So I finally got going

romperstomper

Between laziness and crap weather I have been avoiding the commute on my bike for a long time, but I have finally started this week and so far so good.
Its 16K each way (so 20 mile round trip in old money) and I'm doing it in around 50 minutes. I'm sure it will come down after a while. Its across dublin city so its relatively flat. Now what I'm looking for is how long before I see results?
I could do with losing about 30lbs I reckon and I was wondering how long its gonna take to lose even half of that based on cycling every day to work?

Thanks for the thoughts guys

PS I'm happy with my diet so didn't want to take up the thread with dietary discussions.

Ghost Rider

In terms of weight loss, I imagine you'll start to notice the effects after about a month. That's if you're doing the journey five days a week. If your weight starts to level off again soon after that, I'd suggest either going for longer cycles or else taking up running. The problem with cycling as a way of losing weight is that the bike is doing a lot of the work.

romperstomper wrote:

Between laziness and crap weather I have been avoiding the commute on my bike for a long time, but I have finally started this week and so far so good.
Its 16K each way (so 20 mile round trip in old money) and I'm doing it in around 50 minutes. I'm sure it will come down after a while. Its across dublin city so its relatively flat. Now what I'm looking for is how long before I see results?
I could do with losing about 30lbs I reckon and I was wondering how long its gonna take to lose even half of that based on cycling every day to work?

Thanks for the thoughts guys

PS I'm happy with my diet so didn't want to take up the thread with dietary discussions.

romperstomper

so what is the answer to keep losing weight? long way home to gradually build up the distance? or going for longer cycles on the weekends? or mixing with different exercises? Unfortunately running is out for me due to old knee and hip problem.

Ghost Rider

To be honest, I don't know. Cycling has never really done that for me as my commute is too short, I don't have much spare time at the weekends and I only get to tour once a year at most. To keep my weight down, I have to run four times a week.

romperstomper wrote:

so what is the answer to keep losing weight? long way home to gradually build up the distance? or going for longer cycles on the weekends? or mixing with different exercises? Unfortunately running is out for me due to old knee and hip problem.

Raam

the simple answer is to use more calories in your exercise than you take in when eating.

Hungrycol

Can you clarify, does it take you 50 for the round trip i.e. 25 minutes each way?!

Either way it's a great start and keep it up. Get yourself comfortable clothes to cycle in as these will make all the difference but, as with gym's, don't do it purely for weight loss as this will make it boring and laborious after a while, cycle because you enjoy it.

Don't mind Ghostrider, last I looked the type of bikes that do all the work were called Motorcycles and anyway cyclists are some of the fittest athletes in the world.

Ghost Rider

I was comparing it to running, wiseguy.

Hungrycol wrote:

Don't mind Ghostrider, last I looked the type of bikes that do all the work were called Motorcycles and anyway cyclists are some of the fittest athletes in the world.

romperstomper

hi guys, thanks for the replies. taking me 50 minutes for the journey in, 45 or so on the way home so its over 95 minutes on the bike, 5 times a week. obviously i had to build up to this over a month as the first week i only managed to do it twice. are you guys advocating a longer way home?
I'm about 10Km from howth hill and go up that on weekends but maybe i should try to add it into my return journey home a few days a week? i don't cycle just to get in shape, i do it cos i like it

uberwolf

an hour and a half exercise in the day is more than enough as a start! Loads, and fair play. You're talking about losing about 4 stone or so, which presumably means you're overweight?

Especially in that context don't go overboard with exercise, what you're doing is loads. And whilst exercise is one half of the battle, and calories the other, be sure not to undertake that cycle hungry. Exercise will boost your metabolism once you're body twigs the frequency. That's where the weight loss will kick in.

romperstomper

thanks for that but 30lbs = just over 2 stone. im 14 and want to get back to 12ish. 5,11 in height

Hungrycol

uberwolf wrote:

an hour and a half exercise in the day is more than enough as a start! Loads, and fair play. You're talking about losing about 4 stone or so, which presumably means you're overweight?

Especially in that context don't go overboard with exercise, what you're doing is loads. And whilst exercise is one half of the battle, and calories the other, be sure not to undertake that cycle hungry. Exercise will boost your metabolism once you're body twigs the frequency. That's where the weight loss will kick in.

Some good advice here...