The Ex-XXL Trophy

BobScarle

Bit of a "Johnny come lately" I know but I will add my story.

Age:53
Sex: Male
Height: 5'11"
Weight in Feb 2012: 16st 12lb
Target: 13st

I stepped on the scales around this time last year and nearly fell over. Of course I knew I was overweight but to see 16st 12lb shocked me. I really didn't think I was that heavy.

I cut out, for the most part, all the rubbish from my diet. No more crisps, cakes or chocolate, except for the odd treat. I don't drink too much, about 10 units a month on average, so there was not much room there for cutting down.

Being February I started my training on the turbo. I bought an iPod and copied all of my albums on to it. The turbo was hard work but I tried to keep it varied and the music help immensely (I had forgotten what great music I have). Along with the turbo sessions, I was able to get out some weekends, weather permitting. The weight started to fall! I still remember the first time I got on the scales and saw that the training was working, I was losing weight.

Last year, spring came early and I was able to get out for lunch time rides in March. As spring turned into summer, I started to get up early and ride in the morning, before work. I also kept up the Saturday morning ride with the group. I kept, and still do, a spreadsheet showing all of my rides including distance and average speed. When I ride alone, I will try to push myself to beat my previous best. I went from an average of below 15mph to 18mph over the course of the year. My total distance for last year was over 2400 miles

Just before Christmas I weighed 14st 6lb, I had lost 2st 6lb over the year and I feel so much better for it. Actually I missed my target! I had set myself a weight loss of 3st for the year.

I put on a couple of pounds over Christmas but I am now back on the turbo and looking forward to the spring and getting out as often as possible.

My targets for this year are; weight 13st, total mileage 2850miles.

BTW. My avatar shows me at the top of the Bwlch-y-Groes in Wales on one of my rides. Being lighter certainly makes climbing easier.

simonhead

As above, I am a bit of a late entry.

Age 34
Previous weight (August 2012)142 KG
Current Weight 115kg
Goal 95kg
Height 5ft10

I used to be fit, aged 23 I was playing rugby every week coupled with regular gym sessions. A broken ankle 10 years ago coupled with a change of job meant that i started putting weight on and doing virtually no exercise. For years i used the excuse of lack of time to not be able to do any real exercise.

The wake up for me was on holiday and struggling with the hill in the complex. I decided i didnt want to be like this anymore and immediately looked at how to change my lifestyle. I dusted of an old mountain bike and started doing the 7 mile each way commute to work and drastically change my diet. By September I was itching to do more and signed up for a local rugby club.

I am just about to finish my first season and although the weight loss has slowed down my strength and stamina have shot through the roof. My goal is to drop down to 95kg by next September, still a decent weight for a prop but the added mobility will do me the world of good.

The best thing (apart from getting back on the bike) was see a nutritionist (happens to be the wifes Aunt), the advice was really helpful and she helped me to phase out all the rubbish in my diet but not feel that i was going without.

markp80

simonhead wrote:

As above, I am a bit of a late entry.

Age 34
Previous weight (August 2012)142 KG
Current Weight 115kg
Goal 95kg
Height 5ft10

My goal is to drop down to 95kg by next September, still a decent weight for a prop but the added mobility will do me the world of good.

Good luck and great result so far!

BobScarle wrote:

Bit of a "Johnny come lately" I know but I will add my story.

Age:53
Sex: Male
Height: 5'11"
Weight in Feb 2012: 16st 12lb
Target: 13st

Just before Christmas I weighed 14st 6lb, I had lost 2st 6lb over the year and I feel so much better for it. Actually I missed my target! I had set myself a weight loss of 3st for the year.

I put on a couple of pounds over Christmas but I am now back on the turbo and looking forward to the spring and getting out as often as possible.

My targets for this year are; weight 13st, total mileage 2850miles.

- And another great effort so far!

MarkP80 wrote:

MarkP80 wrote:

Well, I'm just starting, so I'm going to join in -

Age:49
Sex: Male
Height: 5'10"
Weight this morning: 15st 10lb
Target: 13st would be nice but I'll aim for 14st to begin with.

Well, probably my last weigh-in before the Christmas hols, which unfortunately means no access to the turbo!
Anyway, I'm now 15st1lb -a 9lb loss and I'm delighted with that! way to go yet though!

And my latest update is 14st4lb. Getting there slowly.

Cheers,
MarkP

simonhead

Cheers Mark, you have done amazingly. Just got a place on the ride London so even more reason to get out on the bike

carrock

16 stone 6 and just entered 2 sportives in September, caldbeck Killa on the first and jennings foundation flyer on th 15 th.

Never done a sportive before. Am type 1 diabetic also. Signed up with Ruth Eyles on a bronze coaching plan which should help but would like to lose 3 stone by sep 1....

markp80

MarkP80 wrote:

MarkP80 wrote:

MarkP80 wrote:

Well, I'm just starting, so I'm going to join in -

Age:49 EDIT - 50!
Sex: Male
Height: 5'10"
Weight this morning: 15st 10lb
Target: 13st would be nice but I'll aim for 14st to begin with.

Well, probably my last weigh-in before the Christmas hols, which unfortunately means no access to the turbo!
Anyway, I'm now 15st1lb -a 9lb loss and I'm delighted with that! way to go yet though!

And my latest update is 14st4lb. Getting there slowly.

13st 13lb Hurrah!
It's been a lot slower of late, and wasn't helped by a fortnight holiday in April, but we're back into the swing of things now. Next target 13st7....

chris@68

Ok. Time to nail my colours to the mast.
Chris.
A bloke
44 1/2
As of this morning i'm 15 stone (@ 5'10", in birthday suit :shock: )
Target - lets start with 14 stone.
Aim for 13 1/2 (no reason other than that's the weight I was when I met my wife).
Beyond that - 13 stone.....? I've not weighed that for over 15 years.

wytco0

wytco0 wrote:

OK time to join

Age:53
Sex: Male
Height: 5''4" (163 cm)
Weight this morning: 16st 7lb (105Kg)
Target: 10st 5lb (66Kg) this would bring my BMI down to the top of the normal rage (25) from current BMI of nearly 40.

A quick update nothing spectacular but I am feeling a bit fitter and a little lighter.

I now weigh less than 94kg not sure exactly what as I only weigh myself about once a month. After a slow start I am now cycling every day although not very far. For 5 days a week I do a 5 mile loop which I want to get down to about 20 20 minutes (15mph) currently my best time is 21:30 so still slow but it was 24 when i started. Approx twice a week I do a slightly longer ride of approx 8-10 miles. I know its still not much but I am feeling better (and remember I am old!)

markp80

wytco0 wrote:

wytco0 wrote:

OK time to join

Age:53
Sex: Male
Height: 5''4" (163 cm)
Weight this morning: 16st 7lb (105Kg)
Target: 10st 5lb (66Kg) this would bring my BMI down to the top of the normal rage (25) from current BMI of nearly 40.

A quick update nothing spectacular but I am feeling a bit fitter and a little lighter.

I now weigh less than 94kg not sure exactly what as I only weigh myself about once a month. After a slow start I am now cycling every day although not very far. For 5 days a week I do a 5 mile loop which I want to get down to about 20 20 minutes (15mph) currently my best time is 21:30 so still slow but it was 24 when i started. Approx twice a week I do a slightly longer ride of approx 8-10 miles. I know its still not much but I am feeling better (and remember I am old!)

That looks like 1st 10lb to me - great work!

Loretta Damage

1 Jan 13 - 16st 8lbs
26 Jul 13 - 13st 7lbs

Enjoying and doing well at racing every this year and down to a medium club jersey. Mrs Damage says I look "hot" in my budgie smugglers :shock: !

Robin_D

Hullo,

An ex rugby player here so 16st 0lb of pure muscle

Age: 28
Sex: Male
Height: 6"0" (183 cm)
Weight this morning: 16st 0lb (102Kg)
Target: To get down to 14st to start with as that would get rid of my base layer and get me a better figure for cycling. I've recently started eating a lot better so let's see!

Pacemaker

As another ex rugby player I have also gone from fit to slob and back to fittish health.

I am 52 6,3" and in May 2012 I agreed to do the Gower bike ride. 26 miles seemed a very long distance, luckily I had my barely used Carrera Vulcam MTB,

I was weighed for a medical with work and weighed 121kg roughly 19 stone and was on the verge of being morbidly obese luckily I was just obese!

I began riding my bike up and down he cycle track around Afan Argoed eventually I had built up to about 22 mile circuit. I did the Gower bike ride with a friend he was on a road bike i was on the MTB with hybrid tyres and by now was getting into my cycling and was down to 115kg.

My mate then suggested that we all enter the Cardiff to Tenby Carten 100 ride. I was all for it and bought myself a Boardman road bike and began cycling every opportunity including very cold winter weekends.

I eventually rode the Carten 100 on my own and in horrendous headwinds came in on about 8 hrs. By now my weight had dropped to just over 100kg. I then did the Dragon ride and continue to ride daily if I can. I am down to about 98 kg I have lost about 6" off my waist and feeling better than I have for years.

I have made loads of friends through cycling, I am not a club member but a few of us with loose connections have ended up going on rides on a regular basis.

If I can do it anybody can and I reckon I could lose at least another 10kg with just sensible eating drinking and cycling!

zardoz

I was a good class middle and long distance runner until I was 35 and a back injury put an end to my running career. At my best I was 5' 10" and 9st 10lb. Fast forward to age 57 weight 16st 0lb = fat b*****d! A definite lifestyle change was needed (or a new wardrobe!) so took up cycling and was a lot more careful about what I ate (not a diet as such but cut out most of the rubbish). My target was to reach 11st 7lb by end of August and sad to say I missed it by 1 pound and now weigh in at a much more healthy 11st 8lb and doing 250-300 miles a week on the bike.

Not looking for plaudits but I do want to give encouragement to others and show what you can achieve if you really put your mind to it. Its been hard work at times but well worth the effort.

Bookwyse

OK Guys,

Started out 2012 at 18st due to working away from home and living live to the full in thr MArriott Amsterdam at the companies expense.

Set myself a target to be 14stone in time from mums birthday in June 2012 so joined a gym, started eating healthily and purchased a road bike. Smashed the 14st barrier easilt and weighed in at 12st 3lb for the party. Have managed to keep it off with only a slight hiccup over last winteer when I hit 12 and a half stone. Now it fluctuates between 11st 12lb and 12st depending on the training etc I am doing.

Mileages might not be that good compared to some at an average of 140 per week but for a 42 year old working man with kids thats all the time I can afford. Plus theres the other turbo and gym work as well.

If I can do it then anyone can.

Jasper Carrott said Peopel who say they cant diet are liars, fat people problems are that their mouths are largers than their arses'. So very true.

Loretta Damage

Loretta Damage wrote:

1 Jan 13 - 16st 8lbs
26 Jul 13 - 13st 7lbs

Enjoying and doing well at racing every this year and down to a medium club jersey. Mrs Damage says I look "hot" in my budgie smugglers :shock: !

31 Dec 14 - 13st 0lbs. Happy with that but might aim for 12st 7lbs by Majorca trip in late March.

Lancstony

Bit about me, I am a lazy sod who does no exercise at all at the moment, have joined the gym but find that boring, bought myself a Ribble winter training bike last year and have used it once, partly because I am embarrassed at the lard I am carrying, anyway each year I am getting older I am now finding more health issues and joints aching due to weight so decided to really give it a bash this year:

Age: 37
Sex: Male
Height: 6ft 2
Weight: 19st 7 lbs
Target weight: 14st 7lbs

I have just purchased some new wheels as I am concerned the current ones on the Ribble aren't strong enough to carry my porky butt around and wouldn't want the indignity of a wheel breaking when I am out. :oops: :oops:

Do suffer from a lack of confidence but that's due to weight, is like a vicious circle at moment and am determined to break it this year.

To help me focus I have entered the Manchester to Blackpool ride in July so got 6 months to get myself fit enough to ride that far.

littledove44

Very late entry.

Male 56
Height 1.76m
Weight 1.1.2013 108kg
Weight 1.2.2014 88kg
Target. Difficult one. I only ever set my sights 5kg at a time, so right now the target is 85kg.

badgerbeaver

I've just been reading a bunch of the stories on here and without intending to sound patronising, I really hope it doesn't sound like it, I am hugely impressed at the willpower and resolve on display here. It's just very inspiring.

My own stats and story might be useful:

March 2012
Age 37
Weight 114kg
Height 186cm

June 2013
Age 38
Weight 89kg
Height 186cm

I had a basic two point plan

1) Move more
2) Eat less

I then adapted it, having worked out that high fat/sugar snacks, alcohol, and overeating pasta were my addictions.

3) cope with addictions.

And like any addiction I resolved to, day by day: "just don't pick up". Whenever I felt like a cheeky doughnut in the office I just didn't pick up. sometimes I flapped the box a bit to get a "hit" of that doughnut fragrance. I stopped drinking and eating snacks "cheaply" and not as a treat. I still had treats, but when I had them, occasionally I really really enjoyed them and did so completely guilt free. Glasses of beer tasted like nectar - I made sure they were perfect, condensation on the ice cold glass, proper tasty Belgian beer, no expense spared. A glass of champagne at a birthday dinner tasted like it had been personally squeezed frothed by angels...

I rode a bike on Sunday mornings. Occasionally I went to the gym and worked hard with a trainer.

It wasn't easy at first, but like a lot of the stories on here, I think the first 10 rides were the hardest. The rest have mostly been fun, always better for having done it, than not. Like everyone else I have the same message - just keep going.

Don't worry how you look on a bike, in lycra, nobody cares. Just get out there, get cold and get hot, muddy, sweaty, whatever, but just get out there, fill your lungs with air stoke up the engine.

I've kept the weight off, apart from a blip of 5 kg when I was injured at the end of last year. But even then, when you have the metabolism running faster, you can lose it quick. It's taken since the 12th January to get the weight back off.

During this time I spent more on physio, trainers, bike clubs membership and sportives entry and travel than I did on bikes and I am glad I did.

Cost beneft: I reckon the weight lost cost me about £70 per kilo.

Sounds like a lot right, but this includes all the physio I had as I ironed out the niggles I picked up being so overweight, the training I did with a PT, gym membership, and doing some sportives which I counted as training. I've not included the cost of the new clothes I had to buy for work and at home - I count that as a benefit!

I include this last point because if you're reading this and looking for another source of inspiration, look at the flip side, think about how much it is costing you to get fat and stay fat. You eat snacks "cheaply", i.e. they don't cost much, they're not really a treat, it's just another beer, on yet another trip to the pub with colleagues or it's a packet of crisps in front of the telly that you really didn't need or really want. It's going to cost a bunch of cash to get rid of! It's the hidden cost of being fat, sure there are cheaper ways than mine to getting fit again, but think also about how much all that alcohol and health insurance is costing you. My life insurance is being quote now at £18 less a month because of my better BMI, blood sugar and cholesterol. Over the course of a few years, this is a a small fortune.

Of course this argument breaks down a bit if you are fat because you've been eating foie gras for breakfast on a daily basis...

good luck

fatdaz

Another former prop forward, forced to retire 6 years ago with a knackered back
Age 44, height 5'10

Started cycling 4 years ago and managed to get in reasonable shape then spent the entire Winter of 2012-2013 on the p*ss before breaking my leg whilst mowing the lawn!

Fast forward to October 2013 - weight 16 stone 9 - was coerced into signing up for the 2014 Etape du Tour. I got back on the bike and started using the MyFitnessPal app on my iPhone. Set myself the target of 13 and a half stone by the Etape (20th July) with a stretch target of 13 stone.

March 2014 - 14 stone 8 and on target.

MyFitnessPal has been brilliant for me. I have set myself a diet of 1500 net calories a day (i.e. add calories from food and subtract calories from exercise) averaged over the week. So if I want to go out for a big meal or a beer I can providing it doesn't take my average daily net calories for the week above 1500. Personally I haven't bothered with the mix of carbs, fat and protein - I've just concentrated on calories.

badgerbeaver

Nice one Mark. Keep going.

homers_double

Again, a late entrant.

I'm 36, male, 15st 8lbs as of today's reading and generally sit behind a desk all day.

I make no excuses that the main reason I'm overweight is that I do like a few glasses of wine, I eat pretty good but also pick at bits. If there's a slice of cooked meat in the fridge I'll generally eat it. That sort of stuff.

I got a road bike last year after years of riding the MTB, still got that but currently getting up to speed with the tarmac to try and lose weight doing a sport which I enjoy, gym work is not for me.

I'd like to hit 14.5st by August as we're going on holiday with some friends.

Thats it really.

edit...

DL'd My fitness Pal yesterday to track the calories and it's set me up with a goal of around 1900 per day to lose 1.5lbs per week with a sedentary job.

One thing I have noticed straight away is that with yesterdays completely healthy intake (and part of todays) I'm only just on track to hit the goal. God knows what'd happen if I regularly added a bottle of wine into the mix!

Just wait until I add a few 1000 calorie rides and I should be flying.

homers_double

so, 2 weeks later and I'm about 1/2 a pound lighter as most of it gets blown at weekend.

fiddlesticks...

homers_double

Since the last post I'm down around 6lbs so this no bread/potato and no wine (maybe a smidge every now and again) is working!

DavidJB

Heres mine:

2007
Age - 22
Weight - 16st 7lb
Height - 5ft 10in
Bike Ability - Could ride a bike 5 miles before pretty much being exhausted.

2014
Age - 29
Weight (In Season) - 10st 10lb
Height - ... 5ft 10in
Bike Ability - 2nd cat.

If you'd told me 7 years ago I'd be competitive at racing I'd have eaten you...

Its easy once you find something you love.

markp80

DavidJB wrote:

Heres mine:

2007
Age - 22
Weight - 16st 7lb
Height - 5ft 10in
Bike Ability - Could ride a bike 5 miles before pretty much being exhausted.

2014
Age - 29
Weight (In Season) - 10st 10lb
Height - ... 5ft 10in
Bike Ability - 2nd cat.

If you'd told me 7 years ago I'd be competitive at racing I'd have eaten you...

Its easy once you find something you love.

Chapeau sir!

Lancstony

I have just been sat here typing up my problems and reading trough them again and it makes me realise how much of a wuss I am!!!

Started the year at 21 and a half stone, got myself down to 18 stone then lost motivation and put a stone back on, which is where I have been for last few months.

When I was putting my original post up I was moaning about how I don't get out on the bike anymore and really regret it and then I wonder why I put weight on, my diet isn't as good as it was so that's another reason why I am not losing weight.

Might seem a bit of a waffle but typing it out then re reading it has made me realise that nothing you guys could say could make me change my lifestyle, I have to do it myself, there is no quick answer, dedication's what you need!! ((If you wanna be the best etc)

Hope I havent wasted anyones time reading this tripe, but I do feel better now I have told myself off on a public forum!! :oops:

keef66

I've never been what you'd call XXL, but after Christmas I weighed in at 11st 4lbs, which is the most I've ever weighed and since I'm only 5'6", was technically overweight. Usually as soon as the quality Street have run out and I've polished off the Christmas cake, the weight starts to fall off again, but not this year Only lost 2 lbs by the beginning of Feb. Maybe at 57 I needed to try harder??

So remembering watching Michael Mosely's documentary I thought I'd try the 5:2 diet. Normal eating 5 days a week but only 600 calories on Monday and Thursday. That way I get to enjoy Fri / Sat / Sun, and the diet days are easy cos I'm at work and not surrounded by food.

Started on 12th Feb at 11 st 2 lbs, and on Saturday weighed 10st 5lbs which is a loss of 11lbs over 5 weeks. I'd like to get down to 10st by the start of June, which at this rate I should do easily. I feel skinnier, but I can see there's still fat left to get rid of.

I find it so easy to do because you only have to watch what you eat on 2 days. I've made it simple by eating nothing till about 18:30 and then I have poached egg or beans on toast, half a pizza with salad, or soup and a chunk of bread. I find I can still do a pretty energetic evening bike ride on fast days, so it's not impacting my activity levels at all.

Thinking of this less as a diet and more as a permanent change to the way I eat. Curious to see where my weight ends up if I stick with it permanently...

rafletcher

keef66 wrote:

I've never been what you'd call XXL, but after Christmas I weighed in at 11st 4lbs, which is the most I've ever weighed and since I'm only 5'6", was technically overweight. Usually as soon as the quality Street have run out and I've polished off the Christmas cake, the weight starts to fall off again, but not this year Only lost 2 lbs by the beginning of Feb. Maybe at 57 I needed to try harder??

So remembering watching Michael Mosely's documentary I thought I'd try the 5:2 diet. Normal eating 5 days a week but only 600 calories on Monday and Thursday. That way I get to enjoy Fri / Sat / Sun, and the diet days are easy cos I'm at work and not surrounded by food.

Started on 12th Feb at 11 st 2 lbs, and on Saturday weighed 10st 5lbs which is a loss of 11lbs over 5 weeks. I'd like to get down to 10st by the start of June, which at this rate I should do easily. I feel skinnier, but I can see there's still fat left to get rid of.

I find it so easy to do because you only have to watch what you eat on 2 days. I've made it simple by eating nothing till about 18:30 and then I have poached egg or beans on toast, half a pizza with salad, or soup and a chunk of bread. I find I can still do a pretty energetic evening bike ride on fast days, so it's not impacting my activity levels at all.

Thinking of this less as a diet and more as a permanent change to the way I eat. Curious to see where my weight ends up if I stick with it permanently...

I'm doing something similar (similar age, but a considerable margin larger - 5' 101.2" and at my worst nearly 16stone :shock: ). I was 15st 3lbs when I started on 21/2. Last Saturday 04/4 I was 14st 6lbs, and hope to complete the first stone off this weekend (or very nearly...if not it'll be next week).

I'd not seen the Michael Moseley programme, but I did watch the recent 3-part Horizon series on dieting http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02ddsd9, and very illuminating it was too. I'm also trying the 5:2, but with the fasting days (and that's around 800 Kcal for me) on Monday & Tuesday, and the rest of the week following a low fat low carb diet, which allows me the luxury of my cheese & Ryvita and a glass or two of wine on Friday and Saturday evenings . Plus I joined a gym, though that's mainly for strengthening/stabilising my knees and core, and of course I'm getting out on my bike more now the weather is better, managed 50 miles (I know, not a lot) this weekend. Gotta keep the momentum up (which may well mean less food on my fasting days in the future :roll: ) so I can be 12st 7lb by 35th July - my daughters graduation day.

Following on from the Horizon programmes, there have been the "Truth about" ones recently as well - 2 so far, Calories and Fat. Can't recall the third, but they're also pretty informative.

keef66

The third Truth About was over the counter medicines. You can probably guess what they concluded. Basic painkillers and athlete's foot treatments work. Buy the cheap generic forms whenever possible. Honey and lemon in hot water does seem to reduce coughing. The rest of it, save your money.

I've lost 10 pounds so far doing 5:2 for 9 weeks. Had a massive blip in the middle when 2 weeks of business trips and the easter weekend coincided with a string of minor medical issues that kept me off the bike, but I'm losing weight again now. Still on target to reach 10 stone by 1st week in June.

homers_double

So, about a year or so on...

I had a few days away on the bike last october and after that pretty much parked it up in the garage, ate and drank what I wanted and after a few skiing holidays hit 15st10 in Feb of this year.

Current weight is now 14.12 as of todays weigh in as I've cut down on the crap, ditched the lunchtime sandwiches etc and got back on the bike.

Will I get to 14.7 for our august holiday? Hopefully...