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OT - Tone-up Tuesday

Aniki-Moderator's picture

It's a Tubby Tuesday for me. Insomnia has me tightly in its grasp and I'm struggling to maintain my focus and energy.

Who likes cycling? It's Spring and everything is coming alive (well, it some parts of the country...). Cruise the neighborhood or local nature trail and check out Mother Nature awakening from her Winter sleep.

If you plan to bike and camp or simply take a picnic, make sure your bike can handle the load. Did you know that bikes have a weight limit? The maximum weight capacity for a 20-inch bike is 150 pounds. For a 24 or 26-inch bike, the max is 250 pounds. Some have a higher weight capacity, so check out the limits for your particular bike. A couple of brands that carry bikes for the bigger rider are Cannondale and Trek.

Additional equipment to have:

  • a helmet
    At some point, you're going to fall. You're tired, a car cuts you off, a dog runs in front of you, you hit loose gravel...
     
  • water bottle and bottle cage
    Your body is an engine and engines need lube. Stay hydrated!
     
  • basic tools including pump and spare tube, chain oil
    You're 37 miles into your ride through the countryside and you get a flat. Do you really wanna push your bike aaaall the way back to your car?
     
  • gloves
    Gloves soak up sweat and allow you to maintain a safe grip on the handlebars. Padded palms provide extra comfort and cushion your hands from the bike's vibrations. (I had some fancy tape on my handlebars that caused my hands to blister!)
     
  • Don't forget your bike lock!

Comments

fourbrats's picture

doing something active. Between two jobs and the two teens still at home (plus their many activities) I am failing to have any time for myself let alone time to work out. I love to cycle but haven't owned a bike for years. DH and I keep talking about it and then we keep failing to actually go do it lol. Like I said busy life. Robotics season ends soon and we both work at a school so we have the summer off (for me from job one) so maybe we can get it together and go do it! 

Aniki-Moderator's picture

My DH has a very physical job and has never been a fan of cycling (he prefers canoing and kayaking). There are so many beautiful bike/nature trails in my area. I need a cycling partner!

ProbablyAlreadyInsane's picture

I love cycling! I had both a road bike and a mountain bike. But I left them 2500 miles away... With my longboard... 

I do want some new camping supplies though. I'm a HUGE fan of camping!!!  So i plan to go some this summer. if possible I'll go camp on an island on the lake! Have a blast! Even if it's when I'm by myself!

ProbablyAlreadyInsane's picture

That's how far I moved to be in this he!!hole little town... UGH. I left a lot of those items because space.

I won't! I have like 6 bottles of the stuff. Because the bugs here are AWFUL.

Aniki-Moderator's picture

Black flies, deer flies, and mosquitos. I am an offical blood donor to all three up here!

Letti.R's picture

Tubby Tuesday for me too.
I swear I woke up pregnant: cravings from here to eternity!
Lunch was the grossest combination of peri-peri hot chips from Nandos (extra vinegar, thank you), vanilla shake from McDonalds, battered fish with mushroom sauce from our local chippy and I had a good go at a slice of Marks & Spencer salted caramel cheese cake.
Thank god they all deliver.
Very yummy IMO.
Exactly what I wanted in the right combinations of sugar, fat, salt and 10 gazillion calories.
Exercise schmeck-cercise!
I may not have been pregnant before lunch, but my tummy certainly looked it after.

LuluOnce's picture

Tone-Up Tuesday for me!

I'm logging all the food I eat in MyFitnessPal. I'm not restricting calories, but am focusing on macros. Getting more protein (much more protein) and not snacking are two of my biggest goals right now.

I also decided to subscribe to Freshly, which I had been contemplating for a while. I feel like I'm supposed to meal-prep but I hate regular cooking, let alone meal-prepping, so I'm spending the money to have someone else make the meals. I will just warm them up in my microwave and eat them. (Freshly is a meal delivery service, but all the meals are "gourmet microwavable meals" and have a pretty high nutritional value.) 

Not sure it's a total game changer for me yet. It does make lunch, which is one of my worst "food times" a lot easier. I feel like there's kind of a snowball effect to eating a Freshly meal: I eat less overall because I'm actually full but because I'm proud of myself for making a better choice. One meal gets me to 1/3 of my total daily protein goal, which seems to motivate me to eat better as the day goes on. But, Freshly meals are pricey and I think they may get too repetitive. So, we will see. For now, I am considering it a success. 

As for bike-riding... *hiding under a chair* I do not like it at all! But I will be going back to the gym next week!

Aniki, I have had terrible insomnia lately too. What are you doing to try to address it? Maybe you have some tips I haven't tried yet... 

Aniki-Moderator's picture

Wow, LuluOnce, that's great! Good for you!! Biggrin

I'm a chronic insomniac - have been so for over 30 years. I have tried everything under the sun and more. My mind has no Off switch.

Cover1W's picture

I cycle to/from work most of the way - I get about 1.5 hours worth, with hills, 4x per week.  In between I walk and walk (and that's getting too easy so next step...jogging??  I hate jogging...) and do yoga.  I have three bikes; one for sunny weather, one for winter/rain (rack/panniers), and one off-road (we also have mountain bike trails just a quick zip from our house).  I cannot wait for the weather to get a little better then I can mountain bike the trails in the morning on my work from home days!

Agree with the above list o'stuff but I also advocate wearing at least bike shorts.  If you have ever had painful rub from non-flex material or a long ride on a bike seat that rubs wrong, you will never, ever go back.  Wear the sports-specific clothing - it's made that way for a reason. Smile

Aniki-Moderator's picture

Cover, do you wear padded bike shorts?

Now I know who to pester when I have questions... *dirol*

Cover1W's picture

Yes ma'am. I have four pairs of shorts and one of long pants. I do wear some other exercise pants without padding at times, but if it's more than my commute it's padded. The big key is not a soft bike seat! I could say more, but basically you need to get your butt muscles built up (and your butt is sore not from contact but from the muscles working). I have a nice firm butt for a reason...

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