Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
I recently had a bit of a fiasco with my trusted scales. After the over-indulgence of Christmas I was happily surprised that I had only gained a few pounds and with the promise of a new beginning in January set about to increase my exercise and tone away those mince pies.
Ecstatically, I began to lose weight, nothing drastic but a few pounds each week. Then one morning the scales showed a rapid weight loss, alarm bells rang, I forced the husband on the scales and he confirmed nonchalantly that the scales were roughly a stone out (he doesn’t often weigh-in).
With a panic attack about to set in, I rushed to Carrefour to purchase new scales and in the car park it was, sadly, confirmed by new shiny scales that I had indeed put weight on.
Deliberating over a new exercise plan a good friend suggested road biking as a great option, but I had my reservations.
A few of my crazy friends are tri athletes, these super humans who cycle at ridiculously early hours of the morning, pedalling furiously, Lycra clad, with awesome endurance and over eye-watering distances.
Cycling appeared a complex sport. When I run it is simple - shoes, clothes, watch, optional dog, go. With cycling there are infinitely more variables and it definitely felt intimidating, especially those skinny wheels.
But, with further encouragement from more friends and lots of advice, I ventured out on a road bike with my main objective not to hit anything or fall off.
I loaned a fabulous bike, wore padded shorts (who knew) borrowed my son’s helmet, loaded up with fluids and hit the road.
I loved the thrill of the wind in my hair, the sensation of riding fast without having to put in as much power as a mountain bike.
The sense of freedom, cycling outdoors is pretty addictive, the feeling of actually going somewhere propelled on by your own muscle power. It’s also very social, a good cycling buddy is a must for a road cycle.
Whether I lose the extra weight or not, we shall see, but, in the meantime, it really is true, ‘nothing compares to the simple pleasure of riding a bike’.
