Biking to the Castle and Books I am Reading Along the Way...

...I got this idea from some people out there in the twitterverse.  I figured out the mileage from my doorstep to the doorstep of Cinderella Castle.  Okay, so I could not get right to Cinderella Castle, but I was able to figure the mileage to Disney's Old Key West Resort, where we usually stay and tacked on another five miles for good measure (figuring it was five-ish miles to the Magic Kingdom).  Anyway.  I call it my "Bike to the Castle" challenge...and my goal is to bike the 1076 it is from my driveway to the round-about-area of Cinderella Castle.  It is one of my own personal challenges that I am working on.  The other is losing 24 lbs in 20 weeks in honor of  my favorite show, "24" which should end on my 37th birthday.  Whew!!!  So far I have biked 6.2 miles and lost 2 lbs.  Okay, so I started both of these challenges within the last week.  I started the "24" challenge on Sunday when the show started, so the weight loss is not quite accurate...but I did lose 2 lbs from my weigh in last Tuesday.  If you follow me.  Today was the first day of my biking challenge, and I managed 6.2 miles on the recumbent bike in 40 minutes.  The recumbent bike is made for fat girls like me.  We can sit and watch "The View" from the comfort of a seated stationary bike.  No annoying banana seats for me.  :) 

The other day, I was able to bike for a whole hour and went nearly ten miles.  I was so proud of myself.  I forgot my headset, but was glad that I did.  I went to Target earlier in the day and rewarded myself with a new book.  Don't get me started on why I buy books...that is for another blog entry.  Anyway, I am in love with the author Jen Lancaster.  She is witty and funny...and reminds me of myself just a smidge (except I am not so witty and funny).  She writes from the point of view of a pampered chubby grown-up princess.  Her writing has a lot of eighties and nineties references, so I am lead to believe she is around the same age as I am.  We share a love for fine labeled purses (Prada, kate spade), fine shoes (oh, to have her closet), the importance of a great haircut (how I love my hairdresser Matt) and fashion.  She is a total prep...and I can relate.  My style goes from edgy to preppy and everything in between.  Right now, I am in a preppy phase.  Of course, I can't afford not FIT into the preppiest preppy labels, so Old Navy has to do.  If I follow my heart and leave my job within the year, then it will definitely be Old Navy from now on.  But I love Old Navy, so that is not a problem.

To quote Matt the Juggler (shout out to my Disney friends)...I digress.

Jen Lancaster is so witty.  I just love her books.  I finished "Such a Pretty Fat" which was about her writing about her weight loss journey.  Too funny.  I loved the relationship her character (her???) developed with her trainer...a perky blonde named...Barbie.  :)  She is so descriptive, it felt like you were right there, sweating and dropping the pounds right next to her.

The book that I had purchased earlier in the day was, I believe her first one.  Not 100% sure on that one.  But I have been working on "Bitter is the New Black".  Hil-ar-ious.  I love this one.  She is rediscovering who she is and what she was after losing a lucrative job.  Anyway, here I am...the fat girl reading this book on the recumbent bike...happily peadling away.  The hour just flew by.  When I finish, I am going to reward myself with another one of her books, "Bright Lights, Big Ass".  Her lastest book "Pretty in Plaid" comes out in paperback in May.  I am not sure I can wait that long.  Jen Lancaster is one of those authors that deserves my purchasing her work in hardcover. 

Of course, in true Jen Lancaster form...her I am...fat, happy, pedalling girl on the comfy recumbent bike for an hour...the woman next to me was on "Mountain Bike" Mode AND using hand weights at the same time.  :)  I'll take my reading while biking any day!!!  She looked like she was sweating waaayyy too much!!!

Yes, I won't hide my love for light, airy, fluffy girly books.  I love them.  If you are looking for a funny read, I highly recommend Jen Lancaster. 

Love to All.