Mark Stone

I came across an article at the Bicycling mag website about a fellow that lost alot of weight on a bike. For me it is a pretty uplifting story, if you're interested in the read: Scott Cutshall

Shellyrides

I could have been this guy......I am so thankful I started earlier.

nevermore1701

WOW thats an incredible story had me tearing up here. i started to ride to lose weight too and now i just love to ride the bike

JakiChan

Here's what makes me mad.



I've heard the same thing from doctors. (Take a look at the sig. It's not true.) A lot of them think surgery is the only option. It's not. You *can* do it with diet and exercise. Yeah, I still got a ways to go @ 230lb (from 460) but it's only been since the beginning of 2011.

Cyclist0084

Great article! As my mom has always said, "you can do anything if you put your mind it." Mr. Cutshall certainly put his mind to it.

Mark Stone

This may be just the cynic in me speaking, but I think doctors do know that it's possible to lose that much weight. But they tell overweight people (potential customers) that it's impossible because they want the profit from performing the surgery. After all, although Doctors perform a necessary service and we indeed need them at times, it is a business based on profit. Thank God that you didn't listen, and the subject of the article didn't listen.

Don't misunderstand me; I believe weight loss surgeries are necessary for many people, but my stand is that the decision should be entirely up to the individual and not the doctor. Perhaps these doctors in question should have said that it is highly unlikely, and takes a lot of dedication and discipline, rather than saying it's impossible.

Rowan

I think, in fact I am almost certain, Scott is a member of BFs.

Doohickie

Here's another inspirational case, although it doesn't involve bike riding:

I see your point, but honestly, if that doctor has never seen anyone do it, he's just being honest. People can do it themselves; we see it here on BF. But it certainly is the exception rather than the rule. A lot of people would like to lose the weight, but they simply can't imagine that they have the power to do it for themselves. I lost a bunch on South Beach Diet in 2005, then spent the last five years or so gaining most of it back. Even having lost the weight once, it was hard to imagine being able to do it again... on my own. When I do SBD, though, it's not really "me" so much, because I turn all my eating decisions over to what the diet prescribes. I'm still in Phase I, but I can already see it starting to work.

A lot of people simply haven't crossed that line of realizing they have to do SOMETHING to save themselves. Sadly, a lot of them never cross that line.


EDIT: I just watched that video for the first time since May and I blubbered through the whole thing. Again.

Mark Stone

Oh man, what an awesome video, I'm sitting here crying. Wow. I had always wondered what happened to Diamond Dallas! I'm gonna share that vid on my Facebook, how inspiring it is.

Shellyrides

Went to mine too, now excuse me i seem to have something in both of my eyes.......

Mark Stone

msilver

Whoa! That's awesome! I registered to ask you a question about how you proceeded. My starting weight was 460, I'm at 390, and looking towards cycling, specifically working up to commute to work, to augment my diet and exercise. I tried sending a PM but the board won't let me until I've commented or posted publicly 50 times.

320 pounds via bike riding is a great inspiration.

bobotech

I quit staring at my scale about 8 months ago. I was about 380 pounds.

I joined BF back in november. I got my first good bike and rehabbed it with help from my bike coop (where i am now a lead volunteer tech with keys to the shop). I remember the scale showing that I was 380 pounds and that really scared me. I started riding my Specialized Hardrock and learned a lot about riding bikes and fixing them. I then broke my leg in March (fibula) falling in the kitchen. While I was recovering, I still volunteered at the bike coop. I finally got back on a bike in May. I was still roughly around 380 I assume. The problem is that I have a drop foot now. When my fibula broke, it damaged the nerves that control the muscles in my foot so I have a very hard time walking.

Funny thing is that I can still ride a bike but I have a hard time starting and stopping since my ankle wants to roll when I use my right foot. But like today, I rode 12 miles even though I have a hard time walking to my car. I'm just thankful that I can ride a bike. Someday when I get a job again and get some health insurance, I hope to get the nerves repaired so I can walk normally again.

Nice byproduct of riding a bike: I wore my belt for the first time in about 8 months this monday with a pair of pants that I don't normally wear. I noticed something, I had to take it in 2 1/2 inches. That may not be a big deal but I was really shocked when I saw that. Felt good to be using a belt hole that has never been used before.

nevermore1701

that is awesome bobotech

nevermore1701

excellent jakichan

nevermore1701

that is a killer video thank you so much for sharing

Mithrandir

I am so glad to hear this. My doctor keeps telling me I need a lap band and I keep refusing but there are times when I doubt whether I can do it on my own and wonder if I really should do the surgery.

Mithrandir

2.5 inches is a great deal. Don't sell yourself short, celebrate that victory because you earned it. I started with 2 inches too, down 8 now, and still going.



I have a victory I noticed tonight for the first time. I can actually use my drop bars and breathe while doing so! My stomach has shrunk enough to allow that now!

PedalingFool

TrojanHorse

The best thing I've heard about lap bands is that they help people lose up to 50% of their excess weight. Um, what about the other 50%. I know a few people who have had them and largely, they tell me they've lost weight but I'm not necessarily noticing it.

Obviously if it were easy this forum would be a ghost town - there are no shortcuts.

bobotech

How much do you weigh if you dont mind me asking? I am wondering because I have been using drop bars exclusively for the last 2 weeks and love them. I do have them up higher than normal but not crazy high. I do ride mainly on the hoods though. I don't have any problem with breathing. I don't like going into the drops though but that is mainly me being scared about being stable than anything else.

kikbot

Wow what an inspirational story, I'm so convinced about not doing enough exercise during the day even if just walking instead of using the car. We sit down way too much as a society and expend too little energy at least for me. I'm sure some people with better genetics can do less exercise. I know eating is 80% and the remaining 20% is to keep moving.

This reminds me of this TED talk by Jane McGonigal who shows you how to add 10 extra years to your life.

https://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/jan...s_of_life.html

JakiChan

Here is my opinion: If you are mentally ready for life after bariatric surgery then you very well may be ready to lose weight without it. If you're not mentally ready to lose weight without it, then I'm not sure you're mentally ready to lose weight with it.

It is a physical assist, for sure, but for most of us it is a mental game.

This is just my opinion - if you feel the surgery would help you then do it. Personally I didn't think the risks were worth it and I also thought that if I was mentally ready to lose weight then I wouldn't need surgery.

Mithrandir

381 as of this morning.

Mithrandir

I don't believe in elective body modification, and I too believe the risks to be too high.

My doctor scares me by saying that even though I've lost 100 pounds already, I'm still at enormous risk of sudden death because of my weight and will be for years, even if I get down to 250. Things like 'a blood clot in yours legs caused by your weight could kill you at any time' scare the crap out of me, and they want me to lose faster. My 40 pound slip over winter certainly didn't help my case. I'm determined to do this naturally though, so I resist the suggestion.