Ermahgerd, it's the hurlidurs agin.
Still fat and thus, still hairy. It is also the holidays, which means it isn't easy to maintain, let alone lose, weight. I have been ebbing and flowing with 5-6 lbs. for some time now. I get close and then my weight creeps back. Still trying, but two years into the beard penance, it is getting old.
No snowboarding yet. But there has been decent enough snow now for what, a week? Promise that I am taking Smarty Pants up on Sunday.
New bikes... new bikes.... they fill my dreams and haunt my waking hours.
Showing posts with label Beard Challenge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Beard Challenge. Show all posts
December 29, 2014
August 1, 2014
The Beard Challenge — Day XVIII
Weight: 161.8
I will run today. I will bike tomorrow. I will bike Sunday.
In between basement painting sessions, of course.
Biking will be much easier now that my road bike is all freshly cabled and bar taped. Work performed by yours truly. I say that biking will be easier now, but it isn't like I couldn't have ridden my mountain or cross bikes... I also installed a shorter stem in the hopes of being just a little more comfortable. I still think that both my road and cross bikes are too long for me. 53.5 cm top tubes and my short torso just don't match. I am now using 90mm stems on both. Maybe if I rode more my flexibility would improve, but a couple of years ago when I rode LOTOJA I don't recall it being much better. I miss my Lemond Zurich, that bike fit well.
Nothing new to report. Sloth has been somewhat effectively offset by menu choices. Seven pounds seems so within reach. Just working on consistency. I finally did one thing that will help: I wrote up a weight routine. Now, in the mornings when I am in the fog of sleep still, I can just look at this paper and hopefully get going instead of feeling so overwhelmed by the million exercises I could do that I do nothing.
I will run today. I will bike tomorrow. I will bike Sunday.
In between basement painting sessions, of course.
Biking will be much easier now that my road bike is all freshly cabled and bar taped. Work performed by yours truly. I say that biking will be easier now, but it isn't like I couldn't have ridden my mountain or cross bikes... I also installed a shorter stem in the hopes of being just a little more comfortable. I still think that both my road and cross bikes are too long for me. 53.5 cm top tubes and my short torso just don't match. I am now using 90mm stems on both. Maybe if I rode more my flexibility would improve, but a couple of years ago when I rode LOTOJA I don't recall it being much better. I miss my Lemond Zurich, that bike fit well.
Nothing new to report. Sloth has been somewhat effectively offset by menu choices. Seven pounds seems so within reach. Just working on consistency. I finally did one thing that will help: I wrote up a weight routine. Now, in the mornings when I am in the fog of sleep still, I can just look at this paper and hopefully get going instead of feeling so overwhelmed by the million exercises I could do that I do nothing.
July 30, 2014
The Beard Challenge — Day XVI
I was hoping I could stick to my guns and be done by now. I haven't. But I still like guns!
The weather is looking spotty all week, which keeps me indoors and not doing any cardio. I am going to make up for it with weights, but with my home gym torn asunder, I will need to be a little more creative.
I met with my health coach (Part of a health program at work. I love my job!) yesterday and she reminded me that muscle will burn fat. She isn't concerned about my weight, but would like to see the muscle/fat ratio change. Me too.
I have a couple of ideas I need to look into. One is the Nike Fit program on my iPod. It gives workouts that usually require minimal equipment. The trick is remembering that I have it at 5:30 in the morning. But that might be a big help right now.
Eight pounds. I'm only eight pounds from shaving the mangy cat off of my face.
The weather is looking spotty all week, which keeps me indoors and not doing any cardio. I am going to make up for it with weights, but with my home gym torn asunder, I will need to be a little more creative.
I met with my health coach (Part of a health program at work. I love my job!) yesterday and she reminded me that muscle will burn fat. She isn't concerned about my weight, but would like to see the muscle/fat ratio change. Me too.
I have a couple of ideas I need to look into. One is the Nike Fit program on my iPod. It gives workouts that usually require minimal equipment. The trick is remembering that I have it at 5:30 in the morning. But that might be a big help right now.
Eight pounds. I'm only eight pounds from shaving the mangy cat off of my face.
July 29, 2014
The Beard Challenge — Day ??
Weight: 162.2
Dammit. Routine is the hardest thing to keep. I get a couple of good days and then fall right off of the wagon again. Today is a great example. Rain. No outside cardio for me, and I won't do it indoors because I am spoiled.
The return of my weight can easily be attributed to a weekend trip to Bear Lake and the associated eating like shit.
So, we'll get going again tomorrow (we = me and my love handles) or tonight if I am properly motivated.
Dammit. Routine is the hardest thing to keep. I get a couple of good days and then fall right off of the wagon again. Today is a great example. Rain. No outside cardio for me, and I won't do it indoors because I am spoiled.
The return of my weight can easily be attributed to a weekend trip to Bear Lake and the associated eating like shit.
So, we'll get going again tomorrow (we = me and my love handles) or tonight if I am properly motivated.
July 22, 2014
The Beard Challenge — Day VIII
Weight: ??? (I was in a huge hurry this morning and spaced it. Shaved my neck instead!)
Short post today. I am going for a run on my lunch break. Which is now.
Short post today. I am going for a run on my lunch break. Which is now.
July 21, 2014
The Beard Challenge — Day VII
Weight — ???
Yowza. I wouldn't call the weekend a total bust, but it was a partial. Friday had no workout love. Just too busy and lazy in the morning, I ate like crap, too. Saturday was a good day. I missed my strength training in the morning, but Smarty Pants and I went for a nice three mile hike. I came home and got hip deep into the task of re cabling my road bike. Sunday, well, Sunday was spent painting. The morning was a bust. I have a nasty mosquito bite that got infected and actually kept me awake itching. I finally succumbed to Benadryl, which made clawing my way out of bed and being more than a lump of crap next to impossible. I had a spark of inspiration to go on a road ride, then remembered that my road bike was not finished — I completely forgot I have a cyclocross bike hanging from the ceiling...
Which brings me to the subject of habit. My current habit is waking up and staggering downstairs to watch TV until I have enough coffee in my veins to function beyond rudimentary grunting and farting. By then it is too late to do anything other than hoe in the garden and then go to work. These aren't necessarily bad habits, just not very productive. (Except the garden rocks right now!) Breaking old and establishing new habits isn't easy, but it is going to be necessary if I ever want this hairy creature off of my face.
Yowza. I wouldn't call the weekend a total bust, but it was a partial. Friday had no workout love. Just too busy and lazy in the morning, I ate like crap, too. Saturday was a good day. I missed my strength training in the morning, but Smarty Pants and I went for a nice three mile hike. I came home and got hip deep into the task of re cabling my road bike. Sunday, well, Sunday was spent painting. The morning was a bust. I have a nasty mosquito bite that got infected and actually kept me awake itching. I finally succumbed to Benadryl, which made clawing my way out of bed and being more than a lump of crap next to impossible. I had a spark of inspiration to go on a road ride, then remembered that my road bike was not finished — I completely forgot I have a cyclocross bike hanging from the ceiling...
Which brings me to the subject of habit. My current habit is waking up and staggering downstairs to watch TV until I have enough coffee in my veins to function beyond rudimentary grunting and farting. By then it is too late to do anything other than hoe in the garden and then go to work. These aren't necessarily bad habits, just not very productive. (Except the garden rocks right now!) Breaking old and establishing new habits isn't easy, but it is going to be necessary if I ever want this hairy creature off of my face.
July 18, 2014
The Beard Challenge — Days II & III
Day II weight: 164
Day III weight: ???
Work happened again. Other than some cardio and core work on Wednesday morning, I didn't get much work in. So, nothing to really talk about. Then I got to bed VERY late because I was up all night working.
Thursday was better. A little bit of core in the morning because that is all I had time for after a late night working. I forgot to get a weight but I am sure that it was higher than I would be happy with. A decent mountain ride in the evening made up for missing out in the morning.
Building some momentum feels good, even though I am easing into a routine a little too slowly. Other than a night of pizza on Wednesday, I have been more mindful of my eating habits also. It's all a process.
When I started my beard penance, my goal was to return to 150 lbs. That is doable, but I that is also a race weight and I don't have any racing scheduled — other than maybe some cyclocross this fall. I think getting under 155 and staying there for a week is going to suffice. I just hope that the beard isn't concealing a double chin.
Day III weight: ???
Work happened again. Other than some cardio and core work on Wednesday morning, I didn't get much work in. So, nothing to really talk about. Then I got to bed VERY late because I was up all night working.
Thursday was better. A little bit of core in the morning because that is all I had time for after a late night working. I forgot to get a weight but I am sure that it was higher than I would be happy with. A decent mountain ride in the evening made up for missing out in the morning.
Building some momentum feels good, even though I am easing into a routine a little too slowly. Other than a night of pizza on Wednesday, I have been more mindful of my eating habits also. It's all a process.
When I started my beard penance, my goal was to return to 150 lbs. That is doable, but I that is also a race weight and I don't have any racing scheduled — other than maybe some cyclocross this fall. I think getting under 155 and staying there for a week is going to suffice. I just hope that the beard isn't concealing a double chin.
July 15, 2014
The Real Day I of the Beard Challenge
Perhaps I got ahead of myself. I titled yesterday as Day I of the Beard Challenge. Which it was. But I didn't chronicle anything. This post is the first. Did you notice that I am using Roman numerals as my counting method? This could get really obnoxious.
Starting weight this morning: 164.
How did yesterday go? Just okay because truthfully, it is going to take a monumental effort to change my morning routine of coffee, the news, and gardening. Still, I managed 30 minutes of jumping rope, weights and core work. Work was pretty busy, and I missed my running window. After dinner, I trimmed and mowed the lawn which is saying something as my lawn is pretty good sized. Finally, I made it out for a 30-ish minute run.
So not too bad. As far as nutritional changes, I am focusing on water intake and fixing to start throwing cookies away when they come into the house.
Starting weight this morning: 164.
How did yesterday go? Just okay because truthfully, it is going to take a monumental effort to change my morning routine of coffee, the news, and gardening. Still, I managed 30 minutes of jumping rope, weights and core work. Work was pretty busy, and I missed my running window. After dinner, I trimmed and mowed the lawn which is saying something as my lawn is pretty good sized. Finally, I made it out for a 30-ish minute run.
So not too bad. As far as nutritional changes, I am focusing on water intake and fixing to start throwing cookies away when they come into the house.
July 14, 2014
The "Serious" Beard Challenge - Day I
I know I have been down this road before, but the beard has GOT to go.
This time I'm serious you guys.
Just so you don't have to go back through time, which really wouldn't take too long since the frequency of my blogging efforts is rather sparse, I'll regale you with a bit of history. A couple of years ago I found myself putting on some extra weight. Then a little more. And a little bit more. Pretty soon I was sitting at 165 pounds, which for my 5' 7" frame isn't bad if I never wanted to go up a hill ever again without wanting to punch myself in the ball sack or had pectoral muscles and biceps worth mentioning. Since neither are the case I wanted to lose weight. Hair has been a good motivator before, the last time I grew my hair long and vowed not to do more than trim the ends before I did I Half-Ironman distance triathlon. It worked. I trained and did it. So, this time, weight loss was the goal. Since my hairline has receded further I decided to grow a beard. I would keep the beard until I hit 150 pounds. That was two years ago....
That's right. I have had this stupid beard for nearly two years. I refuse to shave it until I lose the weight. I would consider just getting below 155 pounds and shaving it now. Maybe I have thus far failed because shaving isn't as sweet of a goal as that triathlon. I dunno. But I have been slowly (obviously) building toward critical mass — both physically and mentally — and I think it is time to get serious.
So here I go. I am starting today. I am going to chronicle this mess, day by day, until I shave it off. I may miss a few entries, but I have got to rid myself of this thing and I need some sort of accountability — even if it is only to myself on this page.
Why do I want to shave it when I still get compliments? The beard is hot. I hate riding through bugs and wondering what is crawling through it. Plus, I really want to see Smarty Pants' face when she sees me for the first time after I shave it, my beard replaced by an awkward tan line....
Tomorrow I will write about what I did today. It won't be a comprehensive list with calories and everything I eat. It will include nutrition and exercise overviews, plus the days' weight which I will obtain nekkidly on the scale in the morning. Today's weight was 164 pounds by the way.
Let the game begin.
This time I'm serious you guys.
Just so you don't have to go back through time, which really wouldn't take too long since the frequency of my blogging efforts is rather sparse, I'll regale you with a bit of history. A couple of years ago I found myself putting on some extra weight. Then a little more. And a little bit more. Pretty soon I was sitting at 165 pounds, which for my 5' 7" frame isn't bad if I never wanted to go up a hill ever again without wanting to punch myself in the ball sack or had pectoral muscles and biceps worth mentioning. Since neither are the case I wanted to lose weight. Hair has been a good motivator before, the last time I grew my hair long and vowed not to do more than trim the ends before I did I Half-Ironman distance triathlon. It worked. I trained and did it. So, this time, weight loss was the goal. Since my hairline has receded further I decided to grow a beard. I would keep the beard until I hit 150 pounds. That was two years ago....
That's right. I have had this stupid beard for nearly two years. I refuse to shave it until I lose the weight. I would consider just getting below 155 pounds and shaving it now. Maybe I have thus far failed because shaving isn't as sweet of a goal as that triathlon. I dunno. But I have been slowly (obviously) building toward critical mass — both physically and mentally — and I think it is time to get serious.
So here I go. I am starting today. I am going to chronicle this mess, day by day, until I shave it off. I may miss a few entries, but I have got to rid myself of this thing and I need some sort of accountability — even if it is only to myself on this page.
Why do I want to shave it when I still get compliments? The beard is hot. I hate riding through bugs and wondering what is crawling through it. Plus, I really want to see Smarty Pants' face when she sees me for the first time after I shave it, my beard replaced by an awkward tan line....
Tomorrow I will write about what I did today. It won't be a comprehensive list with calories and everything I eat. It will include nutrition and exercise overviews, plus the days' weight which I will obtain nekkidly on the scale in the morning. Today's weight was 164 pounds by the way.
Let the game begin.
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