Couch to 5k equivlant?

millerblade

Hi.

Just got a mountain bike. Im hugely overweight. Ive just started slimming world. Ive never run or rode a bike before. However couch to 5k sounds good. Is there an equivlant for newbies cycling?

Thigh_burn

I'm not aware of a specific program, but it is a good way to get fit and lose weight - I speak from experience. Although I was also doing a lot of strength and conditioning work as well. I'm a big fan of combining cycling with strength work. It's a controversial view on here because for pros they don't need the added weight of muscle. But for us non-pros, it's a non-issue and what we need to do is lose fat and get healthy.

Anyway, enough of a rant. Specifically, what I'd suggest is that you simply get cycling and ride the bike. Start by increasing your distance, then work on your cadence (how fast you pedal). Do you mainly want to do off road, or were you thinking road riding as well? Do you live somewhere that's hilly?

oxoman

Get Strava on your phone and find a few short loops that you can do and push yourself on these and watch the times on strava reduce and your weight drop as your fitness increases. When you find your loops are to easy make them longer or harder and keep going. When pushing hard make sure you hydrate before and during especially in this weather. Try and improve the diet although that can be hard when pushing yourself physically. You could always sign up for parkrun Saturday 5k run, and do the same thing. I do it when not on shift and loads of people come thinking it's for budding athletes, it's not its for all people regardless of size, speed, age or even disability. We get youngsters doing it up to seriously old people some walk some run and some jog, even well behaved dogs welcome. You've made the biggest step by recognising you have an issue and addressing it, well done keep it up and good luck.

fenix

Cycling is easier on the body - your weight is supported and theres no impact.

You can ramp up the mileages pretty quickly - and go for longer time wise too.

tomb57

Hi millerblade, my wife does c25k and I believe that on the NHS site that hosts it there is a cycling section
But I think it more of a morale support than a training schedule , like a lot of people on this site my wife runs and rides I can't as knees are shot
So it's good to do both if you can
Good luck your past the first hurdle which is said to be the hardest
Tom

millerblade

Thank you for all the replies.
Im currently doing slimming world, i have been doing it for 5 weeks and lost 9lb. I have about 4 stone to go (embarrassing I know)

Its a mountain bike myself and hubby have bought (2nd hand ones) and I haven't ridden since I was about 12. We have been out 3 times so far (only had the bikes 6 days) and our intention was to go all off road HOWEVER as im a newbie I feel so unsafe going over bumby bobbly trails and feel like im going to crash every 2 seconds because the wheels go allover! So for now we are doing 80% road and about 20% off road until I get used to it.

Im a nervous person so Im nerves on road as well i think we are going to find a park or somewhere with no cars and smooth paths to up my confidence a bit!

davesnothere

Well done for weight loss so far 9 lbs in 5 weeks is good progress. Regular cycling will really help with the calorie defecit to get the weight off, especially if you can go a few times each week.

The more that you ride your bike the more confident you will become so stick with it and you will soon get used to the off road trails and start to feel more confident on the roads.

Strava is a good way of tracking your progress. If you ride the same route twice or more it tells you how long you took and you get trophies if you ride faster than before. It's a good way of spurring you on to ride more

Good luck

oxoman

Hi Milllerblade where abouts are you roughly, perhaps someone may know of somewhere better locally to you.