General Cycling Discussion - Bottoming out

Has anybody "bottomed-out?"

For a while, cycling just peeled off the weight, and added muscle to my legs (even my forearms are hard and muscular.) The fat left my stomach, love-handles, (there's a tiny bit left there ;)) face, neck and upper-body. I never want to go back.

But at 145 pounds, I wonder if I have "hit bottom?" I don't seem to lose any more weight, nor gain any. The only thing I seem to gain is physical fitness. :thumbup:

Honestly, I have never passed this way before, so I am looking for confirmation from other experienced folks.

Pete!!!! You weigh less than me!!!! How tall are you?

That would be a military secret. ;)

Let's just say I am shorter than anyone else in these forums (safe bet.)

:D

Originally posted by Pete Clark
That would be a military secret. ;)


He could tell you, but then he'd have to kill you. :eek:

aw! come on Pete You have to tell us now how tall are you

Remember muscle weighs more than fat, so 145 might not be unreasonably heavy even for a very, very short adult male in good physical condition. And regardless of height, body type including bone structure has to be considered. Somebody skinny by nature will always tend to weigh less, other issues being the same, than somebody with a hefty body type.

Abraham Lincoln once said that a man's legs ought to be long enough to reach the floor. I think that's a pretty good guideline for anybody who's feeling well.

I totally agree with you Jonr, My height is 5"9 1/2" and I weight 160 lbs during the summer then I balloon to about 170 to 175 lbs during the winter, this thing I will try to maintain my weight at 160 even during the winter months, I have to have decipline riding my bike rollers in winter time...

Pete,


I've noticed the same thing. I started riding, dropped weight. Becoming a vegetarian might have had something to do with it as well. But now I see that I've reached a weight of 145 and nothing else will come off. I would like to lose 5 or 10 more but......you know the deal.

I'm 5'7" and not particularly muscular. I think I need to buy one of those ab bustin home belly bustin equipment in order to rid myself of that last bit of flab and the "handles". The GT just won't do it for me. :(

Jon T, time to get a rowbike ;)

Better yet the "Co-ed training Home Game!!" ;)

Hi all,
Yes Peter, I too bottomed out, in my first year of serious commuting I lost 14 kilos and since then the only time I lose weight is through stress- in 23 years of marriage and 4 kids there are those bad years!
Now I only fluctuate ( no not flatulate):D a few kilos either way. I never lost those love handles, because as the years go by the waist thickens regardless of training.
At 5' 6" and usually 67 kilos if I lose 3 kilo I feel skinny and lose endurance, it would be good to live at that level- 64kg but in reality I feel out of energy and have no fat in reserve. I guess if I trained for endurance I would be able to funtion at that lower level, but I am a 'sprinter' not a stayer- well on the bike anyway;) .
regards, sillystorm

Welcome, sillystorm--glad to see yet another Australian member of the Forums. Pretty soon there will be as many Australian members as there are Atlantans! :D

Hi all.
I am 72 inches and weigh 149 lbs . I now like these dimensions.

Back in the autumn of last year i had to visit the doc because i was feeling so weak and sluggish . my weight was down to 143lbs .at that time i was still doing a fair bit of road running as well as cycling . doc suggested i curtail one or the other since then i have weened myself completly off running . (could not live without my bike) and am now feeling tip-top again. knees are feeling better too.

Originally posted by willic
knees are feeling better too.
I quit running many years ago because of fear of joint injury. If it weren't for that, frankly I think I'd rather run than cycle. But it's just too wearing! Cycling, on the other hand, has even helped some people recover from joint problems.

Well, I'm 5'10 if that justifies my weight at all.I could probably cut it down a little.Me and my boss have a joke when we eat junk food,WWLD:What Would Lance Do.It hasn't helped though.Last time I tried to eat less I started looking sick and my mom took me to the doctor!!!! YUCK!!

Yer right there jon . running really hammers your joints especialy road running
Lets face it the constant pounding and full force of the weight of your body onto a solid surface something eventually his to give ,
I count myself lucky that I have stopped before I did myself any (hopefully) permanent damage.
Apart fom a slight ache in my left knee all is well .
Cycling on the other hand does not seem to affect the knee joints at all. possibly its a matter of better weight distribution.

WWLD: "What Would Lance Do?"

That's too funny, Fubie! :D

(For those of you who have just tuned in, with apologies to "His Highness," WWJD means, "What Would Jesus Do?"

So, I wonder how Jesus would feel being compared to Lance?

I think Lance will be under a lot of pressure for perhaps the first time. ;)

Fubar,

Maybe you should market some of those colorful bracelets:

WWLD: "What Would Lance Do?"

;)

Originally posted by AlphaGeek
Fubar,

Maybe you should market some of those colorful bracelets:

WWLD: "What Would Lance Do?"

;)

I dunno, only cyclists would know who Lance was, and I don't know if they would go for it.