Can a Fat Lady Ride

I am turning fifty next month and I have let myself go until I am so fat now (247 lbs.) I need desperately to get in hsape. I have an old single speed bike with a coaster brake, and I got it out today and aired it up. I loved bike riding as a young girl and starting out I loved the feeling of the wind in my face. However, after a ten min ride I was panting, sweating, heart pounding like a sledge hammer and my thighs felt like they were on fire. My doctor says there is no reason I can't exercise as long as I start out slow What is slow in cycling? Can a fat lady ride?

Of course you can ride! Just start out slowly, with a comfortable heart rate. Make sure you drink enough, and maybe even eat a snack if you plan on being out an hour or so. For sure, don't start on an empty stomach- you won't have the energy to ride. You'll be able to burn off a 100-200 calorie snack easily.

Go as many days a week as possible! If you are counting calories in general, just don't add back in the hundreds you burn. Even 45 minutes to an hour a day is effective!!

Nanci

OF COURSE!!! Welcome! Start slow and be consistent. Keep a diary or record, and pretty soon you'll see improvements. I bet within a year, if you keep up the good work that you have already BRAVELY started, you will be eyeing a new bike, too.

I'm sure there will be lots of encouragement and advice to follow. There are some inspiring stories by some inspiring women on these forums.

Please keep us posted!

Pretty soon that 10 minute ride is going to be 20, then half hour. I just bet that every day you get a little stronger and fitter. One step at a time. Keep it up! We are rooting for you!

You have no idea how much your encouragement means. My family thought me riding a bike was hilarious. :(

I read this today and I think it is perfect for you, and everyone who is brave enough to start what seems impossible.

Taken from a speech by President Theodore Roosevelt April 23, 1910; delivered at the Sorbonne in Paris.

" It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do deeds; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worse, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."

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Originally Posted by bamakathy

You have no idea how much your encouragement means. My family thought me riding a bike was hilarious. :(

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Silly family! Don't let them deter you.

I still think of myself as a beginning rider, and I know how daunting it can seem when you're talking about riding 10 minutes and others are talking about riding 100 miles! Don't worry about that. When your 10 minutes turn into 20 and then 30 and then maybe a hill or two, you'll feel great. Everyone around here applauds people reaching for their own goals.

You might want to consider getting a bike with gears sooner rather than later (even if it's an inexpensive one for starters). Gears make life sooooo much easier for those of us who are, um, excercise-challenged ;) and you'll find you can keep going for much longer than you thought possible.

Cathy

I started riding at the beginning of this April. Like you, I haven't ridden since I was a kid and I'm trying to lose about 75 pounds. My oldest wanted to go out for a ride and I figured it would be easy to keep up with her. HA!

10 minutes later, I was SURE I was going to die. The kid ended up going on without me for another 15 minutes while I sat on the porch and caught my breath and tried not to pass out.

So now it's been about three weeks, and I just did a 3.5 mile 30 minute ride. I was breathing hard afterward, but I'm plenty conscious and really don't feel like I need to make funeral arrangements. So keep it up. A little at a time, 10, 15 minutes a day, build up, and you'll be fine. Push yourself, but don't completely overdo it. You'll be there in no time!

You can, and you should ride! Cycling has been the only form of exercise I am consistent with. I imagine that's because it's fun.

I started out on my hybrid about 4 years ago. I have now lost about 50 pounds. Sure, it's been slow (and I still have a ways to go), but I'm going in the right direction. I now have a road bike as well. I couldn't imagine myself on a skinny tire bike back then!

I started out going 2 miles, tops, on my rides. All of a sudden that was easy and I upped it to 3, and so on. Last year, I finished a MS 150 ride (150 miles over 2 days). I am currently training for my first century! None of this seemed possible just a few years ago!

Don't let your family keep you off your bike! If it is something you love doing, keep doing it! The pounds will come off, and you will gain so much in fitness and more importantly how you feel about yourself! Just be sure to start slowly, and celebrate all the gains (even the small ones) you acheive.

Just hearing how many of you have done this gives me hope. I think of bike riders as tall, thin people in little stretchy suits. But maybe that's what I'll be after doing this for awhile! If you all can stick with this, so can I!

...the fat lady can kick skinny rider butt. :)

like this film

http://www.virago-productions.com/wellrounded

I especially like the quote from Lisa Bennett, Rider #6066

"When I'm lifting weights with my trainer at the gym, and she leans down and whispers, 'see that thin girl over there? She can't do half of what you can,' I realize all over again that what society says about large women simply isn't true. You CAN be large and physically fit at the same time." -

Way to go. Just take it slow and easy. Like others have said you will find you can go farther each time out. I started riding again last year and have built up the miles. I don't even panic any longer when I see a hill HA. Keep it up and keep us posted on your progress.

I am a tall thin chickie in a stretchy suit! I cannot tell you how much (its almost sick... almost!) I enjoy checking out my own stomach and butt in the bathroom mirror. Would you believe that I need to buy new bike shorts soon because my old ones are getting too big? Who'd've EVER thought that embarrassing skintight leave-nothing-to-the-imagination shorts could get too big and loose?!?!

I love riding a bike. I didn't even think about the fact that I would lose weight, I just loved riding. The freedom of it. Freedom is the biggest part of it for me. I cannot bear the thought of ever giving up the freedom to move myself under my own power like I do on my bike. Whatever bike I have. (my bikes are cheap, and I am fickle. i buy a new one and sell the old one every 4 or 5 years)

Please, even before you buy a new bike, get a pair of bike shorts. Even if you wear them under regular clothes. They will seriously help with the chafed inner thigh issues that come up on longer rides. I don't know how I would've made it without my lycra shorts!

You go, girl! I'm rooting for you!!

Oh, yeah, and think about this: you doing an exercise (of any sort) is like some skinny chickie doing the same exercise with 20-40 lb weights strapped on her arms and legs, and a 40 lb backpack on.

That's some serious muscle!

Not so long ago I was where you are now. I've dropped almost 50 pounds, and where I could barely ride 5km, I can do 50km in an afternoon and more.
As the song says, you'll have "good days and bad days and goin' half mad days", but probably the hardest part is done: your decision to air up the old bike and get started. Congratulations!! :) Take things one step at a time, and I know we will hear lots of successes from you in the coming months!
~Sherry.

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I love riding a bike. I didn't even think about the fact that I would lose weight, I just loved riding. The freedom of it. Freedom is the biggest part of it for me. I cannot bear the thought of ever giving up the freedom to move myself under my own power like I do on my bike. Whatever bike I have.

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That's the attitude I started with about 2 years ago, when I bought the Buicks off of some guy. I'd had quite a few bikes in my adult years, and always craved the riding like I did when I was a teenager. (I taught myself to ride a bike for my mother's birthday present when I was 4 years old.) But those years between 13 and 42 were taken up with raising children and stuff like that.

Only now am I feeling free again. And part of that is my youngest son is just so cool to hang with, and athletic, and he likes me and we go places and do things together that I didn't have time or money to do with my older sons.

Today I did 11 miles on my mountain bike (on the road :D ). I wound around all the side streets in my town and a little on the highway, and then I caught up with the trail around the baseball fields and I suddenly had a flashback. I was going over a tiny little hill...tiny hill only about 30 feet long, and I remembered actually *panting* to the top of this tiny hill when I first rode the trail 2 years ago.

Wow. I rode a lot in those two years, until last August, when I got bifocals. I'd never worn glasses before in my life. I got too scared to ride. I could barely walk down stairs without getting dizzy. By the time I adjusted, it was winter, and then I had gotten out of the habit of riding. But during those 2 years while I rode, I rarely went over 2 1/2 miles. To the ballpark, around the loop, and back.

Fast Forward to March. I crave new bike. Take a few spins on the trusty Buick. Really crave new bike. Hubby gets his bonus. Buy new bike, while suffering from the cold-from-hell-that-never ends. Take it to the woods the next day. Ride one mile before the lungs give out. Put bike away until the cold finally does end. Ride every day for one week, first the 2-1/2 miles, then three, then 4. Then 25K charity ride. A few rides in between. Today I did 11 miles, just because I needed that happy feeling of being on the bike--a real stress reliever.

I went from nothing to 11 miles easy in less than 4 weeks. I'm just incredulous writing it all out like that!

And I am FAT. I weigh 198, but no for long.

Karen

Yes, silly, a fat lady can ride. And sing at the same time if she feels like it.

Look, I'm heavier than you are (not gonna say by how much :rolleyes: ) and last year I went on a week-long solo bike trip across the midwest. I ride daily. Others on this forum (not all by any means) are heavy too, and do whatever they %*$*#!! want to on a bike. We just tend to do it more slowly.

AND THAT'S OK.

So welcome to the club. You'll find all the moral support you'll ever need right here.

(Did you introduce yourself on the Getting To Know You Thread yet? I haven't gotten there yet.)

I bought my Townie 7 speed last saturday. I had ridden at all for the last three years, and not much before that because of wrist pain. My Townie freed me from the wrist pain. I've put about 36 miles on in the last week. There's a couple hills on my commute I craawl up in the lowest gear and a couple I walk, but it's already getting easier.

I'm way out of shape and weigh twice what I ought to, but I am loving riding my bike. Can't wait for days that I get to ride to work, and I'm looking forward to a longer ride with a friend this weekend.

Keep at it, it will get easier.

Ellen

You rock :-) You're *DOING SOMETHING* about it.

You're also pushing along a bike that's gotta be pretty hard to push along. I ride a single speed cruiser often, and it's a workout... and it's due for a tuneup. Air in the tires is a biggie... but lubing that chain and, yes, greasing the bearings, can make the bike a lot easier to push around.
When my friend got me a "new" wheel for my cruiser, and put it on, in 15 miles, it started *screaming* when I'd apply the brakes. I like attention and all, but the cruelty-to-machines folks were going to come after me, so I went into the bike shop, and put the wheel on the counter and said, "It screams at me... where should I put the lubrication?" He asked me if I had three different tools which I'd never heard of, and then asked if I had fifteen minutes (it was February) and gave me an apron and we went into the back of the shop.
Well, this is going to turn into another "Drafting story" if I'm not careful! At any rate, suddenly I was a much stronger rider and knew a lot more about ball bearings, and they all had a jolly time admiring this wheel with its old-fashioned spoke nipples and brass brake shoes... they figured it was from pre-WWII.
So get out there and keep riding... you'll soon have stories of your own!!

Yeah, you go girl! last summer I rode about 1000 miles. About 10 years ago, I too was really out of shape and could ride only about a couple miles without huffing and puffing. Even tho I ski all winter, that isn't much work or very aerobic. I also developed high blood pressure. Now the bp is down, I lost 30 pounds last summer and feel SO much better both physically and emotionally. I ride alone mostly (can't get fat DH to do much) but I love it and have actually acquired 3 bikes (road, mt, cyclocross) and use them all. (I am 63 by the way). My son is proud of me and gives great encouragement. Family may make remarks at the beginning but they WILL be proud later!

yes, yes, yes... YOU CAN!

Look... I'm not fat. I'm not skinny. I AM 165 lbs of muscle. My first ride hurt. Bad. I did 10 miles and was sure the Grim Reaper was staring in the front window as I lay on my couch trying to recover... I didn't move for almost 4 hours.

Fast forward 3 years. I ignored the naysayers... I beat the odds. At 165 lbs and 5'7" I have ridden NINE centuries. I can climb any hill I want. I can ride as far as I want. I feel stronger than many other "skinny" women... because tho I am heavier I am also solid... and many of them are soft.

I will never be soft again. I will never be "skinny" by societies standards... and I don't care. I am damned proud of my achievements. I look forward to you joining me... and you will if YOU believe it.

*looks around* hmmmmm I don't see any fat ladies here. I DO see a lot of women that ride bikes and love every minute of it! OK..so your first ride in how many years your heart was pounding, you were breathing in gasps, and you felt like a bag of wet cement and you rode last time when??......it's not the weight it's the amount of physical fitness and right now yours is a little lower than it used to be! And you were on a SS with coaster brakes!!! You ROCK!!!! My first time back on a bike I was NOT going to ride anything less than 18 speeds coz I was KNEW I wasn't going to be going anywhere fast!!! Welcome to the wonderful world of cycling!!

If you get a chance wander on over to the "getting to know you thread' and tell us a little bit more about yourself while you learn more about us than most of our mothers know!!

Then hop back on that bike and go kick some skinny booty!! ;)

You go girl!!!!

Everyday you ride even for 10 min. is 10 more towards your goal if its loosing weight or riding farther. Trust me you can go out and ride your bike.

I am a bit younger then you but I started out riding my bike at 240 pounds and I still have a ways to go at 178 but I'll make that 145-150 yet.

My first ride on my Cannondale was eight miles and only averaged 11.92mph. A month later I did my first 50 mile ride and every good sized hill I came to I had to walk. One of them I got down into my lowest gear and 10 feet up the hill I couldn't move the cranks. I was to heavy for my legs to get me up the hill. The next big hill I didn't even try to climb, it was huge and looked almost straight up, it was like a 10% grade. The third hill I was able to climb half way then had to get off becaue it was straining the cranks to get up. The fourth I made up it was more of a shallow grade.

Fast forward six months. Get down to 185 and climb the first hill on my 42 chain ring. (the second ring on what they call a triple crankset). A year later I climbed that second hill with no problem. Now I can climb whatever I want if I take my time. I'm still not a fast climber but capable.

So get out there and ride, and when you get down to 200lbs or less then you can see who's laughing at who.

Hey bamakathey - yay - another member of the "big gal cycling club"!

I'm another one who's lost 50 pounds on the bike - I still have a ways to go, but wow - has it been fun! (and this after 25+ years of battling my weight, hating to exercise, and feeling like I was doomed to "diet - fail - repeat" for the rest of my life).

My first time out I rode barely 5 totally flat miles and thought OH MY GOD this is impossible! But it did get less impossible, and each ride was more fun, and immensely gratifying. Being outside, riding alone or with friends - it's all great! Also, since we are moving more weight along than the skinny riders do, it seems to me we must be building muscle faster. And it's is a wonderful feeling to feel strong instead of just heavy.

I heartily second the recommendation to get padded shorts - sooner the better - TE has some in plus sizes - I started with the Mt Borah baggy shorts with padded underliner. (In fact, that's how I found this forum - searching for plus-size cycling clothes after my second 5 mile ride! Best google search results ever!)

Welcome! Enjoy the ride!

I too am trying to lose weight and get in better shape. The weight loss has been slower than I'd hoped, but I'm down about 4kg since Fall and recently I've noticed that my clothes are getting loose. So today I tried the next size smaller. Yep. They fit. A bit snug still, kinda like the size I'm in felt 6 months ago. I'll wait another kilo or two before down-sizing my wardrobe, but if it hadn't been that the cheapest pair of pants and the best colour was in my "old" size, I might have got a smaller pair already today. And ... I no longer feel like I'll pass out at spin class, I did 43 miles into the wind a few weeks back, and I climbed about half of Ben Nevis (got stopped not by my lungs, heart, or legs, but by my fear of heights). So yes, definitely, biking is a good way to get back in shape!

Do get some bike shorts. Wear them under your regular clothes if you want to. Team Estrogen has a section just for larger bike clothes. They're not cheap (even the smaller ones aren't), but it will make your riding more comfortable.

Pretty soon, you will not identify yourself as a Fat Lady. You will start to see yourself as someone who loves to be active, is strong, and controls her own destiny (if even you decide where and how far to ride!)

As for the naysayers (family and others), just remember that you cannot control what other people say or do. But you CAN control your reaction to them--you can choose to be embarassed and stop riding, or you can choose to smile at them and pedal away.

Best of luck and do keep us posted. We're here for you!

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Originally Posted by bamakathy

You have no idea how much your encouragement means. My family thought me riding a bike was hilarious. :(

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Your family should not be laughing at you they should be encouraging you! I think it is awesome that you want to start riding. It is a great way to lose weight and get fit.

Stay with it!

You most certainly can ride. The nice thing about a bike is it does not care what you look like or how much you weight. Climb abroad and enjoy yourself. Start slow - none of us started out riding 100 miles in a day. Listen to your body for it will tell you without hestitation if you are pushing it too hard or not pushing it enough. Keep a log so you can see the progress your are making (my boyfriend thinks I'm anal because I record data from every ride but it helps me see how I'm progressing). Only listen to those who will offer words of encouragement and turn a deaf ear to those who tell you it can't be done or laugh at you. Have fun, enjoy your bike and take care of yourself.

Oh, Honey, have you come to the right place! The answer, as you can see, is yes! yes! yes!

I was above your weight range and about 43 when I had major realizations about how my health, self-esteem, and marriage were all being threatened by my obesity and lack of self-confidence. I joined a gym and was so self-conscious that I wore baggy pants and a turtleneck, so all that was visible was my head and hands. My doctor gave me some great advice when I talked to her about making changes - "Don't focus about how you look, focus on how you feel. If you focus only on the changes in your appearance, you'll get frustrated and quit."

2 years later, I decided I deserved a gym with better facilities and there ran into a trainer who's also a master class cyclist. He got me into spin classes for the winter, and that spring, I tried a bike. I struggled to ride 3 miles, and if anyone had heard me struggling for breath, they would have called an ambulance. I am not exaggerating in the slightest.

Now, I may even be under 200 lbs (don't know, don't really care) lift major weight at the gym, use heart-rate goals for someone half my age, and am starting to do "club" rides 0f 25/30 miles, with a goal of riding a century (100 miles in 1 day) by my 47th birthday, 10/10/06.

You are doing the hardest part right now. Come here often for all the encouragement you need. I felt like I was facing so many internal demons when I got that bike out. Some of them still show up from time to time. Just keep at it.

You might enjoy a book called "The Slow Fat Triathlete" by Jayne Williams (pretty sure that's right.) It's about becoming an athlete in the body you have. Even though I am not interested in doing a tri, I learned a lot from her attitude.

Keep in touch. This forum has made all the difference for me! -
Latelatebloomer (who really does need to change her name to Relentless. She's not a late bloomer any more!)

BikerChick, I get what you're saying about being 165 lbs of pure muscle.
Before I went into the Army, I weighed about 130. When I left boot camp, weighed 140. Yet, everyone at home said how skinny they thought I was, (especially in the face, I heard a lot). Through the next 10 years in the Guard I struggled to keep my weight under 137 (the requirement for my age/height), even though I was wearing a size 7-8.

I'm convinced I have large (heavy) muscles by nature. I was definitely ripped after boot camp, but still heavy for 5'4". I've always called my legs speedskater legs, even at my lightest...those large upper thighs and thick calves. Can't tell now because they're covered in fat! However, I'll never be tiny. I'll probably never be a size 8 again, but I'd be happy with a 12, which I can buy off the rack. People still don't believe that I weigh 198, because I'm compact, not roll-y. (But I'm not fooling myself...I'm still fat and need to get it off before menopause.)

I got my first pair of bike shorts yesterday in the mail. The Mystic Elite MTB shorts mentioned earlier. They fit fine in XL, but the Belwether jersey I bought in XL is too small in the boobs and feels too tight for comfort in the arms. I'm disappointed in that because I'm smaller on top than on bottom. Manufacturers should settle on a standard size, I think. But, I'll keep the jersey because it will fit in a couple of months. :)

That would be an interesting thread for us Athenas: what is your weight and your general clothing size? I know a woman or two who are my weight, but wear much larger clothes. I know weight is not the only factor--my baby belly overlap affects my clothing size, and I can wear size Large t-shirts and they fit fine (not Jerseys, though).

Anyway...if anyone wants to answer, I'd like to know so we can see what I expect is a huge diversity of weight to size.

Karen

Well you asked, 5'5", 249 lbs, size 20-22W. Biggest complaint? Jelly belly and thighs. Also have hourglass figure, big boobs and big bottom. Any suggestions as to sports bras for plus sized women? Would like to wear a size 12, but would be satisfied with even a 16, as long as I felt good. I'm happily married, he's overweight. He's never said a word about my weight, just loves me anyway, so he's not a factor. But I feel terrible. I want so much to just have more energy and stamina to do my regular stuff. I never weigh at home, only when I'm at the doctor's. I'm happy with me, don't need to be perfect at this stage in life, just healthier.
All of your suggestions are so helpful. I'm so glad I found this message board.
My husband said if this is something I stick with for awhile, he'll buy me a new bike.
Here's a question for you. When I was a kid, there were girls bikes and boys bikes and the boys had the bar at the top. Now all I see in adult bike are the boys style. Are they like unisex now? I have the old cruiser girls bike.

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Originally Posted by bamakathy

Any suggestions as to sports bras for plus sized women?

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Not sure if this qualifies for plus size, but I am a 36DD now. I have found the Moving Comfort Maia, and the Hind Nexus both to be really good. You can get the Hind Nexus here on TE. I have found the Moving Comfort all over the place, but I know REI carries them up to a 40DD. (For some reason my local REI doesn't carry my size, but I can always order it online)

There is also the Enell sports bra (available on TE). I have never tried this one, but it looks really good. It's a bit expensive. But, you need to go with what is comfortable. You can always wash it between rides/workouts.

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Here's a question for you. When I was a kid, there were girls bikes and boys bikes and the boys had the bar at the top. Now all I see in adult bike are the boys style. Are they like unisex now? I have the old cruiser girls bike.

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There are still Men's and Women's bikes out there, but they have definitely changed in appearance. You can still find new Cruiser bikes, and a few hybrids (sort of like a mountain bike, but with skinnier tires to decrease weight and rolling resistance) that still have the classic girl's bike look. However, once you start going for lighter materials, these designs aren't as structurally strong. This is why you see "women's" bikes that have the top bar.

Now, you may ask, why are there men's and women's bikes but they pretty much look the same? This is because men generally have longer torsos and arms than women of the same height. Women's bikes are made so the frame is a bit more compact so we don't end up getting too stretched out on the bike. Some women prefer the men's geometry, other women prefer the women's geometry. Also, women's bikes tend to come in smaller sizes.

Hope this helps (at least doesn't totally confuse you). When you get a new bike - cuz I'm convinced you will stick with this;) - you can have the fun of trying all sorts of bikes to find that perfect one.

For the record...
I am 5'7", 178 pounds, and wear a size 14 - sometimes 12! (depending on fit, manufacturer, etc)

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Originally Posted by Tuckervill

I'm convinced I have large (heavy) muscles by nature. I was definitely ripped after boot camp, but still heavy for 5'4". I've always called my legs speedskater legs, even at my lightest...those large upper thighs and thick calves. Can't tell now because they're covered in fat! However, I'll never be tiny. I'll probably never be a size 8 again, but I'd be happy with a 12, which I can buy off the rack. People still don't believe that I weigh 198, because I'm compact, not roll-y. (But I'm not fooling myself...I'm still fat and need to get it off before menopause.)

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Hooray, I'm not the only one with this height and body style! I feel so much better. I have been to the doctor's office and they check my weight, then they say "NO WAY"... uh yes way, the scale doesn't lie! Trust me, I check it regularly :p

I refer to myself as the teapot style -- short and stout. I do not have womanly calves. I do not have womanly thighs. I could crush you with them, but that wouldn't be very womanly, now, would it? ;) I know I'm not superfit now, but I'll never ever be that perfect style, and I'll never ever be a size 6 (or likely even a size 8). It's just not in the cards for me (and that's hard to admit, some days, when everything we consume in the media tells us we're wrong).

Speedskater legs is so accurate. Mine might be covered in aforementioned fat also, but they aren't going to be twigs, ever :) My goal is not "be skinny" (not practical), it's "be FIT and HEALTHY" -- I want to look good, but I want to look good for ME, not for some stupid size chart or imaginary hand stamping sizes on my forehead.

On the sports bras -- I am a 36D myself, and I do like the Hind Nexus (which I bought from TE!), but I find it doesn't quite feel 100% right (supportive, but not extreme support?) and I still mostly have the uni-boob, though it's better ;) Also, the zipper base eats into my frame sometimes, especially when running (which is tolerable, but a little irritating). I haven't tried the Enells, but I've heard really good things about them from everyone I've talked to who has had one.

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Originally Posted by Tuckervill

Manufacturers should settle on a standard size, I think.

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HA!!! I don't know what I weigh, but I'd guess it's around 57/58kg (for the metric-challenged, that's somewhere in the 125-130lb range). I have clothes in every size from XS to XL, size 8 (4ish US) to size 16 (12ish US). I have bras in three different sizes. I've given up looking at the size label as a measure of whether clothes will fit. :rolleyes:

Ok, I'm closer to 5'5 then 5'4 so I usually go with the 5'5. As far as weight right now I'm 178lbs. I was down to 170 but then started riding outside a lot again and gained weight, go figure. As far as clothes I can wear anywhere between a 12 to 18 depending on how tight I want the clothes. 18 barely stay on 12 fit a little snug, and if I really squeeze a 10 for about 3min. OK I tried to be funny there.

I tend to carry alot of weight in my breasts 40D or 38DD, the 40 feels better though. I swear I carry 10lbs with them, so if I was an A I would weigh 168. My goal healthy weight is 145-150. Even in high school I couldn't wear small clothes. In fact I am in a smaller size now then I was in high school and weigh 20 pounds more. I still have that horible belly fat. grrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!:mad:

As far as the having the guy legs going on I have the same problem. I have the calves that female body builders work hard to get. and my thighs are starting to join them. If I took off all the extra fat I'd still be big.

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Originally Posted by tlkiwi

HA!!! I don't know what I weigh, but I'd guess it's around 57/58kg (for the metric-challenged, that's somewhere in the 125-130lb range). I have clothes in every size from XS to XL, size 8 (4ish US) to size 16 (12ish US). I have bras in three different sizes. I've given up looking at the size label as a measure of whether clothes will fit. :rolleyes:

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I can so relate!:p

But the reason why for me is that I'm the classic yo-yo dieter. At the end of '04 I was about 67-70kg or about 150lbs. And now I'm about the same as Tlkiwi about 57kg and about 5'3". And it's been like this for about 10 years. This time though, I regularly exercise and really watch what I eat, and have been this weight for about a year.

I think there's too much media attention on being skinny. I think Hollywood really messes with our heads with these actors who are way too skinny. It's not just the Paris Hiltons, but also mature women like on desperate housewives like Terri Hatcher, well she's terribly thin.

On the other hand, the lifestyle of people who live in 'developed' countries include eating way too much processed food and living too leisurely. We drive way too much.

I do think you can be big and healthy at the same time. And you're born with a certain shape and size. and if you eat well and moderately, exercise, are healthy, have a good community and have a supportative family, then I think life's good and you can't ask for more than that (except maybe for a Specialized Ruby Pro)!

(stepping off my soapbox) well that's my 2c worth!

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Wow, once again I need to say how supportive everyone on this forum is. I belong to the bicycling.com forum, and went over there for a few minutes today. (It's been ages since I lurked over there, ever since I found you guys!) I didn't realize how much testosterone is flowing over there. Everyone seems to be in perfect shape and aren't tolerant of anyone who isn't! I remember posting a couple of questions and was totally bashed. Now I've found my niche with TE, and can ask any question I want and I get a myriad of answers! OMG, I can't even imagine this topic over there. Thanks!

Now for the hard part. 5'4" 165 lbs. I managed to put on 20# in the last year, not sure how, but I refuse to buy larger clothes, so I'm in impossibly tight 12s. My 10s are just glaring at me when I open the closet. I'm in good shape, I dance, teach dance and ride my bike, but that's the story of my life. I'm in better shape than my friends, but I'm also heavier. I have this one teeny tiny friend I work with, she couldn't even get through 10 minutes of a FIRM workout. Where is the justice? Oh, and she drinks regular soda and eats candy. sigh. I don't ever remember drinking a regular soda...

Well, I'm just glad to have found this forum, as bike riding is somewhat foreign in my small town. It's great to kick around stuff with others going through the same thing!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bamakathy

Here's a question for you. When I was a kid, there were girls bikes and boys bikes and the boys had the bar at the top. Now all I see in adult bike are the boys style. Are they like unisex now? I have the old cruiser girls bike.

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bamakathy, I'm not expert by any means, but you can still get girls and boys bikes. Most manufacturers have gone to women's specific design as oppose to the same geometry with the "step through" frame. My hybrid is a Trek WSD, and I love the fit, but its not for everyone and it has the bar. When I wanted an entry level mountain bike, I liked the Gary Fisher Advance, because it had a stepthrough frame. The guy, (who I think is great, by the way), at the lbs told me that step-through frames weren't considered cool any more, but every bike I tried had too big of a standover height for my size. 5'4". You know, I read about a guy who ran over a rattlesnake, and I decided that I wanted a bike I could exit QUICK! I love my step-through frame, even though it's bright orange, and I'll probably upgrade the fork someday, but I don't really care about the cool factor. The bike fits me like a glove, and I love it. I guess what I'm saying is, enjoy yourself. If you are like the rest of us, you will be hooked in not time. If you are out exercising and enjoying yourself, how could you be doing something wrong? And if you are riding a bike from way back when, why it's cool because its "retro". Good luck turning 50, I'm 51 and plan to be in the best shape of my life by the end of summer. We can encourage each other, can't we?

I've seen some very sexy-looking mixte frames. They look a lot more stable than the "standard" girl frame, the physics and geometry just look better. Like mixtes were designed to be stepthrough rather than what looks like a modified boys bike with a droopy top tube.

Hey there bamacathy!
Way to go, BC, you rock (at the risk of repeating others!!!)

This is the way to do it, slowly, surely and with excellent motivation. Great to hear your goal is fitness, not image... because fitness you can measure and image is always subjective.

Do keep a journal/log of your rides, I love looking back and seeing how my rides have got longer, or how I can do a familiar course in less time... very very heartening...

And yes... get yourself lycra bike shorts... more comfort as you rides become longer, and to reduce chafing on your thighs/bike seat.

I have been cycling for 18 months now, trying to regain fitness and also change the shape having five children made me into. I have only dropped a few kgs, but I have dropped two dress sizes... As you get fitter, you will lose fat but you will also build muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat, so please don't become disillusioned if the scales tell you nothing has changed. It is great that you have no scales in your house - keep it that way. I only weigh myself once every 1-2 months at the most - I have no scales in the house either.

Some great advice and quotes from the women here... good on you for making a great decision, and def tell hubby it is time for a nice hybrid bike with gears and a good frame.

I, along with the other women here, look forward to hearing about your rides. And... just in case you didn't hear it from me or anyone else :p

!!!!YOU ROCK!!!!