The Fat Club FAQ And usfull Links
XxxBFGxxX
Posts: 1,355
Thanx to TimesLikeThese for taken the time to put this together.
Its a WIP (Work In Progress) so we will add or remove things as questions pop up.
If any one has any ideas to add into this pls pm me or TimesLikeThese and we will try adding them in
Fat Club FAQ
1 - Whats FAQ?
Frequently Asked Questions
2 - Will I break a bike when I sit on it or ride it?
Highly unlikely in cycle path/road riding and some tracks. Of course if anyone does jumps or stunts then breakages can occur regardless of an individuals weight. Some bikes like the Kona Hoss are specified for heavier people (over 14 stone ) however, our members come in up to over 20 stone heavier than that in a variety of different bikes, on a variety of different trails with very few weight related issues. A skinny tyre has burst and a seat has bent, although reports of this happening for 'skinny bar stewards' are also prevalent.
3 - How do I set up the seat height and position properly?
A few different ways to do this. Simplest is to just place your heel on a pedal at the 6 O'Clock position so that your leg is completely straight when sitting. thus when you have your feet in the proper position there will be a slight bend. In order to judge how far back or forward your seat should be, sit on the saddle and place your feet on the pedals at the 3 O'Clock and 9 O'Clock positions. On your leading leg, drop a weighted piece of string from the protrusion under your knee. This should be lined up with the centre of the pedal axle.
4 - The seat kills my ars*/numb bits - what can I do?
a - check seat is set up as above and is perfectly flat
b - try riding with the seat tilted down by 1-2 degrees
c - try riding with the seat tilted up by 1-2 degrees.
d - get decent cycling shorts with pads in the right places. Unfortunately this means lycra - but you can hide them under cycling shorts. You should take care what you cycle in as seams in regular clothes/gym gear is known to chaff and cause pain. If you find your skin raw, you should be wearing proper cycling shorts (without any underwear underneath) and inserting gels or lubricants into them.
e - Try a different saddle. If you look at specialised saddles they tell you to measure your bum bones to get the right fit of saddle. I've not heard if this works or not for big guys or girls. Unfortunately this is one of those things where everyone is different and what works for one will be agony for another. Acknowledging that fact, its been said the less padded are often meant to be better and the sdg bel air rl has good reviews. Try second hand saddles, try friends saddles, and try your local bike shop for a test saddle.
f - Some people like the cut out section which is supposed to prevent guys bits from going numb but some people dont. Again its down to us all being so unique.
g - If you start adding in the miles - say 30+ - you may start noticing chaffing. There are different lubes you can get to minimise this like udderly smooth chamois cream.
5 - Do they make cycling clothes big enough?
Yes. Some manufacturers anyway. Be aware that every manufacturer has a different idea about what a XXXL is so you just have to check their sizing charts. Endura or dhb shorts, gill jackets are known to do large enough sizes. However, if you have long arms you probably just need to go into a shop to try things on as they dont mention arm length in any fitting guides I've seen.
6 - what sort of training should I do on the bike/fastest way of losing weight?
long distances and durations over short timed intervals? Well to start with go easy on your heart and build up your fitness and your distances. Add in little hills and intervals to spice things up a bit. But if you are big the key is really to just do what you really enjoy doing so you dont give up. Mix it up, have fun! If you dont have much time - do a short intense interval. If you do - go for an all day ride. Make the most of your time!
7 - what sort of training should I do for the bike?
Depends on what you want and what you can do. The best way would be to supplement the riding with a heavy weight training program. If thats not you then even starting some press ups every morning will do you great. Cant even manage a regular press up - cheat by placing your legs on a chair and just pushing your upper bodyweight. As your strength develops wove the chair from your waist to your knees. try to do 3 sets of 15 and build up. For your legs you can do squats, step ups, and never take the lift again - tell people you have a phobia and take the stairs!
8 - what about diet?
Forget fad diets where you are promised to lose 100lb in a week only to gain it all and 100lb more the following week. You should really know whats healthy and whats not. Junk food, processed food are not. Fresh fruit, nuts and veg, non or minimally processed foods, fish and lean meats are. Be balanced. Dont starve yourself. Dont make eating a punishment. Do have the odd little treat. Dont emotion eat. Do keep a food diary. Do eat within limits. If you go overboard then plan an extra workout to compensate like an early morning swim or a couple of walks. You can make it all as easy or as complex as you like but the easy version is ... Eat Less, Exercise More!
9 - Do things like weight watchers help?
Some people like counting points on weight watchers, some people like counting calories, fat, carbs, protein. Do whatever works for you and dont get stressed out over it. But do have some method of counting so that you learn exactly what you are getting into yourself as it can be a bit of a surprise that those 6 bags of crisps you had whilst watching the film the other night were THAT much!
10 - Sore wrists/ numb hands - what can I do?
ergo grips, padded cycling gloves, frequently changing grip, raise the handlebars so you are in a more upright cycling position.
11 - How do I measure body-fat accurately?
basic height/weight/age calculators online are way off
Tanita body-fat % scales are better but still come with a +/- 10% margin (Read the warnings on the tanita and dont use them if you have a pacemaker fitted.)
Better still is the tape measure and callipers but there is huge variability between different people taking measurements despite having to be specifically trained in using callipers.
There are other scientific methods available but are prohibitively expensive.
Or you could just go low tech and take a picture of yourself every month to see the difference - or just see how your clothes fit.
12 - But I'm heavier this week. what happened I thought I was good?
If you only measure weekly then you have less of an ability to spot trends. If you measure daily you will learn how your body fluctuates throughout the day and is related to any salty foods you have eaten as specified in your food diary, etc, etc. and so you will be able to see easier if your weigh in day was on a high or a low day so you will know if you should make any adjustments or not. Dont get stressed by numbers. If you do notice the trend going upward then either you are putting on muscle or fat. If its muscle then your clothes will fit you better and you will have better definition in front of the monitor. The body-fat% scales and caliper tests would be able to confirm this every few months.
13 - Where can I ride?
Check your lbs for spokes maps, national cycle routes, Regional cycle routes, local clubs and their suggested routes. Or just go exploring.
14 - LBS?
Local Bike Shop
15 - What should I drink? How much should I drink? Whats the deal with these energy isothingamyjiggy drinks?
BigBenj_08 has put together a great sticky with lots of useful advice throughout the thread
Sport drinks by BigBenj_08
Hope these help.
Its a WIP (Work In Progress) so we will add or remove things as questions pop up.
If any one has any ideas to add into this pls pm me or TimesLikeThese and we will try adding them in
Fat Club FAQ
1 - Whats FAQ?
Frequently Asked Questions
2 - Will I break a bike when I sit on it or ride it?
Highly unlikely in cycle path/road riding and some tracks. Of course if anyone does jumps or stunts then breakages can occur regardless of an individuals weight. Some bikes like the Kona Hoss are specified for heavier people (over 14 stone ) however, our members come in up to over 20 stone heavier than that in a variety of different bikes, on a variety of different trails with very few weight related issues. A skinny tyre has burst and a seat has bent, although reports of this happening for 'skinny bar stewards' are also prevalent.
3 - How do I set up the seat height and position properly?
A few different ways to do this. Simplest is to just place your heel on a pedal at the 6 O'Clock position so that your leg is completely straight when sitting. thus when you have your feet in the proper position there will be a slight bend. In order to judge how far back or forward your seat should be, sit on the saddle and place your feet on the pedals at the 3 O'Clock and 9 O'Clock positions. On your leading leg, drop a weighted piece of string from the protrusion under your knee. This should be lined up with the centre of the pedal axle.
4 - The seat kills my ars*/numb bits - what can I do?
a - check seat is set up as above and is perfectly flat
b - try riding with the seat tilted down by 1-2 degrees
c - try riding with the seat tilted up by 1-2 degrees.
d - get decent cycling shorts with pads in the right places. Unfortunately this means lycra - but you can hide them under cycling shorts. You should take care what you cycle in as seams in regular clothes/gym gear is known to chaff and cause pain. If you find your skin raw, you should be wearing proper cycling shorts (without any underwear underneath) and inserting gels or lubricants into them.
e - Try a different saddle. If you look at specialised saddles they tell you to measure your bum bones to get the right fit of saddle. I've not heard if this works or not for big guys or girls. Unfortunately this is one of those things where everyone is different and what works for one will be agony for another. Acknowledging that fact, its been said the less padded are often meant to be better and the sdg bel air rl has good reviews. Try second hand saddles, try friends saddles, and try your local bike shop for a test saddle.
f - Some people like the cut out section which is supposed to prevent guys bits from going numb but some people dont. Again its down to us all being so unique.
g - If you start adding in the miles - say 30+ - you may start noticing chaffing. There are different lubes you can get to minimise this like udderly smooth chamois cream.
5 - Do they make cycling clothes big enough?
Yes. Some manufacturers anyway. Be aware that every manufacturer has a different idea about what a XXXL is so you just have to check their sizing charts. Endura or dhb shorts, gill jackets are known to do large enough sizes. However, if you have long arms you probably just need to go into a shop to try things on as they dont mention arm length in any fitting guides I've seen.
6 - what sort of training should I do on the bike/fastest way of losing weight?
long distances and durations over short timed intervals? Well to start with go easy on your heart and build up your fitness and your distances. Add in little hills and intervals to spice things up a bit. But if you are big the key is really to just do what you really enjoy doing so you dont give up. Mix it up, have fun! If you dont have much time - do a short intense interval. If you do - go for an all day ride. Make the most of your time!
7 - what sort of training should I do for the bike?
Depends on what you want and what you can do. The best way would be to supplement the riding with a heavy weight training program. If thats not you then even starting some press ups every morning will do you great. Cant even manage a regular press up - cheat by placing your legs on a chair and just pushing your upper bodyweight. As your strength develops wove the chair from your waist to your knees. try to do 3 sets of 15 and build up. For your legs you can do squats, step ups, and never take the lift again - tell people you have a phobia and take the stairs!
8 - what about diet?
Forget fad diets where you are promised to lose 100lb in a week only to gain it all and 100lb more the following week. You should really know whats healthy and whats not. Junk food, processed food are not. Fresh fruit, nuts and veg, non or minimally processed foods, fish and lean meats are. Be balanced. Dont starve yourself. Dont make eating a punishment. Do have the odd little treat. Dont emotion eat. Do keep a food diary. Do eat within limits. If you go overboard then plan an extra workout to compensate like an early morning swim or a couple of walks. You can make it all as easy or as complex as you like but the easy version is ... Eat Less, Exercise More!
9 - Do things like weight watchers help?
Some people like counting points on weight watchers, some people like counting calories, fat, carbs, protein. Do whatever works for you and dont get stressed out over it. But do have some method of counting so that you learn exactly what you are getting into yourself as it can be a bit of a surprise that those 6 bags of crisps you had whilst watching the film the other night were THAT much!
10 - Sore wrists/ numb hands - what can I do?
ergo grips, padded cycling gloves, frequently changing grip, raise the handlebars so you are in a more upright cycling position.
11 - How do I measure body-fat accurately?
basic height/weight/age calculators online are way off
Tanita body-fat % scales are better but still come with a +/- 10% margin (Read the warnings on the tanita and dont use them if you have a pacemaker fitted.)
Better still is the tape measure and callipers but there is huge variability between different people taking measurements despite having to be specifically trained in using callipers.
There are other scientific methods available but are prohibitively expensive.
Or you could just go low tech and take a picture of yourself every month to see the difference - or just see how your clothes fit.
12 - But I'm heavier this week. what happened I thought I was good?
If you only measure weekly then you have less of an ability to spot trends. If you measure daily you will learn how your body fluctuates throughout the day and is related to any salty foods you have eaten as specified in your food diary, etc, etc. and so you will be able to see easier if your weigh in day was on a high or a low day so you will know if you should make any adjustments or not. Dont get stressed by numbers. If you do notice the trend going upward then either you are putting on muscle or fat. If its muscle then your clothes will fit you better and you will have better definition in front of the monitor. The body-fat% scales and caliper tests would be able to confirm this every few months.
13 - Where can I ride?
Check your lbs for spokes maps, national cycle routes, Regional cycle routes, local clubs and their suggested routes. Or just go exploring.
14 - LBS?
Local Bike Shop
15 - What should I drink? How much should I drink? Whats the deal with these energy isothingamyjiggy drinks?
BigBenj_08 has put together a great sticky with lots of useful advice throughout the thread
Sport drinks by BigBenj_08
Hope these help.
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I will get some usfull links posted up as soon as i get chance0
