I bought a Bike, a special educators path to becoming healthy!

It started last May 2011. For a few months I had been sneaking off to the blood pressure machine during our family outings to Sams Club. I would tell my family I need to go to the restroom and during my time using the restroom wink, wink I would check my blood pressure. Month after month it would continue to rise. Along with my rising blood pressure, my weight was rising at a rapid rate as well. I had ballooned to the heaviest numerical number I had ever been at a whopping 267lbs. Yes 5 9' 267lbs, with a BMI of who knows. Anyway, the day that shocked me into getting on my knees and asking God to help me get my act together was when my blood pressure hit 168 over 92. At this point after having heart palpitations I knew I had to do something. I am 41 years old, played sports my whole life, I played baseball in college and had found myself in a position I had never been in before in my life. It was time to get my butt in to gear.

I did not tell anybody about my blood pressure and after Kaiser threatening to put me on medication I was now determined to get my weight and health under control. I began to wake up before school and walking my dogs. Not too far 2 miles maybe, I was focusing more on time than mileage. I was averaging around 40 minutes per walk. It was one weekend where my family joined me to walk. My kids jumped on their bikes, my wife and I on foot with the dogs, a beautiful day in so cal to be outside with the wife and kids. It was during this walk we realized my kids had grown too big for their current bikes. As any good parents would do, we went that day in search of a bike for our kids. We found their bikes and I also found a bike. What a memorable maiden voyage for my daughter. Climbing up what seemed to be a giant hill she flew down, not knowing how to slow down with hand brakes and ended up rolling through head high grass straight into a fence. Brushing herself off, pulling the tumble weeds out of her spokes, we walked her and her bike back home for another day.

As for me, I thought my hear was going to explode along with my legs as I road maybe for 15 minutes. Oh my gosh this seemed like it was going to be another one of those great ideas I promised my wife I would stick out. Haha how many of those had I talked my wife into letting me try out. However it has been almost one year to date and I am now putting in around 60 miles per week and have lost a total of 55lbs. Yes you heard right a total of 55lbs, praise God for him giving me the strength and fortitude to get myself back into some sort of shape. My last blood pressure check was 112/72 with no medication. God is good and so is biking. I will post more specifics on what I am currently doing to help me with my eating and diet I hope you join me and post anything you might feel would encourage others.