One Step At A Time

Yoga still a No-No

2012-01-25T11:37:00.000-08:00

Well, I finally did it. I went to a Yoga class (that popular one I mentioned). I can say with completely clarity that it is NOT for me. I hated pretty much every moment of it.

Started off the class sitting cross legged and practicing breathing in and out for 5 minutes while letting the "stress of the day float away". Hey ... I had a pretty stress free day, I don't feel the need to let anything float away. I guess the actual class (where we did things) wasn't so bad, other than the instructor. She spoke so quietly that I couldn't hear anything she said. Then she walked around with her eyes half closed, half rolled back into her head ... walking like she had the worst flu in the world and every step hurt. I guess it was supposed to be relaxing, but it did nothing for me. It all felt very fake.

At the end of class she shut down the lights and we were to lay completely still and silent. For a while she was murmuring things to us (that I could barely hear). Something came over me and I got the worst case of giggles. This hum-dee-dum stuff just isn't for me. The girl who came with me nailed it when she said, "The most exercise I got was trying not to fart in the downward dog". That about sums it up for me.

I know a lot of people do it, and love it ... but it's just not for me and I won't be trying again. I guess I have no connection with my spiritual side. If I need some quiet time I'll put on a candle and drink a cup of tea. For the strength and stretching aspect, well the class didn't do it for me, so I can find lots of other ways for that.

On the flip side ..... I started a Zumba class last week with my daughter, her boyfriend's Mom & his sister. It was AWESOME! I've tried a little Zumba before and thought it was OK, but not outstanding. Then my daughter said she wanted to try it so I signed us up, thinking it would at least be a nice time with my daughter and all, but maybe not the best workout. Boy was I wrong!!!

It was one of the toughest and funnest workouts I've ever done. The instructor is this teeny tiny little Hispanic woman from Miami, Florida and boy can she move. FULL of energy and just kept us going, going, going! I looked absolutely ridiculous and clumsy, but if I avoided looking in the mirror then it was a ton of fun. I felt all kinds of muscles I haven't in a long time.

Also .... the other day my SIL asked me about getting into running. She's considering entering a 18-20Km race although she's never run before. I offered to create a training plan for her. Then it hit me ... I really need this training plan for myself. I'm at ground zero with my running. Sure I've been doing fitness classes, but running is a different beast and I am not in running condition. So, the other day, I started following the plan with a basic run 3 minutes, walk 2 minutes x 6 sets. When I started off the run felt great and I thought I'd only take/need 1 min walk breaks .... but I quickly ate my words and let myself fully enjoy those 2 minute breaks as I sure needed them.

Tomorrow will be another run day. Right now it's all gonna be on the treadmill as it's disgusting outside, and I don't have the motivation to get out in that kind of weather. The other day I was driving along and saw two women running in the rain mixed with snow and I thought to myself "was I REALLY that crazy?". Of course at the time I just thought I was dedicated, but at this point in my life I'm thinking I must have been a little insane. Funny how the stages of your life can change. At this point even if I was running regular, if it was that disgusting out I think I'd just opt for a different type of exercise rather than face the cold and wet.

Hope everyone is having a great week. I've been kind of quiet in blog-land, but I'm still around.

Take care!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Yoga? No-ga.

2012-01-13T13:31:00.000-08:00

Well, I finally decided I would give Yoga a shot. I've been anti-Yoga for some time. I just don't get the whole "become one with yourself" kind of thing. When they start talk about opening yourself to the sun and such I just zone out. But ... tons of people love it and say there are a ton of benefits. And, given how stupidly stiff I've been, I figure it probably wouldn't hurt.

So our local community club offers these free trial classes from time to time (I've mentioned them before) and I was signed up for a session last night. They offered Yoga, Pilates, Abs Only, Bootcamp & Zumba. They overlap though so you can only take two or three classes at most.

I decided to bite the bullet and try Yoga. However, when I arrived I was sent in a general direction to the Yoga room. Walked in and found two of my friends already there waiting. The instructor walked in, introduced herself, then asked who had done Pilates before. WHAT? Oops! I thought my friends were taking Yoga too, but nope, they had gone for the Pilates.

I actually did get up and go check out the other room that actually WAS doing Yoga. However, there were only 2 people in there and they were both probably in their late 60's. I decided to go back to Pilates. :) Quite enjoyed it. I used to take Pilates classes and realized yesterday that I quite miss it.

Will have to give the yoga another shot. There is a drop-in class that is quite popular. Maybe that's the one to go to. Another day Yoga .... another day!

Heidi

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You know you're low on blogging material when ....

2012-01-11T14:54:00.000-08:00

I'm still plugging away. Nothing too interesting to report. Well, maybe one thing. I dropped in on a Weight Watchers meeting and picked up the new material the other day. 3 days in, feeling pretty good, and definitely eating better.

Saw this list on Lynsey's blog and, partly due to lack of anything interesting to post, felt like doing it myself. (Thanks Lynsey!)

1. What is your favorite "diet" food?
Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches. I don't like most bars or "diet" products.

2. What is your favorite movie?
I don't have a single fav, but certainly a group that I watch over and over. Christmas Vacation is probably my most frequently watched movie over the years. But then there is Dirty Dancing, pretty much anything with Adam Sandler (Waterboy, Mr Deeds, Big Daddy, 50 First Dates, Just Go With It). I also really like the movie "A Walk to Remember" with Mandy Moore and have watched that a lot.

3. Where do you WANT to live?

For the most part I quite like where I live, other than the copious amounts of rain we tend to get. I haven't seen a whole lot of the world, but I rather enjoy the Oregon Coast. It's probably much worse for rain than here though. I've only ever been there in the summer.

4. Do you have kids, want kids?

I have two teens (girl almost 16, boy 17). Do not want any more. Will wait for grandchildren in another 5 yrs or so.

5. What was the last book you read?

Not a clue. I haven't had much time to read for quite a while.

6. When at a picnic do you eat hotdogs or hamburgers?
A picnic, what is that??? Given the choice of the two I probably choose hot dog more often. I especially love Turkey Dogs!

7. Do you have a strong faith?
I believe in God, I do NOT believe in church.

8. Can you touch your toes (without bending your knees)
Most definitely! I can reach underneath my feet actually. Though I'm sure that has more to do with my upper body being longer in proportion than my lower body - heeheee.

9. Have your ever swam in the ocean?
I have. On the west coast it is miserably cold though. In Cuba it was heaven!!

10. What is your favorite topping on pizza?
We have a strong Indo-Canadian presence where I live and they make a vegetarian pizza with special spice (you can request mild, meduim, or hot - which the latter will nearly burn the skin in your mouth) that is A-MAZ-ING! My fav is the medium spice.

1 - What do you want done with your body after you die?
Cremated. Don't waste money on me.

2 - Would you rather receive a practical gift you need or something silly that means something special?
That's a tough one. I love meaningful gifts, although my family tends to suck at that kind of thing. But I really enjoy receiving practical things because then I don't have to go out and buy them.

3 - How many pets do you have and what kinds?
Technically I have one dog, a Dacshund named Tia. But my in-laws outside dog now resides outside our front door so I kind of call her ours. :D We also have a cat named George that hangs out.

4 - If money weren't an issue, what would you buy?
At least one vacation home, if not more!

5 - What is one thing you plan on doing before 2012 is over?
Dropping the fat I gained in 2011

6 - How did you spend your last birthday?
Doing S.F.A! And not so happy about it. Wasn't much of an exciting day.

7 - What are you hoping your next NSV will be? (Non Scale Victory)
Completing one of my fitness classes without having to modify any moves and doing them all at the highest intensity.

8 - What is your favorite healthy snack?
Diced cucumbers and tomatoes with seasoning.

9 - Do you like crunchy or creamy peanut butter?
Crunchy, but everyone else likes cream and I rarely ever eat it anyway.

10 - Do you wear your shoes inside your house?
No! I live on acreage. Any shoes coming in to my house would carry way too much dirt. Besides, shoes are meant for outside. You should be comfy inside and comfy = no shoes!

11 - What kind of car do you drive?
Chrysler 300M (would like to have either a Dodge Ram 4X4 shortbox, or a Dodge Dakota 4x4 extended cab)

Week One

2012-01-03T15:55:00.000-08:00

Week One: Down 2.7 lbs

It's a decent start, especially considering I still have lots of changes to make. I haven't been completely faithful to my 30 days of fitness, but there has been some fitness ... including Miss Jillian Michaels. I was given an old laptop that I decided to use in my gym to play fitness videos. Unfortunately I blew up the computer trying to "clean it up". ARGH! Oh well, it was short lived and fun while it lasted. I can't get it to turn on now, and it's not worth taking in to get fixed.

New Years was fun. The kids had a "few" ;) friends over, and we were all up very, very late ... but it was a good time. I'll spare you the pictures on that one - heehee. Now life goes back to normal and it's time to put the fun times behind us and get down to business.

Today I am back to work after being off since before Christmas. It sucks! I must say I quite enjoyed my days off with no agenda. Unfortunately I've been staying up much (MUCH) too late and sleeping in late, so this morning was killer. It's late afternoon now and I can't wait to get home and have a little nap on the couch.

The best change I've made this past week is to add water back into my life. I got a cute smoothie cup for Christmas and have been using it to drink water. It's funny how something like a new cup can help with that.

Hope everyone had a wonderful New Years and I wish everyone the best for 2012.

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

2011-12-27T21:54:00.000-08:00

♫ ♪ ♫

On the second day of fitness,

my true self said to me,

"Drink Water!"

♫ ♪ ♫

Today's personal challenge was to drink a minimum of 8 cups of water. I'm currently at 7 and will have the last cup before bed.

Got in a 50 min walk before the monsoon rains began this afternoon. :( Walk was good though, but it's now currently POURING so don't know what tomorrow will hold.

Also today I recorded my weight (Eeeekkk!) and measurements (Yikes!). Let's just say I've got some work ahead of me.

Heidi

♪ First Day of Fitness ♫

2011-12-26T11:02:00.000-08:00

♫ ♪ ♫

On the first day of fitness,

my true self said to me,

"Enough is Enough!

Get your fat ass moving"

♫ ♪ ♫

And so it began .... another of my "infamous" 30 Days of Fitness!

It's been a while since I've been around here, but it's time to come back and do things right. 2011 has been a great year in many areas of my life ... fitness and weight have not been among those. It's time to fix that.

This morning began with a 30 min walk, and a healthy breakfast. Now it's off for a little Boxing Day shopping, and perhaps another walk this afternoon.

Hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas. This year was one of the best we've ever had. Had a lot of fun and we're surrounded with family and friends. Lots of laughter and good times.

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

The Domino Effect

2011-11-22T13:32:00.000-08:00

I just LOVE the Domino Effect...

The domino effect is a chain reaction that occurs when a small change causes a similar change nearby, which then will cause another similar change, and so on in linear sequence.

(source for picture & quote)

Last week I mentioned that I went to a boot camp class. Originally I had asked my daughter & her boyfriend to come try out one class. Then, I asked them to commit to five. Then I asked if boyfriend's Mom wanted to come, which she did. So already there, we have a little domino effect.

Now .... my son has decided he wants to come every 2nd week (mostly with the objective of one-upping his sister's boyfriend, who is also his buddy and they are highly competitive with each other). Last night he even did a workout at home to get in a little extra training before the next class. He already plays soccer and is fairly fit, but wants an extra edge. HAHAHA. My husband has also decided he wants to come give it a try and see how he does.

Boyfriend's sister may also join us as she's trying to get in shape. Then last night I heard that his family had a little "plank" contest to see who could hold it the longest. His Dad (age 55, and while active, it is limited to his somewhat physical job and daily walks) held a plank for over 2 1/2 minutes. Not bad! I'm impressed.

I get so inspired by this. And of course when it's people that are so tightly knit in my personal community it's is even more encouraging. Last night I hit up the gym for my own personal bootcamp type workout (limited to my small gym). Basic format:

Run 2 min at 7 - 9mph .. increasing 1mph at every 2nd set
Upper Body move x 2 sets alternating with Lower Body move
Lower Body move x 2 sets alternating with Upper Body move
*Repeat above 3 times but change Upper/Lower body moves
1:00 - 1:30 minute plank
Obliques x 15/side
Reverse Curls x 20
*repeat all of above for another set

This workout took me about 45 minutes to complete. In total I ran 1.6 miles in 12 minutes which is an average 7:30 pace (not that I could hold that up for ANY extended amount of time).

It felt GOOD! And I felt so pumped afterwards.

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

First Snow

2011-11-18T11:45:00.000-08:00

We got out first snow of the season last night...

(picture from this morning, stolen from my daughter)

Not quite enough for us to do our snow removal, but hopefully the start of a long season!

It started just after work last night and came down pretty quick and hard. There was about 2" of wet, slippery snow on the road last night as we headed out to boot camp, speaking of which...

Last night I took a boot camp class with my daughter, her boyfriend, and his Mom. I'm trying to encourage my daughter to get more active, and her boyfriend has been feeling unfit since he's not doing much physical work these days. So I roped them into committing to a minimum of 5 bootcamp classes with me. Hopefully they will get the bug and continue.

I hadn't taken this particular class in a while, and it was a good one. It's only 45 minutes long, but you go, go, go the whole time. As usual I can feel the results of the squats & lunges. But it's a good feeling!

Heidi

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Thumbs Up!

2011-11-16T10:44:00.000-08:00

Another positive workout session yesterday. Did a Bosu Ball class (my favourite) last night and even though I'm still staying on the lower end of intensity, I felt stronger than I have in a long time. The instructor typically offers up to three levels for most moves, graduating from level 1 to 3. I've been doing two sets of level 1, then the final set at level 2 ... unless it's a move that I'm stronger at then I follow her through all three levels. This format is really working for me right now because I'm not exhausting myself and I'm able to complete the class feeling accomplished.

Tonight will be another 30 min run on the treadmill. One of these days I'll have to cover a little longer distance, but not yet. I'm happy here!

Over the next few days it's time to get serious about taking down the fall decorations. Can't have pumpkins & Christmas decor out at the same time. It's not Costco here!!

Heidi

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A Little Secret

2011-11-14T15:55:00.000-08:00

I'm almost afraid to say this .... so, shhhhhhhhhhhh ....

I'm ..... enjoying ..... running .... again!

I honestly don't know what it is. Maybe cooler temperatures. Maybe leaving the Garmin behind. Maybe running with my big dog. Maybe running alone.

Whatever it is, I'm happy!

I've done 3 ~5K runs this week. Two on the road, 1 on the treadmill - and I honestly enjoyed every one of them. Not a clue what my pace was, and I don't care (for now).

Maybe I'm just done feeling sorry for myself. Done with looking in the mirror telling the reflection what a waste of time this last year has been. I'm moving on. Starting from scratch (well, not quite). But I'm rebuilding the wall.

AND ... I have a goal. It involves improving on this race in 2012. This will require some regular, consistent, progressive training, and a definite reduction in weight. I'm also seriously considering a "fun-run" half marathon for 2012. While I still have goals in mind for that distance, it's not one I want to focus on just yet - but I do want to do another half regardless of time. My goals for that can sit on the back burner for a while and be resurrected when it feels right.

My goals this week are 3 runs of at least 5K and 2-3 fitness classes.

Heidi

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Back??? ♥

2011-11-08T11:26:00.000-08:00

I think I'm back :) That was a much longer break from blogging than I'd anticipated, but I'm finally feeling a little urge to get back to it.

In my last post I eluded to working on something. I wanted to see how that went before I talked about it. Personally, I get sick of writing about all my "fresh starts", I imagine reading about it is 10 times worse. What I was working on was another attempt at Tosca Reno's Eating Clean Phase 1. The first week went pretty well, but I can honestly say now that it's something that I feel I just can't sustain. My lifestyle, my family, my personality ... it just doesn't work for me. While I'd love to be the model of clean eating, I am not and don't have a strong enough desire to ever be.

So ... what have I been up to??? Well, I went to Vegas. :) The men had a reason to go there, and we made a family trip out of it (all on a budget of course). It was great. A very "filled" vacation and we were constantly on the go, but still fun. My ideal vacation is a little more laid back, unscheduled, go-with-the-flow - but this was nice for a once in a while kind of thing. Being there for Halloween was a blast! Here's a few pics. I wasn't in a photography mood and didn't take a whole lot of anything so the selection is pretty slim.

The boys and their hats

Me & my girl

(it got a bit chilly one evening, good thing for $10 hoodies!)

This guy was a dead ringer for Johnny Depp

Not only did he look like him, but he acted like him and almost sounded like him.

I laughed and thought it would have been funny if it actually was him and he was just pretending to be an actor portraying him.

The kids asked if they could take a picture with him, to which he agreed and then said, "you know, we do accept tips" in that accent with the most charming smile. HAHAHA

Lion cub (behind a very thick glass wall). Sooo CUTE! When she opened her eyes she had the most amazing lashes. Just wanted to scoop her up for snuggles.

Now ... don't ask me how in the world this happened ... but I managed to lose 1 1/2 lbs while we were there. As I said, we were on a budget. And food on the strip is actually stupidly expensive (unless you're eating in a dive at 3am). Yes, I could have made better choices, but I didn't. With a family of five on a limited budget, there was no room for splurging. Sometimes we would eat at a buffet, stuffing ourselves and making it last most of the day. Often we ate at McDonald's because it was close and cheap. Even Subway was a rip off down there. We drank a lot (beer/smirnoff ice is WAY cheaper than water). $3-4 for an average size bottle of water and $2 for a large beer.

However, we did walk a TON! I would guess we averaged 10-15 Km (6-10 miles) every day. Got blisters and a broken back to prove it too! heeheee

After a couple of days at home, and consuming as much vegetables as I can cram in ... I'm down almost 3 lbs from before the trip. Now, to just keep that going. If I don't continue with this success, I do have another trick up my sleeve that I will employ in the next week or two.

That is one thing I often find when we're in the USA. Fruits/Vegetables are way more expensive than at home, often not the greatest quality, and not as easily accessible. I wish we'd had a car. There were no "normal" grocery stores nearby. If there was, we could have filled up on some produce. If I have to pay for a meal in a restaurant, the last thing I want is a spindly salad that tastes all hopped up on chemicals. I don't think I've ever had a decent salad in the US. Here you can get a pretty good salad at McDonald's. I don't know what they do to them there, but they are disgusting! Even the buffets we went to were severely lacking in fresh produce. Any vegetables were swimming in some kind of sauce, or pulverized into something unrecognizable. The last 2 days we did find one that at least had a good assortment of fresh fruit - which I consumed like crazy.

It was awesome to get away, and good to get back.

The day after we got home (which was a shock going from 20°C to -3°C), it was a beautiful sunny, crisp day. I took my big dog out for about a 3 mile run and it was absolutely glorious. It was one of the very few runs I have enjoyed this entire year. Just me and my dog, no garmin, no watch, no conversation to keep up ... just blissful silence. I finally felt that "floaty" feeling again that I've missed so much. I'm holding on TIGHT to that feeling and storing it in the forefront of my brain. I also went for a 1 hr walk with my friend and my daughter, then later that night a 2 hr walk with my whole family. It was an amazing day!

That was kind of a long-ish post, but hey ... it's been about 6 weeks! Hopefully you'll be hearing a lot more from me again.

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Be back soon

2011-10-17T12:02:00.000-07:00

Just a little post to say I'm still around, still kicking. Thanks to those who checked on me in my absence. You guys rock!

I'm working on something right now and will share when I'm good and ready. hahhaha Things are good right now, just want to keep them that way a little longer.

I'm still flitting around, commenting on others blogs, just not posting quite yet.

XOXOXO

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Wardrobe Malfunction .... Really?

2011-09-21T13:25:00.000-07:00

Is there a full moon lately? I thought we passed that recently.

First it was my phone pocket texting. Then it was nearly flashing my friend's son. And now ....

I'm in a class last night. Nature calls, so I duck out for a moment, and I notice .... a 2" tear in the seam of pants along the inner thigh. NICE! Not much I can do about it. It's not really visible and I figure I can make it through class like that.

Wasn't so bad until we started doing these squat moves where you go from standing, to sit on top of the Bosu ball, lean all the way back, then hoist yourself back up to standing. Looking in the mirror I can see the telltale flash of white flesh everytime I get up or down. NICE!

I mean ... it wasn't THIS bad, but still

source

I survived the class, but the split had progressed from about 2" to closer to 3". Still, I'm (clearly!) not one to shy away from a little wardrobe malfunction. So, when the next class I usually take began, I moved on like a trooper. The rip had been annoying me slightly in the last class, but when the next class began we warmed up with a 1 mile jog. This is when the trouble really began.

Just a few minutes into the run and my leg was getting very irritated. As I'm running I'm trying to adjust my pants in some way that it won't bother me - without success. Then, about 3/4 of the way through I tried to pull my pants so the seam wouldn't rub and I hear ..... RIIIIPPPPP. Yep, I now had a good 4" tear.

I stopped to check it out and really felt my inner thigh being irritated. Checked that out too and I had developed a big red welt on my thigh. N-I-C-E!

Ugh, I really liked those pants (thus the excessive wear they've obviously had). I had to withdraw from the class due to a wardrobe malfunction. How embarrassing! But I can laugh about it. Can't wait to see what crazy thing is in store for me today!!!!!

Heidi

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Awkward Running Moments

2011-09-20T10:52:00.000-07:00

Last night I did a little, easy, ENJOYABLE 3 mile run. Temperature was just perfect. Very little traffic. I felt pretty good and it was a positive, confidence building run. It was just peaceful .... although a little eventful.

Awkward Running Moment #172

When running, I always carry a little pack with a few items in it (ID, a little money, cell phone). My daughter was at a friends house and I was expecting her to contact me for a ride home at some point. So, when I got a text message from my daughter, I stopped to check it. It said:

What do you mean you're running late? You're not supposed to come yet, we're out for a walk still.

I thought, "Huh? What is she talking about?" So I responded, "I never said I'm running late. What are you talking about?". Then I thought ... hmmm, did I say something???? So I checked my outgoing messages, and see this:

Running late, will be there soon . Where are you? X Wu o

And I see a few more that have gone out to a few different people. Whoops! Lesson learned - lock your keypad before putting your phone into your pack. One day it's going to pocket dial someone and I'm sure to say something embarrassing.

Awkward Running Moment #172

Then near the end of my run I see my friend's car coming towards me, with my friend leaning out the passenger window waving madly at me. I assumed it was her and her husband on their way home. My friends and I are rather ... ummm, comfortable, with each other. It's a bit of a joke between us and completely meaningless. (don't judge - hahhaa).

So as the car approaches and my friend is waving all over, I grab my shirt to flip it up. Only to get part way and realize, "WAIT! That's not her husband driving, that's her 17 yr old son!!!!" Eeeeeekkkkkkkkk!!!! Poor kid. No child should be subjected to that. HAHAHA Although he has known me since he was about 5 and his Mom is at least as crazy (if not more-so) than me.

Now, to clarify things, I was wearing a sports bra under my tank so no one was going to see anything anyway. AND, my tank also has a built in shelf bra, so again, no one was going to see anything. As well, chances that I would have lifted my tank ALL the way up are pretty darn slim. But still, it was pretty funny and I think we were all a little shocked.

Made for some entertainment anyway.

Heidi

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Here we go!

2011-09-16T12:21:00.000-07:00

Last night I did another free class. This one was called "Bodysculpt" and was a weights only class. There were 2 other classes I could have taken as well (Yoga & Zumba) but I had a few obstacles and to be completely honest I didn't really feel like taking them. I know ... I know, I should have tried the Yoga. Oh well, maybe it will come up again.

I did however get two huge bowls of blackberries picked and frozen. Smoothies will be calling me!!!!

So far I've received the following challenges, all of which I intend to fully complete:

Nikki has challenged me to eat up those veggies! I won't be buying a tray, but I will put in the effort and chop and whole bunch up on Saturday. My goal is to eat at least 4 different veggies (min. 1/2 cup each) each day this week.
Kim has challenged me to add in an additional run this week, in the form of a speed workout. My plan is to do interval runs for a total of at least 3 miles. I may even do this one tonight!
Syl (who thinks she is being gentle but is probably the meanest of them all) has challenged me to a vegetarian meal complete with recipe, pictures AND a picture of myself. Oh Syl, I'm gonna get you back! :)
Fran has managed to find my little crux. As I told her earlier, I literally woke up this morning and thought of this challenge. My first thought was "Sh*#, I bet someone is gonna challenge me to do a Jillian workout!". Go check the e-mail and there is Fran's challenge. ERGH! But, I'll take you up on it. Fran has also challenged me to add in an extra run this week. I will take on her challenge AS WELL AS Nikki's. So that's two extra runs this week (total 4).

Unless further challenges come in, this is what I'm planning for the week, including what I "usually" do:

Four runs including .... a long run (8-13 miles), a good effort 5K, interval run ~3 miles (for Kim!), and an easy, enjoyable run of whatever distance makes me smile (for Fran!).
3 strength workouts including ... 2 days of classes PLUS the ~~dreaded~~ much anticipated Jillian Shred workout (for Fran)
Veggies ... eat at least 4 different veggies (1/2 cup minimum) every day this week
Vegetarian meal ... new recipe & photographed (gee, it didn't say anywhere in there that I actually had to eat it - hahhaa Syl, you need to be a little more specific *wink*)
Updated picture of me .. yes, I'm fully aware that images of myself have been lacking from this blog. There is a reason. I don't like me these days. But I'll suck it up. Maybe get my daughter to practice some photography skills.

If I missed anything ladies let me know!

We actually have some real rain in the forecast this weekend. Boohoooooooo! :( I'm not looking forward to this. I want summer back, the whole thing. I want the warmer, drier weather. I want the longer days of daylight. I want the kids out of school. I want the impromptu trips to the beach or for gelato (even though they were VERY few and far between). I want the late nights sitting around a fire. I want it all! :( But, I guess if I had that all the time it wouldn't be special, it would be normal. So, instead I will try to find the positives in this next season and enjoy life as it is given to me.

Have a great weekend!

Good luck to Fran on her race this weekend. Hope you're feeling well.

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

It's on baby!

2011-09-15T15:10:00.000-07:00

I have set forth my challenges to the other participants. Hope I wasn't too mean, but maybe mean enough to give you a gentle little boot in the patootie to do something that you've been struggling with.

And just because I am feeling extra super doodle nice today I am going to offer a gift to you. A gift of knowledge.

Here are a few things that I feel I have been struggling with. Please, by all means, do not feel you have to pick from this list. If you have something else in mind, or really want to grind it to me ..... bring it on. I'm actually probably more interested in whatever else you might come up with. It's on baby, and I LOVE a challenge! I'm very driven that way.

Tracking - I am very lax on writing down everything I eat. My memory is pretty good with this stuff, but I know that ideally writing it down somewhere keeps me way more accountable.
Strength workouts - I'm managing two times per week, but really would like to make the push to three. Although when I do have a day with a strength workout, I usually take two classes that day, but I only count it as one strength workout. What I'd like is three DAYS of strength workouts.
Cookies, chips, candy, chocolate, pretzels, sweet coffee - my weaknesses! While I don't consume them every day, there is not a single week that goes by that I don't have at least a few of those.
Veggies - Strangely enough I am lacking lately. I used to almost overdose on them, but lately I'm finding them to be a bit of an inconvenience (*aka- I'm LAZY!). Unless of course you count canned vegetable based soups ... which I do not. I know the best thing is the real deal, straight up.
Running - I know ... something else I never really had a problem fitting in. And it's not for lack of exercise, kind of the opposite. I've been cycling to work most days lately, and taking some fitness classes. Which hasn't left a whole lot of time for running, but there is still room and I just haven't been making it a priority. Truthfully, the biking is NOT that hard. It's mostly downhill on the way to work, and while the ride home is a lot of uphill, it's been hot and/or I'm tired from work and I kind of mosey my way home - not really riding hard. So I could really be putting in some effort on a few good quality runs. Lately it's been a long run on the weekend and maybe a shorter run during the week. This is not sufficient to improve this area of my fitness which is very important to me.

So, there ya go .... kick my butt!

Heidi

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Challenge FUN!

2011-09-14T12:14:00.000-07:00

Challenge participants .... see below for Week Three instructions

Gee, where have I been. Not blogging apparently. Hmmm, so what have I been up to. After last week's horrible class, I actually found myself a little stiff in the quads (completely due to the bazillion lunges we did in bootcamp, not the Jane Fonda workout). This made Saturday's long run a little challenging. My legs felt sore and heavy. I still managed to plow through 10 miles, but it wasn't pretty and it wasn't fast. My daughter's bf asked me how far I ran that day, to which I replied (somewhat disheartened) "only 10 miles today" - he gasped and nearly fell off the chair - heehee. I sometimes forget that I shouldn't add "only" for most people. It was HOT out this past weekend so we went early. My friend was running 22 miles (thus my use of the word "only") and she left her house at 5am. I met her at 6am and it was still a bit dark out. But we managed to get all the miles in before it got too hot.

Later that day I took a well deserved nap and when I went to get up, I literally collapsed and fell. My legs were DONE! :) So Sunday I took a well deserved rest day and it was greatly appreciated. Instead of exercising, I put on a pretty summer dress and watched my son bust his butt in the 32°C/90°F heat in his first soccer game of the season. They were a man short, no spare players, and it was HOT! He has a cold too so it must have been miserable. Thankfully the ref was kind (intelligent) and gave them mandatory water breaks in the middle of the game.

Yesterday I had a little fun. Our community is offering up a few free (gotta love free) sampler fitness classes. Unfortunately they are horribly unorganized so my friend and I were the only participants, but hey, personal attention and it's free! We took a Step & Sculpt class which was AWESOME. I've missed step and I love this instructor. Unfortunately she's moving to Sri Lanka soon (who does that???) so won't be around too long. :( Then we took a Zumba class. Hmmm, it was fun and I had a good time, but I think I'm too stiff and self conscious to really get into it. The instructor grew up in South America and really got her groove on. I'm REALLY glad the room we were in did not have mirrors because let me tell you ...... there was a whole lotta shaking going on!!!! I'm kinda glad it was just my friend and I because I wouldn't have wanted a lot of people to see all my body parts flinging around like that. Icky!

WEEK THREE CHALLENGE

I've cooked up something that I think will be fun for week three of the challenge. At least I hope you guys think it's fun. We all have the opportunity to challenge one another this week.

The challenge can be whatever you want to subject the other participants to. It can be to cut out a certain food for the week, try a new recipe/food/vegetarian meal, etc., try a new class or a different workout, run stairs, do a series of exercises during commercials of your favourite tv show. Whatever you like. Doesn't have to be limited to what I just mentioned. Get your creative juices going and challenge each other. Try not to be too mean, but most of us know each other fairly well through the blogging community and can probably find a little chink in the armour to challenge each other.

You get 1 pt per person that you challenge. You don't HAVE to challenge each participant, you can challenge one, you can challenge some, you can challenge all. But I do kinda hope everyone challenges everyone. So if I challenge Syl I earn 1 pt. If I challenge Syl AND Fran I earn 2 pts ... and so on.

Then, if you complete a challenge that was given to you (i.e. Missy challenges me to not eat cookies all week), then you earn 1 point for that.

So 1 pt per challenge that you put out, and 1 pt per challenge you complete.

To challenge someone either go to their blog (addresses are on the spreadsheet) and post it in their comments. It would probably be a good idea to comment back to the person who challenged you to let them know you've received their challenge.

Challenges must be made by September 16th at the latest and you have up until the 21st to complete them.

Make sense????

I look forward to dreaming up challenges and seeing what you guys come up with to beat me up!

Heidi

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Worst Class Ever!

2011-09-09T12:19:00.000-07:00

I have never wanted to leave a class as badly as I did last night. My friend and I decided to try a different class, a Cardio Step Class. I've done Step off and on for many years and thoroughly enjoy it. But not last night!

I have had instructors of all ages, all sizes and have learned not to judge based upon those factors. However, this instructor we had last night was just completely unfit and I just don't find that acceptable. Not only that, but .... I love a variety of music, I really do. And I love some of the old (typical aerobics style) '80s music. But seriously ... an entire hour of it grated my nerves like you would not believe. Plus, not only were we gifted with an entire hour of '80s music, but also a lot of the moves were your classic '80s aerobics moves that are since a thing of the past (for very good reason).

Found this video on youtube. I think I know where she got most of her moves from ....

I found myself doing my own thing through most of the class and having to push myself extra hard just to get my heart rate up ... which wasn't easy since she stopped about every 5 minutes to take a breath and/or change music. Grrrr!!! I will NEVER attend this class EVER again!

The original plan was to take this step class followed by a 30 min Abs only class. However, the instructor for the Abs class called in sick. Since I really didn't get any kind of a workout from the first class, we decided to go for a little walk then attend the Bootcamp class later that night. Unfortunately when we got there the instructor was the same as the Abs class who had called in sick. They'd found a replacement instructor (who happened to just be at the gym working out herself), but she only teaches spin classes. She did however give it her best shot, and we shared a few ideas with her and made it a decent little class.

What a fail of a night! :( Guess at the end of the day though it was better than sitting on my tushy at home eating bonbons.

Heidi

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Week TWO

2011-09-08T10:37:00.000-07:00

Action Plan ladies .... Week TWO has been added to the spreadsheet.

How are you doing?

I'm finding that I've been more accountable to myself than I have been in a long, LONG time! Still not 100% perfect, but much improved. Attended a wedding party over the weekend (SO . MUCH . FUN!) and indulged quite freely there, but aside from that things have been great.

Once I take even a few days of forcing myself to eat less (i.e. reasonable) my body seems to adjust pretty quickly and that constant need to stuff myself seems to disappear. For most of this week I've managed to be much more in tune with my hunger levels. Often questioning myself in the evening on if I'm hungry and more often than not the answer is not really.

And it shows ... this week I lost 3.2 lbs!! I won't expect that kind of loss every week as I know it's just my body catching up and appreciating eating at a more reasonable level. But I'm happy with it.

I managed to get in a few strength workouts, however I did not manage to get out for my timed 10K. Just a lot of things on the go, and we're in the middle of a bit of a heat wave. I'm not willing to run after work in that kind of heat. Plus I've had a few late nights, coupled with a threatening sore throat, so I've not been willing to crawl out of bed early for a run either. I'd rather postpone this run and get/stay healthy by getting adequate sleep. I will do my timed 10K soon and just do the follow up run in October. It's all good!

My buddy Syl is hosting a GIVEAWAY over on her blog. Go check it out. I'm actually not posting this just for the extra giveaway credit, but more because I think she's awesome and everyone should read her blog,

Heidi

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Starting 5K Time

2011-09-02T11:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning I recorded my "beginning" 5K time for September. I woke up not feeling at all good. My tummy was very off. I had a fairly tight schedule for the morning, but managed to switch a few things around and was able to delay my run by an hour. Luckily by then I felt much better.

It was a beautiful crisp morning. As much as I HATE/despise/loathe/detest the thought of summer coming to an end, running is the absolute best on a morning like this. When the air is damp, there is a slight dew on the ground, and you start off with just the slightest of chills. A thing of beauty!

I decided for these timed runs that there would be no watch stopping. This would be a race situation. If I need to stop or walk, the clock will keep ticking. I also was approaching this as a race situation. There would be no wiggle room left so that I could allow for improvement at the end of the month. I was going all out with a best effort. If I can't improve by the end of the month then I can't improve, but I didn't want to fool myself into thinking there was improvement, so it was all or nothing.

Gotta say ... I kinda shocked myself. It was an INCREDIBLE run. I have not had a run like this in quite some time.

My initial time for the Cardio Challenge

for 5K was 26:32 - 8:34 pace

I have not hit that pace over ANY distance yet this year. In fact, I have not hit better than that pace on a straight through run (i.e. no watch stopping) since October last year.

I am SOOOO happy!

Of course this will make it a little harder to get the amount of improvement I set out. I had wanted to improve this time by 1 minute by the end of the month. That would put me at 25:32. My PR over this distance is 24:53. Can't say I have a ton of confidence, but I'm going to give it my all and try. When I decided upon that 1 minute improvement goal I figured it would take me somewhere between 28-29 minutes. I figured my "improved" time would be 27 or better. So yeah, I'm a little shocked, but very, VERY happy!

This weekend I'll be setting my 10K time.

I want to send out best wishes to my blogging buddy MARCELLE who is running her VERY first half marathon this weekend, and I believe just her 2nd race ever. AWESOME! She is going to smoke it and I'm so proud of her. Good luck Marcelle!

Heidi

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September Cardio Challenge

2011-08-31T15:44:00.000-07:00

ACTION PLAN

Cardio Challenge: To improve my time over the 5K and 10K distance. I will run both distances within the first week of September (a few days apart). I would like to improve my time this month by at least 1 minute for the 5K and 2-3 minutes for the 10K. To do this I will be running more consistently and reintroduce some of my old buddies (sarcasm!) hills and intervals.

Nutrition Guidelines: I will be following the Weight Watchers plan. The old plan, not the new one (I don't understand that one). To earn my daily point for this challenge I will need to stay at or under my points target (22). I will allow myself additional points in the form of earned activity points. I will not be using the additional 35 weekly points as I do not find I lose weight when I do. I will adhere to the healthy eating guidelines with the occasional moderate treat (i.e. not eating 22 points in doughnuts! haha).

Planned Workouts for Week One:

Sep 1 - Timed 5 K plus hours of casual walking at an event
Sep 2 - 14 mile cycling, Strength workout
Sep 3 - Rest / Walk with a friend
Sep 4 - Timed 10K
Sep 5 - Hike
Sep 6 - Bosu Ball class & Bootcamp
Sep 7 - Interval running, 14 miles cycling

Last night I slacked off a bit and "only" did the Bosu Ball class, not the Bootcamp as well. My heart wasn't in it and my friend was leaving on vacation the next day and had her mind in other places. Still loving that Bosu class. My balance is HORRIBLE though. I really hope it improves over time. The worst is when we have the ball turned over and stand on the flat side. We're "supposed" to stand on one foot while doing upper body strength moves. I'm just going from standing on two feet FAR apart to moving them in close together. And I shake like a leaf in a hurricane, it's quite funny to see. I should be doing some additional balance work throughout the week. Hard to believe I was once a gymnast who did not so bad on the balance beam!

Heidi

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Action Plan - Week ONE

2011-08-30T13:55:00.000-07:00

Before I get into the details of week one of the Action Plan, I want to share just my weekend run with you.

On Saturday I (once again) did my longest run of the year. A few weeks ago I had planned to run 13.1 miles, without stopping, before the end of the month. My target date was to do that this past weekend.

I have to be honest and say I am not quite there with my running to cover that distance without rest breaks yet. My mind wants to be there, but my body isn't there. I accept that and will continue to work towards that goal. So, my revised goal was just to run 13.1 miles, with whatever breaks were necessary.

When I started out on my run on Saturday, a couple miles in and my tummy reacted to the early morning start that I hadn't gotten up early enough for to prepare. So, I had an unplanned stop early on. Lately my friend has been running from her place and we meet halfway (which is about 3 miles for each of us), then we run together. Because I had to stop, she ended up running 4 miles and I only ran 2. This would mean that with the route we planned, my overall distance would be shorter. So, I figured I'd end up with 11-12 miles and that would be that.

My friend is training for a full marathon, so we've been meeting up, running a loop together, then I get my bike and ride alongside her to finish up her mileage. As we finished up our loop together, I was at 12 miles, but didn't feel like I was dying. I really wanted to run at least the 13.1 miles, so decided to tack on another "little" block. Whoops ... didn't realize that "little" block was 2 miles.

I ran 14 miles! And I actually felt pretty darn good. That's my longest run this year, and probably the longest I'll do as I'm not interested in longer distances. I still want to do the half without stopping, but for the next month I want to work on intensity and speed over the 5 and 10K.

Now, onto the Action Plan Details .....

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Action Plan - Week One

I have e-mail a link to the spreadsheet for anyone who was interested in joining along. If anyone else is interested, or you didn't get the invite to the spreadsheet, let me know. Remember this is NOT a competition against each other, it's only against yourself.

Each item below is worth 1 point. And if you choose to skip an item, your choice. Week One will have a little more to record as it's all the starting info.

Record your starting weight
Record your starting measurements (suggest at least Chest, Waist, Hips, Thighs, Arms).
Take a beginning picture
Choose a cardio challenge and post what you are doing. Remember to note what you did, where, maybe even what time of day, as you will want to duplicate this at the end of the month to note your progress
Record time for cardio challenge
Strength workouts - Earn 1 pt per strength workout (up to 3 times) - the fitness test can count as one
Daily Activity - earn one point that you do 30 minutes or more of activity. If you do a 30 min strength workout you double your points because you'll get one for a strength workout and one for activity
Daily Nutrition - earn one point per day that you stay within your personally established healthy eating guidelines. It would be interesting if we each posted what we're doing, but that's not required.
Do the following fitness test and record results:

Count # of push-ups in a 1 minute period
Time how long you can hold a plank
Time how long you can hold a wall sit
Time 1 mile run (ran as fast as you can)

If you have any questions I'm always happy to answer.

Heidi

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Action Plan! Are you in?????

2011-08-25T15:33:00.000-07:00

WOW, I'm an idiot. All those years in Honours Math (with a minimum of a B) have obviously not served me well in my adult years. Apparently I can no longer do simple math.

Yesterday I said that I had gained 21 lbs. Later in the day I was thinking about it and realized my math was wrong. It's "only" 17.6 lbs. OK, so not a whole lot better, but maybe not quite as bad. Actually, it does make me feel a little less of a failure.

So, I've been chatting with Syl about doing a September Challenge. There also seems to be a number of my bloggers buddies out there who are currently struggling in one way or another. Maybe we all need some sort of a challenge. I'm doing this for me, but would love the support of a few friends. Anyone who wants to join in is welcome.

Here's the gist of it:

Challenge runs from September 1 - 30
First week of September you will record a time for a cardio challenge (run or bike or whatever cardio form you'd like to challenge) over whatever distance suits your fancy. The last week of September you will challenge this same route/distance and record your improvement.
Same thing with a few strength, flexibility, and maybe endurance tests. These will all be posted by the end of this month.
You will also record weight & measurements at the beginning and end of the month. No need to report them if you are not comfortable with that, but it would be interesting to see everyone's results. I'd also strongly recommend taking a picture of yourself from various angles at the beginning and end of the month.
You will earn points for activities (i.e. min 30 min activity, completing a strength workout). More importantly (for me and maybe some of you), you will also earn points for staying within your chosen diet.
You can do whatever you choose for training along the way, but I will suggest some challenges along the way for bonus points.

I will create a Google spreadsheet for us all to keep track.

This is NOT a challenge against each other. Rather just working together towards success. The earning of points is simply for inspiration.

Also, it's completely open to whatever your personal choices are. For example, my cardio challenge will be a timed 5K and 10K, and I will be following the Weight Watchers plan. Someone else might be to improve their time on a half marathon, or 10K of cycling. And maybe their eating plan will be counting calories, or South Beach or something they have personally developed to suit their needs. The idea is to have a plan, and follow it.

So .... are you in??

Heidi

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Revealing the Truth

2011-08-24T14:38:00.000-07:00

As I've been mentioning lately, I've gained weight. A fair bit (we'll get to that later).

I spent a number of months at the beginning of this year living in a cocoon. Zapped out by stress and instead of turning to the healthy eating and exercise that lowers stress, I turned to cookies and (as my friend loves to say) "sittin' on the couch letting my ass grow". Not ideal!

It took me a while to start to get my groove back. In June I challenged myself to 30 Days of Activity. This was definitely the moment where things started to turn. I finally began to get active again. I'm now at what I call my "Happy Activity Level". I'm exercising most days, getting a good variety in, and for the most part enjoying it.

So ... what's left? I gotta get this weight off. Now, for the revealing moment. While I have been pretty open that weight has been gained, I'm pretty darn sure numbers have not been mentioned. You may have noticed there has been a significant reduction in pictures of me in quite some time. That is because I can not stand to look at myself in pictures right now. No, I don't think I'm disgusting, but I am not happy with where I am compared to where I was.

I have gained .... 21 lbs since February. At least 15 of that was gained in a 3 month stint. That is a pretty short time period to put on that much weight. My weight as of yesterday morning was 164.2 lbs. Sharing this is a hard pill for me to swallow, but it's time to get it out there in the open.

During bootcamp yesterday I revealed these numbers to my friend during our warm-up run. She was actually shocked and didn't realize it was that much. She asked me if I had not lost ANYTHING with all this exercise we've been doing - which the answer is not only NO, but that I have gained a bit more. It's all about what I'm eating.

I can NOT gain anymore weight. Any more and I will not fit into my clothes, and I can NOT afford (mentally or financially) to shop for new "fat" clothes.

While it's sad and frustrating to have let myself go this far, at the moment I'm actually past that. I'm not wallowing in it anymore, which is why I'm finally sharing. I'm mad and ready to take action.

Yesterday was successful. I planned out my meals for the day, and even though some logistical problems derailed the supper I had planned to make, I made adjustments and stayed within plan. My life will ALWAYS need adjustments. I just have to want this bad enough and do what is best for ME.

Please ... feel free to ride me. Nag me. Ask me constantly how I'm doing. I can not hide this weight gain behind a screen anymore. It's real and it needs to be dealt with.

Heidi

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Less time, more effort?

2011-08-23T11:28:00.000-07:00

I wanted to do a little follow-up after my CrossFit review from last week. For anyone who was considering trying this, but is now discouraged because of my review ... please do NOT be discouraged. Go out there and give it a try and form your own opinion.

Also, since our experience, I have received some feedback that perhaps this particular location is a bit known for being rather eccentric and extreme. Apparently this is not a fair example of what Crossfit really represents. While they may, in general, follow some of these opinions to a certain degree, this location seems to be known for being a little more closed-minded.

That said, my friend and I have decided NOT to go back for our 2nd session. I bounced the idea around for a few days, my friend had left the decision up to me. When I told her yesterday I didn't really want to go again she seemed relieved.

***********

In other news, did a 10K run on Sunday morning that was absolutely sucky. I really struggled through it. It was quite muggy and I just ... struggled. I think I had to walk 4 times and had someone offered to pick me up I just might have taken them up on it. I'm really noticing these days that this extra weight has slowed me down substantially! My mind wants to go faster, but I just can't make the ol' bod' do it - then I get frustrated and shut down. It's becoming clearer and clearer that if I'm going to have success (and enjoy) running again, I NEED to lose weight.

After the run we visited some friends who made us the most amazing Prime Rib dinner. It was too die for, and I completely overdid it. This is something I get to enjoy maybe once a year and I didn't regret it - despite my revelation that I really need to get serious about some weight loss. I know I keep saying it, and you know .... one day I'm actually going to mean it.

***********

Last night I spent a little time doing some meal planning, and I've really been pushing my family to ride my butt about eating better. I know it's up to me, but I'm needing their support right now. I actually WANT them to call me out on my bad eating habits.

Started my day off well with 2 pcs of light bread and an egg. Trying to incorporate protein throughout the day to keep me from hitting the hunger highs and lows. Lunch/snacks today consist of: vegetable soup, crackers, a kiwi, cucumber slices and 10 almonds. Planned dinner is spaghetti (portion controlled) with a meat & vegetable pasta sauce. And I've even planned to have ONE cookie tonight - better to be planned than to crave and binge. Exercise today is my beloved Bosu Ball class. Not sure if I'll add on the bootcamp class as well, or just push it as hard as possible for the one class.

Although I already try pretty much my hardest when I workout, I'm wondering if I can put in a little less time but a little more effort and still get the same results. I think that's possible. My mind is turning that way for running right now. Perhaps at this point I'll have better success in weight loss if I focus more on running shorter distances faster, rather than just trying to 'make it through' the longer distances. Any thoughts? Is less time but more effort more effective? I'm just wondering how much more effort I can give - there must be a little in there.

Oh ... and go check out Jamie at Sweaty Hugs who has just completed her first ever relay triathlon. She did the bike portion (17.5 miles) and after just beginning riding 6 months ago she did a FANTASTIC job.

Heidi

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CrossFit Review - Distance Running makes you fat???

2011-08-19T13:48:00.000-07:00

All week I've been alluding to this new activity I was trying. Yesterday was the day. Unfortunately, as I posted yesterday, I was beat! Luckily mid-afternoon things picked up and I felt a little better. However, arriving at the facility I was still feeling pretty apprehensive.

My friend and I signed up for 2 free trial classes at a CrossFit gym. I'm having a hard time explaining what CrossFit is exactly. I did find this video which might give an idea:

... and this explanation:

CrossFit is the principal strength and conditioning program for many police academies and tactical operations teams, military special operations units, champion martial artists, and hundreds of other elite and professional athletes worldwide.

Our program delivers a fitness that is, by design, broad, general, and inclusive. Our specialty is not specializing. Combat, survival, many sports, and life reward this kind of fitness and, on average, punish the specialist.

Though that still doesn't really give you an idea. So far I can really only describe the experience we had. Our class was really quite short, but very intense. We started with a warm-up of the following:

5 chin-ups
100M sprint
5 burpees
10 squats
..... x 3 sets

The chin-ups are done on a bar and are to be done from full hanging, quick thrust, to head above bar. Luckily they had these assisting bands that you could put your feet into which would reduce your body weight that you had to lift. There is absolutely NO WAY I could have done this with full body weight. I had to use the strongest assistance band they had ... and it was still tough.

After this, we were told that our squats were way, WAY too slow and our burpees were too slow and not intense enough. We then began "the workout":

5 chin-ups
5 burpees
10 squats

Doesn't sound like much, does it? We were to aim to do 15 sets of the above in 15 minutes. My friend and I made it through 10. Everything is done fast, fast, fast - deep, deep, deep - hard, hard, hard. The exercises themselves don't sound that hard, but when you are going that hard and deep, they are killer! In 15 minutes I was dripping a ton of sweat, probably more than I've ever dripped in that short a time period. It was intense!

Burpees are all the way down and out, chest to the floor, back to feet and jump up - and done quick, quick, quick! The instructor demonstrated them this quick ... mine weren't so quick (fast forward to about 1 minute into this).

Now, in review, I completely understand and appreciate the benefits of these types of workouts. I KNOW they change your body in very positive ways. I'm working towards doing more of this. Apparently their workouts vary every day (as they should) and while we just did a short, intense workout - another day could be completely different - yet always intense.

In knowing how great these workouts are ... I'm not completely sold on the program. First off, there is very little I like about the instructor. Not that he's there to be liked, that's not his job. He knows his stuff and I'll completely give him that, but he came off as very arrogant and cocky. He knows best, his methods are best, and there is no other way. They offer a 6 week program, which he admits should really never be 6 weeks because this is for life, not short term (and I completely agree). But he made the statement that "if you can't stick to a 6 week program then you should just shoot yourself". What???? I get what he's trying to get across, but really???

Then there was the woman who did our consultation afterwards. I will give her credit for having an amazing body and she seemed quite knowledgeable. However, there were a few things that irked me and I can't wrap my head around them.

She asked what our goals are and what we're currently doing fitness-wise. After we told her she pretty much sat back and said "well, when you're ready to get serious about changing your bodies and are ready to give up the distance running ... then come back to us." She said that long distance running is only making us fatter and reducing our muscles and that the more we run, the less chance we have to see the changes we want in our bodies. She said if we wanted to follow their program, we would have to give up running and cycling like we are currently doing.

Now, I do know that I see better results when I'm running shorter and faster, and incorporating lots of muscle building activities. So I will agree with her to a point. But to say you have to give up an activity that you love in order to achieve a better body is just nonsense. Besides, I'm looking for balance in my life. I'm not looking to erase every "unhealthy" morsel from my diet just so that I can look model perfect. I know by not going in 100% that I won't get 100%, but I'm happy with 90%, heck I'm probably happy with 80%. I'm not going for elite athlete with a perfect body. I want a decent body and to be in good shape. It just didn't sound like there was any wiggle room there.

She also said that our bodies (in our late 30's) were much better designed to be slim than hers (at 19) because her body is wanting to have babies and to stay slim she is fighting her hormones. She said at our age, we are past that stage and our bodies WANT to be slim. Hmm, never in my life have I heard anything like that. Ever!

So, I took some good from this, I found some bad - and now I just have to sort through it and use what works for me. We have another session next week where I will give it another open look. They do offer a 3 week fat loss challenge program. It's $97 - but you can go as often as you like during that 3 weeks (up to 5x per week). It's not something I can consider right now, but possibly in the late fall, when my friend is done her marathons, I might look into it ... just for the 3 weeks, as a challenge. We'll see. Gonna sit on it and think about it for a while.

Honestly, I think my workouts have been becoming more well rounded lately. I could certainly incorporate more of the hard core, intense, short burst exercises like we did at this class - and I aim to do that. But, I still know that if I'm ever going to see the changes I want again, I HAVE to clean up my diet. If nothing else, this class did help to pound that into my brain a little more. I KNOW this is where I need the changes, but sometimes you have to hear (and see) it quite a few times before you're really inspired to make those changes.

Lately I've been working out hard and just wasting it with my diet. This is stupid! Really, REALLY stupid. I'm putting way too much effort and time into exercise, for nothing. Well, not quite nothing, but pretty much. I'm fitter, but I'm not accomplishing what I want.

Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend! My plans are all up in the air right now and I'm not certain what I'll be doing. With any luck I just might get out for a hike. Just might have to do some scrambling around to fit it in. Have a great one!!!!!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Too Much to Do

2011-08-18T13:45:00.000-07:00

Today I am really feeling it. My legs are tired. My abs are still feeling Tuesday's killer workouts. My body is just screaming for some down time. Unfortunately I'm not providing it just yet. Sometimes when I have days like this I teeter on whether I should give my body the rest it is craving, or push through and demand more from it and see how it responds. Maybe it's a test?

I do know that I'm not in any sort of pain that would result in injury. I know the difference. This is just tired body that's been working hard.

Tonight I'm doing a trial class in something new. Will explain after I've done it as I'm not really sure what to expect from it or how to describe it. From what I know it can be a pretty intense workout, but being that it's just a trial (i.e. free) class, they may take it easy on us. I already know going in that I will not be doing it beyond the two free trial classes. Even if I love it, it's just way too expensive for me. My friend is interested in it and I agreed to go along with her. I'm already dreading the 'sales pitch' that I'm sure will follow.

In other news ... my scale has officially died. The batteries keep dying and every time I replace it, it dies quicker the next time. Last time I put a new battery in I said it would be the final time. For the last few weeks we've had to beat on the scale to get it to turn on. It became a gong show - tap it softly, hit it hard, pick it up shake it ... do the hokey pokey and turn yourself around - then maybe it would work. The last two days - nothing! It's done. You can go pretty crazy with options out there, but basically I just want something reliable that will let me measure my progress (or lack thereof....). Gotta admit, I'm a little afraid that I'll get a new scale and it will show me substantially heavier than the old one. I've seen it happen. But, it will be what it will be. For me it's a necessary tool.

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Peanut Butter Chocolate HEAVEN!

2011-08-17T11:20:00.000-07:00

Did the Bosu Ball class again last night .... I'm still in love! So tough. Absolutely dripping in sweat and every muscle screams throughout the entire class. Struggled a bit last night. Probably because the last two days bike commuting to work I've felt extra energetic and have really been givin' 'er on the bike and working my legs extra. There was a lot of grunting and groaning going on to get me through that class. I'm trying to talk my hubby into trying this class one day. Ther's actually a few guys who take this class, so it's not such a girls only club.

Yesterday was 14 mile bike commute, Bosu Ball class, then Bootcamp! Phewf! I felt absolutely, blissfully drained last night. What a wonderful feeling! Today I think will be an easy today, because tomorrow should be another hard one.

Oh, and I have another new love. Though not of the healthy kind.

After class, my friend and I decided to stop at Starbucks. I hadn't had dinner, and I didn't really feel like a meal. But this little Mini Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcake was right up my alley. While it was a teensy little thing for 170 calories .... it was worth every single one of those calories - and really, was a better option than the Wendy's Spicy Chicken Burger with French Fries that had crossed my mind a few minutes earlier. This is the true meaning of indulgence in a responsible, reasonable size. YUM! My God I'm almost drooling looking at that picture on my screen. Mmmmmm!

I am NOT a Starbucks fan - which is amazing since BC has the most Starbucks in Canada, most of them in the Vancouver and surrounding area. I only ever go there if I'm with someone who specifically wants to go to Starbucks, and often I try to dissuade them. However ... for this cupcake, I may actually seek out Starbucks on my own. SOOOOOOOOOO good!

I'm tempted to try to find a recipe and make these on their own. But, I think I'm safer just spending a little extra on one of these babies once in a while. At home an entire batch would be likely to slip it's way past my lips. Better safe than sorry!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

12!

2011-08-15T12:08:00.000-07:00

This weekend I accomplished another mileage victory for the year ... 12 miles. Longest run in 2011. YAHHHHHHOOOOO!!!!!!!!

Also, only took 3 walk breaks. The first one was unintentional as we were crossing a busy street. Yes, I could have just jogged on the spot, but I don't do that. It feels silly and I see no point. The 2nd stop I needed, plus one of my friends was turning back at this point so we had a little water drink and said goodbye.

The 3rd stop I had intended to take at the top of a hill. But, for one, there was a police incident at the top of the hill and I thought it best to keep going past, and also I found I didn't really need it quite yet. I think I could have dropped that break and made it through.

The best thing was that when I was done my 12 miles, I could have ran further and finished up the half distance. This was the first long run in a while where I didn't feel completely out of gas at the end of it. Probably helped that it was a bit cooler out and overcast. Perfect running weather.

EDITED TO ADD: Oh my ... HOW could I forget this part????? Last week I did my long run at a painstakingly slow (for me) 10:15/mile pace. This week (longer distance too, by 2 miles) I did it with a 9:47/mile pace. Almost 30 seconds/mile faster. I impress me - heeheeeeeee. It's coming back baby!!!!

Took a rest day on Sunday, which I think I needed to recharge for this week. Tomorrow is my beloved Bosu Ball class which I'm stupidly excited for!!

Got another new exciting adventure I'm trying out this week. Will share later! :) I'm kind of apprehensive about it and not actually expecting to enjoy it ... but we'll see. Maybe I'll be surprised.

Still failing miserably on the weight loss. Just can't seem to stay consistent. In two weeks I'm only down 0.6 lbs, which is nothing. Heck, my scale fluctuates more than that in a 5 minute period. I don't understand why I don't want this enough to make the changes necessary. I'm certainly NOT content with where I'm at, and despite putting all this effort into physical activity, I'm apparently just not willing to put in just a bit more effort into eating less/better. I don't understand it. Perhaps I'm crazy?

Have a great week!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

New Love

2011-08-10T15:28:00.000-07:00

Gee, lately I'm full of all kinds of new experiences. It's fantastic!

I have a confession ..... I have a new love. A deep, twisted, kind of love.

My latest discovery and love ....

♥♥♥ The Bosu Ball! ♥♥♥

Last night I took a full 1 hour class based solely on this puppy. OMG, core is dying today - in a wonderful way. 5 minutes into class I knew it was going to be killer, and I knew I was in love. Instant (fatal???) attraction.

This is by far the toughest class I have ever taken. I was dripping in sweat and my body was crying the whole time. Lunges on/off the ball, running and skipping on the ball, balancing, weights.

And probably my hardest move .... push-ups with the ball turned upside down. I have a hard enough time doing a push-up on nice solid ground, never mind when it wants to wiggle around under you.

The intention was to take this class in addition to Bootcamp (which we did after Bosu). But, I do believe that the Bootcamp was in addition to the Bosu class since the Bosu was FAR harder than any bootcamp class I've ever taken.

My core is certainly feeling it today, but in a great way - not sore. I can certainly feel it in my abs, but I'm surprised how I can feel every muscle in my back. Shows how unbalanced I must be.

The instructor was also, by far, the best instructor I've ever had. She was so thorough and clear, and challenging. Plus she was super nice and I'd almost give away my kids to have her body. Whatever she's doing, she's doing right and I'm buying it (well, if I could that is). If I had oodles of money to play with I would hire this woman to be my full time trainer, no matter the cost. Even something so simple as the stretch at the end .. the most effective I've ever had.

At the end of class I asked her what else she teaches. Unfortunately I can't make any other classes of hers. But, she also teaches Zumba (which is not a drop-in class, you have to sign up for the session) AND ... she was teaching it later that night. She offered for us to stay and participate to see if we liked it. I really didn't have it in me to do 3 classes in one night, but we did stay for about 10 minutes just to check it out. I was COMPLETELY lost, but it looks like a ton of fun. It's not something I can fit into my schedule/finances right now, but it's certainly on the radar. What a blast!

Ever tried a Bosu class ... or Zumba? How'd you like it??

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Ho-Hum and a weekly review

2011-08-08T11:40:00.000-07:00

Tried a new class this weekend ... spinning. The instructor is my friend's new trainer and she was really impressed with her. We took the class at her suggestion. Plus, I've never spun before. Have thought about it lots, but been a little intimidated to try.

Everything I've heard about spinning has lead me to believe it's a very intense class that will leave you dripping in sweat. Towel absolutely required. It was a gorgeous day and I would have loved to have ridden my bike to the gym, but as I was expecting a killer workout out I left the bike at home.

To be honest ... it was OK. Maybe I'm just "bike fit" from riding my mountain bike to work almost daily lately. While I did get a decent workout, and definitely had some sweat going on ... I would far from label it as "very intense".

I consistently had my bike in a higher gear than recommended, and at a higher RPM as well. My friend that came with me was within the recommended gear range and had a hard time reaching the recommended RPM, and she said she found the class very challenging. This is the same friend that is currently training for a marathon and while we start our runs together, she's running a good 6 miles more than me on the long runs ... and kicking my butt on pace too.

Just as class was about to start, a woman got on the bike to my left ... it was a woman I know. Her, myself, and the friend I came with all went to high school together. That was kind of neat. Anyhow, this woman also seemed to struggle with reaching the recommended gear/RPM levels.

So, while obviously spinning must be a darn good workout, it would seem that I either need to reach even higher than I was, or it's just not challenging enough for me. I'll have to try it a couple more times to see. I did enjoy the class though and wouldn't hesitate to take it again. Unfortunately I can't be doing a ton of classes so will have to just fit it in occasionally. I'd rather do a bootcamp/weight class as I find that a lot more challenging.

Sunday I did another 10 mile run. It was pretty hot out, even though we left at 8AM. But, I managed to run a little further once again without needing to walk, and took less walk breaks than last week. And the pace was slightly faster. So again, more improvement.

Review of last week Aug 1 - 7:

* Ran 16 miles

* Biked 43 miles

* Walked 2 miles

* Classes - (1) Spin, (1) Abs Only, (1) Bootcamp

* Used 17/35 extra weekly points & all activity points (yes, I'm following the old WW's program again)

* Weight loss - ZIP :( Maybe next week

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Morning Runner???

2011-08-04T12:30:00.000-07:00

I am not a morning runner. I do not enjoy anything about rolling out of a nice comfy bed any earlier than I need to. I do not enjoy scouring for workout clothes while still half asleep without my contacts on (it's a small miracle I made it out the door with reasonably respectable attire on).

However ... somehow, the last two mornings I have done all of the above and ran 5K each day, finishing well before 7AM.. And I've enjoyed it! What's up with that????????

I can't honestly even say what sparked this idea. I rarely ever entertain the idea of exercising that early in the morning.

I do know from experience that this feeling will not last, so I must enjoy it while I can. There will come a day, likely soon, that I will smash that alarm when it goes off and I will not roll out of bed. I will question my sanity and realize that there really is no logical reason WHY I need to get up that early to exercise. I don't have a young family, I don't have a crazy hectic schedule that backlogs my day, temperature isn't an issue. For the most part I can fit exercise into most days without having to adjust my sleep schedule, and I prefer it that way. This is an anomaly.

Both these runs have been incredible for different reasons. Wednesday morning marked my first run in I don't know how long that I did not stop for a walk. Yes, it was only 5K, but I haven't been able to run that without stopping for a while.

This mornings run though was absolute heaven! I got a new pair of shoes yesterday (I think they are the prettiest thing on the planet so if you disagree then ZIP it!! hahaha). These are the Mizuno Wave Riders that I used to wear, before getting a more supportive shoe in the Brooks Adrenaline GTS. The Wave Riders are not as supportive a shoe as I require when doing longer distances and more mileage, but they will be my "alternative" shoe. To be used for shorter runs and "other" sports (i.e. bootcamp). That way I can save my "distance" shoes and not wear them down so quickly. It's always a good idea to have multiple shoes when you are active daily.

While these shoes are not a 100% match for me, they are 10,000 times better than the worn out shoes I've been running in and BOY did I feel the difference. Or maybe it was just that they are so darn cute! My pace was much faster today, but even better than that, my legs felt AMAZING! My legs have been feeling heavy lately, and I've been able to feel the lack of support in my heels and shins from wearing old shoes. Today felt like flying. I almost wish I had more time to have run longer. Felt so good! My "distance" shoes should be here in a few days .... I'm so excited!

Today is a super active day. Started with the 5K run, then bike to/from work 14 miles total, then tonight is my Abs Only & Bootcamp classes. I think tomorrow will be an easy day, though I'll still do something to keep the body moving.

Have a great day!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

July Recap

2011-08-02T15:15:00.000-07:00

Overall I'm pretty happy with how July went. I made significant strides in being more regularly active on a higher intensity level. While I'm still climbing back up that running fitness ladder to where I once was, I'm definitely up a few rungs. As the month progressed, so did I.

July 1-15 .... 3 runs, total 15.2 miles
July 16-31 ...6 runs, total 38.0 miles

for a total of 9 runs - 53.2 miles

I was shooting for 60 miles in July, so I'm a little short, but it's still my largest mileage month since January and it's 21 miles more than last month. Improvement for sure! The runs are starting to get a bit easier, but still far from easy. There is still a mountain to climb.

In addition to the running I have also biked 217 miles (on a mountain bike with big knobby tires which requires significantly more effort than a road bike), as well as participated in 3 exercise classes and many walks (often 1-2 hrs+). I'm happy with this!

********************

Saturday I did my longest run of the year (10 miles). Rode my bike over to a friends and we ran from her house around town. Weather was pretty hot, but there was a slight breeze that made it fairly pleasant. I managed to break through my first mile barrier. For a while now I find myself just done at about the 1 mile mark. I need to stop, stretch and gather my thoughts. This time when I hit that mile I mentally thought of stopping, but then did a once over on the body and realized I felt pretty good. Made it to 2.8 miles (just after a hill) before I took my first break. I'm REALLY looking forward to not needing these breaks anymore. It's coming!

The last mile or so was TOUGH! I really, REALLY had to push. I'm very thankful for my friend because she really helped me through it. I told her I couldn't talk for a bit, but I needed her to talk to me. She came through. I was so happy to get back to her place and finish my run. However ... she's training for a fall marathon and had to run 16 miles. So, I grabbed my bike and rode beside her as she finished off her distance. It was then my turn to talk to her and help her through her mileage. We make a good team.

Riding the bike immediately after my run actually felt really, really good. Granted, it was a super slow biking pace, but I think it helped to loosen everything up because I felt fantastic for the rest of the day.

********************

August will be another month filled with even more running miles, as many biking miles as I can manage, and I'm planning to fit in a lot more of those fitness classes (specifically Abs Only & Bootcamp). By the end of the month I want to be up to running 13.1 miles without needing a rest break.

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Awesome-ness

2011-07-29T12:35:00.000-07:00

Ahhhhhhh .... that was SO much better! Last night I took the same bootcamp class that I did last week. However, the instructor took us outside for this class - which I absolutely love and prefer to workout outdoors. I know I had to stop taking these classes for financial reasons, but boy I didn't realize how much I loved and missed them.

This time I took an Abs Only class before bootcamp. It was the same instructor as bootcamp and she puts on a good class. Plus, it's at the same facility, back to back, and you pay one admission and can use the facilities as much as you want. Heidi likes to get her money's worth so anytime I can take more than one class at a time is a good thing. We did use the ball a fair bit in the abs class, but for ab work I do like and appreciate it and the moves this instructor used were much more effective than the class I took the other day. I know it takes about 24 hours for abs to kick in, so I'll be feeling this later tonight.

The one thing I'm really noticing this time from the last time I did bootcamp is I suck! Last time I was in pretty good shape and was usually in the top 25% of the class (if not the top), even when I just started. Right now I'm struggling and am often the last to finish my sets and sometimes have to modify moves to complete them. I'm quite a competitive person and do not like being in this position, even if I am EASILY 10 years older than anyone else in the class. I like to be good. I like to be the best, or darn near it. But it just motivates me to work harder.

Last night was kind of funny because we actually did a lot of running. We started off with about a 1 mile warm-up run. I started about mid pack and by the end of the mile had moved right to the front with the others dropping off. Then we did a bunch of sets that included various strength moves followed by various running related activities (suicides, high knees, runs). For every strength move I'd be slower than pretty much everyone else and last to finish, but in the run portion I usually caught up. Definitely know where my strength and weakness is. It's time to balance these out!

After class I got talking with one guy. Him & his wife have lost 35 lbs each in about 9 months mostly just by taking the bootcamp class twice a week. Now, I ... more than most, realize that nutrition also takes a HUGE place in weight loss. But, it was very inspiring to hear of their success. They both look fantastic. I left there and headed straight for the grocery store where I stocked up on $80 of mostly fruits & veggies. My lunch today is so yummy and healthy! It may be taking me a long time to get back to a fully healthy lifestyle, but I really am getting there. I just have to keep it up and I will soon begin to reap the rewards.

Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend. We have a long weekend here. I have a long run planned (which I hope my legs can handle) and then a few fun activities. Hopefully a little sleeping in too ... even until 9:00 would be nice!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Not A Fan

2011-07-27T13:05:00.000-07:00

Well there's an hour & $5 that I'll never get back. Hmmppppffff!!!!

Yesterday I had planned to ride my bike to/from work. However, in the morning my husband said it was spitting with rain and offered to drive me in with my bike. I don't mind riding home in rain, but I really dislike being wet and frizzy haired all day, so prefer not to have to ride to work in that. He asked me to sit with him while he had breakfast & coffee. The whole time I was looking out the window and didn't notice it raining, nor did it rain on the drive in. Hmmmmm ... probably should have ridden, but it was nice to have a little time together since I rarely see him these days.

Since I missed the ride in, I knew that I'd be getting alot less mileage on the bike. I contemplated a run after work, but ... in the spirit of mixing things up, I decided I'd find a fitness class to drop in to. Last week I did one day of bootcamp (which I'll also do this week), but 2 days is better than 1, right? Well, not so much with this class.

The class was called Abs, Butt, Thighs BALL class. The whole thing was done while using a fitness ball. It's a good concept, but to be honest I found the ball more annoying and distracting than anything and I got nothing out of the class.

We spent about 15-20 minutes "bouncing" (i.e. squats while rebounding off the ball) while doing various arm movements. My ball kept walking away from me and I had to keep adjusting. This was to be the cardio portion of class and I never broke a sweat. SNORE!

Then we moved on to doing various squats while bouncing the ball in front of us. I found it awkward to get into a really deep squat with the ball. Normally squats kick my ass big time and I can barely walk the next day. These did nothing for me.

Next was some upper body work while leaning on the ball against the wall, and doing squats while rolling the ball up and down the wall. Again, because I'm trying to keep the ball from flying out from behind me, I couldn't concentrate on the moves and never felt a burn.

There was also some ab/core exercises and for the most part those were decent. Today I'm feeling the slightest of twinges in my abs, but not at all what I should be considering the horrible shape my core is in. If I was remotely core fit, I wouldn't have worked them at all.

My shining moment was when we were lying on the ground, doing leg lifts with the ball between our legs. My ball was admittedly a bit big for me, and my legs are short and stubby - thus it's rather difficult for me to hang on. The ball shot out from between my feet and beaned some poor woman in the head. What a nice feeling! Laying there, concentrating on the burn, and WHAM ... someone's ball nails you from across the room. Poor lady!

admittedly, this is my favourite

thing to do with a fitness ball

This is definitely a class I will NOT be attending again. The instructor is good, I've had her before .... but a class focused solely on the ball does not do it for me. Should have gone for the run. :(

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Fake It 'til you Make It

2011-07-26T15:19:00.000-07:00

I do not need chocolate.

I do not need pretzels.

I do not need sherbet.

I do not need goldfish crackers.

I do not need toast with peanut butter.

I do not need an English Toffee Cappuccino.

I do not need a Fruit Smoothie.

These are the mantras I have been trying to repeat to myself all day yesterday and today.

I've been trying to intuitively eat for a while now ... and I'm just not having any success. The weight is not going down. So yesterday, I fell back to an old friend and my world is a little challenging at the moment. I know I have to go through this.

I planned out a great healthy menu yesterday. By 2:00 I was ready to eat the drywall in my office. Going from zero to 60 is not easy, I know that. Seriously, I drank so much tea trying to squelch the cravings I thought I might float away ... and I was still craving food, any food. I did manage not to venture out and pick up a little somethin'-somethin' in the afternoon.

Unfortunately my resolve did not hold and when I got home I devoured a much too large serving (much, MUCH too large) of Goldfish cracks (pretzel and multi-colored ... a girl needs some variety ya know!). Followed by a bowl of cereal, some salad and a little ~~more than I needed~~ Nutella. YUM! I did however not bother eating dinner with the family later (like I had any room left - pfffffttttttt!).

While yesterday didn't go perfectly, it was a step in the right direction. I actually appreciated the feeling of hunger, because honestly I haven't felt that in a while and I need to get in touch with that. It's about finding that balance and that will take a little more practice. Today has been better, although it's only 3PM so we'll have to wait and see. Yesterday I'd finished my lunch before noon, today I toughed it out and waited, plus had a great snack in the afternoon ... Edamame

source

A 9 oz bag (from Costco in the US) has 158 calories, 6 g fat, 4 g fiber, and 13g protein. This makes a large serving and totally keeps me satisfied not only from the protein, but it's also something that takes a bit of time to eat which is a good thing for me. I just ♥ this stuff!

Ran 9.7 miles on the weekend ... lost count of the # of stops, but made it through. Flat route along the ocean side, very pleasant. Knocked me out cold for the rest of the day. This getting back in shape thing still sucks. Yes, 9.7 miles is a very respectable distance for most runners, but there was a time not so long ago where I would have banged that out any day, without stopping and continued on with my day without issue. Mentally I'm still having a hard time accepting that, but there's nothing I can do but work my way back there. At the moment I'm forcing it until it becomes easier.

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Week at a glance

2011-07-22T11:39:00.000-07:00

Another busy week over here.....

Monday - Bike to/from work .... Bike - 14 miles

Tuesday - running late in the morning so got a ride part way to work with my husband ... Bike - 9 miles

Wednesday - Met up with a friend after work and we did a trail run. She mentioned during the run that the Running Room was doing their "20 min Challenge" night that evening. So we scooted over there and joined in at the last minute and left with a rather bright hat. Not the prettiest thing, but will definitely help to make you a bit more visible out on the roads to traffic. Ran - approx. 7 miles

Thursday - Got back to something I haven't done in a long, LONG time! For quite a while I tried to talk my running friend into doing weight workouts, but she really didn't want to. Recently she's lost some weight and is feeling a little flabby in parts that could use some firming up. She recalled me pushing the weights before and said she's maybe be willing to give it a try ..... "one day". I mentioned that we could take some drop in classes at the local rec centers. I scoped out the classes and we made plans to go to one this Thursday.

However, Thursday afternoon she called me. It was a beautiful day and she wanted to be out and about, not stuck in a class. I did mention that there was a slight possibility that the class might be outdoors since it was nice. Nope, she wanted to bike instead. I was a bit disappointed but am pretty easy going and it didn't matter too much to me. I'd already biked to/from work, but whatever. I got home from work and I have a message from her saying screw it ... let's do the class.

OMG! Unfortunately it was indoors, however since we asked about it, the instructor said she may do next week's class outside if the weather is good. We did a circuit and it kicked my butt! Squats, suicides, lunges, push-ups, burpees .... all that "fun" stuff! Being indoors made it super hot too so we were dripping in sweat.

Definitely going back, and hopefully we'll go outdoors. In the fall I'd like to sign up for a session of bootcamp like I used to do where alot of the classes are outdoors. The class we took last night was only 45 min long and I would have liked to do a longer class. Next week there is an abs only class before bootcamp, so I'd like to do both. Overall it was a VERY active day ..... Bike 14 miles, 45 min bootcamp, followed by a 45 min walk.

Friday - Biking to/from work today and with any luck I'll meet up with another friend for a walk tonight, though low intensity. Bike - 14 miles ... maybe walk about 3 miles

Have a great weekend everyone! I have a 9 mile run on tap for tomorrow! Hope I survive. It's at a location I've been dying to get back to for about a year and a half. Someone remind me to bring a camera .....

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Tropical Paradise?

2011-07-18T13:06:00.000-07:00

This blog post comes to you from the tropics of British Columbia. Seriously, the weather here is so damp and humid. It's crazy. Never had something like this before.

Actually ... there was this article in the paper the other day: Woman's banana tree grows fruit - in Surrey? Really??? Banana's don't grow here ... EVER!!

Saturday morning we awoke to a heavy drizzle that just didn't want to let up. I had plans to go for a long walk with a friend. Finally late afternoon we headed out and as we pulled into the parking lot ... the rain stopped. We took the doggies on a nice long walk (at least 10K over hilly terrain). The sun even peaked out for a minute. But it was so humid. While it wasn't a basic walk in the park as it had some pretty good hills, I was sweating like I'd been running a half marathon on the hottest day of the year. Sticky!

After the walk, we headed to Tim Horton's and moments after we got our drinks ... the skies opened up and it just poured. Couldn't believe our luck.

Later that night we had the most amazing thunder & lightning storm. The lightning came about every 10-15 seconds and went on for hours.

Sunday wasn't much better. Off and on drizzle all day, just very light, but it was super warm. After ~~delaying for as long as I could~~ finishing a few important tasks, I headed out for my planned 'long' run. I had planned 8 miles and was fully prepared to stop as much as necessary.

Unfortunately I left it a little to the last minute and had to cut the run short to take my daughter to work. During the old days, I would have had more than enough time. But these days I require more stretch/walk breaks. Even before I got to my first mile, my shins started hurting pretty bad and I needed to stretch for a good 10 minutes. I REALLY need new shoes again. These one's don't have alot of running miles on them, but I have worn them alot and one shoe is squeaking from a small hole in the air cushion. Probably not ideal!

Funny thing ... I came back from my run and managed to gasp out to my husband "SEVEN TWENTY SEVEN". He responded, "WOW, good, that's under 8". HUH????? He thought I meant my pace was 7:27/mile ... not that I'd run 7.27 miles. Yeah right! Not even in my best days did I run any kind of a distance in a 7:27 pace, maybe a single mile, but that's it. My fastest race pace (on a 5K) is only an 8:01. With the shape I'm in these days, I'm pickled as a pig in a pancake shop to be anything under a 10:00 pace. I have no idea what he was thinking!

No Complaints

2011-07-13T13:11:00.000-07:00

It's been a stellar week!

So far I have ridden my bike to/from work 6 out of the last 8 work days. YAY! The days I missed I had to do errands that required me to have a vehicle. I can honestly say that I missed riding my bike on those days.

I have also ran twice so far this week. Monday was a short 5K that I would have loved to have made longer, however there was a hungry crew awaiting dinner that I had to attend to. I need more hours in my days.

Tuesday was an interesting run. First off, it was 10K. It was HOT and stuffy and I'm really proud to say that I put my nose to the grind and powered up the hills. For the last while I've been taking walk breaks on the hills. Yesterday I decided it was time to push myself a bit and force my way up them. I did take a couple walk breaks, but not on any hills (YAY me!).

On our run yesterday we encounter a drunk man passed out on the side of the road. We stopped to call for help as he was laying flat on his back and I was afraid if he threw up he would choke on it. Then, near the end of the run two little dogs almost got hit by a car and we directed the owner in finding them. Apparently both these events are common situations with both the people involved. Kinda sad. :(

And, on a super good note, I checked my weight today and am down 3 lbs from last week! As I stated in my last post, I'll officially be tracking just monthly weight change, but I'd still like to be aware on a weekly basis (JUST a weekly basis though).

Things are really coming back again!

Heidi

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A Different Perspective

2011-07-06T11:46:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was awesome! After riding my bike to work (7 miles), then walking at lunch (2 miles), I then rode out to meet my husband at his job after work (another 13 miles).

In total I biked 20 miles and walked 2 miles. I call that a great day! Honestly, had it been earlier in the day I would have biked home from his worksite. I'm working up to a 45-50 mile return day trip that I want to do. When you break it up a bit, it's really not all that hard. Biking is great exercise, but not nearly as challenging as running.

Because of the longer ride I didn't run last night, but tonight I'm getting my run on again!

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The other day I was having a chat with a friend who is wanting to lose some weight. She knows from years of experience that she does not lose weight easily, even though she is an exercising queen! Right now she's working on a 1 year plan. Her plan is simple ..... lose 2 pounds per month. It takes patience. Typically when we decide we want to lose weight, we want it off NOW, or yesterday would be even better.

Lately I've been struggling with this. I put on some weight over a relatively short time, and I want it off PRONTO! But, I have to realistic and know that's not going to happen. I know it won't come off overnight, I don't expect that. But, like many people, I can put ON weight a HECK of alot faster than I can take it OFF. So, if it took me 3 months to gain the weight, it's likely going to take me 6 months (or more) to take it off.

Considering I've been at a weight I was pretty comfortable with for a few years, it's hard for this not to be frustrating. I just want to be back to where I was. I know there are reasons why I put on this weight, and so quickly, but I can't worry about that now. After listening to my friend, I've realized that I need a different perspective. I need to practice patience, and consistency.

So ... my goal is to lose 4 lbs this month, then 2 lbs per month after that until I reach my desired weight. I think these are manageable chunks. I know often people have weekly goals, but for me I find it a bit disappointing when you have those weeks where no matter what you do, you don't lose. I'm at this point now where I HAVE to do this, and I HAVE to be successful. But I'm going to be patient about it.

Continuing on the Path to Success

2011-07-05T12:45:00.000-07:00

I am behind on doing a little recap for June and goals for July. Last month I re-instituted my 30 Days of Activity Plan. The sole purpose of this was to kick my butt into action again after months of ~~sitting on the couch letting my butt get bigger~~ ...... ~~being incredibly lazy~~ ...... ~~feeling sorry for myself~~ ...... not being active enough. While I did miss 2 days (and felt guilty for it), the plan definitely did it's trick and I'm proud of myself.

Jun 1- 2.5 mile run + walking

Jun 2- 2.6 mile run + walking

Jun 3 - 75 min walk

Jun 4 - 30 min walk

Jun 5 - 75 min biking

Jun 6 - 80 min biking, 10 min running, 15 min walking

Jun 7 - 30 min walk

Jun 8 - 80 min bike

Jun 9 - 30 min walk

Jun 10 - 90 min bike, 35 min run

Jun 11 - 7hrs yardwork

Jun 12 - 2+ hrs hike

Jun 13 - 4.5 mile run

Jun 14 - 1.5 hr hike

Jun 15 - approx. 90 min walking

Jun 16 - NOTHING - Grrrr!

Jun 17 - 1 hr 40 min biking, 2+ hrs hike

Jun 18 - 60 min walk

Jun 19 - 30 min walk

Jun 20 - 60 min bike

Jun 21 - 60 min bike, 4 mile walk

Jun 22 - 80 min bike, 2 mile walk, 3.8 mile run

Jun 23 - 3.6 mile run

Jun 24 - 7 mile run

Jun 25 - 4 hrs yard work

Jun 26 - 90 min walk

Jun 27 - 75 min bike

Jun 28 - 4 mile run

Jun 29 - 60 min bike

Jun 30 - nothing :( (you'd think I could have sucked it up for the last day!)

While I did miss 2 days, I still easily did a minimum of 30+ minutes on all the other days, with lots of variety. I did fall short on the 50 mile run goal I had set. I hit 32 miles, which sadly is substantially more than I've done in any month since January. This will only be increasing because my best running friend is recovered from her surgery and is dragging my sorry ass out as often as she can (no matter how much I kick and scream!). As for my eating goals .... well, I was no where NEAR what I set out to accomplish and that continues to be a beast the I fight. Haven't given up though!!

So .... JULY ......

It struck me the other day, while on a 7 mile run (which is the longest I've managed since early March), that I really want to get back to running the half marathon distance again. Not necessarily to race it. But I felt so good when my body was trained and able to comfortably run that on a regular basis. This is what I want. It's a distance that I can train at on a regular level without it taking over my life and putting a ton of demand on my body. It enables me the time to do other activities, not just run, run, run.

My goal this month is to be do a long run of at least 10 miles (building up) and total mileage of at least 60 miles. I'm still taking walk breaks and hills are kicking my ass BIG time, but I'm able to run a little further every week and a little more comfortably with shorter walk breaks. By September I want to be doing the full distance, under 2 hours. I don't need a race to do this, I just need to do it to satisfy my desire to reach this goal.

I'm also going to be biking ALOT this month. I'm just loving biking to/from work and am getting quite the system down for making it fit in with life.

So, nothing earth shattering, no major changes. Just keeping on the path that helps to lead me to success. I already know that being more active, and on a higher intensity level, helps me make healthier food choices ... and keeps me away from mindless eating. I plan to enjoy every moment of summer that I can and not wallow in self destruction and guilt.

Heidi

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The better side of things

2011-06-20T12:39:00.000-07:00

I'm finally getting around to posting some pics from last weeks game.

First off, here's a video of the crowd signing Oh Canada (we would not win any international voice competitions). There was so much positive energy flowing. Everyone was excited and into it. This doesn't even begin to capture how many people were there. My husband caught me doing my stupid cheesy little grin near the end. I'm such a nerd!

Here's me & my family before it began. Love how I'm the shortest.

Me & my "wittle" boy (who's ducking down so we both fit in the screen) ...

Daddy & his girl

Proud to be Canadian

Rumors are that the riot started when this kid tried to throw his sister into a water fountain (kidding)

Vancouver really is a beautiful city (not that these pictures do it justice)

You just gotta love the water & the mountains.

Now ... to update my 30 Days of Activity.....

I'm disappointed to say that I missed a day. :( Bad Heidi! Last Thursday, I just didn't get to it and got lazy. Not that it counts, but I certainly made up for it on Friday when I rode my bike to work (30 min), rode from work and directly to a friends house (52 min), then went for a hike (2 hours), followed by a bike ride home (20 min). In total about 3 hours and 40 min of exercise .... and it didn't even really feel like it. I love breaking up workouts like that. Wasn't even sore the next day.

This week I should be bike commuting for most of the week. My husband's truck is waiting for a part to come in. We are a 1 car family with 3 drivers - interesting! Hopefully the weather cooperates, which it may or may not.

Jun 1- 2.5 mile run + walking

Jun 2- 2.6 mile run + walking

Jun 3 - 75 min walk

Jun 4 - 30 min walk

Jun 5 - 75 min biking

Jun 6 - 80 min biking, 10 min running, 15 min walking

Jun 7 - 30 min walk

Jun 8 - 80 min bike

Jun 9 - 30 min walk

Jun 10 - 90 min bike, 35 min run

Jun 11 - 7hrs yardwork

Jun 12 - 2+ hrs hike

Jun 13 - 4.5 mile run

Jun 14 - 1.5 hr hike

Jun 15 - approx. 90 min walking

Jun 16 - NOTHING - Grrrr!

Jun 17 - 1 hr 40 min biking, 2+ hrs hike

Jun 18 - 60 min walk

Jun 19 - 30 min walk

Heidi

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Disgusted and Ashamed - Riot of 2011

2011-06-16T12:40:00.000-07:00

It is not a proud day to be from Vancouver. I can not express strongly enough how utterly disgusted I am at those who took such horrible action following the Vancouver Canucks loss in the Stanley Cup.

These jerks are NOT fans, they are punks and losers and I hope that as many as possible are made to pay consequences for what they have done. They are NOT representative of Vancouver, British Columbia or Canada. They are scum of the earth and I am hugely disappointed in them, a couple specifically.

Little did I know that logo I posted yesterday (Fear the Fans) would be so incredibly accurate. I am ashamed to be even remotely associated.

As for us, we fared just fine. I must say that for the most part things were well controlled and while we were in the downtown core I felt safe (and I'm a big ol' chicken poop, so that's saying alot). We left halfway through the 2nd period and things were very quiet. We went for a nice walk along the water and then left about the same time the game ended .... and people went crazy. Luckily we didn't witness any of that and were completely safe. Regardless of what some people say, I think the police did as good a job as they could. Personally I would have lost it and started beating and shooting people if I were them, but history will tell you if they'd resorted to that things could have gone much, much worse and the police would have been scrutinized for their action.

For the most part, those who started this, planned it. And those who followed and became involved were destined to cause trouble. In particular, I hope the parents of the kids involved are so very proud of their horrible parenting skills. These kids have been on this path at least since they were 8 years old. Their actions have made my sympathies swing way past understanding the difficult upbringing they may have had. They are old enough to know better and I hope they pay the price.

I do have pictures to share and maybe a video or two. But this post is not a happy one and I want to keep my happy memories separate so will share later.

Some of you contacted me in concern ... thank you for that. I had hope, faith and belief that things would not go sour like they did and I am sorely disappointed.

Jun 1- 2.5 mile run + walking

Jun 2- 2.6 mile run + walking

Jun 3 - 75 min walk

Jun 4 - 30 min walk

Jun 5 - 75 min biking

Jun 6 - 80 min biking, 10 min running, 15 min walking

Jun 7 - 30 min walk

Jun 8 - 80 min bike

Jun 9 - 30 min walk

Jun 10 - 90 min bike, 35 min run

Jun 11 - 7hrs yardwork

Jun 12 - 2+ hrs hike

Jun 13 - 4.5 mile run

Jun 14 - 1.5 hr hike

Jun 15 - approx. 90 min walking

Heidi

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Go Canucks GO!!!! Let's raise that cup!!!!!!

2011-06-15T12:50:00.000-07:00

It's an exciting day. Stanley Cup Finals! We're taking the family and heading into downtown Vancouver soon. Can't believe we're going down there. The streets here have been packed and no doubt tonight it will be insane. Normally I hate crowds, but I'm really looking forward to this.

I have not traditionally been a real hockey fan, though I have enjoyed watching the game from time to time and I have anappreciation for it. I am however fiercely competitive and love to support a local team so I get drawn into the excitement and anticipation.

Saw this and thought it was kind of funny...

I'm pretty confident that tonight there will not be a repeat of the Riots of 1994. I think the city learned a thing or two and after just going through the Olympics here last year, I think things will be reasonably controlled. If I didn't we wouldn't be going there. Let's hope I'm right.

Today's exercise will have to consist of just miles and miles of walking around downtown. I'm certain we'll have to park a good distance away from the action.

Hopefully I'll be back tomorrow with pictures .... and even more hopefully with stories of the crowd erupting in cheers as Vancouver's captain hoists that cup!!!!

Jun 1- 2.5 mile run + walking

Jun 2- 2.6 mile run + walking

Jun 3 - 75 min walk

Jun 4 - 30 min walk

Jun 5 - 75 min biking

Jun 6 - 80 min biking, 10 min running, 15 min walking

Jun 7 - 30 min walk

Jun 8 - 80 min bike

Jun 9 - 30 min walk

Jun 10 - 90 min bike, 35 min run

Jun 11 - 7hrs yardwork

Jun 12 - 2+ hrs hike

Jun 13 - 4.5 mile run

Jun 14 - 1.5 hr hike

Heidi

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Building up, building up

2011-06-14T13:12:00.000-07:00

Lack of posting does not equate lack of activity! I've been a busy girl.

A few highlights ....

* Finally broke over the mileage slump and knocked out a 5K - mid day, during work, in the heat. This was in honour of Alicia's Virtual Race for Autism 5K. I almost forgot about this run, and was reminded on the last day. Good thing, because I really needed that boot to get out there and do it. Honestly though, I have no idea how long it took me. This was just about actually running the distance. I ran to the bank and back then added on a loop. There were LOTS of stops for traffic lights, plus a short stop inside the bank. But I ran at least 5K and that was what mattered. Oh, and to make me feel super duper accomplished, I also rode my bike to/from work that day.

* 7 hrs yardword - holy carfluffles is weed-whacking 3'+ high grass then raking it up tough on the arms. I'm STILL sore a few days later. I'm probably not even halfway done. I feel like that guy on the Husqvarna commercial "Taming the Wild" where he goes to bed with a perfectly manicured yard and wakes up to it as a complete jungle.

* 2+ hr hike with a friend. Beautiful trail, gorgeous weather. But why is it that I can run for 2-3 hours (when in shape) and my feet are great, but if I walk much over 5K I get hotspots or blisters. Same shoes. I've got a teensy blister but it won't kill me or stop me.

* And best of all ... last night while the Vancouver Canucks were sorely disappointing us (good thing I'll never make it into the Boston Marathon .... it's kind of an embarrassing town for a Vancouverite to be in these days), I temporarily withdrew my support and went for a run .... 4.5 miles! I'm still struggling with being proud of 4.5 miles as my long run, considering where I've come from, but I am proud. Started off difficult as usual, but then my spirit kicked in and my stubborness got me through.

My diet is basically pretty good, I've been a bit addicted to having a massive salad with an Asian Sesame dressing (YUM!). But there have been a few slips where things from the "forbidden" list have crossed my lips. I'm not beating myself up over it. At least when it has happened, the quantities were what most people would call moderate (a cookie or two, a couple potato chips, a small handful of pretzels). I'm not happy that I haven't met my challenge 100% in this area, but it's still improvement. It's not 4, 5, 6 ... 8 cookies, it's not a good size bowl of pretzels. Though if I want to see more change in my body more changes are required. I'll keep chipping away at it.

Jun 1- 2.5 mile run + walking

Jun 2- 2.6 mile run + walking

Jun 3 - 75 min walk

Jun 4 - 30 min walk

Jun 5 - 75 min biking

Jun 6 - 80 min biking, 10 min running, 15 min walking

Jun 7 - 30 min walk

Jun 8 - 80 min bike

Jun 9 - 30 min walk

Jun 10 - 90 min bike, 35 min run

Jun 11 - 7hrs yardwork

Jun 12 - 2+ hrs hike

Jun 13 - 4.5 mile run

Heidi

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Minutes keep adding up

2011-06-07T12:01:00.000-07:00

Well now, that game was an embarrassment. 8-1 loss for our Canucks. Still enjoyed watching it, but probably should have spent those wasted 3 hours doing some else. I do believe they will prevail though. Last night was just a stinker.

Yesterday I certainly made a big dent in the activity levels for June.

Bike ride to/from work which was about 80 minutes. Even stopped at a vegetable stand on the way home and carried 5 oranges, 5 apples, 4 grapefruit, and a large zucchini in my backpack for about 5K of the ride. That was a heavy sucker!! I've been thinking lately about digging out the old kiddy trailer for my bike and using it to go get groceries. Using a little less fuel, getting a little more exercise. Just gotta get the cobwebs and dirt off of it. All it takes is a little extra planning.

After the game I wanted to get in a little run. It's been a few days and even though I'm being active, it's really my running I want to bring back up to snuff. Headed out with the big dog in hopes of doing about 3 miles. Unfortunately 1 mile into my run I got attacked with stomach pains. Not enough time to process dinner. :( Had to cut my route short and walk home. I was disappointed in that, but still proud that I got out and did a little extra. Oh well, the dog was happy to get out. She was really good last night too.

Every day just keeps getting better and better!

Jun 1- 2.5 mile run + walking

Jun 2- 2.6 mile run + walking

Jun 3 - 75 min walk

Jun 4 - 30 min walk

Jun 5 - 75 min biking

Jun 6 - 80 min biking, 10 min running, 15 min walking

Heidi

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Sunny Days ... Keeping those clouds away

2011-06-06T11:00:00.000-07:00

Oh my what a beautiful weekend. Sun - FINALLY! I'd almost bet that 50% of people around here got some degree of a sunburn this weekend (yes, that would include me). Our bodies are not used to this bright stuff. You just had to get out in it as much as possible. To quote Allan from Two & A Half Men .... "Hey! When the bar is only open nine months a decade you drink 'til you puke! ...and then you keep drinking!"

Friday my legs were feeling the runs from the previous two days. So I went on a nice long walk. Walked through the area where my Grandparents lived when I was growing up. It's only about a 10 min walk away, but I haven't been by there in many years. Quite nostalgic.

Saturday was a busy day. In the morning my daughter and I went out and got her a bunny. I'll have to get some pictures up of the little guy. While I was originally quite opposed to her getting one, he sure is a cutie and it's kind of neat having him. He's already starting to show some personality. Saturday was Game 2 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs so I was glued to the TV watching our Vancouver Canucks scoop up a narrow win. Go Canucks Go!!!! I did manage to squeeze in a 30 min walk though, and did a ton of housework. Also managed to lay out in the glorious sunshine for a short while. Felt SOOOO good!

Sunday we took the family to watch the drag races. Was fun for a while, but a long day. I would have happily left earlier, but, it was still nice to just hang out and relax in the sun. Afterwards though I NEEDED to move, so took the bike out for a nice long ride. Sure can cover a lot of area in a short while as compared to running.

I feel like I'm doing a fairly good job on mixing up my activities so far. And eating has been very good! Even though the family had two bags of chips on Sunday, I stayed out of them. My only regret was not bringing enough water. I brought a large bottle, but it was so hot and it wasn't enough. I wasn't spending $3 on a small bottle of water, so felt a bit dehydrated last night. Trying to catch up today.

It's been a great week, I've been doing everything right. Now just waiting for my body to catch up and show a little reward on the scale. Even if it's not showing there (YET!), I am feeling better. As long as I keep at it, it will come. I'm confident.

Jun 1- 2.5 mile run + walking

Jun 2- 2.6 mile run + walking

Jun 3 - 75 min walk

Jun 4 - 30 min walk

Jun 5 - 75 min biking

Heidi

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Change in Direction

2011-06-03T13:36:00.000-07:00

Another successful day. I just love having a goal to work towards. When you'd otherwise just sluff off a workout for the comfort of a couch and warm blanket (yes, we're still wrapping up with blankets and starting the woodstove most nights - grrrr, this is June right?) ... when you have a goal to work towards, you get up and go out anyways.

Another short run last night. Had it planned to go a little further, however my daughter had a drama event at school and she thought it would run longer than it did. I was out running when she called to get picked up and had to shorten up my route. As it was, by the time I got there she was the last one left, so I really couldn't have gone longer.

The weather is supposed to improve this weekend. It's really trying right now so I have high hopes. As such, I'd let to get out for a nice long bike ride or even something like a 2 hour walk. This 30 minute thing is fine, but that's really a minimum and I want to be out there more. Especially if it's going to involve SUN!

I will say one thing .... last night's run was more enjoyable, so there's hope. The first 10 minutes is torture, but my body adapted quicker than the day before and the last half of the run felt a bit like it used to (that floaty feeling) and I even managed a not bad pace at the end (8:30ish/mile).

I also found a nice little 5K-ish route near my house that I'd not previously considered. It even has a grocery store mid-route that I can use as a bathroom break (very important feature). Quite convenient! I intend to make good use of this route and add some extensions and/or loops to it. Funny, in the recent years that I've been running, I never once considered heading in this direction.

Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!!!!!

Jun 1- 2.5 mile run + walking

Jun 2- 2.6 mile run + walking

Heidi

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Food Pusher's Galore

2011-06-02T11:12:00.000-07:00

How lovely that our Vancouver Canucks squeaked out a win in the first game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs! Scored with less than 19 seconds left on the clock. Nothing like leaving it to the last minute. Kind of how I feel about my weight these days. I've procrastinated, let things slide, and now it's the last minute.

Yesterday went pretty well. I avoided all my trouble foods. Nearly had to get in TWO fights at work.

A couple months ago my one boss was going to walk across the street and get a little snack. He asked if I wanted anything. I had this crazy hankering for a Nanaimo square (chocolate, icing, tons of butter, sugar - horrible things). So, he got me one. To be honest it was just OK.

But, he got it in his head that this was a special treat for me. He kind of treats me like a daughter/niece and often spoils me. So ... he proceeded to bring me a damn Nanaimo square over, and over, and over. Stupidly, I felt too guilty to refuse them, even though I really didn't even like it. I really should have told him that. He was just trying to be nice, and honestly these squares were not the sole cause for my recent weight gain - just part of the equation.

Recently I've told him a few times to please not get me one, that I really need to lose weight again. But, he has continued to bring it anyway. Often pushing, saying that I can eat it because I rode my bike, or I'm going for a run, or my weight is just fine. And I've continued to eat it.

Well, whatta-ya-know .... yesterday I see him walking in with a tell-tale little baggy. I know what he's done. Before he even gets close to my desk I put up my hand and told him that if he had something in there for me I had to politely, yet firmly, decline. I told him I am doing a challenge for June and will not be eating that stuff. Again, he tries to push it on me. His arguments: "but it's a brownie this time" ..... "they look really good" .... and my favourite "It's only the 1st, you have plenty of days left". Seriously???? Failing on day 1 is not what I call a good start. And even after that he actually brought the brownie to my desk and waved it in my face! GASP!!!!!

But, I stood my ground and refused the brownie. I sure hope he got the message. I deeply appreciate his generosity, I really do, but I need to put my foot down on this.

Then, after that, my other boss starts talking about the big game. Asking me what kind of snacks I was planning. He's mentioning all the things that are great to eat during a game: nachos with piles of cheese, chicken wings, pizza, beer, ribs. Of course he has no idea (nor would he care) that I'm trying to eat better. But, I REALLY didn't need to hear about all these ~~yummy~~ gross foods.

As it was, the only snack I did have during the game was a delicious fresh pineapple.

After the game I went out for a short run. It was demoralizing. I feel so slow, so awkward. My husband came with me. He's quite a bit taller than me, and much fitter right now. He finds it difficult to run very slow and at one point opted to speed walk beside me. I actually stopped and belted him full throttle. Jerk! I was crabby, crabby, crabby and feeling awful about myself, very self concious. He was trying to make me laugh, but failed miserably. Knowing that he could walk at my run speed made me feel even worse.

But, by the last 1/2 mile of the run I started to feel better and more positive. I should know that running leaves me feeling better in the end.

June 1 was successful.

Jun 1- 2.5 mile run + walking

Heidi

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If that ain't a sign...

2011-06-01T06:45:00.000-07:00

Here ...... We ....... GO!

I am SO ready for this. So ready to be living a healthy lifestyle again. I must admit that yesterday the thought did cross my mind to have a "last meal" before I banished that list of forbidden foods for the month. But I mostly restrained .... other than a few sticks of red licorice (my nemesis). As of today, there will be no candy, no chips, no cookies, or any of that other crap I listed in my last post - for at least the next 30 days!

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Yesterday the weather was not as predicted in the morning and when I awoke to sunshine I packed up and biked to work. It IS Bike to Work Week here in BC. However, as is normal in my world, the weather Gods revolted. Halfway through my ride home, wearing a white tank top, the rains came down and I was soaked and dirty. I hope my top comes clean. :( Near the end of my ride I could barely see from the water in my eyes. Of course, almost immediately after I got home it stopped or only lightly sprinkled. I'm coming to expect this - grrr.

Just love the mud on my legs. The water bottles fared much worse. Nothing better than sucking on a water bottle smothered in road grime.

♥♥♥♥♥

You know how sometimes there are little signs from above that are trying to tell you something? No, I'm not referring to my rainy ride telling me to stop riding. I don't mind getting wet on a ride home, just on a ride in. What I'm talking about is a few weeks ago I had a rather tragic event that left me quite upset.

I was getting ready to leave for work when I felt something funny on my neck. I looked down and noticed that my necklace had popped open and was hanging half off my shoulder. This is the necklace that my dear blogger friend Syl gave me when I did my half marathon. I cherish this necklace and was devastated. The charms were gone. Completely gone. I searched the entire house, emptied the laundry basket, I looked everywhere. I even refused to vacuum the house for about a week hoping I would find them. But no luck. Not only did I feel super sad about losing something that was so special to me, but it felt like a sign. With my lack of running I have not been feeling like a runner anymore. This necklace was an expression to show the world that I AM a runner. I was so upset about this, and felt guilty, I didn't even mention it to Syl. I held out hope that one day the three charms might show up.

Last night, I'm thinking about June and my 30 Days of Activity starting in the morning. I was feeling hopeful and determined, knowing that I'm going to be making some great changes. I'm going to bring back that runner in me, that healthy person within. I walked into my walk-in closet and noticed something shiny. Wouldn't you know it .... one of the charms! After a brief search I found all three charms!!! If that ain't a sign that the tides are changing, I don't know what is. I'm so happy to be reunited with this symbol that means so much to me.

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

June Goals

2011-05-30T13:50:00.000-07:00

June is upon us. I am in desperate need of some goals and some focus. After looking back over old posts, in the search for motivation and inspiration, I came across something that ironically I did last year in June.

Yep, it's that time again!

Here's the lowdown:

30 consecutive days of doing something active, everyday, for the month of June
minimum 30 minutes per day
must include a variety of running, biking, walking, weights, and hopefully some hiking (if weather agrees)
minimum 50 miles running

In addition to this, I need to make some changes in my diet. So, for the month of June I'm imposing a ban on the following trouble/trigger foods I've been struggling with:

pretzels
chips
nachos
cookies
brownies (or any form of cake/squares)
candies
chocolate bars

Normally I would say that such foods are OK in moderation, but moderation has not been a key word for me lately. I need to change these nasty habits that have evolved! I made a few minor changes in May, which is leaving me feeling better, but I need to do a lot more to see changes.

Here's to June being healthy & active!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Cookies are NOT the answer

2011-05-17T13:17:00.000-07:00

Still struggling ... still fighting ... still not giving up!

Why do I not give up? Because ... I know that to do so will make me miserable. It will make all the hard work I've done over the years a complete waste of time. So, while I still may struggle, I will continue to fight until I can get my feet firmly planted on the ground.

I AM making some headway. Very slowly.

If you check out the goal list for May on my sidebar you will see an increasing number of check marks. Not so much in the RUN category, but definitely elsewhere. That show's me improvement.

The weather here is still challenging. You'd think it was March with the amount of rain we've had, and often heavy rain at that. I could almost see myself riding the bike in a drizzle, but not the donwpours we've been subjected to. I did manage to ride on Friday and again today. I sure like riding!

The eating still continues to be a struggle. Everyday!

The other morning before I got out of bed I told myself that today I would start on the right foot. If I want to drop these pounds, I have to make better choices. Rolled out of bed, 2 minutes or less in the bathroom, strolled into the kitchen to make tea. Hmmm, hmmm, hmmmm ... laaa deee daaaa .... WHAT THE ???????? HOW did that cookie get halfway down my throat?! Seriously, this is how easily it happens. Where did my brain go? How could I forget the conversation I had JUST had with myself?!

This is when the challenge stepped in. There were two more cookies left. Now, I know that many of you would say to throw them away, give them away, put them away. Me ... I'm too stubborn for that. Those cookies would be my challenge. Besides, I am the one with a problem, not my family. Why should I throw them away (or not have them) just because I can't control myself. I don't believe the issue is not having them around, it's me learning to enjoy such things in moderation.

I had a day planned of housework that would have me passing through the kitchen all day long. I vowed not to touch those cookies all day.

Everytime I saw those cookies it became a reminder, a challenge, to question myself on what I really wanted most. Cookies was NOT the answer.

I have to continue to face these challenges and to overcome them.

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Carb-Free Day

2011-05-09T12:47:00.000-07:00

Made it through a carb-free day this weekend .... well, mostly. There was a small slice of garlic bread at dinner. That stuff is hard to avoid on any given day, but on a carb free day it proved to be too much of a challenge for me. It was a very unwise decision for me to make that on this day.

Honestly, it wasn't all that hard. Took a little planning. I wasn't totally pleased with the choices I made. I think I did alot of substituting and ate more dairy/meat products than I needed. But it was a start.

The BEST thing about it ..... it made me stop and think before I just grabbed something and popped it in my mouth.

A few times I found my hand reaching for a nacho chip or a pretzel, only to remember my goal for the day.

I also did something I haven't done in a while. The hockey game was coming on and I felt snacky. So, I whipped up a batch of homemade hummus and made a big platter of fresh veggies - which the hubs helped me devour.

I'm going to try to do the carb-free thing at least once a week. Because it was just a single day I didn't feel any sort of withdrawals like I've had before. While I didn't run that day, I totally could have no problem.

One more tick off the list!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Mrs. Tomato Head

2011-05-05T10:12:00.000-07:00

Another tick off my list. Last night 5 miles was completed. CHECK!

I can't believe that not too terribly long ago I was completing 20+ mile runs and now a 5 mile run does THIS to me.

Let me introduce ........

Mrs. Tomato Head

I am so horribly out of shape, it's not even funny. This was taken probably 10 minutes after my run. I was redder before. I had to take a walk break at 1, 2 and 3 miles and only sheer stubborness pushed me to complete those last two miles without stopping.

I feel like such a beginner again. But, I can only go up from here, and up I will go. These extra pounds I'm carrying right now really do make a HUGE difference. I feel so sluggish. Running right now feels so different from what I'm used to. I'm used to feeling light and airy, floating. Right now it feels like lead weights are tied to my feet.

I'm thinking tomorrow or Saturday I'm going to tackle going "carb-free for a day" as another tick off my May Goal list. I'm actually considering doing this once a week for the next while. I do not think carbs are evil, but I have been overdosing lately and a single day challenge on a regular basis certainly will not do me any harm. There will be no grains, pasta, bread, potatoes, corn and no sugar.

Keep Active!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Goals for May

2011-05-04T10:02:00.000-07:00

I meant to post this yesterday, but had some kind of bug and couldn't think straight. Today seems to be better after lounging on the couch most of the evening.

This month seems to be the month that alot of bloggers are setting goals, making lists ... and I'm jumping on the bandwagon. I'm in need of a serious turn-around.

In May I'm aiming to:

♥ RUN - 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10 mile runs.
♥ BIKE - to work at least 4 times, to the Ft at least once
♥ EAT - salad x 4, salmon, fruit salad, vegetarian for a day, carb-free for a day, try a new recipe (not baked goods)

While this isn't really a huge challenge, it gives me some realistic goals to work towards. And it will be a huge improvement over how the last couple months have gone.
So far I have:

♥ Run 4 miles
♥ Bike to work - once

YIPPEE! I'm really looking forward to doing more biking again. Gas is getting way too expensive as well, so not only will I be burning calories, but I'll be saving money!

My son is taking his driving test today. He's a pretty good driver and I have full confidence in his abilities, but with the way they test now, it takes VERY little to fail. Plus he's doing it in a neighbouring town that's he's not very familiar with AND driving a standard. Hopefully his nerves don't get the best of him. Keep your fingers crossed for him.

Keep Active!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Sorry, It's a Bikini Pic

2011-05-02T11:44:00.000-07:00

On Friday I posted about a little challenge between Missy & myself. The challenge was quite simple .... run on Saturday. There was no distance specified, no minimum time, no goals at all - just run. If one of us didn't, we had to post a current picture of ourselves in a bikini. Well, I'm sorry to say you're getting a bikini pic.

Wait ... that's not me!!!!

Hmmm, well then I guess I ran. YIPPEE!!!!!

Yyou'll have to wander over to Missy's blog to see how she did. I haven't been there yet myself, but will venture over there tout suite.

As for the run itself ... well, it was kind of horrible. I did NOT take my Garmin. I knew that my pace would suck and I just can't face that right now. So I just ran. Took lots of walk breaks. Half a mile in I was red face and gasping. Seriously??? I ran 22 miles at the end of December. Man, it's SO easy to lose fitness.

But I do actually feel a bit inspired. As much as the run was tough, I did get that feeling of looking forward to improvement. I ran about 4 miles. Was going to make it 6, but then decided I wanted to be able to walk the next day. As it was, yesterday was all about yardwork and I got a great upper body workout ... and a tan (double yippee).

There's a good possiblity that I'll have to take my friend's place in a 16Km race at the end of this month. I may or may not take her spot, but either way I should be in shape to at least be able to complete it. That's what I'm aiming towards. Time to get back in shape!!

Keep Active!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

A Little Challenge

2011-04-29T12:32:00.000-07:00

My blogger buddy, Missy, and I will be having a little challenge this weekend to inspire us both to get a run in.

We have both pledged to run on Saturday. If one of us doesn't, we must post a current picture, wearing a bikini, on our blog.

I will NOT be posting a pic of me in a bikini anytime soon. So you can bet your sweet patootie cheeks that I WILL be running! In fact, I intend to run both Saturday AND Sunday. They may not be long, and likely won't be, but the weather is supposed to be nice and I'm going to take advantage.

This weekend I can't wait to spend a little one-on-one (OK, maybe one-on-millions time) with my favourite Canadian athlee. Mr. Georges St. Pierre! Go ♥GSP♥!!!!

And also a little nail biting time watching:

Saturday night is a TV kind of night! Better get my run in early!!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Step By Step

2011-04-27T11:38:00.000-07:00

After a little time off and a few changes on the home front, I'm feeling so much more refreshed and ready to start working on this weight loss thing again.

Last night I took step one in that direction. Hmmm, is this step one AGAIN? Perhaps, but personally I don't believe failure is messing up and having to start again .... for me it's failing to restart. So, when I got home yesterday I immediately suited up, grabbed the dog, and headed out for a brisk walk.

We're having typical April showers here these days. If you get a window of sunshine between the showers, you need to take advantage of it. And I did! 45 minutes of glorious sunshine and fresh air.

Eating was pretty decent too. Started dinner off with a massive salad. Definitely have been lacking on fresh veggies lately. Yum YUM!

Of course, the scale showed a 2 lb gain from yesterday to today ... that's always nice. But I'm not worrying about that. My focus right now is on eating healthier and moving more frequently. The rest will fall into place with consistancy.

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

What It's All About

2011-04-26T15:16:00.000-07:00

Mentally, this weekend was just what I needed. A little get away. A lot of time with family. Mostly good weather. It was pretty much perfect. A few minor bumps in the road (including an emergency call out vet bill that we really could have done without), but these things are to be expected in our world.

For most of our married life we have gone camping on Easter weekend. It's become a bit of a tradition. This year we really probably shouldn't have gone ... with finances, obligations and all. But mentally it was so necessary it wasn't even funny. The choice was pretty much down to getting away for a few days or checking into a mental institution.

Honestly I don't think the weekend could have gone much better. We spent a ton of time together. We laughed, we joked, we just chilled. It was wonderful.

Yes, there was the situation where we thought the dog had found some mouse poison. But, the vet thinks she probably pinched a nerve in her back and after what essentially boils down to a VERY expensive bottle of Doggie Advil, she's 100% again and that's what matters the most.

After such a great weekend I feel refreshed again and ready to take on the world.

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

The Laundry Will Wait

2011-04-11T12:15:00.000-07:00

Ya know life is exciting when you post in point form. Highlights from the weekend ....

Met up with my sister and her family for a short visit. Got mistaken for her daughter (ahhaha, sorry sis, but if it were you, you'd share the story too). The woman may have been straight out of the looney bin, but I'm going with it. Gee, denied purchasing beer last week, mistaken for my sisters daughter this week. Not so bad!
Did some yard/barn clean-up. Looks SO much better out there. We're on acreage and things can get cluttered up pretty easily. Had a nice bon fire in the evening with all the scraps and bits.
Had a nice visit with a friend I haven't seen in weeks. We were supposed to go for a walk, but the timing didn't work out (darn kids). Instead went for a trail walk with my daughter and her bf. Took along my little dog and the big dog. Nice day and great to get out in the fresh air.
Made wonton soup .... from scratch, and rocked it! So easy to make, and tastes so much better than you get in a restaurant, and cheaper to boot. I don't know why it's often oily when you order it, mine wasn't at all. A little time consuming, but kind of fun. You make a bunch of wontons (I did 200) and freeze the extra.
Ran 6.2 miles in the pouring rain. On my own I probably would have not gone, however I made plans with friends I haven't seen in a while. They called me to say they were running late. I can't say that I wasn't hoping they would cancel. No such luck! It was not wonderful, but I am glad I got it done. Walked all the hills and ran probably the slowest pace I've ever run on that distance. But my hamstring feels fine so I guess I did everything right. Will build up slowly again like this and hope to strengthen it without causing further injury.
The run however completely zapped my energy. Came home, had a hot shower and fell hard asleep for a couple hours. Even after that I was very low energy and only got a few minimal things done around the house. The day was shot. Hopefully that will improve again soon. Not sure if it was entirely the run, or also weather and a bunch of other circumstances. I hope it wasn't just the run. But, even if it was, I know the more I get out the better it will be.

All in all not such a bad weekend. Kind of bummed that I didn't accomplish much yesterday after the run. It was one of those days. The laundry will wait another day or two.

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

A Few More Steps

2011-04-07T11:22:00.000-07:00

One more step ... or should I say 3.5 miles of steps :)

Did a little run with a friend last night. It was a gorgeous afternoon and perfect running weather. We chose a local trail and while it was beautiful, it was much too hilly for my current condition. Unfortunately my hamstring that was previously injured is NOT happy with me now. GRRR! I couldn't possibly rest it more. I don't know why I keep having an issue with this.

If I don't run too far, too fast, too often, or on too many hills it seems to be OK.

This scares me. Am I destined to not run again? I enjoy walking & biking .. but I love to run.

I'd hoped to do another short run tonight, but think it might be best to just do a walk. It's sunny again today and I HAVE to get out in that one way or another.

Good choices yesterday: oatmeal, salad for lunch, added veggies to soup @ dinner, felt a hunger signal!!
Bad choices yesterday: PB cookie dough (almost gone), crispy instead of grilled chicken on salad @ lunch, Mr Noodles for dinner (taste SO good, so bad for you)

Getting a little better everyday.

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Crunchy Mistake

2011-04-06T10:19:00.000-07:00

A few more better choices, still far from good, but taking it "One Step At A Time".

This morning I had an old favourite - oatmeal with a scoop of peanut butter. Usually I buy smooth peanut butter, which my son prefers, but I accidentally bought crunchy this time. YUM! Quite glad I made THIS mistake. It's definitely sticking to my ribs! Maybe a little too much, but that's the leftover feeling from the last few weeks.

This afternoon I plan to get in a short run with a friend. It will probably only be about 30 minutes, but it's one more step in the right direction. The sun is out at the moment and I'm looking forward to a little movement!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Step 1 - Awareness

2011-04-05T10:16:00.000-07:00

It wasn't pretty, but I got 'er done!

Step one in a comeback is awareness and acceptance of the situation. Yesterday was both. Everything I ate was recorded in a journal. It was NOT pretty ... but it was there. You'd think after writing that post yesterday that I would have had a stellar day. You'd think it would not have been a day that included consuming about 500 calories in cookies. You'd be wrong.

However .... it was ALL recorded. And for that I feel a little bit of pride, a little bit of control, and lot of awareness ... and I feel like this is step one.

Today I will record everything again. And I will make a few better choices. Then tomorrow I'll probably make a few more better choices. Things will start snowballing in the proper direction. I can feel it!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Payback is a &*%$#!

2011-04-04T14:12:00.000-07:00

Have you ever done something, or not done something, all while knowing that there is going to be a price to pay? There are going to be consequences. And the longer you do it (or don't do it), the bigger that payback is going to be.

Well, that's me right now. I'm there. Living every moment of that awful feeling knowing that I, and only I, am responsible for the choices I've made. The way I'm currently feeling is COMPLETELY my doing. It sucks!

The last two months I've been in a funk. It started with a lack of interest in running. No wonder considering I had an injury and just a lack of focus after helping my friend train for a marathon. I didn't worry too much about the lack of running. My body needed some rest to heal, it really did. My weight didn't change and I was still eating healthy, so no big worries.

But, of course, that snowballed. Eventually my eating habits started taking little hits. A few less veggies, a little less water, some unhealthy choices. Somehow I was still getting away with it. My weight crept up a couple pounds, but I still felt pretty good, still looked fine, and my clothes were still fitting the same. I was getting away with it ... or so I thought.

We're now going full speed down that slippery slope. What started as less exercise and a little unhealthy eating has now morphed into a monster who does not exercise, and those bits and bites have turned into a daily habit that includes everything from Snickers bars and red licorice to McDonald's Double Cheeseburgers - sometimes all of the above.

I've hit rock bottom!

My clothes are tight. Those "couple" pounds have grown far beyond what I am comfortable carrying as a "few extra". I'm SICK of feeling full ALL THE BLOODY TIME!!!!!!! I've forgotten what "hungry" feels like. I haven't felt a hunger signal in I don't know how long.

I'm done!

The journals come out again. The filthy habits stop NOW! Summer is coming and I won't be comfortable this way. Heck, I'm not comfortable this way now and it's cold & rainy.

This morning I weighed 154.2, though I FEEL like alot more than that. I hate being over 150 and really feel best under 147. Commencing today, I will be reporting my weight every Monday morning.

Enough is enough .... I'm coming back!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Beach Day

2011-03-28T10:52:00.000-07:00

Hey all. Nothing too exciting in my world.

Finally getting some warmer temperatures and a bit of sunshine in between the rain showers. I really shouldn't complain when most of the rest of the country is still getting plummetted with snow, or can't even see their lawn.

This weekend we had an especially nice day so I did a little outing with my daughter and we went for a walk at the beach.

Little Miss Tia loves getting out on adventures

The tide was way out and there was lots of shells scattered around

Me & my little girl

Shortly after this I even got warm enough to strip down to my tank.

(sorry Syl ... I know how much that upsets you - teehee)

Sure was nice to soak up a few rays of Vitamin D!

Probably would have been a great day to get out for a run ... but this was quite enjoyable. Didn't accomplish any runs this weekend, but did to a ton of spring cleaning. It's in the air ... what can I say. ;) I may not be running much, but I am being active.

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Double Silver

2011-03-16T11:52:00.000-07:00

Thanks everyone for your understanding regarding me not going to that race on the weekend. I really wasn't sure what kind of reaction I would get and was surprised how understanding everyone has been. In fact, I've only had one person kind of ride me about it, but I think he was mostly kidding me and he likes to tease me more than anything so it doesn't bother me. Not that I've regretted it at all. I am still glad I didn't go.

Monday was a bit of a lazy day. I still felt some fatigue and figure I must be fighting off the bug that is going around. After work I had a good long nap on the couch. It felt great! My daughter got hit with it pretty good and I'm hoping that with the downtime I can keep fighting it off. Fingers crossed!

Last night though I decided I needed to get on the wagon again. It was still downpouring though, so no outdoor run for me. I went downstairs to the gym, but my daughter was using the treadmill. Apparently running makes her feel better when she's sick. She's NOT a runner by any stretch of the imagination, but she does like to run on there when not feeling well. She has a strange healing plan. She shuts down completely for about 24 hours. Does NOT want soup or anything else that most people associate with eating while being sick. Then, she does something active (usually running on the treadmill). And BAM, she's better. I don't get it, and she is a bit of a strange duck, but it works!

So, while I didn't run, I did do something I haven't done for a while ... WEIGHTS! Not a long session. It was getting a little late and I wanted an early night. Plus, I haven't done weights in SO long that I knew I'd have to keep it on the light side or I'd be paying DEARLY and then have to take a few days off.

Sure enough, this morning I can feel it in my pecs and my arse! Good thing I didn't do more. So far this is survivable, hopefully it doesn't get worse throughout the day. The sun is actually out at the moment and I'm dying to get out on the road for a run.

A little exciting news for us over the last two weekends. Soccer season is winding up for the kiddos. Actually, not just the season .. this could be it for soccer in our family. My daughter will not be playing at all again. She played once when she was little, then decided to try it again this year ... it's not for her. In her own words, she's "not good with balls". Good statement to hear out of your fifteen year old - hahaha.

My son has decided that he won't be playing club soccer next year ... which is the last year of youth. Honestly this makes me sad because I absolutely LOVE to watch him play. He's pretty good and he plays with such drive. It's alot of fun to watch. He's played for over 10 years and it's been a big part of our lives. But, he wants to do other stuff and has grown bored with the sport. He may play school soccer next year as it's a short season, but not club. His team had a season wind-up party the other night and I got kind of choked up leaving. I've managed the team for most of the years he's played. Going to miss them all - great group of kids. One of his coaches joked that while my son may not be back next year, I will. HAHA, yeah not quite. ;) I never played soccer growing up, but I fell in love with the sport after being involved as a parent. One of the BEST sports for all around fitness.

Both kids teams made it to the district finals this year ... and both won silver medals! Neither team was expected to make it that far and they did well. My daughter's team was tied at NIl until about 10 minutes left in the game when they gave up 2 goals and lost. My son's team was leading and dominating the final game at the start, but a devastating line-up change cost them the game and they weren't able to recover. Oh well, just as well, if they'd won they would have had to move on to the next level which would have meant another month or two and he wanted to be done.

Here's their team pics with their medals:

Bonus points if you can figure out which kids are mine - hahhaa. (Family not included!)

I've made plans this weekend to run with a friend of mine I haven't seen in some time. I've decided it's time to get back to having fun with my running, and to have more balanced workouts. Right now I'm not interested in training for a specific run. I just want to have fun and enjoy myself ... oh, and look smokin' hot too. ;)

Keep Active!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

What's bigger, your ego or your brain?

2011-03-13T20:40:00.000-07:00

So ... when is a race recap not a race recap?? When no race was run!

Yup, you heard right. I didn't run my race.

I had everything ready to go. Clothes laid out. Running pack all loaded. Garmin charged and ready to go. Pins on bib. All I needed was me.

The alarm was set for 6:40 (Which I set the time but actually forgot to turn the alarm on, but then remembered halfway through the night). I awoke to the alarm going off AND my cell phone ringing. It was my running pal.

She said ... have you seen outside? It's crap! Do you still wanna go? I told her that I did. Then she uttered those words that crack me ... Are you sure? It's bad. I'll go, if you wanna go. But honestly I don't want to get sicker (she's just getting over bronchitis) so if you don't want to then I'm totally fine with it. I told her I'd think about it for a minute, then call her back. She's not one to back out of things easily, and we've done ALOT of running in miserable weather. So her giving me an out, I figured she really didn't want to be out there.

So I crawled back into bed and relayed the conversation to my husband ... as I listened the the rain pelting sideways against the window and the wind howling. He said if it was him he wouldn't go. I asked if it was because of the weather, or the lack of training ... or both. He said the weather - which surprised me cause he's a pretty tough cookie and I didn't think rain would deter him. We are rather used to copious amounts of rain in these parts! :(

Then he said, "What's bigger ... your ego or your brain?" I could go out in disgusting weather, untrained - just because I had signed up and because if I didn't go I'd have to tell a bunch of people that I'd bailed. Or, I could chalk this whole mess up to it not being the right time and stay dry and warm.

Not to give myself an easy out here, but I have had a slight sore throat the last couple days and a few days ago I was a bit lightheaded. My boss has been horribly sick all week and I've been afraid I was catching it. After the decisions was made and I spent 5-10 minutes more questioning myself and almost changing my mind .. I fell fast and deep asleep until 10:30. Apparently I needed some sleep.

It rained HARD all morning and as of right now I don't regret not going at all. If I had trained for it and had something to prove, then yes, I think I would have gone. But everything was stacked against me and I really didn't see what point I'd be making just going out there and suffering through it.

There will be other races. One's that I will actually be prepared for. One's that I'll be willing to suffer through miserable weather for, because I have true goals that I've set and am prepared to conquer. Today was not that day. Sorry if I disappoint, but today this was the choice for me. I'm not regretting it.

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

The Goals

2011-03-11T11:49:00.000-08:00

Less than 48 hours until my next half marathon (that I'm not even remotely prepared for). It will be interesting. At the moment the weather report is calling for 35-45mm (or 1.5 inches) of rain on Sunday. Oh ... fun stuff. And let's not forget that daylight savings time takes effect on Sunday. Race start is 8:30am, which will feel like what was 7:30am. Oh ... more fun stuff! Good news is I may just sleep through the race and not notice how much pain I'm in from lack of training - hahaha.

Now, even though I haven't properly trained for this I still have a couple of goals to set for this race:

Goal A: Finish! This is bare minimum and short of some sort of serious injury or passing out ... I WILL finish. This one is really not debateable.
Goal B: under 2:20. I have never run a significant distance over a 10:40 pace and even with the lack of training I don't see it happening here. If I get attacked by the stomach issues again this could throw a wrench in things. But otherwise, I don't see that it could take me longer than 2:20 to finish this race. Even though I haven't trained for this, I will be disappointed if it takes me longer than this.
Goal C: under 2:10. This is really where I see myself finishing. This is a 9:54 pace. I know I CAN run it alot faster than this, but this is not ideal conditions. Usually I can run forever at a 9:30 - 9:50 pace, so I'm hoping I can do that here.
Goal D: under 2:00. Honestly I'd have to pull off some kind of miracle to make this one happen. This is a 9:10 pace and I'm just not in good enough shape to pull this off right now. It's still a goal of mine to finish under 2 hours, and I'm quite capable, but I do have to put in the training to achieve this. Right now I don't deserve it. But I can still dream.

After work tonight I'm off to pick-up the race package. Then I'll be limiting starchy carbs until after the race. Most people carb up for a race, but with my stomach issues I find I'm better off to avoid them, and also dairy. I can have a light spaghetti the night before, but other than that it will be things like eggs, veggies, fruit, chicken. If I survive, I'll be back on Monday to report how it went.

Have a great weekend!

Keep Active!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

When You Have Nothing Nice to Say ... Make A List!

2011-03-09T14:07:00.000-08:00

I'm copying this list from Fran (and I've seen quite a few other bloggers do it too). I'm in a cranky mood today and couldn't put forth a positive, uplifting thought if you paid me ... so this is a safe bet. Nothing's really wrong, I'm just cranky and should not play with others today.
(A) Age: 38
(B) Bed Size: King
(C) Chore You Really Dislike: Ironing - I don't do it. Also getting down and dirty with the toilets - blech!
(D) Dogs – one - mini Daschund cross - Tia
(E) Essential Start Your Day Item: black tea and some sort of breakfast
(F) Favorite Color: Don't have a stand-out favourite
(G) Gold or Silver? Silver
(H) Height: 5'5 1/2"
(I) Instruments You Play: flute until Grade 10
(J) Job Title: Administrator/Bookkeeper in an office of 3
(K) Kids: two teens
(L) Live: BC Canada
(M) Mom’s Name: Patricia
(N) Nicknames: don't have any
(O) Overnight Hospital Stays? I think only when I had my kids for one night each
(P) Pet Peeve: Probably should avoid this question ... though I must say I really don't like people who are manipulative, dramatic or frequently petty or negative, ohhhhh or wimpy. Gee, I better stop, that list is growing in leaps and bounds.
(Q) Quote from a Movie: just one??? hmmm, lately it's been "Fixed the Newel Post" from Christmas Vacation. I don't get to use it often but I LOVE "a hero is only as good as his weapon" from Hercules ... and the eyes bug out of the fish he accidentally grabbed out of the water instead of his sword.
(R) Right or Left Handed? Right
(S) Siblings: 1 older sister
(T) Time You Wake Up? 6:45-7:30
(U) Underwear: fairly boring, but comfortable - lace drives me insane and if I was looking to floss between my butt cheeks I'd wear a g-string, but I'm not.
(V) Vegetable You Dislike: green beans, cauliflower, avocado, green pepper
(W) What Makes You Run Late: anything and everything - I'll be late for my own funeral, though I have improved ALOT and am now typically on time (other than to work which they don't care two hoots about).
(X) X-Rays: I think only dental
(Y) Yummy Food You Make: Cookies! also German Pancakes and I'm pretty good at making soup
(Z) Zoo, Favorite Animal: Giraffe

Ran 4.72 miles last night. It wasn't wonderful, but I got through it. Not only was I cranky, but my legs were sore. They're feeling better today, but I'm going to take a rest day anyway.

Keep Active!

Heidi

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Tick!

2011-03-08T11:02:00.000-08:00

Another one on the books. My friend and I did 7.15 miles last night - 9:36 pace. Tummy acted up a bit. Sure hope that isn't a problem on Sunday.

So I did ~6 miles on Sunday, ~7 miles on Monday. If I keep adding a mile per day then I'll be at the half distance for the race (Sun - 6, Mon - 7, Tues - 8, Wed - 9, Thur - 10, Fri 11, Sat - 12, Sun 13). No???? It doesn't work that way???? HAHAHHAHAA

Just kidding, I wouldn't do that.

Tonight I have about 5 planned, Wed will be a rest day, Thursday I'd like to do maybe 8 or 9 or 10 ... we'll see how I feel, Friday 3 and Saturday rest. I'm thinking this will get me through the half on Sunday.

After last nights run I feel confident that I'll make it through.

Keep Active!

Heidi

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I Did It!!!!!

2011-03-07T13:01:00.000-08:00

You know ... it's one thing to cram for a test, quite another to cram for a half marathon. But apparently that's what I'm doing.

Let's work with some dates:

1 week until my half marathon
Almost 4 weeks since my last run

Hmmm, not intelligent! :)

Yesterday was kind of do or die. I either got out for a run and got my butt back in gear, or I could start officially labelling myself a non-runner.

The plan was to run with a friend, but we miscommunicated and she made other plans. That left me to wrestle with my self motivation ... which as you may be aware has been woefully lacking lately.

It took me an hour and a half to get out the door - but I went! It wasn't pretty, I can't honestly say that I LOVED it or that I've missed it. I AM glad I went out though. But, by the time I was done I did feel a little more motivated and it wasn't quite as dreadful as it started out.

In fact ..... with every mile I unintentionally got faster! BONUS!!! I ran 1.5 miles, walked 5 minutes and repeated that for a total of 6 miles. My legs are reminding me today that almost 4 weeks off is NOT smart. The pace was 9:07, but that did NOT include the walk breaks, so it's not realistic. My plan for the race is to run a much slower pace and maintain it throughout the race. Probably walk the water stations or as needed, but in shorter spurts (ie not 5 minutes).

Tonight I'm running again with a friend and will run at a slower pace. I just need to get through this race, it will not be about a finish time.

Friday night I also went with the kids and my niece & nephew to a gymnastics club. It's been a LONG time since I've gone and I'm feeling that in my upper back a bit still. It's scary how quickly you can get out of shape. But I know if I keep to it, it will come back quickly.

Keep Active!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Finally Burned Some Calories

2011-02-28T13:19:00.000-08:00

No, I still haven't ran. Not sure where my mojo has gone for that, or when it will come back. I haven't ran since Feb 9th. Yikes ... I didn't realize it had been quite that long.

In complete honesty I had EVERY intention of running this weekend. Kinda had to as I was signed up for an 8K race on Sunday, which my friend (who has been sick for a good 6 weeks and is finally recovering) was going to meet me at. I couldn't really bail on this one ... however I did - but with a good excuse (which I will get to in a minute).

Backing it up a bit .....

Sunday was my daughter's 15th birthday, though somehow she doesn't seem only 15. We had made plans over a month ago to celebrate her birthday on the Saturday and go out quadding on the ATVs. February is not exactly the best time of year for outdoor activities, but she had every intention of getting as muddy as possible and didn't mind the fact that it would probably be cold & wet. We didn't however count on snow.

All last week was COLD here. Cold like we don't typically get (windchills of -17). And, of course, on Saturday the warm front moved in which brought us snow. It started, lightly, in the morning while we were having breakfast.

My husband's company does snow removal, so potential snow is kind of a big deal. We have to be ready to go at a moments notice if it starts to accumulate. But, on the same hand, if you sit and wait for it and are prepared to go .... often it doesn't happen and you've cancelled plans unnecessarily. This has happened too many times. So we packed up to go out and play and hoped that it wouldn't build up while we were gone.

The quadding was OK. It was a location we hadn't been to before and it really wasn't the greatest. Lots of soft spots. Her boyfriend's quad wasn't suitable for this type of riding (which we knew going out) and he got stuck alot. Then I, stupidly, tried to take a different route through one area and first I nearly flipped the machine and then got it stuck so deep I wasn't sure if we could get it out. After we winched it out we decided to scratch those plans and went and made a fire and had hotdogs. It was so great to be outdoors like that, even if things didn't work out quite how we wanted them to. I just love being outdoors and hanging out with my family like that.

When we got home the snow had started to accumulate, but not enough for clearing yet. We all settled in to watch the UFC fight. But my husband was on edge, wondering if we needed to gear up. Eventually he decided to get ready, and shortly after that we got the call that we were to be on site at 11 .... PM! It was gonna be a late night and a long day.

I had the option of driving the quad with a snow plow ... or shovelling. This time I opted for shovelling. It's been so long since I exercised that I wanted to burn some calories. Plus you stay SO much warmer shovelling. Driving the quad is COLD and wet! Within about 15 minutes us shovellers were stripping off layers, and we were still hot. My poor son (who has a pretty bad cold) had to drive a quad and he was frozen all night. He was so sick, but he kept going until he literally fell asleep on his quad at one point (while stopped of course). At that point we took him off shift.

It was actually great exercise and I kinda enjoyed myself. You get into a rhythym and somehow you forget that it's 2 or 3 in the morning. My daughter & her boyfriend also came along and they shovelled with me. I almost couldn't keep up with them.

I'm so, so, SO proud of those kids. All 3 of them worked hard all night. They were dedicated and did a fantastic job. I don't have one single complaint. Plus, it was so great to have our whole family working together like that.

So, it wasn't a typical "workout", but let me tell you ... I was DRENCHED in sweat. My arms ache today. Yesterday was a write off, slept off and on most of the day - hopefully enough that the fatigue doesn't drag on all week.

I now have 2 weeks until my half marathon and I'm NOT .. AT ... ALL trained for it. But I'll still do it, if only for the experience. It's paid for and there's no refunds, so may as well do it. Somehow though I do HAVE to get some runs in between now and then.

Heidi

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Missing: Motivation & Desire

2011-02-14T10:45:00.000-08:00

I have no idea what's up with me lately. I just have NO desire to run, or even exercise for that matter. I'm not being particularly lazy. My ass has not been parked on the couch eating bon-bons. I've been busy doing things, constantly moving, though I have no idea what I'm actually doing.

Exercise has always been the easy part for me. I love it! My diet is the thing I usually struggle with, but a run or any type of workout has always been welcomed and enjoyed.

I have not run since last Wednesday. And in fact, I haven't had a good, enjoyable run in some time. I only have 16 miles logged so far this month, which is unheard of for me. It's sad, but I can already see my mileage goal for the year slipping away, and that doesn't bother me right now either.

I had planned to run Thursday, then put that off to Friday, then decided on a short one Saturday and a long run Sunday. Not one of those materialized.

Don't know if it's the weather. I'm sick of the gray. Sick of the rain. Sick of the cold. And plain just a little sick with a very slight nagging sore throat, not enough to really bother me, I'm just calling in excuses. Also this darn leg just is NOT getting any better, it's not bad, but like the throat it's just hanging around reminding me every once in a while that it's not 100%. But even putting that aside I have no DESIRE to run. Even when I've been injured before and unable to run, I've still WANTED to, ached to. This is quite foreign for me.

I can't even say that I'm in a funk. In fact, life has been treating me pretty darn good lately for the most part and I feel very content. It couldn't be that simple though could it? Could being happy & content leave me with no 'need' to workout and find endorphins there? It's a theory, though I don't believe it.

My half marathon is in 4 weeks. THEE half marathon! The one to redeem myself. The one to PR. And I haven't trained ONE BIT, and right now I don't care to. This is so unusual for me.

I will still do it, but it will not be what I had hoped for, what I signed up for. I will just get through it, to say I did it. If I hadn't already registered I wouldn't bother. I'm pretty sure I'll enjoy it anyway, but even if I managed to step things up right now I don't think I'd achieve the goals I had set out for originally.

Sigh ... for now I sit here just waiting for the fire to reignite. Until then I hope at least you ....

Keep Active!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Not the Greatest

2011-02-10T12:24:00.000-08:00

Last night was NOT the best run ever. One of those runs where I struggled through EVERY step. I thought I'd be able to get in a good 7 miles or more, but I barely squeaked out 4 1/2 because I spent so much time ~~procrastinating~~ ... ~~stretching~~ ..... watching the kids play .... yeah OK, procrastinating.

I hit up the local track and did a few laps, then sets of stairs and repeated that off and on for an hour and a half, only actually getting about 45 minutes of running in there. Never did fall into a rhythym. Had to force it all. But I was out there, it was BLOODY cold so it just made sense to keep moving.

My legs felt like LEAD and I never really did warm-up much. I couldn't seem to run fast enough to get the blood flowing properly. It was just below the freezing mark, but not by much. We'll just call this one character building and move on.

Last year (Feb 19th) I found this little beauty in my garden as a sign of spring to come.

Hmmm, right now everything is frozen. Any chance one of these babies will pop up in the next 9 days???? Definitely wishful thinking.
I'm back on the roller coaster again. I'm thinking this has to be hormonal. Last month around Jan 9th I had the same thing. One day to the next I'm suddenly STARVING. And while I'm eating more than I should, the weight gain is crazy. 4 lbs in the last 3 days ... and wouldn't you know it, almost a month to the day! I ate ALL my lunch by 11AM today and could easily eat another full meal now at noon.

I don't know whether to just eat a little more (but try not to go crazy overboard) and then just let things settle out again in a few days. Or, really put my foot down and not let whatever it is take over. I'm not stressed or anything, I feel 100%, I'm just H-U-N-G-R-Y!

All I know is I hope it does the same as last month and in a few more days I can start dropping weight again. Body's are funny machines!

Keep Active!

Heidi

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Or Not a PR :(

2011-02-09T10:12:00.000-08:00

Well that just sucks! Guess I should have known.

At the race this past weekend something was off with my finish time but I chose to be ignorant and went with what I heard ... not what I saw.

When I crossed the finish line I clearly heard the guy call out 56:16, but when I looked at my Garmin it said 57:09. I thought that was strange, but my friend was standing at the finish line and she too clearly heard 56:16. I knew the seconds were out by a bit because I missed the start, but I had kind of wondered if maybe I screwed something up when resetting my watch. Apparently not! :(

The results have now been posted and my official time was 57:16. Darn!! Guess it was wishful thinking that my Garmin was wrong.

I will however record this as a 57:09 though because I did start late. I was doing a warm-up jog to the start line and just as I got close I heard the guy counting down .... 3-2-1. I still had to reset my Garmin, so knew right then I'd be going with the time on my watch, not theirs.

Oh well, so I didn't PR. :( A little disappointing, but it's OK. It's only 31 seconds slower, that's not so bad. I haven't been training enough and (not that I'm making excuses) I'm still plagued a bit with some discomfort in my left hamstring which I had been having treated late Dec/early Jan. I don't seem to have the strength I need for the hills these days. It's not really a pain so much, but there is something there still. I'll be back in early March for some maintenance treatment so we'll see what the doc has to say then.

On a completely different topic .... I made chicken enchiladas last night ... Oh Heaven! I'm not overly talented in the kitchen when it comes to making dinners, but this dish is incredible. YUM-MO! I can only eat half of one, but that just means that I have leftovers for lunch today. T minus 2 hours to me and some deliciousness! MmmmMmmmmMmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!

Keep Active!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

A Teeny PR

2011-02-06T19:05:00.000-08:00

Another race done in the winter trail series and I got a teensy, tiny PR .... 12 whole seconds - hahhaaa, but I'll take it.

I'm happy with that, but admit that I'm a little afraid that this is my peak. Will I ever get better? I had hoped for a lot more improvement. I want more, alot more ... but, to be honest with myself, I haven't really been training for improvement. In fact, the last few weeks I haven't been running a whole lot at all. So really, I don't exactly deserve big PRs right now. Guess I have to want it more.

The trail was great. Even though we've had alot of rain, the footing on this one is fantastic. It's very hilly though, with one major steep hill that you have to run twice, and then multiple little rollers for a good 4K of the route.

My Garmin was quite a bit short on the distance. It was the exact same route as last year, however the Garmin showed it being about 1/2 Km shorter which is fairly significant.

So, overall the weekend was fantastic. A teeny little PR for me. Both kids won their soccer games. My son's coaches said it was his best game all season - he was rock solid! Can't believe that he won't be playing much longer :(. Saturday my daughter's boyfriend came over and we all watched UFC together, such a nice kid.

This week I'm going to put a more concentrated effort into running and actual training. Need to build my distance back up again. Only 5 weeks until my half marathon and I HAVE to rock that!!!

Keep Active!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

I Gotta Feeling ... wooohooo ... that this month's gonna be a good month

2011-02-04T13:08:00.000-08:00

I've been MIA this week but not for any particular reason other than perhaps a little writers block and a minor case of sore throat, thus less running.

I missed quite a few of my planned runs in the last bit of January. Had some crappy weather and truly just didn't feel like running outdoors, nor on the treadmill. It happens. While I have definite goals I want to achieve, at the end of the day I run for enjoyment and I will not force it if my heart isn't in it.

Last Sunday I had 12 miles planned but woke up feeling very lightheaded, tired and just drained. It was super cold out too and my son had a game in the afternoon, so I just decided to forego the run.

By the time Tuesday came around it had been a week since my last run. It was time to do SOMETHING! It was still pretty darn cold, but the wind had died down and I chose to face the elements. It turned out to be one of the best runs in a long time. Only 4 miles, but I enjoyed every step of it. THAT is what it should be about!

Quick summary of January ....

Didn't run near as much as I had planned. Started the month on an injury and ended it with bad weather and feeling off. Still, I got in 64 miles and enjoyed most of them. Substantially short of the 106 miles I had planned ... but I will not beat myself up over it.

The great thing about January was I had set a goal to lose 4 lbs .... and I lost 4.6!!!! I'm super stoked about that.

My February goals include running 100 miles and losing another 3.4 lbs from Jan 31st to Feb 28th.

February has just started but it's already feeling like an amazing month. I have ALOT going on and I just have this incredibly positive vibe going on that started about 2 weeks ago. I haven't felt this way in a long, LONG time. There are just so many areas of my life right now that make me so happy. I don't think my marriage has ever been as strong. My kids are amazing and they make me so proud. While finances haven't really improved, there is a little light twinkling out there and I really don't think it's a train this time. There's nothing really noteable, but I just feel this little shift, a little change in gears and I have this sense. Sure hope I'm right about that!!

This weekend is going to be GREAT too. Both kids have soccer games, I have a race and then there is family UFC night. It's probably gonna rain all weekend, but it's sunny in my world so who cares - hahaha.

Have an AMAZING weekend!

Keep Active!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Comment Issues

2011-01-28T16:15:00.000-08:00

I've had some comments/e-mails lately that there seems to be some problems commenting on my posts lately. I changed a few things and hope this fixes the issues. ;)

Today I got a fortune cookie that said:

Saturday & Sunday stack odds in your favour

Hmmm, too bad I don't have a race.

Have a great weekend.

Keep Active!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

What a Ride!

2011-01-26T11:03:00.000-08:00

Special thanks to my friend Fran for letting me know that I was recently listed on the Broken Hearted Runner's Best Running Blogs of 2011.

To say I'm surprised is an understatement. Me and my lil' ol' ramblings here. ;)

Thanks Fran for informing me and THANKS Broken Hearted Runner for including me on your list. There are some AMAZING blogs listed there and I'm honoured.

*****************************

Recently I've mentioned a few times that I had been struggling with eating too much, incessant hunger, and of course the expected weight gain.

I've been actively trying to lose a little more weight again since Boxing Day. Two weeks later I was down 2 lbs and happy about that. In the next eight days that followed I gained 5 pounds. FIVE FRICKIN' POUNDS ... in EIGHT days.

For those eight days I could not stop eating. I was ALWAYS hungry. My choices were NOT optimal. However, even with the extra I was eating, I knew that in 8 days I did not consume an extra 17,500 calories above what my body needs (approx 3500 calories equals a 1 pound weight change).

Now, I kinda had it in the back of my mind that hormones might have been playing a little role here. Typically, I'm not THAT affected by those things. In the last while though I have been.

And wouldn't you know it ... a few days later - WHAM! Intense hunger - gone! I literally woke up one morning last week and felt human again. Normal food levels are satisfying me ... and my weight dropped SEVEN pounds in 4 days. CRAZY!

That leaves me 4 lbs down in a month, which is ironically exactly what I was hoping for. But what a rollercoaster ride along the way. The loss is great, but I sure hope it doesn't have to be such a wild ride each month. That would take some getting used to.

Keep Active!

Heidi

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Not Alone

2011-01-25T12:15:00.000-08:00

The results are posted from this weekend's race.

I placed 4th out of 12 in my age group, and 8th woman overall. Not so bad I guess.

Comparing times to last year it would seem the majority of runners were 1:30 - 3:00 slower this year compared to previous years. I already pretty much knew the course conditions were a huge contributor to my 50 seconds slower, but it's kind of nice to know that it affected many others by at least this much too.

The next race is Feb 6th and I know that course will definitely have good conditions. We'll see what I bring to that one.

Yesterday I took a rest day. My legs were definitely tired from the race. Also, my son had a soccer game last night that was awesome so I'm glad I didn't miss it. I'm sure going to be sad when he's not playing next year. :(

On another note ... does anyone know if the sun still exists? Or has it become extinct? I've seen nothing but gray since I don't know when. YUCK!

Keep Active!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

My Husband Loves Me

2011-01-23T20:39:00.000-08:00

Sunday was race #2 in the trail series I'm doing. For me it's the toughest course of this series. And today some of the footing was insanely horrid.

We lined up for the start and the race director informed us "there is water out there, you can't avoid it so don't even try."

Hmmmm .. apparently he hasn't met stubborn Heidi. :) Does he not know that I havee pretty much BRAND NEW SHOES ON!!! I can't be getting those babies soaked to the bone. I knew they'd get muddy, but soaked ... I don't think so. I actually looked at my husband and said "Wanna go home?" I was half joking, half serious - not that he'd ever let me leave - LOL.

So, race starts and I got a clean break. Last year at this race I got caught in a mob. Really throughout the whole race I had my own space which was great. My pace was a little slower than I would have liked to start, but it was steady and I figured I could hold it throughout the whole thing.

This route goes along a crushed gravel path that is slightly soft packed as it's a shared horse trail. Just after the 3K mark you turn off this trail to a single track narrow dirt trail. Quite narrow, fairly slippery, some logs to jump over or duck under. There were a few little puddles but nothing worth the description the race director gave us - until ......

About the 4K mark the trail is completely closed in with blackberry bushes, grasses and trees on both sides. There is nowhere to go except through the trail. Suddenly in front of us is the mother of all puddles. My sweet, dear, loves-me-without-question husband stops, squats down and instructs me to HOP ON.

He CARRIED me through the muddy part. And when I say muddy, understand that we're talking 8" or deeper ~~swamp~~ puddles with deep, soft, slippery mud and tree roots ... for about 150 feet. He didn't even hesitate and I didn't ask him to do it ... nor did I turn down his offer either!

After that section it was super muddy for another 1/2 Km. We were slipping everywhere and I'm still shocked I didn't go down. There was some walking required to get through safely, alot of very careful tip toeing. Certainly not ideal conditions.

And once you broke out of the muddy single track trail and came back onto the gravel horse trail ... up you go. Though the more I run that hill, the easier it gets. The first year it nearly killed me, today it just slowed me down some.

And when you get to the top ... you get to do it all again. Yep, that's right, two loops through the mud bog ... and hubby carried me both times. Can you say love??? Can you say awwww?

My time was slower than last year by 50 seconds, but I'm not surprised. I had hoped to improve, but given the conditions I'm pleased. It was not the day to PR on this course.

Keep Active!

Heidi

Time To Get Stubborn

2011-01-21T11:23:00.000-08:00

If you ask any of my family or close friends I think I could pretty much bet my kid's lives on them all including the word "stubborn" when describing me. I know my Mom & sister will be laughing and nodding their heads frantically when they read this.

I am stubborn. Though stubborn isn't always bad. ;) Sometimes I'm bad stubborn, but sometimes I'm good stubborn. If I really believe in something strongly you'd need a bulldozer to move me, and even then good luck!

Just call me "Little Miss Stubborn".

(You can actually buy this shirt HERE)

Since I've been struggling so much lately I once again pulled out a bunch of my old journals and poured over them last night. Back in 2001 (yes, I've been at this a while), I had a ton of success - so I concentrated my efforts there.

What struck me was that for months and months and months I stayed within my Weight Watchers points range. I was eating substantially less food/points than I am now, and it was enough. I was exercising at a pretty high level then too - not quite as high, but close enough. And you know what? I was just fine. I didn't die of starvation. I remember being comfortably full and rarely ever feeling hungry. I had plenty of energy. And I lost weight.

There is absolutely no reason for me to be eating as much as I have been lately. I DO NOT need that much food! Time to apply this strong personality trait to this area of my life. I'm starting to get mad and that's gonna fuel this fire.

It's time to get stubborn!

Keep Active!

Heidi

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Random Venting and a Date

2011-01-20T11:39:00.000-08:00

Lately I have been SO unbelievably hungry. Especially the last two weeks I'm just ravenous, HUGE hunger pains. Not just twinges or cravings, but pain. I think I'm getting adequate protein, fibre, fat and all that, but yet I feel like I'm constantly starving. Even with my activity level I'm eating way too much because I can't seem to feel any fullness. And I've gained weight like crazy this last week. Sure hoping it has something to do with hormones and it balances itself out SOON! I could use a few more fresh veggies maybe (though I am still reaching the minimum) ... which leads me to my next point.
Why does fresh produce have to be so stupidly expensive and horrible at this time of year? Broccoli (my favourite) $1.99 per pound. Cucumbers - $1.99 each. Red Pepper - $3.49 per pound. Grapes - $4.59 per pound. Bananas - .89 per pound. I do NOT like frozen produce.
Why does meat have to always be stupidly expensive in Canada?
When, oh when, will my local Walmart finally finish becoming a mini Super Walmart. They've been working on it for a good year now and it doesn't seem much closer to completion. Walmart, fresh veggies that are usually cheaper than the rest, more groceries to choose from - win-win! HURRY UP ... I'm getting IM-PA-TIENT!

Tonight I'm having a movie date night with my treadmill. It's gross and raining. I have no ~~victims~~ friends to run outdoors with. I'd have to specifically drive to a safe neighborhood to run. So it'll be me, 7 or 8 miles with a little speedwork, and a chick flick. I'm thinking Charlie St. Cloud might be a good one.

Keep Active!

Heidi

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I'm Confused

2011-01-18T07:28:00.000-08:00

At one of my most recent massage sessions, my therapist recommended that I do ice baths to help reduce swelling & inflammation from a long run.

I don't think I quite got the concept down.

First I'm gonna back up.

Friday night - 7 miles including 2 x 2 mile pace intervals and 4 sets of strides ... all while watching a movie on the laptop that I rigged up on a stand in the gym. YAY me! The movie was so-so (Juno), but I was rather proud of my set-up and I am actually looking forward to the next long-ish session on the treadmill.

Saturday - did a nice, easy pace 2.6 miles outdoors. I have not run outdoors in so long and it felt so great. Though I had to keep forcing myself to slow down as this was supposed to be a very easy run.

Then came Sunday!

My friend is back from her Goofy Challenge and I wanted to run 10 miles with her. In the morning the skies were fully open and it was downpouring. There was no way I was going out in that and I resigned myself to a movie sesh on the mill.

However in the afternoon it cleared and it looked like we might get a small window. She bootied over to my place and we left pronto. The run felt fantastic!

About halfway through we stopped for my expected "pitstop". A lovely little bushy area alongside a river. The river was high and flowing fast. But, at least it offered me the ability to wash up. I found myself a nice, wide, flat, stable rock right near the edge of the river. Perfect!

I'm standing on said rock and lean over to dunk my hands in. My left toe slips off the rock, and dips into the water. CRAP! My brand new shoes!!!! So I snatch it back as quick as I can to minimalize damage. Of course this causes me to lose balance and I plunge forward.

My right hand ... ever so gracefully ... enters the water and I await to hit the riverbed. And I wait. Annndddd I wait. I'm sure it was only a mere second, but it felt like a lifetime. Next thing I know I am entire shoulder deep and my face plunges into the water - just as the foot I was trying to save from getting wet slips in as well, up to about mid calf. Next thing I'm sprawled flat on that wonderful nice, wide, flat, stable rock.

The only thought going through my mind is "Crap, I'm gonna drown and my friends won't even think to look for me for a couple minutes".

I get up and make my way to the top, and am now laughing my shorts off. My friends see me, and notice water dripping from my hat. WTH?! Seriously, the whole event kept me laughing for the next mile or two - which was a good thing because otherwise I would have noticed how disgusting one wet sock and one wet shoulder feels.

I'm guessing THIS is not what my therapist was recommending when he suggested an ice bath.

Keep Active!

Heidi

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Jello

2011-01-14T11:33:00.000-08:00

Today's post is brought to you by an old forgotten favourite sweet snack.

Mmmmm ... jello! Or more specifically ....

Jello and light whip cream!

Last night I was still being beaten down by the sleep deprivation and chose to skip my run for the night and go to bed early. But FIRST ... I decided to plan ahead and make a little sweet snack that I could have in moderation. Four 1/2 cup containers, plus extra for the fam. This is the full strength stuff - no aspartame crap for me!

I'm thinking maybe I need to stop worrying about the fact that I eat something sweet EVERY day. Trying to avoid it just leads to me seeking it out, and usually eating more than I should. Instead I just need to plan for it and just have it each day and enjoy it. No guilt!

What's your favourite healthy sweet snack?

BLOGGY GIVEAWAY: Run Like A Mother Book @ Just Another Mom on the Run

Keep Active!

Heidi

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Munchie Monster Be Gone

2011-01-13T10:18:00.000-08:00

Put a stop on the munchie monster yesterday! I knew it would be a bit of a battle with being so tired and all.

I had not packed an adequate lunch, so by early afternoon I was hungry and sent my boss a message begging (half-joking) for some snackies. He spoils me rotten so I wasn't surprised when he came back with yoghurt and a bag of pretzels. I devoured the yoghurt first, then when I felt I was getting carried away with the pretzels I literally threw them across the office to my boss and told him to ban them from me.

When I got home the munchies hit again and I found myself with my hand in a bag of potato chips I found at my MIL's. After a couple of handfuls I shook my head and went and ate an early dinner. I actually recognized that it wasn't true hunger that was fueling the munchies.

After that was the MUCH needed nap, then I squeezed in a short, easy 3.3 mile run before crashing for the night. I'm kinda proud that I didn't let it get out of hand, and that I still fit in my scheduled run.

Today I am still a bit tired, but recovering. I'm sure it will take a couple days to catch up, but I'll get there.

Keep Active!

Heidi

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A Little Sleep Deprived

2011-01-12T12:01:00.000-08:00

Day 1 of Half Marathon training went well. At first it felt like it would be a little too easy, but halfway through it was just challenging enough. Speedwork rocks!

Tonight is an easy 4 miles. I didn't get enough stretching in last night so that will be a big focus tonight.

I'm am STUPID tired this morning. My husband does snow removal and we got a decent dump last night. However, it was to be followed by rain in the morning and alot of the customers were holding out to see if they could get away with the rain washing away the snow. This meant we were on edge all night, waiting to go - me not going to bed until midnight, my husband finally coming to bed at around 2AM.

Eventually the call to go came at 4:30 AM, which thankfully I was semi-awake to hear as my husband was out cold. For the next hour I could hear him getting everything ready, then I finally got a short sleep that was disrupted by strange dreams, until I got woken up by a phone call from him at 6:30 with a change of plans and things I had to do.

I'd estimate I got maybe 2 hours of restless sleep, if that. Gonna be an early night tonight with maybe a nap. Good thing soccer is cancelled tonight so I don't have anything I have to do.

My only plans tonight are to make dinner, get in my easy run, stretch, and sleep!

Of course, being this tired my munchies are in overdrive. I'm going to have to keep reminding myself that food is not the thing that will give me the energy I need. Chocolate & sugar will NOT help. I just need to get through the day and then catch up on sleep, that's the only thing that will help.

Keep Active!

Heidi

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The Tough Stuff and The Easy Stuff

2011-01-11T12:03:00.000-08:00

The Tough Stuff

Hello .... my name is Heidi and I am addicted to sugar.

It seems that over and over and over again I fight this war but never seem to get anywhere. I try to kick at it from different angles but never seem to knock it down.

I've challenged myself from certain things (sweet coffee, licorice, bulk candy), and succeeded for the short term, but never the long term. I've learned to enjoy things like tea without any added sugar, but still crave sugar. I've even given things like the South Beach Diet an attempt. This does help, but that sugar monster always comes creeping back in.

Sweet treats have been removed from my grocery lists ... but I'm far from the only sugar addict in my house and even if I don't buy it, it still ends up in my house. Not having it around is not a solution. Somehow I have to tame this on my own and with my own control.

About a week ago I spent some time going over my old journals ... from years and years ago until now. I've kept journals for the majority of the last 10 or so years, so finding patterns is not too hard. Almost EVERY day I have a little somethin' somethin' and some days I have A LOT o' somethin' somethin'. It is my biggest weakness.

Last night was another bad episode. Of course yesterday the hunger monster raged it's ugly head and I just could not feel satisfied, even with a good amount of protein and veggies throughout the day. After dinner my MIL brought over some blueberry cake and somehow I ate 3 pieces. Then in the office there was a box of Toffifee and four pieces of that called my name until my stomach hurt and I wanted to hurl the box across the room.

Of course I was tired yesterday, and I hadn't drank enough water. After consuming the above I had a half hour nap then woke up with incredible thirst and drank 4 glasses of water (definitely thirsty!). I should know the signs. I can give the advice. If this were anyone else I'd recommend having the nap and the water BEFORE consuming the junk. Somehow that doesn't compute in the moment and I don't know why. Very frustrating!

The Easy Stuff

Tonight begins the first run of my training plan. It's 1/11/11 ... somehow that's fitting for a new beginning, isn't it?

The plan calls for some speed intervals and I'm very much looking forward to it.

.75 miles @ 8:46 pace (6.8 mph)
.25 miles recovery
.50 miles @ 8:12 pace (7.3 mph)
.12 miles recovery
.50 miles @ 8:12 pace (7.3 mph)
.12 miles recovery
.12 miles @ 8:00 pace (7.5 mph)
.12 miles recovery
repeat steps 7 & 8 four times total

Total Distance 3.2 miles
I'm going to add in a 1 mile warm-up and possibly a 1 (or half) mile cool-down at a steady, easy pace.

The running & training is the easy part. If I could do only that and have success in losing weight it would be a snap. Exercise is a very important key in loosing and maintaining weight, but you gotta have the diet on board as well. I know this all too well from experience ... sigh.

Keep Active!

Heidi

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Let the Training Begin

2011-01-10T10:55:00.000-08:00

I'm officially entered in a Half Marathon for this year. March 13th! The only one I did last year is on this same weekend, however I have decided that I'm going to try a different race that is hosted by a company that I much prefer over the other one. It's an inaugural race, but the race hosts have put on many, many successful races so it should be fine.

It's kind of exciting because part of the race will be run over a new bridge that was completed just over a year ago. The bridge itself is about 2.5 km long and the route takes you over and back, so 5K of the race will be on that bridge. Pretty cool. Should be quite the views!

I was thinking that concentrated training should probably start soon. While I have trained for a half before without a real plan, I have some pretty specific time goals I want to shoot for this year. So, I started searching for some training plan ideas and came across this Half Marathon Training Plan from Runner's World.

It's a 9 week plan ... and whatda ya know .... the race is exactly 9 weeks away. Destiny! Looking at it, I think it's something that I can easily fit into my life and will give me some guidance and push me towards that time I'm seeking. I like the idea of the speedwork involved.

The only change I intend to make is the distance of the long runs. Personally, I prefer to run at least the full distance before a race. This plan only takes you up to 11-12 miles. I have a decent mileage base and am very comfortable running the longer distances. Therefore, all the long runs will be increased by 2-3 miles.

This weekend didn't go quite as planned. Saturday I got P.O.'ed at my daughter's soccer coach (jerk!) and spent a good part of the day composing my thoughts so I could send him an e-mail. Don't piss off the Momma Bear! In retrospect I should have gone for a run because that's the best way to think clearly. Anyhow, by the time I was done, the weather turned kinda ugly and the daylight was running out.

Sunday morning started out with a little excitement as the temperatures dropped and the roads were icy and we got a dusting of snow. Two vehicles crashed in the intersection down the road from me and an air ambulance was brought in for one person. I sure hope they are OK. I had plans to go out for a morning run, but was a little apprehensive to drive until it warmed up a bit. The roads were s-l-i-c-k! I spent most of the day in major house cleaning mode, which feels so much better to have a clean house. Late afternoon I decided to squeeze in a run but got halfway down the driveway and my niblets were freezing off and the wind was howling through every layer of clothing. I decided that this just would not be an enjoyable run and returned to the house. Later that evening though I did hit up the treadmill (not a dreadmill today because it's times like this that I have alot of love for that baby). Did 5 x 1 mile intervals with weights between sets and negative splits on each mile. I'm getting my speed back - YAY!!!! The last mile was run at a 7:39 pace! YIPPEE!!! I haven't even been able to run that fast for even a quarter mile in quite some time.

Mile 1 - 9:14
Mile 2 - 8:58
Mile 3 - 8:41
Mile 4 - 8:27
Mile 5 - 7:39

TOTAL 42:59 - Average 8:36/mile

That makes me happy!

Tonight I have another stretchy appointment (massage therapy). Hopefully it's my last one. I've been a good patient and have done my stretches almost every day.

Today is officially Day 1 of the training .... and it's a rest day. How appropriate. :)

Keep Active!

Heidi

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Knock, Knock, Knock

2011-01-07T14:01:00.000-08:00

Knocking on wood here ...

Ran 5 miles on the treadmill last night, doing negative splits .... and no pain! Teensy bit of stiffness in the left knee, but I almost have to feel for it. It could be easily ignored (but won't be).

I'm trying to be a good patient and doing all the stretches my doctor has recommended. Really it's not much of a hardship. Stretching is very relaxing ... well moreso now that I'm finally loosening up and it doesn't hurt so much.

This weekend the torrential rain is supposed to go away (we've had something like 100mm/4" of rain in the last 2-3 days) and leave us with cold, crisp, sunny skies. I'm planning to take advantage of that and get some enjoyable runs in outdoors.

Been moving my office the last couple days at work. Surely I'm burning a ton of calories carrying all those boxes and furniture. However, the binge monster has gotten a hold of me and large amounts of chocolate has been consumed. Will I ever get control of that???

Anyhow, just taking a quick break from cleaning and organizing the new office. Haven't had much time to check out everyone's blogs but should be caught up again soon.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend

Keep Active!

Heidi

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Nap Time

2011-01-06T07:43:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you just need a nap!

Today was one of those days. Didn't sleep so great last night (no reason .. just awake). Then the day was spent packing up my office and ingesting unhealthy amounts of dust. When my son's soccer coach called to cancel practice for the night I knew right then that I would also cancel my run plans. We're getting stupid amounts of rain today, and the next few days, so I really wasn't wanting to run outdoors anyway. It's been dark all day, drizzly, cold and damp. And I just couldn't face the treadmill tonight. Besides ...... I needed a nap!

I hate to get behind in my plan already, but I don't need to be getting rundown and getting sick. There is no time for that! :)

Almost 2 hours was spent snuggled in a blanket with the dog in front of the woodstove .... ahhhhhh, HEAVEN! And now I'm going to turn in early too. Tomorrow will be a crazy day, hopefully ending with a run.

Is it still too early in winter to be dreaming of warm, sunny, spring & summer days?

Keep Active!

Heidi