Hints and tips required.

evilmoose1987

Hello guys/girls,

This is my first post on the forum. I will try and give you a quick background to whats bought me here.

In September I weighed 26st 3lb I joined my local slimming world and found my love for cycling again! I used to weigh 14st 10 years ago!

I now way 22st 11lb!! (still far too heavy for a 6ft 5in bloke)

This week I have been on two rides Wednesday 37 miles around the Cheshire countryside (3hrs approx in duration) and 17 miles (1hr 17mins in duration) today in the rain they are both relatively flat routes.

In between my rides on the road I have been into the gym on the bike and working my core muscles.

I want to start incorporating hill climbs into my training and I'm after advice on How to do it properly and steadily? hints and tips required?

Hope some one can advise me.

I have been using a great app called runtastic on the iphone which has really helped setting me in the right direction with training.

Link below to todays ride.

http://www.runtastic.com/en/users/nick-simpson-7/sport-sessions/45037919?fb_source=feed_opengraph

Cheers

Nick

Gizmodo

It would be unwise for anyone on here to tell you how to push yourself because if you died of a heart attack following their advice it would come back to haunt them.

Take it steady, build up exercise gradually, do what you can and if you feel like you are pushing yourself too hard then don't be afraid to get off and walk or turn around and go back down the hill. But keep at it, don't try to attempt a mountain first time out, don't get disheartened especially at this time of year. Come the summer you'll be flying up the, hills.

nmt

I can't give you any advice as i'm a newbie myself but good luck on the weigh loss. I like yourself have put a lot of weight on over the last 12 year due to been inactive in any excercise having been left with an immobile foot/ankle after a road accident I have just taken up road cycling using clipless as the narrow pedals seem to help to avoid the most painfull area of my foot only managed 20 odd mile rides so far but thats more to do with lack of fitness but my aim is to lose another 4-5 stone so good luck with your efforts

evilmoose1987

Thanks for your advice guys. I am using a a hybrid/road sort of bike. Marin Fairfax to be precise.

I am not pushing to hard and I feel the flat is not pushing hard enough. I may just throw a small climb in my next ride and see how I get on.

pride4ever

WOW dude just keep on riding and cut the calories to no more than 1500 a day...youl be good.

u05harrisb

At the moment your best thing to do is structure your training around your weight loss aims. You will find that longer lower speed rides are more likely to help you with your weight loss. However in doing so you will become a stronger and faster rider anyway. Things like hill reps and such would not be very helpful to you at this point however adding a hill or two into your longer rides certainly wouldn't hurt. In the end the best way to become a better rider is to just ride your bike so anything you can do will help you to some extent. Hope that helps a bit

u05harrisb

With regards to what pride4ever has said. Be careful with how much you reduce your calorie intake, you shouldn't really reduce your intake by more than 500cal at the most. If you start to feel lack of energy then up your intake abit. You would probably just be better off choosing the right types of food and making conscious decisions about what you eat this in addition to more exercise and youll be onto a winner. As an example cutting 500cals in your diet should do the same job as going on a ride where you use 500cals however riding means your getting fitter and a better rider at the same time so two birds one stone. Good luck!

skyeflyguy

u05harrisb wrote:

At the moment your best thing to do is structure your training around your weight loss aims. You will find that longer lower speed rides are more likely to help you with your weight loss. However in doing so you will become a stronger and faster rider anyway. Things like hill reps and such would not be very helpful to you at this point however adding a hill or two into your longer rides certainly wouldn't hurt. In the end the best way to become a better rider is to just ride your bike so anything you can do will help you to some extent. Hope that helps a bit

Good advice, spot on I would say.

TakeTurns

I'm the same height as you, but 12 stones lighter. Currently trying to lose 9lbs.

Take the hill reps easy. There is no other way about it. I did hill reps with a 20kg bag a few weeks ago to experiment how an overweight person would feel and it wasn't pleasant!

TBH, if I were your weight, I wouldn't do hill reps. Don't get me wrong - you can still go up hills, but leave the reps till later. They may be far too strenuous on your body. If you want to intensify your rides, ride faster on the flats.

Although I've never been heavier than 14st, I find losing weight easier if I do avg distance rides (50miles~) on an empty stomach (no breakfast) or food during the ride. I then have (3)banana milkshake and wait it out till dinner.

evilmoose1987

Thanks some great advice.

I think I am best challenging my times on the flats for now. I have all the times and speeds logged through runtastic app on the iphone

I have a superb cycle path by me which is around 15 miles circular off road which is great for a quick hours blast!

I am going to plan some longer rides when I have chance which will include some moderate climbs.

I know you all see my post and see some fat guy bleating on but I am a relatively fit fat guy for my weight, I just think at 14 stone i would be an absolute machine and the hills would be easy!

Thanks for your support.

Happy Cycling

Nick

chrisaonabike

evilmoose1987 wrote:

I know you all see my post and see some fat guy bleating on...

For what it's worth, mate, I don't think anyone reads it this way. You've already managed to get rid of getting on for 4 stone since Sept, and now you're working on the rest, in what sounds like a very sensible way.

It's not about how you got to 26 stone - it's about what you do for the rest of your life.

Respect, and good luck.

ShutUpLegs

ChrisAOnABike wrote:

evilmoose1987 wrote:

I know you all see my post and see some fat guy bleating on...

For what it's worth, mate, I don't think anyone reads it this way. You've already managed to get rid of getting on for 4 stone since Sept, and now you're working on the rest, in what sounds like a very sensible way.

It's not about how you got to 26 stone - it's about what you do for the rest of your life.

Respect, and good luck.

Google the 39 stone cyclist and see what can be achieved.

As someone else said, 'At the moment your best thing to do is structure your training around your weight loss aims'