Selene Yeager - Ride Your Way Lean: The Ultimate Plan for Burning Fat and Getting Fit on a Bike

This book is for Dave: not because he needs to lose weight, but because he carries so much of it while I work, train, and race. Without you, it would be too much for me to bear. Thanks.

CONTENTS

It takes a village to write a book. Im fortunate enough to have a great one. First, Id like to thank my family, who generously give me all the time I need to research, write, and train. Its not always easy, but they always make it happen. Thanks, Dave, Juniper, and my mom and dad. None of this happens without you. On the professional side, thank you to James Herrera, my right-hand man who is always ready with some brilliant programming; Loren Mooney for the early reads and great recommendations; Denise McGann for stepping in and so seamlessly taking the reins; Joanna Williams for her sharp photography and design eye; Mike Cushionbury and Ron Koch for the tech-talk assistance; Tim Church, Leslie Bonci, Cynthia Sass, Andy Pruitt, and the many nutritionists, coaches, and researchers who are always willing to pick up the phone and impart their wisdom; and to all the readers and fellow riders who shared their stories. This book is for all of you.

F IRST, A CONFESSION. Though Ive carried the Fit Chick moniker now for 10 years, its not always been smooth sailing to stay fit over that time. In fact, Ill never forget my own personal lightbulb moment, when I realized my weight was creeping out of control. Id just moved to Emmaus, Pennsylvania, where Bicycling is published. I was at the pool, doing some cross-training, dreaming about maybe doing a triathlon one day. Bill Humphreys, a former pro roadie, was there too. He worked on the advertising side at the magazine at the time. Wed been riding together, and he was clearly frustrated with me.

Youd crush those climbs if you just dropped 10 pounds, he groused with all the tender subtlety of Burgess Meredith playing coach to Rocky Balboa. Ouch. I knew I was no whippet. But Id been riding lots, lifting weights, swimming, and running. Id just accepted that I was a big girl. At that moment, sitting suddenly terribly self-consciously in my Speedo at the community pool, I brushed him off and basically told him where to go. But deep inside, I wondered if he wasnt right.

Turns out, of course, he was. Like so many cyclists (and regular exercisers), I thought I was doing all the right things. I mean, I was a professional fitness trainer. I knew all the right things. But in the end, I was making the same mistakes Ive seen (and even preached against) a million times. I had zero structure. Id just ride around on my bike, swim a few laps, run the same speed time and time again on the cinder path. I overestimated what I burned and buried myself in carbs (more on that later). Once I corrected those errorsand it actually didnt take all that much10 pounds came off. And stayed off. My climbing performance? Yeah, that took off too.

Does losing 10 pounds qualify me to write a book on weight loss? By itself, no. But over the years I, along with my great friend and colleague James Herrera of Performance Driven consulting in Colorado Springs, Colorado (who penned the plans youll find in later chapters), have counseled countless clients on how to shed poundslots of themusing the advice in this book. Ive also pored over reams of research and interviewed dozens of riders and coaches who have won the battle of the bulge with a bike. I can say with complete conviction, whether you have a little or a lot of weight to lose, cycling is the perfect vehicle by which to do it, because it offers a unique benefit for everyone.

INSTANT GRATIFICATION, LONG-TERM RESULTS

Take Scott Harris. At 38, he knew hed put on some weight. It was to be expected, right? Hes married, has four kids, and works insane hours in a high-stress job at a software company in American Fork, Utah. A guys bound to pack on a few pounds by his mid-thirties. But then in a picture with his brand-new fourth child, he got a glimpse of what he really looked like. It stopped him in his tracks. I usually avoid being in pictures. This time someone caught me and I couldnt believe what I saw. I was shockingly big285 pounds to be exact. I decided right there and then to change. I started running, because I figured thats what you do. And I lost 15 pounds. But my knee was killing me. I thought, I need to get a bike. Fresh tax refund in hand, Scott convinced his wife that a road bike was the answer.

He loved it. Not just for the fun and the pain-free freedom, but also because he could really track his progress on a bike. Im an analyst. I love numbers. So I got a heart rate monitor and cycling computer and started tracking and charting. I would do a 12- to 15-mile loop around my house in about 40 or 50 minutes and would be completely gassed by the end. So I made it my goal to shave time from that loop; and when I did, I added distance and elevation. I really liked it. Riding is so much faster than running, and you can cover so much territory in a short time. Its energizing and relaxing all at the same time, says Scott, who now regularly rides centuries (100-mile bike rides) and weighs in at a healthy 180 pounds. My life is so much better because of cycling. Its the best thing Ive done for myself.

Then theres Elizabeth Potter, 27, a single mom, bike racer, and former emotional eater from Salt Lake City, Utah, who tipped the scales at 255 pounds when she was in her early twenties. For the longest time she never even tried to lose weight. She simply avoided mirrors and self-medicated with food. Im a single mom and I just thought, Theres no way. I cant afford a sitter so I can go exercise. I couldnt afford an expensive gym membership. It just seemed futile. Then one day shed had enough. She knew she needed to lose weight if she wanted to be a healthy mom, and she knew she needed to find something she could do with her son, since she didnt have daycare. So she decided to buy a bike.

I walked into our local sporting goods store and bought the least expensive mountain bike I could find ($475 to be exact). It was extremely heavy, but it had to do. I needed to take my son with me, so I bought a trailer too. That first ride was just humorous. There I was trying my hardest to pull my son in a trailer with headwinds blowing us backwards. I felt like I was climbing Mount Everest on a flat surface. Elizabeth kept pedaling, 7 days a week, even during Utahs cold winter months. She didnt even have the proper clothes, but she didnt care, because it was working. As she lost weight, the mountain felt smaller and her joy grew bigger. My friend felt sorry for me because he saw how cold and unprepared I was, she recalls. He loaned me his arm and leg warmers and shoe covers. He also told me about padded cycling pants and jerseys and clipless pedals.

The love of the sport grew with her knowledge of it. I started watching the Tour de France, and something inside just clicked. I loved how it felt to ride. I wanted to ride fast and far like that. A year after that first challenging outing up Everest, Elizabeth walked into the same shop and bought a road bike that weighed less than 17 pounds.

I went from riding 15 miles on a mountain bike to doubling it on the road, challenging myself to ride 40 to 50 through the canyons. The transition was a little difficult, learning about shifting and braking, but I loved it, she recalls. Her family was so impressed, her mom offered to watch her son so that she would have more time to ride. Two years later, holding steady at 150 pounds, Elizabeth started entering (and winning) local road races. Its changed my life. I used to eat whatever and whenever, lots of soda and fast food. But once I began to cycle, my diet changed dramatically. Food became energy for riding. I started cooking healthy meals and snacking on nuts and vegetables. Im not completely strict these days, but I havent gained the weight back. I know Ill never be the person I was before I took up cycling, because Ive found my passion, and that lasts a lifetime.