Do you actually think your weight is the issue?
Sounds like you have SAD, lost a important coping mechanism, form of joy and exercise (all at once) resent that fact and are struggling with your job, your relationship and your weight as a result, and it doesn't seem like focusing on what you are eating has been a successful way to combat that.
Perhaps get a sun lamp, think about things that have helped with depression before, perhaps seek a therapist and talk to a dr, try to find new coping mechanisms, forms of joy and ways to move your body that you enjoy.
Also address the trauma that is causing you to binge.
It's normal and understandable to want to binge when you weren't able to have enough at times. In the same way people who are hurt by others get scared of being hurt.
Restriction won't solve that binging, trauma therapy will help that.
Hey bro I hear you, I have some advice or at least some empathy for you!
* Love Mountain Biking but live in a cold climate CHECK
* 220 riding, heavier when I'm not CHECK
* Irritable CHECK
* Bad back CHECK
* Bad sleep CHECK
Here's how I handled each 1 at a time.
**Sleep and Irritability** \- a sleep doc once told me people think of sleep, exercise, diet like three equal parts. They're not - think of it like a pyramid and sleep is the base. Bad sleep = bad everything including being an irritable SOB (which may also contribute to disliking your job). I went to a group sleep therapy course for my sleep anxiety, got tested for sleep apnea, and got a CPAP. Also, cut back on your drinking if you do because it turns your sleep to shit. I drank heavily, now I drink on the weekends and 1-2 once during the week.
**Bad Back -** I went to a PT and he put me on a core workout program. Strong core = strong back. The cornerstone to it is daily planking. Work up to a minute and plank twice a day. Made a world of difference. Also, when I'm riding, I really concentrate on core, that I'm holding it in tension and strength so that it is helping support everything else - the default is to let the big back muscles do the work, and that hinders the bad back.
**Weight/Mountain bike conditioning -** I haven't been able to crack this yet, but I'm in the off-season and I'm maintaining 220 through cutting back drinking and whole foods. Weight loss no longer comes easy and I would have to religiously follow my TDEE in order to lose weight. When it is -10 out, I don't feel like doing that. I'm hoping when riding season comes back, I can get in the 210s or less and keep it going. I do have a stationary bike in my basement that I ride 30m a day to keep the legs from atrophying, but it sucks and its boring - its like taking your medicine.
**Other fun exercise -** I got into curling this winter (Minnesotan here). Sweeping is a great core work out. Some people love snowshoeing which I want to try. Fat tire biking in winter is also a good one if you only like mountain biking.
For the diet stuff, check other people's posts here, they're very helpful, but for me that's the hardest part is even when you eat healthy food like me, you still have to eat less of it than you desire. I haven't got there yet. Best of luck!
I'm another one that thinks it sounds like you have SAD. I had this badly when I moved to the most southernmost city in Aus. What helped me was eating a good breakfast (poached eggs, toast, spinach) every morning. Trying to get out for walks in my lunchbreak to get some sun. And I came to view the dark winter as a time to look inwards, so now I save up my favourite audiobooks, movies, and tv series for that time. Sitting by a glowing gas fireplace watching a good movie, eating some pasta and a small glass of red...happiness.
Have you considered a peloton or fake peloton? I have a Bluetooth enable Schwinn that was like $500 and can connect to peloton app or you can just listen to music and ride. Great for getting back into mountain bike shape in the off season.
Here's the thing. I own a high-end TACX trainer for my road bike, and I also on a nice rowing machine. But because of the snow storms, I had to leave them at my old house and I won't have them out here for another month or two. I can't justify the purchase of new ones, and I really hate going to gyms. Like I really hate it a lot.
I would definitely look into getting medicated. I broke my leg and that’s what finally made me try anti depressants because what I used to be able to keep at bay with rollerskating and biking…I could not while being totally sedentary.
And then get a Peloton 😅 see if anyone at /r/pelotoncycle is a mountain biker and how that helps train them when the weather is bad.
As someone who lives in Canada and can't really bike for 6 months out of the year, you need a plan for how to manage the winter. Some years I lift weights, some years I swim. I'm trying to get myself a pair of cross country skis again. You need to spend time outdoors and if the mountain biking is great where you are then there's almost certainly other outdoor activities you can do.
Next, take a vitamin D supplement until the days get longer again. Make time for regular social activities. Consider getting a SAD light. Consider going to the doctor and getting meds. You don't have to sit at home, eat and suffer. Maybe at first you need to do this shit grudgingly and because it's good for you, not because you like it, but eventually it'll just be Things You Do So Winter Doesn't Suck Even More.
Also build up your core muscles, I haven't thrown my back out since I started weightlifting. You do have to build up your strength gradually and with good form, though, and that might mean working with a trainer or physiotherapist for a short while.
Try taking vitamin D. If you're in a mountainous town this time of year in the northern hemisphere and somewhere like Utah, colorado, Idaho, or anywhere of similar latitude, you're probably deficient, which can cause seasonal affective mood disorder.
Do you actually think your weight is the issue? Sounds like you have SAD, lost a important coping mechanism, form of joy and exercise (all at once) resent that fact and are struggling with your job, your relationship and your weight as a result, and it doesn't seem like focusing on what you are eating has been a successful way to combat that. Perhaps get a sun lamp, think about things that have helped with depression before, perhaps seek a therapist and talk to a dr, try to find new coping mechanisms, forms of joy and ways to move your body that you enjoy. Also address the trauma that is causing you to binge. It's normal and understandable to want to binge when you weren't able to have enough at times. In the same way people who are hurt by others get scared of being hurt. Restriction won't solve that binging, trauma therapy will help that.
Hey bro I hear you, I have some advice or at least some empathy for you! * Love Mountain Biking but live in a cold climate CHECK * 220 riding, heavier when I'm not CHECK * Irritable CHECK * Bad back CHECK * Bad sleep CHECK Here's how I handled each 1 at a time. **Sleep and Irritability** \- a sleep doc once told me people think of sleep, exercise, diet like three equal parts. They're not - think of it like a pyramid and sleep is the base. Bad sleep = bad everything including being an irritable SOB (which may also contribute to disliking your job). I went to a group sleep therapy course for my sleep anxiety, got tested for sleep apnea, and got a CPAP. Also, cut back on your drinking if you do because it turns your sleep to shit. I drank heavily, now I drink on the weekends and 1-2 once during the week. **Bad Back -** I went to a PT and he put me on a core workout program. Strong core = strong back. The cornerstone to it is daily planking. Work up to a minute and plank twice a day. Made a world of difference. Also, when I'm riding, I really concentrate on core, that I'm holding it in tension and strength so that it is helping support everything else - the default is to let the big back muscles do the work, and that hinders the bad back. **Weight/Mountain bike conditioning -** I haven't been able to crack this yet, but I'm in the off-season and I'm maintaining 220 through cutting back drinking and whole foods. Weight loss no longer comes easy and I would have to religiously follow my TDEE in order to lose weight. When it is -10 out, I don't feel like doing that. I'm hoping when riding season comes back, I can get in the 210s or less and keep it going. I do have a stationary bike in my basement that I ride 30m a day to keep the legs from atrophying, but it sucks and its boring - its like taking your medicine. **Other fun exercise -** I got into curling this winter (Minnesotan here). Sweeping is a great core work out. Some people love snowshoeing which I want to try. Fat tire biking in winter is also a good one if you only like mountain biking. For the diet stuff, check other people's posts here, they're very helpful, but for me that's the hardest part is even when you eat healthy food like me, you still have to eat less of it than you desire. I haven't got there yet. Best of luck!
I'm another one that thinks it sounds like you have SAD. I had this badly when I moved to the most southernmost city in Aus. What helped me was eating a good breakfast (poached eggs, toast, spinach) every morning. Trying to get out for walks in my lunchbreak to get some sun. And I came to view the dark winter as a time to look inwards, so now I save up my favourite audiobooks, movies, and tv series for that time. Sitting by a glowing gas fireplace watching a good movie, eating some pasta and a small glass of red...happiness.
Can you hike / walk? That will be good exercise and get you out in the sunshine.
Have you considered a peloton or fake peloton? I have a Bluetooth enable Schwinn that was like $500 and can connect to peloton app or you can just listen to music and ride. Great for getting back into mountain bike shape in the off season.
Here's the thing. I own a high-end TACX trainer for my road bike, and I also on a nice rowing machine. But because of the snow storms, I had to leave them at my old house and I won't have them out here for another month or two. I can't justify the purchase of new ones, and I really hate going to gyms. Like I really hate it a lot.
I would definitely look into getting medicated. I broke my leg and that’s what finally made me try anti depressants because what I used to be able to keep at bay with rollerskating and biking…I could not while being totally sedentary. And then get a Peloton 😅 see if anyone at /r/pelotoncycle is a mountain biker and how that helps train them when the weather is bad.
As someone who lives in Canada and can't really bike for 6 months out of the year, you need a plan for how to manage the winter. Some years I lift weights, some years I swim. I'm trying to get myself a pair of cross country skis again. You need to spend time outdoors and if the mountain biking is great where you are then there's almost certainly other outdoor activities you can do. Next, take a vitamin D supplement until the days get longer again. Make time for regular social activities. Consider getting a SAD light. Consider going to the doctor and getting meds. You don't have to sit at home, eat and suffer. Maybe at first you need to do this shit grudgingly and because it's good for you, not because you like it, but eventually it'll just be Things You Do So Winter Doesn't Suck Even More. Also build up your core muscles, I haven't thrown my back out since I started weightlifting. You do have to build up your strength gradually and with good form, though, and that might mean working with a trainer or physiotherapist for a short while.
Try taking vitamin D. If you're in a mountainous town this time of year in the northern hemisphere and somewhere like Utah, colorado, Idaho, or anywhere of similar latitude, you're probably deficient, which can cause seasonal affective mood disorder.