Overweight Cyclists?

[NoNo]

Another related/unrelated situation:
When I'm out and about (in my professional capacity) with a kid with a disability, I've had people make stupid comments from "What's wrong with him?" to "Can't you stop that?" (usually the kid's screaming), to "What does he have?"

I'm usually somewhere between dumbstruck and ignoring, but I did quickly respond to "What does he have?" by saying "He has a red hat."

When I was in college I became ill with some random thing that made my legs stop working. At best I could take a baby step with my left foot and drag my right foot along. Would pop up for a week, disappear for a few 2-3 months, and reappear. At various times while trying to literally drag myself to and from class, random people would stop me and say "What's wrong with you?" I guess they at least had the decency (nerve?) to ask, rather than the people that just used to stare.

[Shaula]

When my daughter was born, I was leaving the hospital and my husband had purchased the FRILLIEST, LACIEST, FLUFFIEST, PINKISH dress he could find to dress his new baby girl in for her homecoming outfit. So, there we were, he pushing me in the wheelchair down the hospital corridor and me, holding our new, very feminine, pink baby. A lady came up to me and said "Ohhhh - a new baby! Boy or girl?" My DH said "OH, we haven't decided".......

[colby]

Hi guys! I am sure this subject has been addressed before but I am an overweight cyclist. I am about 85 pounds overweight but love to cycle and obviously, LOVE to eat! I have recently started a plan to lose the weight to make my cycling even better than it is now!!!! However, I have had people comment "If I rode my bike as much as you, I would be a rail" or "You ride your bike?????" My question is: Is there anyone out there that is significantly overweight and have had to deal with rude comments about your weight relating to cycling?

I like your attitude - losing weight to make cycling better, not for some arbitrary reason.

I think most days, those comments can roll off your back. Some days, it's just hard to let that stuff go. Remember that you're doing it for you, not for them. Everyone's different. And hey, so you like food. Whatever.

I remember reading a story that Running Mommy had about going to a sprint triathlon and being asked if it was her first time, even though she had completed Ironman-distance triathlons. They didn't believe her. What gives someone else the right to judge your capabilities? Nothing!

Just wanted to add my applause from the peanut gallery to stick with it. You are not a cycling impostor just because you're overweight

[SlowButSteady]

I want to "weigh in" on this topic but I'll have to suppress some anger.

I've always been athletic but can gain weight on air. I have very, very bad feet and in 2005, I bought into cycling as THE alternative to running. And I sort of thought the 25 or so extra pounds would melt off once I got going.

Good golly, I've gotten strong and built up endurance. I've even managed to complete 4 sprint triathlons.

But I still cannot keep up with my local bike club. They leave me in the dust. I also can't build up much distance...because as slow as I am, there aren't enough hours in the day for me to ride 40+ miles.

And, I've gained/am still gaining weight. Now, instead of being 25 lbs overweight, I'm more like 50. A little bit of my body has remodeled some. My back/butt are flatter...now I'm carrying this apron of fat on my lower abdomen.

I enjoy all aspects of food and drink. I'm a cook. I mean, I love to cook, and have written a book-length manuscript about food. And, yes, I eat, but I don't eat truly unreasonable amounts of food. I don't really eat sweets at all.

But I would have to seriously deprive myself to lose this weight!!! By now I know that cycling and cross-training ain't gonna do it.

When you think about it, by definition, losing weight amounts to malnutrition, to getting an insufficent amount of calories. I would have to be that way for close to a year, I think, to reach my goal weight. And then it would be a full-on battle to keep it off.

I'm not sure I want to do that. And I'm a little bit bitter about it, can't you tell? I don't want to be skinny like a model. I'd just love to wear a size 12 or 14.

[beccaB]

I want to "weigh in" on this topic but I'll have to suppress some anger.

I've always been athletic but can gain weight on air. I have very, very bad feet and in 2005, I bought into cycling as THE alternative to running. And I sort of thought the 25 or so extra pounds would melt off once I got going.

Good golly, I've gotten strong and built up endurance. I've even managed to complete 4 sprint triathlons.

But I still cannot keep up with my local bike club. They leave me in the dust. I also can't build up much distance...because as slow as I am, there aren't enough hours in the day for me to ride 40+ miles.

And, I've gained/am still gaining weight. Now, instead of being 25 lbs overweight, I'm more like 50. A little bit of my body has remodeled some. My back/butt are flatter...now I'm carrying this apron of fat on my lower abdomen.

I enjoy all aspects of food and drink. I'm a cook. I mean, I love to cook, and have written a book-length manuscript about food. And, yes, I eat, but I don't eat truly unreasonable amounts of food. I don't really eat sweets at all.

But I would have to seriously deprive myself to lose this weight!!! By now I know that cycling and cross-training ain't gonna do it.

When you think about it, by definition, losing weight amounts to malnutrition, to getting an insufficent amount of calories. I would have to be that way for close to a year, I think, to reach my goal weight. And then it would be a full-on battle to keep it off.

I'm not sure I want to do that. And I'm a little bit bitter about it, can't you tell? I don't want to be skinny like a model. I'd just love to wear a size 12 or 14.

I had about 20 pounds I felt like were too much for my frame. I was weighing in at my full term pregnancy weight (youngest kid is 16!!). I went on a "diet" that is pretty similar in structure to the Zone diet. In fact, it is more food than I have time to consume! I did lose the 20, and it made me faster and lighter up the hills. I am still a good 10 or 15 pounds heavier that I was in college, but I am stronger and fitter and can fit into single digit clothing sizes. That is what is right for MY structure. I think the right way to look at weight loss would be what your structure and fitness level is. Genetics plays a roll too. The ancestors in my family were shaped like bean poles. I was actually embarrassed to be so thin as a child. I was jealous of other kids who had thick wrists because I was painfully thin. I got picked on a lot. Kids can be so mean, but a lot of adults have never matured.

[staceysue]

. . . . . . . I sort of thought the 25 or so extra pounds would melt off once I got going.. . . . . . .

Good golly, I've gotten strong and built up endurance. I've even managed to complete 4 sprint triathlons.

. . . . . . . . Now, instead of being 25 lbs overweight, I'm more like 50. A little bit of my body has remodeled some. My back/butt are flatter...now I'm carrying this apron of fat on my lower abdomen.

NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! (that's a scream of horror) Please tell me this is not possible! I, too, thought the weight would just start melting off when I started cycling - and it hasn't. I have a little lower abdominal bulge - not an apron, just a bulge I got when I was pregnant 19 years ago that never went away. Since I started cycling I'm thinning up in other areas but that little bulge is still there and now it seems more noticeable.

OK - I'm going on a diet starting today. I do NOT want to gain 25 lbs.

[MomOnBike]

Another overweight cyclist here. I'd be thrilled if I were only 30-50 lbs overweight. As it is, I could lose 1/2 my weight and be just about right.

I'm frustrated. I really try to watch my portions at dinner, I ride my bike a fair amount, I am at the gym 3 times a week, and still can gain weight by just thinking about food.

Sigh.

[ny biker]

[QUOTE=SlowButSteady;471832When you think about it, by definition, losing weight amounts to malnutrition, to getting an insufficent amount of calories. [/QUOTE]

This is not true. Losing weight is not about cutting calories to the point where it's not healthy. And it's not about cutting out foods that provide necessary nutrition. It's about cutting out the excess that your body does not need. That can be hard to do because it means cutting out things that taste really good. But that's different from malnutrition.

[OakLeaf]

What NYB said, and also if you're continuing to gain weight without eating unreasonably, while you're active, I wonder if there's an underlying medical problem. Have you had your thyroid checked?

[MomOnBike]

Agreed. Also, as I understand it, malnutrition can include eating too much - which is just as bad (mal-) as not getting enough nutrition.

[tulip]

NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! (that's a scream of horror) Please tell me this is not possible! I, too, thought the weight would just start melting off when I started cycling - and it hasn't. I have a little lower abdominal bulge - not an apron, just a bulge I got when I was pregnant 19 years ago that never went away. Since I started cycling I'm thinning up in other areas but that little bulge is still there and now it seems more noticeable.

OK - I'm going on a diet starting today. I do NOT want to gain 25 lbs.

I wasn't going to chime in because I'm not overweight. But I have a big mouth and can't keep it shut, so here goes.

Perhaps when we start exercising, we see that as an excuse to eat more. That's fine as long as there's an awareness of it.

As for the ab fat--that's unhealthy for your heart, so that's why I have to say something about it. I think it's great if you are fine with your weight whatever it is (like SlowButSteady--definitely fantastic that you are stronger and do triathlons!). But too much extra weight and things get harder for your heart. From all I've read, that is particularly true for people who store extra fat around their middles (and I am one of those people).

I was 20 lbs heavier until a few years ago. I started taking Pilates classes and that really, really helped my middle. It also coincided with losing those 20 lbs, although I have no idea about cause and effect, since I was doing alot of other things at that time, too. For instance, I cut out coffee and all the junk that went with it from Starbucks (1000 cals for breakfast!!), started eating more fruit and less junkfood, stopped drinking soda except for rare treats, started going to spinning classes, and was very stressed out at work and in life.

So while it's great to be comfortable in your own skin, it's also great to be as healthy as you can be.

'Nuff said, I'm shutting up now.

[WindingRoad]

I am not currently overweight but I was about 30 pounds heavier 5 years ago. I actually didn't lose all my weight cycling I had to make some lifestyle changes. It sounds simple but I stopped eating so much processed food and pretty much cut out fast food completely. I still indulge in some french fries once in a while but not a lot. What I found was the quality of the food made a HUGE difference for me. Organic groceries are worth the extra money to me. Drinking a lot more water made a huge impact too. Another thing I've found quite filling recently it homemade yogurt. It's kinda cool because if you make your own you can increase the nutritional content of it by simply adding more powdered milk. It's a fat free protein that you can add any kind of fruit to and actually feel satiated afterwards. Store bought yogurt doesn't do this??? As Tulip said Pilates is a great way to tone up the mid section. As an avid commuter I find it easy to forget about the abs and think all the miles I log will take care of it. Not so much, I get the poochy belly thing and I log around 100 miles a week. That's when I do Pilates and it REALLY helps and relatively quickly I might add. Don't get too frustrated trying to lose weight everyone is different and sometimes just finding that special blend of foods and exercise is what your body needs. Try mixing things up with your exercise and diet and see if you can find some new foods you like and can incorporate into the diet. Another suggestion and I'll stop yapping, Mangoes! They are VERY filling, loaded with the good stuff and you can eat the whole thing. Very rewarding

[Bike Chick]

It also depends on your age..........the older I get, the harder it is to loose.

[nsandz]

It has been said before, but is worth repeating: Thanks for this post.

I am about 40 lbs overweight and just started cycling about a year ago. I have never had anyone comment on my weight, but I feel it is because I avoid being around people while cycling or exercising. I am very self conscious and really felt that I was the only one like this. I know that is unrealistic, but sometimes I really thought it was true. I would be embarrassed to go into a bike shop because I'm usually the only overweight one in the store. My boyfriend and cycling partner is in perfect athletic shape, so when he tells me I look perfect and not to be so hard on myself I always thought he didn't understand. It's funny because now it seems that I am the one who didn't understand.

Thank you to everyone who posted

[sundial]

The up side is we smoke 'em on the downhill.

Trek, lol!