TrojanHorse

I guess his wife is now there with him riding her bike as well.

The "haters" are starting to come out now, but the "hater"-haters are legion.

What on earth is taking so long? Get on your GD bike and get riding! I was making a little fun of the 5 miles per day progress he was making but at least he was progressing. I think this is going to turn into "put the bike in the truck, drive ten miles, pose with the bike, camp, do it again the next day."

PhotoJoe 

We need to send Heraldo to do an undercover video.

MikeRides

Hey, he rode 30 miles since July 25, let's blow some horns and have a party!!!

On a serious note, although I wasn't as big as he is, when I made my transition into a better lifestyle I went from sitting on a couch with a bag of potato chips to riding 30 miles in 3 hours. Yeah, it hurt but it was rewarding, and in no time I was able to do it in less than 2. This man isn't even trying, he needs to put his digital toys away and just ride his bike. Call me a hater I don't care, I would rather see him riding his bike even if it's only 20 miles a day and improving his life then reading his complaining posts about how bad his life is. I'm sure we've all had ups and downs in our lives, most of us don't need to cry to the public about it so that to feel sorry for and get handed over nine grand.

It must be nice to not have a job or other responsibilities to worry about getting back to that he can take his time as he literally crawls across America. If this is how he is usually, it's no wonder he can't hold down a job.

VCSL2015

He put his foot to the pedal. That in itself to me is inspiring.

Fahrradfahrer

(First time post, found this thread online. Am a very avid bike rider though)

Somebody asked how he solved the bridge problem, since it's blocked for pedestrians and biker riders. Well, he hasn't actually tried yet, he's still in Newport, RI. Who knows when (or even whether) this will happen, but supposedly the bike shop will load him and his bike on a truck and drive him over the bridge to Narragansett.

But yeah, the Facebook thing is bizarre, especially when anybody with half a brain sees that logistically it is just not possible. He would need 5 months at the absolute minimum (given his physical constraints), and he can't cross the Rockies in November. Besides, he wants to "swing by" Indiana on the way. Even more bizarrely, he was interviewed by some radio station and was talking about the cities he will hit on the way back!!

VCSL2015

"it took him a week to ride 30 miles!"
I think thats fast, it took me 3 years.

Fahrradfahrer

I don't think you set up a web page for it though and a GoFundMe campaign.
I mean, that's the crux here. If this was just an obese guy trying to change his life by getting regular exercise, I can't think of a person who wouldn't unconditionally cheer him on.
It's the fact that he stated a goal, and made a GoFundMe based on that goal, where people are watching this now and start wondering whether this will ever go anywhere.

TrojanHorse

I think you have summarized it quite nicely!

And welcome to BikeForums.

Beachgrad05

I'm not inspired by his putting his foot to a pedal just to get attention because he has done zilch to get truly on the path to health. Anyone read the tons of food he ate in ONE sitting? See the photo of a huge camp stove pot full of cut up hot dogs and beans? The constant Dunkin Donuts stops? This has been a PT Barnum circus from the get go. I truly doubt he has any intention of changing his life for the better. Not my business EXCEPT he HAS MADE IT EVERYONES with his constant social and real media presence.

Fahrradfahrer

Haha, thanks!

I must disagree with some here though about his supposed motives. I actually think the guy is a genuinely nice and well-meaning guy. What happened, IMO, is that the same behavior patterns that got him into the rut he was in (massively overweight, not able to hold a steady job etc), are now haunting this effort. Lack of discipline, lack of planning, essentially lack of clue. He sounds like the kind of guy who has grand ideas, then dabbles for a few days in them, but then quickly drops it, being content with "I tried, but external factor XYZ made it impossible". In this specific instance I think the media circus kept him at it longer.
And btw, I would like nothing more than to be proven wrong on my assessment. If he could show that even the most morbidly obese people have a chance at turning their life around, that would be f***ng phenomenal.

Beachgrad05

You are likely right but don't start gofundme page and ask for donations until you actually are consistent.

That and the defensiveness against "haters" who have tried to offer help so can succeed

Fahrradfahrer

If I understand correctly, that's his new bike.

Beachgrad05

Who the heck fit him? That seat looks way too low. Just want to see some eventual progress rather than publicity seeking.

Bike looks way small. Plus hope those forks lock out.

TrojanHorse

Nailed it again! The only thing that has me scratching my head is that he's a demonstrated poor planner. He basically has his dad drop him off on Martha's Vineyard to start this quest of his with a completely inadequate bike, no real plan, the wrong supplies etc. Meanwhile, he's got a go fund me page, a website, all this media activity... how did all that start? Seems a trifle fishy.

But despite all that, if he starts making some real progress I'll start cheering for him too and even despite all his weird mis-steps to start this, I hope he makes it.

We'll see! Of course, since he was purportedly doing this to get his wife back.. and she's back... where's the motivation to continue - it's certainly not coming from the reams of people on facebook telling him how awesome he is.

Fahrradfahrer

There's a friend of his who manages some of that stuff. Wouldn't be surprised if he's the tech-savvy element in all this and set up the Gofundme and his web page. I mean, if Eric could set up a page like that, he wouldn't be unemployed.


Been thinking exactly the same thing. As weird as it sounds, I wish his wife had said "Actions speak louder than words. If I see you riding into our home in Indiana with your bike, I'm all yours again. If not, then not." The fact that his wife came straight back after a week or something just *gotta* have pulled the plug on his motivation. After all, her walking out was the only reason he started it.

Beachgrad05

Call me paranoid or whatever but how do you know some tech and computer savvy person is doing all the gofundme and website stuff? Seems odd you seem to be knowledgable of Fat Guys Inner circle and you are brand new to bike forums. I'm slightly suspicious. Especially as the phone number has changed shortly after mentioned here.

Fahrradfahrer

Haha, no need for paranoia here.

Nah, whoever that other guy is, he posted a few weeks back when Eric didn't sleep for something like 3 days straight because he kept answering his phone and emails etc. That guy then posted for Eric, saying "I'm taking over for a while". I think that's why the phone number changed also. Why I think the other guy did the web page and the Gofundme thing, is simply because I can't imagine Eric being able to do so.

I have zero association with this whole spiel. To be perfectly frank, given how one was being labeled as a "hater" when even posting the slightest criticism on his Facebook page, I was looking for a place where I could discuss it in a frank and honest matter (I have a slight morbid fascination with this whole thing). Given how I am an avid bike rider anyway (I'm one of those crazy people who ride in the snow, with a single-speed), this forum seemed good to sign up for anyway. I actually live in the Boston area, originally from Germany (hence my German user handle, which just means "bike rider").

Mithrandir

I feel like this is a massive oversimplification of the reasons for obesity, and it unnecessarily denigrates the efforts that most of the members of this forum have been putting forth for years.

There are lots of success stories on this forum. Nobody needs to prove anything, and we don't need this guy as an example of ourselves.

Johnny Mullet

The only reason she came back to him is because the donations started coming in. Once he gives up this fake trip across America, she'll probably want him to sell his donated bike too.

Willbird

I got fat because I ate too much food. Not much simpler I can put it :-). There is a sort of "buzz" from over eating, might be a replacement for drugs and alcohol but I started getting fat at puberty.

The reasons why are beyond any clear scientific understanding right now as far as I know. I have not ever heard of a person who DID lose who was "cured" and could then eat based purely on appetite. I know of a few who say they "treat carbs as a garnish" and keep an eagle eye on the scale, and if they see a 5 lb gain they cut and lose it.

Fahrradfahrer

I apologize, my post wasn't meant that way. I realize of course that obesity can have many causes. I just felt that in his case it seemed his personality profile fit with what might have caused his predicament in the first place.
And also, of course, while there doesn't necessarily need anything to be "proven", a shining successful example however can often spur on other people who may have otherwise resigned themselves to their situation. Seriously, I really truly would like this guy to succeed, if only for himself and his life.

Beachgrad05

None of wants him to fail. But first he has to try...and that does not appear to be truly occurring. There has been zero diet changes from what I have seen posted and the start of a "dietetic change for weight loss and health" is often more disciplined or hard core at first. Eating a huge meal with dessert and appetizers is not what I call a eating habit change that will result in weight loss desired. Would love for him to prove my skepticism wrong.

Willbird

It it might be a huge calorie cut for him honestly. I read a long time ago it takes 15 calories per lb to maintain a weight, so for 500 lbs (round numbers) would take 7500 calories if I sharpened my pencil right. The same source said 10 calories per lb to lose, so that would be 5,000.

The catch is as weight drops calories need to drop too......at something around 350 eating 5000 cals we would stabilize and lose no more.

This is vastly oversimplified, there are layers upon layers to that onion, but hitting the gross calorie number is the foundation that we can add macro balance and other stuff on top of :-).

Beachgrad05

guess what I'm talking about is seeing the typical things like a salad even a huge one would seem like diet food. But I don't see those at all. Just seems off to me effort wise in many ways.

Willbird

if you looked over my Myfitnesspal diary for the last 458 days you would see that the gross calorie number is always right on the money, and typically there is not a lot of "diet food" in there. There is some good wholesome stuff, but today was half a blooming onion, some outback steakhouse sashemi style seared Ahi Tuna, and 1/2 a large marco's all meat pizza :-).

From wake to supper on weekdays is pretty boringy similar...only about 800-1000 calories during the day, and the supper and snacks enough to hit 1500 net lately with 20-30 miles riding burn figured in. Lately doing better with waiting til about 7am to eat anything, wake up at 340am. Just had a blood draw yesterday to see how 25 of synthroid is doing....been on that 45 days or so.