Originally Posted by
Zoxe
I've been lurking here for a couple weeks so thought I should formally add to the Clyde post.
I'm 33 1/2 and a week ago I was 283lbs at 6'2". I have been big/chunky most of my life, except for a few growth years in my late teens. I graduated high school at 180 but was 235 when I got out of college 5 years later. I've slowly put on weight since then, and in the past when I've exercised (i.e. walking a couple miles at lunch), I'd lose 5lbs but gain 10lbs when I stopped.
Over the past year, I started noticing my health degrading FAST. Wiped out from pushmowing the lawn, or an extra flight of stairs, etc. Had a couple of false alarms that ended with me in the doc's office or the ER. (If you ever want instant attention, walk into the ER and say 'I think I'm having chest pain').
So I switched jobs ... blood pressure dropped 20 points (doctor verified) but gained 15lbs since January. Went from an 11 acre building to a small office of 3k feet in an area where it's no fun to walk outside. The stress is lower and I generally feel better but the weight is a constant worry. Have been eating better (no more fast food or soda) and got the weight to stabilize.
On a whim a few weeks ago, I got my old x-mart bike out and pumped up the tires. Mrs. Zoxe and I rode about a mile and almost died from the exertion.
Have been slowly working up to our current 5.6mi route with the goal of 10mi a night, 5-6d a week.
After trashing the (already pretty tired) x-mart bike within the first week, the wife and I got a pair of Giant bikes ... Cypress DX for me and a Revive DX (pseudo-recumbant) for her. Much more comfortable for both of us, and we doubled our mileage instantly.
Have been noticing the stamina coming up. Tonight I rode up a hill at 12-14mph that a week ago would have kicked my butt. So far we've added ~1mi per week as we're not in a hurry to pack on the miles ... baby steps, as they say.
No huge weight loss yet (this morning I was 277.5) ... I'll "know" when I drop below 275 for the first time in months if this is actually kicking in. But tbh, we started for the fun of it. The weight loss is just a bonus. I think if we focus on the fun part, the weight will come with it ... but not necessarily the other way around (focusing on the weight will not be fun).
In time I'd like to get a sexy road bike and go zoomzoom fast, but for now it's a hybrid and the local subdivisions/bike paths for us. So far, so good.
And by the way, I've been astounded by the "shut up and ride" attitude on this board. The amount of support and lack of biker-snobs is pretty cool.
So much time has gone by that I feel like a reintroduction is in order! I typed the above text at the start of my journey back in 2008.
I lost weight naturally between 2008 and started 2013 at about 235#. In January of 2013, the doc challenged me to lose 40# or go on meds for life - and I did it. From 2013 to 2015 I stayed under 200# and then started sneaking back up. I stayed 203/205/207 for many months but couldn't crack under 200 again. That's been 5 years already.
From the modest start described above, Mrs. Zoxe and I became endurance athletes. Never the fastest, rarely the slowest. Metric centuries, triathlons, and a year round commitment to staying fit. In 2015, I switched jobs. it was the right thing at the time, but my schedule became less predictable and time at the gym became harder to do
In 2017, we were out for a shakedown ride 2 nights before a triathlon and we had a near miss from one of the neighbor's kids. I think he was txting while driving - he was coming at us head on, at speed on our narrow county road. He came across the center line and then darted at the last second. (I thought it was intentional until our eyes met as he passed). I was behind Mrs. Zoxe about 50 yards and while I was safe, she was in the line of fire and was basically run off the road. In that moment I thought she was going to bounce off his windshield. I can do a lot of things and take risks about myself, but seeing her almost get hurt was a pivotal moment. We completed the tri and hung up the bikes. Continued to spin at the gym but have not ridden on our roads since. My race number is still affixed to the Bianchi 3 1/2 years later.
Fast forward - here we are in the pandemic. My weight is now 235# (up 20# from a year ago). We are working from home full time under COVID, and while I haven't gained weight I have definitely put on size. I am not a first responder but the national situation has caused 10-11 hour days most days and all but killed any after work exercise and zero trips to the gym.
However, this spring we carved trails through our 10 acres and attempt to walk at lunch. I threw some knobbies on the ol' Surly Cross Check and attempted to ride but it was overly brutal. I just splurged on a 29er MTB from Twin 6 with the intent of breaking in the trails right. Will keep me off the roads; hopefully I can find my lungs again.