Excuse me, is that a donut on your hip?

Some time ago, I thought I was ready to take on the WEIGHT LOSS CHALLENGE! For some strange reason (be it hormones, thyroid or too many sweets) I have gained several pounds in the last 6 months. For my entire life (meaning after 15yrs old) I have always weighed 136lbs. I am almost 5'8". To look at me now, you would never guess that I weigh 151.9 lbs. Anyone with any kind of waist line would look at me and scoff. Well, scoffers....you just scoff away!!! I am just as tired of my extra weight as anyone else!!! I carry all of my weight right in the front...probably because that is where my babies stretched my poor precious belly skin out like a large basketball. My legs....alas, will always be chicken legs. I am really ok with that. Its the rolling belly that reminds me of the foothills of the Appalachian that bothers me. My stretch marks might make too good a trail for hikers.
This morning, I awoke at my usual time (but actually got out of bed this time!) at 0630hrs. I got dressed in my cycling garb and hit the bike trainer. I actually rode for 17 minutes. That's 2 whole more minutes than I had planned on riding. Honestly, I didn't get my heart rate up much. But the truth is, that I just wanted to get my joints and muscles used to repetitive rotations of the pedals. And believe me, all parts of my legs and feet groaned!!! But soon I was spinning.
I have been watching what I eat for a few days. The weekend kill me. Pete isn't the most healthy of eaters....pizza, bacon...whatever is good for clogging arteries. Of course he didn't force me to eat any of it...I'm WEAK!!! But in the mornings I have been so good! I have had yogurt and a breakfast bar. Part of my problem is that I get to where I feel like I am going to die about 10:30AM. My breakfast had worn off. So then I have to snack. I have been picking healthier snacks lately (a protein bar and some blue berries today)...but it hasn't always been this way for me. Those bite size candy bars...that which we give to our patients to show our love for them...too easy to snag for a quick PICK ME UP! Evil things!
This evening, I came home, ate spaghetti with meatballs for dinner. I had a Healthy Choice or Lean Cuisine for lunch...butternut squash ravioli...very tasty!! At any rate, after I ate, I felt like I needed to get in some more exercise time. We are all supposed to exercise a total of 30 minutes a day.
I asked Pete to hook up the pull behind trailer for Lyndi. Lila grabbed her bike (after much whining and crying about her helmet not doing right). Off we went on a Tour de Comer! Riding with a whiney 7 year old that insists that her life is miserable and she just cant do it is not really my idea of family quality time. But we all made it back home alive!!! Lila only cried 3 times during the whole jaunt. We rode for 40 minutes. I think I pedaled about 20 minutes of those 40! It was actually more painful trying to ride slow than it was to actually get out and ride!! But if I was able to burn at least one calorie....such is life huh?
So enough of what probably sounds like a bunch of fussing and whining on my part! I need to be accountable to someone! I'm hoping that perhaps getting the word out that I am tired of toting around my tube will keep me motivated. Plus, a friend of mine has asked me to consider doing a triathlon. I stressed my extreme concern over not being able to swim very well...she said I could swim in her family's pond. Reckon the bottom is all mucky and has weird creatures lurking in the mud?Hmmm?
Me a triathlon? A TRIATHLETE? That sounds really cool. Maybe I will be able to do it. Maybe I wont. But I am considering it. I have friends that have done such things. I also have friends that run marathons. Is it too far out to think that I could participate? We will see. Today is day ONE for me. I hope I make it to day TWO!! I mean day 22! :)