PedalingWalrus

Hi there.

I'm new to the forums. I have recently started bike commuting to work 4 times per week and so naturally all kinds bicycling topics are peaking my interest. This C/A forum is wonderful. Lots of inspiration and great advice. I have recently weighed myself at another person's house and was horrified to be 265lbs instead of what I thought I was (240). The surprise comes from my perception that I do not feel or consider myself overweight or perhaps that I do consider 260 to be way too much.

I'm 47, 6' tall and I have a sedentary job. On the other hand, I consider myself very active. Depending on the season every weekend I go hiking and backpacking, sea kayaking, ski mountaineering, xc skiing, skate skiing, backcountry skiing and now also biking. During the week I used to supplement more seakayaking with short trips, I would walk 4 - 6 miles a couple times per week, during winter I would go xc skiing during lunch break when possible.

I have great endurance that I use all the time. My hiking trips consist always of hiking up 4000 footers (New England), my ski skinning also up 4000+ mountains, xc skiing I can do 15-20 miles per day, seakayaking I can do 10 mile day easily and have done 20 miles on several occassions. The last weekend days I biked 22,25 and 26 miles respectively.

I am on my 4th week bicycle commuting to work. 11 miles each way. I use pedal assist bike (ebike). I go fast, pedal non stop all the way to work in about 30 minutes.

I do not run :-) I do not drink (2 social beers per month perhaps). I do not smoke. I have never done any drugs.

So I still want to lose the weight although I do not FEEL obese but by the numbers I clearly am.

Let's hope the bike commuting will curb my weight by adding regular DAILY workout to my mix.

And of course the only logical consideration is my diet.

I eat usually
Breakfast:2 instant oatmeal packets in the morning if I bike, or 2 starbucks honey yogurts if I drive.
Lunch: big salat with meat or 20 pieces of sushi from super market or Yellow Curry
Dinner: decent size dinner from whatever my wife cooks for the kids or 1 fresh baguette with milk

So this is my first post and an introduction to the forum. Hi everyone.

10 Wheels

Hello and Welcome to Bike Forums.

Eat less and bike more.

Dave Cutter

A good exercise program will make you fit.... if it doesn't kill you first.

First.... congratulations on deciding to become a fitter healthier you. Many of us here at the forum (myself included) have lost weight using cycling and proper diet. But I am pretty confident that almost anyone can out eat an exercise routine. Or over-do a program and harm themselves.

At 47 and obese you should see your doctor for advice. Many health insurance providers and even employers also provide "wellness" services that can be helpful.

ill.clyde

Consider a non-assisted bike for that commute. Mine is 12 miles one-way. I can knock that out in about 50 minutes on a really good day (helps to have a shower here at work). But even if you don't go "all out" you're still burning calories. Depending on the program I burn between 600-800 calories per ride.

PedalingWalrus

Thanks for the advice. Yes. I also think it's as simple as eat less bike more. :-)

My bike does not have a throttle, it only makes me go faster but the energy expended seems to be almost the same except it takes less time to get to work. I still have to work harder uphill and shift gears. I chose a pedelec bike to make sure I stick with the routine and not burn out on the distance to work and the regularity but I am planning to start mixing bikes as well as go fully unassisted in the winter.