Looking for Newbies with a large amt of weight to lose..

[LoriO]

My hat is off to you being able to ride in this heat and humidity. I just can't do it, I can handle the heat but the humidity just kills me!!

So between weather and other circumstances I haven't been able to get out on my bike in almost a week now. I am dying to get out on a ride.

Thankfully, I haven't gained any weight, but I haven't been able to lose any either this week. I need some bike time!!!!

Of course it is supposed to rain all day tomorrow too. Guess I'll throw the bike on the trainer just to get some pedal time in.......

[LoriO]

Just bumping up....how is everybody doing? I'm feeling a little discouraged in the weight loss dept right, anyone else feeling that way? For those that are going good, lets hear about it!!! Hearing about someone elses success is always good for some motivation.

[sundial]

How do you measure your body fat? I am a member at the local Y and they do not offer that but yet tell me the small scales that I can buy are not very accurate and can't tell me where to get an accurate test done.

Lady, I have a Tanita scale that measures both weight and body fat. You can find this scale at Bed, Bath and Beyond, Linens N Things, and maybe even Target.

As for my weight, it's still pretty much the same but I'm losing body fat--only at a slower pace.

I am reading the Chris Carmichael's Food for Fitness and he states that during riding season you don't really lose weight if you eat enough to stay properly fueled for riding. He suggests 200 cal/hr on the bike to keep the engine fueled. If you do follow a reducing diet during cycling season, you may end up compromising your performance on the bike. Before I read this, I noted that this was true in my situation. When I cut back calories to reduce the weight, I didn't have enough get up and go for the bike. What I plan on doing in the off season is join the local Fitness Bootcamp and maybe shed the pounds through light weights and aerobic exercise. I'll also train different muscle groups so that I don't set myself up for an overuse injury.

[karenv2]

Hi I was so happy to see that there are other woman cyclists out there who have a lot of weight to lose. I need to lose 100lbs and have started cycling. I love it but I don't feel to cool.
I got a cruiser bike that is incrediably comfortable but not fast. I have a back injury and need to get a bike that didn't aggrivate my back pain.
I am excited to see that others share my adventure.
Good Luck and Enjoy the ride

Karenv2

[Tuckervill]

Welcome to the forum, Karen. There are lots of Karens here.

It's good to have a bike that works for where you are. You will find, as you get more fit, that you will be capable of more things, and will eventually need a new bike. That's not all bad!

I met a very large woman this weekend who told me she did 42 miles on her Townie not too long ago! Anything is possible. (which reminds me...check out littlechanges.com).

Karen, as well

[LoriO]

Welcome Karen!!! Just keep peddaling!!! Before you know it you will find yourself going farthur and farthur with each ride, and also suddenly you will realize...hey these pants don't fit anymore...WHOOO HOOOOOO.

It is a great feeling.

[Tonya]

I could easily stand to lose 90 lbs. Recently purchased a road bike, winter is coming, and there isn't much time left for riding -- I've done 26.7 miles, but "lady bit" problems. . .saddle, bike fit? adjusments . . .I haven't cut back on calories, trying to find the willpower. Thank you for your post. I'm with you!

[cyclokitty]

I could easily stand to lose 90 lbs. Recently purchased a road bike, winter is coming, and there isn't much time left for riding -- I've done 26.7 miles, but "lady bit" problems. . .saddle, bike fit? adjusments . . .I haven't cut back on calories, trying to find the willpower. Thank you for your post. I'm with you!

Wow! 26.7 miles is great! I could measure my first ride in metres... it took me awhile to build up the strenght, stamina and confidence to venture onto the streets. But I have! I have ridden since may almost 1000 km. Not to shabby!

I also have 100 lbs to lose. It's been slow going, but I already gone down nearly 2 dress sizes, and I have gained a lot of strength cycling.

I use sparkpeople.com to help me cut calories and helps me when my nutrition needs some tlc (I am addicted to sugar. Looooove the stuff. Very bad.), and when I need some motivation. And it's free!

My biggest problem with cycling is the almost non-stop bike accessories purchasing. I'm not a big shopper. I really don't like wandering thru malls, I live in my jeans and tshirts, I hate department stores, and I prefer to shop by the internet. I need jeans, I order from Lands End, and a week later the jeans show up in the mail. Irritating shopping avoided, and I don't have to go naked anywhere.

But, I can't stop browsing for bike stuff. Here are some recent purchases:

* rear light. It's necessary since I ride a lot in the dark coming home from work. But I went for the strobe like rear light. Triple the cost of a basic rear light

* waterproof pannier. ok, it rains. I don't want my stuff wet. But I could have lined my pannier with a plastic bag.

* new skorts. Two pairs on sale. So comfy...

* cold weather tights. On sale. So comfy....

* ski goggles. As it is getting colder, the goggles are more comfortable. Stop laughing. Yes, I look like an uber-geek. Yeah, it's pretty funny. Laugh away... done? Good. Next purchase

* neoprene face mask. See above. My husband suggested I request small unmarked bills next time I go into the band and forget to take the thing off. Ha ha.

* zip strips. Added to my repair kit in case something breaks and I need to quickly repair it on the road.

* pretty tire lights. You screw 'em onto the tire valve, and they light up when the bike is in motion. I say it's for safety, so I'm visible. But let's face it, they are cool

* cycling gloves. Because they were red.

* cycling gloves. Because I wore out the red ones. These are blue.

* cycling computer. I'd love to have ponied up for the GPS model, but I just couldn't do it. I'll write to Santa so he can leave on in my stocking?

* cute cycling socks. At least 10 pairs. So cute.

And I could go on.

[fastdogs]

I also have a lot of weight to lose- I started out with 80 to lose and still have 50 to go. It's very slow. I try to ride a little every day, and when I can't I do an elliptical.
a couple of months ago (has it been that long?) i ordered myself a folding bike to exercise my dogs. My dogs have had some lameness issues and I haven't been able to roadwork them, but I started carrying the bike in my car and now ride every day during lunch break. At first, it was 15-20 minutes, now it's at least 30 and more often 45 minutes to an hour (if nobody saw me leave- if a tree falls in the forest, etc). I'm supposed to only have 30 minutes but it's so much fun that it's hard to come back, our weather this fall has been so gorgeous. I ride on the weekends, 10 miles sounded like a lot to me, but I recently rode in a charity ride that was 13 miles so now I'm feeling like trying more.
I don't like to attract attention, but my bike is different looking, and very, very pink. I focus so much on riding, and climbing hills, though, that I don't notice so much if people are staring at this big person on the little bike (I'll have to get a photo- it's a 2007 downtube FS with 20" wheels). But the hills, this board, and trying to keep up with the tall bike on the charity ride has me looking at other bikes.
vickie

[Kano]

Just bumping up....how is everybody doing? I'm feeling a little discouraged in the weight loss dept right, anyone else feeling that way? For those that are going good, lets hear about it!!! Hearing about someone elses success is always good for some motivation.

Okay -- doing good -- I can speak to that, and I'm in the mood for it today. I realized just the other day that I've lost 37 pounds since the beginning of June! (yeah, I knew my starting number, and I know my new number, but I hadn't done the math in a while...)

There's a down side to this -- my closet is getting very empty. I'm running out of wardrobe options. Nothing fits right. It's all got way too much wearing ease. Even my shoes are too big, and the way my undies fit gives new meaning to the term "granny panties."

I was pretty certain that tight lycra on the bike wasn't pretty, but I can see the value in it now -- baggy bike shorts aren't comfy! I'm suffering through this right now -- want to wait til spring to spend on bike shorts, since hopefully I'll fit the new stuff for longer that way!

On the other hand, I'm beginning to collect new ski clothes! I went out to Sierra Trading Post lately and bought a Mountain Hardwear hoodie (that my grandson LOVES) and a bunch of base layer pieces for skiing. There was also a great Ibex jacket and bright yellow vest to wear while riding this winter. A stop at REI netted me some windproof tights and gloves to wear biking too -- the plan, at this point, is to keep riding, whenever the roads are dry and time permits this winter.

Recently, my daughter and I were in the mall, and I said, we HAVE to get me some new jeans, I can't STAND the way these feel (I could literally pull them off without opening them, and no, I didn't do this in the middle of the mall). I tried to get the sales person to keep the old pair, and for SURE I left the new ones on when I left the fitting room. It was HUGELY exciting to buy jeans in size 12 -- I haven't worn anything that small since the 80's!

The stuff to wear skiing (and biking), and the two pair of jeans are pretty much the extent of my purchases at this point. I'm SO jazzed to keep losing I hate to invest in much clothing, but there are some things I just had to deal with: I don't wlike to SEE crotches at the knees, and I refuse to wear mine there, and the clothes I wear to keep warm when I play outside in winter won't do its job properly if it doesn't fit right! (clothes that's too big is drafty!)

When it comes to riding --- the weight I am not carrying anymore has made me a stronger rider now that I'm not carrying it. (I'm looking forward to seeing what it does for me skiing) Last spring ('06), DH and I bought matching comfort bikes with mountain bike leanings. He thought we would "grow into" mountain biking. He kind of likes it, but I HATE mountain biking, and that bike feels "squishy" to me. This spring, we bought me a road bike that I've been happier with since day one. At first, I was not comfortable in the drops, but through the summer I've gotten stronger and more confident on the bike (this scares him some, and I'm really not supposed to scare him). The drops is a fun place to ride now, and just the place to be when I want more power! I noticed just this morning that when riding in the drops, there's not this thwap thwap as my thighs used to knock my belly around -- still contact, but WAY better!

One of my goals has been to be "overweight" by ski season -- which leaves me with about 35 pounds to go to being at my "ultimate" goal. (we'll see if I want to revise this when I get to that neighborhood) I'm within five pounds of that intermediate "overweight" goal now, and the knowledge that in another couple of weeks I'll be there feels GREAT!

Okay, enough is enough -- no more rambling for now!

Karen in Boise

[Spinster_Sister]

Hello Ladies! Excellent thread and one which I can completely identify with!! My name is Vickie and am also a newbie rider on a quest to regain my health/figure.
I have about 90lbs to lose but am dealing with some arthritis in my R hip and boy does it smart! I'm doing my treadmill for 60 minutes at a pop and can't wait to at least get in some spin time before heading out into the wild blue yonder.
How many of us, newbies are terrified of the darn traffic?! I'm afraid I'll hit the riders so I give 'em a wide berth - often taking two lanes if possible to give 'em space, but how many will give me some room when it's my time to hit the road?
Anyway, great thread and even greater board! Can't wait to join you official ladies of bike one day!

~Vickie

[Ghostie]

Hi Ladies,
Well a bit over ten years ago I quit smoking, and the weight has been slowly but steadily going up since then. I'm now at the point where I should lose 60 to 70 pounds.

In the spring of 2006 I was diagnosed with Stage I breast cancer. I spent most of 2006 going through surgery, then chemo, then radiation therapy. The combination of these treatments, especially with the relatively new chemo drug that I was given, left me incredibly weak and sore. It was a painful and draining task just to walk to the bathroom.

In the fall of 2006 I got the first bicycle that I'd had in at least a decade. My trip to the LBS was rough because I was wearing a wig and didn't want the young salesman to know it... and I was scared to death that the wig would come off with along with the helmet that I wore for a test ride! But it ended up being ok.

I rode the bike a few times in the fall. I could only make it up the street to a couple of houses away. Then it was time to wrap it up for the winter.

Last spring I started up again. Little by little I could go just a bit more each time, though it was still very painful. When I got to about a 2 mile round trip around the neighborhood, I discovered area bike trails. I soon became hooked.

I began by cycling 3 days a week. Each week I'd add 1/2 mile to my total trip mileage. It was very painful and difficult, but each week I could see more progress. I worked myself up the about an 11 mile ride, which takes just about an hour for me. But I was not losing any weight. So several months ago I increased to 5 days a week riding. The most I've gone in one ride is 16 miles, because I find that one of my knees begins really hurting at somewhere between 10 and 12 miles. A few weeks ago I finally went to an orthopedic doctor about it, and now I have a brace to wear on that knee when I ride, plus I take an anti-inflammatory. I have noticed an improvement because of these.

I've still not lost any weight, though. I seem to justify eating extra food by the fact that I've done so much exercise! I know that's not the way to go but I love to eat, what can I say.

Hills are pretty tough for me. I'm sure that if my weight dropped they would be a lot easier. As far as clothes go, about half of my clothes are mens riding clothes, because women's in my size are tough to find. I wear bicycle shorts with a pair of regular shorts over top of them for modesty. I do like tight fighting athletic tops, even though I know they're not flattering.

I'm now at about 990 miles for the season, and should break 1000 soon. Unfortunately, fall weather is here and I won't ride when it's cold. But when I think back to just 7 months ago and realize how far I've come, and how much I've improved, it's amazing. I love to cycle and can't wait to do it every day that I go out!

[sbctwin]

Welcome to TE, Ghostie...You have been through a lot and just your effort to ride your bike says a lot. I hope you continue to read the TE forum. The ladies (and gents) are fabulous and so very supportive. Introduce yourself in the 'get to know you' thread. You are amazing to have accomplished what you have so far. Reading your post, I felt very inspired with your determination and your success....

[Kathyrides]

Very impressive everyone~

I'm at the end of my weight loss journey having lost over 90 pounds and have about 15 more to go. It has been a long journey but great....so far it has been 4.5 years, but taking my time has made it become a way of life not a diet or quick fix.

I also have fallen in love with riding...'05 I think I rode about 1600 miles, last year 2600 miles and this year I hope to hit 4000 but I think I'll be a little short.

I really can't ride enough. I do triathlons and my coach has to keep me from riding more.

I remember when I first got my road bike back in '04 riding 6 miles was so hard. In time my body adjusted, I ride longer, and got faster, leaner and fitter. Cycling is such a blast!

I live in MA and ride all winter so those of you thinking you can't or don't want to ride in winter...you can. I ride if it is above 20. You need to invest in good quality winter clothes that are wind proof. Really it is the wind that makes me cold more than the temp.

[Idealmuse]

Hi Everyone -

I'm curious to see the update how's everyone doing?

Like Kathy above I've lost just under 90lbs but the difference there is I'm not yet done. I still need to lose about 65lbs more. I know 100 sounds like a lot, but if you just take it a small bit at a time it's not so bad. I went from size 26 (Tight!) to mostly 16's now. (I'm 214 and 5'5) I haven't weighed this little for 15 years.

The thing I've found is that I feel SO much better then I did last time I was near this weight because my fitness level is so much better, and I'm a whole size smaller too.

So not only am I biking but I just signed up for my first triathlon this summer and I'm in the middle of learning how to run. I could NEVER imagine that before.

Keep it up!