file under: a little honesty

[deacon]

Before I built my first motorized bike, I walked three of four miles at a time twice a day. I also watched what I ate and lost about 65 pounds. Then I began building motorized bikes. At first I was skipping meals and hossing around bike parts, but then it got to be more riding and less building.

So when I went electric, I intentionally bought a 250 watt hub. Way underpowered but I thought I would get some exercise and get back into shape. So now I ride the hub motor now and then and I ride the pusher now and then. I gained ten or 12 pounds this winter so I decided I needed to walk again.

It should have been a snap since I have been riding a bike, one which is under powered. Well it wasn't a snap at all. Actually I chose to start with the one mile bike course. It is my basic course with all kinds of different features. A couple of serious hills ect. That one mile I had to stop twice to get some air;.. My back was killing me when I got home.

So now I have to think, who was I kidding. I have decided that the bike is for errands (which was the original plan anyway) Exercise is for exercise. So my advice is don't bother buy a small bike thinking you will get some exercise you won't. For every hill you pedal up, you coast down one. Even the uphill pull isn't very hard. I pulled bike killer hill today with the pusher and it was no more than a gentle pedal. Nothing gut wrenching about it.

So buy all the bike you need to have fun.. and run to the store ect. There is just no sense kidding ourselves, this is not a workout. Not that I'm giving up my bike, just being honest with myself.

 

[Pablo]

You too, huh? My gut is not exactly in shrink mode.

 

[grouchyolfart]

Yeah, it's not quite the aerobics workout. I did manage to drop some weight and gave me a false sense of accomplishment. Last week, I went out and bought a couple of donuts on a couple of days and had Texas BBQ for lunch on another day and a huge Chinese lunch on yet another. I know I picked up a whole bunch of weight as my scooter is running slower again and one of my loose shorts is no longer loose.

Doc wants me to get below 200, but It's not going to happen unless I get strict with what I eat. I'm too old to be eating the way I did last week.....but I love donuts and Texas BBQ brisquet and Chinese food.
Now I gotta start all over again.

Btw, any type of excercise, even it seems too light, is good. No need to kill oneself doing "hardcore" aerobics. Even walking does not have to be strenuous. Just raising the heart rate up a little does our bodies a lot of good. Just gotta remember we can't eat how we used to when we were in our 20's.

 

[deacon]

I know it is awful for a fat man to try to get skinny. I still have fat genes and the fat mindset. I love krispy kreme donuts. I am tempted to ride my bike to the KK and tell myself it's okay.

I have a new plan. I am going to ride my bike to local walking trail through the woods. Then get off and walk it a mile or so, then get back on the bike and ride it home. Should be a pretty good bit of exercise and still have a little fun in it as well.

I think that bike I built for under a hundred bucks is the right one for that kind of plan. Save the hub motor just in case someone happens to have a bolt cutter and pickup to free it and haul it away.