New to Forum, lots of questions, be gentle

[imagesinthewind]

Hi,
I'm Ginny, almost 40, 5 kids, about 30-40 pounds overweight.
I started biking in June with a small 5 mile somebody-kill-me-now ride.
My cardio system sucks.
Well, now in August, I can do 60 miles (flat ride) with barely a huff.
Hills still kick my behind but I manage in granny gear.
I've got a Specialized Comp that has been a perfect bike for me.

August 20 my DH and I did the LIVESTRONG Challange, the 40 mile ride where the first 17 miles were uphill. I did it, and it was a great ride. The downhills are the reward for the uphills.

My legs are getting really strong. Not much marshmellow left under the skin there. The scale doesn't seem to be going down though. I haven't given up the chocolate and I'm sure that is a big part of it.

MY reason for biking isn't really to lose weight fast (good thing) but to have something to do with my husband. We have fun doing our rides and usually get about 50-100 miles in per week depending on schedules. We were both raised in Ohio, near Cleveland and in July 2008 we plan on riding around Lake Erie (700 mile epic roadtrip). So we are really training for that.
We live now in Denver. Winter is coming but it doesn't snow much in the city (only in the mtns) so it will just be cold, not too snowy or wet.

So, in all the knowledge I've read in you all here, what can I do to:
*lose weight faster (the extra 30 pounds uphill tears up my leg muscles)
*ride better on hills without having to rest for two days to let my thigh muscles recover

Any other advice?
Thanks a bunch, ride on.

Ginny in Denver
(who thinks Landis is innocent)

 

[RapDaddyo]

what can I do to:
*lose weight faster (the extra 30 pounds uphill tears up my leg muscles)

You can "burn" off only so much by riding. The other part of the equation (which you already know) is the input part. Here are a couple of suggestions, though. First, when it gets cold and the days get short (coming soon), you can still ride indoors on a trainer (any time, any day). If you don't own one, I recommend the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine. Not too expensive (<$300), quiet and smooth. Second, try recording everything you eat on http://www.fitday.com/. This is a free site and they have a database of many standard foods. It's not that simply recording what you eat will cause you to eat less, it's that when you look at the daily totals you realize which foods and which times of the day are doing the most damage. When I started recording my intake, I quickly realized that there were only 2-3 things that were the culprits. I just asked myself if I enjoyed them so much that it was worth it. The answer was that it wasn't worth it. I cut out those items and my totals dropped like a stone, as did my weight.

*ride better on hills without having to rest for two days to let my thigh muscles recover

Climbing better requires more power, plain and simple. There's no "trick" to climb well without power. If you get the trainer, figure out your maximum speed for 20 minutes. Then ride at ~92% of that speed for two 20min efforts, with 5mins recovery between the two efforts. Do that a couple of times a week and you will begin to increase your power. Oh, and as you increase your power, increase the speed of your 20min efforts accordingly. After awhile, the hills will get easier because you'll have more power.

 

[SolarEnergy]

I'm Ginny, almost 40 *lose weight faster (the extra 30 pounds uphill tears up my leg muscles)

Being only 40yo, you still have plenty of years riding your bicycle. The temptation of losing weight fast is huge, I can understand that. But make sure you don't burn yourself physically or mentally.

Try to aim at 1pound a month something like that. This way, the transition will be smooth and you have more chances of not gaining the weight back.

Don't forget to enjoy what you do in the process.

(who thinks Landis is innocent)

I am sorry for this nice rider.
He's probably as 'innocent' as any other top 10 contender.

 

[Powerful Pete]

Congratulations on your progress!

As the other posters have stated, you have to begin to watch what you eat to lose weight.

The other half is riding as much as possible, as regularly as possible (and yes, indoor on a turbo trainer counts).

You know what you need to do to lose the weight, but here are a few simple rules that I found helpful.... [disclaimer - I am not a doctor, but these types of rules helped me lose a lot of weight relatively quickly]

1. No carbs at dinner (eat them in moderation at lunch and breakfast).
2. No snacking while on the computer/watching TV (you would be surprised at how much you can eat without even realising it).
3. Limit sugar/deserts/yucky stuff (have one 'free day' a week to reward yourself, in moderation).
4. Make sure you drink a LOT of water.
5. Eliminate all soft drinks.
6. Limit coffee intake.
7. Take a multivitamin.
8. Eat all the white meat/fish and vegetables that you want, as long as they are steamed, broiled, or grilled.

And ride!

 

[lanierb]

My opinion is somewhat different from those above. First, I think the answer to both your questions above is to lose weight. If you lose weight climbing will become much easier. You will really notice the difference.

I agree with those above that say that you should lose weight slowly. It has to be a permanent lifestyle change. You need to think of food as sustenance, not entertainment (for the most part anyway). You also need to learn to like being a little bit hungry, as it is normal to be a little hungry at certain points during the day. If you eat 200 calories less per day than you are burning (about one large soft drink) you will lose weight at the rate of not quite 2 lbs per month. Think of food as like gas in the car. If you go for a long ride, you've used a lot of gas and should eat a little more to keep up. More importantly, if you skip a workout, you need to cut back. That keeps things under control. Also, if you splurge one night on a big dinner out, your gas tank is full and you don't need to eat as much the next day. In a year you will have made a lot of progress and it will feel easy.

Now, where I mostly disagree is with the post above that told you to avoid carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are the fuel that your muscles need for cycling. Telling a cyclist not to eat carbs is like telling someone to water down the gas they put in their car. You will feel like **** when you ride if you do this. Also, from the point of view of losing weight it doesn't matter when you eat (many small meals versus a few large ones). It only matters how many calories you eat in total. Do what works for you.

Finally, on the trainer suggestion, it's a good way of exercising when it's dark/raining, but you may like it or you may not. Many don't. If it works for you that's great. If not, you can always go to the gym and use their exercycles or something similar. If you find yourself cutting back on training in winter, that's okay. Just make sure you cut back on food intake too. Good luck!

 

[jhuskey]

And cut out the alcohol or cut down. That is if you partake.

 

[imagesinthewind]

Thanks for the replies.


I've decided that instead of riding for weight loss, I'm riding to reduce stress, sleep better and surf the endorphins that always seem to come after a short ride and during the long ones. The weight will come off in it's own good time.
I'll just have to cut down on the ding-dongs (my vise).

My problem is that I'm not getting enough rides in during the week.
I'm a social person and have never ridden my bike alone. I'm afraid to do so.
What if. . .gets me each time.
Like right now. I'd love to go take a short 15 miler, but no one to ride with.

How do you all overcome the fear/boredom/whatever of riding alone.
BTW, in Denver cyclists get tickets for riding with music in their ears.
There ARE bike cops on the trails and have no qualms about ticketing for speeding (15 mph on trails) and for ipods while riding.

Thanks!
Ginny in Denver
05 Specialized Comp

 

[RapDaddyo]

It is more fun to ride with others. You might want to investigate recreational cycling clubs in your area. Most clubs have rides on the weekend and you can meet other riders who live nearby and make plans for rides during the week. I have 3 buddies that I ride with on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We are all about the same fitness, so nobody has a problem keeping up. And, we all enjoy each other, in spite of the age difference of ~30 years from youngest to oldest. The common bond is that we love to ride our bikes.

The 2nd option (for getting more time in the saddle) is to get a trainer as I suggested earlier. It might sound boring, but that is only if you ride it at an easy pace. If you get on it and ride it at a good training intensity, you can get an outstanding workout in an hour. And, you can surround yourself with whatever audio/video entertainment your heart desires and your budget affords. I live where I can ride outdoors 365 days a year, and I still ride my trainer ~4 hrs/wk, especially in the winter when the daylight hours are limited. And, of course, it's safe.

 

[noonievut]

Thanks for the replies.


I've decided that instead of riding for weight loss, I'm riding to reduce stress, sleep better and surf the endorphins that always seem to come after a short ride and during the long ones. The weight will come off in it's own good time.
I'll just have to cut down on the ding-dongs (my vise).

My problem is that I'm not getting enough rides in during the week.
I'm a social person and have never ridden my bike alone. I'm afraid to do so.
What if. . .gets me each time.
Like right now. I'd love to go take a short 15 miler, but no one to ride with.

How do you all overcome the fear/boredom/whatever of riding alone.
BTW, in Denver cyclists get tickets for riding with music in their ears.
There ARE bike cops on the trails and have no qualms about ticketing for speeding (15 mph on trails) and for ipods while riding.

Thanks!
Ginny in Denver
05 Specialized Comp

Getting a trainer and riding in your house should reduce your 'what if' thinking. Sure it's not as good as riding on the road, but it's better than not riding.

 

[Powerful Pete]

Getting a trainer and riding in your house should reduce your 'what if' thinking. Sure it's not as good as riding on the road, but it's better than not riding.

Check some of the other threads in this training forum. General agreement is that trainer time is worth 1.5 to 2.0 times real riding time - no freewheeling, no red lights, etc.

But there is a risk of boredom.

I have always enjoyed riding with music, but also just going out for a ride.

If the OP is concerned about 'what if' situations, why not take a cell phone the first few times to feel 'safer'. Also go to your LBS and have them teach you and walk you through changing a tire (99% the worst thing that can happen on a ride).

 

[scott.475]

I am still a new cyclist, like just a few months, but several weeks ago I saw someone here post the link to fitday.com, so I thought I'd give it a try. I had tried tracking my foods in a notebook before, but for whatever reason I never really stuck with it. Now, I started watching my eating maybe a week or so before I signed onto fitday, but over the last couple weeks I am down nearly 5 pounds (I'm about 30-35 lbs overweight). It keeps a running tab of cals, fat, carbs, prot, plus nutrients (optional) throughout the day. You also can enter your activities throughout the day, then pull up graphic comparisons of cals in vs cals burned...good for me because I am very visual oriented. I am trying to keep my calories between 1800-2000/day, and it really has not been as hard as I thought it would be...it really helps you pick your foods well.

As a man, I don't think I can really give you great advice on how not to feel a little scared on rides. I do work where I get to see what evil lurks within people too, and can say that I would not feel real comfortable with my wife going out for long rides alone. That being said, I think the same rules apply to riding as to anything else: stay in populated areas, populated trails, maybe carry an easily accessible emergency whistle, etc. The other thing I always recommend, and a lot of people don't like this, is to NOT use music in your ears, so you can hear who and/or what is around you. Bad people prey on the weak, and when you can't hear someone approaching, that is a real weak spot.

I also have trainer, (the Kurt) so I can still exercise while I'm watching the kids at home, and use some of the Spinervals CDs. "Coach Troy" changes things up throughout the session, so it doesn't get too boring. I am only using the Aerobase series, which is kind of kicking my tail, but as I said, I am still new, and am noticing improvements in how easily I can complete the sessions. Seeing how the participants in the CDs look also helps keep me motivated!

Good luck!

 

[mikesbytes]

Lots of great advice here. There will be some disagreement on diet amongst cyclists, as there are different ways to acheive the same goals. My diet is similar to Powerful Pete's suggestion. There are a lot of hidden empty calories in our diets, be careful of sugar, as its high calorie and doesn't full you up, its often referred to as "empty calories".

The most important thing is that you are enjoying yourself, as that will keep you motovated and everything else will follow. Reading your thread, it is clear that you have pasted this most important hurdle and are heading down victory lane.

Social. Thats exactly what got me out of bed for a ride this morning, with Geoffs (another poster on this site). Geoff and I mutually agreed that neither of us would of gone if the other hadn't. As suggested by others, there are bound to be social groups in your area. Check out the web, other riders, even racing clubs, as the riders may know of social groups that ride.

LOL at the bicycle police. In NSW, Australia the police have no interest in bicycles apart from couriers. You can run a red light without a helmet on and as long as you didn't cut them off, they probably woudn't bother you. It might be fun to follow them down the trail !!!