failing The Mullings of a Beginner

[Smoother]

1 hour ago, seage said:

1. Do you find you need to warm up at the beginning of your session? Either on or off the wheel? Doing tight turns or pivots, or really quick slaloms or quick start and stops for a while before starting your proper ride? Or do you just hop on and go?

Need to? No.  Is it a good idea? yes.  Especially loosening up the torso and neck so as to more easily look behind you.  Knowing what's happening behind you is very important, especially in traffic, or when crossing a street, or when changing course.  No fun making a turn or calving, only to be slammed into by a fast cyclist passing from behind.

1 hour ago, seage said:

2. Do you find counter balance assists or takes away from your ride style/comfort? 

If you're saying does riding with a back pack help, then no, it shouldn't.  You should be able to ride with nothing, a heavy back pack, carrying 6 bags of shopping.  you just adjust your feet and riding style.  This is all once you have several hundred miles under your belt, of course.

[seage]

1 hour ago, who_the said:

Glad you stuck with it and sounds like you're doing great. Keep going! More riding will "solve" all of your issues, which we all go through when we get started. Warmups, practice, yes, for sure, I remember all of that. Do it until you don't need it any more, maybe several hundred km or so. And a number of riders I know prefer to ride with backpacks. I don't, but frequently do out of necessity.

Thanks mate! Im really happy I did too. Its sometimes still surprising to me when I think back to just how impossible this wheel seemed out of the box to now. Where I can ride straight under walking speed without wobbling (i did that waiting for a light to change. Thank you basement sessions!)

Its very interesting to experience those little clicks each session where something gets easier/makes sense. And other things i feel like i didnt actually practice them at all and im trash again. Im gonna keep going. Still gotta hit that 200km so i can finally cruise at 20 rather than getting yelled at at 20, haha. Theres a few places i want to go, but its pure open road with a snowy shoulder and open fields with gusts of wind. Way too dangerous for me at my current level, so its takes away from how much distance i can cover so far. Downsides of where i live XD

[seage]

1 hour ago, meepmeepmayer said:

Sometimes you just have a good or bad day and relaxation state. Doesn't mean much, just how it is. Some day you're in a good mood, some day you're not.

I see. Its happened every session thus far, haha. I just checked my distance this time before i finally god into it.

1 hour ago, meepmeepmayer said:

Well, if it works for you... you learned something valuable

Can't really explain it other than it might relax you (maybe for mostly psychological reasons? Maybe not?).

Yeah, i wonder XD. I know I saw U-stride does a quick warmup type thing at the start of his sessions. His are....much more aggressive than my own though. 

1 hour ago, meepmeepmayer said:

Never even considered anything but just hopping on and going.

Haha, damn....

1 hour ago, meepmeepmayer said:

Never even thought about it or noticed any difference with or without backpack. But if you're used to the feeling of a backpack, it might be comforting to wear one?

In short: 1) No 2) No; and nothing much else to say other than I guess it's just about how relaxed you are Maybe I'll try the warmup thing and see if it does anything for me, who knows, right after the cold weather does its warm up thing (eventually it has to).

Haha! I guessed this would be your answer the moment I saw you commented, haha!. I think especially ESPECIALLY for cold months, if you're in an area that gets sub zero weather, you might notice something. I was riding in -8C weather at first, and came in after it dropped to -10C or -11C. I could barely feel my legs at the start. But my whole body was warm by time I came inside, even though it was colder. So that could be it... Id love to hear your findings. If it does anything for you!

[Flying W]

When I switch from the mcm5 to the 16s I need time to adjust to feel "one with the wheel" but for some odd reason going from the 16s to the mcm5 is a piece of cake. I usually do some figure 8s and circles to get reacquainted.  

I commute with stuff in my pack so I'm more used to having weight on my back. I still have a pack on fun rides too, snacks, water, tools, pump and 1st aid stuff just in case. 

I still remember the first ride I took about 2 weeks after getting the 16s (my first wheel too). After about 8 miles it was wobbling at lower and lower speeds. My legs and feet needed to move. After a few min of being off the wheel all was well back to the house. Went about 12 miles that day and all my rides prior were 3mi one way to work. 

Now around the 20 mile mark I start wishing I had more battery. Next wheel is going to be 1600wh. 

 

[seage]

1 hour ago, Smoother said:

Need to? No.  Is it a good idea? yes.  Especially loosening up the torso and neck so as to more easily look behind you.  Knowing what's happening behind you is very important, especially in traffic, or when crossing a street, or when changing course.  No fun making a turn or calving, only to be slammed into by a fast cyclist passing from behind.

I actually stretch my neck before riding for that reason. I've always had a bit of a tough time looking behind me and staying straight while cycling, but being as I can literally just rotate my entire upper body, i have a full view of whats going on before i make a turn. Or even just on a straight away, as a lot of people like to slow down and drive behind me now, gawping. Its kinda funny. The intersection right by my house, every single time i cross that road, and the light changes, i hear people start to honk, because the people in front dont notice the change. Its only been a few days ive gone across that road and almost every single time its happened. I knew these things garnered attention. But i didnt know it was THIS much. Oops, tangent...

1 hour ago, Smoother said:

If you're saying does riding with a back pack help, then no, it shouldn't.  You should be able to ride with nothing, a heavy back pack, carrying 6 bags of shopping.  you just adjust your feet and riding style.  This is all once you have several hundred miles under your belt, of course.

End of the day, it comes down to the time put in XD. It seems to be forcing me into a better position that i should probably find with or without the assistance of the backpack. I'll keep riding with and without and get better. I know I do feel naked without something on my back. Its weird. This summer. EUC Piggyback rides, lawsuits and banning. Probably a bad idea...nevermind. 

[seage]

6 minutes ago, Flying W said:

When I switch from the mcm5 to the 16s I need time to adjust to feel "one with the wheel" but for some odd reason going from the 16s to the mcm5 is a piece of cake. I usually do some figure 8s and circles to get reacquainted.  

Oh! Thats super interesting. Are they super different rides? Im curious as to why you went from a 16 to a 14 inch? All i know as of yet is just about distances and comfort from size. Outside of the compatibilty of the mten or the ips? Or whatever. Im not too too sure the advantages of a 14 inch wheel. Do you have different uses for each wheel? Like when would you reach for one or the other?

13 minutes ago, Flying W said:

I commute with stuff in my pack so I'm more used to having weight on my back. I still have a pack on fun rides too, snacks, water, tools, pump and 1st aid stuff just in case. 

Thats actually really smart. I should get a first aid kit in my pack. And some other "just in case" provisions. 

18 minutes ago, Flying W said:

I still remember the first ride I took about 2 weeks after getting the 16s (my first wheel too). After about 8 miles it was wobbling at lower and lower speeds. My legs and feet needed to move. After a few min of being off the wheel all was well back to the house. Went about 12 miles that day and all my rides prior were 3mi one way to work. 

Now around the 20 mile mark I start wishing I had more battery. Next wheel is going to be 1600wh. 

My calves were dying after a while the other day, but in my other thread about foot position some people gave me some cool tips on how to stretch while riding. Shifting my feet around and so on, which actually allowed me to alleviate a lot of the pain! Although proper conditioning is going to be the final answer in the end. But it was quite cool to be able to move around on the wheel instead of being glued to the pedals, scared im going to fall off if i even wiggle. A 19km (12m) would end my life at this point, i think. Todays ride was 6.72m for me, and it wasnt bad, but thats literally half of what you rode, lmao! Crazy! And yeah, going for the cruiser wheels now, huh? Which are you looking at?

[Marty Backe]

1 minute ago, seage said:

Oh! Thats super interesting. Are they super different rides? Im curious as to why you went from a 16 to a 14 inch? All i know as of yet is just about distances and comfort from size. Outside of the compatibilty of the mten or the ips? Or whatever. Im not too too sure the advantages of a 14 inch wheel. Do you have different uses for each wheel? Like when would you reach for one or the other?

Thats actually really smart. I should get a first aid kit in my pack. And some other "just in case" provisions. 

My calves were dying after a while the other day, but in my other thread about foot position some people gave me some cool tips on how to stretch while riding. Shifting my feet around and so on, which actually allowed me to alleviate a lot of the pain! Although proper conditioning is going to be the final answer in the end. But it was quite cool to be able to move around on the wheel instead of being glued to the pedals, scared im going to fall off if i even wiggle. A 19km (12m) would end my life at this point, i think. Todays ride was 6.72m for me, and it wasnt bad, but thats literally half of what you rode, lmao! Crazy! And yeah, going for the cruiser wheels now, huh? Which are you looking at?

Just be careful. @US69 broke some ribs when he was learning and shifting his feet on the pedals. I'm sure if I got the story wrong, Ulf will correct me 

You can't rush your body's adaptation period. It just takes time. But eventually, if you keep extending the durations of your rides, eventually you'll be able to ride for literally 4-hours without great difficulty. This could take months.

Take your time and enjoy the roses.

[seage]

1 minute ago, Marty Backe said:

Just be careful. @US69 broke some ribs when he was learning and shifting his feet on the pedals. I'm sure if I got the story wrong, Ulf will correct me 

You can't rush your body's adaptation period. It just takes time. But eventually, if you keep extending the durations of your rides, eventually you'll be able to ride for literally 4-hours without great difficulty. This could take months.

Take your time and enjoy the roses.

Damn, that sounds...terrible... Im only shifting at low low speeds. A little heel-toe action inwards towards the body and feeling where the pedals are situated without lifting my foot. But I always slow right down to walk off speed before I do that, before going back to my cruising speed. 

And wait, how many what nows? Is this 4 hours with many mcdonalds stops sprinkled in? Or the actual possibility (if your battery allows it) to ride a full 4 hours non stop?

That would be incredible. And don't worry, im enjoying all the roses! I take the long way everywhere just to explore areas of my city I've never seen before, and loving every moment. I didn't know how much of a joy it would be to learn something like this from scratch. Also investing a lot in my safety. Got the fullface and flexmeters in the mail as we speak (i have the triple 8 wrist guards right now and a bike helmet, but i want to prepare for the unknown)

[Marty Backe]

4 minutes ago, seage said:

Damn, that sounds...terrible... Im only shifting at low low speeds. A little heel-toe action inwards towards the body and feeling where the pedals are situated without lifting my foot. But I always slow right down to walk off speed before I do that, before going back to my cruising speed. 

And wait, how many what nows? Is this 4 hours with many mcdonalds stops sprinkled in? Or the actual possibility (if your battery allows it) to ride a full 4 hours non stop?

That would be incredible. And don't worry, im enjoying all the roses! I take the long way everywhere just to explore areas of my city I've never seen before, and loving every moment. I didn't know how much of a joy it would be to learn something like this from scratch. Also investing a lot in my safety. Got the fullface and flexmeters in the mail as we speak (i have the triple 8 wrist guards right now and a bike helmet, but i want to prepare for the unknown)

I don't think I've ever actually ridden 4-hours non-stop. Certainly no meal stops. Periodic stops where you may have to wait for the traffic light, stop to take out the camera and take a picture, etc.

Some of our longer rides have been 7+ hours, which does include a lunch break in the middle, plus misc chit-chat stops. I sleep good at night on those days 

[LanghamP]

It's extremely important that you @seage get something like an hour of quality wheel time every few days. Not commuting in a straight line but instead riding on curved paths, rocky terrain, tree roots, potholes, down curbs, wet manhole covers, starting from a stop pointed uphill and over a asphalt lip, and so on.

All that is really important, and getting your hours in (yeah, its work) as soon as possible will greatly reduce your chances of crashing when you encounter "edge cases".

If you ride a mountain bike then you can learn one thing at a time at a relaxed pace, but unfortunately wheels' default mode is "not upright". I find it's extremely hard to save a wheel crash whereby with a bicycle or motorcycle all my saves comes from essentially letting go of the handlebars and letting the natural balance of the 2-wheeled vehicle sort itself out.

Hah! Try doing that when you catch a footpad. EUCs are horribly crash-happy.

Your typical wheel owner rides in a straight line until reaching the next stop, whereby he then makes a 90 degree turn. And it's understandable why; wheels are frightening when you do something different on them. You're balanced delicately on those two footpads, which weave in a somewhat seasick manner no matter what you do.

Try something new = crash.

I can see EUCs becoming extremely popular with the skateboard crowd as their prices drop.

[Marty Backe]

1 hour ago, LanghamP said:

It's extremely important that you @seage get something like an hour of quality wheel time every few days. Not commuting in a straight line but instead riding on curved paths, rocky terrain, tree roots, potholes, down curbs, wet manhole covers, starting from a stop pointed uphill and over a asphalt lip, and so on.

All that is really important, and getting your hours in (yeah, its work) as soon as possible will greatly reduce your chances of crashing when you encounter "edge cases".

If you ride a mountain bike then you can learn one thing at a time at a relaxed pace, but unfortunately wheels' default mode is "not upright". I find it's extremely hard to save a wheel crash whereby with a bicycle or motorcycle all my saves comes from essentially letting go of the handlebars and letting the natural balance of the 2-wheeled vehicle sort itself out.

Hah! Try doing that when you catch a footpad. EUCs are horribly crash-happy.

Your typical wheel owner rides in a straight line until reaching the next stop, whereby he then makes a 90 degree turn. And it's understandable why; wheels are frightening when you do something different on them. You're balanced delicately on those two footpads, which weave in a somewhat seasick manner no matter what you do.

Try something new = crash.

I can see EUCs becoming extremely popular with the skateboard crowd as their prices drop.

When exactly is that going to happen? I can't wait.

In the meanwhile, prices keep rising faster then inflation.

[seage]

1 hour ago, LanghamP said:

It's extremely important that you @seage get something like an hour of quality wheel time every few days. Not commuting in a straight line but instead riding on curved paths, rocky terrain, tree roots, potholes, down curbs, wet manhole covers, starting from a stop pointed uphill and over a asphalt lip, and so on.

All that is really important, and getting your hours in (yeah, its work) as soon as possible will greatly reduce your chances of crashing when you encounter "edge cases".

Well ive got ice, snow, potholes, speedbumps, manholes, starting from a stop uphill and downhill, ice puddles (Like, over the peddals deep, by mistake, lol) sidewalks that look like a bomb hit them with ice on them. I havent tried rocks, because ice and rocks mixed is just...thats death. Treeroots are down with the rock pain ice death. And i was worried about curb drops at my weight. I wasnt sure if my ks16s would like it as im 228lbs without gear on. I get the feeling my axle might not be a fan of any drop. But maybe once I get my summer body  Once I can, im going to hit every trail i can find, so i can experience eating dirt at the most literal of levels. Yum

2 hours ago, LanghamP said:

All that is really important, and getting your hours in (yeah, its work) as soon as possible will greatly reduce your chances of crashing when you encounter "edge cases".

On it! And hey, its work i signed up for. Im loving these hours. Its nothing but fun. 

2 hours ago, LanghamP said:

If you ride a mountain bike then you can learn one thing at a time at a relaxed pace, but unfortunately wheels' default mode is "not upright". I find it's extremely hard to save a wheel crash whereby with a bicycle or motorcycle all my saves comes from essentially letting go of the handlebars and letting the natural balance of the 2-wheeled vehicle sort itself out.

Hah! Try doing that when you catch a footpad. EUCs are horribly crash-happy.

Lol, I knew this before I bought it. I watched all the videos of people going down. And i know its gonna happen to me. But im spending cash to stay protected for those moments so i can enjoy the ones where im upright. Hoping not to sustain any crazy injuries. I do mountain bike and I mainly avoid the things that id need to be saved from altogether. Im a fast scanner. Not fast enough to see everything tho, so i WILL go down. I know im not a special case, hahaha. End of the day though, im gonna stick to being a cautious rider first. 

 

2 hours ago, LanghamP said:

Your typical wheel owner rides in a straight line until reaching the next stop, whereby he then makes a 90 degree turn. And it's understandable why; wheels are frightening when you do something different on them. You're balanced delicately on those two footpads, which weave in a somewhat seasick manner no matter what you do.

Try something new = crash.

I was inspired by the NY crew when getting my wheel. And all the people with so much flow. For me, I've been carving up a storm and killing my battery, haha. But yeah, its pretty scary overall, especially as a beginner. I forced myself to go near idle speed and weaving. Turning super slow, pushing each pedal down, basically everything to break the "security". I dont know if it helps, but im doing it anyways. I was afraid of speed when the wheel was tipping me all over abnormally, but im not afraid to fall when its my own ability in question. Im actually looking forward to my first tumble. Because that will take the fear out of going down. Even if it hurts. And im hoping i can be like ian from speedyfeet and not break any bones, ever, lol. Pray for me.

 

2 hours ago, LanghamP said:

I can see EUCs becoming extremely popular with the skateboard crowd as their prices drop.

Lol...... Yeahhhhh... arent the prices doing the opposite at the moment?

[Flying W]

@seage I was all set to get an 18 when I got the 14 .

Check out Marty's video(s) on the mcm5. It flew up overheat hill and didnt even get warm. It rides more like a 16in wheel than a 14. I like riding in a lot of places I used to mnt bike and when I found out they had an 800wh version I couldnt resist. 

It does require paying more attention. It turns very easy but it's faster than the 16s. I usually never hit the 80% alarm on a full charge because it feels like gotway let this wheel go faster then it should safely go (still not as psychotic as the mten3's top speed vs size). It is almost the same weight as the 16s though so it really does feel surprising sure footed. 

I have the optional side pads on. Jedi Marty somehow stays on his without the pads  but I was having trouble crossing the driveways on my route to work. Its easy for the wheel to come off the ground crossing driveways and I have two with great visibility to seeing cars on my way to work. Having the pads is my security blanket for keeping my feet where they belong. 

I do use em both for different things though. Shopping trips are way better on the 16s. The trolly is better. Being able to easily grab the pedal and handle makes it easier to put in a shopping cart and the XL pedals are super comfy. 

My commute is short at 3 miles one way but covers sidewalks, neighborhood streets 2 parks with twisty sidewalks and 3 major street crossings. The mcm5 accelerates very fast to get out of the way and also stops, and changes direction while hard on the breaks very well to also help get out of the way. This makes it ideal for blasting to work. The funny part is you feel like you got there so much quicker even though I only beat my ride time on the 16s by about 1min, it just a more exciting trip. 

Here's the rub on the mcm5. Aside from its climbing ability and the fact that's it's pretty much impossible to overheat it all other aspects are not very good for off road riding. The body is very low where it wraps down around the wheel, the pedals are pretty low and the tire is the same width as the 16s. 

I've only been doing this for 6 months but the addiction is very real. The only days i dont ride at all are when it's raining.

I've put about 1k miles on the 16s and 450 on the mcm5. I still have those ah-ha moments like when I was learning....because there is always something to learn or get better at. 

If this is what being a "man child" as my girl calls me frequently then I'm going to stay a kid 

 

[Smoother]

46 minutes ago, Flying W said:

If this is what being a "man child" as my girl calls me frequently then I'm going to stay a kid 

If you can't make your own fun, then you might as well be dead. "Wheel Free or DIe"

[seage]

So I found out, if you don't eat a proper meal for a week, and live off candy, energy drinks and stress, your riding performance goes down.

I was doing circles on my driveway to warm up and loosen up my legs before my ride and crashed into the snowbank because i didnt have the strength to shift my body weight, lol. I couldn't carve without losing control of my speed. I tensed up because i felt like i was gonna slip off the pedals, and it all led to a highly uncomfortable ride. Even freemounting, which I'm pretty good at now. I hadn't messed up a mount for quite some time. Yesterday, I almost dropped the wheel twice as i placed my foot wrong, wobbled and didnt have the energy to twist LOL. Unfortunately I was in front of people both times. 

See, I'm a freelance illustrator. My job is brain and hand intensive. Not so much rest of my body intensive. I can survive short-term on fumes and poison. But now that I want to ride everyday, at least I have the best "excuse" to stop this destructive behaviour. I've seen (felt) first hand how it can place me in a dangerous situation. And with my VERY OBVIOUS ADDICTION TO EUCS I would rather kill this other addiction to killing myself via junkfood and being overweight, and stay in shape, eat healthier and shed some pounds so I can enjoy riding more without fear that my malfunctioned ass is going to die trying to ride to the mailbox because turning left is now a gargantuan task.

 

Honestly. I wonder if im a child or just slow. Old habits die hard, yes. Im just glad I finally have something that i'm passionate about that can counter this toxic behaviour. I HATE that i stress eat junk. I always feel like garbage after. But its always been comforting in the moment. But these days, going for a ride has been the most comforting thing, that lets me clear my mind. I want to kill one of those off and let the other one remain. 

[Mike Sacristan]

21 minutes ago, seage said:

So I found out, if you don't eat a proper meal for a week, and live off candy, energy drinks and stress, your riding performance goes down.

I was doing circles on my driveway to warm up and loosen up my legs before my ride and crashed into the snowbank because i didnt have the strength to shift my body weight, lol. I couldn't carve without losing control of my speed. I tensed up because i felt like i was gonna slip off the pedals, and it all led to a highly uncomfortable ride. Even freemounting, which I'm pretty good at now. I hadn't messed up a mount for quite some time. Yesterday, I almost dropped the wheel twice as i placed my foot wrong, wobbled and didnt have the energy to twist LOL. Unfortunately I was in front of people both times. 

See, I'm a freelance illustrator. My job is brain and hand intensive. Not so much rest of my body intensive. I can survive short-term on fumes and poison. But now that I want to ride everyday, at least I have the best "excuse" to stop this destructive behaviour. I've seen (felt) first hand how it can place me in a dangerous situation. And with my VERY OBVIOUS ADDICTION TO EUCS I would rather kill this other addiction to killing myself via junkfood and being overweight, and stay in shape, eat healthier and shed some pounds so I can enjoy riding more without fear that my malfunctioned ass is going to die trying to ride to the mailbox because turning left is now a gargantuan task.

 

Honestly. I wonder if im a child or just slow. Old habits die hard, yes. Im just glad I finally have something that i'm passionate about that can counter this toxic behaviour. I HATE that i stress eat junk. I always feel like garbage after. But its always been comforting in the moment. But these days, going for a ride has been the most comforting thing, that lets me clear my mind. I want to kill one of those off and let the other one remain. 

I feel you man! My work is similar. Sitting on my ass all day. Worst of all my hobby is the same. I spend way to many hours in front of the computer.
My physical activity is working out and riding. Lately I prefer riding and just really haven't felt the same way about working out. As as a compromise I cleaned up my diet and have gone from 70kg to 65kg. I'll try to hit 62kg and leave it at that. However I should get back to lifting and exercising regularly.

When it comes to eating junk... I love it! I love chips and chocolate and donuts and I can eat a whole jar of nutella with a spoon. One thing I always make sure to do though is get my protein. If I am trying to lose weight or just feel more full I will choose casein protein before whey protein. Otherwise ketogenic diet works best for me.

Speaking of snacks... I just went for a ride on my Ninebot One E+. My mission was to buy epoxy so that I can fix the little crack on the shell of my MSuper X. After buying the epoxy I rode to a grocery store but changed my mind when I saw how many people were in there. I rode off to another grocery store and bought chips and candy and some light soda. I rode home with a 4kg bag in my hand and in the rain. That was a challenge! But I had a blast.

Regarding stress. Working out used to be my escape but now it's riding EUC. All I think about is riding. And read about riding. And watch other people ride. And write about riding.

I think we're getting high riding!

[seage]

1 hour ago, Mike Sacristan said:

I feel you man! My work is similar. Sitting on my ass all day. Worst of all my hobby is the same. I spend way to many hours in front of the computer.
My physical activity is working out and riding. Lately I prefer riding and just really haven't felt the same way about working out. As as a compromise I cleaned up my diet and have gone from 70kg to 65kg. I'll try to hit 62kg and leave it at that. However I should get back to lifting and exercising regularly.

I used to be small. I miss those days of my insane metabolism...also helped I was always outside. Now imin here all day drawing. I try to take my ipad and go to cafes, it helps to see outside, but before EUC, i was cycling once per day but that was it. And many times it was to get snacks. I'm currently 105kg. Literally 3 or 4 days of cutting all the candy and im down to 102kg immediately. My goal is to get down to 90kg this summer somehow, and then work my way back from there. I want to slim down, then build back up with muscle. 

1 hour ago, Mike Sacristan said:

When it comes to eating junk... I love it! I love chips and chocolate and donuts and I can eat a whole jar of nutella with a spoon. One thing I always make sure to do though is get my protein. If I am trying to lose weight or just feel more full I will choose casein protein before whey protein. Otherwise ketogenic diet works best for me.

I'm SUPPOSED to be doing the carnivore diet. And so far its been working amazing. But then i cheat and alllllll the problems i had BEFORE the bloody diet come right back and start setting up camp. I need more control! 

 

1 hour ago, Mike Sacristan said:

Speaking of snacks... I just went for a ride on my Ninebot One E+. My mission was to buy epoxy so that I can fix the little crack on the shell of my MSuper X. After buying the epoxy I rode to a grocery store but changed my mind when I saw how many people were in there. I rode off to another grocery store and bought chips and candy and some light soda. I rode home with a 4kg bag in my hand and in the rain. That was a challenge! But I had a blast.

Thats what I do. I just go out of my way, get snacks, eat em all up, then regret. So im cutting that out. As much as the challenge sounds fun LOL. Id rather ride with bottles of water, lolll. So lame...Wait, isnt it still super cold over there? I watch your videos and it doesnt look warm. That rain must have been something!

2 hours ago, Mike Sacristan said:

Regarding stress. Working out used to be my escape but now it's riding EUC. All I think about is riding. And read about riding. And watch other people ride. And write about riding.

I think we're getting high riding!

Aye! YEEEEEEEEEP, pretty much the same. Im on these forums all the time. Sneaking in rides in the middle of the night. Even with my legs feeling like garbo, im still headed out and riding around today. Its cold and the air hurts my face, but Im still out there, haha. The high is there. I just hope to get my body back in the right shape for it, and not wreck this (or myself) over a quick snack. 

[ir_fuel]

17 minutes ago, seage said:

I used to be small. I miss those days of my insane metabolism...also helped I was always outside. Now imin here all day drawing. I try to take my ipad and go to cafes, it helps to see outside, but before EUC, i was cycling once per day but that was it. And many times it was to get snacks. I'm currently 105kg. Literally 3 or 4 days of cutting all the candy and im down to 102kg immediately.

When people talk about weight and metabolism, there is always that 21-year old who states: "I can eat whatever I want, I NEVER gain weight!". IMO as long as you are not in your 30's, you should keep your big mouth shut  If I had a penny for every 21-year old who "could eat what he wanted" who has gained at least 15kg in his mid-thirties I would not be riding a Ninebot, I would be owning Ninebot

Quote

My goal is to get down to 90kg this summer somehow, and then work my way back from there. I want to slim down, then build back up with muscle. 

Why "this summer"? Start now slowly, one bad habit at a time. Don't go throwing everything out of the window you currently do and hit the gym 5 times a week, because you will give up, but start one small step at a time. I used to drink LOTS of sugared beverages (Coca Cola, Red Bull). I've been off them for so long now that if you give me a can of Red Bull (not the sugar free one, but the "real deal") it takes me an hour to empty it because it just tastes so extremely sweet.

If you want to do physical activity, look for something you like. Don't go running "because you have to lose weight", you'll end up hating it (or you might become addicted, it works both ways depending on who you are). Take your EUC and go off-roading for a couple of hours. You'll have your core workout. Of course running will be more effective, but better do something less effective than not do something more effective.

Once you get to the summer, evaluate your situation and see where you want to go from there. From what I can tell by reading, unless you have a health disorder, hitting 90kg coming from 105 shouldn't be that hard if you plan out. Just don't go crazy on the diets. Eat as you do right now, but reduce all quantities by 25-30%. It's quite possible you'll feel hungry in the beginning, but that's your stomach getting used to smaller sizes. Trust me, it will shrink and get used to eating those smaller quantities. Been there done that, but I only had to lose 10kg, luckily.

[seage]

10 minutes ago, ir_fuel said:

When people talk about weight and metabolism, there is always that 21-year old who states: "I can eat whatever I want, I NEVER gain weight!". IMO as long as you are not in your 30's, you should keep your big mouth shut  If I had a penny for every 21-year old who "could eat what he wanted" who has gained at least 15kg in his mid-thirties I would not be riding a Ninebot, I would be owning Ninebot

Lmao! Every. Single. Time. I heard it today from a younger friend. That was me too back then. I didn't talk about it, but i totally took it for granted.. And now at 32, my body no longer wants to work like that. It happened while I wasnt paying attention. I was sticking to my habits, and the weight packed on and on, and here we are.

12 minutes ago, ir_fuel said:

Why "this summer"? Start now slowly, one bad habit at a time. Don't go throwing everything out of the window you currently do and hit the gym 5 times a week, because you will give up, but start one small step at a time.

Ah, i just meant that by the end of summer id like to be down. Realistically, im not sure how much I can lose int hat amount of time, but thats my goal for now. But no, im starting right now. Ive already started, i just wreck it all the time by cheating. I want to kill my addictions one by one. 

14 minutes ago, ir_fuel said:

I used to drink LOTS of sugared beverages (Coca Cola, Red Bull). I've been off them for so long now that if you give me a can of Red Bull (not the sugar free one, but the "real deal") it takes me an hour to empty it because it just tastes so extremely sweet.

Im a sugar addict. I love it too much. Ive found spring water can really help offset the cravings, but this past week, i was on the redbull and coke and so on, and I feel like shit for it... When i had that first can, it was so sweet. Now im banging through them. Yuck.

15 minutes ago, ir_fuel said:

If you want to do physical activity, look for something you like. Don't go running "because you have to lose weight", you'll end up hating it (or you might become addicted, it works both ways depending on who you are). Take your EUC and go off-roading for a couple of hours. You'll have your core workout. Of course running will be more effective, but better do something less effective than not do something more effective.

Ah, good idea... I'll probably start biking more intensively too then. Hills. They're my enemy, but i love cycling so much its should counter the pain. I hope to try offroading with the EUC once the snow and ice melts. Right now its pure mud and ice.

 

17 minutes ago, ir_fuel said:

Once you get to the summer, evaluate your situation and see where you want to go from there. From what I can tell by reading, unless you have a health disorder, hitting 90kg coming from 105 shouldn't be that hard if you plan out. Just don't go crazy on the diets. Eat as you do right now, but reduce all quantities by 25-30%. It's quite possible you'll feel hungry in the beginning, but that's your stomach getting used to smaller sizes. Trust me, it will shrink and get used to eating those smaller quantities. Been there done that, but I only had to lose 10kg, luckily.

Thanks mate. I will do that. One thing i messed up on was not eating regular meals. Skipping all together and snacking on junk. Or skipping meals then eating a lumpsum. Im gonna eat proper sized regular meals and cut back on the snacks. My diet already isnt too food intensive. And when i do binge eat, its rarely out of necessity. I guess its a mix of getting my body AND mind in the right place. But thanks for saying that. It gives me a lot of hope that I can shed this weight. 

[esaj]

39 minutes ago, ir_fuel said:

When people talk about weight and metabolism, there is always that 21-year old who states: "I can eat whatever I want, I NEVER gain weight!". IMO as long as you are not in your 30's, you should keep your big mouth shut  If I had a penny for every 21-year old who "could eat what he wanted" who has gained at least 15kg in his mid-thirties I would not be riding a Ninebot, I would be owning Ninebot

Why "this summer"? Start now slowly, one bad habit at a time. Don't go throwing everything out of the window you currently do and hit the gym 5 times a week, because you will give up, but start one small step at a time. I used to drink LOTS of sugared beverages (Coca Cola, Red Bull). I've been off them for so long now that if you give me a can of Red Bull (not the sugar free one, but the "real deal") it takes me an hour to empty it because it just tastes so extremely sweet.

If you want to do physical activity, look for something you like. Don't go running "because you have to lose weight", you'll end up hating it (or you might become addicted, it works both ways depending on who you are). Take your EUC and go off-roading for a couple of hours. You'll have your core workout. Of course running will be more effective, but better do something less effective than not do something more effective.

Once you get to the summer, evaluate your situation and see where you want to go from there. From what I can tell by reading, unless you have a health disorder, hitting 90kg coming from 105 shouldn't be that hard if you plan out. Just don't go crazy on the diets. Eat as you do right now, but reduce all quantities by 25-30%. It's quite possible you'll feel hungry in the beginning, but that's your stomach getting used to smaller sizes. Trust me, it will shrink and get used to eating those smaller quantities. Been there done that, but I only had to lose 10kg, luckily.

I can eat whatever I want, I NEVER gain weight! 

EDIT: Actually, after our trip, I weighed myself and I'd gained a couple of kilos, which haven't gone away in the last couple of months. Still very near the edge of underweight BMI, but this might be tipping point   And I was 21 about 15 years + couple of weeks ago...

[ir_fuel]

20 minutes ago, seage said:

guess its a mix of getting my body AND mind in the right place.

Sometimes you eat out of boredom. Never a good idea  

[Mike Sacristan]

It's still very cold here and in the past hours we went from +5 to -1 so the rain has now turned into snow.
I think it's going to keep up for a couple more weeks. It won't stop me from riding though especially now that I am free from work!

My eating habits look like this:

Breakfast: 5 eggs, cheddar cheese, 120g bacon. Coffee with full fat cream.
Sugarfree energy drinks or soda or more coffee with cream.
Lunch: 500g chicken wings or 250g chicken, meat or fish. Some fatty sauce. Maybe a vegetable or two.
Dinner: Same as lunch or maybe sausages or chicken liver, some boiled eggs with mayo. I try to go a bit more fancy.
After dinner I have some kind of dessert. Casein protein pudding with whipped cream on top and some grated dark chocolate (at least 80%) or fresh cheese like quark with some sugar free beverage mix thrown in (preferably tropical flavour).

I like fizzy drinks and stick to the sugar free stuff. This satisfies my sweet tooth and the rest of the food satisfies my umami fetish.

Breaking the diet costs me a 3 day set back so I am very hesitant to cheat.
If I feel like eating chips I buy pork rinds.

When i'm not doing this ketogenic diet I am doing intermittent fasting which works well as long as I am fat adapted.

Also no matter how much I have ever exercised to compensate for bad diet I have never been able to outrun my mouth. 

[LanghamP]

44 minutes ago, seage said:

Lmao! Every. Single. Time. I heard it today from a younger friend. That was me too back then. I didn't talk about it, but i totally took it for granted.. And now at 32, my body no longer wants to work like that. It happened while I wasnt paying attention. I was sticking to my habits, and the weight packed on and on, and here we are.

But no, im starting right now. Ive already started, i just wreck it all the time by cheating. I want to kill my addictions one by one. 

Im a sugar addict. I love it too much. Ive found spring water can really help offset the cravings, but this past week

Yeah, I'm right behind you on this one. I regularly gain and lose 50 pounds, going from 170 to 220 pounds more than several times now.

You'd think I'd learn, but the weight comes on gradually and comes off gradually. There isn't any magical way to lose weight for me; just skipping breakfast, avoiding sugars, and logging every meal worked best for me.

What I find irritating is that if you exercise and play sports a lot, you'll still perform just fine but you just don't look good. Hell, having that extra 20 pounds usually results in an increase in performance relative to your skinny self.

Nature is cruel; it'd make more sense to feel crappy when fat, and great when skinny, but the opposite is true with me.

[ir_fuel]

51 minutes ago, Mike Sacristan said:

Breakfast: 5 eggs, cheddar cheese, 120g bacon. Coffee with full fat cream.

That's a solid breakfast

I did it with 2 eggs and 2 small sausages, LOL

I presume you do a lot of weight training?

[ir_fuel]

53 minutes ago, Mike Sacristan said:

I like fizzy drinks and stick to the sugar free stuff. This satisfies my sweet tooth

Same here. Then you have those people saying artificial sweeteners aren't good for you, but come on, what's left? I don't drink alcohol (ever), I don't drink sugared drinks, I don't drink coffee nor tea, I don't smoke. Should I spend my live drinking (sparkling or still) water then???