Hi! New to the board!

[Smokie]

Hi everyone. Just wanted to say hi and tell you how awesome I think this forum is. I just started really riding a month or two ago but am falling head over heals in love with it.

A little about me. I am 35, married and have no kids. I am currently back in college finishing my undergraduate degree so I find I have a lot of time to ride. I live in New Orleans and attend Tulane so I have the park right across from school and can do laps around the bike path every day. We are also very close to the river and have a paved path on the levee for riders or joggers. I am on the heavy side and originally started riding to help lose weight. I had foot surgery this summer so jogging is a no go. I found that I want to ride farther and farther every day and am not that focused on the weight loss aspect anymore. (okay I still am since I have a lot to lose, but I do other exercise for that.) I made a decision a month ago that I want to train for the MS Tour for Cure next year, a 150 mile ride over 2 days. Now, I'm not sure if I will be ready for it but it's nice to have a goal that is a year away to work towards. I have a few friends locally that will ride with me, but for the most part it is all me.

My husband runs but loves that I am riding. I am only up to about 12 miles a day but I am very proud of me for that. I currently ride a hybrid but am looking to get a road bike for Christmas maybe, or at least after the first of the year. A couple of things I've noticed.
1. Good bike shorts/kickers are worth their weight in gold.
2. The people at my local bike shop look at me in disgust when I walk in like because I am a heavy woman I could not possibly be serious at riding. I truly don't like them.
3. Riding is a zen for me. I can ride out frustrations and stress or just lose myself in it.
I also make and sell hula hoops and have found that my biking is just as relaxing as hooping.

So after all that, Hi everybody!

[arielmoon]

Hi and welcome to TE! Good for you for getting out there and not caring what other people think!

[Juliegoddess]

Hey Smokie!

I'm new, too...and I'm also pretty heavy, compared to lots of folks here! I wish I could ride 12 miles a day...that's awesome! I ride between 7 and 10, but I just have this horribly heavy mountain bike that feels like I'm pedaling something like a forklift! I'm also going to be getting my first road bike, but it won't be until spring (tax refund!)

As for exercise...I am not sure what you are doing, but I've been discouraged with my waist. I've lost lots off my butt, hips and legs, but the waist isn't budging much. I'm doing some "core" stuff...will be starting that this weekend...!

It's nice to meet you! We'll have to keep in touch and keep each other posted on how we are doing health-wise!

~Julie

[Smokie]

Hey Julie, try hula hooping. It's great for your waist and it's fun. You'll feel like a kid. You need to buy the hoops made for adults though. They are heavier and bigger around. (The ones they sell at the toy stores are made for small children) I also play the Wii Fit all the time. I am hooked on it. There are tons of games out there for it. One thing I did learn about belly fat is you have to do a ton of cardio to burn it off before you can start working on toning it up. I would love to go back in time and reclaim my 115 pound body (or at least yell at me and warn me about the future, LOL )

I'm glad I'm not the only one on here that is curvy

I love my body though (always have) and I just want to be healthy.

Kim

[Juliegoddess]

Hey Julie, try hula hooping. It's great for your waist and it's fun. You'll feel like a kid. You need to buy the hoops made for adults though. They are heavier and bigger around. (The ones they sell at the toy stores are made for small children) I also play the Wii Fit all the time. I am hooked on it. There are tons of games out there for it. One thing I did learn about belly fat is you have to do a ton of cardio to burn it off before you can start working on toning it up. I would love to go back in time and reclaim my 115 pound body (or at least yell at me and warn me about the future, LOL )

I'm glad I'm not the only one on here that is curvy

I love my body though (always have) and I just want to be healthy.

Kim

Hey Kim!

Yes, I know just how you feel! I have no problem being bigger...in fact I LOVE being a curvy lady. And yes, I am learning about how tough it is to get rid of this waist. It's weird...because when i was younger, my waist would just disappear when I lost weight. Not now, though...now it's just sticking to me. The hula hoop idea is awesome!! Sounds way more fun than crunches!! and I think I'm going to ask for Wii Fit for Christmas. I've heard lots of good stuff about it...

[Bike Chick]

Welcome Smokie! Sounds like you've been bitten by the cycling bug! Good for you.

You are not the only person on this forum with curves..........as a matter of fact I think there is a recent thread addressing that very issue.

As far as the MS150, you can definitely do it next year. I did our MS150 my first year on a bike and the furthest I had ridden prior to that was 50 miles....that wasn't smart but I did it and it was a great experience. I highly recommend it.

[Smokie]

Thanks ladies!! I am really inspired my you all. My initial inspiration was a friend of mine in New York. Last year he decided to start riding at every stop he could on the road (he's a truck driver) and he blogs about all of his mountain biking. He has lost over 50 pounds in the last year, rode a 76 miler this week and is trying to create a bike route on some property he owns in upstate New York. I did 14 miles yesterday and I have to admit, I love the way my legs feel right now. LOL