BPM

Yes Drill Sergeant! (Picture Bill Murray in Stripes) My goal is to be riding 100 miles a week within about 90 days. I am riding on pavement now so my Mtn Bike isn't the greatest choice as the tires are set up for off road and have a lot of drag but that just means I am working that much harder. :heh:

Look at the Before and After Picture thread for inspiration.

I joined the Bike Gang yesterday and bought a new Giant Mtn bike. 10 miles on night 1 in 95 degree heat here in Georgia and I about fell over. My wind was ok...my legs were just flat out.....out of gas. 1500 calories a day for a 310 lb man probably don't help the stamina but that's the price we pay. :heh:

I was always athletic in school albeit a little husky. I played all the sports at the Varsity level. I started seriously gaining some weight when I went away to college...the Freshman 15 was more like the Freshman 50. Got out of school and slowly gained weight again...until I had enough. I got serious about my health and was introduced to Mtn biking by a friend. We started riding and unfortunately he was in FAR FAR better shape than I...but the good thing was...the competitive juices came out of the closet and it was game on. I trained and trained until I had far more endurance than he and I dropped down to sub 200 for the first time in years. 200lbs looks great on me because I am broad shouldered and carry it well even though the ideal weight charts put me at 175 I wouldn't want to be that thin. I changed jobs.....got several promotions....which increased the stress levels etc and I started turning to food to cope with the stress I guess. That's my story and I am sticking to it. I travel for work a lot and the fast food is just too convenient. 10 years later I found myself weighing 331 pounds. Holy Mackerel I am fat. I started searching the web for info and came to this site....I researched the band and saw how successful many were....I was also surprised to see how many failed, how many were able to bypass the band and how many had complications. It sounded perfect at first but what I realized was it was still 90% mental. The brain controls everything when it comes to the body and the eating habits. I went so far as to schedule my surgery but then I read a post about someone gaining while on the band because they were eating sweets to satisfy the cravings or something like that. It clicked in my head that even with the band...I would still need to be mentally strong...and if I had to be mentally strong anyways...why not do it without it and skip the complications. I cancelled it and haven't looked back....at least not yet. I am only a few weeks in.....so the jury is out. In the last 10 years I had yet to make it past a week on a diet as I wasn't mentally committed to it. It feels different this time as I will say I am mentally very strong and have eaten nearly perfectly and have controlled my cravings, increased my exercise and have seen success so far. I may still find my way to the band as it is a great tool...but don't expect it to be a cure all because I think most would agree it is not. It's a tool that you have to work with to achieve your goals and it will still require a LOT of dedication and hard work on your part because you can overeat the band. So for now...I came to bandland and walked away deciding it wasn't right for me...not for now. I like to post here because of the support and seeing others trying to achieve the same goals. It's inspiring and I think we can all relate to each others pains like thinner people cannot. So good luck and stick around...the people here are great.

I am across the finish line too.....309.4 today....Minus 12 lbs.

Adversity introduces you...to yourself. Where you go from there is up to you. You can do it.

Bernie Mac has got to be one of the funniest men on the planet.

First night on new bike. 10 miles. Anyone know CPR? :faint:

I just got back from riding......wow am I out of shape. 10 miles....and I was out of gas.... :help: I think my 1500 calorie a day intakes aren't helping the stamina but such is life. :heh: I can't wait to start grinding out the miles again. :eek:

If you use your imagination.....tea is almost as good as hotwings...right? :guess :heh:

Remember those Gatorade commercials...featuring the greatest basketball player of all time...(Michael Jordan)....? Is it in you? :biggrin1: I heard a cool saying today....."adversity introduces you to yourself." Keep it up...you can do it.

I used to be an avid rider.....before I got fat and lazy I would usually log 20-30 miles a night on pavement and 2 times a week 15 miles or so on heavy cross country hilly terrain. It rocked and I loved it...which when it comes to excercise I think it helps if you love what you are doing.

Could you quote the part of my post where I insinuated she wasn't? You could PM me so we don't continue to pollute her thread.....

Wow. Funny...I guess you were right. Let me clarify something right from the start...so the pig pile can stop here.....No where in my post did I mean to insinuate she wasn't a good Mom. I don't think that I insinuated that at all...but the fact that so many seem to think so I must have. It wasn't intentional and I still don't agree that I even did. What I did do is disagree with her....that's life....it's going to happen when you ask for opinions on your personal life on an internet message board......but I sure wouldn't cast that kind of judgement on someone I don't know based on one post. Anybody that knows me knows...my parents raised me better than that. I see I didn't get the same respect. I guess I'll know better next time.....but for the record...if anyone took my post....(which was nothing more than a different opinion) as an insinuation that somehow this woman isn't a good mother.....I will say that was not my intention and I am man enought to say that I am sorry. I would also ask ANY of you......to PM me with the quote out of my posting that implies or states that she isn't. :eek:

I agree....with most of your post. I guess I respect my parents (grandparents) more than to "smack them down". I'd just talk it over with them rather than create a big full blown incident over the thing. I think the grandparents had good intentions...just poor execution. I am not sure why you think this would get out of control....it seems like a pretty normal discussion so far.

Abs....he could lay flat on his back and do crunches. If you have access to a lat pulldown he could do Lat crunches. If he can sit in a chair he could do a form of a crunch/leg lift combo. Back He could put a barbell across his shoulders and bend forward as far as he can. He could also do seated rows if he has access. He could do all of the pulling excercises if he has access to a machine.

-8.2 lbs to date. Had an unfortunate eating out experience that derailed me for a few days. :heh: Back on track now.

Ok...well what specific part of my post did you disagree with? I don't think she needs to be on a "diet"...at 5 years of age the parent can easily control what they eat so why not teach them habits now that will last a lifetime?

Let's put this in perspective....you are saying your daughter is built like you....thick. You are on a message board for lap band patients who have decided they have no recourse other than having themselves cut open and a silicone band implanted around their stomach so they won't eat themselves to death. And you say that you want your daughter to know that it is ok to be thick? I am not trying to start something or irritate you or even lecture you as I am as fat as the next guy....but I think you are doing your child a disservice if you think it's ok for them to be "thick". 5 years old is no time to be freaking out...but it's also the perfect time to start a lifetime of healthy habits......not of justifying the bad ones. Fluffy? Do you really think that? YMMV.

I have a different opinion....maybe because I am a guy. I wish someone would have jerked a knot in my parents butt for creating the eating habits I had as a child...it made me a fat adult. I think the sooner your daughter knows why she is fat and what the plan is then the better. Lifelong habits form as a child. I'd be ticked if the parents did that against your wishes as long as it had been discussed prior but if not then it seems like a simple mistake on their part and they probably have no idea that you are this bent out of it. I wouldn't make a case out of it unless they knew your wishes. JMO YMMV.

ditto....or maybe I don't even want to know. Oy Vey. :hungry:

His tee time is 7:30 am so the good news is you won't be in the O.R. very long so he won't be late. :heh:

I'd want one to yell at me and scream and call me names. I think I'd be getting cheated out of my money for anything less. :heh: :nervous

I'd find a big rabid dog to chase me down the street. THAT's motivation. :heh:

If this is a private question I understand....but what do personal trainers charge for their services and what do you get in return? I realize it will vary a lot but just curious. I'd like to have someone to kick my butt during workouts.