Comments on: Dropping Weight, Not Performance http://fitbricks.com Building your fitness one brick at a time Sat, 04 Feb 2012 19:34:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Diane http://fitbricks.com/articles/dropping-weight-not-performance/comment-page-1/#comment-224 Diane Sun, 27 Apr 2008 01:41:59 +0000 http://fitbricks.com/?page_id=92#comment-224 Very interesting Mike. I think an important point you made that we should stress is that everyone is different and we all need to figure out what works for us. I figured it out for the 1/2 iron, but understand that the IM is completely different. I'll be taking this summer's training seriously to determine what my stomach can tolerate on the run after a long bike. Should be fun..... Very interesting Mike. I think an important point you made that we should stress is that everyone is different and we all need to figure out what works for us. I figured it out for the 1/2 iron, but understand that the IM is completely different. I’ll be taking this summer’s training seriously to determine what my stomach can tolerate on the run after a long bike. Should be fun…..

]]> By: Big Mike http://fitbricks.com/articles/dropping-weight-not-performance/comment-page-1/#comment-223 Big Mike Sat, 26 Apr 2008 23:30:37 +0000 http://fitbricks.com/?page_id=92#comment-223 I've twice followed Dr. Steven D. Spainhower's method of weight loss from his book The Sports Nutrition Handbook. He recommends a daily calorie deficit of 500-1,000 to lose weight (or a postive amount of the same to gain weight). He recommends eating 6 meals a day (I love that part). Some days I have to consume 7,000 calories. You have to do some serious eating to do that. I've heard that one of the major challenges in the Tour de France is just that, re-fueling the athlete at the end of the day. I've heard they intravenously feed them because they can only eat so much solid food. The first time I used his system I did it over a month that I had no races. I went from 215 to 200 with no performace loss during training. I'm once again following his system with a goal of losing 10 pounds (200 to 190) by the end of May. I have an Ironman on June 22nd. I started the program 6 days ago and have lost 2 pounds. My water % is stable at 53% - 54%. The key also is the proper mix of fat, carbs and protein based on the type of racing you do. As an endurance athlete my calorie goals are: fat 20%, carbs 60% and protein 20% however not to exceed 139 grams of protein a day (he explains this in his book). Also, it is VERY important to eat often so your blood surgar levels do not deplete causing your body to automatically convert carbs to fat. If you continue to feed your body, it does not fear going hungry and will metabolize food more effectively and not convert all your carbs to fat. My business partner, a 38 year old female, is in very good shape. She cycles about 250 miles per week. She only eats about 1,200 calories a day. She is 30 pounds over weight! She is starving her body and it hangs on to fat to preserve its health. She is as stubborn as a mule and does not believe me when I tell her she has to eat more to lose weight. She is probably buring about 3,500 calories a day. When I train I consume all my body can effectively absorb at 400 cal/hours. I drink Ultragen (1st Endurance product) to recover right after training. I learned my lesson the hard way. In my first IM I consumed 1,000 cal/hour (what I was burning) and during the first mile of the run really did a number on the sidewalk and had to walk 7 miles to recover from a very upset stomach. Then doing the el Tour de Tucson, 109 mile century, I consumed 250 cal/hours and become very light headed at the about mile 85. The key is to understand how much your body can consume and only take that amount in during training/racing. Also, I learned from Brian Shea at Personal Best Nutrition (http://www.personalbestnutrition.com/) to only mix drink at a 6% or less osmolity. That will allow it to obsorb quickly. Heavier than that will only take longer. With a 24 oz water bottle that is about 175 calories. When I mix my hydration I'll put 400 cal in a bottle (one hour bottle) and chase it down with water to create the 6% mix. Give Brian a call (732) 546-8436. He is very helpful. He is also an IM triathlete with a PB of 9:31 in Florida '03. He knows his stuff. If you have any questions, please e-mail me. I’ve twice followed Dr. Steven D. Spainhower’s method of weight loss from his book The Sports Nutrition Handbook. He recommends a daily calorie deficit of 500-1,000 to lose weight (or a postive amount of the same to gain weight). He recommends eating 6 meals a day (I love that part). Some days I have to consume 7,000 calories. You have to do some serious eating to do that. I’ve heard that one of the major challenges in the Tour de France is just that, re-fueling the athlete at the end of the day. I’ve heard they intravenously feed them because they can only eat so much solid food.

The first time I used his system I did it over a month that I had no races. I went from 215 to 200 with no performace loss during training. I’m once again following his system with a goal of losing 10 pounds (200 to 190) by the end of May. I have an Ironman on June 22nd. I started the program 6 days ago and have lost 2 pounds. My water % is stable at 53% – 54%. The key also is the proper mix of fat, carbs and protein based on the type of racing you do. As an endurance athlete my calorie goals are: fat 20%, carbs 60% and protein 20% however not to exceed 139 grams of protein a day (he explains this in his book). Also, it is VERY important to eat often so your blood surgar levels do not deplete causing your body to automatically convert carbs to fat. If you continue to feed your body, it does not fear going hungry and will metabolize food more effectively and not convert all your carbs to fat.

My business partner, a 38 year old female, is in very good shape. She cycles about 250 miles per week. She only eats about 1,200 calories a day. She is 30 pounds over weight! She is starving her body and it hangs on to fat to preserve its health. She is as stubborn as a mule and does not believe me when I tell her she has to eat more to lose weight. She is probably buring about 3,500 calories a day.

When I train I consume all my body can effectively absorb at 400 cal/hours. I drink Ultragen (1st Endurance product) to recover right after training. I learned my lesson the hard way. In my first IM I consumed 1,000 cal/hour (what I was burning) and during the first mile of the run really did a number on the sidewalk and had to walk 7 miles to recover from a very upset stomach. Then doing the el Tour de Tucson, 109 mile century, I consumed 250 cal/hours and become very light headed at the about mile 85. The key is to understand how much your body can consume and only take that amount in during training/racing. Also, I learned from Brian Shea at Personal Best Nutrition (http://www.personalbestnutrition.com/) to only mix drink at a 6% or less osmolity. That will allow it to obsorb quickly. Heavier than that will only take longer. With a 24 oz water bottle that is about 175 calories. When I mix my hydration I’ll put 400 cal in a bottle (one hour bottle) and chase it down with water to create the 6% mix. Give Brian a call (732) 546-8436. He is very helpful. He is also an IM triathlete with a PB of 9:31 in Florida ’03. He knows his stuff.

If you have any questions, please e-mail me.

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