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Commuter Shows How to Lose 90 Lbs on Bicycle

by Emily Kirchner

Derek Pascal was like many Americans — overweight, out of shape, and wanting to change.

“I really needed to do something before I waited too much longer,” Pascal explained, “or I was going to be like that for the rest of my life.”

So at the age of 33, Derek did something drastic: he began to ride his bike to work. After a year of riding 22 miles each way, four times a week, he lost 90 lbs.

His first day of commuting wasn’t easy. He chose to ride on Butterfield road, a limited access highway. Pascal had a close call with a few trucks merging onto the road and thought, “This is a really bad idea.”

He quickly found a better route and now he has a system. On Wednesdays he carpools so he can take towels and work clothes to work. He wears moisture-wicking, synthetic fabrics to keep from getting too sweaty. And he uses baby wipes.

“You’d be surprised at how well they clean,” he said.

His coworkers are supportive. They witnessed his battle with weight and tolerate the baby wipe scent without complaint.

Pascal said he finds bicycling more relaxing than sitting in a car on the highway for two hours a day. He feels less stress when dealing with demanding or frustrated customers.

“Since I’ve been exercising, I don’t react the same way,” he said. “I used to get wound up.”

These days Pascal has more confidence and more energy, too. On Saturdays, instead of sleeping in, like he used to, he gets up early and enjoys the day. He enjoys summer days riding on the lakefront, playing volleyball on North Avenue beach and hanging out along the shore.

And now he’s dating, something he admits wouldn’t have happened without his lifestyle change. The extra $270 he said he saves in gas money each month probably helps as well.

Some days, Pascal doesn’t want to bike — especially on cold winter mornings. But he thinks of the money he is saving and the health and relational benefits he’s reaped. Then he just climbs on the bike, puts his feet on the pedals and starts pumping again.

Emily Kirchner is a volunteer Bike Traffic editor and contributor