Started cycling again

[Deleted]

It's summer and I'm trying to loose weight...

I'm 101 kilo's ( 222.2 lbs ) and since 2 days ago I started to cycle. I try to cycle as fast as possible and I drive about 20km's a day. Next to the trip to my work I think I cycle about 1,5 hours a day. I have no clue how much calories I'm burning and how long it will take to get rid of 10 kilo's ( 22 lbs )

Now, the bad thing is that when I come home I drink about 2 ltr's of coke... and I don't eat reguraly in terms of 3 meals a day.

Any tips or tricks? I would like to start losing some weight so I can be in shape for when I go back to college


EDIT: Maybe someone can post a litle "diet" when it comes to eating?

[Cren]

Well for one id start eating more regularly and really stop drinking so much coke

[Deleted]

Well for one id start eating more regularly and really stop drinking so much coke

What is regularly? I mean, each 3 hours? And yes the coke bit is... going... to be tough

[Cren]

Ye eating small about 5 times day is usually the way to go. And of course healthy food

[Eleazar]

A good advice would be to get a gadget like the Garmin Forerunner (That's what I'm using).

It tracks your trip both speed, distance, altitude etc. and on top of that it also monitors your heart rate, so it gives you a rather good estimate of how many calories you're burning. It can export data directly to Endomondo.com where you can also see your progress etc. The reason why this is good is that to lose weight, you must keep your heart rate fairly high, over a longer period of time. If you do those 20 km's per day, and only get your heart rate up like 5 km's of the way, then the last 15 won't be as effective.

Other than that, a healthy diet would be good for you, if you want to lose weight. Try adding vegetables or fruits to at least 1 of your daily meals, of which you should have at least 3. Whenever you eat, only eat 1 portion of food, and don't overeat.

As for getting rid of the habit of cola, try switching to a healthier alternative than regular at first. Here in Denmark we have something called Coke Zero, which has 0 calories, but ofc. it's still not healthy, but at least it's better than the reguler.

My brother altered his eating habits a bit and started cycling. One year ago now he weighed almost 110 kilos, and now he's down to about 75 kilos. And that's in 1 year.

Also, what kind of bike are you using? If you can afford it, then maybe get a racing bike, since you'll be able to drive longer and faster, and maybe burn even more calories.

[Deleted]

...and really stop drinking so much coke

That can probably be the single hardest part when it comes to losing weight but it's also the one thing that will give quick results for the first few weeks.
I did pretty much the same thing a couple of years ago, started taking the bike to work and lowered my intake of cola from a 2 litre bottle per day to a single can (33cl here in sweden, dunno if it's the same everywhere) for lunch. Managed to drop 10 kilos in four weeks (from 90 to 80). The first few days will be rough but it's worth it. Those first kilos lost will make it easier to continue. As for diets I'd say that pretty much any one of them works. The important part is really how much you eat, not what you eat. I personally ate at McD pretty much every lunch during those weeks, just skipped the extra cheeseburger I usually order and sometimes opted for carrots/salad instead of fries.

Anyway, enough rambling. Good luck OP.

[Deleted]

Just replace the coke with water and you're good to go really from the info you gave us. Dropping weight is all about reducing intake of calories or increasing demand for calories (excersise). As for dieting just load up on proteins(meat) instead of carbs (paste/rice/bread etc.), it's the easiest way to drop weight since you trick the body into thinking you're full from eating proteins instead of carbs. Start eating chicken and tuna regularly and you will really start seeing results very quickly.

[Deleted]

Thanks for the posts. I read them all carefully

My bike is just a standard bike, but it has no gears... so basicly I can only cycle in 1 gear... which is the lightest one. This means I can't go really fast because when I peddle really fast the chains won't have any grip on my wheels ( I go to fast ) I don't have money for everything, but the diet coke solution will simply help me a lot.

I used to eat only once a day, taking in veggies + meat and pasta. But since that was already unhealthy, I just ate a cracker with cheese and some milk. I'm trying really hard to eat in the mornings, but for some reason I just don't want to eat.

As for excersising, I like to race on my best. Which means no sissy riding like grandpa's do, but "dangerously" fast riding. I ride on the music that comes from my mp3 player. If it's rock or anything hard I tend to ride hard for the duration of the song. I like going fast, I love passing past people and groups. Gives me an adrenaline kick. I also try to ride faster each day and sometimes I even take a few miles more.

I used to be a pro cyclist back in my youth, going to tournaments and speedraces, but for the past 10 years that has dropped to a total zero.

[Logonov]

trade coke for water, carbs for energy when you ride. Ride like a mad man.

[Deleted]

If you really just want to drop weight go for a diet that includes less calories then you need on a daily basis.

Example: You need 2200kcal per day now but you consume 2600kcal. Drop to 2200kcal first and afterwards drop to 1900 kcal. Keep eating regularly though, so at least 5 small meals a day.

As for biking: You actually burn more fat if you cycle for a long period at a slower pace. If you cycle at a higher pace you will burn other stuff first since your body needs sugars and other stuff in order to keep up with the higher pace. Higher pace gives you a better condition though.

[Deleted]

As for biking: You actually burn more fat if you cycle for a long period at a slower pace. If you cycle at a higher pace you will burn other stuff first since your body needs sugars and other stuff in order to keep up with the higher pace. Higher pace gives you a better condition though.

Not if the distance is the same.

[Three]

I was in the same EXACT position you're in and it isnt really that hard to do. I went from 110kg to 100kg in a couple months.

All I did was go off coke (down to only 1 glass a week) and gave up fast food/junk food. I had meals as regulary as always and had the same portions.
That along with riding to work every day and went for 2 recreational rides per week (downhilling on the MTB) and 10kg just disappeared.

Basically, just do away with the food and drink you know is bad and the cycling will do the rest.

[Fuzzzie]

It's hard to post a diet when I don't know what you like eating.

As for what others have said, cut out the cola. 2L is a ridiculous amount to drink even if you weren't trying to lose weight. I can't be 100% sure, but I'll bet if you cut soda from your diet you'll lose the weight fairly easily without many other diet changes.

[Deleted]

I used to be really skinny in my past. Not doing anything, but stuffing myself while not gaining weight, but the last couple of years I just couldn't.

I am pretty sure the coke is the bad guy in this, but it's so nice cold with icecubes... I stick to diet-coke once in a while, but it might be better to drop it all the way. Is diet coke really "better" then normal coke or is it a tale? I don't mind drinking Coke Zero if it has absolutly no sugars in it.

For eating... I like everything, I love making veggies and a nice piece of meat.

[Fuzzzie]

I used to be really skinny in my past. Not doing anything, but stuffing myself while not gaining weight, but the last couple of years I just couldn't.

I am pretty sure the coke is the bad guy in this, but it's so nice cold with icecubes... I stick to diet-coke once in a while, but it might be better to drop it all the way. Is diet coke really "better" then normal coke or is it a tale? I don't mind drinking Coke Zero if it has absolutly no sugars in it.

For eating... I like everything, I love making veggies and a nice piece of meat.

As far as drinking diet coke or coke zero.. I mean.. You're probably better off not drinking it at all. Then again, moderation is the key. There's nothing wrong with drinking a can here and there, but if its your sole source of fluids then that's a problem. I used to be a terrible soda drinker. I would drink 5-6 cans a day on top of working at a bar where it was free from the dispenser any time I wanted it. When I stopped drinking it I lost weight. The biggest hurdle there is losing all the sugar energy and caffeine that your body is used to now. I found myself really tired in the afternoons. That goes away after a while though.

If you replace that sugar and caffeine energy with healthy energy from fruit or veggies then the transition will be easier. Give it a shot at least.

[Deleted]

As far as drinking diet coke or coke zero.. I mean.. You're probably better off not drinking it at all. Then again, moderation is the key. There's nothing wrong with drinking a can here and there, but if its your sole source of fluids then that's a problem. I used to be a terrible soda drinker. I would drink 5-6 cans a day on top of working at a bar where it was free from the dispenser any time I wanted it. When I stopped drinking it I lost weight. The biggest hurdle there is losing all the sugar energy and caffeine that your body is used to now. I found myself really tired in the afternoons. That goes away after a while though.

If you replace that sugar and caffeine energy with healthy energy from fruit or veggies then the transition will be easier. Give it a shot at least.

I used to be addicted to Ice Tea. I got so sick of this ( I drank 3 x 2L a day ) that I never touched it again. So I am able to cold-turkey from soda, but it needs some sort of "line" that I cross.

[Fuzzzie]

I used to be addicted to Ice Tea. I got so sick of this ( I drank 3 x 2L a day ) that I never touched it again. So I am able to cold-turkey from soda, but it needs some sort of "line" that I cross.

1000 calories a day for a 2L bottle of coke is pretty much 45% of a caloric intake for a normal person eating healthy. That should be your motivation. Just an estimate though. I dont know how old you are or how active you are. Just going off the Canadian Food Guide.

[Seegtease]

Wow, 2 liters a day? That's nuts.

I don't see what the fuss is about giving up soda. I've given it up several times (like, made a decision to not have it for three months, no particular reason, really). I never had any kind of withdrawls or anything.

Just replace it with something else that's not as bad for you. I started drinking iced tea and the low-sugar powerade/gatorades (don't get the regular ones, they're packed with high-fructose corn syrup). And of course, water.

[Farath]

I've just started to visit a dietitian to help me get my last few off. From what she has told me, you should be trying to eat 5 small meals per day. I.E. Breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. She told me to try and space them out 3-4 hours apart. They aren't meant to be huge meals, just enough to tide you over to the next meal without feeling hungry with the tea breaks being a piece of fruit or something of that equiv. It help to have protein in each of the main meals to keep you feeling fuller for longer.

If you're going to drink coke, go for the diet brand instead. My best advice I can personally give to you is making sure you get your serves of fruit and veg each day. Veggies are basically free energy as long as they aren't the pure carb veggies (usually root veggies like potatoes, sweet potatoe and pumpkin). Good luck with it.

[Deleted]

I've just started to visit a dietitian to help me get my last few off. From what she has told me, you should be trying to eat 5 small meals per day. I.E. Breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. She told me to try and space them out 3-4 hours apart. They aren't meant to be huge meals, just enough to tide you over to the next meal without feeling hungry with the tea breaks being a piece of fruit or something of that equiv. It help to have protein in each of the main meals to keep you feeling fuller for longer.

If you're going to drink coke, go for the diet brand instead. My best advice I can personally give to you is making sure you get your serves of fruit and veg each day. Veggies are basically free energy as long as they aren't the pure carb veggies (usually root veggies like potatoes, sweet potatoe and pumpkin). Good luck with it.

I went to one diatiest... dia... dia... dietitian a year ago and she told me to eat less meat, less pasta and less vegies. I have pictures of what I eat as evening meal and she was shocked to see I actually ate that much. I will include a picture if I can find one, or nick one from my facebook.

- 500gr of witlof chicory <-- correct english?
- 250gr of meat <-- burger style, chopped, fish
- 250gr of pasta <-- mostly tagliatelli or other pasta's, nothing like potatoes or "stuffed" pasta's.

When it comes to fruit, I dislike it ( except banana's ) and for some reason I only eat it if I can play with it... Yes, it's weird, but the fruit makes my teeth tingle and hurt. Which means I have a low level of Vitamine A ( if that is correct )

1000 calories a day for a 2L bottle of coke is pretty much 45% of a caloric intake for a normal person eating healthy. That should be your motivation. Just an estimate though. I dont know how old you are or how active you are. Just going off the Canadian Food Guide.

I'm 25 and just got active into cycling again. Normally through the day I just sit behind my PC as I don't have to attend college anymore and with Diablo 3 + GW2 beta weekends I just stuffed myself. I do go outside once in a while, but it's a 3 min ride to my best friend and she doesn't like excercising that much. I asked her this week to come cycle with me for about 2 hours but she didn't respond very well...

Wow, 2 liters a day? That's nuts.

I don't see what the fuss is about giving up soda. I've given it up several times (like, made a decision to not have it for three months, no particular reason, really). I never had any kind of withdrawls or anything.

Just replace it with something else that's not as bad for you. I started drinking iced tea and the low-sugar powerade/gatorades (don't get the regular ones, they're packed with high-fructose corn syrup). And of course, water.

Like I said before on 1 day I drank 6 liters of icetea. Why? Because it was within reach and before I knew it, the pack was empty and I grabbed another one. I used to go to my die... dietitian and she forbid me to drink 2 litres milk a day... I just have this "habbit" of drinking something that's either healthy or unhealthy by a large amount. I do like Tea for example, but since I drink it with milk ( and I am sometimes to lazy to go to the shop next door ) I skip it and grab coke instead.

I don't drink any redbull or anything like that, the only caffeine I take in is coke and maybe 1 cup of coffee on the run. I don't eat sweets nor crisps, maybe if I feel like eating them. I don't eat fried stuff, I don't own a frier for that cause ( or else I would be obese ) and I don't go to my local snackbar much ( 3 doors away ) or MacDonalds ( 1 block away ) I have all the fast food within reach, but I am either to greedy on money or I can't be arsed to walk out the door...


I do love cooking. I simply love cooking! I cook the weirdest healthy shit that no other person would ever eat... Chopped meat ,with pasta and spinach... like, yummy!

For the coke... it burns my throat and my stomach and I mostly get acid back into my throat when I lay in bed. I would love to suddenly cold-turkey from coke, but this means I'm totally depended on water and water is not my taste. Only tea!


EDIT: Picture of my meal about a month ago. Ignore the choclat icecream, I eat that once in 3 months as it's darn expensive and I rather spend my money on some good food...



And this is once in a while... on a sunday evening... and this is probably really bad... Can't resist Belgium beer and a good sausage on french toast...