Thanks for sharing your story. Here's a little of my story

I've always been a bigger girl. I hit 180lbs in my Sophomore year in high school, but was active and played sports, so was relatively fit. I continued to put on a few pounds here and there after high school those extra activities I used to do vanished and I (stupidly) picked up smoking because all my friends were doing it. I didn't smoke much, but fitness declined, and more pounds were found along the way. I was wearing a size 24 by year two of collage and pretty depressed, but then I quit smoking and joined the Y so I could use the small gym on site. I started working out 3x a week and dropped about 70 pounds and got down to a size 16. I then met a really great guy and started a career and those bad habits slowly started to creep back into our life as did the weight. I also had abdominal surgery to remove a ovarian cyst. I didn't do property core strengthening as part of my recovery, which acerbated an old back injury, leading to still more decline in mobility and fitness.

I'm not back to my old weight, but I am back into a 22 and about 20 pounds from my all-time high water mark in terms of weight. That's when I knew I needed to do something about my life and make some changes. I bought my first bike, an Alpha Aluminum Trek Pure "cruiser" (upright riding style due to the back) as I set off along this path about a month ago.

I was also taking on another demon from my past, the bike, so I figured if I can learn to ride as an adult (story here in the newbie section) I can surely loose the weight and make these life changes stick. I'm still taking baby steps, but I rode for about an hour today, just two weeks ago I needed DH and bike instructor to hold me up as I took my first timid trek across the tarmac.

Good luck and I'm sending the best wishes your way!!
Shannon