• Dad of nine sheds two stone in eight weeks

     

    Partner Sustrans

    Location Luton     

     

    Commuting by bike has helped Colin Smith pedal his way to a healthier and happier lifestyle. He lost two stone in just eight weeks after taking up an offer of a free loan bike from Sustrans’ Active Travel project in Luton as part of an NHS healthy weight programme.

     
    Colin said: “With five sons and four daughters it’s difficult to find either the time or the money to get to the gym, and I felt a bit embarrassed to get into my swimming trunks with my belly hanging out. So I decided to try cycling despite not having ridden since I was a teenager.” He visited the Sustrans project who gave him a loan bike and advice to get him started. “The team really helped give me the motivation to take up cycling by explaining the various health benefits,” said Colin.
     
    He started to cycle the journey to work a few times a week. The five-mile commute from Hatters Way to Luton town centre included three miles of the National Cycle Network, enabling him to ride most of the journey on trafficfree or traffic-calmed routes. He said: “To begin with, I was shattered and would cycle in and get a lift home from my wife Sandra, which really helped. Then she’d take me in the next morning and my bike would still be at work for me to ride home on. I built up my fitness from there.”
     
    “Getting to work is a journey I have to make everyday, so it’s quite easy to allocate a bit more time to go by bike. I can push myself to ride fast or relax a little bit depending on how I feel, which will make it much easier to stick with than other weight loss programmes.”
     
    Colin now weighs four stone less than his 21 stone peak. “I’ve really toned up and this has given me the confidence to get back into my swimming trunks and take my mum for an early swim some mornings. I’ve got so much more energy to take my kids down to the park or on a weekend bike ride.”
     
    Sustrans project coordinator Sarah Leeming said: “Colin’s achievement is fantastic and shows how much healthier we can all become by choosing to walk or cycle for more of our everyday journeys.”
     
    Result: By getting information, motivation and access to a bike to cycle to work, Colin and others like him can incorporate physical activity into their daily routine, getting fitter, healthier and happier.




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