jagi410 Member

I bike commute every day, year round in Minnesota. That fresh air in the morning makes the work day better, and the fresh air on the way home relieves the stress of work!

This is one of the best ideas I've ever read on MFP. Bravo OP!

Salsa Fargo or a "monster cross" style bike. The Surly ECR as mentioned above is also an amazing bike. Fat bikes are not novelties!

Get coffee elsewhere! Like you, baked goods are my trigger. I have a hard time resisting them. They aren't banned from my life, but there are times in moments of weakness when they end up eaten outside of special occasions. The best way to avoid a trigger...stay away from the source! Alcoholics don't purposely go into bars…

Find a Felt Dealer and see if they have a Z100 in your size. Fantastic entry level endurance bike at under $800. With helmet/shoes/shorts/etc figure on spending $1200 out the door and into your new addiction :) http://www.feltbicycles.com/USA/2015/Bikes/road/endurance/z100.aspx

Walking is a GREAT exercise!

Go to a running store and make sure your shoes are best suited to your foot and walk/run style. Sometimes going to a stability shoe will make a huge difference.

I qualify! Shaking up my bike stable at the moment. Waiting for the Surly Ice Cream Truck to come out, and it will join my All-City Mr. Pink, vintage fixie, and Surly Big Dummy cargo bike.

I have/had it too. Cycling made it BETTER! Make sure the saddle is up high enough for you, and that you're not pushing a big gear at low cadence (rpm). Adjust the seat height until your leg is straight with your HEEL on the pedal when the pedal is at the bottom of the rotation. This way, when you pedal with the ball of…

Do the program right. Follow everything. Keep pushing play. You'll find as days go by, things get easier, so you can push yourself harder. It's a great program, and if you follow it, you will get results. If you go half *kitten*, and start making excuses, you'll fail. When you get the package in the mail, read through all…

What is your current gym routine? Are you lifting heavy?

You run off "about" 600 calories? Are you using a heart rate monitor to verify that?

My scale hasn't moved in 8 months! But yet I keep at it, because my clothes are fitting better, I'm feeling better, I'm sleeping better, etc. Ditch the scale, enjoy the new lifestyle. Results will come eventually!

Run in the morning and lift at night? Or lift one day, run the next? Alternate the two so you don't overdo it and allow some rest/recovery time in between. Figure out what works for your body, don't ignore any signs of overuse or pain, and keep at it. As long as you're seeing the results you seek and your body doesn't hate…

Look for a "fitness" bike instead. It's a faster version of a hybrid, but not quite a full road bike. Same price range. You'll give up a little upright sitting position for more speed and efficiency. Much more enjoyable for weekend rides of longer distances too.

I have a 2 mile one-way commute as well, and ride year round (-30F to 100F). In the summer/muggy months, it helps if you shower in the morning before the ride to control odor. Also, lower the speed about 1/4 mile from work and coast in.

If you like squeezy bottles, go to a bike shop and find the Specialized Purist bottles. About $8, but they have zero plastic taste and the bottles are nice and supple. I use these, Nalgenes, and a Kleen Kanteen. I use them all frequently, but the purist bottles are my favorite.…

March of 2013 I had my last Diet Coke. After a 4+ can a day Dr. Pepper habit for over 10 years, I switched to diet sodas when I noticed how fat I got/felt. Then one day I tried to read the can of diet coke in front of me. I could not pronounce half of the ingredients. So I decided that if I can't pronounce it, I shouldn't…

Selle Italia Gel Flow makes a "Lady" and a "Man" saddle, and they are quite nice. I have the Man saddle on two of my bikes. Also with the padded shorts, don't wear undies. Chamois Butt'r or similar helps a bunch too!

Eating calories back vs not seems to be pretty subjective, and depends on each person on whether or not it will be a successful weight loss strategy. My personal interpretation of it is that if you've burned a lot of exercise calories and you're still (honestly) hungry, then you can eat the exercise calories back and not…

Nope, 28's are the skinniest I'll ever go on a road bike. Lower rolling resistance, more comfortable ride, lower pressures...etc. Currently running Clement Strada LGG tires, but will switch to Compass tires when these die.

Sometimes donuts are just worth it. Don't beat yourself up over it, enjoy it! Make it fit into your calorie goal. Since I eat a lot of donuts, I've noticed MFP's donut calories are all over the place. I assume 300 calories each.

This thread is fascinating, and now I'm hungry!! Midwest US here... Weekday Breakfast: Oatmeal or cereal Weekend breakfast: Pancakes, french toast, eggs, bacon, sausage Weekday lunch: Soup, sandwich, frozen meal, fast food burger and fries Weekend lunch: Leftovers or sandwiches/burgers Weekday Dinner: Chicken or fish with…

Current List: 2013 All-City Mr. Pink - Columbus steel roadie with Campy Veloce and shiny bits 2013 Surly Big Dummy - Cargo bike, kid hauler, recycle wagon 2012 Surly Troll - The workhorse, gravel, urban assault, main commuter 2012 Fatback - Waterford built steel Fatbike 1983 Mongoose Expert- Chrome BMX Cru Jones replica…

Try pronouncing the ingredients. If you can do it successfully, then you can drink it. I quit Diet Coke cold turkey last year. It really wasn't that difficult. Drink water instead!

They make slick tires for urban riding, and new carbon fiber frames/rims have the weights down below 23lbs! That's insane! I'd had a fat bike for over 3 years now, I love it dearly. Fun year round. I have no desire to go back to my full suspension 29er.

Another option is to buy a fatbike and ride outside all winter long. This is my approach, and I haven't been on a trainer since!

The Bell Motivator from Amazon is a decent mag trainer, under $100 shipped. It does not have any adjustment features, but it works well. The Kurt is a significant upgrade and worth the cost if you can afford it, but if not, it's hard to beat the Bell.

They are even MORE fun in summer! I've had one for about 3 years now, it's been a blast.

Have fun and relax! As mentioned above, most of it is mental. You CAN do it, so enjoy it!