Noticable changes to your body because of commuting

rhext

c12345 wrote:

.....I also get faint if I stand up too quickly, despite having pretty high blood pressure, and I get knocked about if I climb the stairs too quickly.....

I get that too, although it goes away within a few hours. It always seems ironic to me that, having cycled 12 miles in, climbing over 300m in the process without too much trouble, when I get to the office, I'm hobbling up a 4m staircase like I'm just getting over a pair of broken legs. Am sure it's energy depletion as food (and lots of it) speeds up recovery no end.

c12345

I wonder if I should be doing intervals during my commute to counter it? As it stands, I do an hour of a head down constant power slightly south of the redline. I'm rubbish at sprinting, but my normal cruising speed is enough to dispatch any 'GAME' that i meet during my ride.

I wouldn't mind something that builds up my twiggy sparrow arms either?

Sewinman

I have lost a stone and half since cycling. I have some 'new' muscles in my legs too. The weekend riding makes a big difference.

Bassjunkieuk

DonDaddyD wrote:

Apart from the physical increases since I started cycling regular my hunger levels 'know no bounds' and girly healthy nuts and seeds just don't cut it.

I've eaten two large, Man size dinners and barely feel full.

Its a worry.

It's when you start buying 900g Lasagne ready meals from Asda that should usually feed 2 adults or a small village that you need to worry......my appetite can be rather large sometimes but I don't tend to worry as I'm not putting on fat and seem to be bulking out on muscle :-) Cycling is an excellent way to rationalize having a cr4p meal for lunch when at work :-D

TopSpin

Weekend cycling has added some muscle to my calves. Can't say I like it, and I definitely don't want to end up with huge thighs. Have actually put on a little weight whether that was anything to do with cycling I don't know. I reckon I do eat more but a 4 mile round trip isn't enough to counter that. I worked out it's probably using about as much calories as getting the tube.

soy_sauce

i been commuting since Sept 2008 and so far i have put on more weight!!!! :oops:

the reason being.... "i can eat more cake now cos im commuting so it will burn it off later..." and it end up never does!!!

TopSpin

henry_ho_yin wrote:

i been commuting since Sept 2008 and so far i have put on more weight!!!! :oops:

the reason being.... "i can eat more cake now cos im commuting so it will burn it off later..." and it end up never does!!!

Yeah glad it's not just me! Keep saying I'll do a long ride home tomorrow but never once have!

Big Wib

rhext wrote:

Hungry, tired. Thinner, but unable to go down a waist size because then my legs won't fit..

+ 1

but people just look at you funny when you say this

DonDaddyD

Also since I started this cycling:

I wear a lot of lycra and like it... :shock:

I can't drink coffee or most things of that ilk... I think its an indication of my metabolism working once again - I used to be like that when I was young and fit before I started going to the pub at 15....

c12345

... I remembered one more thing! I get a strange tiny random muscle twitches all over my legs. It looks like water rippling. I can't feel it, but you can see it.
I'm told its pretty normal, so even if you don't think you've got it, you might not have noticed.

jonginge

c12345 wrote:

... I remembered one more thing! I get a strange tiny random muscle twitches all over my legs. It looks like water rippling. I can't feel it, but you can see it.
I'm told its pretty normal, so even if you don't think you've got it, you might not have noticed.

Yeah. I used to get that after the commute (but, strangely, not after longer weekend rides). They went away about 18months ago. I'm probably not trying hard enough any more

Bikerbaboon

hummmm notible changed on my body from a commute. ( all this on motorbike.)

right had coller bone does not meet up with sholder blade any moer and sits about 1" proud in a nasty looking lump.

12" long scar on my shin where i had managed to hit it so hard all the flesh died down to hte bone. only covered by a scabb I was fully awake a month after the crash while the A+E doc was scrapeing the putrified flesh from the bone using tweasers.

2 broken bones in my right foot


not bad for 3 crashes in 9 months. all thanks to Blond ladies that are oldenough to know better pulling out with out looking .

Chewy Cheeks

Commuting since May2005 - this is my view on the outcomes of commuting

From then until Early summer 2007, 10-11 mile each way , 3 times a week minimum.
Legs toned, lungs healthy and stomach smaller. Regular game of football on a Friday evening as a stress buster. I did not feel as though I had to be anything other than sensible about what i ate, semi skimmed milk, granary bread, 5 portions of fresh fruit and veg a day sort of sensible...15-25 units of alcohol a week.

From then until end of 2008 5.5 miles or so each way, 22-26 minutes each trip. Fitness decreased, Football - got slower about the park, got fatter legs less strong- diet much the same.

Now back to the old commuting routine plus a couple of 30 minutes running (will get to 40 soon)during rest days during the week

My thoughts are that those old fashioned disiplines of about 40 minutes plus to increase fitness ring true and smaller stints are in fact almost counter productive - better than nothing but not effective for maintaining or adding to fitness / fatness. Running over the least 3 months has helped, although having to watch my eldest disappear in the distance is distressing for a middle aged man. Sleeping much better as well

Nothing too scientific just what I've found