Exercise bikes
carlknight1982 - 6/9/13 at 04:38 PM
Ok so me and the mrs have decided to invest in an exercise bike as weve both put on a bit of weight and dont have time to get to the gym etc due to
work commitments etc, ive had a look online and they vary wildly from like £20 to £2000
anyone got any suggestions or reccomendations?
Lightning - 6/9/13 at 06:33 PM
Don't do it. It will end up in the garage gathering dust. Just like the one we bought.
wylliezx9r - 6/9/13 at 06:34 PM
Haven't got any advice on exercise bikes.
But if you are trying to lose weight diet is much more important than exercise, its about 90% to 10%. I'm not saying dont do any exercise but
your priority should be a substainable diet.
HTH.
carlknight1982 - 6/9/13 at 07:27 PM
We have altered our eating habits and eat healthily
my biggest issue is carbs i eat far too many as every meal for me either has potatoes pasta or bread!
AndyW - 6/9/13 at 07:40 PM
Carl,
I started going out on my push bike, started with small distances, and slowly worked up to about 8 to 10 miles, did this 3 or 4 nights a week and also
changed eating habits. Lost near on 2 stone in 4 months. Problem is, I kind of stopped to get work on the car done but now that's finished I will
push on again.
Cheap mountain bike has done me proud!!
bobinspain - 6/9/13 at 08:18 PM
quote:
Originally posted by carlknight1982
We have altered our eating habits and eat healthily
my biggest issue is carbs i eat far too many as every meal for me either has potatoes pasta or bread!
Carl,
Read Gary Taubes, "Why we get Fat." I cannot commend this book too highly.
I'm a Lancastrian, bred to eat pies, chips and butties and did so with gusto for thirty odd years. I then spent 30plus years yo-yo dieting,
losing 2 stone here, putting it back on and repeating the exercise two years later. I must have dropped 20 stones over my lifetime.
At 17st5lbs (5ft 10ins) on jan 1st this year, I adopted the Taubes eating plan. Yes, it's low-carb, but if you're a carnivore (like me),
it's no problem sticking to it.
I now weigh in at 13st 2lbs (26kg loss) and can honestly say I've never been hungry following the plan. Peckish, yes, but that's taken care
of with allowed snacks between meals. (Another Northern trait).
In the last 2 months; I've started cycling daily, (20km) at a decent pace, which has helped the feeling of wellbeing enormously.
I must have tried 20 different diets over my 65 years on the planet, and the problem is that the weight comes straight back on because the diet is
unsustainable over the long term. Taubes plan is an 'way of eating' the correct stuff. (No fruit, bread, beer, rice, pasta, spuds etc). But
hey! it works and I treat myself every now and again to a tub of Hagen-Das, or a gallon of cider, but then make up for it with a week sticking to the
plan religiously.
Budget for a new wardrobe of clothes if you give it a go. It'll work.
Dick Axtell - 6/9/13 at 08:48 PM
Quote - "No fruit, bread, beer, rice, pasta, spuds etc."
B***dy Hell!! No fruit??? Thought it was supposed to be very good for you??
No bread?? I bake my own, so at least I know what goes into it.
No Beer?? Well, not during the week.
No Rice?? I don't eat rice puddings. But I love Indian/Bangladeshi food. However, not frequently, and the missus can't stand spicy hot
food.
No Pasta?? My Dearly Beloved's lasagne is probably the best outside of Italy. So I can give that up.
No Spuds?? Me no understand. Why spuds so "no-no" for peeps trying to lose weight??
BTW - Managing to keep below 13st (just).
And the missus has just bought - you've guessed it!! An exercise bike!!
[Edited on 6/9/13 by Dick Axtell]
Slimy38 - 6/9/13 at 08:48 PM
The best exercise equipment is a dog. Get a breed that requires lots of walking, and you'll shed the pounds and enjoy it as well.
steve m - 6/9/13 at 09:35 PM
"Don't do it. It will end up in the garage gathering dust. Just like the one we bought."
mines in the loft, as what a waste of money !!
907 - 7/9/13 at 07:08 AM
Without doubt jumping on a proper bike and going for a wiz round the lanes is for more enjoyable than staring at a wall while on an exercise bike, and
if you dress in all the lycra gear you are even more likely to want to shed a few pounds. 
Personally I still think a static machine of some description has it's place.
Not long now before the roads are shrouded in fog, or worse still covered in ice, and darkness falls before you get home from work and then the
exercise bike becomes a more comfortable proposition.
For me exercise comes before diet so I go to a gym club once a week run by a cardiac charity, and have also bought a hybrid and a road bike.
I love all three, but thinking of the coming winter, driving to the gym becomes less attractive and going out out on a bike positively dangerous, so
I'm after an indoor method of training till I get back out on the bike again.
The only snag so far is that I've lost a stone in fat, but put on half a stone of leg muscle.
Factor into the equation the cost of padded lycra shorts...
and NO.... This thread does not need pictures. 
Cheers,
Paul G
p.s. Only still here thanks to Papworth.
Peteff - 7/9/13 at 07:26 AM
Get a Nintendo Wii fit and jump about in front of the screen, my missus loves hers.
Simon - 7/9/13 at 11:19 PM
Get a couple of mountain bikes and get outdoors. Also, buy a local OS Explorer Active map (plastic coated) and get out exploring. Stay off the road
and have fun. Just been a bit stalkerish and looked at google maps for the Flitwick area and you have stacks of open country locally and all those
straight lines through fields are footpaths which need riding on 
Nod politely to walkers etc
You'll also find them in woods which can make for some great riding.
Also, I'm guessing you aren't that far from here:
http://www.chicksandsbikepark.co.uk/
ATB
Simon
[Edited on 7/9/13 by Simon]
carlknight1982 - 8/9/13 at 03:21 AM
That is a plan for when we are a bit fitter, I am incredibly unfit and massively
Over weight plus I suffer with shortened tendons so leg exercise needs to start gentle for me until they strech again
I've brought a exercise bike today and built it up so now it's just a case of using it
cliftyhanger - 8/9/13 at 06:44 AM
First thing that really worries me is the "no time for the gym" statement.
Getting fit and loosing weight need a real commitment. Set aside 3 (or 4) 2 hour slots a week, in your diary and treat them as priority appointments.
Use that time to exercise.
Not being rude (I was really lardy a few years ago, so have the t shirt) but thinking an exercise bike will do the job is highly unrealistic. May do
as a start, but you will need to do something else one you have done a bit to sort the legs. Gyms are actually a great idea as the CV rooms are full
of equipment designed for exercise while at causing no damage. Plus you can both go at the same time, that saves time in the diary as you are doing
something together. Do not underestimate that aspect.
carlknight1982 - 8/9/13 at 03:34 PM
No time to get to the gym is due to not being able to et thre during the open hours due to work or mainly commitments not a lack off will.
The exercise bike is a start not the whole plan.