Before we start writing about what we are doing today, I thought it would be a good to share a little bit about my past. I grew up in central Pennsylvania
As I entered college, I weighed around 120lbs and I am sad to say that I gained the freshman 15 well before Christmas. The all you can eat food options and drinking were temptations I easily gave into. During my sophomore year I joined the La Salle Women's Rugby team. The extra activity was enough to help me maintain my weight while I indulged in all of the excess that college life offers.
When I graduated college I weighed around 145 lbs. I went directly into the workforce and started gaining weight. I joined the gym and stated taking diet pills. The combination of the two helped slow my weight gain. During the same year I started dating Tanya. In 2006, we trained for the Nike Women’s Marathon in San Francisco
In spring 2007 I changed jobs and moved from Philadelphia to New York Pittsburg
Not long after the trip to Pittsburg
Over the next 6 months my doctor continued to increase the dosage of my thyroid medication. During summer 2008, my doctor was confident that I was on the correct dose because my blood pressure, cholesterol level and weight has dropped. To the left is a picture of me during a trip with Tanya cross-country. We were in the middle of moving from New York to San Francisco for a job I accepted
Over the next year I took a greater interest in my health. I started seeing an endocrine specialist, who added liothyroxine to my arsenal. This addition really got my thyroid under control. At this point I realized that the thyroid medicine alone was not going to get me to my weight loss goal. Inspired by NBC’s The Biggest Loser, I joined 24hr Fitness and purchased a BodyBugg. I began monitoring my calorie input and output with the BodyBugg system. To maintain a calorie deficit, I created a very strict diet for myself, but after two months I slipped back into my poor eating habits. My diet of various bars for breakfast and lunch was not enough to sustain or satisfy me. I pretended to maintain the diet I set for myself around friends and family, but would sneak McDonald's or various fast food places into my errands. I was embarrassed that I couldn’t stick to my goals so I tried to hide the unhealthy food I was eating. The picture to the left is from summer 2009. I weigh 180lbs and am continuing to struggle to lose weight.
While visiting my family on the east coast we went on a bike ride through Hershey, PA. This one ride was a turning point for me. I realized that I could actually have fun and exercise. Both Tanya and I started taking spin classes and bought road bikes. I set a personal goal to complete a century ride in 2010. I put my BodyBugg back on and began monitoring my calories again. This time around I made sure I paid close attention to my diet. I started finding foods I love that fit into my 1500 calorie a day diet. I am currently going to spin twice a week and weight training on non spin days. On the weekends Tanya and I go on longer outdoor rides when the weather is nice. We are registered to ride in the Solvang Half-Century in March and the Amgen Breakaway Century in April. To the left is a picture of me at 167lbs and still losing weight.
UPDATE: Below is a picture of me today. I have surpassed my weight loss goal and am maintaining my current weight of 135 lbs. I have upgraded my road bike and hope to join a women's cycling team in 2011. In addition to this, I hope to complete a triathlon and the infamous California death ride next year!
For all of you out there trying to loss weight, keep up the good work! You will get to your goal!
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Dani! Congrats on your journey to here and now!
Wanted to write to encourage you about riding . . . I wish I did more of it myself (east coast winter), but had the great experience of riding 267 miles during a week-long bike trip this past summer.
It was then that I really respected the idea that food is fuel, and I was really in tune with what I was asking my body to do.
Because of that trip, I fell in love with cycling. So I want to applaud your effort, encourage you to continue cycling, and keep writing!
Erika - thank you for leaving a comment! Sounds like an amazing trip.
We would LOVE to hear about what sort of snacks (i.e fuel) you had on hand during that long ride. Alway looking for new ideas.
Keep it up Dani! You're looking great! : )