I’m not one to talk about myself, but today I’m stepping out of my comfort zone. If this can motivate someone to reach their own goals, then I’ll be thrilled.
I’m celebrating my 5-month anniversary on Zwift.
Here’s my story.
Honestly, at the start of 2024, nobody would have believed I’d take up exercise—myself included! It was probably the last thing anyone expected from me.
But everything changed on April 21st, when I bought a Wahoo KICKR Core trainer, mounted it to a Decathlon bike, and jumped into Zwift.
That was a massive shift for me. Before this, my biggest workout was moving from bed to my computer and then to the couch. I had no idea a piece of software could have such a big impact on my life.
I’ve been using Zwift not just for performance, but also for weight loss and to completely overhaul my routine! When I started, I wasn’t in great shape—quite unhealthy at 190 lbs with a height of 155 cm (5’1″). Over the last 4 months, I’ve dropped 18 kg (about 40 lbs) and increased my FTP from 110 to 171 watts, all through indoor training and walking.
Those are the 5 key areas I’m focusing on in my journey. I still have weight to lose and goals to hit, but I’m moving in the right direction.
- Zwift Sessions: I focus on completing routes and long, steady-pace rides at around 65-75% of my FTP. I’ve recently started doing races for fun to push my limits, mix up my training, and give my legs that burn they need.
- Tracking Progress: I log all my indoor rides on Strava, averaging 9 hours and 200 km+ a week. Most of my rides are about 2 hours each, and I aim to ride at least 5 days a week. You can check out my stats here.
- Nutrition: I’ve focused on reducing my portions, eating balanced meals, and practicing intermittent fasting from 5 PM to 9 AM. I’ve also been consistent with protein intake for recovery.
- Recovery: One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is how important recovery is. I listen to my body and take a break when needed. Some of my biggest gains have come after taking a 24-hour rest.
- Sleep: As the marketing director at a mattress company, I know a thing or two about the importance of sleep. I stick to a consistent sleep schedule and aim for at least 8 hours a night.
Zwift can be a game-changer for anyone looking to combine fitness with weight loss!
If you’re on a similar journey, I’d love to hear about your experience.
Any tips on keeping the momentum going?
Try out some of the groups who run rides at times you train and find one you like. Riding with all the wonderful friends I have made in my club really motivates me to get on the bike and train. We also support each other in tough times and you’ll end up getting involved in all sorts of bike-related activities.
racing can get addicting and keep you coming back. That works for me. But I like group rides and structured training too. Make it easy to get on the bike when you have time and make it fun.
I second this! Racing is super fun, and addictive. I try to race 3-ish times a week. It’s the easiest and most compelling way for me to tick off a high intensity workout.
You could aim to try and tick off all the Routes that are tracked on the http://www.veloviewer.com leaderboards. I find this quite motivating to try and score as many points as I can per Route.
Thanks for sharing your story. You must feel so much better! That’s a lot of weight to shed. Congratulations.
Congratulations on your fitness endeavor. Cycling is a great sport ( very addictive btw lol) and the Zwift app is an awesome way of achieving any fitness goal from the comfort of your home. Thanks for sharing your experience which I’m sure will inspire others,
Incredible progress! I would suggest a more polarized training program, with your Zone 2 being closer to 55-65% for 3 of your weekly rides, with the other 2 being a structured high intensity interval or similar. There’s a lot of good literature on polarized (80/20) training methods.
This is so good to read. Very inspiring. You are doing the right thing. Keep it up and Zwift as you feel is right for you.
I enjoy Zwift group rides, robopacer rides, and free rides, but when I joined a team it raised Zwifting to a whole new level because of the added benefit of social interactions where you are (mostly) riding with the same team members each week. Our team does regularly WTRL Team Trial races on Thursdays, Zwift Racing League (ZRL) races Tuesdays, and the Zwift Dualathon on Wednesdays. There are lots of teams that you can join. The two that I am on are “Vikings and Team Vahalla” and “The Breaks Groppeto”. If interested join the ZRL, WTRL, or specific team Facebook groups to get started.
First off congrats! I’d suggest group rides both in and outdoor. For the latter start in smaller groups.
Jonathon, what a great story and journey. Thank you for sharing. Sounds like you are hooked, I can empathize as I too have seen what the change can to our bodies but the best part is to our minds and the balance it provides to life and support of loved ones. Ride On!!