Reading the thread on height, weight and age it made me think of some of the common things I have with many 50+ riders.

I got back into road biking about 6 years ago after a very long layoff of close to 19 years. Life had gotten in the way and working behind a desk took its toll on me. when I started back I was a bulky 265 and would get winded in the first 10 miles. The weight started to come off however and the fitness started to improve and slowly but surely I started to feel like I was getting close to where I was when I gave up cycling for work all those many years before. Early last year I was down to 220 and looked like I would make 200 by summer. But even with more riding, more hills, and a faster pace I hit a plateau and stayed there.

My Blood pressure is under control, my cholesterol LDL is under 100 and my heart rate is better than it has been in years. I joined a gym and rode an extra day a week and still nothing, the scale never moved. Thanksgiving through Christmas hit me and I put 12 pounds on over the holidays. That was now a new plateau. Finally this year I got a new doctor and she ran some serious tests and we have decided to get serious about weight loss. At my age it is unlikely I will be getting any stronger over the years so all I can hope for us less weight to push down the road. So I have signed up for one of the medical weight management programs and my doctor has put me in touch with a nutritionists.


We are using the Medifast program, just happens to be the one my doctor and nutritionists recommends, to get the weight off and then I will have a support group and coach to help me keep it off and learn to eat right, or at least make better choices. I am having to get used to running on fewer carbs and more protein and the first few weeks have been a learning process but like both my doctor and nutritionists tell me it is delayed gratification. Lose the weight and I will ride better. So to report that since June 21st I have lost 12 pounds and while I don't expect that type of loss to continue over the next few weeks I finally see I am once again heading for my goal.


I may never learn to love climbing, as some here have suggested happens, but at least I hope to learn the dislike climbing less.