[Rodeogirl73]

How many of you lost weight from biking?

I'm a big girl (not fat fat, just thick lol), but VERY active. I started riding bike about 3 months ago, and already lost totally 15 # so far. I had to change my lifestyle before signing a death certificate as diabetes, bloodpressure runs in my family, so I had to do something with my health before too late, as I find biking is my daily activity as I love riding bikes and it's a GREAT stress relief. I have never use sugar as it's too sweet for me, I mostly use splenda, I have eaten more vegies/fruits on my plate, etc.

So what about you? What diet do you do? Do you do more than biking to lose weight?

 

[bstyle74]

I've always been a pretty health-conscious guy, and never had any major health or weight issues. However, I would say biking has definitely helped me avoid those problems. I'm 33 years old, but feel healthier and stronger than I did when I was 22 and biking is a huge part of that. Besides physical exercise, I love the freedom and relaxing feeling of riding a bike whether it is commuting to work on the roads or picking my way through a rock garden.

Congratulations on your lifestyle change. It is not easy to do, but you are just hitting the tip of the iceberg when it comes to benefits of biking!

 

[xocomaox]

I have been biking since 2000 or so and have been 130lbs every day of these past eight years. I eat pretty healthy and play a lot of volleyball. Just can't stray from that 130lbs.

I am 6' tall.

 

[f3rg]

Every winter, I seem to gain about 10lbs or so through laziness and gluttony (mmm, gluttony...."drool*). Then, as soon as spring hits and I'm back on my bike, I lose it and get back to my old self within a few weeks.

 

[ebeer]

I don't diet really. I workout 4-6 times a week, 2-3 of those are rides. With that activity level I can mostly do as I please, but I try to be sensible.

The best thing I did three years ago was to give up french fries. If I eat out I always sub a salad or soup. This may sound easy, but you must understand how I adore fries. But I've learned to live without them. For two years I ate them only on my birthday. Now I have them more like once a quarter (I've relaxed a little). Anyway that little change, and a half assed effort toward not eating until I'm super stuffed has worked well.

 

[Ericmopar]

It took me a few years, but I've lost 60 lbs.
I used to be 248 lbs, now I'm 185-190.

 

[full_circle]

i am in now way a health nut, but somehow after living with my health nut room mate. i unkowingly changed my lifestyle and eating habits, i no longer eat fast for or sweets i go to the gym and ride my bike like crazy. and have since started surfing, kayaking and skim boarding. i did none of this stuff a few years ago but never made a conscious act to change my lifestyle it just happened idk but i guess its for the better

 

[Deme Moore]

Well during college I drank lots of beer. Surprise!

I also grew a beer gut. Surprise!

This made me decide to do something about it. Since I liked cycling (and had stopped doing it by then thanks to those newfangled cars) I decided to ride. Every day, 10 miles. Nothing too outlandish, just mostly flatlands with a few climbs, 10 miles. Every day. On the road.

Oh yeah I also took some of those magic pills they sold at GNC. If you believe BS the magic pills worked. It wasn't the exercise. But I no longer believe in magic BS. What works is consistency, every day. For several months. There are no magic pills or diets. Just effort and trying to watch what you eat (hey nobody's perfect).

So.... get yourself a bike computer. $20. Every day, 10 miles. Bring water. Look in mirror three months later. Surprise!

 

[Timon]

i can't keep weight on when i bike, (virtually) regardless of how much i eat. so it must be a fantastic way to lose weight if that's your goal.

keep it up

 

[TLL]

28 pounds so far. I ride 5x per week and do the Zone diet, or else a modified Paleo diet: Meat, veggies and fruits, nuts, but no processed carbs. However, I do like a beer now and then.

 

[like_the_wheel]

If you're at risk for diabetes, I would wholeheartedly recommend trying the Zone diet. I've always been skeptical of fad diets but the more I learn about the Zone the more I see why it works and is very healthy, unlike Atkins which tends to be unbalanced. the Zone is great for anyone, but it's especially good for diabetics or people at risk for diabetes because the whole concept is to regulate insulin levels. The bonus is that by feeding your body a steady stream of balanced nutrients you also lose weight. Being an athlete you can adapt the ratios of carbs/proteins/fats based on the amount of athletic activity you participate in weekly, typically by adding more fat to the equation. Any basic Zone book will break down the principles for you if you're interested. Congrats on your decision to take action and choose to be healthy!

 

[-Devil-]

well i am at 235 right now .. was at 281 around the middle of january this year ...

i started off on the atkins junk but realized i was still hungry and i like my fruits and veggies to much to bother with it .. so i quit that ...

now i am on no diet at all ... i just try to balance what i eat ... with a good mixture of fruits, meats, veggies, nuts a day .. (a little over 3,000 cals a day total) .. i drink through about 5l of water a day as well ...

i go to the gym 3 days a week and workout for an hour ... (15 min of that is on a stationary bike) ... and i ride my mountain bike 2 to 3 times a week for 4 to 10 miles depending on how i feel ...

my weight has been at the 235 mark for the last month now ... but i am still loosing inches ... the rest is just changing over to muscle ... hopefully if i figure right in the next month i should start loosing a bit more again ... and reach the 200 mark ...

dont try to loose it to fast ... and don't try any diet that has your still hungry at the end of the day ... take your age, weight, height and an honest activity level .. and figure out how many calories a day you should have to maintain your weight ... then remove 500 cal a day from that ... and try to do enough exercise each week to burn through 500 cal for the week ... and the weight will come off ...

i had high BP as well before i started .. and was borderline diabetic .. my bp now is perfectly normal ... and blood sugar is great as well ...

if i had to put a 'name' to an eating routine ... i would reccomend 'precision nutrition' or 'the biggest loser' ...

 

[lindsayb]

I've lost 35.5lbs from skiing this winter and mountain biking. If I got my butt out more I'm sure I'd lose more weight- having a more stable schedule will help with that. I also use www.sparkpeople.com, which is free and includes a food diary/plan and lots of advice. I started at 200, currently 164.5 and have another 40 to lose at least. I'm 5'2". I started gaining weight after I stopped being vegan, go figure- but I'm not about to go back to being vegan.

 

[Polar Bear]

Lost 40 pounds

Last september I stepped on a scale and it read 205 pounds. I immediately started biking (I had been out of it for a while) and stopped (1)eating dessert, (2) drinking soda, and (3) eating after 6 PM. I lost twenty five pounds in one month. Since then, I lost another 15 when I went from road biking to off-road biking. I'm down to 165 pounds now.

 

[Gatorback]

How many of you lost weight from biking?

I'm a big girl (not fat fat, just thick lol), but VERY active. I started riding bike about 3 months ago, and already lost totally 15 # so far. I had to change my lifestyle before signing a death certificate as diabetes, bloodpressure runs in my family, so I had to do something with my health before too late, as I find biking is my daily activity as I love riding bikes and it's a GREAT stress relief. I have never use sugar as it's too sweet for me, I mostly use splenda, I have eaten more vegies/fruits on my plate, etc.

So what about you? What diet do you do? Do you do more than biking to lose weight?

It sounds like you eat well. Biking is a great way to lose weight, especially if you ride at low to moderate intensity and for a long time. When you exercise at very high intensity, your body doesn't burn as much fat because it needs a more efficient way to create energy (you therefore burn a lot of glycogen from your muscles and then have to replace it after riding). But you burn a higher percentage of fat on endurance rides and easy/moderate effort rides.

Good luck with losing weight.

Isn't it fun to be able to get fit by doing something you love like getting on a bike?

 

[RockadileSX]

It sounds like you eat well. Biking is a great way to lose weight, especially if you ride at low to moderate intensity and for a long time. When you exercise at very high intensity, your body doesn't burn as much fat because it needs a more efficient way to create energy (you therefore burn a lot of glycogen from your muscles and then have to replace it after riding). But you burn a higher percentage of fat on endurance rides and easy/moderate effort rides.

Good luck with losing weight.

Isn't it fun to be able to get fit by doing something you love like getting on a bike?

While you burn more fat during the ride if you keep the exercise aerobic, anarobic exercise burns more calories AFTER the ride, when your body has plenty of time to break down those pesky fats. So your statement is a little misleading. Also if you follow a low carb diet, you will start producing more of the enzyzme that breaks down fats so no matter how intense you are riding youll be breaking down fats.

 

[nachomc]

Since February, I'm down from 227 to 210. I had to buy a new belt last night

 

[Shayne]

I Gain Weight From Biking

I gain about 10lbs during the summer from riding.
In the winter I can only handle so many hours on the trainer and my legs loose muscle mass as a result.

 

[Rev Bubba]

Me. WW + MTB = - 50 lbs

I'm a big fan of Weight Watchers. Public humiliation does wonders to get me to stick to the plan. That and riding my arsh off helped me lose my arsh and pretty much keep it off. Until I was laid up for a couple months this winter because of surgery, I kept the 50 + lbs I lost under control. Sitting in front of a TV for 2 months dids lot of damage but I'm back with a WW program at work and have taken 10 lbs off in the past four weeks.

Riding often is a big part of the success story.
:thumbsup:

 

[nachomc]

^ I hear ya. I was 250lbs when I started riding. Down to about 215 last summer, broke my leg, up to 226 by the time I could ride again Feb.