This time last year I weighed in at 220.5 pounds and my waist measurement was 47 inches and my hips were 41 inches. As of today’s doctor’s visit I now weigh 201 pounds, my waist has reduced to 38 inches and my hips to 39 inches. That is nearly a 20% reduction in my waist, and my waist to hip ratio is a healthier one than a year ago.

I weighed 189 in November but injured my shoulder and was not able to ride much up to my surgery in January. I have fully recovered from the surgery and started back to ride last week, so I expect to continue my weight loss and increase my fitness this year.

My observations since starting to ride the 850R last year have been positive, as the bike met all my expectations that I had before my purchase. The fitness contest kept me focused on what I bought the bike for, which was to enjoy riding again while being aware of my food choices. I was shooting for a half-pound per week weight loss, which I achieved before my shoulder injury, but more than that, I was focused on gaining aerobic and metabolic fitness so that I would have more energy and build muscle mass that would burn calories even at rest.

The most enjoyable part of the Optibike is riding long distances, knowing that I have a way to get back home even if I’m exhausted from 25 mile, and more, rides. Riding up hills has got to be the ultimate enjoyment with the Optibike, compared to riding my Trek in the past. The Optibike is well-built, as I has no major problems the full year.

Congratulations to all the participants of 2011, and I look forward to meeting you in the future.

I am finally recovering the use of my right shoulder following rotator cuff surgery on Jan. 17th. I haven’t been able to ride for a few weeks but will start later this week.

The weather has been mild lately and Spring is not far away.

Hi Everyone!

I hope you all had a great time over the holidays.  I went to Dallas to be with my family.  Due to my brother’s family’s schedule we didn’t really have Christmas till the 27th.  It was so hard to ignore the presents sitting under the tree for 2 extra days.  I thought I could be grown up about it but I guess old habits die hard.

The new year has already brought new learning experiences.  I’ve been experimenting with back country skiing.   Yesterday I skinned Mt. St Vrain here in Allenspark, CO and attemped to telmark ski down. The route consisted of about 3.5 miles of tight, snowcovered trail which opened up to a nice face great for some downhill skiing.   I felt true accomplishment getting to the top.  It took just about everything I had but the views were amazing once there.  I think we were up around 10,000 ft and the air is pretty thin!

I thought the knee deep snow would be fun on the way down.  Little did I know that my new telerark skis would be lots harder to use than I thought.  Every attempted turn included a fall and and extreme effort to get myself out of the tangle I had created for myself.   And if I didn’t lose my balance due to my own flopping around, I would lose it because I hit a rock. ( There’s just not as much snow this year as anyone would like!)

Once down off the mountain face, we had 3.5 miles of tight winding trail thru the trees to get back to the car.  There was barely enough snow to cover the trail.  I snowplowed to slow down as much as possible but at times it did little good.  I can’t even count the number of crashes and rocks I hit.  I feel lucky to have gotten out alive! Today I’m about as stiff and sore all over as I’ve ever been.   And by the looks of things, my dog is in the same shape.  She came with us and isn’t moving too fast today, either.

So what’s the  lesson?  Try new things.  Stay focused on your goal.  Have fun.  But be more prepared for your adventures than I was!  If you want to stay safe, just ride your Optibike.  Keep your adventure to trying new events, new routes and new riding buddies.

Talk to ya on the Thursday call.  We’ll be going over programming your mind for success this year.

We had a great Christmas with all the family in for the holidays. Wet and cold has been the pattern recently, but I can’t complain about all the rain, as the drought conditions from last summer are just now being erased with much needed rain.

Wish everyone a great New Year!

Since my last post I have been to New Orleans to give a rehearsal dinner for my oldest son’s wedding! Everything was perfect, from the venues chosen, to the food, weather, and ceremony on Saturday. Now my son and his new bride are off to Europe for their honeymoon. I couldn’t be happier for both of them.

It was interesting that my son and his bride picked the same day to marry as my anniversary, too! He was born on the exact day of my second anniversary with his mom, so the odds of all that happening seem remarkable in hindsight.

I look forward to getting back on the bike this week and burning off those extra calories.

Bugs are still a problem in the evenings, but colder weather is coming soon, so I expect better evening rides to come. It has been interesting to compare blood sugar tests before and after a ride. If I have more than 30 grams of carbs at a meal my blood sugar can rise into the 170′s, but after just 15-20 miles it will drop into the low 100′s. I have enjoyed riding more than any form of aerobic exercise, except maybe indoor racquet ball. The riding is infinitely more available, though.

Has anyone tried riding on indoor bike rollers? They can be tricky, but a great way to develop balance, as your front and rear tires are on rollers and you can vary the resistence. Just another way to be on the bike when the weather is inclement.

The summer drought in Texas and Louisiana has created a lot of cracks in blacktop and concrete roads. It is most obvious on the right side of the roads and shoulders, where all the bike riding is, of course. I nearly lost control several times in the daytime, and especially riding at night. Fortunately, I have had no crashes, no flat tires or mechanical failures after more than 3,000 miles. I know they are waiting for me out there, so I hope my luck runs for a while longer.

The summer has been the hottest on record for many years, so with highs just in high 80′s and low 90′s this week, it almost seems like Fall in the South. I am back to riding in the mornings and evenings. Still have a goal of riding over 5200 miles for the year. Best week has been over 300 miles.