Ernest Gagnon

Billerica, Massachusetts

Trying to lose all my weight, and be able to do sports again. Was going to do the lap band operation, but I'm going to instead lose the weight via cycling, exercise, and with the help and support of many great cycling friends i now have.. Dream weight 190 to 200 lbs. Hopefully with the weight loss, i can cut back or even stop with the diabetic testing and pills! Trying to get in to the sport of cycling, big reason not so much impact on my legs, and to lose weight and get back into shape. "Update Aug 8th" I have my bike and been on the trainer.. Working to get my bike road worthy. Looking for cyclists in the boston metro / billerica, MA/CT/RI/ NH area who are willing to ride/train with me off and on to help me reach my weight and cycling goals.. I dont have much money to pay anyone, (medical bills and pill costs are crazy) just looking to meet up with people who love cycling, do cycling, live cycling and willing to ride, train with me or what ever they can provide. So far the people i have met on facebook from the cycling world have been great.. I hope to meet many more.. TO All the people have been helping and supporting me I'm so grateful.. This is a huge challenge for me and with your help, support and friendship, your making the challenge that much more easier to tackle, and helping to extend and save my life. Thank you so much. My cycling goals are to train, meet really great cyclists, join a team, ride with people, and race in road cycling and cyclocross, heck even mtb events.. Again thanks! =========================== THE THEORY I’m a big guy trying to live in a world that is not really meant for big people. I have learned quickly that big guys not accepted and should generally not be doing or wearing certain things. Being big I was shunned by many people because of my size. I was looked down upon, called names, and often found myself as the butt of jokes. Big guys are literally forced to cover themselves up, wear shirts at the beach, no shorts… just big jeans to cover up and be ashamed. When I decided to get into cycling back in April of 2010, weighing 570 pounds, I got some big baggy cycling shorts, naturally. Heaven forbid I wear spandex; what if anyone saw me! So I got them and started riding. I HATED them. Boils, and an infection. It got so bad that I even needed medication to stop the infection. So, after doing some talking, and a willingness to “take on societal norms” I got a pair of spandex bib shorts, from a company called Aerotech design. They make bib shorts up to 5XL. The first ride with them I fell in love. I rode only on a stationary bike trainer until September, 2010. I wanted to take my bike outside, but was scared to wear spandex in public. So again, I did some talking, talked to my doctor who suggested I find a cyclist or two to wear the spandex with me, accept me for who I am… and ride. I did that and have never looked back! Wearing spandex when I ride gives me the freedom to be me. I am not ashamed, not scared and I am not going to run and hide After gaining the confidence to wear what is comfortable while doing something that I love, that is helping me lose weight, I STOPPED HIDING. While wearing spandex on my bike, I started to love myself and fix my self. It also helps me deal with my depression because spandex is honest. It makes me honest with myself and with others. This is why I think the cycling world is so open; when people can accept themselves for who they are they can also accept others and help them to be their self. You can’t help others if you can’t accept and help your self. You make the spandex what it is, not the other way around. This, in one big guy’s opinion, is why spandex gets picked on. People can’t accept the honesty that spandex brings. They can’t respect how hard other people work in spandex to be healthy. It’s not about looking good; wearing spandex is about feeling good – physically and mentally. Rather than do something about it, people criticize. I call this: The Spandex Theory http://www.facebook.com/erniegagnon 2ND facebook profile http://www.facebook.com/ernestj.gagnon AND FAN PAGE http://www.facebook.com/ernestgagnoncyclist