Hi all I am a newbie to dieting, I took up cycling in 2009 and completed the c2c last year, I go to the gym twice a week and do cardio.

[chrishart63]

I still have trouble moving the weight, I can not get past 13 stone. I consider my diet to be reasonable. but I am struggling

[Hay135]

Have you tried writing down what you eat and counting the calories as sometimes it portion size not just the type of food. also at the gym do you do the same thing everytime, you need to mix up your routine and maybe try adding some weight as your boby can get use to certain things and it stops being as effective

[chrishart63 in reply to Hay135]

Thankyou I have a app on my iPad, time to start using it, I did use it for a while and it kept telling me I was not eating enough calories. I will take your advice and let you know at the end of my 1st week, well off to the gym, raining so I cannot get my bike out. Supposed to be training for a ride in June.

[gingernut49]

It may well be that you're still eating too much. There's a brilliant free app (and website) called MyFitnessPal and it's really worth counting every morsel that passes your lips for a week or so to see if that's where you're going wrong.

In August 2012 I watched a brilliant BBC Horizon programme called "Eat, Fast and Live Longer" (vimeo.com/54089463) and it really changed my life. I could never shift the weight before but I started putting the ideas in the programme into practice, mainly at first not snacking and eating from smaller plates, and then in the October Kate Harrison brought out her book, "The 5:2 Diet" based on the programme. I followed that and within six months I had lost three stone! It's so easy.

I don't find it a problem to exercise on my fasting days (500 calories on two non-consecutive days, 600 for men) in fact it takes my mind off food!

[chrishart63 in reply to gingernut49]

I will take a look and thanks for the advice, will let you know at the end of my 1st week.

[Fatboyslim99 in reply to chrishart63]

Hi Chris do you any resistant work ie weight training try doing some squats deadlifts bench press also leg press this will help you shift that unwanted weight plus help you with your cycling.

[chrishart63]

Yes I mix cardio with upper body strength exercises and leg curls. I have upped my effort this week in the gym and cut out the snacking the weight has gone down a couple of pounds which is the Christmas excess .

[Walnut52]

Hi Chris...sorry about the late response...had to nip out to the PO to renew me passport. Is that Way Of The Roses a sportive ? I take it u live pretty locally if you're riding through Saddleworth. I've not tried a sportive yet.

[Walnut52]

Chris...I've just created my own post so u can chat direct if u want...all tips on cycling gratefully accepted