Physical changes after 9 months of riding

[joelh]

I started riding after a 25 year layoff. I am 45 and riding 100 miles+/- a week.

When I started riding, at 5'10" I weighed 180 with a 35 inch waist (evidence of my deep love of microbrews). My BP at my last physical was 147/97. The doctor told me to do something about it or he would.

At my physical this week, I am at 162, 32 inch waist (I still love micros) and get this, BP was 120/85. I am more flexible and feel better than I have in years.

The downside is that my wallet is lighter too. There is just so much cool bike stuff out there!

[thwart]

Buddy I ride with has a scary family history of heart disease. Took up riding in '06 (same time I got back into it as well, although back then on separate paths).

He has lost 20 lbs, BP is down, cholesterol is as well, markedly so.

He loves to hear folks say he looks 'too skinny'. Gets that a lot here in SuperSized Wisconsin.

He has 12,000 miles on his Specialized Roubaix. A one bike man.

That's not quite the case for me... :p

[Ray]

Yeah, riding a lot can get you in shape. No question. I was pretty lean when I started riding, so I didn't see that much difference - I just got in better riding shape. As I get older though, and ride less and ride VERY little in the winter, I can definitely see the impact of NOT riding. I still fluctuate 5-10 pounds between riding season and the winter, but the baseline has moved up about ten pounds in the past several years too.

I'd say 100 miles a week is good. Riding much beyond that gets you in shape for riding more, but I don't think it makes you generally healthier. I was doing 170-200 for a few years and I was in better shape for long rides, but riding 3-4 times a week, 30-40 miles at a shot, seems to keep me as healthy as riding twice as much. And feeling better - those long rides could leave me feeling pretty sore and wiped out even when I'd feel good while doing them.

-Ray

[Keith A]

Just ran into a old cycling friend this past Saturday. He used to ride regularly, but stopped several years ago (not sure why). He's always been a big guy and is certainly over 6ft...but during his time off the bike, he really put on the weight. He told me that since he started riding again, which is at least 100+ miles a week, he has dropped over 100 lbs :eek: He went on to say, that he is only 10 lbs off his lowest weight when he was riding regularly and doing some racing. To top it all off, he's not exactly a spring chicken at 60 years old.

Hats off to my pal James and to the OP as well as all of those who have improved their physical condition!!!

[johnnymossville]

My take on riding a lot is that it gets you in amazing shape for riding, but you can easily become very imbalanced physically with a weak core and upper body if you don't try to keep after it. Just riding is a lot more fun though. :)

[Volant]

Congratulation on the healthier lifestyle and weight loss et al. Watch out for gottagetnewbikestuffitis; it's contagious!

[Johny]

Congrats! Riding makes life better.

I started riding after a 25 year layoff. I am 45 and riding 100 miles+/- a week.

When I started riding, at 5'10" I weighed 180 with a 35 inch waist (evidence of my deep love of microbrews). My BP at my last physical was 147/97. The doctor told me to do something about it or he would.

At my physical this week, I am at 162, 32 inch waist (I still love micros) and get this, BP was 120/85. I am more flexible and feel better than I have in years.

The downside is that my wallet is lighter too. There is just so much cool bike stuff out there!