Sadly, some people use internet forums to be jerks because they lack the maturity to find a healthy outlet for their frustrations.

You can lose weight. They are probably stuck with their crappy personalities for life.

You are only overweight on the outside. Inside you are 6' 6" tall, blond, built like a Swedish massusse and your name is Lars. Lars doesn't care what other people think At least that works for me

Plus, come the next famine, long pig will be the best dish and the skinny ones will go first

I'm not so sure that works. My IQ is 154 and I have the grace of frankenstein in a ballet.

As long as you are doing something about your health and your weight don't worry about the stupid remarks. You are a role model because you are engaging in an activity that improves your health. At bottom line tell the people to "kiss your wrist."

Famine, in America? Yeah ok... I can think of plenty of situations where you'd have to run down 20 flights of stairs to escape an inferno and I don't even have to guess who'll make it out first.

There are some people (I'm not saying people here, just some people out there) who pretend that being 400 lbs is perfectly ok, then proceed to take up 2 seats on a flight, get stuck inside a turnstile, block an entire flight of stairs, take up the full width of a 2-wide escalator so you can't walk pass, severely limit the capacity of your cessna skyhawk which is only 800 lbs to begin with.

I generally see 3 kinds of overweight people (of those who are trying). The arrogant, trek madone sslx riding type going 15mph in the park looking down on everyone, the nasty cynical one who used to be nice but is now jaded due to so many people mocking them, and the one that's still maintaining high spirits despite people mocking them. Naturally I find the last one to be the best to ride with, they usually have the best stories to tell, the 2nd one takes a little time but will open up to you. The 1st one there are way too many of in prospect park and central park.

"Ah waant youu 'n ma belly." Fat Bastard

I am fat.

You are ugly.

I can diet.

Fat Bastard wants to eat a small child






"Fat Bastard (Mike Meyers)

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I was 320 and an undiagnosed diabetic when I had a heart attack. Now my weight is good and my blood sugars are normal without medication. I'm in the 96th percentile for cardiac health for my age. It is hard so you have to keep at it, for the rest of your life. BTW, you probably won't lose vast amounts of weight by exercise alone. You have to change your eating habits permanently.

slvoid--I'm writing small because right now you're acting like a small person. You said that fat people have a problem because so many people mock them. Actually only a very small number of people are cruel enough to mock somebody with a problem. So I guess smart and 154 IQ are two different things, and acting like a pig has nothing to do with one's weight. You owe an apology.

that 'joke' is so done. even people who live under a rock like me have heard it at least 17 times in the past year; even ninth-graders know it's come out of every ******* on the planet by now. the correct reaction is to be embarrassed for them, and ask them to keep their unsightly, lazy, feeble, flabby, junk-fed brains decently away from us real, responsible people who think up real, original thoughts of our own when we want to make a funny at someone's expense.

and about being fat: my sister is fat, technically. i'm not, technically. her cardiovascular profile could have beaten the snot out of mine any day in the last 20 years; it still could. stereotypes based on people's weight are worth about as much as any other kind, imo.

Hey, it's my experience, I said the fat people I see riding in the park that I end up meeting and riding with. Learn to read. From what I've seen, a good number of snobby cyclists in NYC do mock people, whether directly or indirectly, good for you if you live in wonderland, just because you're sheltered doesn't mean anyone else is, I see it happening every saturday when I'm out there in prospect park. I guess being YOU and being smart are two completely different things too, at least my IQ exceeds triple digits; low IQ and having the skin of an apple aren't good qualities in anybody. Yes you can call me small and it'll be an accurate description but it looks like even though you lost the weight, you're not exactly acting like a large person either. Grow a thicker skin.

Of all the fat overweight friends that I have, I don't think I've seen a single one of them act the way you do. What are you, freaking 12? Your mother ain't here to hold your hand across the street just cause you decided to balloon to 320 and think the world owes you something. I might not be the most graceful person in the world but you need to grow the hell up.

I owe you nothing. Here.

Nope, I my book you are always welcome here, chipcom!

I'm not exactly a fencepost either.

grow a thicker skin - then keep riding. a diabetic friend of mine got into cycling, lost loads of weight and hasn't taken any diabetes meds since.

haa haa!

i made that comment, god i am rude...

grow some thicker skin. i said what i said because i can't stand watching people bulging out of overly tight clothing, not to insult you.

i also won't go out in just spandex without a baggy short over it.

either get out there and ride or go hide in your house and drown your sorrows with a gallon of ice cream because of what some "mean person" said on the internet.

i hope you choose to ride.

Stick with it man, and wear whatever you want. There will always be jerks in the world; if you were 165 pounds and wearing spandex, they'd probably be calling you ****** or something. Some people just need to push other people down to feel good about themselves. To heck with them.

If they don't like how you look, nothing's gluing their eyes to your ass.

As someone who is both fat and has ridden w/ slvoid, I can attest that he didn't make fun of me or anything like that. He did offer to share his oatmeal cookie with me, but I declined because he looked like he needed it more than me. Now everybody settle down before I turn this car around.

So you lose the weight and "can wear" the spandex--what happens at that point? Someone sees the skinny you in tight clothes riding a bike and calls you a ***. People whose lives are miserable won't hesitate to make sure you're part of their world. Seeing you do anything positive will activate their own feelings of inadequacy and provoke putdowns as a defensive gesture.

The issues of others are their problem, even if they try to cast them on to you. Deal with your own and only your own--ride lots and eat a proper diet. I can't remember who said it but, "The key to success is constancy of purpose." It can be difficult at times, but don't let yourself be deterred.

Good luck, Sir.

Think of it as a control issue. When you let someone make you feel bad you are giving him or her a little bit of control over how you feel. I find most people tend to insult others to make themselves feel superior by making someone else feel worse. The person who insulted you is probably not worth knowing and is truly a loser. When someone like that insults me I take it as a complement. For as I said earlier this person is a loser, so if they complement you they probably see something admirable in you. They see it as admirable because you are similar to them. Now I doubt you would want to be seen as someone who has the traits of a loser and that is looked at as a role model for losers.

You are trying to do something to make yourself better, and in doing that you will make the people around you better. Just look at all the positive responses you got here, surely you should let that have more of an impact than a few ignorami. Remember, when a fool gives you a complement he is calling you a fool, when a fool insults you (s)he is giving you the highest complement because they see none of their traits in you.

You didn't want the cookie cause I touched it.

How do you know that the skinny folks might not gang up and try to eat the larger folks?

Just think of yourself being the bigger person

That's true too.

Aren't larger folks the majority in this country? We need guns.. lots and lots of guns..

Hi guys - I am a NEWBIE to this forum. I started riding 1-1/2 yrs ago - I am 5'4" - I was over 300 - I am down to 230 and still going. My diabetes is now under control without meds - SO KEEP GOING!
I wish I had known of this forum 18 mos ago. I could have used the encouragement...
As for the "beautiful" people of the world - don't let them get you down. Someday you may be one of them- just don't forget how you feel now.

Don't worry about what some faceless person on the internet typed! I'm 6'2" and weigh 225. Not exactly in danger of blowing away in a stiff wind! However, I used to weigh 263lbs. and cycling is a big part of what keeps me in the lower quarter of the 200 range. If you like it, ride! If you like lycra, wear it! If anyone gives you a hassle, just smile and wave. Or even flip them off!