http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Weight Gain en Sun, 28 Jun 2026 09:22:55 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16107#post-214088 Sat, 12 Mar 2016 17:03:01 +0000 geordiefatbloke 214088@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Neil I've tried a few different diets over the years, had some success with all of them but the one I found the easiest to maintain was intermittent fasting, where two out of every 7 days I'd be limited to 600 cals, and the rest of the week I was free to eat whatever (obviously within reason!). The fasting days were quite hard, but you know it's just one day and you can get back to normal tomorrow, so mentally much easier than being strict 6 or 7 days a week. I kept it up for over two years (barring breaks for holiday), shifted about 2.5 stone in the first year and kept it off. 600 cals is not too bad if you are smart about it i.e. don't blow it all on a packet of crisps and a Mars bar :) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16107#post-214087 Sat, 12 Mar 2016 16:54:52 +0000 gembo 214087@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Cream in your porridge, lashings of honey might work too.? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16107#post-214086 Sat, 12 Mar 2016 15:47:13 +0000 Schemieradge 214086@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Well I followed the gembo diet (to an extent) and some progress. I put on over a kilo and a half the first week, then nothing the second week (metabolism catching up?).</p> <p>That's purely from double thickness peanut butter in the morning, an extra banana after the cycle, a bag of fruit and nuts to graze on during the day, and switching to stout for weekend drinks (plus trying to eat slightly bigger meals in general).<br /> I'll see what the next week brings - cheers for the help! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16107#post-213212 Tue, 01 Mar 2016 16:14:57 +0000 Neil 213212@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@geordiefatbloke Yup, agree dieting is a pain. I've done it in 2-3 month blocks, but only in winter/spring. Weight stayed stable from last spring until autumn. Last break was ~3-4 weeks over xmas/new year. Current plan is to diet up until the end of March but I'm getting sick of it now to be honest.</p> <p>I'm not doing anything wacky or counting calories to a ridiculous degree. Basically only eating "nutritious" food totalling 1500-1800 calories a day with one meal on Sunday where I don't care about what I eat. Overnight oats with 50/50 full fat milk and yoghurt fills me up well at breakfast and soup for lunch seems to be best to balance fullness and low-ish calories. Instant miso soup and carrots for afternoon snack. I enjoy what I'm eating but it's the constant need for discipline that gets to me eventually- saying no to cakes brought in to the office, sandwiches put on for meetings etc... It seems to work if I'm strict as hell 5/6 days out of 7. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16107#post-213186 Tue, 01 Mar 2016 12:36:34 +0000 geordiefatbloke 213186@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Schemieradge I do about the same as you cycling wise (2x6miles, 5x week), I also play a fair bit of racket sports, but as my screen name might suggest I'm in a constant battle with my weight - upping the exercise barely seems to affect my weight, rather it has to be in combination with dieting, which is a pain. I guess fundamentally I eat/drink too much :) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16107#post-213185 Tue, 01 Mar 2016 12:35:19 +0000 Neil 213185@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Schemieradge my own experience with 5 miles either way, 5 days a week is that it probably adds a few hundred calories to the amount I can get away with eating and maintain my weight. At points I've lost weight very slowly just with my normal commute volume and I suspect that's because I was approximately eating close to my maintenance calories on a day to day basis.</p> <p>I don't think there's any need to eat/drink whilst on the bike over a 10 mile commute </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16107#post-213172 Tue, 01 Mar 2016 08:20:23 +0000 gembo 213172@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@iwrats, I have seen more meat on a butcher's pencil </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16107#post-213171 Tue, 01 Mar 2016 08:05:07 +0000 I were right about that saddle 213171@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I can confirm that a year of not cycling to work after (a-19) years of cycling to work where a is my age has caused a congregation of foul and pestilential adipose tissue around my waist. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16107#post-213168 Mon, 29 Feb 2016 23:40:03 +0000 Schemieradge 213168@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><blockquote>@Schemieradge Are you underweight and still losing weight? How is your 60 miles per week divided up into individual rides usually?</blockquote></p> <p>Not sure - I've always been on the light-end of normal and wasn't really paying that much attention. Then checked recently have gone down about 3 kg giving a BMI of 17.9.<br /> There's some (so far) rather nebulous issues with my appetite which means I'm never that hungry (seeing the doc about that). So it's kind of feeling like unless I'm actively stuffing my face like I'm attempting to produce foie gras, then I'm losing weight.</p> <p>So was curious if it's a "cycling thing" - but sounds like not.</p> <p>My cycling's a commute, 2x10miles 3 times a week. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16107#post-213158 Mon, 29 Feb 2016 19:35:56 +0000 DrAfternoon 213158@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I can also attest to the opposite problem. It started when I worked as a bike courier. I was doing about 60-70 miles a day of sprinting about town and initially had to eat loads, but as I got fitter I was back to eating normally even doing a vast amount of exercise. Got very lean despite not losing much weight. After I stopped of course the fat piled on. </p> <p>Nowadays I do Audax and have the same problem, piling on loads of fat in the winter when I'm cycling less. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16107#post-213155 Mon, 29 Feb 2016 17:32:22 +0000 Neil 213155@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Yup agree with @ih- despite cycling 1-200 miles a week I've had to actively diet to lose fat. It's slightly frustrating knowing that I can pretty much eat what I want and maintain weight (as i dd last summer), but i have to restrict to lose it.... Only myself to blame for getting fat in the first place.....well, that and an office with a free, bottomless biscuit tin. ....and the starting a family thing.</p> <p>@Schemieradge Are you underweight and still losing weight? How is your 60 miles per week divided up into individual rides usually? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16107#post-213138 Mon, 29 Feb 2016 14:08:53 +0000 ih 213138@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Schemeieradge Unless you are losing weight for no apparent reason and if you are feeling otherwise healthy, I would thank my lucky stars that I didn't have a weight problem. Don't go and start eating no value food just to try and put weight on. Of course if you don't feel well, go and see a doctor pronto. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16107#post-213136 Mon, 29 Feb 2016 13:38:48 +0000 rust 213136@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Lots of choices as above:</p> <p>cake,<br /> beer,<br /> cheese,<br /> port (mostly to go with the cheese),<br /> bacon,<br /> bread. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16107#post-213135 Mon, 29 Feb 2016 13:24:08 +0000 PS 213135@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Since taking up cycling I've lost fat but put on weight. Secret is lots of hills, then your muscle gain mirrors your fat loss ;-) . A couple of years ago I was down to something like 12% body fat without trying to lose fat.</p> <p>Downside is it makes swimming trickier - less buoyant and my legs tend to drag down in the water. Swimming in the sea is a bit chilly too without that blubber. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16107#post-213091 Sun, 28 Feb 2016 15:58:14 +0000 gembo 213091@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Yes about 1000 calories in one oatcake, well ok 45</p> <p>But once you and the cheese and pickle </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16107#post-213090 Sun, 28 Feb 2016 13:18:28 +0000 wingpig 213090@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Oatcakes. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16107#post-213089 Sun, 28 Feb 2016 12:58:12 +0000 crowriver 213089@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"I found a sure fire way of gaining weight was starting a family and reducing exercise."</p> <p>Yep, seems to work rather too well! :-) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16107#post-213088 Sun, 28 Feb 2016 12:28:59 +0000 gembo 213088@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@schmeiradge, that is the diet I went for when I was very thin. However, I mistakenly thought that was all I was to eat and drink, not as you point out as a supplement to existing diet. I then was vegan for a while which is also a way of being thin, low cholesterol etc. However, I found a sure fire way of gaining weight was starting a family and reducing exercise. Probably put on two stone. Lost one of them now just by cycling. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16107#post-213086 Sun, 28 Feb 2016 12:24:31 +0000 Schemieradge 213086@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>My body at the moment seems to be doing a fairly bad job at telling me how much to eat so have decided I'm going to have to eat more than I really want, or change what I eat.<br /> I'm sure I can squeeze in some bananas and supplemental Guinness though.. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16107#post-213085 Sun, 28 Feb 2016 12:15:43 +0000 Greenroofer 213085@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I follow the gembo diet... I am borderline underweight and measured recently as 14% fat, but I have been like that all my life and am relaxed about it.</p> <p>My unofficial non-expert take on this is that your body is pretty good at telling you what it needs. Assuming that you have a balanced diet then eat when you're hungry and drink when you are thirsty. The only time I personally deviate from that is when I am after "performance" and want to make sure that I have the right fuel on board in good time. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16107#post-213084 Sun, 28 Feb 2016 12:00:13 +0000 gembo 213084@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Cake is going to feature in suggestions to follow. Cycling longer distances requires pit stops or eating on the move but a commute is doable without food.</p> <p>Porridge gets me to work and I can avoid a second breakfast as it is slow release.</p> <p>Fairly big lunch </p> <p>Usually have an apple or similar to get home. Usually then quite hungry.</p> <p>On top of what you already eat, try eating lots of bananas and when not cycling drink a lot of Guinness that should help with weight gain </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16107#post-213083 Sun, 28 Feb 2016 11:43:29 +0000 Schemieradge 213083@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Wondering if any other regular cyclists have bother keeping their weight up?<br /> I don't cycle a *huge* amount (~60 miles per week), but I do struggle to keep my weight up. Am now officially underweight for my height.<br /> I'm suspecting this is partly due to calories burnt when cycling, plus I don't have a great appetite a lot of the time so struggle to take enough on-board during mealtimes.</p> <p>So I'm in need of some pro-tips. Do you folk do anything special to fuel up for cycling, or does your body just automatically start asking for more food to make up for it? </p>