But...I was bedridden for months. I had to learn to walk again. That is couch potato status on an olympic level. When I started walking again(I use the term loosely) I would get winded walking more than 10 feet! I had to have physical therapy to be able to walk from one end of my house to the other without rest breaks. I would even have to rest if I stood for longer than a couple of minutes.

When I started riding four years ago, I rode 5 mph slower and had to stop numerous times on the same course to catch my breath. Riding more than 5 miles wasn't even possible. I haven't pushed the distances yet, but I am able to do an 8 mile ride with complete ease. The only thing that is limiting me now is the butt pain from getting used to a bike seat. I have yet to feel any significant lactic acid burn. I log every detail of my rides and it took more than 6 months to get to speed and physical comfort that I am at now after one week of riding.

As a side note...I have a wood burning stove. I had started splitting wood by hand for exercise(a couple of months after the diet started) since it didn't hurt my leg. I had also noticed that my muscles never seemed to tire even if I swung that 8lb sledge for 30 minutes straight. I never got winded. I didn't do it often enough to truly build my fitness level much and I hadn't done it for the entire summer since it was regularly 100 degrees.