Vital Information

It's been a month since our jubilant return in St. Augustine. The rememberance and reflection continue and the vital statistics have been of interest to many who followed the tour.

Some questions I receive include:

• How much weight did you lose?
• What happened to your body?
• Are you sorry you passed up those desserts?

I weigh 118 - one pound more than the day I started the tour. Although I didn't lose weight, I still had to buy new pants. My pant size dropped from an eight to a six. My body fat dropped 10 percent, but those hand help measurements are not the most reliable. The chart says I am in the "acceptable" range, not the "fit" range. You can imagine how that sits with me!

So, am I sorry I passed up some desserts along the way? No, because I have never felt better or enjoyed more energy. I wish the same for each of you.

I'll look forward to seeing my WOCN colleagues in New Orleans next week. It's not too late to donate or give more to the WOCN Scholarship Fund to help us exceed $215,000!

According to Katherine: Day 30

We began the day at 7:00 a.m. for our 65-mile ride to Blanco. It was 65 degrees and overcast. I felt bright and bold in my new Hill Country cycling shirt. I ate some scrambled eggs and yogurt, and made my PB&J sandwich for lunch.

Jack, my brother and his wife came for the map meeting, and to send us off with good wishes. John gave me another fabulous gift, an elegant gold necklace with a bicycle pendant designed by James Avery in Kerrville. As we were cycling out of Kerrville towards Comfort, the drone of a small plane alerted me that John and Marty were doing a parting fly over. I wept with appreciation.

John, Marty, and Jack are up early to say good-bye.  

At lunch, we stopped in Waring for our PB&J sandwiches and energy drinks, and encountered a troop of Brownie Scouts. We told them what we were doing and encouraged them to eat healthy foods and stay fit, so they could do fun stuff when they get older! One little girl asked, "Do you ever sleep?"

Cute young Brownie Scouts in Waring.  Their leader showed them a map of the US and our route on her iPad. 

We saw some wildflowers, goats and longhorns -- all Texas icons -- and finished strong in Blanco. The weather had stayed cloudy and cool for the first 50 miles, but heated on up to the 80s when the sun came out the last 15 miles.

A Texas-style howdy!

Barbed wire and blossoms in purple profusion.

Chef Linda delighted us with moussaka and brown rice, a salad of cucumber, onions, peppers and tomatoes, and little bunches of grapes. Yummy! We also had a surprise visit from two other WomanTours guides. They will be leading a one-week trip through the Texas Hill country beginning tomorrow. We had met and loved both of the women on our trips to Moab, UT and Pennsylvania Dutch Country with WomanTours. They had supper with us, and went on their way.

We had to share a bed in the quaint little 1960s motel -- but were both so tired, we didn't move! The shower was strong and hot and so was the coffee, so we were pleased with our accommodations!

1,618 miles behind us. 1,482 miles to pedal. 28 days to go.

Dr. Jeter Day 30 on Polyvore.com

According to Katherine: Getting Pedal Power From Protein

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While on tour, I fill my body with plenty of proteins. Since breakfast isn’t my favorite, I try my best to fill up, usually with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. My cycling partner and I stop every hour for a protein boost. We pack plenty, including, peanut butter sandwiches, and Shot Bloks or Sport Beans, which are chewable nutritional aids. Plenty of water and Hammer Heed is on hand to continuously fill my body with the electrolytes it’s losing from sweating. A chef rides along the tour in the WomanTours bus and cooks us delicious breakfasts and dinners on each stop.

I’ve avoided alcoholic beverages since January 1, but I’m excited to indulge in a cold one (non-alcoholic that is) in St. Augustine April 28! 

Sticking to a routine benefits a healthy lifestyle. Health books and magazines warn that eating rewarding snacks, like French fries or cookies, in fact, don’t actually reward you. The best things in life don’t come free; you have to work towards them!

According to Katherine: Diet Shmiet, I Enjoy Eating Healthy!

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A healthy diet is extremely important. No dessert for me at the end of a meal; my 5’1” figure prevents me from consuming any extra calories. In order to keep healthy before, during and after my bike tour, I'm sticking with whole grains, proteins, fruits and vegetables. As a non-meat eater, fish becomes my substitute for protein.   

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but breakfast and I don’t get along. I just don’t like it. However, eating breakfast aids too much towards my health to skip it. I tend to stick to a Morningstar non-meat sausage patty, a piece of fruit and yogurt mixed with flaxseed or granola.  Sometimes, to switch it up, a peanut butter sandwich on a Pepperidge Farm 100-calorie Deli Round satisfies me. 

Depending on how hard I was hitting the slopes while training, and how hungry that made me, I had a half or whole peanut butter sandwich for lunch, along with string cheese, nuts, raisins and one cup of sugar-free apple cider. Usually, fish, a vegetable and a salad makes up dinner. I prefer wild-caught fish and shellfish. Non-meat stew and soup serve as alternatives for dinner.

What are your favorite healthy, energizing foods? Do you alter your diet when preparing for a bicycle tour, run or other athletic event?