I am still here!!!

Today I went for a 13 mile bicycle ride, from my house to the park and back.  It was windy, ENE 13mph, so It was tough going. I just had to kick it down a gear so I could ride comfortably.  I want to have fun, not punish myself.

At home I made a wonderful JUICE!!  Carrot, cucumber, red beet, green apples, lime, and ginger root.  It was so delicious!!  I have been getting 5 lb bags of carrots at the grocery store and I switched from lemons to limes because lemons are 3 for $1.99, and limes are 8 for $1.00... It's a no brainer... 

I joined Curves, but I don't go there as often as I should.  Things come up and the timing is off, or whatever. My intention was to alternate days with Curves and bike riding. 

Last night I did an exercise thing on some channel on Netflix. It was a 30 min. routine and I think I made it to 15 mins.  Those girls are about 20 and they do this all the time. I am making excuses for not hanging tough and finishing the whole 30 mins. They didn't even look like they were sweating, they were smiling, and they were not out of breath..... I guess like anything, the more you do it the better you get at it.  I will try again this evening. 

That's it for now... Just wanted to catch up since I realized I hadn't been here since August, 2012, three months ago!!!

Other things are going on with a family member and a friend who both had surgeries within the past couple of days.  Nothing I can do to help, just offer encouragement and support, that's all.

More later!  

Tues Aug 14, 2012

I just had the best sandwich... Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Grain bread, toasted, spread with hummus I made this morning, and olive tapenade, then layered with roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, cilantro and romaine lettuce.  TASTY!!

This morning I rode my bike to the park, took photos, stopped to look at the beginning of the National Waterskiing Championship that started today, and enjoyed the beautiful morning.  Just a couple of photos to view.

Feeling Much Better!

I regrouped and I have been juicing and eating mostly raw foods since Aug 2, so that is 11 days now.  I think I lost about 7 lbs, and I feel so much better.

This morning I was up at 7:00, out the door by 7:30 and rode my bike to the local park. The ride was a total of 14 miles!  I felt so good, just rolling along and I stopped here and there to take photos, also stopped to refill my water bottle, but the rest of the time, I was rolling....  What a fantastic way to start off the day!!

Before I retired, when on my way to work I would see people taking walks, and I would say to myself, "That's what I am going to do when I retire."  It took almost 3 years for that to happen.  I was busy sitting in my recliner, getting fatter and more miserable each day.  The sad part was, I didn't even realize these things were happening to me... I was oblivious to how I looked and felt.

Then, I got to the point that I was so sick of how I felt and what was happening to my body.  The high blood pressure, acid reflux, high cholesterol, dry skin, puffy face, etc.

On January 31, I saw, "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead" and the rest of the story is that I have lost about 35 lbs, improved my cholesterol and blood pressure, skin is softer, and I feel so much better.  PLUS, I am riding my bicycle 4-5 times per week.

I love just gliding through the air, zinging along, sometimes focusing on my breathing cadence, usually matching it to the music I was hearing through my iPhone earphones.  It has become a joy and a pleasure to get out there.  I get to say hello to the other people out there exercising, they are running, walking, riding bicycles, doing the heart trail, kayaking, water skiing.  That in itself, is encouraging and great to feel that I am a part of that.

More later!!

Sports Tracker

I have been using Sports Tracker app on my iPhone to record my workouts.  There is an option to get workout buddies.  So far, I have a buddies in Russia (he said they call it the Russian Switzerland), and near Como, Italy.  I love to check their workouts and make comments. The guy in Italy said he uses a translator to read and write our comments.  I have a lot of questions for them, but I am trying to go easy on them.  haha

Here is a workout from Aug 1 to give you an idea of the data it displays. It uses the iPhone GPS to get the information.  I love it!  I burned 640 kcal!!!

I had been feeling very CRAPPY, look at my face ^^^!  All puffy!  I realized I had been eating sugar, dairy, fats (Oh, that sounds like cheesecake!), so I had to put a stop to that.  I also noticed how my attitude was CRAPPY as well.  Kind of depressed!  My weight was staying the same, but that must have been luck or something.

I can see how important what I eat is to how I look and feel.

Two or three days ago I got SERIOUS and started juicing and eating at home, mostly raw foods.  In that time, my face changed :-) and I lost 2 or 3 pounds!  Why do I go off track?  These old eating habits creep in very insidiously, very sneaky, so I have to be on guard at all times.  If I want to change, I have to change!  "Nothing changes if nothing changes."  I guess I am an all or nothing kind of person.

My latest bike ride (yesterday) was 13.8 miles. I have been riding from my house to the park (4 miles), then around the park (5 miles) then back home (4 miles).  My average speed is improving, my strength and stamina are coming back.  I used to put my bike on my car rack and drive it to the park.  I thought, "What's another 8 miles?" I love the ride to the park and back because there are trees on the east side of the roadway beside the bike path, which offer shade as long as I go in the morning.  Also, the bike paths that are smooth, so I can gather up some speed and get some breathing going, no interruptions!  On the way back from the park, I ride through a small park, under rows of trees, which is great because the Florida sun is very HOT.  My bike ride is usually 1 hour, 15 mins. or so.  I think this is a good workout.

I have ridden my new bike about 225 miles by now and I have to say, I love this bike. It is like a well-oiled machine, very smooth and zings right along.  Look at previous posts to see photos of my bike.

If you go out to ride your bike or any other activity, remember to drink plenty of water. You can be dehydrated when you wake up in the morning.  I drink about 16-20 oz of water before I leave the house and I take three 20oz bottles of water and an ice pack with me in an insulated bag that I attach to my rear rack.  When I need a refill, I just stop and do it.  I don't like to stop for too long, only a min or two, because I am all charged up and it is hard to get back the momentum and energy.

Anyhow... Things are going great.

I am going to a wedding next month and picked out an outfit to wear.  Here is a photo, not so great, but you may get the idea.

I will be wearing some strappy shoes and some nice jewelry.  If I feel good about the outfit and I am comfortable and don't have to keep fussing over it, I will be okay.  The wedding is Sept 7, so I am excited because it is out of state, so will be my vacation for this year.  It is on the east coast by the ocean, but I already live in Paradise. It is somewhere I have never been before, so that is exciting and it will be a lot of fun.  The whole FamDamLy will be there!

More later.

Granola

Granola!!!!

I just made my second batch of granola.  

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a big bowl put:

1 cup rolled oats

handful of almonds

handful of pumpkin seeds

handful of sunflower seeds

maple syrup to taste

honey to taste

dried cranberries (added after baking)

Stir everything but dried cranberries, until blended, spread on a jellyroll pan lined with parchment paper.  Bake for 15 mins, then stir, bake for another 10-15 mins and stir again.  Do not overbake.  This is when I added the dried cranberries.  Remove granola mixture from pan with parchment paper and put on counter to cool.  Put into a quart mason jar and tightly seal.  Use within 2 weeks, OH SO YUMMY!!!

Okeeheelee Park today, July 8, 2013

I love Okeeheelee Park and my bike rides are becoming a habit.  I need to challenge myself more, rather than just going around the lake.  The weekends are pretty busy, so I will try to extend the ride, go faster, in less time, during the weekdays.  I don't want to ride on the roadways because it feels unsafe.  People in cars get mad because you are saving money by not having to buy gas.. LOL

I checked out a new place in Jupiter, FL - Riverbend Battlefield Park.  Two battles during the Seminole Indian Wars in 1838 took place in this area.  This is a beautiful location, and it's no wonder the Seminoles selected this area to live. The Loxahatchee River is nearby, it is quiet and so peaceful.  I went there yesterday to check it out, and there are shell-rock roads and when you drive over them, there is a lot of white dust kicked up.  I am having second thoughts about taking my new bike up there.  It is hot now, during the summer, so I may need to wait until fall or winter to drive the 30 miles to get there.

New Hybrid Bicycle DiamondBack Vital 2

I am the proud owner of a new DiamondBack Vital 2 hybrid bicycle.  It is so nice to ride a good bicycle. 

My first bike as an adult was a men's Raleigh road bike in 1972, a birthday present from boyfriend Jerry A.  I got a lot of miles out of that bike.  Next was a Huffy, Freespirit mountain bike, which I gave away, then a Huffy Nel Lusso one-speed Cruiser. I was having trouble riding through the wind with the single speed, so next I bought a Pacific Shorewood 7-speed cruiser.  I liked the cruisers because I could sit upright and not have pressure on my hands, but they had balloon tires and those babies are slow... The Pacific had a crappy drivetrain and grip twist shifting, so it kept slipping out of gear and was a general pain in the butt.  I had it adjusted a couple of times and the guy at the shop said that was the best I could expect from a cheap-o $150 bike.

Enter the DiamondBack Vital 2 Hybrid bicycle.  Even though it has 700c wheels it still fits me, plus I got a 15" frame, so I have entered into the world of REAL bicycles.. This is relatively inexpensive at $299, but those most I have spent on a bicycle.  It has index shifting and a Shimano drivetrain, 21-speed, 3 front and 7 rear derailleurs.  It is so cool with smooth shifting and narrow tires.  I totally love riding this baby.  I need to have some more adjustments, like move the handlebars back toward me so I don't have to reach or rest my weight on my hands.  I want to sit upright and be comfortable. I put on a rear bike rack and a water bottle cage, and beyond that, nothing else will go on this bike.  I want to put a more comfortable saddle on the bike, the one from my 7-speed that I bought two months ago. Swap em out!!!

A friend asked if I was interested in selling my one-speed cruiser and I sent her photos, but have not heard back from her.  I will ask her next time I see her.  I have my bikes on my enclosed porch and there isn't really room for 3 bikes.  I have a 2-bike rack on the porch and one of those bikes has to go!!  I don't want to throw the one-speed away, but I don't want to take up the space on my porch either.

One-Speed Huffy Nel Lusso

Seven-Speed Pacific Shorewood.

I am having so much fun riding my bike(s) at a local park.  I carry my bike to the park on my car, and feel much safer doing that than riding along the busy streets.  It is only 4 miles from my house to the park, so I don't feel too guilty about that.  The park is nice and very safe, lots of lakes and about 8 miles of well maintained bike paths.  Walkers, bikers, moms with strollers, people with dogs, etc. share the path, and there are a lot of people there on the weekends, but it is so great to see people out there taking care of their health.  There is a "Heart Trail" there too, so lots of traffic on that, which is good!!  I might even have to do the heart trail once in a while?  It is one of the nicest parks in the county, so I am very lucky to live close to it.  There is a bike rental place there too, and if I had a bike problem, those guys would help me.  I have been making friends with the manager there, good move!!  

So, that's what's new for now.. 

OH.... I almost forgot something very exciting.  My friend, Rob, bought a juicer and started juicing today!  Mean Green!!  

I am focusing on Mean Green juice lately and today, walked past desserts.... Once I start doing that (3 times last week!!), then I am in big trouble.  The sugar is so addictive and I can't just have one.  I am really serious about staying the course, but once in a while there will be detours.... This weight and out of shape body didn't happen overnight, so it will take time to UNDO what was DONE.  I notice that my biceps are starting to show and my lower arms are starting to get definition. My legs are getting muscular, thighs are ROCK HARD, except for the outer part, haha.

More later!!!

  

Bicycle Rides at Local Park

I have been riding my bicycle at a local park for that past week - 10 days.  I love the early morning rides because the heat is not quite as bad at 7am.  HAHA, Like I ever get there by 7am!!  I got a nice rack (thank you) for my car, so I can focus my bike riding to the park rather than on the getting there and home.  One of the foam thingies on the rack tore in half, so I took some photos and emailed them to the manufacturer.... No questions asked, they sent me a new rack which was delivered today!

By now, I have gotten the knack of putting the rack on my car.  At first there was some overkill involved, and now I slimmed it down.  I use the rack, a foam piece over the pedal to protect my car, 2 microfiber cloths, one for under the top foam pieces on the trunk lid and the other between the bike and the rack, and one short bungee cord to hold the front wheel straight ahead so it doesn't bounce off my trunk lid, and I also run that same bungee through the bike rack to keep the bike from flopping when starting and stopping the car.

I wear a bike helmet and I attached a sun visor to it with velcro.  It was pretty easy to do.  Just used the strips of velcro that you can cut to size.  

I really need the sun protection and also need to protect my brains in case of a spill.  Even though I ride in a pretty safe environment, there is always a chance of an accident -  I remember my mom telling me the story of an older guy and his grandson riding their bikes, and they went around a corner and grandpa collided with an oncoming bicyclist.  A day later the guy died.  I don't think he had a helmet on his head.  So you never know when something like this will happen - that's why they call them "accidents."

I take the helmet/visor with me, 3 bottles of water which I have in a thermal lunch bag type thing that I bungee onto the rear bike rack. I have a bag in my car with the 3-way allen wrench, my bike lock, extra bungee cords, plastic bags, etc.  I have the plastic bags in case I get caught in the rain and I can put my iPhone in a bag so it won't get wet.  

Remember, I am only going about 4 miles from my house to the park in my car.  I consider these as test rides. I hope to expand my travels to other locations once I feel like I have a handle on things.  

I have been going to the park nearly every day.  I feel invigorated and energized because of the 30 min to one hour bike rides.  I am starting "somewhere" on my exercise routine.  I need to add some cardio and some flexibility exercises.  For now, I am happy with the progress I have made, and there is always room for improvement.

The photo to the right is Okeeheelee Park

My bicycle with lunch bag with bottled water on rear rack.

This is the route I rode today.  I change this up but aim for at least 5 miles and at least 30 mins.

These are the details on today's ride.  I improve each time, focusing on maintaining a steady pace, try not to stop at all during the ride, enjoying the scenery, watching for wildlife, and cute guys... :-)  *smile*

Below are three photos: Left, October 2011; Middle, April 2012; and Right, May 21, 2012.  That is encouragement and motivation to keep going... It can only get better.  I just noticed that the under eye area is not so puffy.  I don't use any concealer or anything under my eyes.  I use Clinique moisturizer lotion and Clinique City Sheer SPF 40 on my face.  I also use some baby sunscreen stuff I found at Walmart and got it because it was $3.50 and it was a small amount. I just read that sunscreen can lose it potency once it is past the expiration date, so I tossed the old sunscreen.

I have to improve my exercise routine.  Add cardio and flexibility exercises.  I am doing pretty good from what my life used to be.  The juices give me energy, the energy makes me want to do something so I walk or ride my bike.  I didn't get obese and sitting in my recliner overnight, so I have to keep that in mind, that a lifestyle change is over the long haul and it takes time.  If I go full-tilt-boogie I could risk injury or get worn out and lose interest.  I know this is life and death, so I have to be very serious about the change, but have fun and take it light, and I'll be alright... 

  

More later!!!

Weight loss before and after, or rather, at mid-way point:

Before:  October 15, 2011

After:  May 21, 2012:

I look like a different person, relaxed, refreshed, better posture, skin is clear.  I look all bunched up... and my after photo you can see the actual shape of my face... WOW.. you don't realize change until you see evidence of it.  I have 30 more pounds to go to my desired weight.  I don't care how long it takes, but it is going to happen!!!

My 10 Day juice fast became a 3 Day juice fast, which is okay because I have never done a juice fast before and I want to go easy.  My doctors said YES to a 3 to 5 day fast, and he was right on target.

Today was Day 3:  Started off with Mean Green juice, then later made pear, fennel, cilantro, and lemon.  After the juice the elimination was... well..  can you say "sludge?"  This morning I started soaking about 10 prunes, and they were ready to eat by 4pm.  I would say to soak them for at least 8 hours. They were delicious and my first food since Thursday evening.  But the elimination was... well..  can you say "sludge?"

I have been reading on the internet on how to break a juice fast, so I recommend that anyone doing this, please read, read, read the information or your fast would have been pointless.  The prunes flush out the toxins that were released during the fast.  The toxins were released from the bowel, but just kind of laying there, so the prunes will push out what was left in your bowels.

Then after eating the prunes, continue drinking the juices, preferably a fruit based juice. I saved some pear, fennel juice for this purpose.  Later this evening I may eat some grapes or some watermelon, since it is recommended that I eat a soft fruit.  Then tomorrow I will start off with a juice, some fruit and then a salad during the day.  As a treat, I will probably go to Whole Foods Market for a nice salad.  I will forego the other salads and dishes and just have green leafy salad with some veggies, and a light dressing, nothing creamy-ish.

For me, the cleanse is to rid leftover matter that has been laying in my intestines.  It is also to reacquaint my body with raw foods, as I have backslid a lot and need to get back on track.  I feel best when I am eating mostly raw, but seem to drift back to old habits.  So it is a "reboot" of my system.

I want to sprout beans, so I bought a wide-mouth quart jar, and got cheesecloth (food graded), and then went to Jo-Ann's Fabrics and bought some needlepoint plastic mesh 13"x10" for $.59.  I traced the outline of the lid (not the ring) and cut it out, then laid it on top of the jar and put the ring on and closed the jar...  I have plenty of the mesh left so when and if it gets funky, I can easily cut out another round and toss the other one.  I will use the plastic mesh for beans and the cheesecloth for seeds or smaller things.  I am soaking mung beans and before I go to sleep tonight I will drain them very well and first thing in the morning rinse them well and prop the jar so it is kind of at a 45 degree angle.  This will keep most of the beans on the side of the jar and allow the water to drain out.  The idea is to keep the beans spread out and moist, but no water remaining to create mold.  They will sprout in 4 days or so and you can let them continue to sprout til they are the desired length.  Then you can store them in a plastic bag.  I think I will keep 2 or 3 jars going so I can start one each day and rotate so I will have fresh mung bean sprouts every day.

I will use the mung bean sprouts in salads, and I am reading about other ways to use them.  They are very nutritious and "good for what ails ya" like my grandpa used to say.  Here is the nutritional data on mung bean sprouts (raw).

http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2333/2

I use this website to look up foods so I can see what I am eating or juicing.

No bike ride today because when I woke up this morning I felt goony-headed and took a shower, made a juice and rested, then the "sludge" release and I started to feel better.  Later I went to the mall and walked around a bit and came back home. Tomorrow is another day for the bike ride.  I want to get up VERY EARLY!!  We will see how that plays out.

More later.....

Bike Carrier and 10-Day Reboot

First things first:  Yesterday, a bike carrier and adaptor bar were delivered.  This will allow me to take my bike to parks and bike paths nearby, but too far to ride to because of the additional mileage.  I can also drive over to Palm Beach and ride my bike on the Lake Trail, which is one of my favorite places.  It rained today so no bike ride and I have been inside most of the day.

Secondly, today I started a 10-Day juice only reboot.  Or rather, I am going to aim for 10 days, or do at least 5 days.. or at least 3.. HAHA... Anyhow, this morning I went to the produce market and got a beautiful watermelon and a pineapple.

Day 1:

This morning I had pear, fennel, red globe grapes, lemon, and ginger.  When I say ginger, I mean ginger root.  The juice was spectacular! I named it "The Eliminator."

This afternoon I had, Mean Green which is swiss chard, celery, cucumber, granny smith apples, lemon, and ginger.

Tonight I had carrot, celery, and red beet juice.  This is an old standby that I started to drink 35 years ago.  Sadly, there was a very long lapse between then and recently when I started to juice again.

I think I will have to go to bed early tonight so I can stop feeling hungry... I read that after day 2 or 3 it gets easier, and the hunger goes away.  It's as though you body gets used the the nutrition in liquid form and forgets about the chewing, solid form.  I think the fast helps with thinking about food all the time.  OH maybe I am a food addict!??  YEP I think I am!!!

MEAN GREEN!!!!!

The weather report for tomorrow shows rain, but I may try to get out during a break in the rain.  I think the first dry day will be Tuesday.  If I can't get out I will probably go to the mall and do a "mall walk."  It's safe, air-conditioned, and dry.

Thirdly, I have been experimenting with making videos while biking.  I tried different methods to attach the camera to the bike.  First one was putting camera on a DIY mount on the handlebars. That was way too shaky.   Second one was to mount the camera on a tripod, then bungee the tripod to the handlebar stem. This was much more steady and secure. There are many different mounts you can buy, but I was trying to use materials I had on hand, therefore, no cost.  As a result of taking the videos with my small digital (16mgpix) camera, I have been making them with iMovie on my computer and that has been fun, but I think I should watch a tutorial instead of taking a stab at it... It would be more productive.

Here is my latest video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZY94SPbzUFU&list=PL765895BD18B25040&index=3&feature=plpp_video


More later!!!

Rode Bike 10 Miles Today

I rode another 10 miles today, but it was hot and I got knackered.. Wiped out... I pushed myself to eventually enjoy the ride home.  People!!  Drink a lot of water before you even begin your outdoor activity... Put on sunscreen at least 15 mins before going out so it activates.  Take plenty of water with you and maybe take along a banana.  I did okay with that today, but I can NOT go out at 10am because that is way too late.  I have to start at least by 7am, then I would be home by 9am, way before it is horrible.  Today I left at 10am, got back at noon. OH when the sun is at its peak hatefulness...  Live and learn (I know better)

My friend suggested that on the days I do a long ride of 8-10 miles or more, that I take off the next day since my body needs the rest to rebuild.  So tomorrow is my day off.. She suggested that I do yoga or maybe work with some 3-5 lb weights, do general stretching, etc.

I saw this awesome video of a 2+ hour bicycle ride in the Netherlands.  I skipped through it, looked up the places on Google maps, checked out street view, etc.  Now I want to be able to mount a camera on my bike.  You can use a reflector mount, put it on your handlebars, rig up a 1/4" x 20 thread bolt between 3/4" and 2", use washers, nuts, rubber washers, etc.  and screw your camera to it.  Simplified version....  Of course I researched this on the internet, watched some YouTube videos, etc. so now I am an expert.. HAHAHHAHA

I had a nice pear, fennel, ginger juice this evening.  Tomorrow, first thing.. Mean Green!!!  Maybe go for a 20 min walk, something easy... I am excited for my bike rack and adaptor bar to arrive so I can travel to different locations to ride my bike. I enjoy riding in parks and on bike paths, rather than on the roadway.

More later.

Bicycle Carrier for My Car

I have been researching bicycle carriers for my car.  I don't want to get bored or uninspired about bike riding, so if I can take my bike on my car to other locations, I will have many, many different places to ride.  I can drive close to Palm Beach and ride on Lake Trail, which is a bike/walk trail on the Intracoastal (west) side of the island of Palm Beach.  It is beautiful and runs from the middle bridge (Okeechobee Blvd in West Palm Beach), north to the inlet. There are many side streets to ride and just because you are in Palm Beach, doesn't mean you have to spend a lot of money to have a great time there. You can go to TooJay's restaurant and the prices are the same as at any other TooJay's, or I have gone to Publix in Palm Beach and purchased a sandwich, a drink and a piece of fruit for under $7-8... Then go out under a tree across the street and enjoy a rest.  You can also use the bathrooms at either of those places.  I am sure there are many more places, like Green's Pharmacy that has a lunch counter and probably bathrooms.

I also like to ride in the City of Lake Worth which is situated along the Intracoastal, and you can ride north and south, or pump up over the bridge and go over to the ocean, hang at the beach, maybe have lunch, then ride north or south along A1A.  I happen to like riding on the walkways, rather than out in the road.  The bike lanes are very narrow, as they were added after the roadway was built, as an afterthought.  I just feel safer on the walkways and I usually travel at a slow pace, so I don't freak people out who are walking.  Since, the Lantana bridge is closed you can't ride a big loop, south along the ocean, across Lantana bridge, north on Federal to Lakeside or Palmway...  But you can ride to Lantana beach, or to John G's another great breakfast or lunch place, and double back.

I love to ride through John Prince Park, and I think that loop is about 7 miles.  The park is 645 acres with bike paths from one end to the other and all over the place.  There is even a campground in there!  This park also has a big lake with water skiing, boating, rentals, lots of pavilions for shade and picnics.  I think this park lacks a concession, so you have to bring everything you need, or go across the road to Publix to get drinks or snacks.

I have been riding to Okeeheelee Park but that is almost 4 miles from my place, so I would ride 8 miles just to get there and back, and there are about 4 miles of bike paths throughout the park.  It is a beautiful relatively new(er) park with a lot of stuff to do.  There are baseball diamonds, water skiing, bike/kayak/canoe rentals, big lakes, a golf course next to the park, a nature center with walk paths through the nature area.  It is a county park, as is John Prince Park.

I want to explore Wellington, but not quite sure where to go.  Thank God for Google maps, so I can check that out.

My friend has the right idea.  She lives along the major north/south bus line, so she could put her bike on the front of the bus (only holds 2 bikes), travel south to Delray, have lunch, then ride her bike north to return home, about 9 miles.  If you have a south wind behind you, you can make that trip without killing yourself.

Okay, back to the bike carriers.  I bought a nice folding 1-bike rack today.  After I got it all unpacked and checked out the information online, I discovered it has a weight limit of 35 lbs, and my bike is 42 lbs without the basket and back rack, so let's say it is 46-48 lbs.  That makes me nervous, so the rack is going back tomorrow.  I went to Walmart online and ordered another rack, not fold up, but a 2 bike rack with a 70 lb weight limit made by Allen, model 102DB, for $35!!!  I have been watching videos and going to their website, www.allensportsusa.com.  I also ordered the adaptor for a female bike to put a crossbar for it to rest on the carrier holders, and that was $12.87 at Amazon.com.  Both will arrive next week.

I will have to be content with riding my bike locally for another week.  I went to Okeeheelee again today and rode 10 miles, average speed 8.5mph, going into a 12mph wind on the way home, so it was a challenge.  Plus, I did not feel well after eating a huge bowl of broccoli cheddar soup last night... Why did I do that?  I eat the wrong thing and always suffer.

Before I retired, I thought of all the things I could do, lose weight, exercise, eat better, etc, etc, and here it is!! I am doing it!!  It took a while for it to happen, almost 3 years (I retired in 2009), but here I am, enjoying entertainment, that has initial investments, but after that it is FREE...

Today I went to Whole Foods and had a beautiful salad and asian cole slaw, plus asian noodles with some veggie mixture on it.  That was much better for me but I think it will take 3 days for me to feel better.  I also had watermelon juice after the bike ride, then tonight had Mean Green juice, so I feel somewhat replenished.  The ginger root helps my stomach settle down.  Hopefully, tomorrow I will feel better and ready for another bike ride.

That's all for now.. More later..

This morning I had a doctor's appointment that I have been anticipating for a long time.  Six months ago he told me I had to do something about my weight and that my cholesterol was high, and that I had to get that under control or he would prescribe medication.  I am told that once you go on cholesterol medication you are on it forever...

So here is the report:  I lost 30 lbs and my BP was 110/70... WOW!!! They are doing bloodwork, but I don't have the results on that yet. I am so excited!!  In November my BP was 123/82, so this was a significant improvement.  I also showed him my Sports Tracker app that has the total of my activities (walking and cycling)... He seemed to be pleased at the work I am doing.  24 workouts, total time 09:37:26, Distance 60.94 miles, Calories 3,923 kcal.

I missed my bike ride and walk today because I had the doctor's appointment.  Tomorrow I have an appointment to have the a/c on my car checked.  If I don't get out there early in the day, I don't get the ride in because the feels like temp today was 87 or something!!  It has started to be very humid lately.  I have to get a handle on when to do exercise, when to drink juice, how much heat and humidity I can stand, etc.  I can also go for a swim because I have a pool where I live.  There are a lot of possibilities.

I have to get to bed so I can get up and do a bike ride before I go to the car shop tomorrow morning.  Goodnight all....

Exercise...

I have been talking about juicing.. I lost 30 lbs and decided it was time to start MOVING!!  So now it is time to talk about exercise.  Around April 7, 2012, I started walking, then I started riding my 1-speed bicycle, then I bought a new 7-speed bike.  I downloaded an app "Sports Tracker" on my iPhone.  It motivated and excited me to take walks and ride my bike.  I can compare myself with myself to gauge improvements as I continue to walk and bike.  I have been experimenting with using panniers, a front basket liner, and I just added a ding-a-ling bell, woo hoo... I don't have the confidence to lock my bike and walk away from it.  I think I am too paranoid to leave it because I have the sense that I will come back and it will be gone, poof.

My longest ride so far was 6.49 mi, 48:54 mins, average speed 8.0 mph.  Keep in mind that I am riding a cruiser type bike, and that I am not racing, just want to get my heart rate up and breathe a little bit.  I don't want to knock myself out or make it a chore.

I put a visor on my bike helmet.  I found that I was hesitant to wear my bike helmet because there was a tiny sun visor on it, not large enough to provide any sun protection.  I was wearing a sun visor, so I did some searching on the internet for ideas (I love doing research!!), and so I took a woven grass visor and used velcro to attach it to the outside of my bike helmet, like this:

My friend says it looks like I have a cream pie on my head, but I tried it out today and it works great so far.  The visor did not fly off and I had great protection.  I am more of a function, rather than form person.  If people want to laugh at me I am happy I could provide some type of entertainment.. haha... But after going through 5 or 6 facial surgeries, I am happy to wear something that keeps my face in the shade.

This is a photo of my fridge today.  Behind the water pitcher is 1/2 watermelon, and the juice on the top shelf is watermelon and blackberry juice.  What a treat!!  I was always told not to mix watermelon with any other fruits, but I cast caution to the wind and combined the two juices.  I am still alive, so I can't see the harm in doing that.  Back to the fridge: Strawberries, almond milk, watermelon, balsamic vinegar/oil, oranges, cucumbers, romaine, spring garden mix, celery, kale, fennel bulb, bell peppers, pears, apples, lemons, ginger root, etc, etc.... I will juice most of this within the next 3-4 days, so I usually have very fresh food, most of the time.  I love the colors!!

Regarding exercise.  If I can either take a brisk walk or go on a bike ride, but the main thing is to do something at least 30 mins.  If I can do that 3-5 times per week, I am doing very well.  Anything is better than doing nothing.... Here are my stats so far, since April 7, 2012:  

Workouts: 23

Total Time: 08:58:37

Distance: 55.42 miles

Energy: 3,616 kcal

I think this is awesome and I love the Sports Tracker because you can see the accumulative effect.  It all adds up and every little bit counts.  I can work up to doing more and pushing myself harder as I go along.  I don't want it to become a chore that I will want to put off til later.  I want to be excited and have FUN!!  

Over the past month, the weather report has been for afternoon showers/thunderstorms, so some days I have delayed going out, but finally, I realize that if I go out in the morning I will most likely avoid getting caught in a storm.  The daily rain has made everything green and lush, but they still say we will have a dry summer and that drought conditions will no be eased just because of one month of rain.  Todays clouds:

Monday, May 21, I go for a doctor's checkup and he will do blood work.  I can't wait to see the results!!!

More later...