Phase 3

Alright, so i took a week off from strict dieting, and fortunately only gained one pound. but that is not a good pound, since it brought me back up to the ugly number 220. hopefully this will shed quickly though. exercise and eating well last week were difficult because i was so busy with school, job fairs, and interviews. everything's going really well though, i'm looking forward to some great job opportunities!

since i'm pretty good at doing short stints of strict diet plans, i think i'll try the Special K Challenge this time. i see the advertisements all the time, "Drop a Jean Size in 2 Weeks," and that sounds pretty good to me! besides, i love cereal. this may just work. so, i'm a loose size 16, i hope to be a loose size 14 by October 25. (does this mean that i will have to buy a new pair of jeans again? i just bought this pair 2 weeks ago! i guess $ is not a problem here!)

i checked out the website and designed a profile with my customized meal plan, and i'm liking it so far. the website is really interactive and easy to use. the meal plan consists basically of cereal and fruit for breakfast, a meal bar and fruit for lunch, 2 snacks, and a normal dinner meal. today i had a bowl of Special K cereal and a plum for breakfast and a Special K snack bar. lunch is coming up soon, i'll probably have a meal bar or another bowl. for dinner i'll have something yummy, with a snack before. i'm thinking that in order to succeed, i need to remind myself of the plan as often as i can and stick to it. no more making excuses to eat out, nina!

of course i will keep to my workout schedule and ride as often as possible. the weather's been beautiful lately.

pulling from my original motivations, my main motivations for this phase are:

1. gotta look good for the recruiters. i'll be spending a lot of time looking for full-time jobs and must feel good about myself during interviews.

2. my best friend, who moved to Idaho, will be coming to visit in November. i wanna should him the new me!

3. i am graduating in december. can't look like a walking refrigerator in mourning clothes when going across the stage!
4. starting a new career. i hope to have a job by the beginning of next year and must be able to fit well in and look good in formal, business, casual, and business-casual attire for every occasion. if i do end up getting a job with the company i interned with (cross my fingers!) i would really love to see the look on everyone's faces when they see how much i've changed.
5. do it for myself! i don't want to feel ashamed of myself being the big person in the back of the photograph surrounded by petite girlfriends. gotta fit in!
6. rack up the miles. weight loss is a big deal, but might as well see how many miles i can cross during the journey!

so, on to Phase 3, Day 1!!

My Last and Worst Bucket100

Phase 2 Part 2 Evaluation

weight: 218lbs

bucket: 121.2mi

total: 291.7

i was so close. i got down to 218lbs, it was difficult to do more. i was only able to work out twice last week, been so busy preparing to the job fair and packing for bucket. riding didn't help me lose too much since i ate a lot to replenish my fuel source.

bucket was awful. haha. usually they schedule it sometime in november, but this year they thought they would be nice by trying to go before it got too cold. but the temperature dropped last weekend and the weather was awful for the ride. it rained on saturday with freezing wind, and was so cold with a 30mph head wind on sunday. i've never done such a hard ride. CoverIN was so much better than this!!! so, in the end, i was not able to succeed in my goal of passing the Orange Helmet on to someone else (unless you count the guy i rode with the whole time and made sure i was in front of him as we got to the finish line) so yea, now i have really lame bragging rights, everyone's gonna think i'm crazy, and i'm so sore. it stinks that i was not able to enjoy the ride too much considering that this was my last one. really disappointing. and i was in such an awful mood today. it was so hard to concentrate in school, all i could think of was how everything hurt and how cold i was. i really hope i don't get sick, i tried so hard to dress well. totally did not get a cyclist's high, and i think RJ's gonna have to go into storage for the rest of the season, especially if it stays this cold. man.....

so yea, i tried as well as i could to accomplish Phase 2 Part 2, so now i think it's time to move onto Phase 3. but i'll set those goals in another blog post at a time when sitting at the computer doesn't hurt so much.

Day 4

weight: 218lbs

days left: 6

today: 0mi

total: 170.5mi

today was very busy, but it was good.

i went to class, then volunteered at the animal shelter for 2 hours, playing with the cute kitties. i tried walking the dogs at first, but there were so many people in the dog area i felt like i was in the way. instead i hung out with the furballs. it was really fun. afterwards i went to work and stood for 3 hours, then went to upper body class. it was a good active day.

i dunno if i ate too much, but it feels like i did. breakfast was yogurt, snack was fiber-one bar, lunch was chili and crackers, dinner was also chili, but with a bowl of cereal and 2 cookies for snack beforehand. i dunno, i guess chili just fills me up. maybe i shouldn't eat so much in one day.

tomorrow i'm hoping to ride to school if i get up early enough and if it's not too cold. if i don't get called into work again, i'll have plenty of time to finally go to volleyball and then to zumba (they're having a short class on wednesday this week, along with the normal thurs and fri classes)

autumn came so fast out of nowhere, it got really cold the past couple of days. i'm starting to be concerned about this little nose/throat thing i got goin on....

weather for bucket this weekend isn't looking so good. 62 and raining on saturday, 61 and sunny on sunday. i hope it won't really be that cold and ugly!! but then again, all these years of perfect riding weather couldn't have lasted much longer. oh darn!

Day 3

weight: 219lbs

days left: 7

today: 0mi

total: 170.5mi

haven't lost any since i was taking it easy this weekend. yesterday i worked really hard, we were so busy! all i had to eat was a pancake for breakfast, a peach for lunch, and a chocolate malt for dinner/snack.

today i was at school from 9am to 11:30pm trying to get a lot of work done before i leave this weekend for the ride. so i didn't get to workout and i had coffee for breakfast, jimmy johns for lunch, and a bowl of cereal and chips for dinner. not exactly the best choices.

tomorrow will hopefully be better. i am extremely busy, but will try my best to go to upper body workout, if the day doesn't kill me first, and i will try to eat good stuff. i'm really motivated to lose those 2 pounds, gotta do it!

Phase 2 Part 2

weight: 219lbs

days left: 9

today: 3.5mi

total: 170.5mi

so i'm thinking we'll call this Phase 2 Part 2, since it'll be a short goal.

i WILL lose the last 2lbs by Monday, October 4. i figure this will give me enough time to healthily lose weight and also get a lot of exercise in during Bucket 100.

motivations for this mini phase are mainly:

1. train for the Bucket 100 ride that is THIS WEEKEND!
2. gotta look good for the job recruiters. there is a job fair this friday and potential interviews too!

today was a good start. i didn't eat much and rode to work, where i stood for 8 hours. didn't ride back because it was raining, poor RJ got left out in the rain. dunno how tomorrow will go, i probably will sleep in and then head to work for another 8 or so hours of standing. we'll see.

oh yea, forgot to tell you, RJ got his new seat installed. apparently they were able to use the same post, so no added cost there. the seat is not as slick as i was hoping, but it looks good and maybe is a few ounces lighter. it's not set at the right hight though, i have to hunt down my wrenched (which disappeared along with my old pump) and get it raised. i also got him a new chain ($13.50) and cogs ($17.99), a hand pump ($19.80), a saddle bag ($10), a rear flashing LED light ($6), and picked up some essential tools ($28). labor was only $12 and i loved how i got 5% off the entire bill because i'm a member or wrcc, saved $10! now RJ is happy and i'm ready for a long, hopefully issue free ride.

Almost Success!

weight: 219lbs

days left: 0

today: 0mi

total: 167.0mi

Phase 2 was almost a success. i lost 8 pounds!!! i guess i couldn't push out those last 2 pounds this week, that would have been very hard. and i think the only reason i couldn't go all 10 was because i got a late and rough start.

pros about phase 2:

acai cleanse, i totally recommend it!

great weather and lots of riding

haven't been too hungry

cons about phase 2:

started late and ate too much in the beginning

yesterday was a busy day and i was not able to do any working out, but i didn't eat much either.

today was a reward day for me. but i do regret eating maybe a little too much. for dinner i had chicken tenders and fries at Steak-n-Shake, a frozen custard, and then a frappe mocha this evening. doesn't sound like too much, but i felt full.

tomorrow i will start a new phase and see how that goes!

Day 29

weight: 219lbs

days left: 2

today: 0mi

total: 167.0mi

blogging's been difficult lately, too busy to log on and type all this stuff up, but i have been doing well with weight lose and exercise. i'm so motivated, only 2 more pounds to go! i know it'll be hard to lose it in only 2 days, but i'm going to try my best!

tuesday stood on my feet at work for 3 hours and then went to upper body class, but otherwise i did not get any riding in. RJ's tires are too flat, i really have to take him in. and i will tomorrow because i got my new saddle in the mail today! i love the speed of shipping. the saddle looks awesome, i can't wait to try it out. today i got called into work, so i was not able to attend the Aerie FIT day at the corec, i was so upset. America Eagle's new line of fitness clothing sponsored a workout session with raffles and prized today, i so wanted to go. man! but instead i ran around like crazy at work for 7 hours, we were so busy! so i did get some exercise in.

however, i did not eat very well today, no matter how much i wanted to lose another pound. bad nina! i had slim fast for breakfast, one slice of pizza for lunch, but then i also got cheese fries and a brownie sundae while i was at work (hey, they were free and i always wanted to try them). i ended up not really liking the sundae, so i'm sure that'll help me avoid it in the future. but i'm still kinda afraid to step on the scale tomorrow morning, i'm so close to my goal and i just screwed up!

tomorrow looks like a busy day, i dunno if i'll get any workout or riding in. (i think i'll have to miss zumba :-( ) maybe i'll force myself to do some dumbbell exercises at home. i hope that food will be a lot better, i'm so close!

Day 27

weight: 220lbs

days left: 4

today: 3mi

total: 167.0mi

ok, so i haven't been able to blog this weekend, been so busy with funeral and work. but it was a great weekend on the weight-loss front. let's recap:

thursday i did go to zumba and lower-body. friday was crazy, had class and drove straight home for the wake. saturday was the funeral and then drove straight to work afterwards. i picked up some more hours of work on sunday, so i did a lot of standing and running around. i also did pretty well with food, never stuffed myself. and notice! another 2 pounds off!

today was great. didn't eat much. woke up late and only had a coffee for breakfast (i know i said i'll stay away from coffee, but i got very little sleep last night), a fiber-one for snack, 3 pieces of pizza for lunch, slim fast for dinner and 2 plums for late night snack. i went to core crunch class and then hopped on a stationary bike for 3 very hard and fast miles, since i didn't get to ride today.

the bucket100 bike ride is coming up, october 2-3. if you would like to donate to habitat for humanity and support me on this ride, please follow this link. click on "sponsor participant" and enter "Nina" to find me in the list. it's such an easy way to donate, it's done instantly and you don't have to worry about sending in checks on time. my goal is $250 and would love your support!

in order to prepare for this ride, i thought that i should finally get a new seat. i was able to find a pretty good looking one on amazon and used a gift card with free shipping, so it didn't cost me anything! and it should be here by friday. i can't wait! in case you wanted to know, i chose a Serfas Women's RX Bicycle Saddle for $39.99. do you know if i made a good choice? serfas sounds good, i had a bicycle computer made by them once. we'll see how it goes! however, i will need to head over to hodson's to pick out a saddle post, i have no idea what kind fits my bike and new saddle. RJ is too old to have the updated version of seat posts that are in style now. i just hope it won't been too expensive. but i'm looking forward to RJ's weight loss and added comfort, even if it's just a little bit.

well, only a few days left until first goal date! i am really motivated and really hope to lose those last 3lbs before friday. tomorrow i have work for 3 hours and then I WILL go to upper-body class. i will try my best to hop on my bike for a few miles. tomorrow's supposed to be hot and sunny, before the rain starts coming in for the rest of the week. can't waste it!

Day 22

weight: 222lbs

days left: 9

today: 0mi

total: 164.0mi

today had it's ups and downs. i've been pretty down in the dumps because my grandfather passed away last night. so yea....

i was really busy with classes and career fair so i didn't get in any time to ride. and when i had all honest intentions of going to play volleyball and learn the Cupid Shuffle in a group exercise class, my boss called me in to work. i guess it was some exercise, running back and forth serving people their food. i'm very disappointed though, was looking forward to learn the new dance sensation! i really hope i don't settle into a riding-less rut, it's not looking so great this week. tomorrow is supposed to storm all day, and friday i'm going home to the wake, saturday the funeral. i will get some workout in during zumba and lower body tomorrow night, and will be on my feet at work on saturday, so it's better than nothing i suppose. i'll just have to be very good an not eating too much, only 9 more days!!!!

today's food was great though. i was too busy to eat. unfortunately, i did have a coffee in the morning and a cafe mocha a few hours later. i really needed to stay awake in class, didn't get much sleep last night. but for both lunch and dinner i had a bowl of cereal, and only one bowl of ice cream at the ice cream social. of course i didn't get in the essential food pyramid stuff (does V8 fusion count?), but i think i'll survive. hehe.

so, i'm kind of disappointed in my first day not doing what i said I WILL do. but let's try again for tomorrow. I WILL NOT eat too much at a meeting, and I WILL go to zumba and lower body. if i'm not too exhausted, maybe i'll push myself to get on a stationary bike while i'm at the corec. so, that means that i must go to bed now! cheers!

Day 21

weight: 222lbs

days left: 10

today: 0mi

total: 164.0mi

i didn't get to ride today, but i was on my feet pretty much all day. i spent a lot of time standing in high heels waiting in line to talk to companies at the career fair. and then i stood even more while bending over the dish sinks at work. i did go to upper body workout and liked it a lot. it makes me feel good that working out my arms it easy. maybe i should move up to 10lb weights instead of 5lb. but i'll work up to it a little more. afterwards, i speed walked a mile and had a lot of adrenalin left over to be productive with homework. it was a good day.

and notice, i lost 2 more pounds! maybe that core crunch workout last night did a lot more than i was expecting. i sure hope so, cuz i'm still feeling it in my sore abs!

food today wasn't too good. i snacked too much, bad nina! that would be a shame to gain back those beautiful 2 lost pounds. i'll just have to be really really good tomorrow.

tomorrow, i will try my hardest to get in some riding, especially since it's supposed to rain on thursday. i don't want to miss a pretty day! but i definitely WILL go to a group exercise class, and maybe even some volleyball, depending on if any of my friends show up. also, I WILL NOT eat too much at the ice cream social tomorrow evening. I HAVE TO BE GOOD! only 10 days left! and too many pounds to go!!!!!

Day 20

weight: 224lbs

days left: 11

today: 5.5mi

total: 164.0mi

today was goooood. had slim fast for breakfast, fiber-one and crackers for snack, cereal with slimfast for lunch, and tuna and tomato on homemade bread for dinner. the acai stuff it really working, i think. lost another pound!

core crunch was actually pretty cool. i've never had much against doing crunches, i'm just glad to be working my belly. the only thing i didn't like was how my neck and shoulders hit form constantly lifting off the ground. but i survived the half-hour workout and will definitely be going back next week.

i'm getting really annoyed with RJ. i wish he could go on a diet! he's ssssoooo heavy! after a long ride and workout, the last thing i want to do is haul him up the stairs. it would be alright if he wasn't so cumbersome, i'd just think of it as the last hoo-rah for working out. but it's not like that, he's a pain in the butt. it also stinks when i have to put him on the bus because it's too dark to ride home (i wish he had some lights!). it's embarrassing to look like an idiot trying shove a bike on a rack 2 feet off the ground in front of the bus driver. and it's not any easier getting him off. gosh, what i would give for a new and light bike.... watch, now he's going to fall apart tomorrow and i'll be really sorry i said this!

it's going to be tough to ride tomorrow because i'm sssooo busy (like crazy!) but I WILL go to upper body class after work. so yeah, just gotta make sure to keep up on the food schedule!

Day 19

weight: 225lbs

days left: 12

today: 10.1mi

total: 158.5mi

today was great. i didn't join the wrcc, instead i slept too much, but did force myself to get out of bed and do 10miles (not 20) before dark. i just spun around campus, it's fun sometimes to just go around in circles taking random turns and dodging people, instead of follow dan-henrys (ground markings for cyclists) on long straight country roads.

food was good. had a pancake for breakfast, tuna and tomato for lunch, tuna and tomato on homemade bread for dinner, a fiber-one and plum for snack. i really hope i can get off this 225 plateau, it's kinda bumming me out, especially since i only have 12 days left.

when cycling, i've notice my hand going numb. i dunno what that is, i haven't had it before. maybe it's because i'm not wearing my gloves, but the handlebar grips are quite cushy. and i'm not squeezing them either, i'm quite relaxed. so i dunno.

tomorrow I WILL go to a core crunch class (i'm assuming it'll be all crunches) and I WILL try my hardest to ride a little. going good so far!

Day 18

weight: 225lbs

days left: 13

today:4.8mi

total:148.4mi

i haven't been able to blog that past couple of days, but i've been doing really well in eating and cycling. notice that i lost 2lbs! and i give a lot of the credit to the acai pills. they are really cleaning out my system, i feel so much better.

otherwise, my food has been really good. i'm trying really hard to eat smaller portions and pay attention to my body when it says i'm satisfied. i've been drinking slimfast for breakfast, eating at least one fiber-one a day, and eating a lot of fruit. at the cookout on thursday, i told myself to hang out and talk to people and getting food to go. this way, i wouldn't hover over the chip and cookie table after eating a loaded burger. and it worked great! i took a hot dog, a small handful of chips and only one cookie. i also promised to leave a little left over. one diet motivation i've always liked is "leave a little, lose a little." this is may be so simple, but not to someone that like to lick plates clean! but this time i did leave the last bite of hotdog and cookie and the last chip. i felt so proud that i was able to control myself. yay me! i hope i can keep this motivation up!

cycling is going really well. i rode a lot on thursday and today, but was not able to ride friday. plans just didn't work out like i wanted them too. but i have been working out. thursday i went to zumba and then stuck around for a lower body workout class. it was only half and hour but it was so hard! we had to use a 9lb body bar, elevated aerobic steps, and a yoga mat to do many different crazy exercises. i didn't like it at all because i'm so out of shape, but that is motivating me to actually keep going to this class so that i can get back into shape and see myself improve. but let's see how motivated i'll be next thursday before the class starts! friday i went to zumba again, but only caught the last half hour because the bus was sssoooo late! i was so mad, should have ridden my bike. RJ's so much more reliable! i didn't get to ride with wrcc this morning because it was raining and i so did not want to get rain gear on, but when it cleared up i did ride to work. otherwise, i did not do any official exercise. i had work from 2:30-10pm and was on my feet all day, so i'm sure that's better than sitting around.

tomorrow's going to be a beautiful day again, so I WILL go riding, maybe even with wrcc. i hope to get in at least 20miles at a good pace. can't wait!

Day 15

weight: 227lbs

days left: 16

today: 10.7mi

total: 136.9mi

today was great. food was great, exercise was great.

breakfast was slimfast, snack was fiber-one, and lunch was a tuna and egg open face sandwich on my homemade bread. i made 2 sandwiches, but one was enough to satisfy me (i'm really trying to start paying attention more, concentrating on when i'm satisfied, not when i'm stuffed), so i saved it for dinner. i also had a plum. the only thing i regret was some chocolate that i wanted so much. but as a snack before dinner, i went to mcdonalds craving a hot fudge sunday, but instead got a yogurt parfait. yay me! let's try to keep this up!

so far i'm liking this acai thing i'm taking. of course i haven't seen any weight results since it's my first day, but i've noticed the ease of digestions already. pretty cool.

i rode my bike to and from school, and then rode to the corec for my body sculpt class. i didn't ride home because it was too dark and cold, so i just put RJ on the front of a bus and hopped on. body sculpt was horrible though! i'm so glad that it was just a 30min introductory class teaching us the basic stances and exercises that we would need to know for the real class. had this been the real 50min class, i would have cried! body sculpt is simple in that it only requires dumbbells and a yoga mat to lay on, which i was happy about because i really get intimidated when i'm supposed to need a mat, 4 different kinds of aerobic steps, dumbbells, a body bar.......yea. the leg exercises killed my knees, so excruciating, but i liked the upper body exercises. it's definitely something i can do at home with my set of 5lb dumbbells. (that's so dunb how there's 2 b's in the word dumbbell, only one is pronounced.) i'll have to right them done before i forget. but then we did push ups! WHAAT??? no way am i going to do push ups! i have never been able to do them before, and i think i'll survive pretty well without doing any now. so yea, i didn't enjoy it, but if that's your bag, go ahead.

RJ didn't really like going for a ride today. his tires are a little low, but i can't seem to find my pump. i have no idea where it is, and i'm sure that it hasn't been that long since i've last seen it. very disappointing. i'll have to head over to hodson's for a fill up, don't want to have to buy a new pump yet. i'll keep looking. aside from that, RJ was being annoying and making his bottle cage constantly fall off. he doesn't have the built in bolts to hold the cage so instead i got the kind that straps the cage around the tube. but the cage keeps sliding down and around and loosens up until it falls off. i have to be very careful when putting my bottle in or pulling it out because it'll loosen the straps. gosh, i'm so jealous of those newer bikes that don't even have to consider such an old-fashioned inconvenience.

i haven't been reading much about cycling lately, i'm really into a couple of other books right now. when i finish them up, i'll continue learning fun stuff about cycling.

yesterday i said I WILL, and guess what? I DID! i like this, better keep it up. so, tomorrow, I WILL go to zumba class and I WILL NOT eat too much at the cookout. cycling will be difficult since i have to dress nice and don't want to get too sweaty, but if i find time, i'll try to put on a few miles. it's supposed to be another beautiful day and it would be a shame to waste.

Day 14

weight: 227lbs

days left: 17

today: 1.6mi

total: 126.2mi

yea, well.... of course nothing works out the way i would like. my best friend just earned his PhD and it was nothing but party party party every day last week. and the food!! let's not talk about it, i'm so embarrassed. i wish i had more self control, i could have avoided overeating. so yea, looks like i gained some weight. but hopefully the amount i gained so quickly will drop off just as soon.

i'll keep my same goal of losing 10lbs, so i'll be 217lbs. i plan on "detoxing" this week. i picked up some acai clense stuff, so let's see how it works. it was only $10, so i dunno how great it is, but it's all i could afford. it's a 14 day system, so i hope it'll help get rid of the weight by september 24th. i also plan on drinking more slim fast and staying away from all the coffee i've been drinking lately (i told you that stuff is bad!) of course, i will drink a lot more water!

i did get some workout in today, even though it was very little. but i felt proud that i forced myself to ride my bike to walmart instead of driving. yay me! it was also good that i spend 3hrs on my feet during work. anything's better than sitting in a desk all day!

no longer will i say "i'm not sure what tomorrow will bring." i promise to plan my day ahead of time and force myself to accomplish all the tasks. so, tomorrow I WILL wake up early and ride my bike to school. (it's supposed to be a really nice day.) and in the evening I WILL go to the corec and take the introduction body sculpt class (classes are no longer free, darn you $45!). i have no idea what body sculpt is, but i'll let you know! unfortunately i won't be able to bike there because it'll be too dark to go home. better safe than sorry!

so, wish me luck!

Day 1

weight: 221lbs

days left: 30

today: 0mi

total: 124.3mi

i got back to school friday night and i tried to do my best on the food front since. i've been eating a lot less, having slim fast shakes for breakfast, fiber one bars for lunch, a good dinner, and moderate snacks in between. i've definitely noticed the benefits of fiber one, it really does show a difference in my metabolism, ever since the first day i tried them. the knock-offs don't work though. i used to buy walmart's version because it's cheaper, but i've never noticed any results comparable to the original fiber one. that's my opinion on the bars, i have yet to try the cereal. don't really want to try it since i'm sure i won't be able to resist more than one bowl (cereal is one of my greatest weaknesses), but right now i'm doing good at only having one bar a day. that's all that's needed. i also haven't been drinking any coffee. i'm not a coffee person to begin with, but when i needed it daily back in may, i noticed a significant weight gain. and i'm pretty sure it was the coffee because i was not eating much. if i need a boost occasionally, i'll try to stay with diet coke. hopefully i won't need it often, i'll try to get to bed at reasonable times this semester.

i haven't been able to do any exercise, apart from walking a lot, but today i went for a swim. did as many real laps as possible, which unfortunately isn't many. but it felt good to feel my heart pound and it made me feel better that at least i tried.

for me, i think the best way to keep my workouts going is to develop a set schedule and follow it. if i post it here, i will feel like i am obligated to follow. it for some reason i am unable to workout at the set time, i promise to make up for it. however, i don't want to make a schedule right now since my days are still a bit unorganized, but as soon as i get things together, i'll let you know!

i'm not sure how tomorrow will turn out, but i really hope to go to bhangra class. and hopefully i'll be able to ride there. i just have to remember to tune up my bike, it's been neglected so long. sorry RJ!

Phase 2

so, Phase 1 did not work out so well. i not only gained back the few pound i lost, but also gained some more. and i'm ashamed of it. but now that school has started, i will be picking up riding again and working on my next goal.

i reviewed my goals, motivations, and plan of attack from Phase 1. the general goals 1 through 3 are still very important. However, motivations 1 through 3 don't apply anymore. so here is the updated list of motivations:

1. train for the Bucket 100 ride that i do every year with purdue habitat. this october, hopefully i can pass the orange helmet status onto someone else!
2. i am graduating in december. can't look like a walking refrigerator in mourning clothes when going across the stage!
3. gotta look good for the recruiters. i'll be spending a lot of time looking for full-time jobs and must feel good about myself during interviews.
4. starting a new career. i hope to have a job by the beginning of next year and must be able to fit well in and look good in formal, business, casual, and business-casual attire for every occasion. if i do end up getting a job with the company i interned with (cross my fingers!) i would really love to see the look on everyone's faces when they see how much i've changed.
5. do it for myself! i don't want to feel ashamed of myself being the big person in the back of the photograph surrounded by petite girlfriends. gotta fit in!
6. rack up the miles. weight loss is a big deal, but might as well see how many miles i can cross during the journey!

plan of attack. my schedule has not quite settled down yet. i got all my classes in order, but i'm waiting for both my animal shelter volunteer and my diner cooking job schedules to settle into something consistent. it'll probably be ready to go after labor day. i still do plan to ride every day, at least 5miles during the week and 15miles during the weekend. if the weather is not good enough to ride outside (fall is coming quickly), i will hit the gym and jump on a stationary bike. i hope to finally be able to join wrcc in rides, their schedule fits into mine. of course i will continue playing volleyball, swimming and taking fitness classes (even though they are not free anymore).

so, let's pick a goal date. bucket 100 is in october, but i'm thinking that i should set a nearer date with a reasonable weight loss goal and go from there. so how about 4 weeks from now, September 24. and how about 10 pounds in the first month? i think that's very do-able. wish me luck!

Failure

weight: 224lbs
days left: 0

FAILURE! so, i think the biggest problem was the lack of a set schedule. i am a person of routine, and this summer definitely wasn't it! i had each of my 3 siblings over for a week and couldn't leave them alone to go riding. i ate too much of who-knows-what. and i really regret it.

when i get back from london and start school again, i will be able to set and keep a routine and i sure hope my next goals will be accomplished.

Phase 1: Failed
better luck with Phase 2!

Day 21

weight: 219lbs

days left: 26

today: 0mi

total: 124.3mi

the family came down to visit and pick up my brother. of course we had to go out to eat, but i think i did well in splitting a meal and having a little bit of salad. for breakfast i had 1 pancake with jam and later had a fiber-one bar and trail mix for snacks. dinner was healthy, had the last of the chicken with gravy and corn.

the extent of my exercise today was running around cleaning the house like crazy so that my mom and grandmother wouldn't think my brother and i were slobs.

i read in the woman's guide that bikes made for women and really worth it, they fit our bodies better with shorter top tubes, higher head tubes, and wider saddles. in the idiots guide, he had said that women's bikes weren't really different enough to go hunting down, but i'm assuming that technology has advanced since the idiot's guide was written in '99. the woman's guide was published in '08, so yea. if i ever get a new bike, i'll try to hunt down a good fitting woman's bike, they are still hard to find.

my 9yr old sister is staying with me for the rest of the week. tomorrow evening we'll be going roller skating and i hope that we'll be able to get in enough exercise and not too much food. i have to try my hardest to be good, i can't spoil myself like i spoiled my brother with all the ice cream and root beer!

Day 20

weight: ?

days left: 27

today: 0mi

total: 124.3mi

my brother and i got back from camping today, therefore i did not write a blog last night. it was really great, we had a lot of fun hiking, camping, and hanging out in front of the campfire. yesterday we hiked through canyons for 2 hours and again today, hiking through canyons and up waterfalls and over creeks. it was really beautiful and the weather was perfect. this afternoon when we got home, we hung out in the pool and had a good time for about 2 hours.

food, hmmm, let's see, it actually feels like we ate too much, for camping anyway. yesterday we had.....ice cream on our way there, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, chips and trail mix, beef brats, marshmallows, ice cream bars, and root beer. today we had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, chocolate muffin, and chips. when we got home, we went over to my friends' house to watch the final World Cup game and enjoyed some snack foods such as chips, popcorn, little chocolates, etc. afterwards we went to have dinner at a drive-in, where we had hot dogs and root beer. it was so delicious! so yea, over the two days, it feels like we ate a lot.

i'm just hoping that the amount of food didn't exceed the amount of calories lost to hiking. we'll see how the scale shows up tomorrow!

Day 18

weight: 218lbs

days left: 29

today: 0mi

total: 124.3mi

didn't do any riding today, i took my bike into the shop to get a tune up, they said that it would take a week! what i don't get is why they won't let me bring my bike back then, they have to keep it there this whole time. makes no sense. whatever though, i'll be spending all my time with my brother and starting monday i'll be with my little sister.

i'm glad i haven't gained any weight, but i'm kind of tired of seeing the same number every day. how can i finally drop to 217?? i'm hoping that camping this weekend will do the trick, a lot of hiking and only hot dogs to eat!

today we walked a lot around the Tippecanoe Battlefield and then went swimming. better than nothing!

breakfast was bagels and cream cheese, snacks were cherries and granola bar, and early dinner was left-over chicken. was that really all i ate today?

Day 17

weight: 218lbs

days left: 30

today: 24.2mi

total: 124.3mi

ok, so i haven't blogged in a while because life has been chaotic and there was nothing to blog about. i haven't ridden, i've eaten too much, and i've only read a little. so yea.

but, i'm back on track now and i hope to stay there! luckily i haven't gained any weight despite all the food i've eaten, so i'm happy about that.

my 13yr old brother is staying with me this week, great time for bonding. today, our first full day together, we went for a long ride. he was able to keep up really well! we went all the way south in order to enjoy some ice cream at the Lindy Freeze in Linden, IN and it was totally worth it! the hardest part of the ride was when the country roads turned into nothing but gravel for about 4 miles. it was really interesting to get the feeling of riding in gravel for so long, i think i learned a lot about keeping balance and not getting scared. luckily i had just read a chapter in the idiot's guide about riding on rough terrain and that helped. the key is to let your front wheel go wherever it pleases, let it wobble it's way trough the gravel, don't keep the bike stiff. so now you know! but the book never mentioned anything on how to avoid inhaling dust that big farm tractors kick up!

we got hit with a giant thunderstorm and crazy winds so we weren't able to ride back. after eating yummy ice cream, we headed over to a nearby gas station and hung out there right before the rain started. it was a very accommodating station with tables and such, so we had a good time hanging out for 2 hours before my friend picked us up. it basically rained for the rest of the day.

when we got back home, my bro was exhausted and he just wanted to hang out and do nothing, so he let me go play volleyball. it was kind of sad because 2 of our teammates left us, they are moving to New York. good for them! we were able to find some substitutes and i had a good time playing for 2 hours.

i'm trying to read the woman's guide more since it's a library book and i have to return it, eventually. i like how it really relates everything to feminine things, like designer jeans and make up, haha. but it's a lot less detailed than the idiot's guide and there are not pictures. so it's good that i'm reading the idiots guide, that way i know what the heck she's talking about. but, so far, so good.

i got my membership package from wrcc. it's really cool, there are some pamphlets on bicycle safety and the indiana laws and a little booklet describing all the basics you know to know about riding, with a lot of pictures and diagrams. more stuff for me to read!

for breakfast we just has some scrambled eggs and a slice of toast with butter. for lunch we had an ice cream and boscos sticks. and dinner was delicious! this morning i got up early and prepared a whole chicken for the crock pot. this is the first time i've ever cooked a whole chicken, it was so interesting. and it came out great! lots of left-overs for lunch tomorrow!

tomorrow i'm taking my bike to get a tune-up, so i probably won't be able to ride for a few days. i'll just be spending time with my bro, i'm sure we'll be active enough to keep off the weight.

Day 12

weight: ?
days left: 35
today: 6.0mi
total: 100.1mi

i am at my parents' place this weekend. today we went into the city to hang out with my aunt and uncle and my brother and i rode along Lake Michigan. it was a very nice leisurely ride, the weather was great. there were a lot of people, but it was fun manuvering around them. and look, i finally hit 100 miles! woo hoo!

i got up this morning and was so busy cleaning house, packing, and getting ready to leave to Chicago, i forgot to weigh myself. darnit!

all i had to eat today was a delicious hamburger with onions, casear salad, potato salad, and an ice cream. i was actually hungry when i went to bed, but i fought the urge to find a snack.

not sure what tomorrow will bring. it's my dad's birthday (and Fourth of July, of course) so we'll have family over for a bbq. supposed to be dreadfully hot. if i don't get any riding in, i'm hoping to at least be good about my food choices (no more brownies or ice cream, nina!). i'll let you know if i succeed!

Day 11

weight: ?

days left: 36

today: 0mi

total: 94.1mi

today didn't go as planned at all. i got up this morning and took the bus to meet my friends and watch the soccer game. i should have rode my bike, i didn't even remember to weigh myself. i ended up not being able to find my friends and watched a little bit of the game by myself. i'm so sorry that Brazil lost. then i just walked around enjoying the weather before taking the bus back home. in the evening i didn't even go to volleyball, my friend and i decided hang out and have dinner instead. healthy choice, no? it's too bad that i didn't get to reach my 100th mile today. i'll have to bring my bike to my parents' place this weekend and force myself to ride there, in between all of the Fourth of July festivities. i really hope i can make healthy choices!

for breakfast i had a handful of cereal, no milk. for lunch i had some chicken nuggets in ketchup, and for dinner i had shrimp, spinach, chips and dip, and a peach. ah, dessert, you horrible friend, ice cream!

i did a lot of walking today and my feet are tired, but i regret not riding. only 36 days left nina!!

Day 10

weight: 218lbs

days left: 37

today: 15.2mi

total: 94.8mi

ugh, riding was so hard today! i left like a slug. it didn't seem like i was going as fast as i usually do right here in my parking lot, and the whole ride was really hard. i got tired and was huffing and puffing way too early. it doesn't look like i gained any weight, so maybe it's RJ that gained and made pedaling so difficult. jeez! well, i have heard somewhere that what you eat really effects the ease of riding, so maybe i'm finally getting punished for the ice cream i had last night. RJ is really heavy though. i can't stand carrying him up and down the stairs all the time. when i go into Lafayette, i have to carry him up and down the pedestrian bridge, those stairs are huge when you have such a load! and it's so tiring when i get home from a really long ride and have to carry him up the my apartment. RJ, i love ya man, but if i were given the chance to have a new bike, i wouldn't give it a second thought!

so yea, i rode around town doing errands, and then headed over to my bhangra class. bhangra is really cool. it's a type of dance from India, and it's a really great work out. i love indian music, so fun! i had the same instructor and zumba on tuesday, i really like her. after class, i rode home and went for a swim. it was so refreshing! we didn't have volleyball today, i had forgotten that we rescheduled for tomorrow. but hey, i got a lot of exercise in!

food was very minimal. i had 3 eggs over easy for lunch and 2 more eggs wrapped in tortillas for dinner. wow nina, looks like you have to go shopping! i'm really bored right now, so that may lead me to going out for a milkshake or something. i don't want to go food shopping at walmart now because i'll probably be out of town for the weekend. i have enough food to survive tomorrow.

i hope tomorrow will be better. gotta put on enough miles to finally hit 100! woo hoo!

Day 9

weight: 218lbs

days left: 38

today: 8.1mi

total:79.6mi

well, i dunno, today was ok i guess. i'm just feeling a little guilty right now because i just allowed myself to enjoy a deliciously amazing Coldstone Creamery ice cream. this is like my guilty pleasure, it is so amazing! the only reason i let myself have one is because i had a 20% off coupon that expired today. and that i really really really wanted it.

but overall, today was pretty good. i woke up early this morning so that i could go to the farmer's market. i was too excited that i didn't even eat breakfast. but when i road my bike over there, no one was there! there were signs and traffic cones, but no vendors or cars! what the heck? did i miss it? am i too early? so i rode around wasting time until i finally gave up at 12:30. when i got home and googled the farmer's market, i found out that it is from 3pm to 6:30pm! i thought the whole point of farmer's markets was to have them early in the morning, which is the main reason why i've never been. guess not! at least i didn't miss it though, my friends and i went at 5. i was able to pick up some yummy veggies, but they were already running out of a lot of stuff. and the vendor that was supposed to be there selling bison meat wasn't! that was the number one thing i wanted from the market! grrr..... but i picked up some rhubarb and am hoping to steal my mom's yummy rhubarb pie recipe.

for lunch i had two slices of french toast with strawberry jam, for a snack i had a slim-fast shake, and for dinner i had pasta with olive oil and parmesan cheese, with a few of chicken nuggets in bbq sauce.

wish i could have gotten in more miles today, the weather was absolutely beautiful. also, i couldn't go to zumba because i was having too much fun at the market. tomorrow i hope to punish myself by riding a lot, going to bhangra and volleyball, and not eating much! i'm sure the scale reading with make me fall over...

Day 8

weight: 218lbs

days left: 39

today: 10.1mi

total: 71.5mi

today was so great! the weather couldn't have been more perfect. mid 70's with a gorgeously refreshing breeze. i think i'm going to need a blanket tonight! i just randomly followed the trails by my place during my ride, but i actually got bored and really had to force myself to not quit at 7miles. i think i do better when i have a destination in mind, no matter how far away it is. however, i did find a trail that leads to the local grocery store, better than taking busy, and horribly paved, roads.

zumba was great too. we had a different instructor today and she made me feel better about myself because she herself was bigger than me! but where does she get all that self confidence in order to teach a class of 40 girls to shake their booties? i could never do that. you go girl! her class was great in other ways too. we zumba-ed to songs that seemed more choreographed, instead of doing random aerobics. she taught us the moves before the song came on instead of during, and i also liked how also how she interacted with the class and encouraged us when we were "lookin' good." we did a lot of different kinds of dances too, from hip-hop, to salsa, to indian bollywood. really cool. it helped too that the room was not as hot as last week, i didn't sweat as much as i was expecting.

after zumba i went over to play volleyball for 2.5hours. well, maybe not that long, since there were so many people that we had to rotate teams and had to sit out some times. i like it so much better when it's just our familiar group of friends, it seems like we have more fun and get a better workout. but we gotta share! so yea, lots and lots of working out today, i really hope it shows on tomorrow's scale!

hmm, food, what did i eat today? i woke up later, so i had some pasta with olive oil and parmesan cheese for lunch, a slim-fast before riding, 2 fig newtons after zumba, beef and rice for dinner, and now i'm enjoying a bowl of strawberries. oh yea, i had a bowl of vanilla/chocolate ice cream with dinner. just a little treat.

tomorrow i hope to wake up early and check out the farmer's market. looking forward to picking up some fresh fruits and veggies. the pool looked clean today, if it still is tomorrow, i'd love to take a little dip. i'll also probably go to zumba again, with the instructor that i had last week. we'll see how it goes. on thursdays there is a bhangra dance class. i'm not exactly sure what that is, but i'll let you know after class!

Day 7

weight: 218lbs

days left: 40

today: 15.8mi

total: 61.4mi

today was beautiful. i didn't do much, actually i slept too much. i think i fell asleep in front of the tv at about 2am last night, and slept like a rock until someone txtd me at 1:30 this afternoon! i like not having to worry about getting up and being somewhere, but maybe i shouldn't sleep in so much. to make myself feel even more guilty, i went back to bed at 4 and slept until 6:30pm. haha!

then i did actually get out of bed and pulled on my cycling clothes. there was no way i was going to waste the gorgeous evening. so yea, i racked up just over 15 miles, wanted to do 20 but it was getting dark and too dangerous to ride. going up the robinson hill on saturday was grueling, but today it didn't seem too bad. salisbury hill is becoming second-nature and yesterday's venture up grant st hill again was a great accomplishment. there's only one other hill i'm afraid to try, but it's currently under construction. the two largest hills in town, in my opinion, are no even bike-able because they are narrow and winding, i don't think i want to take the chance.

food today was good, just had a pb&j sandwich, a slim-fast shake, a fiber-one bar, some veggies, and now i think i'm going to curl up and watch a movie with a bowl of homemade popcorn.

weight looks like it went up a little bit, i'm finally receiving punishment for overeating this weekend. i sure hope it doesn't go up any more!

tomorrow i want to wake up early enough for a morning ride. gonna make myself not succumb to excuses for not going to zumba at 5:30pm and if that doesn't kill me, i'll be heading to volleyball too. weather looks like it'll be another beautiful day!

so, reflection on my first week. it's great that i did more than 50miles. i hope i am able to keep up at least that much for the rest of the summer. my goal was to do at least 10miles a day so it looks like i sort of failed, but hey, it's a great start. overall i lost 2lbs according to today's measurement, which is the healthy rate. i have 5 more weeks until London, so if i keep this up, it'll be 20 more pounds! looks like my goals are really do-able, let's keep going full-force!

Day 6

weight: 216lbs

days left: 41

today: 10mi

total: 45.5mi

lazy and hot today. went to watch the world cup game with a friend at Buffalo Wild Wings this morning, it was incredible how many points Germany got. so instead of breakfast i had some boneless wings in parmesan garlic sauce, yum! later in the day i had a delicious mango smoothie and for dinner i enjoyed a huge watermelon with some other friends. since watermelon is just water, i think i'm going to have some cherries or strawberries tonight. the scale didn't change today, so i guess that's better than going up!

i rode my bike to and from the rec center where i played sand volleyball for 2hours this evening. so i was able to put in 10miles round trip. on the way there i took the scenic route, but part of it was flooded because of the lake it runs along. i got through most of the flood with just getting my tires wet, but the last 20feet or so was deep enough for my toes to get wet. lucky enough i had sandals so i didn't have to ruin gym shoes, but unlucky because of all the gross stuff that could be in the water. just think of it: pond scum, bacteria, other grossosities, ew! so on the way back i took the more direct route and didn't have to worry about dead fish. hopefully the storms will hold out and the flood will dry up, that's one of the best trails to ride!

i read in the idiot's guide today that there is no advantage in getting a woman's bike, the kind where the top tube is really low so that women can wear a skirt while riding. they are not as strong as men's bikes and women shouldn't have a problem riding a 'man's' bike nowadays. they are basically unisex. i wonder what the woman's guide to cycling will say about that...

well, i have no idea what tomorrow will bring. i'm sure i'll hop on my bike and put on a few more miles. it's supposed to be 85 and sunny all day.

Day 5

weight: 216lbs

days left: 42

today:19mi

total: 35.5mi

today was great! my friends invited me to join them for a bike ride. we did almost 20miles. it was pretty hot but do-able, and it never rained. i also installed the computer and was glad that it gave my an option in input the miles i've already done. this way, i can keep track of all the miles i do and don't have to add them up myself. yay for not having to do math! hey, it is the summer, the time when all of our brains turn into mush-melons. haha, that's what my crazy 7th grade science teacher used to say. i'll never forget him because he was so evil...

i didn't sleep well last night, so this morning i got up, had 2 pancakes for breakfast, lazed around and went back to bed for a nap. i'm sure that if my friends weren't waiting for me, i would have stayed in bed all day. i'm glad i didn't! instead i got up, had a slim-fast, and sped over to meet them. i had a really nice time and also learned about a few more trails that i didn't know existed. cool.

afterwards one of my friends stayed over to help me eat the left-overs from last night. so yea, i had 2 more burgers (no bun or veggies though), along with more of the veggies and dip and a handful of chips and chili dip. i also finished up the last couple of spoonfuls of icecream. it was yummy! but since i didn't do anything else today, i have a lot of dishes piled up in the sink that need to be tackled tonight. ugh, i don't like doing the dishes! can i clean the bathroom instead??

weight went up a little bit, but that's too be expected after going to bed on such a full stomach. tomorrow's scale reading probably won't be any better though. but tomorrow will lead to more riding and sand volleyball, if it doesn't rain.

this may become a problem. i shouldn't eat so much on the weekends, but fun with friends usually means fun with food...darn you american culture! speaking of america, next week is the Fourth....

Day 4

weight: 215lbs
days left: 43
today: 0mi
total 16.5mi

well, it does really look like i am loosing a little weight. but maybe not so much after today. i wasn't able to ride at all because i was too busy shopping, cleaning house, and getting ready for having some friends over for dinner. the dinner wasn't too healthy, but at least everything was homemade. i had some veggies and dip, tortilla chips and chili dip, 2 hamburgers with onions and tomato, and a bowl of homemade chocolate icecream. besides that, i didn't eat much the rest of the day, just a slim fast and a bowl of cherries. i was at least planning on swimming with my friends, but the pool didn't look clean. ew.

tomorrow i'm sure i'll be able to get in some sort of riding. it's supposed to rain, but if it's not too hard, i'll head out for a ride. if it's pouring, then i'll go to the corec. we'll see how it goes...

Yum

it's no fun when i ride by yummy smelling restaurants. yesterday it was dominos, thankfully i don't like their pizza, and today it was puccini's and bruno's. ah, it's smelled so good....

Day 3

weight: 216lbs
days left: 44
today: 13.5mi
total: 16.5mi

what a beautiful day! slept in really late for no reason at all, but it was so nice. called Hodson's Bay about a tune-up. a full tune-up costs about $50 and there's a waiting line, so i made an appointment for July 8. wow. but i put my bike on a bus and went to the shop to get new brake pads, air in the tires, and the seat raised a little bit. the whole thing cost $9.26, which is great, but seeing how easy it is to change brake pads, i'm mad that i spent $5 on labor when the pads were only $4. could have done everything myself, i'll have to remember that for next time. luckily i didn't have them install my computer, i know i can do that myself and it would have cost like another $10. now i'm wondering how much money i've been spending on this endeavor. since i figure that my followers may want to know the cost of things in case they want to start cycling too, let's see what it's racking up to be:

Idiot's Guide: $8.21 (Half Price Books)
Time-Crunched Cyclist: $7.09 (Borders Marketplace, used)
Woman's Guide: Free (Library)
Bike Computer: $10.66 (Wal-mart)
Brake Pads & Install: $9.26 (Hodson's Bay)
TOTAL: $35.22

eh, i guess that isn't so bad, yet. there are still some other things that i'll eventually need to get: essential tool kit (tire levelers, all purpose tool, wrenches, spoke wrench, etc), chamois butter, maybe a small pouch, a headlight, a new seat, new jersey or two, and of course the tune-up. so the bill can add up quickly, especially if i spend too much time in the shop. i'll want to buy everything!

some things that i already have that a new cyclist may want to consider are: a functional bike, helmet, camelback hydration system, spare inner tubes, gloves, cycling shorts, cycling jerseys, sunglasses, sunscreen, etc. so yea, this isn't a cheap sport, but it's sure worth every penny!

so anyway, RJ was more cooperative today and i got to ride a lot. after Hodsons i rode over to the library to pick up the Woman's Guide that i had on hold, then i biked all the way home. it was such beautiful weather, i'm so glad that i took advantage of it. hot, but great cool breeze. when i got home i threw on my volleyball clothes and biked over to the corec, and then back again after playing for 2hours. it was great that the salisbury hill didn't kill me like it usually does and i accidentally found myself going up the grant st hill, which i thought would be horrendous since going down at 20mph is scary enough, but it actually wasn't that bad. when you're going down, you don't realize that there is a nice flat spot. i enjoyed it. so overall i was able to cycle 13.5miles. cool!

food was actually not enough today. since i woke up late, i had a slim-fast shake for lunch. then a fiber-one bar before heading out. i drank so much water that i wasn't hungry enough for food. i definitely felt it during volleyball though. i was like a slug and couldn't concentrate. i'll remember not to do that again! right now i'm trying to enjoy a bowl of chili, but not really liking the Great Value version. nothing beats Hormel! it would be better if i had cheese, onions, and crackers, or at least some cream cheese. i do have onions, but that wouldn't taste right by itself. oh well.

but look! 116lbs!! could it be? maybe that slim-fast shake i had yesterday really does slim fast! either that, or all the zumba-ing! actually, i think it's more because i was more careful when calibrating the scale this morning. yesterday i just stepped on without paying attention. it's not digital, i have to make sure it's zero-ed all the time. so maybe i've just been lying to myself, maybe i never weighed 220lb and it's my mom's scale that's messed up. but we can't be sure yet, have to see what comes tomorrow. watch, my luck will show me that i actually gained weight, over 220. haha hope not!

if i have time tomorrow, i'll go check out the spin class at 5:30pm (there's a 5:15AM class, but noooo way!!!!). i'm planning on having friends over for dinner (a healthy dinner), so most of the day will be spent making my apartment presentable. weather's supposed to be great, no excuse not to ride.

tonight i'm just going to do a little clean up, dishes and garbage, and then curl up with the idiot's guide. i'm learning about components now, it's really interesting. have a good night!

Day 2

weight: 219lbs
days left: 45
today: 3mi
total: 3mi

RJ is a stubborn old horse. he was the last one i thought that would be lazy! gosh! i went to a zumba class at the co-rec at 6:30 today, it was such a workout. fyi, zumba is a cardio-dance exercise to the beat of very loud music. i liked it, but the hardest dance was where we had to keep our arms up the whole time. i could actually feel them burn hotter and sweat more. and man was there sweat! that room is hotter than the volleyball gym! realization: i was probably the biggest person there. there was only one other girl that could compare to me. all the other girls were short and petite, with a little chub here and there. it still made me feel like a giant. :-(

anyway, i was planning on coming home and jumping in the pool to cool off, thinking that zumba was enough exercise for one day. but then i was like no! Nina, your blog is about cycling, not zumba-ing! it's only the second day and i'm already failing! so, since i was full of sweat anyway, i hopped on my bike. it's been sitting for 2.5 weeks, so i was smart enough to give it a quick look-over and check the tire pressure. the pressure wasn't perfect, but it was good enough for a short 10mile ride. still RJ didn't stop resisting! when i got to the end of the parking lot, i realized that my front break isn't working. pull over, check it out. WHAT?? how could the right break pad be missing? i was thinking that it was just a matter of tightening the cables, but no! darn you RJ! since i worked this hard to get him down the stairs and out the door, i went for a short ride anyway, but only 3miles. i didn't want to go too far and end up being stranded with a flat tir, flying down a hill without brakes, or anything else RJ could throw at me.

so, looks like i'll have to take the bike in for a tune-up and new pads. gosh, i didn't think i'd have to be spending this much money so soon. one of the reasons that i decided to lose weight through cycling is because i have pretty much everything i need and i didn't want to be spending money i don't have (i don't have a job, see?). i'll have to call Hodson's Bay tomorrow morning and get more info about a tune-up. maybe they can install the bike computer i bought today while they're at it. looks like tomorrow's ride with wrcc will have to be postponed...

the food front was good today though. raspberry smoothie for breakfast, pb&j sandwich for lunch, fiber-one bar before zumba, and now i'm enjoying a delicious chocolate slim-fast shake. after my shower i think i'm going to relax in front of the tv with a bowl of yummy cherries. it's a good thing that i love fruit so much! my stomach did growl a few times today, but fortunately i was too busy to pay attention to it. hopefully i'll be able to resist other urges.

it also looks like i lost a little weight. however, that could just be a minor variation due to the fact that my mom's scale is different from mine. but hey, anything to make me feel better about myself!

been reading the Idiot's Guide. i thought that would be a good place to start, so that i'll be able to understand what the heck Lance Armstrong's trainer is trying to tell me. interesting fact: Le Tour de France was started in 1903 by a magazine company that wanted more publicity. But since the guide was copyrighted in 1999, Lance Armstong isn't mentioned at all and it says that the only American to ever win the Tour is Greg LeMond (hehe, french name). also, the winner of each stage (one day's race) gets to wear the yellow jersey. Yellow because it was the magazine's logo color. interesting no?

tomorrow, if my bike doesn't get fixed quickly enough, i'll be heading over to volleyball. no excuse to be lazy!

Day 1

weight: 220lbs
days left:46
today: 0mi
total: 0mi

today was an alright day. i got back to my apartment about 1pm and was very productive all day. unfortunately, none of it had to do with a bike. the weather was great and i'm so mad i missed it. but i did exercise! 2 hours of volleyball! volleyball may not be as demanding as other sports, but if the occasional dodge and jump aren't enough to lose weight, then i'm sure i sweated enough weight out in that grossly hot gym. anyone hear of air conditioning????

the food front was good today too. just was too busy to eat. just a small bowl of cereal for breakfast, a pb&fluff sandwich for lunch, and right now i'm heating up 6 chicken nuggets for dinner. i don't even have any sauce for them...

tomorrow i'm looking forward to yummy fruit smoothies and shopping for other healthy foods. it's supposed to be good weather, after the storm that's should to hit tonight. i think i'm going to read a little more before bed too, let's see what i learn.

haha, look at that! i was so concentrated on blogging that i forgot about the food in the microwave. maybe i should keep busy more often!

oh yea, i did mail my application and dues for wrcc. should be getting news letters in email and can now start joining them on rides! there's a ride for me on thurs, hopefully the weather's nice then!

RJ

i think i finally decided to name my bike RJ, for Red Jalopy. i think it fits well!

Test Phone

just got a new fone with txt & wanna see how this works!

Day 0

okey, so today's schedule didn't yield to a bike ride. i had to wake up early to get the day started, lots to do! it stormed all morning while i was running errands and i was too busy to enjoy the humid heat later in the afternoon. right now i'm enjoying the amazingly beautiful lightning storm coming our way. but i think it'll pass right over with little rain.

was too busy running around this morning to even remember to weigh myself, so i guess this post will be a little lacking. but tomorrow is a new day and the official start of my workout and diet. i'll be heading back to my apartment at purdue after breakfast and i have to be at volleyball tomorrow evening, so i'll definitely get in some exercise. supposed to rain some more though, so we'll see about the bike ride.

the food front was good today, so i guess that's one piece of good news. sorta. i had a small bowl of cereal and a banana for breakfast, and then had a quesadilla and a bit of brownie at Qdoba when i was at lunch with mom. but i don't think it settled with me right. been feeling sick since, that goofy liquidy feeling high in the chest. i couldn't even finish the quesadilla. ugh. but hey, i haven't eaten a single thing since, so that's great for my diet. can i be sick more often? :-)

i went to Half Price Books store in Orland Park with mom today too. i picked up The Complete Idiot's Guide to Cycling. they didn't have it at the library and since it was so cheap (half price, haha) why not? i like that i can highlight and mark pages in it now. the guide goes over a lot of important basics, like the history of cycling, types of bikes, safety, maintenance, etc. it doesn't hurt to learn the basics! i've started reading a few pages, but nothing significant yet. i'll let you know what i learn.

so yea, tomorrow i'll just have to make sure to send in my membership application for wrcc and get some exercise in. we'll see how much weight i lost due to being "ill". haha!

Father's Day

well, not exactly starting off on the right foot today. thank goodness i don't really mean to actually jump into high gear until tuesday. but i was hoping to get a head start. oh well.

good news! the scale this morning showed 220. hooray, only gained 1 pound while on vacation! however, this may not seem so good to those of you that know me, thinking how the hell can Nina be 220? where does she hide it? but yes, i am, and no, i don't like it one bit. it's the heaviest i've ever been and i promise to never be again! haha, i remember i used to say that about 200. that was appalling, and it still is, so hopefully i can lose all this and never have to worry about horrific numbers again.

but bad news. today's events just wouldn't let me exercise. and worse news, i couldn't control myself as well as i should have around food, bad Nina! today was a beautiful day and i was planning on hopping on the bike early in the morning, but when i got downstairs my dad invited me to go harley riding with him on father's day. it's was an incredibly enjoyable ride, but not the kind that i should have been doing. for the rest of the day i was trying to think of ways i can run away and hop on the bicycle, but it never happened. i got home from harley riding and started to help clean the house to prepare for family coming over for a little fiesta at 4. i hung out with the fam all day until 9, when i went out to meet a friend to catch up on the times. so i was not able to squeeze in even the tiniest exercise, unless you count pushing the vacuum cleaner all over the house exercise. man....

food wasn't that good either. i thought i had a good start. because we went harley riding right away, i didn't eat breakfast. for lunch i only had 1 egg-in-a-basket. a little later though, i had one of those quicky frozen microwavable burritos. i was hungry, so i don't regret that. but then came the brownies that i made for the party. i shouldn't have had so many throughout the day (5????). for dinner though, all i had was a bbq chicken leg (thigh and drumstick) and a small handful of chips. so i don't know, maybe i didn't do so bad after all. but i just feel so fat. oh wait, i forgot about the milkshake i just had, haha. that's why i feel this way!! darnit! i really hope i'll do better tomorrow...

i looked up the membership fees for the wabash river cycle club (wrcc). it's only $15 for students (i hope they're counting college students) or $20 for adult. pretty good deal if you ask me! i didn't sign up online today though because they charge a fee for using Paypal, and since i don't have paypal, the whole thing is not an option. but i can download a paper format and send a check in by mail. i'll have to wait till i get by to my apartment to get my checkbook and send that along. but i looked over the website and the calendar and it seems like there are a lot of opportunities to ride. currently i am included in the AA to A categories (10-13mph speed) and there are at least 3 rides a week that i can join. cool that they meet just blocks away from my apartment too. can't wait to try it out!

been thinking about things that i may need to do/get in order to be prepared for a summer of riding. the top of my list is a bike computer (that tiny little speedometer/odometer that tracks everything i need to know about my riding). it would be great to keep track of the miles and see how fast i go. i had one on my mountain bike, but i accidentally dropped it and the screen broke. not a big deal though, they come cheap nowadays. don't need anything fancy. i was also thinking that maybe i should get a couple of workout tanktops, but then again, why? i have all these free tshirts that are only good enough for sweating in, so why spend money on tanks? i'll survive with a sweaty farmers tan, big deal. eventually though, i think i should put a little money into a tune-up by the bike pros. it's always nice to know that everything's working properly. my dream would be to get a new saddle. one of those thin little streamlined things that don't look comfy at all, but actually are. the seat i have right now is some cushy old thing taken from some other jalopy and it's all torn up. i have a cushy cover over it, and i also wear cushy bike shorts, but i have a feeling that too much cush is actually not very cushy. the people i rode with during CoverIN had those tiny fancy saddles, but none of them complained of being sore. i figure that if the saddles weren't comfy, they wouldn't be making them. and i could probably pick one up for about $20 on ebay. so i'll trying to save up for a new saddle.

i don't know how tomorrow will go. i don't think i'm too busy, but it looks like it's supposed to storm all day. will anything ever go my way????

***it looks like the time and date displayed by my posts is the time that i start writing the post, instead of when i publish it. that's a little weird, since it takes me some time to write. also, the post that says it was published on thursday was actually published on saturday. thursday was the day i created the blog, but i didn't post anything then. weird stuff. so yea, just to let you know that the dates can be a little misleading. hopefully this post will say that it was published on sunday...***

Getting Started

i'm visiting at my parents' place this weekend, in Mokena, IL, just south of Chicago. so it'll be hard to start actually riding until tuesday at the earliest, if my parents let me go home that early! of course they would love for me to stay all summer, but as my mother said just earlier today, those who enter the K's home thin, will come out fat. even the pets are fat! and that just won't do for me anymore! we got home from a family vacation on friday and i am only planning to stay for a few days to celebrate father's day, so i didn't bring my bike. however, there are few things that i can get started on while i'm here.

the vacation was of course centered around food, gosh do i regret it! i'm so not looking forward to stepping on the scale in the morning, i've been avoiding it so far. but it'll have to be done and you'll know the worst! then i will burst out of the bathroom screaming and keep on running right out the door and across the lawn and down the bike trail until i can't run anymore. well, ok, maybe i will be a little more civilized than that. my parents' backyard leads right onto the Old Plank Road Trail, a beautiful flat 21mile paved trail that connects into other trails and provides great motivation to exercise. so i'm thinking that i will borrow my younger brother's bike, and see how far i can go until my legs cramp up because the bike is a little small for me. but hey, got use what resources i have!

also while i'm here, i'll look into joining the wabash river cycle club. there's an online application, and i just have to find out how much the membership dues are. hopefully it'll be worth it.

so, i better get off to bed now so that i can sleep well, wake up, and enjoy the number that shows up on the scale! oh yay!

Introduction

hi there! my name is Nina and this blog is dedicated to my journey to a better me through riding my bike. (a word of warning: i do not like to use capital letters when not absolutely necessary, so please don't kill me for using lower-case. actually, my handwriting is all capitals, but i do not want to appear to be yelling over the internet, so this is easier. thanks.)

i have been developing an interest in cycling for a few years now. i absolutely love mountain biking, but living in flat indiana doesn't give me much of an opportunity, so i've settled for road cycling, which i love just about as much. i've ridden a few weekend-long rides (120mi) and one week-long ride just a month ago called Cover Indiana (350mi, 7days) to benefit Habitat for Humanity. i am always up for enjoying a ride in order to help out a cause. my greatest inspiration is my uncle, who is what i would call a professional cyclist and would take me along on rides when i lived with him for a few months. he's the one that taught me how to ride up steep mountains and not break a sweat. i really love riding and think that it would be a great way to lose weight and get fit.

i am a student at purdue university and will be graduating this december. i have just finished summer school courses and now have nothing to do. i was not able to obtain an internship and part-time job opportunities have been horrendously low. but i am not the kind of person to hang out on mom's couch and do nothing. i'm very project-orientated and decided to make myself the project of the summer. of course, i will still be trying my hardest to find a part-time job, and i plan on volunteering at the animal shelter and other community projects, but i will concentrate most of my efforts on building a better me.

my bike. ah, now that's a story. my bike is actually my mother's first bicycle that she bought when she was 16. (so yea, it's about 35yrs old.) it is a woman's red 10-speed Panasonic. yes, Panasonic did make things other than tv's, once upon a time. the bike was actually quite top-of-the-line when 10-speeds were making a break-through. unfortunately it's not so glorious anymore. despite that fact that it weighs a ton, my dad fixed it up so that everything works smoothly and it's a pretty comfortable ride. there are only a few things i need to upgrade when i get the funds, and i am sure i will be writing about any mechanical issues, tune-ups, and upgrades as they come along during my journey. let's give a name to the bike in order to properly inaugurate it and give it good luck...out of ideas right now, i'll have to think about it. do you have any good names for a red jalopy?

i've said 'journey' a few times already, but i don't want to give off the wrong impression. as much as i would LOVE to take a forever-long ride to who-knows-where on my bicycle and watch the pounds fall away, that's just not so possible when you are a young female with responsibilities. in order to do that, the most important thing to get would be a riding partner, and it's not so likely that i will be able to find someone with time that is as crazy as me. so when i say 'journey' i unfortunately mean the daily rides that take me to 'enchanted' places and then bring me back home at night. i am hoping to get in at least one over night ride this summer, maybe i can pay someone to join me, haha. also during this experience, i will be doing other kinds of exercise: volleyball 3 times a week, free group classes at the gym, and definitely taking advantage of the beautiful pool just outside my apartment building. of course i will document all these since they do impact my weight loss goals.

so, goals. goals, goals, goals. gotta set them in order to achieve them! here they are:
1. lose weight. i would love to have the body i had when i was 16. unfortunately, that was not that many years ago. i'm 5'7", so my ultimate goal weight: 160lb.
2. get fit. this is a little different that just losing weight. i would like to be able to have more energy and endurance in doing everyday things. currently, i'm decently good at jogging 5Ks and riding for days, but man, i hate stairs. i haven't gotten to the point of giving up completely and taking the elevator, but i'm huffing and puffing before i get to the top of the second flight. it really discourages me, and i really want to improve things like that.
3. become a better rider. currently, i wear the "Orange Helmet." on the rides i've done, this is synonymous with "Last Place." i created the Orange Helmet idea since my helmet is bright orange and i'm sure it'll go down in history. i have never had a problem with this because i looked at the bike tours as something to enjoy at a pretty leisurely pace. besides, the tour ain't over 'till the last rider crosses the finish line! i guess i could have gone faster, but then i don't think i would be here today with all this enthusiasm. i like to have fun when i exercise, otherwise i would just be sweating it out in the weight room and hating every minute (the only minute, right before i give up completely). however, i do envy the riders that have ridden ahead of me and i love reading about the professionals who've won races and such. so i would definitely love to join them.

i have a lot of motivations. the more motivations, the better chance to keep me on track! so here they are:
1. i will be studying abroad in London in august . i have set the countdown date on the side bar to august 7, the day we fly out. i would like to look and feel my best when touring the city,meeting important people, and showing up in many, many photos.
2. while in London, i may have the chance to visit my best guyfriend who moved to Scotland 2 years ago. i haven't seen him since then and i would love to be able to show him the Nina that he knew, instead of the Nina that looks like she let herself go. plans have not been finalized yet, so i may not actually be able to see him, but it's still a good motivation.
3. school starts again in the end of august. my best girlfriend will be back in town and we're looking forward to a great fall. would be nice to start off my last semester with a bang!
4. train for the Bucket 100 ride that i do every year with purdue habitat. this october, hopefully i can pass the orange helmet status onto someone else!
5. i am graduating in december. can't look like a walking refrigerator in mourning clothes when going across the stage!
6. gotta look good for the recruiters. i'll be spending a lot of time looking for full-time jobs and must feel good about myself during interviews.
7. starting a new career. i hope to have a job by the beginning of next year and must be able to fit well in and look good in formal, business, casual, and business-casual attire for every occasion. if i do end up getting a job with the company i interned with (cross my fingers!) i would really love to see the look on everyone's faces when they see how much i've changed.
8. do it for myself! i don't want to feel ashamed of myself being the big person in the back of the photograph surrounded by petite girlfriends. gotta fit in!
9. rack up the miles. weight loss is a big deal, but might as well see how many miles i can cross during the journey!

plan of attack! just hopping on the bike may not be enough to accomplish my goals. i'm thinking the best way is to separate my ultimate goal into smaller goals with deadlines that are not too far in the future. Phase 1: Be 200lbs by August 7, the day i fly to London. if i am able to accomplish this goal successfully, then i will move onto Phase 2, which will have another weight goal and deadline. and so on and so forth. if i am not able to accomplish Phase 1 like i wish, then i'll have to do some restructuring and focus on the problems that need to be fixed. so full-throttle onto Phase 1!!

i plan to ride every day, at least 10miles during the week and at least 25miles during the weekend. if the weather is not good enough to ride outside (sometimes it's fun to ride in the rain though), i will hit the gym and jump on a stationary bike. also, i would like to look into taking a Spin class, i've never been and i'm kind of nervous, but we'll see. i also plan on using my bike as my main form of transportation. i rarely ever drive my car, instead am a frequent bus rider, but since it's the summertime, i might as well enjoy the nice weather. i don't even have to ride alone, since both purdue and the local community have cycling clubs. the purdue cycling club seems a little too professional for me, so i think it'll have to wait. but the wabash river cycling club sounds just perfect for my level. it would be great to join the club because then i can have someone to ride with, meet people during group rides, and use the database of the many mapped routes all over the area. there are also a lot of resources on the website that i should take advantage of. i will be able to use Google maps and the like to map out my own routes since they have a bike option now. there are so many paved trails around the town and some start just right outside of my door. so there is pretty much no excuse for me not to be able to glue my rear-end to the seat and ride away the pounds!

i bought a book recently called "The Time-Crunched Cyclist." i flipped through it at the bookstore and got really interested. it's written by Lance Armstrong's trainer and is directed to the cyclists out there that want to get fit and fast but do not have much time on their hands. i do have time right now, but when school starts up again, i would like to be able to keep up a riding schedule between classes, meetings, projects, and exams. i like the book because he maps out different riding regimens for different leveled riders and follows a 11-week fitness program. i'm good at following a set schedule, so i think it'll work for me. another book i got at the library is "Every Woman's Guide to Cycling." i thought this book would be good in order to gain more basic knowledge about riding and would be more personalized for me. both of these books are also good because they talk about proper nutrition and give other healthy tips. i have not yet started really reading either of them, but will update you on interesting facts or ideas that i come across as i read, or any other information i may find.

there are a few things i hope to get out of this blog. i've tried keeping workout and weight-loss diaries before, which have motivated me because i always like to fill up the pages with my scribbles, but i have found that i do lie to myself. and then eventually give up or lose track or whatever other dumb excuse. but i believe that this blog will help me maintain a daily entry since it'll look weird if i miss a day, and keep me from lying, because i would then be lying to other people, and i would never do such a thing! so, everyday my typical blog will describe the ride that i did that day, my current weight, anything i may have read, any interesting things that happened, my anxieties, excitements, or any other feelings i may be experiencing, events that may have gotten in the way, good and bad food that i ate, etc. i like how i could add a day countdown to the blog, so that i am constantly reminded of my motivations and the few days left to accomplish my goals. also, i hope that my family and friends and other people will visit and comment on my blog and encourage me throughout this ride "to a better me!"