The Belt

Why on earth would I post a picture of my belt? Or any belt for that matter? Funny you should ask.

I have had this belt since about 1998. I wear it almost every day, and usually for work. During the day, I not only holds up my pants but my work gear - gun, handcuffs, and badge. At one time I had a pager clipped to it, which really ages not only the belt but me as well. After that I clipped my cell phone to it, until I heard that cell phones aren't a fashion accessory and I started carrying it in my pocket.

As interesting as that all is its not the point of the story.  Take a look at the holes. There are six when there should only be five. When I bought the thing I would have used the middle holes, a bigger one when I was at work because of all the junk I have to carry.

Then in 1999 I got divorced. Anyone who has been through that horrific experience knows what I mean when I say that I went on the "divorce diet." Weight loss during this time necessitated me punching the sixth hole at work one day to keep  my pants up.

Along came Kandy and I got remarried. Now, she is a good cook and I like to eat. Slowly, I crept back up to the middle holes, eventually into some of the holes on the other end, as my weight climbed to new heights. The peak was in 2005 - 233. Yuck. Couldn't tie my shoes. Looked like a tank. Gross.

So I started dieting. Or, as some insist, changing my lifestyle. The weight came off, slowly.

Yesterday, I got dressed in the morning and needed to use the hole I punched in 1999 to hold up my pants.

And I am still married, with no divorce diet in sight. Kandy is still a good cook who takes good care of me but she just has a little less to take care of now. For the first time in a very long time, I looked down and there was not belly sticking out, and I could see my belt, without sucking anything in.

Life is good.

Go Away

I was fine coming back to Nebraska.

After being in Florida over the weekend I had re-energized and was ready for the last few weeks of winter. I had seen green grass, palm trees, and felt chilly at 50 degrees. In shorts and a t-shirt. I was even fine looking out this morning to a bit more new snow.

Then, as I was walking down the driveway to help Kristin get her car thawed out, I biffed it. Hard.

Snow - go away. Ice - go away. I am tired of you. I don't even care (much) that I can't go outside to ride, or whatever, I just want you to go. Torment someone else now, you have had your fun with me. Its time to let me up.

Easing off the gas

I have been steadily ramping up my workouts since early December with longer and harder sessions. During this entire time I have kept an eye on my recovery waiting for the signs of  fatigue. I was curious how long I could continue the steady increases before I had to back it off.

I noticed earlier this week I wasn't looking forward to certain aspects of my routine so I knew it was coming. Today, after a moderately-paced spin class, I can feel the fatigue in my legs and hips. They are sore and tired and generally achy. Looking back over the last 5-7 days, I haven't been able to sleep very good and my neck and shoulders have been all bunched up.

Guess its time for an easy finish to the week.

Mid-January Report

Its January 15, time for an update I suppose.

My fitness seems to be coming along nicely. I am trying to contain my workout intensity which, depending on the day, has been interesting. Extended periods in zone 3 are getting easier, but my energy level is fluctuating and my recovery is starting to suffer a little. I think both of those are products of the weight loss program I'm following, so I am not too worried about it.

Besides, its January. I don't expect to be at a peak  now. I am just now starting some muscular endurance workouts - low cadence grinding - to start working on some (any) climbing ability. I threw in some power work at the end of Sunday's long workout and was surprised at the outcome. I plan to work on the power sparingly but intensely, to build it but not burn out on it.

Back when I was lifting heavy, the best lifts I had were the ones I never failed on. Some lifts I could never seem to break through on because I would go too heavy too fast and either crash in a failed lift or hurt myself. The ones that I could work hard and not fail on kept improving. The logic is that if I keep building strength on the bike in small increments there won't be a limit to it. I know, wishful thinking but cycling has a large mental aspect to it right?

My weight was 195 this morning, the lightest I have been for quite some time. I had one anomaly day in in 2009 that I was 204 but besides that 196 was my lowest since the turn of the century. I am determined to see 190 so I can start a maintenance diet.

It is interesting that I have been laboring under the assumption that I had to have a full tank (stomach) to get through a workout. With this diet I have been purposely operating on less food, and a less-full tank. Surprisingly, I haven't died, which was always my fear. It has something to do with the old farm-boy "better-eat-all-you-can-now-because-who-knows-when-you-may-eat-again" thought process. Since changing that I feel better longer and earlier in the workout.

So, what started out to be a short blurb turned into a rambling post. Sorry.

2010 Resolutions

I have never been much of a New Year Resolution kind of guy. I guess it could be that I thought my life was some sort of master puzzle and I was destined to fill a specific spot. Or maybe I was scared to commit to something for fear of failing.

Or maybe I was just plain lazy. My money is on lazy.


Looking back, I fulfilled most of the things I started out to do in 2009, even without a published list. Promoted some races, got my Class B officials license, got one daughter out of college, another into my house, and, best of all, became a grandfather. (Little "Nugget" is set for arrival in July 2010 but I got the news in 2009.) I didn't get one thing accomplished like I would have hoped but that is another story.

I still didn't quite hold up my end of the marriage partnership though. Colossal "fail" there, but I'm trying. I wonder why my wife stays with me sometimes, but I am always glad she does. She could do so much better, but I doubt I could. There are days when I wonder what I did right to snag her, and what she did wrong to get hooked by me.


What is in store for 2010? Hopefully no drama, but still a crap-load of stuff. A trip to Florida for a dance competition and a visit with my brother and family. A grand-baby. A wedding in California (I think in 2010, maybe 2011.) Lots of time with my bride. And some cycling.



So, in reverse order of importance, here is my very first published list of resolutions:

• Get my weight down to 190. 
• Race competively in two mountain bike races and two cyclocross races. 
• Deal with that nagging "other story" once and for all.
  
• Be a better father.
• Be a better husband. 

That's it, five things. To accomplish those five things, I have two (opposite but complimentary) things I am going to live by:

• Namaste
• HTFU

With that, I'm off to celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of another with my bride. Have a Happy New Year.