Today's walk report: 073113

Walk and ride.

Yesterday I told myself I needed to get back on track with the exercise bike. This after what has become my semimonthly weigh-in on the digital scale. The scale that has to remind me where I was at the last time I got on it before I can step on it anew. It wasn't awful, how bad could a couple of weeks be anyway? Thing is I've been stuck at a certain weight I'd like to be 8-10 lb lower than for a few months now and that means I'm not trying hard enough.

Last year from June through August I was doing quite well by adding the bike into my daily routine. Last year I had a lot more other stuff to do too. I don't really feel I have any excuses now. The reason I quit the bike beginning of September 2012 was my mother wasn't doing so well. You see, in case you've missed this, most of the reason I'm here was to take care of my mother. With her decline went stuff like my working out on the bike. Quite selfishly I wanted to turn that extra time into relax time, not workout time. I'm not sure it did me any good but at least I thought I was finding some comfort.

This is the bike, a Spirit XBR25. It wouldn't have been my choice for the price. My mom bought this. It's pretty decent for what it is and it's comfortable for the most part. It's also here. In the living room.

Somehow I made it through most of the day not thinking about the bike. However, it nagged me during my walk and I decided not to accept these words, "it's Okay, I'll start tomorrow" but instead told myself, "you're going on the bike as soon as you get home." Which was pretty much the case. I did decide I should hydrate some first. Next I got Pandora up in the living room just for something different to listen to. I chose my "Genesis" station for whatever reason and went to the bike.

I was a little surprised when a commercial for Cedars-Sinai Hospital's Spine Center came on after two songs. I probably haven't listened to Pandora in about a year. I did not know they were doing audio commercials now. It was a 20 second spot. That's alright. I was more disappointed in the really commercial Genesis/Phil Collins/Peter Gabriel and a little Stingish playlist. Oh well. On the walk I thought to add Return to Forever, I should've spent a moment and tried that.

Anyway, I was going to keep this short because nobody cares and of course I'm tired and desperately in need of a shower and some dinner. 8.26 km on the walk. Here's how I work the bike, it's a little game I play because the bike is so boring. I do % to goal. Goal is 500 calories burned, however accurate that number is it doesn't matter--that's the goal. First workout in almost a year I did 74% to goal. I got a "C." That's fine, in fact I probably overdid it.

Here's what I'm looking at from a ride last year. P= Pulse and it's blank because I'm holding the camera and not the bike handles. I don't think it's very accurate or responsive anyway. Elasped time, mileage and calories. So on this day I was 83% to goal. Average speed was about 20.04 mph or
32.25 kmh. That's where I'll be in a few days.