Hey Lounge! I just survived 1.86 miles of terror.

[Denninmi]

First time riding a bike in 21 years that I recall. I thought I was going to die, but I made a whopping 1.86 miles.



My heart rate should be back to baseline by sometime in early November.

[HopeHoops]

1. Mine's still not back to normal, and that was from months ago.

Then again, wild monkey sex might have something to do with that. You can never be sure.

Hmm, wild monkey sex, riding a bike? What to do, what to do?

[Denninmi]

2. Yeah, well, I'm gonna stick with the bike, thanks.

I might actually use it more than 5 months this go around. I'm making a real effort to make my newly found healthy lifestyle stick.

[HopeHoops]

3. (go with the sex - you can do it for longer)

[warrior1]

4. It's a great way to get in shape

I had been walking and doing yoga, but riding my bike 2 miles ever other day or so has work better for me. My hips and coordination is better.

[Denninmi]

6. Yup, that's the plan.

I just thought after walking for almost a month now (I think it will be a month at the end of the week), doing 5 to 8 miles a day, I would be in better shape to ride. I guess it's an entirely different set of muscles, and different physiological demands on the heart and lungs.

Well, it will be like the walking. When I first started, I thought I was going to die. Now, 5 miles seems like nothing in terms of my breathing and endurance, not fatigued or winded at all.

Now I need good biking music, something that has just the right feel to it for my first big outing tomorrow, where I might do 3 miles. Maybe the Police or Springsteen.

[Tobin S.]

5. I know they make "fat boy" motorcycles

I'd need a fat boy bicycle or a regular bike with tires rated at 100 psi.

Seriously, I do need to get serious about my weight. I quit smoking two months ago and I told myself that when I got that under control I was going to tackle the issue of my weight. I've actually started that a bit and I've noticed some slight changes, but I need to get down to business. Anyway, a bike might be the way to go.

[Denninmi]

7. Even just walking helps a lot.

I think just the fact that you got through the first couple of months quitting smoking is a tremendous victory. That is one tough thing to do.

Change is a good thing at times. Yeah, I know I'm all weird these days, but I'm doing something else I never would dreamed I would do. Haven't shaved since Friday. That's right, for the first time in my life, I'm going to grow a beard, just to see what it looks like. And so far, the answer is "very grey".

I'm still not losing weight at the rate I think I should, because I just cannot force myself to eat the calories I need. Today, I had a small banana for breakfast, a carton of plain yogurt for lunch, and tonight about 3 bites of roast pork and 3 bites of roasted potatoes. Just doesn't cut it in terms of calories. Has to be the reason it's going slow. I estimate most days I am eating about 800 calories on average. The weight should be dropping off with the exercise. It makes NO sense to me. None whatsoever. But eventually my body chemistry or whatever will have to fall the simple laws of physics in terms of energy in and energy out.

RE: Bikes. At the bike shop I took mine to, I noticed that they all seemed to have extra thick, sturdy frames, except for the true Lance Armstrong style racing bikes. I don't know if that is just the style/design these days, or if it's because Americans as a society are overweight and manufacturers are making heavier thicker frames to avoid problems.

[Art_from_Ark]

12. I've gone on a diet myself

Mostly fruits, vegetables, rice and beans. No more snack food, no more pastries, no more red meat, only an occasional vitamin-enriched soda, only occasional chicken (white meat) and fish, with drink mainly consisting of juice, tea, and drinkable yogurt. And I average about 40 miles/week on my bicycle, climb stairs 5 days a week, do power walks 2 or 3 days a week (total of a couple of miles a day). But I can't lose much weight at all. I've been on this diet for a couple of months now, but I have been been doing the bicycling for more than 20 years, and the power walks for 3 or 4 years.

[Betsy Ross]

8. Good for you.

I started riding again at age 60. I stared riding into the wind until I got tired (maybe 1 mile) and rode home with the wind in my favor. After a month of that, I took the challenge and rode the other direction, 3 miles to the mall. I have been riding everywhere since.

So keep it up. Your body will love you for it. (Early in my riding I actually got that endorphin buzz and wanted to go out multiple times a day.)

[Denninmi]

10. Well, when I had my glorious summer of bicycle madness in 1991, I was doing like 10-12 miles daily

Like 20-25 on weekends because I had more time. And my biggest adventure was the day I did 120 mile round trip in about 20 hours and thought I was going to die but made it.

Of course, I was 26 then, and that was one of two times in my life I was in my peak physical shape. 26 has turned 47 and it is harder.

But I'm not dead yet!

[panader0]

9. 'Way back in '68

a friend and I tried to bike up Haleakala on Maui. A car came along and loaded us up and drove us up the volcano.
The next day I coasted about 25 miles downhill, sometimes scary fast. Back to Lahaina, more mellow.

[Denninmi]

11. And I went out this morning very early, around 3:45, and I went further.

OK, not a lot further, 2.33 miles. But further.

Then I had enough energy to walk a couple of miles.