Be Fitter takes the Connecticut Challenge
Hey Fellow Survivors,
I finished the Be Fit program with the first PCS group a bit over two years ago. I lost 20 pounds over those 12 weeks. I just wanted to say that I’m currently 2 pounds heavier (still a net 18 pounds off) and 2 weeks ago I completed the 100-mile Connecticut Challenge bicycle ride (a fund raiser for the Cancer Survivorship Clinics at Yale Cancer Center).
My training regimen included lots of time on the bike (of course!). I had ridden the 50-mile option last year and knew that the course (north of Fairfield, CT) was very hilly and would require a lot of hill work. Fortunately, hills aren’t hard to find where I live, but the elevation changes are generally less than around Fairfield. I started serious training in the spring, doing short rides 2-3 days a week, then longer rides on the weekend. Distance is all relative, of course. When I started, 10 miles felt like a lot, and 20 was a major feat! By the time I got to an 80-mile training ride, 50 miles felt routine. I lost a week when I got a kidney stone (I definitely don’t recommend it as a way to take a break) after a particularly grueling 74-mile ride on a very hot & humid day. I thought that I had re-hydrated, but apparently not well enough.
I also did weight training 1-3 times a week (rode my bike to the gym), which made a big difference on those hills and gave me a general sense of fitness and confidence. After the 100-mile ride I was very tired, but never felt sore.
Diet-wise, I concentrated on eating a variety of lower fat proteins (cottage cheese, low fat cheese, chicken, turkey, fish, egg substitutes) whole grains, salads with veggies (cottage cheese instead of salad dressing) and peanut butter, which is one of the 4 major food groups (chocolate is another, but I greatly moderated my intake, and ate dark chocolate almost exclusively). For more on the Connecticut Challenge visit http://ctchallenge.org/
I’m continuing the weight training and short bike rides, but I’ll give the long rides a break for now.
The ensuing two years haven’t always been easy, and I’ve had my ups & downs (but never got anywhere near my pre-Be Fit! starting weight). Be Fit is a great program, and I congratulate MGH for encouraging participation, as well as all those participants and survivors who have benefited even a little!
Tom Quinn
I finished the Be Fit program with the first PCS group a bit over two years ago. I lost 20 pounds over those 12 weeks. I just wanted to say that I’m currently 2 pounds heavier (still a net 18 pounds off) and 2 weeks ago I completed the 100-mile Connecticut Challenge bicycle ride (a fund raiser for the Cancer Survivorship Clinics at Yale Cancer Center).
My training regimen included lots of time on the bike (of course!). I had ridden the 50-mile option last year and knew that the course (north of Fairfield, CT) was very hilly and would require a lot of hill work. Fortunately, hills aren’t hard to find where I live, but the elevation changes are generally less than around Fairfield. I started serious training in the spring, doing short rides 2-3 days a week, then longer rides on the weekend. Distance is all relative, of course. When I started, 10 miles felt like a lot, and 20 was a major feat! By the time I got to an 80-mile training ride, 50 miles felt routine. I lost a week when I got a kidney stone (I definitely don’t recommend it as a way to take a break) after a particularly grueling 74-mile ride on a very hot & humid day. I thought that I had re-hydrated, but apparently not well enough.
I also did weight training 1-3 times a week (rode my bike to the gym), which made a big difference on those hills and gave me a general sense of fitness and confidence. After the 100-mile ride I was very tired, but never felt sore.
Diet-wise, I concentrated on eating a variety of lower fat proteins (cottage cheese, low fat cheese, chicken, turkey, fish, egg substitutes) whole grains, salads with veggies (cottage cheese instead of salad dressing) and peanut butter, which is one of the 4 major food groups (chocolate is another, but I greatly moderated my intake, and ate dark chocolate almost exclusively). For more on the Connecticut Challenge visit http://ctchallenge.org/
I’m continuing the weight training and short bike rides, but I’ll give the long rides a break for now.
The ensuing two years haven’t always been easy, and I’ve had my ups & downs (but never got anywhere near my pre-Be Fit! starting weight). Be Fit is a great program, and I congratulate MGH for encouraging participation, as well as all those participants and survivors who have benefited even a little!
Tom Quinn
posted by BeFit at 2:56 PM
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