I Really Need a Pepsi

I started this blog in the beginning of the year (2011) as a self encouragement to get my ass out of the house and to hike. I wanted to use it as self-encouragement to hike some of the places I had been reading about.

From January to April that’s exactly what I did. I hiked Daisy Mountain from New River to Anthem and hiked to Indian Mesa. In March, I went on my first hike with the Anthem Hiking Club.

Well, now for a dose of honesty. Sometime in late April, I ran out of my high blood pressure meds. It was a few days before I got in to see the doctor. My doctor’s appointment did not go well. In fact, my blood pressure was “a bit” high and they would not let me leave until it got back under control (with meds). I learned two things that day:

1. Never run out of meds.
2. I really need to get myself under control.

So, in the beginning of May I swore off all soda and started counting calories. I would not classify this as a diet as much as just watching how much goes into this 43 year old body.

The first week of the diet was hell. Coming down from soda addiction was torture. I had a constant headache, a short fuse and was shaky a lot. If you have ever been addicted to anything, I feel for you. However, the first few weeks were also great. I was working out every other morning and the pounds were falling off. I was reading a lot about weight loss and lifestyle change and realized I needed a goal. Looking at my progress and at the calendar, I made the goal of losing 25 pounds by July 15th. Totally doable!!!

Well … In mid May I broke my toe and was reduced to little exercise. After that healed, in mid-June my weight loss plateaued. I was no longer dropping weight like it was a hot tamale. July 15th came and I missed my goal. I “only” lost 20 pounds in 2 ½ months. Believe me, I’m not sad about that at all. Looking back, I think I should have been more realistic about my ability to work out every day.

I have read a lot about weight loss, plateaus and how to over come them. I have adjusted my calorie intake and my exercise and am back to consistent weight loss. The new normal for me is trying to loss 1 ½ pounds per week. With daily weight fluctuations, this is incredibly hard to measure.

I have set a few goals for the rest of 2011. The big goal is to continue working out and counting calories. I have set a weight loss goal, although that is not my main focus.

I also need to continue to NOT drink soda … although caffeine continues to call me like a heroin dealer…. “drink me, drink me!”. I have set little goals too. Things like “buy a heart monitor” and “buy smaller underwear” are in there.

I would like to share with you one big goal. I have committed to trying to finish the Phoenix Summit Challenge in early November. The Phoenix Summit Challenge is an opportunity for outdoor enthusiasts of all abilities to climb multiple summits throughout the Phoenix desert preserve system.

This Year’s Climbs:

1. On South Mountain, Holbert Trail to Dobbins Lookout and back.
2. On South Mountain, Ranger Trail to National Trail and back.
3. Piestewa Summit Trail, up and back. Back to Hopi Ramada.
4. Cross the entrance road, past Mohave Ramada, and up Trail 200 to the summit and back.
5. Hike up to Lookout Mountain summit and back
6. From NMVC, take Trail 100, the Christiansen Trail, to Trail 101 (formerly Trail 100A). Trail 101 connects with the road to the top of North Mountain. Hike to the summit, then back down the road and to Trail 101, to Trail 100.
7. Reconnect with Trail 100 to Trail 306, to the top of Shaw Butte, climbing clockwise. From the top, return on the road, then past the dam and back to NMVC, completing the event there.

From time to time on this blog I want to expand beyond my hikes and try to make sense of some things that have bugged me for a long time. Read it or not – That’s your choice!