http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal.asp?id=SIMPLELIFE4REAL SIMPLELIFE4REAL's Blog on SparkPeople, home of free diet plans and a healthy living community http://assets2.sparkpeople.com/assets/nav/logo_spark.gif http://www.sparkpeople.com/ http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5356516 I've been pretty quiet here on SparkPeople, but I've been very busy the last couple months. <BR> <BR> My husband and I spent a lot of time this cold March doing work on the interior of our condo to get it ready to put on the market. We moved a small U-Haul's worth of stuff down to our house in Tennessee and donated/tossed out about as much stuff. The result was that our condo looked very spacious with all the closets and shelves less than half full. We got some interior painting done a... Tue, 14 May 2013 16:17:52 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5315533 A couple days ago, I fell while riding our tandem by myself. I kept thinking the tandem felt heavy and hard to maneuver this spring, I just thought it was because I was out of shape. Well, that wasn't what was causing the problem. <BR> <BR> The next day, I was riding the tandem again by myself and I hear a little "ping" about a mile into the ride. That's never a good sound to hear while riding. It turns out that with all the moving around of the bike over the winter, the rear shifter cab... Mon, 8 Apr 2013 09:00:29 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5308955 As part of a month-long challenge on the Girls Gone Riding bicycle team, I'll be riding my bike every day for the month of April. The only bike I have available right now is our tandem. I'm normally the stoker on that bike, but I rode it by myself yesterday and today. I'm still working on making adjustments to the captain position to ride it by myself. <BR> <BR> Today, I stopped on a side street to make an adjustment to a mirror that out of reach while I'm riding. I neglected to get th... Tue, 2 Apr 2013 13:45:56 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5307512 I'm on the Girls Gone Riding team which is a fun bicycling team on SparkPeople. This month, our challenge is to ride our bikes at least a little bit every day. With all the cold weather we have been having, this was just the challenge I needed. I've taken my "single" touring bike down to Tennessee as part of our move, so the only bike I have available to ride here in Illinois is our tandem. I'm normally the stoker, but it's good for me to be able to captain the tandem as well. <BR> <BR> ... Mon, 1 Apr 2013 12:27:43 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5280897 For the last month or so, my husband and I have been working on staging our condo to put it on the market. <BR> <BR> First, we took a truckload of "stuff" down to our new home where we plan to retire and gave away or threw out even more "stuff". Just clearing out all the stuff make our condo feel so much lighter and more spacious...aahhh! <BR> <BR> Next, we had some rooms painted that hadn't been painted in years. I hadn't realized how much my eyes had been drawn to the imperfections on ... Sun, 10 Mar 2013 08:31:28 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5272197 Well, the painters have gone and we have "staged" most of our condo to put it on the market. Wow!!! I have to say, it looks pretty darn amazing! We were ruthless in clearing out clutter and only having furniture and accessories that added to the appearance of each room. I kind of feel like I'm living in a hotel or HGTV "Designed to Sell" home! <BR> <BR> It feels nice to have everything so neat and clean. We still have the garage to clean out and paint, some new carpet to be installed ... Mon, 4 Mar 2013 07:16:53 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5268403 As part of getting ready to sell our condo, we decided to call in professional painters to paint several rooms with cathedral ceilings and our stairwell. Boy, am I glad we did. We usually do the painting ourselves, but these rooms were difficult with their high ceilings etc. They have done an excellent job and were about three or four times faster than we would have been. <BR> <BR> I'm very grateful for professional painters! <BR> <BR> I will be even more grateful when they are done! Fri, 1 Mar 2013 10:54:26 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5256311 As part of our plan for my husband to retire in June and move to Tennessee, we have been doing things to put our condo in Illinois on the market. Last weekend, my husband and I rented a 10 foot truck to move boxes of "stuff" from Illinois toTennessee. We completely filled the truck with "stuff". Mind you, almost no furniture was moved because we are going to stage our condo with the furniture when we put it on the market in a few weeks. It was all STUFF!! <BR> <BR> I tried and tried to t... Tue, 19 Feb 2013 14:30:23 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5241677 Your husband gives you a Schwalbe Marathon Plus tire for Valentine's day, and you think it's the perfect gift! <BR> <BR> My husband gave me one of my Valentine's Day presents early. It's a Schwalbe Marathon Plus tire for our tandem. Schwalbe is known for it's durable puncture proof tires and is a favorite brand among bicycle tourists. <BR> <BR> I've never been one that gets excited about roses or chocolate...give me a good bicycle tire any day to make me smile!! <BR> <BR> <em>108</em... Thu, 7 Feb 2013 14:01:47 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5240494 I'm struggling to figure out what to get hubby for Valentine's Day. I did find one thing that was cute on the internet. It's a series of corny knock-knock jokes that you can print out about Valentine's Day. It's intended for moms to put in a small child's lunch box. I make my hubby's lunch every day, so I think he will get a kick out of there. Here's a link to the jokes: <BR> <link>www.scribd.com/fullscreen/66971920?a<BR>ccess_key=key-c19umxjbwy3e3xq5akx </link> <BR> <BR> For Christ... Wed, 6 Feb 2013 16:29:57 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5238881 A couple years ago, my husband and I bought a treadmill. I have to admit that in the summers when the weather is good, it gathers dust. <BR> <BR> In the wintertime, it's another story altogether. We both use it almost every day. I used to love running outside in the bitter cold in the winter, but my asthma for the past few winters has made aerobic exercise in the cold very difficult. Thank goodness for the treadmill. <BR> <BR> I admit it can be boring, but we each usually put our favo... Tue, 5 Feb 2013 14:32:40 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5237401 I like to share about things that work for me. Something that I really like is No Chip Gel Nail polish that I put on at home. I got the "Sensational" starter kit by Nailene from Walmart around Thanksgiving and have been using it ever since. The polish stays on so much better than regular nail polish. I'm really hard on manicures so this polish is awesome for me. <BR> <BR> Anyone else give themselves gel manicures at home? <BR> <BR> I think it's important that we do things that we like t... Mon, 4 Feb 2013 15:21:31 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5235797 I'm not normally a football fan, but this year I've become quite fascinated by the NFL. I live part-time in Chicagoland and part-time in Tennessee, so I claim both the Bears and the Titans as "my" teams. Neither team made the playoffs, but in the process of watching the Bears almost make it, I got hooked on the game. <BR> <BR> I think football is much easier to watch and understand these days than it used to be. Larger TV's and better camera techniques make it easer to actually follow the... Sun, 3 Feb 2013 14:13:01 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5234236 One of the things I do when I'm in "organized mode" is to start the day with Sun Salutations . If you don't know what a Sun Salutation is, here is a great YouTube video that describes it. <BR> <link>www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2VSdskq73g </link> <BR> <BR> I do the exact sequence that the women descibes. Trust me, she looks much better doing it than I do. I've found the best time to do it is after my morning shower when my muscles have been warmed up by the water and before I've put on ... Sat, 2 Feb 2013 09:15:09 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5233142 When I'm in "organized mode" and using the Astrid App on my smartphone, I have a lot of little "to-dos" that are only 10 minutes long. It's amazing how much can be done in 10 minutes. <BR> <BR> I have something called a "10 minute pickup" that I do for 10 minutes each morning and afternoon. I set a timer and go around the house looking for items that need to be picked up an put in their proper place. If I do that twice a day for 10 minutes, my place stays amazingly neat. <BR> <BR> I also... Fri, 1 Feb 2013 11:48:20 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5231833 We used to have a paper shredder. It "died" a year or two ago. I don't remember exactly when. After it died, we started "batch shredding". I'd put papers that needed to be shredded in a bag and my husband and I would take them to shredding events or he would take them to work to shred. Gradually, my study became messier and messier without the shredder. <BR> <BR> A couple weeks ago, we bought a new shredder. WOW!!! I didn't realize how much I had missed having one at home. This week, ... Thu, 31 Jan 2013 14:15:36 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5230521 I'm a big fan of "to-do" lists and have used them all my life to be organized. I stopped using them about six months ago and have really noticed the difference in my productivity (or lack thereof). Yesterday, I decided to start using the Astrid App on my phone and computer again. It's a handy little app. It's amazing how it keeps me focused on what needs to be done. <BR> <BR> Do you use a to do app? If so, which one do you like? <BR> <BR> Yesterday, I blogged about how I needed to forc... Wed, 30 Jan 2013 16:35:19 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5228692 I'm clearly recovering from the crazy cough and asthma I had for the past two weeks. Two days ago, I could barely walk ten minutes very slowly. Yesterday, I did two 10 minute walks on the treadmilll and a 15 minute walk outside. Each walk was a little faster than the one before. Today, I walked 30 minutes outside at a 3mph pace and felt good the whole way. <BR> <BR> We are having a mini heatwave in the Chicagoland area. It was 59 degrees outside whille I wallked. Heavenly! It's suppos... Tue, 29 Jan 2013 12:01:47 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5226727 Yesterday, I blogged about some of the preparations for our upcoming self-supported bicycle tour. What I didn't blog about is how sick I have been this winter. I had the flu in early November which took almost a month to get my strength back. About two weeks ago, my husband and I got a terrible cough which for me spiraled out of control with asthma. I went to the doctor last Wednesday and with more asthma meds have been able to get my asthma back under control. We still both sound like p... Mon, 28 Jan 2013 08:41:43 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5225602 I haven't been blogging lately, but I thought I'd post an update on our preparations for our self-supported bike tour my husband and I plan to do beginning next summer. He's retiring in June and will most likely take off in early July. Our first big goal is to bike around the perimeter of the US. If we do it in one shot, it would take about a year. Most likely, we will take breaks along the way. <BR> <BR> Anyway, the equipment used for camping on a self-supported bike tour is very simi... Sun, 27 Jan 2013 13:02:40 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5147030 The Powerball lottery is up to $425 million now...the biggest one ever. <BR> <BR> My husband and I don't play the lottery, except when it gets to historic numbers like it is now. When that happens, we join the masses and we each by one, and only one, ticket. We carefully pick our numbers and then for a couple days until the drawing, we have fun dreaming and talking about what we would do differently. It's worth $2 a couple times a year, just for the fun of dreaming. <BR> <BR> Anyway, th... Mon, 26 Nov 2012 11:31:34 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5087808 I have a very simple guide to figuring out what to wear when running outside. I take the current temperature in Fahrenheit and add 20 degrees to it. I wear what would feel comfortable if I was standing still at 20 degrees warmer. Usually, that works pretty well. <BR> <BR> Yesterday, I stumbled across a very cool guideline by Runner's World on the internet for figuring out what to wear that not only takes into consideration the temp, but the wind and rain as well. Here's the link: <BR> ... Fri, 5 Oct 2012 11:46:26 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5059516 I hate it when that happens.... <BR> <BR> This morning, I was jogging along, minding my own business when a bug flew in my mouth and down my throat. No matter how hard I coughed, he wouldn't come back up. So down he went! <BR> <BR> Actually, that happens more often to me when I'm biking. You would think that it would teach me to keep my mouth shut! <BR> <BR> In fact, when I'm biking, I make a conscious effort to keep my teeth covering the opening in my lips even when I smile <em>334<... Fri, 14 Sep 2012 18:56:20 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5056001 I would have missed all this.... <BR> <img src="http://photos-ak.sparkpeople.com/nw/7/1/l710823506.jpg"> <BR> <img src="http://photos-ak.sparkpeople.com/nw/1/4/l144429412.jpg"> <BR> <img src="http://photos-ak.sparkpeople.com/nw/9/2/l928749510.jpg"> <BR> <img src="http://photos-ak.sparkpeople.com/nw/7/9/l797349474.jpg"> <BR> <BR> I don't always feel like getting out to exercise, but when I'm done, I'm ALWAYS glad I did it! Wed, 12 Sep 2012 12:23:25 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5053097 My husband and I are seriously planning a year-long self-supported bicycle tour beginning next summer. That means that we will carry all our camping gear, clothing, bicycle tools and pretty much everything we will need for a year (except food and water) on our tandem. We want to keep our total "gear" weight for the both of us to something under 80 pounds and hopefully closer to 50 pounds. Not only do we want our gear to be under a certain weight, we have to be able to fit it all into a rel... Mon, 10 Sep 2012 18:22:13 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5043597 This past weekend my husband and I went to our first tandem rally. We had owed our tandem for five whole days before we went and had probably put only 20 miles on the bike, so we were really "newbies" to the tandem world. <BR> <BR> It was amazing to see so many tandems in one place. I think there were about 1,000 bikes there. Of all the tandems, there was only one other bike that was configured like ours with a recumbent seat in the front for the stoker and an upright seat in the back for... Tue, 4 Sep 2012 08:43:12 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5037446 The Hase Pino is an amazing bike. <BR> <link>hasebikes.com/index.php?article_id=1<BR>50&clang=1 </link> <BR> <BR> We are loving our Hase Pino partial recumbent tandem more and more each day. We bought it with the hope that we could take turns being "captain" (on the wedgie seat) and stoker (on the recumbent seat). My husband is 5'11" and weighs about 175. I'm 5'3" and weigh 139. We weren't sure if I'd be able to handle holding the bike upright at starts and piloting the bike during tak... Thu, 30 Aug 2012 12:33:49 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5034678 Twenty years ago, I was an avid runner. I was never very fast. I typically ran 10 minute miles (which is not fast in the running world). I discovered long-distance running and ran a marathon. Shortly thereafter, I stopped running consistently and haven't gotten back to it for more than a few months at a time since. <BR> <BR> Fast forward sixteen years or so to about three years ago. I discover a new way of "running" called run/walking by reading about Jeff Galloway's method of running. ... Tue, 28 Aug 2012 13:05:24 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5026824 A family member loaned me their recumbent bicycle to try out yesterday. I discovered riding a recumbent is a lot of fun once I got the hang of it. Starting off was scary for the first time....it's just trying to figure out how to get both my feet up on the pedals. It's almost like learning to ride all over again. <BR> <BR> I'm not sure how I feel about riding a recumbent. I only did it for about 20 minutes yesterday. I think I'd have to take it out for a longer stretch with more hills, ... Wed, 22 Aug 2012 18:58:39 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5023657 I've been an avid cyclist and an avid runner at various times in my life. Most recently, I've been doing a lot of riding and just dipping my toe into getting back into running. <BR> <BR> Today, I was getting ready to go for a run and was having trouble finding a clean top to wear that would work with my jog bra and be the right weight for running. I have a 20 year old cycling shirt that I still love to wear for cycling. It was the only thing that came close to suitable attire today so I p... Mon, 20 Aug 2012 16:25:54 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5021986 Yesterday, we drove to Sharon, WI to do the Roun' da Manure Ride. <link>sharonmainstreet.org/Sharon_Main/Rou<BR>nda_Manure.html </link> The weather was absolutely perfect for it. Highs in the mid 70's, low humidity, clear skies with white puffy clouds and a gentle breeze. It was a great day to be out on a bicycle. It was such fun! <BR> <BR> <BR> Sharon, WI and the surrounding area have long, relatively flat roads. There were a few curves and rolling hills tossed in the ride for goo... Sun, 19 Aug 2012 15:39:25 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5013742 In 14 weeks, I turn 60. There is a 5k race that my husband and I have signed up for in the past that's on my "birthday weekend" and we signed up for it a couple days ago. I haven't run seriously in about a year and a half....so I clearly have some training to do to be able to enjoy this run. <BR> <BR> Yesterday, I wrote a long blog about why I like bicycling so much and it got me thinking about how running really has it's place in my life too. When I was in my 40's, I used to run long dis... Mon, 13 Aug 2012 14:55:09 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5012486 One of the great things about riding a bike long distances is that it gives me time to think and ponder over life's greater mysteries. One of the things I've pondered over is: "just why is it that I like biking so much?" For some reason for me, riding a bicycle is the one "exercise" that I actually look forward to and enjoy it pretty much all the time that I'm doing it. <BR> <BR> I've come to realize that there are tons of reasons why I like biking so much. I won't be listing all of them... Sun, 12 Aug 2012 18:55:56 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5008628 We clean our bikes..... <BR> <img src="http://photos-ak.sparkpeople.com/nw/3/3/l3331403.jpg"> <BR> <BR> and plan our next ride.... <BR> <link>www.everytrail.com/guide/white-river<BR>-state-trail </link> Thu, 9 Aug 2012 18:10:28 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5007149 We have one week before school starts and hubby has to go back to work. We have decided spend the week riding as many bicycle paths as possible in the northern Illinois area. We spent yesterday and today biking the Prairie Path. It goes from the Wisconsin border to south of Elgin then splits into other paths. Round trip, we rode 84 miles. It felt great!!! <BR> <BR> Some of the high points of the rides were being "attacked" by butterflies while biking on the path through a huge cornfiel... Wed, 8 Aug 2012 18:57:42 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=4999387 My husband and I are seriously considering a self-supported ride across the US next summer! It's been on my "secret bucket list"for a while. Hubby is retiring next spring. About three months ago, we started seriously talking about what we wanted to do after he retires. I told him about my dream and he thought I was absolutely crazy!!! Now he's really on board with the idea. Whoo Hooo!!!! <BR> <BR> We have only been married 6 years. Before I met him, I used to do supported week-long ri... Fri, 3 Aug 2012 10:49:05 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=4998703 At the beginning of July, I boldly announced that I was going to blog about 7 daily goals every day....I blogged for 2 whole days in a row and then quit blogging! I ran into hosting my family of 20 on the 4th of July, forgot totally to blog on the third of July while I was getting ready for company and then never got back to blogging. <BR> <BR> How did I do otherwise? I did track my food for 25 days, I worked out 26 days and I lost one pound. I'm okay with all of that. <BR> <BR> The big ... Thu, 2 Aug 2012 22:07:56 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=4953141 I'm blogging daily for the month of July to make myself accountable. Here are my goals for the month and how I did yesterday. <BR> <BR> Goal #1 <BR> Lose 4.2 pounds for the month. Starting weight..141.8 Will do a weekly weigh-in. I did sneak a peek this morning...I still weigh exactly the same. Grrrr.... <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> Goal #2 <BR> -Eat 3 healthy meals a day. Did great on this all day! Hubby had some left over fried chicken for dinner. This time I chose wisely and had a grill... Tue, 3 Jul 2012 08:28:16 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=4951327 Yesterday, I posted goals for July and said I would blog on them daily all month. <BR> Here are my goals and results to date. <BR> <BR> Goal #1 <BR> Lose 4.2 pounds for the month. Starting weight..141.8 Will do a weekly weigh-in. <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> Goal #2 <BR> -Eat 3 healthy meals a day. <em>42</em> Did great on this up until dinner. The meal was healthy with the exception of eating three chicken legs with skin for dinner...they weren't even very good. <BR> <BR> Goal #3 <BR> -... Mon, 2 Jul 2012 05:44:57 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=4949901 I haven't written down my goals for the month in a long time. Today, July 1st, is the perfect day to do it. I'm feeling very motivated. My husband and I went out to dinner last night with a couple that are friends of his since high school. The wife informed me that she had lost 30 pounds over the winter and has kept it off. Seeing her do that reminds me that it absolutely can be done! <BR> <BR> Here are my goals for July... <BR> <BR> Lose 4.2 pounds for the month. For the record, my ... Sun, 1 Jul 2012 07:47:45 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=4946369 Yesterday morning, hubby and I decided to explore an inlet on the lake where we kayak. We went back as far as we could go on it and had a blast. What started out as a 30 minute kayak outing turned into a two-hour exploration. What a great way to get an upper body workout (with core and legwork) just by exploring. My legs actually get tired kayaking because I use them to brace myself as I paddle. <BR> <BR> Oh, if only all exercise was as fun as yesterdays exploration. <BR> <img src="http... Thu, 28 Jun 2012 14:18:34 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=4938167 I've never been one of those people that "loves" to exercise. I envy people that really look forward to doing it. I'm just not one of them. This summer, I decided to try really mixing things up and seeing if I enjoyed things more. So far, it's been working. I've been running, walking, biking, hiking, kayaking, gardening (vigorous digging etc.) all outdoors. I've been mixing up where I do each of these things too. Changing routes, driving to different cities to check out hiking, biking... Fri, 22 Jun 2012 20:40:58 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=4932642 While I think SparkPeople is the best website hands down for fitness and motivation, I'm discovering there are some awesome apps for smartphones that I have found that are so much better than the SparkPeople App. Hopefully, with time, SparkPeople will catch up in at arena. <BR> <BR> Here are my current favorites: <BR> <BR> For tracking food: Loseit......it is very fast, intuitive and keeps a running balance during the week of calories in (food eaten) versus calories burned through exercis... Tue, 19 Jun 2012 07:34:50 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=4910471 I've been playing around with various fitness apps for smartphones. Mapmyfitness, Endomondo, and Allsports (by Trimble). I like all three of them, but have currently been using the Endomondo app the most. <BR> <BR> These apps are awesome for tracking outdoor workouts...running, walking, cycling and lots of other sports. Each app is a little different, but they all use GPS to track distance, time, elevation changes etc. I find it's a great motivator to be able to look at my workouts and ... Sun, 3 Jun 2012 20:24:20 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=4902510 Over Memorial Day weekend, hubby and I did a two-day organized bike ride in Georgetown, KY called the Horsey Hundred. There were about 2,000 riders there and we loved it. It was the first organized ride for hubby and the first for me in about 15 years. I'm trying to get hubby interested in doing long rides (as in across the country). So far, he hasn't bought into that, but he's definitely enjoying biking and up for more organized long rides. That's great!!! <BR> <BR> For the last two m... Tue, 29 May 2012 10:53:05 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=4895271 I used to be an avid road biker about 15 years ago. I lost my riding buddy, and didn't feel safe doing it alone. Now, my "new" husband (of 6 years) and I are starting to ride. He hasn't done much road biking since he was a teenager, so I've been mapping out a plan that I hope he likes. My ultimate goal is to get him to like biking so much that he would be willing to bike across the US two summers from now. Since he's not hot on camping....I'm not sure how successful I'm going to be on th... Wed, 23 May 2012 21:41:04 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=4872804 I've just recently discovered the "Fooducate" app for my smartphone. My husband, of all people, was the one that told me about it. I say "of all people" because: (1) he doesn't use a smart phone; and (2) his knowledge about nutrition is pretty basic. <BR> <BR> Anyway, this is a really fun app if you have never tried it. It gives foods a "nutrition grade" from A to D- based on a variety of factors. It's database is pretty big. The way it works is by scanning in the bar code on a produ... Tue, 8 May 2012 18:44:47 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=4828334 A couple weeks ago, I made the strange decision to buy an entire flat of baby lettuce. A flat is forty eight plants.....and I'm here by myself eating it. I'm giving some of it away, but every day I harvest several BIG bowls full of the stuff. <BR> <BR> Did you know that you can cook lettuce just like spinach? I've discovered that it tastes remarkably similar to baby spinach. Since I'm growing a combination of green and red romaine and bibb lettuce, it's very mild. It's actually quite ta... Tue, 10 Apr 2012 08:43:36 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=4819270 Tracking works.... <BR> <BR> Tracking works..... <BR> <BR> It's not that hard, and it works!!! <BR> <BR> <BR> I started tracking all my food and exercise again three weeks ago. Just the simple act of tracking makes me more likely than not to eat in range each day. It also makes me more aware of how many minutes I'm exercising, along with the calorie burn for each particular type of exercise I do. <BR> <BR> End result? <BR> <BR> The weight is coming off.....again. <BR> <BR> Trackin... Tue, 3 Apr 2012 21:24:05 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=4814763 Yesterday, I met a fellow Sparker, RCWESTERVELT (Carol), for the first time. I had posted on the Middle Tennessee Spark team that I was planning on walking a 5k in Cookeville TN and wanted to know if anyone else was doing the race. To my delight, Carol posted back and said she was coming. What fun! <BR> <BR> Carol is recovering from foot surgery and I have been having problems running with asthma, so we both enjoyed walking the race. Here's a picture of us before the start of the "r... Sun, 1 Apr 2012 10:43:39 EST