Success stories in weight loss?

[shootingstar]

When I'm not cycling and during non-cycling years in life, the amount of walking I did ranged from 20 min. to 1 hr. daily. To get somewhere or take public transit. Think about it: it takes me 15 min. to walk to commuter train station, then get off to walk 15 min. to destination. And coming home, it's same time/distance of walking.

Since I've been car-free for so long so far (since 20 yrs. old), I don't really consider walking as exercise but more as a means to get around. But really, it is exercise after all.

I just fool myself: I just consider it all part of life/living.

[Maxxxie]

Ever since starting at my current job, the weight started climbing. This was due to lots of travel, lots of rich hotel food, and no exercise.

I accepted the weight gain begrudgingly, but it wasn't until I kept having to get bigger and bigger clothes that it started to annoy me. Finally, I couldn't find any big clothes that weren't ugly. And since I hate spending money on clothes anyway, I decided it was time to lose weight.

I joined the Biggest Loser Club program. It's pretty simple: count your calories, exercise, make sure there's a deficit.

Over 12 months, I lost around 28Kg. The club program calculated my ideal weight at 64Kg. At the moment I'm hovering between 67 and 69Kg. My weight has stayed in that range for around 12 months. I don't feel the need to push myself to lose those last few kilos. I'm happy with my weight right now.

For me, the challenge for maintaining the weight loss has been actually determining what my calorie intake should be, given that my exercise levels far outstrip what the club's program anticipates. Although the club program now has me on 1400 calories per day, the fact is that with so much cycling, I've had to bump it up big-time. I'm now on around 2000 calories a day and I seem to have struck a pretty good balance.

There were some unexpected benefits from losing the weight. For years, I'd suffered back pain. I never realised it was because my body was being forced to carry so much excess weight. Now, my back is fine 99% of the time. That last 1% is due to injury from car crashes - I know it will never be perfect, but dang, that 99% sure does feel good

I can actually buy clothes off the rack and know that they will fit me without having to try on a million sizes before finally admitting defeat.

The best part, though, is rediscovering the joy of cycling. After far too long off the bike, the best thing I ever did was to get back in the saddle.

Max

[moderncyclista]

I've lost 80 lbs. and kept it off for 10+years.

I switched to a no "red meat" almost beady-eyed vegetarian diet, consisting of occasional fish (cod, tilapia, salmon, etc), occasional chicken. Other than that veggies, legumes, wheat flour items. I take lots of vitamins. I drink mostly water, coffee occasionally and fruit juice. Beer on rare occasions. I hardly ever eat sweets. I never drink sodas.

I bike as much as possible. I eat 3 times a day with 2 snacks in between. Striving for healthy ones.

Best wishes. Anyone can do it. Keep trying. Don't lose heart.