Newbie here - Plus-Size gal with severe fear of lycra

[bikerz]

Hi -
This is my first post here, although this forum is one of the things that inspired me to get into cycling 4 months ago. I've lost 35 pounds since getting on the bike - and completed my first 40 mile ride last weekend - so thanks to all of you for sharing your stories - they are very encouraging. I've still got a ways to go, but I am getting stronger every ride, and having a great time.

But - the clothing and image issue is a problem... The first few times I rode (5, 10 12, miles) I really had to psyche myself up to not think about how ridiculous I must look on a road bike (like an grape on the top of a toothpick!). My cyclist friends have been very supportive, and keep saying "there are all types of cyclists out there - don't worry about it", but 30+ years of poor self- image takes a little while to unlearn! Recently, I have noticed that I now a spend less time thinking about how I look, and more time thinking about how I feel, which is stronger, fitter (maybe more like an olive than a grape?) and happier than ever - and the heck with what anyone else thinks!

The shorts I used to wear all the time were my Mt Borah baggy cycling shorts - I felt too self-conscious to wear my lycra shorts - BUT - a few rides ago, the baggy shorts were in the washer and I had to wear my non-baggy lycra shorts - and they were so much more comfortable! So I am ordering another pair, and the baggys will go to the back of the drawer.

The lycra shorts are "Aerotech classic shorts" from www.aerotechdesigns.com - web site is a little strange, but the shorts are good quality, very comfortable, and only $30.

I can really relate to the frustration of trying to get out and exercise in appropriate clothing, but having a hard time finding decently made, affordable clothes - and when you're losing weight, its hard to justify buying expensive clothes that will just be too big eventually. All winter I rode in my shorts and short sleeve jersey, because cold-weather clothes were almost impossible to find in my (hopefully soon to be obsolete) size, and so exensive! Then just as the weather turned warmer, it occurred to me that I could wear leg warmers and arm warmers - and they should fit for a while yet.

Thanks again to everyone who has shared their experiences here - you've all helped make a difference in my life, and I'm grateful.

[RoadRaven]

Welcome to the forum, bikerz

Good on you for getting out there and getting yourself fitter

Your friends are right, cyclists come in all shapes and sizes - the important thing is what you are feeling now... increased fitness makes you feel so much better, physically, yes, but also psychologically and spiritually...

35 pounds in 4 months... thats quite dramatic - I assume you have rearranged your diet also? There are some great nutrition ideas on the forum too.

And 40 miles after 4 months... quite impressive... have you had previous bike experience, because thats a decent little bit of endurance riding for a beginnner...

To lose so much you must be really working on lifting your heart rate?

Are you on a road bike, a hybrid or an off-roader?

Keep posting and let us now how you go

[bikerz]

Thanks for the welcome and the encouragement!

Well, actually I hadn't ridden a bike since commuting in college, which was a long time ago! I have modified my diet, but what has mostly doe the trick is cycling a lot - I try to do 20+ miles twice a week, and another 30+ on the weekend, and a lot of walking. My metabolism seems to require lots of steady exertion. Although, in the last few weeks, with my cycling distance increasing, the weight loss has stopped - I guess I'm getting more muscle now. Clothes are still looser, so I'm trying not to get discouraged, and just keep riding!

I have a sturdy road bike (Specialized Sequoia), and it is a little heavy, but I'm not going to worry about that until I'm a lot less heavy!

[RoadRaven]

Specialized Sequioa - never heard of them

But it made me think of the redwoods we have planted in front of the house (plenty of space for them to grow)

My one regret when I was in California was that I didn't go up north to see the redwood forests there. I bet there are some fabulous roads thru forests to cycle along - and some super tracks for off-roading, no doubt

And yeah, clothes getting looser - thats how I measure success. I weighed myself last month and I had lost half a stone, but I don't have scales in the house, so have to wait til I go back to my friend's place and can use her scales again

Well done bikerz

[wabisabi]

Yes, there ARE fabulous roads up here in the redwoods! I did a metric a couple of weeks ago which ran in part along the Avenue of the Giants. Yesterday I did 45 miles, there through the redwoods and back along the coast, stopping midway at our favorite organic coffee place. There is a 600 acre community redwood forest behind my house. I walk there mostly with the doggies, but there are lots of MTBers. There is actually a 12 hour MTB ride through the forests coming up.

Having said that, I have alway longed to see your part of the world, it sounds pretty magical also.

[RoadRaven]

It is pretty magical here too, though I have not cycled much of it ... yet ...

Near Rotorua there is a Redwood Forest with a MB track running through it - thats on my list of things to do, though I also wish I had seen some redwoods in their home country

[shades]

Just found these forums -- how cool! I'm a new cyclist, as well, and also pretty large (I fall on the high end of misses sizes, or the very low end of plus sizes). I have been horrified, though not terribly surprised, to find that bike clothing runs, um, really small for the most part. "Normal" XL's almost always fit me comfortably, but not so with bike clothing (shorts okay, jerseys no way).

As to the lycra fear, I hear ya and I understand. I just decided when I really started riding that my comfort on the bike was far more important than my vanity. So I don't worry about wearing lycra shorts. I do carry a pair of normal shorts, a knee-length skirt, or a pair of capris with me when I ride if I know I'm going to have to go into a store or a restaurant -- I just slip them on over the bike shorts, so I can feel comfortable surrounded by people who aren't seeing me on the bike.

It's hard to do, I know -- but you just have to do your best to get over worrying about what other people are going to think. And remember, a lot of people who see you will be secretly cheering you on for being out exercising, no matter how bad you think you look.