Re: Post your daily exercise routine
Muddy, you are probably going to succeed at this because you immediately went out and rode your bike and are considering other exercise and diet changes too.
I am in complete agreement with mart that you should follow through on getting comfortable seat. If you do some research you'll find that there are several options, but along with this and the next suggestion, I highly recommend that you talk to someone in a real cycling shop. Most have people who really understand the issues of cycling for people of all ages and expertise.
Another option you might consider is a bike trainer. You mount your own bike to the trainer and it allows you to ride indoors. These are particularly great during inclement weather. I would definitely talk to a bike expert, but they tend to be less expensive than buying new equipment.
http://bestreviews.com/best-bike-trainers.
Another idea is to buy a yoga mat and a set of three pound weights. Whenever you are watching TV, make sure you are doing some sort of exercise. You can build muscle with a high number of repitions and low weights, and muscles burn more calories. I usually use three pound weights to do step aerobics and five pounds for stationary work (like bicep curls or overhead presses).
As for diet, if you cut your calories to less than 1200, that is crash dieting and you will be too hungry to stick with it. If you can do 1300-1400 AND exercise a minimum of an hour a day, and the weight will come off. You'll have to do a bit of research to find some foods you enjoy that are low calories and filling - but they are out there. I agree with you that your breakfast isn't going to help you the rest of the day. There are other options that would taste great and leave you feeling satisfied longer (egg whites, veggie omelets, nuts, oatmeal, bananas, fruit, etc.) - that would leave you plenty of calories later in the day.