[jacksonpt]

2 winters ago I decided to start getting back into shape (I was 188lbs - the heaviest I'd ever been). I did a lot of research on how to tone up and build muscle while shedding some of the fat. I started working out, cleaned up my diet, and saw some decent results. Well, this past winter didn't go so well for me - I quit exercising when the weather got bad, got moody and found that eating was a good way to make me feel better.

Now I'm 190lbs... ugh.

So it's time to try to turn things around yet again. This time I'm not so concerned with building muscle as I am shedding the fat. I'm starting to read nutrition labels again and watch what I eat. What is a good fat/carb/protein ratio to shoot for on a daily basis? Before I did 1/3fat 1/3carbs 1/3protein. Should that still be my goal even though building muscle is a secondary concern for me right now?

Now that my wife and I are starting to settle back into a routine (we had our second child about a month ago), I'm starting to get out on the bike more often. My goal is to ride 4 days a week - ride to and from work 2 days (that would be just over 2 hours of exercise each day), a ride one night a week (probably 1.5-2 hours), and one ride on the weekends (probably 2-3 hours). I'm aiming for about 2200 calories per day.

 

[Changleen]

33% fat? That is a ****load. Try 3-5%!

 

[SpuTTer916]

30% fat can be fine as long as you make sure that they are the 'good' fats and lay off the saturated ones. 40/30/30 is pretty common in any diet, for weight loss of weight gain. (carbs/protein/fat). Weight loss or gain is dependant upon calories.

 

[jacksonpt]

30% fat can be fine as long as you make sure that they are the 'good' fats and lay off the saturated ones. 40/30/30 is pretty common in any diet, for weight loss of weight gain. (carbs/protein/fat). Weight loss or gain is dependant upon calories.

Thanks. If I can get so I'm exercising at least a few days a week, I may try for a 40/40/20 split. We'll see.

 

[Spunger]

This is going to sound stupid maybe but I'm way over weight. Last week I started Weight Watchers modified for me My girlfriend is doing it by the book but I sorta give a little here and there so I don't drive myself nuts.

Alot of it is portion control and what you eat. Somethings I was eating I though would be good for me isn't so I have weeded that stuff out. I still eat out and such but since everything that weight watchers is in points you still can eat what you want, you just have to count the points. Drinks are a killer too! I've come to like Crystal light mixes as they are 0 points on the system. Hell a Coke is 4 points yet a can of miller light is 2 points. Go figure

As of 1 week on it I've lost 3lbs. I splurged on the weekend though that I need to calm down on. My goal is somewhere in the 30lbs range to loose. Every week I weigh myself to see what I've lost/gained if any. I've estimated I've gained 40lbs or so since I got out of school 5 years ago. So if I can loose 30lbs I think loosing a little more will come. Right now I'm 5"11, 238 (started WW at 241lbs). Even at the rate of 3lbs a week that's 12lbs a month give or take.

I haven't been on the bike in the days. I play 2hrs of Basketball Mondays and Wed. but I'd like to up the exercise and see where it goes. I know how ya feel though.

Goodluck on whatever you choose. Especially if you have someone supporting you it makes it easier.

 

[jacksonpt]

I've put on about 40lbs since college. Seems like since I got married, I put on 10-15lbs over the winter, but only lose 5lbs during the summer. I've thought about the weight watchers things because I like the points system... basically eat what you want, just watch your points. But how does that work with total calories? I could very easily burn though my total day's worth of points in 2 meals, but only have like 1000 calories in. Everything else I've read says that real low calorie intake (generally below 1500) is worse for you, as you are basically starvign your body... especially if you're exercising frequently.

I don't want any gimmicks and get thin quick deals... I just want some structure - something I can refer to every day or every couple of days to keep me on track.

 

[Spunger]

I dunno really how the calorie deal works with weight watchers. I do know that they give you a tool to use to figure out points of foods that aren't in their books. You use the deitary fiber, calories, and fat grams to determine points. I know for my 241lbs that I started at I am allowed between 28-31 points. For every 25 minutes of exercise you gain back 2 points. Alot of it is to teach you serving sizes more so than what's in the foods.

As an example.....some fruit is 2 points. So my daily food consists of a ham and cheese sandwhich which is 7 points (just ham, cheese, bread, mustard) because I am plain like that , 11 mini-rice cakes (2 points), a can of coke (4), usually a tall glass of milk with dinner (6 points) and that leaves me with enough for dinner. Raviloi with sauce and half a bag of ceaser salad fills dinner requirements. I don't eat breakfest because I don't wake up earley enough to eat it or I'd probably do so.

I know I'm probably less than the 2,000 calorie a day deal. Hell with working out and eating that way I have to be. But like I said above I modify it to fit me as most weight watcher people aren't super active or active at all. I drink a container of gatoraide during basketball + water. If I feel like having 2 soda's I'll do it. Last night I wanted Wendy's for dinner so I ate it. I do count the points still just because I want to try and stay with the system and keep track of what I am eating. If I know I am going to exercise I'll add in a apple and banana? LOL to it or something else I don't care what it is. I'm not going to eat a sub 2,000 calorie diet to work out and be around 1000 calories a day. Forget that!

That's in a way what I don't get. If I wanted to lift weights being on a sub 2000 calorie diet would kill me. I'd have to eat something with more protein. That is why I drink milk at dinner (I had to as a kid for 18 years) atleast 1 glass. I don't care so much about the calories as much as I know what is going into my body.

I'm not saying weight watchers is for everyone. I've never really stuck with it up until now because I'm tired of my XL stuff fitting snug and the fact that not many bike related clothing comes in XXL (which is pushing it). My girlfriend in a 6 month period with little to no exercise lost.......I think 45lbs? She gained it all back because she got off the points and we both started eating like slobs again. Now we're a little more controlled to eat better and see a difference. It doesn't help that within a 25 yard walk we have Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Ralphs, a burger joint and a burrito joint and within another 25 yards another pizza and burrito place. It's too much fast food at your hands

But it's nice to know unlike most other diet deals that weight watchers you don't have to give up what you like weather it be girl scout cookies to taco bell to starbucks, you just have to know that 4 thin mints is 4 points, 3 taco's fresco style (they leave out the cheese and place salsa in, which isn't that bad either) for 9 points, and a starbucks iced drink is somewhere around 7-8 I think. But overall it just keeps you aware of what you're eating, and the weight does sorta just come off.

 

[SpuTTer916]

The biggest factor appears to be diet. 'Clean eating' is the key. Try to cut out sugars and high fat products. Stick with foods as natural as you can get. Go read anything and everything by Dr John Berardi www.johnberardi.com at his site, to go articles -> Nutrition.

He is one crazy Canadian and I think he's got really good information on good nutrition.

Oh also try not to get too caught up on weight and more about 'healthy'. You want to be healthy not skinny. If you can I suggest weight training as well in combination of your diet / exercise program.

No matter what route you choose, its good to see that you want to do something. Im the healthiest I've ever been and its only getting better.

oh also, when beginning I really recommend you do a food log. www.fitday.com has a great one that is free. Its awesome to see what your intaking. Soon you'll notice trends and foods that really KILL your diet plan. When you start cutting some of those out you should start seeing more results.

 

[MtnBikerChk]

33% fat? That is a ****load. Try 3-5%!

This is wrong and DANGEROUS. I'll thank you not to provide our members with any more "advice" again.

Your body needs healthy fats to maintain proper kidney functions.


Jackson -

Don't forget to eat 500 calories less than you burn in a day for weight loss. That is the key.

 

[dirtyamerican]

This is wrong and DANGEROUS.

Your body needs healthy fats to maintain proper kidney functions.

QUOTE]

You also need fat in your diet to make fat based vitamins soluble into your bloodstream.

I'd go from 30% fat to 25% diet if I were to count it all out but I'm lazy and also dieting. I only get to bike once or twice a week with some weight lifting. I'm cutting out snacks between meals and before bedtime and cutting back on sugary foods. I'm also not grabbing food right after every ride like I usually do. I'm keeping it simple: maintain exercise, cut back on calories. Also what mtnBikerChk said...cut 500 calories a day is totally reasonable...that's 3500 less calories per week...it takes 3500 calories to gain or loose a pound...1 to 2 pounds per week of weightloss is healthy and tends to stay off longer than regaining from a crash diet.

 

[mtnluvn]

Pretty much more of the same info, but I lost a bunch of weight last summer and kept it off but doing 2 things: getting lots of regular exercise (sounds like you're onto that already) and cutting a lot of the sugar from my diet. I don't advocate low carb plans because those are plain crazy - anything in moderation is ok as far as I'm concerned. But I did cut all of the processed white flour type foods and replaced them with whole grains. White spagetti with whole wheat, white rice with brown etc. No sugary sodas; slurpees were my downfall, and there's 10!!!! teaspoons of sugar in a can of Pepsi. That's why it's worth more points than a beer - all of the sugar. Basically you want to create a calorie deficit - burn more energy than you're taking in, and you are guaranteed to lose weight. And the key to that is the exercise. Good luck, it sounds like you have some great support

 

[doAZido]

Pretty much more of the same info, but I lost a bunch of weight last summer and kept it off but doing 2 things: getting lots of regular exercise (sounds like you're onto that already) and cutting a lot of the sugar from my diet. I don't advocate low carb plans because those are plain crazy - anything in moderation is ok as far as I'm concerned. But I did cut all of the processed white flour type foods and replaced them with whole grains. White spagetti with whole wheat, white rice with brown etc. No sugary sodas; slurpees were my downfall, and there's 10!!!! teaspoons of sugar in a can of Pepsi. That's why it's worth more points than a beer - all of the sugar. Basically you want to create a calorie deficit - burn more energy than you're taking in, and you are guaranteed to lose weight. And the key to that is the exercise. Good luck, it sounds like you have some great support

I lost 45 pounds in about 10 months just by eating less and better and exercise,the one thing that helped me was I stayed in a strict diet all week but allowed myself to eat whatever I want on the weekends,This works well for avid bike riders because you can go on along ride sat. morning and burn calories........Also I eat 4 to 5 small meals during the weekdays. So good luck, I have 0 discipline so if I can do it anyone can!

 

[justbill]

I have the simplest lable reading diet. It worked for me from 230 down to 185. It is based on alot of scientific backup, it but after reading all that stuff, points, good fat bad fat, ratios, i relized a more simple forula fit right into the FDA lable on all the food you buy. So here it is

Read the lable. look at Sat. fat, Carb, Protien(1g=2%), and fiber. per serving daily value percentages. Ignore calories and # of servings.

Calories ignore
Total fat ignore
Sat. Fat less then 5% . 0% is best.
Carb. less then 10%
Protien. at least double whatever % the carbs are. remember 1g=2%
Fiber. If this is a high % then you can lessen the protien requirement.

Thats it. I only use these rules for during breakfast and lunch which due to work are eaten out of the house. Also for snacks and treats kept at home. Dinners made by my wife are eaten without checking but i find i am not as hungry as i once was and so i take one portion only.

Oh yes, and ride the bike all that you said you were.
And good luck

 

[neversummersnow]

Personally I like the eat ride eat ride eat ride sleep diet...eat whatever you want (i'm at about 5k a day) and get faster...

 

[Crazy Sweeper]

Jackson-I've lost almost 40lbs since last year. 30 late last summer and fall, and another 10 this spring. My weight stayed pretty much constant through the winter. I'm recently diagnosed diabetic, so the first thing to gowas sugars. Just stay off the sweets, that will drop a lot of calories and bad fats from your diet. The biggest thing I did was portion control. I still pretty much ate what I wanted to, but I ate small portions about 5-8 times a day. Start simple, pack your lunch for work and instead of eating it all at lunch time, spread it out throughout the day. If you stick with that for a couple weeks without cheating (much) then that alone will have you on the track to weight loss because you'll find that you just won't be able to eat as much.

Oh yeah, and eat until you're not hungry NOT until you're full.

 

[jacksonpt]

The biggest thing I did was portion control.

Yea... I wanted to start eating clean and losing weight, but I just don't have the energy to put into it right now. So rather than having a firm diet to stick to, I'm just trying to be aware of what I eat and when I eat it. For me, the big 3 things I'm trying to do is eat more reasonable portions (i.e. not stuffing myself), no fast food, and no food late at night, generally after 8pm.

So far, I've lost about 5lbs, so it's slow going, but better than nothing.

 

[Crazy Sweeper]

One more advantage that guys have over girls is we tend to lose weight quicker. And from my experience weight loss has peaks and valleys. Sometimes you'll lose a lot quickly while other times you won't seem to lose anything at all. I didn't realize I had lost so much weight until one morning I buttoned my pants and they fell off as I went to grab my belt.

Basically my philosophy on weight loss is to go against the old addage: "don't eat or you'll spoil your dinner."

 

[hooples3]

Jackson-I've lost almost 40lbs since last year. 30 late last summer and fall, and another 10 this spring. My weight stayed pretty much constant through the winter. I'm recently diagnosed diabetic, so the first thing to gowas sugars. Just stay off the sweets, that will drop a lot of calories and bad fats from your diet. The biggest thing I did was portion control. I still pretty much ate what I wanted to, but I ate small portions about 5-8 times a day. Start simple, pack your lunch for work and instead of eating it all at lunch time, spread it out throughout the day. If you stick with that for a couple weeks without cheating (much) then that alone will have you on the track to weight loss because you'll find that you just won't be able to eat as much.

Oh yeah, and eat until you're not hungry NOT until you're full.

jackson..I feel the best way is portion control as well... eating small portions 5-8 times a day is key. there is a book "body for life" by bill phillips talks all about it. i am in the process of loosing weight now.. its been just uinder a month and i have lost about 18 pds!!!

advice .. eat every 3 hours if possible, 1 portion of protein, 1 portion of carbs, all the veegies/salad you want. Try to stay with low saturated fat items. A portion is based about the size of your hand. so a grilled chicken cutlet is about a portion of protein, a baked potatoe is one of carbs etc.
first off you will never be hungry on this diet, ppl normally over eat because their body doesnt realize its satisfied until after its to late. if your hungry eat a small portion, and wait 20 minutes.. I bet your not hungry after that.

get the book, you will not be disapointed.. it even allows you one cheat day a week, where you can eat anything you want during that day. your body will only absorb a certain amount of fat in one day, the rest will leave as waste. so its better to eat 5 big macs in one day, then to cheat a little everyday. cheating is good.. it gets rid of your cravings. its gonna be difficult with those speedies so readily available!!!!!

 

[jacksonpt]

Thanks for the tips George - sounds like that book is right in line with everything else I've been reading.

Speedies are easy man - hardly any fat, and 2 small sandwhiches (or 1 big one) is that one serving of protein and 1 serving of carbs you talked about. So it fits in perfectly.

No more chicken wings though *sigh*

 

[jacksonpt]

Just a quick update for anyone who cares...

As of this past weekend, I'm down 6lbs over the last 2 weeks or so. I'm eating fist-sized "meals" ever 2-3 hours rather than a couple of huge meals. I've cut out fast food, soda, and most fried foods. So far, so good...

 

[hooples3]

Just a quick update for anyone who cares...

As of this past weekend, I'm down 6lbs over the last 2 weeks or so. I'm eating fist-sized "meals" ever 2-3 hours rather than a couple of huge meals. I've cut out fast food, soda, and most fried foods. So far, so good...

awesome!!!! good work..how much are you looking to lose???

Its been about a month since i started my "plan" just before we met at MBW. I am still going strong and have lost about 20lbs so far. I cant wait to be able to start lifting again(shoulder injury), that will help a lot too.

 

[TreeSaw]

Congrats on the loss thus far Jackson! I agree with George...eat small portions and high energy snacks as light meals. I also would encourage you to increase your water and fiber intake. I notice that when I eat a high fiber b-fast and drink water continuously thoughout the day (yes, I know I am a freak and drink 1-2 gallons of water per day...more when I am riding/exercising) I don't get hungry. Today for instance:

B-fast at 8am: 1 bowl Kashi Go Lean cereal w/skim milk(LOTS of fiber so it fills you up and you really only need to eat the recommended serving), less than 1/4 cup fresh blueberries on my cereal (mmmm....blueberries), OJ & 1 cup black coffee
Snack at 10:45am: Bunch of grapes and glass of water (I drank a glass or two of water between my b-fast and snack too).
Lunch: Chicken salad sandwich (homemade) on whole wheat bread with some carrot sticks and about 1/2 cup of chex mix. Diet Coke with Lime. Lots more water throughout the day as well.
I have some more fruit, carrots, yogurt or cottage cheese to eat later as a snack too.
Not sure what I will have for dinner either.

I was afraid when the Dr. told me to eat every 2 hours, but I haven't really gained any weight (2 lbs thus far) and I feel GREAT!!! I can't wait to see if he's happy with my progress next week or not, but I certainly have a ton of energy and no morning sickness or fatigue!!!

You're definately going to have more energy if you eat smaller meals throughout the day rather than 3 bigger meals and I think (and this is just me thinking...I am not a professional by any means) that it will help with your metabolism. Also....NO SKIPPING B-FAST!!! Very bad idea...you need that energy to kick start your day!!!

 

[jacksonpt]

About 6 weeks ago, I was 190lbs, and that was the magic number for me. For the first month or so, I was careful about what I ate, but not really dieting. Kind of a pseudo-diet.

Over the last 2 weeks I've cut out soda, fast food, fried foods, cut waaaay back on fats (especially saturated fats), and trimmed off some unnecessary carbs while upping my protein intake. The 5 small meals was hard at first because I was never full... but after a few days, I realized I was never hungry either... so it all works out. I've also started doing a pretty healthy dose of sit-ups and push-ups at night before bed (while I wait for my son to fall asleep).

All that has caused the scales to go from reading 190lbs to 182lbs, and more importantly, my shape is changing. My face is thinning out, my chest is squaring off, my gut is shrinking. My short term goal is 175lbs by the time I leave for vacation on August 13. My long term plan is to get to and hold at 165lbs by the end of the year, then join a gym and add 5-10lbs of muscle, and end up at a solid and fit 170-175lbs by spring.

And it's been pretty easy too. I eat at about 8:30, 10:30, 1:00, 3:30, and 6:00... I'm eating all stuff I like... no real "diet" foods. It's more expensive because of all the meat/fish I'm eating, but I like that stuff better anyways, so it's not that big of a deal.

The fact that I've had to go down one notch on my belt recently keeps me motivated too.

 

[hooples3]

About 6 weeks ago, I was 190lbs, and that was the magic number for me. For the first month or so, I was careful about what I ate, but not really dieting. Kind of a pseudo-diet.

Over the last 2 weeks I've cut out soda, fast food, fried foods, cut waaaay back on fats (especially saturated fats), and trimmed off some unnecessary carbs while upping my protein intake. The 5 small meals was hard at first because I was never full... but after a few days, I realized I was never hungry either... so it all works out. I've also started doing a pretty healthy dose of sit-ups and push-ups at night before bed (while I wait for my son to fall asleep).

All that has caused the scales to go from reading 190lbs to 182lbs, and more importantly, my shape is changing. My face is thinning out, my chest is squaring off, my gut is shrinking. My short term goal is 175lbs by the time I leave for vacation on August 13. My long term plan is to get to and hold at 165lbs by the end of the year, then join a gym and add 5-10lbs of muscle, and end up at a solid and fit 170-175lbs by spring.

And it's been pretty easy too. I eat at about 8:30, 10:30, 1:00, 3:30, and 6:00... I'm eating all stuff I like... no real "diet" foods. It's more expensive because of all the meat/fish I'm eating, but I like that stuff better anyways, so it's not that big of a deal.

The fact that I've had to go down one notch on my belt recently keeps me motivated too.

i know what you mean.. pants that didnt fit so well are hanging on me... i need a belt now for them. ppl say they notice it in my face as well. it feels good, and keeps me motivated. i allow myself one cheat day a week.. and ive noticed i dont even want to cheat so much anymore... cheating now would mean having an ice cream... once a week isnt so bad!!!!

 

[fiddy_ryder]

sorry its long,, but its a damn good post ive found..

if you want to lose weight you have to count calories.....you cant go by someone Else's diet you have to come up with your own that fits your needs.
you can try a 40/40/20 diet OR (45/35/20 50/30/20 ETC..)...that is a 40 prot 40 carb 20 fat
to get your calories take anywhere from 12-15 x your bodyweight then cut off 500 from that...you are more then likely gonna be around 13or so...unless you are real active or fast metabolism...but if you are overweight then thats probably not the case so around 13 would be best id say...heres a example
13xbodyweight
say your body weight for example is 140
13x140=1820
-500
1320 total caloires a day
40% prot is 528
40%carb is 528
20%fat is 264

carbs and protein are 4 calories per gram
fat is 9
so divide the calories per gram by the your intake to get your grams for the day
so prot 528/4 =132 grams prot a day
carb 528/4 = 132
fat 264/9 = 29.3
saturated fats are no good stay away form them and sugar etc..good healthy fats fish oils flax oils etc..is good to use
so now pick some foods that you like split it up into 5 or 6 meals a day and if you like you can stop eating the carbs around 4th meal..and thats your diet
fructose is not the best choice for carbs though...i ain't telling you not to eat it just don't revolve your carbs around it...pick up some multi vitamins and some vitamin c and e to take daily...try to stay away form sugars...you want to really just eat for carbs slow burning complex carbs.and fibrous carbs!!!..and fruit is "****"...lol...no offense spidey...best of luck!!!
here is some healthy food lists to choose from

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
Tuna (water packed)
Fish (salmon, seabass, halibut)
Shrimp
Extra Lean Ground Beef or Ground Round (92-96%)
Venison
Buffalo
Ostrich
Protein Powder
Egg Whites or Whole Eggs
Ribeye Steaks or Roast
Top Round Steaks or Roast (aka Stew Meat, London Broil, Stir Fry)
Top Sirloin (aka Sirloin Top Butt)
Beef Tenderloin (aka Filet, Filet Mignon)
Top Loin (NY Strip Steak)
Flank Steak (Sir Fry, Fajita)
Eye of Round (Cube Meat, Stew Meat, Bottom Round , 96% LeandGround Round)
Ground turkey, Turkey Breast Slices or cutlets (fresh meat, not deli cuts)
Soy Burgers
Low-fat cottage cheese

SLOW BURNING/COMPLEX CARBS

Oatmeal (Old Fashioned or Quick Oats)
Sweet Potatoes (Yams)
Beans (pinto, black, kidney)
Oat Bran Cereal
Rye Cereal
Grape Nuts
Brown Rice
Farina (Cream of Wheat)
Multigrain Hot Cereal
Whole wheat or Spinach Pasta
100% Stoneground Whole Wheat Bread

FIBROUS CARBS

Green Leafy Lettuce (Green Leaf, Red, Leaf, Romaine)
Broccoli
Asparagus
String Beans
Okra
Spinach
Bell Peppers
Brussel Sprouts
Cauliflower
Cabbage
Celery
Cucumber
Eggplant
Green or Red Pepper
Onions
Pumpkin
Garlic
Tomatoes
Zucchini
HEALTHY FATS

Natural Peanut Butter
Olive Oil or Safflower Oil
Nuts (peanuts, almonds)
Flaxseed Oil

BEVARAGES

Crystal Light
Green Tea
Other Tea (without sugar)
Coffee (without sugar)

 

[fiddy_ryder]

part deux..

AND NOW FOR CARDIO AND CATABOLISM/CORTISOLE
(THIS DOESNT APPLY TO THOSE USING ANY KIND OF ANTI CATABOLIC DRUG)


TREAT CARDIO JUST LIKE YOU TREAT YOUR WORKOUT WITH NOURISHMENT MEANING EAT BEFORE BND RIGHT AFTER... WHEY PROTEIN FOR EXAMPLE FOR PROTEIN AND SLOW BURNING CARBS LIKE OATMEAL...ETC..
Here is some info for some of you who may be uninformed about how to properly do cardio
The basis is do not do cardio on an empty stomach and do not do cardio after lifitng weights or before lifting weights unless you want to lose more muscle then fat...No matter what you think cortisol is ahormone that is released when your body is stressed and out of fuel...so do not over train do not over do your self in cardio...you are only damaging yourself more then helping...read through this article so you can see for yourself

Muscle Breakdown: Is Cortisol Leading You Down the Catabolic Pathway?
by Rehan Jalali

Please send us your feedback on this article.

Walk into any so-called "hardcore" gym these days, and you’ll likely see ‘em by the dozens. They’re easy to spot… they’re the guys who spend hours on end pushing up plates, searching for supreme physical perfection, yet rarely finding it. They are the hopelessly overtrained, and they’re afflicted with that old Protestant work ethic: a little training is good, so a whole lot must be better.

The very idea of producing a peak physique leads to a perverse temptation among these fellows to do all but pitch tent in the weight room and camp out there 24/7. "There’s no such thing as overtraining," they declare. Indeed, they know a lot of clichés and can spout them off with machine-gun repetition—No Pain, No Gain… If the Bar Ain’t a Bendin’, You’re Just Pretendin’… Go Heavy or Go Home. But ask them anything specific about exercise physiology or the dynamics of muscle-fiber hypertrophy and repair, and they’re as quiet as Tori Spelling playing Trivial Pursuit.

The bottom line is, if you’re among the band of hard-and-heavy lifters, cortisol may be literally eating away at your muscle-building potential. Weight training enthusiasts must declare all-out war on this catabolic hormone if they have any aspirations of building muscle. But before we attack all of your cortisol problems, some background on this intriguing subject is in order. After all, understanding leads to solutions (or was it madness?). Anyways, here goes….

Cortisol is the primary glucocorticoid. It is a natural hormone of the adrenal glands. Although cortisol's precise actions are not completely understood, we know that it is essential for life. Cortisol is necessary to maintain important processes in times of prolonged stress. Most of its effects are not directly responsible for the initiation of metabolic or circulatory processes, but it is necessary for their full response.

Cortisol Synthesis: Cholesterol--> Pregnenolone--> Progesterone -->

17-Hydroxyprogesterone-->11-Deoxycortisol --> Cortisol.

Cortisol can exert its effects on peripheral tissue. Once in circulation, cortisol is typically bound to a specific glucocorticoid-binding alpha2-globulin called transcortin. About 75% of cortisol is bound to transcortin, 15% to 20% bound less tightly to albumin, and 5% of circulating cortisol is unbound (1). This is an important factor to take into consideration when measuring cortisol levels. The 24-hour urinary excretion of unmetabolized cortisol is one of the best ways to accurately gauge cortisol levels. This helps take into account bound and free cortisol. Exogenous cortisol has a half-life of about 70 to 90 minutes. Cortisol can be converted to its 11-keto analogue cortisone (you know, the stuff you take when you have some bad swelling or inflammation).

The major catabolic effects of cortisol involve its facilitating the conversion of protein in muscles and connective tissue into glucose and glycogen (cortisol may increase liver glycogen). Gluconeogenesis involves both the increased degradation of protein already formed and the decreased synthesis of new protein. Cortisol can also decrease the utilization of glucose by cells by directly inhibiting glucose transport into the cells (1). A cortisol excess can also lead to a decrease in insulin sensitivity. Cortisol also reduces the utilization of amino acids for protein formation in muscle cells. A cortisol excess can lead to a progressive loss of protein, muscle weakness and atrophy, and loss of bone mass through increased calcium excretion and less calcium absorption. That is one of the reasons long-distance runners tend to have skinny physiques. With the amount of stress that runners place on their bodies, they have high levels of free radicals as well as cortisol. Excess cortisol can also adversely affect tendon health. Cortisol causes a redistribution of bodyfat to occur through an unknown mechanism. Basically, the extremities lose fat and muscle while the trunk and face become fatter. Some of the signs of overtraining include higher cortisol levels, which may cause depression-type effects. Cortisol excess can also lead to hypertension because it causes sodium retention (which can make you appear bloated) and potassium excretion. In other words, excessively high cortisol levels may turn you into a girly man! So the real challenge becomes how can cortisol levels be controlled but not inhibited completely because of cortisol's necessary anti-inflammatory effects?

One way is to take anti-cortisol supplements in the morning upon rising and then before bedtime, as these are two times that cortisol levels seem to be raised. Timed release would not be an option here because this may suppress cortisol levels over too long of an extended period. The key is to suppress elevated levels of cortisol, not decrease normal physiological levels of this hormone because as I mentioned earlier, a small amount is needed for it's anti-inflammatory and other effects.

Another one of cortisol's undesirable effects for athletes is it causes insulin resistance by decreasing the rate at which insulin activates the glucose uptake system, likely because of a post-insulin receptor block (2). Any type of stress that occurs to the body signals the nervous system to relay this to the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus then responds by initiating the stress-hormone cascade starting with CRF (corticotrophin releasing hormone) followed by ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone) release, and finally glucocorticoid production (pretty intense, huh?). Stress to the human body can include trauma, anxiety, infections, surgery, and even resistance training and aerobics. Recent research has shown that increased cortisol levels also increased protein breakdown by 5% to 20%. (3) Even mild elevations in serum cortisol can increase plasma glucose concentration and protein catabolism within a few hours in healthy individuals. (4) Cortisol increases with increasing time of intense exercise. In overtrained individuals, cortisol levels increase while testosterone levels decrease. That is why one measure of overtraining is the testosterone: cortisol ratio. By the way, overtraining is defined as an increase in training volume and/or intensity of exercise leading to a decrease in performance. Cortisol can increase bodyfat levels especially when it’s increased dramatically in the body. Increased cortisol levels have an adverse effect on testosterone levels. In fact, one of the primary anti-catabolic effects of testosterone and anabolic steroids is it's decreasing muscle cortisol metabolism. (5) That is one reason why many athletes can completely overtrain when taking anabolic steroids and still increase lean body mass and strength.

Some research indicates that cortisol response to resistance training normalizes after about five weeks and that the testosterone: cortisol ratio is not adversely affected after long periods of resistance training. (6) This suggests that the body has an adaptive response.

Cortisol can inhibit growth-hormone levels by stimulating the release of somatostatin (a growth-hormone antagonist). It may also reduce IGF-1 expression (IGF-1 is one of the most anabolic agents in the body and is the substance that is responsible for most of growth hormone’s positive effects because GH converts into IGF-1 in the liver).

Cortisol has other hormone-modifying effects. Cortisol can directly inhibit pituitary gonadotropin and TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone). (7) By doing so, it can make the target tissues of sex steroids and growth factors resistant to these substances. It may also suppress an enyme known as 5' deiodinase, which converts the relatively inactive thyroid hormone T4 to the active one known as T3 or triiodothyronine. This can decrease metabolic rate and make it harder to lose bodyfat (it's already hard enough for people and anything making it harder definitely needs to be kicked to the curb).

There are different stages in sleep and during one stage, cortisol levels are elevated because protein is being re-cycled. This is one reason that cortisol-suppressing supplements should be taken before bedtime to help minimize excess cortisol production during sleep.

Cortisol also seems to play a role in various disease states. It is found in higher-than-normal levels in diseases ranging from AIDS and multiple sclerosis to Alzheimer's. Prolonged high levels of cortisol can throw the immune system into chaos and ravage the human body. A growing number of researchers believe that many of the worst, and least-understood, diseases will soon be identified as caused by high cortisol, and subsequently treated with cortisol- reducing drugs or supplements.

 

[fiddy_ryder]

ok ok.. last one

There was an anti-cortisol conference (the second one ever conducted) held in Las Vegas in 1997 and headed up by Steroidogenesis Inhibitors Inc. and Dr. Alfred T. Sapse. This conference had many researchers involved in anti-cortisol research. Abstracts were presented on various supplemental and drug therapies for decreasing cortisol levels, especially in excessive cortisol-production disorders. In particular, there was an abstract presented by Dr. Sapse that mentioned some nutritional supplements to lower cortisol levels in the body. These included gingko biloba, Vitamin A, Zinc, and acetyl l-carnitine (8). Other abstracts presented there discussed the role of DHEA and its metabolites in helping to decrease cortisol levels. (9) Some abstracts presented looked at the progression of cortisol-induced diseases. Overall, the conference was very informative and helped researchers answer many questions on cortisol and anti-cortisol therapies as well as opened the door for further anti-cortisol research.

Cortisol suppression may be an essential part in the recovery process for athletes involved in a rigorous training program. In fact, one of the signs of overtraining syndrome is high cortisol levels. Moderating (not completely diminishing) cortisol levels is an essential factor in allowing weight-training individuals to completely recover from their exercise session and maximize results (something we would all like to do).

It may be a very good idea to get cortisol levels tested by a qualified physician (when I say qualified, I mean one who has done this sort of thing before and has been to medical school) on a regular basis. One of the best times to test cortisol levels is first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. This reference value or proper range for cortisol first thing in the morning should be between 4 mcg/dl and 19 mcg/dl with the sample being taken from blood. The normal range for free cortisol levels measured from urine is between 10 pg/ml and 110 pg/ml. There is also another way to measure cortisol through a salivary cortisol screening. The normal range for cortisol with this test first thing in the morning is between 100nmol/L and 300nmol/L. These tests may not have the final say in determining high cortisol levels but, it will certainly give you an idea about where your cortisol levels stand.

Controlling Cortisol Levels
Here are some solid tips to help control cortisol levels:

1) Diet: Make sure you are supplying your body with all the essential nutrients you need to prevent deficiencies and for optimal function. This includes plenty of high-quality protein, complex carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, and vitamins and minerals. Try not to restrict calories continuously as some research suggests that restricting normal caloric intake by 50% can lead to a subsequent increase in cortisol levels by 38%. (10)

2) Do not overtrain: Try not to work out three or more days in a row without taking a day off. Keep workouts to under an hour at the most and train efficiently and intensely. I know this phrase has been beaten to death but LISTEN TO YOUR BODY!

Take enough rest days between workouts - If you are really sore, then wait an extra day to train until your body fully recovers from your previous workout. Remember, less may be more in this case.

4) Relax and try not to get stressed out easily: Take an evening walk with a loved one or take a nap when you get a chance.

5) Try to get at least eight hours of sleep per night: Sleep is crucial to the recovery and recuperation process.

6) Spike Insulin levels after a workout: Insulin actually interferes with cortisol and may enhance cortisol clearance from the body. Spiking insulin levels after a workout (by consuming a high-glycemic index carbohydrate) may help minimize excessive cortisol levels since cortisol levels are elevated significantly post resistance training.

Supplements that may help control increased cortisol levels secondary to intense exercise
Phosphatidylserine (PS):This phospholipid, which has been known mainly for its cognitive effects, seems to have cortisol-suppressive properties. Recent research shows that 800 mg Phosphatidylserine given in two divided oral doses helps suppress cortisol secondary to intense weight training. (11) In fact, in this same study, the individuals using PS experienced less muscle soreness as well. Earlier research by Monteleone confirms these results. By decreasing cortisol levels, the testosterone: cortisol ratio can increase possibly relating to anabolic effects. PS seems to only decrease cortisol levels when they are elevated and does not seem to decrease cortisol levels below normal. Decreasing cortisol levels or suppression of cortisol production is not desired in many instances as it may cause adverse effects such as a decrease in reaction time to wounds and healing mechanisms in the body. There are two forms of PS available: a brain cortex derivative and a soy lecithin derivative. The brain cortex PS has been used in most of the studies and shown to be effective.

Acetyl-L-carnitine: This is basically the acetylated ester of L-carnitine. This supplement may help prevent the decline in testosterone that occurs during and after an intense resistance training session. It seems to lessen the response to stress.

L-Glutamine: This is the most abundant free amino acid in muscle tissue. (12) It seems to play a very important role in protein synthesis and is very important to weight-training athletes. Some research suggests that glutamine levels may be a good indicator of overtraining or overreaching. (12) In other words, athletes who were overtrained generally had low levels of glutamine along with high levels of cortisol. One study actually showed that glutamine directly prevents the cortisol-induced degradation of muscle contractile proteins.(13) Some of its positive effects include enhancing protein synthesis; increasing GH levels, which can counteract some of the catabolic effects of cortisol; potent cell-volumizing effects, which can create an anabolic environment in muscle cells; and partially determining the rate of protein turnover in the muscle. An oral glutamine supplement can help athletes prevent some of the symptoms of overtraining. It may also enhance glycogen synthesis through an unknown mechanism. It also helps provide a source of fuel for the small intestine and may enhance anti-inflammatory function. It has been shown to boost immune function. I hope you get the point -Glutamine is a vital nutrient for weight-training athletes.

Vitamin C: This vitamin, mainly known for it's anti-oxidant properties, may also have some anti-cortisol effects. A study done by Stone entitled "Effects of Vitamin C on Cortisol and the Testosterone: Cortisol Ratio" showed a decrease in cortisol levels in 17 junior elite weight lifters. This study also showed that the individuals taking Vitamin C (an extra gram a day) improved their testosterone:cortisol ratio by over 20%. This type of decrease in cortisol can lead to increased muscle and connective-tissue hypertrophy and enhanced recovery from training. Since Vitamin C also decreases your chances of suffering from a cold or flu infection by 30% (14) and may aid in collagen synthesis, it would be wise to take some extra vitamin C when involved in an intense weight-training program.

Zinc: A mineral that is an essential cofactor in over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body including testosterone synthesis and steroid hormone production. Getting enough zinc may make the difference between making great gains and only making average gains in a weight training program.

Vitamin A: This vitamin, which is often times used for healthy skin function, may also minimize cortisol levels according to Dr. Sapse. He suggested this in an abstract he presented at the 1997 conference on cortisol and anti-cortisols. (8)

Gingko Biloba: This herb is mainly used for its excellent cognitive effects by increasing blood flow and oxygen to the brain, which can lead to greater mental focus and concentration. It may also have additional benefits of decreasing cortisol levels according to an abstract presented at the 1997 conference on cortisol and anti-cortisols. (15) The anti-stress and neuroprotective effects of ginkgo biloba in this study were due to its effect on glucocorticoid biosynthesis. The EGb 761 standardized gingko biloba extract was used in this study and many of the studies showing that it enhances cognition.

DHEA: This natural hormone of the adrenal glands that declines after the age of 30 seems to have some powerful anti-cortisol effects. Many abstracts presented at the 1997 conference on cortisol and anti-cortisols discussed DHEA's role in decreasing cortisol levels. DHEA is fat soluble so it can cross the blood-brain barrier and have some effects on cognition as well.

Androstenedione: This prohormone is a direct precursor to testosterone, which may explain its anti-cortisol effects since increases in testosterone can blunt elevated cortisol levels secondary to intense weight training. Different metabolites of androstenedione and testosterone, such as 4-androstenediol, 5-androstendiol, and nornadrostenediol, may also exert some anti-cortisol effects. However, more research needs to be done in this area to make this clear!

Androstenetriol: This steroid metabolite, which is chemically known as Delta 5-androstene-3b,7b,17b,triol, was shown in an abstract presented at the 1997 conference on cortisol and anti-cortisols to counteract the immunological effects of glucocorticoids. (16) This is an interesting compound that definitely needs to be looked at further.

Conclusion
This is a subject that will be studied thoroughly in the future. Studies investigating supplemental strategies against cortisol may help weight trainers get the most out of their workouts and help enhance the recovery and recuperation process. Now before you think suppressing cortisol levels can make you Hercules, remember, cortisol levels are one piece to a large and complex puzzle. It takes a combination of proper training, nutrition, and supplementation to achieve your true muscle-building potential. However, getting cortisol levels checked by your doctor and implementing strategies against cortisol may be a good idea, especially during a calorie-restrictive dieting phase. So, the next time you feel tired, sluggish, or sore for an abnormally long time in your weight-training program, and you don't know why, look into cortisol levels, and you might find the answer.

 

[HOOWAH]

Yikes,
FitDay is a cool site for sure! (see attached pic of food for today).

I can see where my calories are coming from (pizza!). I've eaten everything except the pizza so far today, but i'm planning on the pizza after about a fast 2 hour road ride with hill repeats.

FitDay says i'm going to burn 5000+ calories today, whereas i'm only planning on eating 3,050 (but there's going to be a few cliff bars in there during the ride - add 500 cals). It's no wonder some days i feel like crap! I bet I under eat like this 1-2 times per week now that the season is here.

FYI, I'm trying to lose some weight, but i want to do it slowly. i've lost about 10-11 pounds in 4 weeks, but that's a drop in the bucket on a roughly 200 pound guy. I've been eating whatever i want and riding even more!

T

 

[Crazy Sweeper]

jackson, if you started lifting at the gym now (if you have the time) that'll help you burn fat too. I know you say you're trying to lose weight but replacing fat with muscle is never bad. You'll burn a lot of calories from your muscles repairing themselves.

 

[jacksonpt]

jackson, if you started lifting at the gym now (if you have the time) that'll help you burn fat too. I know you say you're trying to lose weight but replacing fat with muscle is never bad. You'll burn a lot of calories from your muscles repairing themselves.

yea, I know... just don't have time to get to the gym. I've been doing sit-ups and push-ups at home... for whatever that's worth.

 

[jacksonpt]

Another update... my weight seems to have leveled off a bit, but I think my shape is still changing.

My b-day was in May, and my wife got me one of those skin tight under armor shirts (thought it would be good for road riding). Well, when I got it I was too fat to wear it - at least too fat to look half way decent in it. I put it on this past weekend and I'm definitely getting close. Looked reasonable (to the point where I'd wear it riding and not worry about my gut hanging out the bottom of the shirt)... but I still have a little ways to go.

That shirt has become my measuring stick more than the scale has.

 

[fiddy_ryder]

Another update... my weight seems to have leveled off a bit, but I think my shape is still changing.

My b-day was in May, and my wife got me one of those skin tight under armor shirts (thought it would be good for road riding). Well, when I got it I was too fat to wear it - at least too fat to look half way decent in it. I put it on this past weekend and I'm definitely getting close. Looked reasonable (to the point where I'd wear it riding and not worry about my gut hanging out the bottom of the shirt)... but I still have a little ways to go.

That shirt has become my measuring stick more than the scale has.

good on you bro.. sounds like your coming along nicely. you may want to change the diet or training for a few weeks to shock your body and get the fat burning again. mos def stay off the scale! the mirror is your friend. Some people will put on muscle and burn fat and the weight will not change dramatically, but the appearance is a full 180*

 

[urbaindk]

Dumb question:

Is the fat / carb / protein ratio set by % calories or % grams?

That Fitday website is pretty cool by the way. Seems like I eat less than my caloric expenditure. But I don't notice any weight lose. So either I don't exercise as much as I think or I eat more or their numbers are whack.

 

[livetheride514]

I go for 65/20/15...c/f/p. that's if you wanna have high energy for biking...and bike quite a bit. I weight 150 and I'm on a 3000 calorie diet.

weight x 15 = basic calories. then add 10 calories for every minute of exercise.

 

[HOOWAH]

Just read chris carmicheals nutrition book and he talks all about the cpf ratios for different training periods. although he doesn't taylor his book to weight loss, he does discuss it in some detail in spots. i like his advice on eating. it just feels right.

As a side note, not because of this book because i just fiinished it, i'm down 18 pounds since june 5th. I was hovering around 208 then, and now hovering around 190. my primary method was tons of riding.

The motivating factor was a xc race i did where i came in dead LAST in my class and not by a little bit either. i was furious at myself because i used to finish high in class. i told myself to ride 6 days a week and for once in my life i stuck through with something.

at one point i wasn't feeling very well so i used fitday.com to try to figure out what it was and it turned out i wasn't eating enough carbs. salads aren't as energy packed as i though though they are really good for you. being able to figure out why you don't feel right may be one of the most useful aspects of that site.

It's amazing how much difference i feel every day in my normal life in my joints and feet now. not to mention a 2nd place finish at the next race i did, and a 4th place finish (but not far back) in the next race even though my back seized up and i probably had the worst race ever that day (had to get off the bike 3 times to stretch on the second lap climb). i think the back problem was due to the long ass drive up there and some heavy office hours that week.

i did notice that weight seemed to drop off in chunks. first 10 pounds came off in 2 weeks and i got nervous and that is when i didn't feel well, then weight loss leveled off for about 4 weeks and i was psyched that i was below 200. then all of a sudden i dropped 5 or 6 more pounds over 2-3 weeks and i feel great. i'm hoping to get down to 185 and start training proper for next season.

T

 

[The Toninator]

This is wrong and DANGEROUS. I'll thank you not to provide our members with any more "advice" again.

Your body needs healthy fats to maintain proper kidney functions.


Jackson -

Don't forget to eat 500 calories less than you burn in a day for weight loss. That is the key.

isnt it like 3500 per lb? so 500 deficit a day for a week = 1lb. with riding that seems totally manageable.

 

[HOOWAH]

nice to know i'm doing something right!

just won my first sport xc race (age class only 5th overall sport) this past weekend by 4 minutes... The guy in second place beat me by 34 minutes my first race of the season. I'm pretty psyched because some of my expert friends (who admittedly had a not so good day) were doing ~29 minute laps (average) and i was ~32 minutes.

one guy in senior 1 was 12 minutes up on me, and the rest were less than 3 minutes.

i'll try again in a few weeks to see if it was just a fluke!