the biggest loser

Marlene Blanshay wrote:
:: I caught a few minutes of "the biggest loser", and from what i
:: gathered, there was a couple who were trying to get in shape. The
:: husband went to a bike shop (in Portland OR) and bought himself a
:: road bike- it was obviously a specialized even though they blurred
:: out the name (the logo was still visible on the stem). Then, the
:: wife is all depressed because now she works out alone. The guy is
:: talking about how he wants to get in shape... in the meantime, there
:: he is riding his bike, no gloves, wearing sneakers, and street
:: clothes. He's not going to be doing very long rides dressed like
:: that! As for the wife, i felt like telling her, stop bawling, and
:: get a bike!

He might be doing 10 miles every day. Of course, he should have gotten a
mountain bike with knoby tires to do those 10-mile road trips. That woud
burn some calories.

Marlene Blanshay wrote:

<snip>

Quoted message said:

The guy is talking about how he wants to get in
shape... in the meantime, there he is riding his bike, no gloves,
wearing sneakers, and street clothes. He's not going to be doing very
long rides dressed like that!

there you go dissing the transportaional cyclists ;-)

"Marlene Blanshay" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I caught a few minutes of "the biggest loser", and from what i gathered,
there was a couple who were trying to get in shape. The husband went to a
bike shop (in Portland OR) and bought himself a road bike- it was obviously
a specialized even though they blurred out the name (the logo was still
visible on the stem). Then, the wife is all depressed because now she works
out alone. The guy is talking about how he wants to get in shape... in the
meantime, there he is riding his bike, no gloves, wearing sneakers, and
street clothes. He's not going to be doing very long rides dressed like
that! As for the wife, i felt like telling her, stop bawling, and get a
bike!

I dislike pretty much all 'reality' shows. They are either degrading to
people as a species or simply stupid. This one however I don't mind so much.
I still don't watch it except for the last few minutes if I'm watching the
next show on that channel - just dislike the genre. But it is such a
positive show; helping people directly and indirectly confront the biggest
health issue of the era. Compare that to the degrading 'Fear Factor' and
there is no comparison.

But one thing I wonder about from my own experience: After an initial
weight loss [nothing like the amounts of the people on the show] I started
gaining weight. My doctor dismissed any sort of concerns I had. I was
replacing lighter fat with denser muscle. My weight started to increase but
my physical condition was improving.

Regarding the show I wonder about focusing on raw poundage rather than body
fat and general fitness. The boilerplate cautions that all contestants are
under the care and supervision of qualified medical, nutritional and physio
professionals. I'm sure the contestants are not in danger but using just
weight loss as the determining factor seems like a bad meter.

Marlene Blanshay said:

there he is riding his bike, no gloves,
wearing sneakers, and street clothes. He's not going to be doing very
long rides dressed like that!

The last few summers I regularly took 25 mile rides in sneakers, regular
shorts, and a tee shirt.

Rich

"cycle-one" <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

But one thing I wonder about from my own experience: After an initial
weight loss [nothing like the amounts of the people on the show] I
started gaining weight. My doctor dismissed any sort of concerns I
had. I was replacing lighter fat with denser muscle. My weight started
to increase but my physical condition was improving.

Regarding the show I wonder about focusing on raw poundage rather
than body
fat and general fitness. The boilerplate cautions that all contestants
are under the care and supervision of qualified medical, nutritional
and physio professionals. I'm sure the contestants are not in danger
but using just weight loss as the determining factor seems like a bad
meter.

You are, of course, correct. The correct measures of "overweight" are
body fat percentage and fat distribution. Weight and height are used to
calculate BMI (body mass index) which is only a "pretty good" estimator
of body fat percentage.

Speaking as a five year lifetime member of weightwatchers and an avid
cyclist, the big question basically boils down to "what size pants am I
wearing?"

--ag

"gds" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:1137694230.462961.180580
@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

Quoted message said:

there you go dissing the transportaional cyclists ;-)

Thanks for beating me to the punch. I get in about 15 miles a day in
civvies, but _with_ a helmet and gloves.

--ag

"andy gee" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"cycle-one" <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

But one thing I wonder about from my own experience: After an initial
weight loss [nothing like the amounts of the people on the show] I
started gaining weight. My doctor dismissed any sort of concerns I
had. I was replacing lighter fat with denser muscle. My weight started
to increase but my physical condition was improving.

Regarding the show I wonder about focusing on raw poundage rather
than body
fat and general fitness. The boilerplate cautions that all contestants
are under the care and supervision of qualified medical, nutritional
and physio professionals. I'm sure the contestants are not in danger
but using just weight loss as the determining factor seems like a bad
meter.

You are, of course, correct. The correct measures of "overweight" are
body fat percentage and fat distribution. Weight and height are used to
calculate BMI (body mass index) which is only a "pretty good" estimator
of body fat percentage.

Speaking as a five year lifetime member of weightwatchers and an avid
cyclist, the big question basically boils down to "what size pants am I
wearing?"

Funny thing. I used to have an old pair of shorts I used for swimming. At
the beginning they were a little tight around the waist and lose in the
legs. Well by the time I threw them out they were lose around the waist and
tight in the legs. All that pedalling did a number on my upper leg muscles.

On Thu, 19 Jan 2006 12:07:27 -0700, Rich <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Marlene Blanshay said:

there he is riding his bike, no gloves,
wearing sneakers, and street clothes. He's not going to be doing very
long rides dressed like that!

The last few summers I regularly took 25 mile rides in sneakers, regular
shorts, and a tee shirt.

Rich

The week before Labor day I did 50 to 75 miles a day in civies. I
don't own bike specific clothing.

Indiana Mike

cycle-one wrote:
:: "Marlene Blanshay" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
:: news:[email hidden]...
::: I caught a few minutes of "the biggest loser", and from what i
::: gathered, there was a couple who were trying to get in shape. The
::: husband went to a bike shop (in Portland OR) and bought himself a
::: road bike- it was obviously a specialized even though they blurred
::: out the name (the logo was still visible on the stem). Then, the
::: wife is all depressed because now she works out alone. The guy is
::: talking about how he wants to get in shape... in the meantime,
::: there he is riding his bike, no gloves, wearing sneakers, and
::: street clothes. He's not going to be doing very long rides dressed
::: like that! As for the wife, i felt like telling her, stop bawling,
::: and get a bike!
::
:: I dislike pretty much all 'reality' shows. They are either degrading
:: to people as a species or simply stupid. This one however I don't
:: mind so much. I still don't watch it except for the last few minutes
:: if I'm watching the next show on that channel - just dislike the
:: genre. But it is such a positive show; helping people directly and
:: indirectly confront the biggest health issue of the era. Compare
:: that to the degrading 'Fear Factor' and there is no comparison.
::
:: But one thing I wonder about from my own experience: After an initial
:: weight loss [nothing like the amounts of the people on the show] I
:: started gaining weight. My doctor dismissed any sort of concerns I
:: had. I was replacing lighter fat with denser muscle. My weight
:: started to increase but my physical condition was improving.
::
:: Regarding the show I wonder about focusing on raw poundage rather
:: than body fat and general fitness. The boilerplate cautions that all
:: contestants are under the care and supervision of qualified medical,
:: nutritional and physio professionals. I'm sure the contestants are
:: not in danger but using just weight loss as the determining factor
:: seems like a bad meter.

When you're really fat, scale weight is sufficient. Once you get down to
human weights, then it's more important to think about body composition and
things like LBM vs Fat %.

Well, it's a start. I didn't buy any special clothes when I started
cycling, and got by wearing whatever I had on for the day. I got a
good workout, too. If this guy has been sedentary for a long time, he
can probably get a good workout riding for twenty minutes at 10-12 mph.

"Mike Rice" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Thu, 19 Jan 2006 12:07:27 -0700, Rich <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Marlene Blanshay said:

there he is riding his bike, no gloves,
wearing sneakers, and street clothes. He's not going to be doing very
long rides dressed like that!

The last few summers I regularly took 25 mile rides in sneakers, regular
shorts, and a tee shirt.

Rich

The week before Labor day I did 50 to 75 miles a day in civies. I
don't own bike specific clothing.

I go with loose fitting simple nylon/polyester [name brand deleted] shorts
and either cotton or nylon T-shirts. But in the _summer_ I dress less
heavily. ;-) Seriously in winter I just try to layer with a nylon shell on
the outside.

To each his or her own but I've never found the tight fit of bike specific
clothing comfortable.

cycle-one said:

"Mike Rice" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

..

Quoted message said:

To each his or her own but I've never found the tight fit of bike specific
clothing comfortable.

Yep. I now "enjoy" cycling specific clothing but do remember a time of
life where I had jeans and cut off jeans. They served for all sand lot
sports and cycling. I actually did a 1000 mile tour in 11 days in jeans
and cut offs. I was much younger and resiliant then;-)

In article <[email hidden]>,

gds said:

cycle-one said:

"Mike Rice" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

.

Quoted message said:

To each his or her own but I've never found the tight fit of bike specific
clothing comfortable.

Yep. I now "enjoy" cycling specific clothing but do remember a time of
life where I had jeans and cut off jeans. They served for all sand lot
sports and cycling. I actually did a 1000 mile tour in 11 days in jeans
and cut offs. I was much younger and resiliant then;-)

One thing about true, lycra cycling shorts is, they're resilient.
My riding has worn a bunch of holes in cut-offs and MTB shorts
that have been outlived several times over by my "real"
cycling shorts.

But at least cut-offs are cheap and easily replaced.
And we can cut them to the lengths we want.
And they have pockets.

cheers,
Tom
--
-- Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

Marlene Blanshay said:

I caught a few minutes of "the biggest loser", and from what i gathered,
there was a couple who were trying to get in shape. The husband went to
a bike shop (in Portland OR) and bought himself a road bike- it was
obviously a specialized even though they blurred out the name (the logo
was still visible on the stem). Then, the wife is all depressed because
now she works out alone. The guy is talking about how he wants to get in

That's not what bothered me the most. What bothered me was her overall
attitude. "We're going to go get skinny!" Like that's the only way for a
human being to get skinny. To go onto a reality TV show and have a
personal trainer take over your life for a few weeks.

I mean, maybe that kind of boot camp approach is what more Americans
need, but still it's kind of sad.

Quoted message said:

shape... in the meantime, there he is riding his bike, no gloves,
wearing sneakers, and street clothes. He's not going to be doing very
long rides dressed like that! As for the wife, i felt like telling her,

You never know. When I lost 170lbs. (although I've gained back 40 in the
last 3 years) a few years back I did it in one year, wearing toe clips,
a track suit (i.e. not rain resistent) in Portland, mind you, and all
cotton clothing. I was hypothermia waiting to happen. Yet I rode
eventually up to 35 miles a day and shed the weight. So great things
start modestly often. I bought a Trek 4300 mountain bike ($300) and my
wife said to me "You'd better ride it" (she details some of that on her
site http://www.speedleopard.com) and ride it I did. Into the GROUND!

So, you never know.

Preston

Bill H. said:

Well, it's a start. I didn't buy any special clothes when I started
cycling, and got by wearing whatever I had on for the day. I got a
good workout, too. If this guy has been sedentary for a long time, he
can probably get a good workout riding for twenty minutes at 10-12 mph.

Sometimes I think I was better off when I didn't have "gear". I still
really don't have "gear" in the pure sense. I have clipless pedals. I
have a computer, HRM and a road bike and some wicking T-Shirts as well
as some rain gear. But I lost most of my weight in the cotton and
polyester. So.... I don't know.

Preston

cycle-one said:

"Marlene Blanshay" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I caught a few minutes of "the biggest loser", and from what i gathered,
there was a couple who were trying to get in shape. The husband went to a
bike shop (in Portland OR) and bought himself a road bike- it was obviously
a specialized even though they blurred out the name (the logo was still
visible on the stem). Then, the wife is all depressed because now she works
out alone. The guy is talking about how he wants to get in shape... in the
meantime, there he is riding his bike, no gloves, wearing sneakers, and
street clothes. He's not going to be doing very long rides dressed like
that! As for the wife, i felt like telling her, stop bawling, and get a
bike!

I dislike pretty much all 'reality' shows. They are either degrading to
people as a species or simply stupid. This one however I don't mind so much.
I still don't watch it except for the last few minutes if I'm watching the
next show on that channel - just dislike the genre. But it is such a
positive show; helping people directly and indirectly confront the biggest
health issue of the era. Compare that to the degrading 'Fear Factor' and
there is no comparison.

But one thing I wonder about from my own experience: After an initial
weight loss [nothing like the amounts of the people on the show] I started
gaining weight. My doctor dismissed any sort of concerns I had. I was
replacing lighter fat with denser muscle. My weight started to increase but
my physical condition was improving.

Regarding the show I wonder about focusing on raw poundage rather than body
fat and general fitness. The boilerplate cautions that all contestants are
under the care and supervision of qualified medical, nutritional and physio
professionals. I'm sure the contestants are not in danger but using just
weight loss as the determining factor seems like a bad meter.

I agree. This worries me too. Mostly from the standpoint of what the
average viewer at home is "taking home" from these lessons. My wife has
last 150lbs. but only 6 last year. However, she got a personal trainer,
started doing weight training and lost like 6 sizes. She's much leaner,
much stronger and arguably in much better shape physically, but down
only 6lbs. And even SHE, with all that she knows, sometimes worries
about the numbers. That she's not losing, etc. I just try to remind her
that that isn't the most important thing. Sure, losing weight helps.
Someone could lose weight eating sprouts and rice cakes, but that
doesn't make them healthy.

Preston

Marlene Blanshay said:

... there he is riding his bike, no gloves,
wearing sneakers, and street clothes.

The important part is the part up to the first comma. The rest is
details, fashion, and personal opinion. He deserves congratulations
for riding.

- Frank Krygowski

The man with the blond girl did seem to muscle up more than the other
guy. It hurt me to see the guy on the road bike dressed like a fred.

"Marlene Blanshay" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I caught a few minutes of "the biggest loser", and from what i gathered,
there was a couple who were trying to get in shape. The husband went to a
bike shop (in Portland OR) and bought himself a road bike- it was obviously
a specialized even though they blurred out the name (the logo was still
visible on the stem). Then, the wife is all depressed because now she works
out alone. The guy is talking about how he wants to get in shape... in the
meantime, there he is riding his bike, no gloves, wearing sneakers, and
street clothes. He's not going to be doing very long rides dressed like
that! As for the wife, i felt like telling her, stop bawling, and get a
bike!

I hope his shop fit him with comfort in mind.