Training & Nutrition - Weight Loss Club

Way To Go K.t.!

I took a full set of measurements this morning. I normally do so on Sunday mornings, but since I'm planning a Century that day I went ahead with it this today.

For the first time in memory, my abdomen now measures smaller than my hip measurement! Half of an inch smaller in fact. An unexpected milestone.

Kewl Zin.....way to go!!

I wish my hips were bigger....I'm built funny and have a big waist, but small hips. It's hell when I have to pee in public....I have to hold my pants so they don't fall to my ankles.

Way to go KT and Zin!! What an inspiration you guys are!!

K.T.
Its funny. Its not my hips that are big. I'm thinking its the caboose. However, my wife keeps telling me that it has pretty much disappeared as well. Your account of holding your pants, cracks me up! :D

Mahoolihan
Thanks. Inspiration is what this thread is all about. I get great inspiration from from everyone's struggle, fight, and victories here.

Been reading some of these inspiring posts. Congratulations to you strong willed people! Amazing work you've been doing.

Me, I've had a long struggle with weight. At this moment I'm 40 lbs overweight. I'm 51 and female. I have not exercised at all for a few years. I move slowly, I'm frequently tired/lethargic, and my will power is near zero. There are other physical things I can hardly do, which I hate. I hate the way I look. I hate the way I feel.

I'm here because a few days ago my husband suggested we go bike riding, as we've had this week off. We went 12 miles. I was exhausted, but happy, on a real high. We had a great time. I remembered the days we went bike riding with the kids and when we went riding frequently when we were first married and always, always on vacations on bike paths with the kids. Never really long, serious, rides. But, biking has always been well liked by me and our family.

Going biking the other day rekindled these feelings. As I hate exercise in nearly any form, I know, a bad attitude, I think that biking could be the catalyst to which I can get in shape, an activity I'd actually enjoy. So, I find myself here (my son, the bike racer, told me about these forums) and I'm hoping I will begin an exercise routine....starting today. Nothing to do with new year's day, want to stay far away from that connection, but it was just the timing of when we went riding. As for food, I'd love to know how you people conquer the desire to eat the wrong things? That's a real , serious, struggle for me.

I'm open to your wisdom!

Welcome tivoli1......we all undertand your lack of willpower as if it were not for that, most of us would not be in the "shape" we are in now anyway. Unfortunately...that is the one thing that needs to be overcome more than anything as NOTHING will stick without it.

For me, cycling was the catalyst to finally doing things right and losing weight because I'd finally found an exercise that I loved doing. Funny thing is...I rode for a little over a year as a "weekend warrior" only riding once on the weekend. It really didn't do anything for me...it was only after one year and three months that I began riding more (forcibly) to help a friend get in cycling shape for a vacation ride she wanted to do. Forcing myself to ride 3 to 4 times a week suddenly pumped me into LOVING cycling so that I WANTED to ride 3 or 4 times per week.

What it boils down to is you HAVE to find an exercise that you LOVE doing or else it will never be anything other than WORK.

On a side note.....a great nutrition book that many of us have begun to follow is "Eat To Live" by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. It's a great book that teaches great pracitices for eating right, not just for weight loss, but for reduced risks of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, etc.... It's not a "fad diet" book, but just one about eating right - period.

Those two things (cycling and eating better) have been helping me tremendously. I lost over 50 pounds in 2005. :)

Hope this helps and cycling is the catalyst for you too. Good luck! :)

Welcome tivoli1
First, let me say that by coming here and sharing your story and ambitions, you have set off to a great start.

I would be interested to know a little more about your current situation before getting into specific recomendations. Current weight, type of bike, & any medical issues to consider will play large into laying out any plans.

For now, I would start with the following 2 recommendations:

1. Sign up on http://www.fitday.com and begin logging everything you eat and your activities.

2. Enjoy riding your bike. Ride as often as you can. When first starting out, every ride is a victory!


As stated before, with more specific information regarding your situation & goals, we can help you to develope a plan that will help you to develope your game plan.

Hi everyone, Happy New Year! :)

It has been awhile since I posted anything, somehow I don't think about looking in the bike forums during the off season, but I thought I'd drop by and say hi. I am pleased to say that my weight has remained more or less under control (under 140) but I am REALLY out of shape, and I think my composition has changed to more fat and less muscle. :(

I have made my resolutions though, and this year I will:

1) Do my first imperial century (I did my first metric as part of last year's resolutions)
2) Hit 2,000 miles this season (I did about 1,800 my first full season last year)
3) Get to 125# or less by the height of the season

I have now read the Eat to Live book, and agree with it in theory, although I'm not sure I'd ever have the will power to stick with that forever, however, it has given me some new guidelines to try.

Good luck everyone, and let's outdo ourselves! :D

I have now read the Eat to Live book, and agree with it in theory, although I'm not sure I'd ever have the will power to stick with that forever, however, it has given me some new guidelines to try.
Hey Juf2m....long time, no see.

I'm with you on "Eat To Live"....I'm always preaching it...but as you say, I use it as a guideline too. I don't follow it like a religion. I've just used the principles to change my eating habits overall.

Welcome, Tivoli1. I started biking again when, quite by accident, I realized just how much I enjoyed it, and had enjoyed it in the past. Like you, I found most regular "exercise" boring though I've always enjoyed activities that involved action: hiking, racquetball, tennis, swimming, etc. None of those worked as regular exercise, at least not for me, but biking ... now there was something that was fun, didn't required any other people but could be done as a group or family event if others wanted to participate, could be as hard or as easy as I chose to make it, and didn't beat up my already beaten up knees.

Don't get me wrong: some days I don't want to get on the bike, and I have to push myself. Once I do, I always have a good time.

My advice? Two things initially: Log what you eat — every damned crumb! — so you have a really good idea of what's going in. Second, ride. Just get on the bike and ride. Doesn't matter if it's fast or slow, a long ride or a short one, on a trail or around the neighborhood. Just go out and have fun!

I started my new me program today. Last year I had lost some weight and then once college started again I was so busy I wasnt riding and I was eating a lot of crappy food on the run. Now that is all over all I have is student teaching which will save me so much time as actually going to campus is like a 3 hour round trip with traffic. Anyway right now I have to be at school at 7 since Im still subbing once at the middle school, student teaching is in a grammer school that starts at 9:20. Today I rode at 5am for an hour and it wasnt that bad, riding outside in the dark beats the trainer anyday. Once student teaching starts I will ride at 6 till like 730. Plus I can commute to school even though its only 7/10 of a mile. I am hoping that with more time on my hands I can be more focused on eating right and riding. Anyway good luck everyone!

Thank you for the support and feedback and information. I appreciate it. I don't have any medical issues really to speak of. But, I am, as I said, at least 40 lbs overweight. I'm 5'6" and about 206 lbs. I'd like to lose, to start with, 40 lbs, and then reevaluate thereafter. My knees are not the greatest, have always had knee problems. I don't know the official way to say it, but since I can remember, since forever, the pieces that hold the knee cap in each leg are short around the circumference, causing my kneecap to fairly easily move out of the socket if I'm not careful. Used to refer to an event as a "charley hourse". Extreme, but brief, pain. I totally fall down when it happens. Doesn't happen as much as it used to, due to probably compensation on my part and inactivity. So, very seldom at this point. I do, however, greatly fear snow and ice and walk like an old lady, with short, secure, steps in these conditions. The biggest issue is my weight, and being in no shape whatever. I don't take any medications at all.

Although I AM out of shape, completely, I'm in the market for a new bike. I wonder, do I surrender to a comfort bike, to a Giant Revive bike, or, stick with a hybrid, again, given my age and shape. My inclination, after the initial interest and research in more comfortable bikes, is to go with a hybrid, something like a Trek 7500 or Breezer Liberty, but that is another issue. Right now, I have my old Trek 730 from about 12-15 years ago.

So, perhaps that gives you more information. I downloaded the ebook about fit to live, and was shocked at the no dairy/no animal philosophy. That would be a huge departure in diet for me. But, it is interesting I hear you people say to record the food intake. I heard that too over the years, and I suppose I'll have to go that route. I have used calorieking.com in the past, a great site. I'll check out fitday too. Thanks! I hope there's hope!!

Hey all ... I am celebrating!!! I now have my basement set up *perfectly* for the trainer. I have a home-theater set-up, including a projector, and I have it projecting on an old window shade that I can roll up when not in use. I plopped a cheesy collection of mafia movies in the dvd player and rode for an hour today ... which I am told equates to roughly an hour and a half on the road, since you don't have any free-wheeling time indoors. My average mph was 12, so I am counting this an 18-mile day.

Also, I stepped on the scale this morning, and I seem to have undone the 5-pound damage I inflicted on myself over the holidays. It truly is a new day!! Onward and upward!!

Tivoli, I understand TOTALLY where you are coming from. I am more than 100 lbs overweight, and LOVE to eat all the wrong foods. Here's what I did (over a one year period ... not all at once):
* Cut soda (or pop if you prefer) down to an absolute minimum: I was drinking at least 12 cans of Coke a day. My first step was to reduce that, then I switched to diet (I know ... the taste ... but add up the calories). Then I was listening to some program about soda and it said that even diet sodas make you want to eat ... something about the phosphorus. Anyway, I tried it, and sure enough ... I ate less when I wasn't drinking soda at all. Now, water is my friend. Again, it took me a couple of MONTHS to get used to it (lack of flavor and all), but now I keep a bottle with me all the time, and I eat less. I am not saying it's easy, but it works.

* Switch from candy to fruit or yogurt: Again, it's an acquired taste, but it's worth it. Think about it: How many apples do fat people eat? If you're anything like me, you have a sweet tooth (we don't get fat eating celery). I used to satisfy that sweet tooth with candy of various kinds. I still do from time to time, but now I am reaching for an apple, a banana, or a small container of yogurt (those single serving packs ... if I take a big container, I will eat the whole thing. That's another reason I am fat ... lack of portion control). Which leads me to ...

*Control your portions. I am the least disciplined person in the world, and on top of that, I was taught that, if you put it on your plate, you eat it. Sooo, I used enormous plates for EVERYTHING, filled them to the brim, and could not stop eating until they were cleaned. That's a recipe for fat. Now, I use small plates. It helps me control my portions, and I find that I am really not hungry after I finish the smaller portion. The rest of my eating was, apparently, out of some obligation. Unfortunately, my obligation didn't gain the weight. ;)

Those are just a few hints that have worked for me. Remember, listen to advice, but don't assume everything is going to work for you. It's a process. It took you a long time to put on those 40 lbs, and it's going to take a long time to take them off. You can do it; people much less intelligent than you have lost weight. This isn't rocket science ... it just takes commitment, and a willingness to try new things. Keep in touch, and let us know how you're doing. We're all in this mess together, and the support here is superb.

Although I AM out of shape, completely, I'm in the market for a new bike. I wonder, do I surrender to a comfort bike, to a Giant Revive bike, or, stick with a hybrid, again, given my age and shape. My inclination, after the initial interest and research in more comfortable bikes, is to go with a hybrid, something like a Trek 7500 or Breezer Liberty, but that is another issue. Right now, I have my old Trek 730 from about 12-15 years ago.
Unless you think you would have some problem with your old 730, I'd get it "cleaned up" at the bike shop (tune up, etc...) and use it. Otherwise, I'd go with a hybrid. I started with a comfort bike and after 2 years just jumped to a road bike. You can be overweight and ride a road bike....I'm doing it now. I have a Trek 520 touring road bike and weigh just over 300.

The hybrid I think would be better for exercise/road riding and would you would not be as limited by the bike if you go further into cycling. That's what has hapened to me....I was told by a few bike shop people that I was beginning to push the limits of my comfort bike at over 40 miles....it really was not "comfortable" when your rides got long...which is why I upgraded to a road bike at Christmas.

Again...stick with the Trek you have unless you are bound and determined to get a new bike. If you are bound and determined, I think a hybrid would suit your needs better.


So, perhaps that gives you more information. I downloaded the ebook about fit to live, and was shocked at the no dairy/no animal philosophy. That would be a huge departure in diet for me. But, it is interesting I hear you people say to record the food intake. I heard that too over the years, and I suppose I'll have to go that route. I have used calorieking.com in the past, a great site. I'll check out fitday too. Thanks! I hope there's hope!!
Let me boil the basic concepts of Eat To Live down to a few simple concepts. Buy LOTS of fruits and vegetables and eat so many of them you aren't hungry enough to eat other stuff. Yeah....it's a big change in diet (was for me too)...and I still don't follow it "perfectly". But I do notice that the closer I follow it, the better I feel and the quicker the weight comes off.

Sounds like everyone is starting off 2006 on the right foot! The holidays were tough - so much good food, and such a busy time.

I decided instead of feeling guilty I would just eat whatever I wanted and undo the damage in January. Maybe not the best strategy... ;) But I weighed myself this morning with great trepidation and found I 'only' gained 3 pounds, which is good news to me.

My main goals for this year are too lift 3x a week. (The cardio always takes care of itself with the cycling, but my upper body and core is really really weak.)

I also aim to get down to 145 lbs -- I'm at 156.6 as of this morning, so my aim is by the end of March. I'm going to focus on PORTION CONTROL!

Good luck everyone!!

-GS

Sounds like everyone is starting off 2006 on the right foot! The holidays were tough - so much good food, and such a busy time.

I decided instead of feeling guilty I would just eat whatever I wanted and undo the damage in January. Maybe not the best strategy... ;) But I weighed myself this morning with great trepidation and found I 'only' gained 3 pounds, which is good news to me.




I tried the same strategy, and it worked. I maintained my weight throughout... and for a bonus I picked up a nasty flu / stomach virus - so now I am down 5 pounds!

I don't recommend the flu method for losing weight. I know I'm dehydrated - and just this morning starting to eat solid food again. (the last day or so has been water, gatorade, and popsicles...!)

Ok guys I have been lurking this thread for a while and congratulate you all.

I started bike commuting sporadically in November and have just kicked it up to 4 days per week. My commute is 15 miles each way and I have been doing a club ride on the weekend of around 20 miles. I am 45, the biggest I have ever been and it's time for a change.

Here are my January 1 stats:

6'1" 281.5 lbs BP 146/96 RHR 95

My goals for 2006:

225 lbs BP 130/80 RHR 75

1. Average 125 miles per week.
2. Make healthy eating choices – particularly when traveling

2. Make healthy eating choices – particularly when traveling

For me, this was the most important item. Just after Thanksgiving I went cold turkey on junk food and other high fat foods. My love handles have shrunk significantly. I realized that although I was watching my total calorie intake, I was consuming a large amount of fat calories. I was stunned when I started to read food labels..

I'll toss in my.02.Last July I weighed in at GASP!! 302.6 BP 145/95 RHR 90 .at 47 years old and 5'11". Joined Weight Watchers. Today I'm 225.4 BP 128/78 RHR 72. Dusted off my 1990 Trek 2200 Composite and a Performance M200 Cro/Mo hardtail Mtn Bike. Have a goal and watch the Fats and portion size.My year end goal is 185 lbs and my reward will be a Cannondale R1000 .Mileage 50-60 week and weight lifting on off days.

I'm in Carlsbad Ca, and the last year and a half has been tough.... new baby, home and very busy work has made it tough to get on the bike.

I've been overweight by about 30 lbs for the last 3 yrs, and am determined to get this off.

Is there anyone in my area that would like to buddy up on a training schedule?

craig

...

I'm at 196 now, 5'8". Working hard this winter to come out on the road in the spring at 175.

...



190...

Nearly three years ago on Super Bowl Sunday I was 300 pounds and almost died from a coronary artery that was 99% blocked. Visiting the local ER, I got an angioplasty, then made some radical changes. I began to eat mostly vegetarian (fish and chicken sparingly), joined a gym, increased my cycling regimen, and lost over 100 pounds. I'm 195 right now, and am aiming for 180. I've done 5 centuries, the California AIDS ride (or AIDSLifeCycle as its called now) twice, and planning on doing the Death Ride in Markleeville this July.

BTW what saved me is that I was already riding a bike and experienced chest pain only when exerting myself, so it would go away when stopped. If I had been a couch potato, a massive heart attack would have eventually occured.

Larry

Heard about this thread, so here I am.

5'11" 238 more or less, 43 years old, 44 next month.

Got back into riding outside last July. Thank you TDF for getting me on my bike. Rode just over 1,000 miles before the chill set in and now I'm on my trainer. I'd like to get to 250-300 miles a month on the trainer, but 200 is more like it. Goal is 2,500 miles for the year and I'm looking forward to getting outside again.

Longest ride - 60 miles. Got down to 227, and want to get back to 230 by February 17th.

Dieting is not for me. I love to eat. Love. Plus living in CT the pizza is fantastic and I crave it. Longest period without pizza - 10 days.

Want to do more weight training, hurt my shoulder last year and that knocked out my bench pressing, but low weights, high reps for me this year.

okay, more later.

Welcome Panic. :)

That's what we are all here for. I started out last year in the 360-370 pound range. Between the cycling and changing my eating style (reading "Eat To Live" for that), I dropped down to about 312 or so by end of 2005.

I'm hoping (and confident) that I'll break the 300 mark and get back in to the 200s soon. :)

"Eat to Live"... problem is I'm from New Orleans and grew up with the "Live to eat" mentality.
;)

"Eat to Live"... problem is I'm from New Orleans and grew up with the "Live to eat" mentality.
;)
As I stated...I was up to my max of about 360-370 pounds last year. You don't honestly think I wasn't the epitome of the "Live To Eat" mentality, did you?

The cool thing about "Eat To Live" is to help you change the things you eat to more healthy things....when you are eating healthy, you typically don't worry about how "much" you eat. :)

I have actualy gained weight recently (up 4 pounds), and droped down a pant size. ;)

Well I seem to be holding steady, but my clothes are getting looser - and I am riding better. Progress.

Hi Folks. I'm so glad I discovered this forum; you are truly an inspiration. Can I join your club? I am a 46 year old guy in Central TX. I have not been on a scale for at least 2 years but I'm pretty sure I weigh around 275. I have been overweight all my life except for a few years in the '80s. I have been a vegetarian (I do eat some dairy and eggs) for almost 3 years. I really want to get serious about my weight, health and appearance. Just before New Years I gave up all beer but maybe one bottle a week. I do miss the daily 3-4 bottles of IPA but my clothes seem to fit a bit looser and I am more alert at my job, to which I will resume commuting by bike as the weather here warms up. I'm trying to negotiate a deal between my inner child and my inner parent that when I get down to 200 lbs I can have the bike I really want, a Greenspeed G5 or top of the line Bike Friday. I would really like to reach that goal by next Xmas, but f it takes longer I'm okay with it as long as I reduce steadily. As soon as I am brave enough to get on a scale I will record my weight and monitor it daily. 'Bye for now

Paupie

I have actualy gained weight recently (up 4 pounds), and droped down a pant size. ;)


I am up 4 pounds in 2 months, now at 246 pounds at 6'4. Same waist size but clothes are slowly getting looser and pants are not uncomfortably tight. My legs and backside are gaining muscle, and I spent 2 hours riding on muddy trails up and down hills today. I couldn't do 30 minutes in those conditions 2 months ago. I decided just commuting by bike was not enough, I had to start riding more if I want to reach my goal of being under 200 pounds. In May I will be riding the Tour de Cure, to raise money for diabetes reseach. I'm going to do a half century. Wish me luck.

good luck... now I need to get my butt in gear!

Yesterday I had a nice 30 mile ride - That's a lot for January! Later I made sure that I did not over (over) eat to compensate like I used to. My food log says I had the right amount in the right proportions.

Last night I had a dream. I dreamt that I was hungry and decided to go to Duncan Donuts for 2 cream filled donuts. I could almost taste them. I thought “No one will ever know” As I drove into the rear parking lot (to hide), the car started to skid out of control. I could not stop it and I crashed into a flower bed. I got out and pulled my last $1.55 out of my pocket to get 2 donuts. That’s when I woke up.

That was some dream. My car being out of control and not stopping was very telling. I woke up hungry but I’m not going to Duncan Donuts!

Quick recap of my journey... I'm 5'10" tall... Last February ('05), at 34 years of age, I weighed in at 282. That's up from an average 245 - 250 since I graduated high school. My daughter, 18mos at the time, was standing in front of the TV and saw a commercial with a pretty large man (larger than me, I thought...) walking on a treadmill. She pointed at the TV and yelled "Daddy!" Ouch! It was TIME to do something. I started attending meetings for a national weight loss company (initials are WW) and following one of their plans. Results! 30 pounds down in the first 2 1/2 months or so - awesome!

Started exercising - mostly walking the neighborhood with my wife and now 2 kids. Got a heartrate monitor for Father's day/anniversary gift, and was using that. Was surprised one day to find that I had to jog (slowly) for 20 straight minutes to keep my heartrate it a moderate level (Wow!)

I'm now down 68 pounds in just under a year (had a couple months of no progress, but no gain either...) and headed for 195. The last time I weighed 214 I was 14 years old. I feel better than I ever remember, and have more fun being active than I thought possible (I always told myself, "If I lose xx pounds, I'll be active, my kids will be active, we'll have lots of fun...) I've been paying for a gym membership, running in the neighborhood or on the treadmill, having a great time. And then I remembered my bike - I used to LOVE to ride (worst thing that ever happened to me was getting my driver's license :p ) I have a relatively nice bike, but haven't ridden it much. Did a couple spin classes at the gym and decided that riding a real bike would be much more fun. Boy, was I right! I STILL LOVE to ride! So I've now started commuting to work. Canceling the gym membership this weekend, looking to the bike and my running shoes to help push me the rest of the way to my goal weight, and help keep me there when I arrive.

Just felt like sharing the progress. This IS possible! I'm inspired by some of the stories I read here - persistence and patience clearly pay off!

Great stuff.

the toughest part for me is food. My son has Crohn's disease and we need him to gain weight, so we eat meals to help him gain, and of course I'll partake as well. Wife and I decided that Monday we will both work out together and try and plan better meals.

Thanks for the inspiration.

My son has Crohn's disease...

I'm sorry to hear that - I have several friends with Crohn's. It can be a nasty thing to deal with. How old is he? If I were in your situation, I would absolutely be inclined to partake as well. I imagine there's a real tradeoff there - if eating with him helps him to be healthy, it would be worth it to me to revise my expectations for myself a bit...

He's 16, and wants to gain weight, so I'll eat a bit. I think when winter breaks up here I'll be out doing 100-200 miles a week on the streets and the weight will fall off. Last year I didn't ride my bike until July 21st, and did 1,200 miles before the temps got too cold for me (October), this year I hope to do 2,500 - 3,000 miles.

Hey everyone -

I decided to get serious about getting healthy for my New Years resolution this year. On January 2nd, I weighed in at 278. I'm 6'0", 28 years old, medium to large frame, borderline high blood pressure and cholesterol.

Right now I'm concentrating on getting my eating under control. I'm hoping the energy boost comes soon to get my exercise jump-started.

I have a hectic desk job and had grown accustom to using my lunch break every day to escape from the office and go eat something good (fast food, Chinese, etc). As of the new year, I have limited my eating out to one to two times a week for now, and I try to pick healthier places like Subway, etc.

I have been eating a lot of frozen meals (Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice, Smart Ones - whichever is on sale). So far they are working really well for me because they are quick to prepare, small portions, and a whole lot healthier than what I have been eating. They also taste surprisingly good (especially the Weight Watchers Smart Ones). Most of the meals are between 150 and 320 calories each.

My day to day eating so far is like this (when I'm behaving):

- Breakfast
bowl of high fiber breakfast cereal, 8 oz of skim milk
or
piece of fruit and a yogurt

- Lunch
low cal frozen meal

- Dinner
low cal frozen meal

- Snacks (2 or 3 a day)
pack of crackers
handful of almonds
piece of fruit
string cheese

If I stick to the plan, my caloric intake for the day is usually less than 1600 calories. I have found that, with the snacks, I stay relatively satisfied and not hungry throughout the day. My body isn't hungry, but my brain is DYING for some McDonalds ;)

As of today, I am down to 265 pounds. I'm slowly starting to ease myself into jogging a little on the treadmill, as its too cold for me to get on the bike (I know, I'm a wimp).

Here are some links that helped me get started:

ESPN's Mark Schlereth's Diet (http://espnradio.espn.go.com/espnradio/story?page=markschlerethdiet)

Key to losing weight lies in grocer's freezer (http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2004/Apr/07/il/il07a.html)

Sorry for being so long-winded :)

Well I am back on track now back into riding that it has warmed up some put on about 15-20 lbs over the holiday season. Some of that was muscle though I didnt stop going to the gym. I want to loose another 80lbs this year! Here we go.

J.W.

Hey all,

So glad to hear some of your success stories, there's some really great stuff here. Thought I'd share my story.

I have been overweight all of my life. It runs in the family; we're all overweight. I don't really buy the whole genetics argument, we were overweight because we ate too much and didn't exercise. Blaming genetics won't make you healthy, but cycling will!

This past June (05), I had just finished my first year at college, and the Freshman 15 was more like the Freshman 25 for me. I weighed in right at 200 lbs (I'm 5'8"), and decided it was time for a change. I went out and got an on-your-feet summer job to get some exercise, and got my Magna Glacier Point 12 speed (read: cheap bike from Target) out of the shed. I made changes in my diet, replacing fast food and fatty meats with grains and fruits and veggies. I worked 10-hour days, and rode in the evenings and on my days off.

Over the course of the summer, I got several compliments from friends and family about how different I looked. I really didn't notice a big difference. The reality of my colossal weight loss really didn't set in until near the end of the summer, when I got to visit my girlfriend from college.

When we met up in a grocery store parking lot, and I got out of the car, she stood speechless for about a minute. "You.....look......incredible." That's what she said. I realized she was right.....I looked (and felt) really good.

I started the summer at 200 lbs. I am now holding steady at a lean 155, and have never felt better. I have not had a single illness since I got fit. Not to be conceited or anything, but now, girls want me. Lots of girls. Attractive girls. Pretty girls throw me a wink or a coy smile from across the room. Attractive girls come up to me at parties, and start talking to me. Me?

I am not used to this......but it's a nice problem to have:)

My upper body is still kind of soft, I need to start doing more pushups and crunches. But, from riding my bike around a college campus all day, I have the toned and muscular calves, thighs, and butt of a Greek god.

I have made a permanent change in my lifestyle. I really am the happiest I've ever been. I've never felt so alive. Best of luck to all of you, and keep sharing your successes.

-BR

BR - it's great to read your story. Inspiring. It's especially great to hear that you've made lifestyle changes -- those are the ones that stay. Enjoy the attention. I am sure you are also inspiring people who see you without realizing it. Healthy lifestyles can be contagious that way. And health exudes confidence.

Sandy

Just checking in to see how everyone is doing!

January proved to be a crazy month work-wise. February is almost as crazy since my wife just expanded her business buying out another company.

My poor bikes think I've abandoned them!

BR... thank you for your story. You're an inspiration. :)

I am riding almost every day ... indoors, but still ...

I am JONESING for an outdoor ride. I have mapped out a few, and am shooting for at least one substantial ride (50 miles or more) each week. I know that's not substantial for many of you, but for this clyde, who has never ridden 50 miles in one sitting, it'll be a challenge.

Haven't lost much weight (I am officially down 20 lbs in the last year), but am way down in inches (another 1/2 inch off the waist in the last two weeks).

How's everyone else doing?

Weight still at 246 pounds, I have been increasing my mileage to try and break the plateau, but no luck yet. Even started riding in the rain and in cold temperatures that I would never have ridden in before. Gotta keep trying...

Okay since January 28th I gained another 6 lbs. We had company in town and the weight gain for my son caught up to me. So despite riding 200 miles in January I felt like a pig.

Monday morning I turned it on. I've walked a couple of times (5 miles total) ridden another 50 or 60, but I've eaten much better. Calories down to 1,600 or so a day.

In a week I'm down to 236 will still two days to go. I'm drinking a lot of water and eating a lot of fruit and veggies. Its really not as hard as I thought it would be. Twice this week we had my son eat red meat, and we ate fish or turkey burgers.

By the way, he's up 4 lbs and the doctor is quite happy with his gains.

Well...I quit riding for almost 5 months. I gained 20+ lbs. and ate lots of junk. My excuse was foot pain and then too cold. It was 76* today here in Bakersfield Califorinia and I went on my first ride in a long while. I felt like I was going to puke. I only rode about 6 or 7 miles in 30 minutes and had enough. It was a start though and I think I will keep riding again. I am 6'2" and around 260 lbs. now. I seriously would like to get down to under 220. For now, I'll make 230 my goal by July. I hope this weather stays like this. I'm going to take a walk tonight after my fruit smoothie dinner and try to get into the fat burning mode again. Motivation is hard to come by at times.

So, I'm back. Wish me luck. (by the way, you are all inspiring to me and I appreciate all of your posts) Thanks!

I am down 10 pounds, and have another 20 or so to go to get back to peak form......or near-peak form....

Well I guess since I got back on the bike mainly to lose weight, I'd better jump in on this thread!
Summer of 2004 I weighed my heaviest ever at 227lbs. Not horrible no, and my clothes mostly hid it well. But in college I'd been below 180 and not terribly lean at that. I'm 6ft tall and turning 38 this April. Cholesterol was also a concern. So after a few months of watching what I ate I was down to around 210 and seemed stuck there in October. I'm not quite sure what made me think of it but I researched and bought a trainer - a Cyclops Mag - to put my old college road bike on and ride in my basement. Still no lofty goals, just wanted get some more pounds off and bring back some aerobic fitness.
The LBS where I got the trainer invited me to join some guys in the basement of the shop once a week. Turned out they were members of the shop's racing team and just spinning with them gave me the bug to ride more. Still, I was stuck again at 200lbs by Christmas. I started commuting in the spring (only 2 miles mind you) and riding 1-3 times a week either alone or on group rides where I got dropped fast. By August I felt good enough to try a 50 mile benefit ride. Cleared that fine, actually doing 60 due to a wrong turn! Believe it or not I was still stuck at 200lbs tho. Through the fall and winter now I've been riding more frequently and taking it more seriously with the intent to race in the spring. In January I was at 198lbs and decided to get serious about the weight. I started using DietPower software and set a goal of 185lbs by March 1st.
Today I weighed in at 189 and I'm thinking I might just make it. If I do I'll set another goal, probably 175, for June 1st. Getting on the scale every morning and recording that weight really helps keep on task. Using software to track my calorie intake and exercise calorie burn keeps me thinking of food as fuel instead of food as recreation. It also allows me to indulge wisely - when I know I'm ahead of my daily calorie budget and can afford it.
The best suggestion I can offer to anyone, based on my experience, is to use a food logging system of some kind. Really keep track of what's going in and think about why you're eating it. Eat well, eat small, eat often. Most of all, enjoy the riding!

-Don

What works for me? A year and a half ago I was basically inactive, I decided to get up 15 min. early and do some exercises. Situps, Backups, Pushups. I didn't loose any weight, but it was a start.

A year ago, I started riding with my 1 1/2 year old on the back, and we started out riding a couple of miles a couple of times a week. As it got warmer, we rode longer and more often, and I started loosing weight (& inches). Then it got too warm, and I did nothing over the summer, and most of the weight came back. In the fall, I got started again and added the second boy on the back. We increased our rides gradually up to 30 and even 40 mile rides. By Thanksgiving I had lost about 15 lbs for the year, but over the holidays I gained 5 of them back.

I realized that I needed to do something to make my gains permanent and even improve on them in the off season, and decided it needed to be a diet and exercise solution. The wife went back to Weight Watchers, as she usually does in January, but this year they had a new program. It's called the "Core" program, and is focused on eating whole foods. This seemed less arbitrary than the old "points" program, so I agreed to do it with her. Basically, they created a new food pyramid. 50% Fruits & Veggies, 25% Whole Grains, and 25% Protien. Eating just these foods you could have as much as you needed to be satisfied but not full. You have to keep track of foods outside the pyramid, but you get credit for exercise.

On the exercise side, I needed to find a way to keep 15 min. on the trainer from feeling like 1 1/2 hours, if I was going to get in 1 1/2 hrs at least 3 times a week. I hooked my bike up to a GameBike, and plugged it into a Playstation 2 and I was in business. The best games I found were Gran Turismo 4 because I could find settings that made me feel like I was riding a bike off road in the swiss alps, and it would take the information from the trainer in terms of how fast I was pedaling, to increase my speed in the game which inspired me to pedal faster. I also like Downhill Domination, because it actually feels like you're in the game, riding a bike. With DD you're either pedaling or you're not, so there's less drive to pedal harder, but I found myself making up for it by playing longer. I put close to 2 1/2 hours in last Sunday.

Maybe if someday I get really serious about biking I could hook my trainer up to my PC, and it would push me even harder, but right now I'm just having fun and not spending too much money. The GameBike cost about $60 on eBay, the PS2 was $80 from Craigslist, Gran Turismo was $30 used and Downhill Domination was $15 used, oh, and the trainer was $200 from REI.

Right now I'm just excited with the results. I've lost a total of 12 lbs this year (22 lbs total since getting back into biking). In the weeks that I rode the most I lost the most weight; I've had a week at 5 lbs, a week at 4 lbs, and all the others were 1 lb weeks. I hope this helps someone out, and if so maybe we can meet up and race online... ;)