Day 367 (Days were off so I corrected for today)-Weigh-in Day: 303.8lbs

WEEK 52

Start Weight: 365.4

Last Week’s Weight: 305

Current Weight: 303.8

This Week’s Weight Loss: 1.2lbs

Total Weight Loss: 61.6lbs

Miles Biked this Week: 9.85

Total Miles Biked: 2197.56

Miles to Go: 5302.44

GEOGRAPHY (Where I'd be on the map having started at my house in Salt Lake City, Utah, heading for Tokyo):

Pacific Ocean (1484 miles off the west coast. I am heading for the Hawaiian Islands)

This Week’s Workout

Monday: Gym

Tuesday: Gym

Wednesday: Gym

Thursday: Gym

Friday: 9.85 miles

Saturday: Rest

TODAY:

Happy 1 Year Anniversary Don!

It was 1 year ago yesterday, that I began my challenge on February 29, 2012 (Leap Year). What do I have to show for it? Well, I’m basically 60lbs lighter! That is such a good feeling. I believe I am the healthiest I’ve been in years.

I biked up to my doctor’s office yesterday to go get a blood test to see how my blood sugar, cholesterol, etc., are looking. I will post my results here this week.

Also, I videotaped myself getting on the scale in the docs office that I weighed in on a year ago. Last year I weighed in at 365.4. Today on that scale I weighed 305.2. (There is obviously a little discrepancy between my scale and the doc’s, but for my weekly weigh-ins, everything is relative to my home scale.)

I remember a few years back trying to lose weight, and giving up. Then a year would go by and I would think, “If only I’d stuck to it, I’d have lost X pounds by now!” Well, this time, I can smile because I have stuck to it.

Let me tell you about my interesting ride down the No Sugar Expressway. As you know I cut sugar completely out of my diet about 10 days ago. It hasn’t been an easy thing to adjust to.

Over the past 10 days I’ve experienced a little weakness, but on Wednesday I was really weak! Not only weak, but grouchy with a dark cloud hanging over my head. I was getting really frustrated with eating the same thing every day, and having to spend so much time preparing food. I wanted to give up. No sugar has been a hard thing. I think I was experiencing sugar withdrawls…and now I know what that feels like! I went to the gym that morning, but felt tired, so I just walked on the treadmill for a couple of miles.

Well, the next day, something happened! I got up early and went to the gym and felt like superman! I had so much energy, and felt exceptionally good. It was a complete 180 from the day before. At work I continue to walk up 4 flights of stairs to my office level, but on Thursday I found myself running up the stairs! All day long I felt strong and happy. But guess what happened on Friday?…same thing! I woke up feeling great, and all day long felt strong and happy. Gee…if this is the way it’s always going to be, then it’s worth it! I don’t know what happened, but the miserable feeling left, and I am not really feeling carb cravings anymore.

The theory behind my eating is that the beans that I eat at each meal are releasing sugar slowly and steadily, thus keep my blood sugar regulated for a long time. When we eat white carbs, many times there’s a spike, and an immediate drop. So maybe there is something to this bean thing.

This past week I wasted about 5 pounds of pinto beans that I had stored in a pail for 3-4 years. I was soaking and cooking the beans only to discover after a few tries that the beans were crunchy. I couldn’t figure it out until I did a little research on the internet and found out that I must be using old beans. If you store beans, make sure they are in oxygen free bags or cans.

So I went out and bought some new beans, and they worked like a charm! Beans are amazing. I’ve always loved them, but now I get to really hone in on some great recipes!

BTW, Today is my free day. Last week I did a low-key free day. But today, I’m going to go crazy. I want to see what my body does. I know it will be a shock to the system, but I’m suppose to do that to mix up the metabolism. I want to see how my body will handle it, and respond. I’m already craving a slice of Marzipan cake. I have to find some today!

I am starting to get a routine down. I go to the gym at 5am, come home and make breakfast for everyone around 7am, then I cook my food for the day and get ready to go out the door.

I haven’t been riding much this week, as I have been focusing on intervals on the treadmill. I feel that is what I should be doing along with weight training in the gym, and then do biking at home or to work. I am excited though…next week it’s going to be in the 40s and 50s!!! Yahoo! Bike Season is about here.

Well, things are starting to get down to the nitty gritty. I’ve got to go buy a bike, get plane tickets, get some cycling clothes, start hitting the hills, and riding farther and longer.

Well, I am closer to the 299 mark, the official exit out of the “300 Club.” I didn’t get to join this week…but I better join this coming week J.

Happy Sugar-Free Pedaling!

Don