Fifty Plus (50+) - Every pound is a celebration (long)

"Celebrate good times. COME ON! There's a party going on around here..."

I tell you, in some ways I haven't given it a ton of thought -not obsessing or anything- until I read this post: One Year Ago (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=335465)

OK, the story: Last April I got a bike (then I got another bike this April. that's it) after getting fat on the couch for 20 years. I mean, I met my wife at 145 (OK, I was 27. Things are different when you're 27) and over the years -after I quit riding and after I quit smoking- I'd watch the number climb. It went something like this: "OK, I'm not going over 165". I'd hit 170. "OK, I'm not going over 175" 180. No way am I gonna weigh 190 pounds" 195. 200 was my panic point. I've hit 195 before but never more than that. Ha! 200... 205... 210... 215... all the way up to 225 lbs. On my 5'10" frame. Alright, my dad was big ol' Nebraska farm boy and he weighed 220 but he was 6'4". 225 on my frame was a heart attack about to happen. My blood pressure was intractable (and I was on a boatload of meds). My resting pulse was, like, 75-80 BPM. I was a mess. Then I got my Kaitai.

I finally worked my way (my weight? ;)) down to 200. Then -TADA!- I got under 200. 199, in fact. But I'd kind of bounce over and under a bit. Then it started staying under 200 all the time. Even after 10 days in Manhattan. With my Jewish in-laws (we Jews love to eat. It's a culture based on food. To the older generation of Jews, a fat belly is a sign of prosperity. I'm not of the old generation. I see things a little differently). Then I got to 195 and it would bounce around that number. Then it stayed under 195. Today, I hit 193. My next goal (after getting under 200) is to get in the 180s. That is now in sight, just 4 pounds away. I'm going to do it! After that, I'd like to get to 180. If Boonen can ride at 180, so can I.

And it's all down to the bikes. Did 100 miles a month last year, got the LeMond and now I do 200 miles a month. I haven't drastically cut back my food intake, I've just spent as much time as I can on my bike. OK, not as much as I can. I can do more but I do have a day job and a life to live. And NOW I have a much better chance *to* live it. Next, I'll start cutting my dinner portions down a bit.

Sing the hossanahs, sing the praises. Can I get a witness? Cycling is the BOMB, baby :D

Oh, my resting pulse now? 57 or so. My BP (at home) is 125/75 (or lower). After a ride it's 110/60. My pants size has gone from a 42 to a 40 to 38 (and is getting close to 36. Soon). The lower threshold on my HRM is set to 125. I never used to hear it beep once I started pedalling. Even at an easy cruise. Now, it gets harder and harder to get it over 110 unless I start pushing a little. Then, it doesn't take much of a climb to get it up to 160bpm so let's not get too carried away.

I'm right there with you, SKT. I was 220 lbs after parting with the nicotine, and still 215 when I bought my first bike as an adult. I set my do-or-die goal to getting under 200, and my long term goal to getting under 190. I seemed to level out at 204, and set out to improve my diet to keep on losing. I hit 191 two years ago this month, gained a bit in the winter, hit 191 again last summer, added three pounds again in the winter, and hit 188 this summer.

Of course, I now realize that I should still be 10 pounds lighter, but hey, like you, I've come a long ways. Thanks for a great reminder of why I started riding. Who knew it would be too much fun to stop, anyway?

Congratulations SKT. You've earned a well deserved celebration with this progress.

Congratualations SKT. Of course you realize you can no longer post on the Clydes/Athenas forum?

Congrats..I seem to have the opposite issue. I was 145lbs when I started biking last spring, now 156.

That's great!

I would love to get down to 199. Currently stalled at 218 (down from 235).

I am down 20 pounds from 2 years ago when I started cycling. Cycling has improved my health by leaps and bounds. I consider it to be the best exercise that can be done for the heart and circulatory system.

I was looking at a BMI chart and I am at the top of the good health risk zone. So I guess that I will see if I can drop another 10 to 20 pounds. This would put me at 150 to 160 pounds and at 6' maybe I can get even more of the good health benefits.

One of my biggest regrets in life is that I didn't start cycling 20 years ago. I think that I could have avoided many health problems if I had only known and understood all the benefits.

Or if I hadn't have quit cycling 20 years ago like I did. What an idiot I was (some would say, still am).
I've gotta say, though, 150 -160 lbs for a 6' frame sounds a bit on the thin side.
I know what the charts say, and all, but I think their figures are pretty unrealistic.
Though, in my own case, I'd be thrilled with 180 (and ecstatic with anything lower).
Realistically, I'll shoot for something between 180-185. I need just a wee bit more discipline ;)

Loser!

And I say that with the utmost respect...

Congrats on the continued reductions!! Keep it up! You can get to whatever weight you'd like-even 145 lbs should you really desire to.

From 220 lbs to 165 lbs here...........all due to spinning the wheels over and over. BTW-I weighed 165 lbs when I was 27.

214 on 1/14/07, 183 today. BP is about the same, but blood sugar is heading down. The key, aside from biking, is not dieting, but cutting out the junk and consciously eating smaller portions. Cutting out 100-200 calories a day will do the trick.

Keep up the good work SKT, and everyone else.

By the way, I found that losing the belly makes it much easier to spend more time in the drops, which makes a big difference in speed, which makes it a lot more fun.

Congrats. It seems you are motivated! Motivation is the greatest factor to be able to achieve. Keep posting the successes!

ps: if my grammer offends, please excuse, but keep gettin skinnier.