Losing Now

Ben, or bdinger as I know him on the Bike Forums, is a big guy at 360 pounds. He has not reached his goal weight, has all of his limbs, and did not overcome a terrible disease. He has done none of the things that typically qualify a person for my Overcame selection. What he has done is lived life strong and entered a mountain bike race. You can read his tale of challenge and how he overcame that challenge at http://optifat.blogspot.com/2007/07/i-always-win.html

I ride a bicycle on pavement and bike paths, pushing the bike up many of the hills. It is hard on me at this stage of the game. Ben is stronger, and has been riding longer than I have, but more importantly, he does not quit….EVER. First he put his person on display in a mountain bike race, not a ride. He was competing against fit, competitive men, women, and teenagers. That is more courage than I can muster.

During the race he crashed, mangling his front tire and brakes. Ben freely admits that he started feeling sorry for himself. He thought about quitting. Then, wounded and exhausted, Ben does his best to fix his bike and finishes the race. He overcame in so many ways.

John Paul was heavy all of his life, but ballooned to the mid-300’s when he went to college.  Read his story Here.

Mauia used to weigh 380 pounds — pretty big, but especially big for a guy only six feet tall. He went on a diet, lost more than 100 pounds and became a fullback. Here’s the secret to Mauia’s diet: no sugar, no carbohydrates, extra helpings of dedication and Samoan pride. He now weighs 270 pounds, runs the 40-yard dash in 4.8 seconds and answers to the nickname ”Juggernaut,” a reference to a comic book character who, once given even the slightest amount of momentum, can plow his head and body through any object.

At times I have felt that I was too far gone to do anything about my weight. Those times fed my excuses to quit trying, to get off an exercise plan, to eat a gallon of ice cream. Reagan Mauia could have used those excuses. He was even bigger, with more body fat than I am. Click here for a bit of his story.

Charles D’Angelo is now a personal trainer in the St. Louis area. I met him in person after hearing about his experiences through a local radio program. Being an old man I can say this, Charles is a great kid. He is taking the knowledge that he has gained and the remembrance of being severely overweight to help others in a similar position. Read and enjoy.

Kelly Bruno

“WHO SHE IS: Kelly Bruno was born on 23 March, 1984 with a birth defect that resulted in the amputation of her right leg below the knee. If the story ended there it would belong on some feel-good Saturday Morning Special, and not on Ranger Up. Luckily it doesn’t and we all have the pleasure of staring at pictures of her kicking all kinds of ass. In addition to being out-of-this-world hot, a published author, and a Biology/Pre-Med graduate from a prestigious university(that would probably rally for weeks if we published its name here), she has taken the world of disabled athletics by storm, claiming the 200-meter and 800-meter track and field world records for below-the-knee amputees while still in high school. Her 800-meter record still stands today. ” Ranger Up

Click Kelly’s name for the whole story!