Day 3 - Like a pail of galloping turtles.

Today was a bit rougher than my first two days. I woke up, and I was tired. I was extremely tired. I ate two yogurts and headed out on my jaunt through mystical magical land. And by that, I mean the swamp that is Cedar Falls bike trails after it rains. My legs burned after the first 6 miles. (Today I learned that the first five and a half miles of my normal ride is all a climb with one medium downhill.) After my ride, I had to go basically right to class and still didnt get to eat anything. I felt like dying. I was so hungry all of class, I felt like I was going to puke.

So I really think I need to start eating a bit more before my ride and then also after my ride.

Basically thats all I have for ya today...

What did you do for exercise, Eric!?

Same trail as yesterday, it was a little more humid and hot though. About as windy. Lame in other words. 20.62 miles.

What did you eat today, Eric!?

Nothing.... absolutely nothing. (2 yogurts which are soon to be joined by a bowl of cereal or a chicken breast.)

Total miles biked: 62.85

Day 2- Like a deer in the headlights.

Alright, time to finish this so its more than just a place holder.

Today, I woke up and felt great. My ride yesterday didn't leave me sore or anything. I felt awesome. Then I remembered I had a test and was sad. So I went to class, took a quiz in my first class and then took my test in the other and did pretty alright I think. So that was great.

I went home after class and cooked up some turkey burgers to have for lunch/dinner and ate a yogurt. I had two of the turkey burgers and then waited like an hour before I went off for a ride.

Let me tell you now. Today was about ten times more brutal feeling than yesterdays was. The first ten miles were almost all climbing into the wind. I made a mistake choosing to go that way, thats for sure. After the first ten though it was a fairly easy ride and on the way home I probably averaged 18-20mph.(had to make up for the 12-13 miles at 12mph.) About 16 miles in, I saw one of my best friends, a baby deer.

Baby deer... I don't know where to start with these vile creatures of the underworld. They lurk in the bushes, munching on who knows what, until you round that fateful corner. When you see them, its already too late. They are striking at you full force. Prancing across the trail until they finally collide with you and knock you to the ground. That is where they start to stare. Their dead stare buries into your mind, a sight you will never forget. You fear for your life and hope that it will end, one way or another. At this point, you feel death is your only escape. You try to collect yourself as you see the deer decide to spare your life. Returning to your feet, you wonder if there was ever really a deer, or if it was all just a figment of your hateful imagination.

Basically, Thursday afternoon... I got attacked by a baby deer. It was outrageous. It jumped out of the woods and just hit me. It felt like getting tackled by a 12 year old that doesn't know anything more than running into someone. It was awkward. I can't say that I have ever seen anyone get hit by a deer on a bike before... but really, it is a lot of fun. If only I would have had it on video. It had to look awesome.

I am thinking about getting back into lifting. I just can't bring myself to do it quite yet.

So for today...

What kind of exercise did you do, Eric!?

I rode my bike 20.63 miles uphill, into the wind, both ways. It was pleasant. It took me 1:24:43. So a slightly shorter ride than yesterday, but a better average with a LOT more wind. With the century ride coming up here soon... its gonna be pretty brutal.

What did you eat today, Eric!?

I gorged myself on 4 turkey burgers and 2 yogurts over the course of the day. I really need to go shopping and get some fruits and vegetables. I think tomorrow is a salad and some bananas... :-P

MORE TOMORROW!

Total miles ridden: 42.23

Day 1 - A beginning.

I am not a skinny man. I don't pretend to be, not anymore. Up until a month ago, I was content eating and doing nothing but sitting around gaining all sorts of weight. I went to college four years ago weighing 220 pounds, and I was overweight then. Two months ago, I weighed in at 275. I stepped off that scale and decided it was time to change.

Change is kind of ambiguous. Am I changing my eating habits? Am I changing my clothes? Am I changing my exercise habits? At first, I didn't even know the answer to this myself. I just knew that SOMETHING had to change.

My dad has been a fairly big part of my whole goal to get into better shape and quit living like a lazy filthy slob. After his hospitalization, he didn't return to his former life of eating out or eating steak covered in awesome four to five nights a week. No, he buckled down and did what his doctors told him to and whipped himself into shape. He inspired(and scared) me into working out myself. I was on a downward spiral to end up in a hospital bed much like him only at a much younger age.

This summer, I moved back home to live with my family in Madison. I am extremely glad that I did. The first half of the summer, admittedly, I spent most of my time doing a whole lot of nothing and eating the same old crap I did when I was living alone. And when I was still gaining weight, even at home. I decided I should probably start accepting my dad's offers of bike rides and start taking some of both of my parents' advice and eating healthier.

After a month of a smattering of bike rides and a definite change in my diet, I noticed results. I felt better, I looked better, and I bet if you asked people I knew, I was better all around. But this wasn't enough. I never really felt motivated to go out and bike on my own, or to keep on eating only the healthy foods. It has been quite hard to do. I have a hard time getting off my butt and making myself go out and get on that bike and ride 30 miles. Its tough. So I decided to write a blog. A blog for the AGES!

Today marks day one of my quest to become a healthier, more energetic, better Eric. I don't have delusions of Olympic medals or anything. I just want to do this for me. I just want to be healthier and hold myself accountable. So I plan to write on this blog every single day regardless of whether or not I worked out and I hope that it gives me the motivation to finish what I have started.

So for today...

What have you been eating, Eric!?

I had a piece of pizza (what a great way to start out this blog, am I right?), a yogurt, and thats it. I should really probably eat some more food, huh? Perhaps I will finish off the other three slices of pizza that are left before I tell myself that there will be no more of that until I have earned it.

What kind of wicked sweet exercise did you do today, Eric?

Oh you know, I went on a bike ride. It was fantastic. I went 21.6ish miles in about an hour and a half. So right around 14mph. Yeah, I know I am slow, BITE ME. I had planned out 40 miles, but A.) got lost and B.) my hamstring started to hurt a little, so I gave up as soon as I figured out where I was. Wicked killer hill on the way home though(well for my standards).

And thats where we are at for today. More tomorrow, I hope...