I plan on participating in this year' Tour de Cure for the American Diabetes Association. I will be taking part in the 50km event on March 8th. I need either sponsors or teammates, and all participants must raise at least $150 in order to ride. Who's in?
Not too shabby for the short leg of the week. Stoked about my success in the last weigh-in, I took a 32-mile bike ride on Monday. After a lazier day on Tuesday, Kerri and I had a last-minute, 4.15-mile walk/jog last night and I think that helped quite a bit. I have a very supportive wife, and that is helping to make a lot of difference.
This weigh-in was 164.5 lbs, down 2.0 lbs from Monday's reading of 166.5 lbs. I am now 19.5 pounds above my target weight.
Total weight lost: 15.5 lbs (8.61% of my body weight). At my target weight I will have lost nearly 20% of my body weight. I am currently at 44.29% of my goal.
My new BMI calculation is 26.55, which is a decrease of 0.32 from last reading. My total BMI decrease is 2.50 kg/m2 At my target weight my BMI will be 23.4. At that point, new fitness goals will be set; but for now I am focusing on this goal.
Progress thus far:
01.01.2009 / 180.0 lbs (-0.0) / 29.05 BMI (-0.00) / 0.0 mi biked
01.05.2009 / 176.5 lbs (-3.5) / 28.48 BMI (-0.57) / 9.9 mi biked
01.08.2009 / 174.5 lbs (-2.0) / 28.16 BMI (-0.32) / 23.9 mi biked
01.12.2009 / 173.0 lbs (-1.5) / 27.92 BMI (-0.24) / 42.1 mi biked
01.15.2009 / 172.5 lbs (-0.5) / 27.84 BMI (-0.08) / 47.5 mi biked
01.19.2009 / 170.0 lbs (-2.5) / 27.44 BMI (-0.40) / 37.3 mi biked
01.22.2009 / 169.0 lbs (-1.0) / 27.27 BMI (-0.16) / 39.1 mi biked
01.26.2009 / 166.5 lbs (-2.5) / 26.87 BMI (-0.40) / 34.0 mi biked, 9 mi walked
01.29.2009 / 164.5 lbs (-2.0) / 26.55 BMI (-0.32) / 43.0 mi biked, 8.4 mi walked
I was quite pleased with one change that I saw on Skinnyr with Thursday's weigh-in: my BMI classification changed from "Overweight" to "Marginally Overweight".
I know it sounds like I'm splitting hairs, but considering the fact that I began this journey with a BMI of 29.05 (just a couple of pounds away from the "Obese" category), I have made quite a bit of progress. I am proud to say that I am now only three pounds away from the normal weight range for my height - a goal that I should be able to achieve within a week or so. Even then I will still have plenty of work to do, but I'm happy with these steps towards getting back to where I once was.
This is the kind of weight loss I'd like to see every week! I have, of course, been continuing with my bike riding regimen; with today's ride I will have had a substantial ride every day for the last 23 days. February 3rd will be a big day for me because it will mark an entire month of bike riding. Also contributing to the weight loss is my near-nightly walks with Kerri around our neighborhood - it helps us get exercise and walk off the stresses of the day.
This weigh-in was 166.5 lbs, down 2.5 lbs from Monday's reading of 169.0 lbs. I am now 21.5 pounds above my target weight.
Total weight lost: 13.5 lbs (7.50% of my body weight). At my target weight I will have lost nearly 20% of my body weight.
My new BMI calculation is 26.87, which is a decrease of 0.40 from last reading. My total BMI decrease is 2.18 kg/m2 At my target weight my BMI will be 23.4. At that point, new goals will be set; but for now I am focusing on this goal.
Progress thus far:
01.01.09 / 180.0 lbs (-0.0) / 29.05 BMI (-0.00) / 0.0 mi biked
01.05.09 / 176.5 lbs (-3.5) / 28.48 BMI (-0.57) / 9.9 mi biked
01.08.09 / 174.5 lbs (-2.0) / 28.16 BMI (-0.32) / 23.9 mi biked
01.12.09 / 173.0 lbs (-1.5) / 27.92 BMI (-0.24) / 42.1 mi biked
01.15.09 / 172.5 lbs (-0.5) / 27.84 BMI (-0.08) / 47.5 mi biked
01.19.09 / 170.0 lbs (-2.5) / 27.44 BMI (-0.40) / 37.3 mi biked
01.22.09 / 169.0 lbs (-1.0) / 27.27 BMI (-0.16) / 39.1 mi biked
01.26.09 / 166.5 lbs (-2.5) / 26.87 BMI (-0.40) / 34.0 mi biked, 9 mi walked
I realize that over the past couple of years I have resigned myself to being fat. I have made jokes at my own expense and allowed my confidence in myself drop as quickly as my physical activity. I have always thought of it as an inevitability that I would be overweight for the rest of my life, whether it be due to lack of exercise, poor dietary habits, or genetics.
Tonight I came to a realization: all of that is bullshit.
Not only is it completely ludicrous that a 24-year-old would have such poor foresight and self-confidence to think that he was doomed to live a life of obesity, but it is also silly that I forget the times that I was an athlete. In fact, I have spent more time as a fit person than I have as a fat one.
I cannot (and shall not) consider myself a fat person trying to become skinny. Rather, I am beginning to adopt the attitude that I am an athlete who has let himself go and will work to return to healthier times. I must refuse to allow myself to entertain those negative thoughts and allow myself to slip into those old habits. It's time for me to readjust my focus and approach this situation from the right angle.
Thanks to everybody for their support and well-wishes.
Small loss this weigh-in, but I'm satisfied. I enjoyed a couple of tough rides this week and Kerri and I began a walking routine at night for some last-minute cardio. This is the short leg of the week, so I'm not too worried about the small number (I am down 3.5 lbs from one week ago).
This weigh-in was 169.0 lbs, down 1 lb from Monday's reading of 170.0 lbs. I am now 24.0 pounds above my target weight.
Total weight lost: 11.0 lbs (6.11% of my body weight). At my target weight I will have lost nearly 20% of my body weight.
My new BMI calculation is 27.27, which is a decrease of 0.16 from last reading. My total BMI decrease is 1.78 kg/m2 At my target weight my BMI will be 23.4. At that point, new goals will be set; but for now I am focusing on this goal.
Progress thus far:
01.01.2009 / 180.0 lbs (-0.0) / 29.05 BMI (-0.00) / 0.0 miles biked
01.05.2009 / 176.5 lbs (-3.5) / 28.48 BMI (-0.57) / 9.9 miles biked
01.08.2009 / 174.5 lbs (-2.0) / 28.16 BMI (-0.32) / 23.9 miles biked
01.12.2009 / 173.0 lbs (-1.5) / 27.92 BMI (-0.24) / 42.1 miles biked
01.15.2009 / 172.5 lbs (-0.5) / 27.84 BMI (-0.08) / 47.5 miles biked
01.19.2009 / 170.0 lbs (-2.5) / 27.44 BMI (-0.40) / 37.3 miles biked
01.22.2009 / 169.0 lbs (-1.0) / 27.27 BMI (-0.16) / 39.1 miles biked
This is a big deal to me. 10 lbs lost over an 18-day period. Let's hope I can keep it up, because I have 25 lbs to go!
Go figure. I wasn't able to bike as much this week, yet I had a more significant loss this time. I was still able to get in an average of 9.3 miles each day.
This weigh-in was 170.0 lbs, down 2 and a half pounds from Thursday's reading of 172.5 lbs. I am now 25.0 pounds above my target weight.
Total weight lost: 10.0 lbs (5.56% of my body weight). At my target weight I will have lost nearly 20% of my body weight.
My new BMI calculation is 27.44, which is a decrease of 0.40 from last reading. My total BMI decrease is 1.61 kg/m2 At my target weight my BMI will be 23.4. At that point, new goals will be set; but for now I am focusing on this goal.
Progress thus far:
01.01.2009 / 180.0 lbs (-0.0) / 29.05 BMI (-0.00) / 0.0 miles biked
01.05.2009 / 176.5 lbs (-3.5) / 28.48 BMI (-0.57) / 9.9 miles biked
01.08.2009 / 174.5 lbs (-2.0) / 28.16 BMI (-0.32) / 23.9 miles biked
01.12.2009 / 173.0 lbs (-1.5) / 27.92 BMI (-0.24) / 42.1 miles biked
01.15.2009 / 172.5 lbs (-0.5) / 27.84 BMI (-0.08) / 47.5 miles biked
01.19.2009 / 170.0 lbs (-2.5) / 27.44 BMI (-0.40) / 37.3 miles biked
16 mile ride today. North of River on Craycroft is a 380 vertical foot climb over a horizontal distance of 2.4 miles. This is only a 3% grade, but it was still tough (not to mention that I hate climbs). If I'm ever going to be a serious cyclist I will have to get over that.
This is beginning to piss me off. I averaged nearly 16 miles biking each day this session and I'm not seeing the payoff I was hoping for.
This weigh-in was 172.5 lbs, down just half a pound from Monday's reading of 173 lbs. I am now 27.5 pounds above my target weight.
Total weight lost: 7.5 lbs (4.17% of my body weight). At my target weight I will have lost nearly 20% of my body weight.
My new BMI calculation is 27.84, which is a decrease of 0.08 from last reading. My total BMI decrease is 1.21 kg/m2 At my target weight my BMI will be 23.4. At that point, new goals will be set; but for now I am focusing on this goal.
Progress thus far:
01.01.2009 / 180.0 lbs (-0.0) / 29.05 BMI (-0.00) / 0.0 miles biked
01.05.2009 / 176.5 lbs (-3.5) / 28.48 BMI (-0.57) / 9.9 miles biked
01.08.2009 / 174.5 lbs (-2.0) / 28.16 BMI (-0.32) / 23.9 miles biked
01.12.2009 / 173.0 lbs (-1.5) / 27.92 BMI (-0.24) / 42.1 miles biked
01.15.2009 / 172.5 lbs (-0.5) / 27.84 BMI (-0.08) / 47.5 miles biked
It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.In my travels through the city, I have come across some good (and many not-so-good) roads to take.-Ernest Hemingway
The Good:
Craycroft Road is smooth, relatively clean of potholes and debris, and has a nice, wide lane. I really enjoy the ride when I'm on Craycroft and I don't have as much fatigue from road inconsistencies and bumps.
Broadway Boulevard (especially westbound past Craycroft) is slightly downhill, has huge bike lanes and is also clean. If it weren't for all the damn hills, it would be my favorite.
Golf Links Bike Trail (beginning at the southeast corner of Golf Links Park) is relatively short but isolated from traffic. Mesquite trees line the side of the trail and it provides a safe, unencumbered ride towards Alvernon.
Tanque Verde Road eastbound after the Pima/Wilmot intersection is super-clean and a 6% grade downhill break from the horrors of Pima Road. I would never ride it uphill, though.
The Crappy:
22nd Street (anywhere). It is riddled with inconsistencies, holes and crap. I get exhausted just shortly into the ride. I avoid 22nd Street whenever possible.
Alvernon is terrifying. There is no bike lane and trucks like to try to clip bikers as they drive by. Assholes.
Grant Road is almost as scary, especially considering the number of large Lincolns and Buicks with drivers who can barely see over the steering wheel. Or at all. You get my point.
Wrightstown Road has an ample bike lane, if your bike is a quarter of an inch wide. There is hardly enough room for the cars, let alone a bike AND cars. I got off that road as soon as I could.
I have a weigh-in tomorrow. After a 15-mile/day average, I've got high hopes!
Well, that's a bit of a disappointment. Over 42 miles biked over 4 days and I only register a 1.5-lb loss. At least I'm heading in the right direction.
This weigh-in was 173.0 lbs, down 1.5 lbs from Thursday's reading of 174.5 lbs. I am now 28.0 pounds above my target weight.
Total weight lost: 7.0 lbs (3.89% of my body weight). At my target weight I will have lost nearly 20% of my body weight.
My new BMI calculation is 27.92, which is a decrease of 0.24 from last reading. My total BMI decrease is 1.13 kg/m2 At my target weight my BMI will be 23.4. At that point, new goals will be set; but for now I am focusing on this goal.
Progress thus far:
01.01.2009 / 180.0 lbs (-0.0) / 29.05 BMI (-0.0) / 0.0 miles biked
01.05.2009 / 176.5 lbs (-3.5) / 28.48 BMI (-0.57) / 9.9 miles biked
01.08.2009 / 174.5 lbs (-2.0) / 28.16 BMI (-0.32) / 23.9 miles biked
01.12.2009 / 173.0 lbs (-1.5) / 27.92 BMI (-0.24) / 42.1 miles biked
Since there are an odd number of days in the week, my semiweekly weigh-in will have a long leg and a short leg. The Thursday mid-week will be the short leg, so we won't see as substantial of a loss.
This weigh-in wasn't as encouraging as the last, but I'm happy about it. I had two days off of work in this three-day period so my eating habits weren't as disciplined. I was, however, able to get in some serious bike riding.
This weigh-in was 174.5 lbs, down 2.0 lbs from last Monday's reading of 176.5 lbs. I am now 29.5 pounds above my target weight.
Total weight lost: 5.5 lbs (3.06% of my body weight). At my target weight I will have lost nearly 20% of my body weight.
My new BMI calculation is 28.16, which is a decrease of 0.32 from last reading. At my target weight my BMI will be 23.4. At that point, new goals will be set; but for now I am focusing on this goal.
Progress thus far:
01.01.2009 / 180.0 lbs (-0.0) / 29.05 BMI (-0.0) / 0.0 miles biked
01.05.2009 / 176.5 lbs (-3.5) / 28.48 BMI (-0.57) / 9.9 miles biked
01.08.2009 / 174.5 lbs (-2.0) / 28.16 BMI (-0.32) / 23.9 miles biked
Enthusiastic about yesterday's good news, I took a nice long ride on my day off and I took another one today. Yesterday's was tough, because it included two hard climbs: Eastbound on Broadway between Pantano and Sarnoff (a 2.45% grade climb of 45 feet in about 1/3rd of a mile), and a much harder, shorter climb westbound on 22nd street between Pantano and Kolb (a 6.7% grade climb of 46 feet in about 1/8th of a mile). All in all, it was a 7.9 mile ride.
Today's ride was meant to be shorter, but I was able to convince myself to keep going and take a couple of detours on my way home. I would show you the point on the map where I literally turned around on my way home to continue my ride, but my GPS program had a hiccup and didn't complete the route. I entered the coordinates manually into a KML file, but there is a problem with the file. (The folks at GPSed are working on this as we speak).
My re-creation of the route in Google Maps:
My last weigh-in saw a loss of 3.5 lbs due to slightly better eating and just under 10 miles of biking for that time period. So far, I will have more than 20 miles under my belt for my upcoming weigh-in, so hopefully we will see more positive results!
I will be weighing in every Monday and Thursday throughout the year. Seems like my diet and exercise regimen might be the right way to go:
This weigh-in was 176.5 lbs, down 3.5 lbs from last week's weight of 180.0 lbs. I am now 31.5 pounds above my target weight.
My new BMI calculation is 28.48, which is a decrease of 0.57 from last reading. A BMI of over 25.00 is considered overweight. At my target weight my BMI will be 23.4. At that point, new goals will be set; but for now I am focusing on this goal.
Progress thus far:
01.01.2009 / 180.0 lbs (-0.0) / 29.05 BMI (-0.0) / 0.0 miles biked
01.05.2009 / 176.5 lbs (-3.5) / 28.48 BMI (-0.57) / 9.9 miles biked
I am under no delusion that I will be able to eat perfectly healthy for the rest of my life. So this time around, I am not dieting - instead, I am going to make better eating choices:
Not having so much soda
The occasional soda will definitely sneak it's way into my lunch once in a while, but the daily routine of 2-3 cans of Mountain Dew has to stop. Besides, two waters a day will be a much better choice.
More fruit and vegetables, less chips
Baby carrots and grapes are a poor substitute for a nice tasty bag of Nacho Cheesier Doritos, but they will do the trick. I can get used to them.
These (and other) changes, coupled with exercise, should be a good start. I won't be perfect - I would be a liar if I said I could go forever without having another bowl of ice cream or a delicious Nico's breakfast burrito - but I can make better choices, get some cardiovascular exercise each day, and ultimately try to live a much healthier lifestyle.
I took a new route on my way home today, and I won't again. The distance was the same (about 2.5 miles) but I think the condition of the road was too rough because it was a tough one on me.
As I get myself into a better condition, I will try to add some deviations to my routes to and from work in order to pad mileage and get extra workout in. But for now, I think I'll stick with the route I am comfortable with.