heart rate for newbies

[nickAKA]

Absolutely, I do find it seems to track fairly well with how I feel, but being able to quantify it helps me moderate the intensity of any work I do during the second half of the week.



I'd end up in the overload zone I think just from commuting week to week, as even with two rest days at the weekend it shows me as having recovered less than might be expected. However as @nickAKA says below, provided I have at least one solid day a week off the bike I'm not particularly fatigued on a Monday morning for the commute.

As for weight loss, in total I've lost a little over 6stone (~80lbs or 40kg), I'd quite happily lose another stone though, which is what I'm working on presently. But that has been over about 3 years since I started cycling, and last year my net weight loss was slightly below zero as I was far too happy eating lots of crap.



Definitely agree, I've only been tracking it really since the start of the year, but it has hinted to me on a couple of occasions that perhaps I shouldn't go for th extended ride at the weekend and perhaps an extra rest day is a good idea.

40kg off is some effort mate. More power to you!

Realistically I could stand to lose another stone to get to my 'fighting weight' but I think the wife would organise an intervention if I did...

 

[si_c]

40kg off is some effort mate. More power to you!

Realistically I could stand to lose another stone to get to my 'fighting weight' but I think the wife would organise an intervention if I did...

Do it slowly and she won't even notice.

 

[cabbieman]

I started out late 2016. My first rides were on a round of 10 miles door to door. I had to stop 2 or 3 times to catch my breath and it's a little hilly. The worst part of the hill was particularly bad for about 100 metres and would make me get off or stop at least twice. My times in the beginning were around 45 minutes. Last year I managed to do a total of 2500 miles, the majority between April and october and really enjoyed it as I still am although it's been all turbo over the winter. I still do that 10 miler once a month to measure my fitness and my best times are around the 35 minute mark so I've improved by about 25% over the year. I'm probably not going to get much better at 58 and 16 stone but it's all about enjoying yourself. Don't focus too much on the details like heart rate, just get out there and get the miles in and enjoy.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I am having fun. What i have learned from watching cycling on tv though is that it's a high tech sport nowadays. And incremental gains are the most important thing in the sport. Not much use cycling without a garmin and strava nowadays.

I've never used either.

 

[eagles633]

Nice going on the weight loss si_c. That's some commitment you got there!

Iv'e managed to get out today after only 40 hrs rest for another 14 miles.
The garmin is telling me i'm down to 34 hours rest next time
Instead of ramping the miles up, i'm going to try the same 10-15 miles a time but with a days less rest or a bit.
Sunshine and not much wind today. Still struggling to get over freezing but layered up and sweated up good.
I only follow the mrs on strava. The only person i want to beat on strava is myself.
Got a pb today. well chuffed
Just gotta stay off the munchies now

 

[nickAKA]

Nice going on the weight loss si_c. That's some commitment you got there!

Iv'e managed to get out today after only 40 hrs rest for another 14 miles.
The garmin is telling me i'm down to 34 hours rest next time
Instead of ramping the miles up, i'm going to try the same 10-15 miles a time but with a days less rest or a bit.
Sunshine and not much wind today. Still struggling to get over freezing but layered up and sweated up good.
I only follow the mrs on strava. The only person i want to beat on strava is myself.
Got a pb today. well chuffed
Just gotta stay off the munchies now

Once you get some timber off treats are permissable mate. I had a massive kebab last week, a couple of hours on the turbo & all is forgiven...

 

[si_c]

Once you get some timber off treats are permissable mate. I had a massive kebab last week, a couple of hours on the turbo & all is forgiven...

Definitely, on sunday I had a carvery lunch and a curry for dinner. With alll the trimmings. Weight loss for the week 0, weight gain for the week 0 I'll take that.

 

[buzzy-beans]

But only weigh yourself at the same time each day, for me that is immediately after my first visit to the loo shortly after getting out of bed. Weighing myslef at other times of the day can see a weight gain of anything up to 2.5 kgs.

 

[Alan O]

But only weigh yourself at the same time each day, for me that is immediately after my first visit to the loo shortly after getting out of bed. Weighing myslef at other times of the day can see a weight gain of anything up to 2.5 kgs.

Almost the same for me - after my first, erm, solid morning visit to the loo (which is usually the first visit anyway).

 

[vickster]

I am having fun. What i have learned from watching cycling on tv though is that it's a high tech sport nowadays. And incremental gains are the most important thing in the sport. Not much use cycling without a garmin and strava nowadays.

What cobblers. Although I use Strava and have a garmin, the only thing you actually need for cycling is a bike and the ability to turn the pedals in some way try riding without and see if you enjoy the actual bike riding more

How's the weight loss going?

Pro cycling is not the same thing as recreational, leisure or utility cycling which I would expect accounts for 90% or more of people who ride a bike. Are you an aspiring pro cyclist?

 

[vickster]

Almost the same for me - after my first, erm, solid morning visit to the loo (which is usually the first visit anyway).

If you're passing 2.5kg of stool in the morning you may want to get checked out. It's more likely that you're dehydrated in the morning

 

[vickster]

There are a few people who indulge in strava bragging, but people use it for different reasons. Mrs C uses it to calorie track, and to be honest, that's also the biggest reason I started to use it, but then I also like numbers, more numbers = more fun.

Presumably she takes it with a pinch of salt as device tracking of calories is a guesstimate as best use two devices and see the discrepancies, garmin calculations are clearly utter nonsense

 

[bpsmith]

If you're passing 2.5kg of stool in the morning you may want to get checked out. It's more likely that you're dehydrated in the morning

I don’t believe that’s what they said. They said it fluctuates at different points in the day. Toilet visit, dehydration, breakfast, coffee, clothing, all fall into the mix.

 

[vickster]

I don’t believe that’s what they said. They said it fluctuates at different points in the day. Toilet visit, dehydration, breakfast, coffee, clothing, all fall into the mix.

I was jesting...

 

[bpsmith]

I was jesting...

I know.