FatguyRacer

I had mine around 220 about two weeks ago. I just had a big loss spurt and am down to 213 today. That makes close to 40 lbs down since June 1.

Congrats too everybody and keep it up.

Don Gwinn

I did 30 miles for the first time today. 31.1, as a matter of fact, average speed 15 mph on the dot (I really think it would have been faster, but there were periods of slowness--I was exploring new territory today even though I've lived here for 27 years. I spent five miles or so crawling along a road paved, curiously enough, in both dirt and large, sharp stones. Won't be going that particular way again. Then I got a flat in town less than two miles from home and decided to walk the bike to the nearby gas station before I fixed it, which I'm sure didn't make the average any higher. But I did 30 miles, I fixed a flat out on the road for the first time, and I really think I'm ready to do 40 next week in the Capital City Century. This time next year I'll do the full century! I really think if I absolutely had to do the 100, I could do it in the maximum time allotted simply by gutting it out. I'm just not really ready and I want to enjoy myself.

In even bigger news, my wife did four miles with the kids and I today. That's the first time she's been on a bike in thirteen years. I am all kinds of proud of her! She's a great woman and a great wife. She's hurting right at the moment, but so was I a couple of months ago. Now that's nothing.

She's going to take my bike to the bike shop tomorrow after school and have some things checked out--the bottom bracket developed a weird creak, the brakes and spokes are loosening up the way the mechanic said they would, and I'm down to one spare tube now, of course. So I won't have my bike, but that's OK. I'll have it back in time to do the commute Thursday and a little longer route Friday, and it should be perfect when I get it back. Brand new, broken in, and tuned. Yeah, baby!
Besides, I was blowing my nose like crazy today and that's no fun. I have a feeling I'm going to pay for this ride tomorrow with this cold and I don't want to have it when I do the big ride Sunday. A couple of days off should help me clear it up.

KingTermite 

Gratz Don. Good mileage. That's a good average speed too....I wish I could get an average that high....so far my record average is around 12 or 12.5mph.

I did 30 for the first time a few weekends ago. I didn't get to ride any during last weekend because I had a weekend's worth of yard work to do. I planned to try to get a good ride in this week and try to top that 30 miles with 35 or 40, but I got this cold first. I don't have enough air in my lungs at the moment to feel comfortable getting on the bike.

Mahoolihan

Congrats Don. You have given me hope ... especially when I read your siggy. I started just shy of where you started in poundage and am aiming to get where you're at. Any secrets? I am down 25 lbs since February b y weight training 3x a week, riding as much as possible (longest ride to date: 26.5 miles averaging 12 mph or so), and adjusting my diet in a sensible way (more water, less soda, more fruits and veggies, fewer processed snacks, etc.) Are you using supplements at all? Do you recommend them?

Thanks all for your stories, and your humor . Take care!

Don Gwinn

I don't have any secrets. The three things you mentioned are the only things that have worked for me. I don't recommend supplements; most of them seem to be little better than scams, and they're all temporary.
If you're just eating fewer calories and eating reasonable food, I believe you're better off than anyone who relies on supplements even if they work. When you get to 200 or 180 or whatever, having lost all that weight by "eating whatever you want and popping our pill three times a day" how do you stay in shape? You still have to learn the sensible eating habits if you want it to last, so you've saved yourself exactly no work. By the time I get to 200 lbs, I plan to have been eating maintenance calories for 200 for nearly two years. It should be harder NOT to eat right by then.

In short, I think you're doing it right and getting your results, so why change anything? I'd do what you're doing and concentrate on making it easier to do it over the long haul.

Don Gwinn

Is 15.0 really any good? I thought that was a bit slow. That would put me at the top of C class or bare bottom edge of B in the local club.

DerekU2

I made it! I weighed in yestday and this morning at 174.6 pounds, down from 205 on May 2, 2005 and a lifetime high of 218 a few years back. I can't remember the last time I weighed under 180 pounds. Middle school maybe?

At 5'11", my BMI is finally in the healthy range. Friends of mine have taken to calling me "Skinny" and jokingly worrying that I'll soon disappear. This is the first time I have set and achieved a weight loss goal. I've lost in the past under the general pretense of "losing weight" with no specific number in mind. This time, I set a goal and I hit it.

My ride on Sunday afternoon is what pushed me over the top. Interestingly, that ride also crossed another goal off my list - ride a metric century (100K, 62 Miles). I did 63.1 Miles at an average of 14.77MPH, surpassing my previous long ride of 52 miles. Every once in a while you have to ride completely outside of your comfort zone just to challenge yourself.

Looking in the mirror, I still have some fat to rid myself of around my gut (can pinch a little more than an inch there) so I'm setting a new goal of 165 pounds by November 15th. Maybe I'll start to see some abdominal muscles!

Ritz

Cool DerekU2! You're doin' great! When I do the "Pinch" test I get something like four or five inches! LOL!
Peace, Ritz.

WWW.TOURDEPANTS.COM

Mahoolihan

Thanks Don ... that's helpful. I am not taking supplements now, except a good multi-vitamin (I figure it can't hurt). I appreciate your encouragement.

Mahoolihan

WTG Derek! Keep up the good work! Right now my pinch test is an exercise for two hands LOL. I have a ways to go.

Puppypaws

This gentleman has posted on this thread and gives a step by step approach that worked for him.

www.howilost100pounds.com

I was impressed with how well written/organized his website is. I may print it out and keep it in a notebook for my patients to browse.

cheebahmunkey

yeah that guy did an incredible job but I just don't buy into the whole "any type of sugar is bad, even fruit" but "cheese and red meat is ok!" Sorry, that's just me. I lost over 100 pounds too and I always have and continue to eat any fruit I want, any grain I want, and even the occasional refined flour and sugar (oh come on, a guy's gotta be allowed some indulgence ). I did it, so can everyone else. Definitely try and cut out all the refined sugar and flour you can but don't make it the enemy. Also, try and limit the cheeses and red meats, not embrace them.

Mahoolihan

You don't often find people who got fat eating fruits and vegetables, do you?? I have never bought into the "cut all fruit out" diet fads. I am eating better but not great. For me, right now, that's good enough. I am averaging 1.5 lbs a week weight loss, which is healthy. The credit goes not to my diet, but to my biking. Plus, I'm happy, and able to do things with my kidlets. Life is good!

KingTermite 

It's all perspective. It's probably slow as hell to the hard core road cycling peeps, but its quite a bit faster than my fat arse on my comfort bike.

SandySwimmer

Lots of healthy losses happening here. It's great to read.

When I put my information into fitday.com and have discovered that if I don't take a multivitamin, it is difficult to get those trace minerals (like zinc, magnesium, selenium). A multivitamin is a nice insurance policy. And it seems to be even more important when limiting calories. Also, fitday.com has convinced me that I have to have broccoli or spinach every single day or I don't get my vitamin K. And Go Lean cereal is a great source of phosphorous.

Emergen-C (1000mg of C powder) is great to keep our immune system strong. My normal after exercise smoothie includes a banana, 10 ounces of soy milk, 2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds, 1 tbsp. wheat germ, and an ounce of protein powder.

I don't like the idea of supplements, but these things are the things I have come to rely on to "supplement" my healthy diet.

Also, the only thing I have discovered with fruit is if I have indulged with something that contains sugar or white flour, I cut fruit the next day and the cravings for sugar (that usually follow eating sugar) disappear. Otherwise, I have about 5 days of cravings for stuff I shouldn't be eating.

Sandy

DerekU2

Ah the dangers of reading diet books...

I started reading "Eat To Live" two nights ago and I am 50 pages in. It's decentley written thus far, but the problem is I'm only half way through the parts where he tells you why the typical American Diet is bad. He hasn't told me what I SHOULD be eating yet. So now I go to eat and I second guess my choices! I gotta get through this book. Essentially all 've got for advice right now is Fiber, Fruit and Vegetables.

The other downside is that the book seems targeted at people who are obease and don't exercise. I'm obviously going to be left with some changes to make for my active lifestyle (9-11 hours of riding on average per week, sometimes much more).

FXjohn

You'd have to be an imbecile to think you're going to get fat eating raw fruits and vegetables (as has been stated in this thread). Do you think you got that fat gut from eating bananas? honestly, how stupid.

FXjohn

What is it that you don't understand? Don't eat greasy meat and processed food.
Eat fish and chicken in moderation, lots of fruits and vegetables.
What is it that has you stumped?

Ritz

Fruits, Veggies, and a few lean meats. Whole grains only, and then sparingly. Nuts as a snack without going overboard. No, or V-E-R-Y little, refined sugars and flour. It seems to be working well for me, I'm losing 2 - 5 pounds per week! Peace, Ritz.

WWW.TOURDEPANTS.COM

Mahoolihan

Right. The comment was meant as sarcasm (hence, the rolling eyes smiley). But, thanks for the flame. My blood pressure is now elevated, which I figure is a calorie burn for me.

KingTermite 

I'm reading that book right now too...probably about 100 pages into it.

I don't know what you mean though....he talks about obesity but more about how eating right proactively keeps you safer from cancer and heart disease (I think he talks more about that than he does obesity) and the bad American diet but states in almost every other sentence to eat fruits and vegetables and foods with no/little fat and in their "natural" state (e.g. ix-nay on the preservatives).

It's a great book....I've been slow to reading it as I've been super busy lately, but I've been starting to eat much more veggies and fruits and cutting out the dairy and fats and preservatives, etc... and have lost 25 pounds in about 6-8 weeks.

SandySwimmer

I think it's important to put weight loss in terms of gaining healthy habits, not in terms of intelligence. Very important. Otherwise, we would not have health care providers, surgeons, nutritionists, coaches, insurance agents, wellness directors, and former athletes in this country who are obese or morbidly obese (which we have an amazingly high number of these). They "know" what they need to be doing to live healthy lives, but they don't always follow through with it.

Calling ourselves stupid for making errors in judgment along the way is very damaging. That's why a lot of people don't try . . . they feel like they will be judged . . . if they get out there and exercise . . . if they struggle . . . if they ask questions.

And what works for one, might not work for another. Those who have lost weight and maintained share very similar lifestyles, but how they got there is as individual as the person. The trick is to keep reading and trying things and being consistent until our bodies respond in healthy ways. And to not be afraid to share information . . . or struggles . . . or successes.

Be well,
Sandy

Ritz

Share information? Okay! WWW.TOURDEPANTS.COM

Zin

Wow! What great stories. Derek, I'm also 5'11" and have set my goal at 180lbs. I've been stuck at around 220lbs for almost a year. Its my own fault.

I've been in a bit of a "funk" for the last month or so. Trying to pull out of this tailspin.

NoRacer

I went from the guy on the left (age 40) to the guy on the right (age 47) mostly from running, but some cycling:



I started at 200 pounds and wound up at 145.