On a Roll: Fitting Exercise in Daily Life. Saving Gas. Being an Example.


21 Day Sugar Detox: Day 14


I'm on a roll.  

For two weeks, I've been on a sugar-detox and I am feeling really good.  I am finding ways to find new ways of cooking without sugar and white flour and with minimal wheat and grains.

It did not stop there.  In the back of my mind, I have had the idea of getting groceries by bike.  I have tried it with a bike trailer.  I have lugged my youngest on the back of my bike in bike seat.  Neither option was very comfortable for me.  My bike was too large and my baby felt unstable in back.  I did not like the bike seat for her either.  The groceries rolled around and dragged inside of the bike trailer.  There were too many obstacles to my going through with the idea.  

More and more I have been seeing people in town on cargo bikes and I've been salivating at them for quite some time. Years now, but I was not ready to take the leap. I knew if I did my husband would hold me to a commitment to biking as much as possible rather than driving.  I wasn't ready.

Now, I am.  Before the weather completely turns and while I am on a roll and energized, motivated to change. I am leaping.

I rented a Breezer/Xtracycle and tried it out for a couple of days.  I fell in love.  Not only could I ride with my toddler on back.  I was also comfortable with my 84lb son, and my 60 pound daughter. (not all at once).  I also did not take my older children on hills either, but taking them on the bike will mostly be for fun.  This is for me, my toddler, and groceries.  I took them bike up to Trader Joes up a very big hill 3 miles away, bike home, biked to Sellwood to drop off the bike, and walked home. That day I biked 7 1/2 miles and walked 1 1/2 miles.  

My plan. I will cancel my gym membership.  I will no longer need to "drive" to the gym to get exercise.  Instead I will bike wherever and whenever I am able to.  With this bike system, I can bike the way I would drive around town, on errands, shopping, trips to library, knitting group, parks, little trips, etc.

I will: 
1. Save money on gym membership
2. Save money on gas
3. Reduce my carbon footprint
4. Model exercise for my kids
5. Maybe motivate my kids to bike more, themselves
6. Exercise as a part of my daily life rather than as an accessory activity that takes money and time
7. Extend the life of our car and need less frequent oil changes
8. Get in shape (hopefully)
9. Be able to go on family bike rides. 
10. Have biking as a joint hobby with my husband (who bikes 10 miles to work everyday)



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