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Register for an Ironman race for next year. Buy a good bike, hire a coach to help you kick start the preparation. You need a vision, a goal. A long term one.

Register for an Ironman race for next year. Buy a good bike, hire a coach to help you kick start the preparation. You need a vision, a goal. A long term one. Ironman is perfect for that. You practice 3 sports - and they are complimentary - you're unlikely to get injured. It's achievable - yeah, I know that right now at 240lbs it probably doesn't seem like that, but the beauty is that anybody can do it. And once you register, you will have a strong incentive to prepare. It will completely transform your self-esteem and the relation with your body and food. PS. It doesn't cost 100k, but it's still expensive - registration, bike, maybe a coach - you're looking at 5-10k probably.

rahimnathwani 3y ago
I thought an ironman was a really long triathlon? Is it realistic to go from couch to full ironman in a year? Or do you mean sign up for th shortest triathlon first?
- TheAlchemist 3y ago
  It's a very long one, yes. 3.8km swim, 180km bike and 42.2km run. I think it's doable in a 12-24 months time frame - so next year he can do it. If I was him, I would register for a half one for the end of this year / beginning of the next, and a full one for late 2025.
0_____0 3y ago
I don't think OP wants to do an Ironman, they want the things they listed. Personally I get the pursuit of a goal - I am training for some ultra bike events - but the fixation on that goal didn't emerge out of nowhere, and nobody could have talked me into it before I was already doing 100 mile days.
- TheAlchemist 3y ago
  Indeed, but you don't become happy by wanting to be happy.
red-iron-pine 3y ago
OP is 47 and has gut issues. Not saying a 47 year old couldn't register and magically make a change -- i'm sure there is someone on the internet who has, and has gotten a ton of upvotes sharing the story -- but realistically this isn't gonna work for most people. definitely disagree with "unlikely to get injured" -- i know a lot of people 40+ who get things like jacked up knees from running, tennis elbow, etc. biking and swimming are better choices for an older person but even doing those regularly aren't a magic bullet without serious changes to diet and overall lifestyle.

rahimnathwani 3y ago

I thought an ironman was a really long triathlon? Is it realistic to go from couch to full ironman in a year? Or do you mean sign up for th shortest triathlon first?

TheAlchemist 3y ago
It's a very long one, yes. 3.8km swim, 180km bike and 42.2km run. I think it's doable in a 12-24 months time frame - so next year he can do it. If I was him, I would register for a half one for the end of this year / beginning of the next, and a full one for late 2025.

0_____0 3y ago

I don't think OP wants to do an Ironman, they want the things they listed. Personally I get the pursuit of a goal - I am training for some ultra bike events - but the fixation on that goal didn't emerge out of nowhere, and nobody could have talked me into it before I was already doing 100 mile days.

TheAlchemist 3y ago
Indeed, but you don't become happy by wanting to be happy.

red-iron-pine 3y ago

OP is 47 and has gut issues. Not saying a 47 year old couldn't register and magically make a change -- i'm sure there is someone on the internet who has, and has gotten a ton of upvotes sharing the story -- but realistically this isn't gonna work for most people. definitely disagree with "unlikely to get injured" -- i know a lot of people 40+ who get things like jacked up knees from running, tennis elbow, etc. biking and swimming are better choices for an older person but even doing those regularly aren't a magic bullet without serious changes to diet and overall lifestyle.