Anyone else here love to do exercise and exercise a lot, but struggle with the whole food side of things and are still overweight?
Sometimes, I just wish I looked like I can do the things I can do. And also if I lost the weight, well I would be much better at cycling, which would be very helpful as I keep signing up for races and being heavier than all the men....
I'm trying to sort out my diet, I realise it will take me a while to lose the weight and create healthier eating patterns.
Today I'm 163lbs (and only 157cm tall). In the next two months I would like to lose 10-20lbs before my next big race as it is very hilly. In the longer term I'd like to lose 46lbs, but I think that would take me a year to 18 months, and I'm fine with that I just need to start moving in the right direction.
Is there anyone else who has the same problem as I really feel like the only person in the world (I know I'm being a drama queen) who exercises every day and is still a fattie!
They say it is all about the diet, like to lose weight its 80% diet & 20% exercise. So no matter how much you work out if the diet isn't in check you probably won't lose much. Which makes sense because calories can add up insanely quick and working out takes alot of effort/time to burn very many calories.
Wow good for you that you're signing up for races and working out!! It jut goes to show everyone that your dot need to be a skinny minny to be an athlete. I for one relish the occurrence of "not skinny" athletes. I'm pretty athletic myself and can do things some people wouldn't realize I can do.
Are you happy with how you're eating? What's your breakfast like? When I was counting calories it was awful, all day I was feelin deprived because all day I was cutting corners. So every meal I was left unsatisfied. Especially breakfast. I thought "man, I still got a long day ahead, lets only spend a few calories on breakfast and have lots of calories left over for the rest of the day." Very bad decision. Eating a poor breakfast for so many years left me perpetually hungry all day long which in turn made me feel like a failure all day long which led to nightly binges. Carb restriction and calorie counting were the worst things that ever happened to me, it completely messed me up physically and psychologically.
As an athlete you don't have much need for carb restriction so seek out the good ones. Legumes, whole grains and lots of veggies will give you the fiber and nutrients you need to maintain your hard workouts. What works for me is having a substantial breakfast. I usually have 2eggs, scrambled with cheese and veggies, a slice of toast with butter and honey and a slice of ham. I don't diet or count calories but that's easily a 500-600 cal breakfast. Eating a good breakfast makes me less hungry throughout the day because I didn't start my day off deprived leaving me perpetually hungry. Your body will do things for you if you feed it well. If your body senses that you're depriving it it may backfire on you, I know it does for me.
Good luck and welcome!
Last edited by Palestrina; 07-02-2014 at 08:37 AM.
Yes I exercise because I love it which is cool, and to say I overly reward myself with food would be an understatement.
It got so bad recently being really stressed with work, and just life that I really just was eating awfully! Like disgustingly. I was also sick for about 3 months, just one thing after another and I doubt my eating habits helped!! I put on 15 pounds in that 3 months... And just didn't think I'd get it under control..
So I made a drastic decision and signed up for this program where a very healthy restaurant cooks 3 meals and 2 snacks a day for you and delivers it twice a day 6 days a week. It is expensive but gaining more weight and continuing the downward spiral is in the long run more expensive. I didn't think I I could turn it around in the space I was in at the time.
They also weigh and measure you each week and tweet the program to your exercise and social commitments.
The aim is 1-2 pounds loss a week. I have only signed up for one month but think I need at least another to feel less in danger of my cravings.
I know how lucky I am to have this as an option (even when the price horrifies me and I have to make a lot of other sacrifices to afford it). So really want to make a go of it, hence coming here.
Pattience wow that's some cool cycling!! Well done! My race is 330km over 3 days in the alps... So yes hills will be on the agenda, lots and lots of them haha thanks for the advice! Much appreciated! There is going to be a lot of pain in the next few months of training if I am going to survive the race...
Glad to hear I'm not alone though. I was starting to feel like the only person who exercises a lot and is still struggling with weight. Probably doesn't help that I spend half my time with exceptionally skinny men who all have chests like 10 year old boys (but the *** and thighs of stallions haha)
I know how you feel. I LOVE exercising in the form of fun activities, particularly hiking! So when I first decided to lose weight I figured I would just work out more! I didn't change my diet much and guess what, I got stronger but I didn't lose much weight.
It was REALLY hard for me to finally admit that my diet HAD to be the biggest part of my plan. I was really sad that I couldn't just exercise it all away. Now, if I had hours a day to exercise, maybe it would work....but I don't. So now, I diet AND exercise in order to get my body to a more manageable size so I can do the things I love more easily.
The restaurant program sounds like a good start for you. Maybe it will give you some ideas that you can cook in the future so that it can be a more sustainable, less expensive solution. How long will you be doing that for? Please let us know how it goes! Wishing you awesome progress so that you can be the best possible cyclist
Thanks nonameslob! Yeah the four main things I hope to take away from the restaurant program are:
1) realizing what normal portion sizes are
2) getting rid of my cravings
3) getting inspiration for a variety of healthy food not just salad and chicken
4) getting the ball rolling with the weight loss.
I think one or two more months full on the program, then to take a few months to ease off, like keep the 3 meals but make the snacks myself then down to two meals etc etc so that I can make small changes in terms of cooking and prepairing. I don't want to go straight off and get right back to my bad habits.
I figure it'll be 6 months till I'm back doing all my meals, but it will get cheaper as I drop each meal/snack. I think if I can lose a significant amount of weight and change my habits and taste buds it should work for me... I also like having to weight in with someone who knows exactly what I should have eaten and the exercise I ahold have done.
Will keep you posted. Thanks for letting me know you faced the same problem. It really helps to know I'm not especially useless...
My weight has essentially stalled as the fat goes and I put on muscle. It's the only explanation I have for it. I eat a lot but I work out a lot. So if the scale ain't budging I must be trimming fat and building muscle. The sweet spot. Well, let's hope.
As mentioned fat loss is a function of energy which is measured in calories.
Exercise while fantastic for your health does not burn that many calories.
If you're in shape and really pushing it you might be able to burn 600-800 calories in an hour of intense exercise. (most people won't burn this many in an hour) That's not a lot of food depending on your choices.
Intense exercise has a tendency to increase appetite as well.
Keep exercising and figure out the best method for you to control your caloric intake.
Pattience if I could manage the cooking I'd obviously do that, but right now I don't feel I can. It's a bit like saying just eat less how hard is that... I think I have worked out a plan that is manageable to get me enjoying good food in appropriate portions so that I can slowly make the changes and cool better for myself. It doesn't help I hate cooking, but will have to get over that. My ex boyfriend loved cooking and so it was better then, since we broke up I have been terrible and going for convenience.
Ian I wish my problem was putting on muscle haha
I think it's far beyond that.
I'll keep you posted on my activity, got up at 4:45 this morning to go to outrigger paddling training for 1h30 this morning. Wonderful way to start the day! Now time to go to work!
Weight loss is 80% diet and 20% exercise. Also, if you do the same exercise all the time, your body becomes very efficient at doing it and burns less calories.
Exercise lots but not losing weight?
Just watch your portion sizes...and you're hardly a fattie. 
