I just don't get it

[Grits]

I don't know how to post links properly and no time to figure it out now, but there is a thread in this forum called "Gaining Weight after a long ride" that gives a lot of very useful information about this very issue. It seems to be very common among cyclists. It certainly applies to me and is very frustrating.

[indysteel]

Despite what the scale says, do you see any difference in how your clothes fit? When I started riding, I really didn't lose much weight. Maybe a few pounds at most. The difference in how my clothes fit, however, was remarkable. I ultimately went down two sizes and lost some excess fat. Keep in mind that it wasn't my goal to lose weight. I just wanted to ride to ride.

As another poster suggested, keep upping your mileage and speed. To really see significant body changes, you'll want to maintain a decent pace (one fast enough to get your heartrate up) for at least an hour.

Speaking of speed, are you spinning your pedals or mashing (pushing) them? If you don't know what I mean, so a search on the forum for "cadence" and read up on it.

[Biciclista]

oh yeah! did you buy a heartrate monitor yet?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

You say you've been riding since April 12th?- and this is now 10 days and about 80 miles later?
It's completely unrealistic to expect any results yet.
Put on several hundred hundred miles and then you might notice something.

You may well, like me and others here, stay the same weight but wind up being shaped very differently....a shape you like! You might want to look at biking as a way to get fit instead of just for losing weight.

[solobiker]

I too gain weight. I usually try to ride after work 15-30 miles depending upon how much time I have. at a pretty good pace for me 15-17 mph. I also run 2-3 days a week. I am definately not toned, so sorry can't help you out. Just wanted you to know that you are not the only one.

[AnnieBikes]

Bleeker hit the nail on the head, in my opinion. Are you riding for fitness or for weight loss, and I do believe that there is a difference? If I was riding for the sole reason to lose weight, then I think that I would be very frustrated. Ride for fun and fitness and as time goes on, the weight will come off, but not in 10 days. I would guess that the gain is due to muscle mass.

My DH who is a physician says that a pound a week (unless you are morbidly obese and could stand to lose a lot of weight) is about the average for those trying to lose weight. It is NOT a speedy process and is actually unhealthy to lose too much all at once. Eat in moderation, ride as long as it is making you happy. The fun of riding for me is the group I ride with, the places we go to ride, and the people we meet on longer rides. If I thought the only reason I was riding was for weight loss, then I probably would not enjoy it very much.

Weight loss is a total lifestyle change, not just eating less or doing exercise. There is alot of mental aspect to it. It takes three weeks to make a habit change and far longer to maintain that change.

Good luck. Don't kick yourself, not this week anyway.

[indysteel]

You say you've been riding since April 12th?- and this is now 10 days and about 80 miles later?
It's completely unrealistic to expect any results yet.
Put on several hundred hundred miles and then you might notice something.

You may well, like me and others here, stay the same weight but wind up being shaped very differently....a shape you like! You might want to look at biking as a way to get fit instead of just for losing weight.

Good point! Not to discount what you've accomplished thus far, but the calories you've expended riding for the past 10 days just isn't enough to lead to much weight loss. Remember that to lose a pound you need a 3500 calorie deficit. And the increase you're seeing on the scale might be nothing more than some water weight.

But keep at it and you'll hopefully see some progress!

[GLC1968]

And I'd also like to suggest that since you went from virtually no exercise to riding 6-10 miles daily - your body is adjusting. Are you sore at all? (I would be!). If so, then it's very, very likely that while your muscles adjust to new activity, they are retaining water.

You have not put on muscle in just 10 days. Even the most gifted weight lifters can't do that! And you've also barely given it enough time for any created calorie deficit to kick in. I think it's water weight.

Keep it up, enjoy riding for the FUN of it...and you will see results. It's too early to get frustrated!

[Tuckervill]

You are doing FABULOUS if you are riding every day, 6-10 miles, and you just started. I am a big believer in making tiny little changes, one at a time. The first one I advise to anyone is to get moving, just starting with a 10 minute walk if that's all you can do. You're already moving for about an hour a day, and that's just wonderful.

Make that daily exercise a habit, and eventually it will become a need. Aim for consistent exercise (even if it is not cycling every day, do something, anything, like take a walk or weed the garden or rake leaves).

The other thing I tell people is, "Consistency is your greatest asset." I don't know if I read that somewhere or it's someone else's quote, but I say it all the time so I'm going to claim it. But it's like this for me: I already know how to be consistent. I know how to do the same things over and over and over and never stray from the routine. The problem is that things I'm consistent with are not always good for me. If I can apply that great ability to be consistent to something that is good for me, I'm golden!

So, pick one thing that you can be consistent with. In this case, you've already picked exercise. Once that becomes a habit, make another tiny little change for you to practice your consistency. The next change could be about identifying any habit, circumstance, or situation that makes getting out to exercise a little more difficult (not having enough cycling clothes so you have to wash every night, and you really hate going in the basement to run the washer, for instance). You could decide to give up cheeseburgers (like my husband did).

One more thing, and this is related to intensity of the exercise. No matter what anyone says, how much they make fun of me or think I'm slacking or putting on, I'm not out there just for today, but for the health of the rest of my life. Therefore, I'm never going to do anything that will stand in the way of me being back out there the next day.

Change your thinking, change your life!

Karen

[tctrek]

Don't give up! And don't let the scale defeat you. Make sure you are logging your food intake... we sometimes think we're not eating much but when you log your food you'd be surprised. http://www.fitday.com This is a free website where you can log your food intake. Make sure you eat at least 1200 - 1500 calories per day. And try to keep your daily fat percentage below 30% of your total calories and try to eat at least 25% of your calories from protein. Watch that most of your carbs are complex carbs.

Also, do take rest days sometimes. If you workout every day (which is my problem), your body doesn't recover fully from the workouts and you can have temporary water gain.

I feel your pain as I am a slave to the scale also, but I am now doing my measurements weekly and looking for inches rather than pounds.

[Heifzilla]

You say you've been riding since April 12th?- and this is now 10 days and about 80 miles later?
It's completely unrealistic to expect any results yet.
Put on several hundred hundred miles and then you might notice something.

You may well, like me and others here, stay the same weight but wind up being shaped very differently....a shape you like! You might want to look at biking as a way to get fit instead of just for losing weight.

I didn't expect to lose 10 lbs at this point, but to see myself having GAINED 3lbs was disheartening.

I'm not really looking at biking as a way to necessarily lose weight, I just expect it to be a side effect...I mean, if I can maintain my weight doing nothing I should be able to lose weight by actually getting off my butt, right?

And I certainly hope I change shape! Things are going south fast and I need some moving back northwards! LOL

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I didn't expect to lose 10 lbs at this point, but to see myself having GAINED 3lbs was disheartening.

I'm not really looking at biking as a way to necessarily lose weight, I just expect it to be a side effect...I mean, if I can maintain my weight doing nothing I should be able to lose weight by actually getting off my butt, right?

And I certainly hope I change shape! Things are going south fast and I need some moving back northwards! LOL

You haven't gained 3 lbs of muscle from riding 80 miles over 10 days.
If you have not been eating more (or drinking more liquids with calories), then it's probably just a natural 3 pound fluctuation in water weight, which is common.
Stick with plain water when not riding, and keep up the good work. Losing 1 to 3 pounds a month is actually a healthy rate.

You simply have not ridden enough yet or burned enough calories to either lose fat or gain muscle. Perhaps in a few more weeks you'll notice something if you don't take in more calories to compensate.
But make sure you do take in calories and fluids when you are biking- to fuel your efforts and avoid feeling ill.

But you HAVE ridden enough already to start making a tiny difference in your health! Your respiratory/heart system is likely already making little changes, and your muscles are just waking up and blinking and saying "Hey, what the heck is going on here?"

It's a lifestyle change.

[indigoiis]

Let's all go grab our scales, throw em in our backpacks, get on our bikes, ride to the hilliest highest hill in town, you know the one... the one with the cliff on the other side? And CHUCK them babies right over the side.

(I know.
It's littering. But you get the picture.)

[Heifzilla]

oh yeah! did you buy a heartrate monitor yet?

I have an old Polar with the chest band but of course the watch part has died. I need to open it up and see if I can replace the battery. I know the band still transmits.

Thanks to everyone for your replies. I was really in a funk when I wrote that this morning. I went out and rode 12 miles afterwards It made me feel a lot better.