[Closed] Weight loss - 5.2kg in one week!

Now you are just making stuff up for the sake of being nasty. I'm out if this one, email in profile if any one wants to talk more. Utterly no point in replying to Jamie's shite.

Quality not quantity.

More people lie about the latter...

Perhaps it is worth us moving away from bashing Molly's attempts and talking a little about our own diets and training.

Molly what do you do?

Utterly no point in replying to Jamie's shite.

Edit: The thing is, it's true Mr Grips. I have been reading STW long enough to see you constantly sabotaging any attempts to reach your weight goals, by thinking you are outside the laws of thermodynamics.

Jamie - you used to be a lot funnier when you were fatter.

Ignore Jamie Molly, cmon what doesn't it answer

From what I have read, I reckon part of the 'problem' is unrealistic goals.
If your goal is so far from your current circumstance you will never get there as it will seem too far a leap.

This tri, then....? I think it was mentioned that it is billed as the hardest tri in the UK? And you are aiming for that as a goal, along with winning a race.
My Bro-in-law started doing tri's a few years back. He has 2 kids and fits training in around family & trying to grow a new business. He is a very driven individual & when he wants to be can be very strict with diet etc.
His first triathlons were small, low key affairs so he could see where he fits in the scheme of things and so he has a starting point; a baseline to go from.
It does sound like there are many excuses about why you shouldn't enter an event, but you need to get a stake in the ground. Then you can say that you did a certain event and you came last/mid-pack/first. Doesn't really matter where you finish, it gets your eye in about where you need to go.

I sound a bit like you.
I am a bit over weight, I love a bit of cake with some over-priced coffee and would love to be fitter/do better at races.
Recently I decided to tackle the weight thing, and stuck My Fitness Pal on my phone. It's not brilliant, but does allow me to track what I am eating and allows me to see where the calories are coming from. It has set me a target for calorie consumption based on my modest goal of losing 1lb a week.
With regards to the fitness/races. I ride probably 4hrs/week as well if I am lucky. I know this is not enough to improve my fitness; in fact i think it barely sustains it. I would expect to have to double it, to achieve a modest improvement. For me, I think I need to write down on the calendar exactly when I should ride. At the moment, I always find an excuse not to ride, whereas if it is written down I think I would be more likely to do it....

This is a useful site for recording and analyzing your diet;

http://caloriecount.about.com/

[i] At the moment, I always find an excuse not to ride, whereas if it is written down I think I would be more likely to do it....[/i]

That is soo much like me, if I write it down, I can tick it off!!

Post deleted due to solipsism. Emsz email me if you want to know about the questions.

As for eating a normal healthy diet and riding for fun - do you think I've never tried that in 20 years of biking? I don't try diets just for fun, I need to understand why I still weigh too much despite riding and healthy eating.

Molgriups - you do not eat a normal healthy diet.

You eat between half and a kilo of highly refined sugar / maltodextrin (which acts on your body like glucose) a week by your own admission. That is highly damaging to your health and will both prevent weight loss [i][b]and cause hunger[/b][/i].

However over many discussions you do not want to accept this how damaging this is.

Its your sugar habit that causes you to both gain weight and feel hungry - you have to train your body away from it or accept being overweight.

You do not need it to fuel your minimal training / recovery. What you need is a healthy balanced diet and ore long acting carbs

this is not making things up to be nasty - its your own previous admission of what you do.

Ssssh! TJ, he knows what he's doing.

Someone's got to call Troll again!

Molly - get a copy of The Feed Zone... I reckon it can help us all.

Molgrips, your stone throwing ability is not enhanced by the vitreous nature of your current dwelling.

Crikey, I try to learn from other people.

Big difference.

Anyway mods please close this thread, I can't stop myself apparently.

can't stop myself apparently.

Stop it Molly... you're chucking petrol on the fire.

Anyway - The Feed Zone looks at timing and quality of nutrition for training for athletes and fitness enthusiasts. The promo extract I've got is covered in pics that look similar to iDiet recipes.

molly, take a deep breath... and out.... and in again...... and out. now that you're more relaxed.... why should the mods close the thread because you can't stop yourself?

HANG ON, Tj's back, where were you Teej?

Molgrips, I've just finished a 5 night stretch of work, 55 hours. I don't sleep well on nights, and have just consumed a bottle of wine because I've had some extremely bad news at work.

I regard you as one of the good guys, but you seem to be a wee bit strange in terms of your ability to learn from others.

Most of the 'have a go at molgrips' posts on this thread are about people trying to point out that your approach needs work, that you seem to be somewhat resistant to taking advice.

Come on fella, I'd love to see you getting better at the things you'd like to get better at, but you've got to believe in the things people are saying to you.

41 junk miles for me before breakfast today [av 17.1 mph], that brings this working week's useless exercise tally to

cycling 149 miles
Running 6 miles

Plan something for the weekend now
If they'd been quality miles rather than junk miles, I'd be in clover now 😕

I regard you as one of the good guys

He certainly is... don't think any of us would have smashed our heads into bloody pulps if we didn't beleive this.

He certainly is... don't think any of us would have smashed our heads into bloody pulps if we didn't beleive this.

indeed.

Phil post a picture of the Proclaimers... quick.

no.

why?

Most of the 'have a go at molgrips' posts on this thread are about people trying to point out that your approach needs work

I know my approach needs work, that's what I'm trying to do all the time! Trying to find the balance between not enough fuel and too much, and what foods can get me there without derailing the whole process.

that you seem to be somewhat resistant to taking advice.

The problem is that the advice is to do things that I have already tried, or am not able to do. 'Eat sensibly and ride for fun' is what I was doing for years and years, and I was not a fast racer then.

I've tried to explain this to people, and why I do what I do, but I seem to be ignored; instead I'm being made out to be some kind of whining excuse making skiver who can't be bothered to put the effort in and wants to blame something else for failure.

I've never tried to blame anything or anyone else, all I'm trying to do is point out exactly what I've learned about myself both physically and mentally during the whole training project.

This is why I have been frustrated on this thread.

Sorry to hear you had bad news Crikey. You are remarkably lucid considering the wine consumed though! And I appreciate the kind words. Likewise Yeti.

If they'd been quality miles rather than junk miles, I'd be in clover now

Quite possibly 🙂

[img] [/img]

500th post Phil! Good work Crikey.

I really need to sleep now, gotta meet monksie tomorrow for the last 50-60 ish miles of his charity daftness.

Seriously, (ok not hat seriously after bottle of wine and grim night(s), I did it by wanting to so badly that I couldn't do anything else, it was probably a bit obsessive, a bit too single minded, but the point is that it's there, it is achievable, it is doable, but you have to do it.

That's rubbish advice, but Iam drunk.

The last you should be in bvbold

Fancy a snog?

[i]The problem is that the advice is to do things that I have already tried, or am not able to do. 'Eat sensibly and ride for fun' is what I was doing for years and years, and [b]I was not a fast racer then. [/b][/i]

Molly! you said ^^ up there ^^ you didn't define yourself as a racer and now you're telling us that you're a fast racer!!

you say 'not able to do'... what exactly is it you're unable to do?

Molly! you said ^^ up there ^^ you didn't define yourself as a racer and now you're telling us that you're a fast racer!!

No I'm not. I wasn't a fast racer then, I'm not one now. Perhaps I should've added 'either' to the end of that sentence.

you say 'not able to do'... what exactly is it you're unable to do?

Put in 20 hours a week training!

Mol - I think that a lot of the rubbish on this thread would never have been typed if your stated ambition had been along the lines of 'the fastest racer I can be'.

Put in 20 hours a week training!

How many hours a week can you do?

Well i've done my bit. Put molly in contact with a club in cardiff that does a bit of track racing/coaching and has access to a track bike.

So hopefully he can get down the track and see what he's capable of

Mol - I think that a lot of the rubbish on this thread would never have been typed if your stated ambition had been along the lines of 'the fastest racer I can be'.

Surely that's totally obvious? How could I aim to be the fastest racer I can't be? Did you think I was trying to go pro or something?

TD - it's much appreciated, sadly I'm away at work all week for ages.. might have to make similar inquiries at Manchester.

Mol - with the typed word things can be easily misinterpreted... winning a race is beyond the majority of the field of competition.

You're yet to enter a race, yet you've set winning as your aim. Just enter a race, enjoy the satisfaction of finishing. See where you come against your peers... then aim on improving.

It's what I'd do. It's what I do.

At the moment, with all the reasons you've provided, it sounds to me like you hope to be a faster racer than you can be.

[i]Surely that's totally obvious? How could I aim to be the fastest racer I can't be? Did you think I was trying to go pro or something? [/i]

So whereabouts do you think you'll finish in an xc race if you train to be the fastest you can be... top20% or top10% or higher, what's your goal again?

No idea. I'll keep trying to improve until I get fed up.

You're yet to enter a race

I've entered loads, just not for a while.

Molgrips,

I’ve read this thread from the start, yes I’m that tough!

You post a lot on the threads that I read, so it is clear you are a smart bloke, but you have a real block on this issue. The people posting on here obviously care about you, otherwise it would have stopped after 2 pages.

Firstly, change your goal, it’s stupid. You cannot control who enters a race and so you have no control over the result.

It is clear that you are not willing to make the sacrifices you would need to make, in order to have enough training time to perform at the race winning level. THIS IS NOT A BAD THING. I work all week and so see my daughter for an hour in the morning and two in the evening. I never go running or biking when she is awake at the weekend, as I am not prepared to sacrifice that time with her. Work out what [b][u]you[/u][/b] can be given the resources you have, set your goals and plan how to acheive them. Do this now (even before typing 'but that's what I am doing') and make them realistic.

Weight loss and liking food are hugely difficult to reconcile and I speak as someone who probably has bigger issues and worse eating habits than you. People have already said that it’s about what you want more, do you want to lose the weight or do you want cake. I wanted cake (well Haribo, Crisps, Chocolate and Chocolate actually) more than losing weight until I saw a photo of me with my daughter and realised I was a fat pig. Now I still want cake (see above) but I want to be slimmer more and so I don’t eat it.

As Emsz has suggested in her posts, I plan, I prepare food when I can (no trips to TESCO, how easy is it to rationalise a 200g bar of Dairy Milk when you’re going wild in the aisles!), I am on STRAVA so my mates can see (laugh, cry or be impressed at) my running and biking times, I do whatever I can to take away excuses (prepare kit in advance, maintain my bikes, tell people I’m going running/biking so they ask about it the next day). I’m more honest with myself now than I have been for years, but I’m only 7 weeks in.

I’m bigger than you, I run more slowly, cycle more slowly and produce less power (it would be 50:50 on a downhill!). Having said all that, I only live in Bury, so if you wanted to do an hour on the bike one evening give me a shout (it would have to be after 1900, before that is story time).

Now I’ve got to this point I’ve realised this isn’t about you, well not solely about you, so I’ll shut up and go back to lurking. However, if any of you see a ‘somewhat’ out of shape bloke trailing, 3 shandy drinking (true in this case!) southerners at the Big G sportive next weekend, give me a shout, or some Tangfastics!

Matt

I've entered loads, just not for a while.

Where did you come?

Firstly, change your goal, it’s stupid.

I don't see it that way. I'm not goal orientated like that anyway.

My aim is to use the time and resources I have to get as good as I can, and see where that gets me. That's the aim of the exercise. Winning would be very nice of course.

And I appreciate the nice words thanks.

Where did you come?

Usually top 20%. My best result was 11/90 ish in Open, before Meg was born. Not very good, consistency has always been the issue.

The problem is that the advice is to do things that I have already tried, or am not able to do. 'Eat sensibly and ride for fun' is what I was doing for years and years, and I was not a fast racer then.

I've tried to explain this to people, and why I do what I do, but I seem to be ignored; instead I'm being made out to be some kind of whining excuse making skiver who can't be bothered to put the effort in and wants to blame something else for failure.

I've never tried to blame anything or anyone else, all I'm trying to do is point out exactly what I've learned about myself both physically and mentally during the whole training project.

I don't see it that way. I'm not goal orientated like that anyway.

So why not set yourself a goal of finishing in the top 20% for your first race?

In the Blenheim Tri. I finished in the top 4%. I was 10 mins off the pace of winning against normal people. 20 mins off the Brownlees. My aim for my next race is to stay in the top 5%. Training to win would be insane and would be training to fail.

[i] I'm not goal orientated like that anyway.[/i]

doesn't help when you want to loose weight

You're yet to enter a race, yet you've set winning as your aim. Just enter a race, enjoy the satisfaction of finishing. See where you come against your peers... then aim on improving.

It's what I'd do. It's what I do.

+1. I've now scooped cat 3 in my 1st season of racing but haven't won anything (yet!). Whilst there's nothing wrong with an aim of winning, setting realistic goals to get there need to be a priority. Yes I want to win but i have so much to learn and my lack of experience is holding me back from winning. Work out from the races you do what you need to work on to improve, and set aside sessions specifically to work on your weaknesses. Its taken me 10 weeks of hard training to get this far and a lot of WTFU riding in torrential downpours when i'm knackered. 10 weeks ago i sat down with my coach and agreed my goals for the season: cat 3 and finish top 10 in races. He wants me to win, and I do too, but its not that realistic yet, esp when i'm up against pro riders and world champ sprinters who have way more experience and bike handling skills than i do. Enter as many races as you can do, set out which ones you want to prioritise and which are hard training sessions. I'm going into weekly crits tired with training in my legs but come a priority race with a taper and rest, i'll be flying after racing when tired! Do the same.

dirtygirl, when you're famous... can you wear a jersey that has #specialguys on it?

I've got a crush on dirtygirlonabike.

wow, your training schedule is amazing!

I used to get top20% positions in mtb races. I knew no matter how hard I trained I never get top5% let alone win.

I used to get top 10% running xc 10k, I'd finish a nip over 40min. I knew no matter how hard I trained I'd never get top5% let alone win.

There is just no way on this planet I'm ever going to take a minute off every mile for six miles. it would be totally unrealistic and a delusional to think it would happen.

sorry bud but I don't think it can be considered as training yet

It's training if it's riding to improve fitness. Doesn't matter how much or how good you are.

So why not set yourself a goal of finishing in the top 20% for your first race?

Cos it's pointless. Would my training programme be any different? If I got to the top 20% position would I slow down and not go any faster? The idea of an arbitrary goal does nothing for me.

Training to win would be insane and would be training to fail.

I understand that people are faster than me, but I've got no idea who they are or if they'll enter any races I do. So to me, training to win is the same as training to be top 20% or whatever. It's just training.

I'll devote the time I can spare to training, and that'll get me where it gets me. When I'm consistently training I improve, and if I consistently train for a long time and plateau, then I'll re-asses. I've not managed to get to that point yet.

When I race, I consider it a successful race if:

1) I feel good and fast all race long and don't fade
2) I place higher than previously
3) I don't get fed up half way through and think 'this is shit' which is related to 1) and 2)

Mol - I suppose you've created an image of yourself pounding the pavements, scrutinising your diet and analysing the powertap with this unwavering appetite for victory... with the extra detail of your last post you come across as far less of a clown... which I've always known you're not.

dirtygirl, when you're famous... can you wear a jersey that has #specialguys on it?

yes, yes phil i will. 😀

I've got a crush on dirtygirlonabike. wow, your training schedule is amazing

Sssshuuh. Yeti will get jealous 😉

I'm seriously impressed with my coach and his training plan for me, and how far he has brought me on. It took me a while to settle in but i now trust him to get me there. Its bloody hard work but i'd not have it any other way now! On the flip side, i had a rubbish race last night, my legs were dead from my ride on tuesday and i got dropped, chased back on, got dropped again. I've got a long way to go yet!

1) I feel good and fast all race long and don't fade
2) I place higher than previously
3) I don't get fed up half way through and think 'this is shit' which is related to 1) and 2)

learn how to pace yourself and how deep into the red you can go and get away with, and fuel properly too.

Loved Matt_bl's post esp.

You cannot control who enters a race and so you have no control over the result.

with the extra detail of your last post you come across as far less of a clown

Thanks, I never thought my approach was particularly unreasonable! If my appetite for victory was unwavering then I'd have done far better than I have done, cos I'd have been more consistent. My appetite wavers a lot.

In fact, if I really was unwavering I'd have been a 200m sprinter. I decided when I was 16 that I didn't want it enough to go through the trauma of races. Plus I didn't think I had the natural talent my Mum did. On reflection this was possibly a red herring, because success is a function of initial talent and adaption to training, and I think I do adapt pretty well when I knuckle down to it.

and fuel properly too.

You don't mean... carbs during rides, do you? NOOOOOOO!!!!!! You'll have officer TJ busting your ass.

Sorry to get all Dr Freud...

Do you feel that your parents had a realistic notion of how good you could be at sport, academia... whatever?

I ask, becuase I felt from very early on in this thread that your parents probably were very positive and supporting of what you wanted to do.

Plus I didn't think I had the natural talent my Mum did. On reflection this was possibly a red herring, because success is a function of initial talent and adaption to training, and I think I do adapt pretty well when I knuckle down to it.

Y'know, I've been on the start line of a good few 5 and 10k races in the past
I've stood there next to top club and national athletes and thought " how the **** can he run 10K 12 minutes faster than me?" - he has 2 arms, 2 legs, 1 head, just the same as me
Then you look closer and realise that the bits that matter aren't the same at all, bigger, longer springs and all that.
Very little to do with talent IMO, it's 80% genetics

They were, yes. My Mum is insanely competitive (you think I'm bad...) and was a very talented sprinter. However she's also a massive worrier and was probably terrified of pushing me to do the same stuff she did. So when I said I wasn't interested in the competition she didn't try and dissuade me. I probably should have been dissuaded though...

I went to a rural school in Herefordshire which was full of grass chewing oo-arring yokels who weren't interested in doing anything competitive, and this rubbed off on me. Several years after I left though it rubbed back off.

Very little to do with talent IMO, it's 80% genetics

Talent = genetics, surely?

Very little to do with talent IMO, it's 80% genetics

i like your style... that's what i'm blaming 🙂

Ahhh... Mol - I think you're awesome too. How about a bike ride sometime?

I am thinking of going to Cwmcarn on sunday morning, but that is where we went last time 🙂

There is just no way on this planet I'm ever going to take a minute off every mile for six miles. it would be totally unrealistic and a delusional to think it would happen.

Thats not true. My first miles where a struggle at 10 min mile pace to string 5 of them together, After a lot of training I was stringing 4 at under 5 min pace and 5 a smidgen over.
Its impossible to say how fast you can get too if you dont make the effort in the first place.

Talent = genetics, surely?

Don't entirely agree
Identical twins next door, one's a great runner, the other average
They both have the same genetics, one has more talent/drive etc than the other

Yep.

Although I think genetics has a bigger part in running than cycling. After all, as a 'bigger' cyclist I have disadvantages but also advantages. I'm a lot more powerful than most which means on the flat I keep up with riders who post very quick laps. They just disappear on the climbs. I've also got a pretty good burst of speed so I always do well sprinting to get into singletrack before someone else. I can play to my strengths, and flatter courses suit me way better.

I don't think you get much choice in distance running do you?

They both have the same genetics, one has more talent/drive etc than the other

Well there's genes, and genetic expression. Also slight differences in expression can be amplified by experience, this is why identical twins have different personalities outside of any physical performance. Watched an interesting programme about it a while ago.

But what I meant was they are both innate, and are the starting point for your training.

Then again, aptitude for training and the desire to win is also innate.. 🙂

After a lot of training I was stringing 4 at under 5 min pace and 5 a smidgen over.

See, much as I have cycling ambitions, I don't think I could EVER run that quickly.

I'm a lot more powerful than most which means on the flat I keep up with riders who post very quick laps. They just disappear on the climbs

Just making sure you get in front of the skinny ****ers before you hit the climb, then make it very difficult/impossible for them to get past

Or as Juma Ikangaa said "the will to win is nothing without the will to prepare"

then make it very difficult/impossible for them to get past

Hehe.. that doesn't go down well!

Actually that's one thing about XC, you don't really know who's in your race out on the course. I once ran wide to let a load of elites through, and the last guy almost stopped as I tried to wave him through saying 'I'm in your race!'

Good sport that man 🙂

nice to see you in a better mood discussing all this molly 😀

I once ran wide to let a load of elites through

I once caught some mates up in a race and screamed "Pro Elite coming though!"
It was great watching them dive out the way, and listening to the swearing when they'd realised 😀

Actually that's one thing about XC, you don't really know who's in your race out on the course. I once ran wide to let a load of elites through, and the last guy almost stopped as I tried to wave him through saying 'I'm in your race!'

Good sport that man

If i were him, i'd have put you into the bushes....

neither of you will ever win with that attitude

😉

I do try phil.. I just hate being misinterpreted and maligned...

neither of you will ever win with that attitude

Given where we were in the race, I don't think a killer race attitude would have changed much 🙂

Given where we were in the race, I don't think a killer race attitude would have changed much

I like you.. we should both enter XC races together and battle for the back of the field places.

Ok well I'll be doing Gorricks maybe next year or so, depends how things go with the kids 🙂

its good, now CG can't be mad at us for bullying when we wasn't trying to bully.

do you think i should go for a ride on the road bike tomorrow morning? i'm thinking of just doing the gym and back which is just less than an hour... then i can go watch the planes at f'bro airshow with torminalis and some other friends knowing i've got some morning miles under my belt...

hmmmmm, i'm worried that i'm considering road bike before the mtb and its only been a week of owning it

ohhh gorricks, as in swinley?

Gorricks as in Swinley, Crowthorne, and all the other local places, yes.

how exciting, i normally avoid the woods when those races take over, but if you're going to be there i'd come and cheer 😀

Sweet Mol... count me in for some of that... my other XC buddies have quit the racing scene and i really wanna get into it.

Phil I am expecting you to race. Weeksy you don't need mates to do it, just enter!

From tomorrow, nobody get an easy pass on you, make it as difficult as you can for them

It's not a tea party

Agreed Mol.... but it's far more fun with people to do it with, even if in different classes, just the turning up, banter, before and after stuff.. it's not a solo activity, even if the actual racing is.

Fair point.. I'll anounce on STW when I do my next mtb race 🙂

Doing this triathlon in September, that's about it for this year.

but i dont like racing! singletrack is to be enjoyed, i enjoy it much less when there's pressure to do stuff at a faster speed than my flow dictates