froggy2

So, I bought my first bike June 14 and went for a ride right away to make sure I could stay on the thing. That's what, five weeks ago? I haven't been back on it. First the excuse was that it was raining for three days. Then it was that I didn't have a helmet. Then it was that I had company for a week. Every night I go home and look at that stupid thing taking up space in my living room and I try to convince myself to throw on a pair of sneakers and take a ride in the park. And every night I say, "tomorrow."

I just can't seem to get my butt in gear. I really wanted this bike and I was really excited about taking the plunge and buying it but the excitement is gone.

bdinger

Take off your clothes, stand in front of a mirror. If you like what you see, throw the bike away. If not, get clothes back on and do something about it.

I'll say it again, when I weighed 567 pounds I didn't want to do anything about it, but somehow I managed to get off my ass and do it. When Tom was around that weight, he risked his life on surgery, then WITH AN OXYGEN MASK ON he rode a bike. The Historian rode 90 miles on a busted rib, after a year prior teaching himself to ride a bicycle.

Don't be a chump. Get on the bike.

Wogster

Okay, if you have time to yap on line, you have time to ride, so drop the keyboard, go and ride that bike, if you don't have a helmet, RIDE to the bike shop and get one, if not, remember that we didn't have helmets for the first 100 years of biking, we just had to be more careful. If you don't have energy when you get home, then get up early and go ride BEFORE you go to work. It doesn't matter if you go 20 miles or 20 feet, just remember the Nike slogan, "Just Do It".

CliftonGK1

Are you made of sugar or paper? Are you the Wicked Witch of the West? If you answered no, then rain isn't an appropriate excuse. (Unless it's some crazy hailstorm, tons of lightning, or a hurricane.) I ride in the rain all the time.

Stujoe

No doubt, my man. If you can't read this forum and get motivation from what incredibly amazing and life changing things people here have done, I don't know what to tell someone.

Every time I see that photo of Tom with that O2 mask on riding at that weight, I tell myself there is no reason why I can't get off my butt and ride. Of course, I love riding and this is not my first time at it but I still get lazy (and really that is all a lack of motivation is for me...laziness). This forum is like an anti-lazy pill for me, though. lol

CACycling

When I first returned to cycling, I can't tell you how many nights I got home from work and passed the bike hanging there in the garage thinking "not tonight, too tired". I'd go in, kiss my wife, change my clothes and head back to the garage to start my ride. I ALWAYS feel better when I return than I did when I left. That is the thought that helps me overcome my inertia.

Missbumble 

OK - I second the get naked approach. I say get naked and crawl on the floor then look at your stomach. Also think of all the people in Darfur living in camps who do not have a bike.

I know how hard it is to motivate and get up off the couch but it will be awesome. And ya know what if you won't get on the bike - then get to the gym -ride the elliptical fro 20 minutes. Just Do It! Bike 20 minutes or go to gym...but just do something. Oh an put the twinkie down!
Also - How 'bout tomorrow you post you Ride 1 Report - 5 minute ride..or 5 miles. Just come on back and report in! You are nto alone - many o the posters will be out riding tomorrow as well... (Ok not me - but will hit my hotel gym in the morning!!)


And i bet it is fun!!

ScrubJ

Find a friend to help motivate you. A riding partner can help you pass the miles without thinking about them. A month from now when you've dropped five pounds or twenty pounds, everything will be different.

When you start taking boxes of clothes to a local charity you will have started to take your life back in a major way. FWIW, I think I've spent more on replacing my clothes than I have on my bike gear. I'm down to a 36 with 34 in the sights from a size 44. I keep one button down shirt and a pair of pants around just to keep me motivated.

Alathea

Thats why some of us commute, too. If I drive part way to work and leave my car, other that calling my wife I don't have an out.

22.2 miles this week!

CAS

wrk101

Assume bicycling is not going to be exciting. I don't find going to the gym exciting. Going to work ain't all that exciting either. Brushing my teeth isn't that exciting. Ditto cleaning the house, washing the car.....

I think you are expecting too much from bicycling. The bike cannot supply the motivation. Your commitment to make a change in your life is what provides the motivation. My excitement comes from seeing a number on the bathroom scale that I have not seen in decades. And seeing my blood pressure drop.

I can't wait for my next physical. I am looking forward to the doctor giving me his standard "you need to exercise more, watch what you eat, yadda, yadda, speech, and then asking him to flip back on my chart to a year ago. Priceless!!!

Seeing the amazing changes others have made in their life is inspiring for sure. Makes my meager progress pale in comparison.

jrafael

I started biking on father's day 346 lbs now 334 lbs, and rain it's not an excuse. I live in South Florida, so it rains EVERYDAY, thunderstorm, lightning. and I still ride 7 days a week. So GET UP AND RIDE !!!

Tom Stormcrowe

Frogs are Waterproof. Get out and ride!

All I can say is that it's entirely up to you. If you choose to remain on the couch, that's your choice, and none of us will be able to dissuade you. You are the one that will be missing out on all the fun and the triumphs, though, and we'll be out there living it to the fullest, by doing things like bike touring, or racing, or just a simple ride down the bike path with a pretty girl.

Neil_B

It's OK. Lots of folks take the plunge into a hobby and discover they don't like it. You don't have to ride a bicycle if you don't want to. In fact, it would be better if you rode a bicycle ONLY if you want to do so. So stop feeling guilty about not riding.

Now then, once the guilt of not riding is gone the question becomes, do you like to ride a bicycle? It's OK if you don't. And only you know the answer to that query.

Neil_B

The OP is a "Nancy", Tom. Literally.

Tom Stormcrowe

or guy.........however, I was referencing from my own point of view. Somewhat centric of me, I know, but that's life.

Neil_B

Sorry, but I have to disagree, Ben. You can lead an Athena to water, but you cannot make her drink. If she doesn't want to ride, then nothing is going to change her mind. I'd met lots of folks who had lost weight; it wasn't until I wanted to change that the pounds fell off.

Mazama

The hardest part of your ride is getting out of the driveway. Just go for a ride around the block. Once out there I guarantee you'll take of and go riding.

seenoweevil

There are so many incredible stories here that inspire me, and I'm already stoked about riding! But what got me back on a bike personally are the 3 stents in my heart and my grandchildren. I ain't going down easy, almost did once. As has been said by others, you have to find what motivates YOU to start. The sense of health and well being that follows will keep you going 90% of the time, and we're always here to help you get back up when the 10% knocks you down!

rmwun54

You heard before the saying we are only here for only a short time; what you thought you were going to live forever, come on what are you waiting for your funeral. Do it before it's over, because you can only ride when you are alive.

lil brown bat

What's with the "motivate me" threads lately? Motivation isn't a pill you can buy at GNC. Go out and manufacture your own.

atcfoody

My wife and I rotate on who's parent's house we go to for Christmas and Thanksgiving, and the first year we were together, we went to my folks (okay, Mom's) house for Thanksgiving. Part of the Thanksgiving tradition for us in Akron is Mom and I running the Home Run for the Homeless in downtown Akron (it's a 4 mile run through Glendale cemetery) on Thanksgiving day. Mom is and avid runner and always places in her age group (not bad for someone who is now 63, I on the other hand, am usually way behind her, I'm not a runner), and it is always a good time. Well, Becky (my wife) didn't like standing on the sidelines waiting for us to finish, so we got her a pair of running shoes and she trained up for the next time we went to Akron for Thanksgiving (this time, her parents came along as well, somebody had to run the camera).

Well, Becky's first race started out at a balmy 29 degrees F. Just after the race started, it started to snow. By the time we got done, our hair and shirt fronts were frozen from the snow melting and then re-freezing in the wind (about 20ish mph, the snow was falling at about a 45 degree angle). Mind you, her excuses for skipping training runs had been: its too cold, rainy, snowy, dark, windy, etc. Except for dark, that one race eliminated all those excuses, and she admitted it.

So what does all that mean. Well, for starters, excuses are kind of like feet, everybody's got some, and they all stink. Yes, motivation doesn't come in pill form (we Americans want a pill for everything, whatever happened to working for something, seriously), but we can all use a little gentle prodding once-in-a-while. So, froggy, consider yourself the recipient of some motivation and get up and move. As was said before, if biking doesn't turnout to be your thing, that's okay, but get up and move just the same. Ride to meet someone for coffee or ice-cream. Walk to the store if it is close enough. Just get up and move.

D.

p.s. If not having a helmet is a problem, PM me with your size and address. I'll send you one.

Neil_B

+1.

bautieri

Are you suggesting the OP goes into the garage and cook up a batch of meth? A few hits of that and she wont be sitting still very long

Seriously though, don't give up on the bike just yet. You've hit a slump but if you got the will you'll pull out. It happens to everyone now and again so don't feel bad and don't let the strong words in this thread put you off biking altogether. The bicycle isn't the only way to get fit you know. When I find that I just don't feel biking I go do something else. Even if it's just walking a few laps around a mall and window shopping, it's better than sitting at home on your tush. Also finding a friend to exercise with really helps, you can take turns pulling each up and out when you just don't want to go.

So just go out and do something, the bike will be ready to ride when you want to (after you pump the tires back up). Riding your bicycle should not be a chore that you force yourself to do.

Missbumble 

Hey froggy - I'd be happy to call you up and provide motivation... Please feel free to PM me and perhaps as a fellow woman I can tell you my journey and help you get started.

I am woman hear me roar...................

Jerry in So IL

I can't run anymore, knee and flat feet hurt like hell.

I can lift weights, but then don't want to all the time.

I spent $350 on a bike! Wife said I BETTER ride the damn thing! I made a pledge to myself, I ride everything within three miles. By September, I should extend that out to five miles. $350 might not be alot to some folks, but its alot to us.

Like BDINGER said, get off your ass and ride!

Jerry