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Oof!... I've gained THAT much??

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Oof!... I've gained THAT much??

Old 02-03-20, 11:32 AM
  #1  
insignia100
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Oof!... I've gained THAT much??

Oh dear. Well, to put it bluntly I've gain a lot of weight in the past 6 months. It all started in TN when my wife was let go from her job. We are both veterinarians, and since I wasn't happy at my place of employment, we decided that it was time we purchased our own practice. After several months and LOTS of stress eating, we purchased a clinic in NC. Three months in and things with the clinic are going GREAT. My weight, though? Not so much.

In June I was down to 243 lbs. Today, I'm right at 280 lbs. Yikes!

Now that our stress levels are starting to come down, I've gotta get back on the bandwagon. Much of my weight loss was accomplished riding my recumbent trike when I lived in Tucson (oh, how I miss The Loop...), and once I got down to 250 lbs I got a Giant Defy Composite road bike. I promptly upgraded the wheels and started riding my butt off. It may not seem like much, but I worked up to my longest ride of 26 miles before the stress really hit and my exercise dropped off and my eating skyrocketed.

So here's my dilemma. I want to get back on the bike, but I'm a bit wary about riding a CF bike at my weight. I felt like I was on the upper end of weight suitable for CF road bikes when I was under 250 lbs. And, of course, all these reports of CF frames self-destructing are maybe psyching me out a bit. I'm far from a high performance rider (average ~13 mph) and learned to be light in the saddle, so logic tells me I'd be fine. Obviously, I wish I could magically be back in the sub-250lbs range and not worry about it.

What say you? Say screw it and ride? (That's why my heart is telling me...)
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Old 02-03-20, 11:43 AM
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Juan Foote
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I also have a CF bike that I have surpassed the weight limit for, and don't ride. I have had people tell me "it's fine", but I also don't have several grand laying around to either purchase a new bike or pay hospital bills over.
I (had) purchased an inexpensive Al framed city style bike for a ride I used to do. It is safe to ride, but at the same time doesn't lend itself to the demanding riding style that worked so well to lose that weight previously. I have been unable so far to rekindle my self motivation to "do it again". I had previously lost a very significant amount of weight cycling with the side effect that you can eat pretty much any way you want. I just never stopped the eating when I quit riding much.
TBH you probably would be fine saying screw it, but from my own personal perspective and with safety in mind...I keep telling myself I will lose the weight THEN get back on that bike. Seems to be enabling my procrastination so far.

Good luck.
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Old 02-03-20, 11:55 AM
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Originally Posted by Juan Foote
TBH you probably would be fine saying screw it, but from my own personal perspective and with safety in mind...I keep telling myself I will lose the weight THEN get back on that bike. Seems to be enabling my procrastination so far.
See, that's exactly my problem. I suppose I could buy another bike to lose weight, but that's money I don't really have right now. I thought about selling it and buying another, but by the time I upgrade wheels on the new bike I'll have lost money on the deal...
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Old 02-03-20, 12:51 PM
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Originally Posted by insignia100
Oh dear. Well, to put it bluntly I've gain a lot of weight in the past 6 months. It all started in TN when my wife was let go from her job. We are both veterinarians, and since I wasn't happy at my place of employment, we decided that it was time we purchased our own practice. After several months and LOTS of stress eating, we purchased a clinic in NC. Three months in and things with the clinic are going GREAT. My weight, though? Not so much.

In June I was down to 243 lbs. Today, I'm right at 280 lbs. Yikes!

Now that our stress levels are starting to come down, I've gotta get back on the bandwagon. Much of my weight loss was accomplished riding my recumbent trike when I lived in Tucson (oh, how I miss The Loop...), and once I got down to 250 lbs I got a Giant Defy Composite road bike. I promptly upgraded the wheels and started riding my butt off. It may not seem like much, but I worked up to my longest ride of 26 miles before the stress really hit and my exercise dropped off and my eating skyrocketed.

So here's my dilemma. I want to get back on the bike, but I'm a bit wary about riding a CF bike at my weight. I felt like I was on the upper end of weight suitable for CF road bikes when I was under 250 lbs. And, of course, all these reports of CF frames self-destructing are maybe psyching me out a bit. I'm far from a high performance rider (average ~13 mph) and learned to be light in the saddle, so logic tells me I'd be fine. Obviously, I wish I could magically be back in the sub-250lbs range and not worry about it.

What say you? Say screw it and ride? (That's why my heart is telling me...)
I know the feeling. All too well. My wife was diagnosed with breast cancer back in 2016. I was riding a lot up until then and was down to about 240ish. All that stopped when she got sick and I really didn't touch a bike again until last year.

Anyways, now that she has beaten it I am back to riding. I'm riding a 2008 Tarmac (carbon). I emailed Specialized before I started back riding. They said they don't put weight limits on their frames. They said there may be issues with components like wheels and seatpost. I changed out the stock Shimano wheels to a set of Mavic Aksiums not long after I got the bike. Stock seatpost. I have not had any problems with the bike whatsoever. I think you will be fine also.
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Old 02-03-20, 01:20 PM
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Perhaps find a frame you can swap things to for the time being? Something in the aluminum or steel category if you're really worried. I'm at your weight and do have a carbon fork on my bike which I don't have any trepidation about riding and would suspect that your bike's owners manual may say if there is an issue. On nicer bikes I've had the manuals state no sitting on top tube, one capped out weight at 250lbs and one that said the warranty was void if the bike was used for purposes other then racing, I assume training races counted with that. If not call the company and ask. If I was really worried I'd drop a grand on a bike to ride on like a fuji roubaix and just keep it as a backup when/if I didn't need it anymore.
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Old 02-03-20, 01:26 PM
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I don't know about you guys, but I lose much more via proper diet vs mileage.

I can do 100 mile bike ride, do 4,000 in a year and be the same weight.

On the other hand, I didn't eat any junk food, rode 3,000 miles in a year and lost 50 pounds.

As far as carbon vs alum?

Ride the carbon. I have snapped 2 aluminum frames at 13,000 miles each. The carbon frame how has 15,000 and no issues.

If you break the frame, hopefully it is good mfgr that will replace the frame under warranty. Both my frames were replaced and upgraded free of no charge. The shop will charge for the component swap but minor money vs buying a new bike. If you can do it yourself, you're good.

When bikes break, you don't toss it and buy a new one. Replace the broken part even if it happens to be the frame.

The reason I will only buy a bike from a mfgr with a good warranty that suits me. Trek bikes, had great service under warranty being the original owner.
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Old 02-03-20, 01:56 PM
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Originally Posted by TheDudeIsHere
I don't know about you guys, but I lose much more via proper diet vs mileage.

I can do 100 mile bike ride, do 4,000 in a year and be the same weight.

On the other hand, I didn't eat any junk food, rode 3,000 miles in a year and lost 50 pounds.
It's a pretty simple equation. Calories in - Calories burned = Weight lost/gained

If you ride 100 miles then you probably burn maybe 4000 calories. Unless you are over fueling on your ride, those are calories on the burned side of the equation and that helps. If you over fuel for all your rides then yeah, you probably won't lose anything. The best approach is of course diet AND exercise but to say burning calories isn't an important part of the equation is short sighted. I actually think that for many people the shorter rides (an hour or two maybe) that you don't have to take in any extra calories to complete can be more helpful than long endurance rides where you will have to consume some extra while riding or risk bonking.
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Old 02-03-20, 01:59 PM
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Originally Posted by Mitkraft
I actually think that for many people the shorter rides (an hour or two maybe) that you don't have to take in any extra calories to complete can be more helpful than long endurance rides where you will have to consume some extra while riding or risk bonking.
Right! My rides were generally right around 90 minutes. Riding let me burn more calories (and improve my cardiovascular capacity), thus I was able to eat a bit more (tried not to eat ALL those calories I burned, of course) and helped me keep my diet on track.
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Old 02-03-20, 02:12 PM
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Originally Posted by Mitkraft
It's a pretty simple equation. Calories in - Calories burned = Weight lost/gained

but to say burning calories isn't an important part of the equation is short sighted.
I didn't say it was not an important part of the equation. My point is that I will lose more weight by cutting back intake compared to increasing mileage.

They say you can't out ride a bad diet, it's true.
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Old 03-03-20, 10:28 AM
  #10  
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Watch what you eat, as well as amount. I lost about 30 pounds by not eating carbs for two.
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Old 03-03-20, 06:26 PM
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I have 7500+ miles on a carbon Scott CR10 road bike at 350++ lbs and haven't died yet. I think you are 10000x more likely to have trouble with wheels than any material of frame.

DaveW
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Old 03-03-20, 08:05 PM
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I got back out on the bike yesterday. Besides my endurance significantly lacking, the bike did great. I had already upgraded the wheels right after I got it. Glad to be back in the saddle and looking forward to working on my endurance more.
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Old 03-04-20, 11:01 AM
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No one. No one. Rides 90 minutes at 80% or better of their HRM every single day. Thats the kind of work that might do something significant to a 50lb. calorie surplus. But of course, no one can, so... You guys know better than me how many calories are represented in 50lbs of avoirdupois. Diet, not exercise is where excess calories are controlled. Aerobic exercise is for the benefit of the cardiovascular system. It does not require more than 30min, 3x/wk to keep the cardiovascular system at a baseline level of health. Got weight to lose? Lose the sugar. Immediately. All of it. And no 'diet' Coke either. Some peoples weight surplus is ENTIRELY due to their consumption of sweetened soft drinks. I'm harsh but not sadistic, there are two natural non-sugar sweeteners that can help reduce sugar cravings: Stevia and Xylitol. Avoid any other sugar substitute. Doing nothing else but eliminating (completely) candy, cookies, soft drinks, etc.) doing nothing else can take visible amounts of weight off a person in just weeks.

It is not necessary to be Keto, Paleo or Atkins but it's safe to say that a ... 'low carb' (lower carb) lifestyle is best, going forward, to keep weight controlled. I would start by eliminating as much as possible anything considered a starch at dinnertime. No rice, pasta, potatoes. No one who eats like that can be overweight. A serving of some kind of meat (or protein) and a salad becomes quite enjoyable and it better because you will be eating this way for the rest of your life. That might be the biggest secret to all this diet stuff. They don't tell you that you can't ever go back to sweets and starches! Ever. And finally, re: the carbon thing ... I'd ride it. I'd have to be quite a bit more than 50lb over the weight limit not to. Assuming the bike is being ridden intelligently there is enough overcapacity to handle some overweight. More to the point, if the bike is being ridden intelligently, if the frame fails, you will probably survive. I have. I'm not overweight now but I did hit 203 once. Got the Flu and was 185 in less than two weeks. Started gaining the weight back and at 196 cut out all sugar and carbs. Been 196 for two years. Getting the Flu might be the most effective rapid weight loss program going, but I digress. Have had two frames and a seatpost fail while riding. It was mildly surprising when that happened but quite undramatic. Ironically, the spectacular incidents that involve road rash and long lasting scarring had zero effect on the bike.
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Old 03-04-20, 11:40 AM
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Originally Posted by insignia100
I got back out on the bike yesterday. Besides my endurance significantly lacking, the bike did great. I had already upgraded the wheels right after I got it. Glad to be back in the saddle and looking forward to working on my endurance more.
Uncertain how much time you're taking for yourself and your physical fitness, weekly ... but, if money's part of the issue then perhaps considering joining the nearby Planet Fitness (in Mooresville, NC?) is worth consideration. Even if you just accomplish 30-45mins of solid effort each day, in the gym, added to your cycling and nutrition changes you might see quite an improvement within the first couple of months. In addition to which, of course, will be all the stress reduction and reduced BP that can come with taking the body out for a daily "spin."

Glad to hear your bike seems up to the task.

Definitely, take some time to rethink the nutrition. Ingredients, frequency, portion sizes. As suggested above, it's relatively easy to halt use of sugar, products with labels that contain all the junk (ie, processed sugars, 'fake' food additives, and so forth). Can immediately have water as the go-to fluid of choice. Can easily rebalance meals to be much less in volume, much more balanced with a much greater percentage of "real" food ingredients. Can immediately eject all the snacking-type non-foods that many people have around the kitchen. That plus the boosted activity really ought to send all the numbers in the right direction.

Good luck with the "new" you. It's worth it.
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Old 03-07-20, 08:27 AM
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Originally Posted by Juan Foote
with the side effect that you can eat pretty much any way you want. I just never stopped the eating when I quit riding much.
This is one of my fears, I mentioned it to my Dr. the other day, that I would balloon up if I ever stopped riding. I ride around 20 miles a day and maintain my weight.
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Old 03-07-20, 08:30 AM
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Originally Posted by insignia100
I got back out on the bike yesterday. Besides my endurance significantly lacking, the bike did great. I had already upgraded the wheels right after I got it. Glad to be back in the saddle and looking forward to working on my endurance more.
Great that your riding again but when you say that you upgraded the wheels, what does that mean? did you get clyde wheels? or did you get some really high end road wheels?
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Old 03-07-20, 12:42 PM
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Originally Posted by cyclist2000
Great that your riding again but when you say that you upgraded the wheels, what does that mean? did you get clyde wheels? or did you get some really high end road wheels?
Clyde wheels, don't worry.

https://www.velomine.com/index.php?m...oducts_id=2512
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Old 03-08-20, 03:24 PM
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I can relate to what you are going through. I have been as low as 210 lbs back in 2005, but more recently, my weight was on an upward trajectory since 2012, when I weighed 258 lbs. A year later, I was up to 274, and the year after that, 290. Then I went a little up and down for a number of years, sometimes getting down to the mid 280s, and sometimes the high 290s. Then last summer, I weighed in at my annual Health Assessment and for the first time, was over 300 lbs. 312 lbs, to be precise. What the hell? I was still riding, and doing other things like going to the gym and Tae Kwon Do classes 2 or 3 times per week.

It all came down to eating. It doesn't take a lot of extra calories to put on an extra lb or two a month, and before you know it, you gained 50 or 60 lbs and you wonder how that is possible when you are working out. The other factor is age. Somehow when you are young, you might be a little porky, but you hit the gym go for a ride a couple of times a week and you are back in business. Not so when you are older.

The other thing is, I deluded myself that because I was doing all this cardio, I needed all those carbs and calories. But the scale showed that was clearly not true.

So, this is what I did. I cut out sugar, soda, sports drinks, bread, pasta, rice, high calorie foods like chips, french fries, and pizza. Mostly vegetables and protein, and even a little fat. It was rough for a few weeks. My bike rides were rough. My Tae Kwon Do classes were rough. My body was screaming out "Where's the f-cking food?" But you know what happened. I adjusted. I started to lose weight and my energy levels came back, even improved a bit.

Fast forward 8 months and I am down to 250 lbs and still losing. I would like to get all the way back to wear I was in 2005, maybe get down to 200, but that will probably take me another 8 months, maybe more since the rate of weight loss is now a lot slower. But it is all good. I feel much better and I don;t need to constantly be stuffing my face with sugar and starchy foods.

Bottom line. You have to get away from the mentality of, I rode so many hours, so I can eat what I want. Actually, you can't. Ride for your mental and physical health, but focus on what you eat to lose weight.
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Old 03-11-20, 09:42 AM
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Originally Posted by TheDudeIsHere
I don't know about you guys, but I lose much more via proper diet vs mileage.
That's what I was going to say. Perhaps the OP should work on losing about 30 pounds via healthy eating so he feels comfortable getting back on the bike, and then start working on exercise again. Personally, even though I've never owned a CF bike I think he'd probably be fine, but if there's still a lingering concern then focus on weight loss for a few months first.
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Old 03-11-20, 06:18 PM
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Originally Posted by Milton Keynes
That's what I was going to say. Perhaps the OP should work on losing about 30 pounds via healthy eating so he feels comfortable getting back on the bike, and then start working on exercise again. Personally, even though I've never owned a CF bike I think he'd probably be fine, but if there's still a lingering concern then focus on weight loss for a few months first.
Exercise (specifically riding the bike) was and is critical in helping me manage my appetite. I don't actually ride the bike to burn excess calories, but it does help boost my energy and make me want to ride more.

I've gone on a few rides and the bike is fine. I learned to ride pretty light in the saddle on a motorcycle, so that has helped. With my 36 spoke wheels I don't really have any concerns with the type of riding I am able to do right now.
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Old 03-11-20, 06:25 PM
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When I weighted 170 lbs (around 1988), I broke a steel frame (Bianchi SuperLeggara).

Just ride what you have. The worst that happens is they won't service the warranty if it cracks.
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Old 03-16-20, 07:12 PM
  #22  
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Originally Posted by insignia100
What say you? Say screw it and ride? (That's why my heart is telling me...)
Screw it and ride. I rode my alu-framed previous bike at 280 before. Just don't go nuts and your bike will probably be fine. If you're doing speeds of 13mph you're definitely not going nuts. Don't do any banzai charges down long decents at high speeds with sharp turns and you should be fine.

If you don't have a bike computer with a heart rate sensor and pedaling cadence sensor I'd highly recommend that you get one. These two things really help a lot. With a heart rate sensor you can start tracking levels of effort between rides, learn what effort levels (heart rate as proxy for level of effort) your body can sustain more often and for what distance, etc. Over time I've figured out what effort levels I can sustain multiple days in a row, what effort levels will require days off to recover, what effort levels my body can sustain longer rides for primarily on bodyfat energy (so I don't have to eat to sustain those rides), etc. I've found if I can identify, through experience and tracking my rides, what heart rate levels allow me to do longer rides without having to supplement with carbs during the ride, I can through repetition train my body to get more efficient at burning fat during my rides. I know, based on experience and my historical data, about how far I can go, at what heart rate levels, on water alone, and at what distances or effort levels I'll require external energy input (eating or drinking something during a ride) in order to sustain the effort/go the distance.

The cadence sensor is important too, because pedaling at higher cadences doesn't come naturally to most people, and is an ability most folks have to work on to improve. For me, "mashing" the pedals is any rides at higher speeds where I'm in the 60-75ish rpm range, and I'm properly "spinning" when I'm more like 85-90+ rpm. I'm just now getting spun up on cycling again since returning from a deployment last year, so when I first started riding again my body didn't want to pedal faster than around 75 rpm, and in the few hundred miles I've done since then I've gotten back up to 85-90 rpm, while my pre-deployment long distance spinning cadence was more like 90-95 rpm, with occasional bursts during rapid accelerations up to around 105rpm or so. I've still got some work to do to get back to my old cadence. Why is this important? Because spinning at a higher cadence shifts the burden away from your leg muscles somewhat and onto your cardiovascular system. Mashing the pedals burns your muscles out faster, so you end up not being able to ride as far. I can actually see this in my own data. My heart rate will go up as I increase my cadence even at the same speed, but I end up able to sustain my speed over longer distances. Shifting the burden from your muscles to your cardiovascular system I believe also improves the ability of your body to power the ride on body fat, so long as you keep the level of effort down to a zone you've established through experimentation is where your body can do this the most efficiently. End result: you're riding further, faster, and burning more fat doing so. You drop from 280lbs quickly and in just a few months your back down to what you were at before, and if you keep it up, even lower.
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