Why am I not losing weight?

[amaferanga]

The size of the plate makes no difference if you only prepare what you need in the first place....

 

[ColinJ]

The size of the plate makes no difference if you only prepare what you need in the first place....

And you won't get fat if you eat and drink the right number of calories and exercise enough, but bluntly saying that isn't really helpful to people who are struggling is it?

I know damn well that I am only fat because I drink too much beer so it is very simple for me, but some people find it much more difficult.

 

[phil120867]

Thanks guys there is a lot of food for thought there (!), some of it I knew about some of it I didn't want to hear. I am willing to make the effort, thank you all again.

 

[amaferanga]

And you won't get fat if you eat and drink the right number of calories and exercise enough, but bluntly saying that isn't really helpful to people who are struggling is it?

I know damn well that I am only fat because I drink too much beer so it is very simple for me, but some people find it much more difficult.

Portion control or a smaller plate should achieve the same thing though shouldn't they? Better to control the calories through only cooking what you need instead of using a smaller plate (which you can easily load up a second time anyway).

 

[ColinJ]

Portion control or a smaller plate should achieve the same thing though shouldn't they? Better to control the calories through only cooking what you need instead of using a smaller plate (which you can easily load up a second time anyway).

It's the psychological effect of plate size that makes the difference. A sensible-sized portion can look lost on a huge plate so you feel deprived. The same amount of food filling a smaller plate looks like more even though it isn't.

Of course, in the end it is the number of calories that matter but some mind games can help to cut down the cravings.

My number one tip (which I've probably mentioned before) - choose some low calorie vegetables that you like and take the edge off your appetite with generous portions of those at the expense of more calorie-dense stuff. For example - carrots contain about one tenth of the calories of cheddar cheese by weight. You could eat 250g of carrot and still only be eating half the calories contained in just 50g of cheddar. Just don't smother them in butter, or your salads in mayo or salad cream.

 

[JohnHenry]

For me, a lot of my overeating is habit so, now when I know I am going to be tempted to snack on Rocky Road and biscuits (in meetings for example) I always take along my own bag of snacks such as dried apricots, sultanas or carrot sticks.

It's surprising how many other people dig into my "healthy" alternatives and I find that it helps me stay away from the "bad" stuff.

 

[BintanMan]

I'm not sure when I started this thread, probably a week ago?

I haven't weighed myself since I wrote the first thread, mainly because of all the replies I managed to stay focused and got myself into a routine where I am happy. I've decided weighing myself isn't helping, even though weight loss and toning up is my main aim. I just know my weight loss expectation are too high and if I get on the scales I'm going to be disappointed.

Since I posted I have also registered with LiveStrong OnMyPlate. Even though the calories stated and (in particular) the calories burned through exercise are very dubious, it really is helping me look at my diet more closely. I also find it quite motivating.

Have I seen more positive results this past week? Yes I have. My jeans are definitely looser and some of my t-shirts feel much nicer. The most rewarding thing is I feel MUCH fitter on my bike, to the point where I'm enjoying it immensely. I went out this lunchtime in all the wind and showers and I'm getting the same buzz I got from those long runs I used to do a few years ago. Do my legs ache? Oh yes, but it feels magic again

 

[tyred]

Have I seen more positive results this past week? Yes I have. My jeans are definitely looser and some of my t-shirts feel much nicer. The most rewarding thing is I feel MUCH fitter on my bike,

There you go. You are starting to find the benefit of your new healthier lifestyle. It just takes a little time for the benefits to kick in. It will only get better from here on, but only if you can avoid the post-ride munchies.

 

[BintanMan]

I usually work out what I'm going to eat (when I get back) during the ride! I also try to schedule my rides before a main meal. It's difficult on weekends because I like to get out before the family get out of bed, so finding the time to eat is hard especially as it's the time I want to go on a longer ride. Perhaps this weekend I will take food with me and eat minimal breakfast. What do you think?

 

[Bayerd]

I usually work out what I'm going to eat (when I get back) during the ride! I also try to schedule my rides before a main meal. It's difficult on weekends because I like to get out before the family get out of bed, so finding the time to eat is hard especially as it's the time I want to go on a longer ride. Perhaps this weekend I will take food with me and eat minimal breakfast. What do you think?

That's what I do. Most days I go out and cycle between about 10-15 miles before eating anything. On weekends when I'm looking to do over 30 miles I'll take a small amount of food with me.

You could always aim for a cafe stop for breakfast if the distance warrants it.

When I get back I usually have something like beans on toast with a glass of milk or sparkling water.

This method works well for me.

 

[MacB]

Your diet is high carbohydrate. We love to eat it as it's filling, but refined carbs cause an instant energy hit, the blood sugar levels shoot up and your body throws in an insulin spike to get the levels back down to normal. This lowers the blood sugar again and you feel hungry. It's a vicious circle. The excess carbs you consume are simply stored as fat for next time you face a serious famine or failed harvest (this is a bit primordial!). If you cut out the instant sugary, refined starchy foods, and substitute them for the wholemeal, low sugar varieties, your blodd sugar level doweesn't see-saw, and you feel less hunger.

If you take this a step further and eat fewer carbs, upping the protein levels you can burn proteins and fats for energy, but these quickly run out. The body then remembers where it stored a couple of pounds of energy, on your gut and arse, so it goes to the famine store and uses them up. So if you cut down on carbs and continue to exercise, then the fat burn is all the quicker. If you cut down the refined carbs and sugars your insulin levels (and therefore your blood sugar levels) flatline, and so you don't feel as hungry after exercise.

Google " High Protein Diet". The weight loss is rapid at first, but this method means that you change your metabolism to burn body fat, rather than protein (muscle)

This would be my pick of the tips, either cut carbs out totally for a while or only have them up til lunchtime.

 

[Panter]

I'm not sure when I started this thread, probably a week ago?

I haven't weighed myself since I wrote the first thread, mainly because of all the replies I managed to stay focused and got myself into a routine where I am happy. I've decided weighing myself isn't helping, even though weight loss and toning up is my main aim. I just know my weight loss expectation are too high and if I get on the scales I'm going to be disappointed.

Since I posted I have also registered with LiveStrong OnMyPlate. Even though the calories stated and (in particular) the calories burned through exercise are very dubious, it really is helping me look at my diet more closely. I also find it quite motivating.

Have I seen more positive results this past week? Yes I have. My jeans are definitely looser and some of my t-shirts feel much nicer. The most rewarding thing is I feel MUCH fitter on my bike, to the point where I'm enjoying it immensely. I went out this lunchtime in all the wind and showers and I'm getting the same buzz I got from those long runs I used to do a few years ago. Do my legs ache? Oh yes, but it feels magic again

Fantastic, glad you're feeling the benefits

 

[Lizzy]

Hi

I've been cycling to help me loose weight, but I'm not doing that solely. When cycling your body is lugging the weight around so yo can do hours of it without loosing much weight. A brisk walk means your legs carry your body and you ought to loose more weight. Skipping very impactful on weight loss (although the first time you try you may only be able to do a few second at a time, but you can do that 20 time a day and build up).

To give you an indication of how poor cycling is, my main work out is between 60-120 miles a week, since Cristmas I've done 174 hours working out, Cycling, ice skating (about 70 hours) , ballet (about 40 hours), and skipping (less than 5 hours were the latter)... so cycling by far the max. If I'd just done 50 hrs of skipping I'd probably be my goal weight....

the gist being cycling is not giving you the work out you need to loose weight.

 

[amaferanga]

Hi

I've been cycling to help me loose weight, but I'm not doing that solely. When cycling your body is lugging the weight around so yo can do hours of it without loosing much weight. A brisk walk means your legs carry your body and you ought to loose more weight. Skipping very impactful on weight loss (although the first time you try you may only be able to do a few second at a time, but you can do that 20 time a day and build up).

To give you an indication of how poor cycling is, my main work out is between 60-120 miles a week, since Cristmas I've done 174 hours working out, Cycling, ice skating (about 70 hours) , ballet (about 40 hours), and skipping (less than 5 hours were the latter)... so cycling by far the max. If I'd just done 50 hrs of skipping I'd probably be my goal weight....

the gist being cycling is not giving you the work out you need to loose weight.

What rubbish. I regularly burn close to 1000 kcal/hour cycling. Most people should be able to burn 500 kcal/hour cycling - do an hour every day and eat normally and you'll lose a pound a week.

Maybe your problem is you've been eating too much?

 

[Lizzy]

I hook up my monitor and it SAYs I'm burning 1000 calories and still the scales don't budge very much.... bikes carry your weight - thats not debatable. If you believe its rubbish all good, but running, walking, skipping will be MUCH more effective at LOOSing weight. Any of the weight bearing activities cause the weight to come off quicker.... cycling very good for overall fitness, rubbish for weight loss.

I have a bro who cycled from Edinburgh to Tasmania concurs that actually your body becomes very efficient with cycling. So if you believe its rubbish - all good to you, but the scale don't lie and the person posting the OP is having issue with trying to loose weight.