Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - One year down and a big thank you

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</intolerance>

07-27-09, 11:06 AM

Today is the one year anniversary of purchasing my first bike as an adult. It has been an amazing year for me and I wanted to thank many of you for being a part of it. The encouragement and education I received from many of you on this forum was instrumental is allowing me to reach my goals. So THANK YOU!!!!!

I posted a longish blog documenting the last year: Read it here (http://michaelmckisson.com/blog/10-what-a-difference-a-year-makes)

Read it if you like, but I'll include the highlights here.
I've lost 110 pounds. I started at 290 and now weigh 180.

I went from wearing size XXL shirts to wearing size medium. I used to wear size 42 pant, now I wear size 34. I had to purchase two new belts.

I went from zero exercise to riding 125 miles a week. I'm at 3,500 miles since I started tracking it in Sept. My goal is to ride 5,000 miles in 2009.

I lowered my blood pressure enough that I could stop taking medication for it.

And lastly my body looks vastly different than it did when I started measuring in October.

Chest:

Start: 49 inches End: 40.25 Difference: -8.75

Hips:

Start: 46 inches End: 37 Difference: -9

Waist:

Start: 54 inches End: 36.25 Difference: -17.75

And lasty, here are a few photos from a year ago and a few weeks ago:
http://michaelmckisson.com/plugins/content/mavikthumbnails/thumbnails/274x281-images-stories-big3.jpg
http://michaelmckisson.com/plugins/content/mavikthumbnails/thumbnails/439x290-images-stories-big1.jpg
http://michaelmckisson.com/plugins/content/mavikthumbnails/thumbnails/331x441-images-stories-thin1.jpg
http://michaelmckisson.com/images/stories/thin4.jpg

Again, thank you all for your support, encouragement and inspiration!

phillypino215

07-27-09, 11:18 AM

wow congrats on the huge improvements!

Bone Head

07-27-09, 11:40 AM

Congrats !!!

Mazama

07-27-09, 11:51 AM

INCREDIBLE results! What was/is your diet plan?

turtlewoman

07-27-09, 12:18 PM

You look fantastic:D And what's more you look like you feel fantastic as well!! I hope in a year I can make a post just like yours. You are an inspiration.

cod.peace

07-27-09, 01:03 PM

Wow, great work! I've dropped 15 lbs in the past few weeks and was feeling pretty good about that but now you've gone and raised the bar on me :thumb:

Glottis

07-27-09, 03:52 PM

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<Joke>Showoff!</Joke> :D
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Congratulations, that's a great accomplishment. And, as already stated, you're an inspiration. You look great!

ncman

07-27-09, 05:20 PM

that is nice.!!
I am at your starting point now I just got my 1st adult bike and I can only hope that my results will be even close to what yours were...

Way to go ....that is a great improvement

zpl

07-27-09, 05:24 PM

Outstanding and congratulations! I too would like to hear more about how you accomplished this.

Scott

gigemags1155

07-27-09, 05:31 PM

Wow man! Congrats on getting your life back! I started at 250 and and over half way to my goal so I hope that I will soon have a post such as this as well!! I am really happy for you. As a 26 year old guy I know what it feels like to feel older than the body should as well and I bet you feel your age again. I know that I am starting to...

moose67

07-27-09, 05:49 PM

Dude that's awesome! Way to go!

Mr. Beanz

07-27-09, 06:03 PM

Wow!:thumb:

ntime60

07-27-09, 06:08 PM

Awesome and congratulations!

I bought my Trek 7.3 6 weeks ago for the exact same reasons as you. It is good to see people succeed as it gives the rest of us motivation to continue.

I would like to see a few more details on how you accomplished your goals. What dietary changes did you make specifically...

hairnet

07-27-09, 06:30 PM

125 miles a week.

Did this partly commuting every day? I've been riding 14 miles a day as my commute to/from school + whatever training and the fat has been disappearing pretty quickly. :thumb:

</intolerance>

07-27-09, 09:42 PM

Outstanding and congratulations! I too would like to hear more about how you accomplished this.

Scott

In my blog I talked about the high calorie food I was eating and the how much of it I was eating. The first thing I did was cut that out. My wife and I started focusing on making healthy meals at home and I took healthy lunches to work.

I also tried to eat smaller portions of food as well. It was tough at first, I was always hungry, but I knew I didn't actually need food. Eventually my stomach started to shrink or I just got used to smaller portions.

I cut out all beverages that weren't water, although I occasionally had decaf tea.

If I had to snack, I nibbled on veggie, fruit or plain popcorn.

I also started counting calories on The Daily Plate. Here is the part that many people will probably have a problem with. TDP has a calculator that figure out how many calories you should consume in a day to lose 2 pounds a week. Rather than pick the active category, I picked the sedentary category despite all the riding I was doing. My goal each day was 1600 calories. Many people will say that is too few calories to lose weight properly. It may be the case, but it seemed to work for me.

I was riding about 5 days a week and would do workout videos on the days I didn't ride. I would also mix in a little weight training for my upper body.

My wife and I would still eat out once a week and I would try to be smart, but I wouldn't worry about going over my calorie count for that day.

I am pretty sure I traded an addiction to food for weight loss.

I feel like I really changed my lifestyle too. Fast food no longer tastes good or sounds good and riding it not work, it is fun. I think without the bike and the fun workout it provided it would have been impossible.

I think that covers it. If you have any questions, let me know.

Thank you all for your kind words.

Neil_B

07-27-09, 10:31 PM

Congratulations!

And folks, I hope you are reading the blog posting, and not just this thread. The blog post is better, good as the thread is.

RatedZeroHero

07-27-09, 10:43 PM

</intolerance>

07-27-09, 10:51 PM

I feel like a stalker...
but I really enjoyed your blog!
I know your a news man but a photographer as well? quite nice pics!!
.
congrats on the weight you lost look ALOT different... and I bet Irene is quite happy with you ;)
.
really liked your maps and rides etc...
.
awesome!

Thanks. I forgot I had a link to my old blog address on my signature. I added a link to my new blog URL, which is where this post stemmed from.

Thanks for your kind words!

RatedZeroHero

07-27-09, 11:33 PM

Thanks. I forgot I had a link to my old blog address on my signature. I added a link to my new blog URL, which is where this post stemmed from.

Thanks for your kind words!

Its all good... I stalked you on both!

txvintage

07-28-09, 09:30 AM

Woot! Amazing progress and excellent work.