Life in the FAST Lane

On Monday we were planning on heading to the beach for a day of sun, surf and bonfire fun, but we decided against it because of Bryan's hurting elbow. Instead I settled on going for a swim at Party Central (as Grandma calls it), also known as the Juedes/Spindle Ranch. I wanted to get my exercise in, so I saddled up the new bike and rode from home here in Corona, about 15 miles down Main Street/Hamner Avenue to the house in Mira Loma. Took me a little longer than I'd like (about an hour), but it was a great workout, and a good test of the bike. The road has no bike lane, so sharing the road with traffic becomes a little hazardous, and some places call for going off-road and testing my suspension and wheel strength. Well the Hardrock passed with flying colors.

We took a much needed swim to cool off, then relaxed with a movie and enjoyed the first home-cooked meal in the new kitchen: spaghetti a la auntie. What a treat!

After that big workout, I didn't have the muscle fatigue or soreness the next day. I think the swim afterwards helped a lot with cool down of my muscles. The biggest problem I have is that when I close at work, the next day becomes shorter as I have problems getting to sleep before 3 or 4am. Going to school will help me get in a routine schedule that should help with eating and exercise frequency. Until then, I'll do what I can.

Posted by jimboyzguy at 12:56 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Well, after a week of new habits, my weight is holding steady (aside from the daily flux due to eating). I feel like I have more energy, as long as I get my sleep, and I find that without soda and other sugary drinks, I have less food cravings. I think that drinking all that sugar makes me crave salty snacks, and the cycle perpetuates itself. I'm glad I'm on my way out of that pit.

I made a decision that instead of going to the gym, I'd find other more interesting ways to get my exercise. In lieu of that I bought a new mountain bike, which I will ride to my hearts content. I find that I can get more out of riding rather than just spinning in place in some smelly gym. I can ride trails, do circuits on the track or at a park, or just ride around town enjoying the sunshine and the fresh smog. It'll be great once I get to SLO as well, since I can bike to classes, the store, the beach, wherever. The whole area is more compact and bike-friendly than SoCal streets are, plus the scenery is way better than the urban landscape down here.

So along with some better eating (less really) and exercise I hope to get going with some weight loss soon. Today I was at 352lbs, which is at the low end of my 5-7 pound range of fluctuation. Its hard to tell what's weight loss and whats flux at my weight. But in a few weeks if any change has take place I'll be able to tell. In the mean time, I'm enjoying the summer, getting bored/frustrated with the job, and looking forward to getting up to SLO for another fresh fall start.

On a side note, I think that writing about all this on my blog here makes all the difference. I feel more conscious of my daily habits, my food choices and my will to exercise. I know all of that is because of your attention to my writings, and the need I have to make good on my commitment. So thank you to all of you for reading, and keep it up!

P.S. How do you like the new layout? Leave your comments here or by email. Thanks!

Posted by jimboyzguy at 10:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Well, summer is half gone but full on here in SoCal. That means beach days, air conditioning and barbecues. Oh and work. Lots and lots of work. But outside of that, I find its far too easy to lounge about aimlessly, not really getting anything done, when there is lots to do.

My dad has asked me to repaint the exterior of our house here in Corona, a project that has been in the "planning stages" for more than ten years. He's even paying me to do it, but so far not much progress has been made in the preparations. And he has yet to even chose a color, so I went over to the Juedes/Spindle Ranch and helped with the kitchen renovation. Its gonna turn out great I think. But now I think I'll buckle down and get to work, because I could use the money and there'll be no more ugly yellow house once I'm finished.

I have been telling myself I'd start working on me for the past year or so as well. So far that hasn't happened. I'm trying to change some bad habits, and so far its a losing battle. At 350 pounds I'm around 70 lbs. overweight, and holding steady. My eating habits are atrocious, and I know it. Yet I have so much trouble sticking to simple rules like eating less and at the right times, I don't know if I'll ever make any headway. I am going to buy a bike soon, and start riding daily, since I've given up with the gym. Working out in those places has never been comfortable for me; I find I'm a little self conscious there and I tend to get bored. I figure I'll have more fun and flexibility with the bike rides, and that way I'll be more inclined to keep up with my exercise.

So in future entries here I'll be recording my weight loss progress and stats, to keep myself honest. I know I can change, but I have to make a serious and conscious effort to do so. Consider this my statement of intent, to work hard, for me and no one else, to improve my health and habits, and to reach a goal weight of 300 lbs. by the new year. With lots and lots of hard work, I know I can do it. For me.

Posted by jimboyzguy at 02:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)