Originally Posted by
MiPeGr
I didn't come here to have multiple people insult me to my face. I'm out...
Having read the thread, I'm not sure what was insulting, but to answer your original question. Yes its possible.
I was a cheeseburger short of 300 pounds (6'3" tall) when I got separated. I started riding about nine months later, and got injured (mtb crash) three months after that which sidelined me for six additional months. Three months after I started again (and hired a cycling coach/nutritionist) I was to 317w FTP and about 230 pounds, which at that point I got injured again (another mtb crash).
So I think couch to 200w is totally doable, so long as you put the work in. I was training 15 hours a week, and riding events on weekends that might be that long (double centuries). I was doing just endurance work and my FTP kept crawling up in sympathy. When I started focusing on FTP it exploded, and at one point last year I had it up to 370w. However, that came at the cost of my endurance because I was ignoring longer rides. A balance is necessary between the two. I'm currently back to working on endurance and getting my body fat % down.
You can do this if 1) you put in the work and 2) you don't hurt yourself on the ramp up.
Good luck!