Several weeks ago I was invited to Vermont to go skiing with some friends for a week. Upon careful consideration (all 2 seconds of it) I agreed, even though I knew that I hadn't been skiing more than 5 or 6 times in my life, and most of them were days of me repeatedly doing the easiest trails.
Getting on the skis I realized that I knew how to stop (snowplow) and to turn (lean on the opposite foot). The rest of me remained vigilant to be as uncoordinated as possible so that anyone within 10' of me might get a ski pole in the eye, or a ski in their rear.
The folks I went with turned out to be avid skiers, taking on the most challenging runs without a care in the world and because the mountain was fairly empty, (not too much danger to others), I decided to challenge myself and follow along. If I wrote a diary in retrospect, here is what it would look like:
DAY 1
We skied on SugarBush today. These people are crazy. I fell a lot, and am amazed at the idea that nothing is broken after my myriad of cartoon-like falls with skis and poles in all directions and a giant snow ball threated to grow with me in the center and crush the base lodge. At the end of the day I am hot, tired, sore and sweaty. It was fun, but I don't understand how other people do it so easily.
DAY 2
We skied at Stowe today. Stowe it tuns out is much more technically challenging that SugarBush, and the fact that my legs are so sore that they refuse to cooperate makes my task daunting at best. There must be a better way. Then... some advice on how to make it easier by my expert skiing companions. By the end of the day I am relying solely on technique because my muscles are on strike. Mentally I think I get it, but physically I can't do it yet.
DAY 3
Woke up this morning and knew exactly how Pinnochio felt when he became a wooden boy. Nothing works. The crew is going up to Jay Peak near Canada. I bid them farewell, for my best bet is to sit by the fire and rest.
DAY 4
I left my companions to travel South to Killington to meet up with my brother-in-law and some other friends for a birthday. I am still unsure of my skiing technique since it is all in my head but not in practice yet. I get on the mountain and suddenly it feels like I was born with skiis on! I am flying down the intermediate trails and even end up on an advanced black diamond trail. It is not *too* hard. Haven't fallen all day. I'm even being adventurous and going over jumps at high speeds.
DAY 5
A week later I travel up to Jiminy Peak, MA for a day trip of skiing. Conditions are terrible. The entire mountain is iced over. There are high winds and no snow to speak of. Perhaps I should have rented ice skates. Regardless, after a morning of diving down the intermediate trails, I try for the black diamond trail, which is the mountain face. (If you can call Jiminy Peak a mountain). Other than the entire run being a long sheet of ice and my skis being as dull as logs, I did OK.
Next stop? back to Vermont to keep up with the friends who taught me how to ski in the first place!
Friday, February 8, 2008
Monday, January 7, 2008
Losing Weight - a constant task
So it seems that here in my 30's, my metabolism is feeling quite lazy. From my prime youth, like most people where I could eat anything I wanted and never gain a pound, I have in fact gained weight. About 2 years ago, I blew up to the extraordinary weight of 206lbs. I went on the Nutrisystem diet and lost about 25 lbs, ending eventually around 180 lbs. I was moderately happy about my progress and vowed to never gain that kind of weight again.
Now I am at 215lbs, and feel like I am starting all over again. While I know that I can lose the weight (using Nutrisystem again), the real source for my concern is in how quickly I gained back the pounds. In my head I felt that I "could eat anything again" or that "I could always lose the weight just as I did the first time". I went from 4 meals a day to 1 large meal consisting of a cheeseburger, fries, and a milkshake, or Chinese food and enough of it to feed a family of 4 with a dog. The irony is that if you ask me how to lose weight, I will tell you. Drink a lot of water, eat 4 or 5 small meals a day consisting of no more than 250 calories eat. Eat healthy grains such as rye, whole wheat and pumpernickel. Avoid sugary foods, especially as a meal. (Donuts are not breakfast). Most importantly, do something to exercise. It doesn't have to be a new regiment to run 5 miles each morning, or train for a marathon. I should be something simple to start - take the stairs instead of the escalator, get off the subway 1 stop early and walk the distance, or make a habit of doing something you have put off.
But all of this knowledge didn't help me keep the weight off. Why? Because I, like most people, am particularly bad at following the advice I know is best for me. I assumed that if I got back to over 200lbs, I could and would do something about it. While that is true, I should have been setting more realistic goals, such as if I gained 10lbs to do something about it. Maybe not even to lose them, but to stop the weight gain. But it is difficult to combat the onslaught of marketing, psychological mass-media appeal of "make Americans fat" foods, eating out in restaurants (all of which have individual portion sizes that could be cut in quarters and still be more than enough). But difficult is not impossible, and that is my new motto.
So the plan?
Now I am at 215lbs, and feel like I am starting all over again. While I know that I can lose the weight (using Nutrisystem again), the real source for my concern is in how quickly I gained back the pounds. In my head I felt that I "could eat anything again" or that "I could always lose the weight just as I did the first time". I went from 4 meals a day to 1 large meal consisting of a cheeseburger, fries, and a milkshake, or Chinese food and enough of it to feed a family of 4 with a dog. The irony is that if you ask me how to lose weight, I will tell you. Drink a lot of water, eat 4 or 5 small meals a day consisting of no more than 250 calories eat. Eat healthy grains such as rye, whole wheat and pumpernickel. Avoid sugary foods, especially as a meal. (Donuts are not breakfast). Most importantly, do something to exercise. It doesn't have to be a new regiment to run 5 miles each morning, or train for a marathon. I should be something simple to start - take the stairs instead of the escalator, get off the subway 1 stop early and walk the distance, or make a habit of doing something you have put off.
But all of this knowledge didn't help me keep the weight off. Why? Because I, like most people, am particularly bad at following the advice I know is best for me. I assumed that if I got back to over 200lbs, I could and would do something about it. While that is true, I should have been setting more realistic goals, such as if I gained 10lbs to do something about it. Maybe not even to lose them, but to stop the weight gain. But it is difficult to combat the onslaught of marketing, psychological mass-media appeal of "make Americans fat" foods, eating out in restaurants (all of which have individual portion sizes that could be cut in quarters and still be more than enough). But difficult is not impossible, and that is my new motto.
So the plan?
- Lose the weight again.
- Set smaller goals to maintain the weight.
- Be more conscious of my own rules of eating and how different they are from America's view of eating.
- Be conscious of my own weight and my metabolism rate.
- Be more active.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Education
There was a time, when I never thought that I would do much more than graduate high school and perhaps go to college. The perhaps part is where I would go for a while and perhaps do poorly due to lack of interest and eventually join the ranks of millions of people who accept mediocrity and a lacking dirt road of success. All of this changed for me about 4 years ago when I decided that I would go back to school and finish my Bachelor's degree. Having completed my BS in Information Technology, I am now only 6 weeks from also completing my Masters degree in Information Science Management.
Although I am very tired from school and work, I am looking forward to starting on my PhD. This would be such a large accomplishment for me, especially one that I never would have thought was achievable. In 3 more years, I could be Dr. Kevin Kidder.
Although I am very tired from school and work, I am looking forward to starting on my PhD. This would be such a large accomplishment for me, especially one that I never would have thought was achievable. In 3 more years, I could be Dr. Kevin Kidder.
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