Starting in 2010

I will be posting here on a much more regular basis, sharing the daily grind of biking to work, I plan to post here at least 3 times a week, even if it's just to gripe about some yo yo in a cage yelling as he passed me.

I promise to be interesting witty and funny at times, and boring at others, but I'm doing this for me, so I think I'll like it just fine. :)

Food Intake- Bad

So, I've been pedaling all year, more this year than any other, if my current pace holds. I'm pretty fit at this point, and I feel pretty good. But there is one problem, I'm about 15lbs heavier than I was last year at this time. I tried the whole "you're healthier" and "maybe it's all leg muscle" but I don't think leg muscle hangs over your belt in most cases. So it's time to start watching again. For anyone who's interested the site I use to watch what I eat is www.thedailyplate.com and it's very helpful with keeping track of what goes in. There is a section where you can add in your workouts too, but it seems a bit generous with the calories it subtracts, so I just use it more to keep a count of the total calories that go in.

No plan is successfull without goals, so mine are going to be fairly simple-

1- log every day between now and Jan1 2009.
2- stay within carlorie goals at least 80% of those days, which leavs some room for that occasional pizza, etc.
3- reach goal weight of 210 by jan 1 2009

If I don't reach my goal weight, a nice spreadsheet with all my data and I are going to my doc to try to figure out what might be wrong. I have gotten stuck in the 220's before and haven't been able to get below, I figure I'll drop the first 10 lbs pretty fast, as is usually the case for me, I'd say 3 weeks max, so that leaves me with 23lbs to drop after that. Over the course of the time I have left between now and Jan1 2009, that really should be doable. We'll see how it goes, and of course I'll share my trials here.

I have found audiobooks make me slower, much slower, than music. I'm going to listen to two more I have downloaded, and then switch to some music for a bit and try to work on my speed. On a positive note, it's been a week today since I took any type of pill for my knee, so perhaps I'm getting to where I can use it without pain and without masking the pain with pills. That's a great thing, and it really does make you happy for what you have.

Well, happy pedaling all!

Joe

Still going

Well, I'm still going, every day, in and home. This week has been stressful due to some less than stellar accounting practices on my part, and our bank not finding it the least bit amusing that we seem to be convinced at time we are indeed much more wealthy than we in fact are. :) That being said, I'm glad I ride to work, for many reasons.

I'm glad because I feel very good doing it, and even with all the bike stuff I buy, I'm sure I'd be spending that money on some other hobby that wouldn't be getting me back and forth to work. I'm still enjoying the ride every day, so that is a good thing as well. My weight has not gotten much lower, but on the flip side of that, my eating this year has not been what it should be either, so the riding it is no doubt having an effect in keeping me less rotund that I would otherwise be.

Well, I don't have a lot to say today, but I want to keep posting here so that I can at least remember to come here when I do have more to say!

Trying this again

Well, it would seem that I have been away for a while, and it would also seem from the comments or lack thereof that no one has missed me. I call that a draw.

I come here because I just read an article about "desk rage" and how people can't stand waiting in traffic to get to work, and that's contributing to them being bent out of shape while at work. Oddly, I have the solution, bike to work. I know not everyone can do this, distance, fitness, etc, but I was as out of shape as they come, and now do it every day. Since Feb 15th I have driven to work one day, and biked the rest. I plan to bike every day for the rest of the year. I get to work in a good mood, and refreshed.

Last night I helped two friends out with their bikes, minor adjustments, but I like doing it, so that too helps with stress. I find myself mainly only stressed out when I encounter one of these cage drivers that happens to be pissed off at the world for no good reason.

I am going to re-comit to blogging, and to spreading the word about how much better this one change, this one adaptation, has made me feel. I am very pleased with my current method of transport to work, and want to share that wih any and all who will listen.

Joe

Back in the saddle

Well, today I got back to it, for the past 4 days I had just decided to take a break, the weather was crappy, raining every day, and I just didn't feel like getting drenched and being wet and cold. I am ready for the snow, have the mountain bike studs on and everything, but I don't want to be drenched. So today the temps were more reasonable, and I hopped on and pedaled in.

It felt good to be back out there, it was a nice day and a nice trip. I do feel so much better in the morning if I ride in, I have to remember that. This will be a short one today, just wanted to drop in and post that I'm back out there.

Joe

From snow to rain

Yesterday I got my first ride in the snow. I mounted the Nashbar Studded tires Sunday afternoon thinking that a chance of precip along with temps hovering around 34 degrees meant there was a good chance I'd need them, and like magic Monday morning there was snow. It only amounted to about 1/4 inch, but still it was a covering, and it gave men a chance to run over some nice patches to see how the traction of the tires would hold. The tires held up without a hitch, and much to my surprise I stayed extremely warm the whole way to work, that Columbia with the liner in it makes a 33 degree day feel like summer.

Today I wake up and see it's no longer snow, but rain that greets me for the morning ride. I have come to a decision, I like snow a lot better than rain, at least when the temp is below 40. Rain has a way of making me feel blah by the time I'm halfway to work, whereas the snow kept me cheery all the way in. I can only imagine how the ride will be when I'm greeted with "freezing" rain. Oh joy.

Turkey day is just over the horizon, and that in and of itself is good enough reason to make sure I stay on the pedals as much as possible, this set of holidays will not result in weight gain for me, and this spring I plan to be lighter than I was this summer, that's the goal anyway, and so far I'm doing a pretty good job of getting there, the true test for me is always the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas, so I'm coming into the hard part of the year.

well, short and sweet today, happy pedaling all.

Perfection- In the moment

My life has been filled with some interesting times. I have had some amazing days, and amazing moments. As a matter of fact when I look back at the number of quality moments I've had, I can't help but wonder if others have had as many, because many of the people I see though the course of a day just seem to be not as happy in life as they should be. But, that's not what this post is about, this post is about one of the most perfect moments I have had in a long time. I have to say the most perfect moment to date was the day I first met my wife in person, but this perfection is a little different.

I've had a lot of great time bicycling both with groups, and just with one friend, but also solo it can be quite wonderful to turn any way you like, and know that with enough of those turns you'll end up back home. Much as I love to cycle, I also love to spend time with my family, well, yesterday I went on a short ride with my 8 year old stepdaughter, my wife hasn't been feeling up to riding due to some complications with a surgery so she went along in the car, met us at our destination and brought our two crazy dogs so we could run them around a bit after feeding the ducks, which was the original plan. The ride to this destination was great, and we had a grand time, but the moment this is about happened even before that.

It started with me noticing that we actually had a sunny brisk morning outside, and that indeed my cappucino maker still funcitoned. I fashioned a nice cup of coffee, and ventured outside, I invited my wife to join me, asking if she perhaps wanted some tea, she accepted and we headed out to our little table in the backyard. Upstairs I could hear our daughter playing her trumpet. Now, I want to tell you, when this trumpet thing started, I would pray to the Gods that she be finished by the time I got home from work, as the sounds emanating from this unit were less musical and more of what you might hear from a dying seal. However, in just a few short weeks, the sounds coming from the end of this instrument have turned to music, or to notes at least, which as I understand it are parts of music. We ventured outside, and were enjoying our beverages, then we heard our daughter calling for her mom, and she came outside. She asked what we were drinking, and I told her I had coffee, and her mom had tea, and I asked if she would like something? She responded she'd like to go in and see what we had, so we did.

We came back out with her steaming cup of chai latte, and she was thrilled. I got her a chair, which she opted out of, she sat instead on my knee, talking away with us, and sipping her drink. It occured to me at this moment how vastly different my life was from what it had been just a few years ago, and how much happier I was now. Truly times of frustration and struggle make those moments all the more special later on. I remember dealing with many tantrums, head butting incidents where I was certain that this person living in our house would simply never be on board with the bigger picture, and now, here we all were, drinking warm morning beverages, and discussing whatever came to mind. The slight chill in the air, my wonderful wife and daughter, and the way it is to know that you are a part of something as special as a family, are what combined to make perfection, in the moment, for me.

I don't know if anyone is reading yet, but if you are, take a moment to remember, those around you are the reason for your health, the better you feel, the more you will enjoy every moment, and the more moments you are likely to be around to enjoy. Bicycling is a great thing, and I love every moment I get to do it, but I also remember that this pastime is just that, and that the people that I share my life with come before that 20 mile ride, and we all need to remember them when we plan our next multi hour outing. I'm not saying don't go, but I'm saying make sure you value the time you get to spend with them as well. Balance in all things, after all, is the route to true happiness.

F2PH