I know BIKE works because...

...it's measurable.

We've all participated in some project or activity that required continuous performance in order to see or arrive at a result. No matter what you set out to accomplish in a day -- the dishes, laundry, a math problem -- you begin the task, and when you've completed it, you've accomplished something. The results are measurable.

That's what happened to me when I began riding my Huffy. Trust me, for those of you who might still be saying, "Yeah, right. This sucks. It really IS all about exercise." Well, as I mentioned earlier, yes, it was for me, initially. Because that's all I had to count on at the time. It offered me a safe and measurable way to see growth.

At the time, I was forty plus pounds overweight. I felt it, but I wasn't seeing it. More accurately, I was problaby ignoring it. But the reality is, I had gained those forty pounds in one year. I found myself stepping on a scale one day, reading the number out loud, "160 pounds!" I couldn't ignore it any longer. I knew something was wrong. For me, that was not a healthy weight. I was a size 6 who had inched her way up to a size 12 in one year! Folks, that is a major signal that something is not quite right. And I knew it. I just didn't know what "it" was.

I'd soon find out...and I'll get to that later...but for now, you can simply know that my Huffy provided me the pathway to a visible success that I also experienced internally.

I remember feeling the physical effects, and it, too -- just like the Ron Carlson quote -- has stayed with me. When a moment touches your heart, mind and soul, accept its significance and positive change will follow.

I remember riding along my usual bike path. I'd reach my turnaround point, pulling into a park area to add some laps to my ride, and maybe ride under the sprinklers if the weather was really warm. In those early morning hours, I'd pass by the women walkers who also frequented the park. I couldn't seem to help myself, but with a smile on my face, I'd literally wave hello and call out to them, "You should try riding. You won't believe how much weight I've lost." I wanted to share the joy that comes with progress. I wanted others to experience what I was experiencing, despite the turmoil I was dealing with back home. It felt significant to me, and perhaps I looked foolish, grinning as I know I was, but I knew I was onto something.

The truth was getting clearer and clearer with each ride.