Nightcap

Hi all,

Quick intro: I'm 50 years old, 6'1", 280 lbs (down from 313 a couple months ago - Unindicted Co-conspirator and I joined Weight Watchers together). I am not now nor have I ever been athletic. About 18 years ago, weighing about 300, I bought a Biachi Boardwalk and began commuting. Between the riding and a rather unsound diet, I lost a bunch of weight and a gall bladder. Did this a couple more times over the years (healthier diet and a local gym let me keep my remaining organs). Sadly, my capacity for rationalization and indolence is exceeded only by my appetite. Sloth and gluttony are my favorite deadly sins.

Local gym is no more, I'm not yet ready to face hardbodied twenty-somethings at bigger gyms, and the feets are getting sore from two-hour walks. Then I remembered the Bianchi gathering rust and cobwebs in the basement. I dragged it down to my Local Bike Shop last Friday and started reading this forum. The bike should be back in working order by this Friday. I no longer live in a place where I can commute, but I've got plenty of paved roads and nearby trails to ride evenings and weekends. Cardiologist gave me a thumbs up, and I'm really looking forward to getting back on the bike again.

One thing that impresses me in this Forum is that you folks have forgotten more about cycling than I ever knew (and you havn't forgotten much!). Any words of wisdom for a prodigal?

Thanks!

Tom Stormcrowe

Ride, ride, ride and stay hydrated!

Have fun and welcome to CLydes!

BeckyW

What Tom said. Go out and enjoy! If you used to commute, I imagine you know a lot more than you give yourself credit for.

Terrierman

Give up gluttony and sloth. Trade them in for a reasonable diet and exercise program, eating well but not to excess. and exercising with a similar mindset. Fun regular exercise is a big deal, which is why most of us ride bicycles. It will work wonders. I like that you call them (gluttony and sloth) by their right names too, it makes them easier to avoid.

Good luck.

Wogster

Well, the nice thing about forums, is that the community doesn't forget much, what one individual forgets another remembers. Forget the 20 somethings, by the time they are 40, most of them will be wondering how that 175lb muscle man turned into a 350lb fat man. Around the time they turn 50, some of them, will be here, asking the same questions you are.

Weight watcher type plans (I include Jenny Craig and the rest of them in here) are okay, just they have one problem, they usually provide special food and the diet works as long as you use their food. However, they don't train you to eat properly, so the 50lbs you lose, finds you again, and brings with it 20lbs of friends. So they you go back on the diet, pay more money, and repeat the cycle, this sometimes continues ad nausium. The diet people do not train you how to eat properly, I think about the only diet plan that indicates the right concept is South Beach, which preaches balance.

Remember one thing, there are 7000 calories in a kilogram (3000 in a pound), an hour of cycling should be worth about 750 calories, so to lose 1kg a week, you need to reduce calorie input to the point where you are short your needed calories by 7000 calories, if you exercise, then that adds to the number of calories needed, which means that you can eat more, and still have the 7000 calorie deficit. You still need to keep up with nutrient need, which means you need nutrient high foods, that are low in calories. Unfortunately the list doesn't include pizza, beer, soda or nachos.....

Now the bike, I would take the bike to a local bike shop (LBS), tell them it hasn't been ridden in so many years (specify if you know), and have them give it a tune up, expect to need to replace tires, tubes, brake pads, possibly cables and housings.

Good luck, and remember were pulling for ya.....

(51)

You've already taken the first step.

Get on the bike and ride (somewhere) 5-6 times a week. Some days it sucks, and the hardest part of your day is the ride out of your driveway. Start slowly and increase your mileage every week until you run out of time or road. I started out with 5 miles a day for a week, then 11 per day for a couple of weeks, then 16, then 20 and topped out at 25 miles due to time constraints.

Do this religiously for 6 months before you decide to continue riding or not. You will be hooked.

Happy riding!

Nightcap

Weight Watchers differs greatly from Jenny Craig et al. It doesn't provide food and does promote a healthier lifestyle (as opposed to a short-term "diet"). As one who's run the gamut, they're actually quite sensible, and I have high hopes that this time will be different. But that's a subject for another forum.

I explained the age and state of the bike to my LBS. They noted that some of the pieces parts are eighteen years old and no longer made (SunTour, e.g.), so the hope is that nothing more substantial than cables and chain would have to be replaced. Actually, I should say that's only half a hope. The male midlife crisis side of my brain is half hoping that I have to buy a new bike. There are some sweet wheels out there right now!

Thanks for the words of welcome. I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow.

Tom Stormcrowe

No worries, there's New Old Stock for Sun Tour all over Ebay. Freewheels, etc.

JeeperTim

Go back to the gym too - the 20 somethings will just have to deal with it. I go to a big gym with lots of young pretty people in it - it really messes with thier ego when I lift more than they can.
More muscle burns more calories - so building muscles will help lose the pounds and keep them off. I mainly bike because it's a fun way to do my cardio, and my kids like to come along too. I've founf a bunch of multi use paths near my home, and really enjoy riding out away from traffic and noise in the woods, around a lake, etc.

Wogster

I stand corrected, on weight watchers then....

One thing to remember, about the only parts that are an issue, are the headset and bottom bracket, as there were some oddball sizes, that may be difficult to track down, but I think it was about 20-25 years ago now, that they started moving to standard sizing.

The real issue though, you need to decide how much your willing to invest in the old one, before it's better to look at something more current. If you do decide on a new one, put the old one on Craigs List, as there are some guys who will buy 2-3 older bikes and pull components off them, and make one good bike. They tend to specialize based on country of origin and age.