WHY BICYCLES?
Or how I got my life back on track by riding bicycles.
A few years ago I was morbidly obese. 6'4" and 150kg
I had a consultation with my GP to investigate the possibility of knee replacement surgery because I couldn't walk to the letterbox without bad pain.
But what he said was, “Do something about your blood sugars now or you’ll probably be a diabetic by Christmas - and your knees will be better if you lose weight.”
This was just after my 63rd Birthday and it put the wind right up me, because I’ve hit the age where a disappointing number of people I knew have already fallen off the twig.
So - I took it to heart and actually did something. I lost 45kg and am starting to get into pretty good shape (for an old boy) – although I still have a ways to go.
The first thing was to stick to a Kilojoule controlled, healthy diet plan and follow it religiously. Like … religiously. No shortcuts.
There are plenty of options here – from seeing a dietician, to Weight Watchers et al. What works for some, won’t work for others.
The thing is to find a solution that you like, but it’s imperative to have some way of controlling how many kilojoules you ingest.
From a purely weight loss thing, what foods or when you eat probably isn’t as important as the number of kilojoules they contain – but there must be some sort of balance to maintain your health too. I went from snorting large Pizzas and take away - to having big non-starchy vegetable serves and small meat and carbs portions.
I ditched the fizzy drinks and started on NO BOOZE. (OK, 2 alcoholic drinks per week. Max.) And I do like a drink. But I disliked the idea of Type 2 Diabetes more.
So, I didn’t find that bit hard at all.
Once the kilojoule intake is under control, you must develop an exercise regime *that you like doing*.
The last bit is very important. I don’t like walking much, running hurts my arthritic knees, but I do love riding … anything - and that includes bicycles.
Subsequently I have covered many hundreds of kilometres on pushbikes and I have built a fleet of custom bicycles that I really like riding – at least half an hour – every day. This site is homage to them.
I don't do lycra suits or any of that trip, but the key is to find whatever it is that pumps your tyres – and do it every day – or even most days.
Diet, exercise, and a dread of needles, that was what I needed to turn my health around. The up sides of losing the weight are … well … huge.
I’m a different bloke for not carrying the equivalent of two bags of concrete everywhere I go. Knee surgery is off the table (pun intended) and life in general is mucho better.
So get at it! If I can do it ...”