Getting Weight Down To Be Healthy

The ideal cycling weight for what?

The word ‘Ideal’ implies that there is one perfect weight for a given cyclist but this is not true. The answer to the question posed in the article title depends on what the aims and lifestyle of that cyclist are. The needs of a professional athlete are very different to those of the cycle tourist or someone who just uses a bicycle for transport. Having said that, there is a truth understood by anybody who has ever toiled up a steep hill on a bicycle – fat is hard work when the road rears up!

Cycling for health

If you only cycle to keep fit and well and are not interested in performance, then you don’t need to concern yourself with your weight, beyond keeping it within a healthy range. Some people refer to Body Mass Index (BMI) for this, but I don’t like it because it doesn’t take into account how muscular your body is. Muscle is good, excessive fat is bad but BMI ignores the difference.

My advice would be to use your cycling to help get your weight down to the point where you don’t have a roll of fat round your waist, or at most just a small one. Don’t go so far as to have all your ribs sticking out. If you achieve this then you will be maximising the health benefits of your time on the bike.

Cycling for fitness

If you are trying to maximise your cycling performance, you should pay close attention to your weight. Any excess fat is a burden to carry uphill. You will go downhill faster than your skinny buddies, but that will never make up for the time lost climbing. The steeper the hills, the worse it gets.

Upper body muscular bulk will not help your cycling either. Lance Armstrong came from a triathlon background and his swimmer’s upper body muscle was a handicap on the bike. It was only when he reduced the size of his upper body that his road cycling performance improved. If he’d still been a triathlete, his swimming would have suffered when he did that. This is why I say that the ideal cycling weight depends on what type of cycling you do, and what your goals are.

The specialist climber

If you look at the ‘mountain goats’ of the pro peloton, you will soon notice that they tend to be incredibly skinny. The truth is that they constantly battle to keep their weights down to that level and some have eating disorders. That isn’t a healthy thing to do, but it is an individual choice to make. If you consider yourself to be a climber, just be very careful not to overdo your weight loss – winning a bike race isn’t worth dying for and Anorexia Nervosa isn’t something to play about with.

What is my ideal cycling weight?

I have a lot of experience of cycling in the Pennine hills of northern England. I have done it fat and I have done it skinny and I can tell you straight that cycling round here is easier when skinny! I overdid it a few years back and got too thin. I looked gaunt, I kept getting ill and I didn’t have the stamina that I have now. I could climb the first few hills quickly, but then I’d get exhausted and perhaps come down with a cold a few days later.

Over the years, I piled a lot of weight on. Sure, I stopped getting ill but I got to an unhealthy size and felt really unfit.

I’m 6’1″ tall and a medium build. For me, as a cyclist who enjoys riding in the hills and mountains, below 168 pounds is too light, above 182 pounds is too heavy so I’m aiming for about 175 pounds. You should be able to work out a range of weights like that for yourself. Aim to lose weight until you are slimmer and fitter. If you overdo it, put a couple of pounds back on and maintain that weight from then on.

Have you put on extra weight recently? Are you desperate to lose it fast? Don’t feel alone. There are plenty of others in the same shape as you. Let’s face it, maintaining an ideal weight is tough! If you get off your normal routine for just a couple weeks you can be staring down a new roll of blubber on your waistline or like some of us, gain it in your rear end, your face, well, you get the picture. So what steps can you take if you want to lose weight fast and get back to your comfort zone? Here are 7 ways to burn the fat off quickly that have worked for us and others just like you. Use one or use them all, but get ready to take action today!

#1. Drink water – Especially Before Each Meal!

Drink a big glass of water at least 20 minutes before each meal. This will help to make you more full before you sit down to eat and help you avoid over-indulging.

#2. Portion Size

This just makes common sense and it’s going to take a bit of self discipline. Only cook exactly as much as you want to eat at that meal. That way you’ve taken away the temptation of loading your plate up with second helpings.

#3. Eat a Balanced Diet

Fruits, small portions of meats and lots of fresh or steamed vegetables. You’d be amazed at how many tasty, low fat meals you can prepare quickly and easily. Get out of the “convenience” mindset, get off your duff and cook the right kinds of healthy foods. You can grill, bake or broil meats and veggies for fast healthy meals.

#4. Cabbage Soup Diet

This is an old favorite that has been popular for years. If you’re looking for a quick fix then the cabbage soup diet may be your answer. However, it’s NOT a long term solution and unless you learn new eating habits you may find yourself eating a lot of this soup.

#5. Sweat it Out!

Sitting in a sauna or a hot tub for short periods of time is a great way to detox your body and sweat off pounds of water weight. Make sure that you only do this in moderation as it can be dangerous if you overdo it. As a matter of fact, I highly recommend that you get a complete physical before you begin any type of weight loss diet.

#6. Exercise

You can help yourself lose weight a LOT faster by getting up and exercising. Exercise will help you burn off calories much faster and it will fill you with energy and a renewed sense of purpose. Try taking a walk instead of watching television. Buy an aerobics tape and sweat with the oldies. Get on a stationary bike and pretend you are biking through a seaside town. Add exercise into your daily routine and you’ll find that it becomes a regular staple in your life. You’ll also be free to eat a bit more liberally without having to constantly watch your waistline.

#7. Find a Great Weight Loss Guide and Follow it

There are many great weight loss products that you can buy that will give you a proven step by step guide for losing weight fast and for good. Buying one will allow you to have a step by step process which will help you reach your weight loss goals much faster and with no confusion.

The journey from a proud Miss Perfect 10 clad in her wedding dress to a careless Mrs. Fat Aunt is not really long. It takes only twelve months for the whole makeover. It is a proven fact that women gain weight after marriage, and the process is so fast that it becomes obvious to people around you. But trust me! you are not as bothered as you were before marriage. In fact you are really contented with the idea that you don’t have to leave your bed early in the morning for an exercise or sacrifice your favourite dessert to cut down calorie intake. Although your size has increased from 10 to 14 then 18, after marriage you just want yourself let go. Nevertheless, you do not really like the idea that someone would call you Mrs. Fat Aunt, do you?

Common! Marriage does not mean that you do not have to look attractive anymore. In fact, to keep the electric attraction ongoing and keep your hubby glued to you, your looks matter a lot. Now, do I have to give reasons for the statement?

Miss Perfect 10 to Mrs. Fat Aunt

So let us find out the factors that change your waist line from 10 to 18 within 6 to 12 months from marriage.

o You think you have found a partner for life, no need to attract him anymore.

o You need to let your hubby know that you are a good cook.

o You cook for the family, giving preference to their choice.

o You eat as much as your partner, talking and munching!

o You eat the left-over, trying not to waste food.

o Your partner encourages you to eat more showing that your extra fat is not going to turn him off.

o You want to be loved unconditionally, not happy with the marriage, feeling disrespected, rejected and unloved.

o Pregnancy occurs

Think about it…

The secured feeling you get out of marriage is playing devil….the reason why you are putting on weight. As you do not have to attract a partner any longer, you stop taking care of yourself. When the marriage ends (God forbid!) and you are out of your dream castle, you see the mirror and scream, “Oh-my-God!! What I have done to myself!! Look at me…I don’t know the woman in the mirror”. So, you decide to shed your extra pounds, its time for another partner hunt! But why should your broken marriage be the only enthusiasm for being in shape? Be practical and don’t spoil what can be your life long asset, your desire for a good figure will give you a good healthy life style as well.

Cook food to make your husband happy, that’s really good! But you should not repeat richest meals and the creamiest desserts every day if you do not want to see your waist line increasing. And please let me tell you…you need to eat according to your body requirement. Not as much as your husband is eating, he has a bigger body than yours, so he needs more than you. You, as woman tend to please others and your motherly instinct resulting in putting the needs of others before your own. Do not do it. You can set an example for them, giving a good diet and healthy life style. They will understand and be supportive. Again, you do not like uneaten food left on plates because you were taught to finish your meals. So do not serve food when not needed or you know it can go waste.

The next reason for your increasing waistline may be your hubby is encouraging you to eat more, so that you do not look attractive any more and so he will compete less. Do not give into his insecurity, take him along with your weight loss program, and let him understand that you also want to see him in shape and in good health.

Another reason is unhappy married life, studies show that couples who are happy, stay in shape than those who are not. The reason behind this, you tend to put your concentration more on food and find solace in eating and cooking whatever you feel like, to suppress your depression and frustration. Hey, for heaven’s sake, change the idea of eating more!! This will cause you more depression in the long term.

And finally when pregnancy is knocking the door, you overeat during pregnancy and become too inactive, believing that you need to eat a lot more than you actually do and also you slow down and relax more than should. And the sudden hankering for special foods during this time only multiples the problem. Once you deliver the child, you stay at home putting the needs of your child and family before your own. Keep a close look on your weight gain during this period of time. If you gain more fat, you can have complexities during your child birth. Do light exercises as recommended by the doctor and eat healthy but do not overeat.

Stay fit for a successful married life ahead…

Life changes after marriage, you are more loved, more cared and more secured than ever. The first 12 months are the formative months for your marriage. Do not let it go. Staying fit will give you confidence to lay the foundation of your marriage, and at the same time you will remain attractive to your husband. If you put on weight, you only store trouble for the future.

I lost over 2 stone in just couple of months after giving birth and you can too, by eating a couple of fat burning healthy foods. Having a baby can be the most exciting moment in a person’s life, and the weight you put on during pregnancy is a small price to pay. Take a few moments to read this helpful article on the quickest way to lose weight after having a baby.

When it comes to losing weight after having a baby, there are many things you should do, and many things you shouldn’t. The key to keeping in good shape and staying positive, is a healthy diet, and not many people will disagree with me on that. The first few months after birth are going to be exhausting, and eating a healthy diet will keep your energy levels up, and you are going to need all the energy you can get.

So what is the quickest way to lose weight after having a baby? The Secret Foods to eat.

I mentioned above that I lost over 2 stone, in a couple of months after giving birth to my first daughter, and this was all down to gentle exercise, and a diet of healthy foods which help you burn fat better than a regular unhealthy and unplanned diet. I also mentioned about keeping those energy levels up, and that is the key to losing weight after pregnancy, because without it, you will get nowhere, and slowly pile on the pounds.

So what foods can you eat to burn fat faster?

It’s no secret that eating a couple of foods can help you turn your stomach into a fat burning furnace, and also give you energy. Did you know that a certain type of oil, will help you burn fat faster, and it’s not bad for your heart, and wont make you gain weight? Many people think that eating fat is bad for you, and its true some are, but it’s also true that some can help you speed up metabolism and burn fat.

I suppose you think I’m talking about something that is impossible to get hold of? I’m not, and you can buy this in any supermarket. I used this in cooking straight after pregnancy, and with a little gentle exercise in the first few weeks, I managed to keep my weight down. It was in the 3rd week of following a plan, that the weight started to fall off, and all with eating a healthy diet.