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  1. #61
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Posts
    71

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    You should try lifting weights, as well. [/QUOTE]

    You're right. I did for a while, then got too enthusiastic, hurt myself (very minor) and quit. I should get back on that. DH has weights in the basement.

    Kris

  2. #62
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    46

    Good post . . .

    My story is somewhat different. In January, 2004, I was diagnosed with a life threatening condition. And it was diagnosed by a fluke. I had a defective heart valve and if that wasn't bad enough, I had an ascendng aortic aneurysm. I had exactly what killed John Ritter. In April 2004, I underwent open heart surgery to repair the aneurysm which saved my life. I recovered well and remained fit and trim.

    In 2006 I was placed on a drug to alleviate some nerve pain I was experiencing in my cervical spine. I've also been through two spine surgeries as well as a couple other surgeries. The medication caused me to gain an inordinate amount of weight. The medication alleviated the nerve pain but it was placing a strain on my heart. I had to be weaned off the medication but not before gaining nearly 60 pounds.

    I started riding my bike in May of this year and have managed to drop about 15 lbs. I'm 5'4" and currently weigh approximately 183 lbs. Before all the medical problems started, I weighed 135 lbs. After the heart surgery, I weighed 138 lbs. I'm nearly 49 years old and need to drop the weight to keep from placing a strain on my heart. I've never been this heavy and know it will take time to get the weight off permanently.

    The weight didn't happen overnight and it's not going to come off overnight. I ride practically every day for about 20 to 25 miles. I have a Trek 3700 WSD bike but am thinking about upgrading to a road bike. I love riding and want to be able to ride further in a shorter period of time.

    Good post and good luck to everyone. Baby steps will help us to reach our goal!

  3. #63
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    foothills of the Ozarks aka Tornado Alley
    Posts
    4,193
    How's everyone doing on their weight loss goals?

    I have noticed that I'm losing inches moreso than weight. I think I've lost maybe 8 lbs but I've toned up quite a bit and my tummy is a little flatter.
    Anyone else seeing results?

  4. #64
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    St. Paul, MN
    Posts
    15
    I've lost 10 pounds since my last post, 15 since I started riding again... another 4.5 and I will weigh what my driver's license says I do

  5. #65
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    San Diego
    Posts
    1,516
    I'm really late to this thread as I've been on vacation... but I want to cheer you on too! I'm also not a "small" cyclist...but I'm strong and can ride a long way anyway!

    and I wanted to share my brother's story... his story was in the newspaper last week... he was 458lbs and facing gastric bypass when he fell in love with cycling... got down to 270lbs! He now maintains around 300 but wants to take a bit more off still...

    http://www.venturacountystar.com/new...cling-through/

    It's hard work but I have faith that you can do it too!!!
    There is a fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness".

  6. #66
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    54
    Wow, bikerchick, what an inspiration your brother is! And once again, three more cheers for cycling, a sport that doesn't require participants to wear size 2's!
    "I learned what every dreaming child needs to know - no horizon is so far that you cannot see above or beyond it." -- Beryl Markham, Aviation Pioneer

  7. #67
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Rhode Island
    Posts
    1,365
    I don't know if any of you have checked out this site:

    www.littlechanges.com

    In January of this year, this woman and her husband embarked on a round-the-country (literally) bike tour, with trailers, on a limited budget, to prove that little changes can make a big difference. Her starting weight was 325 pounds or so. They are incredibly inspiring. Although I don't have any weight to lose, I feel like, if she can do 35 miles a day with a trailer, then dang if I can't do 45 minutes a day.

  8. #68
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Vermont
    Posts
    9

    May I join you

    I use to ride religiously until I was pregnant with my son 14 years ago and became asthmatic. Since then I may go for a few short rides each summer but had not tried to be regular about commiting to ride like I was. My husband was also an avid rider when we first met and had let his riding drift off until last summer. Last summer he began training again and rode a century for cancer research. This summer he has done the same.

    After a long talk one night he told me that there was no reason I shouldn't be out there. He knows how much I loved to ride. He was right. So I've started to ride again. I found team estrogen in a search to find a pair of shorts that fit. I have nearly 50 pounds to lose, but I love being on my bike and my legs have held for my rides (shorter for now but I'm building up). I live in VT so there is no way to avoid hills and I am managing my asthma. Reading your posts makes me feel like I can check in here from time to time and hear from others who are working toward fitness with there love to ride. Thanks for sending the story of Pricilla. Small steps is the way to go.

    Robin

  9. #69
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Berlin, CT
    Posts
    231
    Wow, this thread is great! I decided to start biking about 2 years ago for weight loss and health reasons (high blood pressure, etc). Hubby bought me a decent hybrid bike for my birthday (a Raleigh C200) and I started biking some. I am not sure how much I weighed because I refused to get on a scale at first but I would guess around 250 and wearing about a size 20.

    The first thing I discovered is that there is almost NO flat area where I live. Everything is hills so I got discouraged at first. Some of the hills around here are really tough!! I still biked occasionally and between the bike, the gym and changing my diet I lost about 25-30 pounds.

    Then last year I started having really bad knee troubles. I ended up not being able to do anything from November through about February with knee surgery the end of December. Once the physical therapist ok'd me working out again I set up my bike on the trainer in the garage (someone else made the comment about thank god for MP3 players...how true!!!) and started really biking there.

    When the weather finally warmed up, I decided to hit the road again. Wow, all that time on the trainer really paid off. Suddenly, the hills all seemed so much easier!!! I also have picked up a rack for my car so I can go other places and get a break from the hills.

    I am now down to about 217 after a long weight plateau at 220. I think the muscle I was adding was counter balancing the fat loss but I was still seeing a difference in clothes so that at least kept me motivated. I am now down to a size 16. YEAH!!!

    I still have about another 40 to go but it is slowly happening! I am starting to feel so much better about how I feel and my blood pressure has improved dramatically! My DR even took me off one of the meds he had me on. WHOO HOOOO!!!!!

    This is great hearing everyones elses stories. This is great motivation to keep it going!

  10. #70
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Berlin, CT
    Posts
    231
    Robin, where in VT are you? I'm in CT but Hubby and I often vacation up there. Maybe we can meet up someday for a ride together!

    I went to school in Northfield and lived in Randolph for awhile, and worked down in Bethel!!!

  11. #71
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    caligal stuck in MI
    Posts
    12

    way to go!!

    Basically a newbie poster here, just bought my first bike in quite sometime, a used kona smoke, got a pretty sweet deal on it. I have lost about 17 pounds with a goal of 10 more to lose. I am hoping the bike will help (in addition to going to the gym and playing ice hockey in the winter when it is cold and I won't be riding. The trainer at the gym I go to told me that it was a marathon not a sprint. Remember that when you feel like you have hit your plateau.

    Mel


  12. #72
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Vermont
    Posts
    9

    LoriO

    I live in Plymouth, in fact I live on a bike loop. Let me know next time your in the area.

  13. #73
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Posts
    3,867
    Plymouth, VT?

    My son is going to camp at Farm & Wilderness camp in September. I'm thinking of driving him up there, and bringing my bikes. My friend has a house near Brattleboro and we will probably stay there while my son is at camp.

    I would be interested in knowing some cool places to ride around there!

    Karen

  14. #74
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Posts
    47
    LoriO,
    If you don't mind me asking...was the knee problem caused from riding or was it something you were already dealing with prior to riding?

    I'm just wondering if some of you experienced knee issues ONLY after taking up riding or if those of you who do have knee problems had the problems before taking up the hobby. My Mother has really bad arthritis in both knees and has had knee replacements. I'm wondering if me taking up riding will HELP me fend off arthritis in my knees or will riding cause me to have knee issues sooner? I'm hoping by strenthening my legs and losing some weight that I won't get down in my knees early in life. Arthritis runs in my famiily so I'm worried that I may be doing more harm than good by cycling. I'm 35 and I'd hate to have to give it up.

  15. #75
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Boise, Idaho
    Posts
    1,104
    rivergrl, I think that our joints were meant to be used, and the harm comes from using them too hard, you know? The way I understand cycling is that it's not weight bearing, so doesn't really stress our knee joints like running does -- pounding on them, you know?

    We can probably do some damage when we "hammer," but if I'm guessing correctly, that's more to the connecting tissues surrounding the joint itself than to the "padding" that's in there keeping friction from happening.

    I wouldn't be surprised to learn that using our joints, which are self-lubricating, is what stimulates our bodies to produce more of the lubricants that keeps them moving smoothly! (then again, there's my fingers, and you'd think...)

    Karen in Boise

 

 

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