Last Night’s Paleo Dinner

February 7, 2010 — David Crowell

I had a (mostly) paleo dinner last night, and it was good enough that my daughter liked it.

I cooked mashed potatoes with the skins still on, covered them with onion and green pepper sauteed in butter.  I then had two pan-fried pork-chops with red pepper served on a bed of fresh spinach.  I had a large glass of water with it.

It was an easy meal to prepare.  Although the potatoes provide some carbs, I’m mostly just giving up sugar and grains.  I’ve found a way of life that is more sustainable in the long-term.

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My New Diet Is Working

February 5, 2010 — David Crowell

As I mentioned in an earlier post, my new eating habits are based upon the paleodiet.  Although it took some initial getting used to, I now feel pretty good, and the weight loss has continued.  My weight this morning was 205.0 lbs.  That’s the lowest since August.

The advantages of this diet:

  • No counting calories or restricting myself
  • Better for long-term health (supposedly)
  • I can have a juicy hamburger, without the bread, or big piece of meat

The disadvantages:

  • Finding a restaurant to eat at is difficult
  • Cooking is required much more often (rather than convenience foods)
  • Initially I had a lack of energy and carb cravings; that has passed
  • It can be more expensive to eat this way
  • There is a long list of items that shouldn’t be consumed, including beer.

Once my lack of energy subsided, I was able to ride my bike to work and back again.  I rode the full way on Monday, the full way there (but got a ride home) on Tuesday.  Wednesday I drove.  Thursday I rode a partial-commute each way.  Today, I’m driving because of weather.

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A “Stay at Home” Weekend

January 31, 2010 — David Crowell

I haven’t left the house yet this weekend.  I will later today for some grocery shopping, but I’m driving rather than taking the bike.  I have a lot to buy.

I’m also spending much of the weekend doing this that I’ve been putting off too long.  The house is a mess.  I have a lot to do.

I plan on commuting to work by bike as much as possible this next week.  Not only does it help me lose weight, but it clears my head.  I may have to take a day off to drive to my brother’s funeral, but that’s not been completely decided yet.

I am working on learning, and eating, the paleodiet that I mentioned before.  I think I’m going to end up doing a modified version of it, getting a few carbs here and there from potatoes.  I’m avoiding nearly all grain products.  The worst part is that I’ve given up beer.  Not to say I won’t have one beer on a rare occasion, but it’s no longer a regular thing for me.

One of the advantages of this diet, is that I don’t have to measure and track calories.  I have found that I occasionally binge on too much meat, but I don’t think it’ll be a problem.  Most people who follow the paleodiet don’t eat dairy products.  I still haven’t given up on my cheese though.  :)

My weight is slowly trending downward again.  It could take me a while to get below 200 lbs again though.  This time, I don’t ever want to get back above 200 lbs.  I need to be healthier.  I need to eat better.  I need to exercise more.

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Dietary Indecision

January 28, 2010 — David Crowell

When I lost most of my weight is was with a low-calorie diet.  I had to track everything I ate.  I’ve had more problems doing that now with much more going on in my life.  I’m busier, and more likely to “grab and go” rather than think, eat, and write it down.  This has led to some weight gain.

I did some reading and found the paleodiet.  It certainly sounds good.  It would mean I don’t need to track calories.  I can eat a lot of good food.  This diet may actually work, but apparently not for me.

My problem is carb-cravings.  I’ll do well for a few days then I’ll binge on high-carb food.  One of the main points of the paleodiet is to avoid the carbs.  I seem to have issues doing so.

So now I’m faced with a new decision.  Do I:

  1. Work harder on the paleodiet, and control my eating?
  2. Start tracking everything I eat and control my eating?

Either way, it appears I need more self control.  Self control isn’t fun.  Why can’t it be easy?

Blah.

Oh, it isn’t about exercise.  I get a lot of exercise these days.  I’m a bit bummed out that I’m not riding my bike to work tomorrow, but I really don’t want to get stuck there with snow on the ground.  My wife is out of town until at least the end of March, so she can’t pick me up if weather gets bad.

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A Warming Meal

January 3, 2010 — David Crowell
Tasty!

Tasty!

I met up with five others today for the Ghost Bike Memorial Ride.  It was a cold day for a ride, but I was dressed well enough.  After the ride, Tim and I continued on for a few more miles (after a stop for coffee) bringing the total to 19.

After arriving home I cooked a nice healthy meal of chicken tenderloin with red pepper (I overdid the red pepper), brussells sprouts, and a bottle of Schlafly’s Coffee Stout.  Thanks Tim!

Posted in Bikes, Food, Off-Topic. 2 Comments »

Lifestyle Change – Redux

December 31, 2009 — David Crowell

After re-reading my previous post about the year in review, I realize the problem.

I started a true lifestyle change back in 2007.   The changes were drastic, but effective.  I lost weight, and got much more fit.  The changes centered around eating sensibly and getting exercise.

I realize that although I’m still much healthier and fit than I was when I started, my eating habits have slipped  gradually back to horrible.  Overall, I’m still doing well due to the exercise I get but I need another lifestyle change.

I’m considering a six-day diet.  A strict low-carb diet six days per week, then eat what I want on the seventh.  This will allow me to lose weight, yet still go out with Kristy for dinner, or have a beer or three.

The low-carb, high-fat, high-protein diet is a bit controversial, but will be easier to fit-in with Kristy’s cooking habits.  It’s also similar to what I was eating during my best period of weight loss.

I still need to track everything I eat, and weigh regularly.   Both of those things mostly disappeared for the month of December.

Posted in Food, Goals. 1 Comment »

Things Change

December 22, 2009 — David Crowell

I re-read a previous post “Shifted Priorities“, and realize I was in the middle of a mistake at the time.

I had talked about the fact that I ride for fun rather than weight loss.  I was dreaming of buying a new bike, though I have two perfectly usable ones.

Since then, my mileage is way down, and my weight is up.  I can make excuses about being busy, but the truth is that I haven’t been trying hard enough recently.

I do spend a lot of time thinking about bikes.  I spend more time thinking about bikes than riding them.  I have spent very little time thinking about my eating habits recently.  I haven’t been tracking my calorie consumption or my weight very regularly.

This has led to a 20 lb weight gain over the last five months.  So, I lost 100 lbs, but gained 20 of it back.  That is frustrating.  I feel like the “Fat Guy” that I used to be.

Not Totally Negative

I did ride to work yesterday.  Then I ran some errands around Clarksville Indiana by bike.  I traveled Eastern, Lewis & Clark, Greentree, and Veteran’s Parkway.  I have never considered riding those non-bike-friendly-roads until yesterday, but it wasn’t as bad as I imagined (even with holiday shopping traffic), and I had a good time.

My ride terminated at Feeder’s Supply where I bought 50 lbs of pet supplies, and waited for my wife to pick me up in the truck.  I had 32 miles for the day, not bad for simple utility cycling.

Now What?

Ride more, eat less!  I need to start carrying around paper and pen to write down everything I eat.  I normally track it on my computer, but if I’m not near a computer, it may not get recorded.  I need to track it even I don’t have time to calculate the calories.  I need to hold myself accountable.

I briefly considered posting everything I eat here, but that would truly make this a (more) boring place.  :)

I need to post here more often.  Writing about my weight loss attempt keeps me focused.  It keeps my goals at the front of my consciousness.

Merry Christmas everyone!  I’ll try to keep my snacking on sweets to a minimum.

Posted in Bikes, Food, Goals. 5 Comments »

Snowy Morning Commute

December 7, 2009 — David Crowell

I’m not a big fan of snow, but the little bit in the grass this morning doesn’t bother me.  The roads were mostly clear.

The snow did help put me in a more festive spirit, which matched the Christmas lights I put on my bike yesterday.  My daughter snapped a couple of pictures before I left.  One is with the flash, my reflective bits are very visible, but the Christmas lights aren’t.  The other is without the flash, but the lights are very visible.  Either way, motorists should be able to see me.

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Still Struggling

I’m still not losing much weight, mostly because I’m still eating too much.  We had a birthday party for my daughter on Saturday, and I consumed way too much food.  I need to stop doing that.

Posted in Bikes, Food, Pictures. 8 Comments »

Back in the Saddle

November 20, 2009 — David Crowell

I took the week off from riding to work to let my ankle heal.  It seems to be better now, which is good, as I’m planning on riding about 50 miles tomorrow with Tim.

I got Nermal back from the shop yesterday, with a new bottom bracket.  The front brakes weren’t working well, so I pulled them apart, cleaned, lubed, and adjusted everything.  They seem to be working better now.

My daughter wanted to spend the night at a friends house, but wanted a ride.  She wasn’t certain where the house was, but with a little prodding, she rode the 2.6 miles with me on her bike… after dark… on a Friday night.  It was fun, but I think she was terrified.  She has lights, but is uncomfortable in traffic.

I went against my own judgment and stopped for food and beer on the way home.  I really don’t need the calories, but good beer is worth it.

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Daily Weighing Keeps Me Focused

November 18, 2009 — David Crowell

Now that I’m weighing myself daily again, and tracking my calorie consumption, I’ve noticed that it’s easier to say “no” to extra snacks.  Keeping my weight loss in my thoughts more often leads me in the right direction.

That’s just one of those simple things that is easy to forget.

Posted in Food, Mental. 2 Comments »

Gah!

November 16, 2009 — David Crowell

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.

Posted in Bikes, Exercise, Food. 2 Comments »

Busy Weekend

November 8, 2009 — David Crowell

I truly had an busy, yet enjoyable weekend.  I rode my bike a fair amount, ate too much, and drank beer.  What’s not to like?

Mountain Biking

I got up early on Saturday to take my daughter to take her SAT test.  I dropped her off, then headed over to Tim’s house.  We rode two of his mountain bikes.  He rode his Redline Monocog, a single-speed 26″-wheeled bike with no suspension.  I started out on his Cannondale 29er hardtail.

The Cannondale felt like a truck: big, heavy, and would roll over anything.  We later switched bikes and the difference was huge.  The Monocog was simplicity itself.  No shifting to worry about, and it was easier to just tug around on the trail.

This was only my second time mountain biking, and I managed to stay upright, even if I did run into a small tree and tweak my wrist a little.  It was a lot of fun, but quite a bit more tiring than road riding.

I will remain primarily a road-rider, but a mountain bike is on my wish-list.

Inappropriate Clothing?

I had worn cycling tights and a jersey (I needed the rear pockets!) for the mountain bike ride.  I had planned to bring a change of clothes, but forgot.  I needed to run an errand at the Louisville International Airport… so I walked through the airport wearing the clothes I had ridden in, including the mud splatters.

After picking up my daughter from her SAT test, we needed to stop at Meijer for some shopping and I was still in my cycling garb.  I felt like a goof, and did get a few weird looks, but nobody said anything.

Sunday Ramble

Tim came by on Sunday for a 45-miler.  We stayed on paved roads, but dove down into the river valley twice, with two climbs to match.  There was also a nice descent into a creek bed on Tunnel Mill Road, followed by a short, steep climb.

The weather was absolutely incredible.  It made it into the low 70s, not bad at all for November.

The rural area north-east of Charlestown has a number of run down buildings.  There are  some pictures below.

Tim wrote about it here.

Yard Work

I had a lot of yard work to do, hopefully for the last time this year.  I got it done over the weekend, but split it among the two days, so that I still had time for other things on both days.

Commuting

I only commuted by bike two days last week.  This week isn’t looking good either.  The first three days of this week I have after-work obligations that require me to have my truck.

I’m not sure what’s going on Thursday yet, but I do intend to ride on Friday, as the RCCS is having another “Beer Run“.  I’ll be riding to work, then riding the short-ish RCCS ride, then riding home way too late.  :)

Overeating

I’ve eaten way too much this weekend.  I’m currently stuffed from eating too many brownies.  I’ve had pizza twice.  I’ve been drinking beer.  I can’t keep eating like this!

The Pictures!

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I Haven’t Fallen Off The Earth

October 15, 2009 — David Crowell

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.

Posted in Bikes, Exercise, Food. 3 Comments »

Going to Stop the Weight Gain

October 8, 2009 — David Crowell

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.

Posted in Bikes, Exercise, Food, Goals. 2 Comments »

Settling In

September 18, 2009 — David Crowell

Kristy, my shiny new wife, has moved in.  Her job has transferred, and we can even do some car-pooling.

We’ve still got of stuff to move from her old apartment, but we’re getting to it.  Although we’re probably still going out to eat too often, we are splitting meals now which is better for the wallet and the gut.

I’ve worked three days this week.  On Wednesday I drove to work.  Thursday and Friday (today) I rode the bike into work, but Kristy picks me up after work.  That seems to work out well.

I’ve been riding Nermal.  Oria needs some work on the wheels, and should probably have the bearings cleaned and regreased after the sand and saltwater spray in Florida.

I am disappointed with my weight.  I’ve been above 210 lbs all of this month, and part of last.  I had been down below 198 as recently as July.

Kristy is supportive of my weight loss and bike riding.  She kicked me out of bed this morning so that I had time to ride.  I love her for that.  :)

Posted in Bikes, Food, Marriage, Stats. 4 Comments »

Getting the Hang of Eating?

September 5, 2009 — David Crowell

I took Kristy out to dinner on Thursday.  We went to a nice little Italian place, but we split a dinner.  That went a long way toward controlling the calorie intake, and saved a few dollars.

I’m going to have to try to continue to eat that way for the next week and a half.  I’m leaving for Florida with her, and we’re getting married on the 12th in Cocoa Beach.

I am bringing  bikes with me (Oria for me, Nermal for my mother, and Kristy’s bike).  I’ll attempt to get some riding in.

I did ride to work and back on Monday.  I rode a partial commute on Thursday.  That’s not nearly enough miles, but life has been crazy.

Posted in Bikes, Food. 3 Comments »

Oh No, Yo Yo

August 30, 2009 — David Crowell

This year has not been good for my weight loss.  I haven’t been weighing regularly recently, and I’ve been eating poorly too often.  I stepped on the scale this morning, and was horrified to see the scale at 215.0 lbs.

215 lbs is about what I weighed back in January.  I’m going to have to really push hard to get back under 200 lbs by the end of the year.  I’m going to Florida in less than a week.  I have another conference to attend in October in St. Louis.  I need to learn better eating habits when travelling.

For now, I’m back at home, and will be back on the bike.  I’ve got some good food around the house, and need to watch how much of it I eat.

Posted in Food, Stats. 6 Comments »

Overeating in San Antonio

August 24, 2009 — David Crowell

0823091809One thing about conferences: They usually feed you well.  I’m only two days into this conference and I’ve probably eaten two weeks worth of calories.

The picture on the right was taken from Chart House restaurant at the top of Tower of the Americas.  I ate dinner there last night.  It was one of my healthier meals until desert came around.

Today brought a wonderful selection of fruit and breakfast burritos in the morning, and a big spread for lunch.  I don’t know what dinner will bring, but I’m not yet ready for more food.

Posted in Food, Pictures. 1 Comment »

Turning It Around…

August 11, 2009 — David Crowell

I haven’t ridden much.  I’ve gained weight.  I’ve been busy.

I’m going to hop on my bike tomorrow morning and ride to work.  I’m going to quit drinking Coke (again).  I’m going to eat out less. I have Nermal’s rear wheel fixed, and will re-install it tomorrow.

I’m spending some time with Kristy on Friday and Saturday.  I’ll also be school shopping for my daughter.  I’m hoping to get a good ride in on Sunday.

I’ve had some depression issues recently.  I’m not sure how much of it is due to work, and how much is due to not riding my bike and gaining weight.  The solution is to ride my bike… which is harder when I’m depressed.  I’ve got to break out of the cycle.

Posted in Bikes, Food, Mental. 6 Comments »

Soggy Tuesday

August 4, 2009 — David Crowell

I intended to ride to work every day this week. I did ride yesterday, but this morning brought severe thunderstorms and flash flooding. The drive into work was quite interesting with impassable roads. Work is hectic today with some flooded offices and roof leaks.

I’m back to weighing myself every day and tracking my eating. I’ve been bad about doing that recently.

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Happy

July 29, 2009 — David Crowell

I’m still alive.  I took a break from posting.  Actually I took a break from quite a few things.  I haven’t stepped on a scale in a week.  I haven’t tracked my calories in almost two weeks.  I’ve been drinking beer again.

I took two vacation days from work, and had a four-day weekend and went to Parkersburg, West Virginia with Kristy and Dawn.  It had been 32 years since I was last in West Virginia, so I had little memory of it.

Parkersburg is an interesting town.  It has it’s issues, but I found one charming aspect.  People ride bikes there.  There are kids on BMX bikes all over town.  Adults were riding mountain bikes (most with disc brakes).  Nobody wore a helmet.  It was like the 80s all over again.  :)

Kristy didn’t have a bike, so we brought both of mine with, plus Dawn’s.  We hauled three bikes there, and four back.  Kristy doesn’t like riding either of my bikes, so we bought one for her.  Her new bike is a Cannondale Adventure 5.  I also test rode a Surly LHT, and it even fit.  I don’t have the budget for that bike.  It’s been on my wish list for some time, and the reservations I’ve had about getting one are now settled.  I want it.  I just can’t have it now.

I didn’t get to ride nearly enough while I was there.  I did ride between the hotel room and her family’s house (about 2.5 miles) several times.  The three of us also went on a short ride around town.

I had to go back to work on Monday, and wasn’t able to ride because I didn’t get much sleep, and had to pick up my dogs from the vet where they were boarded.  I felt a strong need to ride.  My mental health was requiring it.

So, on Tuesday, I rode to work.  There was a chance of rain, but it only rained while I was at work.  The ride home was lovely also.

Today, Wednesday, was the opposite.  I got drenched in the morning, and in the afternoon, but it didn’t rain while I was at work.

I enjoyed riding in the rain.  Only the first few minutes of getting wet is uncomfortable.  Once you get totally wet, it doesn’t really matter anymore.  I’m riding again tomorrow, no matter what the weather.  I probably won’t ride on Friday, as Kristy will be here.

Back to my weight… I’m sure I’ve gained.  I don’t know how much.  I’m actually pretty happy with the way I feel this week.  I feel like I’ve developed the right mindset to ride much more often.  If I can keep riding, I will lose the weight.  Yes, I should get back on the scale.  Yes, I should eat better.  Yes I need to lay off the beer.

Maybe tomorrow.  :)

Posted in Bikes, Food, Mental. 3 Comments »

Sick Day

July 15, 2009 — David Crowell

I had my bike packed last night for a ride into work today.  I woke up sick, and stayed home.

I haven’t eaten well today, but I haven’t eaten much either.  That coupled with not riding my bike has me feeling lazy.

On the positive side, I have some better tires ordered for Nermal and I’ve got my new hand-built front wheel to match the one in the rear.  I should be able to put it all together this weekend.

I’m also going on an early morning ride with Tim on Saturday, possibly 80 miles.

Posted in Bikes, Food, Physical. 5 Comments »

What Have I Been Doing?

July 14, 2009 — David Crowell

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.

Posted in Bikes, Exercise, Food, Mental. 3 Comments »

Lazy Weekend

July 5, 2009 — David Crowell

I haven’t done much this weekend.  I now need to replace my lawnmower, so I didn’t finish the lawn.  I didn’t ride my bike at all over the weekend, but I don’t feel too bad about that, I did ride three full commutes to work, and two partial ones, for a total of 117 miles for the week.

I did do housework, cooking, and bike maintenance, so it wasn’t a total waste.

Despite a case of the “blahs” that made me want to consume large quantities of food, I actually ate pretty well.  I did have to keep reminding myself that I want to lose weight though.

Kristy will be back in town on Friday.  I’m taking that day off, so I have a four-day work-week.  I’m going to ride to work every day and try to keep my progress going.

Posted in Bikes, Food, Mental. No Comments »

Saturday Morning Ride

June 20, 2009 — David Crowell

I got an email from Tim asking if I was interested in a 40-miler early this morning.  Of course I was!

We started just after 7:00 a.m.  When Tim has a route, I just follow him.  I rarely know the roads.  His account is here.

I did take a fall, but I was on the ‘bent, so I didn’t have far to fall.  I slid on my bottom, and have minor road rash.  It’s not enough to keep me from riding.  The bike suffered only minor scrapes.

I did get a quick ride on Tim’s new QuickBeam and on his Rans Rocket.  This discussion that ensued may well encourage Tim to ride his Rans a little more often.

After the ride I went to Bluegrass Bicycle for some repairs.  Nermal’s rear wheel was trued, the derailleur was replaced, and some cables were replaced.  Oria needed one new cable, and the front derailleur adjusted.  I also bought some new bar-ends for Nermal, the old ones were breaking.

Later, my daughter and I rode our bikes to the grocery store.  It’s not a long trip, but I rather enjoy it.

I ate well most of the day, but I had fresh, hot brownies and ice cream for a snack.  It was a nice finish for the day.

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