Arsbars.comThe Real Arleigh Jenkins

3. Eat healthier, aka less fried and processed foods.

Okay, this ones rough. Very rough.  I enjoy sweet tea, I enjoy fried chicken,  Little Debbies,  Chik-Fil-A, Pay Days, Double Stuffed Oreos….(Do you get the point???) I do like healthy “tree hugger” food better but its hard to get around these parts when you don’t cook, are on a tight budget and salads 4 days in a row don’t work.

Here’s the plan :  Granola & Trail Mix for snacks,  pasta, veggies, salads with cheese/nuts and such, oatmeal or eggs/toast in the morning, and no eating after 8:30pm.   That means bringing a good amount of food to work as I don’t get out of work until 7pm.  Eating lunch and dinner at work those days I’m there until 7.  Slowly I will get back to tracking my food on TrainingPeaks.com.  First I’m working on eating better, than tracking the goodness I’m eating.

Side notes :

Tomorrow, New Years Day 2009, a large group ride is going out of Lake Norman State Park in Troutman, NC.  Cool Breeze Cyclery & Trek Bikes Charlotte are sponsoring the kids ride and food after.   Come out, enjoy yourself and get your first ride in for 2009 with good people.

1pm at Lake Norman State Park.  Rides for all levels.
More info here.

Lastly, my sidebar Twitter isn’t updating since upgrading to WordPress 2.7.  I’m working on it but for now check me out over @arsbars

2. Pack lunches more often, atleast 4 times a week.

I carried a lunch my whole grade school life.  In elementary school I attended a Catholic school which a boxed lunch was required, there were no lunch ladies, the only thing you got was milk.  Chocolate or white.  I mostly opted for white as the chocolate tasted too chalky.  Once I got to middle and high school I don’t remember bringing lunch ever again.   The $1.10 for chicken tenders, meatloaf, tatter tots and a drink was worth it.

Maybe this is where my idiot ways of packing lunch came about.  I’m horrible at it.  I’m horrible at packing left overs, eating my lunch before lunch time and snacking way too much.  I’m doing my best to turn over a new leaf on this one.  Snacking, especially on M&M’s, Dorittos and such, is BAD!   The other issue is commuting with a box lunch it all ends up rather mixed up, smushed and flattened.   The need for more tupperwear, a better carrying device and planning is my going to be the choice attack method.

On my list of things I must acquire.

The super duper Ergon BC-3 backpack. Ergonomic, tons of room, storage, separation and wait- it’s comfortable I hear.  My hope of gaining Ergon as a sponsor for 2009 means this pimp-tastic commuter bag will be in my mail box one day.

Plastic, drop proof Tupperwear. Do you think they would be interested in sponsoring a dubious commuter in her goal of better health and a greener way of life?

A new pint glass.  How much better would my FRS drink for lunch taste in a frosty Twin Six pint glass?

1. Commute to by bike to work atleast 80% of the time.