Ask The Experts
Why am I not losing weight?
Thom Board: "I have owned a C2 rower for some time but had never really used it in anger until a few months ago. Since the beginning of May I have regularly been in the seat every other day. The reasons I actually got going was that I wanted to justify the price for the machine in addition to wanting to get fit. I lead a fairly active lifestyle anyway but with 30 approaching fast it's a lovely dream to be as fit as I was when I was 22!
"I have read all the useful C2 training literature and read your 'column' in every newsletter, consequently I train in all disciplines - 2K, 5K, 10K, 30mins, 60mins, pyramids, sprint bursts, etc. etc. I also keep a running total of metres and time with a friend to retain a competitive edge. At present we clock up 100,000m+ a month.
"Without doubt I am now infinitely fitter than three months ago, I sail every weekend, cycle to work and jog when the sun's out and I find a downhill slope. In short the Concept 2 is brilliant and has brought me back to feeling really healthy both in mind and body. Whilst I never started the Concept 2 training to lose weight, when I started I was 6ft 3in and 97kg, however, this training added to a much improved diet and a little less ale has not altered my weight more than one kilo!
"I have consulted a great friend on the issue - a Leeds Carnegie Sports Graduate - who is equally as baffled. He's seen the training I've been doing, noted less ale and improved diet and still baffled. As I say I didn't start the training to lose weight but it does seem odd that I am not approaching my 22 year old racing weight of 89/90kg. Any ideas why the weight is not coming off?"
Terry O'Neill: In short I don't know why in your case you are not shedding weight because there could be several reasons.
The main components of the body from a weight perspective are the skeleton and the flesh the skeleton supports. The flesh is composed of muscle fibre and fat and when people say they want to lose weight what they really mean is they want to reduce the ratio of body fat to lean muscle. Changing this ratio in itself may not result in weight loss, as lean muscle fibre is heavier than body fat per unit volume.
Comparing yourself to your weight at age 22 is also misleading because for a male your fit weight could continue to rise until you were about 27 or more. I don't know if you are old enough to remember one of the greatest athletes of all time, Mohammed Ali. He boxed light-heavy weight and won the gold medal in the Olympics in his early twenties. So he weighed around 80kgs but in his late twenties and early thirties he was heavyweight champion of the world and weighed around 100kgs. No one would seriously suggest that he was either overweight or unfit so just looking at your weight may not tell you the full story.
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