You quit smoking, which takes a tremendous amount of will power. Be proud you made a healthy life choice. You are riding, again, another healthy life choice. As you ride, your muscles will tone and your fitness level will improve. I shed over 66 inches overall and about 66 pounds of fat (I held onto the pregnancy weight for over a decade, not proud, just the truth). In the beginning I was concerned about what the scale said. No longer. I am most concerned with strength. I do not want to be teeny, like I once was, and after having children and getting older, it is unlikely that will happen. I happen to truly enjoy food, so I do not "diet". I eat 6 small haelthy balanced meals a day and exercise every single day. I feel better, and look better (not smaller) then I have ever looked in my life. Most importantly, I finally am content with who I am.

In case you are wondering, I chose to shed weight and build muscle slowly. It took about 1 1/2 years (that time flew by but pales in comparison to the years I carried all the excess weight) and I did everything myself at home and now on a bike.

IMO, each person is different and each person must decide what makes them happy or unhappy and how to become happy and satisfied. There will always be someone prettier, younger, stronger, and thinner than me. That used to bother me, now I just accept it as a fact of life. No matter what I do, I will never be tall or have long legs or a petite bone structure. I am who I am.