Dorsilfin

Well, Lets just say I used to be a ******.. Sitting at my deskjob sucking down a half pound burger and fries every day.

I looked like this. at 235+ pounds



Long story short, a car accident in that car left me with a broken back. I refused surgery as the doctors wanted to fuse my spine. they said I was guaranteed to lose between 25-30% of my overall mobility with no guarantee of pain reduction.
one doctor even went as far to call me fat and said if i wasn't carrying around the extra weight i would feel better.

Insert life changing *Game On* face..

I stopped eating the burger every day. I stopped popping the pain killers like pez and accepted nothing about the next year would be pleasant.

I thought about what I could and couldn't do. jogging/running was out because of the high impact. I remember riding a bike a few years back and enjoying it. So I tried and sure enough I was able to ride without too much discomfort. and So I bought myself a mountain bike to start, it was softer to ride on the roads and was nice.

30 pounds later, I realized this was really getting fun and I was enjoying the riding, Even did some trail riding Avoiding the really bumpy/technical stuff. I decided to get a road bike. A co-worker of mine actually had an older one a 91 Bianchi Campione in race yellow.. it was awesome! granted it was too big I didnt care I just rode like it was my job. every day before work 10 mile bike ride. every day after work 10 mile bike ride. Every weekend 40 50 60 80 and even a 100 mile bike ride.. I was hooked.

Winding down the summer, I ended up looking like this. at 165 pounds



*Insert heck yeah* face. I had dropped 60 pounds in 1 year and my back pain had faded but never gone.. I felt strong for the first time in a very very logn time.


well as the story goes on, I ended up buying a house and that consumed my time I got stagnate over the winter and never really came back into things full swing the following year.

Well its been 3 years since that summer, and im sitting around 195 and realize I need to get back to that 165 and stay there. My problem I push myself to ride and I enjoy the riding.. Im just not feeling that overwhelming desire to push myself.

So whats your motivation for getting the drive back?

Street Pedaler

In your case, I'd just look at those two pictures and ask yourself which you'd rather be. You made a TREMENDOUS amount of progress in only a year of riding/ dieting. I have a long history of severe back issues, too, including a bunch of shiny new titanium in my lumbar spine. You and I both know that weight control and greatly alleviate lower back pain. The hardest part of riding is simply getting out the door, getting on the bike and riding. Do it. Once you're back at it for awhile you'll wonder how you ever got away from it. Good luck!

Yo Spiff

I've been on and off the bike a year or two at a time myself, so I know how hard the motivation to get started can be. Some things that have worked for me:

-I know I always feel better emotionally and have more energy to accomplish things when I am riding regularly. The time spent on the bike pays itself back in the energy to get other things done. I just have to force myself to do it for a couple of weeks, then my body starts craving the exercise. If I have to stop riding for some reason I actually have cravings to ride that are probably the closest thing I will ever come to withdrawal symptoms.

-I know this sound callous and cold, but I think of my SIL. She is the same age as myself and at least 500 pounds. She can't even stand in the kitchen to cook and sits on a rollaround office chair when making meals. Just suffered congestive heart failure. Scary stuff and I'm pissed at her for doing this to herself. I just want to go hammer out some hills.

-When I've been off the bike, I start off small. 2-3 miles around the neighborhood. Push it a couple of miles more each time and I've always been doing 15-20 within the month. This year is the first time I've ridden through the winter and I'm starting off stronger than ever before and back to doing the kind of rides I did when I was in my 20's. (That was one of my personal goals). Routinely doing 30 miles+ now and often 40+.

TrojanHorse

Get a bike that fits. New bikes always motivate me to ride. That motivation can last for months! Then get a new wheel set, new shoes... you can keep going for months. Stimulate the economy too. Expensive though.

Then find some people to ride with. You obviously enjoy riding, I personally enjoy riding with other people and think it takes away some of the drudgery but then there are time I like to just put my head down and be quiet too. Mix it up.

Losing weight (especially that much) is hard and keeping it off is equally hard, but half the battle is mental. You can either sit around and let circumstances dictate who you are (back pain, meds etc) or you can own your situation. You seem to be an "own your situation" kind of guy. I think loads of people here on this subforum have similar issues - I have a Ti plate in one foot and no cartilage to speak of in my other knee as a result of getting hit by a car - so I think you'll find a lot of empathetic listeners if you want to stick around, even though your're a retired clyde. My foot hurts every day, my knee hurts every day and although some things are just physically unbearable (running for instance) the less I let it affect my day the happier I feel about life.

SuncoastChad

Check your diet, too. Odds are you've gone back to more burgers...biking/activity is great but if you aren't eating healthy - well, you are just delaying the related problems.
Good luck!

jr59

Just relax and find some fun type short rides.

Find that place that makes it fun to ride a bike.
No computer, no HR, no power tap. Just fun and build from there.

Dorsilfin

Already ahead of you on the bike. =) I had the next spring bought a Specialized Roubaix SL2, however I had to sell that for the downpayment on the house so I had to let the dream bike go.

I picked up this Roubaix comp on saturday morning, its almost the same specs as my original SL2 and half the price now a days. So the comfy bike is feeling really good, and Im shocked at how little i have left in my legs. 20 miles up near the Ashokan reservoir in the catskills of NY and my legs were cramping and screaming.. So yeah its a far cry from the 100 mile rides a few years ago but from what ive gathered its easier to get it back the 2nd time around then the first time.




-Dors

bbeasley

Have you thought about entering an event? Bike race, Century, or a Tri might help get you focused.

TrojanHorse

Ah, love my roubaix. Go ride it, your legs will get used to it quick enough.

Pug

If you ride alone, try adding some social interaction to make things interesting. Groups rides with your local shop or club are great. You'll get like-minded companionship and also people who will notice when you don't show up for a ride. Guilt can be a powerful motivator.

Also, Strava can be a fun way to spice up your rides. As mentioned on the other thread, Strava segments really allow you to measure up against other riders. This time last year I was 235# and on a popular Strava segment near me I was 54th out of 115. I really focused on that segment and recently increased my placing to 6th out of 127. Losing 30 pounds helped, but I really find myself looking forward to uploading my GPS data to Strava at the end of a ride to see how I did. Anyway, just my 2 cents. Good luck!

chasm54

OP, bbeasley has a good suggestion. Get yourself signed up for a century ride somewhere in the summer and use it as a spur to get out training.

And "the appetite comes with eating" as they say. The more you do, the more you'll like it. Eventually you'll feel vaguely uncomfortable if you haven't been out riding for a couple of days. And you'll remember how much you enjoyed it.

TrojanHorse

Me too, and there are even a few clydes in my area I can measure up against.

Tom Stormcrowe

Easy answer.....go out for a ride, and remember how much fun it is......go out and just enjoy the ride...no other motivations. Don't sweat weight loss, don't sweat if another cyclist passes ya, don't sweat it if it's anly a 20 minute ride instead of an alll day Century. Live the moments.

Just get your groove on. It'll all come back.

jethro56 

Forget the past. Quit thinking about the whole journey and just think about tomorrow.

bigfred 

I've never sold all my bikes. There's always been at least one in the corner or in the garage begging to be taken for a ride and reminding me of how much I get back out of it.

I've been on and off the bike for years at a time over the last 30 years. I'm back on now and have lost 44 pounds since last Aug.

I enter 'events". And, then strong arm my cycling friends into doing the same. That makes us automatic training encouragement for each other. E-mails about mid week rides, setting up weekend rides etc.

Strava is pretty cool. Comparing my segments and rides to other riders in the area is giving me a real measure to use as a motivator in the absence of riding buddies during mid week rides. However, I'm still learning 'how' to use the tool. It's already modifying the 'way' I'm riding and not necessarily for the better with regard to training for specific events. I need to not focus on immediately improving my segment times, but, remain focused on the longer term training plan.

I introduced my wife to cycling. She has little/no interest in competing. But, she enjoys the heck out of riding and we enjoy my mid week recovery rides together and occassionaly meet up with other friends for weekend rides that comprise either a recovery for myself or we split into two groups. Frequently, I'll ride from the house, meet her 'out there', complete a less intense loop that delivers her back to the car and then destroy myself on the way back to the house.

jimnolimit

take your bike out for 5 minutes, not 6 minutes, 5 minutes (set a timer on your phone), then put your bike back in the house. wait a day or two and do the same thing, 5 minutes and put your bike away.

avance

Dors, I think we have the exact same Roubaix... You have to want to do it, no one can force you into doing it. Like others have said, try riding for short periods of time and find a riding buddy.

mawtangent

I've always had a bike around since I was 8 years old...I started taking some longish rides in my mid to late teens before the car and job life came along, I didn't start riding any long distances again until around the age of 42 (that was 5 years ago). I had moved to an area that was more favorable to road biking and my bike (a Huffy Dash 10-speed) was very accessible, having just been pulled from storage when I moved, so I started taking it out for longer and longer rides. After a few months I looked into modern/higher level bikes, and bought a few over the years. I'm sure biking (and exercise in general) can play a role in losing weight and maintaining general good health and fitness, but to me the biggest payback is the relative feeling of euphoria (and being truly awake) after an hours ride, it the closest I feel to being 13 again.