Kristin Rides

Since my racing season has wrapped up (mentally at least), I have started my winter training. Originally my plan was to make the end of November and all of December about resting and losing weight. I’ve started that this week, despite 1 more Cross Crusade race to go.

It’s 8 weeks until 2009. So I figured… 8 week challenge. Yes, this is what I need. I can’t just keep “kind of dieting”, as it’s not actually causing me to lose any weight. I need a real change. Something to make it different, something to make it fun, something to make it a challenge.

So there are a few simple diet-related parameters to the base part of the challenge.

1. No eating food from work (at all, none, zero, zip)
2. Very little to no sugar (hm sounds familiar)
3. I will lay out my daily caloric intake in advance everyday. During the week this is easy, since I eat the same thing monday-friday for the most part. I will have to layout my weekend plan on Thurs or Fri
4. One “special” dinner a week with my boy, that is a bit more then I would normally eat. But not much more and must be factored into that preplanned weekend.

As far as working out goes, the focus will be calorie burn, and lots and lots of strength training. At very least twice a week, but soon I’m thinking will be 3 times a week. I am taking classes through Upper Echelon and do a lot at home. I really need to ramp this up, but I am getting there.

I am working out a more specific plan with the training very soon, but it will likely involve a lot of long rides and a lot of running and gym time. I definitely will be throwing in some curve balls, but I just want to make sure I have some direction, as well as some fun.

I think something that could be interesting is weekly challenges. Getting smaller goals accomplished within a larger goal always strengthens my resolve to keep the momentum going, especially as the parties and holidays start piling up. Maybe even challenges I could get other people involved in? What are some of the goals you’re trying to achieve?

Ideas:

• Cook something healthy from scratch (something other then stirfry) for a special dinner
• Stand on the balance board (one leg at a time) through an entire tv show
• Do 3 sets of 12 push-ups every day for a week. (I’m HORRIBLE at push-ups)
• Do a muddy trail run at night
• Only eat 1 plate of food on thanksgiving (more on this later)
• Eat absolutely no sugar or wheat for a week
• Take a yoga class at a studio I’ve never been to before
• Take some other kind of new class (kickboxing, hip-hop dancing, etc)

I think could be lots of fun, especially if some other people get into it! Tonight I will be starting the fun by going to Pain in the Park. Sounds like an adventure if nothing else; I’m a little afraid there will be too much running for me, but as long as there are more drills then actual straight-up running, I will be fine. I’ll report back later.