bicycling

jheartj95
jheartj95 Posts: 34 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hubby just bought me this new bike. http://www.walmart.com/ip/26-Huffy-Cranbrook-Women-s-Bike-Banana-Yellow/21172909
It was actuall $20 cheaper:))

I haven't ridden one since 1990!! How beneficial is riding a bike in losing weight? I've gotten to a platuea, and I really need to lose 20 more lbs. at least... Any tips on fitness routines? Thanks, everyone:)

Replies

  • RainbootsToBikinis
    RainbootsToBikinis Posts: 465 Member
    It's just as beneficial as any other form of cardio, and personally I think it's a lot more fun. I love riding my bike and getting out of the gym. Just start with short rides for the first week or two, your butt needs time to adjust :) When I first got my bike I went on a two hour ride the first day and couldn't ride it again for over a week.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    Diets are for losing weight.
    However, cycling will lead to greater cardiovascular healthand you should do it!
  • second_try
    second_try Posts: 4 Member
    I'm new to cycling myself so take what I say with a grain of salt but I have found that there aren't a lo of tricks to it, you just have to do it. The more you do it, the easier it gets. The hills that I went up at a snails pace in my first week of biking get a lot easier. I also noticed that I am much more comfortable biking in traffic (I live in Brooklyn) but it took me some getting used to.

    As for fitness routines, I would set goals of distance (maybe 5 or 6 miles depending on how many hills there are) and then work on getting there faster. Once that gets boring (after a week or so) go a longer distance and then work on getting there faster.

    Also, to keep me motivated I made myself a poster to chart my milage (like one of those drawings of a thermometer they have for fundraisers) that shows a goal of 100 miles. I don't care how long it takes me to accumulate 100 miles of riding (probably 2 1/2 weeks) I'm going to celebrate it. So every day after a ride, I fill in the chart and see that I've gotten a few miles closer to my goal.
  • jheartj95
    jheartj95 Posts: 34 Member
    Diets are for losing weight.
    However, cycling will lead to greater cardiovascular healthand you should do it!


    You are right!

    I do get bored with my walking and running, and I am looking forward to a change in scenery, too:) I will keep the soreness in mind, too:(
  • pen2u
    pen2u Posts: 224 Member
    Biking is really great! Have you ever seen a serious rider w/ a fat butt? Lol

    But seriously, it has become my favorite form of exercise. Check out the calories you can burn per hour. It also keeps your joints and muscles in good shape so you can do other things. I noticed the benefits almost immediately when I started to ride regularly. You might want to also invest in a stationary bike for bad weather days so you can stay in biking shape.

    Congrats on the new bike. When DH bought mine I wanted to sleep with it, like a little kid on Christmas.
  • johnny059qn
    johnny059qn Posts: 163 Member
    Cycling is the best!! I started riding again this past June. I have lost 71 lbs doing it. I just rode 68 miles in a bike ride called the Turkey Roll. My next ride is January 1st.

    Merry Fitness and Happy New Rear!!
  • mdr3t
    mdr3t Posts: 12 Member
    Bicycling is great! And there are so many trails around the country and organized rides. My husband and I have made a goal to ride at least 15 miles in every state that we can. So far we've done Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Wisconsin. We have a map on the wall of the garage and are marking off each state as we ride. It's become our passion. Enjoy!
  • johnny059qn
    johnny059qn Posts: 163 Member
    Then come to Texas in August for the Hotter n Hell Hundred. There are distances you can choose from are 7, 25, 50, 62, and 100.

    http://www.hh100.org/
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    It's just as beneficial as any other form of cardio, and personally I think it's a lot more fun. I love riding my bike and getting out of the gym. Just start with short rides for the first week or two, your butt needs time to adjust :) When I first got my bike I went on a two hour ride the first day and couldn't ride it again for over a week.
    this


    Diets are for losing weight.
    However, cycling will lead to greater cardiovascular healthand you should do it!
    and this
  • angusmike
    angusmike Posts: 97
    Maybe alternate days walking/running with biking? I'm at a plateau, myself, so I'm mixing up walking, cross-country hiking, and biking. Did a cross-country hike this morning and was back down to my lowest weight. Maybe your plateau has you "firming up" and gaining muscle rather than losing weight. Don't be discouraged.
  • martintanz
    martintanz Posts: 280
    I hate to break it to you, but the bike you got is a beach cruiser. OK for short rides, but not really suited for the longer distances someone interested in biking for fitness or weight loss would need.

    Trying to ride 10 or 15 miles on that bike would be like trying to run 3 miles in a pair of flip flops, or pumps.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    I hate to break it to you, but the bike you got is a beach cruiser. OK for short rides, but not really suited for the longer distances someone interested in biking for fitness or weight loss would need.

    Shut up. As long as the pedals turn the wheels and the brakes work, it's fine. If she were interested in racing or commuting, then it might be different. But riding for exercise can be done on anything that is functional and safe.

    If you wanted to split hairs, I'd be more concerned that it came from wallmart than I would the "cruiser" style of the bike.

    .
  • jsheehan46
    jsheehan46 Posts: 24 Member
    Biking is great! I like to add some low impact cardio into the routine.....one thing that has change since the 90's is helmuts (sp) - don't ride without one - not worth it!!!
  • martintanz
    martintanz Posts: 280
    I hate to break it to you, but the bike you got is a beach cruiser. OK for short rides, but not really suited for the longer distances someone interested in biking for fitness or weight loss would need.

    Shut up. As long as the pedals turn the wheels and the brakes work, it's fine. If she were interested in racing or commuting, then it might be different. But riding for exercise can be done on anything that is functional and safe.

    If you wanted to split hairs, I'd be more concerned that it came from wallmart than I would the "cruiser" style of the bike.

    .

    That too. I also post from time to time over in bikeforums.net, and they take a pretty dim view of department store bikes.
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
    I hate to break it to you, but the bike you got is a beach cruiser. OK for short rides, but not really suited for the longer distances someone interested in biking for fitness or weight loss would need.

    That's true in some regard as long days in the saddle while be difficult.

    Having said that lets look at the basics: calorie burn = body weight x intensity x time.

    If time is restricted then intensity can be increased. She just needs to get hill repeats in her life ;)

    Frankly, cycling is awesome for incinerating calories and getting fit simply because it is just so much fun....
  • jheartj95
    jheartj95 Posts: 34 Member
    Thanks everyone for your honest opinions. No, I am not ready for a marathon by any means, so am hoping this will be a great starter bike for me. I just want to be able to get out and ride with my kids and get in some exercise at the same time:) Who knows where this could lead??:))

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