I'm considering commuting...I'm 5'4" and 125 lbs. Already in really good shape (run 10 miles everyday). I used to bike 30 miles a day before I got a job (instead of running), when I did that I gained a little weight in the form of leg muscle and upper body fat.

In my experience, biking builds leg muscle more effectively than running, but does not burn fat and tone your core nearly as effectively.

Just check the weight tracker in my sig. I've been commuting 1-2 times a week, starting in late June of this year, and have lost 35 lb.

Coming up on a month, I'll measure here pretty soon. I doubt it's changed much, but I do feel tons better. I get to work and start my bus run, and the highschoolers get on and immediately ask me to turn on the heat. Wha? OH that's right... you just got up out of bed and not only decided that the warmer temperatures called for this afternoon merited shorts even though now its 37 degrees, but you are riding a bus the 1.5 miles to school instead of of biking like I did, which is why I'm all nice and cozy. Gotcha.

I love my bike.

On the sewing note, I am really excited to start making clothes for myself. I have a really short torso, plus a little extra weight, mostly in my stomach and lower body. I can fit into 16 child jeans (which i love, they are much prettier than ripped up adult jeans, and cheap), but there isn't much hip or butt room. My husband is exactly opposite- his torso is tons bigger than usual: he is a foot taller than me and we have the same inseam. Once we get our credit cards recovered from our move and job switching, I plan to sew a lot. Custom orders may be in the works I know a handlebar bag is planned for me!

It's great to see how using your bike for plain old transport has helped so many folks. I'm just starting out (been doing 2-3 days a week for the past month or so) so no change yet, but I'm hoping it'll help me get down from 145 to about 125-130 (I'm only 5'1 so 145 means I have plenty of weight to spare!).

Andy, I can TOTALLY relate. You sound almost exactly like me. I work out much more than just part-time bicycle commuting though. And for me, it was 9 years ago (231 lbs), as low as 170 lbs and currently 198 lbs. My weight mostly depends on how much and what I eat. Believe it or not, I can fluctuate 30 pounds in a single year (my range is 175 to 205 lbs).

I meant to measure on the 6th, but things got busy, so I got my tape out this morning before breakfast.

28.5 inches. My paper says 30 last month, so I'm actually kind of impressed with an inh and a half difference. I haven't watched what I've been eating at all.

It's raining right now, boo for driving to work. I'm not quite equipped to deal with rain yet.