Have you lost weight since you started cycling?

[Cyril Haearn]

Hi there - we're looking for stories on people who've lost a lot of weight since they started cycling or how they made new friends because they started cycling again. If that's you or you know someone who fits this criteria and you would like to tell your story please could you email lucy.watherston@cyclinguk.org? Cheers!

Do you mean started cycling as an adult, or took it up again as an adult?

I started cycling as a child so have gained a lot of weight

[Cugel]

Hi there - we're looking for stories on people who've lost a lot of weight since they started cycling or how they made new friends because they started cycling again. If that's you or you know someone who fits this criteria and you would like to tell your story please could you email lucy.watherston@cyclinguk.org? Cheers!

Do you mean started cycling as an adult, or took it up again as an adult?

I started cycling as a child so have gained a lot of weight

I was the same height I am now at age 11 - the tallest in my year at school until aged 16. On the other hand, I did weigh a bit less than I do now. But I probably weighed more even at 11 than I did at 19, as life at uni seemed short on victuals, which may have been due to both the paucity of the grant (£390 per annum) and spending it on the sort of things one did in 1968. Even various student jobs could not make up the shortfall.

Sadly, the easiest methods for losing weight are illness and emotional trauma. One can fade away when seriously ill. When the cat or the dog dies on you (an inevitable event because they are shorter-lived than are we humans) I typically lose half a stone during a few weeks of sheer misery and mourn, when one also becomes disinclined to eat much.

Cugel

[flat tyre]

I've always cycled. I retired just over three years ago and increased my cycling mileage from about 2,500 miles a year to somewhere between 6-7,000 miles a year. Did I lose any weight? No not for the first two years, but then I cut out almost all acohol and reduced my calorie intake from food and during the least year I've lost about 10kg. Based on my experience I would say that cycling doesn't really lead to weight loss and that controlling diet does.

[nez]

I haven't lost weight, though since I started age 4 ... yes I know other people have made that point. Cycling did, however, cure me of a horrible bout of depression in my late 50s. Better than any prescription, though there were a lot of miles involved.

[awavey]

I gained alot of weight when I started cycling more seriously and I wasnt even doing cake stops, because Id be going out for longer rides pushing myself, then getting back home feeling knackered and the food cravings would kick in for a day or two and Id be eating plus sized portions of everything, took a while to spot that was happening,regain control of it and then ages to shift that weight off to get back to my starting weight and it was far more about focussing on diet, what I was eating and how much in portions, than the cycling in itself as an activity.

so certainly my view is cycling isnt going to lead to masses of weight loss, I know people do say they lose loads of weight but theres more to it than a simple weight loss exercise.

by itself its way more subtle an impact as Im not saying its of no benefit my weight is probably alot more stable now than it was, Id like to lose another 5kg for sure,though who doesnt, and I think if didnt cycle my weight would steadily creep up again, so there is a balance going on thats maintaining my current weight, but diet plays a far bigger part in losing it

I mean my biggest weight loss cause this year, I had the flu at the start of the year just after New Years, lost basically 2kg over a week, as I had no appetite for food at all, wouldnt recommend it as a weight loss technique though.

[flat tyre]

I haven't lost weight, though since I started age 4 ... yes I know other people have made that point. Cycling did, however, cure me of a horrible bout of depression in my late 50s. Better than any prescription, though there were a lot of miles involved.

I don't know whether I have suffered from depression in the clinical definition of the term, but there have been times for me when cycling has helped to keep the "black dog" away.

[yostumpy]

I haven't lost weight, though since I started age 4 ... yes I know other people have made that point. Cycling did, however, cure me of a horrible bout of depression in my late 50s. Better than any prescription, though there were a lot of miles involved.

I don't know whether I have suffered from depression in the clinical definition of the term, but there have been times for me when cycling has helped to keep the "black dog" away.

I've always been described as 'moody' , by those that don't understand, (even by those that do!), so I completely agree with both these comments.

Back to the OP. I don't think that I have lost weight because of cycling, but combining a semi Keto diet and a lot cycling, I have reduced my weight, by +/- 10kg. I struggle to get below where I am now, but if I stop cycling, I change the way/what I eat, and gain weight.

Sooooo, answer to question is maybe.

[gxaustin]

I was overweight and looking forward to getting back on my bike when I gave up work. Therefore I went on a diet and lost about 20kg over 2-3 years. As work tapered off I cycled more, often doing fasted rides (till the cafe stop). I have stopped work and increased my fitness by cycling further, faster. Since cycling 100 - 200 mls per week I have lost a further 7kg and have been at a stable weight of 71/72kg for the last 2 or 3 years. I think the most important thing was to sort out my diet before cycling in earnest. I do have cycling friends who have lost serious weight through cycling but it needs determination to control diet and improve speed and distance.