Right. You can. It takes a lot longer to lose weight than it used to when we were younger, but it still can be done. You have to exercise and diet at the same time so that you know for sure you are burning more calories than you are taking in. And you don't have to wait till you lose a bunch of weight to start working towards and doing long rides. I have dealt with a lot of the stuff you mention. I have ridden 3000+ miles a year for the last two years, and my husband and I just did the 206-mile Seattle to Portland ride in one day (last year, we did it in two days. It hurts more that way, by the way. I would happily do it again in one day). Have lost 35 pounds but still have 40 more pounds to lose. I just figure that it takes longer to lose weight than it used to, consider it a long term project, and just keep trucking. I'll get there, you'll get there...BUT know that you have to watch the calories you eat pretty carefully--it's easy to outeat your exercise if you don't!

My husband looked at me somewhere around mile 150 on the Seattle to Portland ride two weeks ago, and said, "You just rode 150 miles and you're still riding. If anyone says anything about you not being thin enough, you should just tell them to go f*** themselves!". Then he laughed. He's a cool guy.