The first day of the rest of MY life...

Yes, I know it's a cliche, but it is also true. Every day is the first day of the rest of your life and it is up to you how you choose to spend it.  As for me, I want to get healthy and stay healthy in order to spend more quality time with my family. I want to see the world and its people. I want to actually LIVE the rest of my life and not just see it pass me by.  This blog is about my new adventures and how I choose to live my life. I will post about my diet, workouts, bike rides, and anything else I feel will help others to reach their goals as well.

Here is a short summary this far:  4 years ago at the age of 44 I started back to college, 3 years ago I bought a cheap bike to get into shape. I weight 375 pounds (see the picture below from 2009). Over the past 3 years I have become an avid cyclist and have lost 115 pounds.  I have 75 more to go.

Feel free to just follow along but I could really use the positive comments as moral support. We all know getting into shape and staying that way is not easy. I try to focus on the healthy foods I now eat instead of dwelling on the unhealthy foods I used to crave but I still have bad days.  I plan to post on this blog everything I eat and do (workouts).  This will give me a record to look back on (to see where things might be going wrong or when I reach my goal) and it will help hold me accountable to both myself and others.

You might be asking..."If you've done well for the last three years, why start a blog now?"  Well, there are really three reasons for that.  First, I've kinda been stuck at the 260-265 mark for a while now.  My clothes are baggier and my cycling jerseys are not as tight, but the numbers are not changing. Second, I am training to race in the first annual Trans-Am Bike Race.  Over four thousand miles with no outside support. Third, and most important, I want to help others. I cannot begin to explain how my cycling has positively influenced my life. I have meet so many awesome people and been to places I would never have seen otherwise.

So...having said all that, if you are still with me then lets get started.  Here are a few pictures.

2009 - At about 375 pounds.  I got out of breath just walking on the trails at the Environmental Park.                 

2010 - Roughly 350pounds at this point.  Polar Bear ride from Cycle's de Oro - My first real organized ride.  Note the tennis shoes, jeans, cooler strapped to the back, etc.  But I rode 25 miles that day.

2011 -  About 275 pounds.  Here I am climbing Hanging Rock during the 3 Mountain Madness ride.  I had to stop a few times going up but made it to the top. I did not even try the other two mountains that day.

2012 - Currently at 265 pounds in this picture.  This years 3 Mountain Madness. Not only did I climb Hanging Rock without stopping but I did Sauratown (non-stop) and about half of Pilot Mountain.  Much better than last year.

So there it is.  My introduction to you.  Please leave me feedback when you can and don't forget to check out my sponsor and trainer CorioVelo at http://www.coriovelo.com