Dateline Wuxi, China, Sunday March 31, 2013

That’s it for the elliptical trainer.  This morning it finally broke.  It’s been running rough lately, as noted in previous posts.  But this morning it started making a scraping sound and then with the noise of a spring breaking loos and a snap it suddenly went to zero resistance.

I took it apart and discovered that the belt connecting the main wheel to the resistance wheel had broken.  It’s probably impossible to replace the belt, and we’re not going to spend any money on repairs since we’re leaving China in three months and will not take the machine with us.  So that’s most likely it.  We may make a phone call to see if we can find a belt, but… not likely.

Don’t know whether to be happy or sad.  I have been hating that machine for some time.  The computer is so difficult to set, because half the buttons don’t do anything when you ask them to, and it’s been running rough.

Today we rode our bikes to Wanda Plaza and back, with a stop at Auchan shopping centre for groceries.  I worked up a sweat and was breathing hard.  That’s over an hour of bike riding, so it’s probably equivalent to whatever I would have done on the elliptical trainer.

Dateline Wuxi, China, Saturday March 30, 2013

Doing okay today.  I did 604 on the elliptical trainer in 31 minutes.  Felt very toxic to start, because we drank the champagne last night to celebrate Panda’s first paying client.

A good day.  I’m now sipping a scotch and eating peanuts.  I won’t document all of the bad cheater day stuff I’ve been eating, but suffice it to say that I’m not holding back.

Dateline Wuxi, China, Friday March 29, 2013

I weighed in this morning at 96.0 down from 97.5 last week.  No idea why I should have dropped a kilo and a half. I’ve been a bad bad boy, except for the exercise every single morning.

Except this one.  I got answering emails and only had time for about 15 minutes on the machine.  That was enough to get me sweating and panting, but I didn’t bother keeping track of the calorie count.

Ruth weighed in at 63.4 down from 65 last week.  So we’re both moving in the right direction for no apparent reason.

Dateline Wuxi, China, Thursday March 28, 2013

610 calories on the elliptical this morning.  Dripping sweat like a shower nozzle.  Breathing hard.  I guess that all means it was what I should do.

The machine is really getting nasty.  It’s like running on a road with unexpected potholes at night.

Dateline Wuxi, China, Wednesday March 27, 2013

Up at five again this morning and on the machine by 25 after.  Tough to get myself on that machine so early.

575 calories in my 31 minutes with the machine sounding like a washing machine and feeling like running on marbles.  Oh well, just another couple of months and we can replace it.

Dateline Wuxi, China Tuesday March 26, 2013

Forgot to note my number this morning, but it was not 600.  I think 596 calories in my 31 minutes.  The machine gets clunkier every day.  Very annoying.

Dateline Wuxi, China Monday March 25, 2013

612 on the elliptical in 31 minutes again this morning.  Our machine is wearing out.  It’s no longer smooth, but turns in jerks that are really distracting.

I’ve been thinking on the subjectivity of time.  The first five minutes seem to go by very quickly.  Then it takes forever to get to the half way point, fifteen minutes, which figures because that’s twice as long.  Then forever again to get down to the five minute mark.  But the last five minutes go really quickly.  I’m wondering if this is the same for our lives.  Our early childhood goes by very quickly.  Then it takes forever before we wake up and realize we’re turning 40.  Then another long run to 60.  And the last goes by in a flash.  Oh no.  Dark thoughts.

Dateline Wuxi, China Sunday March 24, 2013

Okay.  That was two breezers, two stiff Campari and sodas, and two very stiff hot chocolates with scotch.  Yes, that was enough.  Then there was the french bread with melted cheeze.  The bag of M&M’s, the two Dove white chocolate bars.  And working backwards, don’t forget the pizza, mashed potatoes with bacon, and chicken wings for lunch at Papa Johns, or the two peanut butter and banana sandwiches for breakfast.  That was a cheater day.

612 calories on the elliptical machine in my 31 minutes.  I feel much better now.

Dateline Wuxi, China Saturday March 23, 2013

576 on the elliptical machine this morning.  The machine is obviously wearing out.  It no longer feels smooth with each cycle, but bumpy and jerky.  We’re just hoping it lasts until we escape China at the end of June.

Last I was bad again.  First of all there was the noodles and beef dinner which simply can’t be on program.  Then there was scotch until I staggered into bed.  I will never have that six pack if I keep sabotaging myself, but I’ve said this before.  In fact, I’m sure by now it is a repetitive whine, a loop.  Time to stop talking about it and do something about it.

Dateline Wuxi, China Friday March 22, 2013

Weird time on the elliptical machine.  I looked down at the numbers and my calorie count seemed abnormally, impossibly, high. Up over five hundred at the fifteen minute mark.  Then it started counting calories down and I ended up with 476 calories.  Crazy and not at all useful.

Here’s how my numbers have cone for the past three weeks:  97.6 96.2 97.5

And here are Ruth’s:  64.0 63.1 65.0

Well, what do I expect.  I’ve been cheating so much I might as well stop saying I’m on the program.  But when you fall off the horse, the only thing you can do is get right back on.