Hey Glen. Everyone is welcome!

One of my best friends is a bariatric patient. I can attest that the choice is not easy!

WOOT!!!

I have lost 10 pounds in the last 28 days, mostly due to riding and making slightly better choices on what I eat.

Progress is a great motivator!

I have a friend that is a bariatric patient, not an easy choice but for some it may be needed. I am glad it is working for you.

Keep riding and smile for today is a good day by the mere fact that we are all breathing!

Thanks for the warm welcome!

I think I should let you in on 2 things.

1) I am female--Jenn is my name--glenghillie is just a screen name
2) I am still looking for the right bike. I think I will end up going with the Gary Fisher Zebaron. I have ridden Giants, Trek, Fugi, and even :roflmao: Schwinn as well. I am going for what feels best over price, but am in a budget. I may even go one model lower to get the bike earlier. I will have to ride it first.

Again, thanks for the welcome.

Ooops! I knew I was going to put my foot in my mouth sooner or later. Sorry, Jenn. :o

You have the right approach on getting a bike. Your comfort should be paramount.

Agian, welcome!

Bob

Nah...just wanted to clear it up. I participate in other forums where you have no idea.

Hey Jenn - How long ago did you have the surgery? A friend of mine had it done about 18 months ago and has had significant weight loss. She doesn't like talking about her actual weight, but I'd guess somewhere in the neighborhood of 100-150lbs. She's 28 and was having severe health problems prior to deciding to go the surgical route.

Welcome Jenn
Everyone is welcome here. We all share a common theme here, weight loss, improving health and bike riding. I had to look up the term as I did not know what it meant. I do know someone who went through this and I wish you the best! On the bike, like Bob sadi your comfort is the most important issue. Get some thing that feels good and you will ride. Get the best groupo you can afford when you get the bike. Having owned 105/600 and Dura Ace there is a differnce.

Bolo: congrats on the loss! I am finally under 200 now. Have not seen these numbers since 01.

I went to the Doc yesterday and good a good checkup!! Dropped 29 lbs and my BP is down to 120/70, was 165/100 in April :D

My surgery was June 21--just a month ago. I have already lost @20lbs. My goal is 150. That is actual 3 lbs above my highest "ideal" based on AMA, but I have always been very muscular--even under the blubber--so I think anything smaller would leave me looking too thin. I will re-evaluate when I get there and decide if I want to go another 10 or 15. Any smaller then 135 would probably leave me looking like an anorexic.

So far I have been taken off one BP med and I am hoping to get another cut in 1/2 on Monday. I would like to come off it too, but I think I have to wean of this one. My hiatal hernial was fixed by the surg so I don't have GERD anymore either.

The best thing is I actually care about me again. Waking up was like comming out of a cacoon. That is the only way I can describe it. I had been a fairly cute fuzzy worm, then I became a shell of a person, now I am a beautiful butterfly. I haven't decided what kind yet.

Good for you! Good luck, I know my friend has been very happy with her decision.

Congrats to you for that!!!

Hi everyone,

I am getting back on the saddle after gaining some weight after my initial weight loss. I am only 5'5" and I weighed 167lbs. After starting to eat right I got down to 138 over a period of one year. I maintained that weight until my boyfriend wanted to go on Atkins to lose some extra weight that he thought he had. (I say thought because I thought he looked great.) My lazy self wanted to lose about 10-12 more without incorporating any major exercise. (I know that sounds weird, but for some reason I had a major repulsion to exercise!) So, against my better judgement, I went on Atkins with him. Atkins totally messed up my system. I felt uncomfortable all the time, tired, and moody. Then I started eating weird because of my major cravings for bread and carbs. I gained back 8lbs.

I am getting back on track now, and this time I am encorporating biking as my major form of exercise. I want to lose about 10 more lbs total, but would like to gain some muscle because I have almost none. I love biking and am working on my stamina.

This forum is awesome!!
EmiliB

EmiliB: Welcome to the forum :) Good luck on the diet, you should do what works for you and enjoy yourself when you ride.

I have a brother that lives in Tyler :)

YEAH! I'M BACK!... After almost a month I hit the road to work spinning with a smile on my face. The past month has been loads of stress. I've packed on about 8 lbs. Today I rode to work (10 miles one way) and made my lunch. I found a route from home to work that will be doable in a few weeks… 7.5 miles of steep hills. I'm just not ready for that… yet! On Aug. 28 I will be in the HHH 100 mile ride. www.hh100.org So I'm getting things turned around starting now. Hope everyone is doing well. Y'all have a good one!

Welcome back Wonker! Wish I could ride to work, but 27 mi and a 6:30 am start time makes it tough, plus I get my daughter on the way home so......
Good luck on the ride :)

Thanks John, I'm not has far down the road with the kid thing as you but some day I'll be singing the same song.

:) She even rides with me after my weekly rides. I put the bike in the 39/23 and spin with her at the same rate. Just want some of that ENERGY kids have :D

Hello all New to the forums and I apologize if I cover any territory already discussed but 17 pages is alot to leaf through...especially when I should be working. But this is my situation. I'm 35 (36 in 4 days) 235 lbs and diabetic(type 2). After a long hiatus...I'm back on the bike. Every day. For a 1/2 hour after work I do about 5 miles a night (ave about 12 mph). Some sprints...some climbing...some coasting. On the weekends I double up(5 mile ride in the morning...5 mile at night). I have a decent enough diet. Low carbs...fast food rarely...mostly just water and juice to drink some junk food snacks occasionally. Now my question (you knew it was in here some where).

Am I doing this right?

I'd appreciate any feedback or suggestions anyone might have. Should I push out for longer times yet? My thought was just to get in the habit of coming home and getting out on the bike. If I make it "work" or obligation. I'll stop doing it. If there are any good programs out there that anyone knows about for getting started.

This seems like a great forum I look forward to particiapting. Thanks to any for your help.

I'd appreciate any feedback

No expert here...just trying to lose weight and get in better shape. If I were you I would just keep raising your miles and time spent on the bike. Try to shoot for at least an hour on the bike or at least build yourself up to that. You can always get a HRM & book and do some training that way. I did that and really like it.

Good luck!

Welcome to the forum. Sounds like you have a plan, do what works for you. I was close to you when I started,49 and 228. Have lost 32 lbs since mid April. I added miles as I could and now I do the max I have time for in a week ~110 mi. Between riding and watching my weight and decreasing my salt (Hypertension) that is all I have done. Good luck and most important enjoy your ride time. Take at least on day off to give the legs a break, if nothing else go real slow and enjoy the view while you ride.

Thanks John and wingnut...I'm going everyday now because I have taken off about every day for the last decade...lol. A real wake up call was on my first ride in starting over and I thought I was going to die going up a medium hill. Back in my day (when I worshipped Greg Lemond...if that gives you an idea) I used to be able to easily pass people racing up hills. Now I was about to cry like a wee baby. I will dial it down in a bit with some gentle rides on off days buy until I get some strength back in those legs I'm going to keep working them for a bit.

Hey Rad,
Welcome to BikeForum. I would say also the HRM & book is a good way to train and a good book for that is The Heart Rate Monitor Book for Outdoor and Indoor Cyclists: A Heart Zone Training Program. I'm reading it now. Body for Life: 12 Weeks to Mental and Physical Strength by Bill Phillip for well balanced nutrition. Body for Life has a simple plan that will balance your proteins and carbohydrates plus address stuff like sodium, different types of fats (good and bad) and teaches you how to read nutrition labels. The nutrition part was written by Keith Klein. www.eatingmanagement.com Good general knowledge about nutrition is the key. In fact, I would say to go see nutritionists. I lost 70lbs. on the Body for Life plan… I stopped… now I'm doing it again. Hang in there… Rome wasn't built in a day

Keep it fun!

Ride down to your local library and see what books they have on cycling. My library surprised me by being pretty up to date on newer books on training and cycling skills, etc

Think about joining a cycling club. There are all kinds of cycling clubs and many levels of rides. Some clubs do alot of fun events or rides to places to eat, always fun :D

Keep it fun!

Slowly increase your distance, but don't over do it. Mix it up between long rides and short rides. Take a day off from riding now and then.

Set some reasonable goals. Distance or speed or whatever, just to give you something to shoot for.

Most of all keep it fun :)

Had a really good weekend. Road 30 miles off road on Saturday. Road 31 miles Sunday on pavement at 18 mph avg. Road 16 miles roundtrip to the gym today. And for the first time since college, I'm under 220 lbs!

congradulations! Feels good to hit a goal like that.