Category Archives: Food

Never a Dull Moment

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Three Amigos

Three Amigos

Early Morning Meeting

I was up at 3:30am.  I had time to do some bike maintenance, yet I put it off again.  I had an early appointment before work.

I headed out while it was still dark.  I was riding the single-speed.  About half way to work, the chain came off.  Rather than loosen the rear wheel to fix it properly, I managed to get the chain back on.

I got to work, and changed clothes.  I then grabbed the folding bike that I hauled to work yesterday and carried it across the street to Java Brewing Company.  I was meeting Chris aka Pondero and Tim.

Chris lives in Texas, and I’ve only known him via his blog.  He has a couple of really nice bikes, and some wonderful Texas Prairie roads to ride them on.

He is in town for a conference.  We arranged to meet up.  I thought it would be a good idea to let him borrow my folding bike to check out town.  I don’t know if he’ll have much time to ride, but I’d hate for him to have the time and not be able to take advantage of it.

The visit was brief, but it was nice to chat and drink coffee.  Chris pedaled off to get back to work.  Tim and I sat around and talked bikes a bit longer before I went back to work.

The picture above was shamelessly stolen from Chris’s blog.  There are a few more there.

Should Have Fixed it Right

After work, I had an appointment to donate blood.  I headed out and quickly regretted not fixing my bike properly.  I dropped the chain again while riding 20mph in traffic.  I managed to safely move over and fix it.  While pulled over on the sidewalk, Asher rode by, then turned around to check on me.  I talked briefly to him.  One of his co-workers was hit by a car.  I don’t know the guy, but I guess his injuries are minimal.

Oops

After donating blood, I was on a less-familiar road trying to get home.  I ended up hitting a concrete median and going down.  Yes, it was stupid.  I was looking behind me at traffic instead of where I was going.  Nothing was damaged, and I wasn’t hurt.  Mostly I just pulled a muscle while trying to (unsuccessfully) prevent myself from falling.

Food!

Once home, my wife wanted to go out to eat.  Part of me said “Yay! Beer!”.  Another part said “and I was doing so good today”.  We went somewhere without beer.  I had a small salad and a piece of fish.  I still did okay.

Time to Fix The Bike

After dinner, I properly fixed my single-speed.  Drew at On Your Left Cycles had mentioned that the chain probably needed a link removed.  I didn’t want to spend the time or the money, so I passed.  So, I have a chain tool.  I removed the chain and cleaned it thoroughly.  I shortened it, and reinstalled everything, then re-lubed the chain.  It should be good for a while longer now.

I’m having issues with the freewheel on the single-speed.  It works okay, but it’s now noisy and the chain tension varies.  The right answer is a new, better quality freewheel.  Drew has some nice looking ones from White Industries, but I’ll ride this one until it’s non-functional.  If it happens on a ride, well, I’m running a flip-flop hub, so I can flip the wheel over and run fixed until I get a new freewheel.

A Good Day

Even with the minor wreck and mechanical issues, I had a good day.  There was good company in the morning.  I enjoyed spending time with my wife and eating healthy at a restaurant.

Coffee, and Other Dietary Changes

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I gave up coffee about two months ago.  I suffered some pretty horrible withdrawal.

I don’t have issues with coffee consumption, it was the money I was spending.  I almost always went to coffee shops, and I’d get a carb-loaded snack while I was at it.  Even brewing coffee at home, I had to have good coffee.  The money added up.

During my tour, I was drinking coffee every day again.  After the tour, I started going through withdrawal again.  So, I bought a cheap can of coffee at the grocery store. Yes, I’m drinking coffee daily again now.  I’m spending very little money on it though.  It’s hot, bitter, and loaded with caffeine.  It’ll do.

I had intended to go with a low-carb diet after the tour.  I was even considering giving the paleo-diet another try.  I’ve decided against it.  I will try to stay away from most wheat products, but I will continue to eat ride.  I’m just going to have to control portion sizes and try to eat healthy.

My weight has been rising slightly this year.  From just under 220 to just over.  Although I had been weighing myself, I hadn’t bothered to update it here.  Now I have.

Why is my weight still an issue?  I still eat too much.  I’ll do alright for a while, then I’ll pig out on pizza and beer, or burgers and beer, or down a whole box of cookies.  It’s a balancing act.  I want to enjoy eating, and use it as a social activity, but I don’t want to overdo it.

π Day

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Bicycling for Louisville celebrated π (pi/pie) day today.  They put on a fun little fundraiser.  I brought in a peach pie that my wife baked last night.

I’d never heard of cabbage pie until tonight, but it was good.

There was a pretty good turnout considering the cold drizzle  that came to area today.  Bicycling for Louisville managed to pry a little money out of my wallet, and fill my stomach with pie.  What’s not to love?

Yes, I ate too much, but I’m skipping dinner.

Oatmeal and Chocolate Milk

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I’m preparing for a long day on the bike.  I’m leading a 30-mile RCCS ride this morning.  It may turn out to be a solo ride.  I’m not sure.

It’s almost 20 miles for me to get to the ride.  I may take a 30-mile return trip for variety, or not.

Either way, it looks like the weather will cooperate.  Now to wake up.  This time-change thing always messes with me.

I’m sitting here eating oatmeal and drinking chocolate milk.  Probably should have had regular milk, but I’m doing what I want.  :)

Full of…. Pizza?

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I mentioned that I was at work until 1:30 am.  My lovely wife was kind enough to bring pizza to me for dinner.  I overate, but enjoyed every bite.  My weight jumped from 220 to 225.  I’m sure I lost that weight today though.  :)

Starting Again

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At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I’m still gaining weight.  I’ve made a few drastic decisions today with some exceptions.

No more coffee. My coffee consumption has skyrocketed.  I seldom brew my own, I go to the coffee shop and end up buying snacks while I’m there.  It’s hurting my weight loss effort, and my wallet.  I’ll drink water and milk.

Very little eating out. I guess it’s a mental thing where I feel like I have to treat myself.  I’ve been doing it too often, and it’s causing problems.  I need to pack a lunch when I go to work, and cook dinner at night.

Very little beer.  I love beer.  It’s something I treat myself with, usually when going out for dinner.

No ice cream. I haven’t had any recently, but if it’s in the house, I’ll eat the whole container.  Kristy will be home soon, and probably bring some in the house.  If the allowed amount is none, it should be easier for me.

Changing weight-tracking. I’m still weighing daily, even if I haven’t updated the page here in a while.  I’m no longer going to post daily weights.  I’ll change the weigh-in page to be weekly averages.  Then maybe I’ll be able to keep posting regularly.

I did mention some exceptions to the changes.  I may occasionally violate one of the rules during social functions.  This could include an RCCS coffee ride, pub crawl, whatever.  If I ride a 40-mile round-trip to have pizza and beer, that’s okay.

I won’t be training this week, but I will be back at the YMCA on Sunday.  It’s time to get in gear again.  After the triathlon in July, I’m going to re-attempt switching to a paleo-diet.  I tried before, but I felt like crap when I didn’t eat carbs.  I’ve since learned that it takes 2-3 weeks to adjust.

More Snow

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After reading the weather forecast last night I fully expected to see some snow on the ground when I got up.  I got up at 4:00 a.m., and it hadn’t even started snowing yet.

By the time I was heading out the door at 5:15 or so the snow was coming down.  I rode to the YMCA and got in a small amount of exercise before heading to work.  There was some snow on the ground by then.  I was surprised that my bike was one of four in the parking garage when I was leaving.  Notice the XtraCycle on the far-right.

During the day we got a couple of inches of snow.  The main roads were kept clear and the warm-ish temperatures meant that nothing iced up (on the roads I was on).

My commute home was pretty uneventful, but the dogs seemed happy to play in the snow when I got home.

Notice all of the "luggage" on the bike.  Commuting and a stop at the Y means I get to carry more stuff.  There is a thermos for coffee buried in there to cut back on the expense of the coffee shop.

Now that I’m home, I need to get to sleep so I can get up at 4:00 a.m. again, but I’m not sleepy.  I’m considering walking to go out to dinner.  I’ll overeat, but a full belly might be what I need to sleep well tonight.

2011 Goals

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It’s almost a new year.  Here are my goals for the next year.  This is not a “resolution”.  These are goals I can re-visit, track progress, and modify if I need to.  :)

  • Train for and complete an Olympic Triathlon on 7/31/2011
  • Weight lifting for upper-body strength (I’m pretty pathetic above the waist now)
  • Get to my goal weight of 175lbs by 7/1/2011, and never go above 180 again (at about 216 today)
  • Ride at least 5000 miles for the year
  • Drive fewer miles than I ride (this could be hard due to most driving being longer trips)
  • Do at least three overnight bike camping trips
  • Start riding with the local club – on my single-speed (I’ve done that once this year)

Old Goals

Let’s look at some goals I posted on 2/28/2009

  • Goal weight will remain at 175 lbs (for now).  I hope to reach that goal by the end of August.
    Didn’t happen.
  • Ride a century this year (100 miles in one day).
    Didn’t happen until 2010.
  • Raise $3200 for The Ride to Conquer Cancer, and complete the entire ride under my own power.
    I raised over $2500 and completed the ride.  I’ll call that success.  I did not participate in 2010.  The fundraising part really is the hardest.
  • Learn to ride my new unicycle, and complete a ten-mile ride on it by June 2010.
    I gave up the unicycle.
  • Juggling?
    Didn’t bother.  Without the unicycle it wouldn’t be as cool.  :)
  • Ride to work more often.  I had hoped to average 3 days per week, but I’m not even managing that right now.
    This was up and down for a while, but I moved to Louisville, and I ride (almost) every day.
  • Ride to work five days a week at least 3 weeks per year.
    See above.
  • Increase my average speed on the bicycle a little bit.
    Hasn’t really happened, although the triathlon training should help that.
  • Learn to kayak this year.
    I still haven’t touched a kayak, but I did take a canoe trip.
  • Get a rod, reel, and fishing license, and spend some time relaxing and fishing.
    I didn’t do this either.  Most of my free time is gone.  I have been reading a lot though.
  • Find new fitness activities.
    I guess training for a triathlon counts.  I’m also starting weight lifting.
  • I had made a goal to live-car free.  I think I’m giving that up.  I do want to drive less, but realities of the modern world make this a very unpopular choice.
    I wrote this when I had an old car that was paid for.  Then it died.  Then I bought a truck.  I seldom drive now, but I’m now married, and have a car payment.  It’ll be a while before I can become car-free.
  • Ride 5000 miles this year.  I’m way behind on this so far.  I’m two months into the year, and I’ve only ridden 541 miles.
    I did not make 5000 miles in 2009.  I did in 2010, and hope to in 2011.
  • Get better about riding in cold rain.  I often use this as an excuse not to ride to work, but I have the gear to do so.
    I ride in cold rain.  I still don’t care for it, other than the “crazy factor”.
  • I had planned to try to drive less than 3500 miles per year.  I’m giving up on this also.
    I’ve modified this to simply ride more than I drive.
  • Ride in a roller coaster this year.  I’ll actually fit now.
    I didn’t get a chance for a real roller coaster, but I did ride in a number of other amusement park rides.  Yes, I fit.
  • Go skydiving in the summer of 2010.
    Didn’t happen.  I still want to do it someday, but I’ve got too much else going on financially and time-wise.
  • I want to be a better cook.
    I may be slightly better, but only slightly.  I still don’t cook often enough.
  • I want to find a wonderful woman to enjoy these activities with.
    I did.  I met her shortly after writing that blog post.

    Will Ride For Pizza

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    Winter Blah!

    Winter Blah!

    (and beer!)

    Nobody showed for up this morning’s RCCS ride.  I had a feeling that might happen, so I brought some reading material with me.  I sat at Sunergos enjoying good coffee and a book.  I eventually wandered home, and read a while longer.

    Not riding was starting to get to me.  I really wanted pizza, but riding three miles over to Za’s and overeating isn’t going to do my weight-loss effort any good, so I decided to ride to Charlestown Pizza Company.  I still overate, and had an excellent beer.  I then rode over to the old house and took care of a few things before riding home.

    I got 41.6 miles in for the day, enjoyed what I ate, and I feel good.

    5000 Miles?

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    I rode to work and back today.  Yes it was cold.  I met another commuter on the way home.  George lives near my home, and I ran into him in the Old Louisville neighborhood.  He was riding a fixed-gear, and knows one of my co-workers.  Not as many of us are out in the bitter cold.

    I’m up to 4900 miles on the bike so far this year.  I’ll easily hit 5000 for the year.  Getting 5000 next year will be the real challenge with my shorter commute.

    I still don’t seem to be losing weight.  I am eating better now.  There was a company potluck yesterday, but I skipped dinner after I got home.

    I ate much better at work today, but don’t feel like cooking tonight, so I’ll probably just microwave some frozen vegetables.  I’ve been ignoring my food diary.  I still need to start using my dumbbells, or doing push-ups, or something.  Writing blog posts, sleeping, and reading are taking up my time though.

    Quick and Easy

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    I’ve been told that phrase describes me, but I’m referring to my dinner.

    I threw three cage-free brown eggs into a bowl and whipped with some milk.  I put a pat of real butter in a pan on the stove.  After the butter melted I dumped the egg-milk mixture into the pan and covered with fresh baby spinach.

    When the eggs were nearly done I tossed some shredded cheese on top.  I had a glass of vegetable juice with it.

    Now it’s time to drink a quart of water.

    Doing Better

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    I’ve been eating better all week.  I need to keep the trend going.

    I’ve been more productive in getting things done around the house.  I cooked, cleaned, and even updated this blog.  :)

    I’m feeling better.  It may be temporary, it may not, I don’t really know.  I do know that being lazy makes me feel worse about myself later.

    I woke up late this morning, and it was cold, so I really didn’t want to ride.  I refused to drive to work though.  I took the bus, which was probably a mistake.  The bus was busting-at-the-seams crowded.  Nobody wants to walk when it’s 15 degrees.

    Tomorrow morning is supposed to be cold also (although it’ll be warmer in the afternoon), but I’ve already packed my bike.  That will keep me motivated to get on the bike.

    I decorated the single-speed with Christmas lights tonight also.  Now that I have two bikes decorated, I really need to take some pictures.

    I’m Still Here!

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    Life’s been busy, and I haven’t been posting.  I have a few things I want to mention that I’ll write more about later.

    • A health issue I haven’t said much about, but now I know what it is, and what to do.
    • I’ve been horrible about eating out, and drinking beer.  Today, I broke the trend, cooked, and ate better.
    • I drove to work two days last week.   I even paid $8.75/day to park *eek!*
    • I had an appointment with my doctor in New Albany this morning, so I rode in the bitter cold to the appointment, then to the lab for blood work, then to work.  After work I rode to the drugstore before heading home.  30 miles in 15-20 degree temperatures was a testament to my dedication, or insanity, you choose.
    • I’m still gaining weight.  I am weighing, but haven’t caught up on posting it here.
    • After more diet & health research, I’ve started taking 5000 IU of Vitamin D per day.
    • I put Christmas lights on my bike again this year.  I’m sorry I don’t have pictures yet.  I’ve gotten a lot of positive comments from random strangers.
    • I put the studded tires on my LHT.  It seems I was a bit premature, as the roads have been fine, but I really don’t want to change tires again already.
    • I still haven’t started my upper-body exercises in earnest.
    • My moods have been up and down.  I feel great today, but last week had some hellish days.

    Anyway, I’ll have more to say later.  I’ve got things to do, then I’m going to bed.

    Back To The Food Diary and Better Eating

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    I lost weight from late 2007 to early 2009.  It’s now late 2010 and I haven’t lost weight.

    The things that were successful during that time?

    • Tracking everything I ate and adding calories
    • Exercise
    • Ate most of my carbs early in the day
    • Limited snacking
    • Very little consumption of beer
    • Weighing myself daily

    From early 2009 to now this has turned into:

    • Not keeping track of anything I eat
    • A lot of exercise, but nearly all of it cycling
    • Food binging
    • Higher consumption of beer
    • Weighing myself sporadically

    I will be accountable again.  I will track what I eat (although I’m going to forgo the calorie counting).  I will weigh everyday.  I will post what I eat here (sometimes).

    As I said in my last post, there are several changes I’m making.  They started this morning.

    I was actually off to a bad start.  I didn’t want to cook, and due to laziness I still needed to wash dishes.  I hadn’t been to the grocery store so I had nothing quick, easy, and healthy around the house.  So, I just didn’t eat.

    Around 3:00pm, I was too hungry, and went looking through cupboards again.  I spotted the oatmeal.  I had given up on oatmeal a while back when I started following the paleo-diet.  Now that I’m back to my original weight-loss plan, paleo is out the window.

    I put 1/2 cup of oatmeal, 1 cup water, and a dash of salt in a large cup, and microwaved it for 2 minutes.  I stirred it, added a small pat of butter and some cinnamon.  I did not add sugar.  It was a late lunch after skipping breakfast, but it’ll do.

    The dishes are nearly done.  I’ll cook a proper dinner tonight.  I’ll go grocery shopping tomorrow (after the RCCS ride).

    I have some other changes I need to make.  I need to start doing some more exercises to strengthen my core and upper body.  I need to drink more water. I need to limit my coffee consumption to one pot per day.

    Simple Thanksgiving Dinner

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    Back in October I ranted a little about my lack of control on my eating habits.  I made a brief effort at the time, and now, a month later, I’m back in the same rut.

    I haven’t been cooking.  I go out to eat almost every day.  I’ve been drinking beer several times a week.  I’ve been snacking.  The only exercise I’ve been doing is bicycling.  I haven’t stepped on a scale in a while.

    That’s changing now.  I will drink NO beer until further notice.  I will cook and prepare lunches to take to work.  I will not go to the coffee shop, unless it’s to buy more whole bean coffee or to buy a cup of coffee on a bike ride.

    I realized earlier today that I would have ordered pizza today for Thanksgiving had I found a place open.  As I got hungrier, I cooked what I had here at the house.  I hadn’t went grocery shopping in a while, but I had pork chops, frozen vegetables, and a couple of potatoes that I made into mashed potatoes.

    The meal was satisfying, even if it meant I had to skip turkey, stuffing, and cranberries.  :)

    I had hoped to be under 200lbs by the end of the year.  I now know that’s not going to happen.  My revised goal is to be under 210lbs by the end of the year.  It’s going to mean a difficult push to even do that.

    I’ll get back on the scale tomorrow morning, then update my daily weigh-in page.

    Hills, Money, Candy, and Weight

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    On Thursday I had some candy at work.  One of the departments was doing a trick-or-treat thing.  I ate a small amount of candy and left it at that.

    I worked from home on Friday (due to a health issue).  Later in the day I went grocery shopping, and bought several large bags of candy for the kids that will expect some.  I made it a goal to not eat any of this candy, no matter how much is left.  I’ll take the leftovers to work.  So far, so good.

    Today, I shirked a bunch of responsibilities and drove out to Bluegrass Bicycle for the LBC Crestwood ride that Tom was leading.  Actually, as ride captain, he had to trail behind everyone else.

    I’ve ridden that ride before.  It’s roughly 25 miles of rolling hills in the Kentucky countryside.  I decided to ride my single speed bike.  I wasn’t really even sure if I could finish the ride on that bike.

    I did fine.  I walked two hills.  I averaged 14.2 mph.  I was near the rear of the ride, but not completely at the end.  I did feel like I was going to cough up a lung a few times.  I think that’s a good route to get faster on a single speed.  It’s hilly enough to be challenging, but not so long or hilly to be impossible.

    My weight has dropped back to about 216 after peaking above 220.  I need to keep the momentum going.  I’m 41 lbs from my goal.  I let it slip away before.  I don’t want to do that again.

    In my previous post I mention that I’ve been “out of control”.  That’s true.  I’m fixing that.  Cooking meals at home is saving me money and helping me eat healthier.  Bringing coffee to work saves me money and keeps me from being as tempted by the snacks at the coffee shop.  Taking a lunch to work is saving money and calories over eating out.

    I may, or may not, ride another LBC ride tomorrow.  I have a lot of things to do, but I would like to get some more riding in.

    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.

    Friday Ramblings

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    Kristy left yesterday morning.  She won’t be back for a month.

    I drove to work yesterday.  I paid $8.75 to park the truck.  Ugh.

    I’ve been having problems getting up in the morning.  This morning I got up early and rode to the coffee shop (where I’m at now).  I’ll be leaving here shortly to go to work.

    My single-speed bike has been switched over to a fixed-gear.  Riding fixed is different.  It works well for riding around town.  I certainly wouldn’t want to ride it on a long, hilly ride.

    My weight continues to climb.  This probably in part due to the snacks at the coffee shops.  I would be better off if I limited myself to just the coffee.

    There are two RCCS rides this weekend.  Saturday morning at 8:30, there is an easy urban ride starting at Sunergos.  Sunday is the 80-mile gravel ride that is “training” for the overnight ride coming up later this month.  Can you join us?

    I Need Control of My Eating Again

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    My eating is still out of control.  That ends today.

    I’m going back to smaller portions, lower carbs, and better decisions.  I’ve been eating too much “because I want to” instead of “because I need to”.

    I’m giving up beer permanently.  I will finish off the two six packs in the fridge first.  :)

    I had a muffin and a banana with my first coffee this morning.  I had chili and unsweetened tea for lunch.  I had a bagel for a snack (oops).  I cooked two hamburger patties on the grill for dinner, and ate them with onions and tomato.  I did not have bread.

    I am drinking a beer as I type this, but, as I said, once these beers are gone, that’s it.  My wife doesn’t think I’m going to follow through with the no-beer thing, but I am.

    When the RCCS holds another “brew cruise”, I’ll just drink water.

    I’ll Be Sleeping in My Own Bed Tonight

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    I’m sitting in the hotel in DC between sessions.  My flight home leaves later this afternoon.  It’ll be good to be in my own bed with my wife.  It’ll be good to see the dogs again.

    My eating on this trip could have been better, but I still did much better than the old Dave that I used to be.  That Dave would have eaten several plates at each meal.  I generally had normal size meals.  I did have some unnecessary snacks.  I had a few beers.  I haven’t exercised at all.  I could have, there is a fitness center here.   I’ll still be eating lunch here, and probably getting something to eat at the airport, but I’ll keep it light.

    I’ve been thinking a lot about re-focusing on the fitness and weight loss.  I have gotten fatter.  I hate having a gut that hangs over my belt.  At one point, I was well on my way to not having it.

    There will (probably) be a fun bike ride tomorrow.  There will be drinking, so it’s not a healthy ride, but I will practice moderation and make the purpose of the ride social rather than enjoying too much food and beer.

    After that, I’ll probably go some time without beer.  I also need to clean up my eating again.  I need to avoid ice cream completely.  During my weight loss, I was able to limit myself to a single scoop of ice cream.  Every time I’ve had ice cream recently, I’ve had entirely too much.  I’m not sure why I have less self-control than I use to.

    EDIT: Nasty weather has cancelled my flight, and a bunch of others.  I’m stuck in DC for another night.   I really hate air travel.

    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

    Posted on by

    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.

    Enjoyed a Non-Productive Day

    Posted on by

    I overslept and drove to work.  That’s probably for the best, I would have been caught in the end of a thunderstorm if I had ridden my bike.

    I ate too much today.  I went to a Mexican restaurant for lunch.  I cooked steak for dinner, but I feel good, and I think it was worth it.

    I’ve been busy with little things.  I’m still setting up my new work laptop.  I’m doing the bills.

    I’m in a good mood even though I haven’t ridden today.  Maybe I just needed the break.  I’ll be back on the bike tomorrow… probably in the rain.

    New Food Diary

    Posted on by

    I used to track calories, but figuring out how many calories were in everything I ate took some time and guesswork.  I quit doing it due to the hassle and began to gain weight.

    I’ve started a “food diary” now that doesn’t involve calories.  It’s simply a list of everything I’ve eaten.  I can look back at previous days and determine what I did wrong and what I did right.  It’s just a tool for me to keep track.  Unlike calorie counting it doesn’t give me a goal, just a reminder.

    Here are the first two days of the food diary:

    6/1/2010 Breakfast shredded wheat w/milk
    banana
    Lunch turkey sandwich w/cheese
    3 boiled eggs
    2 string cheese
    banana
    blueberry bread
    Snack frozen coffee treat
    canoli
    Dinner t-bone steak
    milk
    6/2/2010 Breakfast grape nuts w/ milk
    banana
    Lunch 2 boiled eggs
    2 string cheese
    turkey sandwich w/cheese
    banana
    Dinner peanut butter sandwich
    milk

    Yeah, I’ve been eating a little weird.  I really need to visit the grocery store soon or it’ll get even weirder.

    I did ride my bike to work today, for a round trip of 34 miles.  June is off to a good start.