Smoker, bad eater, no sleeping routine - What difference could cycling make?

macken

Sick of all the above. I've tried a few times to get into eating properly and building myself up but got sick of it after 2 or 3 months.

I had a racer a few years ago and sold it after 2k miles but I don't think I got that much benefit from it or if I did I forget.

I'm thinking of buying a bike again but I'm afraid I'll just end of getting sick of that too and I'll be back to square 1 again with another failure.

What difference has clocking up regular miles on a bike made to you?

Captain Havoc

Hi, macken
I am an ex 30 a dayer. What ever about other sports in cycling smoking definately has a negative effect. Now I do know some guys who have a fag during a 150+km cycle, which would just kill me. I still have the odd fag here and there, when I drink. I've been reducing my cigarettes for a long time now, just can't seem to get that final push but to be honest I'm delighted to have gone from 30 a day to less than a pack a week. When I go out, I smoke Silk Cut blue which at first you'll smoke like the government is bringing in a complete ban tomorrow but eventually you'll get used to them and the after effects are much better (but still not good). What ever it takes get off the cancer-sticks. I know there's a couple of ex-smokers in our club.
Bad eater, I'm not the best but I was never that bad. Yes, cycling has definately made me think about what I eat. I'm trying to lose weight to be a better climber, so chocolate is pretty much gone, diet coke is in, on lash I've switched over to Bulmers light, the after beer pizza is gone (except in extreme cases). I actually eat pretty well now.
Sleeping routine, I take it you're on the rock and roll, as am I. It has had little effect here. I do get up early on Saturday to cycle but that's it.
All in all, because I have nothing else to do except cycle and play football I am more self disciplined. I know I keep repeating myself but joining my local cylcing club is one of the best moves I've made. If you're trying to keep up with other guys you'll have second thoughts about your bad habits and trust me, if you have a fag on Friday and are been left behind on a hill Saturday by someone twice your age, you'll feel bad about yourself.
I hope your intention is to get off the fags and to lead a healthier lifestyle, if so I wish the best of luck with it.
Jersey

zzzzzzzz

macken wrote: »

Sick of all the above. I've tried a few times to get into eating properly and building myself up but got sick of it after 2 or 3 months.

I had a racer a few years ago and sold it after 2k miles but I don't think I got that much benefit from it or if I did I forget.

I'm thinking of buying a bike again but I'm afraid I'll just end of getting sick of that too and I'll be back to square 1 again with another failure.

What difference has clocking up regular miles on a bike made to you?

A year and a half ago I was a heavy smoker (20 a day), ate crap, was TOTALLY inactive and drank a lot.

I decided to give up smoking and, after a couple of failed attempts, decided I needed to take something up that I wouldn't be able to do otherwise. I'd been following the pro tour for a couple of years and a few friends of mine were cyclists so it was decided - I bought a bike.

The bike has completely changed my lifestyle. It's kept me off the smokes and out of the pub (for the most part) and my diet has improved a lot.

Giving up smoking was the hardest thing I've ever done but - after my first season of racing this year - I think it's also been the most rewarding.

My advice to you would be to get the bike, start slowly, and stick with it. Even if you're only getting out once a week on it, or commuting, it's a start!

Vélo

I got into cycling last year because I was sick of just sitting in all the time doing nothing. I'd no intention of joining a gym as I tried a few times before and never kept it up. Cycling is one the best things I've done, my fitness has improved tenfold if not more. I used to smoke and I think it's probably helped me stay off them. I was never over weight but I was a bad enough eater. As regards to eating I don't think cycling will help you eat better unless of course you get big into it and you want to lose those extra pounds so you can get up those big hills faster.

My advice is go for it. It's better than joining a gym because even if you don't keep it up the bike'll be there again incase you want to give it another go.

As I said earlier it's one of the best things I've done and I've read many other posts with people saying the same thing.

Best of luck.

beans

If you were regularly riding your bike, you'd benefit from the exercise, calories used, endorphins released, all the usual things. If you were working toward some fitness-goals or building up to an event or distance, say "I'm going to cycle 50k in one go before the end of September" or something, then you'd find yourself riding more regularly and so the benefits would be increased accordingly.

Personally, the above has helped me greatly in the past few years to stay fit, healthy and happy. I can't run due to weak knees and ankles, so the bike is really the only exercise I get. It helps me cut down the smokes, watch the booze and what I eat (mostly )

But it's like anything else - bullsh!t in, bullsh!t out. The bike won't magically solve anything just sitting in the corner of the kitchen looking pretty. But then I'm sure you know this!

Spiritoftheseventies

macken wrote: »

Sick of all the above. I've tried a few times to get into eating properly and building myself up but got sick of it after 2 or 3 months.

I had a racer a few years ago and sold it after 2k miles but I don't think I got that much benefit from it or if I did I forget.

I'm thinking of buying a bike again but I'm afraid I'll just end of getting sick of that too and I'll be back to square 1 again with another failure.

What difference has clocking up regular miles on a bike made to you?

Well if you are serious about exercise you will then adjust your diet accordingly. Ie runners dont snack on pitzas as it will invariably affect their performance. And if you are carrying excess weight it will affect your performance. Yeah Cycling a good idea i think and it gets away from temptation of eating.

Ghost Rider

I'm not entirely sure what you're trying to achieve. Are you trying to improve your diet? Cut down on smoking? Sleep better?

If the former two, I think the changes need to come from you i.e. from your own conscious will and your own self-discipline. Cycling won't "cause" those things to happen to you. What could happen, if you develop an enthusiasm for cycling, is that you find yourself changing your habits simply to get better at it. I suspect this happened to a lot of people on this forum. But again: in this case it would be your will that instigated the changes, not cycling itself. (There is probably a philosophical argument to be made against that, but it's trivial, I think.)

As for improving your sleep routine, you might find after regular cycling that you do fall into a better pattern. But again - this would come from within you, not from without. You would still need to make the effort to get out and cycle regularly, and in such a way that you expend a decent amount of energy on it.

(By the way, how well we sleep is a complex matter and energy expenditure is only one factor. If you have problems, you might be experiencing anxiety, for example. Alcohol can also mess with your sleep patterns. Naturally, regular cycling might not address those issues, though it could help to relieve them, as could any form of exercise.)

If you need to lose weight, cycling can be good. But bear in mind: you have to spend a LOT more time doing it compared to, say, running or swimming, to achieve comparable results. So if that's one of your main objectives, and you're not sure you'll develop the enthusiasm you need to spend enough time in the saddle, I'd try running first.

On Smoking...
I used to smoke a minimum of 30 cigarettes a day, by the way, and sometimes as many as 60. Since the day I stopped (9 years ago nearly to this day) I haven't had a single craving. My ability to quit had nothing to do with sport or diet. (In fact, I was quite unfit for several years after quitting.) It had everything to do with the realisation that the addiction to cigarettes was 99% psychological and based on the fear that I would never be able to live without them. In my own head, the addiction was about 99% physical and 1% psychological but that turned to be one of the greatest tricks the addiction played on me.

**Timbuk2**

It will make all the difference.

If you give up smoking, you'll see how it has a positive effect on your cycling ability and will be encouraged to keep off them. (Was never a smoker but this is what I heard).

I find if I cycle a lot my eating will sort itself out - you soon realise what foods make you feel good and bad and which foods allow you to perform better when cycling. You won't be as tempted to eat junk as it usually leaves you feeling weak and like crap afterwards.

Also, after a long cycle you will be tired so you should sleep better. It would probably be better if you sorted out your sleep schedule separately - but cycling will help. As an airline pilot, I know a thing or two about having a hectic sleep schedule. If you want to settle back into a sleep schedule, don't concentrate on going to bed at the same time. Concentrate on getting up at the same time - regardless of what time you go to bed. The time that your body feels tired in the evening will sort itself out. Generally, you'll feel the need for sleep about 16 hours after you get up. If you get up a 10am, you probably won't be able to go asleep until about 2am. If you get up at 8am, you'll be tired at 12am etc. Doing a decent amount of exercise can make you sleep better and feel more rested.

mmclo

I certainly started cycling after about 17 years a year ago for health and weight loss reasons. It has helped with both although I think you reach a pleateu. But a stone or two is definitely possible. I think having cycled in the past - school or college - really helps.

The silver bullet for newcomers is commuting, if you can cycle to work you will mainstream it in to your life and find it much easier, then when yu come home home it's done and you don't have to go finding the time. Over reasonable distances it will be quicker and cheaper. It's also an easy target either in to work every day or home and in or a few days depending on fitness distance etc.

I was surprised by how quickly I went from zero to 25k/day commute, as if to proove the point on hols now and find it hard to match these distances or frequencies

Spiritoftheseventies

mmclo wrote: »

I certainly started cycling after about 17 years a year ago for health and weight loss reasons. It has helped with both although I think you reach a pleateu. But a stone or two is definitely possible. I think having cycled in the past - school or college - really helps.

The silver bullet for newcomers is commuting, if you can cycle to work you will mainstream it in to your life and find it much easier, then when yu come home home it's done and you don't have to go finding the time. Over reasonable distances it will be quicker and cheaper. It's also an easy target either in to work every day or home and in or a few days depending on fitness distance etc.

I was surprised by how quickly I went from zero to 25k/day commute, as if to proove the point on hols now and find it hard to match these distances or frequencies

Yes think Cycling very good. Cycling against a strong wind i think is great test of endurance. Best experience of my life was doing a 100k charity race. those were the days!

Chips Lovell

Cycling won't make you give up smoking or look after your diet, per se. Take it from me. However, aside from the fitness you'll gain, it will give you a better sense of overall well being and add to the motivation to start looking after yourself better. That doesn't mean it won't be hard, but you'll have a carrot there. Experience has taught me not to jump in it and that you'll be more likely to succeed if you do it by degrees. So if you do start cycling, wait for a while to get into, then ditch the smokes and once you are over them, start looking at food.

Jawgap

Get the bike and incorporate cycling into your daily routine - as Mmclo suggested commuting is a great place to start.

It's how I got into it - then once I realised that a journey that took 40 minutes in the car through rush hour only took 20 mins on the bike I was hooked.

As the fitness improved the commute time came down, but I was enjoying it more and as a result I was looking to cycle more. The net result is that despite moving outside the city I still do a lot of commuting combined with leisure rides.

Some words of warning - you'll hate it first - you'll be sore, sick and dizzy especially if you smoke and don't eat properly - but the plus side is you'll be amazed at how quickly you'll improve and how dramatic the improvement will be - aim to give yourself at least 1 month of cycling before deciding if it's for you. Start now while the evenings are long and the weather is warm.

Can't comment on how it'll affect your smoking, because I've never smoked, but I sleep like a lamb each night (also less weight means less snoring and better quality sleep) and I still generally eat what I like with some modifications!

Good luck.

unionman

You've already received a lot of sound advice OP, so the only thing I would add to that is to encourage you to stop smoking.

I stopped 12 years ago. I say 'stopped' rather than 'gave up' because really that is what you are doing. 'Giving up' is the phrase that makes you think you have lost something, it's part of the language of addiction.

However trite and simplistic that sounds, it did work.

Vélo

unionman wrote: »

You've already received a lot of sound advice OP, so the only thing I would add to that is to encourage you to stop smoking.

I stopped 12 years ago. I say 'stopped' rather than 'gave up' because really that is what you are doing. 'Giving up' is the phrase that makes you think you have lost something, it's part of the language of addiction.

However trite and simplistic that sounds, it did work.

Did somebody go to an Allen Carr seminar?

thebouldwhacker

Cycling makes a huge difference to me and keeping me on the health straight and narrow (relatively speaking) however it was never the catalyst to make me have a healthier lifestyle. After I decided to take up a sporting past time I tried many, and still do, however cycling was a passion of mine in my youth and so was rekindled. However running was an old forte too but now I can take it or leave it. So for this point I believe the posts above to be all correct to a certain extent.

You say you are a smoker, a bad eater, have no sleeping routine and your sick of it all. They are four linked but not exclusive issues. To make a long post short cycling can be something to replace your vices (instead of watching TV for 5 hours while eating pizza now you can prepare food and cycle for the evening) but I do not believe it is strong enough to change you the person or your behaviour.

Behaviour modification must be an internal drive coming from a determined decision, it can be supported by an external stimulus ie desired improvement in cycling, family, health, financial but will probably not be successful if the drive for change is sourced solely from them. It will take time effort and many restarts.

So congrats, even posting this is a step toward a healthier lifestyle, I hope you do chose cycling as your sport of choice but do try many and pretty soon you ll know which one is for you

Jawgap

Vélo wrote: »

Did somebody go to an Allen Carr seminar?

this guy????

Captain Havoc

Jawgap wrote: »

this guy????

I was wondering how long it would take Still funny though

Vélo

I was wondering myself how long that would take. No it's Allen Carr the one who died of lung cancer even though he stopped smoking over 20years before.:eek:

Colmhayden76

I am maybe 5 months down the road you are taking and it does help. I didn't just join a local club I actually started 1! Now with 50 members it is a great motavation to get out on the bike as there is always some one about to spin out with .
Thats the first part, join a club or find some like minded individuals as you will motavate ecah other. I have found that I am still eating the same crap but I have lost 20 kg in the past 5 months so I must be doing somthing right!
As to smoking when you feel ready to give up thats when. Smoking is a compulsion addiction and you don't actually need them. When you realise that you will be free. I gave them up again 8 days ago and I have to say I have not wanted one since. I have no cravings for chocolate crisps etc. Best of luck with it and stick to it in small steps!

Ghost Rider

As an ex-smoker, I can tell you that advice is spot on.

Vélo wrote: »

Did somebody go to an Allen Carr seminar?

Vélo

Ghost Rider wrote: »

As an ex-smoker, I can tell you that advice is spot on.

I went to it myself and thought it was the biggest load of crap but said I'd give it a go. I stayed off them for over 2 years at the time.

Ghost Rider

No idea what the seminars are like but the book is incredibly repetitive, hectoring, relentless and yet - I found - weirdly powerful. Despite what he advises in the book itself (for obvious reasons, I guess) I started reading it the day I quit and found it immensely helpful. I think it brainwashes you, if you let it. I was perfectly happy to be brainwashed off cigarettes!

Vélo wrote: »

I went to it myself and thought it was the biggest load of crap but said I'd give it a go. I stayed off them for over 2 years at the time.

unionman

Vélo wrote: »

Did somebody go to an Allen Carr seminar?

No. I wouldn't have been able to afford one as I used to spend all my money on fags:D

I read a chapter of his book though, and I'm a sucker for potted wisdom. Worked like a charm.

zzzzzzzz

unionman wrote: »

I stopped 12 years ago. I say 'stopped' rather than 'gave up' because really that is what you are doing. 'Giving up' is the phrase that makes you think you have lost something, it's part of the language of addiction.

However trite and simplistic that sounds, it did work.

You're dead right - although I'd go one step further and say that it feels like you're losing something when you give up, regardless of the terminology you use.

What you're gaining (your health) isn't tangible in the short term at least, so I definitely think it's good idea to replace smoking with something.

Chips Lovell

aidan.offbeat wrote: »

I definitely think it's good idea to replace smoking with something.

Gambling addiction FTW

zzzzzzzz

el tonto wrote: »

Gambling addiction FTW

I was thinking heroin but that works

macken

Thanks for all the replies. I just posted up an ad looking for a used bike there now. http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=61451335#post61451335

I agree with all on the motivation needing to come from yourself. I hope the cycling will help to get all those things in line. Ive started a few times but my problem has always been keeping the focus.

biomed32

if its any consolation I was in your situation a number of months ago, i would stic to something for a while and get fed up of it. a personal loss took me off the rails completly for a few months in december for a long time my average weekly sleep consisted of about 5 hours or less a week and i also gained a fair bit of weight. I was very involved in charity work in college and we were preparing for the run up to the Galway cycle (a cycle from maynooth to galway and back again for a different charity each year) i cought the cycling bug, although i didnt cycle the GC this year i plan on next march and have since taken up cycling in earnest now. i started off small doing 20k cycles on a hybrid and can now do 70k and have lost a stone in weight.
apologising for the incredibly long ramble here but to finish up...
- cycling in general can knacker you out an get you to sleep quicker but not always necisarily true.
- when you cycle your mind is motivated to eat more healthier or at least i have found.
- in general take it easy and start off small and build up to better distances and stick some hills in your training its good aerobic excercise.

again i apologise for the long ramble and i wish you the best of luck

Jawgap

aidan.offbeat wrote: »

..... I definitely think it's good idea to replace smoking with something.

CRC and Wiggle!!!