Week 12 of Session 2 now completed. This was the final week in the session, recovery week is upon us.
My schedule was as follows:
Sunday June 23rd - Scot's Day!
Monday June 24th - A day
of rest.
Tuesday June 25th - TRX Suspension training - to the MAX.
Wednesday June 26th - Un-Packing for THE RIDE as it is postponed until August 10/11. - 2 hours of garden weeding (yup, housework is a workout!)
Thursday
June 27th - TRX Suspension training. Most of this session was in "single-hand mode". - 2 more hours of garden weeding. Last year's seeds were tenacious but I think I have them all out now! :)
Saturday
June 29th - Lawn mowing, flower and veggie planting, and general adventuring.
6 weeks to go until THE RIDE and so, training will continue. This coming week is recovery week which means no TRX, no Butt & Gutt, just light riding and walking.
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Friday, June 28, 2013
Free Country
I'm starting a new book today:
Free Country A penniless adventure the length of Britain
Free Country A penniless adventure the length of Britain
by George Mahood
I found it through Twitter. @georgemahood Available from Amazon in ebook and paperback, I ordered the paperback because I love the feel of a "real" book . It arrived today!!!
The start of it: "... The plan was simple... Setting off in just a pair of Union Jack boxer shorts, we hoped to rely on the generosity of the British public to help us with everything from accommodation to food, clothes to shoes, and bikes to beer."
How can this book not be amazing? I'm already dreaming up adventures of my own (though I won't be wearing nothing but my skivvies...
Stay tuned!
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Lemon Mountain
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
We've all heard the saying. I can see you rolling your eyeballs at it right now. Isn't it one of the most recognized and repeated sayings of all time? But, what if...
What if life dumps such a big pile of lemons on you, a mountain of lemons really, that you are required to dig out from under all of those lemons before you can even begin to think about what to do with them? Trapped under a pile of lemons before the whisper of an idea can even form to make them into something as tasty as lemonade.
And what if they aren't lemons at all, but limes instead? When life gives you limes? Make limeade? Is turning limes into limeade nearly as inspired as turning lemons into lemonade? Lemons are bigger than limes (typically) so does that make it harder work, and therefore more rewarding, to alter the state of lemons than the state of limes?
I'm fairly certain though that life tends to drop a mixed bag of fruits on you, not just lemons or limes. There are probably some oranges, apples, cherries, pineapples (those are the big lumps that you take), kiwi, strawberries, and oh so many more fruits (probably a few veggies too) that you will encounter during the journey of life.
Perhaps the saying should be: When life gives you fruit, make fruit punch!
:)
We've all heard the saying. I can see you rolling your eyeballs at it right now. Isn't it one of the most recognized and repeated sayings of all time? But, what if...
What if life dumps such a big pile of lemons on you, a mountain of lemons really, that you are required to dig out from under all of those lemons before you can even begin to think about what to do with them? Trapped under a pile of lemons before the whisper of an idea can even form to make them into something as tasty as lemonade.
And what if they aren't lemons at all, but limes instead? When life gives you limes? Make limeade? Is turning limes into limeade nearly as inspired as turning lemons into lemonade? Lemons are bigger than limes (typically) so does that make it harder work, and therefore more rewarding, to alter the state of lemons than the state of limes?
I'm fairly certain though that life tends to drop a mixed bag of fruits on you, not just lemons or limes. There are probably some oranges, apples, cherries, pineapples (those are the big lumps that you take), kiwi, strawberries, and oh so many more fruits (probably a few veggies too) that you will encounter during the journey of life.
Perhaps the saying should be: When life gives you fruit, make fruit punch!
:)
TRX to the MAX
TRX Training is on!
Week 12 is upon us and Sheila isn't letting us off the hook just because we are down to the last 2 classes of the session. Last week our Thursday class was all upper body. We did more bicep curls, tricep presses, high rows, chest presses, standing roll-outs, and Y-flies than I can remember. What I can remember is the BURN in the chest, back, shoulders, and arms.
Now fast forward to last night: Tabata Tuesday. It started innocently enough. Remember that Tabata involves 20 seconds work, 10 seconds rest, each set repeated 8 times:
1. Jump Squats
2. Chest Presses
3. Switch Lunges
4. T-Flies
5. Diagonal Runners (otherwise known as bicycle crunches)
6. Hamstring Curls
7. Standing Roll-outs
8. At this point I think I was having an out of body experience and can't recall what else we did. Suffice to say that by the time we got to the 3rd set of chest presses (yeah, back at #2) my whole upper body was quivering and by the time we got to the diagonal runners, I was fairly well done in. I completed all sets for an amazing workout that I can still feel this morning.
I've also worked out a new training schedule for the next session - July & August - that will involved TRX on Tues/Thurs with personal training on Mon/Wed with the fabulous Miss Ashley "Crunchy Frogs". I think her goal in training is to bring me pain. And that is okay. :)
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday will be reserved by biking with a sprinkling of rest, hiking, and adventure thrown in for good measure.
Week 12 is upon us and Sheila isn't letting us off the hook just because we are down to the last 2 classes of the session. Last week our Thursday class was all upper body. We did more bicep curls, tricep presses, high rows, chest presses, standing roll-outs, and Y-flies than I can remember. What I can remember is the BURN in the chest, back, shoulders, and arms.
Now fast forward to last night: Tabata Tuesday. It started innocently enough. Remember that Tabata involves 20 seconds work, 10 seconds rest, each set repeated 8 times:
1. Jump Squats
2. Chest Presses
3. Switch Lunges
4. T-Flies
5. Diagonal Runners (otherwise known as bicycle crunches)
6. Hamstring Curls
7. Standing Roll-outs
8. At this point I think I was having an out of body experience and can't recall what else we did. Suffice to say that by the time we got to the 3rd set of chest presses (yeah, back at #2) my whole upper body was quivering and by the time we got to the diagonal runners, I was fairly well done in. I completed all sets for an amazing workout that I can still feel this morning.
I've also worked out a new training schedule for the next session - July & August - that will involved TRX on Tues/Thurs with personal training on Mon/Wed with the fabulous Miss Ashley "Crunchy Frogs". I think her goal in training is to bring me pain. And that is okay. :)
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday will be reserved by biking with a sprinkling of rest, hiking, and adventure thrown in for good measure.
 |
| They look so innocent, don't they? |
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Regrouping
Here are the stats as of June 25, 2013:
NOTE: the ride has been rescheduled from June 22/23 to August 10/11 due to flooding in Calgary and the surrounding towns.
NOTE: the ride has been rescheduled from June 22/23 to August 10/11 due to flooding in Calgary and the surrounding towns.
Date of Ride: August 10th & 11th, 2013
Distance:
200 KM (125 Miles)
Location: Calgary, Alberta to Okotokes, Alberta - AND BACK!
Donation
Link: http://www.conquercancer.ca/goto/nhkayakgirl
Fundraising
required to ride: $2,500.00
Money
raised to date: $3,345.00
Personal
fundraising goal: $5,000.00
Donations needed to reach personal goal: $1,655.00
Days
left for fundraising: 46
Dollar
amount needed per day to make Personal Goal: $35.98
Dollars
that I have personally donated towards my goal: $120.00
Dollars
that I have personally spent on training, nutrition, & equipment to date:
$2,000.00+
The
Challenge to you: Become
one of my sponsors by donating towards my goal.
I never expected to be blogging about ride updates, fundraising, and training on this date. The plan was to ride on June 22/23 and then post some wonderful photos of the ride and tell you all about the experience before getting on with some new adventures in my life. Mother Nature had other plans...
So here I site with 6 1/2 weeks of training ahead of me. It is interesting, psychologically. I was ready for the ride. I was 1/2 and hour from being fully packed for the ride. I was 1 day from boarding the bus to Calgary from Edmonton. I think I'm still a little befuddled.
I took a break from training this weekend (well, if you count an intense weight training session and 5 hours of heavy duty yard work a break...) and went out and had some fun. I visited a street market. I went to an art gallery with a friend. I spent a day at a Scottish Festival with my camera. Oh, men in kilts! :) And now I must psych myself back up for training. I'm not finding it the easiest thing to do. I'm in the last week of a 12 week fitness class session and this is where you are usually so ready for a recovery week. Back to the drawing board to plan out the next 7 weeks.
Stay tuned for what comes next...
I never expected to be blogging about ride updates, fundraising, and training on this date. The plan was to ride on June 22/23 and then post some wonderful photos of the ride and tell you all about the experience before getting on with some new adventures in my life. Mother Nature had other plans...
So here I site with 6 1/2 weeks of training ahead of me. It is interesting, psychologically. I was ready for the ride. I was 1/2 and hour from being fully packed for the ride. I was 1 day from boarding the bus to Calgary from Edmonton. I think I'm still a little befuddled.
I took a break from training this weekend (well, if you count an intense weight training session and 5 hours of heavy duty yard work a break...) and went out and had some fun. I visited a street market. I went to an art gallery with a friend. I spent a day at a Scottish Festival with my camera. Oh, men in kilts! :) And now I must psych myself back up for training. I'm not finding it the easiest thing to do. I'm in the last week of a 12 week fitness class session and this is where you are usually so ready for a recovery week. Back to the drawing board to plan out the next 7 weeks.
Stay tuned for what comes next...
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Scots Day
Sunday I decided to explore my Scottish heritage. Over the past 3 years, I've done a bit of genealogy research on my father's family (MacDearmid - McDermid, McDiarmid) who came to America in the late 1700's from Parish of Fortingall, Perth, Scotland. Oddly enough, they immigrated to NH, were I had lived for most of my life. My parents had both grown up in Massachussets and so I'd always believed that was where I'd find my father's family.
Now, back to Sunday! I'd learned there was to be a Scottish Highlands Gathering in Edmonton and as THE RIDE was postponed, I decided that it would be fun to have an adventure after training for weeks on end. Besides, my camera was getting dusty. The first adventure was finding the place. I don't own a GPS but rely on Google Maps on my cell phone to get me where I need to go. I fueled up The Dingo, punched in the address, and set off.
One thing I'm learning is that you must pay extra attention to the DIRECTION of the streets and avenues in Edmonton. You see, Edmonton is set up on a grid with streets running north/south and avenues running east/west. And they are all numbered - 0 through 100+. So there is a 100 Street and a 100 Ave. Not only that, there is a 100 Ave NW and a 100 Ave SW. There is a difference you know! Where am I going with this? Well, I punched in 3105 - 101 St. N.W and when I arrived, there was NOTHING there. Well, now what am I going to do? I got opened Safari and did a quick search for Grant MacEwan Park as that is where the games were being held. Great! Only 2.3 miles away. I drove over and found myself at Grant MacEwan, but not the park. It appears to be a satellite of the Grant MacEwan University. I was already out in Edmonton and determined to make it to the games. Out comes the iPhone and after a few more searches, I located the Edmonton Scottish Society webpage and address listing the event at 3105 - 101 St. S.W. only 5 miles away. And off I go again... An adventure within an adventure!
Arriving at Grant MacEwan Park, I'm delighted to see MEN IN KILTS! (I'll be back after this brief intermission...)
So, I paid my entrance fee and wandered among the vendors. The wares are similar to what you'll find in any souvenir shop in Ireland except with a Scottish twist. Rather than clovers and knit wool sweaters, you find thistles and clan tartans. I picked up a small book on the history of the Campbell clan which McDiarmid is a sept of though it appears that the Campbell name came out of the name Diarmid. More research needed.
Next up: Scottish Dance Competition! I never knew tartan came in so many colors. Though I don't know the names of the dances, I think my favorite were the sword dancers. Especially the wee lassies who didn't look to be much taller than the swords. I was reminded of my nieces who had taken Irish Dance when they were younger except Scottish Dance is less rigid.
On to the Heavy Events where men (and women) throw heavy metal balls for distance or height and toss the caber. I never knew the point of the caber toss was not distance but rather to get the caber to rotate 180 degrees in the air and land perfectly at 12 O'clock from where it was thrown.
And now to try some authentic (at least as far as I know, as I've never had any) Scottish food. Let's just say that the haggis stayed with me all day and is one food that I'm not eager to try again anytime soon. I'm not big on organ meat or pasty textured foods. BLECH! The shortbread cookies were great though! My reward after suffering through the haggis. :D
After lunch it was time for The Knights of the Northern Realm. I like Knights as much as the next fair maiden so it was a given that I'd be checking this out! The event included trying your hand at archery. I loved archery as a kid and though it has been 30 years since I've practiced, I did manage to hit the target and was complimented on my form. Perhaps it is time to locate a local archery range and I think I've seen one in Spruce Grove... Hmmm, new hobby?
Following Opening Ceremonies (pictured at the top of the post) The Knights recreated a battle (seen in the pictures at the link above). It was a lot of fun to watch these armored knights have at each other with sword and pike. The Scots won, of course.
Ongoing throughout the day was the pipe & drum competition. Both single musicians and bands were competing. I never realized just how many tunes there are for the pipes! Some of them quite beautiful. I've only really heard snippets of songs in movies and the rare parade but nothing like this. It is amazing what a good piper can do with the bagpipes! I'll work on getting some uploaded soon.
All in all an amazingly wonderful day despite the sunburn and haggis. :)
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Session 2 - Week 11
Week 11 of Session 2 now completed (there are only 12 weeks to a session)! My schedule was as follows:
Sunday June 16th - Leisurely bike ride
Monday June 17th - A day of rest.
Tuesday June 18th - TRX Suspension training.
Wednesday June 19th - Packing for THE RIDE!
Thursday June 20th - TRX Suspension training after learning that THE RIDE has been postponed until August 10th due to heavy flooding in Calgary.
Saturday June 22nd - Butt & Gutt - personal weight training style with Miss Ashley! We worked the hammies hard! And this was followed by 5 hours of hard-core weed-whacking, raking, bagging, and lawn mowing... more on this later.
7 weeks to go until THE RIDE and so, training will continue...
Sunday June 16th - Leisurely bike ride
Monday June 17th - A day of rest.
Tuesday June 18th - TRX Suspension training.
Wednesday June 19th - Packing for THE RIDE!
Thursday June 20th - TRX Suspension training after learning that THE RIDE has been postponed until August 10th due to heavy flooding in Calgary.
Saturday June 22nd - Butt & Gutt - personal weight training style with Miss Ashley! We worked the hammies hard! And this was followed by 5 hours of hard-core weed-whacking, raking, bagging, and lawn mowing... more on this later.
7 weeks to go until THE RIDE and so, training will continue...
Friday, June 21, 2013
Art
Visiting Latitude 53, enjoying a spicy tea cocktail with the lovely Jenn Mc!
Art is in the eye of the beholder and I'm not quite sure what I've beheld...
Art is in the eye of the beholder and I'm not quite sure what I've beheld...
Calgary Flooding
Well wishes out to folks in Calgary and the surrounding areas who are experiencing major flooding and evacuations. Everyone stay safe and dry.
 |
| High River - Photo by Jennifer Chilton |
 |
| This picture was taken by Arlene Dickinson (from the TV show 'Dragon's Den') |
 |
| Sandra Klis via twitter: @sandraklis |
 |
| Memorial Drive by Prince's Island. #abflood (Thanks Paula Trotter) - via Gerry Forbes |
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| High River - photo by Jennifer Chilton |
Thursday, June 20, 2013
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
While I understand the need to postpone, I am in shock and greatly disappointed. I was so ready to ride this weekend. :(
Hoping everyone in the Calgary area is safe as evacuations are going on due to flooding. My thoughts are with you all.
The email and phone call that I just received:
As a result of the extreme flooding in Calgary and Southern Alberta and the State of Emergency declared in Okotoks and other points along the route that have been rendered impassable, we unfortunately must postpone the Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer benefiting the Alberta Cancer Foundation. Even though the weather is forecasted to be sunny this weekend, the city's emergency response efforts will continue through the weekend. Taking care of those impacted by the flooding comes first. It is our strong belief that The Ride should not divert resources from that effort.
The Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer must go on eventually, though! That's why we've moved the date to August 10-11, 2013. We understand that this date change may conflict with your busy schedules, but hope that you will be able to participate. As many of you know from previous experience, The Ride has always gone on, rain or shine. Unfortunately this time the conditions give us no choice but to take this very rare action. We deeply appreciate your understanding and continued commitment to The Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer and the Alberta Cancer Foundation.
2
I spent a good amount of time last night going through "the list" and preparing my clothes, nutrients, and gear for packing. Thankfully the list is thinking as it recommends I have plastic bags for my clothing, etc. to keep it dry in case of rain. Large zipper bags are now on my list of items to pick up.
Funny how the batteries in all of my flashlights are D-E-A-D when I finally need to use a flashlight... Batteries are now on my list along with a battery operated alarm clock. Wouldn't it just be so like me to be fast asleep on Sunday morning when it was time to go? Especially after riding 100 km (65 miles) on Saturday. I figure it will take me between 6-7 hours each day to cover the distance. I think I am going to be one tired girl! Of course, you know I'll let you know all about it. :)
Oh! Sunblock. According to the weather report today, Saturday in Calgary is going to be partly cloudy which means... yup! partly sunny as well. Sunday is a 20% chance of rain. Now, Saturday's chance of rain is going to depend on what happens Friday which has a 90% chance of rain and as long as that storm moves OUT before Saturday morning, I think we'll be okay!
Today's plan is to pick up the remaining things on my list tonight after TRX class and then head home to pack them all up into a duffel. I've gone back and forth on buying glasses for the trip. I'm not a big fan of tinted sunglasses as they usually make me feel dizzy (must be the polarized ones) and so I don't usually wear glasses on the bike. However, weighing that against "bug in the eye", hmmmm, something to think about. Perhaps a cheap pair of drug store shades are in order.
Now, to bring the camera or to not bring the camera... I have a camera in the iPhone which does a decent job of pictures but do I want to tote around a small point and shoot as well? Maybe. After all, I don't think I'll be doing this ride again next year. Of course, who knows, I might. :D Decisive, aren't I?
Oh! And it isn't too late to upload a video for me to see after the ride. You do that here. Make it fun, I'm going to need a laugh after 200 km (125 miles) and 2 days of riding! :)
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Down to 3 Days
3 is supposed to be a lucky number according to some so here we are at lucky number 3 (days until The Ride). Tonight is packing night (gear photo coming later!).
I've got my sleeves - wicked NIKE arm warmers that look a lot like the shin guard sleeves my son used to wear for soccer - but for ARMS! I love putting them on. They make my arms toasty!
2 Bike plates, both with my name on them that I must zip tie to the bike.
2 Wrist bands that I must wear when I ride - 1 with the event info and my name, one that is bright green so that I can get a veggie meal at lunch and dinner time. Mystery meat is just not for me. I went veggie for the 10 weeks that I lived and studied in Italy in 1998 for exactly that reason... mystery meat.
Ride jersey & spare jersey
Bike shorts - with padded bum!
Rain Jacket - in a lovely sangria color (wine) - if it rains, look for that color in the pics
Warm base layer
Fleece top
Long pants in case it is cold - looks like weather is going to be 65 - 73F for the weekend, chilly in the mornings but warming up nicely
Bike socks & clip in shoes
Sleeping bag - awesome Mountain hardware bag, size short like me, that I got on clearance because it is last year's model. HA! I don't care what year my bag was made, it is still just right for me and rated to 0F (-17C). Doesn't make it work any worse being 1 year old (brand new).
The Bike!
Toiletries - I figure I best still brush my teeth at least!
Am I forgetting anything? Probably. Which is why it is handy that the ride provides a 1 page list so I'll go over that tonight and check off what I've got and what I have not.
Stay tuned!
I've got my sleeves - wicked NIKE arm warmers that look a lot like the shin guard sleeves my son used to wear for soccer - but for ARMS! I love putting them on. They make my arms toasty!
2 Bike plates, both with my name on them that I must zip tie to the bike.
2 Wrist bands that I must wear when I ride - 1 with the event info and my name, one that is bright green so that I can get a veggie meal at lunch and dinner time. Mystery meat is just not for me. I went veggie for the 10 weeks that I lived and studied in Italy in 1998 for exactly that reason... mystery meat.
Ride jersey & spare jersey
Bike shorts - with padded bum!
Rain Jacket - in a lovely sangria color (wine) - if it rains, look for that color in the pics
Warm base layer
Fleece top
Long pants in case it is cold - looks like weather is going to be 65 - 73F for the weekend, chilly in the mornings but warming up nicely
Bike socks & clip in shoes
Sleeping bag - awesome Mountain hardware bag, size short like me, that I got on clearance because it is last year's model. HA! I don't care what year my bag was made, it is still just right for me and rated to 0F (-17C). Doesn't make it work any worse being 1 year old (brand new).
The Bike!
Toiletries - I figure I best still brush my teeth at least!
Am I forgetting anything? Probably. Which is why it is handy that the ride provides a 1 page list so I'll go over that tonight and check off what I've got and what I have not.
Stay tuned!
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
4 Days to go
4 days until I ride in the Enbridge Ride.
I can't believe how short time is getting. I continue to train at The Boxing Club - Butt and Gutt and TRX Suspension Training. I may take the bike for one last spin on Wednesday night but evenings are now for packing my gear and planning.
I've made plans for the dog, he's to be looked after by the neighbors while I'm away. He's pretty excited as he gets to go hang out with their dogs in the afternoons rather than be cooped up in the house like he is when I am at work.
It is still pretty hard to believe that it is time to do this ride. I think that I signed up in March with nearly 4 months to go. And now it is 4 days...
I think this may be the biggest thing I've ever done in my life. Stay tuned for more random ramblings and soon to come (in 4 days) pix from the ride.
I can't believe how short time is getting. I continue to train at The Boxing Club - Butt and Gutt and TRX Suspension Training. I may take the bike for one last spin on Wednesday night but evenings are now for packing my gear and planning.
I've made plans for the dog, he's to be looked after by the neighbors while I'm away. He's pretty excited as he gets to go hang out with their dogs in the afternoons rather than be cooped up in the house like he is when I am at work.
It is still pretty hard to believe that it is time to do this ride. I think that I signed up in March with nearly 4 months to go. And now it is 4 days...
I think this may be the biggest thing I've ever done in my life. Stay tuned for more random ramblings and soon to come (in 4 days) pix from the ride.
Monday, June 17, 2013
5 Days
There are only 5 days to go until I ride in The Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer.
What I know:
I am physically ready to ride 200 km (125 miles). I've been training for months, after all. Riding for hours on end. Physically I am ready.
From a fund raising standpoint, I am ready. You have helped me to get there by believing in me, sending your encouragement, and donating towards the $2,500 required for me to participate. In fact, you blew it out of the water by donating $3,345! I will be allowed to ride.
But, in order to complete this ride, I need to be mentally ready. Am I? Knowing that I can physically complete the challenge helps. Knowing that the fundraising requirements are met helps. Knowing that I am heading 3 hours from "home", by myself, to participate in a HUGE 2-day event where I know no one is daunting at the least.
I guess this feeling could be called "cold feet". My mind being my biggest block or my greatest supporter, I don't know which it is today. Of course I will do the ride. Of course I will finish the ride but will it be an uphill battle with myself the entire way or can I leave the battle to my quads and the hills?
I'm scared.
What I know:
I am physically ready to ride 200 km (125 miles). I've been training for months, after all. Riding for hours on end. Physically I am ready.
From a fund raising standpoint, I am ready. You have helped me to get there by believing in me, sending your encouragement, and donating towards the $2,500 required for me to participate. In fact, you blew it out of the water by donating $3,345! I will be allowed to ride.
But, in order to complete this ride, I need to be mentally ready. Am I? Knowing that I can physically complete the challenge helps. Knowing that the fundraising requirements are met helps. Knowing that I am heading 3 hours from "home", by myself, to participate in a HUGE 2-day event where I know no one is daunting at the least.
I guess this feeling could be called "cold feet". My mind being my biggest block or my greatest supporter, I don't know which it is today. Of course I will do the ride. Of course I will finish the ride but will it be an uphill battle with myself the entire way or can I leave the battle to my quads and the hills?
I'm scared.
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Session 2 - Week 10
Week 10 of Session 2 now completed! My schedule was as follows:
Sunday June 9th -70 km ride with the Bulls-Eye Bike Club, culminating in the Rolling Hill of Death...
Monday June 10th - A day of rest.
Tuesday June 11th - TRX Suspension training.
Wednesday June 12th -An evening of rest!
Thursday June 13th - Working late and organizing camping gear for the ride.
Saturday June 15th - Butt & Gutt - personal training style.
Tomorrow morning I expect to ride for a few hours. The Ride is only 6 days away.
Sunday June 9th -70 km ride with the Bulls-Eye Bike Club, culminating in the Rolling Hill of Death...
Monday June 10th - A day of rest.
Tuesday June 11th - TRX Suspension training.
Wednesday June 12th -An evening of rest!
Thursday June 13th - Working late and organizing camping gear for the ride.
Saturday June 15th - Butt & Gutt - personal training style.
Tomorrow morning I expect to ride for a few hours. The Ride is only 6 days away.
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Journeys 3
An update to the April 12th and May 15th entries:
This week marks my 32nd week of nutritional changes, 23rd week of fitness training, and 15th week of bike specific training.
I have less than 2 weeks remaining to prepare for the Enbridge Ride to Conquor Cancer - a 200 KM (125 Mile) 2-day ride from Calgary, Alberta to Okotoks and back.
32 weeks ago I started a journey to change my nutritional lifestyle. For those wondering what "nutritional lifestyle" means, it means changing your eating habits for good, forever, for always. Sure you can have food now and again that isn't good for you but, for the most part, you don't because you learn to care about what you are eating and the health and well being of your body. I gave up processed sugar (straight sugar, added sugar, fake sugar) months ago and have found that my body doesn't like when I consume anything with added sugar these days. It tends to revolt and let me know how very unhappy it is with any sugary choice I make. I never want to get used to eating sugar again!
23 weeks ago I started a journey to change my health and fitness. I joined a couple of classes at a local gym and have been working hard to overcome my own mental blocks. I've been setting micro goals for myself during my TRX and Butt & Gutt Classes so that I can continue to improve and challenge myself. Sure, it would be easy to sit back just do what the instructor says or continue at the same level week after week but where is the benefit to that? My challenges to myself for this 12 week session:
1. Do Burpies with a pushup - every time. I want to be able to do pushups. I don't know why I am obsessed with pushups but I am so this is a way to improve my ability.
2. Do all of the suspended exercises in TRX - this is harder than it sounds because when I started TRX 23 weeks ago, I had a lower back injury. The first session I spent stretching and strengthening my back, often modifying the suspended exercises so that I could get through them. This session, I am attempting them all; suspended planks, suspended side planks (my current nemesis), suspended crunches, suspended mountain climbers, suspended... you get the picture. While I can't always complete the full 30-45 seconds of each exercise, they each get my full effort and I can see improvement.
3. Do more reps, more quickly of each exercise.
4. Take a harder angle or modification for each exercise; ie - push myself harder.
It's paying off in improved strength, flexibility, and fitness.
15 weeks ago I started my cycling journey. When I had last updated my journeys a month ago, I was still of the mindset that maybe I couldn't ride 2 big days in a row. Looking back, I realize that I set my goal low: 3 hours Sat, 5 hours Sun. I was afraid that I couldn't do 2 big days and I was giving myself an out - a way to give in. Fortunately I didn't take that out and I ended up riding 4.5 hours each day for a total of 90 miles (150 km). Now, I don't even consider riding less than 70 km (40 miles) on a weekend day. I've logged some pretty big hills (massive hill & rolling hill - of death) along the way and am now only 9 days from the biggest ride of my life (so far). I can't wait to take on this next challenge. I know I can do it. Stay tuned for pix and posts from the ride! Calgary & Okotoks, here I come!
This week marks my 32nd week of nutritional changes, 23rd week of fitness training, and 15th week of bike specific training.
I have less than 2 weeks remaining to prepare for the Enbridge Ride to Conquor Cancer - a 200 KM (125 Mile) 2-day ride from Calgary, Alberta to Okotoks and back.
32 weeks ago I started a journey to change my nutritional lifestyle. For those wondering what "nutritional lifestyle" means, it means changing your eating habits for good, forever, for always. Sure you can have food now and again that isn't good for you but, for the most part, you don't because you learn to care about what you are eating and the health and well being of your body. I gave up processed sugar (straight sugar, added sugar, fake sugar) months ago and have found that my body doesn't like when I consume anything with added sugar these days. It tends to revolt and let me know how very unhappy it is with any sugary choice I make. I never want to get used to eating sugar again!
23 weeks ago I started a journey to change my health and fitness. I joined a couple of classes at a local gym and have been working hard to overcome my own mental blocks. I've been setting micro goals for myself during my TRX and Butt & Gutt Classes so that I can continue to improve and challenge myself. Sure, it would be easy to sit back just do what the instructor says or continue at the same level week after week but where is the benefit to that? My challenges to myself for this 12 week session:
1. Do Burpies with a pushup - every time. I want to be able to do pushups. I don't know why I am obsessed with pushups but I am so this is a way to improve my ability.
2. Do all of the suspended exercises in TRX - this is harder than it sounds because when I started TRX 23 weeks ago, I had a lower back injury. The first session I spent stretching and strengthening my back, often modifying the suspended exercises so that I could get through them. This session, I am attempting them all; suspended planks, suspended side planks (my current nemesis), suspended crunches, suspended mountain climbers, suspended... you get the picture. While I can't always complete the full 30-45 seconds of each exercise, they each get my full effort and I can see improvement.
3. Do more reps, more quickly of each exercise.
4. Take a harder angle or modification for each exercise; ie - push myself harder.
It's paying off in improved strength, flexibility, and fitness.
15 weeks ago I started my cycling journey. When I had last updated my journeys a month ago, I was still of the mindset that maybe I couldn't ride 2 big days in a row. Looking back, I realize that I set my goal low: 3 hours Sat, 5 hours Sun. I was afraid that I couldn't do 2 big days and I was giving myself an out - a way to give in. Fortunately I didn't take that out and I ended up riding 4.5 hours each day for a total of 90 miles (150 km). Now, I don't even consider riding less than 70 km (40 miles) on a weekend day. I've logged some pretty big hills (massive hill & rolling hill - of death) along the way and am now only 9 days from the biggest ride of my life (so far). I can't wait to take on this next challenge. I know I can do it. Stay tuned for pix and posts from the ride! Calgary & Okotoks, here I come!
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Never be Prosaic
It doesn't matter where you start or where you end. What is important is the journey and the adventures that you have along the way. <3
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Rain on a Sunny Day
Second ride of the weekend and second time out with the crew from Bulls-Eye Bike Club.
The day started off weird. As I came out the front door of my house at 6:45am, I was met by a young man in a hoody wandering off my neighbor's front porch and towards my door. I asked if I could help him with something, he muttered "It's all good" and wandered off between our houses. The odd thing is... all of the houses have fenced in back yards. Where he went from there or what he wanted at that early hour, I can only guess. Nothing appears to be amiss in either back yard and houses were locked up tight so no foul at this point. Next up, I got all the way to the meet up point (on time, I might add) only to realize that I'd forgotten my helmet. Back home I went and managed to arrive only 15 minutes late, thankfully the group waited for me. :)
There were 9 of us today and I quickly learned that we would be riding Shaun's FNR route. I've seen the markings on the road in various locations but I've never purposefully followed them. FNR in 18" tall yellow paint on the road, accompanied by an arrow. Turns out this is a 70 km, September ride officially known as the Frozen Nipple Ride which I can only imagine is due to the brisk weather in Alberta that time of year. Guess I'll find out this fall.
The FNR heads North out of Spruce Grove on Jennifer Heil Way towards the infamous Massive Hill of Death. Fortunately this was not to be my fate today though little did I know something more sinister was lurking in the shadows. I haven't got a map to show for it as I neglected to start my Nike Running app before we left so you'll need to take my word on this one. If I had to find the route again, I might get lost doing it. While it is marked FNR, I can't even recall the first turn direction (I think it was right) as the FNR has the magical skill of numbing your mind through the constant application of hills. Here is the account to the best of my recollection:
It was a beautiful day with fluffy white clouds and large patches of blue. I always enjoy a new route and this one started uphill almost from the gate. Heading north out of town I believe we took a right. The sun warmed the air enough that I shed my fleece by the top of the first hill. The FNR is beautiful! Rolling green fields, miles and miles of sky, and hills, everywhere you look, there are hills. After heading East (that was the right we took), we turned left and headed North again, further info the hills. It seemed that they were never ending. Even taking another left to head West (strong headwind coming at us), there were hills. Now, even with new street slicks and clip in shoes, my little hybrid is no match for the giant street bikes which which I was riding. So, coming to an intersection, Herb and I headed straight through, continuing West while the rest of the pack had taken a Northern route to loop out around us and catch up at the next intersection. It was a HUGE uphill climb when Herb and I turned North again. Meeting up with the group, we turned around and to my delight, Herb let me know that, "It's downhill from here". Keep in mind that the original working title for this post was Herb is a Liar! :) What he meant was, we are now going downhill before we start going back uphill.
We were now heading South and turned right to head further West. At some point we crossed RT 779 North of Stony Plain and the usual road that I turn onto to head to Chickakoo. Yes, we were in the Glory Hills and heading up still. I don't know how Shaun managed to do it but the FNR route is uphill the whole way. Not just part of the way but the whole way. Herb had the kindness to ride up beside me to check in and let me know that "By the way, there is one more killer hill ahead. I just think that you should prepare for it.". Thanks, Herb, thanks a lot... I think. One more killer hill ahead. How bad could it be? Do you recall The Massive Hill of Death from 2 weeks ago? Yeah, it has an evil twin, The Rolling Hill of Death. I encountered The Rolling Hill of Death about 2 hours into the ride. It goes uphill in waves. Steep up, small flat, steep up, small flat, repeat until you lose count and are actually at the top of the world, in the clouds, as high up as an airplane... I exaggerate. Let's just say it is a BIG hill. Like it's evil twin, I refused to stop and dismount and did make it to the top in super slow motion. I think I could have walked that hill faster! It was BIG I tell you!
We now turned and rode around a loop that took us uphill and then back around to the bottom of The Rolling Hill of Death. That's right folks, I did not even have the pleasure of riding down the hill. No, no, it was uphill to the bottom of the hill... I haven't figured that out yet but I'm tellin' ya, the FNR is tricky! Here it began to spit drizzle at us, the sky clouded over, and the wind picked up with a chill. I think The Rolling Hill of Death was angry that I hadn't walked. Honestly, some hills have such bad attitudes!
The rest of the ride is a bit of a blur, one of the roads gave me my first taste of "bone jarring" rough riding. I'm pretty sure that if I were made of glass, my arms would have shattered. :D So good thing I am not made of glass.
It was a fantastic ride with a great bunch of people. Tanis & Dana who rode back for me several times (did I mention that my bike is slow?), Herb who amuses me to no end with his stories of riding downhill. It isn't true, Herb, it is never true, but thank you for trying. Lucas who wiped out and lived to tell about it. Ron and Shaun who made a great story of Lucas' wipe-out, Corey, and that one guy in yellow who I don't recall his name who were all so very encouraging! :)
See you on the roads soon!
Saturday, June 8, 2013
Riding in Sunshine
Today was a beautiful day to ride. The sun was shining, the temp was warm, and the wind appeared to be calm. A great day to try out my new bike shoes, clip in pedals, and street tires. I've always been slightly in fear of clip in pedals. Afraid that I would need to put my foot down and be stuck to the bike and as a result, fall over. I've never had any serious wipe-outs on a bike, only the time I thought I'd ride my 10 speed down a grassy trail on the back hill... it didn't end well and was enough to keep me on the paved roads from there on out. But I digress...
After a couple of practice clip-ins and twist outs, I hit the road. Clipping in and out wasn't so bad! My left foot didn't really want to cooperate and clip in while I was pedaling but I eventually got it. For the first hour of my ride, I flew. I thought "This is great! I'm shaving a minute per mile. I'm flying!". Little did I know, the wind was seriously to my back. So while I can't say that the new tires, shoes, and pedals make me any faster, they do save the wear and tear on my knees! That's a big deal as all of my big rides have been followed by achy knees but not today!
As for the ride, 45 miles (75 km), much of it east/west with the wind coming from the west, I conquered the Century Rd hill north of town (again), hit a few smaller hills, and enjoyed the ride. I have the goofiest tan ever, I didn't fall off my bike, and I think I swallowed few bugs.
Session 2 - Week 9
Week 9 of Session 2 now completed! My schedule was as follows:
Sunday June 2nd - Slept in and stuck around the house for chores after a late, late, late night of music and dancing.
Monday June 3rd - A day of rest.
Tuesday June 4th - TRX Suspension training. After a week off last week, this class was killer. Single hand mode for most of the class. Plenty of squats, lunges, and leg work. Oh, and try doing a chest press single handedly....
Wednesday June 5th -An evening of rest! Sore from Tuesday night's class and took a trip to United Cycle to pick up a few things that I need for my ride. Crazy what you realize that you don't have...
Thursday June 6th - TRX Suspension training - And more leg work and single handed bicep curls and low rows. My arms are keeeeeling me!
Friday June 7th - A hike with Grace & Miss Molly Pants and Trina too! Chickakoo is beautiful this time of year!
Saturday June 8th - 30 minute "Bridal Boot Camp" demonstration for The Boxing Club followed by 45 miles (75 km) of biking, biking, and biking. I've got a lovely bikers tan, complete with wristband stripe! :)
Tomorrow morning I meet up with Herb and crew of Bulls-Eye Bike Shop to ride from 7am to 12pm.
Sunday June 2nd - Slept in and stuck around the house for chores after a late, late, late night of music and dancing.
Monday June 3rd - A day of rest.
Tuesday June 4th - TRX Suspension training. After a week off last week, this class was killer. Single hand mode for most of the class. Plenty of squats, lunges, and leg work. Oh, and try doing a chest press single handedly....
Wednesday June 5th -An evening of rest! Sore from Tuesday night's class and took a trip to United Cycle to pick up a few things that I need for my ride. Crazy what you realize that you don't have...
Thursday June 6th - TRX Suspension training - And more leg work and single handed bicep curls and low rows. My arms are keeeeeling me!
Friday June 7th - A hike with Grace & Miss Molly Pants and Trina too! Chickakoo is beautiful this time of year!
Saturday June 8th - 30 minute "Bridal Boot Camp" demonstration for The Boxing Club followed by 45 miles (75 km) of biking, biking, and biking. I've got a lovely bikers tan, complete with wristband stripe! :)
Tomorrow morning I meet up with Herb and crew of Bulls-Eye Bike Shop to ride from 7am to 12pm.
Micro Goals, Mini Goals, Macro Goals
This post was inspired by Lyz(y) and all of my friends who have asked: "How are you doing it?".
If you don't know what "it" is, you should read this first. And be warned, this is a loooooong post. But then again, setting goals and sticking to them is a big thing.
"It" all started with a very fuzzy thought:
I'm going to take control of my life, health, nutrition, weight, and fitness. I'm going to get back into shape. I am going to eat better. I am going to lose weight.
The above was a wish, a hope, a dream but it wasn't yet a goal. This is important because in order to create a goal, to achieve something, you need a specific, attainable, actionable, measurable item. That is when the thought becomes a goal and you are on your way!
As the title suggests, there are various sizes to goals. A Macro goal being the largest - the end result goal(s). Mini goals come next, they are smaller chunks of the Macro goal. And then there are Micro goals. Think of them as baby steps. Baby stepping to the Mini and Macro goals (thanks, Bob and FMM)!
So let's turn my wishes, hopes, and dreams into goals:
1. I'm going to lose weight. Okay, big sit down with self, looking self in the eyes and asking self... how much weight? You've got to have a number to make this work. My self looked right back at me and said: 163 pounds (Give or take 5lb as I hadn't been on a scale since June and this was November. We'll address scale-phobia later...). Great! Now I've got a Macro goal that needs a plan. HOW am I going to achieve this goal?
A. I am going to change my eating habits (another hope that needs to be turned into a goal - more on this later).
B. I am going to walk the dog for 1 hour a day, 2 days a week, every week - an actual actionable, achievable, measurable item!
C. Every time I go to the store, bank, etc., I'm going to park the car as far from the entrance as feasible and walk to the door - another measurable, item!
D. I am going to research exercise and understand how many calories are burned during different types of exercise. - an actionable item!
E. I am going to increase my exercise level as I become stronger, fitter, more capable - more of a hope than a goal unless you add an actual time frame so that you are increasing on a schedule. It is actionable but you need to have a HOW to make it work (sometimes even plans need plans!).
Now for the Mini and Micro goals to this Macro goal. The reason I started looking at this in smaller terms is that the total was too overwhelming for me. I couldn't even think about it without being taken over by self-defeating, paralyzing trepidation. A healthy weight loss average is 1 to 2.5 lb per week. Even losing 2.5 (the max) every week, week after week after week after week (see where I am going with this?), I could see that it was going to take me at least 65 weeks to reach my goal. MORE THAN A YEAR! That thought in itself was deflating. Yes, the end result is worth the time and effort but there was no reason to defeat myself before I got started.
Okay, how to handle this? Another sit down with myself and I decided to look at my goal in pieces. My Mini goals would be to lose the weight in 10 pound increments. Even this can be pretty daunting as it can take 4-10 weeks to reach this goal IF I lose the safe average. I needed even smaller goals, that I could achieve and celebrate (NEVER with a food reward) to stay motivated, so I broke my Mini goals down into Micro goals. Starting at 278, my first Micro goal was to get to 275. A tiny little 3 lb goal that I could reach in a couple of weeks. After that, I'd work towards the round number: 270. This Micro goal is slightly more than the first at 5lbs - but still less scary than 10lbs. Then, the next Micro goal: lose the last 2 pounds needed to reach the Mini goal! So each Mini goal is comprised of 3 Micro goals. And by concentrating on the Micro goals, the Mini goals JUST HAPPENED BY THEMSELVES! *BIG GRINS*. Where do I go from here? Repeat the cycle of Micro goals, of course! Next up, 265! As of today, 19 Micro goals later, I'm at 215lbs and headed south to 210.
Now you didn't think I did this all with just walking the dog and parking further away from the door did you? Nope, there is way more to it than that. Remember that eating hope from above? Yup, time to address it! (And after that is addressed, next comes increased activity/exercise goals from the above list.) Throughout my life I've been a researcher of healthful eating practices. In the 90's it was through "health" magazines, through the 00's and 10's it has been through the internet. For over 25 years I've learned a lot about nutrition, fads, diets, etc and the one thing that has stood out the most is that healthful eating is not a short term change that you do just to lose the weight. This is a lifestyle change that must be committed to 100% and then stuck to for life. So let's look at how I made this commitment. Remember, achievable, measurable, and actionable items are key here.
2. I am going to change my eating habits. Time to decide HOW to change my eating habits so that this can become a real goal and not just a wish.
A. I am going to eliminate processed sugar from my diet (the white stuff, the brown stuff, the stuff hiding in many packaged products, the fake stuff, all of it). - An actionable item!
B. I am going to eliminate empty calories from my diet. - An actionable item!
I covered Empty Calories in the Journeys Too post but as a recap:
In my book empty calorie foods are foods that have nothing in them but calories from sugar/carbs, and/or fats and not much else. No nutrients, vitamins, minerals - nothing that is actually naturally occurring in the ingredients of the "food". This includes enriched foods. If you can't get the nutrients from the ingredients because they have been processed out, what on earth is being added to make up for that?
C. I am going to count my calories - every. single. one. - An actionable item! (I recommend www.caloriecount.com or the iphone app Calorie Count - same program, different format. Or Livestrong's My Plate website or app).
D. I am going to learn just how many calories I need everyday and formulate an eating plan based on those calories. - an actionable item!
E. I am going to plan and cook all of my own meals - not eat out and not buy meals or snacks on the run (this is actually way easier than you might think). - An actionable item!
F. I am going to eat 3 regular meals a day with a morning and afternoon snack. - An actionable item!
Making a major lifestyle change when it comes to eating habits is not easy. I was used to eating convenience foods. I'd always loved to cook but had gotten out of the habit of cooking. I'd become more of a "just throw a few things together and call it a meal" eater. Granted those things would usually be fairly nutritional foods (carrots, cheese sticks, nuts, dried fruits, yogurt, fruits and veggies, a sandwich, soup, etc) but I had no problem calling a bag of chips dinner either. Time to change that.
First off, I needed to start eating breakfast. Breakfast and I had been enemies for many years. I never really felt like eating breakfast. I wasn't usually hungry when I woke up. Sometimes my stomach just didn't feel like it could handle breakfast (with a bag of chips for dinner, who could blame it!). I still didn't really feel like eating in the morning so I packed my breakfast and morning snack to take to work with me. Yogurt with cereal and a banana. I wasn't eating until at least 9am but it was better than skipping breakfast. This would change as I became more active. I now wake up by 6am and am pretty well "starving" for breakfast!
One way to manage the food you are consuming while making planning easy is to have the same breakfasts, snacks, and lunches for a week. I go a step further and have the same dinners for 7 days straight. I cook everything on the weekend, pack it up and I'm ready to go. This weeks menu:
Breakfast - 1 scrambled egg, 1/2 cup milk
Snack - a green apple, 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
Lunch - 1 can light tuna in water with 1 tbsp mayo, 1/2 cup milk
Snack - 1 small avocado or 1 cup red peppers and cauliflower, a smoothie (recipes here)
Dinner - 1.5-2 cups homemade kitchen sink chili
12+ cups of water throughout the day, 1 cup of coffee and 1+ cups of tea
I occasionally mix up the snacks but the format doesn't change. I don't have to think too hard about what to have. I have the snacks with me at work so when I am hungry, I eat. I'm never at the point where I feel like I am starving, and this is so less stressful than worrying about what to eat. I've checked out these foods. I know that if I eat the above, I'll consume ~1700 calories in a day. Adding in protein powder and electrolytes on workout days brings the total to ~1900, and bike days where I ride 45+ miles, I'll add in enough supplements to bring my intake to nearly 3000 as I am expending at least 1200 calories just in biking alone.
The second change was cutting out the sugars. Right after Christmas... I gave them up. Poof! Gone. No soda, no sugar in my coffee or tea, no foods with added sugars. After a couple of days I didn't miss it and now, if I do have a bite of something with sugar added, it tastes overly sweet and generally gives me an upset stomach. I than picked Lent to give up processed foods. I wasn't eating many by this time, down to whole grain breads, cereals, and some pasta. I cut them all out. I was eating only whole foods now. I replaced the processed grains with Quinoa, Brown Rice, Barley and am still searching for more whole grains (non-wheat because it upsets my system) to assure that I am getting a good balance of healthy carbs in my diet.
Okay, now that we know the basics of how I did/am doing it, remember: When making changes, start slowly. Pick a change that you KNOW 100% that you can make and then stick to. Once you have that change down for 2 weeks, make the next change. This is a lifestyle change, not a temporary fix. YOU CAN DO IT!
As this is such a big topic, I'll write on it again soon and add some links, breaking down some of this stuff further. Good luck!
If you don't know what "it" is, you should read this first. And be warned, this is a loooooong post. But then again, setting goals and sticking to them is a big thing.
"It" all started with a very fuzzy thought:
I'm going to take control of my life, health, nutrition, weight, and fitness. I'm going to get back into shape. I am going to eat better. I am going to lose weight.
The above was a wish, a hope, a dream but it wasn't yet a goal. This is important because in order to create a goal, to achieve something, you need a specific, attainable, actionable, measurable item. That is when the thought becomes a goal and you are on your way!
As the title suggests, there are various sizes to goals. A Macro goal being the largest - the end result goal(s). Mini goals come next, they are smaller chunks of the Macro goal. And then there are Micro goals. Think of them as baby steps. Baby stepping to the Mini and Macro goals (thanks, Bob and FMM)!
So let's turn my wishes, hopes, and dreams into goals:
1. I'm going to lose weight. Okay, big sit down with self, looking self in the eyes and asking self... how much weight? You've got to have a number to make this work. My self looked right back at me and said: 163 pounds (Give or take 5lb as I hadn't been on a scale since June and this was November. We'll address scale-phobia later...). Great! Now I've got a Macro goal that needs a plan. HOW am I going to achieve this goal?
A. I am going to change my eating habits (another hope that needs to be turned into a goal - more on this later).
B. I am going to walk the dog for 1 hour a day, 2 days a week, every week - an actual actionable, achievable, measurable item!
C. Every time I go to the store, bank, etc., I'm going to park the car as far from the entrance as feasible and walk to the door - another measurable, item!
D. I am going to research exercise and understand how many calories are burned during different types of exercise. - an actionable item!
E. I am going to increase my exercise level as I become stronger, fitter, more capable - more of a hope than a goal unless you add an actual time frame so that you are increasing on a schedule. It is actionable but you need to have a HOW to make it work (sometimes even plans need plans!).
Now for the Mini and Micro goals to this Macro goal. The reason I started looking at this in smaller terms is that the total was too overwhelming for me. I couldn't even think about it without being taken over by self-defeating, paralyzing trepidation. A healthy weight loss average is 1 to 2.5 lb per week. Even losing 2.5 (the max) every week, week after week after week after week (see where I am going with this?), I could see that it was going to take me at least 65 weeks to reach my goal. MORE THAN A YEAR! That thought in itself was deflating. Yes, the end result is worth the time and effort but there was no reason to defeat myself before I got started.
Okay, how to handle this? Another sit down with myself and I decided to look at my goal in pieces. My Mini goals would be to lose the weight in 10 pound increments. Even this can be pretty daunting as it can take 4-10 weeks to reach this goal IF I lose the safe average. I needed even smaller goals, that I could achieve and celebrate (NEVER with a food reward) to stay motivated, so I broke my Mini goals down into Micro goals. Starting at 278, my first Micro goal was to get to 275. A tiny little 3 lb goal that I could reach in a couple of weeks. After that, I'd work towards the round number: 270. This Micro goal is slightly more than the first at 5lbs - but still less scary than 10lbs. Then, the next Micro goal: lose the last 2 pounds needed to reach the Mini goal! So each Mini goal is comprised of 3 Micro goals. And by concentrating on the Micro goals, the Mini goals JUST HAPPENED BY THEMSELVES! *BIG GRINS*. Where do I go from here? Repeat the cycle of Micro goals, of course! Next up, 265! As of today, 19 Micro goals later, I'm at 215lbs and headed south to 210.
Now you didn't think I did this all with just walking the dog and parking further away from the door did you? Nope, there is way more to it than that. Remember that eating hope from above? Yup, time to address it! (And after that is addressed, next comes increased activity/exercise goals from the above list.) Throughout my life I've been a researcher of healthful eating practices. In the 90's it was through "health" magazines, through the 00's and 10's it has been through the internet. For over 25 years I've learned a lot about nutrition, fads, diets, etc and the one thing that has stood out the most is that healthful eating is not a short term change that you do just to lose the weight. This is a lifestyle change that must be committed to 100% and then stuck to for life. So let's look at how I made this commitment. Remember, achievable, measurable, and actionable items are key here.
2. I am going to change my eating habits. Time to decide HOW to change my eating habits so that this can become a real goal and not just a wish.
A. I am going to eliminate processed sugar from my diet (the white stuff, the brown stuff, the stuff hiding in many packaged products, the fake stuff, all of it). - An actionable item!
B. I am going to eliminate empty calories from my diet. - An actionable item!
I covered Empty Calories in the Journeys Too post but as a recap:
In my book empty calorie foods are foods that have nothing in them but calories from sugar/carbs, and/or fats and not much else. No nutrients, vitamins, minerals - nothing that is actually naturally occurring in the ingredients of the "food". This includes enriched foods. If you can't get the nutrients from the ingredients because they have been processed out, what on earth is being added to make up for that?
C. I am going to count my calories - every. single. one. - An actionable item! (I recommend www.caloriecount.com or the iphone app Calorie Count - same program, different format. Or Livestrong's My Plate website or app).
D. I am going to learn just how many calories I need everyday and formulate an eating plan based on those calories. - an actionable item!
E. I am going to plan and cook all of my own meals - not eat out and not buy meals or snacks on the run (this is actually way easier than you might think). - An actionable item!
F. I am going to eat 3 regular meals a day with a morning and afternoon snack. - An actionable item!
Making a major lifestyle change when it comes to eating habits is not easy. I was used to eating convenience foods. I'd always loved to cook but had gotten out of the habit of cooking. I'd become more of a "just throw a few things together and call it a meal" eater. Granted those things would usually be fairly nutritional foods (carrots, cheese sticks, nuts, dried fruits, yogurt, fruits and veggies, a sandwich, soup, etc) but I had no problem calling a bag of chips dinner either. Time to change that.
First off, I needed to start eating breakfast. Breakfast and I had been enemies for many years. I never really felt like eating breakfast. I wasn't usually hungry when I woke up. Sometimes my stomach just didn't feel like it could handle breakfast (with a bag of chips for dinner, who could blame it!). I still didn't really feel like eating in the morning so I packed my breakfast and morning snack to take to work with me. Yogurt with cereal and a banana. I wasn't eating until at least 9am but it was better than skipping breakfast. This would change as I became more active. I now wake up by 6am and am pretty well "starving" for breakfast!
One way to manage the food you are consuming while making planning easy is to have the same breakfasts, snacks, and lunches for a week. I go a step further and have the same dinners for 7 days straight. I cook everything on the weekend, pack it up and I'm ready to go. This weeks menu:
Breakfast - 1 scrambled egg, 1/2 cup milk
Snack - a green apple, 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
Lunch - 1 can light tuna in water with 1 tbsp mayo, 1/2 cup milk
Snack - 1 small avocado or 1 cup red peppers and cauliflower, a smoothie (recipes here)
Dinner - 1.5-2 cups homemade kitchen sink chili
12+ cups of water throughout the day, 1 cup of coffee and 1+ cups of tea
I occasionally mix up the snacks but the format doesn't change. I don't have to think too hard about what to have. I have the snacks with me at work so when I am hungry, I eat. I'm never at the point where I feel like I am starving, and this is so less stressful than worrying about what to eat. I've checked out these foods. I know that if I eat the above, I'll consume ~1700 calories in a day. Adding in protein powder and electrolytes on workout days brings the total to ~1900, and bike days where I ride 45+ miles, I'll add in enough supplements to bring my intake to nearly 3000 as I am expending at least 1200 calories just in biking alone.
The second change was cutting out the sugars. Right after Christmas... I gave them up. Poof! Gone. No soda, no sugar in my coffee or tea, no foods with added sugars. After a couple of days I didn't miss it and now, if I do have a bite of something with sugar added, it tastes overly sweet and generally gives me an upset stomach. I than picked Lent to give up processed foods. I wasn't eating many by this time, down to whole grain breads, cereals, and some pasta. I cut them all out. I was eating only whole foods now. I replaced the processed grains with Quinoa, Brown Rice, Barley and am still searching for more whole grains (non-wheat because it upsets my system) to assure that I am getting a good balance of healthy carbs in my diet.
Okay, now that we know the basics of how I did/am doing it, remember: When making changes, start slowly. Pick a change that you KNOW 100% that you can make and then stick to. Once you have that change down for 2 weeks, make the next change. This is a lifestyle change, not a temporary fix. YOU CAN DO IT!
As this is such a big topic, I'll write on it again soon and add some links, breaking down some of this stuff further. Good luck!
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Mojito Smoothie
Warning: This smoothie has NO alcohol in it, whatsoever! :) What it does have is a healthy dose of Vitamin C, a fresh minty-lime flavor, plenty of protein and general tasty goodness!
Ingredients:
1 Medium Sliced Banana
1/2 - 3/4 Cup Crushed Pineapple
1/2 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt (for those of you still hoping I spell it "geek" I didn't)
Juice of 1/2 a Lime
1 TBSP Hemp Hearts
1 TBSP Chia seeds
1 TBSP Ground Flax
7-9 Medium-Large Fresh Mint Leaves
How to:
Place Pineapple, Banana, Lime Juice, & Mint Leaves in blender. Blend until smooth. Add Hemp, Chia, Flax, and Greek Yogurt and blend again until smooth. Taste and add additional Lime Juice and/or Mint to taste.
Ingredients:
1 Medium Sliced Banana
1/2 - 3/4 Cup Crushed Pineapple
1/2 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt (for those of you still hoping I spell it "geek" I didn't)
Juice of 1/2 a Lime
1 TBSP Hemp Hearts
1 TBSP Chia seeds
1 TBSP Ground Flax
7-9 Medium-Large Fresh Mint Leaves
How to:
Place Pineapple, Banana, Lime Juice, & Mint Leaves in blender. Blend until smooth. Add Hemp, Chia, Flax, and Greek Yogurt and blend again until smooth. Taste and add additional Lime Juice and/or Mint to taste.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
The Ride Update
Here are the stats as of June 5, 2013:
Date of Ride:
June 22nd & 23rd, 2013
Distance:
200 KM (125 Miles)
Location: Calgary, Alberta to Okotokes, Alberta - AND BACK!
Donation
Link: http://www.conquercancer.ca/goto/nhkayakgirl
Fundraising
required to ride: $2,500.00
Money
raised to date: $3,195.00
Personal
fundraising goal: $5,000.00
Donations needed to reach personal goal: $1,805.00
Days
left for fundraising: 17
Dollar
amount needed per day to make Personal Goal: $106.18
Dollars
that I have personally donated towards my goal: $120.00
Dollars
that I have personally spent on training, nutrition, & equipment to date:
$2,000.00+
The
Challenge to you: Become
one of my sponsors by donating towards my goal.
If you have already donated, THANK YOU! What else can you do to help? Please consider sharing my quest with a friend and asking them to donate. Copy and paste this link on your facebook page or email it to your friends. http://gurlandbike.blogspot.com
Every little bit helps and it goes towards a great cause. Funds raised in The Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer will support
breakthrough research, exemplary teaching, and compassionate care at the
Alberta Cancer Foundation, a leader in cancer research and treatment.
Now, the training update: I've started week 9 in my second 12 week fitness training program at The Boxing Club of Spruce Grove. This training consists of 3 hours a week of intense core, leg, & butt work through both TRX Suspension Training and Butt & Gutt class. I love it and plan on continuing with this program even after the ride. On top of this I typically ride 5-10 hours each weekend to log 75-150 km (45-90 miles). While I won't log as many miles per week after the ride, I will enjoy a 1-2 hour ride several days per week. I've also included some hiking in my training program as it is always fun to mix it up a bit and I'm planning on doing a lot more after I wrap up the ride. Can't wait to hit the BIG "hills". ;)
The bike update: I'm riding my 1992 Specialized Cross Roads in this event. Look for me on the red bike with gold trim. You'll be able to pick me out from the crowd as I've got straight handlebars like a mountain bike and flashy new street racing tires with blue stripes on each side. Oh, they stand out! First ride on the new tires takes place this week. Speaking of new... I'm biting the bullet and going with clip in pedals and shoes. I'M TERRIFIED! I've ridden bikes since I was a kid and I have always opted not to use the pedal baskets or shoe clips because I am not known for my grace and balance. I just KNOW that I will be the one that falls over on her bike.. Uh, huh! That will be me, tangled up in the bike, shoes still clipped in, and going nowhere fast. :)
Something fun! Record and send me a video! I'll get to see it after I finish my ride. Click here for instructions. You don't have to donate to make and upload a video and I'll love every single one of them! :) Just keep it to 10-15 seconds and the whackier, the better! :D
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
The Curse of Technology - Part 1
Let me start by saying that technology is a great thing. Just look around and you can see the advances that have been made possible through technology. I'm willing to bet that every one of you have at least 2 technological devices with you right now (one being the computer, tablet, or phone with which you are reading this blog). And while there are many wonderful things that have come from technological advances, technology has its dark side...
What do I mean? Glad you asked! How about email? What a great invention! But, is it responsible for starting the slide into darkness? Let's see... We can send "letters" in the blink of an eye! But how this has warped our expectations! Remember back to when email was new? It was for business communications and turning in college coursework. If you wanted to make plans with someone, you picked up the phone and called them. But as email evolved (thank you hotmail, yahoo, et al) it started moving in on the territories of the phone and the postal service. As more people set up email accounts, it became possible to send letters via email rather than snail mail. You could compose a letter and have it arrive to the recipient within minutes though you would probably wait at least a week to hear back from that person as email was fairly new and they didn't really check it more than once a week or so. But that was faster than mailing a letter and less expensive than a long distance call. And I can remember when I would ask a friend for an email address and they would respond with "Oh, I don't do email". WHAT???!!!!?? What do you mean you don't do email? (Said in the incredulous tone of the aunt in My Big Fat Greek Wedding).
So when did email begin to change our expectations? For most of us, it was probably when we got our first job that included an email account set up on our computer. There was email, 8+ hours a day, just a mouse click away! And as we began to use email more, we began to expect quicker responses from co-workers, clients, friends. Same day wasn't good enough anymore. We had sent the email, we knew they had received the email, why weren't they responding to the email? Like, now! Email came to be seen as "instant" communication even before phone based text messaging existed.
So is email to blame for the downward spiral? Stay tuned...
What do I mean? Glad you asked! How about email? What a great invention! But, is it responsible for starting the slide into darkness? Let's see... We can send "letters" in the blink of an eye! But how this has warped our expectations! Remember back to when email was new? It was for business communications and turning in college coursework. If you wanted to make plans with someone, you picked up the phone and called them. But as email evolved (thank you hotmail, yahoo, et al) it started moving in on the territories of the phone and the postal service. As more people set up email accounts, it became possible to send letters via email rather than snail mail. You could compose a letter and have it arrive to the recipient within minutes though you would probably wait at least a week to hear back from that person as email was fairly new and they didn't really check it more than once a week or so. But that was faster than mailing a letter and less expensive than a long distance call. And I can remember when I would ask a friend for an email address and they would respond with "Oh, I don't do email". WHAT???!!!!?? What do you mean you don't do email? (Said in the incredulous tone of the aunt in My Big Fat Greek Wedding).
So when did email begin to change our expectations? For most of us, it was probably when we got our first job that included an email account set up on our computer. There was email, 8+ hours a day, just a mouse click away! And as we began to use email more, we began to expect quicker responses from co-workers, clients, friends. Same day wasn't good enough anymore. We had sent the email, we knew they had received the email, why weren't they responding to the email? Like, now! Email came to be seen as "instant" communication even before phone based text messaging existed.
So is email to blame for the downward spiral? Stay tuned...
Monday, June 3, 2013
Raspberry Mint Smoothie
Ingredients:
1 Sliced Banana
3/4 Cup Sliced Peaches with Juice
1/2 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt
5-7 Mint Leaves
3/4 Cup Frozen Raspberries
1 TBSP Hemp Hearts
1 TBSP Chia Seeds
1 TBSP Ground Flax Seeds
Blend Sliced Peaches with Juice, Sliced Banana, Mint Leaves, and Greek Yogurt until smooth. Add Hemp Hearts, Chia Seeds, and Ground Flax, blending again until smooth. Last add frozen Raspberries and blend until smooth. You may need to add a couple tablespoons of water or milk if the mixture is too thick to blend the frozen Raspberries.
Enjoy!
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Session 2 - Week 8
Week 8 of Session 2 is now completed! My schedule was as follows:
Sunday May 26th - I met up with the Bulls-Eye Bike Club for a FAST 75 km ride which can be read here: The Massive Hill of Death. I've never done 75 km in 3.5 hours before. At least now, I know I can. :D
Monday May 27th - Saturday June 1st -This week turned out to be a week of rest. Between business travel to Vancouver (The Bridge to Yesterday) for 3 days, poor eating over the week, and lack of quality sleep, I found myself mentally and physically unprepared for the week. Saturday has been spent getting "back on the wagon" by preparing my menus for the week, catching up on sleep, & re-hydrating, in preparation for a bike ride tomorrow morning.
I've learned a very valuable lesson. My current eating and exercise habits are now part of a lifestyle that I don't want to live without. I feel absolutely rotten physically & emotionally when I neglect myself, my health, nutrition, and mental state. Bring on the health! :D
Sunday morning I meet up with Herb of Bulls-Eye Bike Shop to ride from 7am to 12pm. Hill of Death, here I come (again)!
Sunday May 26th - I met up with the Bulls-Eye Bike Club for a FAST 75 km ride which can be read here: The Massive Hill of Death. I've never done 75 km in 3.5 hours before. At least now, I know I can. :D
Monday May 27th - Saturday June 1st -This week turned out to be a week of rest. Between business travel to Vancouver (The Bridge to Yesterday) for 3 days, poor eating over the week, and lack of quality sleep, I found myself mentally and physically unprepared for the week. Saturday has been spent getting "back on the wagon" by preparing my menus for the week, catching up on sleep, & re-hydrating, in preparation for a bike ride tomorrow morning.
I've learned a very valuable lesson. My current eating and exercise habits are now part of a lifestyle that I don't want to live without. I feel absolutely rotten physically & emotionally when I neglect myself, my health, nutrition, and mental state. Bring on the health! :D
Sunday morning I meet up with Herb of Bulls-Eye Bike Shop to ride from 7am to 12pm. Hill of Death, here I come (again)!
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