The Bicycling Lifestyle: A Weighty Issue

    Weight and appearance get a lot of attention today. We are constantly bombarded with the message: "A slimmer, trimmer you" is the ultimate achievement. But, does simply being slimmer equate to good health?

    More importance should be placed on general health and fitness -- something bicycling can help you achieve. Measures of health and fitness include strength, endurance, mental outlook and susceptibility to injury and disease. These are important factors in weight control as well.

    For most people weight gain is a slow process. Often, a slight change in lifestyle is the culprit. For example, when a 150-pound individual who regularly biked 20 minutes to and from classes switches to driving a car to work, he or she expends about 270 fewer calories per day. This becomes apparent when the clothes fit a little tighter.

    At this point, individuals often resort to dieting. Unfortunately, such a one-dimensional approach usually fails. Drastically eating less leads to feelings of starvation. Binges and guilt take over.

    A better approach balances food intake and energy expenditure.

    First, monitor what you normally eat for a couple of weeks. You may discover too many high calorie snacks and fatty foods.

    Be careful not to dramatically decrease your caloric intake. Cutting out more than 500 calories at one time could trick your body into believing it is being starved. This results in a slowed metabolic rate. Fewer calories are burned.

    A healthier approach includes moderate caloric restriction. This way, your diet continues to provide the nutrients needed for optimum health.

    A comprehensive weight loss plan includes exercise. Our lives are filled with chores and errands that cannot be avoided. It is often difficult to schedule in regular exercise. How to get around this dilemma? The national Centers for Disease Control strongly encourage individuals to run errands by walking or biking.

    Since most errands are trips under two miles, it is easy to make biking a part of the everyday routine. Or, walk to the corner store rather than drive. Search out the stairs rather than taking the elevator! Eventually, you may even gain the fitness to bike commute to work without a sweat.

    Don't expect to lose large amounts of weight in a short period of time. Exercise does burn fat, but it also builds muscle. Muscle tissue weighs more than fat tissue.

    So if you are just a little overweight, you might not lose much weight with a new exercise routine. Weight distribution may change significantly though. You might find that those jeans that haven't fit for a year become comfortable again.

    Low to moderate intensity exercise actually burns a lot of fat. An easy bicycle ride for 30 minutes can burn about 170 to 270 calories. Increased activity along with moderate caloric restriction is a healthy and comfortable way to shed pounds.

Here are a few weight control tips:

• Ask the doc. If you haven't been exercising, are significantly overweight or have other health complications, consult your physician before starting a program.
• Pitch the bathroom scale. Don't use body weight as the only indicator that your weight control program is successful. Are your clothes feeling looser? Is it easier for you to complete what used to be an exhausting task? Are you less mentally fatigued at the end of the day?
• Get real. Don't plan on losing more than a couple of pounds per week. Losing weight slowly makes it more likely you'll lose the weight forever (no "yo-yoing").
• Aim for a realistic diet and exercise routine that can be comfortably followed for a lifetime. This may include bicycling.
• Ask the experts. If reasonable dieting and exercise don't help, consult a nutritionist for guidance. You may have specific health concerns that complicate your situation.

      For many of us, weight gain happened because of gradual lifestyle changes. We move less and eat more. Short-term starvation diets and boring exercise programs don't last.

      Aim for a more active lifestyle. Getting to nearby destinations using your own power is a natural, fun and painless way to get or stay in shape.

      Pamela Barrett is a physical therapist, certified athletic trainer and 1998 USCF category IV Wisconsin Cup Champion.