Battling the lard begins
Discussion
Daily MTBing starts today for me in an effort to shift the party 7 that has appeared. Mapped out a decent enough circuit from my house, 5 miles of cross country & easy-ish (well not at the mo) hills, 4 miles offroad, 1 mile on (small enough to do 1 blast round if short of time, interesting enough to do 3 times without getting boring). I have been a desk jockey for too long and the fitness levels are pretty poor, hope to get up to 2 circuits before too long, but first effort today took 33mins and to be honest, fooked me LOL.
Need to go and get some scales & find out how heavy I am at the mo, but 6ft4 & about 18stones I reckon. Plan is to do my 5 miler during the week & an easy/flat 8 miles forest path with my lads on saturdays.
Need to go and get some scales & find out how heavy I am at the mo, but 6ft4 & about 18stones I reckon. Plan is to do my 5 miler during the week & an easy/flat 8 miles forest path with my lads on saturdays.
I'm trying to get into a routine at the moment too.
If you've got a smartphone download either MapMyRide or Endomondo - surprisingly motivational to be able to look at where you've been. I've burned 12 burgers this month.
edit: also, for me it helps to remember -
Rule 5: http://www.velominati.com/blog/the-rules/#5
Rule 6: http://www.velominati.com/blog/the-rules/#6
If you've got a smartphone download either MapMyRide or Endomondo - surprisingly motivational to be able to look at where you've been. I've burned 12 burgers this month.
edit: also, for me it helps to remember -
Rule 5: http://www.velominati.com/blog/the-rules/#5
Rule 6: http://www.velominati.com/blog/the-rules/#6
Edited by Gizmo! on Thursday 3rd November 17:12
I'm 43, 5'6" and 100Kg. Fat gut..!! I also smoked for ~15 years, increasingly until I achieved 60/day on occasions.
I've been away from just about any sort of exercise for 20 years but I stopped smoking 11 years ago and bought a bike last year. At first I only managed to ride once a week but I noticed a general improvement in my breathing that hadn't really improved significantly since I stopped smoking. My weight hasn't come off at all but I'm noticeably stronger (I can run upstairs now, with my heavy work bag on my shoulders), and I sweat less like a fat knacket. I bit less.
That once-a-week ride was good though. It used to kill me. Once I managed 32 miles which was a bit excessive and left me knackered but since then I've started riding with my son who was only 6yp at the time, and towing my daughter in a trailer. We were averaging about 10 miles once a week. The trailer makes it a good deal harder.
Recently I have started to go out once or twice during the week too - just for a quick half hour 5 miler. It's great and has seen another improvement in my wellbeing. It's cold now though so I'm not sure for how long I'll keep it up. I intend to but I recall that I gave up last year when it got too hard work.
I'm on Endomondo now - I've only burnt 30 burgers but I didn't have the Blackberry until the 2nd quarter of this year. It's a great motivator. Good luck with it..!!
I've been away from just about any sort of exercise for 20 years but I stopped smoking 11 years ago and bought a bike last year. At first I only managed to ride once a week but I noticed a general improvement in my breathing that hadn't really improved significantly since I stopped smoking. My weight hasn't come off at all but I'm noticeably stronger (I can run upstairs now, with my heavy work bag on my shoulders), and I sweat less like a fat knacket. I bit less.
That once-a-week ride was good though. It used to kill me. Once I managed 32 miles which was a bit excessive and left me knackered but since then I've started riding with my son who was only 6yp at the time, and towing my daughter in a trailer. We were averaging about 10 miles once a week. The trailer makes it a good deal harder.
Recently I have started to go out once or twice during the week too - just for a quick half hour 5 miler. It's great and has seen another improvement in my wellbeing. It's cold now though so I'm not sure for how long I'll keep it up. I intend to but I recall that I gave up last year when it got too hard work.
I'm on Endomondo now - I've only burnt 30 burgers but I didn't have the Blackberry until the 2nd quarter of this year. It's a great motivator. Good luck with it..!!
Edited by Mars on Thursday 3rd November 19:40
I hit a fairly scary 18st recently, I'm 6'2", so went and bought my 1st pushbike in abour 14 years.
In two months I've lost around a stone and a half and am noticably fitter as a result. I work offshore so while I'm there I do 40 mins on the spin bike every 2nd day then mountain bike twice a week (about 8-9 miles of hills).
It's ace! The only major downside is my tendancy to buy gear and upgrade things early. My camera is now fantastic but expensive and I can see the MTB going the same way!
The best thing I've bouht recently was a cheap heart rate monitor, it lets you know exactly how you're doing and how hard to push for maximum benefit. The 2nd best thing I bought was a rocshox seatpost...
In two months I've lost around a stone and a half and am noticably fitter as a result. I work offshore so while I'm there I do 40 mins on the spin bike every 2nd day then mountain bike twice a week (about 8-9 miles of hills).
It's ace! The only major downside is my tendancy to buy gear and upgrade things early. My camera is now fantastic but expensive and I can see the MTB going the same way!
The best thing I've bouht recently was a cheap heart rate monitor, it lets you know exactly how you're doing and how hard to push for maximum benefit. The 2nd best thing I bought was a rocshox seatpost...
Gizmo! said:
edit: also, for me it helps to remember -
Rule 5: http://www.velominati.com/blog/the-rules/#5
Was remembered a few times today when I was wheezing, think I need it taped to my bars LOLRule 5: http://www.velominati.com/blog/the-rules/#5
I know all about the temptation to buy all the gear 
I've just been out. Application of Rules 5 and 9. http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/27670980
Problem with cramp in my right calf however so I may have to buy myself some gay Lycra rather than wearing trackies...
I've just been out. Application of Rules 5 and 9. http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/27670980
Problem with cramp in my right calf however so I may have to buy myself some gay Lycra rather than wearing trackies...
google "100 push up challenge" and get into that too. it will really help balance out the training and within a few months you will be knocking out 100 push ups for fun. its quite good fun building up to it and it doesnt half work once you have the technique nailled (loads of youtube vids for that!)
http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/ok8VCfT_QeA
todays effort, legs are feeble at the mo, lungs can outdo them, just, the road run up the hill into Malpas is the bit that kills me, day off tomorrow, next one sunday
todays effort, legs are feeble at the mo, lungs can outdo them, just, the road run up the hill into Malpas is the bit that kills me, day off tomorrow, next one sunday
http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/omRDihyy5YQ
getting ever so slightly quicker, recovery time when I get off the bike is much improved after just 6 rides out, could hardly move after the first 3. Need some winter wear though, thin knee length baggies and a zip top flease don't do the job in this weather, bloody cold today.
getting ever so slightly quicker, recovery time when I get off the bike is much improved after just 6 rides out, could hardly move after the first 3. Need some winter wear though, thin knee length baggies and a zip top flease don't do the job in this weather, bloody cold today.
Wahoo, managed my circuit without the need to stop for the first time, time is down from 34 mins to 26.04m in 3 weeks. Legs are getting bigger, gut slightly smaller & weight has gone up LOL
Had a bout of manflu last week, missed a few rides, but I have set my goal a bit more realistic and plan to get 2-3 of my harder 5 mile runs in during the week and a 1.5h forest ride in with the boys at the weekend.
Most chuffed with doing the circuit with out a gasping stop 1/2 way through
Had a bout of manflu last week, missed a few rides, but I have set my goal a bit more realistic and plan to get 2-3 of my harder 5 mile runs in during the week and a 1.5h forest ride in with the boys at the weekend.
Most chuffed with doing the circuit with out a gasping stop 1/2 way through
scrwright said:
Wahoo, managed my circuit without the need to stop for the first time, time is down from 34 mins to 26.04m in 3 weeks. Legs are getting bigger, gut slightly smaller & weight has gone up LOL
Had a bout of manflu last week, missed a few rides, but I have set my goal a bit more realistic and plan to get 2-3 of my harder 5 mile runs in during the week and a 1.5h forest ride in with the boys at the weekend.
Most chuffed with doing the circuit with out a gasping stop 1/2 way through
That's good progress - keep it up.Had a bout of manflu last week, missed a few rides, but I have set my goal a bit more realistic and plan to get 2-3 of my harder 5 mile runs in during the week and a 1.5h forest ride in with the boys at the weekend.
Most chuffed with doing the circuit with out a gasping stop 1/2 way through
I'm not surprised you're not seeing weight loss yet as the muscle you're building is denser than the fat you're burning.
Personally I really start noticing a big difference after around six weeks - noticeably more muscle and less fat, more speed, more stamina, better recovery time, etc.
I'm on week 10 of cycling to work + running at lunchtime. (I used to do one or the other). I do this c 3 times a week and have a run on 3 of the other days.
Feeling a lot better and gut, although still present, greatly reduced.
I'm doing 5 miles/night after work. I've been doing it on my MTB but as a comparison I thought I'd have a go on my rigid framed city-bike tonight and I knocked 5 mins off my previous best of 29 mins (I'm not quick).
It's all down to the bike. Thinner slick tyres and SPDs help, and the higher "low" gear forces me to go faster uphill.
It's all down to the bike. Thinner slick tyres and SPDs help, and the higher "low" gear forces me to go faster uphill.
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