Obese, morbidly obese, super obese and bike riding.

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24

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  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,370 Member
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    Don't let size be an excuse. You'll lose much faster for going and within weeks you'll feel wonderful! I was still 360lbs when I started at the gym after a month or so of aqua aerobics (which I highly recommend by the way). You'll find lots of larger people there - pick a leisure centre one though rather than a fashionable gym full of people who just go to flirt. Better still, have a quick word with your GP and you may even get it funded for you under the GP referral scheme. I didn't know about that at the time but membership made sense to me because it worked out less than the cost of admission for 2 sessions of aqua a week and then they offered me a free induction to the gym and I now do a Bokwa class too and am considering Zumba.
  • TimIredale
    TimIredale Posts: 12 Member
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    I recently starting losing weight and I have bought a old kona muni mula 1997 model. I used to ride a lot and knew the kona were a strong frame.

    I was worried about my weight and popped in to my local bike shop who have been great. They advised that if I take it easy going up and down curbs then I shouldn't break anything.

    The guy at the shop also mentioned a decent bike can take quite a load as the often have tourers who carry a lot of weights carried in panniers.

    To lose weight you when cycling you need to work out what rpm you need to peddle to keep ur heart beat up. He gave it a name but I can't remember what he called it.
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,370 Member
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    I guess a Heart Rate Monitor would be an easier way to monitor that Tim
  • kcaffee1
    kcaffee1 Posts: 759 Member
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    If you don't mind spending a bit, try looking up a terra trike. These trikes have an actual SEAT, not just a wedge, to sit in, and there are a couple of models that are rated up to 400 pounds, one even a bit more. The ones I'm talking about are recumbent TRIKES, so there is little or no stress on the back side, seat, wrists, or skeleton. And if you live in an area where you have to worry about biking on the roads, these trikes are unusual enough that people actually SEE you, so will be conscious of where you are. You won't just blend in with the scenery like an upright bike does some times. (Been there done that before. Not fun!)

    I have ridden uprights before - used to own a Panasonic racing bike, and loved it. Was about 260 at the time this bike was my daily commuter (14 miles round trip to high school with an additional 30 - 50 pounds of books strapped to my back, 100 + miles on the weekends just for fun. Been just a few years since then, however. ::Grins::) And it bore up great under all of the abuse I could hand it. When I finally sold it, the bike was just as sound as the day I bought it. Never had a day of issues with this one, unlike a cheaper bike I replaced with the Panasonic.

    But, now that I'm older, I'm looking for something a bit easier on the skeleton than a racing wedge, which is what got me looking at the recumbent trikes. The down side, is that the trikes DO have a bit of a big price tag on them. Mine is still on a wish list, but I'm going to get it ONE of these days!

    Here's a link for more info on the Terra Trike specifically. (I do not work for them, they are just the first ones that come to mine with weight ratings suitable for heavier people. Most trikes that I've found are only rated for 300 pounds.)

    http://www.terratrike.com/
  • 366to266
    366to266 Posts: 473 Member
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    Even I could cycle if it was like an armchair with pedals!

    The last time I TRIED to ride a bike merely sitting on it, and taking ONE foot off the ground was so incredibly painful on my *kitten* that I had to jump off immediately. Well, 366 pounds balancing on a few inches of *kitten* ..... figures!
  • garciabnm
    garciabnm Posts: 138
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    my friend, I was at 318 when i started riding just about a year and a few months ago. Started off real slow and shot distances. When i was able to go 5 miles i was so happy. Today i can do 20 miles in about 1 hour 20 minutes. Down to 148 lbs. The bike i started out with was nothing special, just a wal mart one. I didnt want to spend the money on something i didnt know i would stick with. Now i absolutely love it. I try to get out everyday, but with work and life, its more like 4 days a week. The point is , just get out there, 4 miles on a bike no matter how long it takes, is better than not doing anything at all. Good luck!
  • _EndGame_
    _EndGame_ Posts: 770 Member
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    So, for the bigger guys out there, what bikes do you own and what weight where you when you started riding as part of your lifestyle/weight loss/get fit and healthy regime?

    I am a gnats todger below 400lb, and can't wait until I can start riding, but would like some ideas as to when that will be weight wise.

    So, what weight were you when you got on your bike?

    Links to models of bikes owned and stuff all gratefully received.


    Thanks

    I started off too big for a bike, so I bought a treadmill that was for 20+ stone people, and it was probably the best thing I ever bought next to my gym membership I got last week (making use of the swimming baths)

    If money permits, get yourself to the gym or buy a second hand treadmill, lose some weight with them, then get yourself a new bike as a gift to yourself for your hard work and effort.

    Good luck buddy!
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
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    I'm not a guy, but I'm going to pop in and recommend a cruiser-style bike. They're built for comfort...well, as comfortable as a bike can be when you're big. ;) Look for a wide, cushioned seat with springs. You can even add a wicker basket and a bell to make the ride that much more enjoyable.
  • dazzer1975
    dazzer1975 Posts: 104 Member
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    That feeling is understandable, about not wanting to workout in public. It's a hard place to be.

    I don't want to force you to do anything you don't want to do, but I bet if you went to a gym, you'd find it a lot less intimidating than you've built it up in your mind. There are people there at every level of fitness- swimming, using machines, lifting weights...you're not alone....and nobody will be there to mock you. You may even find that people give you friendly nods, a silent encouragement that you're doing something very difficult assurance that you're in the right place.

    I do have to say that in the past when i have been overweight I joined gyms (used to live right next door to one, so there was no excuses lol) and the general attitude inside the gym was definitely better than outside amongst the general population. I accept it is probably/definitely some psychological thing i need to get over but I am hoping if i reach my ticker goal I can then start to face the world a little more... definitely the gym will be the first place.
  • fatfudgery
    fatfudgery Posts: 449 Member
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    I got my Trek Mamba when I was just about 300lbs. Great bike. My first time out I rode for two hours on rough terrain and then spent a week with the sorest *kitten* you can imagine — I could barely walk and my... *ahem*... my nut sack got all swollen. My second and third rides went a little better and by the fourth time out the pain had gone away (no swelling of the undercarriage after that first time.)
  • dazzer1975
    dazzer1975 Posts: 104 Member
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    morebean is right. I went to my gym for the first time when I was a good fair bit heavier than I am now. And it was actually fine. Mostly no-one looks at you when you're working out. You just get on doing your thing.

    I appreciate it's really scary when you're heavy, and you're so scared people will laugh. But honestly, I've had very few experiences of that, and I work out a lot in public and at gym.

    The old gym I used to go to has closed down now, i will do some research and see what is available local though at the very least. I will then have an idea of where the next step will be taken once i get there and it will make me feel I am progressing somewhat if i start to do that research.

    Thank you very much for the reply
    I was at 250 (woman, 5'3") and got an exercise bike seat (seemed like 4" of padding) because my butt and hips hurt way too much without that cushion.

    Then I was able to enjoy it.... although my self-consciousness because of people's comments (about others, when I was present) about "look at the size of that *kitten*..." made me cringe. Ultimately stopped me, really.

    I also don't do exercise in public places. Even though I have lost a lot of weight, it is still so deeply embedded in my mind.
    So, congratulations on making progress. Take it easy on yourself, and do what feels comfortable and reasonable. Just keep going in the right direction..!!!!

    Thank you for the reply, I am sorry others have, do and continue to go through the same thing as this, it is no fun and really feel for others, it never seems fair that others suffer in the same way.

    I fully understand what you mean about others comments even if not directed at you, i always think if someone slags people off to you, then you can be pretty sure they slag you off to others too... not nice at all.
  • dazzer1975
    dazzer1975 Posts: 104 Member
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    Don't let size be an excuse. You'll lose much faster for going and within weeks you'll feel wonderful! I was still 360lbs when I started at the gym after a month or so of aqua aerobics (which I highly recommend by the way). You'll find lots of larger people there - pick a leisure centre one though rather than a fashionable gym full of people who just go to flirt. Better still, have a quick word with your GP and you may even get it funded for you under the GP referral scheme. I didn't know about that at the time but membership made sense to me because it worked out less than the cost of admission for 2 sessions of aqua a week and then they offered me a free induction to the gym and I now do a Bokwa class too and am considering Zumba.

    Don't get me wrong, i am doing other exercise too, i row I don't know, maybe 5 days a week as an average, and walk 3 days a week, but as it is coming off I am hoping to increase and expand my activities so that's where the biking will come into play.

    I was offered the referral scheme a year or two ago and my mind wasn't in the right place at the time. The gym they use also had turnstiles which i told myself i wouldn't fit through, so that helped me avoid the prospect, but like i say, I wasn't in the right place to tackle the challenge then.

    I am still way too big to face the general public yet, i have / had depression and if i get comments i tend to dwell on them for ages, and feel more emotionally robust and resilient when i am a lesser weight, albeit still massively overweight in absolute terms... if you see what I mean?
  • dazzer1975
    dazzer1975 Posts: 104 Member
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    I recently starting losing weight and I have bought a old kona muni mula 1997 model. I used to ride a lot and knew the kona were a strong frame.

    I was worried about my weight and popped in to my local bike shop who have been great. They advised that if I take it easy going up and down curbs then I shouldn't break anything.

    The guy at the shop also mentioned a decent bike can take quite a load as the often have tourers who carry a lot of weights carried in panniers.

    To lose weight you when cycling you need to work out what rpm you need to peddle to keep ur heart beat up. He gave it a name but I can't remember what he called it.

    Oh that is a brill suggestion with regards a solid second hand bike, I will put that down on my list of possible models to further explore.

    I will respond to the next bit as that covers the heart rate thing.
    I guess a Heart Rate Monitor would be an easier way to monitor that Tim

    I have one of those with my rower and have only very recently started using it. Infact, the reason I am on mfp is that i have only very recently started logging exercise, blood pressure, resting heart rate, exercise heart rate, food intake, weight etc etc

    I was a LOT heavier, but as i have dropped, naturally the energy has risen and i am getting fitter all the time... bearing in mind fit and fitter are relative terms lol

    I am hoping to up the exercise and expand the variety hence the bike inquiry, I will need some kind of device to receive the heart rate info but they are out there.... I did buy an ant+ dongle for my android phone to record my heart rate while walking but the thing worked once and then stopped working lol

    A garmin watch would be ideal...but they are pricey... having said that, the rower wasn't cheap, but which do I prefer, spending money on something that will, without hyperbole, save my life, or carry on spending money and eating pizzas and kebabs?
  • dazzer1975
    dazzer1975 Posts: 104 Member
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    I recently starting losing weight and I have bought a old kona muni mula 1997 model. I used to ride a lot and knew the kona were a strong frame.

    I was worried about my weight and popped in to my local bike shop who have been great. They advised that if I take it easy going up and down curbs then I shouldn't break anything.

    The guy at the shop also mentioned a decent bike can take quite a load as the often have tourers who carry a lot of weights carried in panniers.

    To lose weight you when cycling you need to work out what rpm you need to peddle to keep ur heart beat up. He gave it a name but I can't remember what he called it.

    Oh that is a brill suggestion with regards a solid second hand bike, I will put that down on my list of possible models to further explore.

    I will respond to the next bit as that covers the heart rate thing.
    I guess a Heart Rate Monitor would be an easier way to monitor that Tim

    I have one of those with my rower and have only very recently started using it. Infact, the reason I am on mfp is that i have only very recently started logging exercise, blood pressure, resting heart rate, exercise heart rate, food intake, weight etc etc

    I was a LOT heavier, but as i have dropped, naturally the energy has risen and i am getting fitter all the time... bearing in mind fit and fitter are relative terms lol

    I am hoping to up the exercise and expand the variety hence the bike inquiry, I will need some kind of device to receive the heart rate info but they are out there.... I did buy an ant+ dongle for my android phone to record my heart rate while walking but the thing worked once and then stopped working lol

    A garmin watch would be ideal...but they are pricey... having said that, the rower wasn't cheap, but which do I prefer, spending money on something that will, without hyperbole, save my life, or carry on spending money and eating pizzas and kebabs?
  • dazzer1975
    dazzer1975 Posts: 104 Member
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    I recently starting losing weight and I have bought a old kona muni mula 1997 model. I used to ride a lot and knew the kona were a strong frame.

    I was worried about my weight and popped in to my local bike shop who have been great. They advised that if I take it easy going up and down curbs then I shouldn't break anything.

    The guy at the shop also mentioned a decent bike can take quite a load as the often have tourers who carry a lot of weights carried in panniers.

    To lose weight you when cycling you need to work out what rpm you need to peddle to keep ur heart beat up. He gave it a name but I can't remember what he called it.

    Oh that is a brill suggestion with regards a solid second hand bike, I will put that down on my list of possible models to further explore.

    I will respond to the next bit as that covers the heart rate thing.
    I guess a Heart Rate Monitor would be an easier way to monitor that Tim

    I have one of those with my rower and have only very recently started using it. Infact, the reason I am on mfp is that i have only very recently started logging exercise, blood pressure, resting heart rate, exercise heart rate, food intake, weight etc etc

    I was a LOT heavier, but as i have dropped, naturally the energy has risen and i am getting fitter all the time... bearing in mind fit and fitter are relative terms lol

    I am hoping to up the exercise and expand the variety hence the bike inquiry, I will need some kind of device to receive the heart rate info but they are out there.... I did buy an ant+ dongle for my android phone to record my heart rate while walking but the thing worked once and then stopped working lol

    A garmin watch would be ideal...but they are pricey... having said that, the rower wasn't cheap, but which do I prefer, spending money on something that will, without hyperbole, save my life, or carry on spending money and eating pizzas and kebabs?
  • vicelike
    vicelike Posts: 22
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    start slow.... 5 minutes out and 5 back 4 days per week. Keep on the flats or very gradual hills. Add 1 minute each week. In six months you will be riding an hour 4 times a week. In a year almost two hours.

    This will give your butt a chance to adjust and keep you enjoying and looking forward to your exercise.

    Good luck and let us know how your doing
  • TyTy76
    TyTy76 Posts: 1,761 Member
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    Please please please don't wast your money on one of those gel seats. They are terrible for your body.

    *Take your bike to your local bike store and have a tune up done on it
    *They will make tires/tubes that can be inflated to a higher pressure for us bigger guys (mine go up to 120psi)
    *You will want a bike with at least 26 spokes/wheel
    *Make sure your bike fits. Seat level is correct, handle bar level is correct

    *when riding a bike, we have actual muscle that we call the sit bone. The way to get rid of a sore *kitten* is what we call TITS(Time in the saddle) You need to spend time building that muscle up. You won't do it with one of those ridiculous huge gel seats

    *Start slow and have fun, biking is a lot of the reason I have lost almost 100lbs so far, and something I wan to do for the rest of my life. As bigger guys we get the benifit of being able to FLY down hills, it's awesome.
  • dazzer1975
    dazzer1975 Posts: 104 Member
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    If you don't mind spending a bit, try looking up a terra trike. These trikes have an actual SEAT, not just a wedge, to sit in, and there are a couple of models that are rated up to 400 pounds, one even a bit more. The ones I'm talking about are recumbent TRIKES, so there is little or no stress on the back side, seat, wrists, or skeleton. And if you live in an area where you have to worry about biking on the roads, these trikes are unusual enough that people actually SEE you, so will be conscious of where you are. You won't just blend in with the scenery like an upright bike does some times. (Been there done that before. Not fun!)

    I have ridden uprights before - used to own a Panasonic racing bike, and loved it. Was about 260 at the time this bike was my daily commuter (14 miles round trip to high school with an additional 30 - 50 pounds of books strapped to my back, 100 + miles on the weekends just for fun. Been just a few years since then, however. ::Grins::) And it bore up great under all of the abuse I could hand it. When I finally sold it, the bike was just as sound as the day I bought it. Never had a day of issues with this one, unlike a cheaper bike I replaced with the Panasonic.

    But, now that I'm older, I'm looking for something a bit easier on the skeleton than a racing wedge, which is what got me looking at the recumbent trikes. The down side, is that the trikes DO have a bit of a big price tag on them. Mine is still on a wish list, but I'm going to get it ONE of these days!

    Here's a link for more info on the Terra Trike specifically. (I do not work for them, they are just the first ones that come to mine with weight ratings suitable for heavier people. Most trikes that I've found are only rated for 300 pounds.)

    http://www.terratrike.com/

    You know, i used to only use the recumbents when i went to the gym years ago, and see plenty of people use them on the roads, i actually do really like the idea of recumbents, they always look so cool to me. But right now I couldn't use them... my rowing is done in my house and my walking is in the middle of nowhere 9 times out of ten at night, i would be after a mountain bike "type" so i can go on trails and pathways out of the way of built up areas.

    I definitely like and appreciate the suggestion though and is something i will bear in mind for the future.
  • dazzer1975
    dazzer1975 Posts: 104 Member
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    Even I could cycle if it was like an armchair with pedals!

    The last time I TRIED to ride a bike merely sitting on it, and taking ONE foot off the ground was so incredibly painful on my *kitten* that I had to jump off immediately. Well, 366 pounds balancing on a few inches of *kitten* ..... figures!

    LMAO it is very true that, it caused all sorts of pain in my nether regions the last time i won the weight battle.

    I think it is one of those things that is just going to take time to get your bum used to it. It is pretty bad on the rower and i can't row for longer than 20-25 minutes and the seat is bigger than a bike seat. i have a rotation of bare seat, seat with a cushion and then seat with a folded towel on lol I have to keep chopping and changing to ease the bootocks lol
  • dazzer1975
    dazzer1975 Posts: 104 Member
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    my friend, I was at 318 when i started riding just about a year and a few months ago. Started off real slow and shot distances. When i was able to go 5 miles i was so happy. Today i can do 20 miles in about 1 hour 20 minutes. Down to 148 lbs. The bike i started out with was nothing special, just a wal mart one. I didnt want to spend the money on something i didnt know i would stick with. Now i absolutely love it. I try to get out everyday, but with work and life, its more like 4 days a week. The point is , just get out there, 4 miles on a bike no matter how long it takes, is better than not doing anything at all. Good luck!

    jesus mate, that is some progression @ 20 miles in 80 minutes

    I plan on getting my bike out of the shed in the next day or two and giving a going over, I know the tyres are shot but no idea what else, it has been in a cold, draughty humid and icy shed for the last few years so could be a bit of a wreck, but we will see.

    That is some pretty awesome weight loss, well done mate

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