My doctor told me I was fat.
 

Hi, i am theraddude but my real name is matt. I live in upstate NY. Im only getting back into cycling becuase my doctor told me i was fat and am at risk for getting the diabetes.. i think he was kinda messing with me though and its not that serious. However, I still respect the man. Hes been my doctor for years and to see he was disappointed in my condition, it had an impact on me. The guy has my best interest in mind first and foremost. I dont want to let him down.

so, because i respect the guy and dont want to get yelled at for being fat, im buying a new MTB. I really dont enjoy exercise but actually love and enjoy the experience of mountain bke riding. So, thats pretty much my story.

ive been lurking amd enjoying the info. Seems like a fun forum..

Cool, enjoy the bike!

Welcome!

I don't know your weight but you may want to check out our Clydesdale forum. https://www.bikeforums.net/clydesdal...-200-lb-91-kg/

ok, well actually im 5'9" and at 200 lbs. So im not so bad but sorta chunky monkey. Biking is something i did in my youth and i know by just tweaking my eating habbits a riding, i can shed some serious weight. Really, id be very pleased with a 20 or even 10 lbs weight loss. 15 would really be a nice change. Im 37 years old and even though my metabolism is slowing down, i think i can reverse that and get this thing under control. Its just those easy frozen foods and junk. Well, i havent exactly been taking the best care of myself. And it shows. Thanks for the support in the comments.

Lots of folks here have type 2 diabetes. It can trigger from weight as well as genetic factors, as well as others. My oldest brother has it, he’s skinny, watches what he eats, but genetics worked against him (as with myself and my 2nd brother) and he developed it. He’s able to keep it under control though, as do I.

2 easy ways to avoid it, diet and exercise. I can state it’s about impossible to lose weight from cycling alone, I’ve been riding 30 years and have struggled with weight every mile. You need to burn a lot of calories and need to ride a lot of miles to do that, so it’s hard to do. It wasn’t until I started paying attention to my diet, reducing calories in simple ways (water vs. soda, etc..,) that I was able, this year, to start getting my weight down. The big benefit is it makes cycling more enjoyable, especially climbing hills !. That in turn keeps you wanting to exercise and that’s the positive benefit of the diet plus exercise approach.

A good approach to this is to not think of it as exercise, but exploring. Use the bike to go places you already know about and can now see at a different pace. Go to new places, find trail systems if you want to really get into mt. biking. Go cycling on vacations. It’s fun and doesn’t need be a chore.

So welcome to the forum and cycling.

Hi;

From an older cyclist: Nothing has helped slow my aging process more than the fitness base of 30 years of cycling and having a very low BMI; on the other hand, nothing has hurt my aging process more than the multiple injuries I accumulated while mountain biking for 30 years.

My best weight loss tip, is to go on long rides, and when you get home, only eat what you would have eaten had you not ridden. Or better yet, fast after a long ride, though this may make you feel weak the next day. Use riding to create a caloric deficit, and then don't eat. It's foolproof.

Welcome
 

Welcome to the forum!

Welcome! I used to be into road riding big time. I have grown to appreciate the mtn bike. Mainly gravel roads. I have a "puncture proof" slick so I can ride on the pavement, then veer off to country roads on a whim. Enjoy!

Welcome. Weight loss is a matter of thermodynamics, and of course, good nutrition. Best of luck, going down that road myself, within 2# of my goal.

I'm always impressed when people take their health seriously, because a lot of people don't. Good for you.

I've been at it for three years and the benefits are obvious every time I do something physical, I have a deep reserve of energy to call on that wasn't there before. I like it! :)

The doctor told me I was fat heading caught my eye and interest. I’m slightly taller than you and weigh 200 and have for years. But I’m not fat but looking and charts I should have a basketball gut and three chins. When I was in peak shape around age 29 I weighed 180-185. 52 now and true I could maybe lose 10-15 pounds. Go by how you’re clothes fit and how you feel. I find that more accurate and contrary of conventional wisdom. Mountain biking wIll build muscle full body. It can be a grueling sport. A lot of upper body strength used to climb and negotiate turns and obstacles. Just my 3 cents ... Have great rides!

Years ago I said to a friend of mine, I don't look too bad when I look in the mirror. She said, that's because you are looking front on. Try turning side on, and look again. She was right. I didn't realise how fat I was.

Hi Matt,
I lost 3 stone riding my bike, and a balanced diet of course!! Now ive got numerous bikes and you can't keep me off them.
Enjoy it and the weight will fall off.

Welcome to BikeForums. Don't do it for your doctor, do it for yourself. It is your health and your life. Also, it is great for your mental state as well as the physical.

Welcome to the Forums. I have struggled with weight over the years. Despite riding for 24 years, my weight has gone up over the years. I am now down 60 lbs over where I was this time last year. Almost none of my weight loss was due to cycling, however. It is mostly about diet, and only a small amount about exercise. But, exercise is important for general health, so still well worth doing.

Welcome back to cycling. Turns out we could all stand to lose some weight... :lol:

I am 6'3 and was 260 3 yrs ago and lost 40 in 18 months. I have kept it off. Intermittent fasting, clean diet and full-body weight lifting exercises. Even at age 50, this combination increased metabolism and at one point I was losing a pound a day when biking 17 miles every other.

Sugar is a killer - especially around the mid section.

The lost weight eased problems with my lower back and allowed me to stay on the bike longer.

Great job, keep it up.

Welcome! You can do this! Diabetes is no fun. Sounds like youre making the choice to avoid it.

Who cares what the doctor said. You aren't fat unless your wife tells you that you are. 😎

This ^^^^^^
I have to confess I'm both a numbers geek and a gadget geek. I track miles, calories ,(which aren't trustworthy anyway), etc. Just ignore the calories you favorite app says you've burned cycling. Just consider them as a bonus. Beyond this, just make sure what you're eating is healthy.. most of the time ;) and watch the calories consumed. As far as I can tell, weight loss is simply a matter of thermodynamics.

Welcome

Hi! Cycling is definitely great for fitness and health... although I find it’s not so great on my knees (but I do have a knee injury unrelated to cycling, so that doesn’t help).

Goodluck in your weightloss journey :)

Goodluck man!