lamb1647

Two and a half weeks ago I started a serious diet in an effort to take at least 50 pounds off for my sore knees so they will no longer have to lug it around. I decided to add to it an exercise program consisting or riding my mountain bike for approximately 30 minutes.

I had ridden it 4 different days, including this past Monday morning. I had just finished riding 5.7 miles in 28 minutes and was preparing to turn into our driveway. Unfortunately, I was going a bit too fast and took an approach that was too shallow. When I turned the front wheel to go up the driveway, it hit loose gravel and before I could bat an eyelash I went crashing down to the pavement.

The pavement chewed up an area about 2" x3" above my right elbow, and another area about 3" x6" below my right kneecap. I' m not in as much pain as I was Monday and Tuesday, but I am still uncomfortable. I can still shoot a bow though!!!

The knuckles on three fingers on my left hand (bow hand) also got gouged up pretty good somehow. But, since I only hold the bow with that hand, it isn' t a problem.

Morale of the story, 56 year old men shouldn' t try to ride bicycles like they were kids!!

Bill

CT Bowhunter

Ouch, I too have to lose weight from my 43 year old frame. Better watch those evil bikes. My knees are talking to me every morning. Good luck

LBR

Dang Bill--gotta' be more careful! At least you had an excuse though--a few weeks ago at the Jerry Pierce Memorial shoot I was stepping off down a hill to go pull arrows and I hit the ground so fast I didn' t even have time to put my hands down. Jarred so hard my neck popped--man alive that rattled me! It was a rainy mess, and of course it was obvious to anyone that could see the back of my britches what had happened. Didn' t loose any blood or skin, but sure rattled my brains. Not so sure all of that stuff on the seat of my pants was mud either......[X(]

Chad

Dick4bows

OUCH!! I know how your knees feel. I have at least 60# to lose and IT AIN" T EASY! I haven' t tried a moving bike but I did try a stationary one. Legs and knees were so sore I couldn' t get back on for a week. I' m trying a fast walk every day now. No weight loss yet though. It just makes me hungry! Boy, I have to find something that works though! Dick

lamb1647

Chad,

It is good that neither you or I had time to reach our hands out to break the fall. Otherwise, we may have ended up with a broken arm!

Dick,

I started dieting before I started riding the bike. Right now I am stuck on 14# of weight lost. Try eliminating sugars from your diet, it will help.

Bill

groundhawg

ive been working the atkins diet as well as lifting weights. ive not noticed a huge weight loss as far as numbers but friends have commented that im losing weight. if you dont like the atkins approach, check out the " body for life" book as well as the 12 day diet. a friend of mine known as " big daddy" has lost 15 lbs in the last 2-3 wks. http://www.upmykilt.net/goofing/diet...tml.......good luck groundhawg

Tuffcity

Bill,

Don' t you hate it when the bike decides it doesn' t want you onboard any more?! I ride 50-125 miles a week (commute to work this way) and having my brain on auto has nearly done me in a couple of times. (not suggesting you weren' t paying attention!)

Last year I got talked into doing several " adventure" races- one day events that have you paddling, mtn biking, orienteering, & trail running. On the first race I was into the moutain bike section and was making my way down a suburban-sized rock when my front tire hit a hole and I became airborne rather unexpectantly. Was flying long enough that I could see my landing spot so I managed to hit the dirt on my right shoulder and hip. Nice bruise from elbow to top of shoulder. 1/4 mile later I go to make a slight left turn in the trail and the front tire hits a small rock which shoots out and IMMEDIATELY turns my handle bars 90 degrees to the bike- I do the ungainly albatross act once more, turn shoulder into this landing and promptly scrap the crap out of my left shoulder. Fortunately head is saved from glancing blow with the gravel by my helmet. Was a bit annoying doing the rest of the course with slightly bend handle bars.

So it re-inforced for me that helmets are a VERY GOOD THING, gloves are valuable in saving your hands, and that I instinctively " tuck & roll" (or tuck & bounce) instead of putting my arms out to stop the fall-' cause I' m sure one or more wrists would have snapped if I did that.

Keep cycling, Bill! It' s surprising how quickly the muscles tone up and the breathing becomes easier.

Happy healing.

RC

lamb1647

RC,

Thanks! I' ll keep at it, and the healing process has begun. I still have some pain in the scrape on my right leg, but I' ll keep on pedalling!!

Bill

Chessbum

That Atkin Diet works. I' m 54 and been on it since January and have dropped 19 pounds and am at 222 at my lowest from 241 in Jan. I just went to my doctor and my trygl. dropped from over 600 down to 250 and every thing else went down also but I can' t recall the numbers. He thought it was interesting I could lose weight like i did eating all the wrong stuff and do so well on my test. Read the book and stick with the diet and if you are a meat lover it should be easy. I' m trying to drop to under 200 but I think that will take riding the bike and exercising more to make it but so far so goodl.

john nail

Bill, I found a " Stairstepper" to be a most excellent excercise machine for my old knees. If I fall off that, I land on the carpet......