Going on a First Time Ride Clipless - July 24, 2016

Today, will be my first day riding my road bike clipless.  I have long been a fan of flat pedals, especially the MTB ones with little pins that stick up.  They really stick to my shoes, sometimes too well.  I'm finding I'm moving my foot around quite a bit, trying to get comfortable on my right leg, as my adductors, especially the one on the right is bugging me.  The trigger point just above my right knee gets a bit painful past 40k.  I really must remember to stretch and do more warm up.  That being said, I didn't do the latter at all, as I was so eager to get out and ride clipless.

I decided it was time to go clipless about 2 weeks ago, as mashing the flat pedals was only making my lower back sore.  I ended up going to Caps to get a hybrid clipless pedal (flat on one side, Shimano SPD on the other) and some shoes by Bontrager (Evoke DLX) women's with hot pink insides to match my POC helmet.  They came with black cleats, the kind that one needs to really twist to get out of and did some more research and found there are cleats that are multi-release and much easier to get out of being clipped.  I tried both on the pedals while riding on the trainer, so the multi-release ones are the choice I have made.

I have my snacks and electrolytes in 2 bottles, plus my Camelbak hydration pack and I'm off and I'm pretty stoked about riding clipless and I'm hoping the extra power transfer is worth it.

I have no idea where I'm riding to, so I'll just ride.  It's a nice sunny day, with just a few clouds out.  I didn't leave as early as I wanted, but I left on my ride.

I rode my normal way and was on the Bypass when I encountered the backside of Linda Meyer. I just buzzed on by and no looking in the rearview mirror either.  I continued on and up the hill on 227th I go and I'm sweating pretty good and it's really muggy out, so I stop to take a drink.  I knew I should've left 2 or 3 hours earlier, but I procrastinated about getting up early, as today is my only day off.  I headed up the hill again.  I'm getting the hang of the clipless pedals and am really liking them for riding.  I wonder how sore I will be when I finish or if I'll bonk sooner than later.

I get into town and I'm on 216th, heading to 123rd bikeway, not really knowing where I'm headed and I decided to call my cycling buddy to see if she's home as I want to drop by and show her that I haven't fallen off, broken my wrist, shoulder or god knows what else.  She's been really down on me riding clipless, yet she rides with straps, which I find highly dangerous.  I don't try to discourage her from riding with them, but she sure is being discouraging to me.  I'm pretty surprised at how easily I've adapted to riding clipless.  I'm finding being attached to my bike is awesome for power and I'm paying more attention to the road than usual, which is pretty cool, since I'm pretty observant anyway.

I go see Anita and she's going kayaking with her friend Sarah and the first thing she says is "how many times did you fall" and I laugh and told her none and I didn't plan on falling.  I showed her the pedals and cleats and shoes and explained how different they are and easy to use.  I'm not a roadie doing a lot of climbing out of the saddle, so these are just right for me.

I was going to go over the Golden Ears Bridge, but remembered the Gran Fondo was on on the other side of the river and I didn't feel like getting stuck in that bunch, so I thought about going to the path over the Port Mann Bridge and then back home via the Golden Ears Bridge.  I got to Kennedy Road at Lougheed Hwy., and decided to go out Pitt Meadows way to the Stomping Grounds instead, as I was feeling a bit tired and the headwinds were getting to me, plus I was riding harder than I normally do.

I ended up at the Stomping Grounds at Osprey Village and had a Red Tea with ice and a cold bottle of water and sat down to relax in the shade.  There was a dog tied up to the bench I was sitting on and she came over and sat down beside me and I petted her for quite awhile and then I let her go lay back down and headed off towards home.  I could feel my right knee/adductor bugging me a bit, so going home was a good thing.

I stopped off at Caps on the way home to let them know I survived riding clipless and that I wanted the same pedals put onto the Squishy bike.  I'll pick up a couple of extra cleats, as they say these wear out quicker than the black ones.

I made it home and I was sweaty and tired and holy shitballs, did I ever bonk bigtime!  Luckily it happened when I got into the house and after I had put my bike away.  I barely made it up the stairs to have a shower to get all the salt off of me and could hardly get back downstairs to sit down.  My right hand and foot were cramping and adductors are crampy, all on the right side.  So, more stretching to do.

That's it.  The ride was almost 48k and many times I was much faster than usual.  All in all, clipless is awesome.

Are Spiders and Flies Low Carb?

Today, was a gravel grinding day on the squishy bike, as my road bike Bart is in the shop still. Turned out to be a nice day, albeit muggy and luckily, somewhat windy, on the dikes in Pitt Meadows.

I took my electrolytes (High5 sugar free low carb) in my Camelbak hydration pack and 2 water bottles (better to have too much than not enough), plus some macadamia nuts, 2 Detour bars and some Beef Jerky packets.  I ended up only drinking a small amount of the electrolytes from the hydration pack and not even feeling tired.  Lots of energy.  I just rode, with a couple of stops for pictures for Strava/Instagram.

I headed out early today, leaving at 9:22 am from Jerry Sulina Park and it paid off, hardly any zombies (only one really).  I crossed over at Kennedy Rd. to the paved path along the south side of Lougheed Hwy., which goes to McMyn Road at McLean Park, where I turned around and went back.  Many little spiders testing their web making skills, along with little flies, all of which, I ended up snorting or eating.  Nom nom nom

When I got home, I thought I might be hungry, but I wasn't, so I decided it was time to mow the lawn and eat the weeds.  After I finished the yard work, I decided it was time for lunch, but being keto (after that pizza took it's toll and is finally gone) means I don't eat as much and get full much much faster.  I had an Atkins Advantage chocolate shake, a sirloin burger patty and a cup of macadamia nuts and I'm stuffed.

That's it for today.

Maltitol ughhh..

July 19th, 2016

I am allergic to Maltitol. I must get new glasses.

I ate trail mix yesterday and didn't notice Maltitol in the ingredients. Maltitol is a sweetener that is pure shit!  I have seen so many energy bars now advertising "Maltitol free" and there's a reason. Actually, anything with "itol" should be avoided, unless you think artificial sweeteners are good for you or like me, bonding with your toilet is a goal?

I recently found out that artificial sweeteners actually create hunger and are addictive in the majority of people AND the companies that manufacture this shit, know this and push push push it.  Sounds a little like big Tobacco and Sugar companies, who, like the NRA have lobbyists whom the government covets and that's why this shit they foist on us never truly goes away.

I have been sugar free and low carbing for a month now and now this happens.  I feel like 6 bags of crap right now, maybe more.  A minor setback is all PLUS my new digital scale tells me I weigh 52 pounds.  Nice.

I hate chemicals that are out there and the people who think this stuff is good for you are idiots.

Oh no!!! Too many carbs today!!

July 14th, 2016

Tonight, we decided to order pizza of the low or zero carb type from Panago.  Not much of a pizza - ingredients were zero carbs, but the crust was thin multigrain that MyFitnessPal listed the entire pizza at zero carbs was 16 carbs per slice.  I had 6 slices of a medium pizza and when I checked Panago's nutritional count online, so I just about fell on the floor when I saw the real carbs. 100 carbs today, which is way above my 10 carbs or less per day that I've been averaging.

I have the say the pizza tasted good, but not like I should keep eating it for days on end kind of good.  I was and am so bummed that MyFitnessPal had the wrong information regarding carbs.  Calorie count was correct, so I didn't go crazy on calories, but carbs is what I'm counting, not calories.  I'm hoping I didn't kick myself out of ketosis.

About 30-45 minutes after I ate the pizza, I started feeling bloated and my back, elbows, ankles, knees, etc., started feeling puffy and stiff and I got a headache.  I always knew bad processed foods causes problems healthwise and this just confirms it.

Tomorrow, it's a bike commute to and from work day, with a chiropractic appointment and hairdresser on the way home.  Lots of rain tonight, so hopefully, that's gone by tomorrow.  Gotta burn off these carbs and down to 5 or less carbs per day.

I can hardly wait to see what my scale says tomorrow morning.

July 11th, 2016 - Down 15# and finding the CVG again

View from docks on Argue Street looking west at the Port Mann Bridge

View from docks on Argue Street looking west at the Port Mann Bridge

Bart having a rest.

 Hume Park just before the hill that I refuse to ride down until they remove those damned bollards.

Which side do I ride on?

Winston Street Bridge crossover.

 Bart on a bridge.

 CVG so nice.  Still Creek area.

 Olympic Village to the left, Telus Science World ahead.  Bart having a rest.

So nice.

 English Bay!  The umbrellas and beach chairs are to the left.  I was going to rent one, but thought if I did, I might fall asleep and not wake up in time for the train. LOL

English Bay again.  I can smell the smokie dogs.

I'm on the bench, eating a smokie dog and relaxing in the shade.

Well, it's been almost 4 weeks since stopping sugar intake and reducing bad carbs in my diet.  I'd say I've been "free" from these for 3 full weeks.  I didn't ride my bikes much during this time and in fact, have just started back again, as work has been pretty busy and it's either monsooning and muggy or hot and muggy.  I don't do muggy very well.  Rain and hot, I can handle, but muggy drives me buggy.

Each time I ride, I find that my breathing is vastly improved and it'll only get better, I assume. I also find the power I have cycling has increased and it's becoming easier to keep a steady cadence.  Hills aren't the best and never have been, but they're getting easier, as is walking. LOL

I can now fit comfortably into the liner shorts and biking shorts that go over top and they're getting looser.  My new Showers Pass Rain Jacket that I bought in November, in a mens XXL because the women's was too small, is now loose.  I'm feeling really good and sleeping at night is better and better.  I wake up feeling awake and ready to roll.  I had stopped having sugar in my coffee, but chose to use stevia for awhile, which I have now stopped and I've stopped having cream in my coffee and now take it with only coconut oil and find that is my wake up without the jitters.  I'm only having one cup of coffee per day now, instead of the usual 3-6 because I'm actually staying awake, alert and "with it".  I feel cognitive awareness is also improved and I'm taking about 75% less Advil/Robaxacet combo than I did before and my sinusitis/rhinitis is down to almost nothing, unless I forget and leave the air conditioner on all night.  The psoriasis on the bottoms of my feet, that I've had for 35 years is pretty much cleared up too and my hair is thicker and lots of little sticky uppies of new hairs coming in.  My bike shorts that I bought 3 sizes too small are about 5# away from fitting nicely and then I have another pair 3 sizes smaller again.  Those will be a little while to fit.

I have ridden a couple of longer than commuting rides and last Wednesday, July 6th, 2016, I decided to go on a longer ride of "discovery" and not only see if I could find a connection to the CVG from Argue & Shaughnessy Streets in PoCo and also see how my breathing and pacing is.  I didn't load my bike up and took an energy vegan bar and some trail mix, all low carb.  I filled up my Camelbak with High5 sugar-free, low carb electrolytes and water.  4 tablets for that.  Large water bottle 2 tablets and smaller waterbottle 2 tablets as well.  I did finish my coffee and coconut oil and find that if I don't, I have zero energy after 20 minutes.

I haven't been over the Pitt River Bridge for awhile, but it was the fastest I've ever done it and I wasn't puffed out at all!  Hot though.  Muggy and carrying a camelbak always used to wear me out, as it heats me up, so I'll stay at a good cadence where I don't crap out too soon.

I found the cyclists dream of a bathroom on Argue Street (don't ask unless you cycle and you've found it, because I'm not explaining myself).  I did a little photo taking on the river at the sight seeing docks they have there and then decided to see how the Mary Hill Bypass was and see if I could find a route to Lougheed Hwy., that is marked on the maps, but I've not used since the Port Mann was mostly finished.

I found that I could ride on the Mary Hill Bypass for a bit past Shaughnessy to United and they have a cycling signal and crosswalk and took that, which took me to the bike path on Lougheed Hwy., which I continued on until King Edward, which I rode over, after stopping to pick up tree limbs in the bike lane and continued west on United Blvd.  What a great way to get to IKEA!!  The Bailey Bridge is replaced now and there is an actual walkway for peds and bikes that isn't hindered by a light like the old one was.  The pathway that's paved, continued for awhile, then onto the roadway in between trucks, cars and such.  I cycle defensively, which is necessary.  I saw other cyclists on this road as well.  I found the pathway that goes behind Braid Station and up the hills to Hume Park in New West and I'm feeling pretty darned good, so I decided to check out the CVG, as it's been awhile to ride it from New West.

The CVG is pothole free! and nice!!  No more construction vehicles and really really nice and wow! I'm so glad I found out a quick way to get here again.  I got to Burnaby and decided to motor on.  On the little longer hill on Winston, I did walk some of it - still need to rebuild my legs after time off from steady long rides that I was doing a lot like last year.  I got to the bridge over Winston and up I go and stopped at the top to take photos of Bart on a bridge.  I decided to keep on going and see if I could make it to English Bay and see what changes had taken place on the CVG and there were lots!  All very positive too.  Really a nice ride.

I made it to Vancouver and the sun is shining and it's nice and warm out and so so awesome to be here again and I'm going to English Bay.  I ended up there and had a non-low-carb smokie dog.  I shouldn't have eaten the bun, but I did.  I need to find more snacks of the low-carb variety to take with me.

I ended up doing just over 68 km and took the West Coast Express back and found I had more money on my Compass card than I realized and it too, can be used for the train now - another plus!!  That smokie dog was so delicious!  I did drain the camelbak pack, plus small water bottle and half of the large one.

A really great day off from work and a lot accomplished - way more than I thought I'd get done.

Day Two

June 14, 2016

I have survived day one and onto day two.

Coffee one and two are drunk and they were mighty tasty.  I'm trying to drink a lot of water and doing my best to psych myself out of the "diet mindset" where my brain decides I'm starving and must eat bad shit.  No bad shit!!  Well, less than yesterday, that is.

I ended up having a homemade hamburger patty and trail mix from Costco. Holy shit! The trail mix was 1.5c worth and a whopping 1,261 calories and a bucket load of carbs!  Okay, so when they say a 1/4 c, they mean it.  I know that calories aren't supposed to mean anything on this way of eating and they won't, because after awhile, I'll eat less automatically, but wowzers! 1,260 calories is astounding!

I made bacon and eggs for lunch, with some low carb ketchup and that was pretty good.  I know I'll need more in the way of leafy greens, so it's off to the grocery store to get some EatSmart Sweet Kale salad, which has only 8 carbs for an entire big bag, if one doesn't eat the pumpkin seeds and poppy seed dressing.  I ended up getting a big bag of that salad PLUS some 18% coffee cream just to see how much I actually used in a big cup of coffee.  Well, it's 10 carbs per coffee and that's not counting sugar cubes, so coffee is definitely a no-no.  Waaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh....

I will miss coffee and could change to decaf, but having that many carbs in cream and sugar is my downfall.  I can do it, I can do it, I can do it - quit coffee that is.  A few rough days and I'll be fine.  Herbal tea?  Not my cup of tea, so to speak.

All is good.  I will get the weight off, build up the miles and be efficient where my body will use my fat for fuel and eventually, I'll add some more carbs back (of the good kind) for long ride fueling.  I just have to keep telling myself it takes time and doesn't happen overnight.  Why not???  Aaarghhhhh...

I won't post again for about a month.

Day One

June 13, 2016

I'm starting on my way to low carbing, with a view to getting into ketogenesis to lose weight.  Yah yah yah, you've heard that before.  Go away then.

Still there?  Okay, then.  I've been on many diets over my lifetime, most of which failed because I chose to stop them, because my addiction to bad carbs and sugar got the best of me, in particular, coffee with cream and sugar.  Every morning I start off with one or two cups of coffee (so good too!) with 2 lumps of sugar and creamo and then I'm ready to start the day, whether I'm on a day off or going to work.  I commute to work by bike (12 km each way, for a total of 24 km per day).

In 2012, I scrapped my 1994 Ford Explorer and went full time riding my bike.  I took transit, as well, occasionally.  Husband had a pickup then (he likes to flyfish and has a boat for lake fishing and he likes to camp), so we got down to one vehicle.  I still drove, but not much.  I found that I actually became addicted to cycling and found driving with other idiots felt more dangerous than cycling.

I was doing great with weight loss and getting fitter, although I needed to start walking more.  I had also planned on starting Yoga, which would improve my cycling to a large degree.  That was then....

In March of this year, we were given a minivan by my son.  It needed work, about $2,800.00 worth of work, before it was safe.  It had fairly low miles on it, so we decided to fix it and keep it, along with the Dodge Caravan we'd bought in 2014, as hubby's truck packed it in (bad mechanic).  He spent a few months car free as well, taking transit and I used my bike for shopping.  It was actually working very well.  Shopping a bit each day, with a few big hauls once a month was awesome!  I felt it was very empowering, not to be reliant on a vehicle.  Husband thought differently.  He's from a generation (mine too) that values a person's worth by the vehicle one drives and he was not in a good space without a vehicle, especially having to get up an hour earlier to take a bus to and from work.  He could've gotten a ride from his boss, who lives a mile away, but he's got this sense of pride that makes him feel embarrassed for not having a vehicle and accepting rides from people. Each to his/her own.

Since getting the minivan, I have been driving more ... too much actually.  I need to get back to riding more to work and back, not just hauling my gravel bike to the dikes and riding there or the occasional ride to and from work.  Right now, it's June and it's either hot/muggy or raining.  Not the best weather when it's raining, as rain gear makes me sweat so much and then I'm brain drained for the rest of the day.  It's a time of year when I'm working 6 days a week or really long days, so it's handy to have the minivan for that, for sure.

Where this is going is that I'm not losing weight now, but eating like I'm riding full time, so I've gained a couple of pounds in the past month and I don't like it.  I've decided to get back to basis and go low carb again and holy crap batman! has that ever changed since I did it 25 years ago.  I've found I can actually go into Ketogenesis and stay there until I get to within the last 15 pounds of weight loss and then do a variant of carb cycling and I like that idea a lot.  The hardest part will be to give up coffee, which I cannot stand without sugar or cream.

I'm using MyFitnessPal to log my entries and keep track of what I'm doing.  Today, I kept my carbs down to 79 from an average or over 300, with a view to never going over 22 to get to ketosis and stay there for a few months.

I'm doing this because I'm tired of being fat and making excuses to myself.  I also want to ride longer distances and my weight is holding me back from doing that efficiently.  I figure I need to lose at least 65 lbs and with that gone, touring with the extra gear on my steel bike I've converted to a tourer will be much less stressful on it and on me.  That's what I figure.  I love to cycle camp and tour and really really really want to ride my bike to Portland next year.

Leaving coffee behind is going to be the hardest part of this new adventure in my life.