Very overweight - where can i start?

muddy216

hi all

wow just read through this entire thread and found it very motivational, in the same boat as a lot of people here and decided like you to do something about it. having read through daves posts its great to see him share his ups and downs and in the end what an acheivement hope its still going well for you.

S-M

I was 21 stone at Xmas :oops:

Mostly blamed on running my own business for 6.5 years, which ultimatley had me doing feck all by the end, honestly just sitting in my office and playing on my xbox while my staff did everything

Add to that the fact that my site was accross the road from an Asda super store (donuts for breakfast :roll: ) and it all started going tits up

Changed jobs to one where i have to actually move :roll: and lost 2 stone really quite easy but the wieght loss started to drasticly slow down as i got used to moving again lost another stone since the end of may, just by getting myself a bike and starting to hammer out some rides.

The first ride i did felt epic, to be honest i did 4.33 miles and i was so knackered by the end of it, i could not lift my legs up the front door step

I had to use my hands to lift my feet up the front door step

No pain, no gain apparently, started going out 2/3 times a week after work for a ride that moved up to 10 miles, and then doing a longer 35 mile ride on sunday with some mates.

2 weeks back i conquered the Hamsterly red route, which for me was a fucking accomplishment and a half, and yes, i rode the lot, even the uphill bits, although i had to keep stopping to let my mate catch up (he walked most the uphill bits lol! )

2 days later i went back and did the black route, which IMHO was a lot easier to climb up, although i did go over the bastard fucking handle bars on the way back down when the front wheel got caught on a tree root

We are off to Hamsterly again next sunday, and will be doing both the black route and red in one day (i`m just nudging under 18 stones at the moment)

Expecting it to hurt, looking forward to it, i love the fact that i can out climb all of my mates, yet i am the biggest, i still eat what i want, and have a can or 2 of beer after work most nights, all i did was change jobs and buy an MTB..

When i go out by myself during the week for the solo rides i usually hammer the bike as hard as i can trying to improve fitness, my mates dont seam to do this, they just want to cruise about in easy gears, they are not showing much progress tbh.

I have tracked every single one of my rides since i started riding again with a Cardiotrainer app on my phone and it shows amazing progress.

1st ever ride after 16 years (19 stone)
May 18th -- 4.3 miles = 28 mins (and i could not get in the front door lmfao)

Aug 7th -- 8.2 miles = 37 mins (this is my "test route" i have done this previous in 35 mins)

Billytehfish

I was 21 stone March last year. Got something of a scare when I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and had to wearing an oxygen mask when I slept.

Started Spinning at a local gym, lost about 5-6 stones in 9 or so months, you have to change your lifestyle, no more takeaways processed foods etc and I recommend stopping drinking altogether for the first 4-6 weeks to give yourself a total detox. Steamed salmon and wholegrain rice are my new found friends.

Im now around the 14 stone 10lb mark from 20s 10lb March 2010.

Im pleased i went with the spinning before actually getting into rides as its unlikley getting injured and its very intensive cardio.

I got into the MTB off road/trail centre/cross country alongside this to exploit my new health and love it! Happy days

BIKING TIP: Use a women specific saddle whilst your still a big lump, theyre much more comfortable for larger gentleman due to the width being broader than standard mens saddles, bontrager do some very good ones and they look very decent too. Nobody will tell the difference unless you point it out to them!.

kasandrich

I was 27 stone 11lbs in February 2011, I was in a bad situation, Type 2 Diabetes, joint problems and becoming more & more immobile. I also was diagnosed with sleep apnoeia and had to use the mask at night.

My GP recommended a stomach bypass to get my weight down.

I went to slimmming world and my current weight is 19 stone 2 lb as of thursday last week!. So I am heading towards 9 stone lost. Without a stomach bypass! My Diabetes is much better and my sleep Anpoia has gone, no more mask.

I bought a s/h crap heap bike off ebay about a month ago, and I have enjoyed getting out in the fresh air with my dog.

I was considering buying a new bike, and after my crap heap let me down on saturday, I bit the bullet and bought a nice new Marin B17 at the weekend from Cycles UK which is my LBS, it was reduced by over £200

Only been out once did about 5 miles with a coffee stop, this new bike is fantastic compared to my old heap.

My current target weight is set at 16 stone so around another 3 stone to go.

I am looking forward to getting out more on my new bike in the fresh air.

twowheelthrill

BIKING TIP: Use a women specific saddle whilst your still a big lump, theyre much more comfortable for larger gentleman due to the width being broader than standard mens saddles, bontrager do some very good ones and they look very decent too. Nobody will tell the difference unless you point it out to them!.

Or get a leather Brooks saddle.

For years I tried various saddles, but to no avail. Then stumbled across the Brooks saddle. Once the leather is broken in, the rides get better!

mrbrutesnipe

Hi all,

currently working my way through this thread, and I have to say there's some inspirational stuff in here.

I'm 6' 3" and just over 23 stone, and looking to get back in to biking after about 5 years without.

I've looked around, and keep coming back to this: http://claudbutler.co.uk/cycle-range/ra ... -atb/b2757

I've owned a couple of Claud Butler's and always found them to be excellent. My budget is £400, but I've found this bike for around £200.

Any advice would be most welcome. The plan is to use it for road use to and from work.

Also, has anyone with a similar weight had any issues with front suspension? I admit to being nervous with my weight and any sort of suspension bike. I know I'd bounce around with rear suspension, but should I be worried about front suspension??

gb155

never had ANY issues with fron sus on ANY MTB, even at over 35 stone !

mrbrutesnipe

Just an irrational fear then!

Just looked at your site. That is amazing! Any advice?

What about tires/wheels? When I've tried to ride my aging bike now it's like riding on flat tyres.

Is there anything specific I should look at when looking to buy my new bike? Any recommendations for around £400?

gb155

mrbrutesnipe wrote:

Just an irrational fear then!

Just looked at your site. That is amazing! Any advice?

What about tires/wheels? When I've tried to ride my aging bike now it's like riding on flat tyres.

Is there anything specific I should look at when looking to buy my new bike? Any recommendations for around £400?

This should help

http://theamazing39stonecyclist.wordpre ... or-a-bike/

More miles + Less Calories = Success !

Anonymous

I'd like to suggest :

http://www.endomondo.com/home

Its a great training aid and lets you record your progress and analyse your data online, I wouldnt enjoy my sport half as much without this, it spurs me on and shows me where am weak and where I have improved, a valuable aid to any cyclist I recon.

8)

andyonwight

I have skipped through most of this thread but will spend some time in the next few days reading through it from scratch.

Yes I am overweight but seeing as I am near my mid 40's (birthday last week) and I do enjoy riding have decided that it is time for me to get my ass in gear as they say. I am 6ft barefooted and weigh 129kg (20st 4lb).

Did start cycling about 4 years ago until I was involved in an RTA where the helmet saved my life, head and concrete wall do not mix well, have no memory of it and it was touch and go as I was not breathing when the ambulance arrived. Put me off for a while but then bit the bullet 2 years ago and brought another bike. I own a Saracen Element 2 and use it on our local cycle tracks and am able to cycle 20 miles in just over 2 hrs (flat but I try and keep a high tempo). Also have done the Haldon Forest (Devon) moderate track in about an hour (7miles ish)

The only real problem I have found is finding shorts that are the right size. Got padded under shorts but finding suitable baggies is difficult. I have a waist of 44-46" but am still trawling the net to find some to fit. Any pointers would be helpful.

Currently I am doing the Couch to 5K podcasts and am on week 1 but aiming to be able to jog 5K by the end of September. I use Map my Ride on the phone to track my cycle routes and it gives quite accurate distances travelled. Also use My Fitness Pal to log the food and exercise done (its fee to join). Want to lose about 30kg by this time next year and keep it off. I do have a heavy body frame so I think the 100kg (15st ) mark would be right.

This thread has reignited my desire to lose the weight. Thanks

karlbrewster

Hello Dave (the Dave who started this thread),

Glad to hear riding has helped you get in shape.
What's the latest status?
Manage to lose a few more stones? New bike? New trails?

MadMTB1

Hey Dave,
Good to hear it's all going well. The sore legs are probably due to a big build up of lactic acid, or it could be DOMS (delayed onset of muscle soreness) it all depends on how long it's been between rides!
The key to weight loss success is keep moving, look hard at your diet, and consistency.
Set a goal of a certain amount of rides per week or per month and really try to achieve it, then increase it for the next week or month.
Good luck with it!

psiturbo

70% is what you put in your mouth, the rest is exercise.

Most people most change the thinking of eating for pleasure, instead of as a source of energy. It is not easy, but can be done.

Rustyz nutzz

Hi Dave , good to read your posts, I have just started back after injury and putting on 2 stone in unwanted weight.

Don't forget to stretch up before and after your ride. I did a few weeks ago after a long ride , which was too much for me tbh and suffrered a few nights sleep due to pain and cramps.

I'm taking smaller rides too now. Thanks for the inspiration , it's a long road but the bumps make it worth it. ;-)

Rustyz nutzz

MadMTB1 wrote:

Hey Dave,
Good to hear it's all going well. The sore legs are probably due to a big build up of lactic acid, or it could be DOMS (delayed onset of muscle soreness) it all depends on how long it's been between rides!
The key to weight loss success is keep moving, look hard at your diet, and consistency.
Set a goal of a certain amount of rides per week or per month and really try to achieve it, then increase it for the next week or month.
Good luck with it!

MadMTB1, good advice off you and others. Cheers
Yep I foolishly rode 26 miles and a huge climb to finish..... after a few injuries this year and nothing for 6 months on the bike.
Boy did it hurt the pain my quads was horrible.
A big lesson for me is you can't store fitness and the older you get the better I was lols.
Seriously down to 12 mile rides and the weight is coming off slowly along with more activity and cutting down on some eating rubbish.

Sollac

inspiration, i have just turned 42 and im 19 stone , 5 ft 5 in.. basically im over weight, and i missed cycling. last time i rode a bike i was 18.

so I have bought a secondhand felt q650 frame (15.5 in) and have built it from scratch. Im a mechanical engineer, so it wasnt a problem. Bike went in last week to wildside cycles (Tunbridge wells)for a tune and inspection... all ok.

I have managed 6 miles so far, but i really struggle with up hill sections, the tops of my knees ache and i have no strength in them, which is infuriating.

this thread has made me want to continue ...... thank you

joolsabel

Keep going Solac - I'm 47 and WAS 19 stone when I started dieting / cycling in Sept 2012. I am now 2 stones lighter, down from a 44 to a 38 waist and in an xl from 3 xl shirt. I live in Rossendale, LAncs which has many MANY hills and struggle with them too, but, they are getting easier and I am managing to get out of the saddle for a bit now too!

Keep up with it, give it a few weeks and you will be doing great!

I am doing the Hairy Dieters diet which is brilliant btw - when I was being honest with myself I discovered I was eating around 5000 k/cals a day. Now I am around 1500/1600 a day, it's been really hard but so rewarding when I can get into much smaller clothes! I put on a few pounds here and there but I don't beat myself up about it. I am off my blood pressure medication and the last blood pressure check was 130/70 which given my age etc is spot on. I hasten to add I have cut out the alcohol which in turn does not make me want to eat cheese, crisps, chocolate etc!

To all you trying to lose weight and gain fitness - keep at it, if it was easy everyone would be racing snakes and what fun would that be!!

Jools

Lancstony

Evening all, I'm a man in need of help!! I am currently 20 stone and growing as I am eating like a horse at the moment, is so depressing its unreal, I keep trying to be good and stick to a diet but I am finding it very hard, I know it isn't easy and there are no quick fixes and is up to me to change, just really struggling at moment.
Bought myself a Ribble winter bike last year and not been out on it yet, feel like I can't do it and will just embarrass myself, but I have to do it to get sorted.

A lad I know passed away aged 40 last year, his lifestyle was like mine and it scares the hell out of me as I'm only three years under that now and not in good shape.

Is there any tips out there that may help me? I know at end of day is up to me to do it but I just can't seem to find the willpower!! I gave up smoking years ago and I think that was easier than dieting!!!

Anyway any tips greatly appreciated :oops:

joolsabel

Hey Tony,

just sent you an email - I live in Rossendale too.

Jools

dalesteyn

Stretching for fitness flexibility is one of the most overlooked and underestimated parameters of physical fitness. The right stretches and stretching exercises can improve flexibility almost immediately, resulting in reduced aches & pains and increased energy. http://www.foodandfit.info/is-too-much- ... d-for-you/

mmacavity

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-20858809

lucilledonaldson

It seems you've already get the ball rollin. To start is the hardest part. Once you get started and like it, it would be easy and fun Have you lose some of your weight?

BigAirNig

Get the book by Gary Taubes > Why we get fat and what to do about it

It's excellent!

Also - The art and science of low carbohydrate performance.

Will totally change how you think about what you eat and what it does to the body and how it stores fat.

Each book is on Amazon for about £8 I think.

pushingnatural

Lancstony wrote:

Evening all, I'm a man in need of help!! I am currently 20 stone and growing as I am eating like a horse at the moment, is so depressing its unreal, I keep trying to be good and stick to a diet but I am finding it very hard, I know it isn't easy and there are no quick fixes and is up to me to change, just really struggling at moment.
Bought myself a Ribble winter bike last year and not been out on it yet, feel like I can't do it and will just embarrass myself, but I have to do it to get sorted.

A lad I know passed away aged 40 last year, his lifestyle was like mine and it scares the hell out of me as I'm only three years under that now and not in good shape.

Is there any tips out there that may help me? I know at end of day is up to me to do it but I just can't seem to find the willpower!! I gave up smoking years ago and I think that was easier than dieting!!!

Anyway any tips greatly appreciated :oops:

Give up the mindset of a "diet", instead try an incorporate healthy eating into your lifestyle. By making a few fundamental changes to your eating habits, ones that underpin a healthy lifestyle, you can then progress on to refining and specifying the way you eat for optimal weight loss, muscle gain.etc

First things first, remove all processed foods, limit refined carbohydrates and ensure you're eating enough vegetables. A few simple rules to help you follow this are:
1) If you look at the back and it's got more than 3 ingredients, it's probably not good for you.
2) Aim for around half your plate to be vegetables, a quarter protein and a quarter carbohydrate.
3) Avoid high sugar foods such as fruit juices, energy drinks and sweets.

By eating this way you shouldn't need to binge on unhealthy foods or relapse once a week into a "cheat day", as many people do, as you can satisfy all your cravings through natural foods.

Once you've become comfortable with eating this way you can begin to start playing around with macronutrient ratios and calorie deficits, but until then you're much better off taking this approach as it lays a basis for any future dietary choices.

mattyfez

I agree with all the above, small steps for diet or it won't last.
I started really simply by only eating proper meat, no processed meat, having a good portion of veg with everything, and substituting things like biscuits and crisps with nuts and fruit.

I have a sweet tooth so I'm still guilty of destroying a packet of jaffa cakes now and then, but on balance it's not so bad.

Also seasoning things with various spices rather than salt ketchup and mayo.

RutlandGav

Since my 20th birdthday i've always been active, but still somewhat overweight. Looking back, my biggest mistake was not to appreciate that weight management is a long term game. I'd do a few long rides, or crash diet for a week, see 9lb come off really fast, then divert some of the effort to another area of my life, fall off the wagon , and gain it all back again in days.

Re: crash dieting. Part of that is i'm a constant craver type, if food is near me i'm always tempted by it, yet after 20 hours without food i go into ketosis and feel paradoxically little appetite - but i'm too flakey and light headed to actually work, so it's something i used to do on holidays.

The other thing i didn't realise was that none of that weight loss was actually real. I might have lost 1 or 2 lb of fat, but most of it was.. food mass, no longer present in digestive tract, glycogen (1lb), the water that attaches itself to glycogen (3lb), the water that attaches to the sodium content of my normal diet (3lb), and lean body tissue - probably lost as much of this as fat.

Obviously one or two normal meals + rehydrating puts all of the water, fibre and gylcogen weight back... and i'd begin to beleive that dieting was futile, since i'd gain everything back in one day.

From around 2008 to 2011 I had a major bout of depression and stopped exercising, I just thought my weight would find its own level since i never succeeded in any diet anyway. Wrong. In 2011, when i finally sought treatment for the depression, i was up from 13st to 18st . Time to get back on it.

I spent a couple of years going to the gym 10 hours a week. David Lloyd seems really extravagant on my wages, but on the upside it's considerably more luxurious and comfortable at the gym than it is at my house, so I didn't mind being there. I was there a lot, watching films on my tablet, boxed sets, premier league football on sky sports, listening to friday/saturday night dj sets. 10 hours a week on the crosstrainer or therabouts. It helped that i didn't live too far from the place and used to pass it on the way home. This got me down to 15 and a half stone over 2 years.

Then I had to move house and i'm no longer near my gym. It's now the opposite direction to my work commute and i was too busy at first to keep up - once i stopped, it was hard to go again somehow. So I missed out on exercise for 7 months. Given my previous experience with diets, i was fully expecting to have put ALL of the weight back on by this point. In fact, because it was real weight loss, I'd only gained a few pounds and was still under sixteen stone.

Two months ago I started bike commuting to work, something i did between 1998 and 2008. The journey's somewhat daunting - 16 miles each way, and i do 12 hour shifts, 4 on 4 off. I started out alternating between driving and biking. Now i bike three out of 4, and cross train a bit on my days off. I may simply have to move closer to work to actually do it all 4 days however - i'm just not getting enough time to sleep, even if i go directly to bed when i get in.

Anyway, I only started weighing myself again on 18th march. During those 4 days off my weight fluctuated between 97 and 95.5kg . Over the current block of 4 days off , my weight has fluctuated from 96-93.5kg. Coming down steadily.

My eating habits have shifted gradually over the years.

First thing to go was the fast food. Then the cakes and pizzas. Cheese has cut down drastically. I've had it once this year - jacket potato topped with cheese as well as beans. naughty! Crisps are cut right down, and i now only eat low fat ones.

Since cycling to work hower, i've really found it easier to avoid fatty food, it simply no longer appeals. I want my carbs unsullied by contaminants ! I find myself eating chocolate flavour low fat yoghurts with sweetners, or skimmed milk chocolate drinks, in place of actual chocolate. Low fat yoghurts are in fact my #1 fix whenever i get a craving for anything sweet in fact.

And since taking up loads of cycling, i've gotten into fruit in a big way. I was never an apples, bananas or oranges person. But grapes and pineapple chunks are great - and you can't really overeat on them i've discovered. Also strawberries with low fat rice pudding - a nice healthy recovery dessert!

The main thing i've found though, with using exercise to acheive weight loss, is to be mindful of your glycogen reserves. You can only store 800 calories worth and most of the energy in exercise comes from glycogen. If you run out on a ride, you suffer a catastrophic loss of energy and will come home with incredible food cravings, which is really dangerous. OTOH, you never want to allow the glycogen reserves to become completely filled either. Once this happens, any additional carbohydrate you eat gets turned to fat. Your body runs on fat when it isn't exercising - if you eat a low fat diet, and never allow your carb reserves to get overfilled, you can only get thinner.

In practical terms this means spreading the exercise out as good as possible through the week. An hour ride before the evening meal every day will work well, even better is a twice daily ride (cycle commuting). There is a danger that if you ride to the point where your body carbohydrate reserves deplete, that you're going to be ravenous on arrival and prepare huge portions, or ring up Pizza Hut and order 4 different kinds of pizza. It's less likely if your missus sticks a plate under your nose the moment you step through the door. Single bikers (or those whose partners expend their talents outside the kitchen) can get around the problem by packing a milkshake , sports drink or bottle of fruit juice on the bike. Glug it 5 minutes from home. By the time you've parked up and showered, it should be kicking in and bringing your blood sugar back to normal, and you'll suddenly realise you don't actually need that three course indian meal you've been fantasising about the last 10 miles after all, and sit down with your Pasta and Box set of Ice Road Truckers as planned. Lisa Kelly :oops:

GLOYT

some interesting idea's for me to try in here, sound's easy when you think about it, less in more movement job sorted, just need to put it into practise to get me custard cream reserve's going

mmacavity

Kitchen Café on BBC Radio Scotland talking about sugar

Starts at about 2:00 in
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06gwwrr

mmacavity

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2164071/Everything-think-know-healthy-eating-wrong.html

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/Fat.aspx

http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sitesplus/866/page/73750

http://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/fatty-foods-health-benefits

http://www.livestrong.com/article/557726-eat-fat-to-burn-fat/