Coffee

Male 27
I came from smoking 3 paks of smokes a day, 6 pots of coffee, fastfood, lots of bad sleep, 10hours a day on the computer reading/playing online games. Did this for 6 years straight!

My goal:
Drop my weight from 205 to 175 pounds and frim up.
Run a mile (someday!)
Bike 30mi (just bought my first MTB yesterday!)
Eat really healthy
Be Happy
Rid myself of panic attacks!

Me Now:
Now I smoke 1 pak, have less then 1 pot, no fastfood, sleep 6 to 9 hours a "night" and spend 2 hours total on the computer.

I weigh 189-191 pounds
Ran a mile without stopping!
Biked 10mi (30mi soon)
I eat pretty darn healthy now
Much happyer!
No more panic attacks!!

I started my new life March 18th of this year. Almost a month!

I just thought I would start this thread and share my life changing event in hopes to inspire many folks that think there to far gone as I once did.
I would love to hear more stories of goals being reached as far as weight, biking, running or what ever.
Take care and have a wonderful day all!

Stor Mand

Good to see this thread . I was wondering about how quickly this could effect weight loss. I'm 38 (in a few days), 6'4" & 250-ish and hoping to drop 15 - 25 pounds of ugly fat or at least maybe some inches.

Coffee

Right on!
My dad started on a stationary bike for 2 weeks (no diet) riding 1 hour a day on a simple trainer setting and now hes about 5 pounds lighter. Doens't sound like much but it beats gaining weight. He eats a ton of bad foods in big portions hehe.

Stick with it and weigh in everyday cause theres going to be little or no lose at first but then one day your going to step onto the scale and say "OMG!" hehe.
I find biking to be funner, harder, and faster then running. I know running is a great hobbie for your bones and health but biking is a little bit funner and you get to buy all kinds of toys for your new toy. Running only needs a few simple things, good running shoes (fit for you only), cloths (cheap), and the understanding that it takes time to build yourself up to running longer distances even if your trying to run down the street.

I plan to combine running and biking, bike 4 days a week and run 1 or 2.
Good luck to you...and don't worry, you will do fine and see results and feel 100% better!
Take care and have a great day!

velocipedio

Way to go Coffee! You're on your way. You're going to have to give up the smokes completely, but I suspect you know that. Soon the choice will be between the old lifestyle and cycling... and cycling will win.

What originally motivated you to change your life in this way?

VegasCyclist

Great thread! I'm really glad to hear that someone really has (almost) reached thier goals. I must say that cycling is the best stress relief that anyone can have, I know that when I go for a ride (even a short one) I just feel better after getting back. Keep it up, and tell us when you do your 30 mi ride

IowaParamedic

It is a great move to exercise as soon as you give up the smokes. I quit 5 years ago (technically 5 years 4 months 12 days) and had tremedous weight gain.

Exercise has been my ultimate goal this year (weightloss is just the byproduct of fitness). I began lifting weights every other day and stationary biking on the off days. My goal was to begin bike commuting as soon as the weather warmed.

I've done over 200 mi in the past 3 weeks and looking forward to commuting next week.

Now, I have to plan my next challenge. I don't believe you can gain if you don't challenge yourself.

aerobat

Right on, Coffee! You're doing great, it's amazing how fast you can notice the difference, both in how you look and how you feel.

Keep at it, and keep us posted!

Coffee

[Question] What originally motivated you to change your life in this way?

Panic attacks
tired all the time
flabby
over weight
Bad attitude on life
Shyness

I just thought to myself....What kind of life am I leading for my future self!? Do I want to live life or LIVE life!?
Those got me going hehe. I've always loved biking but running is a first time experence for me.

I also wanted to add something for people that are new to getting up and doing something about there weight and health. When I started to really get in some good work-outs I had began to crave different foods. I now eat and LOVE onion, tomato, ham, sandwiches. I would never eat something like that before.
I also think its very importain to eat 3 square meals (med in size, don't fill your plate) breakfast does get you going "DO NOT SKIP IT"! Sleep at least 7 hours a night...and if you can't then find a new job cause money is'nt worth your health/well being.
I want to thank everyone here that responded or even took the time to read threw my babble.
I will keep you all up dated!
Take care all and have a wonderful weekend!
Cheers!

LittleBigMan

Coffee,

You are a motivated individual. Keep up the good work!

Picking an exercise that you love will always help you become the person you want to be, physically. If you love it, you will keep doing it and you will develop more and more (and lose weight.)

Picking a lifestyle that you love will always help you stick with it. If you love it, you'll do it.

A healthy lifestyle is better than just losing weight. Anyone can lose weight, but few ever keep it off. The only people that keep it off are those who keep doing the right things the rest of their lives.

A lifestyle like yours will keep you fit the rest of your life.

:thumbup:

Dirtgrinder

Most members have heard my story but I'll say it again. I start 2 years ago at almost 220 lbs. My cholesterol was 240. The next summer I was 170 lbs. and cholesterol was 168. Just eating right and lots of mountain biking. No drugs whatsoever.
You're on the right track Coffee! Like LBM said, when you find something you really enjoy doing it makes it a lot easier to stick with it and accomplish your goals. My goal weight was 180. I just keep riding now because it's a blast. Keep us informed on your progress.

Weasel

Well done to you all and keep it up.

surreal

this is all well-n-good, and i'm happy for dirtgrinder, coffee, and any others who have lost weight thru cycling/good diet....congratulations!=)

BUT...what if you're a guy like me, who doesnt wanna lose a lot of weight? i'm looking to lose fat, but stay...bulky. i dont wanna be too far under 200lbs, ever. ive been biking a few months now, and im scared to weigh myself, b/c i think i'll prolly be down to like 190. ooof.

can i keep bulky just by supplementing my cycling with lots of push-ups/sit-ups/pull-ups? or will i have to resort to weight-training? i'd rather not.

i have nothing against skinny ppl, but i'm sorta into my "big guy" self-image, if you understand.

tia,
-rob

willic

Ahmen!!! to that.
Exercise (especially cycling) is the by far the best antidote to my depressional periods , better than any or all the pills they can prescribe to me

Stor Mand

Surreal - What's wrong with having to "resort to weight-training"? Weight training is a good thing. If you want to stay "bulkier, you may need to do just that (weight training). It will help keep your weight up (muscle heavier than fat) while you lose fat and will increase your metabolism due to increased muscle mass. I had the opposite problem ... did weight training but no aerobic excercise. Now I'm riding for some aerobic excercise and maybe trim down to 230 or 240, maybe even 225.

surreal

stor mand,

ah, the only reason i dont wanna resort to weight training is b/c A) joining a gym costs money. i can do it at my school's gym for another year, but then i graduate, and all free gymin' is lost..
B) i feel funny liftin' weights in front of other ppl who actually know what they're doing and
C) i have A.D.D. pretty bad, and the idea of sitting in a building doing repetitive stuff over and over again for an hour, several days a week...i don't know how well i could handle that. it seems like a great idea in theory, but in practice, i *know* i'd have trouble focusing on it, know what i mean?

but i suppose you're right; it probably is the best idea for someone in my position. still, if i go to the gym, my girlfriend will heckle me incessantly...=P

i guess doing mad pushups/sit ups will result in just flatter abs, and no increase in bulk, right?

-rob

Stor Mand

I find it is one of the few things I can concentrate on. If you have noticed, probably the only thing you can focus on is something that involves the your mind and body at the same time. I cannot sit and read or do just about anything, no matter how interested I am in the subject. But if something involves most of my senses, I find it much easier to concentrate.

Rick LV

Great to see you are nearing your goal! Keep it up.

Coffee

TY!
Have a wonderful day all!

Pat

Losing weight

1) Aerobic exercise
2) Eat healthier - less fat more fiber, fruits, vegetables.

Combining exercise with a change in diet is good because if you just cut back on calories, some people's bodies figure this is a famine and the body just scales back its metabolic rate resulting in a very slow weight loss. If you do aerobic exercise, the body has to be ready to go at any moment and it generally increases the metabolic rate. Also losing weight while being sedentary requires a very calorically restrictive diet and that is hard to maintain. Many people lose weight and then gain it right back because they have not made a life style change.

Another benefit to exercise, is when most people diet, they lose fat and muscle in about equal proportions. If you exercise and you are out of shape, you will lose fat and gain muscle.

If you diet alone, you have only 2 basic ways to judge your progress: weight loss and body dimensions. The problem with weight loss is it is often episodic - you go 2 months with no progress than you quickly lost 5 lbs. The benefit of exercise is you can see improvements in conditioning, muscle tone, body shape, average speed, distance ridden, who drops you, etc ect. You have a bunch of positive things going on and you are not a slave to the scale.

Of course, no matter how much you exercise, you can eat enough to gain weight. Last summer, I did a tour through the Rocky Mountains and some people gained weight. I guess they were gorging on hot fudge sundays every afternoon. I lost weight, but I did not increase my intake much either. Remember it takes about 70 miles to burn a lb of fat and that is assuming you do not eat more in response.

Coffee

I lost my first 5 pounds in the first week and a half but I was running/walking a lot hehe....along with a better way of eating. Since march 18th I have lost 14 pounds. I love it.
You all think I will lose much more weight ridding 10mi's a day everyday and eating right?
Take care all!