How I lost 40 Pounds in 3 Months
Three years ago I started a diet and exercise program to lose weight. After a month of very little weight change, I knew I needed to burn A LOT more calories than my daily 30 minutes on the elliptical were accomplishing. So, I pulled my bicycle out of the garage and started biking the Keystone Trail for two hours, three times a week.
Let me tell you what, the first week and a half SUCKED! But then something interesting started to happen. I had such a feeling of accomplishment when I finished that I couldn't wait to get out the next day and do it again. My appetite decreased and I started cycling even more because I wanted that high, that awesome feeling of accomplishment.
Three months later, I'd lost my goal weight of 40 pounds and was fitting into my first pair of Levi's button fly jeans that I wore in 8th grade. I knew what I wanted to accomplish next, Ragbrai, the world's longest running two wheeled bike tour.
Last May, I went to Denver for a Rugged Maniac Race, basically a pretty intense obstacle course in the mud. Somehow I managed to strain my wrist and couldn't put any weight on it at all. I quickly found a sports medicine orthopedic and told him he had two months to fix it because I was going on Ragbrai. When he told me that was an aggressive healing schedule and bodies don't always cooperate like that, I told him "tough nuggies". Turned out it was my "tough nuggies" because I not only did I not make it to Ragbrai, I had to give up cycling altogether. If I was going to heal properly, I needed my doctor to know that I wasn't continually irritating it from cycling.
It took six months to figure out that exploratory surgery was my only option so on December 4th I had wrist surgery. The doctor took out a lot of fluide, removed tissue that was not healing and fixed a ligament problem. It has been an anxious several months waiting to get full mobility back to see if I can put any weight on my wrist. I'm THRILLED to say, it's looking good, real good!
The past few weeks I've been questioning if my wrist IS finally healed, do I still have the cycling bug? The answer came to me yesterday driving home from Denver to Omaha with my husband. I found myself explaining to him why that interstate is the perfect cycling road and asked him repeatedly to ride it with me. Did I mention, he's really not a bicycle rider but he's trying for me. We compromised. He will be my sag support while I ride it. LOL
Now I can't wait to get back out on the bike and get back into shape. I do have an inside spin bike but it's so different riding inside when you've been spoiled by nature and the pure zen of riding outdoors. But I'm going for it!
If all of this isn't the universe telling me "It's your year for Ragbrai, Connie", I'd like to add that Ragbrai 2013 starts in Council Bluffs, IA, a 20 minute drive from my home.
Look out Ragbrai, here I come!
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