bdinger

Hi Clydes,
I've been gone a lot. Blame work, blame - oh well just don't blame anything. A brief summary is that in 2005 I weighed 572 pounds, got down to 350-ish by 2009/2010, then got back up to 471 by this February. As of today I'm at 306 and still falling rapidly. The winter has set in here in Nebraska, but I still ride every day, and today threw studded tires on - perhaps a little late. If nothing else, they'll build my legs more, right?

I'm back because I know many of you struggle, and I do every day. I've finally gotten to the point where I know what happened, know why I got there, know how I could get back - but never will. And if I can, I want to pass that on.

Also I'd really like to pay back some of the good vibes I got here back in the day when this thing first started.

If I can say what changed, it's simply that I forced myself to believe in myself. And that worked.

Yo Spiff

Welcome back, and good luck. Well, actually, luck hasn't anything to do with it.

Had a quick look at your blog. You write well. I've bookmarked it.

Bluish Green

Welcome back, that is impressive weight loss - congratulations and keep up the good work.

Good also on not letting winter stop you. Studded tires are great for keeping you upright on ice, but yes, they are more work to push. More work isn't necessarily bad, just don't try to match your summertime speeds. Embrace the Slowness, and dress to beat the winter. Get your miles in and beat the weather. Thin merino wool shirts and leggings have made all the difference for me - I have bicycle commuted in 7 degree F weather and will do even colder if we get any.

Keep it up, it sounds like you have some good momentum and a good idea where to head.

Neil_B

THIS!

And welcome back. I'm glad we finally agree on something - believing in you.

bdinger

Thank you! I've gone all over the place on the blog, but I've resolved myself to writing more as I know of at least one person that it's helped. And that's what I'm going for - just one person helped with it. And as you put it, luck has absolutely nothing to do with it.

I actually enjoy the studded tires because it's turned the Trucker into something of a monster trucker. That 700x45 knobby front is just stupid fun, and I can't stop going after snowbanks, ice chunks, and various other manner of stupidity. I had them on my old Hardrock two years ago, but that bike after many attempts to get it better was just too small for me, and the 26in tires wouldn't transfer well obviously. The guy who bought that bike got a killer deal on it.

I should start a thread on other gear, but I did go "all in" this year because I knew I would be commuting. My smartest purchases were a North Face "Summit Series" goretex shell, Planet Bike Borealis gloves and Smart Wool socks. I don't wear any special shoes or shoe covers, but those socks are amazing.

bdinger

It's amazing the power that has. I always thought it would be something that would just come to me, but when I started willing myself, that's when things really started to change.

Hey we agree on a lot of things, if we can just avoid politics. LOL!

Neil_B

Well, what I meant was that I thought you were awesome well before you did.

bdinger

It's very true, and I wish I would have listened to you. Or someone for that matter.

Oh well, we go the roads we do for a reason, and sometimes we can't understand those reasons. I'm cool with that.

callmeclemens

When I first started posting here, you were always a good inspirational read. Good to have you back!

Mark Stone

Welcome back - I'm relatively new in C/A (a little over a year) and I don't remember you, so I'll add a hearty "Nice to meet you!" That's quite a journey from 572 in 2005 to your current 306, great job!

Neil_B

Meet Bdinger, the Chubby Super Biker. Or, as I think of him, as a man like you or I, except stronger. Not just physically, but in other, deeper ways, because he's struggled with his weight for so long and so successfully. He's also a heck of a nice guy.

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...avel%20bdinger

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...0super%20biker

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ighlight=kanza

The last link is about a newspaper profile of Bdinger. The links in the thread are dead but someone copied the entire article into a post.

Neil_B

At the risk of being labeled the "resident sage" again, perhaps you had to learn something about yourself.

Brando_T.

I've been reading your blog for a long time now, welcome back.

Question: You were on that severely restricted medically supervised shake diet early last year (and shedding absolute huge amounts of weight) - are you still on that?

bdinger

Nope! I was done with that in May. I'm now all on my own, and should at some point share what I'm doing. I'm afraid it's rather boring and basic, however. Just lots of veggies, chicken, fish, fruits, and almond milk.

Brando_T.

are you eating low carb-ish?

AerobaticDreams

I wanted to add in that I am happy seeing you back here also. I stumbled onto your blog some years ago, just as you were getting your LHT. From there I discovered Bike Forums. I needed to get back on my bike after many years of letting everybody else's welfare get in the way of my own. At one point we exchanged brief messages and you encouraged me to get out and ride. Since then, I've found out I am diabetic (darn it...!) and have finally defeated inertia and started riding like I should. To boot, I talked myself into a Bianchi Road Bike and got my wife a Felt Roadie so we can pile on the miles together and improve our health. (If I can improve income, I sense a LHT someday also...).

I think you are a madman for rising in the weather you do (in a great way)!!! But I respect that you really commit to yourself by doing so. Over the years, I have shared a link to your blog with a number of people who thought they couldn't change their life/ health for the better. While they may not have picked cycling as their excercise, they did start taking care of themselves.

You Rock!

sumguy

welcome back. I also took a break from biking for health problems then the forum and need to get back into riding. Your weight loss achievements are impressive.