At the start of this month I rashly announced on the forum that I was going to walk my daily intake of calories off on the Treadmill. One dodgy knee and a trip to the doctor has potentially put paid to that. However, I have a very good doctor, keen to promote fitness and weight loss in all its forms, and I also have a great desire to complete back to back 10k runs at the end of the year (its been on my bucket list forever but with the help of this amazing forum and WOE I truly believed that this is the year), so we have agreed on a plan – he gives me a large box of anti-inflammatory tablets for use as required, and I drop the incline and speed on the TM whilst completing a 12 week cycling program and bunch of thigh exercises to strengthen the knee, in preparation for moving forward to sustaining more impact (losing a hoped for 2 stone in that time will also help).

So to start, I am going to concentrate on the turbo – first to help get “butt ready” as I have a racing saddle and secondly to get used to cycling without freewheeling. This way I can add the distance cycled to my daily step count. Calories burnt cycling at a slow pace roughly matches calories burnt walking at a reasonable pace, so is an excellent way of burning off the calories or getting the recommended 10000 steps done if you cant walk far or need to do low impact exercise.

I hope all you keen (and not so keen) cyclists out there will join me in cycling away the calories, whether its all of them every day or just 10% it doesn’t matter. Every calorie cycled is one less in the fat store.

Pod, I look forward to seeing you here.

CALCULATORS

As we flatten the calories with our bike tyres:

To convert the distance cycled into steps try http://www.livestrong.com/article/187672-how-to-convert-exercise-bike-miles-to-steps.

To convert the distance cycled into calories burnt try https://caloriesburnedhq.com/calories-burned-biking/

MOTIVATION
As I said at the start of this thread the drivers for me are knee strength and to help burn off my daily ingested calories. But I have other drivers too. Since starting my part time job 4 years ago I always wanted to be able to cycle to work (mainly for the financial benefits rather than the health benefits) and I have always wanted to be good enough to join a cycle club.

The problem with cycling to work is its approx. 13 miles away and via a steep hill, and the dog will not be pleased at having to cross his paws too much longer than he does now (I’m lucky that my son is a chef so starts work midday so can normally let him out at some point). So I have to be able to get up the hill (both there and on the way back) and do it in a reasonable 45min each way.

The problem with the cycle club is I can’t do 20-25mile an hour, let alone sustain it over 25-30 miles.

But now I’m highly motivated to work towards both goals.

THE PLAN
Because I want to convert distance to steps and because it is also good practise, I want to be able to cycle without freewheeling (having been out on the road bike round my intended flattish 21/2 mile loop, that is not a remote possibility just yet. For fitness reasons and again good practise, I also want to get my cadence up to 80-90rpm (not the dire 52rpm I managed on the turbo on Monday). So I will start flattening those calories on the turbo every other day (got to think of the knee) starting with 10mins and increasing the time by 5mins once I have completed 2 sessions, without freewheeling, for a given time. Once I get to 45mins then I will progress to the road.

On the road I will loosely follow the Cancer Research UK Beginner Plan but keeping up the every other day cycling.
Once I can match Maharani kitten’s 10miles a day (but only 3x a week, not 5 like MK) and early Sat morning 25miler I will re-evaluate and see about cycling to work.

THE JOURNEY SO FAR
On Monday I started and did 10mins no freewheeling at a dire 52rpm. I have no idea what setting the turbo is on but it nearly killed me (which is good) and surprisingly loosened up the knee (which is also good) so I will keep to that setting going forwards.

Yesterday I missed mainly because I was having a really dire day. So today I will catch up with another 10min and then move forward with 15min (hopefully) tomorrow to get back on track. It will be interesting to see what effect cycling 2 days in a row will have.

Hi ddraig goch
I’m here! Got over the misery of Tuesdays ” carb monster” and done 10 minutes on my bike this morning, hardly any resistance, but to say I’m jiggered is an understatement. Haven’t worked out the dials yet, but I thought I would at least start moving my legs on the bike! Wow, I’m unfit!
I’ve still to work a plan out, but arthritis in my knee is my main goal.. I need to strengthen it.
I’ve been on Bsd for nearly 7 weeks and I just realised yesterday I haven’t had knee pain for ages, or taken the anti inflamateries or pain killers. Don’t know when it stopped, but, I started reading ” wheat belly, the whole truth” yesterday and people that had stopped eating grains stated that their arthritis pain had stopped. Wow,
I learnt a huge amount last night and now at least beginning to understand what I’m doing.
Anyway keep them legs movin!

Hi Pod, sorry I haven’t visited this thread since I started it but glad to see you’ve joined me.

Had a bad week cycling wise but today the sun is out and I’m feeling reinvigorated. Took the road bike out and managed my 2.5mi circuit without freewheeling once despite getting my trouser leg caught in the empty bottle rack and the undulations (I live on the edge of the Fens so can’t call them hills). Don’t know how long it took me as the timer failed but it was slow (not that I’m bothered, more interested in maintaining a steady pace right now). Going to try am rides outside and then pm rides inside, every other day (will treat it as a commute to get my head in gear for the long term).

Happy cycling Pod

Best exercise IN THE WORLD. Mkx

Mk, I have to admit I enjoyed the outdoors more than the trainer and using you as an incentive, I am sure I shall be doing my daily 10miles in no time.

Hi ddraig_goch and maharani kitten, hope those legs have been pedalling. Unfortunately I’m stalled at just doing 10 minutes a day.. Mind you that is 10 minutes more than I did a week ago!
You two seem well used to cycling, me, I’m a novice! So no great details I’m afraid, just happy to keep my legs moving at the Mo!!
I’ve also hurt my knee again, it just keeps collapsing.. hope I haven’t overdone the exercises, I’m trying to strengthen the muscles to avoid surgery… Anyway, hopefully it will get stronger soon and I will be able to do miles, and miles and miles.
Keep pedalling!!!!!!!

DDG you’re doing exactly what I do, morning and evening – laps of a 2 mile, broadly traffic free circuit. Either 3 or 5, depending how much time I have.

Re Knees, the trick is to start modestly, don’t worry too much about cadence or calories burned. Go out to enjoy your exercise in the fresh air. You will be utterly amazed how quickly stamina develops, distances improve, cadence improves without much extra effort. Keeping it pleasurable is the way to keep doing it and enjoying the long term benefits of propelling yourself along. Your muscles and tendons will improve and your knees will be fine so long as you don’t overdo it.

Pod, being a novice is no problem. Just do a little bit more each day and before you know it, you’ll be going MILES without realising it. Get a bike computer, keep a log of miles cycled – really motivating. If your ride’s the same every day, time yourself. In a month, take a look at how far you’ve come. Not to try to beat it, just to see how, quite naturally, you’ll be able to do more. Cycling regularly is what does it, like swimming, you can see good improvements very quickly and it’s not weight bearing like running, which I’ve never taken to!

Also, look around you. This morning I was delighted to see two Mad March Hares boxing in a field. Lambs. The river looking gorgeous with the sun shining on it. New leaves. Lovely, worth doing it just for that.

Finally, please don’t see me as a cycling whizz – I’m not! I can do distances with ease but I’m not quick and I absolutely hate hills. East Anglia and Norfolk. Great places to cycle….so FLAT!

Onward! Mkx

Maharani kitten, thanks for your lovely words of encouragement, unfortunately I live in a dip so it’s hills all around and I haven’t got a road bike!, when I feel stronger though there are some lovely bike rides around Rutland Water, about 30 minutes from me, where you can hire a bike, so I will look forward to that. Totally agree that there is nothing better than being outside.
ddraig_goch hope your getting into the swing of it
I’ve got the computer working on my stationery bike so today I know what I’ve done
Cycled 3 10 minute blocks and covered 5.1km. Hopefully This will help me know what I’m doing, or at least improving.
Let’s keep them legs turning!