| There
seems to be some misconception in society that if you are overweight you
cannot be physically fit or able to do any exercise. I’m here to dispel
that myth.
I’ve been a plus-sized woman
most of my life and somewhat active, although I must admit, going to the
gym used to be humiliating to me. A couple of years ago I decided to
really get my butt in gear and work out regularly. As I started to work
out, my energy levels grew and my yearning to complete something that was
challenging was at the forefront of my mind. That’s when I decided to
participate in the California AIDS Ride in 2000. I had thought about it
for many years, but I also really didn’t think someone my size could do
it.
So the training for the AIDS
began. The first problem I had to overcome was the spandex clothing! I
mean come on, when you are overweight and there are extra rolls of
"love", most of us don’t really want to show it. After a few
training rides I got over it and focused on the real reason why I was
doing the AIDS ride. Training rides were the greatest (and still are)
because we were all doing this for one reason – to raise money and
awareness for those who are HIV positive or have AIDS. I remember my first
training ride – 25 miles – with a rather lengthy hill in-between. Well
when I was done that day I was exhausted, came home and crashed on my bed
and all I could think about was Wow, I had just done 25 miles – the most
I had ever done on my bike.
During training rides over the
next 8 months, there were definitely times that I thought I was never
going to be able to complete the ride. Who was I kidding. I would always
be riding at the back of the group, because it would take more energy
pushing my weight up a hill, than someone who was 100 pounds lighter than
me. But the more miles I trained, the more confidence I gained. So I wasn’t
the fastest rider, but I managed to keep at pace that was comfortable for
me, after all, I wasn’t doing this ride as a race.
What I found interesting and
typical were a lot of people’s reactions when I would tell them that I
was doing this marathon of a ride – I could just tell they were looking
at my physique and thinking to themselves "yes, sure, like someone
your size could do something so athletic" – well I did. I proved it
to them, I proved it to myself and proved it to many other overweight
people that you can be big and be physically fit at the same time. Sure it’s
not ideal to be hanging onto extra weight as you push to get up the hills,
but if you put your mind to it you can do it too.
During CAR 7 I met a lot of
wonderful "plus-sized" women, as I volunteered my time to be
part of a documentary about "Plus-sized women doing the
AIDSRide". Christine Logsdon and Jennifer Holland were the two women
who thought of this idea and managed to gather a group of amazing women
who were participating in the ride. Click on the link for more information
about the documentary.
Currently the documentary is still in post-production, but the producers
are looking forward to this awesome group of people sharing their
experiences via a medium that will enable others to understand that anyone
can do whatever they want if they put their mind to it. Sure, there can be
obstacles in the way, but you can overcome those.
Bottom line is, I finished the
AIDS ride every day; I experienced an incredible adventure; I surprised
quite a few people who didn’t think I would be able to do it; there are
all types of people who participate in the AIDS ride, from large women, to
blind riders (on a tandem), to riders who are HIV+ and have AIDS, to
someone who had no legs, to another rider who was suffering with Multiple
Sclerosis. The AIDS Ride invites all people of all ages of all strengths
and weaknesses to help raise money for the cause. If you want to do this,
you can and you will, no matter what you think your disability or obstacle
is.
So onto a few riding tips for
those of you who might be a little larger than the average person:
- There are a lot of resources
for Plus-size
Cycling Clothing.
- Eat healthily as you train.
This means that you must eat carbs, even if you think that it is
fattening and not going to help you lose weight, you need the carbs
for energy.
- Remember that riding up hills
you will more than likely be slower than most people – that’s OK,
this is not a race.
- Don’t push yourself so much
up a hill, that you cause damage to your knees. Be sensible.
- Sucking in your stomach when
riding up hills can really help your form.
- Your training shouldn’t just
be training rides. Cross training is very important, as is muscle
strength (both upper body and legs). If you are a member of gym, take
advantage of all that they have. Start going to spinning classes – a
great form of aerobic exercise.
You can
e-mail me if you
have additional questions.
You can also check out my web site at www.lisabennettonline.com
"Security
is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature.
Life is either a
daring adventure, or it is nothing at all" - Helen Keller |
