Need some help here...

[kwidener7]

So, I started No S back in January and it was wonderful. I began losing weight, I stopped feeling like I needed to eat every 5 seconds, and I felt great.

Then I started running. No big deal, I drank some milk and/or juice before and after my runs and I felt great. I could even sometimes go without food and just have juice before and during my run and eat later. It was almost like an appetite suppressant. Things were great and I would plan my longest runs on the weekends so I could eat whenever.

Now however, I've thrown cycling into the mix and while I can mostly go between meals without snacking, I can't go without something for my rides. I've allowed myself a bar on my ride and considered myself still in the green zone since cycling for two hours requires fuel. Well, the problem is now my appetite is much, much larger. I ride at least 3-4 times a week for about 2+ hours at a time. And I'm finding desserts (carbs in general) really hard to resist!! (Not that I'm trying to avoid carbs!)

I know I need more carbs and more calories with my extreme workouts, but any advice on how to make No S work better for me would be greatly appreciated.

[DaveMc]

Well, you don't have to resist desserts completely, just limit them ... maybe just have them on weekends, or something like that.

This issue of doing NoS while also being a fairly serious athlete keeps coming up, and I'm not sure there's a universal answer. One obvious thing to try, though, is to increase the number of planned meals you eat: three is just the default value, but there's no reason it can't be four or five. The key is that they should be planned, so you're not eating at random times. If you're exercising like crazy, you may in fact need more fuel than you used to, so maybe sticking to three meals would require you to stuff yourself too much? You could try spreading it out over more meals, see if that helps.

[kwidener7]

Yeah, I've thought of that, but the three meals fits so beautifully into my day. Especially with trying to cram in 2 hour rides. And I like the feeling of actually being hungry before my meal, not trying to cram in an extra meal or two because I'm more hungry at each meal.

And I have my desserts on weekends, but I'm wanting them more on weekdays lately. Maybe a mini meal would work.

And no, I'm not stuffing myself at meals. I can put away a very large amount at one sitting (especially after a long ride). I'm trying to listen to my body and make No S make sense for me in my new situation.

I am losing fat consistently and gaining muscle. My most recent weight loss was 1.8 pounds over the last 40 days, but I've gained a great deal of muscle and my clothes are looser. I just don't want to pack on pounds of fat because I'm working out and think I can eat whatever whenever.

[DaveMc]

I am losing fat consistently and gaining muscle. My most recent weight loss was 1.8 pounds over the last 40 days, but I've gained a great deal of muscle and my clothes are looser. I just don't want to pack on pounds of fat because I'm working out and think I can eat whatever whenever.

Ah, now I see the problem ... Wait, no I don't. You don't have a problem: keep doing what you're doing, it's obviously working!

(I hope this comes across in the teasing tone intended, not as confrontational. But despite whatever temptations you may be feeling, your results are clearly good, so I'd say you're doing fine.)

[kwidener7]

LOL! Sometimes I do think I over analyze the whole thing, but it's that I have been giving in to the temptations and sometimes a single plate does not satisfy, so I have to go back for seconds. I have way more red days than I want on my calendar....

[la_loser]

I suspect you need to have a fuller plate at meals. In relation to the exercise you're getting, you will still be able to lose weight while gaining muscle and strength even if you put more on your plate each meal.

I don't know what you're having for breakfast, but you may want to consider that first. And if you find yourself not satisfied for a few hours with your one plate of food, reconsider what you are calling a "plate of food." Certainly you don't want to pile on so much that it looks like "oh, my gosh, I can't believe I could eat all that at once"-in other words, not falling off the edge of the plate or stacked way high-but you are burning so much energy, you have to fuel yourself or you'll 'run out of gas.'

The secret to staying with No S is to ensure that you're allowing yourself the first "plate" enough to keep you going till the next meal. No S does not require particular foods, but more protein and fiber will help in this. Chances are that even if you have a fuller plate at a meal, you will still eat less than you would with a skimpier plate that you supplement with seconds or maybe thirds.

Considering you ARE losing pounds, wearing baggy clothes and gaining muscle, keep up what you're doing. . . put more on your plate to keep your days green and you'll be great! Sounds like you already are--deal with it!