wxduff

Don't forget that part of being mentally awake means recognizing when you need to make a change.

I'm an Eagle Scout by the way

FunkyStickman

Dude, that's awesome, I was in Scouting too!

I almost feel funny posting in this thread, since I was barely a Clyde to start with, but here goes.
215 pounds, and my first bike:


170 pounds, 4000 miles later, and my current bike:

Neil_B

Take it from this failed Cub scout that your transformation is impressive. Thanks for sharing the photos.

Brian Whitten

Started at 350lbs in January, 233lbs this morning! Over 3,000 miles this year,here is a side by side my wife made

webbrr

Hey all! I haven't checked in for a few months so I thought I'd take a minute to let you know how things are going. I'm still working at the weight loss thing. I was 257.8lbs in May of 2010. I am now at 180.6 lbs. and still dropping. I've put 3500 miles on my road bike this year and am also running quite a bit. I participated in the Salt Lake City Half Marathon in April of this year. Ran the whole thing in 2:12. I participated in 4 full century rides throughout the summer (even after being hit by a car and breaking a rib, shoulder and pelvis). I am currently training to participate in a half ironman triathlon in Bend, Oregon in June of next year! Wish me luck!!!!

LazinCajun

That's awesome, congrats on the progress. I hope I'm as successful.

keke

Just wandered onto this thread cos it has intrigued me for some time.

WOW! is all I can say! Amazing and fabulous best describes what you guys have achieved.

I have to ask, did the majority of people simply cycle and diet? Cycle alone? Cycle, diet and gym? I ask because I am in no way a gym bunny, simply can't stand it.

Roughly 77kg so not overweight, but fat in all the wrong places and have manifestly less than stellar fitness. Keen to get fit through cycling if I can.

Keep it up guys, truly inspiring.

FunkyStickman

For me, it was just diet and riding.

Rapidoyfurioso

come on!
this is another guy
congrats dude you look awesome.

xxtheshockerxx

i never took any pictures. i am down 40lbs since march. started at 255 and now weigh about 213. i didnt really diet...just ate less and worked my ass off. ended up riding 2000miles since i started.

Axiom

That is so weird.. the same thing happened to me. Then I foolishly had another one a week later, and after taking a sip I got tunnel vision and almost blacked out. Found out I had a stomach ulcer ( ). I still drink soda, but when I do it is diet and that is only one every few days. I have almost replaced soda with unsweetened ice tea with lemon. It taste better, doesn't cause ulcers, and it actually moderately healthy without the sugar.

RGNY

former powerlifter (and pirate ) @ #275. had to quit due to pain. tough to have the muscle go soft. hovered around #230-220 for years, but got into biking (cruisers / fixed), fencing and bodyweight exercises (just finished the "100 Pushups" challenge). current range is 200-205. but i'm 42 and in better shape overall than when i was 30.

i eat as i please. just less, and with the freshest ingredients possible. i cook for myself as much as i can and avoid processed food/hfcs/etc. hanging out w/ Europeans really helped change my eating habits.

i keep index cards with my goal weight (190) in large numbers near my usual "sit down" spots: living room, computer, work desk.

Hoss Cartright

I'm 54.

Rode a bunch and did quite a bit of touring in the 1970s as a teenager... Didn't ride more than 100 total miles in the past 30 years.
I was 285 pounds in October 2009, walking bent-over with a cane and terrible left hip and leg pain. I had a successful L4~L5 disc hernia operation on my spine on December the 7th 2009 which relieved the pressure on the nerves going into my left leg. That got me off the walking cane.

Then after a few weeks to heal and getting the surgeon's OK, I Immediately started walking and worked my way up to 5 miles every day and eating right. Lost 90 pounds in about eight months time. Was entering 5k walk-a-thons and winning them all the time.
But by late summer of 2010 I got a painful case of Plantar fasciitis in my left foot that seriously cramped my style. I got some orthotic shoe inserts and let it heal all last winter while tuning-up my vintage bikes.

When it finally stopped raining in mid-June this year, l weighed about 210 pounds and got on my Paramount and worked my way up to almost daily 25 mile rides. Joined the local bike club in August and did 500 miles with them in two months this fall. Rode at least 1000 miles from June to November of this year. I haven't done a century ride yet but can knock off 50 miles like nothing.



(I'm 6 feet tall and built like a Viking so 195~200 is as light as I am going to be. Was down to 195 in October but I weigh 200 now)
I'm not a very good climber and struggle into the prairie head-wind. I often lose ground to the rest of the club group on these hills. But have no problem catching them once it flattens out. but I think that weak climbing is part of weighing 200 pounds? No matter how strong I get, I still have to haul my 200 pound body up that hill? I feel strong, seem to have good Cardio and recover my wind very quickly. My group members (especially the ladies) use me for a draft leader. Guess I am quite the wind block. I'm really looking forward to a whole summer of riding in 2012 to see how strong I can get.

Now it is winter and I am having withdrawal symptoms. Waking up at night thinking about biking.

I have two Paramounts that I ride, but just picked up an all Campy 1987 Cannondale "team comp" Going to try it out next spring to lighten-up on the Paramounts as I am feeing guilty for riding them so much.. Being that they are pretty much pristine original paint survivors.

How I lost 90 pounds.
No Coke, no fast food, almost nothing fried, almost no bread. I also gave up Caffeine at the same time. My doctor took me off all medications!

I had slightly high blood pressure, the biking made me real strong and at one point my resting BPM was 40. The doc freaked-out and took me off the daily 25mg Toprol Xm that very day. One week later I tested at 55bpm resting rate and normal blood pressure. He calls me "Lance Armstrong"... I have never been a smoker.

My cholesterol was 245, is now 120.

Loving the no drug or substance lifestyle.

BUT - I know I am a food addict, (stress eater) and after getting real strong on the bike I began to be able to eat again as I was burning so many calories. Now I am sitting here on the couch surfing the Internet in my living room, outside is the windy winter Indiana prairie.

The mathematical equation for a fat stress eater - biking = exercise + less stress = huge weight loss

Two years into this life-style change I feel better now than I have since my early 20s and weigh less than any time in my adult life. I was a size 42 pant, now a 36.

Anyhoo... That's my 50+ story of losing weight, getting off the meds, getting my back fixed and returning to the sport of my youth.

left image December 2009, right image December 2010



Left image November 2009, right image November 2010



August 2011 with my 1972 P-15 Paramount. (The shirt is one of my old ones, too big now)



Typical 360 calorie lunch

goldfinch

Great story Hoss! The paramount is lovely, I've got an old green one that was my little brother's bike, up in the barn at our old family home. But I have to say, Yoplait light is nasty!

missjean

Hoss, you lost weight and you lost years! You look years younger in your after pix.

monkeydentity

just hit 50lbs lost. pretty happy about that

CraigB

Way to go! Keep it up!

Hoss Cartright

Wow your starting and goal weights are almost exactly the same as mine! Go for it!

mprelaw

Before and after. May 2009, to July 2010.

monkeydentity

but you're winning!

Ninja Geoff

August 2009, maybe 310 pounds?


Moved to Minneapolis area in October of that year, and started riding spring 2010 (along with walking, weight training, and dieting) and got myself to this:

May 2011, 200ish pounds.


And since becoming a truck driver that month, I'm back up to 250 pounds But hey, I've done it before, I'm hoping I can do it again.

Hoss Cartright

I also have a mostly sedentary job, (sitting at my desk working on web sites, talking on the phone, and answering emails all day) this makes it very difficult to keep the weight off. I have a super-nice tread-mill and Schwinn Aire-dyne sitting right here in the office, and even have a TV/DVD player there. But find treadmill-time to be the most boring thing on earth. And usually as soon as I get going, someone needs to speak to me on the phone.
This winter is not half over and I have gained some weight.
(And lost some as well, but I am up 5~7 pounds since riding season wound-down in Early November, Europe two weeks, the holidays, we all know the drill. grrrrr.)

Until I got back into bikes last spring, the weight loss was a real struggle. (I was walking a 5k every day weather permitting) Once I started to pedal, the weight just fell off me.

I know some truck driver friends, kind of difficult to park the rig and go exercise. I guess it can be done, but the on-the-road food, seems everything works against a healthy life-style
.
Best wishes for continued success.

Cog_Zombie

A new year a new me

Before: December 2010 @ 282lbs





Midway: June 2011



Present: Jan 2012 @ 188lbs





It was tough, I did a whole life style change. I was a smoker with high cholesterol. The eye-opener for me was that my doctor threaten to put me on medication for my high cholesterol and also the fact that I may be coming down with diabetes.

I quite smoking, switched to organic foods, limited intake of red meat, eliminated corn, increased consumption of fruits and vegetables and joined Livestrong. I use a heart rate monitor to monitor my calorie burn.

lokerola

Hey Cog_Zombie - great job! You look like a pro-cyclist in the last 2 pics. And the lady is easy on the eyes too. I'm in a similar boat. I have high cholesterol and I'm about 65+ lbs overweight. I am on the cholesterol meds, but I've recently switched to a vegan diet and I feel fantastic. I've never had so much energy and the weight is dropping off. I'm hoping to get off the meds by this summer. My goal is to stay consistent with the food (I hate the word diet) and exercise and lose the weight. Thanks for posting the pics - they are an inspiration to us folks still struggling with the weight loss.

Bigdaddy021970

It took me a while, but I finally got through the entire thread. Congrats to all of you. Wonderful perseverence on your part.

I also can stand to lose quite a bit of weight, and have been making steady progress since I started back commuting and weekend riding at the first of the year. Sorry to say I don't have pics...yet...but I will attempt to get some posted soon.

I started at 230 and my goal is 185. Since the first of the year I am down to 221.

I just wanted to let you all know what an inspiration you have been to me today...it really makes me want to get out there and ride as often as I can.

Thanks again.