Thanks for the compliment.

I use to weigh 180 - it just sort of crept up on me. Everyone has their breaking point - for me it was the realization I'd have to buy clothes in a bigger size. A size that to me said, "You're no longer just a little plump - you're fat!"

I lost the weight by really looking at how much I was eating. I measured everything. Ate what I felt was reasonable amount and usually got up from the table wanting more. But I'd set a timer for 30 minutes before I would eat again. Usually that gave me enough time to realize, that I really wasn't still hungry. I also thought about when I ate, a lot of the time I ate out of stress, particularly at work, at home it was often from boredom.

I'd always been kind of active, but I went into overdrive, working out 8 times a week was my goal, split between cardio classes (usually spin) and swimming. I'd been a distance swimmer in college so swimming was my easy, relaxing workout for the day. I always work out with a heart rate monitor and my goal is to keep my heart rate in the 80% range when I'm doing a class. Swimming and outside riding are a different story. I didn't get serious about riding until after I'd lost the weight. If you're not working out with a monitor and weight loss/fitness is a goal, I'd really encourage it. It doesn't lie.

And it worked. I've kept the weight off for two years now. I'm convinced that different things work for different people. I could never do Atkins or any of its manifestions (South Beach etc.) The thought of cutting out entirely something I like to eat just wouldn't work for me. Cutting back I can do. Increasing my activity level I can do. But friends of mine have had great initial success with other methods.

It's something you have to do yourself though. As I'm fond of telling my fifth graders - Change comes from within. It's not always easy or pleasant, sometimes you fail, but if you want something bad enough, you have to stick with it. If you keep doing things the way you always have, you'll keep getting the same results. It works on some kids. Some just look at me and think, "Yeah, whatever."

I no longer measure my food and I now think of riding as a pleasure, not a workout. I spin and swim so I can have more fun riding outside.

So, reach for the stars and keep reaching until you get them, Chains!

V.