Biker Babes Shed The Pounds

Many people find losing weight a losing proposition. But The Early Show's Dave Price recently found that's it's a lot easier to drop those unwanted pounds if you do it with friends.

He met up with the "Biker Babes" of Irvine, Calif. Together, these women have lost nearly 300 pounds.

They're not what first comes to mind when you think of biker babes. No Harley's here. They're ten-speeds. No leather: They wear spandex. And they're not burning rubber, they're burning calories.

"We look forward to it," Diane Shindler says. "It's exhilarating; it gets us out in the morning and gives us energy."

But this optimism and confidence are quite a contrast to last year, when Shindler answered an ad in the newspaper from Bicycling Magazine. It offered a free bike to the 50 people who wrote the best essay on why they should win one.

Shindler says, "I told them that I was at a time in my life when I spent so much time with my kids, that I let myself go."

She never expected to get the bike. And when she did, she never thought she'd be able to stick to it on her own. So she rallied support from friends and neighbors and thus, "Biker Babes" was born.

Biker Babe Angela Godfrey says, "The mornings we want to back out, the others are like, 'Get out of bed.' And they do, 'cause there are mornings they don't want to."

Together, these women who are in their late '40s to mid '50s have formed a powerful alliance, that's paying off physically and emotionally.

The biggest joy about being thin?

"Feeling so good and doing things I hadn't done in years," says Godfrey.

Shindler adds, "I'm so much happier; it's improved my relationship with my husband, and I'm taking better care of myself."

So far, Shindler has dropped 50 pounds and Godfrey and Jacqui Gray have each shed about 100.

"I was frightened," Gray says. "I was on the road to becoming diabetic."

And her self-esteem has improved too. "I don't hide anymore," she says.

Godfrey adds, "We all feel so much better now."

These women aren't spokesmodels or superstars; they're just folks who use a common, simple ingredient to achieve success: commitment.

"You put it on your schedule," Gray says. "Just like it's a priority, or a doctor's appointment, or any other commitments that you would have; it's your life; it's your commitment."

Speaking into the camera lens as if she were doing a motivational video, Gray says, "I've been there; it has meant so much in my life personally; just get up and move."

And move they have -- bicycling 80 miles a week and burning about 500 calories an hour -- all while toning their lower body.

"It's a lifestyle," Godfrey says. "It's forever."

With that kind of attitude, Price says, there's no stopping the Biker Babes.

Their enthusiasm has also rubbed off on their husbands, who often join them for rides along the Pacific coast on weekends.