Weight

[pooks]

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

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

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

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

What is happening with other new riders?

[cusepack]

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

[pooks]

Thanks! I appreciate the reassurance!

[Pedal Wench]

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

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

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

[Fredwina]

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

[KSH]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[Jen Jen]

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

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

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

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

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

[eclectic]

pooks

Congratulations on joining the great world of cycling.

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

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

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

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

Most of all Keep Pedalling!

eclectic

[Grog]

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

[velogirl]

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

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

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

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

Patience and consistency. Consistency and patience.

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

[donnambr]

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

[pooks]

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

[Tuckervill]

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

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

I'm down six pounds.

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

Karen

[eclectic]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This sounds a little preachy so I will quit now.

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

Ride on!

[pooks]

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

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

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

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