Weight

[pooks]

So I went from TOTAL (and I do meant total!) sluggery and slothery to riding 2 miles a day, four miles a day, and yesterday over six miles. (Today was four again -- time issues.)

I can honestly say I'm not eating any more than I was eating when I was doing nothing but being a slug and sloth. In fact, maybe better since I'd developed a donut habit that had me eating 2 to 4 a day for several weeks, and I haven't done that since I've been riding.

So here I am, three weeks into it, and I haven't lost any weight.

That quite surprises me. Is the exertion of riding four miles really not that big a deal?

What is happening with other new riders?

[cusepack]

I know it's not easy, but try not to pay as much attention to the weight numbers; rather, pay attention to your increased fitness level and the way your clothes fit. Right now, your body is adjusting to this new lifestyle and lots of things are going on inside. You're no longer fueling your body with donuts, instead, your riding and becoming fit, and, burning lots more fuel. Be patient, you'll begin to feel the difference . . .as it is, you're riding longer, so that's a plus right from the get-go. In the meantime, stay positive, pedal and enjoy your rides.

[pooks]

Thanks! I appreciate the reassurance!

[Pedal Wench]

What you're doing now is an excellent base, and it must be done before you can really start adding miles. But, that doesn't change the facts.

A mile of cycling burns approximately 30-40 calories. So, with no changes at all in your diet, your rides are burning, at most, 200 calories. So, you'll need to make more changes in your diet, or add more miles. You need to burn or reduce your caloric intake by 3,500 calories to lose one pound of fat. It will come off in time - be patient!

Keep up the great work! The weight will start to melt off as you increase your level of fitness!

[Fredwina]

Another thing to keep in mind is that, ideally, you only want to lose a pound a week, to avoid the "yo-yo" effect.

[eclectic]

pooks

Congratulations on joining the great world of cycling.

I too was more of a napper than a mover until 4 summers ago when I finally dug my bike out again and started doing club rides

I feel your frustration. I am up to regular 25 to 35 mile rides at an average speed of 13.5 mph with some hill climbing and the weight hasn't budged

BUT and I mean BUT ! ! ! I am the same weight as when I wore size 14 - 16 and I am now in a comfortable 12. Muscle weighs more than fat and you need to build muscle to ride longer,then the added benefit is muscle needs more calories to sustain itself than fat so the weight loss will eventually start.

Stay off the scale for awhile and measure with your clothes.

Most of all Keep Pedalling!

eclectic

[Grog]

Put the scale away - put it in a closet or, better, lend it to someone - use your "feel-o-meter", and enjoy the ride!!

[velogirl]

One thing I remind weight-loss clients (especially at the beginning of a fitness program) is that we didn't become overweight overnight. It probably took years to put the extra pounds on our body, and it will take time for your body to adapt to the changes you're making. You won't see changes right away, so don't let that discourage you.

Patience and consistency are extremely important in this case. Try to focus on longer-term goals and don't weigh yourself everyday. Actually, at this point, don't weigh yourself at all. Focus on increasing your exercise duration, intensity, and frequency. Drink lots of water. Eliminate some of the bad dietary habits you've got (the donuts were a good first step -- now think about calorie-dense habits you might have like soda, alcohol, icecream, pizza). Try to eat lots of fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean meats everyday. And enjoy the process.

A year from now you'll look back and you won't believe you were that person who was just starting out.

13 months ago, due to a terrible illness, I weighed 184.5 pounds -- the heaviest I'd ever weighed in my life and 40 pounds more than I should weigh. My first ride back after surgery was 15 miles -- and I could barely make it. I stopped a million times and ended up taking the train home (because I couldn't ride the 15 miles back). I set new goals for myself and just kept riding. I've lost 30 pounds and can barely believe I'm the person in the photos from last May. But, if I had focused on the short-term, I never would have made it where I am today.

Patience and consistency. Consistency and patience.

You can do it. Believe in yourself (because we believe in you). Commit to becoming the person you want to be.

[donnambr]

You're probably gaining muscle and losing fat. Muscle weighs more than fat. How to tell you're really getting somewhere? Your clothes get looser in places.

[pooks]

Thanks, everybody! I have several responses but no time right now, but wanted to say I appreciate all the support and the info!

[Tuckervill]

I'll second the motion to think long term. I was riding quite frequently in April, and nothing I did seemed to move the scale. But I consoled myself with the fact that I was riding almost every day, and hey, that's a lot.

I'm barely getting to ride 2 days a week right now (busy with the baseball league). But the scale is still going down in tiny increments. When I can't ride I compensate on those days for the lack in my healthly lifestyle with commitment to some other thing that's healthy, like a good breakfast, time invested in fixing green veggies instead of starches, laying off the food at the ball park.

I'm down six pounds.

The alternative to doing it is not doing it, right? So pat yourself on the back just for doing it, because you could be sitting on the couch eating a donut.

Karen

[RoadRaven]

Hey there Pooks...

Like Eclectic, I have dropped only a few kilograms - but in just over 18months of cycling I have dropped two dress sizes... and those clothes are starting to feel a tad loose on me now...

As Velo points out, one has to be patient... It takes a while to shift weight so it is meaningful and long-term

[Bad JuJu]

Also, from what I've been reading about heart rate training, the optimum heart rate zone for fat loss is 60-70 % of your max heart rate. In practice, this feels like you're not working very hard, in fact, it can feel ridiculously easy for something you're calling a "workout." But once you've got used to that, you should vary your effort and workout occasionally in the other zones too.

I'm no expert on this--just reporting what I've read recently. So it might benefit you to get a heart rate monitor and a book about heart rate training--or look it up on the internet.

Scales suck, and they don't tell the whole story, either! :D

[Pedal Wench]

Yeah - I forgot to add that I don't even own a scale. Well, I've got a small one that goes up to 5 lbs. to weigh hiking and biking gear. I'll be that kind of weight-weenie, but I won't fall into the trap of watching my own weight.

[SouthernBelle]

If you want some basic method to track yourself, try taking a few measurements. If you are building muscle, your scale weight may stay the same or even increase while you are losing fat. Tape measure rules!

HTH,

[Bike Goddess]

I agree with what everyone else is saying- adding this:

Spinning will help you lose weight as will distance. I lost about 30 lbs the 1st year I started cycling. I only know this because I went to see the doctor a year after I'd started cycling and was weighed for the first time in a year. I was shocked! I knew I had changed, lost weight, but had no idea how much.

How did I manage to lose this weight? I started cycling about 10 miles 3 times a week and about 40 miles twice a week. The guys in my club were very patient with me and taught me how to spin efficiently. With time I got faster (I hate to be last so I really worked on my speed and hill training)and eventually was able to go longer distances (and not be the last one!).

The 2nd thing I did was to watch what I would eat after I came home from a ride. I'd have a recovery drink with milk and plain yogurt and often something salty. Also, I didn't drink soft drinks or alcoholic beverages. (Soft drinks are REALLY bad for us!!!!!)

Last year, I went in for a check up and weighed EXACTLY the same as I had the year before. That was comforting as then I knew that my diet was supporting my cycling.

We'll see how it turns out this year- I have a date with my doctor in a few weeks so I'll get my once yearly weigh in!

[pooks]

So "spinning" is something you do on your bike when you're riding, not just in a spinning class?

[Kano]

So "spinning" is something you do on your bike when you're riding, not just in a spinning class?


Pooks -- I'm also quite new to this sport, and I've gathered that this "spinning" means that instead of coasting along, you keep on pedaling. (calorie-wise, I have a feeling that coasting is about as good as sitting in my recliner, yes?) What I've gathered from my reading is that it's a good thing to keep the pedaling easy and do lots of it, rather than having the gearing set so that you're pushing hard on the pedals. Seems I've seen in several places that the hard gears are hard on the knees.

So, I'm not sure if I've got it right yet, but mostly I use the middle chainring on the front, and I shift back and forth on the back gears to keep from having that goofy spin that happens when there's NO resistance on the pedals, but it's also not difficult to pedal. It seems to be a good thing to "spin" fast, but if I happen on a stretch where there's either nothing for resistance, or a little more than usual, then I just pedal a little slower through that area.

I'm starting to think I need to find a cycling mentor to ride with now and again for learning all this new stuff that "didn't exist" in biking when I was a kid and we just rode!

I'm looking forward to seeing what our more experienced spinners can tell us about this spinning stuff too, Pooks, cuz I'll get to learn more too -- thank you for asking!!!!

Karen in Boise

[Fredwina]

"spinning" can be both pedaling at a high cadence(rpm) or indoor cycling on a specail bicycle. Depends on context, which sound like high-rpm pedaling (at least to me)
If I remember , going at an easier rate(i.e., the 60-70 that Bad Ju Ju mentioned) than all out, will actually burn a high amount of fat. A lot of people will refer to this as LSD training.(Long Steady Distance).
As every one else has pointed out, be patient. You didn't put all the wieght on overnight, so it's not going to come off overnight, either. I lost over 100 pound via cycling, but it took me over a year to do it.

[mmelindas]

I've been biking for about two or three months, but not regularly due to health problems. However, I have dropped two sizes and my clothes are falling off me since March when I started. I have lost 15 lbs since mid May.

But that weight loss is more due to changing to a healthy, calorie limited, low fat and low carb diet and also swimming and other exercises in addition to biking in Mid May. I agree, I didn't get to 300 lbs overnight and it does take eating less, doing more and being patient, consistent over TIME.

I can FEEL the difference in my body besides seeing the weight go off. I am losing about one to two pounds a week. I know this exercising, biking and eating smart is working for me. Biking is so much fun compared to all the exercises I do!!

It does take time, and calorie reduction over that time for the weight to come off, since you are building muscle at the same time and that's heavier than the fat that's coming off. I have half of me to lose, down to 150 lbs from where I was at . I am at 287 lbs now down from 301, so that's major progress in my book. :D

Love yourself enough to eat healthy and you'll never be hungry again. I crave my cucumbers in vinegar more than chocolate now. Eating fresh fruit is far better than a brownie. :eek:

But I do indulge myself now and then and don't beat myself up if I don't stick to my eating plan every day. It adds up over time. The exercise, the eating right and the biking, living happily..

Hang in there and kudos to all of you who are fat ladies on a bike who are changing your lives, two wheels at a time!!

[pooks]

Congrats, Mmelindas. That's a great testimonial to eating right and moving your body!

[RoadRaven]

I'm like Pedal Wench - no scales in my house either

If I want to know what I weigh I have to do it at someone elses house

[mary9761]

Welcome to the new self improvement by taking back your life on a bike Pooks! I can tell you YES it may seem frustrating, I even have seen weight setbacks over winter, but it will start coming off. Like others have said, when you first start riding you will build muscle so the weight loss will not show up right away, however you will find your clothes fit MUCH better. Good luck

Congrats on the improved health and proper diagnosis Mmelindas. I'm glad to hear you're doing well.

[KSH]

What you're doing now is an excellent base, and it must be done before you can really start adding miles. But, that doesn't change the facts.

A mile of cycling burns approximately 30-40 calories. So, with no changes at all in your diet, your rides are burning, at most, 200 calories. So, you'll need to make more changes in your diet, or add more miles. You need to burn or reduce your caloric intake by 3,500 calories to lose one pound of fat. It will come off in time - be patient!

Keep up the great work! The weight will start to melt off as you increase your level of fitness!


I ride on a regular basis... I rode 400 miles for the month of May and 285 miles for the month of June (dang wreck kept me from reaching 400 miles!). My eating is not *perfect*... but even with all those miles, I have gained weight (trust me ladies, it's fat... my clothes are tighter), and I don't lose any.

I have found that with cycling, if you want to really lose weight, you do need to up your miles AND eat perfectly (aka: no fast food, watch your calories in/out, etc.).

Keep upping those miles though and you should start to see something happen!

And, even though I complain about my 8 extra pounds (all on my lower stomach and butt- which DOES make a difference on my small frame)... I am happy and healthy. My body does what I need it to, I'm not hungry all the time (which I have been in the past to lose weight!), and I eat what I want.

[eclectic]

With the talk of eating healthy and moderatly here is another piece of advice I feel is very important

Eating before biking - this is VERY important. I went on an LSD ride (long steady distance) with a local cycling legend ( he was my boss back in the early 80’s and during the summer he would ride his bike to work - 55 miles one way AND in the days of 55 mph speed limits he would draft behind semis) Anyway I digress.

We were doing a ride for distance and keeping the heart rate at a constant level. (that is the ONLY reason I could keep up with him) He called a rest break for a powerade and granola bar. I said I wasn’t hungry and he said to eat anyway, always eat before you feel hungry so you don’t bonk, by then it is too late.

Bonking is when your body runs out of fuel and no energy is being sent to your muscles or brain. It isn’t just a physical manifestation but also a mental and emotional one (grown people standing at the base of a hill crying because they can’t ride up it not realizing they can still walk it) your whole being is exhausted.

My premise was that I have enough fat reserves to draw off for a very long time. But that isn’t how it works, you need the calories in the here and now to keep your blood sugar and energy levels up.

You don’t want to eat a full course meal but have a snack before going out.
I usually have a protein and carb combo such as low cal bread and a little peanut butter or a ham or tuna sandwich (one slice of bread folded over)

When you work up to longer rides make sure you eat (a little) and drink (a lot ) during them. Get in the habit of never going out without your water bottle.

This sounds a little preachy so I will quit now.:)

I am very proud of you for being brave enough to get started and am always excited when another cyclist enters the ranks

Ride on!

[pooks]

So much encouragement here -- it's addictive! Thank you all!

One point that has been made to me elsewhere is that an overweight, out-of-shape person will probably burn more calories riding a mile than somebody in good shape. That doesn't mean that they'll burn enough that by riding three or four miles a day they'll suddenly drop a lot of weight, but though!

At this point I'm just enjoying the ride. I also enjoyed the look on my gynecologists face when she started the pelvic and saw my bruised thighs. LOL!

Since she's a cyclist, too, she had her own tales to tell. More pleasant than the typical pelvic, at least.

[Dogmama]

Long slow distance rides burn fat but are not as efficient in fat loss as interval training. Here is how it works:

Say you ride one hour at an LSD pace and you burn 300 calories. Most of it will come from fat. When you stop, the fat burning stops.

OK, now you ride 30 minutes but you ride intervals (going really fast for 30 - 60 seconds, slowing for a couple of minutes to catch your breath then doing it again). You've burned 300 calories and not all of it is from fat. HOWEVER, because you had maximum effort, you will continue to burn calories after the exercise is over. You should try for one or two interval sessions/week.

Also, (here I am preaching again) you need to be lifting weights - even if it is girlie push ups in your living room, bicep curls and overhead presses with soup cans, etc. Muscle is metabolically more active than fat - meaning it takes more calories to exist.

Cardio is great to start fat loss, but a cup of ice cream and WHAM - there goes your one hour bike ride! You need to be increasing your metabolism. Eventually, your body will get used to riding the same pace day in & day out. It will not require as many calories and if you don't adjust your eating, you'll gain weight.

Last, track your meals on an on-line counter like fitday.com. You might be surprised at how many calories or how much fat you are eating.

[Jen Jen]

I ride on a regular basis... I rode 400 miles for the month of May and 285 miles for the month of June (dang wreck kept me from reaching 400 miles!). My eating is not *perfect*... but even with all those miles, I have gained weight (trust me ladies, it's fat... my clothes are tighter), and I don't lose any.

I have found that with cycling, if you want to really lose weight, you do need to up your miles AND eat perfectly (aka: no fast food, watch your calories in/out, etc.).

Keep upping those miles though and you should start to see something happen!

And, even though I complain about my 8 extra pounds (all on my lower stomach and butt- which DOES make a difference on my small frame)... I am happy and healthy. My body does what I need it to, I'm not hungry all the time (which I have been in the past to lose weight!), and I eat what I want.

Would you consider investing in a heart rate monitor? I got one a few months ago (I belong to Lifetime Fitness gym and they really encourage using them). It was a real eye opener to how hard I work out when I exercise. You might find that even though you're "working hard" on a bike ride, your heart rate isn't into the optimal zones, and you're not burning as many calories as you'd expect. Just an idea...

[Diggles]

Have you thought about throwing in some yoga?

You can get what you want out of it, learn from stuff you find online & do it at home so you really don't even have to spend a penny.

I have found that my strength has improved from it dramatically. (I'm also a rock climber) And it's crazy how hard it can actually be if you sink into the poses properly. It'll make you sweat...no doubt about it...even if you aren't doing Bikram!:p

Yoga is so low impact that you'll get strong & lean w/out adding bulk. It's a great way to shake up your fitness regime. I'm no expert so I'm just saying what has worked for me & others I know. Regardless, I find it inspiring when people step up & take responsibilty for their health. KUDOS!!!