I Failed...strikingly....but I'm not done yet.

[rjm1982]

So...I guess it was somewhere around 7 or 8 months ago I started here. I bought a bike...I started riding.

I did good, was steadily losing weight...was eating better...then, out of nowhere, I took a turn on Stupid Lane and wound up here, now, 20 pounds more heavy than I originally was...and not having ridden the bike in 5 or so month.

The more I think about failing, the more I get depressed, and the more I tended to do absolutely nothing, or worse...turn to what appears to be my kryptonite ... Soda.

I kept trying to start again because I failed...but kept putting it off. Now, a slight shift in attitude (that maybe says something about me) has got me starting again in spite of failing before.

I really wish I could ride to work, but 15 miles + highway kinda hinders that. I'm just going to start bringing the bike to work, and riding for lunch (seems to be a good amount of "good food" places in the 2-3 mile range from work)...and luckily there are a few on and off road trails for me to hit.

So, current stats: 25, Male, 345lbs.
Bike: 2007 Specialized Hard Rock
Goal: 200lbs

I have a reward kinda setup, at 200lbs, I allow myself to take hold of a long-time dream and start taking training for a private pilot's license.

Wish me luck...again...

[keithm0]

I have a reward kinda setup, at 200lbs, I allow myself to take hold of a long-time dream and start taking training for a private pilot's license.

Wow, now that's an excellent reward! I got my private pilot's license back in 1995, and it was one of the most amazing things I've ever done.

I wish the best of luck to you for your weight loss goal, your bicycling, and (of course) your private pilot training!

[Indyv8a]

So...I guess it was somewhere around 7 or 8 months ago I started here. I bought a bike...I started riding.

I did good, was steadily losing weight...was eating better...then, out of nowhere, I took a turn on Stupid Lane and wound up here, now, 20 pounds more heavy than I originally was...and not having ridden the bike in 5 or so month.
The more I think about failing,
Wish me luck...again...

RJM, please, you have not failed. You got sidetracked. You're on your way to success. I have said in other threads how got sidetracked myself around August. I'm a teacher, so going back to school and family things took me away from hitting the road. The biggest thing you can do now, and trust me, I'm speaking from experience, is keep taking positive steps. Even when you don't feel like it. It's amazing what a positive step can do to improve your outlook.

Best of luck. Keep posting. It really helps to have other people with you, even if it's an Internet forum.

[jaxgtr]

Good luck for both

[chipcom]

I really wish I could ride to work, but 15 miles + highway kinda hinders that. I'm just going to start bringing the bike to work, and riding for lunch (seems to be a good amount of "good food" places in the 2-3 mile range from work)...and luckily there are a few on and off road trails for me to hit.

Skip the "good food" places. Better yet, instead of (or in addition to) riding at lunch, try driving part way to work, riding the rest, then riding back to your vehicle after work. After some time you may find that commuting the entire route is doable.

But just riding isn't gonna do it. You gotta lay off the soda pop, eat smarter, try to burn off more calories than you eat...and try to change your routine to find a happy medium that is sustainable.

[TrekJapan]

Keep your goals achievable. Start with an easy one like getting to 340, then 325, then 299.

It's tough to stand back and look at one huge goal. I like the idea of the excellent reward at the 200 lb mark.

You have without a doubt taken the first step towards your goal though. Good job.

John

[TrekJapan]

Let me add one more thing to my post. This is a bicycle forum and we sometimes give the bike lots of credit and even give it the blame when we don't ride it and get away from forward progress. Good or bad, it's not the bike. It's us.

The bike is only a tool. A ways to a means.

You can walk, swim, or a hundred other things. I absolutely love playing Frisbee with my daughter and while it doesn't blast a bunch of calories I'm not sitting on the couch.

John

[rjm1982]

I know biking alone doesnt do it.

Over the last 2 weeks, I've made some good changes again...14 days today without soda... I've quit some other bad habits too (fast food breakfast, for example)

It's not the distance that's my problem. It's the route. 2 of the 3 ways are not bike accessible (1 way is a bridge with no room for bike...and a "no bikes" sign...the other way is a tunnel, again.."no bikes"). The thrid, well...lets say white boy on a bike with a flat tire would make it to work a few hours late, battered, and without a bike... not a risk im really willing to take...

By "good food", i meant healthy stuff. Salad bar at a nice grocery store...always good. A couple of other nice places geared at healthy foods. I have a buddy at work who wants to ride, so that is a little helpful to, but hes a little above my level right now, so i'll be slowing him down for a little while.

I know i need to get a bigger seat...the stock specialized one leaves a not-so-pleasant feeling down there...

I'm exciting about starting again...

[rdmjr]

I'm in much the same boat as you are. I had changed my eating habits and was up to 5 miles/day walking, then started having back spasms after covering only 1/4 mile. It turned out to be degenerative arthritis in my lower back; after that, I pretty much just quit any form of exercise. I just started riding a recumbent trike on Friday; in 4 outings, I've covered a grand total of 12 miles. Hopefully, by June, I can get up to reasonable distances and down to at least a measurable weight (my doctor's scale "only" goes to 350, and it's not enough!).
Hang in there and keep working at it, and so will I!
- Bob

[Mobiker50]

I know i need to get a bigger seat...the stock specialized one leaves a not-so-pleasant feeling down there...


I think you've hit on one thing...if the seat don't fit, you can't commit;)

But really, if you haven't been riding for five months, there's a reason. Find those reasons and cancel them. If it was riding too fast, slow down; too far, take shorter rides. And for gosh sakes, if your seat hurts (and they all do, at least at the start) get one (or a gel pad) or whatever it takes to make it work for you right now.

As the character said in 'The Waterboy', "You can do eet!!!"

[The Historian]

So...I guess it was somewhere around 7 or 8 months ago I started here. I bought a bike...I started riding.

I did good, was steadily losing weight...was eating better...then, out of nowhere, I took a turn on Stupid Lane and wound up here, now, 20 pounds more heavy than I originally was...and not having ridden the bike in 5 or so month.

The more I think about failing, the more I get depressed, and the more I tended to do absolutely nothing, or worse...turn to what appears to be my kryptonite ... Soda.

I kept trying to start again because I failed...but kept putting it off. Now, a slight shift in attitude (that maybe says something about me) has got me starting again in spite of failing before.

I really wish I could ride to work, but 15 miles + highway kinda hinders that. I'm just going to start bringing the bike to work, and riding for lunch (seems to be a good amount of "good food" places in the 2-3 mile range from work)...and luckily there are a few on and off road trails for me to hit.

So, current stats: 25, Male, 345lbs.
Bike: 2007 Specialized Hard Rock
Goal: 200lbs

I have a reward kinda setup, at 200lbs, I allow myself to take hold of a long-time dream and start taking training for a private pilot's license.

Wish me luck...again...

No luck, but I wish you lots of determination.

[The Historian]

The more I think about failing, the more I get depressed, and the more I tended to do absolutely nothing, or worse...

Ah, the cycle of obesity. You can break it, you know. You have the power in your own hands. Use it. You'll be glad you did.

[Air]

All great advice above - welcome and get going. Today is the first day of the rest of your life - there was no failing yesterday, only what you can get done today through tomorrow.

[Tex_Arcana]

15 + miles is a doable commute, just need discipline and get up earlier. Are you really sure you have to take the highway? When I started commuting I did so because I worked 5 miles from the nearest bus stop and didn't have a car. There also wasn't a safe place to lock the bike near the bus stop.

Now getting from point a (home) to point b (work) was easy by car. Just hop on the freeway for 15 minutes and hop off. Riding a bike even on the feeder was not an option so I had to look at maps. Local street maps, local bike path maps, and even internet maps. I found a safe bike route to work (if you ignore the fact I rode through some pretty notorious neighborhoods, I once had a pretty explosive blowout and think I got some return fire). I rode the 15 miles then spent the day climbing over pipes and up high towers in a refinery lugging around 45 pounds of radioactive industrial x-ray source. When I got used to it I even moved 10 miles further away.

If I can do that I'm pretty sure any healthy adult with the will to follow through can do it. Of course if your really geographically challenged all bets are off. If my only choice really had been to ride on the feeder I would have never done it.

[Jtgyk]

I know biking alone doesnt do it.

By "good food", i meant healthy stuff. Salad bar at a nice grocery store...always good. A couple of other nice places geared at healthy foods. I have a buddy at work who wants to ride, so that is a little helpful to, but hes a little above my level right now, so i'll be slowing him down for a little while.

I know i need to get a bigger seat...the stock specialized one leaves a not-so-pleasant feeling down there...

I'm exciting about starting again...

Be careful at that salad bar....a "healthy salad" can wind up having more calories and fat than a double bacon cheeseburger! :eek:(if you can skip the salad dressing and substitute lemon juice or vinegar you are miles ahead of the game)

fruits and veggies are key...the experts suggest 8 servings (any combination of F or V). As for myself I shoot for those numbers...and am happy if I get 6 servings (still a lot).
I suggest you try the sparkpeople.com website as it's free and the have excellent tools for keeping you on track.

Remember...You only fail if you quit trying.

[steve2k]

OK, I'm in, you've insipred me.

I have rubbish will-power and find it too easy to justify eating rubbish to myself. I need this sort of inspiration every now and then to keep me on the straight and narrow.

My problem is what i eat. I started out the year well, but this last week I've gone off the rails, chocolate, pizza, curry and I even had soda (first time this year).

Your post has inspired me to get back on track, so I'm joining you on making a new start, exercising and tracking calories sounds like the way forward. (even now my brain is saying "well if we're going to take this seriously, let's start tomorrow so we can eat lots of crap today and get it out of our system")

Good luck rjm, if you start to waiver, post.

[Mazama]

That is an awesome goal to set for yourself! If I wasn't so tall I would like to get a pilot's license.http://img304.imageshack.us/img304/3585/plane8zh.gif The problem is, my knees keep banging the buttons and switches. Not good at 30,000'

[99m6z28]

Thanks for the early morning inspiration! I am off work today and decided to make the best of my day by getting up early. I got on here and read this thread and I realized that I too have slacked off or should I say pretty much given up. So now as I type this rply I am about to go down to my local Golds Gym (that I have a membership at but never use) and start all over again. I plan on riding today as well. This is why I ove the Cyldes section. It is positive compaired to the rest of the forum! Thanks again and best wishes to you! I hope you reach your goals! By the way, I just threw away the last 15 sodas in my fridge!

[CliftonGK1]

I totally understand the depression/weight-gain cycle. A few years ago was in a bad place, mentally (job, relationship, etc.) and I gained about 50 pounds in just over a year.
Soda was one of my vices, beer was the other. Neither one helps if you're aiming to lose weight. It's taken me some time, but I've managed to drop 35 pounds of what I gained. I'm sure you'll have the same luck now that you've set a distinct goal for yourself, and you've regained your determination.

Take the advice of the people who've mentioned trying a drive/bike combined commute, and listen to the folks who've poured their sodas down the drain. I think most importantly, talk to the friend who's "above your level" right now and tell him what your goals are. See if he's willing to slow it down for a ride with you a couple times a week. One of the best motivators to get out and ride is having someone else to ride with.

[Scummer]

I have derailed over the winter as well. I was well below 200lbs and I'm now back at 208.

I'm rather pissed at myself than frustrated or depressed that I slacked off so badly over the winter. But I'm back on the bike/rollers 6 times per week every night for at least 45min to 60min. My motivation for riding/training on the rollers right now is to win races. I am highly competitive by nature and really want to win.
Once the weather comes around I will be riding outside again mixed with some centuries, brevets and some crit racing. Gosh.. I can't wait for those events.

So, don't get frustrated and use food as an anti-depressant. Just hop on your bike and start riding again and drop the useless calories like pop and donuts. Replace that stuff with squeezed lemon juice in water and some healthy granola bars. For lunch drop the pop as well, go with no sugar added ice tea or plain water. Don't go the diet pop route, that stuff is just full with unhealthy chemicals.

Most importantly, don't give up and don't let your guard down. Be aware of what you eat and why you eat. I rather have a banana/apple/pear with real peanut butter than eating a donut.
Real peanut butter = Nothing but peanuts, you will see the peanut oil swimming on top of the cream, but just take a mixer and stir the peanut butter until it's all well mixed. Peanuts are healthy fatty food and contain a good chunk of needed protein. As with everything else, don't over indulge!!

Also, go with smaller portions. Portion control is extremely important when it comes to loosing weight. You're body will tell your brain only about 30 min. later after you're done eating that your stomach is full. So, instead of going again for a second serving, just wait for a little bit, drink some water instead and if you still feel hungry after half an hour, eat some fruit or a granola bar.

It takes a while until your lifestyle and habits will adjust, but eventually it will come around and you're going to look back in disgust all the crap you've been feeding your precious body.

Thomas

[The Historian]

I totally understand the depression/weight-gain cycle. A few years ago was in a bad place, mentally (job, relationship, etc.) and I gained about 50 pounds in just over a year.
Soda was one of my vices, beer was the other. Neither one helps if you're aiming to lose weight. It's taken me some time, but I've managed to drop 35 pounds of what I gained. I'm sure you'll have the same luck now that you've set a distinct goal for yourself, and you've regained your determination.

Take the advice of the people who've mentioned trying a drive/bike combined commute, and listen to the folks who've poured their sodas down the drain. I think most importantly, talk to the friend who's "above your level" right now and tell him what your goals are. See if he's willing to slow it down for a ride with you a couple times a week. One of the best motivators to get out and ride is having someone else to ride with.

All good advice, especially the part about finding someone to ride with. Most of my riding this winter I owe to Neil F. dragging me out into the cold.

Neil B., still in NJ with Neil F.

[BigBlueToe]

Soda used to be one of my vices too, along with candy, potato chips, crackers, etc. I never really had a weight problem though. I'm 6'4", and the heaviest I ever got was around 220. However, about 10 years ago I came down with diabetes. Now I can only drink diet soda (which isn't very good for you I guess), sugar free candy (with sugar alcohols that aren't good for you and give you diarrhea), about 5 potato chips (why bother?), etc. I've lost weight on the diabetic diet - I stay around 205 now - but it certainly wasn't worth it.

My first point is that you might want to use fear of diabetes as incentive to change your lifestyle. Trust me, it's a real drag and can cause serious problems (blindness, amputation, kidney failure, etc.)

My second point deals with the lack of motivation to ride. I think most of us have faced it. I know what works for me. First of all, I know how much I enjoy riding. When I'm on the bike, I love it. I know how much I enjoy the tired glow I feel after a ride. I know that after a good ride I feel good for the rest of the day. I've experienced those things enough times - I'm sure enough of them - that I can almost always motivate myself to get it together to go for a ride.

My third point has to do with general health. I'm almost 57 years old. Guys my age die from heart attacks all the time. My personal feeling is that, along with proper eating, regular exercise is the best thing I can do for my health, and bicycling is my exercise of choice. So I make myself ride, whether it's convenient or not, and if I haven't ridden for a few weeks, I start feeling paranoid that I'm going to have a heart attack! At your age you probably aren't worried so much about your health, but you should get a healthy lifestyle started before you get to my age, or your problems could be so much worse when you do get here.

Your goal is definitely worthwhile! Bicycling can help, other forms of exercise can help, and a change in eating (and drinking) habits can really help! Good luck.

[maxwell.bruce]

Quick addition: I've come down from 223 to 198 (heading for 185), but have yo-yo-d a bit... :-) I've found that I've done the best when I've tracked food, activities and weight on a daily basis. It lets me see when I'm heading in the wrong direction pretty quickly. I use a free online program at www.fitday.com.

[Caincando1]

That is an obtainable goal. That’s basically my parameters and I’m less than 10lbs from hitting 200. It really takes an entire change of body, mind and spirit to really come to terms with the change. Focus on your mind and the body will follow. If you force the body, the mind will eventually take over. Take it slow and embrace your new life.

[OperationOrange]

I'm in the same boat.

Derailed big time over the winter. Threw diet and exercise to the wind.

I'm now heavier than i was when I started this journey. Well, I'm back. I signed up for Weight Watchers online which has tools to help me keep track of what I'm eating. Down 7 pounds or so over the past week. Still haven't gotten the courage to get back on the bike though. Soon....

BTW, Logging your weight on Tom's Clydesdale Weight Tracker is good motivation to lose as well... http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=p8Y_TSW7LCrAob15WiMQbdQ&hl=en

[OperationOrange]

Oh... and my saddle kills me "down there" too. Thinking about buying a brooks b-17, but not sure that it will give me the support I need.

[telrad]

Good Luck--just keep working at those smaller steps to get where you are going. Make each goal mean something. Ten pounds is a lot of weight to lose even if you weigh over 300. Shoot for ten, then set a new goal for each increment. If you next goal is an 8 pound loss, it will be easier to attain.

Incidentally, I started using a website that helps me track everything I eat without my having to use advanced calculus to see what my caloric intake is. It tracks exercise and body stats also.
It costs nine bucks a month, but it has helped me tremendously.

Hang in there and keep checking in--this is one of the most supportive sites I have ever seen.

[barndoor]

Skip the "good food" places. Better yet, instead of (or in addition to) riding at lunch, try driving part way to work, riding the rest, then riding back to your vehicle after work. After some time you may find that commuting the entire route is doable.


Nailed on the head. 'twas thee "light bulb" moment for me :D

I tried staying on my r/t commute of 54 miles and it got to be just too much....2 hours morning and evening into my day....plus work...I was exhausted after a couple of weeks....and I hate riding in the dark.

I then tried 3 days a week....still too much....

When the time changes March 9th, I'll be doing the 1/2 drive 1/2 commute! I'll still get 20 miles in almost every day and not get burned out....

Hopefully you'll try this method and it'll work for you and the weight will just melt off.....good luck!

[bautieri]

You didn't fail. The only way you can truly fail is if you give it up for good.

Get back on the bike and ride. You don't have to commute if you don't want to, you just have to have the willpower to make yourself go out after a rough day at work.

Bau

[Barabus]

Umm soda, mountain dewwww....... I lost 60 lbs and one of the things that helped me kick soda was Tejava- unsweetened ice tea. Let's face it, plain water doesn't it cut it for too long. Citrucel plus water tastes like tang and slows cab absorption too. Beware of sugar subs as they can trigger insulin production just like sugar.