need help with weight issues

[cwc]

Alright guys,

Need some help. Calories in vs Calories out/ buy this book/ use this meal supplement/ do weight training/ etc etc etc. But what has worked for you??

Basically, I am a large guy- currently 107kgs- but most are suprised to hear that. I seem to struggle in losing weight. My BMI tells me I am morbidly Obese, yet to look at me you wouldnt think so at all. Problem is my job is dependant on a yearly medical that basically revolves around a BMI. Fail the BMI, lose your medical, lose your job. Even the Doctors doing the medical disagree with it, but what can you do.


I want to get down to 85kg. It seems that some foods make me bloat but I can never seem to work out what it is.

Went to the Doctor for an unrelated matter at the beginning of the week and he spent the whole time telling me I needed to lose weight when he asked how heavy I was. Tried to get me to buy a book that he lived and swore by( I chose not too as although he was thin, his face looked gaunt and his eyes where sucked in etc etc-Basically I looked healthier than him).

Im not super rich so cant afford to get a personal trainer, and we dont have the luxury of unlimited budget on the weekly grocery shop.

I ride about 100kms a week (slowly increasing it as I have only just bought a bike) averaging around 30km/h

I also dont drink soft drink or cordial or alcohol and dont smoke- only water, and no breads.

So what else can I do.

Suggestions of what has worked and what has not.

I have read previous posts also. Just looking for more info from experience, not salesmen.

Thanks in advance.

[DaveOZ]

running will lose more weight faster than cycling. If you hate running (like me), then cycle further in each session. Don't ask me about diets, I hate them. Cycling has helped me lose 4kg in 6 weeks. I suspect the next 4 will be harder. I'm 85 now and would like to get down to 75.

[Uncle Grumpy]

Ride more.

Seriously, all the big hits like soft drink, bread, alcohol etc are already addressed. Some people are just naturally bigger than others. If you're not unhealthy then I don't have a simple answer.

BMI is not a great measure of health. Sure, it can be an indicator but it has to be measured in conjunction with other factors. My BMI puts me at obese, I'm 5'11", and hover around the 84-86kg mark (sorry for the imperial - metric blend). The fact that I have a good muscle density and broad shouldered, deep chest build (this is not a personals ad, I swear) adds to my weight. It should take you about 8 seconds to find a raft of websites pointing out faults in the BMI.

I found one that said that the Australian BMI was based on a cross section of Australian culture which included a number of ethnic groups with smaller builds. WASP dudes like me are gonna come across on the high end of the scale. Also, some sites show a BMI for athletes, such as body builders, who are heavy but not obese. Tehre is only so much you can read into a BMI, it is an indicator and not the be-all and end-all of a health analysis. Your employer is tripping if they think otherwise.

Back to the issue, yours, the only thing I can think is to up the riding over time. Throw in some swimming for the "whole body/low impact workout" and gees, I dunno, cut out snacking (particularly carbs) after dinner. Eat a bigger lunch and a smaller dinner. Also, maybe not a huge lunch, break it up into a healthy morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea rather than one big meal in the middle of the day.

Good luck, sounds like you're fighting "the system" as much as you are your weight.

Grumps

[cwc]

Sounds like you and I have the same physique Grumps....Thats just the problem. I could lay a man flat in half a second if I so desired and scare myself walking down an alley way at night, however that wont help me pass the medical...well...maybe... depends on how hard hit the Dr.

[casual_cyclist]

Alright guys,

Need some help. Calories in vs Calories out/ buy this book/ use this meal supplement/ do weight training/ etc etc etc. But what has worked for you??

1) I cut the amount of junk food I bought at the supermarket. If I buy it I eat it. Cut the amount I buy I lose weight. Increase the amount I buy and I gain weight.
2) portion control. If I serve it I eat it. I use a smaller plate and smaller serves. I lose weight.
3) increase exercise. I found shorter bouts of more intense exercise helped me more than long, long bouts of low intensity.

1, 2 & 3 helped me lose 10 kilograms over a 2 year period, so I am not saying it is a quick fix.

3) a serious bout of either Epstein-Barr virus or cytomegalovirus - I lost 6 kilos in 8 weeks. Not recommended. It left me with post-viral fatigue which turned out to be very tricky to manage. I am still recovering from that so I really don't recommend it as a weight loss method.

[nescius]

I have never had a weight problem, but have had to lose weight in order to compete in certain weight classes for a couple of different sports. What has worked for me is to eat less and move more. Firstly, try not altering your diet but increasing your level of exercise, 100km p/w at 30kmh is a bit over three hours which is about 30 minutes a day, try to increase this to about an hour a day, maybe half an hour in the morning and half an hour in the evening (I understand this can be difficult if you have family responsibilities etc). If increasing exercise doesn't help then move onto diet, keep a food diary for a couple of weeks on your current diet to see exactly how much you are eating, this will help you to see where you can cut down. Figure out how many calories on average you consume per day and where those calories come from, then figure out how much you can eat while consuming fewer calories. Eat small amounts often rather than three big meals per day, never keep eating until you are stuffed full. Get used to being a little bit hungry all the time. Good luck

[maDKient]

I have never had a weight problem, but have had to lose weight in order to compete in certain weight classes for a couple of different sports. What has worked for me is to eat less and move more. Firstly, try not altering your diet but increasing your level of exercise, 100km p/w at 30kmh is a bit over three hours which is about 30 minutes a day, try to increase this to about an hour a day, maybe half an hour in the morning and half an hour in the evening (I understand this can be difficult if you have family responsibilities etc). If increasing exercise doesn't help then move onto diet, keep a food diary for a couple of weeks on your current diet to see exactly how much you are eating, this will help you to see where you can cut down. Figure out how many calories on average you consume per day and where those calories come from, then figure out how much you can eat while consuming fewer calories. Eat small amounts often rather than three big meals per day, never keep eating until you are stuffed full. Get used to being a little bit hungry all the time. Good luck

Don't like the sound of that!

So basically either do more or starve, lol.

[MichaelB]

Meh, same boat. 184cm and 96 - 97kg. During a recent medical/health assessment at work, had a health age of 30 & a fitness age of 22, and I'm almost 44.

I typically ride 150 - 200km per week and do about 5,000 to 7,000m of climbing a month.

I generally eat heatlhy, although fork control is my main issue. However, I can do all the right things, but the weight doesn't go. It's a PITA, but it's almost like my body is like that. Doesn't stop me from trying.

Main aim is to maintain a good level of health, fitness and eat mostly good things.

As noted, BMI is a crap measurement. To get to a healthy weight range by BMI measurements, I need to get to 75kg. I got to 854 once and I looked like $hit.

Maybe go to another GP to get referred to a dietician, if your own GP won't help.

[Anakist]

Eat "clean". http://www.eatcleandiet.com

Basically no processed foods. Lots of fruits, veges, whole grains, lean meats etc. I have just started on this and feel better, but have atrocious eating habits so not getting much gain at the moment.

EDIT: I am 194cm and 125kg.

James

[nickobec]

I managed to lose 12kg in 6 months.

Incentive I had a heart attack and had to lose some weight and change my diet.

What worked for me:
Food diary to track my food intake - calories and fat http://www.calorieking.com.au
A set of cheap electronic scales - for portion control
Sensible food choices, I eat out for lunch 5 days a week (work in Perth's restraraunt district)
Riding 1000km+ a month
Consuming 3000 calories a day and expendinging 3500 calories a day

Bad news was in winter riding dropped to 400km a month, failed to keep diary and consumed around 2500 calories a day, while only expending 2000. So I added a couple of kgs back on, now under control.

[nescius]

... Get used to being a little bit hungry all the time. Good luck

Don't like the sound of that!

So basically either do more or starve, lol.

Yeah, it's not much fun at the start, but you sort of get used to it and sometimes you get a bit of stockholm syndrome and actually start to like it .

[wombatK]

Alright guys,

Need some help. Calories in vs Calories out/ buy this book/ use this meal supplement/ do weight training/ etc etc etc. But what has worked for you??

Basically, I am a large guy- currently 107kgs- but most are suprised to hear that. I seem to struggle in losing weight. My BMI tells me I am morbidly Obese, yet to look at me you wouldnt think so at all. Problem is my job is dependant on a yearly medical that basically revolves around a BMI. Fail the BMI, lose your medical, lose your job. Even the Doctors doing the medical disagree with it, but what can you do.

First thing you've got to do is agree that your BMI is a good enough indication that you have an unhealthy weight. If you really think you might fit the exceptional cases, then you are never going to tackle the hard yards of dieting with sufficient determination and honesty.

Next, if you are in fact morbidly obese, then you qualify for 5 free visits to a professional accredited practicing dietitian on medicare. You just need to get your doctor to refer you. That's what he should have given you, rather than a book.

The dietitian can and will spend much more time with you than doctors, and people offering advice here. I lost 23 kg over 18 months, using the advice my dietitian daughter got from her training; it works.

You might be pleased to know that you've got off on the right foot - the research on weight loss shows quite strongly that the most successful people are those that start with exercise. So you've started right, and you just got to learn how to do the next part of controlling intake via a balanced diet with appropriate portion control.

[rhancock]

Next, if you are in fact morbidly obese, then you qualify for 5 free visits to a professional accredited practicing dietitian on medicare. You just need to get your doctor to refer you. That's what he should have given you, rather than a book.

The dietitian can and will spend much more time with you than doctors, and people offering advice here. I lost 23 kg over 18 months, using the advice my dietitian daughter got from her training; it works.

You might be pleased to know that you've got off on the right foot - the research on weight loss shows quite strongly that the most successful people are those that start with exercise. So you've started right, and you just got to learn how to do the next part of controlling intake via a balanced diet with appropriate portion control.

Hi wombatk, can you post some more information on this? Do you mean Medicare, or Medibank? I've googled, but haven't found anything useful, yet.

Cheers, Richard

[betterthanwalking]

When I had to eat smart a few years back due to high cholesterol, a mate said don't eat anything with more than 5% fat in it. While it may seem a bit of an off the cuff remark, it worked ok for me. Admittedly, I am 6 foot 80Kgs and have never been much bigger.

Since I started commuting full time 4 months ago, I haven't gotten used to the constantly hungry feeling.

Now you have started exercising, your body will consume more calories, all the time.

If you can average 30Ks I reckon that you could go further with no real effort.

Find a reason to use your bike, that makes riding easier IMO. Can you use it to get to work? If it's too far, drive halfway or ride one day drive the next, drive to work ride bike home. Loads of permutations that would up the Ks without too much impact on your life.

Best of luck

Gavin

[wombatK]

Hi wombatk, can you post some more information on this? Do you mean Medicare, or Medibank?

It's a medicare benefit, provided as part of a GP Management Plan/Care Plan.

You might be able to get some more information about it from the Dietitians Association http://www.daa.asn.au/. It has a link to find an accredited practising dietitian - that'll help you find one near your home. Give them a call and they should be happy to advise you what you need to ask of your GP.

[Max]

1) I cut the amount of junk food I bought at the supermarket. If I buy it I eat it. Cut the amount I buy I lose weight. Increase the amount I buy and I gain weight.
2) portion control. If I serve it I eat it. I use a smaller plate and smaller serves. I lose weight.
3) increase exercise. I found shorter bouts of more intense exercise helped me more than long, long bouts of low intensity.

+1 to this. I joined the Biggest Loser Club, which is similar to CalorieKing, but has a few extra bells and whistles. It gave me an eating plan and an exercise plan.

I lost 28Kg over 12 months by controlling what I eat (not starving!) and exercising. You didn't put that weight on overnight. It's not going to come off overnight. But if you are consistent in your food and exercise choices, the weight loss will also be consistent.

Max

[casual_cyclist]

1) I cut the amount of junk food I bought at the supermarket. If I buy it I eat it. Cut the amount I buy I lose weight. Increase the amount I buy and I gain weight.
2) portion control. If I serve it I eat it. I use a smaller plate and smaller serves. I lose weight.
3) increase exercise. I found shorter bouts of more intense exercise helped me more than long, long bouts of low intensity.

+1 to this. I joined the Biggest Loser Club, which is similar to CalorieKing, but has a few extra bells and whistles. It gave me an eating plan and an exercise plan.

I lost 28Kg over 12 months by controlling what I eat (not starving!) and exercising. You didn't put that weight on overnight. It's not going to come off overnight. But if you are consistent in your food and exercise choices, the weight loss will also be consistent.

Max

I am finding it quite hard to maintain. I just became slack about junk food and portion sizes and I've noticed it starting to creep back. It's going to be a bit of work to focus on maintaining.

Anyway, I found an article about why long, slow exercise (like I was doing) doesn't help you lose weight (I certainly didn't lose any while I was doing it - not the purpose of those rides) The Myth of the Fat-burning Zone.

Something to watch out for though, which I don't think is made clear in the article is:

These 50 calories are the amount needed by that muscle to just sit there.

This equates to 18,250 calories per year, or the equivalent of a little over five pounds of fat. Gaining and maintaining even five pounds of muscle in your training program will assist in burning off over 26 pounds of fat over the course of a year.

But only if you don't eat more to compensate. This really comes down to what you put in your mouth (how many calories you consume in a day). It would be pretty easy to eat 50 calories a day extra and see no weight loss at all. I have seen avid exercisers actually gain weight. OTOH I have seen someone who did not exercise at all lose 20kg over two years with portion control as the only mechanism for weight loss. He said "eat 10% less for a while. when you get used to that eat 10% less again. keep going and you will lose weight"

[sblack]

I found joining in and postly weekly in the A big bunch of losers (2010 version of Garfield Principal) thread great motivation for me.

[Marty Moose]

I managed to lose 12kg in 6 months.

Incentive I had a heart attack and had to lose some weight and change my diet.

What worked for me:
Food diary to track my food intake - calories and fat http://www.calorieking.com.au
A set of cheap electronic scales - for portion control
Sensible food choices, I eat out for lunch 5 days a week (work in Perth's restraraunt district)
Riding 1000km+ a month
Consuming 3000 calories a day and expendinging 3500 calories a day

Bad news was in winter riding dropped to 400km a month, failed to keep diary and consumed around 2500 calories a day, while only expending 2000. So I added a couple of kgs back on, now under control.

This works really well buy the book its about $7.95 and the diary is $4.95 and a set of electronic scales to weigh your food. Calorie king will teach you healthy eating portion control and keep you honest with the diary. My wife lost 35kgs with it and has kept it off for 14 yrs she used to think she was a "big girl" really she is a tiny girl.

MM

[Comedian]

Ride more. Eat sensibly. Give it time

[pompom1]

I was around 107Kg in year 12 of school last year.... Lost it by giving up soft drink and cutting portion sizes... now 72 Kg at around 8% bf all year round... I would suggest:
1/ Eat three meals a day... each of around 2000- 2500Kj's
2/ Dont eat 2 hours before exercise and until 1 hour after exercise (many would argue this but the fact is it is effective in burning fat. You should eat before exercise if you are going for performance not weight loss)
3/ drink lots of water
4/Keep riding

[moosterbounce]

I lost about 30kg in 18 months but "some" diet and exercise.

I reduced what I ate and looked at low fat versions of things like yoghurt (a weakness of mine) and are lots of veges. They fill you up. In summer, I eat lots of fruit but there are a huge amount of calories in some fruit. 205g strawberries has about 360kj, same weight in kiwi fruit is about 400kj and same in mango is about 800kj. So it makes sense to watch the kj intake by having a diary. I use one on my iphone

As for exercise, I find I lose weight when I use my bike trainer, but less if I ride on the road - one probably helps build more muscle.

The other thing I did was see an expert. I got a body scan done as I completely disagree with the bmi scale for me. The body scan gives you an exact "picture" of your body with weight and % of fat, muscle, and bone, and also where it is distributed. For example, I have 1kg more muscle in my right leg than my left which was very even. Anyway, based on my sex and muscle content, I was told I would look like a good athlete at 70kg. I''m trying to get to 75kg and did actually make it to 76 but then my dodgy knee kicked in and I've gained again Anyway, bmi says I should be 60kg. It's a helluva difference but now I have an accurate picture of my body type and something realistic to work towards.

My BIL is going to do the same thing. He's been told he is morbidly obese at his weight but this doesn't take into consideration the fact that he has held weight lifting records. It was many years ago when he first started, but he went to a gym with a mate when he was 18 and lifted 20kg more than the state record of the time with his first try. Of course, a few years on prawn trawlers helped, but it gives an idea of his physique.

Anyway, this may be a good argument for you. Not sure about rebates on this test - I did mine about 18 months ago - but you should be able to get it done in a few places. Google Body Scan in your area.

[cwc]

Thanks for all the tips gang....

The good news is I have lost around 3.5 kilos in a week and a half.

The bad news is it wasnt from riding......

It was from a week of gastro, followed on by nearly a week now of the flu. It will probably all just come back when I get better again but it was almost as if the gods decided to give me what I wanted, just not how I wanted it.

Still, once I can breathe again without coughing up half a lung I will be back on the bike.

For those that question the BMI still....there is no way around it. The test is actually set by a government department and regulated as such. The doctor only sends the forms in to said department who then decided on whether or not you keep your medical which in turn dictates your job status. No medical=no job.

I was recommended to a dietitian last year in fact, and stood on those all encompassing scales.....she was impressed and told me I had the body more of an athlete composition rather than what the weight only scales reflected.....but again, the government department doesn't see that.

In anycase, a week and a half with no bike is killing me. I never thought I would miss it so much. I was bed ridden for a week so I wouldnt infect the family, and when I finally came downstairs my poor bike looked like it missed me more than I missed it. I now find myself waving to riders when I have been driving lately. My wife says I am pathetic.

[Jean]

+1 for Calorieking, though of course it's just part of the picture. Get your family on board too. I find my gains (that is losses) tend to be made more difficult by family not being tied into recipe and portion selections.

Then just ride more. Long rides on the weekend can be great calorie burners, and balance them with more intense sessions during the week if that suits. Running might be good, but at your weight you might just be cruising for injuries, which won't help.

[casual_cyclist]

For those that question the BMI still....there is no way around it. The test is actually set by a government department and regulated as such. The doctor only sends the forms in to said department who then decided on whether or not you keep your medical which in turn dictates your job status. No medical=no job.

I was recommended to a dietitian last year in fact, and stood on those all encompassing scales.....she was impressed and told me I had the body more of an athlete composition rather than what the weight only scales reflected.....but again, the government department doesn't see that.

BMI is not a diagnosis, merely an indicator. If BMI indicates there is a problem and there clearly is a problem then that is fine. But if BMI indicates there is a problem and it is marginal or not clear there is a problem then further investigation is required. The most straightforward and accurate method for "further investigation" is a full body scan (I have heard them called Dexa Scans). A fully body scan will accurately assess amount of lean muscle and % body fat. BMI, waist size and waist to hip ratio can only ever be indicators and will not accurately assess % body fat.

The good thing about a scan is that you can have a realistic body weight estimated. It would give you something real to aim for as opposed to an arbritrary number which may or may not be suitable for a normalised population. I don't think body scans are very expensive either.