What Was I Thinking?!?

I have been wanting to lose weight since I put it on 18 years ago. Last  year I had a good start when I lost 30 pounds, but then I got sloppy. I think I relied too much on my Trikke for taking the weight off and not enough on calorie control. So I'm taking another shot at it.

Losing weight must be like quitting smoking, in that I must keep trying until my goal is reached. Just because I failed a few times, the only real failure is giving up. So I am focusing on my health, on the calories I shove into my mouth, and exercising every day.

The crazy thing is I am doing it in front of 98 (to date) readers of TrikkeWorld Magazine as well as you, my blog fans! I think the pressure is just what I need to keep my nose out of the refrigerator.

I will be reporting in once a week at the magazine, but more frequently here. I see this as the space where I can blow off the day to day steam from not being able to eat my way through my anger, joy, fear, excitement, disappointment and whatever other feelings I may have in any given moment.

My first installment will be March 24th, and I will focus on why I over eat, how it started, some of the psychology behind my weight gain and my obsession with food. It should be deep, but not so deep that it's uncomfortable to read. That's what I'm aiming for anyway.

Obsessed

My friend and I are either talking about it or doing it together. Sometimes I do it alone. Sometimes I even do it in a group. And ever since I started doing it, it is always on my mind. I'm thinking about where I'll do it tomorrow, or doing it in the SouthBay next week. What is "it" you ask? Well if you are familiar with this blog you can probably guess "it" since I write about "it" a lot..

It's TRIKKING, the best way to have fun and get full body exercise as well. But I'm not writing a sales brochure here, I'm just admitting to an obsession.

 Recently I talked to someone, an interview I was doing for TrikkeWorld Magazine, and this someone had not trikked in a long time. As I spoke to him, his Trikke was hanging above him, on a hook. By the time we were done talking, he was planning to upright it immediately.

That's the way it is with Trikkers. Once you experience carving, nothing else makes sense. Even when I get overwhelmed a Trikke run helps me focus.

It's funny, because as I sit here I am debating between a nap or a Trikke ride. And the Trikke wins again.

Loving Long Beach

I am having a love affair with the city I live in, Long Beach, CA. Not only have I lived here for the last 17 years, but I don't see myself wanting to go anywhere in the near future.

There are so many fascinating parts to this city from its cultural diversity to it's tourist areas. From the museums to the playhouses. From the galleries to the painted electrical boxes on the streets.

Long Beach is a college town, my college town. It is full of young people with fresh ideas and angst. It is full of old people with memories and wisdom. Even the skyline is a combination of old and new.

And the best part is Long Beach's dedication to all things green.

We have recently been given our own bike paths in the downtown retail and residential areas. The paths are freshly laid and separated from the car lanes with a five inch curb. We have beach bike paths that are clean and fresh. And if there is not a class l path, there are ll & lll class lanes that are wide and safe.

The beach path leads to the LA river path. You can go from beaches to marshes to river beds. After a day on the trails there are many watering holes and great restaurants. And after dinner there are clubs for music or comedy or a movie. And there are so many shopping opportunities, with small boutiques to souvenir shops to WalMart.

My favorite thing to do in Long Beach is to ride my Trikke. I can get on it and just go. Anywhere. And so I introduce a new feature to the blog, JT loves LB. Look forward to pics of Long Beach from the point of view of a Trikke enthusiast, me.