Help balancing weight loss/training gains

Hi Meulen

That’s a tough one. If you have been training consistently its hard to see why you have put more weight on. You say you are hungrier, what are you eating why your weight has gone back up? It sounds like you should have good levels of conditioning after 4 years so perhaps calorie counting isn't necessary. The volume of work your doing should be enough. How often a week are you training? High protein diets are good for weight loss, but you need the carbs for energy. I would say if you are going to calorie count, eat more carbohydrates and more calories on the days your going to go harder, but you probably don't need to calorie count if your volume is good.

What I would do is eat sensibly, no alcohol, reduce coffee intake ( i know it sounds clichéd) but I would add one tough session in a week to burn calories. You can work at 80% of max heart rate for between 40 - 60 minutes once a week and that will help you shift calories. This is known as a maximum lactate steady state (MLSS). Without knowing what you are eating after a work out it is difficult to be specific, so excuse the general advice you’re getting. Drink 2 litres of water a day every day and an additional litre of water or electrolyte drink for every hour of exercise done.

Strength training is a good way to change your physique, but you will need to see an expert because your technique has to be good and you have to work at a certain intensity to get the highest hormone release of testosterone, growth hormone. These are important for reducing cortisol levels. Cortisol is a stress hormone, and too much of this hormone causes you to store fat around the stomach.

Like I said before, this is very general, please answer some of my questions and I'm sure myself and others can give dietary advice specific to your needs.

I like to find healthy "snacks".  Whether it's low calorie fudge bars, I found Healthy Choice ones at Costco the other day, or cottage cheese with a good whey protein mixed in, or you know those Yoplait dessert flavored yogurts aren't too bad either. 

2. Don't go typical triathlete and clear out a convenience store on a long ride.  LOL.  Take what you need and stick to it.  Also if you plan your meals you won't really have that many options post ride.  When I first started losing weight I cleared my house of junk and replaced it with healthy snacks.  Now plan all my meals for the week Saturday, shop Sunday, and keep only what I planned on and healthy snacks in the house.  There are many times I go searching for a good fatty snack on a Sunday after a ride and it's just not there.  I'm forced to eat fruit. 

3. If you notice your weight starting to go in the wrong direction start to track your calories until you go back to where you want to be.  It's a good way to analyze what is tripping you up and eliminate it.

I won't be much help but I do have the same addictive personality that you do.  Sometimes it is very hard to curb cravings for certain things.  That is what keeps me from losing my weight perminatly.  I get a craving for something like this BBQ buffet that is here.  then I end up going and eating way too much.  SO I feel where you are coming from.

Meulen - 2012-01-12 10:07 AM

uhcoog - 2012-01-12 10:02 AM You can always try and find a way to make your favorite meals, both home and dine out, healthier.  As far as bbq.  Get a leaner cut of meat.  Make your own sauce.  Etc.  I've done healthier, not entirely healthy, mac and cheese.  There are ways to get things done.  Cooking Light magazine and their website is my best friend honestly.  You want brisket?  Put it on the menu for the week.  Plan to satisfy that craving and then figure out how to do it as healthy as possible.  Grill a flank steak with bbq rub and put homemade bbq sauce with liquid smoke on the side for dipping. 

I'm actually really good at making things healthy. My problem is more the cravings on days my workouts were long. I have a hard time loading up on healthy foods enough to cover 1200-2000+ calorie deficites created by workouts. Then I'm sitting with the wife watching a boring tv show spending time with her and I eat something bad out of boredom. This in itself, probably not a problem. But with the addictive personality, once I start I don't stop!

Just a quick question that I don't think has been asked, are you sure you aren't making muscle gains and that is what is causing the added weight?  I know you are talking about over eating after your workouts but it is a thought.  If you are doing long runs and bikes maybe you are just building up your leg muscles more.  It would probably help more to check your body fat %.

I have been trying to go with more turkey and the lean brisket when I do go for BBQ.  Or some chicken but remove the skin.  I just need to stay away from seconds!

Not sure if you serve up your food family style or not at your house, but here is how my wife and I combat that.  We cook up just enough food to feed us a portion, our kids, and leave some for leftovers at lunch.  Before the plates go to the table a portion of everything is put on each of our plates and the extras are packed up and put in the fridge.  This way we have to go bust out the tupperware if we want seconds and know we're relegated to a turkey sandwhich or tuna for lunch the next day instead of yummy leftovers.