Fat boys weight loss

Pangur Ban

As a big bloke, new to commuting, I've been monitoring my weight to see what other benefits I'm gaining from the exercise.

Since starting to cycle commute on a regular basis (twice or more a week) I have lost only 8lbs, despite clocking up over 400 miles.

I am a tad disappointed by this - I started off at being over 18st so have plenty to loose. I'm pleased it's heading in the right direction but I wonder if there's more I could be doing.

I ride pretty briskly - quite quickly getting warmed through and am sticky and sweaty by the time I reach the office :oops: . I've definitely noticed the effort in my legs, though they ache less now than when I started. I aim to cycle at around 15mph+ though do get tired and find it quite difficult sometimes to keep up speed.

Does this sound about right in terms of weight loss for this level of effort - or is there something I can do to gain greater benefit from my exertions?

I'm not looking for rapid weight loss (I want it to go and be gone for good) but a weight loss of 1lb for every 54 miles cycled is less than I was hoping for.

Clever Pun

you're losing weight, but your legs are getting stronger thus counterbalancing the loss somewhat...

how far is your commute each way?

Keep at it, you'll be fitter and happier as a result... and lets not forget faster

lost_in_thought

PB, don't be disheartened.

You could perhaps also start measuring your waistline, for example, to see if your size is decreasing even though your weight isn't.

Depending upon how active you were before you began cycling, you could be building muscle as well, so the measuring might be a good test to add in.

Also, don't make the mistake I did when I began cycling and think that because you're cycling you can eat whatever you want!! :oops:

To echo CleverPun, keep at it!!

biondino

Also, 8 pounds is excellent! Yes, there might be more to come, but pick up one of those 6 pint milk containers and say to yourself "I am this much lighter after only 400 miles". Nice work, fella.

snooks

In a year I lost 2 stone, actually I lost 2 stone in about 8 months, but have been the same weight for a while now.

The way I did it was cycle like a b@stard, and watch what I eat and drink

I tried to cycle over 50 miles a week and noticed I'd loose weight if I did over 100, and that's without changing my diet too much...so 50 miles if I ate healthily, 100 if I didn't. But I built up to this over a month or two

If you're cycling lots, and you're not loosing weight, have a look at your diet, and stay off the booze for a bit (it really does make a difference)

If you burn more calories than you consume...YOU WILL LOOSE WEIGHT

One other thing to start with, you're body is building up it's muscles which are heavier than fat...so it's likely you're loosing fat, but putting on muscle.

Just wait until your trouser size starts falling, you'll need new clothes, belts, and jeans!

Oh and if you ever wonder whether it's worth it, get a pile of books and see how much the books weight in your arms when you stand on the scales and take the scales up to your original weight

Good luck

It is worth it!

Littigator

spin at faster rpm in an easy gear rather than higher and harder as well.

Most start out cyclists cycle in WAAAAAY to high a gear...it drives me nuts when you see people head bobbing up and down at every pedal stroke as they force it round.

And as everyone else has said, well done and keep it up. GB155 has had some awesome improvements, he may be able to offer some advice or encouragements as well

Gussio

Most importantly you will be building up your heart muscles - keep up the good work and good luck!

cjcp

PB - what's your diet like? The amount of food you eat is a huge factor, particularly on the days you don't ride your bike.

8lbs is good and way better than no loss at all. Keep at it.

NGale

I have not lost a single pound in weight since I started cycling (still a shameful 13st) but I have lost a almost a dress size, most of my size 16 clothes are too big for me, so that'll do me nicely!

The weight will just have to come later

woodford2barbican

If I could lose 1lb for every 54 miles I cycled I would be over the moon.

Currently I am putting on weight despite doing 110+ miles a week.

apreading

I am just under 17 stone and had a similar issue a while back when using an exercise bike. I religiously did 15-20Km EVERY day for a couple of months but found I was building up mucsle in my thighs making them bigger rather than losing weight elsewhere...

I think the point about not using too high a gear is important because this will just cause your body to build more muscle for power. This was my problem on the exercise bike.

Now my problem is down to me not exercising often enough and eating too much of the wrong stuff... Job doesnt help as I am all over the country most of the week and at the weekend tied up with the kids. Great thing now is that my daughter has just come off stabilisers and we can start cycling as a family.

linsen

I have clocked up around 600 miles or so in the last few months and just now the weight is beginning to come off. I am however leaner, MUCH fitter, faster and jollier - there are so many benefits.

I wear a HR monitor for my cycle to work and though I burn around 2000 calories to get there and back, because they are at such a high heart rate it is a small fat percentage. Moderate exercise (anything that I find boring basically) is best for fat burning, the high HR stuff (ie anything I do on a bike) is more in the heart training zone. Therefore I am making my body more efficient and I think in theory this makes the body burn more calories the whole time. I get confused about all of this but I would second the idea that you need to watch what you are eating too, and certainly look at the other benefits - the fat loss will come in time, but there are no miracles where health and fitness are concerned!

girv73

I've done about 400 miles since the summer, and I've stayed the same 15st or so in weight. But I've dropped a trouser size so I'm not complaining

Does anyone else think BMI is (at best) overrated? According to NHS Direct:

You are seriously overweight for your height
Your BMI is 30.13

If your BMI is between 30 and 39.9 you're obese. This means you're well over the ideal weight for your height. This could cause serious health problems and affect your life expectancy.

I'll admit to carrying some (ahem) "energy stores" around, but obese?!

apreading

Have any of you tried Wii Fit?

My kids laughed when I did my body test because the higher your BMI the fatter your character gets on screen... and there is nothing you can do about it other than lose weight!

il_principe

BMI has been totally discredited, ignore it.

You're doing well. I'd suggest upping the frequency, so cycle commute more and aim to get out at weekends for longer rides. Start with 10 miles or so and then build from there.


Kudos fella, keep up the good work!

Clever Pun

jashburnham wrote:

BMI has been totally discredited, ignore it.

You're doing well. I'd suggest upping the frequency, so cycle commute more and aim to get out at weekends for longer rides. Start with 10 miles or so and then build from there.


Kudos fella, keep up the good work!

BMI does my noodle in... basically if you have more than an half a muscle you're obese

gb155

Littigator wrote:

spin at faster rpm in an easy gear rather than higher and harder as well.

Most start out cyclists cycle in WAAAAAY to high a gear...it drives me nuts when you see people head bobbing up and down at every pedal stroke as they force it round.

And as everyone else has said, well done and keep it up. GB155 has had some awesome improvements, he may be able to offer some advice or encouragements as well

Thanks Lit,

Pangur Ban, Check my sig for picture (the after picture is from either June or July), The SINGLE most important thing to remember is that your Cals Intake MUST be lower than your Cals out, I take in 900 Cals a day ( I know its sounds bad but trust me I feel ALIVE )
I started at around 39 stone (I cant believe how bad it go) I am now 27stone, I started walking then moved to WII FIT, Then got a bike, 1 mile a night, then 2 miles, then train to and from work doing 5 miles cycling a day, Then I cycled to work (7 Miles) and got the train home so I was upto 9 miles, Now its cycle to work EVERY day and home 50% of the week, My cycle computer says I have done just under 300 miles in 8 weeks, Not a huge amount by any means but its Cals out>>>>>Cals In and it really does work,

If I can be of any more help just let me know, I spend less time on my pc these days so it maybe a day or 2 before I get back to you, But I will always reply to any messages.

Cheers Guys

P.s. I have NEVER EVER felt pain such as the cycle in this morning, all roads flooded, gusting winds, icy rain, too me an extra 10 mins but I couldnt stop smiling all day, The old me would have turned round and given in, Not me the new me

linsen

BMI is a load of rubbish if you exercise at all. I am officially "overweight", I am 5'6", and size 10 - 12. I can cycle for hours at a time and power walk a marathon in 5 and a half hours. All scales to be consigned to Room 101. As someone once said, if you want to know if you are overweight, strip off and jump up and down in front of a mirror. Haven't plucked up the guts to do it yet, but he had a point!

giltkid

8 lbs is great - do try and get out for some long rides at the weekend if you can as has been suggested but honstly - chapeau to you!

rhext

You're doing well. 8lb in 400 miles is good going, and it'll probably keep coming off at that rate for a while yet. If you want to lose a bit more, up the weekly mileage and/or speed, but do it gradually.

lost_in_thought

Clever Pun wrote:

jashburnham wrote:

BMI has been totally discredited, ignore it.

You're doing well. I'd suggest upping the frequency, so cycle commute more and aim to get out at weekends for longer rides. Start with 10 miles or so and then build from there.


Kudos fella, keep up the good work!

BMI does my noodle in... basically if you have more than an half a muscle you're obese

I'm obese on BMI, and at high risk for heart failure... :roll:

Pangur Ban

Wow - thank you so much for your replies!

I'm really encouraged by all of your positive and supportive comments. I didn't think I was achieving that much but clearly I'm headed in the right direction.

I will look at my diet - although I do eat healthily (I actually happen to prefer fruit over chocolate and never eat fast food) - I'm sure there's room for improvement, particularly over portion size but the exercise does give me a good appetite.

My commute to work is a 15 mile round trip and it takes me about 40mins each way.

Now, I've just got to get my head together to prepare myself for maintaining this through the oncoming winter season.

sc999cs

Pangur Ban wrote:

Now, I've just got to get my head together to prepare myself for maintaining this through the oncoming winter season.

Try a turbo trainer if you are going to have trouble riding with the approaching dark nights. All my other comments have been pre-emptive whilst I was at work but I'd also go with the 'wobble in the mirror' and trouser size tests.

Turbos use less calories than out on the road but at least you can use them any time, especially when there is nothing to watch on TV. I tend to use mine every night for an hour or 2 between the hours of 9 and 11pm. There is no way I could cycle outside at those times.

gb155 -> Hope you don't mind me saying - but that is incredible. I'd take my hat off to you if I wore one
.

TheMightyHet

My trousers are slowly getting slacker, early days yet. I think I may have lost a couple of pounds but I'm not to worried! I don't mind building muscle just as long as I'm fitter, healthier the happier I'll be!

andy83

im a qualified personal trainer and bmi is a load of tosh. they dont take into account. i have just got my bmi into overweight after being odese for years, which is a joke. im 6foot but very broard and have muscly legs

i am recovering from a bad illness and have shed 15lbs in bout 5 months and now ive hit a plateu with weight but am feeling much leaner and healthier.

i have now doubled my commute by going the long way. also i do one long ride a week and gradually have gone from 15mile and struggling to my best of 34 today and feeling good even with a lot of wind.

a little tip. stop weighing yourself for a month, and keep exercising and pushing yourself to gradually increase distance and reduing the times it takes to get to work. just see how you feel without weighing yourself as u can get disheartened if you odont lose any weight.

i have lost 2lbs in last 6 weeks but body shape changed a lot

keep it up

gb155

sc999cs wrote:

Pangur Ban wrote:

Now, I've just got to get my head together to prepare myself for maintaining this through the oncoming winter season.

Try a turbo trainer if you are going to have trouble riding with the approaching dark nights. All my other comments have been pre-emptive whilst I was at work but I'd also go with the 'wobble in the mirror' and trouser size tests.

Turbos use less calories than out on the road but at least you can use them any time, especially when there is nothing to watch on TV. I tend to use mine every night for an hour or 2 between the hours of 9 and 11pm. There is no way I could cycle outside at those times.

gb155 -> Hope you don't mind me saying - but that is incredible. I'd take my hat off to you if I wore one
.

I dont mind at all, In fact, Thank you very much.

dirk_van_gently

lost_in_thought wrote:

Also, don't make the mistake I did when I began cycling and think that because you're cycling you can eat whatever you want!! :oops:

Don't starve yourself either, you gotta fuel that engine.

cjcp

Dirk Van Gently wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

Also, don't make the mistake I did when I began cycling and think that because you're cycling you can eat whatever you want!! :oops:

Don't starve yourself either, you gotta fuel that engine.

Amen to that!

Bodhbh

Worth perhaps doing some calorie counting and double checking how much you're taking in. You can sometimes get a shock.

When I was losing weight would have a muffin and a latte while waiting for the bus to the swimming pool - turns out they pack nearly 1000 cals, more or less canceling out the hour in the pool. Other non-obvious minefields about like plates full of pasta, mayo heavy salad dressings and sandwich fillings etc.

another jacko

I'm really envious. 1lb for every 54 miles sounds like excellent progress.

Big mistake I made at the start was following advice on eating for cycling - mainly from Cycling Plus. This tells you to carbo load, fuel regularly while riding, eat soon when you finish a ride etc. I didn't realise it was all aimed at zero body fat cyclists training for racing who would die of malnutrition if they didn't eat every time they used a muscle. I cycled for thousands of miles and didn't lose an ounce in 3 years (slow learner!), because I was putting back everything that cycling was taking out! But I was loads fitter, with huge legs that made my huge gut look less out of proportion and felt good though!

Since realising my error I just eat slightly smaller portions than I normally would have done. Booze occasionally (no fun = no motivation). I lose 10 lbs every summer and put it all back on in the winter. I could do with sustaining the loss at that rate for about 2 years but I hate the turbo-trainer. Maybe I just need to be less of a wimp about riding in the cold, dark & wet!

STEFANOS4784

apreading wrote:

I am just under 17 stone and had a similar issue a while back when using an exercise bike. I religiously did 15-20Km EVERY day for a couple of months but found I was building up mucsle in my thighs making them bigger rather than losing weight elsewhere....

As some-one else said muscle is heavier than fat Pangur Ban, measure your thighs it might give you more encouragement