I think I found my camera

So I think i'm going to buy the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XS. It's definately not the fanciest out there. I was leaning towards the Nikon D60 (which is a step up from the D40 I believe), but I can only find it at Future Shop and I hate Future Shop (so unhelpful there!). Then the comparative Canon was the XSi, but that's hundreds of dollars more than the XS and for my uses I doubt I'll see the difference. Plus I found the XS at Costco for less than $500 where all other cameras at other places are $600. That's what finally tipped the scales in it's favour. The pros and cons between the Canon and Nikon go back and forth (one has this, the other has that, which is more important to me? I dunno yet!) I've heard good things about both so I'm happy with my decision. Why did I tell you all that? I dunno!

So I'm really excited about it and probably going to buy it after work and then waste the rest of the week playing. woop woop!

Last night I practiced Step. It is so much more boring to practice it in my living room than to teach or take the actual class. I just can't push it as hard. I can't squat as low or jump as high. Definately need the other people as motivation. I only have a few tracks that i'm not 100% on, so hopefully this will be my last week I'll need to practice.

But that's all I did last night. Daisy and I went for a quick walk, I helped hubby measure stuff out in the basement. Watched tv. Oh I guess I also cut up a ton of carrots and celery and strawberries so they're ready for lunches and snacks. Strawberries were on sale when you buy 2 of the big clamshells, so I've got so many strawberries right now it's ridiculous. Especially considering hubby doesn't really eat them. But I love them! We're going crazy on the in season produce. Me on the strawberries, he on the asparagus (I only like the very tip, not a bit of the stalk, so I don't eat them, I figure that's too wasteful to somebody who really likes them. Plus hubby doesn't like a lot of veggies so I figure he can have all he wants of what he does like). I can't wait for peaches and plums to be cheaper. I love spring/summer food!!

Well that's all I want to say now I think. I want to spend the rest of my goofing off time at work googling my camera. So excited.

What a weekend!

So I had a great weekend. What did I do? What didn't I do!

Friday, stopped at the mall to try and buy an orange headband (we're supposed to wear black and orange for Step, but I had nothing!) I found a bright orange elastic kind. Which basically doesn't work in my hair, but it was the only thing I could find! I had to hairspray it in place! So went home, walked the dog. Practiced my tracks. Hung out. Played with Photoshop until midnight.

Saturday, got up early thanks to my dog who didn't realize it was the weekend. Oh well. at least it's light out now. Makes it so much easier to get up. So watch some tv, play on the computer, get dressed for Step and go.

The class went terrific. it was packed. Normally there's like 10-15 people in a class, we had 30!! We used every step in the whole place. Plus had to turn away at least 1 person. PACKED, HOT, STINKY! yay! My tracks went well. I was a bit nervous because there were so many people, but it was fine. My friend said I was the best one, most motivating, but of course she's my friend so she's gonna say that. I think I also had the best tracks, one was the hardest on you for cardio, but easy enough moves, the other was a cool down "dancey" track so it was fun and had a goofy arms and stuff. Anyway, I loved it. But I hope I don't have to teach 30 people again.

Then after we got free protein shakes at the gym. Nice. Then I had to kill 2 hours before my facial appointment (so I didn't have to drive home and waste gas). so I went to a different mall, again looking for orange headbands or just whatever. But I was still feeling fat so I didn't have fun looking at clothes and stuff. Again, found nothing orange. Lulu didn't have anything orange at all, everything's this new peachy color that I don't think I like. (and I was looking forward to using my 15% instructor discount!!) Anyway, did buy a cute platter for like $2 at this liquidation center. But the line for that was so long I was almost late for my facial! But got there just in time. It was just a mini 30 minute facial that I got free for Christmas. Very relaxing. Don't think my skin's any different at all, I've got pretty good skin.

So went home after that. Walked the dog. Cleaned the house. Dusted EVERYTHING. vaccuumed, made pea soup, cleaned the bathroom top to bottom, caught up on Lost, paid the bills, researched digital cameras, scanned all my sister's pictures as a kid for her wedding slideshow, did 7 loads of laundry. cleaned the kitchen. Played with the dog. Went to bed before 10:00.

Sunday, woke up early again, (thanks Daisy). Sunday was the fun day. All the work was done, so I just scrapbooked and watched tv all day. Well I also went into the city to get Daisy's nails trimmed. (I just can't do it, she's too squirmy and I'm too scared of hurting her, she doesn't mind it at Petsmart because she likes new people and places and car rides). So lots of nothing. Finished up the laundry. Hubby got home at 10:00 just as I was going to bed. (he was ice fishing all weekend, that's why I got so much done!)

Now I've got nothing going on until Thursday when I teach. So I'll be doing some practicing since I'll have to do 4 tracks, (then 5 on Sunday). But hopefully I can go for a run outside too. It's finally melting here! Ridiculous!

Oh, and thanks to the end of TOM, I lost a pound in 3 days. Sweet.

Giveaway

I think a back support thing would be pretty sweet. If you do too, check it out:
Everygymsnightmare.

UGH

So I had a nasty WI. No suprise, buffets all weekend, TOM, my renewed dedication (that always leads to a gain don't you find? Just to test how dedicated you really are). 146.8. Super ugh. Moving on.

I'm seeing it in the mirror and in my clothes now too. you know how you just gain so gradually then look in the mirror months later and do a double take? That's me now.

However I've really reduced my lunches. I cut out like 3 different "snacks" that I'd normally eat every day. (like a cup of grapes or an apple, healthy yes, but I don't need so many servings of it). I'm scared of getting hungry so I eat. Now I'm trying to wait until I AM hungry and then eat one of the things, rather than as a preventative measure. Plus I'm trying to distract myself from cravings with green tea or gum or something. It feels like it's working, I think I'm eating less.

Tomorrow is my first Step class! yay! I have to go buy an orange headband after work. We have to wear black and orange. That's gonna look stunning with my hair. oy! I've got at least 2 friends coming so that's fun. (the step thing last night was good too, though I felt like a cow, found out my grey pants are NOT flattering.)

Oh, I can ask here! I'm thinking of getting a digital SLR with part of my tax refund (note - we each get a chunk of money, half goes to RRSP, the rest to savings for baby or holidays or new car etc). Anybody know where to get a reasonably priced starter SLR? Any recommendations for brands? or lenses to get? I'm so excited about it. Mostly because I've downloaded all these free actions (automatic fixes and cool things so you only have to push 1 button instead of doing a million things) for Photoshop Elements. And I want some nicer pictures to do these cool edits too! A bad picture doesn't look better using it. Good pictures will look better. So any advice would be great! I'm trying to be pretty cheap about it though since, well, I'm cheap!

good day?

I think yesterday was good. It felt good. I didn't screw up as far as I can recall. Yes I can think of 2 things I didn't need but had anyway (a glass of orange juice after class when hubby and friend were having a beer, peanut butter on my banana that I had instead of berries for dessert - I think they went bad). So I'm calling that a win.

I'm a winner.

Today, I forgot that I had a step tutorial at the gym. So I have to go home get my clothes and come back for that. ok. won't be as good of a workout as I would have had at home I don't think. But good teaching practice nonetheless. I have elk hamburger thawed out and a recipe ready to go, (from Kraft, a taco bake thing). I think my salad mix has gone bad so I had a sandwich for lunch, lame dry bread and one crust piece. Oh well. Still filling. And fulfills the carb cravings.

Hubby's going ice fishing this weekend so I'll be home alone again. Time to come up with another great to do list. I love accomplishing stuff!

I give great advice

I am so clever - when telling other people what to do. Check out all the advice I've been doling out lately:

"I think we all know what we need to do to lose weight, and when we don't lose weight, I think we can always find the reason when we're honest with ourselves. (definitely thinking of myself here!) The answer is consistency and honesty. Stick to your plan, eat the fruits and veggies, not the cake and breadsticks, exercise most days of the week, don't reward yourself for exercising with food. Ok I realized this is about me now, not you..."

"How much working out are you currently doing? 2 45 minute core sessions seems totally too much to me (or was this your full body strength stuff?). I also read somewhere that people totally over train their abs (doing things like crunches as opposed to planks). So lots of people have 6-packs underneath 3 inches of fat, yet still have back problems. (that might have been a study written about me…)"

First was a comment on a blog, second was an email reply to a friend who wanted my thoughts on ab workouts (I feel like such a pro!). However in both cases I realized I was actually talking to myself with my great advice. (the subconscious is amazing huh?)

So here's what I know:

• I've been talking the talk, not walking the walk.
• I ate cupcakes last night.
• I half assed my workout.
• I have 10 lbs to lose and a bridesmaid dress to fit in.

So here's what I've done:

• This morning I ate 1 egg and 1/2 cup egg whites scrambled with chopped red bell pepper.
• Brought a banana to round out my breakfast, waited until 10:00 to eat it.

Well that's all because it's only 10:30 now. But I plan on doing more! I left out the cranberry muffin I usually through in my lunch just in case I feel like eating carbs (and of course I do if they're there!). Packed only fruits, veggies, hard boiled egg and 1 yogurt. Have a step class tonight. (I never half ass it in a class.) Did not plan supper. However, right now I'll plan it....tomato soup and ham sandwiches. NOT a free-for-all of random food. I can have berries for dessert. Let's just do 1 great day and see how I feel (I'm guessing I'll feel good!!!)

Other ideas I have:

• when I'm mindlessly watching tv in the evening, dig out the weights and do lunges. I can still watch tv but accomplish something!
• walk the dog as soon as I get home from work. It's still light out, and we'll both feel better.
• Do a freezer inventory so I can start planning real meals again (do this weekend)
• Weekly measurements, not just WIs.

My plans for workouts for the week are to Step every day. We launch Saturday. Then my first solo class is next thursday. Last night I did the full class right through, I did pretty good, a couple mistakes and mis-cues. But I was pretty suprised at how well I knew it all. That's good news!

For my birthday I got gift cards to the mall and moolah to spend so I'm excited. However I don't want to have to go up a size or anything, plus I want to have fun shopping. So the sooner I get back to my old self the better.

I'm also going to pay attention to the comments I'm leaving and the advice I give other people since I do know what I'm talking about, just have to do it!

i hate subject lines(.com)

that feels like a dot com doesn't it?

ok well it's tuesday. welcome. i'm eating my veggies and fruits. food de jeur:
b - pb and honey toast. (really have to start making better breakfasts, wake up earlier!)
s - 20 almonds, 100 cal pack fruitsnacks (again, mistake)
l - salad with tuna, cantaloup, veggies and dip (so easy to see where to improve in retrospect isn't it?)
s - yogurt, grapes
dinner - nothing thawed out yet. Maybe do a leftover meal. We had ham last night. Or maybe soup and sandwiches?

I had a realization today, as I was finishing my fruit snacks. there went 100 calories. I don't have a ton to lose, but the difference is going to be in like 2 or 3 100 calorie bursts every day. So knock the honey off the toast, knock the fruitsnacks out. replace the dip with hummus (or nothing). instant calorie deficit. Don't even notice it right?

It's sort of the same as money management. If you want to save money or whatever, watch what you spend. no you can't change your mortgage or car payment really, but you could not buy lunch out, not buy that new shirt, buy things in bulk not individual packages. Small things that add up. The money thing is so intuitive for me. I realize every time I spend a dime that this is a splurge, yet, I can grab a handful of dinosours after supper and not even notice. I need to be more conscious.

Plus thinking of losing weight as only finding 100 calories a couple times a day makes it much more manageable. (oh, and don't tell me to count calories because I refuse. Nothing could conflict with my personality more).

Pants were darn tight this morning. They were fresh out of the wash, and I know I had a big bad weekend (plus TOM is imminent). Not fun at all.

Hubby and Daisy are home sick today. I hate being sick. I'm knocking wood and eating vitamins like crazy because winter's over and I haven't gotten sick yet.

So tonight I am practicing step right though. What a good idea the other instructor had. Instead of going track by track. Because in between each track I have to check out the book, regroup. Won't be able to do that when teaching. So that will be one heck of a workout tonight. Might do it twice through.

Oh, weight class was nice and tough yesterday. Pushed it hard because it's my last one for a long while. PLUS, after class I was talking to a girl about when I start teaching and some other people overheard and want to come take my class now! (there's a 3 week break for Easter or something now, classes start again End of April). So wednesday I'm bringing a couple drop in passes for them. Eek!

I think I'm gonna be busy with work soon (aside from very desparately bored). So that should help distract me from food (which is currently the highlight of my day).

Oh, I also want to mention that I'm thinking of making my blog private. Those with private blogs let me know your thoughts on that, regret it ever? I like having lurkers and random people, but I'm starting to get paranoid that somebody I know in real life might be reading and I like just writing things I might not say.

oh that's not good

So I had a good weekend. It was a birthday filled weekend. Hurray! Love it.

However, all the birthday celebrations were eating. And eating lots:
friday night out for supper - filet minion with lemon potatoes, salad, veggies, daquiry (sp?), shared cheesecake with my sister. My stomach hurt after that one. but it was the best steak I'd ever eaten. ever.

saturday - small eats all day. had to go to hair cut early, granola bar for breakfast. No lunch. but i was making cupcakes and ate 1 and licked way too much icing (felt sick, not full from it.) I have to remember to put up the picture of the cupcakes. I made mini hamburgers out of my cupcakes. google cupcake hamburgers and you'll see. So cute. then I also made those chicken pockets from hungry girl email a few weeks ago. They were good. I'm not a big fan of the crunchy part of the wrapper but the rest is really good. and nutritionals are good too (recipe below). ate 2 of those.

Then saturday night hubby and I went out for supper and a movie (Duplicity, I loved it, hubby couldn't follow it). We had spinach dip appetizer, then I just had soup and salad for supper. but was still really really full. Then we got free dessert because it was my birthday. but I had like 1 bite of the lava cake and that's it (and it was really good tasting though!).

Then at our movie, we had a coupon for free popcorn and drinks. So I had a diet coke, and about 1 inch of popcorn and we brought the rest home. So full.

THEN Sunday morning, my siblings took me out for the most amazing fancy breakfast buffet brunch ever. It's like $25 a plate. But it's got anything and everything you could think of to eat. shrimp and oysters, a whole bakery section with croissants and muffins and everything. Made to order eggs and omlets, waffles with dozens of different toppings. Then a whole cake/pie/pudding/dessert area. I loaded up the first plate with fruit and whipped cream and eggs benedict. the second plate was dessert with lemon meringue pie, bread pudding, belgium waffle. I don't even remember. It was way too carby and sugary and way too much food. But the money part of my brain over took the fat loss part of my brain and made sure I got my money's worth.

So that was all way way way too much food. my stomach hurt all weekend. And today the office has cake for me this afternoon. ugh.

other than the cake todays eating will be good. I've got all veggies and fruit and a yogurt and a cranberry muffin. Getting groceries after work, though we don't need much, just some fruit to restock the crispers. Then a weight class tonight.

As far as exercise goes, for the next session of classes I pay for, I don't think i'm going to do it. I'll be teaching 2 or 3 times a week, and the classes I take are on the other nights, so that would mean the only night I'd be home during the week is friday. So step will be lots of working out, plus there's outside running soon (soon right?). PLUS before or after step classes I can use the gym to do my weight workouts, PLUS PLUS I have weights at home!

Lots of other things to talk about: got my hair dyed, much more "fake" red than I wanted (like too much burgandy, not enough orange). But I do still like it. It's just a bit dramatic. And I've seen people with this color hair that looks terrible so I'm paraniod that that's me. I'll take a picture for you guys. We made some decisions about the basement when we went to the home show. fun. We're thinking of doing some nice laminate in the basement. (not the whole part, anybody see this before? It just seems like you shouldn't be able to, but there's no reason). oh, that recipe (from hungry girl):

Chicken Pot Pockets
Ingredients:
12 large square egg roll wrappers (found in the refrigerated section of the supermarket with the other Asian items)
One 10.75-oz. can 98% fat-free cream of celery condensed soup
2 cups frozen bite-sized mixed veggies (like diced carrots, peas, corn, etc.)
2 oz. cooked skinless lean chicken breast, finely chopped
1 tsp. cornstarch
Optional: salt and black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small dish, mix cornstarch thoroughly with 1 tsp. cold water. In a large bowl, combine cornstarch mixture with soup, and mix thoroughly. Add veggies and chicken, mix well, and then season to taste with salt and pepper, if you like. This is your filling. Set aside.
On a large dry surface, lay out three egg roll wrappers. Set out a small dish of water, dip your finger into it, and then run your finger along all of the wrapper edges -- repeat this as needed while preparing your pockets, as it will help keep them sealed. Starting about 1/2 inch from the bottom, place 2 - 3 tbsp. of filling along the bottom half of each wrapper, leaving a 1/2-inch border on both sides. Fold the top half of each wrapper over, so that the top edge meets the bottom -- the mixture should be completely encased with a 1/2-inch border on three sides. Dab each border with water, and fold each inward about 1/4 inch to lightly seal all sides. Press firmly along the borders wit h the prongs of a fork to seal completely.
Line a large baking pan with foil and/or spray with nonstick spray. Using a large spatula, carefully transfer the pockets to the baking pan. Repeat the entire process 3 more times, so that you have 12 pockets on the baking sheet. If needed, prepare and use an additional baking sheet.Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Then dig in!MAKES 12 SERVINGS (mine made much more than this)

PER SERVING (1 pocket): 88 calories, 1g fat, 242mg sodium, 16g carbs, 1g fiber, 1.5g sugars, 4g protein -- POINTS� value 2*

I'm really a STEP teacher!

How cool is this?? I got the April schedule for teaching at the gym. For April we're team teaching (which is teach half the class with another newbie teaching the other half). And I'm doing tuesday and thursdays AND every second saturday. PERFECT! So excited about it. I like the girls I'm teaching with too. I think we'll compliment each other, similar styles (though they do make me look a bit like a giant).

I think we're NOT having birthday cake for my birthday at the office. I think. No sign of it and it's 3:00 already. Just can't wait for the day to be done for the happy birthday weekend to start. I'm having a pre-birthday coke zero. fizziness keeps my belly full. yum.

they might be moving!

I am terrible at secrets but am trying to keep this one (I'm only telling whoever wants to know on the internet, that's ok).

That best friend and her hubby might be moving back as early as May! My boss just let me know they made him an offer to start working here May 4th. I can't believe she hasn't even said anything about POSSIBLY moving back here. She's a VERY good secret keeper!

Tomorrow is my birthday! (feel free to send warm wishes in advance)

Ha! I think I'm funny, but I definately can see why some people might not like me. (hope you do though!)

Tonight the birthday festivities start with supper with my sister and her fiance (who's birthdays it today) and a bunch of friends. I'm looking forward to it, but I still don't want it to take too long, I have a long list of things I want to do, but we'll get to that.

Saturday I booked myself a hair appointment. I'm dying it RED !!! yay! Red, but a normal hair color red, not a fake red. (so sort of orange right?) I'm positive it will look great, I had red hair as a kid and my mom has red red hair (and I basically look just like my mom) so I'm sure the coloring will look good. I don't know if I want to do just a solid dye (which is what I was sort of leaning towards) or if I want to do it with highlights and/or lowlights too or only with highlights and lowlights or what. I've never had my hair colored in a salon (well once I got blond highlights all over my head, which I liked at the time, but now I think a solid color is bolder or something, i dunno). I only ever did the at home dye's (which I always loved afterward, I love change I think). and never that dramatic (well once I went pretty dark brown and ADORED it, dark hair is easier to do, it never looks as messy as blond or brown).

Anyway, so that's gonna take up my saturday morning. The rest of the things I want to do saturday (or friday, time permitting):
make guacamole
make angel food cake
make chicken pockets (bought the ingredients!)
practice my new step tracks (practice to perfection! I'll be teaching my instructor!)
clean the bathtub walls (bothering me lately)
scrapbook or scan photos for sister's slideshow
exercise my poor puppy (more on her later)

I'm also going to do lunch or brunch with my sister either saturday or sunday.

Saturday night hubby and I are doing supper and a movie (for free with gift cards!) Not sure if I want to see Duplicity or I Love You, Man. Since it's my choice I thought I should choose something that hubby wouldn't choose (who normally does the picking) so I'm leaning towards Duplicity. Anyone seen it?

Then Sunday morning maybe brunch, then the Homestyles show. (basically a tradeshow about houses and decorating and renovations and stuff). I love all tradeshows, and we're finishing our basement as we speak right? Perfect. Get some ideas, get some prices, ask some questions. So looking forward to this.

Then I've got Step practice at 4. That's all the plans for the whole day. so maybe more scrapbooking or shopping or something. yay!

So yesterday I had the Step intro class. it was good. I didn't know what to do with myself. 2 instructors were doing the demo, so I just participated, but at the front so people could follow me. Sorta felt weird. I'm good at leading and instructing and stuff, but not when there are other "authority figures" or bosses or people who know more than me there. Intimidating. Anyway, I think it was good.

Then when I got home, hubby had given my dog a bath (we went for a quick jog after work and then she didn't want to come inside). so she was soaking wet still when I got home, I tried to brush her fur out a bit, but she ran away from me! That is NOT ok. So I track her down and brush her. It was really wet on her hind end so I thought I'd blow dry it a bit. She's a bit scared of the blow dryer, and of the vaccuum and of baths, but I thought it would be ok if I was holding her and petting her (basically there's no reason to be scared so I thought I'd show her that). She was having none of it. She was absolutely terrified, ran away (even when I was holding her fur so I'm sure it hurt really bad.) It was really sad. I felt so bad afterwards for putting her through all that. But just like a dog, she forgave me right away and we snuggled. Hubby and I think she might have been abused or something (we got her from the pound when she was already 5 months old. Something about bathtime and blow drying scarred her).

Oh, WI 146.4. So I think that's up. or a STS. But next week, boy get ready! (gonna have to keep remembering that when I'm eating out 3 meals this weekend).

I am HUNGRY!

Day 1 on a diet. I'm hungry. I don't know if it's day 1, nor do I know if it's a diet. But Day 1 (lately) of being serious? Hungry. But only because it's moments away from lunch.

This morning was the PC blue menu fibre cereal (cant' remember the name) with strawberries and a banana. Even gross cereal is good with strawberries and bananas. (not that this is gross). Then snack was 15 almonds and 1/3 cup of craisins. But I ate this too early, hence the hunger.

Lunch will be leftover veggie stirfry with Udon noodles (I think that's the noodles I used, I just found this package in the cupboard). No meat. However I think the noodles have protein. I also have grapes, strawberries, carrots and celery with dill dip (I have no problem with the dip as the fat in it (though not much, 1% sour cream?) helps keep me full. Plus plus, for afternoon snack I packed a roast beef sandwich (only 200 calories) and or a yogurt and apple. Since I'm so hungry now I'm sure I'll eat everything. But that's alright.

Supper will probably be peanut butter toast. I'm basically just running home, changing, eating, letting the dog out, then coming back in to the city for a step "tutorial" or workshop or something. Basically put on at the gym for beginners to learn what the moves are and to not feel intimidated at the first real class. An acquaintance is going so I thought I'd go too (not required).

So that's going to be the only workout. Probably wont' be tough either. Oh well. That's life. Soon it will be warm enough for outside runs right? (I say that every day)

Other than that, bored at work, excited for the weekend (which is my birthday too!) I have lots of plans of going out with various people to eat and watch movies and stuff. But I want to also cook myself some treats (guacamole, this chicken pocket recipe from hungry girl today, you get that one?, angel food cake. etc. Stuff I like but that's not horrible for you).

Anyway, hope the microwave is free now!!!

10 weeks?

10 weeks until my sister's wedding. 10 weeks, 10 lbs? 1 lb a week? that's high for what I've been capable in the past, however it's not a ridiculous rate, it's a safe steady rate that they say to aim for right?

I think looking at it as 1 lb/week is much easier and more realistic than trying to lose 10 lbs. (though I pulled that number out of the air sort of. I'd be happy with 6 probably.) So that's what I need to do.

How? gonna track my food on here. Sorry, I know it's boring, don't bother reading, (I don't read yours! haha!) I think it helps me though.

So yesterday I didn't workout. We went out for supper (I had the thai chicken salad. Healthy with the veggies, but probably not as healthy as it should be, who knows how much oil is in the dressing, and there were lots of noodles with the salad. delish though. I love thai salads) We visited a nice long time, despite the restaurant probably wanting us to leave as it was st. patrick's day and they were busy.

by the time I got home it was 8:45 and I just felt lazy. So I just watched tv and changed the laundry and read my book. Tonight I've got Step class and I also have to learn the step routines for the weekend. Busy busy.

Yeah, not much to say, I feel really good and focused now that I played with my loss spreadsheets and saw some trends and stuff and realize there's a nice short time limit on things, plus I feel on top of the food game with all the great stuff that's in grocery stores now. If only the weather would smarten up so I could run outside (I guess this weekend it's supposed to melt some more? I'm so jealous of everywhere else in the country I say with highs of +10, we're at a high of -10 still)


Food:
B - scrambled egg whites, broccoli, feta and cheddar cheese, red pepper, 1 toast w/becel
S - banana, 12 almonds, handful of craisins
L - salad with strawberries and mandarin dressing, 3 slices roast beef (90 cal worth), 2 cups of carrots and broccoli with 2 tbsp dill dip, 1.5 cups green grapes
S - 3/4 cup yogurt (90cal), 1/2 cup cantaloup, apple (if required)
D - stir fry veggies? (sausage will be cooked for hubby, but I don't like it), banana

a good day

So after my weekend of blah, I had a good monday. My lunch packed was terrific, tons of fruits and veggies. yum. I've got a bit of the munchies and might eat a bit more than I usually do. but it was fruit mostly so I'm ok. Nice little cleanse.

Then I went to get groceries. Bought so much fresh stuff. yum yum yum. Spring salad mix, strawberries, bok choy, broccoli sprouts, carrots, baby tomatoes, asparagus, bananas, cantaloup. oh delish. That's pretty much it besides some paper towel, milk, cheese, roast beef for sandwiches. Really good. Hopefully I can eat that all this week and then buy it again on monday. I have to start thinking of grocery trips as enough for just the week. That means I need to make a stir-fry or something with the bok choy THIS WEEK. (anybody do anything else with bok choy?)

So came home, grilled up some chicken breast. Also asparagus, and broccoli steamed. Plate full of broccoli, 3 asparagus spears (I only like the tips so I try not to eat that much since hubby LOVES it). a bit of shredded cheese on the veggies. Half a chicken breast. Yummy. Completely stuffed. then a glass of milk, and a handful of mini-eggs (ok, so not perfect. I saw them on the cupboard and couldn't resist). By then it was time for me to go to my exercise class.

REALLY hard on the legs for some reason. I don't know why lunges are so hard for me. I can barely do them. I guess I need to work on them. Anyway, good class all around. tough. Then I came home, walked my dog for 15 minutes. Poor thing has some sort of depression, I'm sure it's about the weather. She just mopes around, looking outside. She hasn't been getting as much exercise as she should be. my fault. Anyway, she perked right up with the walk. Then I went downstairs and hit the treadmill, just for 10 minutes. Nice and fast, like 3 good songs. I realized haven't ran since I took the Step training. Hopefully the snow will all melt soon and it will warm up and I can run outside. Then I get Daisy exercised and myself in one. Anyway, so I managed to do my class and do some running AND walk the dog. (and make a healthy supper and clean up and run a load of laundry. AND help hubby take a sliver out of his heel.) Great time. I'm super woman.

today is shaping up to be good as well. This morning I ate a bit much than I'd like. But I only packed so much so it's just a timing thing. Just hungry this morning for some reason. Then after work today I'm going out with some girl friends. Not for St. Patrick's Day (have a good one!) but because it's my birthday Saturday! I'm turning old (27). Feels old sometimes. Anyway, we're going out for drinks. But I'm not drinking. I'm not really sure what's gonna happen. I'm not sure if we're really eating or just appetizers. (i hope eating, appetizers have like no healthy options). Anyway, we shouldn't be too late, one of the girls has to be home by 8:00 I think. So when I get home I have to practice step. I'm teaching 2 new ones this week and then it's time for the launch and it's really on! Plus my instructor for the class I go to on Wednesdays is coming to our practice so I'll be teaching her, so I want to be really ready and awesome.

Anyway, I guess I better do some real work now. It's so dull. I don't like writing journal papers, in case you were wondering.

I had a bad weekend

Oh boy did I eat. Did not do any exercise (well until Sunday afternoon when I did Step practice with the other instructors, I feel like exercise on the weekend should be solo exercise for some reason.)

Friday night we ate burger king on the way home. (those burger shots? Quite cute, not tasty. Don't bother). Sunday we ate McDonald's for lunch. (I felt crappy for the rest of the day, why don't I remember that before I order?) Saturday wasn't bad. I did eat a couple pieces of carrot birthday cake and have a midnight snack of a ham sandwich. But if it were just saturday that was bad I don't think I'd care. it was the fast food.

Mom loved her presents. But funnily enough, she gave her house a big cleaning the day before we got there so there wasn't a ton of cleaning to do. We dusted and did laundry which was helpful, plus cleaned out her cold room (which is a crawl space and she can't really get in there with her knees. nor does it get looked at often, we took jam out of there that she made in 1992. No it doesn't keep that long.)

I feel like I gained a million pounds. And I stretched out my stomach so my appetite is never satisfied now. I think I often mistake thirst for hunger at home and on weekends. I think I'm going to try and make myself take a big glass of water before I eat anything at home. I drink a full water bottle every 1.5 hours at work, then maybe 1 glass the rest of the day. not great.

I think I'm going to start doubling up my workouts a bit. I'm not really liking how out of breath I sound when teaching Step. I don't think it looks good to hear huffing and puffing through the sound system. Tonight I've got weight class. I think I'm going to try and run as well tonight. Just a 20 minute treadmill run. It's been neglected lately. Weather isn't great today, freezing rain warning, so too slippery to run outside, plus a bit chilly. Soon though.

So I overheard my boss talking on the phone to one of my best friend's husbands (office walls are really thin). They moved to Edmonton a few years ago but he's not that happy with his job and they want to move home to be closer to family (now that they have a little baby!). But I was emailing my friend on the weekend and she never mentioned anything like that so I think it's supposed to be a secret. It's interesting because this guy is great and smart and I get along awesome with him, and he was a summer student here before and everyone liked him. He'd be great here, the only problem is, we weren't really looking to hire anybody right now. I sure hope they find a job for him. Then my friend would move home! She's probably my closest girlfriend besides my sister. Unlike anybody else, she doesn't have 1 thing that I find annoying (I'm a horrible person huh?). Even though I never see her, and we don't even talk that often, when we do we can talk about anything. She's giving me all the dirt on having a baby right now. PLUS, her husband is one of the few male friends (or husband of my friends) that my hubby actually likes. They're our best couple friends. And I really like him. (Some of my friend's husbands I'm not big fans of, again, I'm not nice)

Anyway, that's what's new with me. back to focussing on the old food intake. groceries after work. Fresh produce always helps.

be warned...

I must be the last person on earth to see the blog Bakerella right? Seriously, I can't see me doing any more work today. (tutorials on cake pops! awesome!) Might not be good for the old weight loss...

I love weekends

But who doesn't?

So the scale betrayed me. Punished me for talking about my sneakpeak. Yesterday I was 144 something, today 146 something. Aw well. Moving on.

Yesterday I was feeling sort of lazy. I did my step tracks a few times, but didn't really give 'er on them. Focused on learning rather than working out. Which is alright. Then took a break. Just was feeling tired. By 8:30 I remembered I was supposed to do heavy weights so I got them out and did a squats, lunges, deadlifts, rows, hip raises, shoulder presses and chest presses. Nice and out of breathe from that. Then more relaxing and doing nothing. Watched some curling and Holmes on Homes. I love him. I love his attitude. Just do it right.

Planned a bit for going home. Got the tax stuff together. Got some random things together for going home. Made some lists. I'm going to try and get off work early today. Get home, pack quick and then we're back into the city (hubby has to drop off something he's selling on Kijiji), then to the grocery store to buy fruits and veggies for mom. And balloons and cake fixings (we're gonna make one, but need the whipped cream and candles!). She thought we didn't know it was a big birthday, just a regular one. (it's her 50th). hehehe.

So grab the groceries and get home. Then I have a big pile of stuff we're gonna do, clean basically every room in the house (at least dust and vacuum each), plus laundry, bathrooms, scrub kitchen, outside tidying. Clean out the guest bathroom, it doesn't need to have all that stuff in there, it's still from when we all used to live at home! But that'll all be on Saturday, friday will be the relaxing and celebrating.

Anyway, I'm very munchy feeling today. Eat lunch a little early I think.

sneakpeakin'

So I sneakpeaked at the scale and it shows me down at least 1 lb (I didn't sit still long enough to pay attention. plus I can never remember last week). So I'm pleased. I noticed it last night when getting changed for step class. I could wear my tummy grazing shirt and not hate it.

I've discovered the secret to weight loss (EUREKA!) is to give everything 3 weeks. Don't expect results before 3 weeks, but keep doing good things consistantly for 3 weeks and you'll see it. It's been about 3 weeks since I started exercising EVERY day (with learning step it's been fun actually). Plus I've been gradually getting back to the foods I know I should live on. I had to wean the granola bars and stuff away. But my lunches this week have been AWESOME. Homemade soup, salad, yogurt, grapes, apples, eggs, tuna. And less than I used to "need". I packed lunch this morning and was like "is that it?" then "counted" out 2 snacks, lunch and lunch "dessert" (I need the soup AND some fruit). Plus had the bonus of extra carrots to add to any snack or meal. It was just so little. And I know I'll bring leftovers home. Hurray!

Watch, I'll have a gain tomorrow. oh well, my belly's flatter. I feel better about my body. That's what counts. I'll do measurements tomorrow too.

My sister's wedding is in 2.5 months. That's like NO time. But at least the scale started moving.

Tonight I'm going to practice step a few times, plus I'm going to do some heavy weights. They've been neglected. And I decided this yesterday. What makes me feel like I'm getting real changes in my body (whether or not I am, it FEELS like I am)? heavy weights. So I'm doing it. (heavy as in 50 lb range for squats and chest press etc. Heavy so I can't do more than 12 reps.)

Today is supposed to be the last cold day, then finally melty for the weekend. I'm going home (for my mom's birthday) but maybe Daisy and I can go for an outside run there. Otherwise mom's got her treadmill and a good set of weights. (plus I might be too busy) and I might bring my step!

But now it's work time. oh well, at least I've got new podcasts today!

one exception

There is one bright shiney thing going on (not that I'm depressed or anything, there's just nothing to write about. Still happy!). What's that beacon of light in an otherwise tedious life?

I get 15% off at lululemon.

I so kick ass.

oh, it's wednesday.

I'm so lame and boring lately.

I'm trying to eat good. Lots of fruit. Maybe too much fruit. Stupid serving sizes.

I'm exercising lots. lots and lots and lots. Yesterday was oodles of Step. I learned the first two tracks. (so rehearsed them like 4 times each or something) THEN I did the whole thing. Even abs and stretching. It was like a solid 1.5 hours.

Then a few of hubby's friends (who were all at a ball meeting earlier) all came over. (good thing I was not stepping at the time, eek!). Just hung out for a few minutes. Watched some Who's Line is it Anyway. haha. I love Colin.

Then bed. That's my life.

ridiculous

Watch I Have a Bad Case of Diarrhea and more funny videos on CollegeHumor

going out for lunch

I forgot that I was supposed to go out for lunch today. So I packed a huge awesome lunch. Oh well, it should keep for tomorrow.

We're going out for Indian food. I've never gone out for Indian, only had it at potlucks or been to an Indian buffet.

Anyway, yesterday was weight class. Sweat was dripping off my elbows. Always good. I'm not a big fan of the 1 hour class though I realized. (Step class I take is 1.5 hours) It's at 8:00 and I don't get anything done after supper until class, then when it's done at 9:00, I don't do anything before bed either. So it might as well last from 7:00 until 10:00. Oh well.

We found out that we're launching the Step class at the gym on Mar 28 (if anybody wants to come out...). Plus we're doing a VIP class the weekend before. PLUS this weekend at the Step instructor practice I've got a couple girlfriends coming. I'm pumped. On the weekend I taught the last 3 tracks, and I definately have 1 more. Plus by this weekend we have to learn 2 different ones (I get the easy beginning ones now, yay!) so I should have 6 of the 10 tracks by Sunday (maybe more?! they're all easier than the one I did first)

We've got a good plan for mom now. I bought a spa package that was on an internet auction yesteday (convenient). it's for a group spa party, so any number of people, any services totalling $500 (I got it for $250). So my sis and I will pay for our portions and split the stuff mom wants to do. I think spas are more fun with more people. Plus our trip home doing random chores and stuff is getting worked out. I'm actually pumped about it (pumped to clean house? Weird?)

Anyway, gotta start the car to go for lunch. Still -a billion here!!!

Oh no!

It's my mom's birthday this thursday. Completely remembered that, so it's not oh no. BUT, guess how old she's turning? 50!!! only figured that out this morning! (cause I heard the radio say that Barbie turns 50 this year, and mom told me she and Barbie are the same age - thank you radio!)

What should we get her? Our plan is a spa thingy. (plus a yogurt maker that she wanted and we actually found!) Good one? But we were going to do that when it was just a normal birthday. not a big one.

(she definately doesn't want a party!)

I think what we're going to do (we = siblings) is go home and cook and clean for her. My mom is crazy busy right now because it's tax season. My parents have their own business of doing taxes. (they are SO busy Jan - May, fairly slow in the summer.) AND my mom basically can't walk right now. She had some serious knee problems (add to serious back problems, kidney stones, arthritis, who knows what else), then a few weeks ago she fell off the roof (yeah) and hurt her good knee. So she sits at her desk with an ice pack and her knee elevated. Plus they're so busy she really doesn't have time to do any physiotherapy until after tax season.

I sure hope I don't have anything wrong with me when I'm old. Do you think staying at a healthy weight and doing strength training will help that? I'm hoping so. I'm sure Step is actually going to be bad for my knees and joints, but it should be good for my heart health (which is the other huge hereditary disease in my family, oh, and diabetes, and cancer, and mental illness.) I think I've mentioned before that my whole attitude is I don't want to regret anything later in life. Not the way other people mean it (like regret not taking that job in Paris or whatever). I mean, I don't want to regret not eating a multivitamin every day when I was in my 20s because it would have prevented me having cancer at 50. Know what I mean? I don't want to regret being out of shape because it's so much easier to be lean when you have time to workout and no kids. Make sense? If getting enough calcium now will prevent a huge headache later on? then I want to do it now. As nasty as it sounds, I don't want to end up like my mom when I'm old. (Only her broken body, my mom's great).

So hopefully we siblings can go home and cook her a bunch of healthy meals (she's also trying to lose weight before sis's wedding), do random things that need doing, like dust something, change spare bedroom sheets, take the car for an oil change. Whatever. I think she'll like that. Maybe we'll bring city groceries home too (better selection of fresh foods).

march shouldn't be this cold

It's like -30 here. -40 something with the windchill. Is my calendar wrong?

I changed my profile picture back to my awesome muscles. I don't currently look like that. But I will again soon.

I feel good. I feel like I'm losing weight. We'll see. I didn't have a great eating weekend, (read: really bad) but I've got a STS from friday. good sign.

So what's really bad? Saturday I went to an appetizer potluck meeting for my new instructor job. All these fitness professionals, yoga instructors, etc etc. About 15 of us were there. 1 person brought a fruit tray. EVERYONE else brought cookies, cake, or some kind of cream cheese thing. Wow. Guess it's a good thing we all workout! It was my supper. I had 3 cookies, 2 pieces of coffee cake stuff, a chocolate eclair, some crackers and goat cheese and some pineapple. I think. It was a lot of really really good food. But I put everything I wanted on my little plate and ate it and that's it. I was more full than I think I should have been. (I had an early lunch and then nothing until this at 5:00). Then I had a glass of like mango juice or something then 29 glasses of water (so thirsty for some reason).

That's all I ate until 11:00 at night when I found the suprise spread dip at one of the birthday parties and ate probably all of it (the sour cream, cream cheese, tomato, onion, cheese layered one?). Oh, and I had a non-diet pop. It messed me up! It was probably my first full can of sugar pop in years and years. I felt super bizarre after it. Didn't like it. Sort of drunk feeling. drunk and sick.

As far as the parties. Went well. I was a bit rushed a chaotic as I was late getting to the city and had to pick up photo collages I printed, then drop them off at the parties before I my meeting in case I didn't make it back to them in time. Then go to my meeting (oh yeah, I was late because I made appetizer snacks for each of these parties, I had spicy tortilla roll-ups, guacamole, and lazy cinnamon buns). So after my meeting, went to suprise party 1. The birthday girl was running behind and were going to be later than we thought, so suprise happened at like 8:00. The other party people were ahead of schedule and were showing up before they expected, also 8:00. So we missed the 1 suprise. But the one we saw was good. She had no idea. and was so confused at first! And was sort of sad earlier about what her hubby was actually doing for her birthday (not much) so it was great. (it was also very boring, lots of old people she works with, her parents and her daughter, so a very tame party).

Compare that to the other party (where we missed the suprise part) where they bought 2 kegs and the house was completely busting at the seams, half the party took place in hallways. Which I also found boring, because I hate parties like that. I like visiting, not drinking. It got better once I found the food and the people I know. We left 10 minutes later than I wanted to. So I got to witness some keg stands that ended with beer coming out of the birthday boy's nose.

The poor guy (my Sis's fiance). He has a reputation of being immature and getting too drunk too fast and just being a partier. and I always sort of thought that was just him. But at his party I saw that his friends won't let him change even if he wanted to. He wasn't going to do a keg stand. But it was his birthday so they made him. So they lifted him up and then held him there for a good minute. I saw him tapping his friend's leg as in "put me down now!" but they ignored him. Then when they did put him down, it was because the beer was coming out his nose and he as choking (it's unclear whether he puked or not.) Ugh. It just left me disgusted (not with the puke) but just with the drunkeness. Whenever I see that sort of behaviour, it just makes me want to drink less and less. (I already barely drink, but it started as a weight loss thing, then because I didn't really like the taste of much and so I can drive. Now it's becoming sort of a moral issue, look what this stuff does to you, it's poison, just doesn't make sense).

Anyway. So Sunday we did some shopping and running around in the city. I bought some jeans, not trouser jeans since they looked like crap on my chubby thighs and short legs, but just jean jeans. Then went and did a practice for Step teaching. The other tracks I learned went well, but that first one I learned was such a tricky thing! There's a move that's impossible to describe. Plus one of the other instructors sort of messed me up when I was trying (she had a point but still) I was saying (off, back, off, across, off, back, knee. because the timing worked nicely to say that, but it technically was off, back, up, off, across, etc etc. Just much more talking, and not how I practiced it). Oh well, it's getting better. and like I said, the rest were good.

Anyway, that's pretty much my weekend. I was upset yesterday because I got so much I wanted to done (yes I caulked! I made all these appetizers and picked up the collages and got frames for them and did laundry and dishes and worked out etc etc etc.) plus I made hamburger soup and healthy apple crisp (more baked apples) and was just sitting down to eat when hubby started yelling at me for the kitchen being messy and how I have just 1 room to take care of so can't I keep it clean? I was FURIOUS!!!! (he was mostly mad because he stubbed his toe on the dishwasher door which was open because I was going to put one more dish - my supper plate!, in it and then start it.) But once I'm mad I don't do well at remembering my side of things. I just cry in frustration. I couldn't get out all the things I'd done and I wasn't done for the night anyway, just eating. So I was too upset then to eat, lost my appetite. So no supper. Later in the evening I had some apple crisp. (oh, and hubby apologized, in his mind he was just asking me to keep the kitchen a bit tidier so didn't understand why I was still mad.) I'm still mad actually.

Sometimes I think he gets a bad rap on here though. I only talk about the fights on here. And granted he's got some big bad problems (short fuse, over reactor, dirty fighter etc) he's also got great qualities that I know, but sometimes you just need to vent about your man and everything that's wrong with him! ;)

Starving now, lunch time. hamburger soup here I come.

TGIF

Yay friday!

Man I have to have some babies and go on maternity leave. Working for a living sucks.

Last night I was very good. I was late at Costco with my brother, didn't get home until 7:00 almost. But hubby had started the chicken breasts (just grilled, I already marinated them). Then I steamed up some cauliflower and broccoli AND some green beans. I ate a plate of the C&B with a little cheddar shredded on top (SO good) as an appetizer. Then ate a small chicken breast and half a plate full of green beans as supper. Yum. Then instead of finding something for dessert, I got on the phone and called my mom for an hour. Nice distraction. We hadn't visited in a long time so it was nice to catch up. I think my mom really likes venting to me. We're very similar (much moreso than anyone else in our family) and we can both vent about my siblings and their issues (brothers are fighting nonstop, sister is slacking in the wedding planning and we're going to have to pick it up, etc). So we talked a really long time, (might have been close to 2 hours). And then after I cleaned up the kitchen a little bit, I didn't really feel like working out too hard that late. So I just did the 2 tracks I'm trying to learn for step and watched Lost in bed. I'm weeks behind still. But I'll probably catch up this weekend.

WI 145.8. Not great. But I forgot to post last week and it was 146 something. So down something. But hopefully my new plan of alternating days of low carbish will help. I feel like I'm doing something better every day so we'll see.

Weekend plans? not so much. Well a bit. Tonight, nothing. Probably some lost and some step. I also want to make hamburger soup. that's enough for 1 night.

Saturday list: caulk sinks, do insurance for massages, clean house. STEP right through a couple times.

I've also got a staff meeting for my new Gym. It's an appetizer potluck, not sure what I'll bring yet. All delicious appetizers are fairly bad for you. Plus I've got 2 suprise 30th birthdays on Saturday that I'll bring appetizers for. So I need something that's good but can stay in my car for hours and still be good. hmmm...

So right after my meeting, I'm heading to SILs for her suprise party. Stay for 2 hours, then go to future BIL for his suprise party. Sheesh.

Sunday, more cleaning and chores etc. I also want to go shopping. Mom's birthday, I've got coupons for a few places, plus Ricki's is having a 20% off sale. I think I need some trouser jeans or something halfway dressy halfway causual. Then at 4:00 I've got my Step practice at the gym. (where the instructors teach the other instructors.) looking forward to that.

Ok so that's all. Got a lot of nonwork things I have to pack in at lunch, including checking up on your blogs!

Reasons to lose weight

these have got to be reasons #205 and up:

New chafing - I am now experiencing armpit chaffing. Ew. (this has to do with me doing more arm movements with the step, instructors gotta do it!) It's weird and painful and affecting my movements and stuff (only while working out). But I've gotta be comfortable when teaching right? That means less arm fat.

skin, chins, etc - It's strange, but I think my face and skin and coloring look better when I'm about 6 lbs lighter. I'm sure this is all in my head. I dunno. I see double chins now, my skin seems sort of pasty (could just be winter). But I just think I'm overall healthier less than 140 lbs and it shows up in everything (including my attitude).

clothes - I know this has always been on my list. But I have all these tshirts and tanks that I used to wear. Now I still wear them (they're like my only clothes!) But I wear bunnyhugs and sweaters and any kind of zip up on top of them. Not for warmth...

Gotta change.

nuts

How many people out there eat nuts regularly? Peanuts, almonds etc? How much/many do you eat? I'm having a hard time being satisfied with a serving (like 12 almonds!) even though it's plenty of calories. It's just so dense that I feel like I should eat something else that will trick me (popcorn?). But you just can't argue with the nutrition of nuts. So many health benefits.

So yesterday when I got home, Daisy's boyfriend had come for a visit. He's a HUGE husky named Duke that sometimes escapes from his owner's property and wonders our street. He looks like a wolf and it's sort of scary to see him just wandering around. But the first time I saw him I just said "sit" and he did. So I knew he was alright. anyway, he got away from his owner again, so we played with him (and Daisy) in the backyard for a few minutes, then put Daisy on her leash and tried to take him home (he didn't have a collar on so couldn't hook him up too). Well Daisy and I had to run to keep up with this monster walking. and he was leading at first, but if I went a different way he'd come follow. I got him to where I knew roughly where his home was and he was trotting way in front of us so we turned around. Then all of a sudden Daisy turned backwards and sat down. I was like what they hell? Turn around and there's Duke barrelling towards us full speed. Ok, so he didn't want to go home yet! It was sort of hilarious how different DAisy was around him, very much the smaller, more hyper dog, when I'm used to seeing her as the dominant big dog.

Hubby said watching the two of them made him think Daisy was saying "hey do you like bones? I love bones oh no you don't? No I don't like them either. how about playing fetch we can play fetch if you want oh ok how about tug of war yeah that's fun, oh, you're strong, hey look at me jumping! if I jump up on this side of you I can almost see your eyes you have such pretty eyes so do you want to run around now?" And the whole time Duke was just moving in slow motion, peeing on stuff. He just puts his paw on Daisy and squashes her, like "that's enough". He almost squashes me when I ask him to shake a paw!

Anyway, his owner came looking for him and so we tried to get him to go home. Tricky. Smart dog, stays just out of reach. Anyway, that took up my supper making time yesterday. So I ate scrambled eggs and toast. Hubby was going out for wings after a meeting.

Then I practiced my new step track. I now have 2 down solid, and almost a third. It's so much work to just learn those, seems crazy that I'll have to do a full 10 tracks in a month!

Then it was time to go to step class. Instructor didn't ask if I wanted to practice teach so I didn't bring it up. I think I would have said yes though. Oh well. I'll get a practice on sunday.

So class was good. I can't believe how sore my back, butt and hamstrings are. (the new track I learned has a lot of ham curls).

So after that, when I finally got home it was basically bed time. I had so much I wanted to do though. I did edit some pictures into collages for the 2 suprise 30th birthday's I've got this weekend. Just a bunch of embarrassing pictures. I'm a pro at photoshop now. Love it. Then it was lights out!

Today I'm trying to cut the starch again. I had a protein shake with tons of berries for breakfast. Keeping me fairly full. Did have a couple tablespoons of peanuts (hubby took the almonds to work! boo!) earlier. Then lunch is gonna be salad with tuna. Snacks are grapes, melon, yogurt, apples, kiwi. very fruity. I'm thawing out chicken breast for supper. With some huge amount of veggies. maybe green beans. Yum. Going to Costco on the way home. Picking up spinach for sure. Who knows what else. whatever looks good!

Workout tonight is step. Gonna try and learn #3 and 4. I'll almost be half done then! Not too shabby. Maybe a 10 minute jog as well, just to keep it up.

hot and cold

Well I was so busy last friday and even monday and tuesday, now today, nothing to do. Well that's not true, it's just I've got this one project I've had for months and am so sick of and want it to be over! Oh well, better just get it done.

So my muscles are sore! I think it's mostly from monday's strength class. I hadn't done it since first week of Feb. But yesterday I also did a ton of exercise! I went for a RUN OUTSIDE! Just 15 minutes. It was only like -5 or something. But it also is tough to run in snow. I wore my Garmin and it was interesting to see how much faster I'd run on shovelled sidewalks or on the street compared to softer snow (snow that was quite packed before, but because it's sort of melty, all the snow gets softer.) Anyway I was pleased with myself for getting a run in. I was way fast too (when not in snow). I'll have to upload my garmin to see my average but I was in the 12 km/hr range for periods! (that's sometimes my fast interval pace!)

Anyway, so then I cooked up some tacos made with elk meat. I'm not actually a big fan of the elk flavour so spicing them up was a good idea. My no starchy carb thing was sort of broken with 2 hard taco shells. I could have just had taco salad except for some reason I hate it. But if you put the same stuff in a shell it's good. I'm crazy.

I couldn't just be done however, I had a few gummy worms. They're almost gone thank goodness.

I wanted to say about the carb thing. It's definately not like I'm not having any carbs! Didn't you see my food yesterday? It was all fruit! (fruit's all carb!). I just meant, very specifically, no potatoes, no rice, no bread, no cereal, no granola bars etc. Pretty much everythign I have is already whole wheat or something. Not the stupid cereal bars and junk that I've become addicted to lately though. Oh well. Making progress.

I just wanted to focus on the meat and fruits and veggies.

Anyway, after supper, watched a little tv, then learned a couple step tracks. I was right, every other track is going much easier. Except the stretching track. It would be nice if I could just stretch how I wanted to stretch, what I wanted to stretch, but not for my video. Oh well. The other tough thing will be talking while doing crunches. I have to focus to not hold my breath as it is. My voice is gonna get all funny for sure. (It's a Group Step class, the 2nd last track is abs or other strength, and the last track is stretching.)

Anyway, so I ran through a few tracks for like an hour. I thought my legs were sore before?! I love it!

I wrote a big list of things I have to do this week and didn't look at it last night. Thought I'd remember most of it. I was busy all night, then this mornign looked at my list, the things I did had to get done, but weren't even on my list. I can't cross anythign out. Well I could add the thigns I did and then cross them out.

tonight I've got step class (taking not teaching). When I get home I'm gonna see if I know a track well enough that I could practice teach it tonight (my instructor offered) but I'm not sure if I do yet. I think I'm still way too nervous about that. It's alright practicing on the weekends in front of the other instructors who are just learning too, but a real class, might be too tricky. We'll see.

Anyway, it's now lunch time. Gonna go enjoy a salad.

Gonna try a new way of thinking

My new way of thinking is that I might possibly lose weight at any given time. I don't need to wait for a hard core week of training, or the weather to get nice for running outside, or for the grocery stores to stock more fruit because then I'll all of a sudden eat less. No, it could happen this week.

Today I'm hungry. So far, it's only 11:30, so it's just lunch pang coming early. Morning snack was only baby carrots so that also affects the tummy. Sometimes they make me more hungry, sometimes more full. Gonna wait out 30 minutes and then eat my salad with chicken, plus some berries and some melon. Yum fruit. Grapes can be afternoon snack with yogurts. I packed lots and lots of food today, but all fruit and veggies, well and yogurt. Also have an apple and 2 kiwis in there. So I will not go hungry. But I'm going to try and not just eat because it's there. Though if I do, it's only fruit today. No biggie. I packed like this for a long time, but I've been adding in fibre bars and stuff. And if I've got them, they are the first to get eaten. Not any more.

Part of my thinking is baby time steps. For example, today (aside from breakfast, didn't think of it in time) I'm not going to eat any starchy carbs. No rice, bread, potatoes etc. Just for today. Then maybe on Thursday. I don't have to give them up forever, but lets make a nice consistent day of it. Work my way up to 90% good.

Yesterday went grocery shoppign with my sis. Took a really long time. Oh well. Didn't get home until 7:00, by the time I unpacked it was almost time for weight class! So I just had a quick peanut butter toast. Not great of course. But that was before I came up with my new attitude. Then class was good. Nice and tough. I get annoyed with myself when something's too hard though. I think it should be easier for me. Everything was easy-ish, except squats. But my legs are the only thing that are sore now so that just shows you it has to be hard to be effective. It just made me want to do squats more on my own and build up my strength. But unfortunately right now it doesn't fit in the schedule! Step is priority right now.

After class, walked my dog. That's another thing takes up time. Since it's not nice enough to run with her outside, she gets walks that don't count as my exercise. So sometime she gets robbed of her exercise if mine takes priority. then I feel guilty. Yet another thing to add to my to do list. (the snow will be gone soon right? I can run outside soon?)

Anyway, that's all that happened. Oh yeah, and hubby was over it. We had a bit of a chat, we've been sort of prickly with each other for the last 2 weeks. I'm always ready to get over it (I am DEFINATELY the typical guy in our relationship) whereas hubby needs to be mad for a little while. So we always make up when he's ready and he's just been busy and not ready lately. But he pointed out that he doesn't WANT to be mad at me, especially with all the outside relationship stuff going on. (we found out his cousin is getting a divorce, because her husband cheated on her, they've got 4 year old twins and a 6 month old baby, and he feels no remorse. Poor girl.) So yeah, when there is nothing really the matter, it's best to be happy.

weekend recap

How dull is that title? very.

So the weekend. What happened? Friday we had the girl's night out (as it is now called). Which only involved an exchange of books/movies/cds. Mostly books. It was cool. I got Outliers and the Sex and the City dvds (yes I'm a SATC virgin, starting season 1 episode 1). I felt like a dork with my books but they were well received. I still haven't tracked down my favorite book (it's called Fall on Your Knees, it was an Oprah book, canadian author) maybe MIL has it. I also decided that maybe it's not my favorite book any more and am excited to get the Count back and read it again.

So there were some snacks there. she put fruit in wine glasses and drizzled a tiny bit of chocolate on top. Very pretty and healthy and yummy. Plus there was like a veggie pizza (cold veggies, with like cream cheese spread? what's that called?) plus mojitos and cosmos and I stuck to cranberry juice and soda. Go me. It's nice to have the driving excuse (I live out of town so I always have to drive). Not that it really matters, nobody cared.

Saturday was pretty mellow. Played with photoshop for some pictures for suprise 30th birthday parties I've got this weekend (2 parties, same day). Watched some curling on tv. Some house cleaning. It seemed like such a waste of a day. Oh well. Went in to the city for Step practice at 3:30. I was totally fine at home practicing, but in the room with the microphone, just not as good. I think I look like an idiot because I'm the only girl who hasn't even learned her 1 track yet. Next week we've got to have 2 ready to go, which I think will be better, because every other track is easier than mine.

Then Sunday was helping my sister move. She and her fiance are moving in together and found a rental place near the river (aka older house). It was unfortunately filthy. When she looked at the place the first time, somebody was home so she couldn't look in the one bedroom (fishy) and it turns out that that was the smoking room or something. It completely reeked of smoke. Smoke stains on the ceiling. All the walls and doors in the whole place were sort of gross. The landlord had very relaxed standards for getting damage deposit back. I think they swept and that's it. So after hauling a bunch of sis's stuff over. She and I got some buckets and soap and floor to ceiling scrubbed. My shoulder's a bit tight from it. It's a lot better already. But she was really nervous at the time like she made a big mistake with this place. But I think all places look bad when there's no furniture or anything in them. You don't realize how walls look (scuff marks, handprints, slightly off touch up paint etc) even in your own house because you don't look at walls, you look at stuff. It's better now. Except that the people living in the basement smoke pot and it makes the entrance stink. But the landlord knows and is trying to kick them out for it.

Anyway, so that was my sunday. Time sort of got away from me and before I knew it is was 7:00 and hubby was calling my cell frantically (which I never answer because it's on vibrate and I don't hear it) because he had to leave for hockey and needed the SUV. Oops. So I race home and he doesn't speak to me just throws his stuff in and leaves. I haven't talked to him since because he got home when I was asleep and was gone while I was getting dressed this morning. Hubby holds a grudge like a woman. (if that offends you then we have nothing in common and you shouldn't be reading this blog). Hopefully he can get over this, I did appologize and didn't know he needed the SUV. But I think he's mostly mad I don't answer my phone (he was calling for like an hour).

Anyway, I'll think about that later.

I need to come up with a schedule for myself and my workouts. Seriously. I've got a 10K race I want to get in shape for (plus running really helps me lose weight), I've got step tracks I have to learn, AND I've got 2 exercise classes I'm paying for. I figure 2 days a week for each (minimum). Maybe 3 for the step for a little while.

Monday - strength class
Tuesday - Step and Run?
Wednesday - step class (not my practicing, just a class I take)
Thursday - Step
Friday - Run
Saturday - Run and Step?
Sunday - Step (we've got organized practice here.)

If any day has to go it will probably be Friday. Hard for me to exercise then for some reason.

I also realized sis's wedding is now in only 3 months. I am probably heavier than new years. Big boo. 10 lbs. definately can be done. Just need to be reminded of it. Need a big renewal thing now. Sort of like a reminder all the time when I'm cooking or packing food or eating. That's where I screw up, candy, too much pb, just too much food. I'm thinking back to when I was successful at the losing thing and I was much more strict. and felt better. I think I'm scared of being hungry right now. Which is ridiculous because when I'm busy (friday was busy work day, sunday was busy moving) I hardly eat at all and am not even hungry. A lot of it is boredom and just being used to eating that much that often. Let's be serious. It always helps when I've got a workout planned because I can stop the snacking after supper that gets me in trouble sometimes. and I used to NEVER eat after supper! Let's go back to that. That and being busy should help.