{"id":8363,"date":"2020-05-29T23:38:21","date_gmt":"2020-05-29T23:38:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/discerningcyclist.com\/?p=8363"},"modified":"2024-01-14T23:24:59","modified_gmt":"2024-01-14T23:24:59","slug":"cycling-to-work-weight-loss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/discerningcyclist.com\/cycling-to-work-weight-loss\/","title":{"rendered":"Daniela\u2019s Story: How Cycling to Work Helped Her Lose 50lb in Less Than a Year"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Did you know how much exercise the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends for adults?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They say adults (18-64) should do at least 150 minutes of \u201cmoderate\u201d exercise per week, or at least 75 minutes of \u201cvigorous\u201d exercise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it\u2019s really not much when you think about it. Just a 30-minute walk or leisurely bike ride<\/a> on weekdays would help you reach it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Indeed, if you live within 5 miles of work you could easily hit this goal just by cycling<\/a> 15 minutes to and from the office each day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And that\u2019s just what Daniela did. She lost an incredible 50lbs in under a year by choosing to cycle to work<\/a> rather than drive or use public transport. Anything other exercise you do after that point (e.g. going the gym) is just a bonus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Indeed, if you\u2019re somewhere who struggles with your weight, this change can be revolutionary, just as Daniela found out.:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBefore I started cycling to work<\/a> I was 185+lbs and a couch potato. I’ve tried gyms and dieting in the past with little to no luck. I did not really have the discipline to keep up with it, and probably still don’t,\u201d Daniela told Discerning Cyclist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAround the time I started cycling<\/a> (April 2019) I implemented intermittent fasting on the 16:8 cycle (i.e. having an \u201ceating window\u201d of 8 hours per day), but with no other dieting changes and I still ate the same foods I did before. I did not really keep track of my weight until about late September of 2019, when I realized I had lost 30lbs already.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI ride to work now every day and maybe a 10 to 15-mile trip on the weekends for fun. I’m maintaining 135lbs now, just from my weekly routine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAt this point I’ve completely stopped doing intermittent fasting, and just eat in moderation. I don’t limit what kinds of food I eat, and I don’t think I ever will.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n But did Daniela always battle with excess weight?<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThroughout my teen years I did marching band, which depending on who you ask or what school you went to, can be pretty intense. I was actually the same weight I am now that I was in high school. It wasn’t until I went to college that all the weight came on,\u201d Daniela said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This seems to be pretty common theme for lots of people. We got to school and run around a whole bunch when we\u2019re kids. Then, around our early 20s, our metabolism starts to slow down, which is then compounded by being less active \u2013 especially in a job that sees us sit down for large portions of the day. And it was a similar story for Daniela.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI started my current job in January of 2019, and I live in a major city only about 3 miles from my job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI originally drove every day, which was miserable for parking. Then I started taking public transportation, but the cost seemed too high for the little distance I was travelling. The worst part was no matter bus or car, my commute was always 45-60 mins every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI considered biking as a necessity to save time and <\/em>money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI had a bike that I bought during college but had been gathering dust, and one day I just decided to take it out of storage because I could not stand taking my car or the bus to work anymore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBiking in brings my commute down to 30 mins, 15 of which are cycling in, and the other 15 are to finish getting ready once I arrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe time I save isn’t too significant, but at least I don’t feel like I’m wasting time by being sedentary on my way to work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n So how did Daniela find those early commutes after dusting off her bike?<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI surprised myself with how much it became part of my routine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I don’t feel like my day has started if I don’t bike into work. It gives me that bolt of energy to start my day focused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI also realized that I just really enjoy cycling. I do everything on my bike now: grocery shopping<\/a>, beer trips, and picking up food instead of having it delivered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis past March I bought myself a 2019 Marin Presidio 2. Before I was riding an old Diamondback cruiser style bike. I did some research and liked the Presidio 2 because of the IGH, and I’m completely in love — I call her my silver bullet. I was surprised at the difference between my old bike and my new one. I’m so much faster and more confident on my Marin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere’s so many aspects I like about biking to work<\/a>. I save money, I save time, I get exercise (which I wasn’t getting any of before I started), I’ve lost weight, and I’m just overall happier in my own skin.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n