Cycling

canvas.

Hey guys, I've been reading boards for quite a while and I'm just posting looking for some advice.

I'm 17 (18 in June), weigh about 85kg and 5'11". I'm looking for some advice on where to start losing weight? I'm quite bulky but not overly chubby with a bit of muscle on me. I played rugby for four years until I was 16 then I had to give it up over a dodgy knee. So ever since them I'm just piling on the kilo's as I've never bothered exercising. Now when I'm going into shops like river island etc. the largest sized jeans they have are barely fitting, which is scaring me quite a lot, which is really getting to me now so I'm deciding it's finally take action. I'm f*cking sick and tired of the way I look tbh and just want to change it. For the long run.

The only exercise I do is walking home from school (I get a lift to school) which is 1.9km away, and my diet is crappy. I eat what I want, when I want. Mostly junk. I can't really go to the gym as I rarely have the time due to the leaving cert in June. Which is why I have looked into cycling. A group of us are headings away for a holiday during the summer also so I want to try lose a good margin of the flab by August, if that's possible.

I was thinking that maybe if I kept to an ok diet, cycled to and from school (3.8km) and then maybe go out and cycle for about an hour or two at about 10pm. Would this help me out significantly? I'm just thinking this could be an easy starter as I enjoy cycling much more than the likes of running (it's easier ). I was thinking maybe 8km to do at about 10pm. I'm probably trying to dive in way out of my depth, but that's why I'm here seeking some advice. I know its not going to be easy, but I'mwilling to push myself, and once I've got a definite plan, it should be easy enough as I'm quite a motivated person.
Advice on fitness and diet are both welcomed.

I look forward to hearing from anyone who is willing to help me out.

Thanks in advance,

Ryan

Cookie_Monster

There's awhole forum for cycling to check out
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=410

8km is a short dist and you should have no problem with this in quick order, a few weeks practice and you'll be doing it in 30mins or less with ease if it's flat enough.

Cycling will also put less strain on your knee. It's not the greatest fat burning exercise you can do but it's vastly more enjoyable than a treadmill in the gym cos you're out and about and it will take the weight off eventually.
Check out some of the cycling logs in the forum, good way to keep motivated by writing it up weekly and keep track of your progress

marathonic

Is it a road bike or mountain bike you're considering cycling? I agree with Cookie_Monster that 8k will be very easy to build up to - regardless of whether it's a road or mountain bike.

Personally, I cycle a road bike and an 8k cycle would be 20 minutes at a reasonable pace - if you get pretty good, it can be done in 15 minutes.

The reason I chose a road bike over a mountain bike is due to the social aspect - there are loads of cycling clubs all over the country and they've been getting more and more popular over recent years.

If you join a club and have time constraints, you can usually just do your own thing throughout the week (eventually, you'll be cycling 25k+ in an hour during the week) and then go for the club cycles on a Sunday. The club runs are usually divided - depending on the size of the club, there may be short (25 miles or so) and long (50 miles or so) routes that are taken on any given Sunday. Some of the long runs are done fast (reserved for the stronger members of the club) and in some, the group are kept at a slower pace (which is good for those making the jump from the short to long runs).

As an example, yesterday, a group of about 30 from my club were out yesterday and cycled 100k (65miles). This was an extremely tough run but there’s no reason why you couldn’t aim to build up to this type of run over this year. The run took a little over 4 hours (but you should have that time available on a Sunday) and burnt well over 3,000 calories – although you do bring a banana or two with you on these longer runs to keep you going.

I weighed myself yesterday morning and I was 79.1kg. Out of curiousity, I weighed myself this morning and I was 78.8kg. That makes it about 2/3 of a pound I lost yesterday (despite eating like a horse all yesterday afternoon/evening.

canvas.

Thanks for the advice guys. I guess I could go much further than 8km so. That was just cycling to the city centre and back which seems longer by car. It's just some giant bike my brother had lying around, I'm guessing it's a mountain bike.

Joining a club would seem a bit overboard for me, as I'm just trying to cycle casually for a while then maybe once that's worked a bit I'll go to the gym. I'm shockingly unfit at the moment, and I'm assuming cycling will make me fitter? I know it won't make me an olympian or anything like that, but it's just a start. Baby steps first! When I am cycling, what gear do you recommend I cycle in? I've heard a lot about it's all down to how fast the pedals spin or something.

Should I go to the diet section to sort that out btw? As I haven't a clue! And I'm too embarrassed to ask someone. :eek:

Oh and also, how long would be a suitable duration for wanting to lose about 15kg? Am I talking about a few months, or like a year?

marathonic

canvas. wrote: »

Joining a club would seem a bit overboard for me, as I'm just trying to cycle casually for a while then maybe once that's worked a bit I'll go to the gym. I'm shockingly unfit at the moment, and I'm assuming cycling will make me fitter?

I thought the same and was worried when first joining the club. The fact of the matter is, if you build up to 1 hour cycles, you'll be fitter than a lot of those currently in the club. Also, club membership is usually less than 50 euro for a year - it only gets expensive if you want to take part in competitive racing which would require you to purchase a licence from Cycling Ireland. Another major advantage is that, if you're tempted to go out for a few pints on a Saturday night and you know you've a club cycle the next morning, you may end up staying in. If this happens once in the year, your membership is already more than covered.

canvas. wrote: »

Should I go to the diet section to sort that out btw? As I haven't a clue! And I'm too embarrassed to ask someone. :eek:

Most definately. You should read, and re-read, this thread. It contains all the information you need to know.

canvas. wrote: »

Oh and also, how long would be a suitable duration for wanting to lose about 15kg? Am I talking about a few months, or like a year?

At a healthy pace of around 2lbs per week, it should take a little under 4 months if you nail your diet down. There'll be some weeks that you'll lose nothing, some that you may put on weight and others that you lose 4lbs+. Don't get discouraged if you don't lose weight on any particular week - only worry if this happens on multiple consecutive weeks.

Boardnashea

Leave a little early and take a tour on the way to school. Spend half an hour on the bike and you'll be in a much better state for the day ahead. Even once or twice a week.
I've been doing a 4 mile each way commute on a second hand mountain bike for a couple of years now and my weight didn't change much but I dropped a couple of trouser sizes. And if you slob it for Christmas or during a stretch of bad weather - no worries, just get back on ASAP.
Only now am I thinking of getting a bit more involved. Got a Halfords road bike (second hand again) and looking at joining the local cycle club sunday morning spin. I would be delighted to get up to a 40k level.

marathonic

Boardnashea wrote: »

Leave a little early and take a tour on the way to school. Spend half an hour on the bike and you'll be in a much better state for the day ahead. Even once or twice a week.

Agreed. It's great getting a cycle early in the morning. I cycle about 8 mile to and from work. People at work continuously ask me "are you not wrecked after cycling in?" when, in fact, the exact opposite is the case. It leaves you feeling much more energetic for the rest of the day.