I just don't get it

[Heifzilla]

Ok, I just don't get it.

I am not eating more than I normally do. I am riding my bike every single day, between 6 to 10 miles. I am UP another pound!!!! This is 3.5 pounds since I started riding (first ride was April 12). WHAT GIVES?

I googled and found http://caloriecount.about.com/muscle...re-fat-ft16616, which makes me feel a little better, but damn, what a crush to my psyche. I have lived and died by my scale for so long that seeing myself going up as I am exercising so much (from not exercising pretty much at all...I would walk my tread occasionally but that's it) puts this little voice in my head that says, "See? What is the point of all this hard work when all you do it get bigger?" I've been a fatty for so long that it's so disheartening. You hear, "Cardio and exercise and you will lose weight," and then you get the exercise and gain???

I just want to cry

[beccaB]

I have had a lot of success on the Curves diet. It is very do-able, and has more food in it than the last curves diet that was published a few years ago. I've been riding a lot and not having any energy issues. I've lost 11 pounds so far.

[Biciclista]

keep adding those miles. Soon you will notice your clothing becoming roomier. 6-10 miles is the tip of the iceberg. Try some longer rides, try riding faster, try some hillier rides.

[sundial]

keep adding those miles. Soon you will notice your clothing becoming roomier. 6-10 miles is the tip of the iceberg. Try some longer rides, try riding faster, try some hillier rides.

Wanted to add to what Mimi the Wise stated.....I lose weight when I gear my rides for 90 minutes.

[Heifzilla]

I'm just going to try to stay off the scale for a few weeks and see where I am. I look at it this way, if I am doing physical activity every day, and not eating like a sow, I *have* to lose something: either weight or inches. Right? Right??



Thanks for all the encouragement

[sundial]

Yeah, don't weigh and toss it over the cliff, lol.

[Grog]

I *have* to lose something: either weight or inches. Right? Right??

What you really need to lose is the scale.

Go ride your bike, have fun, go far, discover new places, in your town and within yourself.

You'll be healthier, physically and mentally, promised.

[Becky]

A couple of quick ideas:

Have you gained muscle mass? Muscle is more dense than fat- the same volume of muscle will weigh more than an equivalent volume of fat.

Are you eating enough calories to fuel your efforts? Your body can go into a "starvation mode" where it holds onto resources because of a perceived lack of nutrition. Dr. Google can explain this better than I can

Keep at it- you'll see all sorts of positive changes

[Grits]

I don't know how to post links properly and no time to figure it out now, but there is a thread in this forum called "Gaining Weight after a long ride" that gives a lot of very useful information about this very issue. It seems to be very common among cyclists. It certainly applies to me and is very frustrating.

[indysteel]

Despite what the scale says, do you see any difference in how your clothes fit? When I started riding, I really didn't lose much weight. Maybe a few pounds at most. The difference in how my clothes fit, however, was remarkable. I ultimately went down two sizes and lost some excess fat. Keep in mind that it wasn't my goal to lose weight. I just wanted to ride to ride.

As another poster suggested, keep upping your mileage and speed. To really see significant body changes, you'll want to maintain a decent pace (one fast enough to get your heartrate up) for at least an hour.

Speaking of speed, are you spinning your pedals or mashing (pushing) them? If you don't know what I mean, so a search on the forum for "cadence" and read up on it.

[Biciclista]

oh yeah! did you buy a heartrate monitor yet?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

You say you've been riding since April 12th?- and this is now 10 days and about 80 miles later?
It's completely unrealistic to expect any results yet.
Put on several hundred hundred miles and then you might notice something.

You may well, like me and others here, stay the same weight but wind up being shaped very differently....a shape you like! You might want to look at biking as a way to get fit instead of just for losing weight.

[solobiker]

I too gain weight. I usually try to ride after work 15-30 miles depending upon how much time I have. at a pretty good pace for me 15-17 mph. I also run 2-3 days a week. I am definately not toned, so sorry can't help you out. Just wanted you to know that you are not the only one.

[indysteel]

You say you've been riding since April 12th?- and this is now 10 days and about 80 miles later?
It's completely unrealistic to expect any results yet.
Put on several hundred hundred miles and then you might notice something.

You may well, like me and others here, stay the same weight but wind up being shaped very differently....a shape you like! You might want to look at biking as a way to get fit instead of just for losing weight.

Good point! Not to discount what you've accomplished thus far, but the calories you've expended riding for the past 10 days just isn't enough to lead to much weight loss. Remember that to lose a pound you need a 3500 calorie deficit. And the increase you're seeing on the scale might be nothing more than some water weight.

But keep at it and you'll hopefully see some progress!

[Heifzilla]

You say you've been riding since April 12th?- and this is now 10 days and about 80 miles later?
It's completely unrealistic to expect any results yet.
Put on several hundred hundred miles and then you might notice something.

You may well, like me and others here, stay the same weight but wind up being shaped very differently....a shape you like! You might want to look at biking as a way to get fit instead of just for losing weight.

I didn't expect to lose 10 lbs at this point, but to see myself having GAINED 3lbs was disheartening.

I'm not really looking at biking as a way to necessarily lose weight, I just expect it to be a side effect...I mean, if I can maintain my weight doing nothing I should be able to lose weight by actually getting off my butt, right?

And I certainly hope I change shape! Things are going south fast and I need some moving back northwards! LOL