Tuesday, August 17, 2010

I have an addiction thanks to my weight problem.

Addiction is a funny thing, for some people its the burn in the back of their throat from a stiff drink and others get it from drugs and then there the people that get it from a good solid workout. There is a group of people that are addicted to food and I do believe that I fell into that group for a good long period of my life. Addictions can control us in ways that no one would ever want to admit because they show our weak side, something that can control us, decide our fate for us. This weekend my wife has discovered that I have an addiction, and this addiction is not made of ground beef a hardy roll and a half pound of toppings, this addiction is not made from plastic and electronics that display digital characters running through Batilla downs on the tv and computer screen, it is much different.

My daily rider K2 ZED that started it all.

1988 Specialized Rockhopper Comp which I cleaned up and it is tuned and ridable, it has new tubes and tires on it now but I haven't taken a new photo yet.

Old Murray Legacy, this is no where near big enough for me but the price was the same as a 6 pack so I couldn't pass it up.

1990 (dated from component dates) Specialized Hardrock sport, This bike is very fun and I have been riding it twice a week or so in place of the K2 just for kicks.

This is a Trek Mountaintrack 220 that I picked up yesterday from craigslist, its a kids bike but fits my son perfect so I will likely clean it up and let him ride it a little bit as he is riding on a Next MTB currently.

I have in the last year been consumed by bikes, reading about bikes, buying bikes, and most importantly riding bikes, I have come to love bike riding once again. I see biking as a huge factor in how I lost most of my weight on this trip to the half as I started off on a used stationary bike bought from Craigslist back in the beginning and I loved it even back then on that old used monstrosity of a bike looking thing. I ride a stationary bike at the gym and then come home and ride my bike around the lake that I live on, When you are caged and unable to participate in something that you know is enjoyable it hurts. Biking was something that I knew I loved because when I was a kid I rode everywhere on an old Schwinn Super Le Tour with my best friend, like clock work we meet in front of the house and headed over to the corner store to fill our bike bottles with 25 cent juices and off we went.

Missing something and not knowing that you miss it is unfortunate because it could have been a huge motivational tool for me with my weight loss a lot sooner if I realized how much I actually enjoy riding a bike. This is an addiction that I am proud to say that I have, I love my bikes and am planning on a few more before the summer is over which should make the boss lady happy as she tells me daily to move this one or that one out of her way. I would love to find myself an old Super le Tour in dark blue with the chrome fork tips like back in the day for nostalgia's sake so I am always keeping my eyes out for one of those to pop up, mine was stolen from my back porch back in about 1993 or so. Last night I told Wify that having all of the bikes was a lot better than having all of the video games and systems with a side of big fat cheeseburger addiction and she agreed wholeheartedly so they get to stay.

Finding something that we love to do that will keep us fit while we spend precious time doing it is more than a good thing, its the absolute to sustain a healthy life. If we enjoy what we do for exercise then it becomes a hobby more than exercise and we want to do it every day if not every minute.

So I am more than proud to say that I have an addiction, that addiction is going to help me excel with my health and fitness level all while giving me views that I have not had for quite some time on top of a frame and some wheels pedaling my ass off every day.

Hi, my name is Tony and I am an addict...

As Ever
Me

5 comments:

  1. Awesome thing to be addicted to :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Those are good drugs, Tony. I find myself drawn to the old, classic-looking cruisers, but have not yet pulled the trigger and purchased (and they probably wouldn't be really helpful to my cycling goals)...but they sure are pretty.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Clyde, I find myself drawn to single speeds for whatever reason and am thinking that one of those specialized bikes may have a future as a single speed or fixed gear. Problem is that I live on perhaps the hilliest street in the hilliest neighborhood in the state and a single speed doesn't make much sense for the terrain that I ride on.

    I feel the same way towards those old school cruisers, they look very cool but where would I ride it ya know?

    I will very likely end up with one of each before too long despite the hills.

    As Ever
    Me

    ReplyDelete
  4. I hadn't ridden a bike since I was a kid, then a few years ago I decided to get one. I was nervous about trying to ride after all these years, but it was like I'd never stopped. Now biking is one of my favorite things to do. Now I have a bike addiction too. I have 4 bikes and 2 of my grandkids bikes.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi :) Im reading the blogs, and the one I found most interesting is from Zeusmeatball. I thought I was the only one in this world weighing 400 pounds, and sick as a dog!!! I have every ailment in the book, but I feel inspired reading all the blogs. My problem is, I had 16 abdominal surgeries in the last 10 yrs, and 3 other hernias that need repair!!!!, so i can barely walk, let alone exercise. After being so sedentary the last few yrs, I feel like passing out just getting out of bed, thats not to say it's not from the high triglyceride levels, the high blood pressure, the sugar being 4-5 hundred or whatever else. I tried everything, but always feel it's not enough for me. Everything has to be in abundance. Im the perfect candidate for the ohh, eat the whole bag of broccoli, it's not fattening kind of person!!! Anyway, keep up the good work, and plz keep blogging. Thx for listening.

    ReplyDelete