Back on Bike and Off-Season Weight Loss Part I done

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Four weeks after arthroscopic surgery, I was back on the bike today for my first real-world test of the knee. About 20 miles in an hour and fifteen minutes in three loops of Central Park on Thanksgiving morning. Warm (55 degrees) for this time of year and the park was full of families walking over to the start of the parade down Central Park West.

Although I've been spending about an hour a day on the cardio machines at the YMCA, spinning on the stationary bike and elipting on the elliptical trainer, it's not the same as hammering up the hill in the northern stretches of Central Park. It was nice to be back out on the bike, without any knee pain and significantly lighter than seven weeks ago when I started my off-season weight loss program.

The first stage of the off season diet is over, and I'm going to stay at about 170-173 for the next month until I'm back from traveling to Kuwait, Bangkok and Bali on 17 December. Then I'll start the next drop down to about 155-160 before going traveling again at the end of January. When the warm weather comes around and the new season begins, I'll be lean enough to actually justify riding a bike where components are measured in grams.

So, with a 9% drop in body mass so far, with another 7% to go in the next stage, I'll be down 29-34 pounds over a sixteen-week period, with a month break in the middle. Safe, with a balanced diet, exercise and relatively painless.

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(The mileage here is a little short since my GPS didn't start tracking until I was up in the park, where it could get a clear view of the sky.) Next week, I'm packing up my bike and flying to Kuwait for a day of cycling, then on to Bangkok and to Bali for two weeks. Last year, I'd ridden there in December while attending the IDGEC meeting in Nusa Dua. Although steamy, Bali is a great place to ride since 80% of the vehicles are two-wheeled motos, some that don't go any faster than a bicycle. The flow of traffic is very bicycle friendly. Although my attention will be focused on supervising a team of eighteen staff and consultants during the UN climate negotiations, I'm hoping to get in some morning rides and maybe a trip up to Bedagul, the old volcano in the middle of the island.