Bike Bod

[KSH]

So curious, what has cycling done for your body? What has it done for your health? What do you hope to accomplish in 2007?



I'm looking for encouragement for New Years Resolutions


I hope to accomplish better aerobic capabilities, to get some hot legs , and to be able to go biking together with my family.

Honestly, 2 years of cycling have made my legs look better than running or weights ever did.

I have never had the greatest legs in the world... and they certainly aren't perfect... but now days I like to take a peek at how strong and muscular they look... when I walk in front of mirrors...

Just about every time I have worn shorts around people who haven't seen me in awhile... they have even commented how great my legs look.

Keep riding and you will get some hot legs that others will compliment!

Good luck!

[makbike]

This is why I love my bike -

I've dropped 15 pounds, lost 7 inches from head to toe, dropped 2 sizes, lowered my cholesterol by 24 points (still had to go on Crestor but it is coming down - bad genes), have not had an asthma attack in 2 years, my legs look great, I feel mentally and physically stronger, my confidence has increased by leaps and bounds and have once again discovered a form of exercise I love and want to do every day. Biking has become a regular part of each and every day and the benefits continue to shine through.

[rocknrollgirl]

I got me a mountain bikin' booty....we now refer to it around here as "The Booty"

I did not really discover "the booty"until school started this year. It snuck up on me over the last year or so. I spent the whole summer in biking shorts and running shorts and skirts. Then school started again and I had to morph back in to a grown up ( well sort of)...

And VIOLA.....I now have a booty. My clothes still fit just fine, but I am filling those pants out very differently. At first I was horrified. Now I like it. I think it is my secret power source.....

Long Live The Booty....

Ruth

[Aseradyn]

I started riding for work and errands during the summer - July, I think. I haven't lost any weight (haven't been able to convince myself that losing weight is worth giving up soda) but I'm still way healthier than I was!

The biggest changes I've noticed:

More happy days, fewer depressed ones!
Better wind
Stronger legs, hands, and back

Also, a nice side effect of using my bike for errands is that I can't buy as much crap at the store

[sjf]

I was a runner in my life previous to biking (still do it some for cross training) so was relatively fit when I started biking.

BUT - now instead of people commenting how thin/slim I am, I get more comments about how strong and fit I look. I went to a new doctor and she said to me - you look very fit, what do you do for exercise? (And this was after she saw me with my clothes OFF ) LOL. We moved into a new building last summer and our upstairs neighbor commented to my husband the he noticed I had very strong legs - did I lift weights?

Those kinds of comments are new. For myself, I notice my legs are a lot more muscled and that I now have a butt. Cycling MUST build up the glut muscles because I never had THAT before. At least I hope it's muscle.

I actually weigh a bit more than I used to but according to the fitness assessment I had done at my gym my body fat hasn't increased.

[kellichou]

I have only been cycling for about 4 months, and I love it!

Before the snow hit (we've been buried here in Denver for about the past 3 days, which is awesome because I got 3 days tacked onto my Winter Break), I was riding 10-20 miles a day, usually 30-80 miles/week. Whoo! I am very pleased. Now for training for a half-century, then a century. . .

My legs have become much more muscular, and I love the hand, arm, and back strength I've gained, too. And my balance and agility have improved! I just feel so much stronger and more confident! I cannot wait for the weather to improve so I can resume commuting the 20 miles roundtrip to work.

I'm a teacher, and a few weeks ago, I had some outdated student grade printouts that I had to throw away. So I tore the stack into long, thin strips, & put them in the recycling bin. My 6th graders were impressed! They said, "wow, Ms. G., you must be strong to tear all those papers up!" I grinned and said, "Well, the Buckley Amendment makes me protect information concerning your grades, and cycling has helped make my hands stronger!" I have the most awesome students in the world, I love my job! And I love cycling.

[tygab]

Since April 06 ish... note I have never been heavy but I have been flabby - my weight has stayed about the same but its composition has changed significantly.

-rock hard calves (they are small but they are solid!!)
-discernable quads and arm muscles
-I now comfortably fit into some pants that I was verging on 'outgrowing'
-I can see my hip bones
-Can run a whole 5k after spin class or just on its own
-general increase in energy and happy outlook
-Everyone at my new company thinks I am an athlete (at least I get that impression), and they know I don't eat junk foods and work out a lot

I am enjoying morphing myself into a more fit and overall happy person on an almost daily basis, and I have a goal for 2007 of doing a few triathlons, and being in possibly the best shape of my life for the big 35.

-T