Day 20 - June 25

Yikes, I am posting on the actual day of the day.

You will notice there was no update of Day 18.  I will say day 18 was the second day of three bad days.  Best way to describe it, I was on a platform feeling optimistic and on top of the world only to have me knocked off the platform and into the eye of the storm.  A bit dramatic but have you seen the name of my Blog - According to Adriana.

Needless to say I did no riding until today.  I will admit it on day 18 I was thinking of just not even doing the Beach Babe Classic because I thought I don't have any time to ride and have so much going on.   However, yesterday morning I woke up feeling refreshed and with a positive attitude that I can overcome anything and show people who think I can't or don't want me to succeed that I can do anything I set my mind to do.

I started my ride today from Sunset Beach by the lighthouse building and planned to ride to Santa Ana River trail and PCH in HB near Costa Mesa.  I also allowed myself three hours to do this.  I started my ride around 8:45 and by the time I got to the bike trail in Bolsa Chica I realized along with a few other riders that there was a Pirate 5k going on so we rode through the parking lot.   It felt good to ride and feel the breeze, hear the ocean waves and smell them.  The most challenging point on the first half was maneuvering my bike by the HR pier and Magnolia - too many people.  I disliked the ones who would just stop in the middle of the trail with all their beach gear.  I got to my half way stop and felt good and it was in an hour.

As I started back to my car I thought wow, this is awesome and I am glad I am doing it.  I also remembered how just yesterday I thought I needed to just give it up and not do it because there was too much happening.  It was then that I realized that I need this ride more than I am even aware.

In the end my bike odometer said I did 30 miles, the app on my phone said I did 16.78 but I didn't start it right away so I am thinking it was about 19 - 20 but I will go with 20.  I also did not ride an entire 3 hours it only took me 2 hours and 40 minutes.  Yay me!!  

I did take my bike back to the bike shop and had smaller tires put on and I have to say I really want to go riding tomorrow morning but I have to wait a few days and I am super excited to go on a ride!!!

Day 16 - June 21

I know, I am a few days late but this day I felt as though I was on top of the world and the next I felt like someone knocked me off the platform I was standing on.

So I took the day off as that was the last day one of my friends who also had an annual premium pass to Disneyland could go.  She was/did not renew.

Woke up at 5:30 am and lounged in bed until about 5:45 and did the Cardio Fix for 30 minutes and loved it!!!  I showered and got ready to go to one of my happiest places on Earth.

I did get there and got in line in Soaring Over The World (previously Soaring Over CA) as my friend was ahead of me in line.  I was on pretty quick and wish I could say I loved it.  I enjoyed it but it was just super super quick and while they went to some great places in my opinion it could have been better or just left the way it was.   We walked around and went on some rides and then headed to Disneyland.  Did some rides, had lunch a delicious salmon salad at Cafe Orleans.  My friend headed back to SD and I headed to the Krikorian in Buena Park.

I have only been to the movies by myself as an adult two times now.  Once by accident and on Tuesday by choice.  I wanted to see:  Me Before You.  I really enjoyed the experience and the movie.

I stopped at a North Gate Market and bought three or four different types of ceviche and boy were they good!!  (Wait, don't think I ate them all at once - as I ate them over the course of the week).

I then decided to go ride the bike at 24 Hour Fitness, before I went to my friend's yoga class. It was fun riding the staionary bike under the fan feeling some cool air on me.  I rushed all sweaty to my friends class at the Cypress Library and enjoyed it.  I have been trying to attend forever but just never make it until this week and I need to make sure I can go more often.

Yes, it was a day full of physical activity and I loved every minute of it.  I felt a sense of accomplishment and on top of the world because I made myself a priority.

Day 14 - Goal to ride 15 miles under two hours

Hello again, 

I did not getup as early as I had hoped on Sunday, but I did get up and put my bike on my bike rack and headed to Bolsa Chica.  

I thought riding from Bolsa Chica to the pier and back would be 15 miles.  I started the ride optimistic but as I kept my eye on the speedometer I started to get discouraged.  The miles seemed to add up slow.  I could see the HB pier at a distance but it seemed so far away and the following thoughts popped into my mind "why are you doing this,  you can't do this, you are way out of shape and too old to be doing this, just quit now".  I decided to check my phone as had downloaded Map My Ride and check what that said and I noticed a considerable difference.  I also played with my speedometer and realized I had it in the wrong setting.  So when I checked I was close to my halfway point and I kept pressing forward.  I went down a hill and the breeze, sense of accomplishment, and hearing the waves made me want to keep pushing.  I got to the pier area and I thought just keep going you have not reached an hour yet.  So I rode to Newland Street and stopped for a second to enjoy the moment as well as think - how am I going to get back to my car.  

I started riding against the wind and quickly realized that is why I was having a hard time.  I also had to a very small little incline and I know that incline may still be there on the actual ride along with a much larger incline.  I went ahead and kept going and made it.  

I was slower getting back to my car, but I am happy to say that while I only completed 14.09 miles I did not give up and if I had been able to get to number 15; I am very confident I would have done it under two hours.

I felt fine after the ride but that night I did feel tired and a little sore but this morning I was back to normal.  While I was going to aim for only 20 mile next week I think I should up it to 23.  

Day 13

First all thank you to everyone who responded with words of support and encouragement.  Now the pressure is really on as I put it out there so another way to keep myself accountable.  

I have to say I have been doing good with the eating and the struggle has mainly been to not be tempted and not eat stuff that is not healthy.  Until yesterday.  Yesterday's struggle was remembering to eat.  

This week my boss was traveling for work in the UK and we were short staffed.  I had every intention of leaving on time on Friday so I didn't take anything for lunch just some snacks as I am now trying to eat every 2 hours.  I keep almonds and sunflower seeds in one of my desk drawers but I can only have so much.  So I left around 1:00 and thought ok go home and eat some of the food you bought last night.  As I got to my car I noticed my previous GM in Escondido had tried calling me so I called him back and found myself back in the office for what I thought would be 5 minutes.   I wont go into details but I did not walk out again until almost 3:00.  

I realized I was starting to get a headache and I couldn't figure out.  My first thought was I was not drinking enough water and then I realized that is all I had really done aside from some hard boiled eggs, some fruit and a handful of almonds.  I wont lie I saw In-N-Out and thought of how I could have a protein burger without the spread but then said it's not work sitting waiting and then driving home.  So as I got to Long Beach I compromised and told myself after the afternoon I had I could go ahead and go to my favorite place Enrique's and order some ceviche to go.  So that is what I ate. 

When I got home I had my ceviche and it was heavenly - when isn't it from Enrique's.  I sat down and did some things and before I knew it, it was almost 9.  I realized I needed to eat something else but I just wasn't hungry and I didn't have the energy to cut any veggies or heat up some chicken.  I finally told myself to eat some of the sliced jicama I had in the fridge.  

So my point in this post is not to tell you how great it is to not eat but rather the contrary.  It is so important that we eat the right food at the right time.  

This morning I did the 21 day fix Lower Body Work Out and it kicked my bootie and my left knee. The one I had reconstructive ACL surgery on in November.  There were moments I wanted to quit and say forget it your knee can't take this but I pushed through.  I also did 5 minutes of the 10 ab workout.  I had planned on going on a 15 mile bike ride early this morning but that didn't happen as I didn't get much sleep and it was very warm when I woke up this morning.  So I am going to improvise and go to the gym after I post this.  I will be setting my alarm clock for 5:30 am tomorrow morning and do a 15 mile ride at 6 am - wish me luck!!!

Day 11

It was brought to my attention that I have not posted anything since Day 1 Reset which was almost 10 days ago.  

I recently reconnected with a lady that I went to junior high and high school.  We are planning our High School Reunion for this October.  She is a Beachbody Coach, my Beachbody Coach.  We didn't run in the same social circles but I knew who she was and I always thought she was a very nice person and probably not as wild as I was back in the day (although some people will tell you I was a goody good).

Anyways, she encouraged me to try her eating clean for five days or was it 7 and I did and I enjoyed it.  Then she invited me to try the 10 day challenge and it kept me focused and I was off soda.  I wanted to try Shakeology but things kept popping up in my expenses and I couldn't see myself buying it as it just wasn't in my budget.  However, I realized that I was eating better saving money by taking food to work and that I was worth it and if I didn't get healthier my expenses would just increase anyways and not for a good reason.  So I took the plunge.

It hasn't been easy - doing the workouts is hard and I was sick on and off for two weeks which has slowed me down and I may or may not have broke or bruised badly two toes on my left foot.  Now that I have been feeling better I am going at it at full force.

Like many people, I know what I should and shouldn't eat but I just don't do it.   For the past decade or more I have done a lot of emotional eating for stress and a lot of sitting so the lbs have just kept coming on.  I lose some and then I gain some.  I am not going to lie and say that I have been totally clean and good for the past 11 days because I have not.  On two separate days I have given in to the temptation of some gummy bears and one day I was so overwhelmed that I let myself have a cherry coke.  Did I feel good about it ?   Not really and it helped me recommit for the remainder of the day or the next day.  I do enjoy vegetables and salads and chicken so I have been eating lots of veggies, fruits, chicken and some of my co workers have started noticing that I am eating healthier and not running out to get food.  Unless of course I am going to Trader Joe's.

The working out part has also been a lot of fun.  Yes, I sad fun!!!  I do the Beachbody on Demand workouts for the 21 day Fix and I think the upper body is my favorite.  There have been more days lately where I do a workout and then go ride the stationary bike at the gym or now my real bike.  I enjoy working out so I am starting to get the bug.  Tonight while grocery shopping I was trying to figure out how early I need to be up so that before work I can go ride a stationary bike at the gym, come do a 30 minute workout, shower, head to work and be there by 7:30 so I can leave early and go do a real bike ride on my bike.  I haven't quite figured it out but I am thinking I would need to be up by 4:30 and at the gym by 4:45 am not sure I can do that yet.  Yes, I said yet....stay tuned to see if I do it.  

One last thing, I also signed up to do a bike ride from the Long Beach Aquarium area to Huntington Beach and back to Long Beach.  It is a total of 38 miles - I think I can do it but we will see.  I have been riding a stationary bike for a while and can go fast on that bike.  I am officially training on my bike so let's see what I can do.

So there you have it this is what I have been doing as part of my 21 day fix for the last 11 days.  Stay tuned and I will try to post daily but don't count on it. 

Day 1 Reset

So with my being sick this weekend I am calling today my reset day.  As I felt better in the day I made myself go to the gym and ride the bike for half an hour for 6.25 miles at level 6.  

I then came home and did Upper Fix.  I was super tired by the end and though I over did it but I pushed through the day.

I was super thirsty but I wasn't hungry.  So eating was the challenge today. 

Lack of Sleep Weekend

I was sick over Memorial Day weekend and started feeling better on Tuesday morning and opted to stay home on Tuesday.  I went into work on Wednesday and worked until 9:45 ish which was good and fun!  Not.  

I did a repeat on Thursday night and felt like I was getting sick again.  Well I need to add that I slept about 3 hours a night.  I know my body needs 7 - 8 hours of sleep when I am healthy and for sure at least that many when I am recuperating.  So no surprise that even after I had a blessing on Friday night and only slept 3 hours I felt like a truck had run me over.  I ran a quick errand to take a cake to memorial service and apparently looked worse than I thought.  So I came home and chilled for the rest of the day.  I tried to nap but I couldn't.  I did decide that since I had not really slept more than three to four hours for four consecutive nights that going to girls camp was probably not a smart choice.  I was not willing to get sick at camp or come home sick.  As soon as I made the decision I found myself ready to go to sleep and slept for 7 hours that night. 

I have to say there was obviously no working out and surprisingly enough I didn't do any crazy eating.

I have to say this morning I woke up congested and with a headache and still felt bad about missing camp.  Sad but I know I made the right choice.

Day Two

I said I would post but I am not sure how I am functioning.  I only slept about 5 hours last night.  I just got home from work around 9:40 PM and I did my posting about my upcoming HS Reunion so I am up late again.

My congestion is back which made it hard to work out this morning along with my sleep deprivation.  

I had the Vanilla Shakeology for the 2nd time and I am still not too happy with the flavor and I think it may be the Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk.  If you know me I am not a fan of milk so the fact that I am not gagging when pouring is a huge win.  I will try one of my other flavors tomorrow.

The eating was easy.  I am supposed to eat every 2 hours but my work setting made it a challenge today and well I am busy with month end reports and multiple projects and a short week before a week's vacation. 

Night and I promise I will do better at blogging about this in more detail. 

Officially Day One

I only slept three hours last night or shall I say this morning so I am going to make this short.  After spending Friday through Monday in bed with a severe cold or flu I finally made it to work.  

So I finally fell asleep around 3:30 am and woke up around 6:40 am.  I wanted to keep sleeping but I couldn't so I thought I'd give my first 30 minute work out a try.  So as I started I felt good and wide awake and kept going.  I jumped in the shower and packed my food for the day and off to work I went.

Day One is for the 21 Day Fix.  I enjoy working out but I have not made it a priority for a while.  I am determined to make a change and so here we go.  

So now I am off to bed.  Day two here we go!!!!