cycling my way to get fit

Awesome- I just started biking earlier this year and was pretty winded just rolling around my neighborhood and now I am doing 20 mile runs regularly and have gone as far as 50 miles. I'm planning to do a 100 mile ride next April for Diabetes.

I'm right there with you - I've added cycling to my life and and trying to work up to biking to and from work daily - (15miles each way) right now, I'm parking the car about 5 miles away from work, and its been great. next week I'm going to do 10 miles /each direction. I have about 75 pounds to lose. mfp really helped me before. being "public" with what I eat and how much I exercise keeps me accountable. Tracking calories in and calories burned also helps with keeping that doughnut out of my hands. I am looking for people to keep me on track & motivated, so, feel free to friend me.

Do you notice if your run is slowed down the first couple of lapses when transitioning between cycling and running?

Sure, gotta get some of the slightly different muscles engaged at the same time you are engaging some pretty tired muscles. That's why useful to run slowly at first, otherwise you can have a problem.

been cyccling since i got my new avanti carbon bike 6 months ago. though not hardcore yet I have lost 15 kgs. I am sure my short once or twiice a week ride has contributed. Ive got down to a 21% BMI and cycling definitely helped. And yes it is a bit addictive particulalry when you go in a group as I try to do on a Saturday morning for a ride that takes about 2 hours the fast riders do it much quicker though add me as a friend if your interested in cycling cheers Rod

I am 37 and need to lose about 60lbs and i am hoping to do this by cycling. :yawn:

they say that you never forget how to ride a bike but instead of the 3 gears I had as a child I now have 18! that alone is taking a bit of time to get used to. i read some of these posts about people cycling long distances and wonder how on earth i will get that fit - but i know that if i persevere i will get there too.

I want to buy a really expensive designer dress and shoes and thought this would be a good motivation to lose the weight as some designers only do smaller sizes. if i manage to lose this weight then i need a serious treat at the end of it and i think this should do the trick.

if anyone would like to add me as their friend it would make my day!

You can do it by cycling. Ive lost 64lbs so far and it's all down to healthy eating and lots of cycling. At first i struggled to even get on my bike and go for a 5 min cycle. Now after 5 months I am regularly doing 70-90 minute cycles up some very big hills. I have also just signed up for a 58 mile charity bike ride at my work. Persevere it does get easier trust me

Hey ,

Im exactly the same, 3 months ago I bought a mountain bike and recently a road bike. Ive just completed 500 miles and lost 15 lbs (I lost 5 lbs before discovering MFP), my friends and I are out almost every night and I have a short circuit I do in 20 minutes including a 150 ft hill climb if Im pushed for time. I also found an amazing app that I use to track my efforts: www.runtastic.com check it out and add me on there (username Phil Hunton).

The best bit about thee cycling is the people you will meet, I go out and end off chatting to older cyclists that really know their stuff and on the mountains younger braver riders (Im 35!) either way there's beautiful scenery, fresh air and a fun way to burn those calories!

Enjoy your bike, cya on runtastic and MPF!

I'm 49 now, started back into cycling around 13 months ago - weighing 397lb - first ride was 7 miles, took me nearly 50 minutes to complete and 2 hours to stop looking like an extra from sesame street afterwards (i.e. - all purple and hairy and with big sticky-out eyes!)

This month, I've ridden 325 miles already, longest ride 68 miles in 4h16m, I weighed in last friday at 250.3lb, and earlier this month I passed the 5,000 miles distance on my bike - that's nearly double the mileage I've done in my car in the same period!

It's not an exaggeration to say it - cycling has probably saved my life. I've still got a way to go - at least another 40lb's but I know that one things for sure, cycling is going to feature heavily on the journey

Another interesting website/blog to read is here: http://theamazing39stonecyclist.wordpress.com/

I started to cycle again in April '11 after buying a bike through the Cycle to Work Scheme. I hadn't cycled since I was a teenager & I was then 38.

My first journey into work was 13 miles & it took me 1h7m17s. I did the same route this morning and I did it in 38m23s. It can be done!

I have lost 45lbs so far and still a fair bit to go.

I cycle 6 miles to work, and close on to 9 miles on the way back home as I take a more scenic route on the uphill route back home. Its helping me slowly to get slimmer and fitter. (I just need to lay off the snacking.) The only problem I find is that because I do it every day to and from work its having less of an effect now. I need to go out in to the woods on my bike for a couple of hours once or twice a week to have some variety and hide the calorie burning hard

But with a 4 year old autistic child and mother in law with cancer at home, its hard to find the time

Cycling crushes calories. Just make sure you're taking in plenty of water, gatorade, and bananas so you don't deplete your body. The fact that you're giving yourself a 'nice breeze' tricks your body into thinking that you're not sweating as much as you think...

Granted, I'm on a road bike, but I started doing rides around 30-40 miles and then progressed up to 100-120 mile rides-- usually setting aside a Saturday or a Sunday to do the centuries. I started out averaging about 15-16 miles / hour. Now, I do around 18 miles an hour on rides. Slightly faster if people want to ride as a group and push the pace.

I recently started riding regularly, in the last month and I love it. So much faster than running, easier on my knees, the scenery changes and my only complaint is the bumps! My rear is finally starting to toughen up after riding 3-4 times a week for the last few weeks. I need a new seat or a pad.

Any tips on buying a seat? I see the thick cushioned seats but they are wide, should I stick with the narrow seat for easier leg movement and pedaling? i always thought those wide seats were more for the grandma riding to the store.

Seat should fit. Look at some of the seat fitting companies lik sqlab. Then you'll need less padding.