Suppose there is really no point in having a blog if nothing gets updated on it. Well, here goes...

Since right after my birthday, I have been on a weight loss journey. A crummy, extremely hard weight loss journey. I have been pretty much living off of meal replacement products for the last four months. It sucks. But, it has been working. I have lost nearly 30 pounds. Today was frustrating. Today was the first day since I started that I have gained weight. 

..it was nearly two pounds.

Now, before you poo-poo this, hear me out. I get weighed weekly. A loss of one pound is the most amazing feeling in the world. If I lose more, even better. If I maintain? Well, at least I didn't gain, and there's always the next week. If I gain? I'm failing, backsliding, and I need to re-tool what I'm doing. 

Gaining is awful. I started back on one meal of real food a few weeks ago. I have had very slow progress since then. I have been struggling with portions and exchanges. I find myself deviating. But, it's cheaper and I can eat one meal with my family. I have been getting more physically active, but my eating is slipping again. 

I have been advised to start meal planning. I love the idea because then I am able to plan my meals a tad more accordingly.

My only issue? My other family members. While they are extremely supportive on one hand, on the other the financial burden is getting a lot of flack. I don't enjoying spending $75 a week on meals just for me, but it is what it is. Additionally, with exercise. My DBF is always like, "Yeah I'll work out with you," then he hardly ever does. He also does a ton of the cooking and does not make the healthiest food choices. 

I'm not blaming them for my failures, I just need a ton of support right now and feel as though I am getting very little.

My Project Today

This morning I decided to clean out the gazebo that held the hot tub. Here are the before and after photos.

I looked in the backyard this evening and saw Nater's swing. A pang of sadness clutched my insides along with the anxiety I am already having. My little boy isn't so little anymore, and at this rate, will have to sell the swing. The swing brought so many memories back of us with it. Makes me sad. Eric found out today that he's no way going to be able to afford the house with just him, so we are both going to move out by the end of the month. ...another bittersweet moment. There were a lot of good memories in this house, along with the bad. It's funny how something like looking at Nater's swing makes me feel so sad and scared. My stomach has been in continuous knots off and on for the last week. I'll be fine, then fear and anxiety will grip my insides like a vice and it doesn't let go until I call someone and talk to them.

...and here I thought I was adaptable to change. So much for that. This is just so huge. So, alien, so foreign. As a friend of mine pointed out, I have never had a single adulthood up until coming up here pretty soon. It scares the living daylights out of me. I will be in no rush to get in to another relationship for a while, but, I'm scared to be 'alone'. I put the alone in quotes because I will have Nater, my family, and my friends.

I hate this so much.

So it seems a rather big chapter of my life is coming to a close. Eric and I are getting a divorce. It wasn't that we hated each other or never want to see each other or anything like that, we've just grown too far apart for us to really be happy. Eric is not the same guy that I fell in love with 11 years ago. We understand that and, looking ahead, we decided it would be best if we weren't together anymore. It's bittersweet, really. We will remain friends though and have joint custody of Duder. It's weird that everything is so amicable. We're going to try to keep it as friendly as possible and I hope it stays that way. I will be moving in with my parents for a while after Eric's established with a full-time job, as I don't think it would be fair if I left him high and dry to fend for himself while I take off. When I'm with my parents, I'll be working on paying down debt and perhaps going back to school. We're in the process of separating stuff in the house. So far I have two boxes packed. I still have to get my clothes together, craft stuff, and some other household things. I am going to start moving some of my things over to my parents here in the next few weeks. I'll also be taking our cat, Lou Lou. Both Eric and I will trade off with Nathan, doing every other week and alternating holidays. For his birthday, we're both going to try to get together and celebrate it together. It's going to be a big change, difficult at first, but, in the end, I believe it's going to be for the better. Who knew my 30th year would bring about so many changes.

So my latest plan, getting overall healthier. It's been almost two weeks now, and I must say, an adjustment in my medication and an almost separation of my marriage really put things in to perspective. I realized that I need to start living healthier, happier, and be more honest, but at the same time, proud of, myself.

I started this beginner 5K program on RunKeeper. It's a neat app that not only tracks running, but walking, hiking, cycling, pretty much anything that you can do distance with, it tracks. It's pretty awesome.

Well, I'm on like, week two day 4 or 3, and I'm having a hell of a time not cardio wise, but with my lower legs. Nice thing about the program, after each workout, you can do a little entry about how it went. Well, here was today...

You know, these stupid shin splints and calf pain are  ultimately going to make this extremely difficult. I can't make it very far without excruciating pain! So, most of my workout today was brisk walking. Which, I suppose I AM getting cardio in and strengthening somewhat, but, I want to be able to at least jog 1.5 miles without feeling like my legs are shattering.

Essentially, it's not going exactly as planned. I was thinking I was going to be progressing a little bit more with jogging since I started. I mean, I guess cardiovascular-wise I'm getting better, but without the ability to actually, well, jog without feeling like my legs are breaking. I'm sure I will get there. I just have to stay persistent, not give up, and see that overall, I am doing better than I was.

Day One and Two

So since I did the big reveal yesterday as to what the plan was, I thought today I would start posting what I have started doing.

Day One: 10 minutes of resistance training with a medium-tension band doing full-body from top to bottom and 15 minutes of yoga.

Day Two: 15 minutes of resistance training with the medium tension and 20 minutes of yoga.

If you are interested as to what resistance workouts I am doing,
I found a list at ACE Fitness. Here is the URL: http://www.acefitness.org/acefit/fitness-fact-article/237/resistance-tubing-workout/

I decided to start out with the beginner, then I will step up to intermediate next week.

The yoga, I have been using a combination of Yoga Journal's 21-Day Challenge and Daily Yoga, their Android app.

Once I have more than 30 minutes free and the temperature cooperates, I will cross country ski and once the ice is gone, bike.

Until next time!

So being active on here for about a month now, pretty sure everyone is wondering, "So Cait, what IS the plan? What is the whole purpose of this blog? Seems rather run of the mill to me..."

Well ladies and gents, I am going to officially and finally give you the 'plan' part of the 'A Gal, A Bike, and A Plan' blog.

The Almanzo 100.

It is a 100-mile gravel/dirt bike race in southeastern Minnesota. Eric wants me to do it with him. But, this means I am going to have to do some extensive training to get in good enough shape to do it. So, there's my plan, my goal, what the basis of this blog will be about.

I hope that you all will enjoy my journey.

Need to think of the positives and quit thinking about the negatives.

So all things considered, our Christmas was pretty darn nice. I got to open my present on Christmas Eve. I got a new cycling jersey and a nice Camelbak hydration pack! Well, in addition to a pair of Endura BaaBaa socks, a Swix mid layer, and a set of harmony wood Knit Picks interchangable circular needles. :-)

Due to the respiratory crud that was circulating around the homestead, we weren't able to go celebrate with my family due to the possability of having mom land back in the hospital. So we went over to Eric's brother and sister-in-law's. It was very fantastic. Good food, always good company, and two glasses of wine.

Today has been spent as my first day as a house frau. I guess I am doing okay. The living room is almost clean after the Natie Christmas Explosion of wooden train set pieces everywhere. I still need to go through his toys in his room, clean the dishes, and hang clothes up. Le sigh.

Applied for another job today at my former, former, former employer CentraCare. I still need to dig up one more reference to submit my VA application.

Illness is running rampant through the house right now it seems. Between me and my little guy, we just aren't catching a break. Coughs, sneezing, congestion, and me with pink eye. Phew! Did I mention the sore throat? Oh yeah, that too.

Along with illness making our lives miserable, I got let go from the long term care facility that I had worked at for the last six months as a nurse. Happy Christmas to me. As soon as I got home, I was on the prowl for a new job and filed for unemployment. Now I just have to see about getting MinnesotaCare for the fam, see about going back on WIC, and seeing if some heavenly being will smile down on us and we could also get food stamps. One can only hope.

Wonder if this is just a sign from above that I just need to go back to school for my RN. Eric starts school in January and thank goodness will be done in eight months. What will happen then, I have no idea. All I am hoping is that we have insurance, food assistance, and I have a job lined up.

Keeping my fingers crossed.

It is 0315, night two of three for working, and no amount of coffee can help me right now. Uuuuuugggghhhhh.

Dreary morning this morning. It is definitely starting to look like winter here in the North Country. Eric wants to start cleaning up, so I thought I would end this entry with something that tends to go hand in hand with cycling, beer! Good craft for the season. Cheap too!

http://m.instructables.com/id/beer-advent-calendar/

Until next time...

Well, the snow has put a damper on trail riding for now. Too bad I don't have some fat tires, else I would be putting down miles on the trail for sure. However, the forcast is for temperatures in to the 50s on Monday. Maybe after I wake up on Monday, Eric and I will go out. The interesting problem about right now, there is too much snow to go trail riding without the right tires, but there isn't enough snow to cross country ski. So, just have to do what I can inside, like yoga.

With the holidays coming up, I have been having more of an inkling to be crafty again. So far I have made Natie a neck pillow and a ninja turtle mask. Now I just have to decide what I should make people for Christmas. I have some ideas.

Until next time...