Lessons Learned

This will be my first installment of lessons that I have learned through this new venture of weight loss/exercise. So, here we go...

Do buy a scale. Body fat % is more important that actual weight, so invest in one that calculates it.
Don't use your new scale everyday. 1 pound of fat equals 3,500 calories. That means you have to burn 3,500 more than you consume. It's also considered unhealthy to lose more than a pound or 2 a week. On a day to day basis, that is not very encouraging to see. You can swing a pound or 2 a day anyway. Do it weekly at the most.

Do take water with you. Personally, I don't like taking water, so I have planned my routes to take me past public fountains. That, and I chew gum. Anything to keep the throat moist.
Don't chew your gum with your mouth open, especially if you ride in the evening. Lightning bugs look a lot better than they taste.

Do let everyone you feel comfortable telling know about your new fitness goals. Accountability is awesome, and very motivating.
Don't expect to see results anytime soon. It took years to put the weight on (10 in my case), it's going to take a while to get it off.

Do set goals other than body fat 5 or weight, like distance and/or speed on a course goals. It's nice to hit some short term targets.
Don't wuss out on your goals. Make them something you have to work for.

I know that they sound simple, but a few of those were not so obvious at first. I always assumed that lightning bugs would taste fruity.