The English Hac

I've been lurking and reading lots here before taking the dive into road cycling. I'm a 38 year old male, looking to lose some weight (215lbs is my current weight) and improve my fitness levels. I have a bad back (mild scoliosis) and for that reason have been steered in the direction of the Specialized Roubaix line of bikes by several LBSs.

I'm likely picking up a Medium sized Roubaix Elite this week. Does this sound like the way to go? I've had a great experience with Specialized in the past. I have a 1995 Hard Rock and a 2008 Sirrus. I like the Roubaix for the less aggressive position and carbon frame.

Thanks

surgeonstone

Ignore calorie totals from rides, they will lure you into thinking you deserve more food. Learn to appreciate being hungry. Eat healthy. Get rid of the alcohol, Make cycling fun, if you're always killing yourself you will stop riding. Rest. And for God's sake, stop having sex....it weakens the legs.

BotByte

I lost a lot of weight, 100 lbs. I went from 300lbs to 200 lbs in a year.

I was biking the entire time but it did not truly make me loose weight, it was actually eating two square of ramen a day, cheap taco bell and a 10 mile bike ride to the taco bell and to see a movie afterward.

Learn how to diet, don't adopt a diet, learn to diet.

You need a high protein, low fat, low carb, low sodium diet to loose weight fast.

Here's what I will have today to eat:

Egg beaters 1/4 fried
Two tablespoon of fat free yogurt

A salad. Lettuce, tomato, onion, 1 tbs dressing, hot sauce
half a square of ramen cooked

Half a chicken breast
same salad

applesauce
fat free yogurt

just saying, exercise will do nothing for you if you do not diet.

BlueWilier

I'm 36, about the same weight and new to cycling. I love it. It is addictive. I wake up at night hoping it's morning so I can ride to work. Do it, put lots of time in the saddle at any speed at first, then start challenging yourself to slightly out-do a statistic from you last ride ever other ride (buy a good computer like the Garmin Edge-500/800, the gadgets make me push myself!).

The English Hac

Thanks for the tips guys. When I work out I automatically eat better. I'll mainly be cycling in the evenings and weekends when I otherwise would have been sat in front of the TV with my netbook on my lap. It's not possible for me to ride to and from work.

Any comments on the bike before I drop that much money?

I have a decent Blackburn Delphi computer with cadence and heart rate. I'm a gadget fiend though so I just know I'll be tempted by a GPS unit at some point. I'm transferring my eggbeater pedals from my Sirrus and using MTB shoes for now. I guess I have to get some cycling shorts now too, huh?