Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Product Review: Knickers

I have been on the search for the perfect cycling knickers. Last year I went through several pair (and sizes) made from Aerotech Designs but now they are huge on me. So the search began. I ordered a pair of Shebeest Pedal Pushers, Terry Bellas and Pearl Izumi Sugars. The Shebeest & Terry I ordered in a size Medium because that is my goal.  They both go on but I could never pedal in them because they are too tight.  So I decided to by just one more pair to get me through until the others fit. I went with the PI Sugars due to the short inseam and good reviews. I ordered a Large and they fit perfectly. The chamois is wonderfully thick but fitted well. The best part of all it the drawstring on these. I usually have a hard time because my waist is so much smaller than my hips but the drawstring is fabulous. I love these knickers. They fit like they were made for me. They earned a seal of approval after 30 minute on the trainer. My goal is 30 minutes a night on the trainer until I can get outside regardless of what I do during the day. This should get me ready for the roads and get my saddle ass back :o)

PS...Scary Blogger Stalker, I have no idea what you are talking about but if you keep harassing me Blogger can track your IP address. Have a lovely day and take your delusions elsewhere.

Friday, February 19, 2010

Funny Things that happen during Weight Loss...

So as I was in Zumba today I started thinking about all of the things that have happened to me while losing weight. Here are a few that came to mind:
  • While doing forward fold in yoga I realized I probably have never been that close to my feet before and I need a pedicure.
  • I woke my husband up one night freaking out about the bone sticking out of my ankle. Turns out it is supposed to be there.
  • If I don't wear the proper clothing while running I swear I hear my stomach clapping for me..ahh loose skin, gotta love it.
  • I was slapped on the ass by my brothers girlfriend. She couldn't help herself :o)
  • Cycling knickers I used to love can now be pulled up to my chest, earning the name "boob pants"
  • My poor husband is highly irritated when I drive the truck. Not because I am a bad driver but because he has to move the seat all the way back and now have to move it all the way forward. My fat booster seat is gone.
  • Fat floats..seriously. We love the hot tubs and when we used to go my body had such a high % of fat I would float off the seats. Now I am firmly planted but my inner thighs float up.
  • There are bones in my ass and it hurts to sit for too long.

These are just a few. There are also some not so funny thing like:
  • My grandfather didn't recognize me in his aging state of mind. Once he figured out who I was he was impressed but I wanted to be fat again so he would know who I was.
  • A girl at the gym talking to me about how she couldn't believe people could let themselves get morbidly obese. She had to be informed of my weight loss.
  • My skin is screwed. From my knees to my waist I look like I was melted.
  • I have had nervous breakdowns over going out to eat.
  • High sugar and high fat foods make my physically ill now.
  • Some people hate me for losing the weight.
The good moments far out number the bad and I usually laugh at something that has happened daily. I challenge you to think of things that have happened on your journey to make you laugh really hard or moments that have made you cry like a baby because these are the moments that get us through. These little non scale victories and challenges are what make this journey worth it. It is called living and I am happy as hell to finally be dong it.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Busting A Plateau


From Jillian Michaels:

There is nothing more discouraging than stepping on the scale after a week of diligent dieting and grueling workouts and not seeing any drop in the numbers. The plateau is a common problem among dieters and can typically be waited out, but there are measures you can take to keep your metabolism fired up even as you reduce your caloric intake.

The best way to approach a plateau is to keep your salt intake below 2,000 mg a day and drink lots of water. Don't eat any processed carbs for a week (that's right -- no chips, sugar, white flour, and so on) and hit the gym hard! The boost in exercise will make your body swell and hold a little water weight for a few days, but after a week you should see the benefits on the scale.

You can also play around with your caloric intake a bit, varying it from day to day throughout the week while keeping the same weekly total. The human body can't slow the metabolism to adjust to a reduced caloric intake if the intake isn't fixed from one day to the next. For instance, to bust my plateau, I might have 1,200 calories on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and then eat 1,500 calories on Tuesday, 1,600 on Thursday, 1,400 on Saturday, and 1,700 on Sunday. Get it?

The plateau effect can also simply be a matter of flagging resolve. If mixing up your caloric intake just isn't working, make sure you're not slipping up on your diet or slacking off in your workouts. It happens to the best of us -- sometimes you just need a little reality check to get yourself back on track.

As with any program, there will be highs and lows, but the most important thing is to stay with it. Your body is trying to adjust to the weight loss. Don't get scared or discouraged. Just be patient and know you're worth it!

Complain, Complain, Complain...

I feel like such a Debbie Downer lately but I am sick of the scale just not moving. It was going down down down and then *poof* it has frozen at the same number for 2 weeks. It's not the end of the world but it is depressing. To give you a good idea why this is depressing look at my schedule:

Monday~ Run 40 minutes
Tuesday~Weights 1 hr
Wednesday~Run 30 minutes
Thursday~Yogalates
Friday~Zumba 1hr/weights 30 minutes
Saturday~Run 40 minutes

I stay within my points and eat healthy foods, drink my water and take my vitamins. I don't know whether to scream or cry. I mean who works out like that, eats healthy foods and nothing happens?
It has taken me 50 weeks to lose 50 pounds...stellar huh? Yes I have lost inches, yes I am healthier and more physically fit. I lost the first 115 pounds in 10 months. I am exhausted, I want the scale to move, I want people to stop playing copycat with me and more than anything I want Spring to hurry up so I can get out of the stuffy gym and on to the road. I need to surround myself with different people.
I don't like saying "yay, I ran a 12 min/mile pace" and them saying "wow, that's slow". It's not me, these people need a friggin' filter on their mouths. That 12 minute mile took me a long time to work up to. I am proud of that. I can't do it all the time and on the treadmill I am a lot slower but that is what I can do. I love when I get told people can walk a mile that fast because that's even ruder yet. It's as fast as my short legs can carry me right now and I am damn proud of it. I am stuck between two worlds. The athletic world where everyone is speedy and healthy and the diet world where everyone is working towards that. I don't fit in either place.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

A Fuzzy Updated Picture



My phone has been taking crappy pictures lately, the kids messed with one of the settings but this is a progress picture none the less. Sweaty and after yoga.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Dear Spring..

Could you hurry up and get here already? I feel like a little kid waiting for Christmas. I am ready to feel the sun beat down on my face. I will never again complain about freezing my water bottles or my funny cyclist tan line. I have picked up some new goodies at "off season" prices and am even more excited about those. The list includes:
  • Nike Carbon Cycling Shoes
  • Giordana Gloves
  • Terry Knickers ( in a freakin' medium)
  • Pink Paisley Helmet
  • Selle San Marco Aspide Glamour Saddle
  • Fly Gurlz Race Team Jersey
  • Primal Black Orchid Jersey
  • Primal Beehive Jersey
  • Topeak Seat Bag (my other one was too tiny)
  • Cinelli Pink/Black/White Bar Tape
On average I got about 75% off on these items since it is the "off season" The shoes were the best deal. They retail for $149.00 and I paid $10.50....new in the box :o) Full carbon sole and a wider toe box should prevent hot spots. I still need to pick up some shorts and of course my new bike from the bike shop. The seat was a must have. It is one of the most comfortable women's saddles on the market today and it is smaller than the crap stock saddles that come on the bike. They should just leave them off like they do the pedals. My new bike will be the Trek 2.1 Black & White WSD with a compact chain ring. 50/34...I am so excited about this because I was riding with a 50/39/30 triple. I used the granny gear ring once and because the middle ring was a 39 it was really hard to find a sweet spot, it always felt like I was missing something. Can you tell I a excited.!?! I have been spending Monday nights on the trainer which is similar to watching paint dry but an hour on the trainer is like 1.5 outside so I should at least not die on the first ride of the season.
Weight wise I dropped 6 pounds last month which is my goal. I think at this point between 6-8 pounds a month is reasonable. I also am consistently running 3 miles in about 37 minutes in the freezing cold. On the treadmill I am slower but I am bored out of my mind on that thing so I am obviously not as focused on the task at hand.
So in a complete reversal from my last negative nelly post I am feeling pretty good. I have refocused on me, myself and I. Trying to ignore the small things that irritate me and look to the big picture. I see 100 glorious miles in my future and it looks good :o)