my weakness ...

So I've got the workouts down cold. No problem. During the day, my nutrition rocks. Except for the caffeine ... I'm still working on that. It's the dinner and afterwards that I'm really struggling with these days. I plan what I'm going to eat. But then I eat something else. Not always a bad thing but the past 3 days have been really bad. And it shows. And I feel like crap. The "Lesson for Life" from Bill Phillips the other day was "the person you have to stand up to most is yourself". It's about asking yourself whether you want to continue doing what you're doing and getting the same result or do you want to change? If you want to change, then you need stand up to yourself and not take no for an answer.

So tomorrow's another day ... another opportunity to do better. Maybe I just put too much pressure on myself. It's hard not to get frustrated. And that's a very bad thing ...

Anyway, I wish you all the very best in life, regardless of what it is you are trying to accomplish, in any aspect in your life. Just stick with it. 'Cauz it really is worth it.

it's about making the most of your life...

When people send me mass emails, asking to pass it along to 5 women, 20 people, 50 goats, etc., I read the message, take it to heart and then delete. Occasionally I'll pass it along to a couple of people.

I know a lot of you have probably seen this already. And I know a lot of men will read this. It's for you too because I think we've all been touched by someone who has either struggled and lost, or fought and won, the fight again any type of cancer.

I see so many people rushing around, so busy with work and no enjoying life, or so busy taking care of "stuff" that they forget the really important things ... relationships. So I only ask that you read this and take from it what you will. But know that I am posting this because this is how I think everyone should live their life....


"Passing the Purple Hat to You IN honor of women's history month and in memory of Erma Bombeck who lost her fight with cancer.

IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER - by Erma Bombeck (written after she found out she was dying from cancer). I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day. I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage. I would have talked less and listened more. I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded. I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace. I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth. I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband. I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed. I would have sat on the lawn with my grass stains. I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life. I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime. Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle. When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, 'Later. Now go get washed up for dinner.' There would have been more 'I love you's' More 'I'm sorry's.' But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute.look at it and really see it . . live it and never give it back. STOP SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF!!! Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more, or who's doing what Instead, let's cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us.
If you don't mind, send this on to all the women you are grateful to have as friends.
Maybe we should all grab that purple hat earlier."

Great news all round!

So this past week has been full of great news!
First my brother-in-law proposed to an amazing woman while on a cruise.
Then our friends announced that they're pregnant ... got pregnant just after a miscarriage (she's thrilled, she's in shock)
Then my father-in-law called to announce that he and his wife have bought a house in Brampton. They're finallly getting out of their condo. Woo hoo!
Barry won at the contest.
One of his friends at work is pregnant
My stress level has come way down
Things are good.

I'd love to hear of your great news ...

now the second half

I was reading my goals this morning and my initial reaction was to get a little down on myself. Then I started to compromise. It's kinda went like ... well, if I shoot for 15 pounds and I only lose 10, that's not bad .... then I decided I was NOT going to take that attitude. I still have 6 weeks left and I'm more determined than ever to get the fat off, build and define more muscle and most importantly, to be healthier.

I've been slacking in the nutrition area. Workouts ... no problem. Drinking lots of water ... no problem. Reviewing goals ... every day. Nutrition and restricting caffeine ... bit of a problem. It's mostly that I just get lazy. Or if sticking to the plan leaves me weak and hungry, I add a little. Generally it's just been more fruit or veggies which isn't too bad. But then it's bread. And ... and ... and. But that's what I have Saturday for... and boy it I take advantage of it this Saturday.

Sometimes I feel like I take 1 step forward and 2 steps back. Most of the time I'm encouraged. But I admit I'm afraid of taking my measurements again. I know I need to. I just don't want to. But maybe it's the smack upside the head (so to speak) that I need. But I'm already more focussed. I don't want all this hard work to be for nothing.

This isn't easy. Sometimes I get discouraged. Everyone does I think at some point in their quest for anything great. But anyone can do it. Anyone can get rid of the fat. Be healthy. Be strong. Be able to walk straighter, faster, with your head held high. and be proud of what you've accomplished. Not just weight loss. That's only one little thing (although it affects the rest of your life) that can make you proud of yourself. Not proud in a negative way (too full of yourself) but it's ok to be proud of one's accomplishments.

Speaking of accomplishments, Barry entered another model building contest. He entered an old Harley military motorcycle. And, big surprise, he won first place in his category and won a craftsman award for best paint. I am very proud of my hubby....

Until tomorrow....

It's Friday!

I'm halfway there! It's been 6 full weeks on the circuit training and while I'm not where I want to be, I've made good progress and have been ramping things up recently.

So I'll stick with the next 6 weeks of doing basically what I'm doing but changing things up from time to time. And then I'll change it up.

And if I can help or inspire one person along the way ... it'll all have been worth it.

Enjoy the weekend!

what a relief!

I'm very happy to report that the cause of my extreme stress (which has stirred up my ulcer again ... although all the coffee lately has probably contributed to the ulcer as well) is now dealt with. YAY!

I cannot begin to stress ladies, and yes, you men too, how important it is to deal with stress in a healthy way and not let it get the better of you. OMG, I have been going out of my mind the past week worrying about something but I found out this morning everything is going to be fine. Unless people are lying. But I don't think so. I can't say what the issue was ... just that it's all good. I feel like I can get on with things.

Stress really is a killer you know. It does such bad things to our body. From ulcers and skim breakouts to heart trouble and long-term elevated cortisol levels which can lead to anything from abdominal weight gain to heart trouble. I seem to be a little focussed. With my family history, no wonder.

The stress was getting to me and I work out 6 days a week. Of course I've been getting sloppy with my nutrition again so I've gotta reign things back in or I'll never hit anywhere close to my goals for Nov 7/09.

Sorry guys and gals ... but I am so freeking tired I'm starting to see double and I don't want to ramble too much at you. So take care of yourselves, try to manage your stress and enjoy life!

6 months later ...

I can't believe yesterday was my 6th month mark on my transformation. I've managed to only skip 1 workout on purpose, 1 workout because I was sick and 2 or 3 had to be modified because of injury. I don't remember ever being this consistent. And while my nutrition isn't quite where I want it to be, I also want to have a life and actually enjoy food. That's mostly what Saturdays are for.

Dropping 2 dress sizes in 6 months doesn't really sound like a lot but I'm willing to take a little longer if it means I'm going to keep the weight off. I'm developing a lifestyle, not just doing this to achieve a goal and then to hell with everything. And that's really what it's about. If you struggle with your weight like I do, you really need to change your attitude. I know I sure did. And it's helped out hugely.

There's a quote I came across that hit me upside the head and has been my motto. "To change one’s life: 1. start immediately; 2. do it flamboyantly; 3. no exceptions”. Pretty much sums up my philosophy.

And remember ... if I can do it ... so can you!

a new workout

This morning was interesting. Couldn't get my rear end out of bed. Finally made it, got dressed and did my new cardio workout. 12 minutes. HIGH intensity interval training. Ab workout. My abs are starting to feel like they've been worked again. I've discovered that in order to make a difference, my abs have to be worked HARD. This may or may not hold true for everyone. I don't know. I can only tell you what I've experienced.

It's interesting, I was reading a blog today about nutrition and dieting and frequency of meals. And there's other things I've been reading, and they all basically say the same thing. Different strokes for different folks. What works for me might not work for you. Whether it's nutrition or exercise. One of the articles I was reading suggested listening to relaxing music to stay calm. Yes, it calmed me down. But also made me edgy. I've been a little stressed lately at work and it's showing up BIG time in my body. Weather's not helping. I like hot weather ... HATE humid weather. But I digress ... again.

So if I could share my experience with you, it would be to suggest that you try something. Anything. If it works, stick with it until it doesn't work anymore. If it doesn't work, move on and try something different. That's why I switch every 12 weeks (although I'm not 100% sure I can last a whole 12 weeks on circuit training) between circuits and strength training. I LOVE strength training. Yes, I'm a girl (eh hem) but I love being strong. I look at women who struggle to open a door or lift a box and I think I'm really glad I'm not like that. I mean, to each his (or her) own. But this works for me.

So I encourage you to do something. Never mind the weight loss, if that's what you need. Think about your health. Think about your spouse or your child(ren). If being your best for yourself isn't enough to encourage you to take care of yourself (and you SHOULD come first in your life ... not to be self-centred) because when you're at your best, you can be at your best for everyone. It's about good health, not just about losing weight. It's about being strong so you're capable and less likely to become a victim. Of course there's no guarantees in life about anything except that eventually each and every one of us will one day die. It's how you life your life that's important.

So take care of yourself. Life life to the fullest. And if you're feeling kinda crappy, send me a note. Or call a friend. Or talk to a professional. Just don't neglect the one life that you've been given. It's a privilege.

All the best!

stress is not a good thing ...

We all know it. We fight it every day. Stress. Bad thing to be subjected to. I was starting to feel a little overwhelmed today but I decided that nope! I'm not gonna let it get the better of me. Then my achilles tendon started to tight up and on the GO train home, my left hip seized. Man there are days when I'm actually feeling my age.

But I got up and worked out this morning despite the fact that all I wanted to do was stay in bed. Woke up with a massive headache which went away with a couple of Advil cold and sinus and blowing my nose really well. The price I pay for spending most of the weekend in the gardens at this time of year.

So I'm trying to manage my stress. For the most part, I'm ok. But there are days. There's lots of uncertainty at work (like we're the only ones) which makes it worse but I decided today when the anxiety and negativity started getting the better of me that whatever is to happen will happen and all the worrying in the world won't do me a damned bit of good and it certainly won't change things. I tried to tell my Mom that. and my Mum. and my girlfriend K. and other people. It's amazing how easy it is to tell somebody else what to do and how often do we just not listen to ourselves. So. Whatever happens, I will accept and deal with and move on one way or another.

Of course if it was up to my girl J. I'd be opening a B&B with her. Apparently she likes my cooking. And she LOVES to cook. And I love to host. And Barry's such an entertainer. And handyman. And J and I both love to garden. She can be in charge of growing the food and I'll be in charge of making the place look pretty.

Anyway, I'm getting silly and I must run. Great health, both physical and mental, to you all!

changing routines

So I've started my sixth week ... and I need to shake things up a bit. I've been reading the Prevention magazine annual book ... they do a 12 minute high intensity interval training ... a little shorter and more intense than what I've been doing. So I'll do it on Tuesday and expect the best. So instead of yoga I think I'm going to concentrate on ab work after the interval training. And do some yoga at night. We'll see how that goes. I'm hoping the evening yoga helps me to relax more at night and make it easier to get up in the morning.

But tomorrow is circuits so I must run and plan out my day tomorrow.

Have a great day!

going sideways

You know, I had my Friday off all figured out. I was going to get up at 4:30, work out, have a shower, make hubby brekkie and latte, he was going to go to work, I was going to clean up in the house then spent 2 or 3 hours watering my gardens. Then Saturday I was going to go to the salon, get my base colour and highlights done and then we were going to have friends over for dinner.

Yeah, right. I got up at 4:30, said to heck with it, I was exhausted and I could always work out once Barry left for work, went back to sleep thinking hubby's alarm was set for 5:30, woke up at 6:15 and found out that hubby was staying home due to a pulled back after an incident at work. Suffice it to say Friday was go, go, go, with one or the both of us having some sort of appointment. It started at 10 a.m. and ended around 8 p.m. Never did get my workout in. I was stressing and then I caught myself and decided enough was enough. In 6 months, I've missed 2 workouts because I was sick or injured. I have never "blown off" a workout. So I just enjoyed the day and Saturday became my work outside day which was better anyways because it's WAY less windy. I think we actually had a touch of frost last night too. You know, the kind that just hits your roof.

Anyway, one of the reasons I decided to give myself a break was good old cortisol. My naturopath figures that's probably why I'm not losing my belly as quickly as I should be given my fat loss in other areas. At this point I'm ready to try almost anything. With the cooler weather, I definitely want to make a point of going for at least a 30 minute walk after work, and probably another 30 minutes most days at lunch, although I don't want to get too sweaty at lunch then have to go back to work in sweaty clothes. This is in addition to my morning workouts. Yes, I'm a woman on a mission.

Oh yeah, tried on a coat that fit well last year ... way big. Tried on a coat I bought probably 5 years ago (man I must be getting old ... I thought it was only a couple of years), fit BEAUTIFULLY! Tried on my mom's old coat. So I'm rather more well endowed than so the coat didn't quite fit past my waist.

But I must tell you all ... I have THE most wonderful hubby I could possibly ask for. I made a BIG brekkie for J and her dad and Barry and I, then they left and Barry and I had latte ('cause it wouldn't be Saturday without latte), then I wanted to get working on the outside so Barry washed and dried all the dishes (and there were lots) and then put the remaining 3 door handles on my office cabinet doors. He did all this while still feeling the effects of the pulled muscle. And he's so supported of my weight loss efforts and puts up with a lot but it means the world to me and I think (or at least I hope) that he knows that.

And he's at it again ... grillin' burgers for dinner so I must run. So to speak ...
Sunday's supposed to be a GORGEOUS day so get outside and enjoy ... go a walk perhaps????

Be well.

women's health

Well, it's been almost 6 months since my experience of mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy. Thankfully everything was clear. Maybe it's because it's almost that time but my left breast (the one that was biopsied) has been hurting lately. Not all the time, just from time to time. It's probably muscular from the workouts. Anyway, Oct 7th is D-Day so we'll see what happens.

So for women who go through this whole process, try to remember that it's pretty routine now. Technology has gotten so much better that they're seeing a lot more than they used to. And of course cysts (which are harmless) show up too ... that's what mine was. I was fine with it and then I got more and more stressed with each additional test (first a mammogram, then another mammogram and ultrasound, then an appointment for a biopsy which got completely (&#)@)% up, then another one, only to find out that it was most likely a cyst. Thank you very much. This time round I got both the mammogram and ultrasound booked at the same time. Yeesh. So ladies, take good care of the girls....they serve you well.

One of my girls K (not THOSE girls) is looking at a hysterectomy in the near future. Been there, done that. Not fun. But OMG so totally worth it! They found fibroid and polyps, fortunately all benign. At least I kept my ovaries. She might not. But her situation is worse than mine was. So I've been encouraging her to go ... she's been in enough pain and she's finally gonna go. I think. I hope.

Ladies ... take care of yourselves. Take the time to go to the doctor for an annual checkup. Get your blood sugar, cholesterol, horomone levels (when appropriate) and anything else your doctor wants to check YOU for. Find a good naturopath who will help get you through the tired, listless, stressed out times. Detox ... great idea. Basic supplements of multivitamin, essential fatty acids, lots of Vit. C (especially this time of year), B complex and calcium/magnesium with vit. D. Those are the basics. And man what a difference!

Men ... yes, I've included you for this post ... make sure the women in your life take care of themselves. Give them a break from time to time. Most women I talk to comment about going to their second jobs at night. One for which they get paid nothing. Help the girls out. Make dinner, do dishes, put the kids to bed. Give the girl some time to herself. She'll be a lot better for it.

We women, for some reason, think we're wonder women. We've taken multi-tasking to a whole new level and everything and everyone takes priority over us. Ladies ... STOP THAT! Please. You're only one, amazing, wonderful, talented, special person. But you can only do so much before you burn out.

Even if it means getting up before the rest of the house and working out, reading a book, having a bath .... whatever. Just take care of yourself. Everyone, especially yourself, will thank you.

on a serious note

ok ... so I usually blather on about what I've been up to lately, my struggles, triumphs, etc. I so appreciate the encouragement ... you have no idea. And while yes, I had a great day, today's not about me. It's about something a whole lot more important ... and I think it's a really good thing this isn't a video blog....

I'm sure most if not all of you have heard that Patrick Swayze died of pancreatic cancer the other day. From what I've read of him, he was an amazing human being. Apparently he was diagnosed just about the same time he started shooting A&E's "The Beast". And despite brutal days among chemotherapy, he opted not to use drugs. He wanted to be sharp and on top of his game. I cannot fathom the grit that took. And for someone is "Hollywood" to remain married to the same person for 34 years ... and they were only 23 when they got married ... is almost beyond comprehension.

Pancreatic cancer is one brutal illness. My dad was diagnosed with a carcinoid (cancer-like) tumour not too long before I got married. Of course my brother sat me down and we had "the talk" that Dad probably wouldn't be around to walk me down the aisle, or at least wouldn't be able to. Well, my Dad was a tough old army guy during the Second World War (drill sargeant to boot) and he never went to radiation or chemotherapy. But 10 years later, after 1, 2 then 3 stents in his pancreas to keep things moving around the tumor, he finally passed. It's hard to believe that will be 8 years ago in November. It was a long, painful, difficult disease and one which I wish no one else else would have to go through. We almost lost him a few times, but he kept bouncing back. Until Friday, September 14, 2001 (THAT was the week from hell given that I also worked in commercial real estate and property management). That was the beginning of the end. We didn't lose him then but he didn't bounce back this time. He got progressively weaker, we had to get a hospital bed for him, personal support worker daily, a nurse and doctor once a week. When they weren't around, guess who got to change his diaper??? Yes, I was the lucky one. Of course I tried to leave him with some dignity but that wasn't going to work so the silly bugger's response was "don't laugh ...." THAT was my Dad. I miss him very much but I was so lucky to have him as long as I did. He almost made it to 80. But he couldn't do it. And he was one of the youngest in his family to die so I'm hoping I've got the Price longevity....

So I guess the moral of this story is to take care of yourself. Appreciate life. Don't take others for granted. And if you don't like something in your life ... change it. The change may not be able to happen overnight, but don't settle for drudgery and misery. Whether it's a job or a bad marriage or being overweight and feeling really down on yourself, pick yourself up, get as much support as you need, 'cause there's always support if you look for it, and make your life as great as it's supposed to be. We haven't been put on this earth to just coast or exist. We need to make a mark on life. In whatever way that may be for each of us.

I think that's it for now ... don't forget to eat your fruits and veggies ... very important.....LOL

progress!

OK. So a lot of people are noticing the changes in me which is great. Unfortunately I haven't really been one of them. I mean, I know I've lost fat, firmed up muscles, definitely have WAY more energy then I have had in a long time, despite the ungodly hour I get up at.

Today was great. I started a new circuit workout and I was able to actually watch myself. I have 1 mirror in the gym and it's not very big and not in the greatest position for the Bowflex. It was actually meant for the bench. Anyway, I digress, as usual ... So I was doing hamstring extensions (think handle around foot, standing up facing machine and pushing leg back away from machine). OMG I noticed definition! I've had lots of muscle for a long time but it's been a while since I actually saw definition! That was cool. Then I was doing hammer curls on the Bowflex and noticed definition in my arms. I was a little stoked to say the least...

So my point to this is never give up. Just keep giving it your all (or at least as much as you can) and eventually you WILL see results. But I'll tell, for those who only have maybe 10 or 15 pounds ... nip it in the bud. Taking off 40 or 50 pounds is one MAJOR undertaking! And over 40 ... OMG! But it can be done ... as Bill says "Do it with Passion and pride!"

Thanks for all your encouragement along the way. It helps more than you'll ever know ....

another week starts ....

Today was cardio and yoga day. Not the best workout I've ever had. I was so still and sore from sitting on my rear most of yesterday, I had a really tough time getting it together. But at least I got up and did it. And I've eaten quite well today. Which is good 'cause yesterday was horrendous! but it was my free day so it was allowed. I just couldn't seem to stop eating. Yeesh!

Anyway, today's a much better day. Got some more veggies and fruit, had a quiet day but Barry and I went out and picked up a cork board and a dry erase board for my office and he installed them (of course you KNOW they're lined up withing a millimetre of each other) and then got 1 handle on my upper cabinets installed and it fought him all the way, including breaking off his drill bit so he finished the handle, installed the door, cleaned up and called it a day. Maybe if he does one a night we'll have them finished by next weekend (since he's out for 2 evenings this week) and there's only 3 doors left. My hero!

This is all in an effort to get and keep myself better organized and develop better habits. I've been very bad about actually using my office. It keeps getting better but I keep being sloppy. Things just accumulate on my desk of their own will it seems. But now I have a place to put reminders and pin up things I have to deal with.

Right now the cork board is pretty empty. My 12 week goals are posted on the cork board and my goal date of November 7/09 is written on the whiteboard. Keep your fingers crossed for me that I'll actually continue to utilize these tools. The cabinets that Barry was wonderful enough to install for me months ago sit mostly idle. I really gotta get my act together. But gardening weather hit and i'm kinda useless inside when it's nice out. Of course this weekend I've been rather useless outside too. But that's ok. After last weekend, I needed a break.

We all need to give ourselves a break once in while. It's good for our souls.....

So tomorrow is the first day of a new routine. Wish me luck!

Second wind ....

Wow! I finally feel like a have a second wind. I admit I got bogged down by a bunch of crap. But today I felt amazing. My workouts have been great this week, I felt strong and looked good today. I can hold my head high and be proud of what I've accomplished. Which is not intended to be braggy or cocky or anything. I think everyone who sets goals and goes out and accomplishes them should be proud of themselves. It's hard work. Harder for some than for others.

So onwards and upwards. Tomorrow's my last workout day this week. I think I'm actually going to have an easier day on Saturday rather than busting my butt in the garden. I'll water, do some planning, cut back some plants ... but I'll leave the weeding and digging for Sunday. And I'm starting a new set of exercises next week. Just what I need to really jump start my program.

Have a great day!

So I had an epiphany this morning.

It finally hit me that I really have been obsessing about the details of how to get rid of this excess fat. Rather than looking at the big picture and keeping my eye on the prize as it were, I was obsessing. So thanks Jen for keeping it real for me.

When I was following Body for Life, there was a "thought for the day" which I haven't been following. I realized this morning this is the type of inspiration I need, not worrying about whether I'm consuming an extra 100 calories one day, or what exactly is the food makeup.

So as of tomorrow I will refocus, read my "thought for the day" and keep my goals in mind and as they say, "what the mind perceives, the body achieves" or something along those lines.

Here's to your good health. Keep smilin'!

Confusing times ...

I was reading the last Prevention magazine, checking out a couple of nutritional websites and realized (not for the first time either) that we've become so inundated with information, misinformation and confusing information that it's so hard to figure this health and weight loss thing out. It's no wonder people are getting fatter all the time!

Middle aged women used to tell me to enjoy the fact the I could lose weight without too much trouble in the 20's. I thought "how hard can it be when you're older???" Well, I'm finding out. The weight loss is very slow, pretty steady, which actually is ok. I'd rather take a year to get where I want to go and stay for years rather than get there in a hurry and then end up back where I started, or worse.... I still can't believe 45 is just around the corner. And OMG my brother's going to be 60! YIKES! So us sublings will be in our 40's, 50's and 60's at the same time. Yeesh. But I digress....

I may have mentioned this earlier but my naturopath commented one day that instead of trying to lose weight and get healthy, focus on getting healthy and the weight will come off. Reverse thinking but it's just so crazy it might work! I admit I've been a little obsessive about the whole thing lately. My last appointment was rather disappointing. And I've been trying to figure out how to get this thing going again...

So it's time to get back in touch with Karam, sit down and figure this thing out. I know a lot of it is trial and error. There could be any number of things going on. This natural approach to things takes time and patience. I'm not very good at the patience thing, although I am getting better.

So I'll keep doing what I'm doing and tweaking things and as long as I keep making progress, even if it's slowly, I'll stick with it. Back up tomorrow before the birds, the sun and the vast majority of our little world around here, circuit training and healthy eating. And I suspect if I just relax about the whole issue a little, I'll probably make more progress. I was before I got obsessed. I will again ....

Later...

Something different ....

I know I talk a lot about what I've been doing and how things have been going. The reason I do this is two-fold. Mostly to encourage others - to let them know if I can do it, so can they. The other is to keep it in front of my face at all times. This is a commitment I made several months ago. To communicate daily, to encourage others and to remind myself what I'm doing and why I'm doing it.

But I would love to hear from you. What are your successes ... your setbacks. There are no failures. Just opportunities to learn from.

How have you been? What your struggles? What are your goals? I'd love to hear from you.

another good day

had a good workout, ate well all day. went to our neighbour's party ... still didn't eat a lot. Not exactly what's on the plan, but you gotta be able to adapt once in a while.

it's weird, since I've been working out for going on 6 months solid, and eating healthy, etc. I find my tolerance for rich food and alcohol and diminished considerably. and that's ok with me. I'd much rather drink water and not eat junk and workout regularly and not be able to keep up with the partying. I mean, I still love to go to parties and host them but it just means that I adapt ... choose food wisely and have a couple of drinks but moderation is the key. Hey sis ... hear that ... moderation ... can you believe it! It's never been my strong suit.

One of my girls thinks I'm being obssessive about this whole lifestyle thing. She doesn't understand that I have to be just a little obsessive to keep it in the front of my mind so I don't slip back into unhealthy patterns. It's just the way I am. And I'm ok with that. I'll try not to bore people with it. But it's important to me. I'm on a roll and I have to stay on it. I've only come down 2 dress sizes in the past 6 months but I feel better, I have way more energy (normally) and my old patterns didn't work for me. My first 12 weeks was on a stregth training program. After that I started circuit training. But I was only circuit training 3 days per week and eating "healthy" but not to a plan. It only took about 10 days before I felt like I was losing my momentum.

Everybody's different. Some people can use the whole moderation thing. Some peopel are REALLY obssessive. I think I'm somewhere in between.

We went to a our neighbour's birthday party, practiced food and alcohol moderation, drank lots of water and had a good time. I was tired from a day in the garden but I really wanted to go. They've invited us to so many things and have only attended a few and they always come to our parties. That's what friends do.

Until tomorrow.

Labour Day Weekend has arrived!

I don't know where this summer went. Personally, I have loved the temperatures during most of this summer. The rain did get to me though. But certainly can't complain about that now! So I'll be weeding, cutting back dead growth, weeding, walking, weeding, replacing plants, weeding, etc. etc.

We've got a party at our neighbours. And my girl (J) is turning the big 3-0 this Sunday. Woo hoo. So we're going over to her place on Monday. So it'll be a reasonably good balance between working, socializing and chilling on the deck with a cold beverage.....

We have a great evening last night with friends. We went to Tucker's Marketplace in Burlington. OMG! I couldn't believe the SIZE of a LOT of people there. They made me feel thin! NOT an easy feat.

I'm a firm believer that the food and restaurant industry has to take the lead and start cutting back on portion sizes, abolishing buffets (which just encourage people to gorge themselves) because people can't seem to take responsibility for themselves. I don't mean to sound judgement 'cause that's not what I mean. I understand the irony given my size. But I've learned the error of my ways. I have a different perspective now. I don't enjoy eating a lot at one time. I don't enjoy eating a lot of junk. I actually bought a large bag of Smart Food for B and I to share. I used to eat a whole bag myself.

I may be rambling (like THAT never happens), probably because I'm falling sleep. So I will bid you adieu until tomorrow.

Enjoy!

Feeling good today

Other than a tummy that has, over the course of 1 week, reverted back to where it was about a month ago, I'm feeling good again.

Got up this morning, did my circuit training workout, ate well all day, met a friend of mine for lunch, flirted with my shoe repair guy (or he actually did most of the flirting) 'cause I was wearing my sexy new black shoes. Had a fight with Bell over a $75 bill (they were going to charge me to send a technician out to fix a problem with THEIR equipment! YEESH! So we have no satellite until Saturday morning. But this weekend is all about the garden so I won't really care until Tuesday. I won that fight BTW.

Anyway, I won't be posting tomorrow 'cause we're off to dinner with friends of ours who are up from Cincinnati. We haven't seen them in 3 years. I think it's been about 4 since we saw them both. Tuckers Marketplace. man, I really hope they have a menu as opposed to just the buffet. partially due to cost and mostly due to the fact that I can't eat much at one time. We went to Quiznos for lunch today and all I had was 2 Sammies and a chocolate milk. Didn't feel the best after lunch.

I actually avoided coffee and tea today. I had 2 green teas. Didn't even really think about it. Just made up my mind to avoid the caffeine and was busy enough to keep my mind off hot drinks. Dranks LOTS of water.

It was a good day.

I think I'm back on track.

I feel like I've come out of a dark tunnel. Last week was brutal. I tried to keep on track ... how well, I'm not sure but it's a lot better this week. So it's onward and upward from here!