I discovered I could just about ride a non-powered bike again about a month ago after 5 years of operations and 1 year on an e-bike.
The 6 years of not riding properly had turned my svelte and handsome 14st body into as 17st 10 bouncy castle. I decided to get back into shape but am getting bored.
Do people find posting your progress on forums like this help keep you focused or is it all just a bit too "Look at me!" to be worth it?
Check out the STW Chub Club- just about to finish this month.
2 years ago I went from 89kg to 73kg, but gradually crept up knowing that I "must do something about it soon". Joining and sticking to Chub Club has seen me go from 85kg to 70kg since Jan this year.
keep going fatty, you can do it 😀 😉
No, but setting myself weekly and monthly riding targets has been very motivational.
Start at say 750m of climbing per week, and increase by 250m each month until you're at 2,000m per week or more. Strava monthly climbing challenges are pitched at the semi-fit cyclist and would be a good goal for someone not currently in great shape IMO.
Much, much easier for me to stick to a simple target like that than sticking to a diet.
It depends on you, and to a certain degree it depends on why you're losing weight.
Personally, I've been shedding the pounds for about 2 years, I keep a clear, no BS record of my weight and I weigh every week to ensure I keep my focus, I tell 2 people - my wife, because she asks me and 1 of my mates because he's doing the same thing. I don't publish on social media, if people comment on my weight loss I tend to play it down, partly because I don't usually enjoy being centre of attention and partly because a good few years ago I lost a LOT of weight and everyone telling me how good I looked made me think it was Job done and I could go back to eating kebabs so I put it all back on.
My weight loss buddy had different motivations to me, he really wants people who mention it, enjoys it, and he's worked very hard so why not, he's not a social media person but he will sometimes try to draw attention to it IRL even if we tease him a bit about it.
We're both doing it for health reasons, but more than that I think he's probably doing it to impress others more than I am, is it because I'm married and he's single? I don't know.
It doesn't really matter, losing weight is easy, it just takes a little will power, every single hour of every single day for years at a time and maintaining it just means you have to do the same for the rest of your life, with the added pitfalls of actually being able to treat yourself sometimes without it becoming a habit - so if it keeps you motivated, do it. If you’re worried about what some people will say about it, trust me, it’s nothing compared to what they say about your weight now.
It's worked for matey
A couple of years ago he was knocking on the door of 130 kg (he's about 5'10") and like anyone who eats loads and does nothing the first few stones fell off as soon as he started exercising. Still drank a bottle of wine and ate 250 g of cheese every night but one thing at a time eh.
Lots of social media Strava Park Run Facebook etc events targets new mates friendly banter and gushing encouragement he was down to about 100 kg still big but not massive
Got a GPS watch a convertible and a divorce now under 100 kg and looks 10 years younger
Good luck and all that
With pics it will.
Much, much easier for me to stick to a simple target like that than sticking to a diet.
but does it lose you weight? Exercise is only a small part of weight loss ime.
[i]With pics it will[/i]
You asked for it. A reasonable recent one fresh after a crash that put in the major trauma unit at SGH for a few hours. Personally I suspect the extra 'padding' helped.
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You appear to have a weird, out of focus blob on your shoulder. At first I thought it might be that thing on Trump's head but it's the wrong colour.
Aside from that - keep at it. Slow and methodical yields results...
I bought some Withings scales, the Body ones, that link to your wifi and so you can monitor your weight on an app, and I watch my weight every day.
Work pretty well, I can often see the effect of certain foods and execise and that is motivating. For instance if I eat a ritter marzipan bar that is one pound heavier the next, almost like clockwork. Baked potatoes are good for me to lose weight. If I didn't weigh myself every day I wouldn't know this.
Previously I dropped from 13.25 to 11 stone using this method, watching my diet and running a bit.
Whoa there big guy! _Another_ crash?
I thought you were going to be sensible after the ladder incident.
[i]Another_ crash?[/i] - I prefer to think of it as rehab. The one before just broke the front of the bike, that one wrote off the entire frame bending the pedal arm under the bottom bracket and the one after kinked the rear end.
That was the big one though, 2 hours being 'observed' in resuss and 4 in majors before being sent home as there were no beds available and I didn't seemed too bothered by the shattered big toe and abdominal bruising.
Remember that water levels in your body is likely to be the biggest cause of weight loss or gain over a 24 hour period, rather than body fat.
Personally, I don't think it's a good idea to publish it on social media, but definitely tell someone about it, whether a partner, friend, personal trainer or colleague. I found being held accountable to someone really helped.
Also, do a food diary. Its amazing how much the shame of writing down what you eat and drink can help you resist temptation.
I keep track of my weight each week in a spreadsheet (sad but easiest way for me). I actually update the current week each day so I have the latest weight if I forget to weigh one day - as I said, I am not massively motivated or interested in this but know it is something that will help me ride better.
Today I entered the weight for the fourth consecutive week and have achieved 21% of my total target weight loss. Unfortunately I suspect that is the quick and easy weight gone now just the reluctant to clear weight...
I keep track of my weight each week in a spreadsheet (sad but easiest way for me).
In which case we expect weekly updates including trend line and regression analysis, standard deviations and you could throw in some Chi squared analysis results just for good measure....
but does it lose you weight? Exercise is only a small part of weight loss ime.
I'm glad you asked this, because it's a very relevant question.
For me - no, it doesn't any more - but I'm almost certain the OP would see quick results, as it sounds like he's got a lot more "low hanging fruit".
[i]as it sounds like he's got a lot more "low hanging fruit". [/i]
No need to get personal, it is an age thing, they droop over time...
🙂
I keep track of my weight each week in a spreadsheet (sad but easiest way for me).
Easy to make a [i]pie[/i] chart then...
The answer is probably very individual....
Will it keep you honest to yourself? (because that's the only benefit)
There are also downsides and like all social media once written it's part of the internet forever...
I think there is a world of difference between posting once a month "lost 6kg, feeling much better" type posts to those that feel (like some friends i have on FB) that they must post every 4 mile run and every 20 mile ride, with Relive. A little is motivating, all the time posting same thing is just annoying.
I found it really good to have a target, a certain event or to raise money for a certain cause. Few years ago (after daughter was diagnosed with T1 diabetes) i did 10 of the toughest cycle events i could find to raise money for Diabetes UK, nothing like having that over your head to make you want to lose weight and train more.
Fitbit tracker/watch thing has worked really well for me, lost nearly a stone in just under two months.
Wife has had one since March and records her food intake.
You get an instant record of calorie input/output and it's very motivating.
She's lost about a stone and a half.
We excercised pretty regularly before, but nowhere near as much as we do now.
It just seems to help us both with motivation and awareness of what we eat.
Highly recommended.
Buy one for Mrs W as well, the competition can be fun.
🙂
When do people weigh themselves to get the most consistency?
I'm guessing first thing in the morning is best but it means I'd need to buy scales instead of just using the ones at the gym on a Friday afternoon...
Doesn't matter as long as you're consistent.
Same clothes, same time of day.
Whenever you feel like it.
And weekly is better than daily.
Apparantly.
I keep track of my weight each week in a spreadsheet (sad but easiest way for me).
the advantage of the scales is I just have to install the app and connect it to the wifi and then I just step on it after the shower every day, limits the amount of sad.
And can look at the phone to see the trend since I installed the app. It's like the fitness curves on Strava.
Weekly is too long, daily gives good feedback. What if your normal day is Saturday and you have a curry on Friday night ? Your weekly reading would show no loss but from the dailies you could see the loss trend over the week with the blip from the curry that will probably come back off again the next day, or the one after.
[i]Weekly is too long, daily gives good feedback. [/i[]
Date
29-May 100
05-Jun 98
12-Jun 96
19-Jun [s]93.5, 93, 93.5, 94, 93.5, 92.5,[/s] 92
I weigh daily but record weekly. Fictitious data above but the date column shows the date I will finally record.
For the week ending 19th June I updated and overwrote the previous days weight. Starting at 93.5 on the first day of the week, dropping slightly before rising (curry night) and then dropping more towards the end where I exercised. Ended on 92 which is the weight that remains recorded and I move to the next week
It doesn't give the day by day trend but lets me see it I am heading the right way
So this morning, first day of the new week, I weighed 93.5 and see a decrease. Each day
WiFi scales helped me (fitbit) I weigh daily, but kind of measure myself by the weekly average it gives you. I also switched to kilos from st&lb. No idea why, but it feels like this helped.
In this extreme heatwave, don't forget to drink lots of fluid (and perhaps even something salty to prevent that dangerous condition I forget the name of if too much water is drank too quickly), especially if you doing anything active.
I've drank ~4 litres of fluid today, which will be a little over 4Kg of Southampton's finest tap water.
Just finished my fourth Beirstein* of the day. Unfortunately also only Southampton's finest tap water
* 1 Litre beer glass