Hiking in LoTR and cycling through Champagne

Monday:

I go to a very large gym that has two floors and several big rooms of equipment as well as the group classes rooms (there is also a pool complex and a women-only gym in the building) and I've been going to the only room with rowing machines. The equipment in there seemed pretty new, there were big screen TVs with captions, and I was happy with it. It always seemed fairly empty, but then so is the whole gym at the time of day I go.

Today I decided not to use the rowing machines due to the rubbing problem (I haven't got any BodyGlide or similar yet) so I went to a room closer to the lockers (and the toilets) that always seems a bit more popular. Now I know why! The equipment is awesome! It looks the same to a casual glance but the screens do so much more.

During my 30 minutes on the elliptical, I hiked through the rainforests and mountains of New Zealand. The screen showed me moving through the landscape. It was fun and very motivating. Got to get up that mountain to the view at the top! The rainforests were lush but the mountains rocky and barren. Looked like Lord of the Rings. There were plenty of other choices of hiking routes for next time.

Then I got on one of the upright bikes I don't hate quite as much as the leaning-forward spin kind, and cycled through the Champagne region of France. Through little towns and past vineyards. I planned to only do 15 or 20 minutes, depending on how much I hated it, and then finish with a walk on the treadmill; but it was so fascinating I kept going for the whole 30. The hills were fairly gentle but still hurt going up, but the down slopes made me want to go Wheeeeeeeee!

Also, at the end the machines tell you how much energy you've saved, in relation to how long it would power a lightbulb (not all that long, actually). I asked at reception if that energy from my pedalling was actually saved/used but the girl had no idea. She said she would find out.

I worked hard and ended with my usual tomato-red face so the program was motivating not distracting. This reminds me of those heady first days after I found the "Zombies, run!" app to make walking/jogging more interesting.

Yesterday my nutrition was pretty close to perfect. Right number of calories, fruit and vegetables, dairy, healthy fats. Eight drinks, which is great for me. The only way I know to reduce calories without missing out on essential nutrients is to cut carbohydrates, but I am still eating some. Fruit, yoghurt, potato. Avoiding anything processed. On track again today so far.

I can't be perfect every day, I certainly don't expect to be. And I want to have treat foods sometimes. One meal on Saturdays (not all day!) is my planned treat. That allows for eating out, or a party, or having dessert at home, or a favourite meal that isn't quite as healthy as I am eating the rest of the time. A few extra calories.

Tuesday night supper is an ongoing problem. This week I will offer vegetable sticks with dip, and I am buying myself low-calorie hot chocolate sachets. I don't usually have anything fake or with pretend sugar, but I have had this brand (Jarrah) before and like it, and a real hot chocolate with milk and sugar and maybe marshmallows is just too many calories! If I want a mini-treat on Tuesdays it needs be very mini indeed, because I am going to stay within my calorie limits and I don't have a lot of wriggle room. So it's probably a single square of dark chocolate, or sipping a low-cal hot chocolate.

I had a much better sleep last night and feel good today - even though yet again I didn't wear my CPAP for long. Shortly after I put it on we had a power blackout so I couldn't use it. When the power came back on I wore it for a while and did sleep, no idea for how long, before ripping it off again. Oh, and I dreamed I had these two tiny carrot sticks, about as big as my little finger, and it was mid afternoon but they were all the food I was allowed for the rest of the day and I had to check them out of the library and then they got covered in books and papers and I couldn't find my carrot sticks... diet anxiety? Still, feeling good today.

But I miss sugar in my tea.

The other day I put a sugar cube in my tea instead of a sachet, not realising it was 4.5 grams instead of the 3 grams I was used to. And it was so sweet and horrible! So I don't like extra sugar. But I like some. Trying to give it up. Going cold turkey.

Sweet sweet sugar.

Low-carb pizza and back on the bike

Monday:

Yesterday I managed to get plenty of exercise in; I cleaned the bathroom -- walls, floor and shower cubicle (and if you don't think that is exercise you've never done it) -- then we all went to the bike park in the afternoon. I am still very nervous on a bicyle, I've probably ridden mine less than ten times since I got it nearly two years ago. I am scared of falling, of going fast, of stopping. But I am gradually getting better. I did about 3 km, which isn't far; I wasn't restricted by my fear or by the level of exertion but mainly by sore bits where the Natalie met the saddle. I am still a bit tender this morning. Tim, who rides to and from work every day, says you toughen up eventually.

Then the kids played while I went for a 2.5 km walk around the walking track next to the bike track. It was smoothly mown grass, very nice and springy to walk on compared to concrete, winding up and down a couple of hills and past a little pond. Moderately scenic, although the views of the new housing estate under construction in the valley were not ideal. I did see four ducks, and two very large kangaroos which stood up tall and watched me intently as I passed.

I felt pretty tired when we got home, which makes my future plans of exercising several hours a day kind of laughable, but I honestly think quite a bit of that tiredness was reaction from the stress of riding my bike. I was probably very tense and surging with adrenaline, which leaves the body exhausted once the time of fear is over.

This morning I walked to the shops again with my mini backpack to get a few things that couldn't wait until tomorrow's proper shopping trip -- like some milk and more Milo oats to which I have suddenly become addicted. This time I managed to fit all five or six items in the backpack. I did want to get some strawberries but they clearly weren't going to fit so I left them behind.

Yesterday I really felt like having pizza for lunch but we didn't have the ingredients to make it so we ordered Domino's and I tried the low-carb base. Yuck. I don't know what it was made from, maybe a non-wheat flour? I had one piece, and then transferred my toppings to a couple of pieces of the kids' cheese-only pizza with the normal base. I won't be getting that again, not that we get pizza that often anymore anyway. Maybe thin & crispy has less carbs than classic crust? I've put the rest of my low-carb pepperoni pizza in the freezer in case of a zombie apocolypse or something. You never know when even grainy cardboard will become precious.

Later that day

My nutrition has been great today and I feel so much healthier. The difference from this morning is amazing. I didn't have any chocolate today - I had a few calories left this evening but had half a tub of yoghurt instead.

We took our bikes to a bike park today. My husband rides to and from work every day but he didn't get to ride today, he had to look after our kids who both still have training wheels. No way we could have fit four bikes in the car in any case, he had to take mine apart and squeeze most of it in the back seat with the kids while theirs went in the boot. I have only ridden this new bike once (plus getting it home from the shop when I fell off on my first attempt at stopping) since I got it for Christmas, but my shoulder is much improved and I am increasing my range of exercise. I ride a reclining bike at the gym (Is that the right name? It doesn't actually recline, but it has a back and you sit in it like a chair with legs pointing forward instead of straddling a seat. Anyway...) so I thought I would be somewhat used to it but it wasn't the same at all. Quite apart from my nervousness at being on a real bike that could be fallen off, it used quite different muscles - mainly the lower thighs. I rode for about 25 minutes around a looping track. About 3km all together, I think. Not much, but my legs were burning even with a break in the middle. I was scared of going fast - I even braked on the gentle downhill slopes. Oh well, I am sure I will improve. The kids had a great time.

W28 D2 - My first ride

I have walked every day for the past week. Sometimes first thing in the morning (especially if my shoulder is particularly bad, walking helps), sometimes in the evening, twice on the treadmill at the gym.

And today I had my first ride on my new bike that I got for Christmas! My shoulder was really sore over Christmas so I didn't want to risk it, especially as I fell off when getting the bike home from the shop, but today we had a nice cool day and my shoulder wasn't too bad. The kids brought their new bikes and Tim came to help Jasmine who isn't used to her new big bike - still with training wheels though. We rode up and down a nearby bike path. 4 year old Aiden zoomed up and down (with training wheels, he has just upgraded from a tricycle), 6 year old Jasmine managed short periods without Tim actually holding on to her (she goes so slow the bike usually tips over) and I got over my nervousness and did well.

So, lots of exercise today.

And tomorrow I finally get my first physio session for my shoulder, everything has been closed over the Christmas/New Year period.

W25 D6 - bicycle

We bought the kids new bicycles for Christmas this year and decided to get me one as well. I have not ridden a bike since I was a teenager, so I was very nervous. I am also scared of heights - yes, even that low to the ground! The smallest adult bike they had still seemed too big to me, so they built me an "extra small" model and it was ready today. The shop was only a 20 min walk away so to save taking it apart to put in the car I walked up there then pushed/rode it back.

I pushed it most of the way as it was in the middle of shops and traffic. No way I was riding on the road! When we got to the quiet streets near home I rode on the footpath. Very wobbly at first, but once I got going it was great. Even though I was going quite slowly, it is very fast for little effort when compared to walking. After only about 200m I had to cross a street so I stopped. And fell over. I hit quite hard with my knee and both hands on rocks and weeds. Later I saw my knee was bleeding under my jeans. What amazes me, and I am very grateful for it, is that it didn't hurt my sore shoulder much. I would have expected much worse.

I pushed the bike over the street and then (and for this I am so proud of myself) I got back on and rode the rest of the way home except for a steep bit. It was only a couple of blocks but it was my first ride in 20 years. Now the bike is put away for a week, until Christmas. I can see myself really enjoying riding, once I get used to it.