Approach to fitness...

[Hatevessel]

Hi all,

Not wanting to repeat my introduction post in the welcome forum, so I'll say it in simple terms: my fitness is currently rock bottom. I can't imagine another human being, no matter what size, being less able to endure prolonged physical effort than I.

Therefore, as I'm just starting out cycling, what do you think would be the best approach? I've read cycling fitness plans etc but even beginner ones seem slightly out of my scope at the moment. I've read other people essentially saying: just get out there and cycle, pick a route and attack it every day and you'll see the gains.

I want to achieve a balance between doing worthwhile, achievable exercise and not biting off more than I can chew and leading me down the "I'm not cut out for this" sort of thinking that has plagued most of my previous efforts. I also want it to be fun and challenging, without being too forensic.

For those who have come from a low levels of fitness, what worked for you? Are there any 'go to' guides to get me up and runn[cycl]ing?

Obviously diet plays a big factor, and I've got my head screwed on in that regard, despite the predicament I currently find myself in! My previous (initially) successful efforts to drop weight have come at the expense of extremely lengthy hikes/rambles/walks. However, this just built up my ability to walk for long distances, rather than attain any real level of fitness.

Cheers for any thoughts you may have

 

[ScotiaLass]

When I started cycling I was very overweight.
I could only manage a few miles and that wiped me out for days afterwards.
I took the advice from members on the forum, and just did what I could, when I could. I think having a 'regime' would have put me off getting on the bike to be honest!
I did what I enjoyed, at my own pace....along the towpaths, through the trails in my local woods.

Now, I am almost 4 stone lighter, I don't get off the bike and push it up hills anymore, I can ride for 30+ miles in one go.....
I'm 50 years old, have arthritis in my knees and spine and Fibromyalgia. I call that a result!

Do what you can, when you can, but most of all......enjoy it!

 

[welsh dragon]

As SL and TMN have both said. Don't set yourself goals. Just get out and enjoy. If you get tired, stop. If you can only manage to go to the bottom of your road and back, thats okay. Go out as often as you can, and soon you will find you can go further and longer. Everyone is differnet, don't try to do to much to fast. But the best advise of all is to have fun. If it isn't fun, then you won't do it. Good luck

 

[Fab Foodie]

What ScotiaLass and TMN said.
First get out on yer bike and learn to enjoy it. No computer/ speedo, no training plans, just little and often. Start each ride gently, don't attack anything. Fitness comes readily on a bike, - just gradually increase distance, speed will come. Spin the pedals rather than push hard, make use of your gears.
Keep asking questions.

 

[vickster]

Why do you say you are incredibly unfit? Can you not get out of a chair, up a flight of stairs? Or do you get out of breath doing everyday tasks? Have you consulted a doctor therefore...?

If you just feel unfit, get out of puff quickly with exertion, not just moving around, as others have said!

 

[Saluki]

Just go out and do it.
Don't look at fitness plans, you'll just depress yourself. Get on the bike and ride for 5 minutes (or for 2 if you can't manage 5) and then ride back, rinse and repeat.
I know someone who just started exercising for 10 minutes a day over 2 'sessions'. This was 5 years ago. He now does Tough Mudders and Half Ironman events. 10 minutes a day of some sort of exercise a day is all it takes to make a start.

Don't take a bike computer or any other gadgetry (unless you want to take some music of some sort. I find music helpful). Just ride. Make a note of what you have done too, you will find it encouraging as you get fitter and go further.

 

[ianrauk]

I would like to echo what everyone above my post has said. In simple terms just ride your bike, rest then ride your bike more. Then repeat.

You are certainly not alone at where you are now health wise. A heck of a lot of us have been there. Myself included. I led a very unhealthy, sedimentary lifestyle. 4 stone over weight at the age of 40. So got a bike and haven't looked back. My first ride was a mile and a half. I had to have a lie down for half an hour to recover. My wife thought I was going to have a heart attack. But I stuck at it. Upped the mileage slowly and watched the weight drop off. You can see in my ticker below at how many miles I do now.

For even more inspiration. Check out THIS thread about the 40 stone cyclist.

So keep at it, forget all the goals and attacking and just ride your bike. Eat healthy and cut way back on the booze if you are so inclined.

Keep us updated as to your progress. We are all interested in seeing you become a fitter, thinner, healthier person.

 

[Pointy boy]

Loads of good advice above.
I completely agree that you should avoid all the 'fitness plans' you'll find on the internet, especially in the early stages.

The two most important things for me were:
1: Make exercise part of your day - the same as eating or going to the toilet - it's should become something that you just do! For me, this meant getting up an hour earlier so I could get a 4 mile walk in before work. It's tough the first few times you have to drag yourself out of bed, but your body soon adapts to the new routine, and it now feels odd if I don't do it!
2: Make it fun. Set yourself little achievable targets, walk/run/ride in places you enjoy being, find ways to keep it fresh and enjoyable. This is THE most important thing for me - if it feels like work, you're doing it wrong. Make it fun, keep it fun. Don't become one of those joyless zombies you see hammering the treadmills in the gym - do something that puts a stupid grin on your face :-)

All the other stuff, diet, etc, can follow on from this. But routine and enjoyment are key IMHO.

I got serious about my health and exercise about two years ago. I've lost 3 1/2 stone, and gone from being unable to jog more than 100 metres, to running mountain marathons and cycling in the Welsh hills. And I promise you, I was as lazy and unmotivated as they come :-)

I hope you find a way that works for you.

A

 

[Dave 123]

Can I ask what led to this?
Are you naturally unsporty, or is it too many biscuits and too much sofa time?

As well as cycling see if you can do other sports and activities. This may involve joining clubs, but many of them run taster sessions that are free.
I'd also ask at the local leisure centre/council recreation dept and ask them what activities are on the go in your neck of the woods.

Take it steady, and enjoy what you do. Nobody expects you to win the Tour de France next year (2015, we have high hopes for you...)

 

[KneesUp]

I was pretty unfit when I got back on my bike earlier this year. Well, actually I got back on 'a' bike last year but I found it so dispiritingly difficult I gave up after a three mile 'ride' of which I walked/freewheeled about 2 miles.

The main problem I had the first time was that the gearing on the bike (which was a 35 year old road bike) was far too high for my level of fitness and the hills between my house and work. In fact I'd say that road bikes from that era have gearing that is too high for most people, and if you have experience of riding one of them in your earlier years (I don't know how old you are) then you probably pedal a bit too slowly. Pedal quicker and it is easier. Modern bikes have much more suitable gearing for people who aren't club racers riding a flat race i.e. they go lower.

Having typed all that I see you live in Rochester, which I imagine to be quite flat (I can hear my Geography teacher sighing and telling me it's not 'flat' it is 'undulating' but you both know what I mean!) but if you are starting from a low fitness base it still stands. I've just built a 'bitsa' bike (from bits of this and bits of that) and the gearing came out a little lower than I'd expected (because the crankset I wanted to use was too worn, so I have one with fewer teeth, which means lower gears) but actually that's fine. I run out of gears on big downhills, but I'm not racing anyone, and nor do I have amazing bike handling skills or ride on closed roads, so it doesn't really matter that I have to stop pedalling at about 30mph.

Basically you can't really have a bike with gears that are too low if you're unfit - that's my point. Learn to pedal at 70-90 rpm and just stick at it is the best advice. Try and fit the bike into your life - if you need to get milk, cycle. If you can commute to work every now and again, do it. Or if you can commute part of the way to work, do that. I'm lazy, I bring the bike to work in the car (OH works nearby) so I don't get hot before work, and cycle home. It's only 3 miles (albeit hilly ones) and that's pretty much all I do because I find excuses not to do it the other times (being self-employed, having a child and living at the bottom of a hill are good excuses though, right?) but my plan is to gradually increase the length of my ride home and to include more hilly sections - basically treat the road as exercise equipment and choose your routes accordingly.

So, this is rambling on a bit now. Ride as much as you can (which might be a mile) as often as you can (hopefully at least 4 times a week) and you will see progress. The 3 mile ride that nearly killed me even though I only actually pedalled for a third of it last year now takes me about 9 minutes, after riding it home most nights for 3 months.

 

[puffinbilly]

Just to echo all the above - get out there and enjoy it, don't push too hard - you've three months of weather make the most it. One big important point that holds people back is vanity - the what will the neighbours think of me in shorts, heavily overweight etc - don't get into that mindset, in three months you'll probably be fitter than 95 per cent of them and they'll be envious of you.
Get out there and enjoy the sunshine - if you need any help this is a great forum, no question is stupid, everyone knows something that others don't.

 

[Hatevessel]

Wow, what a response. Thanks all, some good advice and advice that I like! Accounts of people who've been where I'm at and come out the other side are inspiring, and I've seen Gazs story (which partially got me to look into cycling anyway).

In response to some questions:

"Why do you say you are incredibly unfit? Can you not get out of a chair, up a flight of stairs? Or do you get out of breath doing everyday tasks? Have you consulted a doctor therefore...?"

"
Can I ask what led to this?
Are you naturally unsporty, or is it too many biscuits and too much sofa time?"

I'm afraid I'm prone to hyperbole, apologies. - I'm 19 stone (I've been heavier, and I've been 13 stone as recently as 5 years ago), however for the majority of my life I've been overweight at best, dangerously morbidly obese at worst. I've never been sporty or had any kind of sporting aptitude. Up until I was 14-15 I used to ride a mountain bike regularly and loved it. I hopped back on a couple of years later and found that my endurance had plummeted to heartbreaking levels.

I work in IT sitting at a desk, my hobbies are all sedentary pursuits. I believe what has stopped me from ever maintaining a healthy weight is because I've been a bag of skin and as unfit as I was when I was severely overweight. Adding a goal of achieving actual fitness would help me get past this interminable yo-yoing, I believe.

Food is obviously a problem for me, but trust me when I know that I realise exactly what I should be eating. I have an emotional eating response which scuppers this for periods!

I've never been fit or able to (in my adult life): jog for more than 3 minutes, swim for longer than a couple of lengths without stopping, cycle for more than 5-10 minutes, row for more than 5 minutes... you get the idea.

My only saving grace is that I walk LOTS. I have no problem with walking and walking.

Thanks once again for the raft of responses - I'm definitely glad I've signed up - so much to learn from you guys.

 

[welsh dragon]

My neighbours laughed at me, and kept asking me where my bike was. Don't take any notice, just do it.

 

[GreigM]

I was pretty unfit when I jumped on a bike last year, I went 2 miles to my parents and honestly thought I was going to die, but I kept at it and it soon became 4 miles then 8 then 10 and so on and it's amazing how quickly you progress from the inital start. Go for it and don't let the initial rides put you off as it will get a lot easier.

 

[KneesUp]

. Up until I was 14-15 I used to ride a mountain bike regularly and loved it. I hopped back on a couple of years later and found that my endurance had plummeted to heartbreaking levels.

I know that to be the most dispiriting bit. In the middle of my almost 20 year cycling haitus I had to use my bike (I kept it well maintained if hardly used, until it got stolen) to go and buy jump leads, ironically. Because we were in a hurry I tried to ride quickly. That bike had the same speedometer on it as it had when I was fit, and it was heart-breaking to read. Where once I'd have been doing 25mph+ I was struggling at 15 or so. Since I started again I don't have speedometers. You just have to forget about what you could do, it's too depressing! Think instead of what you are going to be able to do.