[manimal]

Here's my problem.

I lost 25 lbs in about 4 months and have maintained that weight for almost a year now. I'd like to lose another 20lbs but i seem to have platteau'd in my routine.

I run 3 miles 3 times a week and lift 4-5 day per week with trailriding on my demo mixed in randomly. because of my rotating schedule i don't really have a set routine with working out but the above mentioned routine is about average. sometimes less, sometimes more.

the last month or so i've had to slack off a bit while getting moved into my new house but i'm ready to hit it hard again.

my main problem, i think, is not necessarily my fitness regime but my diet. I eat A LOT less than i used to but, with the nature of my job, i'm forced to eat out a lot. i'd like some advice on what i can bring with me to work to eat instead of spending so much money buying crappy food.

remember, i have 3 kids at home and go to school so whatever it is it has to be easy to make and portable.

my current "brown bag" plan consists of the following (breakfast represents my first meal of the day, sometimes dinner or lunch depending on what shift i'm working)

breakfast - whole grain cereal w/ cottage cheese/skim milk

snack- fruit or semi-healthy granola bar/cookie

lunch - 2 pbj's with reduced fat peanut butter, low calorie bread and sugar free jelly

snack - same as above

dinner - chicken breast/hamburger steak/something relatively healthy

*post workout snack - cereal w/ cottage cheese (only on workout days)


so...i need some suggestions on what i can bring with me to work that is

-easy to make
-relatively inexpensive
-will last all day in a cooler
-relatively healthy

my mind simply draws a blank when i try to think of other things to bring and i'll get burnt out on pbj's pretty quick.

i figure if i can cut out the fast food i'll be able to lose the remaining 20lbs and drop my body fat % by a bit. i'm at 18-ish% now and would like to be sub-15%.

thanks in advance for the advice

 

[stoney]

first off, outright cut soda and calorie based drinks from you normal intake (ie soda, lemonade, nantucket nectars, etc). Drink water, and alot of it.
My initial weight losses were from a slight increase in physical output and a massive change in my diet. It sounds like you already made the major changes in your diet, so to get any more major changes, you'll need to mix it up a bit.
You run 3 miles 3x a week. Try to add an additional mile each run over the next two weeks. Try to add to your base mileage while increasing the pace you run at. This will not only burn calories, but will also increase you base fitness.
You also need to change how you lift. Your body gets into routine and it will not build muscle as quickly once the base (ie plateau'd) muscle has formed. You need to challenge yourself to build muscle, which in turn burns more calories.
I change up my routine over the period on 2 months in the following ways:
1. Run or ride 3x a week. I mean run for 40+ min, or ride (xc/road) at constant cadence forf 2+hrs. I usually run on trails so I get some burst as well as hill climb and descent (negative weight - ie slowing down) I try to throw in stairs (ie stadiums) for 20min/week somewhere in my runs
2. Climbing. Boulder vs top rope: Bouldering is more burst strength/power. Top rope in 10+ min on the wall holding your body weight - endurance strength. I will boulder 2-3x a week, top rope min. 1x.
3. Lifting. I prefer to climb over lift, but when I lift, I will follow my lifting schedule for 1 week. I can send you the 5 week program I have and with a 20 min conversation, I can describe the things about the program that are not on paper (ie time, how to lift, weight, etc. I gave the program to Biggs about 3 months ago, so you can ask him how it's working, if he stayed on it.
4. Your diet... I'm going to defer to Heidi here, but it sounds like your diet is pretty good. Obviously, the more you lift, the more protien you need in your diet to re-build muscle. Also, when you run, take 1000mg of Vit. C over teh next 24 hours (not at once, cause you'll piss it out) as running is catatonic and breaks down muscle. Given the amount I lift/climb vs run/ride my diet is about 40% protein. If I go below that point without changing my training regime to more cardio, I will lose strength. I can feel it while climbing.
Given that you have already had a huge weight loss, you will probably need to build up more muscle to burn calories before you can start making big fat losses again. shoot me a pm if you want the training program I sent SK6 and Biggs.

 

[manimal]

thanks for the info. i've already cut out any and all calorie prone drinks, one of the reasons i've been able to maintain my weight.

i have maintained the weight loss but i've still lost another 2 inches around my waist since i've been at this weight. i haven't lost muscle, in fact, i think i've just transformed some of the fat into muscle as i can tell a difference in my overall body shape.
now i'm just trying to drop my bodyfat percentage while maintaining/growing muscle

i should also add that my options are limited in the fitness area. my budget is too tight to afford a gym membership anywhere special so i'm stuck lifting at work and there aren't any climbing gyms near here either.
i do vary my routine every few months but i dig your suggestion on my running. up until it got insanely hot this summer i had plans to train for a 1/2 marathon...but i'll wait to run one until the fall :hot:

oh yeah, for a guage of my bodytype. i'm 5'10/225 17-18% bodyfat. i was 250/25% bodyfat last year. the smallest i've been as an adult was when i was still in the marines. i was 200 at about 15% bodyfat and running a 21 minute 3 mile. now my 3 mile time is around 22:30. i've also grown 4" inches in width on my shoulders since i was that small in the corps. i don't think i was done growing yet....(voice didn't change until my jr. year in high school )

rant on: why the hell do insurance companies use something as narrow as the BMI chart to base the rates on for life insurance. according to the BMI chart i'm obese but as far as bodyfat goes you have to be 25% or more to be considered obese. i wish they'd just take the results from my physicals and fitness tests instead of the stupid BMI :rant off

here's a fairly recent pic of me at the start of an XC race...on my demo8 just to give a better idea of my build/body type to help with the fitness ideas. my mom always called it the "lumberjack build". i'm obviously more suited to hmm, say....wrasslin' than i am to running marathons [i'm on the right in the blue shirt w/out lycra]

 

[jimmydean]

I can't help with the weight (I've had a tougher time than you), but I love the pic of the dual crown fork on the demo for XC, that's classic!

 

[stoney]

I was not built to run, but I have learned how to, and it helps to just build up the pace. I'm up to 6 miles in hilly terrain in sub-40min now. It just takes the effort. I'll get the program over to you tomorrow. Give me a call when you have about 20min and the program in front of you.

 

[reflux]

Paging Firestorm to the white courtesy phone. Paging Firestorm...

 

[Toshi]

how did you come up with your 17-18% body fat estimate?

healthy foods:

oatmeal + raisins + milk
turkey sandwich on wheat with tomato, lettuce
more fruit! work it in as part of your meals, too, not just the snack
celery or carrots + low fat dip, good to fill the stomach with bulk
lots of water or diet soda without caffeine if that's your thing!

it looks like you are on the right track. next step is just eating less. make sure you're only eating when hungry, and realize that it's ok to be hungry at some points during the day, especially when you go to sleep. magically you, or at least i, seem to wake up less hungry than i remembered before shutting my eyes.

 

[stoney]

I agree with Tosh re bf%. Get a set of calipers from a local GNC ($10 max) and have the wifey help you with the measurements. A pinch fat test will give you an accurate #.
Also, your body will throw hunger signs when you are thirsty. Drink water until you get a growl. After about 2-3 weeks, you will know your hunger vs thirst cravings.

 

[laura]

you might want to make your way over to this thread at some point, not healthy meals, but healthy snacks at least.
http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=161820

Cutting out the eating out is what you need to do, and if you can't, just make smarter decisions. Fast food places really are coming up with some decent alternatives that won't blow you waistline up. Every chain has their nutritional info online. If you are curious about general nutritional info try this site....

http://www.calorieking.com/foods/

You may want to try, for a day or two, writing down everything you eat. You may think you are eating less but every-time you walk past somebody's desk you are grabbing up 200 calories of some candy. The tiniest crap can add up and if you are used to not paying attention to what you put in your mouth you can miss out on a lot of things.

It wouldn't hurt to up your running mileage one or two days a week. throw an extra mile in there. I am of the camp that prefers to workout more so I can eat more.

I would (very politely) ask my wife to double up on what she cooks for dinner nightly and put some back in the fridge so you have leftovers of home cooked food to choose from. My best friend when I am rushed for time is a whole roasted chicken. Cook it monday night for dinner and have leftovers all week. And you can make about 1 million things from the leftovers.


That is all, that could be considered a minor tangent. Good luck.

 

[SkaredShtles]

As la said - leftovers are really good. Also - you've probably got a fridge at work. I bring in bread, lunchmeat, cheese, etc. for sandwiches when I'm riding my bike into work. Works out really well.

Of course I'm not doin' it to lose weight, but because I'm a cheap bahstid.

 

[stevew]

I stopped reading at the mention of cottage cheese.

that is like kryptonite to me.

 

[MudGrrl]

Free Journal

Maybe use this to keep track of all your food and activities.
It'll give you little charts on your percentage of carbs, fats, proteins, and alcohols........ and it will also compare what you have eaten to what you have done activity wise.

 

[Ridemonkey]

I agree with pretty much everything said in here, especially increasing your water consumption.

As for plateauing in the gym. Try not lifting for 2 weeks, then get back at it. You've got to shock your muscles, so sometimes it's good to let them relax and fully heal, then shock them again. I lift in cycles of 4 weeks on, 2 off. I always feel amazing after a couple workouts when I get back to it.

The other thing to consider is some bodies are just meant to work in certain ways. Not everyone is designed to have a low BMI due to a combination of body frame and metabolism. It sounds like you're eating healthily and getting lots of exercise, so that's really all that matters in the grand scheme of things.

 

[jonKranked]

something i used to do when i swam competitively (per the orders of coach) was to do bench presses (or whatever muscle you really wanna work) at only about 60% of your max weight, but do as many reps as you can. you absolutely must have someone spot you for this, because I got extremely lightheaded while doing this (and i wasn't the only one)

 

[Graphics]

I lost 70lbs in the last year and a half. When i hit the 60 lb mark i also stopped losing. I found what was helpful was counting calories. it sucked for the first couple of weeks but after those 2 weeks i got a better understand of "portions". It could be that it's not what your eating but the amount. I have been training with someone since day one, with a 6 month break in between. His philosophy is basic...calories in versus calories out. I found that even though i WAS eating healthy...i was eating too large porportions...and with my small weight, i needed to eat even less. Oh, and the "saying" to eat 6 small meals instead of 3 larger ones also works. I try and eat something every 3 hours. I also found that i had to change up my rountine in working out. Basically both in food and in exercise, your body gets used to the same thing. You need to change it up constantly to keep it stimulated. I've lost a lot of weight and most people don't recognize me. I want to lose about 15 more to be at my ideal weight. It is definitely harder to lose as you get closer to your ideal weight, so keep that in mind to. PM if you want to talk more. I have been doing this for a long time now and it's been a long struggle, but one that I've won. (i'd show before pics...but i prefer you monkeys to see me as i am now)!! :love:

 

[chuffer]

Running and biking are inefficient methods of weight if you are not in the correct "zone." That is to say, if your heartrate is too high or too low, you're not gonna lose as much.

Get a hear rate monitor (I know it sounds geeky), find out what your optimal burn zone is and make sure you are doing cardio / aerobic in this zone.

 

[homepiece]

Another muscle shock workout technique...
German Body Comp program.
Basic Premise is to Superset 2 exercises with no rest between. 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps. The superset exercises must not use the same muscle groups. After one round of superset, rest for 30 seconds. Do not focus on single muscle exercises(ex. Curls). Each exercise is performed on a 4,1,1,2 Count. An example of this would be to start a bench press with arms extended, the negative(lowering the weight) would be on a 4 count, then a 1 second pause at the bottom, then a 1 second raise and a 2 second pause at the top. Repeat. You will lift a lower amount weight wise, but it will kick your butt. I am along the same body type as you, 6' 235lbs, and this program dropped the pounds without any cardio other than riding the bike a few times a week.

Examples of exercises to superset
Bench Press and Lat Pull
Squats and Military Press
Lat pull and dead lift

 

[laura]

Running and biking are inefficient methods of weight if you are not in the correct "zone." .

I lost 80 pounds running and biking and eating right and never owned a heart rate monitor. You can lose weight just fine without gadgets.

 

[BurlyShirley]

I lost 80 pounds running and biking and eating right and never owned a heart rate monitor. You can lose weight just fine without gadgets.

While I agree that you CAN, it's not as efficient. A HR monitor CAN do wonders.

 

[dante]

Free Journal

Maybe use this to keep track of all your food and activities.
It'll give you little charts on your percentage of carbs, fats, proteins, and alcohols........ and it will also compare what you have eaten to what you have done activity wise.

yup, gf lost quite a bit of weight using that as well. otherwise I'd just say try adding intervals to your running instead of longer distances.

 

[reflux]

...Superset 2 exercises with no rest between. 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps...

Supersets = great workout.

 

[chuffer]

I lost 80 pounds running and biking and eating right and never owned a heart rate monitor. You can lose weight just fine without gadgets.

You are correct, no doubt. However, it seems like for Manimal "just running and biking" aren't working. Time to optimize.

(I dont want to get into caloric intake control. That is just too much of a pain in the ass. My skewed opinion on dieting: If you wanna eat a lot, fine, just make sure you can use/burn it all...)

 

[chuffer]

otherwise I'd just say try adding intervals to your running instead of longer distances.

Not a flame, but I am not so sure that intervals will help you drop weight.

 

[Nagaredama]

I would raise the intensity of your workouts.

Do some sprints and www.crossfit.com. That is if you are trying to increase fitness instead of just losing weight.

 

[dhchix]

You could add interval training to your routine. Take one of your runs and add some sprints to it. Run the first two miles at your normal pace and then use the last mile to incorporate sprints (30 seconds sprints - easy pace for a 1 min). This is good to do with your bike too.

Snacks:
One small apple and 1 Tbsp of peanut butter or cheese
Carrots and peanut butter
Yogart with 2 Tbsp of Hersey morsels

Good luck!

 

[manimal]

thanks for all the info and suggestions. i suppose i need to clarify. i have been "counting calories" for a while now, i started losing weight through weight watchers where the whole scheme is just making it more simple to count calories through daily points. i've been keeping with that system and have changed my lifestyle to maintain.
my biggest problem now is variety in food. i've got it pretty set as far as what i can eat on a daily basis to maintain and/or lose weight. i'd just like some suggestions on something besides pbj's

skaredshtles - i don't have a fridge at work, can't get it to fit in my trunk but i do have a smaller cooler that fits in the floorboard of my front seat.

the joker - don't get me wrong, i can run fairly well considering my size. to the surprise of my instructors, i was placed in the "rabbit" running group in boot camp and at police academy after the initial run times were computed. i've done several 10k runs to include a "boots and utes" mud run every year. it's always fun at work when some skinny thug runs from me and i catch him about a mile later when he's all worn out from sprinting. i just keep him in sight until he gets tired

 

[dhchix]

You can buy a small fridge at Belk's ($30-40) that holds a six pack of drinks so you know its not that big but it does help keep small items cool. I have one in my cube at work and love it. Something to consider.

If you like Tuna add a little low/non fat mayo and some pickle relish throw it on a bun for a quick sandwich. Pair it with some veggies like carrots, celery, cucumbers and/or fruit like an apple, orange or grapes. Not to bad. You can do the same with canned chicken. I also like to eat cold pasta with veggies and top it with Balsamic Italian Vinaigrette. Cinnamon Raisin bagels are good with peanut butter.

If I think of any thing else I will post. Have a good evening.

 

[stephanie]

just one suggestion (since all the others have been so good)...be careful about eating too MUCH protein. some folks go nuts with it thinking that they need lots and lots, but in fact, too much can mess up your metabolism (and body comp). i'm not a physiologist, but it's something that i've heard. balance.......

 

[manimal]

Do some sprints and www.crossfit.com. That is if you are trying to increase fitness instead of just losing weight.

thanks! i've been looking for that site! i've seen printouts lying around the gym with handwritten adjustments to the daily workouts. they look intense. i think this is what i'm going to do. i'm more concerned with overall fitness than i am about actual weight.


btw..my bodyfat was done with calipers here at work by one of our PT instructors.

 

[stoney]

I owe you a training program... check your email.
Sorry, got busy.

 

[TBFKAHG]

Here's my problem.
I run 3 miles 3 times a week and lift 4-5 day per week with trailriding on my demo mixed in randomly. because of my rotating schedule i don't really have a set routine with working out but the above mentioned routine is about average. sometimes less, sometimes more.

This may sound counter intuitive but you are lifting way more than you need to.
If you want to maximize your results in the gym and change the way you think about lifting then I highly reccomend the book "The New Rules of Lifting" by Lou Schuler and Alwyn Congrove. You'll probably find yourself spending a lot less time in the gym and seeing better results.

 

[manimal]

I think i've solved my problem by switching to crossfit. www.crossfit.com

the most insane workout i've ever done and i can already see results. added 5 pullups in just 2 weeks and body composition is changing. my endurance is steadily on the rise; i couldn't even complete my first workout but know i'm getting then down pretty well.

 

[adrock33]

Manimal, which workout did you start with? I have been thinking about starting CrossFit.

 

[Nagaredama]

Manimal, which workout did you start with? I have been thinking about starting CrossFit.

I've gone from being to do 0 pull-ups, to doing bursts of 5 with a max of 20 in a reasonable amount. At 6'5" 230 I thought I would never be able to do a pull-up. I started using the assist bands. Then one day I realized I had left them at home. Figured I would try the work out anyway. Next thing I know I'm doing them with no problem. The key is kipping. Kipping makes getting your chin over the bar easier but the overall pull-ups takes more energy.

Cindy is a good place to start. It requires minimal equipment and is very scale-able. Meaning you can go at your own pace and not spend 3 days on the workout. Of course remember intensity is key!

If you can't do a pull-up and don't have assist band do jumping pull ups instead.

"Cindy"
Complete as many rounds in 20 minutes as you can of:
5 Pull-ups
10 Push-ups
15 Squats
Another good one is...

Run 400m/Row 500m
50 pull-ups
Run 400m/Row 500m
50 push-ups
Run 400m/Row 500m
50 sit-ups
Run 400m/Row 500m
50 squats
Extra credit
Run 400m/Row 500m
50 Burpees