Hi Bike Lady:

Your answer brought another question to my mind. Since we live in a very hilly area, there are few flat roads around, will you really improve? My most difficult road is the Chalk Hill Road which is one hill after another, big and small, until you come to this really intense, steep, almost straight up, to my mind, hill. If I keep trying this road, which I have been since I started cycling a month ago, is it ever really going to get easier? I still can't do this road without panting and gasping for breath the whole way. The only improvement I've seen is that it now takes me less time to reach the steepest hill, which I refuse to even attempt any more. Or at least not until I can make it to the foot of that hill without gasping for air.

Mighty Mitre:

When can I expect to start losing weight? Does it depend on how often or how long I ride? I generally ride between 45 minutes and two hours each time. This weekend I plan on doing a really long ride, yes even with steep hills, hope I don't end up walking. When I realized I was eating to much junk food and put on the 20 lbs. I quit eating junk food and returned to eating nutritious balanced meals. Not dieting though. But I haven't lost any weight. I thought starting exercising and giving up poor food choices would have resulted in weight loss but not so far. Maybe it takes more than a month though. Thank you both for your replies.