Category Archives: Exercise

Haven’t Been Under Control

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I haven’t been under control recently.  I eat too much.  I spend too much.  I eat the wrong things.  I’ve gotten out of the habit of cooking.  I’ve gotten into the habit of stopping at restaurants and coffee shops way too often.

I’ve gained weight.  My weight this morning was 221.2.  I’ve erased a lot of progress, but that’s changing today.

My Dinner - Low Carb

My Dinner - Low Carb

I haven’t spent a penny today.  I brought a lunch to work.  I carried a thermos of coffee to work.  I cooked dinner tonight.  I have leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch.

I want to be at my goal weight of 175 (less than 50 lbs away) in one year.  Then I want to maintain between 170 and 180 indefinitely.

In addition to controlling myself again, I’m going to start doing some upper-body exercises.  I have a set of dumbbells, but haven’t touched them in a while.  I need to quit busying myself with stupid stuff.  I can exercise all I need in a few minutes a day.

Change of Focus?

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This blog started as a way to document my weight loss and keep me accountable for my eating habits.  Once I started bicycling that was simply added into the mix.  More recently, the weight loss aspects have been ignored.  I’ve gained some weight.  I don’t weigh myself regularly anymore.

Vehicles

Which vehicle to take to the coffee shop?

This is, in part, due to my focus on bicycling for transportation.  Bicycling for transportation has become such I big part of my life that moved into Louisville (while continuing to pay the mortgage on my old house) so that I could bicycle everywhere.  It’s been wonderful.  I have not driven to work since moving.  When my wife and I go out to eat, I’ll even meet her there rather than drive (if she’ll let me).

I rode my bike to the coffee shop the other day, when the white truck in the picture on the right pulled up.  One individual drove that huge diesel-powered truck, just to grab some coffee.  I have nothing against trucks.  I own one.  I just believe in using the right tool for the job.

I’ve been very busy for the last week.  Some of it has been the have-to-do stuff.  Some of it is want-to-do.  In either case it has left me sleep-deprived.  I was up late last night driving to Danville and back.  I had intended to ride the Harvest Homecoming ride today.  I changed my mind at the last minute and went back to bed.  I don’t regret the decision.  I needed the sleep.

So, this blog… where does it go?  What should I focus on?  I would love to show some positive results in my weight loss and/or fitness.  The truth is, I haven’t really improved either of those since February of 2009.  I’m in much better shape than when I started in 2007, but I don’t think I’ll ever get to my goal weight of 175.  Maybe this is where I need to focus on waist size and strength.  I should add some weight training to the mix.

So, I haven’t been writing about every bike ride recently.  It’s safe to assume I ride every day now.  I will continue to do so, except maybe today, where I probably won’t be leaving the house.  I will write about exceptional rides.  I will write about what I decide to use as a metric to measure my progress, but I need to figure that out still.

I love bicycles and bicycle advocacy.  I don’t think I’m a great bicycle advocate, other than just being out there on the road.  I’m not eloquent or persuasive.  I’ll leave the “advocacy with words” to those smarter than I.  I’ll just ride my bike.  :)

Getting Fatter?

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I stopped weighing myself a while back.  My weight had been mostly holding steady, but I have noticed that my gut is bigger.  I think the lack of upper-body workouts in combination with poor eating is leading me to lose muscle and gain fat.  So, yes, sometimes the scale lies.

I’m sitting in the Louisville airport waiting to fly to DC via Cleveland.  I have a work-related conference to attend.  They will provide (too much) food.  I need to control my portion sizes.

I’m not bringing a bike with me.  Without riding, I should be able to get by with very little food.  When I get home I’ll concentrate on eating right again, re-start the food-diary (again), and start weighing myself again.  I’m also going to start using my dumbbells and doing push-ups.

The hotel I’ll be staying at has a fitness center, and I am bringing proper exercise attire, so I should be able to squeeze some time in on the weight machines.

My goal weight is still 175.  My lack of progress has been maddening and a bit depressing.  I’ve used being busy as an excuse to not eat right.  That needs to change.

Good Stuff, Bad Stuff

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Good Stuff

I’ve been riding a lot of miles.  I broke a few records on Sunday.  I’ve ridden two centuries in a little over a month.  I hit 3000 miles of cycling for the year during my commute today.  I’m well on track to get 5000+ miles for the year.

The depression that was really affecting me earlier this year has gone away.  I’m sure it’ll come back again some day, and I’ll have to cope.  Overall, I’ve been feeling really good recently.

Bad Stuff

My eating has been crazy.  It’s partially from being hungry from riding.  It’s partially due to treating myself to beer, pizza, ice cream, steak, and similiar items much too often.

I haven’t had any real weight loss since March of 2009!  That sickens me.  I know weight is just a number, but I still have a gut.  I feel like I’m way too fit for this gut.  I’ve got to lose the gut.  Damn the gut!

I’m having comfort issues on my newest bike, Surly Sue, the LHT.  Although I’ve ridden two 100-miles rides on that bike, the recent rides have left me with possible ulnar nerve issues in my left hand.  I also have some saddle issues to figure out.  As such, I’m riding Oria, my recumbent, more often, as there is no pressure on the hands.  I will get a bike fit to help get comfortable again, but in the meantime it’s nice to have another option.

What’s Next?

I’m trying to get my eating under control.  I had started my “food diary” back up a while ago, but that didn’t last long.  I need to track what I eat.

I’ve decided that I need a fast bike.  Both my current bikes are designed to be comfortable for hauling stuff long distances.  Neither is really designed to be fast.  After much thought, I think my fast bike will be a recumbent.  Probably a Bacchetta Strada.  It won’t be until at least next year until I can afford one, but that’s the plan.

Looking Forward to a Mellow Weekend

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Bikes

Last Saturday I rode a Century.  I rode my bike to work and back 4 out of five days this week (I overslept on Thursday).  Most days this week were calling for rain, but I avoided it each time, other than a few sprinkles.

My commuting for the week racked up 140.5 miles on the bike.  I’m not doing any big rides this weekend.  I may not ride at all.  I have a lot of “domestic” stuff to do.

Depression

I’ve had a depression issue for most of this year.  It lifted mysteriously on Thursday, May 27th.  I’ve been almost giddy ever since until yesterday (the day I didn’t ride) and my mood darkened.  I rode again today, and things are well again.

Does riding fix the depression?  Is the cause more subtle than that?  I don’t know.  I do know that it’s hard to get on the bike when I’m depressed.

Diet

I’ve been eating better, other than Wednesday where I went out for lunch, and again for dinner.  I overate to the point of discomfort at dinner.  I hate it when that happens.

Weight

My weight is still bobbing around between 200 and 210.  It may linger there forever, but I now know that I must monitor my weight regularly and watch what I eat for the rest of my life.  This isn’t negotiable.  If I fail to do this, I will gain every pound back.

My goal weight is still 175.  It may take a long time to get there.  It seemed to be in striking distance at one point, but the loss has stalled.

I watched a speech by a doctor discussing a few things about obesity.  I recommend it if you have a spare 90 minutes.  The advice he gave was:

  1. Be as fit as possible at your current weight
  2. Prevent further weight gain
  3. If successful then begin weight loss

That’s not the way I did things.  I started with the diet, then exercise, now I’m hoping to lose more weight, but trying not to gain more.

When I started this adventure my BMI was about 41.  Standard medical procedure for someone like me would have been gastric bypass.  I’m glad I didn’t go that route.  I rather like having a complete GI tract.  My BMI is now about 28, which is still considered overweight, but I would no longer be considered for surgery, and that is a very good thing.

What Now?

I got a bit lazy after losing 100lbs.  I started to indulge in the foods I love.  I thought I could still do it, because I’d already lost weight, and because I ride my bike… a lot!

Well, that’s not the case.  I went two months without weighing myself and gained almost 10 lbs.

I’m back to keeping a food diary.  I am weighing myself daily again.  I’m making more appropriate decisions about what I eat and drink.

I may have to give up beer.  It’s a weakness for me, and I often go to a wonderful food establishment just for the beer.  Then, of course, I partake of the food also.  I really wanted to go again today.  I didn’t.  I stayed home and ate sensibly.  If that particular establishment is off-limits to me, and I quit drinking beer, it would be easier to stay on track.

Too Much to Say!

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I haven’t been posting much recently, but life has been busy, and I’ve got a few things to post about.

Weight and Diet

I haven’t been tracking my eating or weight since I got back from DC.  I’m trying to concentrate less on that, and spend more time enjoying life.  Practicing moderation is still hard for me.

Riding

I’m still riding a fair amount.  I went on a 50-mile mixed-terrain ride with Tim on Sunday.  It was a beautiful day in a beautiful area.  See a few pictures below.  Also check out Tim’s post with pictures.  Yes, there was a stream crossing.  Yes, there was an off-road section.  Yes, we were both riding LHTs.

I didn’t ride to work on Monday, but I did ride on Tuesday.  My wife picked me up from work on Tuesday, so my mileage isn’t quite where it should be.

Encounters

While I was standing outside work waiting for my wife to pick me up yesterday, Adam approached me about my Surly LHT.  He apparently has been, or still is, bicycle touring across the U.S.  I didn’t have enough time to find out the details, but we talked bikes for a few minutes.  He’s touring with Dwight, and they are documenting their travels online.  It seems they haven’t updated the blog since last month though.

Vacation

My wife and I are leaving today for a vacation in the mountains of North Carolina.  We’ll be bringing bicycles, but that’s not really the point of the vacation.  With luck I won’t have cell reception.  :)

My daughter will stay home to take care of the dogs and go to school, so this should be a really low-stress vacation.  I’m looking forward to it.

Mental

When I initially lost a lot of weight it gave me a huge sense of accomplishment.  Unfortunately, that fades over time.  I’ve been fighting with depression again.  I’m not sure of the best way to deal with it.  I’m not a believer in medicating for it.  Writing about what I’ve done and where I’m heading is probably the best tool I have to keep the depression at bay.  I do have to say that today is much better than yesterday.

Pictures

Enjoy!  I did.

Gah!

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I’ve been eating too much.  Riding my bike 100+ miles a week isn’t enough to keep my weight under control with my current caloric intake.

I hadn’t been posting my weight for a while, I have now.  I’m also back to tracking my food.  I need to take control again.  Losing the last 35 lbs seems near-impossible.

I did go on an awesome Friday night “Brew Cruise” with Tim, Ben, Chaz, and Kristin.  It was a shortish ride, but I had ridden to work that day, then had to ride home.  I made it home just before 2:00 a.m.  Granted, we did have five stops along the route, and spent some time at each.

Saturday was spent at home doing housework.

On Sunday, I met up with Tim and Dale for a 45- mile ride in Oldham county.  I really enjoyed the ride, other than a painful issue with my ankle.  I think I caused that Saturday by smacking my ankle on the laundry hamper.  (Maybe I shouldn’t walk around the house without shoes?).  Dale hosted the ride, and provided a nice selection of beer for after the ride.

I Haven’t Fallen Off The Earth

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I’ve had a very busy two weeks.  Work has been busy.  I’ve been moving Kristy’s stuff from her apartment.  I will continue to be busy for a while now.

I rode to work 4 days last week (3.5 commutes due to getting a ride home one day).  I did three full commutes this week, but won’t be riding tomorrow as I need my truck for some errands.  I did ride with Tim on Saturday for the Fuck Gas 40oz Fun Run.  Tim wrote about it here.

I’m not gaining weight anymore, but I’m not really losing either.  I’m still eating too much on average.

Biking and moving things are my only exercises recently.  I still need more upper-body exercise, but at least my shoulder isn’t bothering me much now.

Going to Stop the Weight Gain

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I’ve gained weight pretty steadily from early July to early October.  That has stopped.  I have forced myself to get my eating under control again.  I’m riding to work more often (Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday this week so far).  I’m tracking my calories again.

I had really intended to be at my goal weight by now, but I’m almost 34 lbs away from it.

My foot pain is gone.  My shoulder is mostly just a minor nuisance.  I can and will keep riding, and lose the weight.

I haven’t been posting weekly and monthly updates, because they were bad news.  I haven’t been posting as much in general for a variety of reasons.

I have felt better this week than I have in a while.  I’ve been terribly busy, but I’m squeezing in time to ride my bike to work and back.  It’s a huge stress-reliever, and the key to my weight loss.

I need to go back and re-think my goals soon.  My target weight isn’t changing, but many other things will.

What Have I Been Doing?

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Kristy came home on Friday.  I spent a lot of time with her.  She left on a plane again this morning, but she’ll be back on Sunday, so it’s just a few days this time rather than three months.

She tagged along for Sunday’s RCCS ride driving my truck as a “support vehicle”.  Mainly, she carried snacks and took pictures.  Tim’s write-up is here.

I didn’t post a weekly weight update, but basically I gained 0.1 lbs.  I haven’t weighed regularly and I’ve been eating more.  My next weekly weight will probably be up more.

I haven’t ridden a bike since Sunday, but I will be riding tomorrow.  I felt angry and depressed today, but I think it was the lack of bike riding, or exercise in general.  I felt much better today after my weight-lifting session.

I’m considering riding a century (100 miles) this Saturday.  I need the stress relief.  If I do it, it’ll be my longest ride yet.

If anyone else out there is interested in riding 100 miles starting early Saturday, and riding at a slow-ish pace, let me know.  I could organize a last minute RCCS ride.

Month in Review – June 2009

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On the heels of my record bike-miles week, I set a new record for the month also.

Month Bike Car
01-2009 277.8 678.0
02-2009 263.0 768.0
03-2009 192.4 1,995.0
04-2009 290.9 1,550.0
05-2009 452.0 1,087.0
06-2009 542.2 1,835.0

My car mileage is up, but I made a trip to Michigan, and two trips to the Danville area.  I didn’t track my bike mileage monthly until this year, and I believe I rode about 500 miles in August of last year, but at 542.2 miles, I’m calling June 2009 a record.

chart-month-2009-06My average weight for the month was 202.0 lbs.  I have been struggling with my weight recently, but I think the last month or so has been due to building muscle mass from more bike riding and weight lifting.

After over riding over 80 miles last weekend, I’m riding full commutes to work this week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  On Tuesday and Thursday, I’m doing a partial commute, and my weight training.  The commuting alone should bring me to 120 miles per week.

Gym Membership in My Future?

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I visited a local gym with my daughter the other day.  I’m not ready to commit to a membership yet.  I used to own an elliptical, and I found it horribly boring.

However, I’m now seeing a personal trainer for upper-body strength, under doctor’s orders, for arthritis in my shoulder.  These sessions are expensive, luckily my insurance company covers most of it.  I know it’s only temporary, so I’m considering a gym membership.

There are days where I can’t (or won’t) ride the bike.  Having another option is a good thing.

While I was there, I found out about the “student special”, where my daughter could use the gym for three months.  She was interested, so I signed her up.  We’ve got three months for $99.

I still don’t have a membership, and I’m not sure I will, but I am seriously considering it.

Pushing Hard – Under 200 Again

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Today is the third day in a row that I rode to work.  It’s getting harder every day.  I’m still trying to make it until the end of the week.

I haven’t started my truck since Sunday.  I haven’t paid for parking or used any gas this week.  That’s quite nice.

In addition, my weight was below 200 again this morning.  I had dropped below 200 a while back, but I gained it back.  I guess I need to watch my eating and push myself harder on the bike to continue the weight loss.  Nobody ever said this would be easy.

Mid-Week Stuff

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After my long ride on Sunday, I stayed off the bike until today.  I seemed to have damaged Nermal’s rear wheel slightly, so I rode Oria to work today.  There was a chance of rain, but it was sunny out for most of my commute.  I made good time on the way in, and averaged 15 mph.  I was slower on the way home, partially due to a headwind.

On Saturday I drove to Michigan to pick up my daughter.  She’s spending most of the summer with me.  Tonight, she’s eating dinner at a friend’s house, so I’m taking advantage of that and just “grazing” on some healthy food instead of cooking a meal.

I’ve been rather busy, and haven’t posted on the blog as much.  I also haven’t figured out how to get my daily weigh-in page fixed.  It broke when I upgraded to WordPress 2.8.  I still track my weight in Excel so I’ll update it here once I fix the issue.

I’m still above 200 lbs, but I think some of the lack of weight loss is due to building muscle.  I’ve had a lot of progress in my weight-training sessions for my shoulder.  I still have shoulder pain, but it’s more manageable.  I can also lift substantially more than I could when I started.  I still have the most trouble when trying to sleep at night though.  Being really busy and not sleeping well does not make me happy, but other than that, life is good.

Adjusting My Diet

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While doing my weight training today, my trainer suggested that I increase my protein intake.  Apparently I’m not building muscle fast enough.

I later thought about my recent struggles with losing additonal weight, and how my diet has changed.

I used to be able to lose weight even when not riding many miles, as long as I was sane with my calorie intake.  Now, I struggle with the weight whether I’m eating a reasonable number of calories or not.

I went months without buying bread.  I didn’t eat sandwiches.  I ate a high-carb breakfast, but low-carb meals for the rest of the day.  I later starting eating more carbs.

If I’m going to take the trainer’s advice and eat more protein, I’ll need to lower my calorie consumption somewhere else, so I’m cutting the lunch and dinner carbs.  It’s still not a strict low-carb diet, as I don’t believe that’s healthy.  I really need carbs in the morning to get me going.

I’ve also been working on weaning myself off of caffeine.  If I cut it cold-turkey, the withdrawal will be miserable, so I’m doing it gradually.  I’m only doing it because there is some evidence that caffeine can worsen arthritis, and I’m really sick of the pain in my shoulder.

As far as bike riding, I rode to work on Monday, and haven’t touched the bike since.  I will be doing some riding tomorrow (a partial commute, and some errands), but none on Saturday.  I am riding a 60-70 mile ride on Sunday with the RCCS.

Having a plan… and idea of what I need to do to lose more weight helps me feel better.  Maybe now I can reach my goal weight of 175 lbs.

Overeating and Laziness

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I rode about 15 miles last week.  It should have been ten times that.  I’ve been eating too much, and drinking Coke occasionally.  This has made it very difficult to get below 200 lbs.

It’s now 8:15 a.m. on Monday morning, and I’ve ridden more miles in the last two hours than all of last week.  I rode my recumbent the full way to work.

I haven’t been completely lazy.  I’ve been doing yardwork.  I went and bought a used weight bench, and did a brief workout with it.  I’ve been cooking more.  I’m starting to get a handle on the out-of-control housework again.  I went grocery shopping yesterday… but I drove.

This week should be interesting.  I’m off to a good start.  I want to ride to work everyday.  I’m riding to Louisville’s Bike to Work Day event on Friday.  I’m riding on the Tour de Cure on Saturday.

Maybe this week can get me out of my rut.

Upper Body Exercises – Ordered by the Doctor

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I’ve had shoulder pain for a while now, and it has gotten much worse over the last couple of months.  It doesn’t seem to be affected by bicycle riding, so I’ve got that going for me.

I finally brought it up to my doctor, and after tests, X-Rays, and an MRI, I now know that I have arthritis in my right shoulder.

He sent me to another establishment where I work with a personal trainer to strengthen the muscles in my upper body.  I’ve only had one visit so far.  He had me start out with some dumbbells and free weights, with little weight, and paid close attention to how I lifted.  My right side is stronger, but yet it’s the bad side.

We then switched to some of the machines, and some of the exercises extended my shoulder beyond my comfort level.  I could feel the huge difference between the two shoulders.

I was a bit sore when I left, but by the time I got home the shoulder pain was much improved.  I woke up this morning with the shoulder pain again.  I realize this will take time, but at least I’ve found something that works.

3500 Calories?!

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The extra bike riding of the last two days has made me extremely hungry.  I didn’t binge on anything, but I did eat almost constantly today.  I totalled it up, and it came out to just over 3500 calories.  I won’t lose weight if I keep doing that.

Alright, I’ve had a lot of exercise, now I’ve eaten, it’s time for bed.

The Week is Off to a Great Start

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I rode a repaired and improved Nermal to work on Monday.  I felt strong, and made great time going to work, and on the return trip.

My mental state is greatly improved from being back on the bike.  Starting off the workday with a bike ride is a huge boost to my mood and attitude at work.

I was highly motivated to get home quickly after work, so I could drive to go visit Kristy, my girlfriend.  I have to drive to see Kristy, as she lives about 90 miles from my house.  I may eventually ride there, but I’ll need a few days off work to do that.

I did drive to work today, but I’ll be back on the bike tomorrow.

My weight is  still up, but I’m back to eating healthy, and plan to put some serious miles on the bikes, so I should be back to losing weight very soon.

Day 500

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Yesterday was day 500 of my lifestyle change.  I didn’t weigh yesterday, but Friday’s weight was 203.4 lbs.  My weekly average was 203.0 lbs, the same as last week.  My weight is actually trending upward a little due to overeating and lack of exercise.

I have a RCCS ride today that should help, and I’ll be riding to work most of this upcoming week (hopefully).

I ate a huge meal at a Cuban restaurant last night.  It was very good, but today’s weight was 206.6 lbs.  I can’t eat like that too often.

It seems amazing to me that it’s been 500 days.  I have changed a lot, physically and mentally, but I still have the same food issues if I don’t pay attention.

The Ride That Almost Wasn’t

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I did ride today.  I made it to work in pretty good time.  One hour and twenty minutes.  I pushed harder because I woke up late.

When I realized I woke up late, I considered driving, but I need more exercise.  I don’t need to slide down into the pit of laziness.  Also, I feel better when I ride.

So, I hurriedly packed up, ate breakfast, and was out the door.  Today was warmer than yesterday, but it was still a brisk 27 degrees.  There was a little bit of a headwind, but it wasn’t bad.  Traffic was lighter due to it being later.

So, I’m really glad I rode, and the ride home should be much warmer.

A New Obsession

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dscf0548I have a new obsession.  I had been planning on learning to ride a unicycle this year.  Now I can get started.  I just bought this a few hours ago.  It’s just an inexpensive unicycle with a 24″ wheel.

I’ve fallen twice already with no injury, and stepped off of it to avoid falling more times than I can count.  The farthest I’ve travelled so far would be measured in inches.

It’s going to take time to master this thing.

It Was a Beautiful Day for a Ride

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… but I drove.  I woke up in a foul mood.  I woke up at 5:00, but reset my alarm clock for 6:00.  Nermal had a flat tire. I could have rode Oria, but I just wasn’t in the mood.  Now, I’m at work, and I really wish I had gotten up at 5:00, and rode to work.

I ate Girl Scout Cookies for breakfast.  At least those things are gone now.  I now know not to ever buy them again.  I apologize to the Girl Scouts, but my problems with food are not solved.

Tomorrow is supposed to be warmer,  but with a good chance of rain.  I may ride anyway.  I may even ride Nermal the entire distance.  I will fix the flat tire tonight.

I did do some dumbbell workout routines last night, and this morning, so my chest and arms feel a little weird.  They’re not really painful, just weird.

No Riding Today

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I’m not riding today.  I’ve been slightly sleep-deprived recently due to riding time, fundraising for RTCC, and other more mundane things I need to do.

I slept in a little later today, and I’ll be driving to work. I haven’t even been on my bike for that many miles this week.  I haven’t checked the computers on the bikes, but I’m pretty sure it’s less than 50 miles.

I am participating in a 30-mile River City Cycling Society ride tomorrow, so I need a little break, and a good night of sleep first.

I’m considering organizing some small group rides for training for the RTCC.  I would concentrate on Southern Indiana people, and have rides from my house here in Charlestown.  There are some beautiful country roads just a few minutes away by bike.  I’ll probably ask around, and try to get something set up for the 28th or 29th.

January 2009 Overview

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The month has come to and end, so it’s time to look at my progress for the month.

Weight

My average weight for January 2009 is 216.5 lbs, or 7.3 lbs lower than last month.  My progress during the month has been mixed.  On 1/1/09 I weighed 215.0 lbs.  On 1/31/09, I weighed the exact same 215.0 lbs.  There was a fair amount of fluctuation in between those dates.  The highest weight was 221.4 lbs, and the lowest was 211.6 lbs.

Bicycling

I rode 277.8 miles for the month.  I need to ride 417 per month to meet my goal, so I’ve only achieved 67% of what I intended too.  I drove 678 miles for the month.  I intend to drive only 292 miles per month, so I did poorly there also.

The weather has not been kind to me this month.  We had bitter cold, ice and snow, then an ice storm that really derailled my cycling.  Hopefully February has better weather.

I’m beginning to re-think my idea to become car-free at some point.  I still want the bicycle miles, but the bad weather we’ve had this month has made me wonder if I’m cut out for a car-free life.

Food

My diet is fluctuating as usual.  I have a number of good days in a row, then I overdo it.  Obviously this pattern works for me, as I have continued to lose weight.

I have been changing my diet up a bit.  I’m trying to continue to eat healthy, but spend less money.  One of my other goals is to pay off my debt, and that will be slightly easier if I spend less money on everything, including food.

I’ve been spending more time cooking, instead of using the microwave.  Overall, this is a good thing, and maybe I’ll actually learn a bit about cooking.  I’ve also become a big fan of beans.  They are high-fiber and high-protein.

Exercise

I have done very little exercise other than cycling, and cleaning up debris from the ice storm.  My dumbbells have been sitting in a corner unused.  My push-up plan has been all but forgotten.  I need to start doing these things again.

One new exercise I’ve begun doing, and need to do more often is hiking.  This is an activity my dogs and I enjoy together.