Only 5% of people who were morbidly obese will keep the weight off, after non-surgical weight loss.

ONLY 5%?????

Damn ………….. or, if you are reading this after the water-shed then……SHIT !!!!!

I posted about 6 months ago, saying I was feeling my weight loss results felt “Temporary” that I was on “Borrowed Time” Feeling like I was buying smaller clothes only to need to buy bigger ones as I wasnt able to sustain my (then) small size (for me) ….Fast forward by 6 months and I have lost more weight, wear smaller clothes and (I might have mentioned this) won another award 🙂

I no longer feel that I am on borrowed time, I have dropped, since then, to 13 stone and in recent times I have managed to stay there, without too many issues, I did get a little worried that it kept dropping but I *Think* I have the formula now , the most critical thing about that Formula is to not take my eye off the ball tho…..!

I have also started to take in a couple of protein bars a day, added with milk, that’s giving me over the recommended intake of 55 g’s per day, so that’s a small victory.

I know how much Clive LOVES that Jersey so I wore it JUST for him, it’s too big now, so will probs be the last time I wear it, as such, I went a little crazy with excitement :0)

It’s Fuel:

I’ve always said that food is the mortal enemy to me, this week, I have changed how I perceive it. Sure, that’s not helped me….YET !

On Sunday I set a pretty good time, I tore up a LOT of miles at 20+ Mph after climbs that I’d NEVER dream of doing, but in my mind, I have that niggle, “You have not fueled this engine, just think how good you can be WITH Fuel”

Half way through the ride I suffered a REAL nasty headache, a potential “bonk” when I read up about it (also, my tyre clipped the kerb edge on the final turn, maybe because of going too fast, maybe because of the “bonk”) , it took me a full 24 hours to shake it, it did mean that I wasnt 100% towards the end, yet I still managed a 1 mile average at over 23Mph, so food isn’t the enemy, it’s about to become my friend, I just need some help & guidance !

& in making a start, one MAJOR Issue I have is “Mixed foods” , eg, I like chocolate and nuts, but eating a bar with both in just freaks me out but the protein bars are like a chocolate with a crunchy biscuit in the middle, something I would never have done, just a few weeks ago, so I have made more progress with this in the last few months than the last 29 years but the truth is, that the steps I have taken are TEEN TINY Baby steps on a road that’s a hundred miles long !

Awards:

A few more pictures of the awards night, I believe that some of the winning “local” award members get entered into the “Greater Manchester Sports Award” and I am aware that a few people have also nominated for the Manchester Be Proud 2011 award (the one I won in 2009) added to the potential of the Olympic Torch relay, it means that I *Might* become a busy boy and that Clive’s suggestion of a cabinet might indeed need to happen 🙂

Pride of Tameside award 2011 - MCFC Eastlands

As a Manchester United Fan, This was taken for Irony

Ironic !

Bruntwood Ellipse 2011:

A few more pictures I found on my Phone for your enjoyment !

Bruntwood Ellipse 2011 Finish Line

After the Punctures

Comes the new tyres (and I removed the Specalized branding too, stops the chav’s) and I have also thrown on a rear mud guard as this is the “Winter” bike before the snow arrives (in about 4 weeks if “they” are to be believed)

Oooooon The 5 Day’s Of Christmas …..

…..My bike gave to me….6 P U N C T U R E  S

Ok, it’s not Christmas and it wasnt just one bike that caused me some woes this week, but you get the idea.

On Tuesday alone I racked up 3 punctures, Thursday night I was a mile from home on my SS and I got a puncture, so I decided to pick up the bike and jog, I’d had enough of inner-tube changing at the road side and its been  while since I last jogged.

I made the cardinal school boy error once I was home, I changed the tube and blew it up WITHOUT checking the tyre…PSSSSSSSSST…..ARGH…..then I spent 10 mins checking the tyre and there was nothing in it, that  I could find anyway…..ohhh the joys :)….Would’nt change it for the world !

The only bike that didn’t give me a puncture was my MTB 🙂

My Olympic Dream, Picked up by the media:

This week I had a couple of photo shoots and , by the end of the week, had hit at least 4 newspapers (3 national ones)

One of the photo shoots

Click the Picture for one of the articles

The articles are pretty much as you would expect really, there are a few anomalies but on the whole its good and lets just hope that it helps in some way with my “Olympic Dream”

hopefully next week, I will have some good news in regards to an award im listed for and a race that I might be taking part in, so stay tuned.

If you a book publisher reading this, then get in touch, if I get to carry this torch, what a final chapter in the awesome story it will be to write and publish !

Thanks to Paul over on Fat Cyclist and the articles that hit the web, we have had around 7000 extra visitors in the last 2/3 days, so, I thought, as opposed to them having to go through all the site, that I’d make a video to sums things up with regard to me and my journey….As always, turn your sound on  !

9/11/11 – We must NEVER Forget !

Finally, 10 years later, we must NEVER FORGET !

It’s Time I Re-Joined The SS

Does this man look part of the SS to you ?

No, Clive, not black boots, but the Single Speed Club.

See, last year/The start of this, I had a very sexy, retro SS bike that improved my climbing bar none.

However, after a few months, I felt (wrongly) that I had made SUCH huge strides that I couldn’t get any better ( I know I know, I’m new at all this still and we ALL get things wrong)

I have yearned after one since, so this week, I took the opportunity to move on 1 or 2 of my existing bikes to free up some cash and space and got myself a very nice (and HUGE) Specialized Langster Single Speed bike and AREADY its helping me with my climbing and cadence etc.

In another bike-themed-point, I got my Cyclo-Cross sorted this week, with another HUGE Thanks going out to the A6 Cycle  Warehouse for getting it sorted, I am not overly impressed with Planet X for allowing a bike out in the state my CX was given to me in (it needed the threads re-machining,new pads and the wheel truing) , that said, the bike itself is AWESOME Fun , I did 20 Canal miles on it yesterday and LOVED them all, I do need disk brakes tho !!!!!

So here is the Langster and the Uncle John (Both in DESPERATE Need of a clean) there will be better pic’s of both at a later date.

& Let us say a goodbye to this !

Surosa Toledo Pro Vs Ribble Audax Review .

Today I decided to write a review of 2 popular Audax bikes, Allow me to start with a bit of backgroud that explanes why I have both of them in my stable.

2 weeks ago,after hitting an unseen dirt track on my Ribble and breaking a spoke I was forced to use my Townsend while the Ribble wheel was in for repair.

This caused my commute home to take 45 mins (I Can do it in 27 mins these days)

This was because I didnt have brakes, or gears, or wheels that didnt wobble, I was forced , because of how bad a shape it was in to avoid the main roads. I decided then that it had to go and I had to get myself a new “Back Up” Bike.

I set about looking on eBay for another Ribble, however the only ones at a decent price were either REALLY old, or poorly specc’ed. Almost giving up I searched Surosa, there was ONE listed, however it was just 2 miles from me, the only downside was the seller was asking £480 for it !!!!!! It didnt sell and after some hard negotiations he agreed to sell it to me for a little over £350, and here it is.

Surosa Toledo "Pro"

It stunning and pretty much brand new, its the same spec as my Ribble but has much more recent components, this blog post is designed to review both bikes and give an idea what they are VS each other.

Ribble Audax Review:

Ribble Audax

I have rode the 2007 Ribble Audax for approx 3500 miles since I purchased it in August 2009.

It has been a great bike that I use every day, the Mavic Open Sport wheels are not the best, however have taken my 20+ Stone pretty well with just 4/5 broken spokes in 3500 approx miles of riding. It has the older style shimano tiagra groupset and while its been reliable its felt at times, clunky and industrial,

I am at the stage now where I can cruse along on the flat at 20/23Mph on this bike all day without any problems.

When I stand up to accelerate it feels livley, however the back end does sometimes feel a little too lightweight and has at times lost traction when I was stood up and cornering at the same time.

I fitted a Fizik Arione Saddle and I have to say its the single most comfortable saddle I have ever used (I have even owned a brooks saddle and didnt enjoy that)

For £300 ( Although was an eBay purchase it was BRAND NEW !) its been an fantastic BARGAIN and really is a great bike.

Looks 4/5

Comfort 3.5/5

Performance 3.5/5

Durability 4/5

Surosa Toledo Pro Review:

Surosa Toledo "Pro"

WOW This bike was purchased as my “Back Up” but riding just the 2 miles home I knew it was FAR too good for that.

The Toledo has a slightly sloping top tube. The geometry gives the bike a more upright and relaxed riding position for better long distance comfort.

Equipped with the 2009 shimano tiagra groupset shifting is smooth, quiet and precise.

The wheels not only look good they also feel pretty good too.

It often felt today like the Surosa was under geared vs the Ribble as I felt I was going slower but spinning the cranks at the same cadence, however every time I looked down at my Garmin Edge I was doing between 19 and 22 Mph, It wasnt under geared, it was just a much more relaxed ride, so much so that I rode 15 miles with a 16mph average.

The first 13.5 Miles were done with a 17.8 MPH average, however it was a bloody hot morning and I didnt bring a drink, so I had to stop for one, by the time I was done I had cooled down and took it easy the rest of the way.

The Surosa doesnt look as light as the Ribble thanks to the oversized tubes, however my average today was quicker than ever (Until I had stopped that is).

Those oversized tubes give it an AMAZING look.

Looks 4.5/5

Comfort 4.5/5

Performance 4.5/5

Durability ??/5

Surosa VS Ribble:

The Ribble inspires you to sprint more. The Surosa allows you to ride faster for longer and harder, between the 2 the clear winner is the Surosa, more comfort, better  geometry and that Black finish looks the DOGS !!!!.

The other issue is that the Surosa feels more agile yet sure footed when you do feel the need to sprint,

I will be using my Ribble as my new Back Up bike and the Surosa will get a beating every day, that actually saddens me a little, as I had lusted after a Ribble for so long and while I had it, it was the best bike I had ever rode.

The Surosa now takes that title and I suspect a Surosa, not Ribble, will be my next bike purchase when the time arises.

Providing that the Surosa’a durability lives upto that of the Ribble’s……

Gaz