what's in shape for you?

[doctorfrau]

What is "in shape" for me?

More than I am now

I am currently the heaviest that I have ever been in my life (185lbs at 5'4"). Graduated college at about 125 lbs(20 years ago), but was doing nothing. I'm also not exactly petite - I wear a men's 9EEEE running shoe, and have big hands and a "generous" pelvic girdle. Let's just say I havent' seen a size 8 since Jr High!!

Went up and down with 3 pregnancies but was always able to get most of it back off again w/ power-walking.

Then came the mid-life crisis 4 years ago, and the depression that came along for the ride. Lost 27 pounds in 3 months.

Got counselling, got good meds, got a divorce, got a tattoo, got into medical school.... and got heavier. Studying is deadly -- not only are you sedentary doing it, but eating to stay awake happens too. I do the treadmill as often as I can, but the weight just keeps creeping.

Bought my used bike last year for my 40th birthday,and had a ball with it. I still havent' conquered the weight-creep, but I'm still wearing the same size, so maybe some of it is muscle?

Now I want a "new" bike (Specialized Sequoia), and am selling stuff on E-bay to raise the money - haha!

Anyway, it is heartening to read that you can be in decent shape and still not weigh what the supermodels do. I so glad to have found you all "REAL" women!!!
Thanks Ladies!!

[podium junkie]

I'm five foot seven and have weighed anywhere from 140 pounds to my recent winter weight of 120 pounds. I've been through anorexia, did the binge and purge on and off throughout high school, would exercise for hours a day, every day. I was never overweight, I just wanted to look like all those models on the covers of magazines.

I finally got my eating habits under control after I became pregnant with my first child. It has been eight years since I've conquered my eating disorders.

Last year I took up MTB racing and it was so weird being able to think of food as being "good" for me. I could eat and eat all the healthy stuff I wanted and I never gained a pound all season. By my last race I weighed 115 pounds but I swear I wasn't restricting my food at all!!

So in shape for me is any weight as long as I'm feeling energetic and strong!

I've been biking all winter at least twice a week, through blizzards and snow, and now that the roads I use as my training routes are dry, I'm upping my mileage and starting my "real" race training instead of just playing around. I also can't wait to get on my rollerblades again! Spring can't come soon enough!

Long Live the Bike!!!