[COLOR= #0000ff]Well, not at the same time, lol. But I did do my first 12-miler today, and on weigh day this week I've now lost FIFTY pounds since July by cycling and eating healthier. I'm really quite excited about both![/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]The 50 pounds is a biggie for me. I've been overweight since I was 24. Before that, I was always slender. In childbirth that year I had my lovely daughter, but my uterus ruptured, I lost 3/4 of my blood, and very nearly died. They did an emergency hysterectomy, which was an emotional blow because I had wanted more children, but I have a son and daughter, so I tried to make the best of that. But, though they repeatedly say that a hysterectomy has nothing to do with weight gain, I started gaining weight afterward, and within a year was 30 pounds overweight. I lost the 30 through dieting -- and regained 35. I lost that -- and regained 40. And thus I dieted my way UP to almost 300 pounds! I've been dieting most of the past 36 years, and was so very tired of always starving myself, feeling deprived, and gaining back the pounds plus some of their friends. But I had never managed to get to 50 pounds off before, so this is a first. And I had pretty much given up that I was ever going to be able to do it -- until along came cycling -- which somehow compels me to eat more healthily so I can keep it up. [/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]It is I-N-C-R-E-D-I-B-L-E to me that cycling was all I needed!!! I had done other exercises while dieting, long walks, Curves gym, Richard Simmons tapes, etc. But I always hated it, and it never seemed to help. If ONLY I had tried cycling back then, I would never have gotten so fat! But that's water under the bridge at this point. At least I've found cycling now, and I will NEVER stop, even when I'm slender again, because I love it. And because I love it and will never stop, I'm confident that I can lose the remaining 75 pounds I want to lose, and feel good about myself again in a way I haven't in 36 years. What a gift that is to me. [/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]The 12-mile ride was hard today. It was cold in spite of my layers -- at least my legs and face were cold -- and it was windy, which of course makes biking harder than normal. So an intelligent or less stubborn person might have taken a shorter bike ride, lol, than trying to go for her longest one ever in those conditions. But when I'm on the bike, something happens and I don't want to stop, even under those conditions. My legs are aching and I'm breathing heavier and I'm cold -- but I just want to keep going, and it feels like a failure to back off at that point. I know that's stupid, and that I should be varying my rides and intensity, so I'm working on a schedule for that. But for today, I wanted to go one more mile... and I did. And it feels pretty good. [/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]I just want to say that my friends here have become a very important part of my cycling journey. When I'm having a bad day biking, I can come on and vent and get consolation and advice or a needed kick in the pants (thanks, Brad, lol). And when it's a good day, I can't wait to come here and share it here with you all. You've become like family.[/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]Thanks for being here for me, y'all. I couldn't have done it without you.[/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]Have a WONDERFUL 2011![/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]Sierra[/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]The 50 pounds is a biggie for me. I've been overweight since I was 24. Before that, I was always slender. In childbirth that year I had my lovely daughter, but my uterus ruptured, I lost 3/4 of my blood, and very nearly died. They did an emergency hysterectomy, which was an emotional blow because I had wanted more children, but I have a son and daughter, so I tried to make the best of that. But, though they repeatedly say that a hysterectomy has nothing to do with weight gain, I started gaining weight afterward, and within a year was 30 pounds overweight. I lost the 30 through dieting -- and regained 35. I lost that -- and regained 40. And thus I dieted my way UP to almost 300 pounds! I've been dieting most of the past 36 years, and was so very tired of always starving myself, feeling deprived, and gaining back the pounds plus some of their friends. But I had never managed to get to 50 pounds off before, so this is a first. And I had pretty much given up that I was ever going to be able to do it -- until along came cycling -- which somehow compels me to eat more healthily so I can keep it up. [/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]It is I-N-C-R-E-D-I-B-L-E to me that cycling was all I needed!!! I had done other exercises while dieting, long walks, Curves gym, Richard Simmons tapes, etc. But I always hated it, and it never seemed to help. If ONLY I had tried cycling back then, I would never have gotten so fat! But that's water under the bridge at this point. At least I've found cycling now, and I will NEVER stop, even when I'm slender again, because I love it. And because I love it and will never stop, I'm confident that I can lose the remaining 75 pounds I want to lose, and feel good about myself again in a way I haven't in 36 years. What a gift that is to me. [/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]The 12-mile ride was hard today. It was cold in spite of my layers -- at least my legs and face were cold -- and it was windy, which of course makes biking harder than normal. So an intelligent or less stubborn person might have taken a shorter bike ride, lol, than trying to go for her longest one ever in those conditions. But when I'm on the bike, something happens and I don't want to stop, even under those conditions. My legs are aching and I'm breathing heavier and I'm cold -- but I just want to keep going, and it feels like a failure to back off at that point. I know that's stupid, and that I should be varying my rides and intensity, so I'm working on a schedule for that. But for today, I wanted to go one more mile... and I did. And it feels pretty good. [/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]I just want to say that my friends here have become a very important part of my cycling journey. When I'm having a bad day biking, I can come on and vent and get consolation and advice or a needed kick in the pants (thanks, Brad, lol). And when it's a good day, I can't wait to come here and share it here with you all. You've become like family.[/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]Thanks for being here for me, y'all. I couldn't have done it without you.[/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]Have a WONDERFUL 2011![/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]Sierra[/COLOR]