Old Fat Guy Gotta Tri
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Moderators: IndoIronYanti, k9car363, alicefoeller | Reply |
2013-06-07 8:21 AM |
5 | Subject: Old Fat Guy Gotta Tri Here's the story ... it has been 15 years and about 20 pounds since I participated in a triathlon. In those years I have changed careers from being an engineer working in power plants to being a high school teacher sitting in a classroom. Sitting is the operative here. I have put on a few pounds and my 61 year old carcass is feeling sluggish and heavy. Got to change that soon. In an effort to do the right thing, I went to my doctor for a physical before I start training. The outcome was that my doctor said, "You are in good shape, but you are fat." Dang! Did she really use the "F" word? Overweight would have been acceptable. Chubby, fluffy, husky. But fat? What the ... Anyway, I am not an exercise person. I took band in school so that I didn't have to take gym. I enjoy swimming and riding my bike but loathe running. I have done two half-marathons in the past two years, both of which I walked in just over 3 hours (3:17 and 3:21). Since I require a goal in order to get off my dead butt and move, I have decided to train for a triathlon. Perhaps a half by next year this time. My issue is getting started and staying on track. I tend to wander a bit . I am also a huge fan of food. I eat for pleasure, not for fuel. I know that has to change. My plan is to follow a lower carbohydrate eating pattern and consume more lean protein along with more fruits and veggies. Enough of my ramblings. Just wanted to introduce myself and enlist y'all's encouragement. Someone has to keep me on the straight and narrow. I'd appreciate the periodic prodding. I'm giving myself six months to lose 30 pounds and get in some shape other than round. Good to be here. See you on the course. |
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2013-06-07 10:49 PM in reply to: DocKinsey |
Melon Presser 52116 | Subject: RE: Old Fat Guy Gotta Tri One time, at band camp Welcome to BT and back to triathlon! Hah ... when I went to the doc, I didn't even get "you're fat" ... I got "You are morbidly obese." And I was. And here I am. And here you are. There are some mentor groups still open (link at top of this forum) ... they're great for motivation and support. |
2013-06-10 8:47 AM in reply to: DocKinsey |
11 | Subject: RE: Old Fat Guy Gotta Tri Congrats to you for making the decision to get off the couch! Yep, I took band in high school to get out of gym class, too, although I also had a case of the hots for a saxophone player. Didn't necessarily hate exercise. I did 12 Peachtree Road Races in a row before life got in the way, I quit running and gained way too much weight. In November 2011, I had weight loss surgery and have dropped 80 pounds. Ran Peachtree last year and decided that, if I finished standing up and did not require paramedics to carry me off the course, I'd do a triathlon. Accomplished those goals, so here I am training for the PTS Women's Sprint Tri in August. I must admit all of this information is a bit intimidating. I'm trying to enter this sport on a budget so I'll be riding my 12-year-old hybrid bike and using a swimsuit my sister gave me. Consistency in training is my problem--some weeks I can get it done, and other weeks I'm so tired I feel lucky to get in 2 workouts. I'm an attorney so I'm sitting all the time as well. I do belong to a gym that has 24/7 access, so I can go late at night to work out if necessary. And the eating? Oh yeah, I have to watch myself carefully even after having surgery; those carbs call to me constantly. I try to give myself one day a week to eat what I want so that my cravings don't totally get out of hand. The rest of the time I emphasize lean protein, salads, veggies & fruit. Drinking plenty of water is also essential, as I find that I tend to get dehydrated quicker after having surgery. Best of luck to you! Persevere and you'll get where you want to be. |
2013-06-10 4:46 PM in reply to: rtptjd |
5 | Subject: RE: Old Fat Guy Gotta Tri Good to hear from you and thanks for the encouragement. I am fortunate to have lived long enough that I don't have any kids at home anymore and am looking at retiring from teaching next year. As for equipment, my wife and I lost our minds a couple of years ago and bought each other new bicycles for Christmas. Mine is a hybrid road bike (upright handle bars) and is pretty nice. In the two years I have owned it, I've only put about 100 miles on it. I intend to wear it out in the next year. My schedule, like yours, is still a bit hectic. In addition to teaching school, I am preparing for retirement by attending classes at a local community college where I am working toward becoming a paralegal. (Keep that in mind if you need work done in NC.) Good luck with your training. Maybe we will cross paths at Kona some day! |
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