Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Starting to See the Light at the end of the tunnel - No more Clyde for me :( :)

I weighed in today at 214#. My lowest yet. That is 23#'s lost since July. Riding, running and some intake control (mostly just cutting out sugary things and not going for 2nds).

My current goal is 200lbs and then I will see where I go from there. I was 180# when I got married 12 years ago but looked somewhat scrawny and did not feel good about myself and I know I have more muscle today than then.

Anyway thanks. I have recieved great motivation from this forum watching so many loose weight.

Great Job!!!!

Keep up the good work and you will be at your goal.

Excellent! Just remember that the holidays are a bear to get through, and don't stress about it too much. Come and talk to us, that's why we're here :) .

East Hill

Damn that's great!! What do you do to cut out the sugary stuff. I'm a clyde, and my vice is the soda. How do you do it man! But great work and keep at it!

Nate

Great job!! I am so impressed that you could cut out seconds. I'm an addict, portion control is my enemy. Although as of late I have been very conscious of my portions and how I feel when I eat. I can't believe I am actually starting to lose weight again. It is a constant battle. Started at 290 and my goal is 220 by August, then we'll see. I used to race at 175-180, but with all the weight lifting in the following years, I don't think less than 200 is possible. I'll be a clyde for life.
I'm rooting for you.

meier06
Thanks!!

The soda is my vice too. I love Pepsi and Dr. Pepper and can't stand diet soda. I seemed to plateu at 223-225# for a few weeks (this was about 11/1 and a little prior). By this time, I had virtually cut out any sugary stuff such as ice cream, other deserts. That was not that hard but I had not given up my soda yet. I was drinking about 48oz a day. That is alot of calories. On 11/5, I decided to "go sugarless" for 1 week and see what happened. I haven't stopped since.

Here is a link to my post over at BeginnerTri about going sugarless.
http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=95441&posts=19&start=1

If you read that thread, I chronicle my 1st week a little bit and provide some updates later as well. But in general, I got off the plateu and lost 2lbs in 1 week.

After seeing the benefit, I have kept at it pretty well. I have settled on one 12oz soda or 12oz coffee in the morning just about every day and mostly it is coffee and I think I process the white sugar better than the corn syrup in soda. I don't like coffee very much but it gives me the caffeine and sugar in the morning to get going. After all the soda, without a little caffeine, I get a pretty bad headache.

So today I am at 214#, that is roughly 1.6lbs per week since cutting out the liquid candy. Previously, it was right at 1lb per week.

I will add that through all of this time, I have been running and biking to train for a duathlon. The duathlon on Sept 29th was my initial motivation to get going. I just completed my 2nd duathlon last weekend. My next event is a 60 mile ride on Jan 12th (I hope I will be ready).

Personally, I find that having the events keep me training. Once I sign up, I am going to do it. For me, there is no quiting/skipping the event unless I am too sick.

Great job!! I am so impressed that you could cut out seconds. I'm an addict, portion control is my enemy. Although as of late I have been very conscious of my portions and how I feel when I eat. I can't believe I am actually starting to lose weight again. It is a constant battle. Started at 290 and my goal is 220 by August, then we'll see. I used to race at 175-180, but with all the weight lifting in the following years, I don't think less than 200 is possible. I'll be a clyde for life.
I'm rooting for you.

Thanks a bunch. Here is a post that I had on another thread in another forum. Mostly, I just seem to have the thought now something along the lines of "I am training so hard and making progress, if I eat that, it will just take that much more training to burn it off" and other things along those lines. Basically, I am starting to tell myself "it is just not worth it." This is a big deal to me because I have always had the saying "some live to eat and others eat to live". Can you guess which of those I fall into. I like food. :)

---------------
"I was at a Christmas party the other night where it was pot-luck style. All great food. I did not over do it on the dinner. Had a little extra ham.

Then it was desert time. I went and got a plate and walked to the desert table. Looked at the brownies, banana pudding, apple pie, etc. for a few seconds and said to myself "it is not worth it" and walked back to my table with empty plate in hand and continued our conversation.

That is really different. I am not saying I would won't eat desert, it is just that a week before my duathlon and when the weight loss is really on a role, desert would just mean I need another hour on the bike to burn it off. "

Thanks a bunch. Here is a post that I had on another thread in another forum. Mostly, I just seem to have the thought now something along the lines of "I am training so hard and making progress, if I eat that, it will just take that much more training to burn it off" and other things along those lines. Basically, I am starting to tell myself "it is just not worth it." This is a big deal to me because I have always had the saying "some live to eat and others eat to live". Can you guess which of those I fall into. I like food. :)

---------------
"I was at a Christmas party the other night where it was pot-luck style. All great food. I did not over do it on the dinner. Had a little extra ham.

Then it was desert time. I went and got a plate and walked to the desert table. Looked at the brownies, banana pudding, apple pie, etc. for a few seconds and said to myself "it is not worth it" and walked back to my table with empty plate in hand and continued our conversation.

That is really different. I am not saying I would won't eat desert, it is just that a week before my duathlon and when the weight loss is really on a role, desert would just mean I need another hour on the bike to burn it off. "


Congratulations. I just broke 200 officially a week ago. 197 this morning after my trainer ride (I expect that is where I will settle at official weigh in on Saturday).

What I found with controlling my portions better is that it gets a whole lot easier after you've done it a while. For example, we went for Chinese food yesterday at lunch. I used to just eat it all (except not much of the rice). That would be a pint of hot & sour soup and a nice big portion of General Tso Chicken (man I love that stuff!). I started trying to eat only half of it a couple months ago and it was a struggle to cut myself off. Now, I get half of it down (and eat the rice) and I'm already so full that eating any more just seems repulsive.

Now I just naturally eat less. Except, I can still struggle with chocolate cake or chocolate chip cookies. It's best for me to just give them a wide bearth :D.

Keep it up. You're doing great!

Thanks John.

I think you are right. The longer you do it, the easier it gets. This probably relates to exersize in general too. It took almost 4 months before I started to "feel good" and not be dying after 30 minutes of jogging.

Thanks. Congradulations on making it to below 200. Yiippppeeee

I congratulate you while sitting here seething with envy.

I congratulate you while sitting here seething with envy.

LOL. Sorry to well up those emotions. :)

Remember, even if you drop below the 200, you're still welcome to the Clyde's/Athena's forum. You'll have an Emeritus Certificate to boot! :D

Remember, even if you drop below the 200, you're still welcome to the Clyde's/Athena's forum. You'll have an Emeritus Certificate to boot! :D

Thanks. I still have some time left. I am thinking that if I can maintain 1-1.5lbs a week, it will about 10-14 more weeks.

When you are making progress, it sure does not seem like that long.

Congratulations. I just broke 200 officially a week ago. 197 this morning after my trainer ride (I expect that is where I will settle at official weigh in on Saturday).

What I found with controlling my portions better is that it gets a whole lot easier after you've done it a while. For example, we went for Chinese food yesterday at lunch. I used to just eat it all (except not much of the rice). That would be a pint of hot & sour soup and a nice big portion of General Tso Chicken (man I love that stuff!). I started trying to eat only half of it a couple months ago and it was a struggle to cut myself off. Now, I get half of it down (and eat the rice) and I'm already so full that eating any more just seems repulsive.

Now I just naturally eat less. Except, I can still struggle with chocolate cake or chocolate chip cookies. It's best for me to just give them a wide bearth :D.

Keep it up. You're doing great!

You guys have such will power. I am in the "sometimes you win, sometimes you lose" category. Lately however, I have been able to be more like you and eat the small portions and walk away. I can totally relate to the Chinese food, especially hot and sour soup. I have found it is best not to put myself in the position if all you can eat food. Thanks for the great outlook. Maybe one day it won't be such an issue and I can only take one cookie and not want to go back.

Good job!

I'm stuck at 210-214 at the moment, (Down from about 280 a year or so ago, and 310 at my worst.) But I'm not going to stress it until after the holidays. I might also be a permaclyde, I have the prototypical farmer build.

You guys have such will power. I am in the "sometimes you win, sometimes you lose" category. Lately however, I have been able to be more like you and eat the small portions and walk away. I can totally relate to the Chinese food, especially hot and sour soup. I have found it is best not to put myself in the position if all you can eat food. Thanks for the great outlook. Maybe one day it won't be such an issue and I can only take one cookie and not want to go back.

LOL...there are still days. TRUST ME! :D. However, I've taken the long term outlook on things. If I blow up one day. Doesn't mean I can't get back on track the next. And really if I AVERAGE taking in 500 - 700calories a day less than I burn I'm good. One day can be bad but the next can be good and the bad day can be overcome in a few days. :)

Keep up the good dimenishing work. :)

I started this thread at 214#. 44 miles later, I am at 213#.

This has been a great thread. I haven't ever talked about any of that before. It felt good to get it all out. I hang out in this forum because there is such community and is great support. Between the focus on diet and getting out on the bike again, I have no doubt that by the summer I will have made my goal. And you guys will help.

Keep up the good dimenishing work. :)

I started this thread at 214#. 44 miles later, I am at 213#.

Congrats!

Da da Dunt Dunt Dunt
Another one bites the dust

I weighed in today at 214#. My lowest yet. That is 23#'s lost since July. Riding, running and some intake control (mostly just cutting out sugary things and not going for 2nds).

My current goal is 200lbs and then I will see where I go from there. I was 180# when I got married 12 years ago but looked somewhat scrawny and did not feel good about myself and I know I have more muscle today than then.

Anyway thanks. I have recieved great motivation from this forum watching so many loose weight.

Keep up the good work! I used to be a clyde at about 225#. I had been about 180# when I got married. I started riding, and dropped to about 190# over 6 months without changing my eating habits.

At the first of August, I decided to monitor what I eat (I use fitday.com). It surprised me how bad some of the stuff I was eating was for my body, so I started cutting out the really bad stuff. I eventually started targeting about 2000 to 2200 calories per day intake. I've now dropped just under 160#, the lowest weight of my teenage/adult life. And I feel great! Hang in there, as a decent diet and regular exercise works wonders. :D

kk4df
Wow!!!!!! That is amazing!!

I was real dedicated tonight. As a Floridian, I don't like the cold but I got out there in the 50 degree temp to get a good hour ride in. Felt pretty good the whole time. My feet went completely numb though. My legs were fairly numb as well. My mechanics gloves work pretty good to keep the fingers warm.

In FL, it is hard to justify the expense of cold weather gear since it just does not occur that often. I do have a pair of cheap poly tights that I put on and put 3 layers of shirts on.

I was real dedicated tonight. As a Floridian, I don't like the cold but I got out there in the 50 degree temp to get a good hour ride in. Felt pretty good the whole time. My feet went completely numb though. My legs were fairly numb as well. My mechanics gloves work pretty good to keep the fingers warm.

In FL, it is hard to justify the expense of cold weather gear since it just does not occur that often. I do have a pair of cheap poly tights that I put on and put 3 layers of shirts on.

LOL...at 50 degrees I might put on a base layer (especially if the sun is not out and it isn't going to warm up from there), knee warmers and arm warmers. Not poking fun. It's just funny how different people perceive "cold". I grew up in Minnesota but have become "wimpified" living in TN for 8 years now :D. So some of the Great Lakes & Northeast folks probably ride naked in 50 degrees :D.

Good for you getting out and riding. I've taken a couple of days off (from the trainer). Had a cold trying to take hold and have been trying to get more sleep for a couple of days rather than getting up at 5 AM to work out. But, I have 36 miles to go to reach my goal of 2,000 miles for the year (started in late April). I have to have the miles in by 12/21 because we are going out of town (up north - no riding and if I tried to bring my bike & trainer my wife would probably kick me, my bike & trainer out of the van in the middle of a blizzard in nowhere Wisconsin) for Christmas. So tomorrow morning I'm getting up and slogging through 9 hilly miles or 14 flat miles depending how I feel. I actually feel pretty good today and have been pumpimg the vitamin C hard since I've been exposed to the virus. I'm hoping it just sort of gives me a runny nose and goes away!

Although, it looks like it's supposed to be relatively nice here on Friday (morning low of 45 or so). So, I'm thinking one last longer outside ride before Christmas!! YAY!!

Keep on peddling man!