thanks for the link. I checked out your site, lots of good information there.

I figure the hardest part of my morning commute is turing the pedal the first time. After that it is all a lot easier.

I did the triathlon course again today. Last week we did it in just over 1:01. Today it was under 54 minutes. So 7+ minutes better. That is huge.

Ok for the third year in a row I gave up drinking beer after the 4th of July. (I don't note the date I start drinking beer gain, just when I stop).

If I don't start seeing some weight loss now I will madder than a tick on a ceramic dog.

Oh man, think positive!

But I love the 'madder than a tick on a ceramic dog' :D .

East Hill

Yeah I was pleased with that one. I was channeling Ross Perot.

It is all about positive mental attittude (PMA). Every day when I go up the big hill I know I can do it and the only way I can fail is if I talk myself out of it.

I also know that my nature is that if I dont' get results I may lose interest. Nobody wants to work this hard and not see a pay off. I am seeing it in other ways than the scale right now. The ultimate measure is reducing my BP.

(I knew the beer was holding me back so it had to go, now no more excuses).

It's not the beer per se that's holding you back, it's your overall caloric intake. The weight gain over the winter indicates that you're eating too many calories. With exercise you're staying flat, but that's not your goal.

There's a little book by Covert Bailey called Fit or Fat (in various editions) that talks about the relationship between exercise, condition, and metabolism — mostly encouraging exercise. His book The Fit or Fat Target Diet focuses on how to get your caloric intake down. (Covert holds a Ph.D. in Nutritional Biochemistry from MIT, but you'd never know from the books; they are almost completely non-theoretical.)

The biggest offender in the average diet is fat. Fat is a calorie storage medium so naturally it contains an enormous concentration of calories per unit. Lots of fat in your diet means you're eating too many calories without 'over eating' in terms of quantity. What's worse, though, is that the body won't use the calories stored in fat until it absolutely has to. Therefore much of the fat you eat goes straight to your own calorie storage warehouse, your own body fat.

With exercise you've increased your calorie usage. Now you need to decrease your calorie intake. Cut out fats and you can probably keep drinking beer while losing weight.

Btw, biking can increase your beer drinking because it makes you thirsty. Drink a lot of water and you should be able to cut back on the beer without quitting entirely.

djwright, Hang in there, it will eventually pay off. I started riding again last year and over the course of the spring/summer I lost maybe 10 pounds. I think I rode about 1,600 miles the whole year, didn't change my diet at all.

This year I've ridden about 2,000 miles already, mostly training with a goal in mind - to ride the STP for the first time. I started at about 245 and really sucked wind on the hills this year. Wanted to be faster on the hills, I decided I needed to lose some weight. So, I made a more concerted effort to eat better food and was a little more religious about putting miles on the bike each week. My goal weight was 220 and I hit that over a month ago. So now I'm staying about even. (My wife complains that she can get her arms all the way around me now!):rolleyes: I only lost maybe 1 - 1 1/2 pound a week, but over a few months it started to add up.

As for the diet, I just tried to eat better food, cutting down as much processed and fat-laden food as I could (think cookies, cakes, candies - especially anything with trans fats or sturated fat.) I slowed down on the beer, but don't kid yourself, I managed to enjoy one often enough, just not 2 or 3 or 4 at a time.;) Also, because I was riding more (and longer) I tried to focus on eating properly on the bike but more importantly, immediately after. There is a lot of good information on these Forums (look in the training and nutirtion section and/or the long distance section.)

That's what worked for me, now I just can't back-slide this winter (time for a trainer or rain bike I think.)

Welcome:

If you have the commitment to make positive change in your life, I believe the lbs will come off
I was up to near 250lbs (I'm 6'3) and have lost 25lbs thru a more active lifestyle ( biking and hiking) and really watching what I eat.

I encourage you to keep working at it. Good Luck

Lots of good comments here and I really appreciate the time you guys have taken posting them.

For me the problem with the beer isn't just the beer. It is that after a beer or glass of wine or two whatever diet I am on goes out the window. So after a week of eating right I blow it on Friday and or Saturday night. So I have a week long up and down cycle. Lose during the week, gain on the weekend and try to lose it the next week.

I have gathered lots of data on this over the years and it is a pattern that just smacks you in the face.

2 years ago I quit drinking beer on the 4th and lost 12 pounds without doing anything else. Last year I lost 20+ pounds and I was riding my bike. This year I have 10 weeks left until the triathlon and would like to be 10+ pounds lighter than last year.

I have been doing the 6 meal a day diet and I really like it. I can't say I have lost a ton of weight but it seems pretty natural. I get about 2100 calories a day in 6 small meals. With the bike riding it should be pretty easy to lose 1-2 pounds a week. I think cutting the beer will be the thing that puts me over the top.

(I remeber covert Bailey from the 80's I haven't seen him in a long time)

I went to the doctor today. BP in normal range (medicated). The nurse wrote down t he wrong weight though. She added 10 pounds. This is the second time they have gotten my weight wrong. My first visit they wrote down a weight 10-15 pounds lighter than I was. So it still looks to the doctor like I have gained weight.

It is like that Seinfeld episode. You can't see your medical chart, you can't change yuour chart. Overall my doctor has been very supportive. He really liked the Belly Buster contest.

Just don't get a rash!! :roflmao:

I know you are making a Seinfeld reference, but you are right about rashes. I use some of that bogy glide stuff at the first sign of chafing.:eek:

It has been raining all weekend, so I haven't gotten to ride. That is one of the challenges of riding in th eNorthwest. Usually it is such a light rain that you can ignore it and ride anyway but the slick roads make me nervous.

My wife is out of town and I have been a slug all weekend. motivation level -2.

Oh, you are a bum and a scoundrel! I went out today for not only one go around the Lake Youngs reservoir, but TWO times around.

I got muddy :D . It was very good riding.

East Hill

Thanks for the support. I beat myself up plenty as I lay on the couch watching the tour de france.

But the rest of the week is supposed to be nice so I should get 4 rides in before the weekend.

My legs will be rested and strong.

:roflmao:
Man I hope so, it was starting to spit rain as I left to come in to work :p .

East Hill

Ok I have already raved about my Garmin. But one thing I like is that I didn't start out using all of the features. I haven't put the cadence sensor on yet, but I am saving that.

The last two days I have been using the profile view when I ride to work. It shows my course in elevation mode and the position of my virtual pacer. It has really motivated me. This morning I wasn't having a very good ride, but I used the pacer to post a respectable time.

Then on my way home I came within 22 seconds of my all time record (which I set when following a faster rider across the long flat). It really helps to make that afternoon ride a good workout.

There's always motivational factor going when following someone faster. I like having a riding partner for that reason.

Excellent job!

East Hill

ON my training rides for the triathlon I ride with a partner. She is faster than me going up the hills but I catch her on the way down (when gravity is my friend).

She claims she impaled her foot on a bamboo stick this week so she isn't riding with me this weekend. I think she is just trying to get out of it. With the computer we cut 7 minutes off our loop.

No I hope she gets better so we can continue training. She and I crossed the finish line together last year. (you can see that picture on my blog site).

You are doing a great job! I hope you get off that plateau soon.

I once managed to get stabbed by a bamboo stick, and it was not happy :( . Tell Jane to heal up quickly.

East Hill

Thanks. I thin I am about ready to hit some new weights and some new speed records.

Last year at this time I lost weight up until Aungust 15th (the end of the Belly Busters). then maintained until mid-september for the triathlon and then was already regaining weight by the time I did a 10K in October. This year I want to keep losing weight at least until the 10K and then maintain through the winter.

I am thinking I might still be able to take the bus and ride my bike home. (more light in the afternoon).

Not a good week for me. I only rode to work one day. I had a flat again in the morning. That really sets me back. I don't have time to fix it so I had to drive. I don't think I found the problem last time.

So I have been working arounb the house and that has been my exercise. I doubt it will keep my aerobic conditioning up to snuff.

Tomorrow we will float the mighty Pilchuck river in celebration of summer ease.

We'll need photos :) .

East Hill

Of course
I posted a couple of pictures on my blog and a link to a bunch more. A good time was had by all. FYI the river parallels the Centennial trail in this area. It is a nice ride but an even better float.

http://wrightideas.typepad.com/.shar...p1120117_2.jpg

http://wrightideas.typepad.com/watch...p1120117_2.jpg

GREAT photo!

Any fishing or other fun stuff going on at the mighty Pilchuck that day, or was it just the straight float?

East Hill