I've just joined the forum after a few years(5) away from cycling, and during that time my weight went from 147 lbs to 196.

4 months after getting back into cycling again though I've managed to get down to 165, and now the weathers improved I can get out rather than be stuck inside using the indoor trainer, so hopefully the last 18 won't be too difficult to lose.

I have dropped 30lbs since Boxing Day. Down to 210lbs with a goal of 175-185 for this year. Next year I'll try to get down to 160-170. i'm 6'1" but will get to were I want to be.

Since I'm new here, I'll share my horror stories.

I've got a really bad history of medical mis-diagnosis. Seriously, my medical history reads like the scripts for a season of "House".

The worst mis-diagnosis were diabetic seizures being treated as if I had a mental disorder! (that was NOT normal diabetes but a malfunctioning thyroid). They put me on a suite of anti-epileptics and among them was this little Gem called 'Depakote'

I went from 186 to 260 in three weeks. Depakote for me had two effects - I slept 23 hours a day, and when I was awake all I did was stuff my face... and couldn't bother caring about anything. I've still got stretch marks like a pregnant woman from it... Worst of all because it wasn't a mental disorder NONE of the pills they basically force fed me for two years did a damned thing to control the violent outbursts and siezures.

Needless to say I got better when I told the doctors where to shove their medications (in less than polite terms) - but losing that weight (it's been eight years) has been an uphill battle - I'm still only JUST back down to 210 now - far from the ideal weight for my 5'4" frame.

Even though I've always been a little heavy - comes from being able to leg-press 750 without even breaking a sweat even with a bum knee - I'd like to get back down to the 165 I was when I was in the service some two decades ago.

It's actually part of why I don't mind my el-cheapo Micargi's frame being a bit heavy, or the loss of energy thanks to the internal gear hub - I'm out there for exercise, not to race... a few extra pounds on the bike and a little extra drag just means more of a workout.

Besides with my back being a bit torqued it's not like I can ride these 'lean way the **** forward' bikes like the kids anymore. I'll be 40 in three weeks, my body doesn't do that anymore... Kind of like the difference between an american cruiser motorcycle and a rice-rocket... I can't ride a sports bike in comfort.

I really didnt' start to shed the weight until I finally found out it was diabetes-like symptoms four years ago (when rushed to a hospital in another town after passing out with a blood sugar over 500)... (yeah, mental disorder, that's what it was... quack quack, quack quack) - they told me to get exercise or I was gonna die, especially since to top it all off I have negative reactions to artificial insulin as well as most of the pill form glucophages... But that goes to the old joke - americans will do ANYTHING to lose weight... except eat right and exercise.

Eating right really is so much of it - I was a computer programmer by trade (and still do internet development work on the side for extra pocket $$$) which meant I had the geek diet - where two thirds of my intake was dorito's and coca-cola. Four years ago you could have stuck a needle in my arm, connected me to a soda fountain to add water and carbonation, and had a tasty treat. Cutting out the sugary drinks and bad snacks to eat more REAL FOOD - combined with getting a big heavy bicycle and forcing myself five miles a day when the weather is nice has given me a HEALTHY drop in weight.

It's taken me four years, but I've lost 50 pounds, about 12 pounds during the riding season and gaining back two pounds over the winter months. I wish it was riding season year round since 'pedalling nowhere' has zero appeal to me... but given I also have Lupus and a medication induced parkinsonism (thanks Neurontin) giving me hypersensitivity to heat you can keep the warm weather - since my ideal temperature is around 50F. Did I mention I do most of my riding AFTER the sun goes down? Cursed glowing orb...

It was also nice to laugh at the people spending money on gas during last years spike, and I'm really enjoying laughing at the people who will get in their car to go a quarter mile down the road to the convenience store. In general biking has upped my confidence and made me feel a hell of a lot better about myself. healthy mind goes with healthy body - were that I had a healthy body :(

Though at least between the nestegg from liquidating my computer company, the malpractice suit for treating diabetes as a mental condition, and my SSDI I never HAVE to work ever again if I don't want.

Which is great since I'm now legally blind (I can still see things, I just can't read anything outside ten feet - big deal) and dealing with tremor from the medication induced parkinsonism.

deathshadow, sorry to hear of your horror stories! Hang in there bud, I'm a computer programmer too and went from 140ish when I was 19 to about 205 ten years later but from my own self-inflicted problems. I'm now at 158 and still losing and your right - the diet is key! I switched to a vegan + fish diet and started going every day for easy endurance rides (zone 2 of heart rate) and the pounds are steadily, sustainably coming off. Props to you for being through so much and having the right attitude. Don't worry about the weight of your bike or how low you are - just be comfortable and consistent and most importantly - have some fun!

Not sure if a similar topic has been posted so merge if necessary. A little background: I was a courier for 2 years (2000-2002) and weiged a respectable cycling weight of about 130.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...ncircus/me.jpg

After riding, I got very into weightlifting and put on about 30 lbs. (sorry no pics that I'd feel comfy posting :o

After I stopped that routine, it went to pudge and I gained a few more lbs at about 165 (photo from 2007 but I was the same weight through Nov. 2009)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...us/robbike.jpg

Well, this November when the ex left I decided to make a change. I am now at 142 and aiming to be back in the 135 range. (2nd from right)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...s/IMG_2196.jpg

Not sure if anyone has a similar story but if you do please post :)

Rob

Who-hoo! I am 200 today! :)

Picking up my bike tomorrow. Did a lot of road riding as a teenager and my activity level has gone down while my waistline has grown. I have gone from a tiny 105# as a freshman in highschool nearly 20 years ago to 200# now. Realistically I would love to get to a very buff 130, I'll settle for a healthy 150. Wife came to me last week and said she wanted a bike and I decided that it sounded like a great idea. Went shopping in a few LBS's before settling on a bike for each of us, now it's just up to me to actually ride.

I am 5'10 and about 223 right now. I keep floating at this weight. I am working out hard several times a day. I have a running coach and a swimming coach.. I am on some meds that screw with the metabolism but I cant understand why I cant drop anymore weight. I also have been trying to eat pretty healthy, I cut out fast food and soda( which I love) but its just not coming off. I have lost about 20 lbs since December 09. I bought my first bike this weekend and I am hoping adding this to the workout schedule will help me start to lose weight.

Down to 220 today from 251.5 on Jan 1

I just hit 188lbs breaking the 190 barrier I have been sitting at for the last couple of weeks. New Year I was sitting at 210 and I had been up around 220 around Thanksgiving. I have been trying to regularly ride and improve my diet (eat more raw foods and less frying). At 5'8" my goal is 165-170, which is heavier than the standard charts recommend but I have the legs of a speed skater and was 180lbs in college (9% body fat). Obviously not as fit as I was in college, but the more I ride the more my muscles turn back to where the way they were, so I don't expect to drop to the "ideal body weight".

The biggest thing I have done is cut out all the energy drinks and sugar. I recommend everyone read what is on the back of what you buy in the store before putting it in your cart. Even basic bread has HFCS in it, places like Whole Foods are more expensive to shop at, but think quality not quantity and it starts to work out. To kill the fast food, get in the habit of making tomorrow's lunch while you make dinner (less of a chance of being too tired to do it later). Also, treat yourself, you are not in this diet for spiritual enlightenment, so there is no need to eat stuff you hate. For instance I made a Banana / Strawberry pie using the gluten free pie shells and just a little bit of sugar (cornstarch and water gels it all together). Sure it is high in calories, if you eat the whole pie, but it has a lot less calories than packaged desserts and it has fruit, potassium and tastes heavenly. Just focus on eating one slice and it should last more than a week.

Down to 203lbs at last way in, hope to be craking the 200lbs mark soon.

Clocked over 45 miles on the bike over the past week, haven't lost any weight yes, but I'll keep spinning until I do. Trying to squeeze in 1 hour/day of real riding as well as a short commute.

Well I haven't went past the magical 200lbs mark but I'm right there at 200 hopefully be under by next week. I've kinda falling off my eating plan the last two weeks but seem to be back on track so weight should be coming off again. My goal at start was 200 by June 5th the weekend of a back to back century well now I'm hoping to be at 190 for that time frame so I need to loose another 10 lbs in about 7 weeks.

I'll chime in.. Since the beginning of the year I'm down from 230 to 190.5 as of today (6'1" 32 yr old male). I'm training for a 1/2 marathon in July and hoping that X-training with the bike will improve my endurance and stamina and hopefully drop about 10 more off of me. I'd like to run it between 180 and 185. I've been lifting heavy 4 days a week and running 3 days a week (up to 7 miles now) and eating a strict diet so the bike will fit in on non-running days and weekends :D The adrenaline rush of the exercise is intoxicating. Just accomplishing more so looking forward to that feeling on the bike also.

For those that I coach I focus them to maintain a real food diet. This means that we as athletes need to get back to real food. Food that you cook yourself. I like to make rice, beans, fruits and vegatble meals. This is the athletes ultimate food source. At the same time, stay a little hungry through your day. You will find you lose weight saftely and effectively.

Lastly, a good colon cleansing product may also help you lose a handful pounds.

Finally made it under 200lbs, been sitting at 195 for a few weeks. Time to mix it up again.

Down to 191# from 200, over 250 miles on the bike and watching what I eat. A little hungry most of the time. My spreadsheet seems to indicate that I'm loosing 1.5#/week on average. Need to check in with my GP over Hypoglycemic attacks.

I posted almost 2 years ago about how I had gone from 204 down to 166 using a combo of dieting and cycling (and running). A couple of months after I made that post I pretty much quit riding or running and returned to school (in addition to being active duty Navy and raising a family) to finish my degree. Well in between Nov 2008 and Jan 2010 I had packed on 35 lbs of that lost weight and my waist shot back up to 38". After some work related travel I figured, alright I'm done with school, now it's time to lose this weight again. So since Feb this year I am down from 196 to 171, but not really looking to go any lower (my wife already thinks I'm manorexia) and my waist is back down to 33". I did this through a combo of doing the P90X lean program, cycling, running and watching what I eat. I do not refer to it as a diet, but rather a lifestyle change because that's truly what you are doing is simply chancing your lifestyle. My aim is to continue to keep it up this time, but now the key is to make sure I don't lose too much weight (last time I got down to 161 lbs before I went back to my old habits).

i started rideing in december but not really seriously well now i try to ride 2 to 3 times a week i have lost a little bit of weight 10 pounds i built up some of my muscle tone on my legs and rideing also makes me fell really happy i suffer from depression and exercise is my new drug of choice not prozac lol

And it does work. Exercise releases endorphines in your brain.

2 months ago, after a nasty scare with my BP, I cut out all processed foods and started riding my bike 10 miles every night.

2 months with a total of 18 pounds lost.

The only thing my diet really is missing are the cheese burgers, oh boy... I really love burgers and I will always want them... As long as I grind the meat myself and everything else I put on them I can have them :) My doc said so as my Labs came back squeeky clean :)

I haven't poked my head in here for a while. I forgot how much I enjoy reading about folks weight loss progress. Simply awesome! This hopefully will be my final update in this thread. Which is actually good.

4/30/07 - 220 lbs
5/31/07 - 220 lbs
6/30/07 - 215 lbs
7/31/07 - 210 lbs
8/31/07 - 208 lbs
9/30/07 - 205 lbs
10/31/07 - 204 lbs
11/30/07 - 200 lbs
12/31/07 - 197
1/31/08 - 194
2/29/08 - 189
3/31/08 - 186
4/30/08 - 182
5/31//08 - 178
6/30/08 - 178
7/31/08 - 176
8/31/08 - 174
9/30/208 - 173
10/31/08 - 170
2/28/09 - 167

Drum roll...
8/13/10 - 156

I've been hanging between 156 & 158 the last two weeks. This is about where I want to stay within a few pounds. So That's that! :D

Best thing about returning to cycling :)

Joining the gravy train. Today I crossed 160 and got really mad at myself. I don't like the feeling.

I'm 6'0 and have a history of weight fluctuation:

Age 14: 188
Age 16: 136
Age 21: 155
Age 24: 123
Age 25: 140
Age 26: 145 (where I'd like to be).

15 pounds need to go!