Plugging along

I have been a little negligent in updating my quest to become healthier. It has been getting a bit more challenging to lose weight and gain stamina. I am, so to speak, a work in progress. I have added the stairmaster to my workout in the hopes of getting stronger legs to help me stay on the bicycle longer and not become frustrated. This weekend was supposed to be my first trip outside on the bike but snow is foretasted for tomorrow, so that will probably not happen. Also, my bike is still in the shop getting tuned up. Hula hoop class is going pretty well. I can keep the hoop going now instead of immediately dropping it to the ground. Probably the most important aspect is that I am still feeling positive and continue to believe in myself. Also, while I have not lost much weight, I haven't gained any back either.

Time to increase the workout

Tonight I am taking a giant step in strengthening my legs. I am going to add the stair master to my workout. This is a challenging addition as it can be uncomfortable on my knees to go up and down steps. But I am told it will quickly give me quad strength which is needed for pedal power. I now also have a good knee brace which should give my left knee some support. I am not feeling like I am making enough progress fast enough. I think the spell of warm weather has begun to make me panic. Kind of OMG it is already warm out and I not on the road beginning to make any progress. My diet, on the other hand, seems to be getting better. In the morning I have been having a protein shake and a couple of hours later yogurt and blueberries. Then lunch at work and a high protein dinner with greens. Lately the greens have been red kale and red swiss chard.

I am finally beginning to make some progress

These days you can find me at the gym four to five days a week. I am increasing my time on the treadmill and elliptical trainer. In addition to increasing the time I am also increasing the resistance which makes the task even more difficult. I am almost ready to begin to hit the open road. It scares me to share the space with vehicles. A while back I wrote a story about road rage and bicyclists. I interviewed an expert cyclist who told me some scary stories. I am also trying to find an older Jeep Wrangler to buy for the dogs and my bike. I figure it will be easier to put my bike on a rack on the back of the Jeep than into the bed of the Cherokee.

I am missing my peeps in hoop class

I have the late shift tonight and therefor have to miss my hula hoop class. It's a class at Amity High School and the instructor is great. And the best part of the class is the fact that I am not the only one who finds hooping challenging! Have you ever tried keeping a hula hoop going? It really is constant work and you have to find the right move to keep the momentum. It is a workout.

I CAN do it!

I am finally beginning to get the knack of hula hooping.

Yesterday I am sure our neighbors think I am crazy. There I am standing on the patio trying to swirl this giant hoop around my waist. Right now the trees don't have any leaves to hide my contorted body movements. But I did it!

This whole experiment of losing weight and getting into shape is beginning to get costly.

Specialized eye wear $400. New bike helmet $48. And this is only the beginning as I will need more items once I am actually on the road.

So far I have only been in the gym. And tonight I am starting spin classes!

Warning: Hula hoops can be painful

The first hula hoop class was actually FUN.

It was also difficult and painful. But I guess pain can be good.

The instructor warned us that we might begin to notice bruising on our bodies. She also suggested we might want to wear gloves for the hand and arm work. You twirl the hoop between your thumb and index finger.


This morning I hurt like hell. Arms, shoulders and lower back really sore. I put of the MRM on the areas and it worked like magic. Unfortunately, it does have a strong odor.


This evening I am heading to the gym for the usual workout and a little time in the spin class.

Sore and crabby

I worked my butt off last evening at the gym and today I am paying for it.

Spent time on the treadmill. Then went over to the elliptical machine. From there I went into the spin room and joined the class.

There is no question that sitting on a bicycle seat is going to take some getting used to.

Those seats are NOT comfortable at all.

I also did some upper body work on two different machines. So m y knees, lower back and upper body all hurt together.

What did I learn from this experience?

No pain no gain. I hope!

A small start

Alright, I have actually stepped into LA Fitness twice so far. I wish they were a little more considerate with the music they played. Not everyone wants to have their ears pierced with the loud music. I prefer my own music and brought along my ipod. Unfortunately, in order to drown out the LA Fitness music I had to crank my volume quite high. I did some stretching, spent about 15 minutes on the treadmill and another 10 on the elliptical machine. Then I did some upper body stuff. Interestingly, I felt happy when I left the gym. Over the weekend we pulled my bike down from the hangar in the garage and it is in the back of the car to be dropped off at the bike shop for a once-over. Tonight, more gym time. I also signed us up for travel insurance. This should now mean everything will go fine and we won't need it!

The Big 6 0

I am 60 and fat. There, I put it in black and white. Turning 60, which I did in January, has really been kind of traumatic for me. Neither of my parents lived to be this age. Last year before the holidays I was dreading hitting the big 6 0. I decided to stop coloring my hair. After all, I rationalized; I don’t want those chemicals in my body. I no longer use ANY products that have been tested on animals. So why am I still coloring my hair? The simple answer, I told myself, was that I was doing my best to hide my age. I work in an environment where many of my coworkers are much younger than I am I rationalized. On my birthday, we did NOTHING. This was not a year to celebrate still being alive. I am not by anyone’s imagination athletic. However I am about to become just that. I came to the conclusion that to help me get through this year I need a change. So when we received an offer to go on a bicycle trip in Vermont I convinced my spouse that this would be a good move. She, is in fantastic shape and is a triathlete. This is nothing for her. But for me the next six months I will be in training. Yesterday I went to the doctor to make sure I had no medical complications. I received a clean bill of health. This morning I went to the eye doctor and had my vision checked and talked to her about proper glasses. My next step will be Kennedy & Perkins eye glass in New Haven to talk with Richard about some kind of wrap around glasses that will increase my vision. This weekend you will be able to find my at L. A. Fitness. The gym is about to become my friend. A scary thought indeed. Stay tuned to ‘Bridget’s great adventure. Any help you might want to offer will be appreciated.