Small pot

In the last year or so it has become inescapably obvious to me that I
have developed a small but unattractive pot-belly (I look a bit like,
say, a stick with a pot-belly on it). For the first time since I was
about 19 I have clothes which used to fit me but don't.

I'd like to get rid of this thing, but I don't want to start watching my
diet or taking special exercise. What I would like to know is what style
of cycling will help me achieve this fastest - should I get on the bike,
and pedal as hard and fast as I can until I can't manage any longer, or
go for leisurely 20km rides, or drag myself up the steepest hills I can
find, or what?

Daniele

D.M. Procida wrote:
In the last year or so it has become inescapably obvious to me that I
have developed a small but unattractive pot-belly (I look a bit like,
say, a stick with a pot-belly on it). For the first time since I was
about 19 I have clothes which used to fit me but don't.

I'd like to get rid of this thing, but I don't want to start watching my
diet or taking special exercise. What I would like to know is what style
of cycling will help me achieve this fastest - should I get on the bike,
and pedal as hard and fast as I can until I can't manage any longer, or
go for leisurely 20km rides, or drag myself up the steepest hills I can
find, or what?

All three ;-)

How much time do you have to ride? Ride as hard as you can manage for
the time you have available, and don't have second helpings at teh cake
stops.

...d

D.M. Procida wrote:
In the last year or so it has become inescapably obvious to me that I
have developed a small but unattractive pot-belly (I look a bit like,
say, a stick with a pot-belly on it). For the first time since I was
about 19 I have clothes which used to fit me but don't.

I'd like to get rid of this thing, but I don't want to start watching my
diet or taking special exercise. What I would like to know is what style
of cycling will help me achieve this fastest - should I get on the bike,
and pedal as hard and fast as I can until I can't manage any longer, or
go for leisurely 20km rides, or drag myself up the steepest hills I can
find, or what?


Cycling is a horribly ineffective way of
losing a belly.

Pretty good for everything else.

DAMHIKT

BugBear

Following on from D.M. Procida's message. . .
In the last year or so it has become inescapably obvious to me that I
have developed a small but unattractive pot-belly (I look a bit like,
say, a stick with a pot-belly on it). For the first time since I was
about 19 I have clothes which used to fit me but don't.

I'd like to get rid of this thing, but I don't want to start watching my
diet or taking special exercise. What I would like to know is what style
of cycling will help me achieve this fastest - should I get on the bike,
and pedal as hard and fast as I can until I can't manage any longer, or
go for leisurely 20km rides, or drag myself up the steepest hills I can
find, or what?

Daniele
Your ultimate aim is to lose weight and the method you've chosen is to
exercise and burn calories. OK then, what is a good way to do this? By
doing a lot of feeble exercise or a lot of tough exercise or a little
tough exercise? Obviously the second option. But your whole body (and
possibly your mental outlook to some extent) are not prepared for loads
of heavy exercise any more than you're ready to jump up from in front of
the telly and run a marathon.

What you have to do is *build* your body's capacity to do work both in
the duration and toughness departments. This takes perhaps a month from
scratch and will continue to improve. It's a matter of keeping at it
and not overdoing things. You will find after a fortnight that your
speed, endurance in legs and lungs and body generally are improving.
Occasional sprints, occasional days rest, occasional push further than
before even if it *temporarily* knackers you all go to improving
'fitness' and making cycling more interesting.

Reading a book or two on exercise should alert you to the pitfalls and
don't forget you're not training to be a TdF athlete just a fit cyclist.

If you're particularly shape-conscious then bewa You may lose one
pot but you'll acquire two thighs!



--
PETER FOX Not the same since the submarine business went under

www.eminent.demon.co.uk - Lots for cyclists

D.M. Procida wrote:
In the last year or so it has become inescapably obvious to me that I
have developed a small but unattractive pot-belly (I look a bit like,
say, a stick with a pot-belly on it). For the first time since I was
about 19 I have clothes which used to fit me but don't.

I'd like to get rid of this thing, but I don't want to start watching my
diet or taking special exercise. What I would like to know is what style
of cycling will help me achieve this fastest - should I get on the bike,
and pedal as hard and fast as I can until I can't manage any longer, or
go for leisurely 20km rides, or drag myself up the steepest hills I can
find, or what?

Daniele
start doing crunches each day, about 200 or 300 should be about right.
Or, go swimming a few times a week. Cycle to the swimming pool as well.

D.M. Procida wrote:
In the last year or so it has become inescapably obvious to me that I
have developed a small but unattractive pot-belly (I look a bit like,
say, a stick with a pot-belly on it). For the first time since I was
about 19 I have clothes which used to fit me but don't.

I'd like to get rid of this thing, but I don't want to start watching my
diet or taking special exercise. What I would like to know is what style
of cycling will help me achieve this fastest - should I get on the bike,
and pedal as hard and fast as I can until I can't manage any longer, or
go for leisurely 20km rides, or drag myself up the steepest hills I can
find, or what?

You should get yourself a Thys Rowbike, I guess will be the best way

http://www.rowingbike.com/main.php

That may not actually be that practical for you. However, I would
concur with other suggestions that doing some sort of exercise which
exercises your belly more than cycling will tighten it up much more
effectively. This is what Roos assures me, often combined with a
suggestion that I'd look better if I did lots of crunches and situps...

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

D.M. Procida wrote:
In the last year or so it has become inescapably obvious to me that I
have developed a small but unattractive pot-belly (I look a bit like,
say, a stick with a pot-belly on it). For the first time since I was
about 19 I have clothes which used to fit me but don't.

I'd like to get rid of this thing, but I don't want to start watching my
diet or taking special exercise. What I would like to know is what style
of cycling will help me achieve this fastest - should I get on the bike,
and pedal as hard and fast as I can until I can't manage any longer, or
go for leisurely 20km rides, or drag myself up the steepest hills I can
find, or what?

Daniele

I too have a bit of a tum. I don't understand it; I cycle 20 miles a
day minimum. Having seen a few "older" riders at audaxes, I'm beginning
to worry that stick thin with tum is what happens if you ride too much.

"D.M. Procida" wrote:

In the last year or so it has become inescapably obvious to me that I
have developed a small but unattractive pot-belly (I look a bit like,
say, a stick with a pot-belly on it). For the first time since I was
about 19 I have clothes which used to fit me but don't.

I'd like to get rid of this thing, but I don't want to start watching my
diet or taking special exercise. What I would like to know is what style
of cycling will help me achieve this fastest ...

Cycling is not very good for removing this.

Look on the bright side, why not enjoy a few more cakes and convert it
into an aerobelly for that recumbent you've always wanted ;-)

John B

D.M. Procida wrote:
In the last year or so it has become inescapably obvious to me that I
have developed a small but unattractive pot-belly

Cherish it, and you can have a paunch of distinction.
That third course at lunchtime certainly helped with mine,
during my time in Italy with a rather decent staff canteen
at work.

--
not me guv

Nick Kew wrote:
D.M. Procida wrote:
In the last year or so it has become inescapably obvious to me that I
have developed a small but unattractive pot-belly

Cherish it, and you can have a paunch of distinction.
That third course at lunchtime certainly helped with mine,
during my time in Italy with a rather decent staff canteen
at work.

Ah yes. I remembered my 20 miles a day cycling but had forgotten my 40
miles a day worth of eating. That would explain it all.