I should not answer questions before having coffee. Seriously.

I want a new bike. Not gonna lie on this one…..I REALLY want a new road bike. I currently ride a mountain bike and it is fine ……but the bike weights like 20 pounds. I get passed every single day by people on road bike and all I want to do is scream out “I hate you”!!! But really I am super jealous, there I admit it. I had hoped to be like 20+ pounds lighter by this point (not very realistic considering my horrid eating habits these days. Those resulted in some vitamin deficiencies. Joy.) I was thinking that by Christmas this would be super easy. Not so much. I still struggle EVERY. SINGLE. RIDE. The good news is that I have lost about 7 ponds since I started the 2^nd week in October, but I wanted more damn it!!! I need to start incorporating better habits into my routine.

 I look forward to rain days that I don’t have to bike to work hehehe. Yes I really do. I enjoy biking, but I do not enjoy how my nose runs like a faucet when I bike in the cold. I go through a box of Kleenex every week I bike when it is cold. I am sure that cruising down the road with snot stringing down your face is super attractive (Dumber & Dumber style here)…….but super annoying. My pockets are full of Kleenex so it looks like I have waist boobs. Go ahead and laugh it looks funny.

 On another note……a fairly attractive guy started talking to me on the elevator this morning and asked if I had a good workout. And my reply…….”I actually bike to the train station every day …..and it sucks”. Apparently I am not a person for conversation or even simple questions before I have had my coffee. But he at least seemed impressed that I get in close to 9 miles a day. Hey buddy….I am impressed I haven’t run over anyone…yet. Let’s not even mention the fact that I was in my bike gear (ridiculous neon calf sleeves and jacket) and still feeling the icky sweat from my ride making my shirt stick to my back.  But anything worth doing is worth doing well. If you are gonna be sweaty and stink, then STANK and have that shit dripping down your face. Might as well run with it.

 And one more note……there is the hottest guy on the train some mornings. He is an exact replica (although a skinny version) of Jason Momoa. You know, the guy in Game of Thrones, and Conan the Barbarian, the recent one. Super hot. Just thought I would tell the whole damn world.

Cheers!!!!

The dating diaries......oh hell I don't remember what number I am on

This weekend I got to catch up on some much needed sleep. I didn’t get to take the day after my vacation off (will always make sure I put that in ahead of time from now on). I was really dragging most of last week. It was really nice to sleep in for 2 days. I wish it could have been more. Falling asleep sitting up at your desk is usually frowned upon.  I really did absolutely nothing on Saturday except sit on my ass and watch movies all day. Absolutely awesome. I should have done that on Sunday when it was raining instead. I got soaked running errands yesterday. I did get to go see the hobbit though. It was pretty good. I am slightly annoyed that I will have to wait for the other 2 movies to come out to see how it ends. Boo.

 I did get something out of the blue though. A guy I dated during the summer sent me a message on facebook to call him. WARNING: FOUL LANGUAGE AHEAD. Now this guy was a “gem”. Hear that sarcasm? This gem was probably the worse guy I have ever had the unfortunate experience to date in my entire life (and a poster child for a manipulative compulsive liar to boot). And that is saying something, because I have dated some loosers. At first I thought it was something bad that he had to tell me (don’t want to ever have one of those phone calls). But it was one of those “I miss you and want to get back together” messages. Now……..this guy must be high off his ass if he thinks I ever want to see his face ever again.  No, I didn’t call him. Sent a text message “what the hell do you want?”. I would not be able to keep the foul language under wraps if I actually spoke to him (I usually pride myself on having a potty mouth that an Irish navy sailor would be proud of. But sometimes being nice will piss people off more, especially when they don’t get what they want, soooooo).  I took the high road and said that I didn’t want to see or hear from him again. Ever. I had to make that point multiple times. Why would you want to keep asking someone that if they keep saying they want nothing to do with you? What a moron. And he must think I am a complete fucking idiot if he thought I would EVER get back together with him. Insert Taylor Swift song here (ok, I can’t stand that chick. So if I am using her in a reference it is a good one. One of her ex’s should do a song “maybe its you” just sayin).  When I got the response I nearly fell off the couch laughing. I kinda half fell off to avoid the cat that was looking up at me like I was crazy.

I digress.   

This is one of those examples for not resorting to bad habits. There are good reasons why you are not with that person anymore, so why bother going back. I have learned that lesson too many times to count. With the same of even worse results. People really don’t change. So if it didn’t work before, it will not work the second time. I do believe the saying “once a cheater, always a cheater”. Granted there might be one exception to the rule, but I have yet to find it. If you are a compulsive liar, then you will probably always be one. And those are definitely the ones to avoid. Besides, if you have to lie …….you probably shouldn’t be with that person anyways. That one is not rocket science.

 Perhaps I will meet a good and decent guy one day….but I am not holding my breath on that one, not in this town. 

Cheers to all of you crazy peeps!!!

The Chicago trip

Well, I would like to say that my trip to Chicago was a blast………but it was more like a bust. Let’s first say that I can only take my mom in small increments, and spending 5 days together really tried my nerves. Now, don’t get me wrong, I luvs my mum, but we are completely different people. But I digress. We stayed 2 blocks over from the “Magnificent Mile”. And trust me it is only magnificent if you are a shopaholic. The lights along the street were nice though. I am more of a foodie and experience person. My brother is the same way.

 We did get to see the museum and go to the zoo. Navy pier was a complete let-down. I did get to try the Chicago style pizza once (only because my brother and I left her at the mall). It was really good and worth a repeat if I can ever find it in Atlanta. I made 2, yes 2 , trips to Garrett’s popcorn. Oh my holy moly yummy crack rock popcorn. It is REALLY expensive but totally worth it. We didn’t get to try out many restaurants that I had heard about due to my mom’s MANY dietary “restrictions”. One example of that psycho behavior……..she only eats 2 meals a day, and gets annoyed when others don’t want to do the same.  We had to resort to eating dinner at Dick's Last Resort so mom could get a Pina Colada. Will never do that one again.

 

Anyways…..we got in a lot of walking. About 12 miles a day probably according to my brother. I have the blisters to prove it too. I really didn’t get much sleep so I am dragging and will probably be until the weekend. I have been taking my vitamins so hopefully the biking should feel a bit easier soon. One can only hope.

 

But all in all…..will not be going to Chicago again. It was just too boring. Cheers!!!

Problem solved........sorta

Well, I found out why my hair was falling out and it has been quite a bit harder riding the bike these days. Vitamin deficiencies. Multiple that is. And I am VERY low in vitamin D. The doc has a prescription supplement waiting for me. Joy. So I have invested in some multi-vitamins and will get a separate B12 pill as well. I am just glad that the issue was not my thyroid.  But this is mostly my fault anyways. I have been REALLY slacking on my fruit and veggie intake these days. I was at a point where I couldn't remember when the last time I had any plant food. So I am making a special effort into making sure I add some plant stuff into every meal and then some. My meals lately have consisted of mostly junk food. Ohy. This has had disastrous effects on my bloodsugar as well. I guess I am in the mindset that I bike, so I can eat junk. Now I am paying the price.

On a happier note.......heading to Chicago tomorrow with my mom and my brother. Should be fun. The weather isn't going to be that cold. Darn.

I slacked off and didn't ride my bike today because I have a gazillion errands to run before my flight tomorrow. Plus a stop for dinner at whole foods. Have to get in those veggies. I would really rather have fried chicken. Oh yes.

Cheers!!!

Cycle update

So this is an update on the riding to and from work these days. We are short a person in our group so I get to bike in the dark. Yippee!!! I do have e pretty good reflective backpack and enough lights on my bike to resemble a small Christmas tree. 2 on the sides of my backpack and one on the back of the bike, and 1 headlight sort of thing. The jacket I have now is black but hopefully all of this stuff will make me visible no matter what color my jacket is. If you have ever driven in Atlanta you would probably agree that nothing can save you from the moronic drivers. I really want to get a new backpack. The one I have as nice but really stiff and fitting in my daily stuff get to be a pain sometimes. More money to REI. Damn it!! But I will try and return the pack to dicks. Will see how well that turns out.

I would like to say it is getting easier, but it isn’t. If anything it is getting harder for some reason. That is why I am getting my thyroid and vitamin levels checked tomorrow. Hopefully I just need some vitamins. Hopefully. It seems like I hit my 30’s and my body is falling apart or something. Ohy.

On the food front…….it might be a good idea to bring a morning snack. I eat before I leave the house but I am usually hungry again a bit after I get to work. I don’t want to eat a big breakfast before I get on the bike, so I think a morning snack should help. My morning meal these days is usually a slice of rye bread with pimento cheese and a small glass of milk or juice. So far I have been cramp free on my morning rides. Nice.

 And a shout out to IKEA for their thermos drink thingy. This thing will keep my coffee HOT well past lunch time. Burned my tongue this morning. Ouch.  For $6 you can’t beat the quality for the price anywhere.

Thanksgiving recap

I had a pretty good Thanksgiving. I hope everyone else did as well. Since most of my family was doing something else, the rest of us met up at S&S cafeteria. it was actually pretty good. And no cleaning up after it either. Score!!  I make it a point to not eat leftovers from thanksgiving. one meal of goin crazy and thats it. I even got to eat some pumpkin pie. Well, 1/2 of it that is. I was too full to finish it anyways. Sigh. I have been slacking on my fruits and veggies lately so I really need to get back in that balance. I need to get my thyroid checked because my hair is seriously falling out, nails are so brittle I break one almost every day, skin is dry, and have tingling in my fingertips. Yes apparently when I hit my 30's everything started falling apart. Grrrr. It is our normal tradition to hit a bar in little 5 points after thanksgiving stuff but since we met up at noon, nothing was open. I think we tried every place in the city. My brother, his girlfriend, and myself, just opted to get something at the liqueur store and call it a day. Beer!!!!

I did get in some biking each day other than Thursday. I cleaned up my apartment yesterday so I will be counting that as exercise, oh yes. I did manage to get my brother to bike with me on Friday. he ran the 1/2 marathon thanksgiving morning and thought he would run while I biked. That lasted all of 10 minutes before he was whining like baby. The awesome peeps at Intown Bikes pumped up his tires for free. I got my brother to bike the Beltline or AKA the-super-annoying-moronic-walkers-take-up-the-whole-damn-road. He got to see why it annoys the hell out of me to ride on it when there are a good bit of people walking. Hey morons......when someone says "on your left" DO NOT move to your left. That is where I am RETARD!!!!! Its not rocket science!!! I digress.

I did not go shopping on Friday (like I was going to get up for that madness anyways. riiiiight.) I killed my credit card the weekend before at REI. Got some awesome stuff. Will post a pic. Oh I did check out Lulu lemon for the first time. I must say.....I am not all that impressed. They had SOME cute stuff but it was soo expensive I really didn't bother with anything. I am more of a fan of Lucy. Perhaps lemon will have better stuff in the spring.

That is pretty much it for right now. I need a nap. And a vacation, which I will be going on Dec 6-10th. Heading to Chicago with my mom. Ohy. I can see right now I will be leaving her at the mall or store most of the time to find the best Chicago pizza and beer. Add some garrets popcorn and we are set.

Cheers!!!

Pink? Moi? I don't do pink.

I hate spending money on new pants for winter. I thought about the compression calf sleeves so I could wear them with my capris. Enter REI, again. I found some in my size......and they are pink. HOT NEON pink. And for those who know me......I don't do pink. But since they are so bright I thought it could only help when I ride home at night so I bought them. I don't really have much calf pain but my right calf gets really tight, which is why I have that annoying plantar faciatis in my right foot. But these things are awesome. I will be buying another pair. Either in black or neon yellow to match my jacket. I did get some strange looks this morning when riding to work. But oh well, I am actually biking to work not standing at the corner every morning at the cross-walk with my Starbucks. Mmmmmm Starbucks. Ok, I would put it in my Thermos and take it with me. Oh yes.

I will post a pic of the calf sleeves later today. Hope everyone is well. Cheers!!!

A new name

         


         Yes, I changed the title of my blog. I thought it was more "me". I live in Atlanta so fried chicken is a staple guys. Really. That is just how we roll.

On another note, I just wanted to write down a thought yesterday that I noticed after dinner with my friend Nichole. Since I have been biking to and from work I have noticed that when I splurge, I don't feel any guilt anymore. At all. Although I need to balance out my everyday meals, I don't feel one ounce of guilt for eating 2 chili cheese dogs and an order of onion rings for dinner last night (actually ordered 2 onion rings but couldn't eat the 2nd one). Although it made me feel kinda ick physically, didn't beat myself up over eating it. Mostly because I biked home 30 minutes before eating it.

I didn't loose any weight this week according to the scale, but my clothes keep getting more and more loose each time I put them on. Yay!!! I will take it.

Hope everyone has an awesome weekend!! I am off to the bike shop to see if they can out a saddle thingy on the back of my bike. I don't have the tools  here to do that. Boo.

Cheers!!

A shopping diva........not it!!!

Since the holidays are right around the corner I was thinking of what I really wanted for Christmas, like the ultimate gift. And I am sure that most chicks would be thinking of something from Coach, whatever jewelry store, clothing boutique, yadda yadda yadda, shopping divas. But alas I am not like the shopaholic that my mom is (and perhaps a few friends, still love you guys though lol). The place that would have me jumping up and down like a chick in front of a 50% off sale at Coach would be a sweet gift certificate to REI. Yes, I am an outdoor gear slut. Don't hate. Yes, I own a kayak, bike, surfboard, and some nice snorkel gear. So when my mom makes for the Michael Koors store, I make a b-line for the athletic wear. Yeah I like nice clothes and such, but at this point I would rather have a new bike than a Chanel bag. I really just want the things to help me reach a healthy point in my life again. And that is what I really NEED, it just so happens that it is also what I want as well.

I can't remember where I read this but here is the quote: "You will never have enough of what you don't really need".

While I am at it...does anyone know of anything that will keep my face warm when I bike but is still breathable? I really don't to pass out because the CO2 can't get out of the thing. Ideas?


Cheers all!!

Resorting to BAD habits

I have always been one of those people that gets to learn things the hard way. I have adopted the code of not resorting to bad habits, mostly in the dating field. If you break up with someone, there is usually a very good reason why, so you really shouldn't go back there. Or even if someone ends things with you, the same rule applies. Why on earth would you want to go back to that anyways? There are lots of reason why we do......boredom, loneliness, or just not having anything better to do at that particular time. You go back, and regret it later, when you knew you should never have gone back there in the first place. Now this can apply to girls AND guys. Don't get your boxers in a wedge in some place uncomfortable now.

Now this post isn't about me breaking my code and hitting up a previous asshat. I would like to think I have learned SOMETHING from my college days. Ohy. This is about resorting to eating junk food. Yes, slightly more boring but still important. I brought my lunch today but instead resorted to eating a Reuben and fries. And 30 minutes later I really feel like a slug. Eating this junk makes me feel like crap. No I don't feel guilty about eating it, just physically feel icky. And this happens a lot when I eat junk. If I eat small portions and add in healthy foods, I am usually good. I think this is going to be a slow learning process to find balance here in the food world. I don't like feeling like crap, but sometimes there are just some things that sound better to eat at the time. I am kinda glad it is raining today because trying to bike home after that lunch would have not been a good experience. But back on the bike again tomorrow.

Does anyone bike in the rain?

Finding Balance

I am not one for sugar-coating things. And loosing weight is a pain in the ass. It is hard and it sucks. I have joined and quit WeightWatchers more times than I can remember. yes, the program is good and it works if you can stick to it. And that is my problem.......sticking to it. But you cant keep doing the same thing over and over again and expect to see different results. So perhaps it is time to just find balance. To keep the portions small of anything other than fruits and veggies, and have larger portions of the healthy stuff (like fruits and veggies). I said in my last post that my eating lately has been super crappy. I was not even sure when the last time was that I actually have any fresh fruits and veggies. So that is the plan. I will still write down what I eat in my WW book though. I do like their food journal better than any others out there.

So for breakfast I had:

1/2 cream cheese croissant- about the size of my palm
1 cup 2% milk   target was out of 1%
1 small apple
2eggs, sliver of butter
coffee


It is really nice outside today so I am going to go riding on the bike and then run to Dick's or REI for some riding stuff. I need some lights for my bike since I will be riding home in the dark until spring. And yes I will be looking for a ski mask. My face freezes in the cold when riding. Just call me the "biking bandit"!!! Cheers!!

A month reviewed

So I have been biking to work for about a month now. And some days I forget where I parked my car. I should probably look down the hill to make sure it is still there. Hey, I live in midtown Atlanta, nothing would surprise me. But I digress. The biking is going well. It is still hard and I am still WAY out of shape. But I have no plans on stopping. I did pick up some compression tights to wear under my normal workout pants so my legs would not get cold. And they better be worth the cash that Nike took from me. I also need to find a ski mask or something because my face is what really gets cold (any suggestions on this would be great). Yes indeed. It is getting a tiny bit easier though. And I mean a TINY bit. It is always entertaining to cuss out the morons that swerve/drive in the bike lane though. I think some of those cursings would make any Irish sailor proud. I do feel it is my civic duty to enlighten people when they are driving like morons. I rode home when it was dark last night and it wasn't bad. I will need some lights on my bike though. The park is pretty much empty at night and kinda creepy. Will need lights.

On the weight loss front......I am still loosing weight but it has slowed a bit due to my terrible eating habits. I have been eating junk and a good bit of processed foods and it make me feel sluggish. I also think it puts my in a bad mood as well. I will test that theory and take this week for a processed-free food week and see how I feel.

On the dating front.......nada. I think my time would be better spent getting to a healthy place. At least for a while. I honestly don't have the time or patience for bullshit right now.

So that is it for today.

My thoughts and prayers go out to those effected by hurricane Sandy.

A special thanks

I try to remember those that help me out when sh*t happens. If you didn't know, last year I managed to sprain my left ankle and my right mid-foot (at the same time of course) the night before I was going to move to my current place in midtown. I also sprained all of the top toe ligaments in all of my toes except for my right pinky toe. It was not a good time. How did I manage such a swell thing you ask???? I just stepped off the curb wrong. I felt the fall and the next thing I knew I was face down on the pavement with my feet feeling like A-Rod took a bat to them. I do remember hearing some crunching. Ick. I digress.

But 3 of my dear friends still came over to help my move all of my crap. I felt horrible because walking was nearly impossible and trying to lift any boxes was a damn joke. But everything got to my new place super quick and I think I still owe everyone beers :)  So a special thanks to my dear friends and my mom for helping me out that day. You guys rock my face off!!!

This came to mind recently because I have been having issues with my left ankle since I have been riding to work (my weight is on my left foot when I stop). Looks like I will be using the wrap again and doing the resistance bands from PT that I had to do before. Yay!!! That is fine with me because that was some serious pain and I do NOT want to sprain anything ever again. Yes I have pics of it a week after it happened.....but I really don't think anyone wants to see that lol.

Back to work. Hope everyone is having a good week. Cheers!!!

Are you talking to me........punk?

Yes enter Clint Eastwood here. I will explain. See.....what had happened was......I was walking up the hill to my street with my bike (the basket was hanging on for dear life from the stop at trader joes tehee). So I took the scenic route home and I was exhausted so walking the bike from Eats to my apartment building was going to happen. There was a guy and a girl walking in the opposite direction. Now this chick was one that you could take one look at and know she was high maintenance. The guy was wearing skinny jeans for cripes sake. Hipsters. Enough said. So right after they passed by me the chick busted out laughing. I am sure at my expense. Especially after the once-over that her skinny jeans friend gave me. Yes, I was in my rolling stones t-shirt and workout pants (spandex). And make no mistake I was a hot sweaty mess, oh yes. But laughing at a chubby chick that is actually trying to improve her health is just douche (for those that actually know me, I did not punch anyone. I swear). Perhaps these 2 were not taught any better, or they like to put others down to try and make themselves look good. Now normally I would have turned right around and asked if they were speaking to me, but I really don't see the point of wasting my time or effort on moronic hipsters. Because karma is a bitch and eventually you have to account for the way that you treat people. So my basket of trader joes loot and myself just kept going to my apartment. But I will give them the cyber middle finger just on principle. That is just how I roll.

Enough of my rant tonight. Have to portion out the beef stew I made last night (it was awesome by the way) to put it in the freezer. I also have to pack my work clothes for tomorrow since I will be riding my bike to the station again (IN SPANDEX!!).

So cheers!!!! Yes, there is a gin and tonic in my hand. Love it!!

Time to invest in.........

A belt.
 I have been loosing about 1-2 pounds per week since I have been biking to work (despite my eating junk here and there, ok, a good bit of the time). The scale moves pretty slow but my work pants are getting big. The ones I have on today could easily be pulled down without having to unbutton or unzip. Now, don't get me wrong, this is a good thing. But I am trying to save money and I really don't want to buy anything (except workout clothes) to wear unless I absolutely have to. Yes, I am saving for my victory trip next year (and the bike I want from REI, don't hate). So I will suck it up and just use a belt for as long as I can. Hey, the cardigans will hide all of the gathering fabric. Smart.

It was raining this morning when I got up so I didn't bike in today. Of course by the time I left my apartment the sun was out. That is usually my luck. If it was sunny, it would be a monsoon when I left. But this will give my legs a bit of a break. Since I took 2 days off this weekend, the ride on Monday was a bit hard so I think just 1 day break at a time will be the happy medium here. I noticed yesterday that my legs are getting a bit stronger....YES!!! I don't have to work so hard to get up some hills. Granted there are some spots that I feel like I am going to pass out after I get to the top, but perhaps by Christmas I will be laughing at those hills. One can only hope. But I need to run to the farmers market on my way home today so taking the truck was probably a good idea. On that note....it means Indian food from Zyka for dinner......sweet!!!!!

Hope everyone is well. Cheers!!

PS if anyone actually reads this crap....feel free to  follow me, or comment, and all that.

Oh its on.......

Like donkey kong!! I will explain. I made a pact with my dear friend Nichole that we would go on a victory trip to Cancun next August in celebration of our weight loss mission. So I told my brother and his friend Chris that they should head down to Cancun as well so we could do a group trip (of a bunch of wing-nuts). I think the alcohol inclusion for the week was that determining factor there. But it gets better.......both of them made a wager with me that if I can get under 150lbs by the trip that they would each donate $150 to the cause. Now I am sporting 193 pounds as of today so it will be hard but not impossible to get to 150 by mid-august next year. Oh it gets better.......my brother said that if I can actually do that, he would give me $300, but if I didn't make it I would have to give him $150. So I agreed. Be ready guys cause I AM GONNA TAKE YOUR MONEY!!!!! NA NA NA NA NA  NAAAAA!!!!!

So 47 pounds.......its time to get the hell off my ass.....and hips.....and stomach.......and thighs.....oh hell just everywhere.

Cheers!!

My week of biking

I have been biking my way to work (or the train station to work) for a week now. And let me just tell you .......my legs are super sore today. I should probably give them a break but I just have to bike it to work tomorrow and then I can take Saturday off. If I take more than 1 day off my legs start to cramp. Weird.

Some benefits that I have noticed......I sleep MUCH better. Actually I can't seem to get enough sleep these days. I went to bed at 10:30pm last night (yes hell just froze over). After I eat dinner I really don't want to do much of anything except go to bed. I have noticed that I am in a better mood these days and don't dwell on things that have been pissing me off lately. So that is definitely a good thing. I can tell that my clothes are a bit loose, and especially the sports bras (That is the last place I wanted to shrink. I mean really? I have more than enough fluff on my stomach, hips and thighs). But, hopefully the rest of the fluff will follow. Sooner rather than later would be nice.

One con about the biking is that I don't have any place to put my coffee. Grrrr. I can take a Thermoss sort of thing but that is just 1 more thing I will  have to carry. Not a fan of a heavier bookbag. Perhaps I should bring in some coffee stuff to make mine at work. Whenever it rains I think I will do that, since I will not be biking in the rain, not yet at least.

On my trip to Dick's sporting goods I did manage to find a much lighter backpack. I also saw an awesome bike that I wanted. It wasn't too expensive......but I think I should wait until Christmas for that buy. I also need some long sleeve undershirts since it has been cold in the mornings and my current jacket sucks big harry ones. So Target this weekend. Yippee.

So that has been my week. I have not been following the WW very well but am back on track today. I really need a leg massage......the only con of being single right now is there is no hottie to help me out with that. Hahaha. Some other time.
Cheers!!!

I did it

Yes, I managed to bike my way to the train station this morning. Go me!!! And yes, I was constantly reminded of how out of shape I am. But hey....at least I did it. I also made the discovery that the mildew like small from my washer will repeat when my clothes get wet.....from sweat. Will be stopping by the store to get some of that stuff to clean the washer with. Yes indeed. I sat on the train wondering what on god's green earth that smell was....yeah.....me. Picking up some of that fabreese sport stuff might not be such a bad idea either. Just sayin. I am glad that most of my ride home will be down hill. But I am super proud of myself for getting here. I tried to stay in my HR limits but it didn't happen at a few points. I will have to take it a bit more easy tomorrow at a few spots.

So a huge shout-out to Sheryl Vyette for being the inspiration for getting off the couch and on the bike. You rock!!!

Back to work before I get into trouble. Cheers!!

Back again

I have been sick the past week and have not been able to do much of anything really. I did jump back on the weight watchers bandwagon. Again. Why do you ask? Well.......I need limits. I really have a hard time keeping everything in check for a full week. It is also good for finding new recipes because i get burned out on foods pretty easy. I am not the sort of person that can eat the same thing all the time. Where is the fun in that? Why not have lots of variety and still loose weight. Just sayin.

I will HAVE to get back on my bike either way because my bloodsugar readings have been awful. I used to be able to keep the reading in line but that doesn't seem to be the case any longer. I have been insulin dependant since I was 5, so I guess I can't just squeak by anymore (yeah that is 29 years as an insulin dependant diabetic). But that's ok. I need the push anyway. Granted I have been considered "overweight" since about 2003 probably. So 9 years is long enough. I will probably be late at work tonight but I will hop on the stationary bike if It is dark when I get home (I refuse to ride at night in Atlanta with all of the psycho drivers around. You would have to be bat-shit-crazy to do that). So tomorrow I will ride to the train station, just will have to take it easy. Baby steps I guess. Sorta. I did get a heart rate monitor and will use the limits the cardiologist gave me until I get stronger.

I hope I can get out early enough to take the bike out. I need to run by trader joes as well and can bike there super easy. Crossing my fingers.

Todays riding pics

Awesome day

Today was a great day to be on the bike. It wasn't hot and it was a bit windy. I couldn't go my usual route through Piedmont Park because they were taking down all of the mess from music mid-town. And the place was basically trashed. But I clocked 45 minutes from my door and back. Progress. I would have stayed out longer but I forgot sunscreen and my sunglasses. And if you are as pale as I am, you REALLY need some sunscreen. Oh yes.

If anyone actually reads this thing....the appointment with the heart doc went well. He said I just have been pushing myself too hard too fast and the heart is having a time trying to catch up. So that is good news. He also recommended that I get a heart rate monitor and told me to keep it in a certain range for a few weeks until I am stronger cardio wise. And yes I will still bike to the train station, I will just have to take it easy. Fine with me. If you want to see some pics feel free to follow me on Instagram @girliejs13. And the eating from this weekend.....don't even ask. Horrible. That is the word I will use. But back to WW the next meal. No worries. Cheers!!

This is all I have for today really.

My addiction

Hi my name is Jill and I am addicted to movie popcorn. The salty, buttery (whitch is actually just butter flavored oil), wonderful popcorn, just makes me smile. Although I didn't eat all that much (about 1/2 of a small), I have to be careful because the more butter I add on it, and the more I eat will make me REALLY sick. Not to mention the calorie count of a full small bag from Regal will set me back more calories than 3 Jr bacon cheese burgers from Wendy's. Yes, I did the math for that one. I get a hotdog with mustard and a coke zero with the movie madness. And of course today I feel like a bloated whale from all of the salt. But thats ok. I have cut back my movie going significantly these days. I would normally go twice a week if there was anything that looked interesting out. Now I only go once every 2 weeks, if that. But there is a theater near my apartment that I can actually bike to. When did that happen .....where I wanted to actually bike to anything? Ha!!!

Speaking of the bike....I havent been riding at all the past 2 days. The weather has been horrible. But the rest of this week looks pretty good. I will have to take it easy since the doc said not to exercise until I get the cardic eccho done. Yes, I am stubborn. But my bloodsugars have been crappy since I have been slacking off.

Oh if you are hooked into instagram feel free to follow me @girliejs13

Cheers to all!!! I think a beer sounds really good right now. Oh yes.

The soap box for today

Alright....I have to say that Atlanta is not a bike friendly city. At all. There are so few bike lanes and the ones we do have basically give drivers an extra 2 feet to swerve around in from using their cell phone and/or texting. I really think you are taking your life in your hands by biking on the roads in Atlanta. And yes, I go on the sidewalks. Granted I am a considerate biker and yield at driveways and to others on the sidewalk. But I have no desire to be hit by someone that was too busy texting than paying attention to the road (this almost nearly sent me to the hospital on Wednesday). So for those of you that drive in the city......stay out of the bike lanes!!! That is the end of my soapbox today.

On a positive note.......there was a totally cute guy on the train this morning. Reminded me of a non-steroid version of "The Rock". But did I say anything.....no. I really think being overweight has sent my flirting confidence down the crap-shoot. But perhaps some other time. Not that it is likely that I will ever see the guy again. But tan guy in the bright orange marts polo.......you are too cute. Just sayin. Sigh.

On the biking front......I took Thursday off because my muscles are super tight, and the heart doc said to not exercise until I get the cardio-eccho on the 21st (I have noticed some weird fluttering in my heart when I do really intense riding...AKA big hills). I did protest the no working out. I mean, my bloodsugar reading have been awesome when I bike. Besides the fact that I am super stubborn.....I will just keep it to less intense biking. It feels weird when I don't work out not. Even though I have been on this wagon for just about 2 weeks. That is a good thing right?

I will do some riding when I get home tonight. I do love the compression pants that I found at target and will have to get another pair this weekend. I need to find some really soft and breezy rock & roll tshirts to work our in. I just feel like a bad ass when I work out in them (I think I have a ramones shirt somewhere). Cheers!!!

A flash of backside

I went riding again after work today to get a better idea of the time it would take to get to the train station. Although it was a bit rough, still just a tiny bit easier than yesterday. I got home to use the bathroom I noticed a hole on my pants (these are not the ones I normally use for riding) the size of the top of a can of coke. The hole was right between my lower right butt cheek and thigh. Do basically I have been flashing midtown Atlanta a bit of ass on my ride today. Oh the horror. Do I show my boobs for beads at Mardi Gras.....nope. But apparently I flash a bit of ass in Piedmont park.

Looks like it will be the spandex pants from now on. Cheers!!!! From my exposed butt cheek!!

Bike ride today

I went on a bike ride today with my brother, who actually ran instead of getting on his bike. The dude is a machine. This ride was mostly up hill since I was looking for a good route to the arts center station through Piedmont Park. Yes it was heard and I felt like I was going to die up most of the hills, but I think it was just a bit easier than the last ride. So if I keep at it, hopefully it will get a bit easier every time. But at this point, I am not in the best shape to bike to a station and make good time. I will keep riding and time the trip again at the end of the month and go from there.

One of my bad habits with exercise is trying to go all in and expect to be able to do things with zero issues and get put off when I can't. But like a good many things, it takes time and practice. Although I did feel pretty freakin exhausted when I got home, I am quite proud of myself. Some of the hills I did have to walk my bike up, but I didn't quit. Yay!!!  I do need to get into the habit of biking by myself. I usually prefer company, but my brother is usually busy and I need to not depend on anyone for my workouts.

On another note.....I got some workout pants at target that are spandex. Yes spandex. They are compression pants and they were an awesome choice for riding today so I am glad I got them. I did find an awesome Rolling Stones tshirt at old navy yesterday that is really soft and lightweight so that worked out nicely. I will keep my eyes open for some other cool rock n' roll tshirts for my biking. I really want to get the clown from the movie IT on my helmet. That would be awesome. Creepy, but awesome. At least I would hope no one would mess with me with something creepy on my helmet.

One thing I notice is that I really need to take a snack with me or even my lunch. I did get a basket for the bike and it was really a smart choice. But I sometimes tend to skip meals when I go riding and I end up craving junk food and pretty much go on a binge. Taco bell was today's vice. I don't think I did too bad though. Got home, and passed right out on the couch.

Time for a shower and laundry. Hope your weekend was awesome. Cheers!!!!

A word on dating. vol. 1

I feel that after a few years on the dating scene I should impart some wisdom on my dear readers. Granted, I can give the best advise in the world, but people will do what they want to do no matter what anyone says. So here is the word for today:

Ladies..........you should run in the other direction if.......
1. the guy you are dating makes plans with you, but not only is a no-show, but doesn't bother to call and let you know he will not make it.
2. if a guy disappears for more than 2 days (when you had plans) and says that the cell phone was not working. Right. Do people really fall for that BS?
3. if a guy never invites you over to his place, even after you have been dating for a few weeks.
4. if a guy turns everything around so it will be your fault (for him standing you up). Really. Have heard this one before. Run , run, run.
5. compairs you to his ex. or is still on regular communication term with said ex.
6. if a guy casually mentions that his ex has been hinting at getting back together.

Yes....ladies run like there is a psycho clown holding a bloody knife chasing you!!!!!

And I have crafted some excellent responses for the above situations. Yes indeed.
***Disclaimer*** this language is not appropriate for children under 18. Read at your own risk.

Responses:
1. delete this asshat from your phone and DO NOT respond to ANY messages.
2. "Riiiiiight". Repeat number 1.
3. there is a good chance he is married or lives with his girlfriend. RUN. and repeat number 1,
4.  the best response to this sort of emotional immaturity would be "I have already graduated highschool, perhaps you should do the same". see number 1.
5.  best response "then you should go back there and stop wasting my time". see number 1.
6. repeat the above option.

And lastly.....if a man has been engaged 3 times but never married......there is a VERY good reason. Well, actually there are 3.

Hope this helps someone, somewhere. Cheers!!!


* And no, this isn't a bitch session, just some random stories that I hear all too often. Life is too short to waste time with someone that doesn't treat you well. This goes for the ladies and guys too.

After bike pick

Sunburn? Yes I do think so. Damn it.

Off the couch!!

Biked a few miles today...check. Was able to find the path to the Inman park station.....negative. Felt like I was going to die most of the time.....you bet. Perhaps I should park at the station and follow the path in reverse. Will try that tomorrow. If anyone knows the best path to get to Inman Park station from Ponce please let me know. Cheers!!

PS....Thanks brother Choch for going with me. You rock !!!

On a positive note.....my arse is not really sore from the seat. Glad I kept riding my stationary bike this week. It might be a good idea to find some cheap tanks for riding. I really don't have any. Hmmmm.

5 Pounds Down

I stepped on the scale this morning......3 times. I was just a bit over 5 pounds down from my weight on 08/22. What the hell? Ok, it might be that I stepped on the scale at night last week. Hmmmm. Who knows. What have I been doing differently you ask? I take the train to work now. The walk from the deck to the station and then to my office is not far at all, but it sure is more than I was doing. I have been adding in more fruits and veggies with my meals and cutting the portions of the other stuff. I did go a bit crazy this past weekend, but I didn't get very full. I stopped just before I was full. Go me!!!
And I did 10 minutes on my stationary bike/trampoline. I did intervals. 20seconds & 1 minute recovery. It was probably around 15 minutes with the warm-up and cool down. But I am quite proud of myself. Something is better than nothing. Plus, you have to start somewhere.

Exercise? Moi?

Yes I know, I know. Eating well and exercise go hand and hand. But I will be honest here.....I am LAZY. And REALLY out of shape. Yes indeed. I get winded walking up the hill from my car to my apartment. Yikes.

I ride public transit to work now but I drive to the train station. I know there are 2 stations within biking distance, so I was pondering getting on the stationary bike (yes I have one in my apt) so I can get used to the seat. Having a bit of "junk in the trunk" it causes the backside to get a bit sore. So it might be a good idea to get used to the seat. The only issue I can see with this plan.......lots of hills. The closest MARTA station has 2 HUGE hills that I would struggle to get up even when I was in excellent shape. The other option I am not quite sure about so I will have to check the path out this weekend. But it would be a great way to burn some calories on my way to work. Hey.....whatever works hahaha. Cheers!!!

To carb.....or not to carb? Monday 08/13

So even though I am still overweight, I did apply to the nutrition program at GA state university. And I got in. But due to the financial annoyance I was not able to start the program. I already have my bachelors and getting any financial aid for another one is like pissing in the wind. If I have not said so, I am a type 1 diabetic. I was diagnosed when I was 5 and have been on insulin ever since. No, I was not a chubby kid, or even a chubby teenager. I know exactly why I gained the weight. I have a desk job, don't work out anymore, and my eating habits have gone to shit. And fixing those.....easier said than done. Ask anyone that is trying to loose weight.

So having said that I do know A LOT about nutrition and how your body work with food. It isn't really rocket science. It is more that lack of motivation and other pressures (will post an excellent book on this subject). But a good friend told me how she lost over 85 pounds. She said she eats pretty much what she wants for breakfast but only until she is satisfied. For lunch she goes low carb, being that ANY carbs are unprocessed. Dinner is no bread items at all, mostly lean meats, soy, ,and lots of vegetables. She says that fruits are at every meal as well. Hey, have to get those vitamins. So I was pondering this idea. Will see how it goes. Now on to the food for today for this trial.

Breakfast:
1 slice multigrain bread-from farmers mkt
2 eggs
2tbsp peanutbutter mixed with 1 tsp honey
1/3 bottle vitamin water revive
1/3 cup coffee with cream& sugar

Lunch:
1 medium sweet potato just the inside
1/2c 2% greek yogurt
1c turkey chili
lots of cilantro leaves
** I got this meal idea from Self magazine and it is soooooo good. Try it.
*was only able to eat about half of this. You will get full quickly

Your body is a car.......sorta

I think it is a good comparison for thinking of your body like a car. If you use crap gasoline, oil, and other stuff in your car it will run like crap. It will not run at its peak performance capabilities. And the same goes for your body. If you pump in junk food, chemicals, and otherwise a bunch of junk that is made from some scary shit you can't even pronounce.......your will feel like shit warmed over (not to mention how you will stank up the bathroom). I have proved this one too many times to myself. Maybe one day I will take my own advice. Ha!!! Don't count on it every damn day though. But like most things it is a work in progress for me.

One note on the chemicals in your food. Your body becomes addicted to the chemicals. Think I am full of piss and vinegar? Try it for yourself. If you eat a few junk meals  (Aka... McDonalds fries) you will crave the foods. Remember the documentary about the guy that ate nothing but McDonalds for however many weeks.......that is one example. One other example would be Kraft foods.......was owned by Philip Morris (but sold in 2007, Morris now goes by Altria Inc). Need I say more. There are hundreds of chemical engineers that are paid (a hell of a lot more than I am) to find the perfect combination of fat, salt, and sugar so that you will want more of it. Take a look at the ingredients on some of your foods. And just so you know.......they add sugar to the fry mix. I mean.....did you really think they were cut potatoes?

Ok, enough of my rant today. Hope you hookers have an awesome weekend!!!


*** Check out this blog I found on Pinterest. This chick cracks me up.  Its nice to know I am not the only smart ass out there.    http://www.mamalaughlin.com/

Friday 08/10

Ok. So I really don't have time to post the food pics and describe what I eat as well. So it will have to be just 1 or the other. Lets just say that pork rinds are evil crack-rock. I demolished 2 bags last night with my 2 slices of pizza and a corona. Ohy. Feel super awesome today. Na, you are high off your ass if you think I feel awesome this morning. Not exactly the stuff to be eating to loose weight but they were left in my appt and I really have no will power if it is in front of my face. So here is the food stuff. And those chia seed muffins will have to go. Could not hack the raisins and had to force myself to eat it this morning. Ick.

I need to hit the farmers mkt this weekend. Out of fruits and stuff.

Breakfast:
1 small chia seed muffin
boiled egg
coffee with cream & sugar -about 1/2 mug

Lunch:
 Yes I know.......horrible
2 small chimichangas-chicken
1/2 small cheese dip
who knows how many chips
salsa
bit of rice
can of sprite

Thursday 08/09

Well.....first let me just say.......eating a bag of pork rinds and a buffalo quesadilla will not make you feel awesome the morning after. Do not attempt. Because I really feel like shit warmed over.

For breakfast I had a chia nut muffin. This one had raisins in it (bird turds, not a fan) but all in all it was alright. I had a boiled egg and some coffee too. A word on coffee for myself.........do not attempt any conversation before the first sip or I will rip your effin head off. Just sayin. Cheers!!!

A word on exercise. Yeah......I don't do it. At least not right now. If someone asks me if I want to go on a run, my usual reply is "only is a psycho clown holding a bloody knife is chasing me". But after multiple sprains on both feet last year, it has been hard to start just about anything. Perhaps swimming. I am sure the peeps at the gym would love a nice look at the cellulite (come on, you know its hot). Yes indeed.

LUNCH
Since I made 2 buffalo quesadillas last night I brought one for lunch as well. Go me!!! I actually had 1/2 of one and will bring the other half tomorrow. I added 2-3 tablespoons of light sour cream that I put some of the ranch mix in. Note: most dip mixes have MSG in them so avoid them like the damn plague, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE ranch so I am just goin to suffer. I did have a few pita chips before lunch because I was starving. If I get hungry later I have some cherries with me as well.

For the quesadillas (1/2)  I used:
1 whole grain tortilla 10''
some leftover rotisserie chicken
wing sauce
diced tomatoes
some blue cheese crumbles
a bit of jalapeno cheese shredded

I am a cheese freak. There is nothing better with food than cheese. Just sayin.

Food wednesday 8/08

So I had chickfila (don't even start) for breakfast. Spicey chicken biscuit, tots, and coffee from home. Sorry no pic. Not let me just tell you that meal made me feel like ass up until lunch. Ohy. Not going to repeat.

For lunch went to Whole Foods and said goodbye to my whole paycheck. Salad with blue cheese, dried cherries, cashews, about 2tbsp lemon vinegarette. Had a bit over 1ounce pits chips from WF too.

Snack......a bit over 1ounce of pita chips again.
Dinner.....ohy. add a corona to that too. Buffalo quesadillas.

In the beginning

Hi. I am Jill. Of course the blog says "no longer" but I am actually starting my weight loss journey. I refuse to be this size ever again. I think I have tried every weight loss program out there but I can't seem to stick with any "plan". My last venture was WeightWatchers. Now, don't get be wrong, it is a good plan but it really isn't designed for you to "leave the nest". It is a money making business after all, and how they make money is by having you fail and come back again and again. I do give them marks for nutrition and a sensible approach to eating, but it is time to venture out on my own. I don't want to have to be dependent on a site, points calculator, or prepackaged foods (those are about the nastiest pieces of crap that I have ever eaten). Just about all frozen meals taste like a vat of chemicals to me anyways. And I don't want any of that shit in my body. If you can't pronounce it, you probably shouldn't be eating it.

So I will use my own knowledge (eating healthy is not rocket science anyways) to get the pounds off the old fashioned way......healthy eating and exercise. I will post daily of the things that I eat and whatever I do to get my ass off the couch. Cheers!!!


**DISCLAIMER*** Some language might be inappropriate for young readers. Read at your own risk.