Diet - Plateaued

[jamin100]

Wondering if you can help me out a little.
I started commuting to work back in November where I weighted around the region of 220lbs. Im 5'10
My commute is 10 miles each way and I aim for at least 2 times a week on the bike.
I don't do any other form of exercise.

Im currently weighing 200lbs so am pretty pleased with the 20lbs loss. However now im looking to take it a bit further and would love to shed another 20lbs. I havent changed my diet at all since i started cycling and my weight seems to have plateaued at 200lbs.

Im guessing that in order for me to loose more weight, what I eat is something im going to need to change. I understand that I need to burn more that what im putting in to loose weight but dont think I could keep counting calories and working out how many i have left etc....

My current diet consists of the following.

6:40am - Cornflakes, Skimmed milk. (no sugar)
8:00am - Cup of tea, semi-skimmed milk, 2 sweetners
10:00am - Breakfast bar
11:00am - Cup of tea, semi-skimmed milk, 2 sweetners
12:00 - Ham or cheese or chicken sandwhich, 2 slices of white bread, no butter, low-fat Salad Cream. 1 can of Diet coke or Coke Zero, packet of crisps
2:00pm - Cup of tea, semi-skimmed milk, 2 sweetners
5:30pm - Dinner (now this could be anything from, potatoes, meat & veg to pizza, burgers,pasta, soup etc. Wife does all the cooking
7-9pm - Cup of tea, semi-skimmed milk, 2 sweetners

writing it down, it doesnt look all that good clearly, so i need some ideas to change it.
Looking at it its clear that at the moment Im not getting any fruit which is shocking as I dont know when I stopped incorporating bananas, oranges and grapes into my diet.

Advice appreciated.

PS: I turn 30 next May so really shifting more of this weight by then would really be great

 

[ianrauk]

6 years ago I was also 220lbs. I am now at 170lbs.

Looking at your daily diet is pretty much the same as mine. Apart from the Coke. I don't drink any fizzy drinks. I also changed my diet to incorporate more fruit and veg. I do have a sandwich now and again for lunch but mostly I have 3 pieces of fruit, (Apple, Orange & Banana) a fruit bar, a 2 finger kitkat and a bag of crisps. I have a normal meal in the evening.

Cut back on any choccies and biccies or similar as snacks in the evening (this is hard for me as I love both)
Also if you booze regularly, cut down on that. And I mean cut right back. To a couple of beers a week at most.

Most of all you really need to up your cycling mileage exercise. 2 days a week is not enough if you are not doing any other exercise the other 5 days. Is there any reason that you don't commute 5 days a week or get out for a longer ride at weekends?.

 

[jamin100]

6 years ago I was also 220lbs. I am now at 170lbs.

Looking at your daily diet is pretty much the same as mine. Apart from the Coke. I don't drink any fizzy drinks. I also changed my diet to incorporate more fruit and veg. I do have a sandwich now and again for lunch but mostly I have 3 pieces of fruit, (Apple, Orange & Banana) a fruit bar, a 2 finger kitkat and a bag of crisps. I have a normal meal in the evening.

Cut back on any choccies and biccies or similar as snacks in the evening (this is hard for me as I love both)
Also if you booze regularly, cut down on that. And I mean cut right back. To a couple of beers a week at most.

Most of all you really need to up your cycling mileage exercise. 2 days a week is not enough if you are not doing any other exercise the other 5 days. Is there any reason that you don't commute 5 days a week or get out for a longer ride at weekends?.

Thanks for your post, it all makes sense and i just need to give myself a good kick up the backside.

In regards to booze, I dont drink at all really. Last time I had any alcohol was probably christmas? . . . I have 3 children, 2 of which are very young and I found that getting up early in the morning with them and a hangover just wasn't worth it, so i packed it in completely.

Again, having the children often means that I dont get out at weekends and to be honest not sure that I'd want too. I dont like exercise at the best of times however, by cycling to work i think of it along the lines of, "well, id only be sitting in the car anyway, so may as well take the extra 10 minutes and go on the bike" My 10 mile commute in takes me 38 minutes most of the time and around 45 on the way back.

I guess the real reason is weather to be honest. I have a decent ish bike (boardman CX) so i know it can handle the weather and have budget but decent clothes so i guess there's nothing stopping me going out in the rain. when the weather is nice, and by nice i mean just not raining and gale force winds then I do try and get out as many times as possible. I am for at least twice but usually manage 3 outings

 

[fossyant]

Certainly commute by bike. Get guards, maybe panniers, and some waterproofs. I find waterproof overshoes the best thing. You'll soon get in the swing. Rain just means more maintenance. If you keep this up. by Christmas you'll be looking at ways to still get into work if you have ice, or even a foot of snow (MTB's with studded tyres are awesome).

I can't see much wrong with the quantity of food, but you need more fruit and fruit juices. Certainly up the exercise, and cycling to work doesn't hit family time too much.

 

[jamin100]

Certainly commute by bike. Get guards, maybe panniers, and some waterproofs. I find waterproof overshoes the best thing. You'll soon get in the swing. Rain just means more maintenance. If you keep this up. by Christmas you'll be looking at ways to still get into work if you have ice, or even a foot of snow (MTB's with studded tyres are awesome).

Done, Done, Done, Done

 

[ianrauk]

^^ Nice one. Looks good.
And all prepared for all weathers.
So no beating around the bush.... you gotta get on and commute 5 days.

 

[Nearly there]

Don't diet Just cut back on what you eat,for example If you eat 4 slices of bread a day cut it back to 2,If you have a bag of crisps everyday miss a day,If you have a pizza twice a week have it once instead etc etc plus keep the exercise going.Everyone will have their opinion on weight loss but I believe you should continue to eat foods you love but in moderation.

 

[Sittingduck]

Get out on the bike more and eat more fruit and veg. The rest will take care of itself. Roughly totted-up your typical daily intake, in my head and it's not that much... Perhaps 2000 cals.

 

[MattHB]

^^ Nice one. Looks good.
And all prepared for all weathers.
So no beating around the bush.... you gotta get on and commute 5 days.

I think Ian's hit the nail on head here. If your diet is ok (it looks it to me) and you're still heavier than you want to be the only option is to ride more. But unless you ride regularly your body will compensate short term which will stall any weight loss. (I've lost 38lbs now)

I didn't start loosing weight properly, including my body adapting accordingly, until I was riding 70+ a week.

 

[jamin100]

80 miles a week is 4 days on the bike for me. Which i know i can do, ive just got to get doing it!
Thanks for all the suggestions so far, im actually glad that my diet doesnt seem that bad to people, I will try to remove the breakfast bars& crisps and replace them with fruit. I'll try upping my miles a bit too, Im on the bike today and plan to be on it tomorrow aswel. I need the car on Wednesday but cant see why I wouldnt go on the bike Thursday/Friday. Apart from the weather forcast that is

 

[ianrauk]

The weather shouldn't be an excuse unless it's treacherous Ice or snow out there. Rain should not stop you cycling. To be a little more blunt, If you are serious about losing weight then you will have to forgo the excuses and get on your bike on a more regular basis and keep at it.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Wondering if you can help me out a little.
I started commuting to work back in November where I weighted around the region of 220lbs. Im 5'10
My commute is 10 miles each way and I aim for at least 2 times a week on the bike.
I don't do any other form of exercise.

Im currently weighing 200lbs so am pretty pleased with the 20lbs loss. However now im looking to take it a bit further and would love to shed another 20lbs. I havent changed my diet at all since i started cycling and my weight seems to have plateaued at 200lbs.

Im guessing that in order for me to loose more weight, what I eat is something im going to need to change. I understand that I need to burn more that what im putting in to loose weight but dont think I could keep counting calories and working out how many i have left etc....

My current diet consists of the following.

6:40am - Cornflakes, Skimmed milk. (no sugar)
8:00am - Cup of tea, semi-skimmed milk, 2 sweetners
10:00am - Breakfast bar
11:00am - Cup of tea, semi-skimmed milk, 2 sweetners
12:00 - Ham or cheese or chicken sandwhich, 2 slices of white bread, no butter, low-fat Salad Cream. 1 can of Diet coke or Coke Zero, packet of crisps
2:00pm - Cup of tea, semi-skimmed milk, 2 sweetners
5:30pm - Dinner (now this could be anything from, potatoes, meat & veg to pizza, burgers,pasta, soup etc. Wife does all the cooking
7-9pm - Cup of tea, semi-skimmed milk, 2 sweetners

writing it down, it doesnt look all that good clearly, so i need some ideas to change it.
Looking at it its clear that at the moment Im not getting any fruit which is shocking as I dont know when I stopped incorporating bananas, oranges and grapes into my diet.

Advice appreciated.

PS: I turn 30 next May so really shifting more of this weight by then would really be great

You are eating nowhere near enough,and when you do eat it's coke and crisps or highly processed cereals?

Eat more!

 

[jamin100]

The weather shouldn't be an excuse unless it's treacherous Ice or snow out there. Rain should not stop you cycling. To be a little more blunt, If you are serious about losing weight then you will have to forgo the excuses and get on your bike on a more regular basis and keep at it.

Yup, I totally agree.

 

[jamin100]

You are eating nowhere near enough,and when you do eat it's coke and crisps or highly processed cereals?

Eat more!

really?
Like i said im going to try to remove the crisps, and probably swap the coke for squash but thought that I was eating quite a lot to be honest.
I need something first thing in the morning otherwise by 9am im starving . . . if the cereal is highly processed, whats a good alternative?

 

[Sittingduck]

Porridge