Beautiful bike. Congratulations and happy riding.:)Quote:
Originally Posted by kiwi in oz
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Beautiful bike. Congratulations and happy riding.:)Quote:
Originally Posted by kiwi in oz
Hi bamakathy,
Sorry I hijacked your thread for a while there. I have been lurking here for a while and was so, so glad that someone started that thread. On the topic of families - I spoke to my parents in NZ after I bought my bike on the weekend - my mum was stoked for me - and dad, well, he doubted I would be fit enough to do 80km in November. No worries - I'll show ém ;) And I am tempted to get one of those Jelly Belly cycle jerseys to wear while I'm at it!
Good luck!
Anna
Found another inspirational Big Dudettes link (and it bumps up the thread):
http://www.bfpd.com/pages/FatGrannyonaPurpleSchwinn
Just a snippet:
"A man I passed the other day summarized it in a way I never could have... As I huffed and puffed up a hill on the tandem... my four-year-old in the trailer being pulled behind and my 9-year-old on the seat behind me barely pedaling... my face beet red and my hair drenched with sweat, I noticed a man who had been washing his SUV stopped to stare at us. I felt I needed to explain and so I shouted, "I'm too fat for this!" To which he responded, in the most gentle, reassuring voice, "You're doing just fine, just look at those smiles behind you.""
... first time I read it, I thought it said, "You're doing just fine, just look at those miles behind you..." and that would work too!
Congratulations and keep up the good work to all of you fabulous women out there who are trying to do something for yourselves and your health by riding a bike. Don't let anyone tell you that you are "too" anything to ride a bike.
I think cycling is an especially good choice because you can see improvement so quickly! Do keep a journal--put anything in it you like, but here are some suggestions:
date, time, weather, distance, average speeed (eventually get yourself a computer), who you rode with, how you felt (physically and mentally), what you ate before & during...
It's fun to go back and see evidence of your improvement, and it's helpful to see what works and what doesn't (like eating, for example).
Keep pedaling...:D
I just started doing www.bikejournal.com It's a hoot! If you hit the TE link on BJ, you can see the stats for a lot of the folks on this board.
You can record all the stuff Prof mentioned!
I can certainly relate to much of what you have all graciously shared. I discovered these threads today and just joined. It's great to know that others share in our experiences. Regarding purchasing a new bike - make sure you feel comfortable with the salesperson you end up with and take a bike savvy friend if necessary. I did not feel taken seriously when I went into a bike shop and it took awhile to find a salesperson and shop that gave me the attention we all deserved. Ultimately I ended up with a Trek Lamond and have been happily riding it for a year now. Regarding clothes: has anyone discovered plus size biking rain gear. I'm preparing for a century ride in the Canadian Rockies and am not adequately prepared for the rain. Thanks!
An emphatic "YES" - you can ride! I rode a lot when I was younger but then got waaay out of shape. I started riding again for this year in March. I managed to go about 2 miles and I thought I was going to have to go to the hospital with an asthma attack. It took me almost 20 minutes to recover! Two months later, in May, I did a 25+ mile ride and actually dropped some thinner, more in-shape looking people! For the record, I'm 5'2" and currently 252 pounds. So, again, yes it can be done. Just keep it up and don't listen to the nay-sayers.
Only if you're already tall. ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by bamakathy
And, to echo what everyone else has said here, yes, you definitely can ride! And leave plenty of others in the dust. :)
People can really surprise you sometimes. That made me well up! Anytime I see a mommy out there running, biking, whatever...with a kid or 2 in tow, it makes me so proud. I just want to yell out at them "WAY TO GO MAMA!"Quote:
Originally Posted by Geonz
Great quote Geonz...thanks for sharing!
You Go Girl!!!!!!!!
Welcome!
I joined this forum only a week or two ago. I am 47 and weigh 260. There are other women here too who are in similar circumstances. And some have reported incredible improvement in their well-being.
I know it is difficult when your family laughs at you. Here you are trying to do something positive. What do they think, you'll look better if keep doing what you have that led to your current weight?
Have you had the bike adjusted? I know that my thighs burn if I ride with my seat set too low. I am not very experienced and I think you can probably get better advice from others. Also, you are using my muscles in an unfamiliar way, so your body needs to adjust.
I hope you enjoy it here as much as I do!
Mary
I just found these forums today, and this is my first post here. This thread caught my eye, since I am a fat lady myself, and trying to get back into cycling after about a 7 year hiatus. This thread has been so encouraging--it is really heartwarming to see that there are so many supportive women cyclists out there. Also, to those of you who described yourselves as having a "speedskater build", I can't tell you how awesome that is to hear! I have finally found my people:D ! I have always described myself the same way, and no one seems to "get it" when I say that. Hey, these big thighs are NOT all fat--I have smoked skinny women up hills in my day! (just need to get back into it, that's all:rolleyes: )
Linda
Welcome back "into it" :) :)
You can tentatively teeter or peremptorily plunge. Just get pedalin'!
Oooh! Speedskater build! I wish! My butt and thighs are not all muscle. But I do know what speedskaters look like. I also know what they look like well after sports retirement. We have a few former world champs in town, one of whom was dad to some kids on the same figure skating team as my daughter. These guys do get a more even muscle distribution when they finish their speedskating careers and go over to just working out in the gym, hiking with the family, etc.Quote:
Originally Posted by WrensMom
I found this board while doing research on what bike to get, after not having ridden a bike in over two decades! I did buy a bike - a Giant Cypress DX - and now, with hubby, am planning to get in better shape through bike rides around our area. We live in a place that has a lot of bike trails, so hopefully all summer long we'll be pedalling our butts here and there!
I'm forty this year, and would like to lose about 15 pounds. I was so happy to see how supportive this board is! I'm looking forward to knowing you all better!
Sonya