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.