Week 8, Day 4

Weight: 241 lbs.
Waist: 45.0 inches

Ride: 17.7 miles
Time: 1 hour 14 minutes 8.78 seconds
Pace: 14.3 miles per hour
Conditions: very strong south wind.

Calories burned: 1,369.20

First food: 10:02 a.m.
Last food: 4:00 p.m.
Exceptions:

Note: I need to buy some earplugs for my ride tomorrow to West Sac.

Week 8, Day 3

Weight: 241 lbs.
Waist: 45.0 inches

Ride: 17.7 miles
Time: 1 hour 13 minutes 41.93 seconds
Pace: 14.4 miles per hour
Conditions: stiff south wind.

Calories burned: 1,350.95

First food: 10:31 a.m.
Last food: 4:11 p.m.
Exceptions:

Note: Had coffee this morning at Common Grounds near Safeway in South Davis. Good cup of coffee and a pleasant, living room-like setting to relax. High marks overall, but the furniture was a bit worn out.

Week 8, Day 3

Weight: 242 lbs.
Waist: 45.0 inches

Ride: 55.8 miles
Time: 3 hours 54 minutes 18.37 seconds
Pace: 14.3 miles per hour
Conditions: no wind early; strong wind heading into the dam; light north wind heading back.

Calories burned: 4,289.64

First food: 10:31 a.m.
Last food: 4:11 p.m.
Exceptions: Pre-ride, I ate an apple; at Steady Eddie's, I ate a scone.

Note: Very tiring ride. I'm just not in good enough shape yet to comfortably ride up to Lake Berryessa, let alone summit Cardiac Hill. Although I had to stop and rest one mile up CH, I made it to the top and I'm glad I met that goal. I was very tired riding back. I nearly fainted in Steady Eddy's, just before I bought my coffee and scone. Yet with an inordinate number of stops to rest and stretch my aching back, I made it all the way.

Week 8, Day 2

Weight: 244 lbs.
Waist: 45.0 inches

Ride: 16.6 miles
Time: 1 hour 9 minutes 13.32 seconds
Pace: 14.4 miles per hour
Conditions: no wind.

Calories burned: 1,275.35

First food: 11:12 a.m.
Last food: 4:13 p.m.
Exceptions:

Note: My rear wheel on my bike was wobbly during today's ride. Need to check the spokes.

Week 8, Day 1

Weight: 243 lbs.
Waist: 45.0 inches

Ride: 23.7 miles
Time: 1 hour 39 minutes 9.79 seconds
Pace: 14.3 miles per hour
Conditions: moderate north wind.

Calories burned: 1,822.35

First food: 11:12 a.m.
Last food: 4:14 p.m.
Exceptions: Had a lousy donut during my stop in Woodland at Timothy's Bakery.

Note: Woodland really needs an independent local coffee spot. Timothy's Bakery sucks. Worst coffee I've had in 20 years.

The 8th Week Cometh

Week 8 -- 9:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.

Week 7, Day 7

Weight: 242 lbs.
Waist: 45.0 inches

Ride: 17.7 miles
Time: 1 hour 13 minutes 53.62 seconds
Pace: 14.4 miles per hour
Conditions: moderate west wind.

Calories burned: 1,356.55

First food: 9:56 a.m.
Last food: 3:55 p.m.
Exceptions:

Note: Because of my recent problems with back tightness -- pain, really -- I've increased my pre-ride stretching regimen and (when I remember to) I'm taking an Alleve anti-inflammatory when I wake up.

Week 7, Day 6

Weight: 243 lbs.
Waist: 45.0 inches

Ride: 23.4 miles
Time: 1 hour 38 minutes 5.07 seconds
Pace: 14.3 miles per hour
Conditions: moderate west wind.

Calories burned: 1,803.94

First food: 10:00 a.m.
Last food: 3:55 p.m.
Exceptions: A scone with my coffee at Starbucks in West Sacramento; a teaspoon of peanut butter on bread with lunch.

Note: I biked over the Causeway today. Unless I get some hearing protection, I don't think I'll ever do it again. The bike path is fine. However, it is a lousy ride. It's very, very, very noisy. The air from the freeway cannot be healthy to breathe. And, although there is a pleasant view to the north, it's a rather ugly ride on the whole, mostly just a tunnel-type view of the bike path and of I-80. I cannot imagine this ride as part of a daily commute.

Week 7, Day 5

Weight: 244 lbs.
Waist: 45.0 inches

Ride: 17.7 miles
Time: 1 hour 14 minutes 12.64 seconds
Pace: 14.3 miles per hour
Conditions: moderate west wind.

Calories burned: 1,367.76

First food: 10:00 a.m.
Last food: 4:10 p.m.
Exceptions: A mistaken tablespoon of peanut butter with some raisins.

Note: After "celebrating" 40 pounds of weight loss yesterday, I weighed in 2 pounds heavier, today. On a day to day basis, I suspect all the difference is just water retention.

Week 7, Day 4

Weight: 242 lbs.
Waist: 45.0 inches

Ride: 15.6 miles
Time: 1 hour 5 minutes 21.40 seconds
Pace: 14.3 miles per hour
Conditions: strong south wind.

Calories burned: 1,191.57

First food: 9:44 a.m.
Last food: 4:15 p.m.
Exceptions:

Note: Weighing in today at 242 pounds was a milestone. I started this regimen 50 days ago, weighing 282 pounds. Thus, I've now lost 40 pounds, an average daily weight loss of 0.80 pounds. Considering that I have taken 4 days off from the diet over the last 50 days, my average daily weight loss on the diet is even a bit higher. My expectation, though, is that my daily or weekly weight loss will start to slow dramatically, because my percentage of body fat has dropped substantially. In other words, the less fat you have, the harder it is to burn fat.

Week 7, Day 3

Weight: 244 lbs.
Waist: 45.5 inches

Ride: 52.1 miles
Time: 3 hours 39 minutes 49.87 seconds
Pace: 14.2 miles per hour
Conditions: west wind early; south wind later; wind not a major factor out or back.

Calories burned: 4,066.32

First food: 10:15 a.m.
Last food: 4:11 p.m.
Exceptions: Pre-ride, I ate a peanut butter and raisin snack on a piece of bread. While peanut butter and bread are no-no's, my thinking was that I needed extra energy for my planned long ride.

Note: Horrible, horrible ride. I started feeling weak early on (after maybe 10 miles) and that became lower-back pain for the final 3/4ths of my ride. I was very, very exhausted in my last 7 miles and felt poorly once I was home. However, after resting for a few hours, I feel well. I did, however, manage to have an easier time climbing up the hill to Monticello Dam; and I enjoyed my respite at Steady Eddy's, which included a tasty Mango Smoothie.

Week 7, Day 2

Weight: 245 lbs.
Waist: 45.5 inches

Ride: 16.6 miles
Time: 1 hours 9 minutes 36.10 seconds
Pace: 14.3 miles per hour
Conditions: no wind.

Calories burned: 1,299.13

First food: 10:01 a.m.
Last food: 4:08 p.m.
Exceptions:

Note: Turns out Wednesday's weigh-in was not a blip? I "re-lost" 3 pounds over night.

Week 7, Day 1

Weight: 248 lbs.
Waist: 45.5 inches

Ride: 21.6 miles
Time: 1 hours 30 minutes 29.03 seconds
Pace: 14.3 miles per hour
Conditions: no wind.

Calories burned: 1,690.77

First food: 10:20 a.m.
Last food: 4:09 p.m.
Exceptions: Ate a scone with my coffee at Peet's at the Marketplace after my bike ride to Woodland around 8:15 a.m.

Note: Turns out yesterday's weigh-in was a blip. I "gained" 3 pounds over night. ... Note that the new parameters for meals are 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Week 6, Day 7

Weight: 245 lbs.
Waist: 45.5 inches

Ride: 17.7 miles
Time: 1 hours 13 minutes 41.93 seconds
Pace: 14.4 miles per hour
Conditions: no wind.

Calories burned: 1,373.37

First food: 10:20 a.m.
Last food: 4:19 p.m.
Exceptions:

Note: Looks like I lost 4 pounds from yesterday. Possible that it's a blip. Next few days will tell.

Week 6, Day 6

Weight: 249 lbs.
Waist: 45.5 inches

Ride: 20.7 miles
Time: 1 hours 26 minutes 40.28 seconds
Pace: 14.3 miles per hour
Conditions: NNW wind.

Calories burned: 1,641.00

First food: 9:57 a.m.
Last food: 4:29 p.m.
Exceptions:

Note: Weight again is stagnating at 249 pounds. I think the idea that my metabolism has slowed, due to reduced calorie intake, makes sense and explains why it's become much harder to lose weight, despite vigorous daily exercise and a more modest diet.

Week 6, Day 5

Weight: 249 lbs.
Waist: 45.5 inches

Ride: 17.7 miles
Time: 1 hours 14 minutes 26.11 seconds
Pace: 14.3 miles per hour
Conditions: moderate west wind.

Calories burned: 1,395.79

First food: 9:57 a.m.
Last food: 4:29 p.m.
Exceptions:

Note: Bicycle felt a bit off, this morning. I hope there is nothing mechanically wrong with it.

Week 6, Day 4

Weight: 249 lbs.
Waist: 45.5 inches

Ride: 19.6 miles
Time: 1 hours 21 minutes 40.00 seconds
Pace: 14.4 miles per hour
Conditions: moderate NE wind.

Calories burned: 1,546.69

First food: 9:57 a.m.
Last food: 4:29 p.m.
Exceptions:

Note: Very strong ride, though it was strange having a wind out of the east.

Week 6, Day 3

Weight: 251 lbs.
Waist: 45.5 inches

Ride: 47.8 miles
Time: 3 hours 20 minutes 23.48 seconds
Pace: 14.3 miles per hour
Conditions: no wind from Davis to Lake Solano; west wind to Monticello Dam; increasingly strong north wind back to Davis.

Calories burned: 3,802.71

First food: 11:04 a.m.
Last food: 4:25 p.m.
Exceptions: At Steady Eddy's, I ate a scone with my coffee.

Note: First ride up to Lake Berryessa, this year. The ride up to the top of the dam was very tough. Hurts my back, still, to ride this far.

Week 6, Day 2

Weight: 249 lbs.
Waist: 45.5 inches

Ride: 15.6 miles
Time: 1 hours 5 minutes 0.00 seconds
Pace: 14.4 miles per hour
Conditions: no wind

Calories burned: 1,226.03

First food: 9:58 a.m.
Last food: 4:24 p.m.
Exceptions:

Note:

Week 6, Day 1

Weight: 249 lbs.
Waist: 45.5 inches

Ride: 17.7 miles
Time: 1 hours 14 minutes 9.41 seconds
Pace: 14.3 miles per hour
Conditions: light SW wind

Calories burned: 1,395.79

First food: 11:04 a.m.
Last food: 4:24 p.m.
Exceptions:

Note: Weighed in 3 pounds under the 252 pound plateau. I think it's a breakthrough. The next few days will tell. ... Week 6 begins a new time structure -- first food 9:15 a.m.; last food 4:45 p.m.

Week 5, Day 7

Weight: 251 lbs.
Waist: 46 inches

Ride: 17.7 miles
Time: 1 hours 13 minutes 55.78 seconds
Pace: 14.4 miles per hour
Conditions: no wind

Calories burned: 1,407.00

First food: 9:57 a.m.
Last food: 4:24 p.m.
Exceptions:

Note: Still no real breakthrough on the 252 pound plateau, yet.

Hitting a plateau

I'm not exactly sure why this happens while dieting, but it seems rather normal to hit a weight plateau, where, while generally declining, you can't get under a certain weight for quite a while. For me, this has been 252 pounds.

On August 4, exactly a week ago, I weighed in at 253 pounds. Today, after 126.0 miles on the bike -- burning off 10,551 calories, which equal 2.9 pounds of fat -- plus some long walks with Truman and sticking to my dietary rules, I'm essentially the same weight.

It's a bit of a mystery to me why I haven't lost weight for a week. I have four theories:

1) Water weight. I don't think it unlikely that how much water is in a person's system varies a few percent either way. When trying to lose weight and replacing food calories with more liquids, especially water, it's probably the case that I am retaining more water. Hence, I may have lost 3-5 pounds of fat over the previous 7 days, but I replaced that with added water weight and thus the scale remains the same;

2) Greater muscle. It also seems reasonable to me to think that while working hard on the bike, putting in more than 140 miles each week, my muscles are getting bigger and stronger. So one explanation for not losing weight for a while is that fat is being replaced by dense muscle, which weighs as much as the fat lost;

3) Overeating. While it is true that I am no longer eating late at night or even early in the morning -- per the time restrictions of my diet -- it's possible I have hit this plateau because I have simply been increasing the number of calories at each meal and in between meals. In order to stay true to the strictures of the diet, I need to watch this; and

4) Reduced metabolic rate. A final possibility is that, in response to taking in fewer calories, my body is burning calories at a much lower rate. Thus, at least for now, even while exercising seriously every day, my body is consuming no more calories than I am taking in, and therefore my total body weight has stabilized.

In response to the 252 pound plateau, I am going to try harder to limit my caloric intake until I can reach 249 pounds. If the true answer to the plateau is #1 or #2, there is nothing I can do which will help. But if it is #3, eating less should work. Even if it's not #3, eating less cannot hurt.

Week 5, Day 6

Weight: 252 lbs.
Waist: 46 inches

Ride: 36.0 miles
Time: 2 hours 29 minutes 47.52 seconds
Pace: 14.4 miles per hour
Conditions: light west wind

Calories burned: 2,863.40

First food: 10:15 a.m.
Last food: 4:24 p.m.
Exceptions: Pre-ride banana

Loose Pants

The first tangible sign that my diet is working came today: loose pants. While seeing the number I register on the scale fall is a pleasant reminder that I have lost weight, that's just a number. However, feeling my pants slip off as I walked Truman this morning felt real. The same pants which were snug at 282 are too loose to wear without a belt at 252. Walking from Border's to Walnut Park and back, I had to keep one hand in my pocket to prevent my shorts from slipping down to my knees.

At the top of my weight arc I bought size 42 pants. I cannot yet get into my size 36 corduroys, pants I really like, but I don't need 42s any longer. If I had to guess, I'm somewhere between a size 38 and a size 40, depending on the manufacturer. I don't want to buy any new clothes until my weight stabilizes -- hopefully that will be well south of 200 pounds. For the time being, I'm in a bit of a clothing limbo, lacking many clothes that fit my current size. After I lose another 15 pounds, I'll hopefully fit comfortably into my substantial collection of size 36 pants, as well as a number of shirts which are still too tight to wear.

Week 5, Day 5

Weight: 252 lbs.
Waist: 46 inches

Ride: 17.7 miles
Time: 1 hour 14 minutes 15.94 seconds
Pace: 14.4 miles per hour
Conditions: light north wind

Calories burned: 1,412.61

First food: 10:08 a.m.
Last food: 4:33 p.m.
Exceptions:

Week 5, Day 4

Weight: 252 lbs.
Waist: 46 inches

Ride: 19.6 miles
Time: 1 hour 21 minutes 40.00 seconds
Pace: 14.4 miles per hour
Conditions: no wind

Calories burned: 1,565.32

First food: 9:16 a.m.
Last food: 4:44 p.m.
Exceptions: Breakfast scone in Winters

Note: After my ride and a shower, drove over to Winters with mom and Truman to have a coffee and a breakfast scone at Steady Eddie's. Also bought a couple of good looking yellow tomatoes at the Winters Farmers' Market. On the way to Winters, we stopped off at an orchard which has very strange looking spiked fruits (or nuts). I took some pictures of the trees and grabbed a fruit (or nut) off of the ground and took it home. After cutting away the very sharp needles which surround the fruit, I am not sure yet what it is. My plan is to search the Web and ask others, perhaps fruit scientists from UC Davis.

Setting goals

When I started this effort, my primary goal was to get my weight down to 180 pounds and sustain that weight (hopefully for the rest of my life). That remains my objective.

In about 1 month and 1 week, I have already lost 30 pounds. I'm very happy with that. I can definitely feel it in looser pants and shirts.

Today, I will add two interim goals:

1) By the end of August -- which is 23 days away -- I want to weigh under 240 pounds. That means another 13-14 pounds of weight loss in the next 3 weeks and 2 days. If I stick the the diet and exercise regimen, I believe I can make that goal;

2) Once I sustain my weight for 4 consecutive weigh-ins under 240 pounds, I want to ride to the top of Cardiac Hill*. Once I have accomplished that, I will join the Davis Bike Club, and start riding with them on the Thursday Mocha Joe's ride.

*Before I attempt Cardiac Hill, my plan is to ride once more around Lake Solano; once to the top of Monticello Dam; and once to the base of Cardiac Hill (where Markley Cove store is).

Week 5, Day 3

Weight: 253 lbs.

Ride: 27.3 miles
Time: 1 hour 54 minutes 16.90 seconds
Pace: 14.3 miles per hour
Conditions: stiff north wind

Calories burned: 2,184.82

First food: 10:04 a.m.
Last food: 4:15 p.m.
Exceptions:

Note: despite a stiff cross wind most of the ride, this was my best effort on the bike, yet. I rode a couple of miles or more before I pushed it into my highest gear, but in the top gear I got an excellent pace going, which I kept up all the way to Winters and back. No one passed me, this morning!

Week 5, Day 2

Weight: 252 lbs.

Ride: 17.7 miles
Time: 1 hour 15 minutes 50.16 seconds
Pace: 14.0 miles per hour
Conditions: no wind

Calories burned: 1,450.79

First food: 10:48 a.m.
Last food: 4:44 p.m.
Exceptions:

Feeling much better

I have no idea what ailed me the last two days. I don't think I had a heart attack, but I did have some serious chest pains and general fatigue. However, after a couple of nights of good rest, I felt well enough this morning to get back on the program.

Heart ache, Day 2

I'm still feeling poorly. I slept much better last night and hope by tomorrow I can resume my bicycling schedule. Until I feel well, though, I don't think it's a good idea to push it.

Nonetheless, I weighed in at 253 lbs. this morning, but won't count that. I will still follow the diet plan for today.

Heart ache?

I was having chest pains all night last night and decided it best not to do much exercise, today. I hope it's no big deal. I feel okay, for the moment, but not great. As such, I'm taking today off from The Bicycle Diet and hope to resume, tomorrow.

Nonetheless, I weighed in at 255 lbs., but won't count that. I will follow the diet plan for today.

Week 5, Day 1

Weight: 253 lbs.

Ride: 20.7 miles
Time: 1 hour 27 minutes 50.16 seconds
Pace: 14.1 miles per hour
Conditions: light SW wind

Calories burned: 1,686.52

First food: 9:01 a.m.
Last food: 4:55 p.m.
Exceptions:

Week 4, Day 7

Weight: 258 lbs.

Ride: 17.7 miles
Time: 1 hour 14 minutes 20.03 seconds
Pace: 14.3 miles per hour
Conditions: moderate SW wind

Calories burned: 1,446.24

First food: 10:01 a.m.
Last food: 4:55 p.m.
Exceptions:

Week 4, Day 6

Weight: 260 lbs.

Ride: 27.3 miles
Time: 1 hour 54 minutes 37.73 seconds
Pace: 14.3 miles per hour
Conditions: light W wind

Calories burned: 2,264.96

First food: 10:08 a.m.
Last food: 4:55 p.m.
Exceptions: pre-ride plum

Week 4, Day 5

Weight: 260 lbs.

Ride: 17.7 miles
Time: 1 hour 14 minutes 15.94 seconds
Pace: 14.3 miles per hour
Conditions: no wind

Calories burned: 1,457.45

First food: 9:00 a.m.
Last food: 5:00 p.m.
Exceptions:

Note: Went to Santa Cruz today to see Jean and other UCSB friends. Exempted from some dietary rules.