Cycling to lose weight

[Jdsk]

The article cites the current evidence, although it would be better for the recent report from UCL to be linked directly rather than through an article in a newspaper.

Jonathan

[bigjim]

Has anybody been on those AI holidays when Spanish pensioners are there in their droves. The scramble for food at mealtimes is crazy. Plates are stacked high. Most of them are very overweight. That Mediterranean diet is not for me.

[PH]

The article cites the current evidence, although it would be better for the recent report from UCL to be linked directly rather than through an article in a newspaper.

Jonathan

OK, I'll dig it out and have a read.
I will be surprised if it contradicts my original point the "Five" is and always was an arbitrary number.

[JBoaPB]

The article cites the current evidence, although it would be better for the recent report from UCL to be linked directly rather than through an article in a newspaper.

Jonathan

OK, I'll dig it out and have a read.
I will be surprised if it contradicts my original point the "Five" is and always was an arbitrary number.

I think it is an aspirational number. I know someone, through a friend, who went to the doctor with low energy and depression and when the doctor probed a bit found out they ate only tinned food, ravioli etc. All very beige and no fresh fruit or veg. 5 a day is meant to increase the nutrient value in those that don't currently eat enough. It's not an optimal amount, I think 10 or 20 would be better.

Wonderful ride 25 mile today on quite country roads with postcard villages along the way.

[whoof]

The article cites the current evidence, although it would be better for the recent report from UCL to be linked directly rather than through an article in a newspaper.

Jonathan

OK, I'll dig it out and have a read.
I will be surprised if it contradicts my original point the "Five" is and always was an arbitrary number.

Five a day is totally arbitrary just like ten thousand steps. It's just if health authorities say eat some more or some fruit and veg someone will take that to mean some pickled gherkin in their burger.As you say it gives people something to aim at in the hope it would encourage those who ate very little to eat more.
For me a five a day day would be pretty low normally twice and sometimes three times that.

[Freddie]

For me a five a day day would be pretty low normally twice and sometimes three times that.

What do you when you're not going to the loo?

Back to the topic in hand, I know the OP hasn't been back for some time, but here is something I think works regarding weight loss. Along with exercise (hard exercise, if you can) and calorie control, go to bed hungry. Not starving, but a moderately hungry. You can probably cut 200 calories a day by not eating anything after dinner, providing you are only hungry and not starving when you go to bed (unless you want poor sleep or potential for binge eating).

[whoof]

For me a five a day day would be pretty low normally twice and sometimes three times that.

What do you when you're not going to the loo?).

It would take a while to explain what I do for the 23 hour and 55 minutes I'm not sat on the throne as i go once a day.

[Freddie]

My short stint as a vegan had me visiting sometimes 5 or 6 times a day, perhaps diets affect people differently.

[Vorpal]

My short stint as a vegan had me visiting sometimes 5 or 6 times a day, perhaps diets affect people differently.

More likely the change in diet that did it.

Such things are best done gradually, giving your body time to adjust.

[whoof]

My short stint as a vegan had me visiting sometimes 5 or 6 times a day, perhaps diets affect people differently.

More likely the change in diet that did it.

Such things are best done gradually, giving your body time to adjust.

+1 on another thread about healthy snacks some have said that eating fruit and nuts whilst riding affects their stomach. As I eat fruit and a handful of nuts every day eating them on a ride has no adverse affects.

[JBoaPB]

go to bed hungry. Not starving, but a moderately hungry. You can probably cut 200 calories a day by not eating anything after dinner, providing you are only hungry and not starving when you go to bed (unless you want poor sleep or potential for binge eating).

The latest thing is time restricted eating (TRE). If you only have calories in a small window it has some benefits to a lot of aspects to your health. Sachin Panda is the expert but it can be relatively easy, 12hrs consuming 12hrs calorie free, to more extreme 16/8 or even eating once a day. you have to watch drinks as well on the fast sections but it sounds interesting and would be in line with not eating in the evenings.

[Vorpal]

I fixed the misquoted bit & deleted the posts that related only to that it was misquoted.

[Gearoidmuar]

Cycling for nearly 40y. I'd find that if I cycled 100m on a Saturday, and 100 more during the week in bits, I'd lose 2lb that week, no matter what I ate. Recent science has validated this. HUGE amounts of exercise do overwhelm your appetite compensation, BUT this weight will be regained if you ease up. I knew this from years and years of going on hard bike tours. I had to do a couple of months of this level of training to lose weight. I'm genetically fat. All my father's family were.
After dealing with a longterm weight of 15.12 since mid-twenties (I'm 6.2), I quit sweet things in mid 2012 and lost 20lb. A year and a half later I went onto a low carb diet, 50g max carbs per day, and got the weight down to 13.00-13.02 (38lb down) and there it has stayed for 6y so far. I think the real secret is I eat no rubbish at all. I don't count calories and eat to satiety. Whether I exercise or not makes no difference.
There are two ways which work. Very low fat and very low carb. Very low fat is unnatural for man and historically people went for high fat and as much carb as they could get which was until farming was invented, pretty low. High fat low carb is lovely food but it's not moreish which is what rubbish not only is, but what it's designed to be.
Try this just once to see the effect.
Have a big omelet and no carbs for breakfast. Put cheese and or meat in it.
See when you're next hungry.
My prescription is cut out all rubbish. Eat no "treats." You get very used to it.

[foxyrider]

My experience is that a varied diet with reasonable portions and yes, treats, will keep me at a steady weight, dieting is unnatural! Providing you keep the treats sensible and they don't become a habit, they help you mentally which in turn can stop the move to binge eating. Fancy a fry up, go for it but you don't need the Full Monty/Gutbuster option, slice of cake, fine but do you really need a second? Even junk food has its place but as a treat, not a regular component of your diet.

Its no good just riding a lot if you want it to help reduce your Michelin appearance, it needs to be fat burning exercise. And then of course there is physiology, no one comes from a fat family, they may be part of a family that is fat, the ones in the cafe downing a days calorific need in one meal - and then order dessert! So thats a lifestyle choice. You could be 'big boned' which is something different and no amount of dieting or exercise can change that and if you through work/exercise have significant muscle, well your chances of losing much weight are slim, i know, i have an impressive skeleton and my 24" thighs are all muscle but they aint going away!

Calorie watching, you don't need to be anal about it, but try to tend lower input than your energy output is the only way to lose weight, you need a basic minimum to maintain normal bodily functions (which is why crash diets, anorexia etc can be so dangerous) so you have a minimum, taking in less than that regularly can lead to health issues, its the 'extra' used by your exercising that you can play with, don't replace the extra used calories with a bigger meal, have that piece of cake instead, better for the soul!

Well thats what works for me, the 'experts' will no doubt weigh in with their 'science' but at the end of the day, you are what you eat.

[mjr]

I remember trying to stay healthy and having to pass a tray of 12 sugar coated ring donuts for a £1 in my local ASDA. I resisted but why do that to people other than keep them hooked on cheap food?

I thought it was because they taste of pretty much nothing and no-one would eat them if they weren't cheap?

I mean, it sucks if you're so poor that that sort of food is the only way to get enough calories, about 2000 calories a tray, but drowning your veggies or salads in unsaturated oil is probably healthier and not much more expensive.

Saying all that what I think marks the healthy Mediterranean labelled diet is what also made historic meat, beer and bread diets, they were far less processed.

Yes, "Mediterranean" is just a label that has less misunderstandings than many. Some will mistake it to be over-processed stuff on that theme, but more will remember things like fantastic simple but nourishing salads from travel shows or holidays there and get the right idea.