My Neighbor
 

He's the same age as me... maybe one year older at 52. He's a classic sedentary guy, overweight, and with diabetes. A month ago he had a semi-serious heart attack, had two stints put in... his wake-up call.

His recovery includes a health managment class by his hospital, they told him to start exersizing every day (or else he'll have another heart attack and die... no reason to soft soap that kind of advice). His wife asked me about bicycles and I told her the usual stuff about LBS vs Walmart etc. offered my services for whatever. Wife said he told her he's never paid more than $300 for a bicycle and doesn't want to unless he's sure it's something that he can stay with. Later he got a used bike off Craig's List, not too bad, needed some maintenance. A couple days later he went to the LBS I recommended for the adjustments and came back with a new $700 bike with all the gizmos - computer sensor built in to the fork, computer-HRM combination unit... he probably hasn't discovered Garmin yet or he'd have one of those too. Anyway the LBS did a good job and sold him probably the same thing I would have chosen for him. Dr. told him not to get his HR over 110 (!) for a while, so he just rides the local trail with his wife (also not athletic but healthier).

Anyway, I'm cautiously optimistic that he'll keep this up, it's been fun watching him and I'd like to see him get in shape and enjoy a long life.

Well at least he took the docs advice...maybe after he starts seeing and feeling the results of what he's doing it will convince him for good.

Thank God, someone slower than I am......

At 47, I was diagnosed with colon cancer, a disease with a median age of 75. I was a standard-issue sedentary lawyer, probaly not unlike your neighbor. Here's what I've learned, and what I would suggest you tell him.

Cycling is good and fun and a great form of exercise. But it's really onlya small part of the whole picture. Diet is the key. There are four rules t o follow to lose weight, and every diet book ever written can be condensed into these rules: (1) Eat less junk; (2) eat more good stuff; (3) eat less overall; and (4) add exercise. There is some reasoanble quibbling about what exactly is "junk," and what's "good stuff", and how to make eating less overall easier, and how to exercise properly, but the core of those four rules makes up every bit of all the diet advice out there.

Too many people think exercising is the key, and they spend a bunch of money and get frustrated when they learn that even on a really nice bike, cycling can hurt and it can make you tired and sore. I'd encourage you to have him focus first on diet, and then on exercise.

Yeah we talked a little about that and I was convinced that his health management class is giving him that info and drilling it into him.

His bike really did look like fun - a Trek FX... sort of half way between a hybrid and a flat-bar road bike.

BTW, I donated blood a couple weeks ago and my cholesterol came back 165... I'm getting extra cheese on my next burrito.

Sounds like you are helping a neighbor extend his life and his lifestyle Diablo. The Trek is a sweet bike and he will love it. My wife went to a Trek 7400 in 2008 and has really enjoyed it, pretty plush to me though. Keep us updated or better yet, If you haven't already showed him BF and 50+ (he is close enough I think) direct him here and get him to introduce his self. Nice job DS!!

Bill

I started riding because my cousin suggested it as a way to lose weight. I haven't seen him since then, but owe him some thanks.

With your neighbor- I think a LOT of the answer depends on his attitude. If you go at cycling (or a lot of other things) with a positive mental attitude, there's a lot to be gained from it. It you get negative, you can find all kinds of things wrong or all sorts of reasons not to do anything. If he has the right attitude, the rest will fall into place.

Hopefully the wake up call will have a lasting result.

I have never ridden with my neighbours because they are scared of me. They see me coming back after a 4 or 5 hour ride covered in Road dust or mud and they have decided that I am too fit for them

If only they knew.

Try to encourage your neighbour out for a Pie ride- or a gentle ride to pass on a few tips to him without lecturing him. Never know- you might have a new riding partner in a year or so's time. Just keep him riding.

you get cholesterol results from a blood donation? wut?

You mean you don't? I get a total cholesterol reading (which isn't really that useful, because it's really the LDL/HDL ratio that matters, not total cholesterol) each time I donate.

Yes, cholesterol, BP, and hematocrit - I typically lose 5.0 - 5.5 points on the HCT for a double red donation... the blood center folks are happy to do a "before and after" for me, HCT only takes a minute, the cholesterol report comes by e-mail a few days later and they also graph it over time on my profile.

I always like to hear of bikes being part of someone turning his or her life around. Let's hope it's a much longer and healthier life.

BP and hematocrit only here. Pulse and temp too I guess. I have only done whole blood, not the platlets/plasma, if that makes a difference. My BP is always higher at the donation center than I read at home. I blame it on knowing what they're going to do to me. I have verified the home BP meter against my doc. It's OK.

Double reds is not the same as platelets/plasma. It's when they concentrate two pints of blood cells into one pint of blood, takes a little longer to recover but you only go half as often. Also, I have mastered the art of lowering my BP with a relaxation technique before they slap on the cuff.

It's good that his wife is going with him. It'll be good for the marriage and make it likely that he'll stay with it.

A pat on the back to Diablo, and one for his formerly couch potato neighbor. It's just a shame he is discovering the fun of cycling later in life.

It is an endless, very emotional argument, the whole thing about food. I certainly cannot claim sainthood here, having eaten my share of McGarbage.
I don't any longer. I have not set foot in a fast food joint for at least five years now. It's easier to just get hold of a cookbook that features simple, tasty
stuff, and cook your own. I believe fast food is a huge part of the health / obesity problem in this country, but that is a topic for another part of the forum.

Got a Christmas Card today - the husband in the family across the street when we lived in San Diego in 1965 -1972 just had a massive stroke and died. Our age, and our kids grew up together. We were the same age and kept in touch by mail over the years, but hadn't seen each other. I suspect that he was not into exercise, but I don't know that.

Anyway, it is always a shock when someone you have known for years and your own age leaves us.

Perhaps you, DS, can help this neighbor avoind the same early demise.

Cool story bro. And not in the sarcastic, internet-meme kind of way.

Good on ya for helping your neighbor. Your example my save him from an early demise.

Classic story!! Wait until he rides a Pinarello Dogma!!!

Seriously I'm happy for him that he is attempting to do something to improve his health.

Double Reds...
Made the mistake of trying my training session on a spinner a few days after a double red donation... 30 min TTs take on a whole new flavor... almost fell off and had to stop.
/Hijack off

i've been a regular donor for 20 years at both red cross and lifesource. all i ever get is my blood pressure results, a cup of juice and some crackers. where do you go? I had to get cholesterol readings for work and had to pay for a doctor visit to get it.