Weight Gain

[mearlski]

Hi there. My first post on this forum so please be gentle

Ive recently got back into cycling (about 6 months now after a 10+ year gap) and recently been pounding the roads a lot more. As such I have noticed a half stone weight loss recently. This itself is fine. Im 6'2" and now 13 stone. Im happy with this weight but concerned about further weight loss.

Im very good with food and never graze between meals. Im actually quite anal about it. What I want to know is how bad these wight gain supplements can be. I only want to use them on the days Im cycling to keep topping up my calories etc.

Can anyone recommend reasons for/against these or any actual recommendations for something else? (apart from eating more as I have a routine I need to maintain for my own reasons).

Thanks for your time and any replies

[mjr]

Even without adding snacks - why can't you eat a bit more at meal times? Or make your existing foods a bit higher-calorie, maybe by adding more olive oil to salads or sauces, or adding beans and pulses, or adding seed sprinkles on breakfast, or eating nuts or seeds as an extra dessert with coffee?

Most weight gain supplements are still basically a processed junk food. I'll only use them as a last resort.

[Bensons]

Why don't you just eat more calories at mealtimes? Good, honest food rather than anything else. My husband is very fit/muscular build and eats like a horse! He is not cheap to run that's for sure.

There really is nothing wrong with eating between meals, especially if you are worried about losing too much weight.

I don't have that problem as whilst I love cycling most of our rides involve a piece of cake or a pub lunch.

[PH]

I don’t know what weight gain supplements you’re referring to, there’s plenty of carbohydrate drinks on the market and I’d have thought finding one of these you like and working out how much you need for your riding would keep your weight stable.

[mjr]

I don’t know what weight gain supplements you’re referring to, there’s plenty of carbohydrate drinks on the market and I’d have thought finding one of these you like and working out how much you need for your riding would keep your weight stable.

Which are also junk food. I thought the opening post was referring to things like Complan and Build Up, which at least have the virtue of having been around for a while so the drawbacks are known, unlike the ever-changing roster of sports supplements.

[PH]

I don’t know what weight gain supplements you’re referring to, there’s plenty of carbohydrate drinks on the market and I’d have thought finding one of these you like and working out how much you need for your riding would keep your weight stable.

Which are also junk food.

All of them? Are you sure?

[mjr]

I don’t know what weight gain supplements you’re referring to, there’s plenty of carbohydrate drinks on the market and I’d have thought finding one of these you like and working out how much you need for your riding would keep your weight stable.

Which are also junk food.

All of them? Are you sure?

Most if not all and I'm reasonably sure as long as we both understand "junk food" as processed food with disproportionately high fat, sugars or salt. Typically, carbohydrate drinks include maltodextrin, fructose, acidity regulators and flavourings as key ingredients - definitely disproportionately sugary and maltodextrin is a bit troublesome, raising blood glucose levels without being listed in nutritional panels as sugar

Much better to eat real food IMO.

[roubaixtuesday]

Why are you worried about losing some weight?

According to the NHS calculator, at 6'2" about 12st is in the middle of the healthy range. 13st is ok though.

I'd just carry on exactly as you are and not worry about the weight at all, unless you have another motivation to be heavier.

http://www.nhs.uk/Tools/Pages/Healthywe ... lator.aspx

[LollyKat]

Drink more milk, or if you don't like plain milk, chocolate milk (thought to be even better).

[Bensons]

I don't think BMI is considered the benchmark it used to be Brian.

It doesn't take the proportion of body fat to muscle into account. Waist size is a more accurate indicator these days I think.

Take my husband, 6'3", long arms and legs, not an ounce of fat on him but very muscular, 14 stone and a 34" waist which hasn't changed for 20 years.

BMI has him pushing overweight, whereas in reality he looks like a bean pole!

[roubaixtuesday]

BMI not suggested as anything definitive, merely promoted the question as to why the op was bothered about further weight gain. Genuine question.

For me, I'm 6'4" 13.5st and happy with my weight but I'd gladly lose a stone to enjoy those hills even more if it was going to fall off without me making any extra effort.

[pjclinch]

As others have suggested, if you're losing weight you can't really afford to lose your body should react by making you very hungry. If you arrive at meal time very hungry, have a bigger/more calorific meal.

[Vorpal]

Most people sort of stabilise after a while. They lose some wieght, then slow, then stop. Very few people who are not trying to lose weight without additional changes in the level of activity.

Personally, I wouldn't worry about it. If you continue to lose significant amounts of weight, see your GP.

[PH]

Most people sort of stabilise after a while. They lose some wieght, then slow, then stop.

Can't figure out how that works, I think people stabalise by increasing their calorie intake, what happens if they don't?

[meic]

I have trouble figuring it out too but it happens.

Your body just seems to get better at what it does. When I started cycling the weight just fell off me, now it just stays the same with the same number of miles.