I took a full set of measurements this morning. I normally do so on Sunday mornings, but since I'm planning a Century that day I went ahead with it this today.

For the first time in memory, my abdomen now measures smaller than my hip measurement! Half of an inch smaller in fact. An unexpected milestone.

Kewl Zin.....way to go!!

I wish my hips were bigger....I'm built funny and have a big waist, but small hips. It's hell when I have to pee in public....I have to hold my pants so they don't fall to my ankles.

Way to go KT and Zin!! What an inspiration you guys are!!

K.T.
Its funny. Its not my hips that are big. I'm thinking its the caboose. However, my wife keeps telling me that it has pretty much disappeared as well. Your account of holding your pants, cracks me up! :D

Mahoolihan
Thanks. Inspiration is what this thread is all about. I get great inspiration from from everyone's struggle, fight, and victories here.

Been reading some of these inspiring posts. Congratulations to you strong willed people! Amazing work you've been doing.

Me, I've had a long struggle with weight. At this moment I'm 40 lbs overweight. I'm 51 and female. I have not exercised at all for a few years. I move slowly, I'm frequently tired/lethargic, and my will power is near zero. There are other physical things I can hardly do, which I hate. I hate the way I look. I hate the way I feel.

I'm here because a few days ago my husband suggested we go bike riding, as we've had this week off. We went 12 miles. I was exhausted, but happy, on a real high. We had a great time. I remembered the days we went bike riding with the kids and when we went riding frequently when we were first married and always, always on vacations on bike paths with the kids. Never really long, serious, rides. But, biking has always been well liked by me and our family.

Going biking the other day rekindled these feelings. As I hate exercise in nearly any form, I know, a bad attitude, I think that biking could be the catalyst to which I can get in shape, an activity I'd actually enjoy. So, I find myself here (my son, the bike racer, told me about these forums) and I'm hoping I will begin an exercise routine....starting today. Nothing to do with new year's day, want to stay far away from that connection, but it was just the timing of when we went riding. As for food, I'd love to know how you people conquer the desire to eat the wrong things? That's a real , serious, struggle for me.

I'm open to your wisdom!

Welcome tivoli1......we all undertand your lack of willpower as if it were not for that, most of us would not be in the "shape" we are in now anyway. Unfortunately...that is the one thing that needs to be overcome more than anything as NOTHING will stick without it.

For me, cycling was the catalyst to finally doing things right and losing weight because I'd finally found an exercise that I loved doing. Funny thing is...I rode for a little over a year as a "weekend warrior" only riding once on the weekend. It really didn't do anything for me...it was only after one year and three months that I began riding more (forcibly) to help a friend get in cycling shape for a vacation ride she wanted to do. Forcing myself to ride 3 to 4 times a week suddenly pumped me into LOVING cycling so that I WANTED to ride 3 or 4 times per week.

What it boils down to is you HAVE to find an exercise that you LOVE doing or else it will never be anything other than WORK.

On a side note.....a great nutrition book that many of us have begun to follow is "Eat To Live" by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. It's a great book that teaches great pracitices for eating right, not just for weight loss, but for reduced risks of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, etc.... It's not a "fad diet" book, but just one about eating right - period.

Those two things (cycling and eating better) have been helping me tremendously. I lost over 50 pounds in 2005. :)

Hope this helps and cycling is the catalyst for you too. Good luck! :)

Welcome tivoli1
First, let me say that by coming here and sharing your story and ambitions, you have set off to a great start.

I would be interested to know a little more about your current situation before getting into specific recomendations. Current weight, type of bike, & any medical issues to consider will play large into laying out any plans.

For now, I would start with the following 2 recommendations:

1. Sign up on http://www.fitday.com and begin logging everything you eat and your activities.

2. Enjoy riding your bike. Ride as often as you can. When first starting out, every ride is a victory!


As stated before, with more specific information regarding your situation & goals, we can help you to develope a plan that will help you to develope your game plan.

Hi everyone, Happy New Year! :)

It has been awhile since I posted anything, somehow I don't think about looking in the bike forums during the off season, but I thought I'd drop by and say hi. I am pleased to say that my weight has remained more or less under control (under 140) but I am REALLY out of shape, and I think my composition has changed to more fat and less muscle. :(

I have made my resolutions though, and this year I will:

1) Do my first imperial century (I did my first metric as part of last year's resolutions)
2) Hit 2,000 miles this season (I did about 1,800 my first full season last year)
3) Get to 125# or less by the height of the season

I have now read the Eat to Live book, and agree with it in theory, although I'm not sure I'd ever have the will power to stick with that forever, however, it has given me some new guidelines to try.

Good luck everyone, and let's outdo ourselves! :D

Hey Juf2m....long time, no see.

I'm with you on "Eat To Live"....I'm always preaching it...but as you say, I use it as a guideline too. I don't follow it like a religion. I've just used the principles to change my eating habits overall.

Welcome, Tivoli1. I started biking again when, quite by accident, I realized just how much I enjoyed it, and had enjoyed it in the past. Like you, I found most regular "exercise" boring though I've always enjoyed activities that involved action: hiking, racquetball, tennis, swimming, etc. None of those worked as regular exercise, at least not for me, but biking ... now there was something that was fun, didn't required any other people but could be done as a group or family event if others wanted to participate, could be as hard or as easy as I chose to make it, and didn't beat up my already beaten up knees.

Don't get me wrong: some days I don't want to get on the bike, and I have to push myself. Once I do, I always have a good time.

My advice? Two things initially: Log what you eat — every damned crumb! — so you have a really good idea of what's going in. Second, ride. Just get on the bike and ride. Doesn't matter if it's fast or slow, a long ride or a short one, on a trail or around the neighborhood. Just go out and have fun!

I started my new me program today. Last year I had lost some weight and then once college started again I was so busy I wasnt riding and I was eating a lot of crappy food on the run. Now that is all over all I have is student teaching which will save me so much time as actually going to campus is like a 3 hour round trip with traffic. Anyway right now I have to be at school at 7 since Im still subbing once at the middle school, student teaching is in a grammer school that starts at 9:20. Today I rode at 5am for an hour and it wasnt that bad, riding outside in the dark beats the trainer anyday. Once student teaching starts I will ride at 6 till like 730. Plus I can commute to school even though its only 7/10 of a mile. I am hoping that with more time on my hands I can be more focused on eating right and riding. Anyway good luck everyone!

Thank you for the support and feedback and information. I appreciate it. I don't have any medical issues really to speak of. But, I am, as I said, at least 40 lbs overweight. I'm 5'6" and about 206 lbs. I'd like to lose, to start with, 40 lbs, and then reevaluate thereafter. My knees are not the greatest, have always had knee problems. I don't know the official way to say it, but since I can remember, since forever, the pieces that hold the knee cap in each leg are short around the circumference, causing my kneecap to fairly easily move out of the socket if I'm not careful. Used to refer to an event as a "charley hourse". Extreme, but brief, pain. I totally fall down when it happens. Doesn't happen as much as it used to, due to probably compensation on my part and inactivity. So, very seldom at this point. I do, however, greatly fear snow and ice and walk like an old lady, with short, secure, steps in these conditions. The biggest issue is my weight, and being in no shape whatever. I don't take any medications at all.

Although I AM out of shape, completely, I'm in the market for a new bike. I wonder, do I surrender to a comfort bike, to a Giant Revive bike, or, stick with a hybrid, again, given my age and shape. My inclination, after the initial interest and research in more comfortable bikes, is to go with a hybrid, something like a Trek 7500 or Breezer Liberty, but that is another issue. Right now, I have my old Trek 730 from about 12-15 years ago.

So, perhaps that gives you more information. I downloaded the ebook about fit to live, and was shocked at the no dairy/no animal philosophy. That would be a huge departure in diet for me. But, it is interesting I hear you people say to record the food intake. I heard that too over the years, and I suppose I'll have to go that route. I have used calorieking.com in the past, a great site. I'll check out fitday too. Thanks! I hope there's hope!!

Hey all ... I am celebrating!!! I now have my basement set up *perfectly* for the trainer. I have a home-theater set-up, including a projector, and I have it projecting on an old window shade that I can roll up when not in use. I plopped a cheesy collection of mafia movies in the dvd player and rode for an hour today ... which I am told equates to roughly an hour and a half on the road, since you don't have any free-wheeling time indoors. My average mph was 12, so I am counting this an 18-mile day.

Also, I stepped on the scale this morning, and I seem to have undone the 5-pound damage I inflicted on myself over the holidays. It truly is a new day!! Onward and upward!!

Tivoli, I understand TOTALLY where you are coming from. I am more than 100 lbs overweight, and LOVE to eat all the wrong foods. Here's what I did (over a one year period ... not all at once):
* Cut soda (or pop if you prefer) down to an absolute minimum: I was drinking at least 12 cans of Coke a day. My first step was to reduce that, then I switched to diet (I know ... the taste ... but add up the calories). Then I was listening to some program about soda and it said that even diet sodas make you want to eat ... something about the phosphorus. Anyway, I tried it, and sure enough ... I ate less when I wasn't drinking soda at all. Now, water is my friend. Again, it took me a couple of MONTHS to get used to it (lack of flavor and all), but now I keep a bottle with me all the time, and I eat less. I am not saying it's easy, but it works.

* Switch from candy to fruit or yogurt: Again, it's an acquired taste, but it's worth it. Think about it: How many apples do fat people eat? If you're anything like me, you have a sweet tooth (we don't get fat eating celery). I used to satisfy that sweet tooth with candy of various kinds. I still do from time to time, but now I am reaching for an apple, a banana, or a small container of yogurt (those single serving packs ... if I take a big container, I will eat the whole thing. That's another reason I am fat ... lack of portion control). Which leads me to ...

*Control your portions. I am the least disciplined person in the world, and on top of that, I was taught that, if you put it on your plate, you eat it. Sooo, I used enormous plates for EVERYTHING, filled them to the brim, and could not stop eating until they were cleaned. That's a recipe for fat. Now, I use small plates. It helps me control my portions, and I find that I am really not hungry after I finish the smaller portion. The rest of my eating was, apparently, out of some obligation. Unfortunately, my obligation didn't gain the weight. ;)

Those are just a few hints that have worked for me. Remember, listen to advice, but don't assume everything is going to work for you. It's a process. It took you a long time to put on those 40 lbs, and it's going to take a long time to take them off. You can do it; people much less intelligent than you have lost weight. This isn't rocket science ... it just takes commitment, and a willingness to try new things. Keep in touch, and let us know how you're doing. We're all in this mess together, and the support here is superb.

Unless you think you would have some problem with your old 730, I'd get it "cleaned up" at the bike shop (tune up, etc...) and use it. Otherwise, I'd go with a hybrid. I started with a comfort bike and after 2 years just jumped to a road bike. You can be overweight and ride a road bike....I'm doing it now. I have a Trek 520 touring road bike and weigh just over 300.

The hybrid I think would be better for exercise/road riding and would you would not be as limited by the bike if you go further into cycling. That's what has hapened to me....I was told by a few bike shop people that I was beginning to push the limits of my comfort bike at over 40 miles....it really was not "comfortable" when your rides got long...which is why I upgraded to a road bike at Christmas.

Again...stick with the Trek you have unless you are bound and determined to get a new bike. If you are bound and determined, I think a hybrid would suit your needs better.

Let me boil the basic concepts of Eat To Live down to a few simple concepts. Buy LOTS of fruits and vegetables and eat so many of them you aren't hungry enough to eat other stuff. Yeah....it's a big change in diet (was for me too)...and I still don't follow it "perfectly". But I do notice that the closer I follow it, the better I feel and the quicker the weight comes off.

Sounds like everyone is starting off 2006 on the right foot! The holidays were tough - so much good food, and such a busy time.

I decided instead of feeling guilty I would just eat whatever I wanted and undo the damage in January. Maybe not the best strategy... ;) But I weighed myself this morning with great trepidation and found I 'only' gained 3 pounds, which is good news to me.

My main goals for this year are too lift 3x a week. (The cardio always takes care of itself with the cycling, but my upper body and core is really really weak.)

I also aim to get down to 145 lbs -- I'm at 156.6 as of this morning, so my aim is by the end of March. I'm going to focus on PORTION CONTROL!

Good luck everyone!!

-GS

I tried the same strategy, and it worked. I maintained my weight throughout... and for a bonus I picked up a nasty flu / stomach virus - so now I am down 5 pounds!

I don't recommend the flu method for losing weight. I know I'm dehydrated - and just this morning starting to eat solid food again. (the last day or so has been water, gatorade, and popsicles...!)

Ok guys I have been lurking this thread for a while and congratulate you all.

I started bike commuting sporadically in November and have just kicked it up to 4 days per week. My commute is 15 miles each way and I have been doing a club ride on the weekend of around 20 miles. I am 45, the biggest I have ever been and it's time for a change.

Here are my January 1 stats:

6'1" 281.5 lbs BP 146/96 RHR 95

My goals for 2006:

225 lbs BP 130/80 RHR 75

1. Average 125 miles per week.
2. Make healthy eating choices – particularly when traveling

For me, this was the most important item. Just after Thanksgiving I went cold turkey on junk food and other high fat foods. My love handles have shrunk significantly. I realized that although I was watching my total calorie intake, I was consuming a large amount of fat calories. I was stunned when I started to read food labels..

I'll toss in my.02.Last July I weighed in at GASP!! 302.6 BP 145/95 RHR 90 .at 47 years old and 5'11". Joined Weight Watchers. Today I'm 225.4 BP 128/78 RHR 72. Dusted off my 1990 Trek 2200 Composite and a Performance M200 Cro/Mo hardtail Mtn Bike. Have a goal and watch the Fats and portion size.My year end goal is 185 lbs and my reward will be a Cannondale R1000 .Mileage 50-60 week and weight lifting on off days.

I'm in Carlsbad Ca, and the last year and a half has been tough.... new baby, home and very busy work has made it tough to get on the bike.

I've been overweight by about 30 lbs for the last 3 yrs, and am determined to get this off.

Is there anyone in my area that would like to buddy up on a training schedule?

craig

190...

Nearly three years ago on Super Bowl Sunday I was 300 pounds and almost died from a coronary artery that was 99% blocked. Visiting the local ER, I got an angioplasty, then made some radical changes. I began to eat mostly vegetarian (fish and chicken sparingly), joined a gym, increased my cycling regimen, and lost over 100 pounds. I'm 195 right now, and am aiming for 180. I've done 5 centuries, the California AIDS ride (or AIDSLifeCycle as its called now) twice, and planning on doing the Death Ride in Markleeville this July.

BTW what saved me is that I was already riding a bike and experienced chest pain only when exerting myself, so it would go away when stopped. If I had been a couch potato, a massive heart attack would have eventually occured.

Larry

Heard about this thread, so here I am.

5'11" 238 more or less, 43 years old, 44 next month.

Got back into riding outside last July. Thank you TDF for getting me on my bike. Rode just over 1,000 miles before the chill set in and now I'm on my trainer. I'd like to get to 250-300 miles a month on the trainer, but 200 is more like it. Goal is 2,500 miles for the year and I'm looking forward to getting outside again.

Longest ride - 60 miles. Got down to 227, and want to get back to 230 by February 17th.

Dieting is not for me. I love to eat. Love. Plus living in CT the pizza is fantastic and I crave it. Longest period without pizza - 10 days.

Want to do more weight training, hurt my shoulder last year and that knocked out my bench pressing, but low weights, high reps for me this year.

okay, more later.

Welcome Panic. :)

That's what we are all here for. I started out last year in the 360-370 pound range. Between the cycling and changing my eating style (reading "Eat To Live" for that), I dropped down to about 312 or so by end of 2005.

I'm hoping (and confident) that I'll break the 300 mark and get back in to the 200s soon. :)

"Eat to Live"... problem is I'm from New Orleans and grew up with the "Live to eat" mentality.
;)