Road Cycling - Weight Loss Stories

I've started cycling and haven't changed my diet. Well, of course, I've gained weight as I "convert" fat to muscle. Anyway, I was interested in weight-loss stories. Please include the following:
Weight loss over time period
Diet changes?
Typical weekly mileage
Longest ride
And anything else you want to include! :)

PS Add your weight when you started...

254 at the beginning of May.
219 today.
185 - someday in the near future.

:) It is about the bike (for me).

Stared at 259 Yesterday I weighed in at 197 I went as low as 185 three years ago but went up as I built muscle.The only "diet" thing I did was cut out most of the junk like soda pop, now I consume a 6 pack a year instead of in one day. I do not eat fast food that much anymore and my snacks now are not just empty calories but calories that do me some good, oatmeal cookies. fruit, banana bread stuff like that and I drink a ton of water. Ridding though is not for the exercise, thats just a very cool benefit to something I really love doing. Its all about the bike for me too!

Down from 245 to 224 in past 12 weeks. SOrt of stuck right now at 224, but am forging ahead with hope. Would like to get to 200.

Using the Body for Life eating plan, exercising and weight lifting.

I had lost weight before, but gained a lot back last year due to major medical problems.

Over the summer I try to ride 20-60 miles per day. Back teaching next week, and am scared of inability to do meaningful exercise.

Down from 242 to about 225 over the past 8 weeks. I gained a bit over the past few years and let my frequency of jumping on the bike drop off...

Back on it now and seeing great results. I'm just using exercise (3 days at the gym & 3 days on the bike) with a sensible, low-fat diet.

My goal at the moment isn't to lost weight - it's to get fit and be able to do anything I want. Much easier to follow than having weight goals...

Started in May of this year at 206. Im now a ravishing 175. I cant even push out my gut and look fat anymore. :D Id post a pic, but you'd all want to do me. :D

May 22, 2002, my birthday, I weighed just shy of 290lbs.

I hadn't been on a bike since my paper route when I was 16, 40 years previously. My wife gave me a comfort bike for my birthday. I started slowly, jsut up and down the street, then to the park, then around the park...and gradually built up to 15 miles per day after about three months. I hit 240lbs in the middle of November.

I stopped eating calorie laden snacks. Instead, I would eat salt-free rice cakes with low-fat peanut butter, bananas, graprefruit, and yogurt.

Since May 22, 2003 I average 20 miles per day, Monday - Thursday, and 40-50 Friday, Saturday and Sunday. If Monday is a holiday, I try to hit 50 miles. I have ridden nearly 7500 miles since I started.

The only problem is my apetite and exercising have reached equilibrium. I haven't lost any weight since November, but I have been trading in fat for muscle.

I have become a fanatic, er, I mean avid cyclist. My wife has promised me a road bike for my next birthday, with a budget of $2000.

P.S. I forgot about lunch! It used to be either two hamburgers, fries, and a coke or a full course meal. Now it is either a tuna salad or a low-fat peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

I started about 3 months ago at 236 now I am down to 195!!! all becuase of Weight Watchers and riding the Bike!!!!!! Now I just have Bike Gear Lust!

chaz

I started riding in September, 2002, after being coaxed into doing a 78 mile charity ride. I weighed 240 at the time. The ride was 5 weeks later. The 5 weeks went quickly & I wasn't sure I would make, but I did. That gave me the encouragement to continue. At the same time that I began riding, I also decided it was time for a life-style change. Diets tend to be temporary. After years of poor eating habits, it was time to become healthy. I used to eat several portions at every meal and snack on junk food throughout the day. I now eat single portions at meals and continue to snack during the day, but on healthy things like nuts, fruit, breakfast bars, etc. I only eat red meat once a week. Very little cheese. I don't eat at fast food-joints. My meals usually consist of 6-8 ounces of chicken, turkey, fish or pork along with a sizeable salad or some fresh veggies. I now weigh 195 and feel great. And, I've become addicted to biking. But, then, isn't everyone on this forum an addict? :D

207 to 195 since this may, 750 miles on 2 bikes - Less food consumption. Not much change in diet.

May 2002 198 (started cycling)
Aug 2003 169

Ride 4-6 days a week 160-200 miles/week

Drink lots of water, and now eat most anything I want, within reason, but boy do I like PIE.

While I was losing the weight over about a 9 month period I cut way down on bread and pasta.

Cycling has changed my life!

i was about 165 in May 2001
Started running that summer
145 by Sept 2001, when I got a knee injury that stopped me from running.
Since then my weight crept back up to 165 up till 3 weeks ago, when I decided to get serious about running again. Now i'm at 158, and on my way down actually!

anyways, I wanted to add that I can't attribute my weight loss to cycling

I went from 270 to 185 with weight lifting, MTB, road biking, and Weight Watchers. I averaged about 10 pounds per month or 2 pounds per week. Good luck converting fat to muscle. I don't know anyone that has done that. LOL

ok, started 170 on a good day. Now 190 if I'm lucky... and thats 4 months of riding.

-Ross

Started the begining of the year at around 285 now I am about 245. The only real diet changes so far is cutting out fast food and
trying to make snacks count instead of just empty calories.
Pretty soon I will have to start making more of a diet change to
continue losing. I ride about 150 miles a week and my longest ride has been 80 miles.

Steve

I really have only lost about 5 or 6 lbs. actually.. I started cycling somewhat seriously April 2002.. I was already in decent shape... but I did manage to go from about 175 down to 170, and maintain it... I'm 5'10", and feel this is a decent weight for me... I have gained muscle, and my waist is smaller though compared to where it was before... I'd love to get down to between 160 and 165, but unless I start riding 200 miles a week, I don;t see that happening... as for diet... I eat a sensible low-fat diet, allow myself any additional treats whenever I want, just don;t go overboard like I did 7 or 8 years ago, before i got serious about exercising,a nd went from 195 all the way down to 158, before creeping back up to 175 again....

Jeff

I wasnt big to begin with but did have that old beer gut! But since I began riding my waist is now 2 inches smaller with one more inch to go!

I've gotten up to 142 in the winter. It comes down to around 127 in the summer. This year I'm at 132 but my muscle mass is bigger and the flab is smaller. At some point you have to accept the numbers and take pride in the visual results!:D

I've ridden steadily since 1999 and on occasion before.

As of 11-02: 290+
As of 8-03: 219

Strict Atkins starting on Christmas day with a regimen of indoor training 5-6 nights a week during the winter, followed by a slight increase in carb intake and 4-5 days on the bike since Michigan thawed out in March.

since Memorial weekend (the end of May here in the states for the bene of our foreign members) I've bounced between 215-220.

I will drop back into my regimen from last winter directly after this race season. I have no desire to stay above 200lbs any longer than necessary.

Can you lose weight by riding and not changing your diet? If so, how many miles would you have to ride a week? This is a "very general" question.

I weighed 240 in December and now I weigh 202. I lost most of the weight by lifting weights and using my elliptical trainer. I stopped lifting weights because it's too hard on my elbows - tendonitis. Now that I've got back into riding, it's all I do. Maybe 4 times a week doing about 120 miles. Any thoughts on if I'll still be able to lose weight riding this amount?

The Extreme

May, 2002: 290
Two weeks ago: 240

Cut out sugary soft drinks and fast food lunches. Snack more on fruits and vegetables. Try to eat less. In decent weather, ride 5-6 days a week, 10 to 25 miles when I ride week-day afternoons, 30 to 50 miles weekend mornings. In winter, if it's above freezing and dry, I'll ride. Use the gym in bad weather.

Last Dec I was up to 225 and failed my annual fitness test miserably. Between the bike and Atkins, I am down to 170 and I passed my fitness test with flying colors. The wife even let me by a Pinarello. :)
I worked up to about 8-14 miles a day, 3-5 dayd a week on a mtb and have been trying to do more than that on the road bike.

I've lost 12 lbs since riding bikes (riding mtn & road) earlier this year...although I was already lifting weights, jogging and into nutrition. Right now I'm actually many lbs lower than I ever wanted to be (5 ft. 11 / 165 lbs) , so now I'm making some slight changes in my routine and weights to work in conjunction with my biking to slowly put on some mass..trying to get back up to 172 to 177ish...but want to do it without eating junk...honestly harder than losing weight. Glad to see so many success stories!

I lost most of my weight before getting back on the bike. Until this spring I had not riden for 10 years.

Last August started Weight Watchers at 210#. By Novemeber I was at 165# ... without any consistent exercise. I am now 160# and holding. If anything I can gain a couple #'s and not bother me.

Cycling helps me control the weight and even more importantly improves my overall health and MENTAL state.

Mark

January 2002 - 287
Novemver 2002 199
Now: Back up to 220
Goal: 190 - Starting back on healthy eating after I get back from Austraila

April 2003: 278
Now: 234

Goal is to reach ~150 some time next spring. I started sorting out my diet in April, eating a balanced diet with lots of fruits, veg and water, and bought my first bike in mid-May. I ride 4-5 days a week and we're looking for a house closer to work so that my husband and I can both commute by bike.

Well, I’ve actually stayed the same (depending on what I eat) but I have lost fat and gained muscle obviously. I used to weigh 130 and now I weigh 130, imagine that:D I’ve always been pretty lean, but riding has made my upper body visibly thinner and my legs noticeably more toned and muscular.

July 1, 2003: 226lbs
Now: 212lbs
Goal: 175lbs

I started out late this season, as I didn't purchase my bike until well into the warm months. But since July 1st, I've been able to shed 14lbs (which is about 2lbs a week). I've also noticed a great improvement in fat loss and muscle gain. Still have a long ways to go before I reach my goal though. I just have to keep on the pedals until the weather prevents me from doing so.

Started riding seriously in Sept. 02.
@ that time I weighed about 330.
Last week's weigh-in I was 279.
That's down from my all time high, in January 01 of 424.
W E I G H T W A T C H E R S Rocks!!!!
Cycling was the catalyst I needed to keep me on track and start on the road from "just weight loss" to getting to a real healthy condition.

Last year I was 205 at 5'10". When I hit that one day it hit me; either put up or look at that inner tube every day in the mirror. Right now I'm at 173. I had brought it last year down to 170 but then in the winter got back up to about 185. The little pouch on my belly still makes me sick so I'd like to get down in the 155-160 range. I've managed to place top 10 in a couple of crits this year. I scare some of the guys at work with whom I barely kept up last year. I've come a long way from heaving up hills last year till now. I can't stop now, lest I let myself down. My doctor says 170 is a good weight for me, though I want to go lighter since it's more optimal for cycling. Dieting sucks, but it's necessary for me to lose more weight.

Started 11, 2002 at 257. Now 190. Almost 70lbs. I am going to stop at 180.

Started at about 200 now 185 loss of four+ inches around waste. The biggest change I noticed was in my waste line. The food intake nver changed. Usualy 74 to 120 miles per week.

My starting weight was about 203 lbs. I started riding more seriously about a month ago. I average about 100 miles a week. I commute by bike but I have been doing that for over four years. I two - three times a week during lunch for about 20 miles. About three evenings I ride with my wife 8-15 miles. I currently weigh approximately 197. Every couple of weeks or so I do a longer ride of 50-70 miles. I haven't changed my diet but do eat relatively well/healthy. My waistline has lost about 4 inches though.
-Duncan

I started riding in Feb. when I weighed in at 170 lbs.
This morning I wieghed in at 145 lbs. Yipee!!!
I also do some weight lifting three times a week.
Lost some fat gained some muscle. Lost inches in my thighs, butt and waist.
I cut out refined sugar, pop, beef, and fatty foods. Increased my intake of vegetables and fruit. Of course lots and lots of water.

I do however allow myself one treat each week. Something like a piece of cake or some ice cream, maybe even both mmmm..............

Can't cut everything out! Right? ;)

I started about 2 months ago at 197 pounds, went down to 189 then started weight lifting and taling protein drinks and went back up to 195 but still losing it in my waist :D

I do weights Monday, Wednesday and Friday and I ride Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, I seat 6 meals a day, small portions, and am determained to look like the guys on the mens health cover of the magazines
:D

I was 185. Now I am 152. My goal is 145.

Started out at 240 inmarch and I am now at 207. Plan to get down to 190.

Jan 2003 - 235
now - 197

Acheived this by eating smarter, smaller portions, less fat, less Coke and riding. I started at about 30 min a week riding in Feburary, now riding about 5-7 hr/week (depending on where I am in the 4-week training cycle).


target - 160 (my Cat. 4 race weight 12 years ago)

september 2002, 355
august 2003, 297
target, 240

Low-carb diet (more to keep my blood sugar under control than to lose weight) and as many hours on my bike as I can find time for.

Since last year, my weight has never fluctated beyond 140lbs to 145lbs

I'm 5'8'' so I'm not exactly skinny. I'm aiming to somehow bring it down to 135lbs...I reckon it'll improve my hill climbing ability...but it's very difficult to do because I also spend a lot of time in the gym to balance out the muscle gain in the lower body with upper body muscle as well.

I don't drink soda and the onyl "fast food" joint I ever visit occasionally is Taco Bell.

Thankfully I have the metabolism to handle those Haagen Daz nights where we eat more Haagen Daz than what is considered healthy. :D

I am at about 190 right now and hope to lose 15-20 lbs. I have had success in the past keeping my sugar and simple carbs low and my energy output high. The bike is the only thing I have ever found that lets me burn 1400 calories in an average workout and it just feels like I am having fun!

cAPS

As of Monday morning I'm down to 247 from a starting weight of 279 on Jan 6th of this year. So far my longest ride has been 50 miles which I did with fellow bikeforums member Bikedud. I'm right at 1975 miles for the year and will easily surpass my goal of 2500 miles.

I do watch what I eat but I do not diet. The hardest part is switching from regular soda to diet soda :(

Zack

I have been riding for three years, but I did not begin to lose weight until this year and here's why: I have begun to watch what i eat. I started drinking Diet soda and eating pretzles rather than candybars as snacks. i also cut down my portions at meals.

In the past 4 months I have gone from 175 to 168, and while this may not seem like alot, you have to understand that I am 5' 11" and was therefore not overweight to begin with.

I do apreciate the lost weight though, it really trimmed up the tool shelf that was begining to grow just over the top of my shorts. :dance: :dance: ;)

Oh ya I ride about 30 miiles a week with two or three centuries thrown in the mix over the summer.

Wow, there's quite a few of us!!!

5'11' insulin dependent diabetic (Type I juvenile)

May 2002: 270
May 2003: 185

Diet: From everything I wanted to eat to eating healthy. Food Pyramid basics at 1400-2000 calories a day. Monitored calories with a computer program called DietPower.

Weight Training: Used a Bowflex from the get go and according to my bodyfat readings I have not only retained my lean mass but during an increase of calories over the summer lean mass has risen. I went from a Bench Press of 130lbs to 280lbs (just hit it this week!).

Running: Couldn't walk uphill without panting in May 2002, starting walking, walk jogging, then running. Good program for this on coolrunning.com. Did my first 5k in Feb 2003! Starting riding as cross training for running.

Riding: Both MTB and road, now with a new Specialized Allez Comp and a group to ride with, I'm a dedicated rider. About 110 miles a week getting ready for a big century (8,800ft climbing) in October.


If you've lost, congrats! If you haven't, DO it! I'm younger at 44 than I was a 38!!!!

Gary

One year ago, I weighed 258 lbs and am 6 feet tall. I didn't cycle very much because my back hurt and got winded very easily. Two months ago, I reached my goal of 182 pounds through ADA (Food exchanges) dieting and excercising 5 days a week. Previously, when I cycled with a friend, I was the one who always followed in the rear, often by several hundred feet. Now, I am able to cycle 40 to 50 miles with no problem and I am the one waiting for my friend. I averaged 1.5 to 2 pounds a week weight loss and hit one major plateau which took two months to break through.

Originally posted by hsjb
One year ago, I weighed 258 lbs and am 6 feet tall. I didn't cycle very much because my back hurt and got winded very easily. Two months ago, I reached my goal of 182 pounds

Wow - that's a great success story! There simply are no shortcuts. 76 pounds in 10 months is awesome!

from 180 to between 170-165. wouldn't mind dropping a few more, but don't think i can, mostly because the muscle mass is keeping me heavy, and my wife doesn't like me too skinny.

Awesome inspiring stories! I'm 6'4", 260 and am working on it. You all are giving me hope! :D more more more!

About 2 years ago, 260 pounds. A year ago, 193. Due to family problems, very little riding this last winter, and a few of the pounds came back, but I am on the way back, down now. Started eating more sensibly, but still have to fuel the old legs! Would still like to get another 20 pounds off, but I am feeling wonderful, and out having fun!!