Down a smidge - like 1 lb. Since my workouts range from one hour to four and theres a mix of resistance, cycling and an off day, my kcal input has decent range. I’m in a build period right now and while I have a deficit going on, I’m still fueling around my high intensity workouts and still eating while on my longer endurance ride. This first week I have a few takeaways.
Cutting out the beer has allowed for way more food and of course, sleep and energy levels are much better, duh!
Even with an average of 450 cal deficit/day I had quite a bit of food. Actually, I had to eat a lot more than what my hunger levels indicated, but as stated above feuling my higher intensity workouts is a priority.
This first week in is all about laying the foundation for the next 11 weeks until the end of my challenge and so far, I figure that meal prepping for 3 days out of the week for two meals is a nice, sweet spot. I can still be flexible with dinner and snacks while having my core meals planned that allow me to hit my macros. Last, even in a deficit I had quite a bit of carbs leading into and around my threshold workout at 500 grams of carbs. That’s quite a bit for me for a 2-hour training session.
So keeping it up for this next week and not stressing at all about it. Good work everyone.
I could teach a class on what not to do to maintain weight and cycling fitness. Back up to 192lbs (87kg) which is frankly lower than I thought it would be. Want to get back down towards 185 (84kg) but I don’t want to go back to weighing everything I eat and tracking if I can help it. Going to try to do the whole foods mostly plants blah blah. Cutting back on the drinking til I don’t feel like crap every day and my whoop stops complaining about me being worthless.
My college aged kids are home for the summer so my drinking has ramped up dramatically. We’ve been having a great time and are doing a lot of grilling and cooking but it is getting to me. I moved at the end of last month and we are finally getting settled in to the point that I can sit down and relax without that big list of things I need to do filling my brain. Bad weekend for work and now I’m absolutely exhausted. I think I might cancel my current training plan and just free ride or do train now for the next couple of weeks leading up to a 75 mile fondo in August.
Checked in. Below 204 for the first time in 2 years. I’ve made it known in other threads but I want to race XC single speed next year… I’m going to need to be in the best shape possible for that, I think.
Sorry I haven’t kept up with the tracking here. It’s been a rough summer and the weight has gone in the wrong direction. Back at training now, but at a higher weight. Sigh.
After a couple years of stagnation, and slowly creeping back closer to 190, I’ve actually gotten diet on track the last month or so, while doijg short power build, and am down a solid 2-3 lbs, which is a significant chunk of what I’m trying drop.
I’m a bit disappointed in myself that I’ve left essentially getting started on my goal for year until the halfway point of the year, but if ai keep going at this pace for the next 8 weeks, I’ll just barely squeak in my goal of getting under 180 for cross season.
I’m down a little from my starting weight of 166. I weighed in this week at 163-164 which isn’t much, but I already see some differences in the mirror. Energy is good, hunger is fair - I am sometimes hungry at night but haven’t had any major hunger pangs. One night I was a little too hungry so I had some cheerios with almond milk. I learned a long time ago that if I’m too hungry at night I won’t get a good nights rest and I’m way better off having something to eat and calm my belly than try and suffer throughout the night and sleep it off. Macros are pretty steady - averaging 1 gram protein/lb of body weight and carbs haven’t been below 260 grams a day. My biggest defecit day has been about 750 calories and I’ve had several days at maintenance on non-riding days which is about 2500 kcals.
Had a rest week last week and was also visiting family. Luckily I did have my bike with me so I was able to ride and at the end of my rest week I did a longer ride at a local century.
Weight wise I had a breakthrough while away and had a low of 160.2 and a couple of days later I’m at 160. 7 so I’m holding steady. Diet wise I’m still hitting my protein target range of 1.0 gram/lb of body weight +/- and with the lower volume of riding I’m not eating as much carbs and fat. So far my deficit is pretty steady - I just lowered my bottom range of calories to 2,300-2,350 for strenth training and light workout days. When I have big riding days I will still fuel my rides and recoveries.
Overall, 4 weeks in I’m down about 6 lbs…so pretty good. Next stop is sub 160 and aiming for 156-158 for the end of the month.
I’ve been off the bike for two and a half weeks after a crash and have drifted a bit. Going to try to do a Z2 ride on the trainer this weekend and then after a consult on Monday will hopefully have a better idea of what I should be doing.
I don’t want to go back to tracking calories but without exercise I think I might have to.
Last week marked 3 weeks out from my A event. Even though I was visiting family and had a pretty crappy sleep schedule because I was driving 8 hours back home, I managed to keep my macros in check within reason and I was able to squeeze in my workouts too.
This morning weighed in at 159.3 breaking through that 160 mark! Running a deficit of 400-700 depending on the day. I can definitely see the difference in the mirror now. Strength and energy on and off the bike is still great. No grumpiness or food obsession. After this next week I’ll dial back my deficit leading into my race. 5 weeks in, almost down 7 lbs.
Down a little more - weighed in 157.5 this weekend. My weight went up a little mid -week last week after 3 days of maintenance level calories which was about 2800. Lowest was 2200 on my rest day, most was about 3,100 on a day with a longer ride.
Energy is pretty good - I noticed that I was a little lazy one day but other than that it’s all good.
Since I’m on a taper week I’ll probably be bouncing around 2300 on my lowest up to 2600 and see where I settle at the end of the week.
I was part of the spreadsheet a few years ago and had some super success. Re-joining now as I’m trying to focus a bit more on sensibly losing a few more KG’s to help me climb a little better.
One thing I struggle with, while trying to reduce caloric intake, is not overeating and trying to make my body feel full.
Is there anything wrong with eating big salads alongside my “actual food” to feel like I’ve gotten a proper helping?
For example yesterday lunchtime I had some homemade red lentil dahl but to bulk up my meal I added a big plate of salad (with just some hummus for a dressing) and last evening I had a sensible portion of Spag Bol but to make it up to my usual size plateful I added another salad.
Without calorie counting every single piece of lettuce/cucumber/tomato is it fair to assume that these won’t make much impact and are a good way to make up for smaller portions of the carb/meat?
When you say overeating - do you mean to say that because you are restricting, you will then overeat as as in bingeing? Can you explain?
I would say no to this, and it’s actually a great strategy and one that can be adopted into your everyday new habits. I love a BAS (big ass salad) too, but it’s so much work to eat that I only have it 2-3 times a week. What I do is I steam cauliflower and broccoli and use those to bulk up my starches. For example, I added a quarter head of steamed and chopped cauliflower to my rice and double the volume. I still get my rice and also some veggies.
Some cauliflower or broccoli would be great in your Dal. Pretty much, I know that many veggies are low in Cals but add a lot of volume. Eggplant and some squash varieties are my go-tos.
It’s more so that I’m very used to eating big portions. Eating until I am full.
Whenever I try to cut down and think about losing a few KGs, it’s the portion control that I struggle with.
I know that this is the obvious and easiest way to start taking in fewer calories (eat less!) but the sight/thought of a half empty plate is rubbish!
Last week I had a little upset in the schedule as my A-event was cancelled. Still, I took the opportunity to practice and followed the taper for the most part but added some z1/z2 volume of maybe 1-2 hours. I also Carb-loaded for 3 days during Weds, Thurs, Friday. Since it was my son’s make up birthday weekend, I didn’t have the opportunity to go out and smash on the bike for 4-5 hours like I had hoped and so I carried a bit of that weight into the week. I weighed in as much as 160.5 which is 3 pounds up from last week’s low, and just settled back down to 159 this morning. Still body comp is good, visually I am looking good and my performance at the gym is good too. Making some gains on the deadlift and squats, and a little bit on the bench press and lat pull downs.
I’ve got 5-1/2 weeks to go until my body competition is done and as I am no longer in an active plan - I’ll scale back my riding intensity and I plan to add one, if not two days in the gym. I’ll inevitably have to increase my deficit along the way to keep the weight coming off. I figure I’ll hit around 2,200 on my lifting days during the next week or so.
Last week I was consistent across the board with board with nutrition, working out, and getting rest. I clocked almost 10 hours ride time, 2 hours gym time between two sessions and some walking and playing with my son. Never went below 2,250 kcals and had two high days of 2,800 and 3,100 kcals.
Just weighed in at 156.7 so another pound down from two weeks ago.
Body comp wise I can see a big difference in my physiqe in the mirror and way more muscle definition. I completed an intense group ride this past Saturday which was properly fueled on the lower end with 175 gram carbs over 3 hours. I was able to set a 5 minute PR for the season, ride strong throughout, and according to AI FTP detection holding my season high FTP all the while.
I’ve got 5 more weeks off my summer shred competition after which I’ll complete my weight loss phase and reverse out of my deficit and start back at building my base for the next season. I’m also going to add one day or resistance training to the week in the form of a full body training day so that I can continue to increase my strength while minimizing any muscle loss.
Drink a lot of liquid before eating. Not beer or champagne. I do club soda with cranberry. 36 oz of that will help you feel full. If you need solids try things like 1/2 jar sauerkraut with those sausages.
Or try starving to shrink your stomach.
Not such a good week for me. Lost sight of being so careful about what I ate after I had an event. Filling in the form is a good kick for me to focus again.
