss, keep your exercise regime pretty much the same, but try to increase the mileage a bit. The driver, will be to trim your diet a bit. There are loads of ways to achieve this, I personally went down the extreme diet route, cutting my daily calorie intake right back to 600, for the month or so, that it took, to trim off the last bit of weight I lost. It got it over with relatively quickly, which worked for me. A few years back, I went from this







To this






In about 6 months.

That's a 16 stone Rugby Union player, down to a 10 stone cyclist. It wasn't always fun, but it did work.


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## HarryTheDog (13 Jun 2016)

11 years ago I was just under morbidly obese and spent over a year getting down to a reasonable wieght. I cycled 10 miles each way at the time on a MTB. I hit plateaus along the way but I found what worked for me was hours of walking. By hours I mean say 3-4 hours the dog loved it. The theory being my intense cycling made my body go to my muscles and bloodstream for energy, the walking made it sip at my fat stores. Years later I had a Vo2 max test where from breath analysis they could tell where I was drawing my energy from. It proved for me to use fat I had to use quite a low heart rate and effort. ( below 100 I think, though you have to take into consideration I have a low RHR of 42).
If HIT training does not work for you walking might, note 5 miles of cycling does not use as many calories as you may think. for me thats barely 150 , and I wiegh more than you do.( 11st 4)
I do not like extreme diets as I have tried many over the years and they just make me tired all the time, also I believe they can slow your metabalism even more as your body learns to survive on nothing. My usual diet ( yes still have to diet at least twice a year despite 23 miles each way commute and other cycling, ) especially as I am in my 50's is to go for the high protien low carb option. I find scrambled eggs in the morning is a good tummy filler.


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## booze and cake (13 Jun 2016)

Racing roadkill said:


> Plateau ing, is very normal, when losing weight. It's a function of your body beginning to use energy stores, more efficiently, as you become fitter. If you really want to push back into weight loss, keep your exercise regime pretty much the same, but try to increase the mileage a bit. The driver, will be to trim your diet a bit. There are loads of ways to achieve this, I personally went down the extreme diet route, cutting my daily calorie intake right back to 600, for the month or so, that it took, to trim off the last bit of weight I lost. It got it over with relatively quickly, which worked for me. A few years back, I went from this
> 
> View attachment 131836
> 
> ...



Wow amazing weight loss, congrats. I would'nt have guessed its the same person! I think you went too far though, that bow tie has obviously cut off the oxygen supply to such an extent wardrobe calamities are occurring at will


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## vickster (14 Jun 2016)

booze and cake said:


> Wow amazing weight loss, congrats. I would'nt have guessed its the same person! I think you went too far though, that bow tie has obviously cut off the oxygen supply to such an extent wardrobe calamities are occurring at will


And it made his hair go grey!


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## Richard A Thackeray (14 Jun 2016)

My weight's gone up this year, & I can't lose it
I regard my 'fighting weight' as 10 Stone (+/- a couple of pounds)
Now, I'm just over 11 Stone, & miffed!

I don't think I over-eat too

I have a very active job, in the NHS, busy all shift, & the only time I get to sit down is at meal-break
I run there, or ride (not far, in ultimate terms, circa 4 miles, when I run there 'XC', a bit more by road), & then home again

I ride on my days off, or run 
I'll generally run 30-40 miles per week
Run twice a week, when shifts permit, with my running club
Race, at the ParkRuns when I can (fell-races, when I can)

Still wanting to lose that stone


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## Racing roadkill (14 Jun 2016)

Richard A Thackeray said:


> My weight's gone up this year, & I can't lose it
> I regard my 'fighting weight' as 10 Stone (+/- a couple of pounds)
> Now, I'm just over 11 Stone, & miffed!
> 
> ...


There's more to it than excersise and diet alone. Hormone production also plays a large part. If you work shifts / have odd / unusual sleep patterns, this can play hell with your system, making it harder to maintain weight loss ( seemingly ) regardless of regime. Your metabolic rate will be relatively erratic.


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## Richard A Thackeray (14 Jun 2016)

True, but shifts can be discounted to a certain extent, I don't do nights (only as an exception, to cover other staff)

Yes, even on 'late-turns', I'll be up until after midnight (not home until generally 22:45), but back up before 07:00


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## jefmcg (14 Jun 2016)

Your body might have decided that you are fine where you are. It's likely that last stone will improve your appearance but not your performance or your health. Do you have any idea what your body fat %age is? What's your waist measurement or waist/hip ratio? Is 10 stone a realistic goal, or just an arbitrary round number? What does the mirror say?


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## steve50 (14 Jun 2016)

My weight is currently creeping up but the spare tyre is slowly disappearing, I decided a few months ago that I wanted to get fit again, after abandoning the gymnasium some eighteen years ago I had gained quite a few pounds and a podgy spare tyre. So I have purchased a set of weights and a combination of cardio vascular exercise, cycling and weight / strength training is ridding me of the extra flab and the muscle is getting very toned again. I now know what people mean when they say muscle has memory.


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## bikingdad90 (14 Jun 2016)

jefmcg said:


> Your body might have decided that you are fine where you are. It's likely that last stone will improve your appearance but not your performance or your health. Do you have any idea what your body fat %age is? What's your waist measurement or waist/hip ratio? Is 10 stone a realistic goal, or just an arbitrary round number? What does the mirror say?



I am currently at the top end of healthy according to the bmi scale. 10 stone is the middle of the range and what I weighed about 5 years ago. 

My body fat when I have used the machines in gym is about 17% which is about average without getting a proper test done. 

Waist is 33inch and hips about 35inch, my beer belly although smaller is still there. 

The mirror says I look thinner but I lack definition in the midriff. My upper body is toned but not muscly and my legs are toned. 

I suppose what I really want to do is lose a little more weight to feel comfortable with my BMI and lose some fat to appear more toned in the midriff


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## Richard A Thackeray (14 Jun 2016)

jefmcg said:


> Your body might have decided that you are fine where you are. It's likely that last stone will improve your appearance but not your performance or your health


Doubt it improves my appearance (not a lot could. really!!) 

Been out with my running club earlier, I was last away as usual
I worked through the little groups, even uphill, & was with the leaders, to the turn-around point
Was first back too, after again, working through
It's harder work than it was a year ago though!



jefmcg said:


> Do you have any idea what your body fat %age is?
> What's your waist measurement or waist/hip ratio?


Not the exact percentage, just the BMI chart
It's still well within healthy limits
I'm about 5' 9"
Body mass index (BMI) =* 23*

The NHS calculator states;

Healthy weight range for this height:
*8st 13lb - 12st 2lb*
Sex: *male*
Age: *50*
Height: *5ft 9in*
Weight: *11st 2lb
*
If I enter my 'fighting weight', it gives me a BMI of *20.9*




jefmcg said:


> Is 10 stone a realistic goal, or just an arbitrary round number?


Well, I held that weight for several years, with no issues, & no real changes in diet/exercise




jefmcg said:


> What does the mirror say?


I can see the bits where the weight (fat) has settled


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## jefmcg (16 Jun 2016)

Sounds like it's not an unrealistic goal for either of you. Your body fights the last few kg because it doesn't know if there might be a famine soon. Plus it gets harder as you get older**. And you can't dictate where your body chooses to keep the fat. When I was younger I could lose enough weight so I could count my ribs and still have a wobbly arse. 

Eat a little less, move a little more. Be proud of what you have achieved so far, and grateful if that is the worst of your problems.

**I've never really had to bother too much about my weight. If I concentrated on it I'd weigh x. If I didn't, I'd weigh x+10kg. In the last year I've managed to put on 20kg. Now I have to bother  Age is one of the several factors that led to this change.


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## Tiny01 (16 Jun 2016)

swap hot drinks like tea & coffee for Green tea & watch the last few pounds fall off


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## Tin Pot (16 Jun 2016)

5 miles cycling is well within your body's capabilities it can do ten times that without breaking. So the exercise is not a significant factor.

Sort out your diet and your sleep and you'll slowly get to your target. Or massively increase your exercise.


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## mick1836 (17 Jun 2016)

Richard A Thackeray said:


> My weight's gone up this year, & I can't lose it
> I regard my 'fighting weight' as 10 Stone (+/- a couple of pounds)
> Now, I'm just over 11 Stone, & miffed!
> 
> ...



Try what I learnt at Slimming World and write down EXACTLY EVERYTHING you eat and drink, it may surprise you.


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## Richard A Thackeray (17 Jun 2016)

Okay
Wednesday, for example, from memory;

*07:00*
Porridge (1 scoop/'green' milk)
black tea, no sugar (x 2)

*10:30*
Run to work, 'XC', 4miles (steady @ 33 minutes)
Rain & circa 8 degrees

*11:15*
after shower, & changing
2 x Chicken & Chorizo sandwich (wholewheat bread)
packet Walkers S&V crisps
part of a 500ml Lucozade ('zero-cal' orange)
black tea, no sugar

*12:00* start, on the 'shop-floor'

*14:00*
sneak a black tea, no sugar

*16:30*
meal break (banana, apple & Kiwi fruit)

*20:00*
leave, to run home ('XC', again)

*20:40*
black tea, no sugar
tea, after shower
Chick Pea Dahl & 4 chappattis
Bottle of SuperMalt


Another 2 x black tea, no sugar before bed @ 22:30


I should add, I'm not a newcomer
I've been commuting by bike for between 25 & 30 years
Raced MTB & 'cross, as far back as 1990
Running for 9 years


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## Tin Pot (17 Jun 2016)

Richard A Thackeray said:


> Okay
> Wednesday, for example, from memory;
> 
> *07:00*
> ...



That's a high carb content, look to decrease that and increase meat veg and fats.

Have a normal balanced lunch and no need to load up on fruit before a half hour run.


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## Richard A Thackeray (17 Jun 2016)

Tin Pot said:


> Have a normal balanced lunch and no need to load up on fruit before a half hour run.


It wasn't a case of 'loading up', the fruit was dinner


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## Tin Pot (17 Jun 2016)

Richard A Thackeray said:


> It wasn't a case of 'loading up', the fruit was dinner



What's th chick pea Dahl, chappatis and supermalt?

It's quite an unusual looking diet - what's the thinking behind it?


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## Turdus philomelos (18 Jun 2016)

No much protein in that list Richard. 

Get rid of the wheat of any kind and up your protein and good fats.


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## mick1836 (18 Jun 2016)

Richard A Thackeray said:


> Okay
> Wednesday, for example, from memory;
> 
> *07:00*
> ...



I lost 8½ stone attending and staying for the Slimming World group meetings, using this method means you cannot cheat recording your weight loss or gain. Via SW I learnt that *bread* was a BIG NO NO, every morning I have 35g of porridge and a banana with full skimmed milk.

Be careful even when using 'Light' dressing for salads, I try and use just vinegar and when I feel hungry eat a piece of fruit.


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## bikingdad90 (18 Jun 2016)

I have been using the lose it app for the past week and found that 

A) my most calorific meal is tea time and
B) I have been eating a lot of carby foods such as potatoe, rice and pasta at those meals.

On the plus side I have lost a 1lb this week through cycling variations of my route to mix it up and doing some high cadence cycling to push my heart rate up.

The introduction of a protein shake has given me what feels like more energy to push on the evening commute home as I dont feel tired particularly at the end of the week.


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## bozmandb9 (26 Jul 2016)

chris harte said:


> I have been commuting daily by bike to work. It is 5miles each way. Over the last 6 months I have lost 12lb's and got myself down to 11st 2lb. I would ideally like to get down to about 10st which is in the middle of my bmi range.
> 
> Currently my weight loss has plateued and it has stopped. I am looking at ways to kick start it again and was thinking of throwing in some HIIT, a fasted ride (with a shake ready to go at work as don't have time once I get to work) on my commute. Any ideas?
> 
> ...



Be careful with this - do you really want to lose weight, or do you want to lose fat? What I mean is, if your body has adapted already, and you just push a deficit, then you may catabolise muscle, which is probably not what you want. Make sure you are eating enough calories, and ensure that they are high quality. Don't go below your BMR (basal metabolic rate). If you maintain a calorie deficit for too long, or too high a deficit, then your metabolism just slows, long term it can cause real problems. 

May be better to shake up your training, try some intervals (you can probably do this on your commute), try extending your rides (take the scenic route home?) Finally, make sure your calculations are accurate, it's easy to get the figures wrong if your portion sizes are higher than you are inputting to your phone, which can leave you consuming a lot more calories than you thought. Oh, and avoid empty calories from alcohol.


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## Starchivore (26 Jul 2016)

chris harte said:


> I have been using the lose it app for the past week and found that
> 
> A) my most calorific meal is tea time and
> B) I have been eating a lot of carby foods such as potatoe, rice and pasta at those meals.
> ...



Having starchy foods such as potatoes as the basis of your diet is a good thing because they are low in calorie density- so they fill you up before you can eat a large amount of calories.

If you are looking to lose weight and become healthier then it would be sensible to give protein shakes a miss. Maybe you could have a banana or two instead?

For anyone browsing the thread, regarding weight loss:

*Highly *recommended reading, from a dietician with a lot of experience and success:

http://www.jeffnovick.com/RD/Articl...Common_Sense_Approach_To_Sound_Nutrition.html

Some helpful graphics:


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## ColinJ (26 Jul 2016)

bozmandb9 said:


> Be careful with this - do you really want to lose weight, or do you want to lose fat? What I mean is, if your body has adapted already, and you just push a deficit, then you may catabolise muscle, which is probably not what you want.


I can vouch for that ...

When I got seriously ill in 2012 I lost over 2 stone in less than a month and a lot of that was muscle. My previously chunky leg muscles rapidly withered away and my legs became horribly scrawny and barely able to support me. 

It definitely put me off crash dieting!


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## bikingdad90 (26 Jul 2016)

To report back. I have had some success. I am now down to 10 stone 3 lbs. I haven't lost much muscle mainly fat. I can see definition where I couldn't before so I am pretty happy. I am currently in the process of working out what my daily calorie intake should be so I stay the same weight.


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## WelshJon (27 Jul 2016)

Remain in a 500 calorie deficit.

When you calculated your calorie requirements you were probably heavier, perhaps re-calculate at your now lighter weight.
Do you only track calories or also macros fat, carbs protein etc. ? Good idea to keep protein high as possible to retain muscle mass when shedding fat. The art of bodybuilding is all about ripping fat off the body whilst retaining as much muscle as possible during the 'cutting phase'.

Look up bodybuilding sites on how to calculate your macros for your desired goal, and stick to them ! Usually called IIFYM (if it fits your macros)


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## nickyboy (28 Jul 2016)

Richard A Thackeray said:


> Bottle of SuperMalt



I quite like the idea of this diet providing it's ok to switch the "Super" for "Single"


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## david k (21 Aug 2016)

Racing roadkill said:


> Plateau ing, is very normal, when losing weight. It's a function of your body beginning to use energy stores, more efficiently, as you become fitter. If you really want to push back into weight loss, keep your exercise regime pretty much the same, but try to increase the mileage a bit. The driver, will be to trim your diet a bit. There are loads of ways to achieve this, I personally went down the extreme diet route, cutting my daily calorie intake right back to 600, for the month or so, that it took, to trim off the last bit of weight I lost. It got it over with relatively quickly, which worked for me. A few years back, I went from this
> 
> View attachment 131836
> 
> ...



Arh, I was highly impressed until this bit 'Rugby Union player' wrong code my friend, your weight loss is very impressive well done, now work on your rugby code


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## Racing roadkill (21 Aug 2016)

david k said:


> Arh, I was highly impressed until this bit 'Rugby Union player' wrong code my friend, your weight loss is very impressive well done, now work on your rugby code


I would, but at least the nut grabbing and arse touching / sexual deviance is concensual in Union.


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## Richard A Thackeray (27 Aug 2016)

Richard A Thackeray said:


> My weight's gone up this year, & I can't lose it
> I regard my 'fighting weight' as 10 Stone (+/- a couple of pounds)
> Now, I'm just over 11 Stone, & miffed!
> 
> Still wanting to lose that stone



It's starting to come off
I was 10St 9 this morning


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## adamangler (11 Sep 2016)

Best to do some weight lifting when losing weight to minimise muscle loss.


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