FW: [Randon] Weight Management

[Susan Otcenas]

• We don't need a lot of protein.  Think of protein as a condiment. At dinner it should be about the size of a deck of cards and carbs should cover your plate.
• Look for every opportunity to cut back on fats. By low- or non-fat whenever possible.

 

I think you may find a lot of disagreement here. 

 

Many people find that carbs burn right through them, while protein and fats provide a much greater feeling a satiety and "stick to the ribs" more.  Feeling full longer ==> snacking less between meals.   As much as I LOVE steel cut oats for breakfast, a couple of eggs scrambled with plenty of veggies leaves me much more satisfied.  

 

Choosing low and no fat options can sometimes be a bad idea, unless you are a very diligent label reader.  Many low fat and no fat products are stuffed with added sugars or artificial ingredients instead.    Ever look at the ingredients in a typical container of lowfat or non-fat yogurt?   

 

Rather than "cover my plate" in carbs (which most people will interpret to mean bread, rice, pasta, or other grain-based food), I choose to fill at least half my plate with fresh vegetables.  Low calorie, nutrient dense, and filling.

 

Preparing for, riding, or recovering from a workout is a whole different ballgame.  My nutrition in that case is much more carb oriented to allow me quick access to calories during a workout & to replenish glycogen stores post-workout.  But as far as off-season & holiday weight-management meals go, I don't think that a carb-rich diet is necessary, or even necessarily advisable.

 

Of course, I'm not a dietician, but I do spend a lot of time reading up on this subject, and there's a wide variance in recommendations out there.  I guess, in the end, we have to figure out what works best for us as individuals.

 

Susan

 

 

 

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From: ran...@googlegroups.com [mailto:ran...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of John Hughes
Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2011 4:31 PM
To: randon
Subject: [Randon] Weight Management

This time of year many of us are concerned about managing our weight during the off-season, especially the holidays.  We did a lot of research for the chapter in nutrition in Distance Cycling, which covers day to day nutrition, weight management and nutrition during rides. A few observations:

• As a local pro told me it's simple, "ride more, eat less." It does come down to calories in / calories out.
• No particular food type is good or bad in terms of weight management; remember the guy who lost large amounts eating at Subway every day?
• What counts is control.  I have a friend who practices push-aways.  He pushes himself away from the table before seconds.
• Dieting doesn't work, because it feels like a sacrifice. Once I lose XX lbs I can go back to eating what I like.
• Permanently changing to a more healthy lifestyle does work:  reducing calories by not more than 20% of you daily requirement and increasing activities.
• When I was in China Prof. Weimo Zhu from U. IL made a convincing case that increasing obesity is a result of increasing use of labor-saving devices:  less manual labor, getting a ride to school instead of walking/cycling, using a power mower, a dishwasher, an elevator, etc. Easy for all of us to make some small changes here.
• Eating unprocessed grains, fruits and vegetables is important because they contain more vitamins and minerals.
• We don't need a lot of protein.  Think of protein as a condiment. At dinner it should be about the size of a deck of cards and carbs should cover your plate.
• Look for every opportunity to cut back on fats. By low- or non-fat whenever possible.
• Don't get carried away by all the rules.  After our ride today my friend and I had pizza and beer!
• A great resource for good nutrition and weight management is the USDA's http://www.choosemyplate.gov/
  

Yours for a healthy and happy life!
--
Cheers,
John Hughes
www.coach-hughes.com
PO Box 18028
Boulder, CO 80308-1028

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[Erik Nilsson]

Susan: Everything you said.