Gatorade, Powerade, Water, Electrolytes, ???????

C_heath

I just started being "healthy" and I will be doing 15-20 miles 3-4 days per week to lose weight. Im 31 years old, 5'10" 215-220 pounds and Am in the out of Shape category. Ive quit the Soft drinks and starting to eat at better places instead of the Extra Value meal #3 at McD's Even though its good lol. I dont eat it anymore. Also, drinking a ton of Aquafina everyday.

Sometimes I feel like Im going to bonk after a mile.

What do I need to do to freaking get some energy, sometimes the thought of getting on the bike or working out makes me tired lol. What should I fuel up with on the ride?

Im not FAT but I need to shed about 30-35 pounds.

Thanks in Advance

C_heath

Wow, 21 reads and nothing yet, I thought u guys were the masters!

dgow

When I started riding to get relief from bad knees, everything over 30-45 minutes was hard, and any hill was murder. As you ride more it gets easier. Hydration- if you're riding hard enough to sweat drink before you ride and drink as you go. For hills and hot days I drink Gatorade- I found it really is better than plain water- but there are lots of sports drinks all about the same if you check the labels. Weight loss- eat less (but well) and burn more. Moderate cycling is great cardio exercise but you may not lose wieght unless you also watch what you eat.

kf5nd

I think it's virtually impossible that you are going to "bonk" (deplete carbohydrate stores from your muscles) after a mile. That would happen only after 1 - 2 hours of vigorous exercise, assuming you're well-fed and well-hydrated before you start.

I'm going to caution you... you may have an underlying health condition that only manifests after you start getting your pulse rate up. Do you have chest pain, or a feeling or burning or fullness or squeezing, extending down your arms or into your neck? Nausea? Sweating? Feelings of impeding doom? Shortness of breath? Lightheadedness? These are symptoms of heart attack.

If you've been overweight most of your life, you could already have coronary artery disease, yes, even at age 31.

You need to be seen by a doctor and have your symptoms of discomfort checked out before doing any more exercise. You need to have coronary artery disease (CAD) ruled out before you get back on the bike.

Once your doc rules out CAD, I think you're just going to have to psychologically get used to what exercise feels like, and the stages that you go through during a typical workout. Maybe you just need a more extended warm-up period than you are giving yourself. Once warmed-up, you may find that your body "switches over" into a different mode, and all feels good again.

Fueling up for the ride... for your 15 - 20 miles rides, just take plain water, as much as you want. You really don't need to eat on the bike at that distance. Longer than 1 - 2 hours you'll want to have a sports drink, but don't take in more than you'll burn up, or else, what's the point? A guy of your size on a bike ride might use up 500 Cal. per hour. Gatorade has 200 Cal. per quart, and you can drink up to a quart an hour without getting stomach upset, and you won't get too many Calories from the Gatorade.

Good luck.

C_heath

Yes, Thank you, When I was about 27-28, I had a stress test done, the one where they put the Dye tracer in your body and slap you on a treadmill and see how long it takes till your heart gets to max bpm.

They said it checked out ok and was ruled stress. I think Im terribly out of shape and yes, I have been inactive and eating and drinking junk for probably ten years. I just am ready to get in shape and tone down.

Mt friends tell me that I am an exact replica of Tony Stewart. That may give you an idea of my size, not Fat but need to shed a few.

Thanks guys!

pcs_ronbo

Start slower. Your cardio could just be in such bad shape. Might not be, and probably isn't, nutritional. At 1 mile, that's too soon.

So do some walking. Maybe do a couple 2-4 mile rides/day (AM/PM) instead of a 15-20 mile ride.

Just start slow, be consistant, and the pounds will melt off. A little excercise every day is way better than trying to go too hard, too fast and burn yourself out and get into overtraining mode - which will sideline you for a long time.

I'm a retired lazybutt - 31wks and 38lbs down and counting. Go for it!

__________________
A wise man is not one who knows all,
but one who knows where all is.
- Socrates

Giant OCR2, TRINewbie, GOAL: 100lbs weight loss 100wks.

C_heath

Thanks Bro!

Tha is very inspirational !!!!!

joule

If it helps at all, the beginning of August was 170 lbs at 5' 6.5" and 47 years of age. I had done little or no exercise for such a long time. Doc said cholesterol was high and wanted to put me on regular medication. Decided now is the time for a lifestyle change instead of depending on medication.

My first ride out was an 18.5 mile loop that my only goal was to complete. Had to walk the two major hills and took me 94 mins to complete. Have kept at it however, riding at least 6 days a week. Riding 15 mins on the rollers at the start when weather was bad, my 18 mile loop after work during the week, and the past few weeks riding a new 40 mile loop on weekends. Well just got back from my 18 mile loop ride, am now 150 lbs, and completed it in 59.2 mins. An those hills I used to walk up?... I now storm up them. Roller time is now up to 45 mins. My next blood test is next week so hoping some dramatic changes there too.

So it takes time and dilligence, but just start slow and track your progress and I'm sure you will be feeling better in a month or two.

dhk

Good advice here; adaptation to exercise takes time. Your body has plenty of fuel onboard (muscle and liver glycogen and fat) for the rides you need to do, but your energy systems just aren't used to accessing the fuel, and your cardio-vascular system isn't used to sending major quantities of oxygen to the leg muscles either.

Suggest you start out with daily easy rides of 30 minutes, 5-6 days a week if possible. Don't worry about speed or mileage. I'd say do this for at least 4 weeks, and move up to the 10 mile ride level only when you're totally comfortable and ready for more.

These long-term changes take time. No need to hurt yourself and burn out in a few weeks by pushing too fast. Look at this as the way you're going to live the rest of your life. Take time to enjoy every ride along the way.