# My Mountain Biker Program for Sustainable Weight Loss



## BaeckerX1 (Oct 19, 2007)

...or how to lose 30 pounds in 3 months without dieting, fancy miracle drugs, or expensive nutritionists.

*OK, first of all, I'm not going to be talking about anything revolutionary here. These are all different tips that I've picked up here and there or stuff that I have tried and has worked for me personally. Many of these are common knowledge or have been discussed elsewhere. I just want to give my experiences with losing weight through biking and maybe it will help some others. I am only speaking of weight loss. I realize there are faster ways to lose weight, but I believe if you do it in the right way, you'll have fun and you won't put the pounds back on once you meet your goals.*

1. Buy a new bike. Buy the bike you really want. I've heard a lot of people talk about rewarding themselves with a new bike purchase AFTER they lose a certain amount of weight, but if you're anything like me, nothing will motivate you more than spending a bunch of money on something. You'll feel guilty if you're not using it. If you get crappy equipment you give yourself an out or an excuse why you didn't make that obstacle or why you can't ride. Get a nice bike and eliminate all excuses. It helps if the bike is aesthetically pleasing. Many people think looks aren't important, but store your bike on a stand in your living room. You may just find yourself staring at your bike longingly and wishing you were riding it instead of watching TV. Take a photo of it and use it for your wallpaper at work. You'll be at work thinking of how excited you are to go riding when you get home. 

2. Be aware. The first step to successful weight loss is realizing how many calories you are putting into your body and how many calories you can take in while still meeting your goals. It's all simple really, calories in vs calories out. At the end of the day you want to be at a net loss. I recommend My Net Diary. It's an app that can be found in the Android and iPhone marketplaces. It also links up to mynetdiary.com. You can track just there if you don't have a smartphone. Use this program for 2 weeks, or longer if you're disciplined enough. You don't need to use it forever, only long enough to get a feel for the approximate calories in the average foods and what you can get away with per day. Enter your weight and loss goals. It will only let you set a max of 2 pounds per week because that's the most it considers healthy weight loss. Enter what you eat into the app. It will give you an approximate number of calories from its database. You'll be surprised how much some of the foods you eat cost you. Enter your exercise into the app. It will give you an approximate calorie loss. Hey, you went on a big ride today, so you can have a few post ride beers and not feel guilty. :thumbsup:

3. Reduce portion sizes. This is as simple as getting the 6 inch sub at Subway instead of the foot long. You might feel hungry at first, but soon your body will adjust to the reduced calorie intake and you'll wonder how the hell you ate so much in the first place.

4. Make healthier choices. You don't have to eat salads everyday, but maybe get turkey, roast beef, or ham instead of salami, pepperoni, etc. Replace bacon with turkey bacon. Avoid condiments like Mayo and Ranch dressing (generally dairy based products are high in fat and calorie content). Mustard and Italian are tasty alternatives with very few calories. If you splurge and eat a burger or have a shake, it's OK. Just make sure to get a good workout in that day to offset the added calories. Don't do it for multiple meals either.

5. If you can't cut it out, cut it back. Having 1 soda a day isn't going to hurt your weight loss goals, but having 3 or 4 will. It might not be the greatest thing to put in your body, but as long as you don't do it in excess you won't put on the pounds. Again, it goes back to managing your intake. A can of Coke is 150 calories. Just make sure not to push yourself over your 2000-2500 daily. A good, strenuous MTB ride can give you an extra 2000 calorie cushion or so.

6. Get a riding partner or group to ride with. Commit to a ride. It is far too easy to back out when you only have yourself to answer to. You can always find a way to justify not exercising. By committing to another person you are going to have to explain to them why you backed out. It's also much more fun, especially when you're first starting out and might get easily frustrated with your lack of ability/endurance.

7. Ride often if you want your fitness to improve. I can't stress this enough. You HAVE to get out during the week. Even if you ride Saturday and Sunday, just riding on the weekends is not going to do it for you if you want to be a better rider. Get it in before work, after work, or even commute to work on your bike. Do whatever it takes to get on your bike during the week.

8. Weigh yourself everyday at the same time everyday. Many people don't believe in this. I do. I weigh myself each and every morning after I wake up. Doing this you can see exactly what the consequences were for that late night bender where you drank 10 microbrews. You'd be surprised at how much it can set you back.

9. You will hit plateaus in your weight loss. This is normal. As you ride more, you're going to be putting on muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat. The key is to not get discouraged. Eventually you'll pass it, and start making good progress again. I've had whole weeks where the scale didn't move at all.

10. As you get fitter, you need to work harder. This is kind of one of those ugly truths of fitness. The more you ride, the easier it gets. The easier it gets, the less calories you will burn. This means you are going to have to do one of 2 things. The ideal is to do harder rides. Challenging yourself will make you feel better about riding and will be a good change of pace to keep things interesting. That sense of accomplishment in completing rides you've never been able to do before is euphoric. I also like to ride all over so I don't get bored. If you don't have many options where you live, you need to ride faster. Doing your same favorite trail at a much faster pace will help you burn more calories. Maybe your favorite loop has an easy uphill followed by a fast, steep downhill. Do it the other way. Force yourself to do the more difficult climb.

11. Take every opportunity for free exercise. If you're only going a few floors, take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator. Walk over to your co-worker's desk instead of calling them or messaging them. When you have to walk somewhere, walk at a brisk pace. Every little bit helps.

12. Drink ice water throughout the day. Ice cold water helps to speed the metabolism. It will also help keep you refreshed and not craving high calorie beverages like soda, etc.

13. Do strength training during your downtime. I've found it's really easy to get some free weights and do various exercises while watching TV.

Anyway, I hope that helps somebody. I know that there are various ways to lose weight. I just wanted to share some things that worked well for me.


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## manpurse (Feb 6, 2011)

Some good tips thanks. I have lost some pounds doing some similar things. I definitely found counting calories to help. When I started using a calorie tracker I was surprised at just how many calories I could pack in. And yes to keeping the fitness through the week. You can't just be a weekend warrior but need to ride or do some other cardio at least 2-3 times during the week to keep the levels up.


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## Rock Garden (Aug 3, 2011)

Great tips. I do pretty much all of that. I just started counting calories a month ago....wow I ate a lot! The first week or two was rough with feeling like I was starving, but now I eat like a normal individual. Dropped 40 pounds since the beginning of May....still dropping, getting faster and more fit.

One other tip to add: limit alcohol consumption.


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## TwoNin9r (Jan 26, 2011)

love this... i've been transitioning into most of this but can benifit from other suggestions here...

i'm 6'3" and about 225-230, i'd like to be 200 so it's a realistic goal 

good luck!


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## infanterene (Jul 27, 2011)

Thank you for the post. Lots of common sense advice that is very help full. I downloaded the app and its great.

I am at 285lbs now and want to go down to 220lbs.


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## BaeckerX1 (Oct 19, 2007)

I'm glad to hear someone appreciated it. I know a lot of it is pretty simple stuff, but it's been very helpful to me. It's nice to get it all down in one place. I think the key is to be realistic about your goals and how you want to achieve them. So many people set these crazy short term goals or resort to fad diets and "miracle drugs" to rack up massive weight loss quickly. I've also seen a lot of these same people put back on all the weight that they lost. You need to develop healthy habits that you know you can maintain longterm. There's no point losing the weight only to gain it all back again. That's why I followed a simple routine that I know I'll have no problems keeping up with. Sure, there are faster ways to drop pounds, but by using a few common sense techniques you can get some good results without even feeling like you're dieting or giving anything up. It's also important to stay motivated. It's far too easy to slip up, but if you create a culture of health in your household, you'll feel guilty when you can't get out and ride, or when you have a super high calorie meal.


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## Ken in KC (Jan 12, 2004)

*Good, solid advice....*

A concise, balanced approach.


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## clay7160 (Jul 11, 2011)

I use fitday.com to log food and exercise, but i agree with BaeckerX1, by logging, it makes me aware, and maybe guilty if i over indulge i have lost 64lbs since april 8, and my next weigh in is on august 8, hope for more great results, i started by following a plan I made similar to the one above...very simple, easy to follow and the weight keeps dropping off month after month. For example of guilty pleasures, we have a coworker moving away and leaving us, well last night another coworker (trained chef) baked a chocolate cake, out of 18 employees, i was the only on that didn't eat it.....i didn't want to face my food log. . haha...i just take it one day at a time.


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## leoferus (Jul 22, 2011)

I started at 280lbs a little over a year ago and I am down to 240lbs. I followed a similar program. One thing I would stress is that you have to think of weight loss as a lifestyle change. I am lucky that everyone in the household was supportive and made the change with me.

We have all healthy foods. We try to eat natural foods and nothing processed. I eat often but in small portions throughout the day. Good carbs are great. Fruits can do wonders for your diet but in moderation. I have a coworker that thinks he can have as many mangoes and peaches as he pleases... goals not being met.

We cook more than we can eat for lunch or dinner and freeze it. This keeps us from going to fast food restaurants or other not so healthy food choices when we are pressed for time. We just grab a cooler and our tupperware meals and go. We have absolutely no excuse for eating unhealthy foods.


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## heartland (Oct 1, 2009)

I agree with just about everything the OP has posted. 

One important tidbit that I'd would add, though, is getting the proper recovery time after efforts. Your body needs rest after large efforts, and if you push yourself to exercise everyday no matter what, you'll end up wearing yourself down and burning out. 

I read somewhere last month that Tour de France riders sleep an average of 70 hours a week. Granted, they're putting out WAY more effort than any of us, but the principle is still the same: proper rest and recuperation is essential for making the most of your exercise. 

There are different strategies out there for recovery, and I think most people will need to test to see what works best for them. Personally, I've benefited from days off the bike after long rides (over three or four hours), easy spin rides on the day after an intense ride, and (trying!) to get at least 8 hours of sleep each night. Having a protein drink 30 mins after exercise lasting more than an hour also seem to be helping, though I've only been doing that for a couple weeks so it's hard to say how big of an impact that's really having.


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## kstovesand (Jul 15, 2010)

*Great Advice!*

The OP made some very good, common sense recommendations that I certainly agree with. The iPhone app "LoseIt.com" was very helpful to me for seeing the damage that what seems like "normal" eating can do. Cut back a little and eat some better foods -- go ahead and have the pizza once in a while, but follow-up with a 90 minute trail ride. Thanks for the advice and comments! :thumbsup:


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## BaeckerX1 (Oct 19, 2007)

heartland said:


> I agree with just about everything the OP has posted.
> 
> One important tidbit that I'd would add, though, is getting the proper recovery time after efforts. Your body needs rest after large efforts, and if you push yourself to exercise everyday no matter what, you'll end up wearing yourself down and burning out.
> 
> ...


Good point. I didn't think to mention recovery, but it is important. Don't try and ride every single day with no rest days. That won't do you any good. You're right about the after workout protein. You should try to eat within an hour after exercise while your body is still in burn mode. Protein and carbs are good after a solid workout as long as you don't overdue it.


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## jsk0703 (Feb 20, 2009)

I think it is important to not over estimate how many calories you are burning. Whether it's biking, walking, running, etc. Maybe a MTB racer can come close or surpass 1000 calories per hour but the average joe is probably 500-600. Cycle computers, smartphone apps, online exercise logs, etc. In some cases they can be off by as much as 50%. People just need to be honest about their effort. I'd rather under estimate. Be sure to take into account gels, sports drinks, etc. In the grand scheme of things they still count towards your calorie totals.


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## h_daddy (Mar 7, 2010)

Great Thread. It's nice hear from other riders who are interested in losing weight.
I had heard and used all these ideas before except for #1. I've always been part of the "reward yourself with a new bike" crowd but I think you're really on to something here. 
-It is great to have a reliable machine that you are excited to ride instead of your old beater that doesn't shift right, needs the wheels trued, has a ragedy old saddle etc etc etc. 
-Spending money is a huge motivator and has always worked to get me on the right path to fitness.
-Hanging your bike where it is constantly in sight (expecially from the chair you sit in to watch TV  ) works great! I had always hung my bikes up in the garrage but a recent move forced me to put it in the living room. Usually the stifling southern Utah heat limits me to 1, maybe 2 rides per week from June through august. Since my bike became part of the living room decor, I have been braving to heat to get out about 3 times a week for the past 3 weeks. 

Great ideas. Keep it up!


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## savagemann (Jan 14, 2008)

Great stuff.
Just the motivation I needed to add to my crazy life.
It's hard to get alot of ride time in working a busy schedule such as I do.
I know there are people out there that are much more busy than I am, but when you only see your wife a couple hours a week, you know things are busy as hell.
I rode 18 days in july, and after this evenings ride after work, it will be 5 rides so far in aug. Pretty good. 5 of 7 days
The one thing I have really been lacking is some kind of food change. Not a diet, but another lifestyle change.
I've done several of them over the last few years.........and it's time for a food change up.
I've lost about 25 lbs since late may just with my frequency of riding, and no change in diet.
I have a feeling now that I am going to do that, the change should be big!!!
I'm looking to get to 260lbs as my short term goal.
That means I need to lose 46lbs. I would like to do this before x-mas.
Seems realistic.
Thanks for the motivation.


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## leoferus (Jul 22, 2011)

A great point was brought up by h_daddy. I have made it a point to leave my bike somewhere in the house that would cause it to always be in view. Right now, it is in the living room in front of the TV. Guess how much use the TV sees... none. The bike? Plenty. I also take it to work. If I can get away for long enough I do a quick lap at the nearby trails. Yes, I am lucky enough to be 10 minutes away from the White Clay Park, DE. If not, I just ride around the building, practice on the curb, etc.


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## BaeckerX1 (Oct 19, 2007)

h_daddy said:


> Great Thread. It's nice hear from other riders who are interested in losing weight.
> I had heard and used all these ideas before except for #1. I've always been part of the "reward yourself with a new bike" crowd but I think you're really on to something here.
> -It is great to have a reliable machine that you are excited to ride instead of your old beater that doesn't shift right, needs the wheels trued, has a ragedy old saddle etc etc etc.
> -Spending money is a huge motivator and has always worked to get me on the right path to fitness.
> ...


Yep. Though if you're not disciplined it could backfire, and you'll have an expensive bike that you never use. But then you'll just end up being one of those people who help us mountain bikers score awesome deals on Craigslist.  Win for us riders anyway, and for the bike industry.

I know for some people it actually helps with that "second approval" process. You just say, "Honey, I'm buying this bike. I'm going to use it, and I guarantee I'll lose X amount of weight. I really think it's time I invested in my health, and this will help me to meet my goals." Now you not only have a nice bike to eliminate excuses, but you also have someone who will be on your back if you don't use it. Once you've lost the weight, there's no incentive for her to say yes to your $4000 bike purchase. She could just as easily say "Well, you've done so well with your current bike, why do you need a new one?"  If you buy the bike and then lose a bunch of weight riding it, I bet she'll see it as a more solid investment than buying one after the fact. Trust me, I once had an ex ask me why I couldn't just mountain bike in Colorado with a Walmart Special. I asked her if she really didn't like me and wanted me to die or something.

BTW, the Feedback Sports Rakk racks are great for keeping a bike in a living space without having to lean them against the wall. Super easy to get in an out and actually makes for a clean look. I use them in my 1 bedroom apartment and it works great for my bikes.


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## Swampy79 (Aug 5, 2011)

I just got into mountain biking last year after a 10 year long absence from the bike world. I pushed myself into it for these exact reasons, I didn't have the fire in the gym anymore and I needed to do something that gave me the pain/excitement mixture we all know about and search for.

The best way I have found to always remind myself to ride more is l*eaving it mounted up in the truck bed*. I wake up in the morning take a shower, get the kids ready and walk out into the garage and there she is saying "c'mon buddy you know you want/need to". 9 times out of 10 I will turn around and grab my gear bag, completing my list of no excuses.


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## donwatts (Aug 1, 2006)

I have always had a hard time with diets. Being money conscious and not able to afford the Jenny Craig program I developed my own. I go to the grocery store and buy frozen dinners. They are portioned controlled and easy to calorie count. I keep my calories below 2000 and ride as much as possible.


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## DECIM8 (Jul 13, 2011)

Great thread.

I started out at 260lbs several months ago and am at 230lbs and counting now. My goal is 210 lbs by next summer. 

Before biking I started doing P90X and got some decent results. It ended up just being too time consuming of a program and I wasn't considering diet and recover enough. Too little sleep and too LITTLE calorie intake (only ~1600 and most of that in the evening) had me burning out, sore and discouraged. I then started doing Body For Life with my wife and counting my calories. I got my calorie intake up to ~2200 a day and spread out throughout the day in 6 small nutritious meals. That worked wonders for my energy level and I can now do workouts and bike like I want. I picked my my bike again after a long hiatus and I ride a minimum of 6-12 miles every other day now and do P90X workouts on days in between and half a P90X workout after some rides. I always rest on Sunday though. I am only getting 5-6 hours of sleep per night which is my next hurtle. 2 jobs, working out and the family leaves too little time for sleep most of the time.

The bike in the living room is a great motivator but my wife would kill me. She has "let" me (hasn't complained too much yet) keep my dumbbells in the living room. I have been leaving my helmet on my weights as well as dropping a riding glove or other gear on my keyboard or anything else I find distracting me from what I should be doing. It takes a little more time to collect all my gear for a ride but its worth it for the small reminders. 

The best thing I have done is compete with myself or my friends to keep the fun competitive edge going. Its like setting micro-goals. I use the android (and web) app endomondo which tracks my rides via gps. It lets me set up "routes" and keeps track of lap times on those routes. I am constantly trying to beat my lap times on my normal routes. I shared my routes with a friend of mine and we are going back and forth beating each other's times. We found some other shared routes in the area and though we didn't come close to beating the time we had a blast trying. Its a lot of fun and keeps the motivation high.


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## TitanofChaos (Jun 13, 2011)

This thread is excellent, I also follow a lot of the items mentioned here, it's really helped, it took me a lot of time to get into all the habits but I'm on my way now, buying pants the same size as I wore in high school is an awesome feeling

the biggest point on here I think is having a ride buddy, I've gone out a few times by myself and I'm more cautious I ride slower, I just don't push myself as much as I'd like and I probably cut out sooner as well, having someone else riding behind you and pushing you along or trying to keep up with someone is a deffinate motivator

there's more bennefits than just motivation as well, some of the trails are pretty gnarly and you could be seriously hurt with no one around, with a ride buddy you can be a little less risk averse and push yourself to conquer new terrain

another app plug here for calorie tracking Free Calorie Counter, Diet & Exercise Journal | MyFitnessPal.com


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## infanterene (Jul 27, 2011)

OP- Thanks for recommending the My Net Diet app. I have been using it for 2-3 weeks and am averaging 2600calories a day instead of my allowed 3038. 

I started at 308 and am at 301 today. I know thats not alot but I am NOT on a diet at all. I am riding 4-5 days a week because its fun, not because I need exercise. I am having a blast on the trails. 

I did buy the nice bike from the get go and I think it has helped me have more fun.


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## trevrev97 (Jul 19, 2009)

I think the best motivation to lose the extra pounds is buy sweet light parts you can't ride until you drop the pounds.


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## mestapho (Sep 3, 2011)

Thanks for the tips. For me the biggest thing was cutting out the junk/fast food and soda's.


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## Rush 29 (Oct 3, 2011)

*Excellent advice!*

I've got to loose 50 lbs more, gonna do it with a bike ! ( was 400lbs, 14 months ago, now 295.3 lbs )
Got 7 months to do this, before next summer gets here, 
Would even be happy with 40 lbs more off, as a more realistic goal. ( 240 as final destination, btw i'm 6' 7" )

My biggest trouble is late night eating/binging :madman:, that is when I'm gonna get on the bike & take a 30+ minute ride ! :thumbsup:
Just like # 1 trick said, this New bike is for the final motivation I'm going to need to finish what I have started.

Still have 2/3 weeks before I'm buying a bike, looking at different 29ers, but keeping all options open, seen some real nice city cruisers at bike shops. 
Just today, I put the horse before the carriage & bought a bike computer I found on discount !


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## rid (Sep 1, 2011)

Not sure if it's mentioned here already but "My fitness pal" is another excellent app!


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## BaeckerX1 (Oct 19, 2007)

Just an update. I'm down to 204 now and have lost almost 50 pounds all without any crazy hardcore dieting. I'm biking a lot and feeling great. When the weather is good, I commute 12 miles each way to work about 3-4 days per week, plus MTB some nights and on weekends. Last season I did 2 major high-altitude long-distance mountain bike rides that I never would have been able to do before. I've starting lifting weights again and putting on muscle from that and biking. #9 and #10 are really hitting me hard as I get closer to my goal weight. I'm trying to get around 190, but not sure if I'll actually get there without giving up beer.  We'll see. I plan on pushing it hard this season now that the trails are dry again. I've started doing 50 sit-ups in the morning and 100 in the evening M-F to tone up. Hope everyone else who posted is making good progress.


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## maclgallant (Feb 11, 2006)

i did 2 rounds of p90x so far dropped from 310 to 235 now, just about to start my 3rd round today  .... the one thing i'll say i absolutely love about the program, it teaches you how to change your lifestyles, shows you how to eat, sleep, count your calories, make the right choices at fast food when you have too, and it gets you in a good flow ( exersizing 6 times a week) like the previous post said , make sure you keep you calories up 2000-2500, or you will get burnt fast! ..... so i recommend p90x to everyone, even if you don't plan on doing all of the 90 days, it will at least get you on the right track, but if you do go through all of it... the results are simply amazing!!


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## CrzyTuning (Mar 31, 2012)

maclgallant said:


> so i recommend p90x to everyone, even if you don't plan on doing all of the 90 days, it will at least get you on the right track, but if you do go through all of it... the results are simply amazing!!


Absolutely! I did the program for 3 weeks and I lost 10lbs! My core was so much stronger and I felt great! I wish I had stuck with it. No worries though, I plan to combine it with biking now!


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## mtb thai (Apr 11, 2012)

very useful thanks u so much


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## garrett_xc (Apr 23, 2012)

Great advice, OP, a very healthy perspective indeed.

Is there anyone here who rides BEFORE work (not commute)? If so...what's your routine like?


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## cncwhiz (Sep 8, 2010)

I just wanted to comment on some of the things you have in your post. This is a very good topic, and there are alot of good things here. Maybe some of my comments will help others reading this as well.



BaeckerX1 said:


> 1. Buy a new bike. Buy the bike you really want. I've heard a lot of people talk about rewarding themselves with a new bike purchase AFTER they lose a certain amount of weight, but if you're anything like me, nothing will motivate you more than spending a bunch of money on something. You'll feel guilty if you're not using it. If you get crappy equipment you give yourself an out or an excuse why you didn't make that obstacle or why you can't ride. Get a nice bike and eliminate all excuses. It helps if the bike is aesthetically pleasing. Many people think looks aren't important, but store your bike on a stand in your living room. You may just find yourself staring at your bike longingly and wishing you were riding it instead of watching TV. Take a photo of it and use it for your wallpaper at work. You'll be at work thinking of how excited you are to go riding when you get home.


_This is probably one of the most importanat motivators. I was on an old 26" full ridgid, and it was fun riding that, but it didn't fit. Once I started learning about the sport, I found out that I needed a bike that actually fit me, and the newer technology would be a big plus. Not everybody can afford to go out and buy a new bike. I don't recommend going out and getting into debt, but the best decision I ever made was sticking my new bike on my credit card and paying it off down the road. Other junk may not be a good idea, but this is your health we're talking about. Buying the right equipment for the exercise and safety of doing it is a great purchase. I have found that the cheaper 'mail-order bikes' work fine, especially for someone just starting out. I bought a Sette Razzo 29er that fit me, and what a world of difference it made! I did my research and bought the best I could afford, with the best components I could afford. I did this because I knew that one day I may swap frames and I could move most of the components from that Razzo frame to the new one. I just recently did this and it worked great. I'm now on a Niner RIP 9 frame with most of the components that came off the razzo. There were a few things I had to buy, but overall it worked out great. Saved alot of money too. _



BaeckerX1 said:


> 2. Be aware. The first step to successful weight loss is realizing how many calories you are putting into your body and how many calories you can take in while still meeting your goals. It's all simple really, calories in vs calories out. At the end of the day you want to be at a net loss. I recommend My Net Diary. It's an app that can be found in the Android and iPhone marketplaces. It also links up to mynetdiary.com. You can track just there if you don't have a smartphone. Use this program for 2 weeks, or longer if you're disciplined enough. You don't need to use it forever, only long enough to get a feel for the approximate calories in the average foods and what you can get away with per day. Enter your weight and loss goals. It will only let you set a max of 2 pounds per week because that's the most it considers healthy weight loss. Enter what you eat into the app. It will give you an approximate number of calories from its database. You'll be surprised how much some of the foods you eat cost you. Enter your exercise into the app. It will give you an approximate calorie loss. Hey, you went on a big ride today, so you can have a few post ride beers and not feel guilty. :thumbsup:


_Great advice. Actually understanding how much you are consuming calorie-wise will really open your eyes. I had no idea how much I was actually eating until I started tracking it. As others have stated, sometimes the exercise calories burned may be off, but these apps are probably not designed to be perfect. I finally grew tired of taking the time to track it every day and enter all my food, but these apps are a great resource to use, as you say, for at least a few weeks._



BaeckerX1 said:


> 3. Reduce portion sizes. This is as simple as getting the 6 inch sub at Subway instead of the foot long. You might feel hungry at first, but soon your body will adjust to the reduced calorie intake and you'll wonder how the hell you ate so much in the first place.


_This is probably one of the hardest hurdles to clear for many people. Today's portion sizes are way more than needed, especially at restaurants. I have gone on weight loss regimens a few times in my life, and each time I saw the change take place. I know this works from personal experience. It may take a few weeks or even longer to see, but once your stomach "shrinks" you will not be able to eat what you once could. It is the oddest feeling realizing that I don't know if I will finish the foot long subway, when before I swear I could eat two of them in one sitting. Before it was: Dominoes medium pizza..no problem. I could eat the whole thing. Mcdonald's? Sure..Give me two double cheeseburgers, a large fry, and a large soft drink. This is bad..Talk about making out an average 2000 calorie limit in one meal.._



BaeckerX1 said:


> 4. Make healthier choices. You don't have to eat salads everyday, but maybe get turkey, roast beef, or ham instead of salami, pepperoni, etc. Replace bacon with turkey bacon. Avoid condiments like Mayo and Ranch dressing (generally dairy based products are high in fat and calorie content). Mustard and Italian are tasty alternatives with very few calories. If you splurge and eat a burger or have a shake, it's OK. Just make sure to get a good workout in that day to offset the added calories. Don't do it for multiple meals either.


_Making a complete change without cheating a day or two a week is probably what sidelines alot of people's "diets". It isn't hard to make healthier choices, and once you become accustomed to the -newer and better for you- tastes, they won't be so hard to swallow. Once I get into a groove of exercising and losing weight, I know that bad food will slow me down. Not seeing the weight come off or not being a little lower when I step on the scale is what gets me. I avoid the bad food because I don't want that disappointment. You just might see what I mean If you ever get in your own groove. _



BaeckerX1 said:


> 5. If you can't cut it out, cut it back. Having 1 soda a day isn't going to hurt your weight loss goals, but having 3 or 4 will. It might not be the greatest thing to put in your body, but as long as you don't do it in excess you won't put on the pounds. Again, it goes back to managing your intake. A can of Coke is 150 calories. Just make sure not to push yourself over your 2000-2500 daily. A good, strenuous MTB ride can give you an extra 2000 calorie cushion or so.


_Good advice. It kind of ties into the cheating comments above. For many, this is the deal breaker that crashes their diet. Trying to cut something out completely often isn't something people can do._



BaeckerX1 said:


> 6. Get a riding partner or group to ride with. Commit to a ride. It is far too easy to back out when you only have yourself to answer to. You can always find a way to justify not exercising. By committing to another person you are going to have to explain to them why you backed out. It's also much more fun, especially when you're first starting out and might get easily frustrated with your lack of ability/endurance.


_This works wonders. One of my fastest rides over a long distance was with a friend who is much faster than me. I posted my best time on that particular route because I didn't want to look like a weakling, and wanted to impress him. The company was great and he helped me push myself. A great experience. I did that on a day when I was sick with a running nose, and it was about 35 degrees out. I would have never done it had I not had the obligation to meet him. I would have stayed at home and probably ate some junk food and watched TV. _



BaeckerX1 said:


> 7. Ride often if you want your fitness to improve. I can't stress this enough. You HAVE to get out during the week. Even if you ride Saturday and Sunday, just riding on the weekends is not going to do it for you if you want to be a better rider. Get it in before work, after work, or even commute to work on your bike. Do whatever it takes to get on your bike during the week.


_I agree completely. I comitted to riding on tuesdays and thursdays, and on the weekends if I get a chance. It is kind of a pain to do it, but remember, this is for your health. Personally I don't think I'd ride more than three or four times a week, but that doesn't mean that you can't. I only do it this way because I don't want to burn out. I feel like my body needs time to rest and recover too, but this only applies if you are pushing yourself. You should be pushing yourself if you want to lose weight _



BaeckerX1 said:


> 8. Weigh yourself everyday at the same time everyday. Many people don't believe in this. I do. I weigh myself each and every morning after I wake up. Doing this you can see exactly what the consequences were for that late night bender where you drank 10 microbrews. You'd be surprised at how much it can set you back.


_I agree again. If you are anything like me, you will become obsessed with getting on the scale everyday to see if you have lost anything. I always wait until after I have gone to the bathroom or something, just for a little extra motivation. Might be crazy, but hey, it works. Keep a log of your weight, so you can see the progress you are making. _



BaeckerX1 said:


> 9. You will hit plateaus in your weight loss. This is normal. As you ride more, you're going to be putting on muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat. The key is to not get discouraged. Eventually you'll pass it, and start making good progress again. I've had whole weeks where the scale didn't move at all.


_This is probably the most profound thing about weight loss. It has sidelined me before, and I'm sure it has done the same to many others. It is very frustrating to be trucking right along shedding lbs, and then all the sudden it just stops. Sometimes you need to step back and look at what you could change. Maybe a route change of where you are riding, maybe a small diet change. Add some strength training..the list goes on. just change something. These plateaus are often the result of our bodies becoming accustomed to the routine workout, and then adjusting to it. When your body is no longer "fooled" by the major change it has previously been going through, the plateau shows its ugly face. Don't let a plateau stop your progress. Believe me, I know. I have been there before and given up. This is tied directly to the next comment by the OP, #10._



BaeckerX1 said:


> 10. As you get fitter, you need to work harder. This is kind of one of those ugly truths of fitness. The more you ride, the easier it gets. The easier it gets, the less calories you will burn. This means you are going to have to do one of 2 things. The ideal is to do harder rides. Challenging yourself will make you feel better about riding and will be a good change of pace to keep things interesting. That sense of accomplishment in completing rides you've never been able to do before is euphoric. I also like to ride all over so I don't get bored. If you don't have many options where you live, you need to ride faster. Doing your same favorite trail at a much faster pace will help you burn more calories. Maybe your favorite loop has an easy uphill followed by a fast, steep downhill. Do it the other way. Force yourself to do the more difficult climb.


_What I have seen myself do in the past is get comfortable with riding a trail a certain way, in certain gears. I found that a good way to make it harder and improve strength and continuation of weight loss is to ride in bigger rings. That hill you could only climb in granny gear? try it in the next higher gear. It will be tough at first, but you will get there. Remember when you were walking your bike up the hill? Remember the first time you made it all the way up in granny gear without spinning a tire or putting your feet down? Guess what, you can do that again..and the plus is that you will have done it faster since you were in a higher gear. Your elapsed time will be lower at the end of the ride  _



BaeckerX1 said:


> 11. Take every opportunity for free exercise. If you're only going a few floors, take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator. Walk over to your co-worker's desk instead of calling them or messaging them. When you have to walk somewhere, walk at a brisk pace. Every little bit helps..


_I definitely like taking stairs whenever possible. You will see that as you ride more, your lungs will become more fit, and you will not get out of breath as easy. Have you ever had to walk up some stairs while out of shape, and then try to hide your body language of huffing and puffing and gasping for air when you get to the top? I have. I bet some of you have too. After a few weeks of riding, this will diminish and you will actually look forward to the exercise without knowing you might die of loss of breath at the top of the stairs. Believe me, it gets easier. _



BaeckerX1 said:


> 12. Drink ice water throughout the day. Ice cold water helps to speed the metabolism. It will also help keep you refreshed and not craving high calorie beverages like soda, etc.


_This is one of the most important things you can do. If nothing else, this is square one of staying hydrated. I will admit this is a major weak point for me, and I have had a very difficult time with water. Personally, I hate the taste. Well, maybe I don't hate it: it just doesn't have any taste. I can pick up a 1 liter Dr. Pepper and chug it. I can pick up a bottle of water and try to do the same...fail. I can turn up a bottle of water, chug and chug..and when I put the bottle down, it isn't even half empty. I know that water is good for me, and I know it is the best thing to drink..but I really don't care for the bland taste. It is hard to get into drinking it. Especially with meals. This is something I am still working on, and I hope to conquer it one day. _



BaeckerX1 said:


> 13. Do strength training during your downtime. I've found it's really easy to get some free weights and do various exercises while watching TV.


_Great idea. There is nothing better than getting the rest of your body a little more fit. Remember, all exercise counts. This will not only build more muscle which helps with burning fat, it will make you stronger. _

All that said, I'll say that right now I'm on the bottom looking to get up again. In August of 2010, I started riding. By December 2010 I had gotten down to 218 from 265. Around the first part of 2011 I kind of stopped riding. I hit one of those plateaus where i wasn't losing anything and stayed at about 218-220 for about three weeks. I got out of the groove. Slowly I started eating unhealthy. I figured one or two meals wouldn't hurt. I continued to weigh myself. After only picking up a few lbs, I thought I was safe. It didn't last though. By the beginning of this year, I had slowly gained all the way back up to 260. Right now I am at about 258. I have been riding again for about two months now, and everything seems to be going well. The weight is not coming off like it did before though. I have been as low as 251 in the past month, but it always seems to come back. Although I am watching what I eat, I am not drinking enough water and slipping alot with junkfood. I fear that if I don't get into gear with eating again, I am going to slowly get out of the groove once again. Honestly, the only thing keeping me riding right now is that my wife is riding too and I'm doing it to support her; and also the fact that I just spent a good bit of money building up my full suspension frame. I have a little bit of guilt because I know I need to ride it after I spent a good bit of money.

I can and will work through this. I just replied to this thread because it helps me with my frustrations. Hopefully someone can benefit, and not make the same mistakes I did.


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## BaeckerX1 (Oct 19, 2007)

Thanks for the feedback cncwhiz. I think you added a lot of good info. If this thread helps anyone at all, I'll be happy. You did it before, you can do it again. I'd recommend taking up tracking your calories again for a little while until you get back into eating healthy. It sounds like you might need the shock of seeing how much you're taking in vs what you're burning. Do it until you have a handle on things and feel comfortable about what you're eating. Get out and ride more. If your wife isn't as fast as you (and you're not getting a strenuous workout), you may have to ride without her on different days. My girlfriend has just recently gotten into mountain biking and on the weekends I typically do one easy ride with her and one tougher ride with my friends. I also do tougher rides during the week. They don't even have to be long rides. I did a tough hill climb on a Wednesday night at a local trail. Pretty steep up with some obstacles. Even with stopping and waiting for slower people, we did the 6.3 miles in 41 minutes. It's a lot easier to get in a solid workout during the week than you think. MTB can be very strenuous. You don't have to go for 2+ hours at a time.

While some people don't like to admit this, I've found a lot of bad eating habits are tied to our moods. Life isn't always easy. We all have numerous factors that try and bring us down on a regular basis. If we're depressed or in a bad mood, we often look to junk food to make us feel happy, at least temporarily. Even parents are guilty of it with their children. How many times when you were a kid did your parents make your favorite dish, or take you out for ice cream, to cheer you up? It becomes normal to seek comfort in food, or other things that feel good (alcohol, etc.). If you're finding yourself stressed, down, whatever, go outside and ride your bike instead of reaching for the bag of chips or ice cream. It's not the quick, easy fix, but you'll feel much better in the end.


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## archer70 (Apr 5, 2012)

I am definately a emotional eater. I know when things are not going right I eat terrible. This is something I need to work on.


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## grandsalmon (Oct 24, 2005)

Wow, a great OP topic- thanks; plus everybody's acknowledgments, wrestles, and further suggestions. As life's chapters move on, the bike remains a constant subject thankfully, but I ride less ( I've moved away from my core group of MTBers and much better country to boot  ). I empathize with all of you. My genes of an ancient Scottish rock wall builder are not going to keep me fit any longer.

And yes, one's mood becomes a bigger bugger to keep even and positive, despite what seems ever-increasing pressures. There is certainly a need for moderation of this, while remaining effective and self aware. So I have pulled up a chair, and am glad to join the group. Time to 'muck out'.


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## wahday (Mar 23, 2012)

Another small thing I will add is that for many of us with sedentary jobs, when we are thirsty, our brains can confuse the thirst with hunger and so people seek out a calorie-heavy snack light donuts or whatever might be in the breakroom. Or soda. Now, whenever I have that mid-morning or mid-afternoon craving, I first drink a glass or two of water and see if the feeling changes. If so, I have a healthy snack like apples or oranges. That usually does the trick for me. And I like how I feel riding home at the end of the day knowing I have only eaten at mealtime and curtailed the snacking in between. Late night snacking is still a challenge, but I exercise a lot these days, so its usually not so bad. Plus, it helps not to have a lot of crap in the house. When you have to binge on peanut butter and bananas, its not too bad…


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## BaeckerX1 (Oct 19, 2007)

wahday said:


> Another small thing I will add is that for many of us with sedentary jobs, when we are thirsty, our brains can confuse the thirst with hunger and so people seek out a calorie-heavy snack light donuts or whatever might be in the breakroom. Or soda. Now, whenever I have that mid-morning or mid-afternoon craving, I first drink a glass or two of water and see if the feeling changes. If so, I have a healthy snack like apples or oranges. That usually does the trick for me. And I like how I feel riding home at the end of the day knowing I have only eaten at mealtime and curtailed the snacking in between. Late night snacking is still a challenge, but I exercise a lot these days, so its usually not so bad. Plus, it helps not to have a lot of crap in the house. When you have to binge on peanut butter and bananas, its not too bad&#8230;


Yeah, I know the feeling. They have FREE soda machines in the break room at my work. Press a button and there's a can. It's tough to fight the temptation sometimes.


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## MP87 (Mar 23, 2012)

Hey everybody,

Just wanted to give my experience that I've had while following a lot of the OPs tips for success. Also want to say thanks for the inspiring stories. And congrats to those who have shed some weight. Maybe my experience can help others.

About 6 weeks ago I was 30 pounds overweight. My goal is 220 by the end of August. I was pushing 253 as of March 30. 

I started commuting 3 times a week. It is almost 7 miles one way. I try to push it really hard there and back. I am a sweaty mess at the end of each 7 mile stretch. I am lucky that there are showers at work. If there weren't, I'd still try to do a 20-30 min hard ride in the morning. On the weekend I throw on the knobbies and have been doing at least 25 off road miles each weekend. I am now up to commuting 4-5 days each week.

I tracked calories on my iPhone using the livestrong app for the first two weeks to get an idea of how much I should be eating. Very enlightening.

I made some diet changes - cut back on cheese and sour cream, switched to extra lean ground beef, ate more chicken and fish rather than beef, swapped regular potatoes for yams, more natural unsalted trail mix, less chips and less high salt/sugar granola bars, more whole foods, less processed. Nothing too structured, just easy stuff I knew I could do better on. I can now eat less and not be starving! I

only drink water now, with ice at work. I was drinking 3-5 cans of soda a week. Haven't touched soda in about 6 weeks. Not really missing it. I want to see how long I can go without drinking it. My wife is super supportive with the eating side, which has been a big help. 

I found that evenings are the most difficult. Not eating after 7:30pm is my goal, and it has been a challenge. It helps if I drink some water! This works well for some people. I have a friend who worked out regularly, but it wasn't until he quit the occasional fast food meal and stopped eating after 6pm (he was usually in bed by 9-930pm) that he was able to drop the last 20 pounds of fat.

I weigh myself every other day. I am happy to report that I have been 242 for my last two weigh ins. That represents roughly a 10 pound loss over 6 weeks, or a little over a pound and a half each week.


Thanks again for the inspiration OP, and good luck everybody.


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## hdo_1975 (Feb 6, 2008)

I would encourage everyone to read the book "Why We Get Fat" by Gary Taubes. I used to think that losing weight was simply a matter of thermodynamics - calories in versus calories out. I now fully believe that it's more complex than that and in order to really lose weight and feel your best, you have to eat foods that keep your insulin stable. Best book on weight/diet/nutrition that I've ever read.


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## RCook (Jul 29, 2006)

Started using myfitnesspal.com because of this thread on 4/19, lost 8 pounds so far. It seems much easier to loose weight when it becomes a game. I have so many calories per day but if I exercise the number gets larger. It's kinda like having the MPG gauge in the car and seeing how high I can get it. 

Good thread!


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## TX-BoneDigger (Aug 24, 2007)

Great information here. I need to lose 60 lbs and have been using Lose It on my iPhone to count calories. So far I have lost right at 9 lbs so I have a long way to go. Staying motivated is the key.

Todd


Sent via Todd's IPhone using Tapatalk.


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## madwing (May 10, 2012)

i'll second/third/nth the "great information here" statement. i'm 6'2" 230#, with a belly way too big for my liking. i'm starting biking again for, basically, the first time in nearly 30 years, and am doing so in part to lose 30 of those pounds.

our diet is already pretty good, though i do have to watch my portion size when we eat out. i've substituted tortillas for bread in a lot of cases, have cut down on the other carbs, eat a lot of raw veggies and salads, lean beef/chicken/pork and fish, no sodas, no fast food, etc. weaknesses: beer and the occasional donut at work. my biggest contributor to fat is eating late. my son has started (the past two years or so, coinciding with my weight gain, coincidentally) break dancing and hip hop, which keeps him out three-four nights/week later, meaning dinner was happening between 8-9:30...and i'd be super hungry, and so eat too much, then have crappy sleep because i went to bed digesting, etc., which led to a bad cycle. recently i laid down the law at home, and said i wasn't eating after 7 on a weeknight. so now my wife and i eat then, and she has been trying to feed the lad prior to his dancing...or after, but smaller amounts of food.

i've also added playing basketball at lunch at work once a week, soon to be twice a week; i had to stop that about 5 years back due to a severe ankle injury. between that, the riding, and the dietary advice here and our changes at home, i expect to lose what i want... thanks for all the great insights here!

bill


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## BaeckerX1 (Oct 19, 2007)

201.5 this morning. When are you officially no longer a Clyde? Under 200? I'm getting close.


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## oned (Mar 28, 2011)

Thanks for the tips. 

The plateau really good info. 

I have been losing weight in the past month, however these 5 days my weight stay the same even I did more and harder rides. I started get discouraged, but thank for your tip, now I am encouraged again.


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## BaeckerX1 (Oct 19, 2007)

oned said:


> Thanks for the tips.
> 
> The plateau really good info.
> 
> I have been losing weight in the past month, however these 5 days my weight stay the same even I did more and harder rides. I started get discouraged, but thank for your tip, now I am encouraged again.


Don't feel bad. I plateaued hard myself recently and was just yo-yoing a few pounds up and down but mostly staying the same. It took a lot harder concentrated effort and really focusing on my diet to start losing again. I'm at 200.5 this morning. My goal is 190, so I'm getting pretty close to where I want to be.


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## caljah (May 11, 2013)

BaeckerX1 said:


> ...or how to lose 30 pounds in 3 months without dieting, fancy miracle drugs, or expensive nutritionists.
> 
> *OK, first of all, I'm not going to be talking about anything revolutionary here. These are all different tips that I've picked up here and there or stuff that I have tried and has worked for me personally. Many of these are common knowledge or have been discussed elsewhere. I just want to give my experiences with losing weight through biking and maybe it will help some others. I am only speaking of weight loss. I realize there are faster ways to lose weight, but I believe if you do it in the right way, you'll have fun and you won't put the pounds back on once you meet your goals.*
> 
> ...


Some of the best advice I have heard, put into one place. I am LOVING, this sport. The best part has been, enjoying myself and the weight is coming off. I have lost 11 pounds in the last two weeks. Thank you


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## askibum02 (Jul 7, 2005)

That's some great advice. I've been following a lot of the same thinking for the past few months, and I've lost 20 pounds. The only thing I'm a little squirrely on is the eating part. There's a school of thought now that eating low fat or fat free isn't necessarily as good for you as originally thought. Your body needs fat to absorb the nutrients. One study compared a diet of salad with fat free dressing for two weeks vs. a salad with full fat dressing for two weeks, and the body actually absorbed more and better nutrients. It was all tested via blood draws. 

I'm not saying go out and eat two cheese burgers everyday for lunch, but if you want to have ranch with your salad, or a couple of slices of bacon for breakfast It's not going to wreck you. You do still need to keep an eye on calories though. I've been eating a couple slices of bacon for breakfast a couple times a week, using full fat mayo, and ranch dressing with my salads, and real butter, not that hydrogenated crap (that's a whole nother discussion). Again the key to all this is still moderation. Even with all this my calorie count is still about 1800 a day. Throw in crossfit 3x a week and riding 30-40 miles a week, and I am losing about 2-3 pounds a week. I'm losing a healthy amount of weight, and i don't feel like I'm depriving myself in the kitchen. Winning!


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## BaeckerX1 (Oct 19, 2007)

Glad to hear this thread is helping people. I appreciate reading all the stories. I ended up getting down to 193 last September, which is a healthy weight for me. I bounced back slightly above 200 again over the winter/holidays, but I've been riding like crazy with the turn of the season and trending back down. So far I've been able to keep the weight off for the most part and I'm still around 50 lbs lighter than I was when I started. I picked up 2 25 pound weights the other day and thought about strapping them to my back and pedaling up a mountain. It's a daunting task just thinking about it. I couldn't believe I was carrying that much weight before. Without focusing solely on weight cause there are so many other factors at play...I lost 6 whole waist sizes! :eekster:

Mountain biking has been such a great part of my life. It's completely changed my outlook and health.


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## walangkatapat (Jun 2, 2009)

Updates?


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## Jams_805 (Aug 15, 2013)

Great info here.. The only thing I don't believe in is weighing yourself. I found that in some people, like my gf, it can be more discouraging than anything when u feel like youre killing it on your diet and the scale doesn't show much change.. I threw out my scale. I eat as good as I can manage, ride 5+ days a week, and my "scale" is how people are constantly commenting on my slimmer face and toned legs.. it feels better than any number. Though weighing works for a lot of people, I say eff it. just make sure you always have a calorie deficit and watch your body change! just my .02!


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## captbo (Nov 13, 2014)

I am an Eating Addict!. I have been overweight all my life. I at times have been able to lose an impressive amount of weight to the turn of 80 lbs 3 x in my life. The last time I did this was 24 years ago I am now 54 years old , well in a few days. I desire a life change. As of March of this year I began again, I did very well dropping from 361 to 299. I never thought I could do it and was very happy I did. I added cycling to my life ( bought a beach cruiser) and I was and have been able to maintaining ( sort of) I restarted with a new MTB two weeks ago I weighed 327 Nov 22. 2014, with being able to get out on weekends so Sunday I realized I needed some saddle time on the air dyne so here I go. The Cycling lifestyle is appealing as I like it rode a good bit in my teens and twentys. I am posting weeky on a thread in the clyde /tall section .. Thanks for the thread and the helpful tips


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