Feelin' a little bad a**

[OakLeaf]

Way to go Rox!

[channlluv]

Thanks, everyone.

I'm trying to stay positive about everything, but it's challenging. I'm hardly the first middle-aged woman who found herself facing divorce, though, with a child to consider, and having been out of the full-time workforce for over a decade.

Time to get real creative, and to stay with this new exercise program. I've actually arranged my work schedule to allow me three full hours of exercise time every weekday. I've joined the Y, for half-price thanks to a partnership with the school where I work part-time in the mornings. I plan to start swimming as soon as the membership card comes through, which should happen in the next couple of weeks, after the first pay cycle of the school year.

I'll start tri-training there.

I figured out this morning in the shower that to lose 2 lbs. per week, you have to have a 1,000-calorie deficit every single day. Now, I burned 1,172 yesterday on that 3-hour ride. Having to fit in 3 hours of exercise every single day is a little daunting. I'm really not good at the diet thing. I already eat really well most of the time. Dieting just feels like deprivation.

I'm at 240.2 this morning. Friday I was 238. I rode 40 miles yesterday and I've gained weight. I can't even fathom it at the moment. Go figure.

Roxy

[salsabike]

Roxy, be careful about putting yourself in the position of riding the daily ups and downs of the scale. I learned that when I was a dancer. One day the scale goes up by two pounds, or five pounds, for no reason, and we get all upset. The next day, it's down by five. Etc. Sometimes your weight goes up after a long ride because of all the fluid you take it--it's a meaningless change on the scale in terms of weight gain/loss. So it's better not to ride the daily weight rollercoaster, I think.

These days, I only get on the scale every few weeks, so I can see the change happening over the long term and not get tossed around by the day to day random variations.

[azfiddle]

Roxy, congrats on riding 40 miles! You beat me by 1 mile- I rode 39 yesterday (my longest ride since starting to ride this summer).

Don't fret too much about the daily scale bumps and dips- that's why groups like weightwatchers only have you record your weight once a week. I started riding to get of my plateau, and it really has helped- I'm sure it will for you. I cannot imagine losing 2 lbs a week though- sometimes it's half a pound.... or less.

Sounds like you have a lot of challenges as well as ambitious goals- good luck with it all!

[szsz]

I rode 40 miles yesterday and I've gained weight.

It makes sense, though! When you work your muscles you tear them down. To repair, they store water as part of the process. Then that gets flushed away. You will always see an upward blip on the scale after a hard hard workout. Which is why I don't own a scale

Congrats on your 40!!!! What I want to know is where you are doing 8 mile laps in SanDag? I go to Fiesta to train but that loop is only 4 miles. Do tell!!!

Congrats again, rockstar! Bask in it!!!

[channlluv]

Thanks again, everyone, for the positive thoughts. I really love being part of this community, more than I can tell you.

SZSZ, I go to Lake Miramar in the Scripps Ranch area. It's a five-mile loop around the lake, but just shy of the 4-mile marker, there's a turnaround, so I call it a Hobbit lap - I go there and back again (like the title of Bilbo's book in The Hobbit). Only I go there and back again five times, just shy of 8 miles each lap, then a short lap around the parking lot to make up the quarter mile difference, to make 40 miles.

During the week I ride at Fiesta Island, too, between 12 an 3, so maybe I'll see you there. I drive a white Rav 4 with silver trim, and you'll recognize my license plate. It's the same as my screen name. I'm the one on the purple and white Palomar GT with road tires and a hot pink helmet.

Roxy

[szsz]

Hey, that's cool! I'll look for you! When I go alone I do go early, maybe we can meet up. Otherwise, I ride with some folks with day jobs so we go later when the wind really kicks up. It's nice to go earlier (I can make my own hours). I'm on a Giant TCR that is predominantly white and blue; I am often wearing blue and guess what color my helmet is? (Blue).

Actually, I look a lot like this:


I park in the south shores lot and ride over from there. I will keep my eyes open for you. It's lovely to draft at Fiesta with the headwinds!

During the week I ride at Fiesta Island, too, between 12 an 3, so maybe I'll see you there. I drive a white Rav 4 with silver trim, and you'll recognize my license plate. It's the same as my screen name. I'm the one on the purple and white Palomar GT with road tires and a hot pink helmet.

Roxy

[channlluv]

Ha! You are so gonna blow me away on that road bike. But yeah, I'll look for you.

Roxy

[szsz]

Ha! You are so gonna blow me away on that road bike. But yeah, I'll look for you.

Roxy

In fact, Fiesta has been really, really good for me, I have increased my mph respectably, which thrills me. But it's fun to actually ride with someone, (who I am not chasing, while heaving, gasping for breath, on the brink of death!) so it doesn't always have to be about pushing limits!