May 8, 2008
Commuting connections...
Bike commuting and I go way back. I guess you could say I’ve been a go-by-bike gal off and on since I was 7 years old and did my first ride to Hinsbrook Elementary School. By the time I was 17, I was bike commuting on a red 10-speed to my job as a lifeguard 5 miles or so from our house. The 10-speed didn’t survive my undergrad days; then again, neither did my waistline.
I got chunky and stayed chunky until I lost weight while I was getting my Masters. My graduation present to myself was that old Trek 930 in 1994. My first job was at a public television station and bike commuting--RT 25 miles--was cheaper than riding the bus. Then, I got a new job where I met Russ (who would later become my boss). And then I got chunky again; bought a cheap, used VW and hid the 930 in a storage closet until 2005.
When I started riding again, I decided to go back to my bike commuting roots. Round-trip was about 30 miles. Sometimes, Russ would ride up to meet me and we’d do the trip back together. When I changed jobs, I tried the commute route but it was just too much. Now that I’m close to home, biking to work is actually my fastest form of transportation.
There are so many great reasons to bike commute—better for your health, your wallet and your environment—and so many valid reasons why people find it daunting. Sweat, weather, distance and traffic top my list. But, where’s there’s a wheel; there’s a way. Here are my tips:
Sweat: If it takes more than 30 minutes, I wear cycling gear and carry my clothes and wash-up kit in a backpack. Luckily, I belong to a gym with locations all over DC and can shower up. A lot of office buildings have facilities now for commuters as well. Also check your local cycling organization because it might have deals with area gyms so that you can shower there too.
Weather: I confess, I don’t ride in bad weather. But, there’s all kinds of gear if you don’t mind it.
Distance: Do a trial run first. Maybe you start by parking and riding half the route. In most cities, there are racks on the front of buses for bikes and in DC, you can take them on the metro. Or, do like the Dutch and get an old bike that you keep on one end of the commute (i.e. train station to office).
Traffic: Safety is #1! I try out different streets to find the best ones and to maximize my time in bike lanes. I avoid major bus routes. I use hand signals and obey traffic lights. I don’t weave. I have lights if it gets dark.
Again, contact local bike organizations for more helpful info. You can find yours using this link from the League of American Bicyclists. Your regional transportation authority might have some good stuff too.
Next week is National Bike-to-Work Week and Friday, May 16 is Bike-to-Work Day and events are happening nationwide. If you can, why not give it a try. I ask you… what could be better than starting and ending your day with a bike ride?
PS> Here’s a neat web site, www.commutebybike.com. Check out the gas savings calculator, the Simple Guide to Bike Commuting and the Slackers Guide to Bike Commuting.
PPS> Hey bike commuters out there… post a comment and share your tips!
May 2, 2008
Beets, broth, big pants and bikes...
Two months ago, I’m scanning a list serv and a notice catches my eye that a world-renowned chef is launching a new cooking show and looking for real people with culinary challenges. What the heck, I thought to myself – I’ve got challenges to go around. I send the producers an email about how I teach indoor cycling to Marines in the morning, work all day, write a blog for Trek and train at night and by the time I get home, I’m running on empty and looking for something fast and healthy. Oh, I also mentioned the part about losing weight. I get an email back and they invite me to a casting call to see how I’d do/look in front of cameras. Shoot, I went to film school – video cameras don’t bother me.
Fast forward and in the same week, I interview and am offered my awesome job at the Association, put in my notice at the old job, plan a trip to Holland, get certified to teach group exercise classes and learn that I’m going to be on TV. My head was spinning! (It still is!!)
Last week was my shoot for the show – a two-day event that took me 2+ weeks to get ready for. The first day was to capture footage to create a bio piece about me, my life and my culinary challenge. They wanted to tape me with the Marines, riding with Russ and Wayne, working out, at work and at our house for an interview and shots of me cooking. That’s how I ended up steam-cleaning the carpet on my birthday. My inner Martha (Stewart) took over and there I was starching pillowcases at 2 a.m. the night before the camera crew arrived.
The next day was my shoot with the chef. I won’t spoil the surprise by telling you who it is now. Let’s just say it involved beets, some broth and lots of talk about fueling up for bike rides. I even brought in my old big pants to show the chef why eating healthy is so important to me. I had a blast!!
I’ll let you know when the show will air – sometime in late June/early July. It was A LOT of work; but, maybe my message about how cycling helped me to change my life will inspire other women (and men) to get out there and ride too. I hope so.
P.S. The photo is me getting my make-up done before the shoot. My thanks to the chef, producers and crew for a great experience!!!
March 4, 2008
She's got a point...
I’m talking to my friend Heather, she of the spooky suburban house fame. Heather joined Weight Watchers last week and was looking for some advice on how it all works. [Basics: every serving of “food” has a points value. You can eat what you want, just don’t go over your points, though you get 35 anytime points to use during a week.]
So Heather asks me, 3 days after joining the old WW… is it bad that I only have 4 points left for the week? “What happened?” I answer back. Girl Scout cookies. Her daughter, Rachel, is a Brownie this year and the household is chocked full of boxes. Me, I would have waited to start my diet ‘til the peanut butter Do-Si-Dos had square-danced right on down to my big rear end. But, that’s Heather for you. When she makes up her mind, it’s go time. I love that about her.
Anyway, I ask her how many Samoas make up a serving? She replies, “MacLean, I am sorry to tell you that a serving is not a sleeve. You only get two cookies for 2 points.” I could blow through some serious points in one sitting.
Fast forward to today, we’re chatting and congrats are in order because she lost 3.2 pounds. After her first weigh-in, she was on the phone with her Dad and he says, “Now you need to start exercising because in 3 weeks, you’ll have formed a new habit and you’ll learn to love it. Then if you skip a workout, you’ll really miss it.” Heather’s response, “Whaaat? Three weeks? It didn’t take me three weeks to learn to love booze and Little Debby cakes now did it.” She’s kidding. But I think Heather could learn to like if not love exercise. Maybe one of these days, we’ll get her out on a bike. Plus, you get extra points for working out!
P.S. I need to stop writing my blog when I’m hungry. Lately, my posts have been rather grub-heavy.
P.P.S. To my morning spinners, you are beasts! We did a looong attack-and-chase sprint drill where each rider got to drive an attack(s) and the rest of us “chased.” Those gals and guys were ruthless. I couldn’t be prouder.
February 29, 2008
Leapin' learning opportunities...
Urban living has its benefits -- storage is not one of them. So, my bedroom has turned into a bike shop. I’m getting ready for work today and I see Shady, that tart, has a flat tire.
My internal devil voice (you remember her, the one that taunts me to consume peanut m&m’s) says in a mocking tone, “Looks like you’ve got a learning opportunity on your hands.” It’s true. I need to learn to fix my own flats. But does it have to be right now?
Learning opportunities cross our paths every day, whether we like it or not. Today’s a “not.” Yesterday morning was a “not” when I was too lazy to tramp out in my gnome PJs to feed the parking meter when I was running 15 minutes late and now I owe DC $25. Laziness costs -– duly noted (also, I can’t blame the Sign anymore, rats).
But some life lessons, however hard-won they may be, are beyond price. I believe they make me stronger and more resilient, empowered, confident, caring and on and on. I’m not the same person I was nearly three years ago when I made the big leap to get healthy. I thought I was learning how to lose weight so that I could wear smaller pants. But along the way, I seem to have learned how to have bigger hopes and dreams for myself.
I may not always get to pick when “opportunity” strikes; but, I do get to choose what I do about it. Learning to fix Shady’s flat myself is a little thing. But someday, I bet that skill is going to come in handy out on the trail or during a race. Who knows what other life lessons are going to pay off in the future.
P.S. Happy birthday, if it’s your birthday today. I have always thought it must be pretty cool to have your birthday on leap year day, like Pirates of Penzance.
February 22, 2008
I am victorious...
I walked out of my house on this sleet-y, grizzly DC morning and noticed something. Technically, I not noticed something. The Sign, my vile nemesis, is gone. Vanquished forever! The year-long battle for street supremacy is over!! Adios eyesore, go crush cars in some other neighborhood. We got a parking space back. I would have done a victory boogie; but the sidewalks were icy and wouldn’t that be just the parting shot the Sign wanted -– me, wiping out, breaking a hip.
My morning got even better. The hotties from hottingham took my spin class AND I’m wearing a pair of jeans that I haven’t worn in months. In fact, I’m feeling like a little hottie myself today. I may do a happy boogie afterall.
1:15 pm UPDATE: Man alive, today's a good day. Just got a care package from Trek with a pair of Oslo Extreme Weather Cycling socks, Meltdown glove liners, and some other treats to try. Okay, I'm ready for the guy to show up at my door with the check for $100 million now.
February 13, 2008
Know thyself…
Dateline New Year’s Day, Athens: Jen and I were stopped at a crosswalk and I had my map open, checking to make sure we were going in the right direction to see the changing of the guard at the Greek parliament. An older, distinguished-looking gentleman sporting a fedora and a nicely cut suit approached us. In one hand he held a fine leather briefcase, in the other a cake with “2008” iced on top.
He asked if we “lovely ladies” needed help. Upon hearing our destination, he invited us to walk with him since he was headed that way. I said, how could we refuse, he had cake. He chuckled and responded “Yes, Athens is a city of cake and kisses. Have you been kissed here yet?” Jen looked like she was ready to run; but I laughed and said, “I haven’t been so lucky, though I still have 24 hours before we leave.”
Turns out, the gentleman is a professor at the University of Athens. He told us the tale of how in Ancient Greece, wisdom-seekers were advised to “Know Thyself” before asking the Oracle at Delphi questions about their future. Strangely, it was the third time I’d heard the phrase in as many days and it’s stuck with me ever since.
Do I know myself? I have a decent idea of what makes me tick and what ticks me off. Am I myself? That’s the interesting question. When I was overweight, I hid my feelings even if I couldn’t hide my body. Even now, 100+ lbs lighter later, I still find it really hard to put my self out there. I guess I thought it would get easier.
As my friend Magnolia likes to say, “Can’t never could.” I started my year off with a stranger’s story to “Know Thyself”; but I think my direction for 2008 is to have the confidence to “Be Thyself.” Some cake and kisses would be nice too.
February 8, 2008
Turning my freak off...
Admit it, when you ponder Oprah and her dramatic weight losses over the years, you always think to yourself -– well if I had a trainer, I could do that too. Thanks to Trek, I’ve got Coach Mary and Up & Over Fitness in my corner now and it’s kind of freaking me out.
If you look at my bio on the right, fast-forward to the end where it says “extremely organized, hard-working woman...” I always chuckle when I glance at it because you could translate that to CONTROL FREAK. Mind you, I’m not that way about everything. But, I do like to do what I like to do when I like to do it -- #1 benefit of being single.
With Mary, not only am I learning how to properly train my body, I’m also figuring out how to turn my freak off. Every month, she puts together an incredible workout schedule for me that balances biking, running and swimming with the other things that I like to do such as step aerobics and strength training. The thing is, I’ve been in charge of my fitness regimen since I started my weight loss journey almost 3 years ago and it’s not as easy as I thought it would be to have help. (Me and asking for help, that's a blog for another day.) And as ridiculous as it sounds, I freak out a little bit whenever I make a substitution to the plan or don’t really do a full recovery day that I’m letting her and myself down. I don’t want to waste this amazing opportunity to grow as an athlete.
I think Mary gets that about me –- it’s more than my physical self that I’m training. When I’m struggling, she gives great advice. She reminds me to relax, to take things in stride and to enjoy the workouts and not think of them as something to check off my daily to-do list. My control-freaky ways may be a thing of the past.
P.S. Mary sent me an email about the Cranky Cupid and our crazy spin-a-thon. She says, remember to drink plenty of fluids during your ride. She recommends 500-1000mls per hour and to water down sports drinks (50-50) if you use them. Also, make sure to have some calories - 100 cal/hr minimum. Does it count if my calories are chocolate, I wonder. Oh wait, that's probably not part of my pact with Russ. I may have to get an exception.
February 1, 2008
I am not fuzzy footwear…
They say that the average American gains 7 lbs over the holidays. I think there are a few folks out there who owe me a HUGE thank you for gaining weight on their behalf. I’ve been feeling super chunky the past few months and I can see the evidence in my photos too.
On Tuesday, at my monthly Weight Watcher’s weigh-in, our leader, Kim, was looking at my record and said, “I didn’t realize you were a ‘Slipper’.” Uh oh. Slipper = goal weight slipping away. Yeah, that would be me and not the cute fuzzy pink ones with bunny ears either. I’m like the pair your dog chewed up. My padding is showing.
Why the slippage? Everything and nothing at all. I still worked out almost every day. But I just lost that focus, you know, and found it at the bottom of a bag of peanut m&ms. No excuses.
There is good news. Two-and-a-half weeks ago, I made a pact with Russ to get back on track. I wrote a list of daily/weekly “do’s and don’ts” to combat the behaviors that I’ve let derail me lately. Here’s what I promised:
1) I will go to WW meetings every Tuesday
2) I will measure my portions and track in a food journal every day
3) I will drink more water
4) I will exercise at least 5x a week; strength train 2x a week; and do sit-ups 4x a week
5) I will not go to the salad bar at Whole Foods for lunch (cause I don’t actually buy lettuce) or order noodles from Young Chow (addictive Chinese take-out) and instead I will eat the lunch I brought and learn how to make my own Lo Mein
For every infarction; I have to donate $1 in to a charity kitty. So far, I’ve only owed $2 for not writing in my food journal until the next morning. I’m happy to report that my weight is going down, down, down and I’m re-energized!
Like mangled up footwear, I’m finding old habits are hard to throw out. They’re not particularly comfortable even if they are familiar. I can’t tell you how great it feels to have the right foot forward again.
December 13, 2007
Stressed is desserts spelled backwards…
I don’t know about you, but I’m stressed out. With all the holiday happenings, and finding the perfect gifts, and wrapping up end-of-year projects at work, and going to a million meetings, and resisting the basket of sugar cookies a co-worker put in the office kitchen and getting ready for our New Year’s trip, and trying not to feel guilty that I haven’t ridden my Trek in forever cause I’m a cold weather wuss, and…the list goes on and on and keeps getting longer by the minute. I’m about ready to run into the hallway and scream, “I’ve had enough!”
When I get stressed, my first inclination is to head straight to the grocery store bakery for carrot cake and comfort. Well, if I’m being honest, I’ll comfort eat when I’m happy, sad, so-so, bored… pick an emotion and I’ll eat to it.
So, right now, I’m going to take a deep breathe, maybe two. Join me if you like. Inhale/exhale. Now, I’m going to visualize myself at the gym tonight, taking a class with my friends, and feeling my body move, sweat, stretch and release tension. Hmm, feeling a little better, releasing the death grip on the sugar cookie.
When I’ve got an emotional hunger pain, like stress, I’ve learned that exercise helps me break the comfort-eating cycle. Getting out of the office or my house and doing something that’s good for me is a much sweeter reward than rolling backwards to old habits.
How are you all fighting stress this holiday season?
December 7, 2007
Mini me...
Mini quiches… I adore you. Mini cheesecakes… I dream about you. Mini hot dogs in grape jelly-based sweet and sour sauce… I don't like you that much, but I will devour you when the mini meatballs are no more. ‘Tis the season of good cheer and good eats and this weekend, holiday soirees get into full swing.
You might ask, Laura, after a party or two, don’t you get sick of eating artichoke dips, hot wings, pizza bites, all the same old miniaturized food. And the answer to that is no. I could stuff myself so full of baby cheese balls, I’d make a Wisconsin dairy farmer a millionaire. I love to eat, that’s my issue, especially in situations where I don’t know a lot of people. I shovel food in my mouth so that I’m not embarrassed when I can’t remember your name (I’m so bad at that). Or, when the host or hostess says, “I made this especially for you.” Sound familiar?
The key to facing potato skin pushers is to have a plan. Here are a couple of my favorite survival strategies and some we came up with at a recent Weight Watchers meeting:
#1 Work out the day of the party. Burn some calories and feel fabulous putting on your swanky outfit. Exercising also helps reduce my appetite.
#2 Plan your favorite work out for the day after the party. I’m less likely to overindulge if I know I’m going to get up the next morning and do a boot camp class or go for a good ride.
# 3 Don’t stand near the food. Duh, right. But, so many parties end up in the kitchen, it’s easy to start snacking on whatever’s in there.
#4 At cocktail parties, eat with your opposite hand. If you’re a rightie, put the plate/napkin in your right hand and pick up food with your left. It should feel weird and slow you down. (I think I’m an ambidextrous eater because this one doesn’t do much for me –- but give it a try.)
#5 Bring something you can eat. It might be hard to do at your official work party; but, if you’re going to someone’s house, bring a healthy, low-fat dish that won’t blow your diet. I make mean mini apple strudels.
#6 Alternate alcoholic drinks (wine, beer, etc.) with water or diet soda to cut down on calories and prevent you from doing something stupid that may involve falling down or flashing. And for the love of St. Nick, NEVER EVER drink and drive.
#7 Eat before you go. A lot of people say this works. I tend to end up eating twice as much. However, I’ll have a bag of 94% fat free popcorn to take the edge off.
#8 Survey the landscape. Before loading up your plate at the buffet, put your hands behind your back and walk around it. See what’s there and save room for the really good stuff.
#9 Fill up on fruit and veggies, hold the dip. Boring, but your bootie will thank you later.
#10 If the host/hostess has made you something special, have a taste. Enjoy it. Just don’t run to the garage with the entire platter and devour it by yourself. Take a friend.
Just kidding. Party on Trek people!
November 19, 2007
The ups and downs...
Five years ago, the company that I was working for held its annual summer employee outing at a local theme park. I was pretty plus-sized, almost at my heaviest, though I didn’t feel that way inside and I didn’t think I looked that way either. At the park, I met up with several of my co-workers and their significant others. We got in line for our first rollercoaster of the day, an old-fashioned wooden one. I stepped in to the car and sat down. I kind of squeezed in there. We went to the next one and I wedged in. Ride after ride, I managed to fit in until we got through a 90-minute wait to experience the park’s newest amusement – a loopy, in the dark, swervy coaster.
I stepped in to the car, sat down and couldn’t get the safety bar to lock. A couple of the ride operators came over and tried to push it down. It didn’t matter, I was too big. In front of all those strangers and my co-workers, I had to walk away from the ride. I have never felt so embarrassed in my entire life. Somehow, I was able to hold it together while I waited for the others at the exit. I wish I could say that was THE moment that set me on the path to improving my health; but, it would take another three years before I finally did it.
Losing weight is a lot like a rollercoaster ride. At turns, it’s scary and exhilarating. Sometimes my weight is down; sometimes it’s up then down again. Sometimes my focus is on track and other times it feels like I’m going around the bend. It’s all part of this thrill ride and the only thing I can do is throw my hands in the air, scream at the top of my lungs and enjoy it.
P.S. After I lost weight, I went back to that theme park and rode that rollercoaster. I fit.
October 14, 2007
The numbers add up...
When people find out that I've lost over 100 pounds, they usually say something like "oh, you must be so proud." And, though I absolutely 100% appreciate the compliment, internally I must confess that I'm not proud of losing the weight, the same as I'm not proud that I gained it in the first place. Taking off pounds was the easy part for me. It's math afterall... eat better + exercise more = weight loss. I'm not a numbers gal and I figured out that equation. What's calculus to me is adding in the emotional factor –- and that, my friends, is chaos theory.
This past January, Russ asked me a tough question. I'd been on a plateau with the scale for a few months, just 5 or so pounds away from my target. I was practically there. But, he asked me if I was afraid of reaching my goal weight. Wow, I chewed on that for a while. I told him that I wasn’t afraid of hitting some arbitrary number. Rather, I was terrified of NOT achieving the goal that I had set for myself. The number on the scale was only one small quantifiable accomplishment in my greater scheme of things.
Ask me what I’m proud of and I’ll tell you. It wasn’t some logical or even magical solution for weight loss, it was finding the courage within to become the person I had always imagined myself to be. No math required.
September 27, 2007
Everything's not lost...
When I was in the middle of my dreadful swim during the Chicago Triathlon, the thought crept in to my head, “What if I can’t get through this?” I’d trained too hard to give up before I’d barely gotten started.
I tried to think of a song from my work out playlist and drew a blank. What came to mind at that moment was completely random and totally apropos – Everything’s Not Lost by Coldplay. I started singing the lyrics to myself and the irony of them made me giggle (and then choke, because I discovered that I can’t laugh and swim simultaneously). Coldplay kept me company throughout the race until I found myself at the finish line.
Everything’s Not Lost
When I counted up my demons
Saw there was one for every day
With the good ones on my shoulders
I drove the other ones away
So if you ever feel neglected
And if you think that all is lost
I'll be counting up my demons, yeah
Hoping everything's not lost
When you thought that it was over
You could feel it all around
And everybody's out to get you
Don't you let it drag you down
So come on, yeah
Oh, oh, yeah
Come on, yeah
And everything's not lost
At my monthly weigh-in on Tuesday night, as expected, I was four pounds up. That may not seem like a lot in the big scheme of things, but I worry that I’ll let the weight creep back on if I’m not mindful. I’ve worked too hard to get here to let old habits drag me down. So, I’m being careful about my choices and I’ll drop the weight gain. I can get through because everything’s not lost. Oh yeah.
Everything's Not Lost (Live)
September 24, 2007
Where's my reward now...
When you’re losing weight, you’re rewarded constantly for the effort. You sneeze one day and your droopy drawers fall down; you purge your closet of too big clothes and donate them to charity. Your co-workers ask if you’ve lost weight, then they start asking how much more you have to go. Your knees stop creaking when you climb a flight of stairs; you no longer think you’re going to barf after an hour of kickboxing. You make the momentous switch from shopping in the plus size section to browsing the racks in Ann Taylor. Those were the little moments that kept me motivated to moving the scale day after day.
Now that I’m in maintenance mode, I find it’s a constant effort because the rewards have changed. No one says, “Hey Laura, you look like you weigh the same as you did yesterday. Good job.” I’m not focused on dropping down to the next size smaller and my closet is full.
I know how to gain weight and I know how to lose weight; but, I’ve never ever been in this place of sustaining the status quo before. I must confess that it’s 10x -- no make that 1000x -- harder than I thought it would be. There’s this devil voice inside my head that says, “You’re cured, you’re thin, go ahead and eat peanut m&m’s, you deserve it.” Devil voice needs to shut up because it’s making me nuts.
Tomorrow is my monthly weigh-in day and I’m not looking forward to it. Sure, I exercise just about every day and I’m not eating bad; but, I’m not watching my portions as precisely as I did either. I have a feeling the scale is going to be up a few pounds judging by my waistband today and it’s making me anxious. Yet, I only have myself to blame.
When I’m tempted to make less-than-great choices, which some days is hourly, I’ve got to remember that my reward now is my health and this lifestyle I fought so hard for. That’s what I deserve.
September 12, 2007
Paying my clean plate member dues…
I’ve always been envious of people who don’t think about food, don’t care what they eat, could eat the same thing every day (my sis, Jen) or worse yet, they forget to eat. How is that possible? I’ve been a card-carrying member of the clean plate club my whole life and I’ve paid the price for my bad eating behaviors. My motto was “fill ‘er up.” And did I ever. If my taste buds screamed for something crunchy, salty, sweet, spicy, fried, fatty, etc.; I fed them, satisfied them… until the next craving came along. It was an endless cycle.
When I embarked on my weight loss journey, I made a self commitment to stop mindlessly answering the “Feed Me!!!” call and to start eating consciously. A key ingredient to the Weight Watchers program is tracking your daily food intake and I kept a journal of everything I ate. There were times I wanted to lie and not fess up to my occasional buffet bonanza sins. But, I realized I was only cheating myself and not getting to the root of my mixed up relationship with food.
Don’t get me wrong, I still think about what I want to chow for breakfast/lunch/dinner/dessert. The difference is that I clean a plate I choose to pack with nutritious and satisfying meals that fulfill my greater hunger for maintaining my long-term health. What could taste better?
P.S. My Weight Watchers leader, Kim, always says, “If you bite it, write it.” There are some great online tools for keeping a food diary. Here are a few free resources: www.mypyramidtracker.gov, www.thedailyplate.com, or this health tracker from Prevention magazine. Or, simply buy a small notebook and carry it in your bag. Give it a try for a week. I think you’ll be surprised.
Good Grub Tip: When I walk in the door at night after work/working out I’m usually famished. So, while I’m cooking, I’ll eat a salad topped with a few pickles and fat-free Italian dressing. The pickles curb my crunchy/salty cravings and the salad is enough to carry me until dinner is served.
September 4, 2007
My inspiration…
So, how did this whole Trek thing come to be for me? Well, a little over a year ago, I signed up to receive emails about Trek Travel. I pictured myself cycling through the French countryside or maybe exploring New Zealand. Then one day, an email arrived in my in-box announcing the “Trek Women Who Ride Contest.” I immediately started writing about how I became a woman who rides again. I wanted to convey that my story doesn’t have a “the end” (I lost weight, the end.); rather, it’s “to be continued…” After tweaking sentences relentlessly for a couple of weeks, I finally submitted it to Trek with some “before” and “after” photos, and the rest is history. Here’s my contest essay I titled My Inspiration, I hope you like it.
“I never could have imagined that I would be that woman who rides. For years, I neglected my Trek mountain bike, which I stashed away in storage after grad school. It had once been my source of transportation before it became a sad reminder of the person I once was. I was severely overweight, out of shape and knew deep down that I had to do something about it.
In August 2005, I started exercising again and eating lighter. For my birthday nine months later, my best friends, Russ and Wayne, overhauled my reliable, old bike. We began riding every weekend, slowly adding miles and increasing our pace. I started bike commuting a couple of days a week — about 32 miles roundtrip from my apartment on Capitol Hill to Bethesda, Maryland. In September 2006, I rode in my first century on a borrowed road bike. There was not a doubt in my mind that I was going to finish those 100+ miles. I was so excited to be there, I probably could have ridden 100 more.
Today, I’ve lost more than 130 pounds. I hit my goal weight on March 13, 2007! It’s been the easiest and hardest thing I have ever undertaken. Easy, in that I love the exhilarating feeling I get from being strong and fit. Hard, in that I’ve had to learn how to be patient and navigate the physical, mental and emotional challenges that arise when you change your life from the inside out. My journey is far from complete; but, I know that I will continue to make healthy choices and maybe find love along the way too.
Thankfully, now I believe (and I truly didn’t before) that I can accomplish anything. You can chase me on the trail, work it out on the uphill, keep up on the flat. Come along and catch my draft. I’ve transformed myself into that woman who rides. My Trek is now a source of inspiration.
Sincerely, Laura MacLean, Trek Rider
P.S. This winter, I’ve been spinning with the Marines at the Marine Corps. Barracks at 8th and I in DC. The 20-year-olds in class are always shocked that I can kick their you-know-whats. I am also training for my first triathlon and planning out the centuries that I want to complete this spring/summer/fall. I can’t wait!!!
After a trip to Italy last June (I travel to Europe 2-3 times a year), I’m itching to ride Tuscany — those killer switchbacks in Chianti are calling my name. I also think it would be amazing to bike Iceland’s ring road when I go there in early October.
P.P.S. I consider myself very lucky to have wonderful friends riding right alongside me. It would be an honor as a Trek representative to be able to share my experiences and hopefully help other women out there who want to grab life by the handlebars and be riders too.”
August 31, 2007
The world is your fan club...
Like a lot of cycling fans out there, I watched this year's Tour de France and rooted for the Discovery Channel Team riding the all new Trek Madones!
As the cyclists sped through the stages, you could see the fans lined up along the road to cheer on their favorites. And, it made me think back to when I began my weight loss journey.
As I've mentioned before, I hadn’t exercised in years. But, I knew physical activity was going to be critical for me to lose weight. I had to start somewhere and so I began walking in my neighborhood and joined a gym.
I was petrified and spent a lot of time worrying about what other people must be thinking about me. “Ugh, look at the sweaty, slow, fat girl. Disgusting! She should just give up and never wear spandex anything again.” Or, at the gym, I would look around and know that I was the biggest person in there.
The light bulb went off, duh, why was I making it that much harder on myself. Who cares what other people think, what matters is how you feel about yourself.
And then, I took it one step further… I imagined that folks I passed on the street or saw at the gym were now my #1 fan club! In my new and improved internal conversation, they were saying things like, “Look at her go! You can do it!”
Now, whenever I see people of all sizes and shapes out there exercising, I always give them a mental cheer, “Way to go! You’re doing it!”
Try it and make the world your fan club. If all else fails, go with the old stand-by… picture all those would-be naysayers in their underwear.
August 14, 2007
Anniversary of my new life...
Tonight was the 2-year anniversary of the start of my weight loss journey. About 730 days ago, my best friend, Russ, called me at the office and said… on Tuesday night, you’re leaving work on time for once, and you’re meeting me at Weight Watchers, and we are doing this together. I didn’t argue, hem haw, make excuses about looming deadlines, nothing. I simply replied, what time does the meeting start.
And that was the start of that.
That first Tuesday night, I stepped on the scale and told the weigher-in lady that I didn’t want her to tell me what I weighed. I already knew I was severely obese and got out of breath walking up a flight of stairs. I knew that hearing the number would be too devastating and overwhelming. I didn’t want to think about it, I just wanted to do it.
Tuesday night after Tuesday night, Russ and I stepped on the scale. Some weeks we lost, some we didn’t; the only thing that mattered was perseverance. I stopped trying to fill an emptiness I felt inside by overeating and convincing myself that I was a "workaholic" and didn’t have time to deal with my weight issues. Instead, I focused on exercising, leaving work on time, and making conscious food choices.
It took Russ about a year to reach his goal of losing more than 70 pounds. Even though he didn’t have to go to the meetings anymore, except for a monthly weigh-in, he still came with me every week. On March 13, 2007, I hit my goal weight after losing over 130 pounds.
Two years later and I look back at some of the incredible things that have happened… I can wear a size 6/8 (from a size 24); I can fit in airplane seats; I can run a 10k; I can ride 100+ miles on my bike; I can change my life. (Heck, I can even be an bonafide Trek blogger!)
It was easy being overweight; now I’m figuring out how to maintain my new life. My journey is far from complete; but I will persevere.
P.S. My most heartfelt gratitude goes out to Russ; my other best friend Wayne; my sister, Jen; my gym buddies and instructors; family and friends; and our Weight Watchers leader, Kim -– your support meant and continues to mean the world to me. I wouldn’t be having this anniversary without you.
August 8, 2007
Pleased to Meet You!
Let me be the first to welcome you to the brand spanking new Trek Women Who Ride community!
We’re women who grab life by the handlebars. We’re women who saddle up every chance we get in our busy schedules. Speed doesn’t matter, neither does distance or the bike whether it’s a road, mountain, fitness or leisure. The only thing that really counts is that cycling makes us feel good about ourselves.
Hi, my name is Laura. I’m 38, single, never been married, no kids, and I live in Washington, DC. My sister, Jen, and I share a rowhouse on Capitol Hill with our quirky cat, Uncao. I do communications/public relations specializing in social issues for a public health consulting firm. When I’m not out on the trails biking, I’m training for the Accenture Chicago Triathlon (my first one) and planning my next vacation abroad (I go to Europe 2-3 times a year).
Oh, and I lost a person. Yep, I lost more than 130 pounds!!!!
I made the decision to change my life in August 2005. By exercising and eating right, I reached my goal weight this past March, 19 months later. Just like a good bike ride, there were many ups and downs along the way; but, I never veered from the course. I wanted more than anything to transform myself into a strong, healthy, and fit woman and I did it. Now, the challenge is to maintain my weight loss and explore all those other scary life areas (aggh, dating).
I hope you enjoy my blog. I imagine we’ll talk about all kinds of things like taking off the lbs, training, travel, cool Trek stuff, tasty recipes and more. Along the way, please feel free to share your thoughts too.
To me, Trek means journey, and this is going to be quite a trip. Let’s take it together!!
