# Wrong Bike, 4 Wrong Reasons, What Now?



## aplcr0331 (Jul 12, 2011)

*Wrong Bike-For Wrong Reasons, What Now?*

I am 80 pounds overweight, and have begun to try and lose it. I walk my dog 5-6 days a week (just started last week) 1.8 miles around my house. I cannot run since my knees are pretty bad (VA Disability on each knee from my time in the Corps). I assume that once I drop some pounds I can go back to running a bit (which I think is still one of the better ways to shed weight). So, I thought that I would buy a bike and ride and lose weight, to increase fitness, and mostly I was hoping to tone my inner/upper thigh area as they rub together when I walk.

My first problem: The bike. I should have done more research even though it was what I could afford, I could have done better. What I did was go to Amazon and typed in road bike and then searched by lowest price. I found that bike they sell at wallyworld and purchased that. I got the black one since it has a bigger frame. That's one notch against me.

Next problem: Reading though bike forums and I'm not sure that I can really lose much weight riding? The more I read about nutrition and such I am learning that most weight loss will come from food intake (as in not inhaling everything fried and fatty and washing it down with Coke). 

I guess what I want to know is, will riding the bike help in anyway? Having my thighs rub together is kind of freaky and uncomfortable. So that is probably my biggest concern along with losing pounds. Since I live so close to work the bike ride to and from is only 5 miles total per day. How much more beyond that should I go to see some results? 

I'm a little disheartened, but still am hopeful that riding a bike (even if it is a piece of crap) will assist in my transition to a healthier Aplcr....

Thanks!


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## allez se (Apr 20, 2007)

Eating right is the most important part. Stop any and all fast food intake. Eat whole foods, shop the perimeter of the grocery store. 
As long as the bike fits reasonably well, ride the crud out of it. Bicycling burns calories. Burn more calories than you take in= weight loss. 
Visit myfitnesspal.com
As for the thighs rubbing, I like this product called Bodyglide. I found it at Academy Sports, about $5 or $6 bucks, works excellent at preventing chafe. Rub it on prior to exercise like a deodorant stick.


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## Doolab (Feb 13, 2008)

Good advice above... Nutrition intake is key to any fitness program, whether it includes a bike or anything else... And processed foods should be avoided whenever possible.

The bike will start to help you lose weight when you start doing 20-30-40 miles out at a time, and aiming for 150-250 miles total a week. That's when all those thousands of burned calories will start to make a difference on the scale.
Those 5 mile trips are hardly considered a workout when on a bike, so set your goals to something challenging, then try to beat it by just a little bit more. You'll be amazed at the fitness progress you'll make and have a lot of fun doing it.


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

Your thighs really shouldn't rub. Probably a sign your bike either doesn't fit, is set up wrong, or both. 

Weight loss is possible on the bike, provided you're investing time on the bike and making changes to your diet.


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## aplcr0331 (Jul 12, 2011)

Doolab said:


> Good advice above... Nutrition intake is key to any fitness program, whether it includes a bike or anything else... And processed foods should be avoided whenever possible.
> 
> The bike will start to help you lose weight when you start doing 20-30-40 miles out at a time, and aiming for 150-250 miles total a week. That's when all those thousands of burned calories will start to make a difference on the scale.
> Those 5 mile trips are hardly considered a workout when on a bike, so set your goals to something challenging, then try to beat it by just a little bit more. You'll be amazed at the fitness progress you'll make and have a lot of fun doing it.


Thanks you two....20-30-40 eh? Wow, that sure seems like a long distance considered I work up a sweat on my 1.8 mile walks. 

Oh well, I'm gonna take the bike out for its maiden voyage today. I'll let you guys know how it goes!


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## gaspi101 (May 12, 2011)

aplcr0331 said:


> Thanks you two....20-30-40 eh? Wow, that sure seems like a long distance considered I work up a sweat on my 1.8 mile walks.
> 
> Oh well, I'm gonna take the bike out for its maiden voyage today. I'll let you guys know how it goes!


Start slow. Go for 10 mile rides first for the first few weeks, then 15, then 20, etc. And what has helped me lose weight immensely is a heart rate monitor that calculates calories burned. Cost is abou $20 for a cheapo one, and they all generall work the same. Good luck!


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## brianmcg (Oct 12, 2002)

http://istanbultea.typepad.com/largefellaonabike/archives.html

Check out this guys blog and start from the start.

Couple of things:
Don't fret about getting the wrong bike. Its your first, and anyone that has gotten into cycling will tell you it wont be your last. Just keep researching and look at all kinds of bikes, not just "road", read racing bikes. You may find you like the comfort of a touring bike with larger tires.

Just make a commitment to get out there every day. Dont worry about distance. Just get on the road even if its just for 10 minutes. The miles start to add up like pennies in the bank.

Good luck.


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## aplcr0331 (Jul 12, 2011)

Went 6.6 miles. Feel pretty good. Bottom of my feet are sore, butt's not that bad, and I can tell that my left knee is significantlystronger than my right knee. Bought a stainless steel water bottle....water does not stay cold in it very long 

Bike seems smooth, need to tighten front brakes a bit and the shifting sucks. I'll have to read online how to adjust that.


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## spookyload (Jan 30, 2004)

Don't look at the bike as a tool for weight loss. The real key to weight loss is lifestyle change. Riding the bike is one tool you have at your disposal to help change a sedintary lifestyle. Propper food portions, healthy diet, and any activity will help someone lose weight if they have lots of weight to lose. Cut out soda is the first thing most folks can do to drop empty calories. The super sized coke has almost as many calories as the big mac in a value meal. Longer distance rides will get the metabolic fire burning for sure, but weight loss is a slow process. Think of it like a glacier. If an avalanche happens, there is damage and it is fast. When the glaciers retreated, it was a very slow process and it left mountains behind.


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

spookyload said:


> Don't look at the bike as a tool for weight loss.


It can be, but I agree with the rest of your post for the most part. When you ride a lot, which most folks won't do, it starts to get easy to lose weight. I'm already a lightweight, but a few years back I was doing some long endurance hours during the winter and accidentally dropped below 120lbs since I hadn't been paying that close attention to calories in vs. out and hadn't weighed myself in quite a while. Ended up having a pretty good season that year. :thumbsup:


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## gaspi101 (May 12, 2011)

spade2you said:


> It can be, but I agree with the rest of your post for the most part. When you ride a lot, which most folks won't do, it starts to get easy to lose weight. I'm already a lightweight, but a few years back I was doing some long endurance hours during the winter and accidentally dropped below 120lbs since I hadn't been paying that close attention to calories in vs. out and hadn't weighed myself in quite a while. Ended up having a pretty good season that year. :thumbsup:


While I agree that nutrition and lifestyle is key, I think the bike is definitely a tool for weight loss. I had a nice Saturday morning ride (86 miles), burned over 4500 calories. Hard to argue with that.


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## snajper69 (Jun 22, 2011)

No offense but I would not use bike for a weight loss, well at least as the only tool, you need to ride your ass off and waste lots of time to get any reasonable workout out of a bike. Running is no better. Anabolic exercise are the true key to loosing weight. I recommend circuit weight training. It will be way more challenging and the after burn will last longer than any biking or running, plus you will be building solid muscle which will increase your caloric burn. Muscle burn calories even when you don't use them, a lot of energy is wasted just to support muscle by your body. Get your behind to the gym start lifting use bike to get to work, or even to the gym to complete your training regiment and control your eating habit don't eat empty calories. And you will burn fat so fast you will not believe that it could be so easy. Most people go wrong about weight loss they spend hours on bikes, elliptic, and treadmills you see the same people on the same equipments months after month, with pathetic results, go take a look at a guys in the free weight area, they are all fit as heck and they stay away from most aerobic exercise. Building muscle is the key to loosing and keeping your weight off and not aerobic exercise. I use Biking for recovering nothing else, and cross training. BTW most cyclist put the on squad rack or make them do some dead-lifts and I guarantee they will be passing out in few minutes. Always cross check, never use one type of exercises as do it all. You said your ex Marines, keep in mind your training, remember your bookcamp? One thing that Military dose better than anyone else is whip some ass. They combine endurance training with strength training building well verse fighting machine. This should be your goal if you want loose weight.


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## Hooben (Aug 22, 2004)

I read about Scott Cutshall, he lost weight bicycling and changing his eating habits. This was a major lifestyle change. I enjoy his story greatly. 

http://www.bicycling.com/training-nutrition/nutrition-weight-loss/i-lost-320-pounds-riding-bike


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## aplcr0331 (Jul 12, 2011)

Hooben said:


> I read about Scott Cutshall, he lost weight bicycling and changing his eating habits. This was a major lifestyle change. I enjoy his story greatly.
> 
> http://www.bicycling.com/training-nutrition/nutrition-weight-loss/i-lost-320-pounds-riding-bike


Holy crap. That's a little extreme.


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## aplcr0331 (Jul 12, 2011)

Here it is before I went on my first ride.










I rode 6.6 miles and now that its later in the day I'm not so sore. I'll try to go a little bit farther tomorrow. Thanks everyone for the tips.


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## allez se (Apr 20, 2007)

At least your bike looks cool. I'd ride it. 
Keep riding. It takes a little while for the butt to toughen up. Weight training is important as stated above. I just started to try to lose weight about 2-3 weeks ago and dropped off 12 pounds instantly by using myfitnesspal.com, making informed food choices, and weight lifting. Now for the first time in almost 10 years my weight starts with the number 1 instead of the number 2.
Don't forget, biking is fun. Weight lifting can be too. Seeing your feet is even more fun!


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## brianmcg (Oct 12, 2002)

Is that a quill stem? If so you may want to raise the bars a few cm. That may be more comfortable.


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## SpokeBroke (Mar 15, 2011)

Thats not a bad looking ride at all.

You lose a lot of weight due to dehydration especially during the hot months, so be careful about that. From a strict numbers point of view, you may be lighter on the scale after a ride, but some of it is dehydration. If you get to that point, you will feel like crap with headaches, weakness, etc. Drink plenty and refill the bottle wherever you can. 

You will lose weight on this, because it is fun, and you will want to do it, which means you will do it, etc., etc., That's how it works!

Cheers!


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

Original Poster - you could lie on your back all day and lose weight if you took in the right amount of calories. A bike is just a tool to help, just like correct size portions. Eat 10 hamburgs per day and ride 150 miles per day and you could still *put* weight on. Whether you walk the dog, ride every day or do nothing, you HAVE to produce a calorie deficit. I lost 36lbs by just cutting down and down until the weight started to drop off. I wouldn't dare eat a chocolate bar now. Willpower and knowledge are your two best assets.


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## ericm979 (Jun 26, 2005)

The best exercise for losing weight is the one that you enjoy the most. More time exercising means more calories burned. Besides, why do an activity that you don't enjoy?

I have lost weight with both running and cycling. I loved running but it trashed my knees so I took up cycling. You don't burn quite as many calories per hour cycling vs running but you can do many more hours so overall it is better for losing weight.


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## NJBiker72 (Jul 9, 2011)

I lost a lot when I started riding. 

And I started on the Denali from Wally World. 

You do need to watch what you eat but think of the additional speed you gain when you weigh less.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

ericm979 said:


> The best exercise for losing weight is the one that you enjoy the most. More time exercising means more calories burned. Besides, why do an activity that you don't enjoy?


Exactly. When I wanted to start on a cardio fitness regimen, I went with biking because I liked it far better than the other choices, and 25+ years later am still with it.

Beyond that, I agree with some others that this is a lifestyle choice, with biking being one (albeit important) part. Less calories in and more energy expended will result in weight loss, so eat less, eat right, rest when you need to and generally take care of your body. It'll all pay dividends both on and off the bike.


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

ericm979 said:


> You don't burn quite as many calories per hour cycling vs running but you can do many more hours so overall it is better for losing weight.


You can burn more calories per hour if you push yourself really hard. :thumbsup: Had a short time trial yesterday that estimates I burned about 475 calories in less than 45 minutes.


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## gaspi101 (May 12, 2011)

spade2you said:


> You can burn more calories per hour if you push yourself really hard. :thumbsup: Had a short time trial yesterday that estimates I burned about 475 calories in less than 45 minutes.


Odd. I burn an average of 1,000 calories per hour on my 20+ mph rides. Granted, im in Miami, and its summer. Still...


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

gaspi101 said:


> Odd. I burn an average of 1,000 calories per hour on my 20+ mph rides. Granted, im in Miami, and its summer. Still...


It's all relative to heart rate, size, age, etc and above all is mostly an estimation. I can't say how accurate my Garmin is compared to my Polar since I haven't tracked my weight and calories in for a while. It's all relative. I'm very small at 120lbs.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

gaspi101 said:


> Odd. I burn an average of 1,000 calories per hour on my 20+ mph rides. Granted, im in Miami, and its summer. Still...


The 'tools' one uses to determine calories expended matters. Some are notoriously inaccurate, usually on the high side.


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## aplcr0331 (Jul 12, 2011)

Thanks again everyone for all the great replies. At this point my biggest hurdle will be my own lack of willpower. I wish that broccoli and fish tasted as good as a double burger and fries. 

Oh well, **** in one hand and wish in the other and see which one fills up faster. 

Gonna go ride tonight!


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## NJBiker72 (Jul 9, 2011)

aplcr0331 said:


> Thanks again everyone for all the great replies. At this point my biggest hurdle will be my own lack of willpower. I wish that broccoli and fish tasted as good as a double burger and fries.
> 
> Oh well, **** in one hand and wish in the other and see which one fills up faster.
> 
> Gonna go ride tonight!


Good thing about riding is it takes will power out of the equation once you get out there. If I get as exhausted at the gym I can quit. Not if I am 30 miles from home with just a bike to get me home. 

Doesn't mean I can't stop for ice cream on way back though.


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## bigdlv (Jul 7, 2011)

I am anothe BIG guy on a bike. I started riding to lose weight and found that it is something that I really love to do. I've lost about twenty lbs but hve been platued for a while. Havo to definitely chang my caloric intake. Good luck to us as the miles burn away the fat!


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## aplcr0331 (Jul 12, 2011)

Checking back in....

Got rid of the POS.
Moved a few times.
Back in home city in the Inland Northwest.
Gained weight up to 295lbs.
Started eating better.
Started running.
Started riding more.

Dow to 238 with a lot to go, my wife rides with me now too

...









That's my newest bike I like it a lot. Have some spd-sl pedals coming in from Chain Reaction.

Seeya around


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## Migen21 (Oct 28, 2014)

Congrats on the weight loss, and riding with the spouse. 

I lost almost 100lbs over a year or so. I rode about 4000 miles that first year in the process. I also bought the wrong bike the first time around. I learned a lot from that experience. Sold the bike, bought a new one that fit me and my riding style and haven't looked back. 

As other have said, just adding riding to your day won't do the trick by itself, but getting out and being more active certainly helps. It's a heck of a lot better than sitting around on the couch.

Take it slow. Start out with short rides, and ride as frequently as you can. Let your body adjust to the position and contact points. Work up to longer and longer rides. 

I've gotten to the point where if I don't get a ride in, I don't feel quite right. It's just such a part of my day now that it doesn't feel normal to not do it. 

Good luck on your remaining weight loss.


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## n2deep (Mar 23, 2014)

All great advise above!! Proper nutrition is definitely one of the keys!! (We do not need 50% of the calories we uptake daily.) Bikes are great exercise and although not primarily designed to take the weight off, if used properly it provides significantly more important benefits; keeping most of us sane and developing great cores. I firmly believe there is at lease a couple of axe murderers in this group besides me that rides to exercise the demons so that we have a human perspective and deal kindly with our fellow humans. The more you ride the better your core strengths will be, regardless of your weight. Soon you'll be doing that nice 40 mile saturday morning ride and want more and more time to take new road and new rides.. Find a great local bike shop that sponsors group rides and get started.. Remember,, you didn't get this way overnight and it will take more than overnight to recover/get back to fitness. Best wishes


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## aplcr0331 (Jul 12, 2011)

Thanks you guys, I appreciate your perspective and advice.


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## Drew Eckhardt (Nov 11, 2009)

aplcr0331 said:


> [
> Next problem: Reading though bike forums and I'm not sure that I can really lose much weight riding?


Sure. I shrunk from 205 pounds in Fall 2013 to 135-137 by April 2015. At 5'9.5" I could have better definition between my top four abs but am otherwise effectively fat-free.



> I guess what I want to know is, will riding the bike help in anyway?


Sure. At an endurance pace you can run off 75-80% fat, but can avoid hunger by not eating much more than it takes to replenish the 20-25% of Calories which came from your glycogen stores.

That's below your aerobic threshold where breathing becomes rhythmic, lactate starts to accumulate, and conversation doesn't flow. It's about the maximum effort you can maintain on a 5 hour ride with an even first and second half split.

You can do that and be fast too if you want - with just one day of 3x10 or 4x10 minute intervals as hard as possible I am as fast over shorter distances as I was doing that twice a week and riding mostly tempo other days, but much faster over longer distances.



> Having my thighs rub together is kind of freaky and uncomfortable. So that is probably my biggest concern along with losing pounds. Since I live so close to work the bike ride to and from is only 5 miles total per day. How much more beyond that should I go to see some results?


Six hours a week riding at least every other day.

At 25-30 Calories / mile your commute is only good for 125-150 / day.

1 Watt = 1 joule/second, so 100W in 1 hour = 360,000 joules or 360kj. 1 Calorie = 4.2kj although cycling metabolic efficiency is never better than 25% so you can approximate 4 Calories in = 4.2kj out and round to 1 Calorie in = 1 kj out. On "flat" terrain out-and-back using a power meter with +/-2.5% accuracy I measure about 100W averaging 15 MPH for 360 Calories / hour and 24 / mile; 150W at 17 MPH for 540 Calories / hour and 32 / mile; and 200W at 20 MPH for 720 Calories / hour and 36 / mile.

An extra 70 pounds only adds 2 Calories / mile on flat ground - 32 kg * 9.8 m/s^2 * .004 Crr * 1600 meters = 2.007 kj.



> I'm a little disheartened, but still am hopeful that riding a bike (even if it is a piece of crap) will assist in my transition to a healthier Aplcr....


You need to get in touch with how much food you actually need. Forget about eating everything on your plate - while the resulting growth may be OK for kids it's not good for adults who just get wider.

I follow three simple rules:

 Don't eat when not hungry 
 Only eat enough to be sated 30 minutes after the last bite, going back for seconds or thirds and snacking as necessary. I was susprised to find I was as satisfied with 1/3 less food. 
 Always eat when hungry to avoid becoming too ravenous to stop or pause when prudent. 
and switched switcehd to snacks with fewer carbs but more fat and protein with longer lasting satiety like mixed nuts; avocado with olive oil, salt, pepper, and sriracha sauce; and left over meat.

Without any hunger or forbidden foods that plan is very easy to stick to, and you don't need to figure out how many calories you're actually expending and consuming.


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## PBL450 (Apr 12, 2014)

Weight loss isn't shrouded in mystery. It's simple. Put in less than you put out, like Mike T said back in the day. There is no magic, eat whole, eat no carbs, eat no meat... You can eat nothing but Twinkies and lose weight and eat crazy healthy and gain weight. It's all simple math. Now, being healthy is a different story, in that case, what you eat matters. But if your goal is weight loss it's very, very simple. Keep track of what you put in your mouth. Without knowledge you are fumbling around foolishly hoping for a result. If you are serious and want a result than you can decide the weight you want to be and be that weight if you are patient and informed.


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## pittcanna (Oct 2, 2014)

Weight loss is absolutely possible on the bike. When i started my fitness journey like 3.5 years ago, i was like 300 lbs(150 lbs overweight). I am like 5 foot 7 for size reference. I started out with pos stationary bike, every day i did an hour for a day. With the stationary bike i mixed in yoga and jogged with my dog for 3 to 5 miles a day.

Diet was key, you got to ramp your intake down and eat more natural foods. It was tough at first but you get used to it. Keep a journal of what you eat and when you exercise. Try to keep to a regular schedule as you can. I lost the bulk of my weight in this time approx 120 lbs over 9 month time.

Now i bike about every weekend and 3 to 4 times a week on my trainer. Its all about getting comfortable on the bike. 

I think in your case you might want to get a coach.


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## jetdog9 (Jul 12, 2007)

pittcanna said:


> Keep a journal of what you eat and when you exercise. Try to keep to a regular schedule as you can.


PITA but it helps a lot if you're serious about bringing weight down and then keeping it down for an extended amount of time (hopefully forever).


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## pittcanna (Oct 2, 2014)

jetdog9 said:


> PITA but it helps a lot if you're serious about bringing weight down and then keeping it down for an extended amount of time (hopefully forever).


It helps because you realize just how poor habits can get. After a year or two, of writing down what you ate when you worked out, you begin to hone in on what you need to perform or survive.

Its also good for retrospective comparison.


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## Ghost_HTX (Jul 15, 2015)

aplcr0331 said:


> Checking back in....
> 
> Got rid of the POS.
> Moved a few times.
> ...


Nice bike - Ghost Nivolet? I have an HTX (mountain bike) from Ghost - my third Ghost bike so far and have always found them to be good value for money. Good choice man!

Best of luck with your training!


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

PBL450 said:


> Weight loss isn't shrouded in mystery. It's simple. Put in less than you put out, like Mike T said back in the day. There is no magic, eat whole, eat no carbs, eat no meat... You can eat nothing but Twinkies and lose weight and eat crazy healthy and gain weight. It's all simple math. Now, being healthy is a different story, in that case, what you eat matters. But if your goal is weight loss it's very, very simple. Keep track of what you put in your mouth. Without knowledge you are fumbling around foolishly hoping for a result. If you are serious and want a result than you can decide the weight you want to be and be that weight if you are patient and informed.


Congratulations for reviving this 5 year old thread. Not quite a record for resuscitation but darn close.


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## Ghost_HTX (Jul 15, 2015)

... I think since he is the OP the Geneva Convention on necroposting doesnt apply?


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## jetdog9 (Jul 12, 2007)

OP revived it himself because he started riding again and got a cool new bike... 

Sometimes dredging is fun, though.


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## PBL450 (Apr 12, 2014)

Kerry Irons said:


> Congratulations for reviving this 5 year old thread. Not quite a record for resuscitation but darn close.


I don't understand at all? Please 'splain?


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## PBL450 (Apr 12, 2014)

Kerry Irons said:


> Congratulations for reviving this 5 year old thread. Not quite a record for resuscitation but darn close.


I hear crickets... The OP revives a thread with an update, hardly a dredge, at least to me, I think it's super cool and I think the OPs progress is great and I love seeing things like this, how often do you see 5 year longitudinal things like this on a forum? It may be near a record dredge if that's what you consider it, and I certainly don't, but I am quoted as setting a record (nearly) for dredging? Is there a reason? Did I miss something?


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