Where do I start?

[Uncle Ted]

Yeah, no kidding. Spill it Ted.

OK, the short version...

My wife would go to the YMCA for the aerobic classes (I forget the term of the day but it was what everyone is into now) and took young son #3 who didn't care too much for the provided child care. Therefore, so he would just go to the aerobic class with mom, sit in the back, read some books, and mind his own business. The aerobic teacher didn't have any problems with him sitting there and minding his own business. One member of the management was walking by one day and happened to look into the window. She interrupted the class to pull my wife and son out and told her she couldn't bring son #3 to class. My wife explained he didn't care for the provided child care and that he was not doing anything to disrupt the class. The manager lady said something like, "he goes or you both go." My wife responded something like, "I have a better idea, how about you go?" A few f-bombs and references to a female dog later my wife leaves and later calls the YMCA regional office to complain. The region office calls back and invites my wife to never come back to the YMCA again.

I actually wasn't kicked out myself. It was just my wife but to keep the piece I elected to never set foot inside of the YMCA either.

[TripletDaddy]

OK, the short version...

My wife would go to the YMCA for the aerobic classes (I forget the term of the day but it was what everyone is into now) and took young son #3 who didn't care too much for the provided child care. Therefore, so he would just go to the aerobic class with mom, sit in the back, read some books, and mind his own business. The aerobic teacher didn't have any problems with him sitting there and minding his own business. One member of the management was walking by one day and happened to look into the window. She interrupted the class to pull my wife and son out and told her she couldn't bring son #3 to class. My wife explained he didn't care for the provided child care and that he was not doing anything to disrupt the class. The manager lady said something like, "he goes or you both go." My wife responded something like, "I have a better idea, how about you go?" A few f-bombs and references to a female dog later my wife leaves and later calls the YMCA regional office to complain. The region office calls back and invites my wife to never come back to the YMCA again.

I actually wasn't kicked out myself. It was just my wife but to keep the piece I elected to never set foot inside of the YMCA either.

I would have called the regional office and cited their own policy:

You can get yourself clean
You can have a good meal
You can do whatever you feel

Clearly it is NOT fun to stay at the YMCA.

[old_gregg]

Sorry, but you did not burn 1500 calories in 40 minutes of moderate cycling. You wouldn't burn that many if you somehow found a way to sprint full speed wearing a 200 lb weight vest for 40 minutes. Maybe if you swam as fast as you can in freezing salt water for 40 minutes you could do it, but even then I doubt it.

while you're still an asshole, my garmin was calculating some altitude changes that weren't happening (first time using it in this setting), and it gave me more credit than was due. after adjusting that, it looks like i still did 850 in 40 minutes, which is pretty damn good.

[Jacob]

I am almost 36.

I am 5 foot 9.

I am 215 lbs.

I want to be to 180-185.

I don't look bad. I wear the weight well. However, I'm feeling bad.

It's cold outside and I love to eat.

Anyone been where I am?

I don't doubt you are a handsome fellow, but you will be amazed at how much better you look if you lose the 30 pounds you want. At 5'9", 180 isn't exactly skinny, so it doesn't seem like an unrealistic goal. I am 32 and lost 30 pounds last year and was amazed at the difference. I didn't think I looked bad before, but looking back...I did.

And of course, what you eat is more important than how you exercise for losing that weight. I prefer carp control as the easiest way to do it.

[creekster]

Running or cycling? I think the running stats are pretty accurate; I think the cycling numbers are way too high. If you compare the cycling numbers to any of the online calculators, the 305's are like double them (at least the last time I checked).

For cycling it all depends on how much you weigh and how fast you go. There is a big increase in the amount of energy needed ot move body and bike above around 18 moh (i cant recal the exact break point) where simply rolling your weight is no longer the most important factor and air resistance becomes the bigger concern. Grade and wind conditions also matter. So accurate cycling estimates cant be made withgout looking at speed, weight, grade and wind.

[ERCougar]

For cycling it all depends on how much you weigh and how fast you go. There is a big increase in the amount of energy needed ot move body and bike above around 18 moh (i cant recal the exact break point) where simply rolling your weight is no longer the most important factor and air resistance becomes the bigger concern. Grade and wind conditions also matter. So accurate cycling estimates cant be made withgout looking at speed, weight, grade and wind.

Yes, believe it or not, I do understand how energy works...

Most of the online calculators look at your speed and weight; I've even seen some that can incorporate windspeed, but I've never gone that trouble. Grade is a much more difficult thing, and they all assume level ground. Even so, it's not like they're close to the Garmin's figures--they're off by like a factor of two.

I'm in much better running shape than cycling shape, and yet I have no trouble at all getting 1500+ calories/hour cycling, while I'm right around 1000/hour running. It's really a bug with the Garmin software. Maybe they've fixed things now--I haven't even checked in a while because they were so far off.

[old_gregg]

Yes, believe it or not, I do understand how energy works...

Most of the online calculators look at your speed and weight; I've even seen some that can incorporate windspeed, but I've never gone that trouble. Grade is a much more difficult thing, and they all assume level ground. Even so, it's not like they're close to the Garmin's figures--they're off by like a factor of two.

I'm in much better running shape than cycling shape, and yet I have no trouble at all getting 1500+ calories/hour cycling, while I'm right around 1000/hour running. It's really a bug with the Garmin software. Maybe they've fixed things now--I haven't even checked in a while because they were so far off.

do you have a cadence sensor/way to measure your avg cadence?

[ERCougar]

do you have a cadence sensor/way to measure your avg cadence?

Yes, but I didn't then. I try to keep it around 90, but if I'm not paying attention, I drop into the high 70s.

[creekster]

Yes, believe it or not, I do understand how energy works...

Most of the online calculators look at your speed and weight; I've even seen some that can incorporate windspeed, but I've never gone that trouble. Grade is a much more difficult thing, and they all assume level ground. Even so, it's not like they're close to the Garmin's figures--they're off by like a factor of two.

I'm in much better running shape than cycling shape, and yet I have no trouble at all getting 1500+ calories/hour cycling, while I'm right around 1000/hour running. It's really a bug with the Garmin software. Maybe they've fixed things now--I haven't even checked in a while because they were so far off.

I am sorry for inadvertenly impugning your knowledge of energy. My point was that sometimes these caluclatoirs assume a sort fo straight line progresson of cycling energy consumes and it is wreong. The difference between riding 16 mph and 18 mph is HUGE in terms of energy cponsumption. If you are supposedly burning 1500 cal. per hour, you would have to be riding very, very fast without stopping. Like in the TdF.

I will now bow out as I have no info abotu the 305 itself.

[creekster]

do you have a cadence sensor/way to measure your avg cadence?

Cadence shouldnt have that much to do with your use of calories.

[ERCougar]

I am sorry for inadvertenly impugning your knowledge of energy. My point was that sometimes these caluclatoirs assume a sort fo straight line progresson of cycling energy consumes and it is wreong. The difference between riding 16 mph and 18 mph is HUGE in terms of energy cponsumption. If you are supposedly burning 1500 cal. per hour, you would have to be riding very, very fast without stopping. Like in the TdF.

I will now bow out as I have no info abotu the 305 itself.

Exactly. And I'm not. That's what I'm saying.

[old_gregg]

Cadence shouldnt have that much to do with your use of calories.

i was just curious.

[TripletDaddy]

I am sorry for inadvertenly impugning your knowledge of energy.

comedy.

[Portland Ute]

Does anyone out there have some good sites for a) weight loss/calorie calculators and b) nutritional information for foods?

freedieting.com was suggested to me, but it's kind of a mess. I tried to find the number of calories in green beans and I didn't see green beans on there.

The types of foods are ill-defined. For example, it said one cup of quinoa is 600+ calories. I assume that is uncooked.

I'd like to figure out what I am looking at as far as a target caloric intake per day to achieve my goals, calories burnt by various exercises, etc.

[Surfah]

Does anyone out there have some good sites for a) weight loss/calorie calculators and b) nutritional information for foods?

freedieting.com was suggested to me, but it's kind of a mess. I tried to find the number of calories in green beans and I didn't see green beans on there.

The types of foods are ill-defined. For example, it said one cup of quinoa is 600+ calories. I assume that is uncooked.

I'd like to figure out what I am looking at as far as a target caloric intake per day to achieve my goals, calories burnt by various exercises, etc.

Create an account at livestrong.com and use their Daily Plate to track your fitness and food. It's awesome. Dailyplate.com was bought by Livestrong two years ago or so. It can also calculate for you weight loss goals. There are additional subscription services, but I haven't paid to use anything there yet. Everything I need or want is free.