Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Several firsts....

I have been driving part way and riding the last 18+/- miles to work once a week for the last six weeks. I have not been dropping the pounds like others in this forum but I suspect that I need to de-wuss and try to do the commute more than once a week. I have dropped 2-3 pounds since I started (only 50 more to go)...

I guess I got up in a bad mood so rather than toss the bike in the back of the truck I just rode on by. The 3.5 miles of rolling hills drops about 400 ft from one end to the other. I was kind of surprised about how much uphill there was even though I knew I was on average going down. About the two mile mark and discovered I forgot to turn on my gps :notamused: I managed to average a bit over 15mph on the way in just a couple tenths less than what I averaged last week on my shorter ride.

I tried using a pannier for the first time. While I really like no weight on my back I am not used to how the bike handles when I stand up crest a hill. I am also used to using a camelbak in my pack and had to go old school with the water bottle. I think since it was cold/rainy today I will be okay but I will need more water if it gets nice.

This afternoon I will try to remember to turn on the GPS before I leave work and record the entire 22 miles or so. I suspect I will slow way down in the last few hills. If it isn't too bad I might try to go twice a week on the bike.

2-3 lbs, not knowing about your eating, etc, thats still pretty good. If you are trucking 18 miles to work then you are probably replacing fat with muscle and should go to measuring yourself ( I do abdomen 3xs, take the average and my weight and punch it in to here (http://550cord.com/products/info.asp?ProductID=7). Hills suck. I started riding my whole way in this week. Its not 18 miles, but it's real easy to turn left instead of right when you are already going just to see what's over there....

If it makes you feel better, the only way I'm losing any weight is to chop off a limb. :lol: I've been 235-240 pounds for a long time, and I don't think that's going to change any time soon. (I also don't have any problems with that.)

As for the pannier, you'll eventually get used to it. It's like the curve that I had when learing how my bike handles with a sack of groceries perched on the front rack. Eventually, it's just second nature.

Great work! keep it up...

I have been at it for a couple months now, and am up to 15 lbs. I consider this to be ok, but have lost weight quicker by running when my knees were better. I have found that I am building up leg muscle quickly, and this is mitigating my weight loss. That is fine with me.

My weight loss goes in waves, too. Sometimes 4lbs in a week, last week just 1.5 lbs. I am learning not to get hung up on the short term and just enjoy the ride, so to speak.

I too think that you are replacing fat with muscle. Measure your self with a tape measure in addition to the scale.
I've found digital scales to be somewhat erratic. I'd weigh myself 3X to get a consensus.

+1 on losing inches not lbs. I've only lost 10 lbs in a couple of months but my britches are a lot looser than they were and I feel so much better. I can't wait to close up here at 6pm and ride home.:)

I have lost 60 pounds so far this year. I have been very amazed at how the weight loss and the size loss to not coincide. My weight loss has been fairly consistent with most weeks being between 2-3 pounds. I have several weeks that have been just 1 pound or less, and a couple that have been 4 pounds. However, my size loss seems to come in big increments. The first couple of times this happened I thought it was just me, but I have noticed that right after these size drops is when I get the most compliments from others on the weight loss. I have lost a total of almost 7 inches off of my waist.

Six weeks back I rode 412 miles in five days, Gained 2 lbs.
Today I rode 52 miles, Lost 1.5 lbs.
Eat Less to Loose Weight.

Well, I made it home and added a few more firsts...
First time riding home in the rain. Once I got soggy the rain stopped bothering me, but I am learning to hate headwinds.

First time running out of water. I switched to panniers and just filled a bottle. I guess my ride home is a "two bottle ride". I brought two to work today...

First time I have 1000+ feet of climbing. Most of this climbing is in the last 3 miles on the way home. Oddly enough I had my max speed on the commute in one of the little down hill parts in the last three
miles as well (38mph woots)

Made it into work today in 1:20 this morning including having to wait what seemed like forever at most of the traffic lights this morning.

I also learned two things about fog this morning. All those water droplets will make me cold and I am not sure my light was actually helping me see down the road.

I am happy to see that my average heart rate is dropping. I am hoping that this is a sign of me getting into slightly better shape. :speedy: