So Pathetic

The current Terror Alert status is



..Which it has basically been since the Alert Status has been invented--except for a couple of occasions (when it was ORANGE).

Here is the history of the alert status changes.

August 1, 2004 - Advisory - Homeland Security Advisory System Increase to Level ORANGE for Financial Sector in New York City, Washington DC and Northern New Jersey.

May 30, 2003 - Advisory - Homeland Security Advisory System Lowered to National Level YELLOW

May 20, 2003 - Advisory - Homeland Security Advisory System Increase to National Level ORANGE

April 16, 2003 - Advisory - Homeland Security Advisory System Lowered to National Level YELLOW

March 17, 2003 - Advisory - National Threat Level Raised, Statement by Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge

Here is the chart for Terror Alert Status.



But if you look at the chart, there is blue and green below them. If you think about what blue means, "General risk of terrorist attacts" That basically sounds like normal. But what is normal? Aren't we in a normal situation now? Why didn't they use the word "normal"...why "general?" Then there is green. Low risk of terrorist attacks. Has there really been a low risk of a terrorist attack since the word "terrorist" was first used?--long before this chart. Green almost sounds like it's impossible, especially when someone defines blue as "general." WTF? I guess green is used in the movies.

I think this is a perfect example of bureaucracy and pointless waste.

Besides, how many people check the chart on a daily basis or before they fly--to see how safe it is? Maybe it should be on the weather channel?

"Honey, it's not going to rain today and the terrorist alert is blue, so your drive to work will be safe today."

BTW, I think they changed the red one a little. I remember it saying terrorist attack underway or something like that--no really!

Bust My Gut Update 10

Well some progress finally.

Original weight in November when I started this was 194 lbs.

Current weight as of today is 188 lbs.

I have been riding my bike a minimum of 4 days a week to work and at least one weekend day for the past 3 weeks. The other major thing I have been doing is skipping breakfast on most days. Yep, skipping breakfast. The usual problem that people think is when you skip breakfast is that you are so hungry you eat a larger than normal lunch. Well I'm usually starving at lunch but still try to eat a salad with my meal or as a meal.

The positive thing here is that I feel good and feel some acceleration happening in my progress. Once I hit that point, it's easy to be motivated, and things start falling into place. The nice weather is certainly helping.

I set a goal of 5 lbs lost by April 1 and it appears I will not only hit that mark(I already have), I might even lose 7 lbs by then.

Goals
April 15: 184 pounds.
May 1: 181
May 15: 178
June 1: 175

I'm also considering ramping up my bike ride time to 15 hrs a week to really improve my riding conditioning. Right now, it's around 7 to 8 hrs a week of steady riding. Racers usually put in 15 to 20 hrs a week to get into peak conditioning. Upping my riding time will increase my calorie burn to another 5000 a week or almost 1.5 pounds of fat per week. Thus, I would be in a mode where I would actually have to eat more food.

Now that is some exciting stuff.

Some Utah and Arizona Fun

I love the Southwest.

San Rafael Swell, UT


Moab, UT


Grand Canyon, South Rim, AZ


More here

The Bust my gut Bust!

So back in November I started the bust my gut project with a goal of 170 lbs by March first. What a disaster. I lost a pound.

What happened: (not excuses, but observations).

--I ate too much.
--I didn't exercise enough. I let the poor weather be an excuse.
--I drank too much booze.

I feel like a gave myself a big slug in the (big) gut. I committed to doing this, and posting the progress here with hope it would motivate me and help others see what devotion can do. But I failed and actually made this look like a really difficult task. Well it is a hard task, and the older we get the harder it is, it seems.

However, I'm certainly not giving up. I think what I will do is change my goals.

First, I won't make losing a 25 lb goal over three months. I will make smaller ones. Since it's the first week of March, my goal will be more short term. 5 lbs by April 1st. That is just over a pound a week, much less aggressive than the 2 lbs per week I had before.

The good news is the time is changing and the weather should be improving, making the probability of me riding my bike to work much higher.

Renee told me about this article she read in Men's Journal about why people exercise and don't lose weight. It was very interesting and included:

• Overexercising can cause one to eat too much after and put those calories right back in the body.
• When we overexercise, we tend to feel tired, then sit on the couch rather than move around, thus we offset the gains in exercise with sedentary activity.
  

I went to Utah and Arizona on a 10 day bike trip hoping I would get some good exercise in. Well I did! But I ate out and partied with people and put a lot of empty calories back in too. Thus it was a good thing I was riding or I might have gained a few pounds instead of maintaining what I have.

**pushes the reset button***

Here we go...............

Hoar Frost

The world was white this morning, as everything was covered in the beautiful layer of hoar frost.

Chair

Browsing some of my pix from a Taos trip in 2004, I kept looking at this....

Snow breeds desperation...

Sifting through photos of the past, ones that represent warm, but warmth in a way that has similiar suffering of the cold snow I have been slogging through lately. It might be insanity to wish such a thing.

Nala

Reminding me of the Blair Witch Project.

Snow: Round Three

It just keeps piling up. At least I got some exercise.



The ice has been so bad lately, it's dangerous to take the dogs out. I have snowshoes but although there is a lot of snow, there are lots of clear paths too that make snowshoes really clumsy--especially if I choose to walk on the street. Unfortunately those paths and the street can have some serious ice. I feel like I'm doing the Saturday Night Fever split dance move or some sort of yoga position several times a walk. A groin pull is something I really don't care to have, not to mention falling on my ass.

A coworker recommended some Yaktrax and wow, that was a good recommendation. They slip on like slippers and grip like crampons. Probably one of the best things I have purchased in a while. They stay solidly on my feet too. I feel so confident in them, I feel I could play basketball on an ice rink. But conversely, walking on my tile floor is them IS like walking on an ice rink.

Bust My Gut update 8: derailled

Snow, snow, travel with gobs of food and hardly any exercise....I didn't even bother...except i weighed myself yesterday and came out at 193 lbs....that is at least hopeful.

As I type it's snowing.

I can't even run very well due to the trail ice. I did grab some yak tracks at the hardware store tonight so hopefully if the snow and ice doesn't melt, I can still get something going on.



Otherwise I have a very positive attitude....

This Snow is Gonna Haunt For a While...

I'm done with the last two storms...but seems the snow it here to stay given the temps are in the mid thirties and there is a lot of it--packed.

Some images of the fun.

Nala is on the prowl.




Enjoy the silence on the morning of the second storm.

Front Range Blizzard Photos

Nala enjoying her roots.


What does this look like?


Breaking out the skis.

Bust My gut Update 8

Wow, tough week...they all are.

Rode my bike lots last week (thursday thru sunday) but then came the weekend of party on Saturday and party on Sunday with lots of food and beer.

But the bad news is my riding...I have the excuse of christmas shopping on monday, a work activity on Tuesday and of course ONE ZILLION inches of snow today. Actually I was going to ride to work today, with plans on riding the bus home but didn't due to wind. Well that was a good move since the RTD bus service stopped in the afternoon due to heavy snow.

So the update is simple: Chaos.

Current weight is stable at 192 lbs.
Calorie intake is unknown
Exercise is unknown

least there is not an increase...

On an ending note....Rest in peace Sergio of Sergio's Roofing. He put a new roof on our house last spring in addition to several neighbors' houses....Sad to hear about his passing from some fuckheads who wanted to steal his car. Amy (Rocky mountain Rat Girl, linked from my blog) was his neighbor. Sergio was a great guy and it's sad to see this stuff happen.

The Sky is Falling

The drive home...I swear this describes my experience....my vision was this good.




Accumulation in about 6 hrs....and it's still coming down strong.

Integrated Advertising?

It's a magazines dream situation; advertising and content all in one place. The magazine gets content and revenue, and the product gets stealthy, and possibly convincing, exposure. Take for example the shaving cream below. This article is written about all the amazing chemicals and what they do in a particular can of shaving cream. The stated concept is about the miracles of chemistry. The hidden one is that it's a particular brand that, after reading the article, you might appreciate and want to buy it.



Advertisers already work hard to make ads entertaining so that they grab your attention. Several years ago ads were being made to look like articles and apparently that caused such a stir, they are now required to put "advertisement" on the top and bottom of the ad. But this is the next step. The magazine itself writes the article and kinda hides the ad in the context of the article. I don't believe in this article, the name of the cream was mentioned, but clearly, the photo shows it. Since the article is a genuine piece, you really can't complain that the magazine should label it as an advertisement. Very clever. It's done regularly in many magazines these days. I'm guessing it's very successful.

(I edited the photo to not reveal the name of the shaving cream. If the company paid me an appropriate sum of money, I would have gladly not done so)

Bust My gut Update 7

So far I have felt a lot better than the scale is showing....it's showing basically no progress. Todays weight 193 lbs after an optimistic 191 on Tuesday. Too much holiday activities I suppose considering I have been riding everyday since last Wednesday. Obviously, I have some error in my eating or in my exercise estimations. I gotta point to eating since that is harder to determine when you eat out.

The positive side here is that when you keep track of it, even in rough manner, it keeps you honest. It makes you think, "why isn't this working?" Thus, I think I really need to crack the whip on my calorie consumption, cuz I know i can't do much more exercise that ride my bike to work over an hour each day.

To summarize:

Weeks estimated calorie intake is at least 2000/ day = 14000
Exercise burning 4350 calories.
Weight today is 193 lbs.

Hopefully my metabolism is increasing so my calories burned resting increases too. I try to stay positive....I've done this before. This is the key to accomplishment--sticking to your goals and having patience.

Hurry up SanDisk

Eight GB solid-state MP3 players are out but I need at least 16 to replace my iRiver. SanDisk has the 16 Flash card out so it's a matter of time when the players come out. Of course iPods will be released as well with this capacity.

Lidarman craves this more than a pimply gamer needs his playstation3.



I'm guessing 30 GB solid-state players will be out in 2008. The hard-drive player will soon be extinct. Thank goodness. I'm tired of hauling around this cigarette pack sized hard drive unit.

Bust My gut Update 6

So after a week of no results, followed by a weekend in Las Vegas, a fun time I might add, I'm going to make this a weekly update. It seems senseless to do this daily since I'm reporting more chaos than results.

So today, I give the following update and next week on wednesday, I will give once for the whole week.

Current weight: 194 lbs (thank goodness, after vegas it didnt go up...must be the walking)
Estimated calories consumed today: 2000
Estimated calories burned: 600

Las Vegas

Sorry no bust my gut for tonight....I'm reeling from the devistation.

Bust My Gut Update 5

I never got around to doing an update yesterday. However, since it was snowing all day, I never really got much exercise either.

But here it is:

Yesterdays weight: 192 lbs
Estimated calorie intake: 2200
Exercise: Nothing significant.

Todays Weight: 194 lbs
Estimated calorie intake: 2000
Exercise: Riding to bus stop 150 calories, dog walk 50 cals. EDIT: Turns out I decided to ride home all the way so that is another 400 calories. There were icy spots all over so it was a huge mental challenge. Riding on the shoulder of the road for the last two miles was scary as well with not much room between me and the passing cars. I had a light, but still it was dark and very cold.

Because of a trip tomorrow, I will not be doing an update till next tuesday.

The Hoar frost was beautifu this morningl.



And the effort to get to work.

Bust My Gut Update 4

Today was dangerous. Chipotle was offering free burritos. 1000 Calories in a Chipotle Burrito...did you know this? It's true even though Chipotle won't tell you.... Glad I skipped breakfast.

The breakdown

Tortilla :330 cals
Steak: 230 cals
Cheese: 110 cals
Rice: 240 cals
Beans: 138 cals
Salsa: 28 cals

Total 1076

Source: Chipotlefan.com

So for the update:

Todays weight: 194 lbs
Estimated calorie intake: 2100
Exercise: Mountain bike ride: 1000 cals, walking dogs: 50 cals.

So far, effectively no change in weight shows how hard this is even with exercise. I haven't been super diligent on cutting calories but you gotta eat, especially when exercising. I think metabolic changes will start occuring soon though. Sticking to it is the key.

Tomorrow might be a disaster. There is a lot of snow already on the ground and the likelyhood of riding to work is slim. A plan to run with the dogs in the morning is in the relm of possibility--and not a bad one since its' a good way to keep warm and burn calories when there is lots of snow.

Bust My Gut Update 3

Todays weight: 194 lbs
Estimated calorie intake: 2000
Exercise: Mountain bike ride: 600 Cals, walking dogs: 50 cals.

Snow is projected for tomorrow, so biking is going to be a sketchy deal. plus Chipotle at 29th street has a free burrito deal tomorrow--900 free calories, whoo hoo!

Bust My Gut Update 2

Todays weight: 195 lbs
Estimated calorie intake: 1800
Exercise: Mountain bike ride: 600 Cals, walking dogs: 100 cals.

Graffiti

We call it a crime. It is because there is apparent distruction on property when it's done. Does that mean an animal posting on the trail with invisible-to-the-eye urine is doing the same thing?



I do find it fascinating nevertheless.

Bust My Gut Update 1

Todays weight: 195 lbs
Estimated calorie intake: 2500
Exercise: Mountain bike ride: 700 Cals, walking dogs: 100 cals.

Notes: I have actually been riding like this since last wednesday. More tired than normal after todays ride. I didin't eat prior to riding today.

Bust My Gut Project

I can make a million excuses to how work screwed me over in 2006. Crazy projects that worked me seven days-a-week. And fed me as much food as I wanted. Projects that were so stressful that I had to go drink beer with friends to feel alive. I can make these excuses and they might even be valid. But I have to live with the results, and my work doesn't pity me.

My peak fitness, scary enough, was in 2003 when I weight 165 lbs and felt like I could do anything.

I recall that year fondly. The weather on the frontrange was very mild-- a drought I believe. I rode to work every day, did night rides a lot and rode hardcore rides every weekend. I was in a constant bike high were I needed to ride and couldn't eat enough food. It was euphoric. It was even obsessive

However, that year, I broke my collarbone and lacerated my kidney riding my bike. The mentality that made me think and feel I could do anything, got me way over my head. I want to get to that fitness level but not at a cost of injury.

It's amazing the small things that can knock you out of that rythym. Accidents take time to recover from and ruts appear. The weather plays a huge factor when you are in a rut. It's so easy to make an excuse.

So last spring (2006), I started really losing control. I was working all the time and never riding my bike. I ramped up to 185 lbs and lost my fitness. With a breather from seven-day work weeks in May, tried hard riding again but by the time I went on my work trip in July, I really just maintained my fitness. That trip was full of stress and lots of food to make one forget about the stress. I have a personality where when I'm under stress, I seek food for comfort.

So here I am facing the Holidays being 195 lbs. I think this is the most I have every weighed and it sucks. Based on my top fitness, my current weight is equivalent to carrying an extra bike on my shoulders during ride. There is no wonder that climbing is such a chore for me.

I can make the excuse that it's the holiday and put this off, but I decided that I am going to do something starting NOW. If I put it off till January, then I will be in a deeper hole, have one less month of time to get fit for spring riding and show that i don't have the discipline to this. There is no reason to put this off and every reason to do it.

So here is how I will update my blog. Very simple. Everyday I will try to post my weight (which will fluxuate like crazy) , the number of calories I ate (estimated) and any exercise I do. I have a good estimate of 50 cals per mile I use for riding my bike. It's not necessarily accurate but, hey it's something.

I'm posting this on my blog as a self-motivational tool. I hope it can inspire others but it's mainly to put it out there and force me, under the spotlight, to achieve my goal. So throw cyber tomatoes at me when i start slipping! ;-)

My goal is simple; Lose two pound per week with a goal of 170 lbs by March 1. I expect if I make that goal I will automatically be in prime fitness for mountain biking season so that is not really a goal, just a consequence because a large part of my effort will be exercise that I will try to make at least a 500 cal/day workout.

Once-a-week I will look at my progress and try to determine if I am ahead or behind my schedule...and a decision to whether I will modify my goal.

The stumbling blocks will be the week of xmas when I go to visit family and I have a work deployment coming up in February that might really throw a wrench into my schedule.

The sunsets are getting crazy lately

With all the lenticular clouds on the front range of Colorado, this is the season of sunsets.

Looking Northwest.





Looking Southwest toward the flatirons 10 minutes later.



Note: these photos were only slightly enhanced for sharpness and balance but the richness of the sunlight was created by nature and the dust far west of Boulder, Colorado.

To all those who commented on my blog posts

For whatever reason, me being ignorant or what, I never saw the comments that were suppose to be "moderated" until I switched to the new blogger. I hope I retified this and thanks for all the comments.

Cork

Classic Optical Illusion

Seems most people are used to light in photos and diagrams coming from the upper light. This is typical of shadowed topo maps.

Here is a classic example. One looks like an imprint and the other looks like it's been molded. It's the exact same photo but flipped.

The Bearded Leaf

I have been taking lots of fall leaf photos but realized this one in the house has something special--an eerie and creepy character to it. Half-alive, and half-dead.

Some fall imagery

Close up of the leaves that define autumn.

Crocs R Gay?

These rubber shoes are like cell phones...everyone seems to gripe about them, yet everyone seems to eventually cave-in a get involved.

I wore a pair on a ship cruise for work in 2004 and nobody cared..they just thought they were some goofy footwear. This summer, on a followup cruise, they were all the rage. We would pull into some port and those who didn't own a pair of them, were chomping at the bit to hit the "crocs store." Yes, they are to the point where there are stores specifially selling crocs! WOW!



I was a hard sell on wearing crocs until someone bought me a pair. But after I wore them around the house like slippers, I found they were super light and easy to tie on my camel back for swapping out after a ride to work. They were easy to wash and although they make you sweat when its really hot, they never stink.

What can I say? I don't work for Crocs but I know two close people who do. I'm not going to make money on convincing the 5 people who read my blog to buy them. But I see their merit. They are a great idea and most of the time, great ideas don't come in attractive packages.

Signs of Autumn

The conflict of color has begun.

Eye on Five

As we sail around the gulf, we are watching the progress of Tropical Depression Ernesto.

Gulf Sunset

Out on air quality study on the Ronald H. Brown research ship looking at pollution in the Gulf of Mexico. Nice sunsets and wonderful creatures distract us from our intensive work schedules.

Poor Nala

She has to wear diapers now.

Crested Butte is Amazing

I have ridden a lot of places but Crested Butte is still on the top of my list for amazing riding. Super lush narrow singletrack with lots of climbing, scenery and amazing downhills. It is a riders dream.








A girl and her bike

The Rains it Pours syndrome

Not too long ago, Yeti had to get surgery for a blown ligament. In June, Nala herniated a disc in her back and almost paralyzed herself. So today she had surgery.

She is a pathetic dog at the moment. However, we are happy she will be out of pain really soon.