Now what?

[jonesy]

Re: Apparent lack of weight loss. Don't worry! This has been observed in studies into cycling and health:


Volunteers were asked at the outset why they had joined the experiment. The primary motivation was to 'lose weight', which most people equated with 'getting fit'. However, participants often did not lose any weight because fat was replaced by muscle, which is heavier. Some plainly felt disappointed at lack of progress in this direction, and dropped out of the experiment as a result. Nevertheless, increased activity had made them fitter and therefore healthier. This reinforces the well-known limitations of using the bathroom scales as the sole criterion of fat loss, when there has been a change in physical activity.

See:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/tpm/tal/cyclefacilities/cyclingforbetterhealth

 

[tdr1nka]

Can I +1 everyones advice about commuting kit and also suggest having a dedicated bag/pannier and making getting your kit together for the morning part of your going to bed ritual, thats when I get my kit together as it leaves more time for less thinking in the AM!

The great thing about being fresh to cycling is how the increments of gain in strength/fitness creep up out of the blue and surprise you. Everyone will know of one day when they had covered a greater distance than they had expected and find the body is quite happy to keep going, if only for the ride home.

 

[HelenD123]

The great thing about being fresh to cycling is how the increments of gain in strength/fitness creep up out of the blue and surprise you. Everyone will know of one day when they had covered a greater distance than they had expected and find the body is quite happy to keep going, if only for the ride home.

I agree with this. I hadn't been out walking for ages until last weekend but went straight up the hills without any problems, no aching legs or shortness of breath. Must have been the benefit of cycling to work.

 

[TWBNK]

Can I +1 everyones advice about commuting kit and also suggest having a dedicated bag/pannier and making getting your kit together for the morning part of your going to bed ritual, thats when I get my kit together as it leaves more time for less thinking in the AM!

Absolutely, and don't forget to take your locker key with you if you keep your stuff in work either. (mine is usually in a dedicated pocket of the dedicated bag/pannier)

I recently did a 12 hour shift wearing my wifes uniform because I forgot my key. Thank god we do the same job at the same place at different times!n The downside is that we have a name embroidered onto the uniform.

 

[Jaded]

Weight loss will be non-existent to start with as you are swapping fat for muscle. Once the muscle build is done, you'll lose fat at a vast rate.