Well I certainly feel as though I'm among friends I need to loose 20 pounds to be my "ideal" weight. It would also help me on the bike and running but it's a battle everyday. I think that those of us who enjoy riding bikes also embrace life and the flavorful, enjoyable experiences it offers. Eating is one of those. I could weigh 20 pounds less if I didn't eat that piece of chocolate at 3:00 in the afternoon or have a couple beers and pizza with friends on Friday night but life is too short for that.

I'm 25 pounds heavier than I was at 30 (I'm 51) but I'm a heck of a lot healthier. Twenty years ago I smoked 2 packs of cigarettes a day and drank coffee til dinner. I couldn't have ran 1 block much less a 5 k. But I looked good in a size 5 dress. Big deal! I started riding bikes 5 years ago when I quit smoking. I did my first century the following year, my first triathlon last year and I'm training for a half-marathon. Yeah I felt pretty self-conscience wearing spandex to the first organized ride but when I got there I saw all shapes and sizes of folks in spandex and no one cared what you looked like in your shorts or what size you were. Cycling has given me the self-confidence to feel good in the body I'm in--no matter what size it is!

The downside to carrying the extra weight is that it is harder to climb hills on the bike, it's hard on my knees and feet when I run, and I have to rip the elastic out of the bottom of most of my jerseys. It's also hard to be taken seriously as a cyclist - even in the LBS. That's the part I hate.