| If you are one of those people who leisurely | | | | comfortable sports clothes. |
| pedal around the block or over a flat stretch | | | | |
| of scenic road, you've probably been riding | | | | Make sure your clothes aren't so tight that |
| for sheer pleasure. Riding bikes for pleasure | | | | you are miserable trying to pedal. But they |
| is a good form of aerobic exercise. But | | | | shouldn't be loose enough to become entangled |
| unless you map out a plan to "push yourself," | | | | in the bicycle chain, either! If you become |
| you probably won't lose much weight. | | | | overheated, strip off a layer. If you get |
| | | | cold, add a layer. Wear light or bright |
| I really get sick of hearing people say, "No | | | | colors to allow drivers to see you easily. |
| pain, no gain!" But the old adage is true | | | | |
| when it comes to riding bikes to lose weight. | | | | It really helps to have a small cargo rack on |
| By pushing your cycling distance or speed, | | | | the back of your bike. Mine looks like a |
| you are sure to feel some pain in your leg | | | | little shelf over the back tire. It has two |
| muscles, your hands, wrists, and your | | | | bungee cords to keep any cargo securely |
| derriere-- even some pain in your throat and | | | | fastened to the bike. I've used it to tote a |
| lungs as your body tries to accommodate your | | | | small picnic cooler, a shopping bag or extra |
| increased demand for oxygen. | | | | clothes. |
| | | | |
| HEALTH TIP: Stretching exercises prior to | | | | I had the bike shop attach a water bottle |
| exercising are helpful in preventing injury! | | | | holder to the bike under my seat. I can grab |
| | | | a quick swig as I ride or pour some water |
| GETTING YOUR BICYCLE READY...TO ROLL OFF THE | | | | over my pulse points to cool off a bit. Take |
| WEIGHT | | | | small sips of water when needed during your |
| | | | bike ride, rather than chugging huge gulps. |
| Your first concern will be outfitting your | | | | |
| bicycle. If you need an excuse to purchase a | | | | A helmet is almost a must. Life is filled |
| new bike, this is an excellent opportunity! I | | | | with hazards-and biking has its share. Be |
| went from a 3-speed bicycle for leisure | | | | smart. Wear a helmet. You can buy a cool |
| riding, to a 24-speed bicycle for more | | | | rear-view mirror for your helmet. The mirror |
| committed exercising. Once I learned how the | | | | helps you see when it's safe to turn and lets |
| different gears worked, I was very thankful | | | | you observe traffic coming up from behind. |
| for the extra speeds. They make my ride | | | | |
| faster and the hills a lot easier to handle. | | | | I recommend wearing sunglasses-both for the |
| | | | sun and for bugs! At certain times of the |
| We've found the guys at the bicycle shop to | | | | year, the air is thick with flying insects. |
| be very helpful, and concerned for our unique | | | | Getting a tiny bug in your eye is a painful |
| cycling needs. Rather than simply steering us | | | | event. For contact wearers, carry a contact |
| toward the most expensive bicycle available | | | | case and lens cleaner on bike rides for just |
| (as I had expected), they asked how much | | | | that reason. Some day you'll be glad you did! |
| riding we would be doing, whether we were | | | | |
| trying for speed or leisure, and whether we | | | | HEALTH TIP: Shake your hands downward |
| would be riding on paved roads or dirt | | | | frequently to get the blood flowing and to |
| trails. When you honestly share your goals | | | | prevent pain or numbness in your arms and |
| and level of experience, the sales clerks can | | | | hands. |
| match you with exactly what you need. They | | | | |
| want you to be successful in your biking | | | | MAPPING OUT A WEIGHT LOSS PLAN |
| venture! | | | | |
| | | | You will want to keep a record of your daily |
| Some state laws require bicycle lights. But | | | | diet and food intake, your weekly body |
| if you will be riding anytime from dusk to | | | | measurements and weight, as well as your |
| dawn, common sense demands that you have | | | | bicycling miles and time. |
| lights on your bicycle. These little | | | | |
| accessories are battery-operated and last a | | | | The WORKOUTWARE Personal Training Workstation |
| long time. There are a variety of lights to | | | | software (see the Home Fitness page at for |
| choose from. My tail light has different | | | | your personal computer is an excellent way to |
| blinking speeds, and is designed to make my | | | | track your progress. It is very easy to |
| bike visible to cars approaching from both | | | | use-simply type in your information you wish |
| the rear and the sides. Check for brightness | | | | to track. As the only software of its kind, |
| before you buy one. Install the light where | | | | you'll find it to be a fantastic motivation |
| it makes the most sense. | | | | tool that will print out charts and graphs to |
| | | | show how much progress you've made in a few |
| We held off on buying a speedometer and | | | | days, a week, or a month! |
| odometer unit for our bikes, but once we got | | | | |
| serious about losing weight and getting in | | | | It keeps track of your food, vitamin, and |
| shape, this feature became a "must have." You | | | | supplement intake. Thousands of foods have |
| simply cannot track your progress without | | | | already been analyzed by experts for number |
| knowing how far and how fast you're riding. | | | | of calories, fat, carbs, and protein. You |
| | | | simply select the foods you ate from a pull |
| If you already have a bicycle, take it to the | | | | down feature, and the daily total is tallied |
| bike shop for a safety inspection each | | | | for you. Make sure you don't exercise when |
| season. They should check the gears, tires | | | | you've just eaten, or when it's almost meal |
| and brakes to make sure everything is working | | | | time. Both times will slow you down. |
| properly. They can adjust your seat to fit | | | | |
| your height and adjust the handlebars to fit | | | | No matter how humiliating it is, measure your |
| your reach, making your ride more | | | | arms, legs, chest, waist, neck, hips and |
| comfortable. If you're lucky, they might even | | | | thighs once a week. The software keeps track |
| clean and polish your bike! | | | | of your weight and body measurements. The |
| | | | thrill of seeing those same inches melt away |
| If you want to save money in the long run, | | | | in the coming weeks will be worth the effort. |
| you can find books and videos that teach you | | | | It's especially impressive seen as a graph! |
| how to care for your own bicycle. It's always | | | | |
| a great idea to know how to change your own | | | | Consider investing in an instrument that |
| flat tire and adjust a loose chain. | | | | actually measures body fat-there are |
| | | | inexpensive pincer-type instruments that |
| Another must have is a bicycle pump. Ask your | | | | measure fat by pinching you, or buy a set of |
| bike dealer how many pounds of air pressure | | | | bathroom scales that cost more but calculate |
| to put in your bicycle tires. Check the tires | | | | body fat quite painlessly. |
| each time you get ready to ride! We guessed | | | | |
| at the air pressure one summer day, and lived | | | | Try to ride 4-6 days per week. When you map |
| to regret it. We rode the bikes to the | | | | out your weight loss plan, your short-term |
| swimming pool, not realizing that one tire | | | | goals will change as you change. You'll |
| was too full. While we were cooling off in | | | | quickly develop stamina for longer distance. |
| the water, the hot sun was rapidly expanding | | | | As fat turns to muscle, your speed will |
| the air in the tires-one tire blew as it sat | | | | increase. Each week, try to increase either |
| in the parking lot. The day in the sun was | | | | your mileage or your speed. |
| not so fun, once the pool closed and we had | | | | |
| to wait for a truck to haul us home! | | | | You know how far you've been able to ride, |
| | | | thus far. Start keeping track of the exact |
| HEALTH TIP: Talk with your doctor first, and | | | | route you are taking, the total mileage, and |
| get his or her blessing before you increase | | | | the length of time it took you. Make notes in |
| your rate of physical activity! | | | | your records for special circumstances. Did |
| | | | it get dark outside so you were forced to cut |
| STAYING COMFORTABLE ON YOUR BIKE | | | | your ride short? Did the road crews dump a |
| | | | layer of gravel on your normally paved road? |
| Sitting for long periods of time on a bicycle | | | | |
| seat can cause pain, discomfort, and even | | | | What was the weather like? Was it dangerously |
| serious blood circulation problems in avid | | | | hot? Was it windy? The wind can be your |
| bicyclists. At your local bike shop, you'll | | | | friend or your enemy. When the wind is behind |
| find a variety of bicycle seats made | | | | you, your ride is a coming from any other |
| specifically for your comfort and health. The | | | | direction, be prepared to huff and puff. |
| salespeople at our local bike shop encouraged | | | | Accept any length of time as a job well done |
| us to try out new seats on our bikes for a | | | | and simply get the ride accomplished! |
| few days. My husband found the split seat to | | | | |
| be more comfortable for himself, while I | | | | Finally, add an upper body workout three |
| opted to keep my old gel seat. Someone has | | | | times per week. Bicycling works your legs, |
| even invented seats that look more like a | | | | but to get the rest of your body firm and |
| bird perch than a bicycle seat! | | | | trim, you'll need to exercise your upper |
| | | | body, as well. The WORKOUTWARE Personal |
| HEALTH TIP: Get off your bicycle seat and | | | | Training Workstation software, created by a |
| walk around every 25 minutes or so to get the | | | | certified personal fitness trainer, has |
| blood flow to important unmentionable parts | | | | excellent features which allow you to design |
| of your body. | | | | and track this portion of your fitness |
| | | | program, as well. |
| Think about your don't have to have padded | | | | |
| biker shorts and special clothing to start | | | | Bicycle riding is a fun, inexpensive form of |
| riding bikes. There are actually | | | | aerobic exercise-it's good for every part of |
| scientifically engineered fabrics designed to | | | | you. But be warned-you will need to buy a |
| pull sweat away from your body in the summer | | | | whole new wardrobe for the thinner, more |
| and to keep you from getting hypothermia in | | | | beautifully fit body that emerges! |
| the winter. But for now, just wear layers of | | | | |