Wl-chllng #2!!!

[kjay]

I wondered if losing weight would make a big difference in my climbing and mountain biking. I'm close to 180. I'd love to get down to 150 or 145. My lowest weight ever was 155, but I wasn't a cyclist then. I'm a really strong cyclist on the flats, but once I hit the hills, it's like I'm a dead weight. It's so frustrating. Probably the best thing to do is drop these lbs.

Exactly the same with me, and I look forward to the day when I've dropped at least 20 pounds because climbing would be a whole lot easier I would imagine. I've had to walk up a number of hills (and even more before I knew I had a granny gear). This week I've undergone an endoscopy and colonoscopy, so I may be down a few pounds just because of that. Woohoo — I'll take it however I get it.

[CyclaSutra]

I know it's late in the game ... but I've been lurking and love this thread.

Does that count? Can I still join in as a no-reward participant (don't want to take anything away from you guys who don't have as much to lose...)

I weighed my heaviest ever at the start of this challenge: 209.

See, me being here can help the rest of you feel good about yourselves; at least you haven't "let yourself go" this far!

I don't feel healthy enough to bike 20 miles, much less 100. Hard to tell; too much snow to try. I have been walking, a wee bit of trainer time, stairclimber, a cross-country ski every week.

I have a Neanderthal-boned build, so although I'm 5'4", I'm only a size 16 (can't lie about the 14s right now, they won't fit), and my "average" adult weight for the past five years or so has been a much healthier 185. In high school weighed a muscular 138 AND right after high school as a gym rat was 145 with 17 percent bodyfat. So losing 50 pounds for health reasons (screw how the clothes look; I know I'm built like a brick sh!thouse) is not out of the question for me, but I'd be happy just feeling healthy and being strong on the bike.

The past eight months have been full of upheaval: DH and the two mutts and I moved THREE times, now commuting an hour each way (add 15-20 minutes each way for snow-covered roads) and feel like it's eaten up my exercise time. Terrible lung infection in April after a two-day cycling tour in Yellowstone, took THREE rounds of antibiotics; I recovered to ride the Kokopelli trail in May and weighed about 187. Did the 100 at Little Red Riding Hood in early June (at 190?) and then didn't make much time for exercise all summer and fall; once-a-week hikes don't cut it. ((DH has also crept up to near an all-time high))

My cholesterol has been an issue for the past five years, and I have had a hard time getting my hypothyroid situation "optimal," but other than that I'm healthy. My naturopath doc finally tested me for food allergies and candida, and suspects leaky gut (hello, don't do 3 courses of antibiotics AND birth control pills AND Advair AND a diet of sugar). So for the past eight days I've been on a candida control cleanse-type eating plan: No wheat, no dairy, no sugar, no booze, nothing fermented, no fruit. Just veggies and a little meat, one serving of grain per day max.

All that being said, I am an eternal optimist. I have lost 7 pounds in eight days, now at 202. If I can make this a lifestyle decision (and not go back to the wine, burgers, cheese and dessert diet that got me here) then I can finally get to a healthy, happy place.

I want to organize an X-C ski trip in Yellowstone in March. I want to cycle there in April before the road opens to cars. I want to commute, at least one day per week, the 50 miles to work and have enough energy to ride home. I want to enter a race and not have people look at me and laugh.

Can I play?

CyclaSutra
(Jo)

[limewave]

Welcome CyclaSutra!

I am in the same boat as you! I have a solid build as well. When I get weighed at the docs office, they always gasp at how much more I weight than they thought I would. Not ever sure how to react to that.

Anyways, I have problems with hypothyroid and am very concerned about my potential for getting diabetes. I've been doing a similar diet as yours but I have one or two servings of fruit a day. When I stick to this plan, I feel great and gradually lose weight.

Stick with it and you'll do great!

And, you should never be embarrassed to enter a race! All sorts of shapes and sizes and ages enter races. Enter a race and go for it! You'll have fun.

[Starfish]

Hi all...OK...at 160 this morning. Ten pounds down, and focusing on the next 10.

This morning, re-started doing a full-body conditioning/strength/core class for an hour before the hour-long spin class. If this combo 2x week doesn't kick my metabolism into gear, I don't know what will.

Now...to curb the eating...

[PinkBike]

jo, of course you can play, glad to have you! it seems like you know what you should do you just need to be motivated to get on with it. maybe this is just the motivation you need. good luck.

[CyclaSutra]

Thanks, all. Limewave, thanks for being my closest body example; I'd be thrilled if I were 180 again. Are you training for that Ironman?

I don't have kids to keep me busy, but trying to stay employed, married, write on a novel (my evil escape plan from the newspaper grind), commute, keep clean undies and get enough sleep is enough of a load for me. Now add a couple of hours of veggie/food prep per day. I confess, a big part of my weight gain was probably being too lazy to cook. Not anymore!

P.S.-- I am down to just one pair of jeans that fits, and I refuse to buy any more size 16s. Maybe by the end of the challenge I can get a pair of 14s!

[katluvr]

Hey, I'll be out of town starting tomorrow and not near a scale or my computer!!
Early weigh in today at 117.5
Better than last week, but don't expect it next week!