The Amazing Shrinking Clydesdales and Athena's

2007-04-02T10:02:00.000-07:00

Month	October 2006	Nov 2006	Dec 2006	Jan 2007	Feb 2007	Mar 2007
Tom Stormcrowe	232	229	220	219	219	217
MrsStormcrowe	246	238	235	238	240	237
Telchar	352	344	335	332
Turboem1	280	272	260	257	252	244
Air	265	264	262
Airbrake	253	250	248	240	245	225
Archer70					296.6
Bearonabike	343	342
Blamp28	245	245	245	240
Breadbasket	231				238.3	238.3
Cantdrive55	224	224	224	219.5	218
Cohophysh	310	310
Dahoss	205	205		200	205	208
Damnable	223	223	220	218		216
DavisClyde	266	265.5
Ddeatley	266	262
Donovan	262	262	261
Dpb13					287	276.4
EdmontonIrish					237	220
Fat_Bike_Nut				216	216	213
FarHorizon			285	285	285
GTRob	250	240	240	237	233	230
Graham58	235	235
GreenKLR	247	247	247	247	247
GreyGent	217	217	213	213
Gypsyangel	205	205	198	198	191
I_Bike	238		241	231.8	231	222
Jabowker	300	291	283	276	272	272
KT	333	324	321	320
Lubers	272	270		272	278	278
Mkadam	288	282		272
Mattfeet	233.5	233.5	233.5
Obelix67	308	291	281	279	268	262
Operation Orange	330	330	330	328	327
Phatty	269	269
Pheard	215	215		194
Relayer	245	245	240	256
Ray Dockrey	260.8	252	251	261	261
RDRomano			236.9	236.9	228
RoseinOregon	204	204
260-200	260	260	260
RunnerCyclist	234	224	214.5	207
Rthomse	248.2	248.2	248.2
Steve2K	273	273	273
SwissTim					436	436
Thornton	387	387	387
Udmdh		240	240	239
UofIBlue	297	297	297	298
Wallybrau	265	265	265	246	238	235
BikingShearer	295	295	295	288	278	291
OrangeOkie		296	296	277	276
Umatillarider		259	259	256	247	245
TheHistorian		268	268	262
Mattyknacks		315	315	310	307	307
ChunktD			285
JaxGTR	348	335	332	307	306.2	302.6
Fireguy	258	258	258

2007-03-30T22:19:00.000-07:00

It is the moment of truth for the month! Time to weigh in, everybody!

2007-03-05T20:29:00.000-08:00

2007-02-13T08:47:00.001-08:00

2007-02-09T11:10:00.000-08:00

A Quick question about your weight loss:

Did you only start achieving real weight loss when you started believing you could?

Post into the comments either a yes or a no. I'd appreciate it!

Alternative method would be to email me at tom(dot)stormcrowe(at)gmail(dot)com

2007-02-06T16:23:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Pheard. He's the newest Clydesdale Emeritus. He dropped below 200 pounds!

2007-02-04T16:15:00.000-08:00

Weight Loss Corrections:

I had a database problem and had to re enter some data. Here are the corrected figures.

Month	October 2006	Nov 2006	Dec 2006	Jan 2007	Feb 2007	Mar 2007	April 2007	May 2007	June 2007	July 2007	Aug 2007	Sep 2007
Tom Stormcrowe	232	229	220	219
MrsStormcrowe	246	238	235	238
Telchar	352	344	335	332
Turboem1	280	272	260	257
Air	265	264	262
Bearonabike	343	342
Blamp28	245	245	245	240
Cantdrive55	224	224	224	219.5
Cohophysh	310	310
Dahoss	205	205		200
Damnable	223	223	220	218
DavisClyde	266	265.5
Ddeatley	266	262
Donovan	262	262	261
FarHorizon			285	285
GTRob	250	240	240	237
Graham58	235	235
GreyGent	217	217	213	213
Gypsyangel	205	205	198	198
I_Bike	238		241	231.8
Jabowker	300	291	283	276
KT	333	324	321	320
Lubers	272	270		272
Mkadam	288	282		272
Mattfeet	233.5	233.5	233.5
Operation Orange	330	330	330	328
Phatty	269	269
Pheard	215	215		194
Relayer	245	245	240	256
Ray Dockrey	260.8	252	251
RoseinOregon	204	204
260-200	260	260	260
RunnerCyclist	234	224	214.5	207
Rthomse	248.2	248.2	248.2
Steve2K	273	273	273
Thornton	387	387	387
Udmdh		240	240	239
UofIBlue	297	297	297	298
Wallybrau	265	265	265	246
BikingShearer	295	295	295	288
OrangeOkie		296	296	277
Umatillarider		259	259
TheHistorian		268	268	262
Mattyknacks		315	315	310
ChunktD			285
JaxGTR	348	335	332	307
Fireguy	258	258	258

2007-02-04T02:41:00.000-08:00

Month	October 2006	Nov 2006	Dec 2006	Jan 2007	Feb 2007	Mar 2007	April 2007	May 2007	June 2007	July 2007	Aug 2007	Sep 2007
Tom Stormcrowe	232	229	220	219
MrsStormcrowe	246	238	235	238
Telchar	352	344	335	332
Turboem1	280	272	260	257
Air	265	264	262
Bearonabike	343	342
Blamp28	245	245	245	240
Cantdrive55	224	224	224	219.5
Cohophysh	310	310
Dahoss	205	205		200
Damnable	223	223	220	218
DavisClyde	266	265.5
Ddeatley	266	262
Donovan	262	262	261
FarHorizon			285	285
GTRob	250	240	240	237
Graham58	235	235
GreyGent	217	217	213	213
Gypsyangel	205	205	198
I_Bike	238		241	231.8
Jabowker	300	291	283	276
KT	333	324	321	320
Lubers	272	270
Mkadam	288	282		272
Mattfeet	233.5	233.5	233.5
Operation Orange	330	330	330	328
Phatty	269	269
Pheard	215	215
Relayer	245	245	240	256
Ray Dockrey	260.8	252	251
RoseinOregon	204	204
260-200	260	260	260
RunnerCyclist	234	224	214.5	207
Rthomse	248.2	248.2	248.2
Steve2K	273	273	273
Thornton	387	387	387
Udmdh		240	240	239
UofIBlue	297	297	297	298
Wallybrau	265	265	265	246
BikingShearer	295	295	295	288
OrangeOkie		296	296	277
Umatillarider		259	259
TheHistorian		268	268
Mattyknacks		315	315	310
ChunktD			285
JaxGTR	348	335	332	307
Fireguy	258	258	258

This is a correction and addition to the list. Somehow I missed Orange Okie, and telchar missed the cutoff. Since I had to edit for Okie anyway, telchar, I added you as well!

2007-02-03T18:11:00.000-08:00

Month	October 2006	Nov 2006	Dec 2006	Jan 2007	Feb 2007	Mar 2007	April 2007	May 2007	June 2007	July 2007	Aug 2007	Sep 2007
Tom Stormcrowe	232	229	220	219
MrsStormcrowe	246	238	235	238
Telchar	352	344	335
Turboem1	280	272	260	257
Air	265	264	262
Bearonabike	343	342
Blamp28	245	245	245	240
Cantdrive55	224	224	224	219.5
Cohophysh	310	310
Dahoss	205	205		200
Damnable	223	223	220	218
DavisClyde	266	265.5
Ddeatley	266	262
Donovan	262	262	261
FarHorizon			285	285
GTRob	250	240	240	237
Graham58	235	235
GreyGent	217	217	213	213
Gypsyangel	205	205	198
I_Bike	238		241	231.8
Jabowker	300	291	283	276
KT	333	324	321	320
Lubers	272	270
Mkadam	288	282		272
Mattfeet	233.5	233.5	233.5
Operation Orange	330	330	330	328
Phatty	269	269
Pheard	215	215
Relayer	245	245	240	256
Ray Dockrey	260.8	252	251
RoseinOregon	204	204
260-200	260	260	260
RunnerCyclist	234	224	214.5	207
Rthomse	248.2	248.2	248.2
Steve2K	273	273	273
Thornton	387	387	387
Udmdh		240	240	239
UofIBlue	297	297	297	298
Wallybrau	265	265	265	246
BikingShearer	295	295	295	288
OrangeOkie		296	296
Umatillarider		259	259
TheHistorian		268	268
Mattyknacks		315	315	310
ChunktD			285
JaxGTR	348	335	332	307
Fireguy	258	258	258

2007-02-02T20:46:00.000-08:00

Just a reminder....last call for your weights! I publish the graphs tomorrow.

Historian On Two Wheels: From 0 to 100 in Six Months: Non-scale Victories

2007-02-01T13:39:00.000-08:00

Historian On Two Wheels: From 0 to 100 in Six Months: Non-scale Victories

Here's another article on motivation. It was written by Chess historian, a participant in the Spinner Saturday crowd.

2007-01-21T12:36:00.000-08:00

Motivation and Weight Loss

How do you motivate yourself to lose weight? This is one of those difficult questions. I could give you any number of external motivations, from social pressure to having a better physical fit with the world at large. External motivators, in the long run, just don't work as well as an intrinsic motivation!

So we come to the question, just what is intrinsic motivation? It's that motivation that comes from inside yourself. This is the same motivator that drove DaVinci to paint the Mona Lisa. It's the same motivation that drives someone to master a difficult subject of study. It's doing something not for a specific reward, but instead, just because you can!

This is the same motivation that drives the riders like the guys that ride Race Across America (RAAM). It's not the financial reward, believe me! It's not the fame either. It's that sense of accomplishment of completing a difficult or virtually impossible task (Referring to RAAM here). Weight loss, on the surface, can appear to be the same kind of thing.

Losing the weight is a long and slow process with, under normal circumstance, little immediate tangible reward. Sure, you live longer after dumping some of that excess weight, but you start to wonder to yourself if it's worth it? Is it worth not having that second helping of those oh so good beef and noodles? Is it worth depriving yourself to match society's view of what is normal or not?

What has to occur is a paradigm shift in how you think, and how you view yourself. first off, you aren't "depriving" yourself in reducing your food intake. Take the word "diet" out of your vocabulary. You aren't dieting, you are making saner nutritional choices. This shift in how you view yourself becomes a catalyst that acts as an agent of change in your life.

Exercise is a component of weight loss. What's funny is that going to the gym, for me, isn't fun! Choose an activity that you love to do. In my case, that's riding a bike. Do this exercise at every opportunity! We only have one go 'round and I choose to make mine last as long as I can!

There's the key concept of intrinsic motivation, though, right there! Those simple words, "I choose" can change your life far more than any other external motivator. Matter of fact, those people who, meaning well, ask you those questions like "Don't you think you'd feel better if you lost some weight?" used to just cheese me off to no end! Choose to do this, for your own reasons. You aren't losing the weight for anybody but yourself. It's your control of the world and how it affects YOU. You aren't helpless in the face of it, even though you may feel that way. I know I did. I had dieted and dieted and dieted and I continued to gain. This turned out to be because of a metabolic disease associated with the pituitary. Once I address that issue though, I still had, if you'll pardon the pun, an enormous task.

Since I was so physically debilitated from the weight gain, my metabolism was flat......I couldn't exercise, and I was stuck in this body that was more or less dying.

As you can see, things were getting pretty tough! I had come to a crossroads where I couldn't deny anymore I had a serious health problem, and it was my weight. I had developed diabetes, and was on oxygen because I had too much body mass to be supported by my lungs. I was experiencing crushing chest pain if I walked more than 50 feet, hence the wheelchair. At this point, I chose to live instead of exist. I chose to exert my control over MY world instead of letting my world control me. I'm not going to blow smoke here and say it's easy, it isn't! Nothing worthwhile ever is. Make your choice and follow through.

I started at 581 pounds, and have worked my way down to 229. I used every tool in the inventory, starting with bariatric surgery and finishing with exercise. Use the tools you need to, and get your life back. It's fun! You can get out with your kids, or wife and ride, for example. It's emminently more satisfying than sitting in front of the TV and vegetating. Engage in life!

It's worth the effort. If I had continued the path, I would never have met my niece, Mallie for example. There are all kinds of reasons to lose the weight, but the motivation has to come from inside yourself. You get to choose.

Now, as a reminder, in July, on the 14th, I am riding in the Tour de Cure. This is a fundraising ride sponsored by the American Diabetes Association.

2007-01-20T19:32:00.000-08:00

I've made a few changes around here. I updated to the new blogger system with Google I've also added a link to my Tour de Cure Page above. Don't click the banner, by the way, it's just hosted at my Photobucket page. The link is right above it in the text. I'll also post any Clyde and Athena blog members TdC link there as well if they want.

I also got this blog listed with Technorati. Do drop by and feel free to comment, but remember, be civil. Any trash talk or insulting comments will be deleted.

Up in Alaska: Lonely out here

2007-01-20T06:04:00.000-08:00

Up in Alaska: Lonely out here

Jill, on another epic ride up in Alaska! This young lady is something special and let's root for her as she preps for the Susitna again this year!

2007-01-20T05:02:00.000-08:00

Pre and Post Ride Nutrition, for Post Bariatric Cyclists

Nutrition

The following is based on my experience and is not to be construed as medical advice. One of the issues that faces a cyclist after bariatric surgery is the dreaded "Dumping Syndrome". Essentially, this is a result of a basic inability to absorb certain nutrients. What happens then is a process called osmosis where fluid is drawn into the intestinal tract by a greater concentrate of particulate( Food), and that horrible "D" word occurs. That's right, Diarrhea! Also, chills, nausea, rapid heart rate and even heart palpitations can occur! Early on, when you have had the Roux -N Y procedure, the first three feet of small intestine as well as a signifigant portion of the stomach are bypassed. You lose most of the receptor sites for sugars and carbohydrates as a result, which forces an intentional malabsorption condition for the purposes of weight loss. Among the beneficial side effects of the procedure are an immediate abatement of Type II Diabetes symptoms and often an immediate reduction in blood pressure as well. For the long distance cyclist, this can present unique problems. Malabsorption can trigger issues like low blood sugar, muscle mass cannibalization, and issues with anemia. As time goes on, the body can replace a number of the sites for sugars and carbohydrates, but initially, you are solely reliant on the lipid/protein metabolism. This means you have to get your energy from fat and protein. Consequently, you have to supplement your protein intake to prevent cannibalization of your muscles. When you are supplementing your protein intake, you also need to keep up the fluid intake as well. When you are consuming a high protein, very low carb diet, your kidneys get a workout removing the end products from the protein metabolism out of the blood stream to the bladder and out of the body. This process is why the urine gets so dark, by the way, is those end products in a high concentration. The high level of fluid intake protects the kidneys by diluting this as much as possible. You need a minimum of 64 fluid oz water a day. About a year post surgical or a bit less, you start to be able to absorb some of the sugars again. I've had my best results with Maltodextrin or brown rice syrup, by the way as far as avoiding Gastrointestinal distress. A Glycemically moderate food like Clif Bars, for example, can be consumed with no real problems about 8 months out. This is my experience again, and not specific dietary or medical advice, people! Twin Labs makes a drink called Ultra Fuel, that I've had pretty good results with. Other malabsorption issues are B Complex vitamins. You'll need to supplement the following as well as a good chewable multivitamin:

Vitamin B12
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B1
Calcium
Vitamin C

Post ride, you can drink some chocolate milk, believe it or not! Chocolate milk, as long as you don't have lactose intolerance issues makes a wonderful recovery drink and contains protein as well as calcium and Galactose, a complex sugar that is easily metabolizable.

2007-01-05T08:37:00.000-08:00

The Clyde and Athena Database results are now ready. If you didn't get me your weight, I left a blank, so let's try to avoid those empty spaces, all! As you can see, our population has grown as well! Welcome new members!

2006-12-20T06:54:00.000-08:00

Two Things

I picked up this Meme from Christa over at Awful Souls,
Participate if you want, it see,s to be a wonderful tool for self assessment!

2 things you want to do:
Ride 200 mile one day event
Compete in additional road races
2. 2 things you should've done but keep postponing:
I'm a great procrastinator, I should have done a lot of things I put off!

3. 2 things you did, but shouldn't have:
Started smoking many years ago

Allowing myself to gain as much weight as I did

4. 2 things that you must do:
Eat and Sleep.

5. 2 things you do every day:
Train and Study

6. 2 things someone else would want you to do:
Finish my degree
Achieve my goals and be happy with my life
7. 2 things that you would never do:
Steal or kill.

Answer them for yourself and pass it on!

2006-12-01T11:10:00.000-08:00

2006-12-01T09:01:00.000-08:00

This is the first months results, as follows. If I haven't gotten a weight update from you, I'll post the previous months weight rather than show a no report on the post.

Month	Total Weight Loss
Tom Stormcrowe	3	229
MrsStormcrowe	8	238
Telchar	8	344
Turboem1	8	272
Air	1	264
Bearonabike	0	342
Dahoss	0	205
DavisClyde	0.5	265.5
Ddeatley	0	266
Donovan	0	262
GTRob	0	250
Graham58	0	235
GreyGent	0	217
Jabowker	9	291
KT	9	324
Lubers	2	270
Mkadam	6	282
Phatty	0	269
Relayer	0	245
Ray Dockrey	8.8	252
RoseinOregon	0	204
RunnerCyclist	10	224

Initial baseline weights were taken in October and this is the result of a month of diet control and active cycling.
As I have time over the weekens, I'll also add some usefull links here, like a Bicycle Speed and Power Calculator as well as the WVDA Calorie Calculator, which is a little simpler than the Speed and Power Calculator. I'll post the charts later today.

Our Virgin Post to the weight loss site

2006-12-01T08:37:00.000-08:00

Hello and welcome to our site for the Amazing Shrinking Clydes and Athena's. The stated mission of this site is to contribute to bettering our health and add accountability to our weight loss plan. In addition, we'll be publically graphing our progress. I'd like to introduce our members, and post our initial weights. We are all Cyclists working to get below the 200 pound weight that designates "Clydesdale" status, and the 150 pound weight that defines the Athena Category in the world of competition bicycling.
Let me introduce:

Tom Stormcrowe	232
MrsStormcrowe	246
Telchar	352
Turboem1	280
Air	265
Bearonabike	342
Dahoss	205
DavisClyde	266
Ddeatley	266
Donovan	262
GTRob	250
Graham58	235
GreyGent	217
Jabowker	300
KT	333
Lubers	272
Mkadam	288
Phatty	269
Relayer	245
Ray Dockrey	260.8
RoseinOregon	204
RunnerCyclist	234

Feel free to read as we work toward our goals!