Overweight issues

Hi all, I am new to this forum. I have enjoyed reading all your posts, and it is great that so many of you are achieving the inch-loss you desire.

I have just started to get back into cycling again recently. I have to admit that one of the main reasons that I started again is to increase my fitness and help with weight / size loss (although I do love the freedom of the open road as well). I am currently about 55lbs over my ideal weight (well that was my weight as an inactive person at the right size). In British sizes I am a 16, which I think is a US size 14 :confused: and I would like to be a British size 8-10.

I have been finding it pretty hard going. I finally get the saddle sorted and then my shoulders and back hurt, it is a nightmare. And now I have to put the cycling to one side for a month as I am looking after my parents dogs while they travel in Canada. The beasts need a lot of walking, so I am getting up early and walking them for about 4 miles every morning before work. This is when I realise just how unfit I am. This walk would be quite a regular weekend walk when I am staying with them, but doing it every day has been killing me! I get back, shoulder and hip pain ( I think mainly from one of the dogs constantly pulling on the lead - I can't let him off as he will not come back to me), as well as very tired legs. However, now that I am on day five of this, my legs do seem to be getting less tired, and I am making it up the last hill without a rest-stop half way :D I have also avoided all junk food for 3-days now (first I had to clear out what was in the house!).

thanks ladies for listening to me. Yes, I am mad at the incompetent trainer, not at myself. I am pretty happy with myself and the advances I have made. I did find a much better trainer and have worked with him on and off for the past 9 months.

I am torn on the quesiton of less efficient bike equals better workout. I guess it comes down to a question of what kind of workout you are doing. If it is a set course - 4 miles to work and back each day, then yes, it does make logical sense that a heavier, less efficient bike would yield a better work out. If, conversely you have an amount of time that you work out - say 2 hours every saturday morning, then I would be thinking that you would have better results with an effiencient road bike that is built for going great distances fast.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Brina

I am torn on the quesiton of less efficient bike equals better workout. I guess it comes down to a question of what kind of workout you are doing. If it is a set course - 4 miles to work and back each day, then yes, it does make logical sense that a heavier, less efficient bike would yield a better work out. If, conversely you have an amount of time that you work out - say 2 hours every saturday morning, then I would be thinking that you would have better results with an effiencient road bike that is built for going great distances fast.

---

It's really about YOUR effort level, not so much about the efficiency of the bike. An efficient bike allows you to put in less effort to reach a particular speed. When I made my bike more efficient, by changing tires and removing fenders, I added rocks to my bag to make the workout harder. Yes, really. :p

I think it's more important to ride a bike you find comfortable than to ride one that is efficient and uncomfortable.

Happy Riding!

V.

I think the way body fat percentage is measured has a huge affect on the result. When I was in the Army, if you were overweight they meausred your body fat using the pinch method. If you fell within the reasonable standard for body fat, they gave you a pass on the weight. But later I read that the only true way to measure body fat is to dip you in water and measure displacement (I think that's how it works).

I don't think a scale is going to be very accurate. It's just going to use a table based on known factors to determine your "probable" body fat percentage.

Can the body fat percentage really tell you anything useful anyway? You already know you have weight to lose. You already know your level of fitness. What good is that number to you? I wouldn't stress out over a stupid number. If you were using it for motivation, find something more accurate and pleasing, like the way your clothes fit or something. Don't reduce yourself to a number.

Good going on the weight loss! Hope to be joining you soon.

Karen

Quote:

---

But maybe getting a nicer bike actually will burn less calories.

---

But wouldn't you go farther and ride more if you had better equipment?

There's no real way to tell how many actual calories you burned anyway. All the calorie calculators are based on ideal or standard conditions that whomever did the tests determined to be appropriate. Your "mileage" may vary, yanno?

Karen

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Tuckervill

I think the way body fat percentage is measured has a huge affect on the result. When I was in the Army, if you were overweight they meausred your body fat using the pinch method. If you fell within the reasonable standard for body fat, they gave you a pass on the weight. But later I read that the only true way to measure body fat is to dip you in water and measure displacement (I think that's how it works).

I don't think a scale is going to be very accurate. It's just going to use a table based on known factors to determine your "probable" body fat percentage.

Can the body fat percentage really tell you anything useful anyway? You already know you have weight to lose. You already know your level of fitness. What good is that number to you? I wouldn't stress out over a stupid number. If you were using it for motivation, find something more accurate and pleasing, like the way your clothes fit or something. Don't reduce yourself to a number.

Good going on the weight loss! Hope to be joining you soon.

Karen

---

actually, the scales measure body fat by using an electrical impediment method. a small current - which you do not feel - goes through your body and it moves differently through fat than muscle than through water. based on the measurement of the electrical pulse as it exits your body the scale can measure your percentage of body fat and your percentage of water. body fat is actually a much more important number than weight. If you lose weight just by dieting, with no exercise, you can actually be losing muscle which is worse for you than not losing the weight at all. If you lose fat and gain muscle but your weight stays the same you are healthier. obsessing about the number is bad, as obsessing about anything is bad, but knowing the number and using it to improve your fitness and your health is good.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Tuckervill

But wouldn't you go farther and ride more if you had better equipment?

---

I have to agree here. I have a lug of a bike, I use it sometimes for commuting. It is a big, heavy beast of generic department store make, that doesn't shift very well and is generally unpleasant to ride. I hate commuting in on it, because of the weight and the issues with shifting. If I had a commuter that was a tad lighter with better components, I would commute in much more often. In fact, I rode my road bike in to work the other day and it was a dream. I can't wait until my work schedule permits me to commute again!

I think it all comes down to what gets it done for you. Does riding your big heavy bike get you all excited? Or does it make you dread the upcoming ride? If it's the latter, then you probably won't ride as much. If you have a nice, smooth ride, then maybe you're more likely to do longer distances, which has benefits of it's own.

K.

QUOTE:

"Mary, sorry you were miffed at me even only if was only temporarily. After I posted it, I was worried that it might have been taken the wrong way."

Oh, I didn't mean it that way, that post was not directed at you, just for the benefit of others who might have read your post, and ignored the recommendation, like I was going to at first.

I thought it would be some "program" of diet, not just adding small lifestyle changes gradually. I wanted to let others know that it wasn't.

I did weight watchers once, and it wasn't a good fit, I was getting headaches, and tired. And since then I don't beleive in restricting calories. Hunger will ALWAYS win, I now think. But I think it is great to ADD good habits. Eventually, I hope they crowd out the bad. For instance making a bargain to eat an orange when craving a candy bar. And if I still crave a candy bar after 15 minutes, then I get to eat t.
So, thank you, you did the right thing, because if you hadn't told me, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to check it out.

Mary

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Brina

actually, the scales measure body fat by using an electrical impediment method. a small current - which you do not feel - goes through your body and it moves differently through fat than muscle than through water. based on the measurement of the electrical pulse as it exits your body the scale can measure your percentage of body fat and your percentage of water. body fat is actually a much more important number than weight. If you lose weight just by dieting, with no exercise, you can actually be losing muscle which is worse for you than not losing the weight at all. If you lose fat and gain muscle but your weight stays the same you are healthier. obsessing about the number is bad, as obsessing about anything is bad, but knowing the number and using it to improve your fitness and your health is good.

---

my husband bought one of those scales. He's a biker with a flabby upper body.
he came out being something like 8% body fat. we both knew that was NOT true.
but if you look at his legs, they could be 8% body fat. but the rest of him was at least 30% body fat so those scales can't really be very accurate.

Just chiming in to say that body fat scales are indeed not very accurate. The ones you stand on send a current through your lower body only, so if you're like many women and store your extra in your bum and thighs, a body fat scale will tend to give you a reading that is too high. (I guess in the previous post, it also explains why that reading was too low.)

They are also very twitchy - you have to weigh in under specific conditions (properly hydrated, haven't eaten or exercised, etc.) and your best bet is to take the average of several readings.

Where they are kind of helpful is that they are consistenly inaccurate - so if it is giving you a reading that is 5% too high, it will always be 5% too high, but you can still tell if your reading is heading the right way over time.

View it as an interesting gadget, and NEVER let it ruin your day!

;)

Pachyderm - welcome to the forum. You mentioned that since you got the saddle "sorted", now your shoulders and back hurt. Perhaps you need to check out the fore/aft position - it could be that you're too stretched out or too bunched up which could cause pain in the shoulders/back. Saddle adjustments are a nightmare, but once it's right, you almost want to super-glue the thing in place! It sounds like your puppy-sitting will help your fitness, even though you won't have as much time to concentrate on your biking. Try making sure you're pulling your abs in when you walk. I often get backache when walking - pulling in my abs and pulling up/straightening my shoulders takes the pressure off the lower back and really does help (I have terrible posture!). This could also help on the bike - let your abs take the pressure, not your shoulders/back.

I was about to ramble on about body fat scales, but Natheless beat me to it!
It's impossible to compare readings taken from different methods - or even different scales. My body fat scales would vary quite considerably if I'd had a cup of tea or even a pee beforehand! I second the advice that the only real way to measure fat percentage loss is to use the same method, under the same conditions and stick with that when making comparisions.
Body fat percentage (when accurately monitored) is an excellent way of checking your progress, it gives slower results that weight scales, but is more indicative of how things are going.

In terms of better machine giving a better quality workout - again, I'll echo what's already been said and say it depends on what kind of workout you're aiming for.
My lightweight road bike is a joy to use and keeps me on the bike for longer, both time and distance. My road bike has helped me master hills and made me faster on the flats.
I commute on a clunky old hybrid, which weights practically as much as I do! I once commuted on my road bike and flew there and back - eating up the hills and flying on the flats. But my hybrid is a workout in itself - I chug up the hills, nice fast spin, steady heart rate - I don't go anywhere fast on this thing but it does give me a different type of workout. I hate it with a passion and would never take it on a weekend ride, but it's my trusty old friend and helps me concentrate on being slower and steady, and think about form.

I think I was in my habitual mode of overthinking things. What I wanted to know was whether higher quality bikes just kept feeling better, or if there is just a point where the only advantage is the weight. I guess noone can answer that but me. Guess I'll just have to test drive lots of bikes.;)

I have owned multiple bikes at the same time and preferred one over another depending on the ride I was doing. I liked my Raleigh three speed for downtown traffic, because of it's upright stance, and it's solidity felt reassuring. I liked my Schwinn ten-speed for being friskier. I stopped enjoying my Schwinn when my ex-BF started weighing her down with fenders, racks, turning her into a commuter bike. ( I may have judged him a little too harshly, because the stodgy looking seat he put on her is a Brooks!)

So,

I will want a bike that is fast and light when I want to get somewhere fast.
A bike to fold up when I want to travel. by train or plane.
A bike to ride in the rain.
A bike for grocery shopping.
A bike for riding on unpaved trails in Forest Park.

One can never have too many bikes! (Since I will probably stick to used bikes, I'll be able to afford this strategy.)

After my experience with a department store bike, I can't imagine riding one again, it just felt "draggy"with no "bounce." I would recommend trying a better quality bike at a garage sale to see if it feels better, though the drop handlebars might take a lot of getting used to, as well as the skinny hard tires. I was in high school during the 70's, so a sleek ten speed is what I've been riding ever since, until I picked up my Raliegh, just to see what a three speed was like.

As far as watching the numbers go, it is nice to be able to see if you are making progress, or if you are slipping up. The extra ten pounds a year has been adding up to quite a bit over time for me! It's hard to say whether it is ten pounds a year, or more. Having a number of some kind to refer to is handy.

Mary

Snappypix - Thanks for the welcome and the advice. I think you are right about my position. I am too stretched out. I can't do too much about my saddle adjustment because that then affects my knees (sometimes I feel like I am falling apart!), but I am going to look into getting a stem riser or something to bring the handlebars closer. You are also absolutely right about the walking. I also have terrible posture so I will have a go at pulling in my abs when I walk. One of my problems is that I am terribly lazy, and I just can't get myself to do formal exercise like join a gym or do ab-crunches every day. That is why I love cycling, it doesn't really feel like exercise when you can be out in beautiful countryside and exploring new places at the same time :)

Plantluvver - I think you are right about having lots of bikes. I currently only have a Trek 1000 racing / road bike, which is great fun to ride. I ride it faster and for longer than I rode my previous heavy lump of a bike that had appaling handling. However, I also use it for commuting to work, and for that I have a rack and use panniers to carry my work and change of clothes. When i get to work, I dump the panniers in reception and cycle the bike round the back of the building to leave it in a warehouse, and the difference between the loaded bike and the unloaded bike is just phenomenal. It is almost a crime to put extra weight on this bike!

When I can afford it, my dream is to splash out on a custom built Roberts touring bike. They cost a fortune, but I long to explore the world by bike, and my racer is just not up to it. Then I will get a hybrid to commute to work, and have a go at mountain biking, and if I enjoy that, I'll get one of those as well! :D

"do ab-crunches every day"

Crunches don't work so well, they strengthen the wrong muscles for stability. You are far better off holding your lower abs (the ones from belly button to pubic bone) flat all the time. Walking, sitting, standing, biking, ALL THE TIME FOR EVER AND EVER!! Oh, yeah, and if you can't breathe and hold 'em flat at the same time the cruncher-muscles have jumped into the game and taken over from the stabilizers.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by KnottedYet

"do ab-crunches every day"

Crunches don't work so well, they strengthen the wrong muscles for stability. You are far better off holding your lower abs (the ones from belly button to pubic bone) flat all the time. Walking, sitting, standing, biking, ALL THE TIME FOR EVER AND EVER!! Oh, yeah, and if you can't breathe and hold 'em flat at the same time the cruncher-muscles have jumped into the game and taken over from the stabilizers.

---

hey Knottedyet
we had the health and fitness people come out to talk to us about crunches at my office.
they said #1 no amount of muscle exercises is going to make your abdomen flat you have to burn more calories too.

then they said that crunches were really good because they build up the muscles UNDERNEATH those abs that we are all glaring at in the mirror.
These muscles, and forgive me i've forgotten their names (Core is what they called them) ARE indeed what improves your posture, and relieves back pain.
They are very important and totally overlooked because you can't really see them. SO get down and do your crunches.

mimi

Nope. I ain't crunching. Cuz I wanna strengthen the muscles underneath, which are the transversus abdominus and the aponeurosis which it attaches to. It doesn't cross any joints, so all it does is tighten the aponeruosis (supporting your back and aligning lumbar spine to pelvis) and flatten your stomach. It also cues in the multifidi (along the spine) and the pelvic muscles which help stabilize to a lesser extent.

The "six pack" is rectus abdominus. That's the muscle that bends you forward into a crunch. That one isn't going to help your back, and in fact patients who only do crunches end up with pretty hefty back problems because rectus overwhelms the "core" muscles. If you think about it, walking around hunched forward (overdeveloped rectus) will give you quite a backache!

Obliques have two functions: they bend you forward and twist you, and they can also help transversus during extreme effort by locking down the entire abdomen. (think side planks) Again, you don't want to walk around all the time bent forward and/or twisted to one side, and if you lock down the abdomen all the time you won't be able to breathe deeply.

If you absolutely feel you MUST crunch, please do diagonal crunches. Better to do planks (prone and side) if you want stability, because then you are training your obliques to stabilize.

If your lower abs aren't strong enough to hold your belly flat, no amount of weight loss is gonna give you a flat gut. I've seen plenty of patients with almost no fat who pooched out because they lacked muscle tone. I even worked with a patient who'd had a tummy tuck, but looked quite fat because her muscles were on a slack all the time.

That one was a real challenge! Her skin was tight enough from the tummy tuck that she felt like she was holding it "in". Teaching her was difficult because the usual cues I use for folks just didn't work. (I eventually had to use a weighted ball and a lot of ingenuity!)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by KnottedYet

Nope. I ain't crunching. Cuz I wanna strengthen the muscles underneath, which are the transversus abdominus and the aponeurosis which it attaches to. It doesn't cross any joints, so all it does is tighten the aponeruosis (supporting your back and aligning lumbar spine to pelvis) and flatten your stomach. It also cues in the multifidi (along the spine) and the pelvic muscles which help stabilize to a lesser extent.

The "six pack" is rectus abdominus. That's the muscle that bends you forward into a crunch. That one isn't going to help your back, and in fact patients who only do crunches end up with pretty hefty back problems because rectus overwhelms the "core" muscles. If you think about it, walking around hunched forward (overdeveloped rectus) will give you quite a backache!

Obliques have two functions: they bend you forward and twist you, and they can also help transversus during extreme effort by locking down the entire abdomen. (think side planks) Again, you don't want to walk around all the time bent forward and/or twisted to one side, and if you lock down the abdomen all the time you won't be able to breathe deeply.

If you absolutely feel you MUST crunch, please do diagonal crunches. Better to do planks (prone and side) if you want stability, because then you are training your obliques to stabilize.

If your lower abs aren't strong enough to hold your belly flat, no amount of weight loss is gonna give you a flat gut. I've seen plenty of patients with almost no fat who pooched out because they lacked muscle tone. I even worked with a patient who'd had a tummy tuck, but looked quite fat because her muscles were on a slack all the time.

That one was a real challenge! Her skin was tight enough from the tummy tuck that she felt like she was holding it "in". Teaching her was difficult because the usual cues I use for folks just didn't work. (I eventually had to use a weighted ball and a lot of ingenuity!)

---

yes, yes, diagonal crunches that's what they told us to do. You definitely know the terminology. THANK YOU! and thanks for the suggestions for planks. i'll do those too.

If you hold your lower belly (navel to pubic bone) flat as you diagonal crunch, you will be teaching trans abd and obliques to work together.

You'd still be training your muscles to fold you in half (not something we do much in the real world) but at least they'd be working together.

Planks and other ab-intensive exercises that are done while holding your spine in neutral win the gold medal in my view. After all, we want to train the muscles to stabilize us, not fold us in half.

Ok, everyone, plank time! :D

Knottedyet,

Thanks for the reply, but I'm being very dim, and don't quite understand what you mean by "planks". Could you explain a bit more?

Also, since you seem to be in the know, when I occasionally do ab-crunches or diagonal ones, how can I stop the front of my neck from hurting?

Do you also know anything about hip pain when walking? I think that my hips are hurting because I have a pretty strong dog who is constantly pulling on the lead (and all this even after dog-training), and I am using my hips to resist him. Before I take the dogs for a walk I have little-to-no pain, but once I start walking with them, the pain starts, and then continues even once I have let him off the lead. Any thoughts?

Sorry for the list of questions :o

An effective ab exercise I do at the gym is called "captain's chair". If you Google- Captains chair exercise- you will find this is an excellent workout for your abs. I do this last when I am at the gym as it requires some good lifting! It is a great one for strengthening your back.

You will also find other exercises you can do under 10 best ab exercises (also in the same area). These exercises were part of a research study to determine which ones were most effective for strengthening your abdominal area. Lots of info here!

I am starting up Pilates (I "won" 1 private and 10 group sessions at a silent auction) sessions this weekend. Nothing whips my abs into shape like Pilates.

I also saw my trainer for a fitness eval today - turns out the guy who did my eval last August was probably not that far off the mark, but the scale is way off. I am currently at 27.2% body fat according to my trainers measurements. The last guy measured me at 30.5% (I was off when I said 34%) so a definite improvement. The scale is over by 8 percentage points. So glad I spent that money.

"Hi Pachyderm and Plantluuver! I used to weigh 300 lbs but after two weeks of eating right and riding my bike, swimming, doing aqua -aerobics, I sure can tell the difference -- and have lost 7 lbs!! It used to be that I couldn't walk much, only a couple blocks and couldn't stand for more than 15 minutes. That has totally changed for me over the last month!

Now I am up to six miles on my cheapie 18 speed mtn bike (with front shocks and I'm loving it!) It's comfortable, especially going over bumps, rocks and gullies. It's heavier than my old road bike, which needs new tires and brake cables - still sits unrepaired, but I love my new mtn bike!

I got over the sore butt crack problem, sore sit bones, sore hands and arms and nothing hurts NOW, after two weeks of steady riding! I can feel my abdominal strength has increased and my tummy no longer sticks out like it did.

Not only have I lost 7 lbs, but my clothes are all getting baggy on me, and I got a new wardrobe in a smaller size. Even my sandals had to take a tighter strap hole! I can tell the inches are coming off - it's all due to biking, swimming and working out at the gym. Exercise = jack up metabolism for hours and burn more calories;

I actually worked up to riding six miles in one day, (including swimming for an hour earlier in the day) and was so stoked that I took a walking tour of a tourist attraction here that was over an hour long and my legs didn't hurt nor did my thighs go numb like they used to!! That's a record for my "outtashape" butt!!

Last night I volunteered for the LRRH race up in Wellsville, by working at a local bike store and had to stand for over an hour, sweating and moving all the time as I helped registrants with their goodie bags. I was amazed that I could do that!! I got a stool and leaned on that for the next two hours and came home so wiped out and happy! I can see how biking is really changing my body for the better - it can do things I could never do before since my bad car accident in 01'.

There were so many beautiful, fit and strong women coming in to register at that bike shop for the LRRH ride ....and I was awed seeing the potential that I could look a bit more like that, even from as far out of shape as I am now, someday in the future.

I found all my pains and sore spots that I first had biking went away over the last month and now nothing hurts. One reason why is that I had hubby initially raise the handlebars and seat post setting and put on my cushy "elephant seat" from my other bike. Boy is riding a pleasure now!!!

My doctor diagnosed me as diabetic just a couple weeks ago and I had to get real about the food I'd been eating. I had to totally cut back on eating out and do all I could to reduce fat, and sugar and salty foods. I found out what I could eat and was surprised how easily I could adapt favorite recipes by just using Splenda instead of sugar and diet margarine or a lot less oils in cooking and eating.

I frankly realized, thanks to my new doctor, that I couldn't be 300 lbs unless I lived a lifestyle that supported it. I saw my portions were way, way too large, I was overeating and eating for fun, not for hunger. Now, two weeks later, I don't have any cravings and feel full most of the time.

My fridge has fat free yogurts, low fat string cheese, Laughing Cow Light spreadable cheese, that I eat on Wasa light rye,(25 cal for cheese and 25 for a huge long cracker and the wedge covers about four crackers) and fruits canned in juice or water, no-salt added canned veggies, lean meats with no skin or fat, and lots of great salad makings. Skim milk was not bad at all and now we don't even miss 2%.

When I get a craving, I indulge in an Artic Circle chocolate cone now and then, but cut back on something else to compensate for it, or exercise extra to pay for it in expended calories.

I am so grateful for all the encouragement and support from the TE women in my biking, going from a half mile to now over six. I've logged nearly 11 this week so far. If it weren't for Team Estrogen and these posts, new friends, I wouldn't be where I am now, thank God for them! Welcome to a wonderful group of supportive, funny and intelligent women! :D

It will feel so great to lose weight over time (I didn't get this way overnight) and I know now exercise, healthy eating and especially biking can make all the difference in my metabolism, energy and health. Yeah team for TE!!" :D

mmelindas- I am SO glad you got a new doc! And congratulations! You are awesome!

Melinda...glad to see that you're back! Never had a chance to 'meet ya' before, so hi! It's great to read stories like yours! Keep on riding and giving inspiration!

Kim

Great hear from you, mmelindas! Thanks for the update. :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Pachyderm

Also, since you seem to be in the know, when I occasionally do ab-crunches or diagonal ones, how can I stop the front of my neck from hurting?

---

I used to find this happening. Figured out it was because I was holding my jaw really tense, which I guess was pulling on the front of my neck. Problem disappeared when I made a conscious effort to relax my jaw and keep it in a natural position. Just my $0.02...

Congratulation mmelindas! Keep it up, you have made so much progress, you are an inspiration. Now if we would just hear from Shasta...

As for the crunches and neck pain, if you pretend like you are holding a grapefruit under your chin, you will wind up using your abs for crunches, not your neck. (look up, not at your feet). I was taking an aerobics class once, and she said to do this, and "voila". I realized how wrong I had been doing them!

mmelindas,

Thanks for the welcome, and well done! You have achieved fantastic things :cool: I hope that I can advance as quickly as you have, and loose weight as quickly as well!

Thanks to everyone for their replies on the ab exercises. I tried walking while holding my stomach in today, and the lower back pain was immediately reduced. Trouble was I kept forgetting to do it, and went back to sticking my belly out. Guess I am going to have to practice that until it just becomes my natural way of being.

Thanks for all the support gals, Pachy and Plantluvver, and the regular posters!! I always love the kudos I get from you gals and love meeting you online. The things you all post make me laugh, or cry, sigh, learn and want to be a better biker! :D

I think from my experience at least, the more overweight you are, the faster you lose weight, and the smaller in lbs you are, the harder it is to lose. Before my bad car accident in late 2001, I weighed 321 lbs in January of 2001. I was a walking "Jabba the Hut!!" It took me six years to pack on all that blubber and I did it by eating junk and not exercising a single bit. (I had been going to college to become a teacher, and raising three boys as a single mom, working three jobs sometimes. I had no time for exercise and no time to eat healthy....at least that's my excuse.)

I got very sick in January of 2001, from an allergy reaction, lost my appetite and lost 15 lbs in three weeks. I said to my obese self, "Self, you have started on a roll, now try to keep it going". So, I started exercising a tiny bit -- and I mean a TINY bit -- like lying in bed watching the Tonight show and just holding my legs up for a minute or so..Each day I did a little more, tried a little more.

Pretty soon I felt strong enough to get on my passive exercycle (that had been used for a coat rack for years!) and pedal for about five minutes. I sweated and huffed and puffed and felt like I would die, but every day I did a little more. I started paying attention to what I ate, and whether or not I was hungry vs bored... Would you believe the next month I lost 25 lbs?

I started working on being able to get down on the floor (if you are too deconditioned to get back up, you better not get down) ... to do situps (yeah.....all of five the first time) and being able to do floor exercises with baby bell weights... and also started walking a bit. (I had a handicapped parking permit and had not been able to walk but a block, or climb stairs just once or twice a day for years, previously.)

The next month, with careful healthy eating, and regular mini-exercising I lost 18 lbs!! The more I worked out, the more I could work out! My medical problems started disappearing! Aches and pains of fibromyalgia went away, blood pressure lowered and asthma totally faded away. I was so stoked by each tiny success, it spurred me on. (I had sold my bike a few years back, when I got so physically deconditioned, or else I would have been riding it.)

By the sixth month of eating right, working out, walking, I had lost another 32 more lbs (a little less weight each month, although the exercise was increasing because I was probably replacing "Jabba fat with Lance" muscle), and I could power walk three miles, (starting from months earlier when I could barely walk a couple blocks).... every tiny success got me going, working harder. I actually found my wonderful-in-great-shape husband on the Internet, and we got married (at age 57 for me, age 55 for him) and have been married five years! He is so supportive! I weighed still over 200 lbs but he saw potential he says, so he married a still-chunky Melinda.

A bad car accident just six weeks later put me out of commission for three years. I slowly have packed some pounds back on and health problems returned with the weight gain. My doctors all say that I could get rid of all of them by losing 150 lbs (or even less - just 40 lbs could stop the diabetes totally, my new doc said.)

We got bikes a few years back and I started riding a little, but then hubby went into trucking and I traveled with him -- bad for both of us, we gained weight and got de-conditioned. Before I went out with him, I had worked over months back up to an unbelievable 450 situps consecutively in a row, and working out at our home gym for two hours a day - had lost 25 lbs.....but that went all down the tubes with trucking. No biking of course...

We got out of trucking last summer but packed on even more lbs through eating out too much, after we moved to Utah where we found all our favorite restaurants. (Most restaurants and fast food places are deadly to healthy eating, I've since learned.) Thanks to my new doctor in May, we are back to eating right, swimming, and biking again. I am seeing my back and leg pain disappear as I get stronger...and weight loss for both of us. He's lost ten lbs in two weeks.

It can be done, and I know for me, exercise is the key to turning back my health problems and weight-induced diabetes. Biking is fun for us now, not in great amounts, not tons of miles, just six so far, but we are looking forward to riding more and more. Like weight loss, getting to be a strong biker takes time and lots of patience and sticking to it.

The TE posts and so supportive feedback has helped motivate me even more!! I am so grateful for all you gals, new and old members. You inspire me, educate me and give me great hope!!

I love you all for being just who you are!! :D

Wow,
I am really inspired by your story. I am 47 and feeling old. Not riding much yet. But since your doing it, I can't make up any excuse that will hold water.

One ab tip for neck pain. I would stretch my elbows to the sides, so that I knew that I was not lifting with my neck. Also, I had a video by Tony Little. He only did a few exercises, but he spent a lot of time talking about isolating your muscles. I haven't done the Firm, so I can't compare them. Also, I am not trained in this stuff, so I don't know if his exercises were the best to do.

Mary

Quote:

---

One ab tip for neck pain. I would stretch my elbows to the sides, so that I knew that I was not lifting with my neck.

---

And just place the tips of your fingers on the back of your head, far apart from each other. Can't lift with your arms that way.

Jazzercise, anyone?

Karen

I just joined this forum. It's my 46th birthday today and I weigh over 200, I'm diabetic, and tired of it. I have started researching bikes online, going to visit some bike shops next week, and I am getting a bike this summer, maybe even this month, if I can swing it. I'd like some suggestions as to what I should look for in a bicycle. I have not ridden since I was 15 or 16.
My goals are to burn a little less gas by using the bike to go to the grocery store, maybe use it to exercise my German Shepherd, and definitely to exercise ME. I'll be using paved roads.
I've been reading some of this thread and I must say, you ladies are inspiring!

Welcome, welcome!! Hop on board and hang around, these ladies are amazing... and before long somebody else could say that about you :-)

Mainly get the bike that feels good **to you** - that's the one you'll get out and ride.

Bikes have gotten a LOT easier to ride since you were 16 :-) I recommend a bike shop as opposed to Wally World and what have you... you want to build a relationship with the bicycle and the activity, and a good bike shop will be able to guide you (and maybe give you the funny helmet cover they find in the back of the warehouse).

Happy Birthday Faroe78! And welcome.

I'm pretty new at this myself, so won't be much help. I can say though, that I agree with Geonz in regard to going to a proper bike store. I bought a bike earlier in the year - for much the same reasons as yourself - and bought a cheapie from a toy shop as I had some doubts about my ability to stick with it! I kept a diary of all my rides - starting from a few km's around the local park.... a couple of months later my partner bought a bike from a bike shop - only about $200 more than mine, but sooo much easier to ride! Everything worked beautifully and smoothly - unlike mine (but of course I didn't realise this until I tried his). So I bought a new (and much better!) comfort bike with semi slick tyres (kind of knobbly tyres but the centre is smooth) which suits me fine for riding on pavement or off road through the park when I need to. Plus our local bike shop services our bikes for free for a year and have been a really useful source of info. I have since bought a road bike too.... it's addictive!!

Good luck!

Hi everyone!
I found this site the other night and I am very happy that I did! This is a great thread, full of so much information & advice. Thank you all!

I'd be considered a definite novice at cycling. My husband & I got a couple of bikes in 2004, (George Fisher hybrids). I don't think my bike has even 20 miles on it!! I've heard a lot about "bike fittings", and I really don't think my bike & I are a good match, at all.

Truth be told.....I am terrified of traffic - We live in a very busy city with extremely aggressive drivers. And, a couple of years ago I was heavier than I am now - approximately by 45 pounds. I now weigh 185 @ 5'2". (my highest weight was 290; but that was almost 6 years ago).

A week ago we took our bikes out of storage & went for a ride. Well, I stayed in a huge parking lot & my husband went out for 7 miles. Even though I was riding in a lot, I would have to say that "riding really felt pretty good to me".... I'd have to say that losing weight (25 lbs. since 2005), must've really helped me feel a lot more comfortable!
Even riding around in the lot, I was getting this itch to really, "get out there & ride". But, (at least for now), I do not feel comfortable riding in my city...

So:) ....we are going to put our bikes on our rack & head out to a bikeway not far from home & go for a ride, this afternoon! :) I hope that the rains stay away, as it has been pouring in our area all day yesterday & last night, early AM.

I also do want to add that over the past 25 years, (I'm 45 years young), I had 20 +/- hand,wrist,thumb operations, and both of my wrists are "fused straight".
I have absolutely ZERO up & down motion. I'll have to really check out how my arms/wrists feel when I ride. I didn't do enough in the parking lot, but a couple years ago, I remember feeling that "I was all stretched out" & riding was uncomfortable. I have fibromyalgia as well.

I REALLY want to enjoy riding!! And, I want to be a good rider. It has been 30 years since I've been on a bike.
I desperately want that.... I hope that my bike & I can "get along", at least for awhile. We purchased our bikes at a bike shop, but I don't recall having a "proper fitting". I should have spent more time trying out different bikes-but, I didn't.

Hope everyone has a great day/night!! I look forward to reading everyone's posts on this thread!!

Thanks for the advice!
I live in the Eugene OR area, and it is way bike friendly. We have a number of bike shops to go to, as well as REI. I've been checking out their site and they have a K-2 that might be good. I know I'm going to do fact finding before I settle on one. Next weekend, our local REI is holding a women's bike workshop, teaching about gearing and such--it's for beginners. They invite you to bring your bike and they will be having a bike ride too, but since I won't have a bike yet, I'd like to sit in and learn what I can. I'm trying to smarten myself up.
Wally world is totally out for bike buying, as is Target etc, and I loooove Target. But at barely 5'3", I know I need a properly fitting bike. And I think I need the handle bars to be higher than my seat. I've had carpal tunnel surgery to both wrists. They're fine, but not the same wrists I had 30 years ago. They don't like too much pressure on them.
I have a cervical disc which needs fusion or replacement. My new neurosurgeon told me artificial disc replacement would be available next year and I am trying to hold out for that, since it's a better option.
So I'm trying not to aggravate my neck and shoulders in the process. At the same time, if I can get this lard off, I'll be in better shape for surgery, and the dr won't have to cut thru so much fat. I have a short neck anyway, and it's fat.
So that's more of my story.
BTW--my real name is Susan. The Faroe part comes from the fact that I collect stamps from the Faroe Islands, and I graduated high school in '78.
Happy Sunday, all, and good road!
Susan
PS--who says "Get 'er done"? It seems familiar but I can't place it.

Susan, git-r-done is Larry the Cable Guy! From 'Blue Collar Tour' with Jeff Foxworthy. A must see if you haven't seen it! I'm from the south, so maybe it's more funny to me...lol. And happy (late) birthday! Hope it was a great one! (ETA-- Larry apparently got a call from the US Air Force asking him how much he'd 'sell' the phrase for...he told them to take it! Great patriot! He coulda made millions on those few words! So now it's the official Air Force slogan...or will be...I caught the interview awhile back!)

Denise, whereabouts in NE are you? If you don't mind! I'm in Connecticut...the Navy base.

It's so inspiring to see everyone's stories whether you're all just starting out, or have been riding for awhile with incredible mileage!

I like this forum because it doesn't seem like anyone is a snobby sort...and almost all of us seem to have a weight concern here and there, wether it's alot of poundage, or a few extra! I love that aspect!

Kim

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kimct

Susan, git-r-done is Larry the Cable Guy! From 'Blue Collar Tour' with Jeff Foxworthy.....I like this forum because it doesn't seem like anyone is a snobby sort...and almost all of us seem to have a weight concern here and there, wether it's alot of poundage, or a few extra! I love that aspect!

---

Thanks, Kim! I knew I'd heard that somewhere. I have a Blue Collar CD.
I, too, like that no one on this forum seems like the snobby sort. Far from it, everyone seems very friendly and helpful.
I am going to treat myself today--it's my day off--by going and looking at a couple of bike shops. I can't just walk in and buy one, which is just as well, it will give me time to see what's out there, and learn what I want in a bike.
Here's a question: what are disc brakes? Someone at work told me I'd be well off to get them.
Susan

I'm in Massachusetts, not far from Boston.

Hope everyone's having a great day! :)

Denise223

I had to go out and pay rent, so when I got done, I went to a bike shop and test drove a Trek Navigator 200. He also showed me a Trek 7200. He was very helpful, and said they'd give me lessons, because there are a few things I am not sure about.
Bikes are made so much easier now! I loved the gearing (?) on the Nav 200. Very easy to understand. It rode like a dream. I only went out a quarter mile and back, and was a bit winded. I went to an allergist once who suggested I might have exercise-induced asthma, but he also wanted to take away some of my pain meds and I fired him. Petulant of me, perhaps, but with my neck pain, I get kind of funny about stuff like that. I'll be glad when I can have surgery and do away with a bunch of the meds. What he really talked about doing away with was the NSAID, which I need daily to keep the inflammation down. It was Mobic, and a really good med.
Anyway, afterward, I went to REI. The kid down there was a pretty good salesman. No, I didn't buy a bike, but he seemed to know what he was talking about and we discussed a couple of different K2s and something else I can't recall. He was showing me a lot of the other biking stuff, such as bike shoes and cleats etc, and explained why they were used, how a hydration pack was safer than a water bottle, and so forth.
If I get so disposed in the morning, I am going just down the street to another bike shop and see what he has there.
Riding that bike today felt really good. It's something I want to do more of already. The only problem I had was when I got back to the shop and wanted to stop. The brakes worked fine, but I fell over just the same. But I was on grass, so it was OK. However, I don't want to keep falling down.
Keep on biking! I'll catch up sooner or later!
Susan--who wishes she could buy a bike instead of air-conditioners next week:)

Faroe78, Hi and welcome. Sorry that I have not responded earlier. This is a great site for advice and support.

The bikes you have been looking at are exactly what I would suggest. Hybrids are great for new cyclists and they can be used both on the road, and on gentle off-road options. I went straight for a racer when I started cycling. I do love the speeds I can get up to on it, but it is not as comfortable as a hybrid on poor roads. I can never take it onto a gravel trail which does limit my options, and if you aren't used to drop handlebars, or haven't used them for a while, they can be very uncomfortable. A mountain bike would also be less practical if you want to cycle on the roads, as the wide, knobbly tires and suspension mean you put in more effort to go the same distance.

I've just been looking up your Trek Navigator and found this review:

"Pros
Versatile, inexpensive, fun, comfortable. Good frame

Cons
not for serious cycling, weak components

The Bottom Line
This should be available used for a song, and will be a great second bike or starter bike

I bought this bike to induce myself to get out and exercise, 3 years ago. It now has almost 4,000 Spring through Fall miles on it. Great frame, long like a tourer, it smooths out bumps. the factory tires are still good. The chain wore out at 3,100 miles, and the bottom bracket too. Replaced both with better quality units. Great bike as is from the factory for rail trail rides and smooth pavement as well as rough, and light off road trails. The upright position is tough in headwinds, but great for sore backs. I added triathalon style aero bars for head wind use. I also switched to 1.5 in 100 psi slicks for a recent MS150 ride. the shifters are not well suited to heavy use on tough hill climbs. This bike is good for rides in the neighborhood and local tours of up to 20 miles at about 12 - 15 mph average speed. Longer rides like the MS150 are better with spd pedals and a narrower saddle (I put welgo spd/street dual use pedals on and a Brooks Conquest saddle)"

Don't know if this is any help. I also found reviews for the Trek 7200 on the following website, you will have to copy and paste the information into the address space on the computer (I don't know how to insert a hyperlink I'm afraid)

http://www.epinions.com/content_131788672644

And they also do reviews of K2s, but I don't know which type you were looking at.

http://www.epinions.com/bike-Bicycles-All-K2_Bike

I hope you find this helpful,

Good luck with your cycling!