Ready!

Am in Ottawa for Christmas with my family visiting my sister and her family having the absolute time of my life.

Have been on two runs so far - picked up mine & my sister's race package for the Resolution Run here in Ottawa - can't wait - sister's first race EVER!!!!

Love the jackets they gave out this year - am wearing it while blogging it is so awesome.

Was going to report on my eating - but have decided to keep this post positive!! Wink, Wink. Am currently drinking the biggest bottle of Bailey's I've ever seen.

Can't wait to get back to you all when I get home.

Hope all is well with everyone!!

Stay healthy and safe bloggers!

Ten fitness misconceptions for women - Healthcare in Canada - C-Health

A little bit of common sense to end the year!!

Ten fitness misconceptions for women - Healthcare in Canada - C-Health

Towel It Off: No-Equipment Total-Body Workout

Here is a workout that requires no equipment - perfect for any of us traveling over the holidays!!

Towel It Off: No-Equipment Total-Body Workout

Saturday.... a fresh start

Diana left a comment on my blog then deleted it - cause she thought my last post was a joke (I saw Jack Sh*t's post - so I understand why she thought that) - so to Diana - your deleted comment actually made me laugh!! So, thank you.

Today is a new day. I dropped daughter off at her diploma prep for Math. All part of my not giving up! I then drove myself promptly to a meeting. A WW meeting that is. I seriously feel like an addict. I deal with stress by eating and I needed a reminder of why I need to not do that. (I'm up a pound by the way) Know what the topic was at the meeting? "dealing with holiday stress". Well, my stress isn't holiday related - but yowsers - useful or what?? Anyhow - I felt a million times better after the meeting. I cannot miss any more meetings. If the girl I go with can't make it I just have to suck.it.the.hell.up and go alone. I need that charge.

Lunch out with two friends today. After the meeting I am well inclined to chose well. I am in charge of ME. I CHOOSE how to handle my stress.

Oh, ladies - did you all get the new 2010 pocket guide do-hicky-mabobs?? Cool beans, eh? They are made out of paper that likely WON'T SHRED in your purse!

Also out is the updated CANADIAN eating out guide. Didn't get one cause I forgot by the end of the meeting but plan to. They are SO useful! And it is good to stay current.

Hmmm, what else? Gym on the agenda later today. Have to earn my sticker for the 12 days of Christmas Challenge (I have 7 so far!). Don't know what I will do today... my knee is hurting a bit, BUT I may try a run anyhow. I just feel like running. I need that high. That rush. Those deep breaths that remind you you're ALIVE!!

OK peeps - get out there and rock your healthy lifestyle!! Have a good one!

Friday and more snow!

I'm so done with the snow already!! I have to go back out on the roads here pretty quick and I'm a complete wreck!! It is going to be a long friggin winter!

This week has been ok. Finally got my H1N1 shot. My arm is SORE. To make matters worse - I fell in the parking lot after getting my shot and jarred my other shoulder (the injured one) so bad that I almost threw up! The night of my shot I was awake most of the night because every time I turned over, I turned onto a sore arm! Plus, I had the chills really bad. Collective "awwwww"!

I did the treadmill program earlier this week and something popped in my knee while I was in the running portion. That can't be good. My knee has been sore all week. Sigh.

Family continues to be disjointed. Daughter is not applying herself in school and it is frustrating the hell out of us. Husband & I approach things completely differently and all of this has resulted in tension en-masse. I made a nice dinner tonight - with the intent to make a nice table, turn off the tv and talk. Daughter just called - she has to work. Deep sigh. Best laid plans..... I'm exhausted from crying every day. Sometimes the tears are frustration, sometimes disappointment, sometimes hurt..... but my eyes are tired and we are out of kleenex in the whole house!! I just can't give up on her. She has so much potential.

Well peeps. I had tons more to write about - but now that I'm doing it - I got nothing!! Have a healthy day!!

can I be honest?

Just writing yesterday's post made me feel better. I went up to the Club with husband and did the same program on the treadmill as the day before. I totally rocked it - I did over 7k. Husband then generously took me to the dining room for dinner at the Club. Yay to not having to cook. We shared an appetizer of dumplings (I only had 2 of the 8). They serve the best dumplings I've ever tasted in my LIFE. For dinner I ordered the mixed greens with chicken breast. Mmmm. It was GOOD. I also had a nice glass of red wine. Good for the heart. Wink wink.

Any of you read MizFit's Friday post? It was a good one. Sigh. It actually made me cry. Just because I feel like my family is falling apart. We are so... disjointed right now. I hate the feeling. We are spinning out of control and I don't know how to stop it or fix it. Bigger sigh.

I made some chicken soup last night for dinner tonight. And I picked up a nice crusty loaf of whole grain bread. Good comfort food for this cold weather we are having.

Tonight I have to drop daughter at tutor and then I may run up to the gym. I haven't decided yet. My hamstrings are screaming from that treadmill program. That has to be a good sign.

Well peeps - have a healthy day.

Snow, snow, snow

It snowed so bad Friday that I couldn't get off my street Saturday morning to get to the Santa Shuffle. Sigh.

I did make it up to the gym late in the day Saturday and did some treadmill time though. I tried a program that daughter got from her trainer. Start on 2.0 incline for 5 minutes to warm up. Treadmill is @ 3.5 mph the whole time. Every minute, raise the incline 1 full %. The treadmill I was on went to 15. Stay at 15 for a minute. Then, every minute go down on the incline. Then 3 minutes or so @ 2.0 and then cool down at 0 incline. Holy shit. I was breathing so hard that my lungs were sore later that evening. When I was done that - I just ran on the treadmill till I hit an hour... maybe 20 - 25 minute run or so. Anyhow - felt like a good workout.

I have not been on program all week. I could come up with a list of excuses, but really I just chose to take the easy path with my stress and that was to deal with it the way I always do (eat) instead of dealing with it in a more positive and productive manner. The only exercise I did was belly dance Thursday and the treadmill yesterday.

This week I will get my shit together. This week I will journal and put myself first. I will not seek out self destructive behaviour to enable my pity parties. I will fill my body with healthy foods that will get me to old age and I will be active every day.

Short post today as I have Christmas cards to write. And the new Yoga Journal magazine read.

Hope you're all doing well. Congrats to all the Halibloggers that ran the Santa Shuffle - you girls look so happy doing it!!

Blech

Daughter had her appt with her personal trainer this morning at 6:30. I decided to join her today - I need something to get me going with the weights again. Unfortunately the trainer didn't show up!! I had no iPod or anything with me, so I just came home. Boy was I mad.

Right now I'm sucking back a Grande Triple shot non fat latte. It's going down gooooood. Once I'm done I'm going to take the pup for his walk. It is really nice out there.

We had husband's Christmas party this weekend in Banff. It was fun. Husband & I went alone for the weekend. Boy, did we need that. It felt so nice to reconnect. Left daughter alone for the first time. She for sure did something she wasn't supposed to because she not only changed the garbage..... the full garbage bag is no where to be found! Little monkey!! In any case, the house is in the same condition we left it in, so.....

I feel blech today. Need to get a good program day under my belt.

Not much else to report now..... have a healthy day bloggers!

I rolled the bones with the new hairdresser

Holy freaking busy day yesterday!!

I ended up just walking into a hairdresser and rolled the bones! I'm now back (sort of) to my natural colour (I had lightened it up a bit over the summer). It looks quite dark compared to what I had, but it just feels so good to have it all trimmed up. I think the cut is fine - my only complaint was that the hairdresser never shut up the whole time. I'm not a chatter, so.....

I never updated my weight tracker on the side from last week's weigh in. I was quite disappointed because I actually felt so much smaller that morning. You know how you just wake up some days and feel a difference? Anyhow, when the scale said 0.2 down I was a bit bummed.

I went this morning and I'm down another 1.4. That makes me feel better about last week, as I'm sure some of this # is from then. In any case, down is down, right?

Last night I skipped belly dance. I went instead to the fitness center and did 30 minutes of spinning and 30 minutes walking a hill program on the treadmill. I also took the dog for a 37 minute walk. I felt like I needed more movement than I would get from Belly Dance.

My stuffed peppers were..... eh, ok. I've made better. They smelled good though - HAHA!

Today is my daughter's 17th birthday. Wow - it went fast. We are dinning at the Club tonight in celebration. I just didn't feel like cooking.

Well, I'm off to meet a friend for coffee, then I have to walk the pup and hit the fitness center 'cause they are having the 12 fitness days of Christmas again at the Club. For a donation to the Salvation Army, we can earn 12 stickers during December and we get our name in a draw for some awesome gifts. They are doing an early bird draw and I have to get 3 stickers before Sunday. I already have one - so I'm keen to get working on #2 & #3!!

Have a healthy day bloggers!!

pictures

Click here to see the shoes:

Shoes

They are called Town shoes and the product code is 1-4110-162. They are in the 15th row on the right.

I took my own picture, but it doesn't do it justice

I also took a picture of what 10 points worth of Chinese food looks like all measured out:

Surprisingly - that is really VERY filling - I don't think I will ever have to over count on Chinese again!!

Taking a Breather!

I'm off work now till Tuesday, which is when I start a week at a different job. I'm really happy to have the break! The job I just finished with for the month has asked me to do some data entry for a system implementation they are doing in April. I'm going to figure out my availability later today, but I could end up working complete months for Dec & Jan (except for my lovely week off at Christmas, of course!! oh, and except for the week at the other job!!) This is good news because we have made debt reduction a priority. Kinda icky news cause I was really liking the idea of having a week on, week off, week on, week off. That is totally selfish of course, but.... a gal's gotta have dreams!

After work yesterday I went and bought myself some really, really pretty shoes. I walked over to Payless but they didn't have anything kinda fancy (I needed shoes that I could wear to hubby's Christmas party) so I walked over to the nice shoe store (Towne Shoes) and bought myself a seriously smoking pair of shoes. I also stopped at the brand new Holt Renfrew store (seriously - how did I miss that big change??) and picked up a Spanx slip. I think it's all going to come together nicely.

I'm trying to decide if I want to run out and get my hair trimmed today. My regular hairdresser is unavailable and so it would mean stopping in some where and hoping for the best. Eh, it's just hair, right?? I mean, how much could they screw it up??? HAHA!

Program talk: ARGH!!!!

I'm struggling. Do any of you have this problem? Not struggling. This: Monday they ordered in lunch @ work, cause we all had to work right through. It was some chicken stir fry concoction with brown and wild rice and an orange/mandarin salad. I'm not sure how to count it. And when I come across something I don't know how to count - my journaling comes to a grinding halt and I run right off the rails. Sigh.

I have a lot of running around to do today. On the agenda for today is: getting the f*ck back on program, taking puppy for a nice LONG walk, groceries, belly dance...... phew - I'm tired! haha!!

I just made the yummiest looking stuffed peppers - used my brand new WW food scale to calculate the pts value..... 6pts per pepper friends!! CAN'T WAIT!!!!!

OK peeps - I gotta get going with the rest of my day... have a healthy one!

Survived the week AND a NSV

I made it (although just barely) through my first week at my new job. I haven't done this kind of work for over 8 years and I forgot the stress that comes with it. I had a melt down in the car on the way home Tuesday night - complete with tears. Husband handled it WAY better than he used to 8 years ago!!

The upside is that I was SO busy that I stayed on program and ate the food I brought from home. The girl I report to came in on Tuesday with $127 worth of junk food. What a shit show. And there is HUGE social pressure to partake. I did well though. One hand full of chips the whole week.

Tonight I was so tired that husband suggested ordering chinese. Peeps - I did something I have never done before (enter collective breath holding by readers). I filled my bowl (a small soup bowl) with one soup spoon of everything we ordered. And did NOT go back for 2nds or 3rds like I usually do. I did have 5 dumplings. I realize that is a lot, but I had eaten two while I was taking the lids off the food, then put 2 in my bowl and then had one while I was putting dish in dishwasher. 3 of them were mindless eating - I didn't actually even think about it till I started typing this paragraph. Oh, well. Still a NSV cause normally I do that and still have the 2nds and 3rds.

No exercise this week. I pretty much went to bed early every night. I worked two nights quite late and so missed belly dance. Sigh. Next month I will be better prepared.

This will be a short post as I am really tired, and I have the worst headache. Just wanted to let you all know I was still alive.

Have a healthy day bloggers!!

Someone please talk me off this ledge!!

Yes folks - I went shopping today. Needed a pair of pants cause I start a new job tomorrow and I haven't worked in 4 years AND I can't wear my Lullulemons!!

Of course, this meant I had to disrobe under florescent lights. That is where the ledge came in. I go into the mall feeling good - needing some pants and then.....

Why does that happen???????

Moving on.....

I went to pole dancing on Friday. I am over the moon excited to report that my friend went to class AND she said she enjoyed that class the best yet RIGHT UP UNTIL around 20 women arrived 20 minutes before our class was over for a party. That meant that they were watching us on the pole almost the whole time we were up there. We learned a backward spin. It is fun.

Not much else to report. Good weekend. On program. Tired and have a HUGE headache thanks to the gale force winds that are blowing the Chinook in. No exercise for me today - my right knee is SO sore I can hardly get up and down stairs. I'm falling apart!!

Little bit freaked out about learning new names, jobs, procedures tomorrow. Wish I had the points to throw myself into a bottle of Baileys. Guess my glass of water with a lemon wedge will have to do!

Have a healthy day bloggers!!

Friday at last!!

Even though this was a short week - that is how I feel this morning.

Belly dance last night was so much fun. I really like my beginner class group. Fun gals. I think we might be almost done learning our choreography.

Who watched Grey's last night? Even though I'm really miffed that Izzie is NOT DEAD and George is (oy! I just CAN. NOT. LET.THAT.GO).... I was so impressed with the Chief's story line. Did not see that coming. And I'm a fan of the new doctor since she was on Lipstick Jungle.

WW meeting went well. Lost 0.2. I was a bit miffed with the weigh in lady. She said "oh, well, this is good - week 10 is about breaking through plateaus". I was like.. "um... ok..... thanks". But I was thinking "I just told you that I was happy with this # because I know that I had noodle soup for lunch yesterday and I'm sodium full of water retention, I had a good week on program, and my # will catch up next week." :-p

Today I have a run (haven't checked to see if it is going to warm up out there - might go up the the gym on the treadmill) and pole dancing.

I decided to go for a walk with my walking group tomorrow. Haven't been out with them for ages. They always go for a big breakfast after and it seems counter productive. However, I feel I've hit the point in my journey that I can go for breakfast and not use their orders as my excuse to put myself off plan. There are plenty of tasty breakfast options that do not cost an entire days worth of points. Right?? RIGHT??? Oops - had a panic moment there as visions of eggs benny floated through my head..... I'm back.

So, posting a picture of my journal.... while I'm sure is mind numbingly boring for you guys to have look at - is really doing wonders for me staying on plan. I find that I'm really thinking about my choices now that I know someone might be able to read what I've written there!

Oh, and peeps - yesterday I was out having a Grande Americano with my buds and I got a call - I got that 2nd contract job I wanted!! It will be for between 8 to 48 hours a month all concentrated at one time of month. It is working with a great group and I couldn't be happier!!

Have a healthy day bloggers!!!!

I received my introduction e-mail from my motivational buddy AJ. I haven't written mine back to her yet..... hers was so good I'm worried about making a good impression! HAHA.

Anyhow - she sounds like a great partner for me and I'm sure we will find that we have much in common. Please feel free to stop by her site at http://ajlovestolose.com/ - I don't know about you guys, but I'm always looking for new blogs. Gotta keep things fresh, right?

Had my run yesterday with the pup. Haven't downloaded my Nike+ for a while - will do that after I publish this. Anyhow. It was a weird run. The run itself, was good. The pup - oy! What a little monkey he was. He was either running too fast ahead of me or stopping to sniff so long that I had to yank at him. Sheesh. Next time we take the short leash and the Barkbuster collar. That will keep him next to me and then my frustration level will be better. Even with Indiana's escapades, I felt good after the run. Of course, my right knee is killing me this morning. Not where I usually hurt (which is always because I need to stretch the old IT bands). This time it is kinda on the knee cap. Weird.

Had no belly dance last night because of Remembrance Day. My feet were so sore, I didn't really mind. Tonight is my beginner class. I'm looking forward to it. I could use some shimmying.

I just got an e-mail that curling is cancelled this week. Both ladies on our 5 man team that know how to skip will be away. I'm not too miffed though - saves me the cost of doggy daycare!

I'm going to WW meeting this morning. I'm quite psyched as I have learned from the Halibloggers (from their meeting pictures) what the subject is for the week and I think it will be quite interesting.

Angie - I do in fact have a flower button, I pushed it and voila! Easy picture taking for Fatinah!!

Oh, I wanted to tell you all about what I had for lunch yesterday. I had two cups of left over brussels sprouts (roasted with balsamic vinegar, EVOO, onions and a smidgen of bacon bits). Well, I made myself some noodle soup (Ichiban type, but Co-Op brand cause it has less pts and mushroom flavour!!) and added my brussels to it! OMG! It was SO good. And filling. So filling in fact that I only had 1/2 cup of tortellini for dinner and I was stuffed! It was 8pts for that soup - and worth EVERY ONE!!

Have a healthy day bloggers!!

Coffee tasting GOOD this morning!

Ever have one of those mornings where your normally tasty coffee is especially good? Mmm, I'm having one of those mornings.

Yesterday was husband's birthday. He came home at 3:30. At first I was kinda happy - cause I thought he wanted some quiet time (wink, wink) BUT it turned out he had a migraine! Poor him. He was laid up the rest of the day.

Of course, I had been cooking for hours at that point and had my mom & her husband coming over for the big birthday dinner. Which they did. Husband didn't get out of bed until 8:30 last night and finally heated up his plate around 9:00.

Run yesterday was a walk with the puppy. Day got all turned around and when I finally got dressed to go out, my knees were sore.

Took me 8 tries to get pics of my food journal. Until this morning I didn't know how to turn off the flash. Now I have to figure out how to turn it back on!!

Oh, and I also took a picture of the pizza I made myself for lunch yesterday. Man, was it good. Chock full of veggies. Only 30g of light feta and a really high fiber pita - great lunch for 4 pts. I don't really appreciate food pictures - I'm too lazy to scroll through them looking for the heart of the post - but I was particularly proud of this extravaganza!! So my apologies to anyone reading this that also hates scrolling through food pictures!

Accountability

Short post. I have received the 411 on my motivational partner and I have an e-mail to send to her. I can't wait to meet her. Or maybe I have and read her blog all the time - it's so exciting - I don't know!!

So, today is the day I start posting journal pictures. Or rather tomorrow is. I have decided I will post the day before the day after. I had a carb heavy day today. And sadly, not a veggie in sight. I had a scone for breakfast, a sub from subway for lunch, snacked on a bag of those gluten free puffs and for dinner, a piece of pizza. I feel clogged up just typing that. I'd better get some water in me post haste. I think I'm PMS'ing. In any case, I think the picture taking will help with accountability.

No exercise today. Blech. Run on the agenda for tomorrow. I need it - mentally as well as physically.

Oh, that 2nd company I might get work for called today. Dude that is organizing the work was of with H1N1. He is better and back to work and I have a coffee meeting with him tomorrow morning. One step closer. I just finished with my other job today.

Have a healthy day bloggers.

Pole Dancing Class #3

or as I like to call it - the night of the big pole dancing injury 2009.

That's right - it took 3 classes for me to injure myself. I was on the pole, working my magic like only I can when I stepped out of a spin catching the soft underside of my big toe on the base of the pole. Seriously - easily one of the most painful things EVER!! It hurt like a mother..... The injured area swelled up immediately and turned black and blue. Sigh. Like the trouper I am though, I kept on with the class and did not let hamper my performance. Then when I was doing the slide move down the pole to my knees I slid too fast and BAM my left knee is now black. Double Sigh. Still, on with the show though!! HAHA

Friend & I ended up in different groups. She crinked her neck on her first spin and isn't sure if she will continue with the class. I decided to let her off the hook - if she doesn't want to continue - I think I'm comfortable enough to do the last 3 classes on my own, if I need to.

I think after all, in the end, I'm enjoying the class. At first I really wasn't sure, but..... now..... funds will dictate whether or not I take the class again. I think....

haha!!

Overwhelmed!

I have had a million ideas for posts, but just haven't had the time to post. Well, that's not true. I've been really tired after working all day (I know, I'm a wimp!) and so I've been going to bed quite early.

I have signed up for the Santa Shuffle in December - Calgary edition and for the Resolution Run New Years Eve - Ottawa edition. Both 5k. Yay!

Many bloggers have re-committed to WW. It is intriguing and quite exciting. I have decided to jump on the band wagon. I don't like to be left out! I'm going to commit to not missing my meetings, regardless of wether or not I'm working AND I'm going to start posting a picture of my journal. Just for accountability.

I am horribly off program this week. Pisses me off because I know better. I had a high point lunch and then had no points left for dinner. Oh, well. Sadly, I've had a story like that for the whole week.

What else. I have been doing some yoga before bed every night. Stretching my toes. My in-flexible feet are getting in the way with both belly dance and pole dance.

Ugh. I'm too tire to think..... off to bed

Have a healthy day bloggers.

Dread

That is what I'm full of as I consider filling in my food journal for last night and today.

Sigh.

oh, I signed up for a motivational buddy over at Mizfit. cool beans. me thinks this is timely.

Have a healthy day bloggers.

Pole Dancing Class #2

I met last night's class with the greatest feeling of dread that I think I've EVER experienced. I seriously considered turning around a million times while I was driving there. Got inside the room and it all went away. I had a great time. My girlfriend is still struggling with the performance at the end of class.

What has been happening is, since we get to class first, our names go on the list first, which means we get called to the pole first. And that means that we have 30 minutes between the time we go through the routine to when we have to "perform" for the other half of the class.

Now - I don't know how many of you have learned any kind of choreographies, but I found that it takes a while to train your brain to remember. I'm having an easier time from having learned so many belly dance routines. Girlfriend though - well, this is the first time she's had to do this and it is stressing her out! And it is a shame, because she can do all the moves. I tried to tell her that she is performing in front of 3 other women who are also just beginning. It is a safe place. She's not buying it though!!

What was fun was we learned what they call a Fireman Spin. Not hard, but man, I'm really good at it! So good in fact that I was quite dizzy and nauseous by the end of class! HAHA

Girlfriend & I mozied over to Chili's after class for a nice glass of wine and some chips and salsa. I ate most of them. They were SUPER salty in the way that only Chili's chips can be and girlfriend didn't like it. I, on the other hand, was ALL over that!! I had to points, so it was a really nice treat.

Yesterdays run was good. What a nice day. Didn't stretch after - honestly forgot - and today my knees are reminding me of why I need to stretch!

Having mom & her husband for dinner tonight. Making mini pizza's with left over honey garlic sausage & salad. Should be tasty and COUNTABLE - what a great combo!!

Oh, milestone in the Fatinah household today. Two of them actually. Milestone #1 is that I'm celebrating 22 years of living out West. I can't believe it. That's a long time! Milestone #2 is that I'm letting my daughter to go a party tonight. She has been to friend's places where there has been a small gathering of friends, but tonight she is going to an actual party at someone's house. I'm completely panicked and beside myself scared..... but she turns 17 next month and both she and husband have reminded me that I have to let her grow up. Sigh. Why do I have to do that?????

Not much on the agenda today exercise wise. Just a walk with the pup. My feet are killing me - and I need a rest day.

Oh, I wanted to share the dance we are learning for our intermediate belly dance class. The link will take you to my teacher's dance troup performing the dance (with some minor changes made for our class version). My teacher starts the dance right in the middle. It's quite a cute dance, I think. Some day I will post me doing it..... if I can ever get daughter to video me!!

Fatinah's choreography

Quiet Friday

I worked yesterday. The day went really well, and I worked so hard that I now don't have to work today! Just every day next week now.

Puppy is at daycare since I thought I would be working. Feels lonely to be here and have him NOT here. I keep looking for him.

On the agenda today - run and pole dancing. I'm going to run outside as we are having a Chinook and it will be a gorgeous day today. Last night was belly dance. It was a really fun class. Glad I went. I almost used sick daughter as an excuse to stay home. Curious to see how I feel after pole class tonight. While I don't mind the class - I don't LOVE it - and right now I'm thinking that I won't do it again. We'll see.

Wednesday I didn't go to belly dance (daughter was sicker and I didn't want to leave her), but did take the pup for a run outside. He was so happy to be running out there he was still vibrating when we got home!

Daughter is back at school today and husband will be taking her to get her H1N1 shot next week.

Not much else to report. Things still looking good for the potential 2nd contract job. Just waiting to hear from them.

Made myself the yummiest breakfast. Fried spinach, garlic, onions (with pam) topped with a scrambled egg & egg white. Yum. I just love, love, love cooked spinach! Anyhow - awesome 2pts. (I don't count points for onions).

Sheppard's pie on the menu for dinner tonight. Daughter missed the last one I made.

Have a healthy day bloggers.

I can't exercise 'cause my fingers are crossed

I got an e-mail this morning asking if I'd be interested in casual part-time work with some folks that I worked with.... around 8 years ago. Their group divested to another company and I changed groups to stay with the company we were with. Anyhow, I already have some casual work that keeps me busy for month ends, but this opportunity is for mid-month work. It would complement what I have in place perfectly. I'm just waiting for verification from my current casual job that I can do this 2nd one..... peeps - think positive thoughts, send up prayers, cross your fingers - I could really use this!!

Am currently also sitting waiting for the tv repair dude to come. Apparently not the same dude that took it apart. I'm not feeling too confident that it will all get put together again properly!

On the agenda today - run after tv repair dude leaves and belly dance tonight. Daughter is home sick today from school and work. At least I hope they find replacement for her because she needs sleep. Since she teaches little tykes - I'm guessing parents would rather have a cancelled class than exposure to germs!! Poor muffin had to go in to school for a meeting with her teacher BEFORE school but she is home now and sleeping. Good news is that she got an 8/10 on her discussion that she went in for. That will help her sleep better!!

Had our Alpha course last night. The food they serve us before the class is killing me. So fat laden!! I had an upset tummy by the time we got into our discussion groups - we could hear everyone's tummy rumbling around the table!!

Have been dragging my ass about updating my food journal for it all. Flex points will come into play for sure. Last week's meal was 23 pts. Sigh.

Not much else to report. I see some controversy out there with an anonymous commenter. I wonder what makes someone be mean like that? If I come across something that makes me want to say something mean - then I just move onto the next blog. Obviously people don't agree with everyone all the time, that's life, but.... I guess because none of this is face to face it is easier..... sometimes this is where I think things out - kind of like part of my process. Though I find comfort in knowing others are having similar struggles, it is often the act of sitting and typing it out that helps the most..... I don't think I would like to have to worry about some anonymous meanie....

Have a healthy day bloggers!!

Tuesday already?

I have been dragging my butt this week.

Let's see. This weekend was fun. Sunday was a challenge. Daughter had a sleepover Saturday night, which meant our Sunday went like this: drop daughter off at work, drive daughter's friend to opposite end of city at home so she can make it to work on time, drop dog off at home and pick up workout gear, workout, shower, get painful massage, go to friends house for wine & cards, stay on program, rush home to eat, drive daughter way south for tutoring thinking that we can just go sit in Chapters to wait only to find out that Chapters closes 5 MINUTES after we get there. Wait in parking lot for 1.5 hours for daughter. Fall into bed. We never stopped the whole day.

Yesterday I actually napped for an hour. Unfortunately I did not wake up feeling refreshed.

Today I weighed in - side bar updated. Meeting was quite good. Sometimes they really hit home. Today was just Part II of going over the program as a whole. I love the program. It really helped going over the good healthy guidelines. So easy to forget about them. I think sometimes people leave following WW because they want to "just eat healthy" when if they were actually following the program, that is exactly what they would be doing. What surprises me is how much difference it makes for ME to go to the meetings. I always stop going for some reason and when I go back - I'm always surprised at the success I have. Apparently I'm quite a slow learner. I guess better to learn slow than not at all!!

Not much else on the agenda for today. I have to go to the library. Doesn't get much more exciting than that!!

Pole Dancing

Last night was our first pole dancing class. My girlfriend was REALLY nervous. I wasn't until we got there and I started to really wonder what the hell I had been thinking!

The venue is small and they have an area for floor work and then around 6 or 7 poles on the other half of the floor.

We all kinda waited outside because there was a class going on. One of the teachers said we could come in, so we did and milled around watching. Girlfriend commented how panicked she would be if anyone was watching us. We saw the other class divided in two - one half putting on a show for the other then they switched. The girls were good. I figured they must be a level 2 or 3 class. Nope - turns out they were a level 1 but in week 5. Yowsers! Girlfriend is now convinced this was a bad idea. But, she is a trouper and we stay for our class!

Class is not at all what I think it will be. There are only 6 of us. We warm up and then the teacher calls out 3 names (thankfully girlfriend & I are together). We have to go to the poles first - the other 3 go to the floor. We very quickly learn the first part of our pole routine. Practice it 3 times and then we move to the floor. On the floor we stretch and then learn a floor routine. Other group learns pole. Then we all come together and do a combination of pole type moves and floor moves up against the wall. Then we 3 have to perform the pole dance for the other 3 and then they perform for us. Every class we have to perform for the other half of the class at the end.

Girlfriend was not at all comfortable with this. What I found stunning was that I didn't even bat an eye at it.

Now people - there was a time in my life that I tried to disappear. I would go up to the club and PRAY that no one noticed me. I didn't want anyone to approach me. It was torturous. Anyhow - I started belly dance, and performed and found myself. I cannot describe the feeling I had when I realized on the way home that I performed a pole dance with strangers in front of strangers and I didn't even give it a 2nd thought! I'm not saying that I think I did it well, or that I looked sexy. I'm just saying that I went up there did my sexy walk, did my fancy turns, did my sexy squats, opened and closed my legs, slapped, let my hands wander, did a slide down the pole, got up leading with my booty and sexy walked back and didn't even think about the fact that people were watching me!!

This is so huge for me - even now, the day after - my head is spinning. Personal growth. I'm just so excited!!

Now - last night I would have argued that this isn't an exercise class at all. It's a dance class. We got there and just did dance moves. For an hour.

This morning, however, I might argue that it IS an exercise class. You all should know that it worked my back so much that this morning I am having trouble finding the strength to keep myself upright. Holy shit. And my poor shoulder. I actually did all of my pole work on my left side. And still my right shoulder is killing me. And to add to my stupid - I forgot to ice it last night.

My friend.... said that she doesn't feel sexy and so she was uncomfortable. I think that this class will be good for her - and help her find her sexy. She always equates sexy with skinny (which she is - she is the same height as me 5'5 and weighs 106) but sexy really comes from inside.

Well, I'm off to take daughter to work - have a healthy day!!

Friday Fun

This morning I had to rush off to the club before I even finished my morning coffee because I had to get my run done before I curled at 9:30. It was a great run until the last 6 minutes. They felt like they took 20 minutes! I actually almost shut the treadmill off with 2 minutes to go. My hand was actually outstretched when I realized what I was doing! Sheesh!!

Curling was a ball! I forgot to put my glasses on - and for reasons I don't understand, I have trouble hearing when I can't see! Could not hear if the skip was telling me to sweep or to NOT sweep to save my life! Needless to say, we didn't win! I was very tired from my run and had zero energy.

TV repair dude is a mere one hour from getting here to fix our tv. I have the tv on all the time - I find is sooooo quiet!!!!! I hope he does make it here in an hour because I have to drive daughter to work this afternoon.

Tonight is my first pole class! Wish me luck!! The class is in a building with a really tiny hard-to-maneuver-in parking lot. Is it weird that I'm more stressed about parking in this lot than I am learning to pole dance??

Oh, and I updated my side thingy for my weigh in yesterday.

Have a healthy day bloggers!!

Feeling like I was hit by a bus

So, I worked yesterday. Went right from work to the gym. Actually put all my stuff in a gym locker before I went to work so I would HAVE to go into the gym for sure after work. Had a so/so run. It was good in that I felt like I ran hard - but bad because I stopped several times to drink water because my focus was off.

My focus was off because I went for lunch with a co-worker who told me some stunning health news. My mind is reeling and I'm so upset..... my words failed me completely. I just didn't know what to say. I feel like a complete failure as a friend. I also find myself a bit angry. Times like this I wish I took kick boxing. I really would love to punch something.

Today I go to WW to weigh in. I had an ok week. I didn't go over on points and I was active. What is making me question how I will do is my dinner on Tuesday night. I had that Alpha course and they serve supper before the meeting. Well, when I got home and counted it up - it had cost me 23 flex pts. That is what flex are for - I know this - but my WW pts go Monday to Monday, and I weigh on Thursday. I prefer to manage my flex... after I weigh!! And the reason I do this is because my weigh ins are not consistent but I want my pts to be. Otherwise I find myself "starting over" often....

Exercise today - walk with the pup (who is still snoozing - he is so tired from daycare yesterday!!) and resistance bands!

No belly dance this week - taking a mental break. I'm frustrated with the choreographies right now. That combined with my current urge to punch something would not be a good combination.

Not much else to report. Making a roast beef for supper tonight. Mmmm.

Have a healthy day bloggers!!

Working Today!

Quick post 'cause I'm running off to work! I have to go in for a meeting to train someone on something. For the 5th time. Apparently I'm a rocket scientist and this task is just so complicated that no one can do it..... NOT. More like it is so simple no one WANTS to do it. And so here I go again!! Hopefully for the last time. Not working - just performing this exact same task!!

So people - guess what I did yesterday? I SIGNED UP FOR A POLE EXERCISE CLASS!!!! I actually start on Friday. Yep. 2 FREAKIN days from now!!! I'm nervous and excited all at the same time! I'm going with my girlfriend, who, I KNOW wanted to chicken out - but I wouldn't let her. We both need to step outside our comfort zones - and this is a great way to do it. Husband is VERY excited about the class!! HAHA

Gotta run. Oh, that reminds me - going to club immediately after work for my run. Have my bag packed and ready to go!!

Have a healthy day!!

Good News Miz!!

Well peeps (and Miz) - I just finished my strength training. I am currently using a resistance band. I had the one that came with the Wii EA Sport Active - but I was finding that a bit too lose (even if I shortened it up), and then my physio lady game me a green band to do physio exercises with. Holy noodle - that one is much tighter and I feel like I got quite a nice workout. My biceps right now have that tired feeling that I know will translate into me hurting when I get dressed in the next day or two!!

I had lunch today (vietnamese) with some former co-workers. What a fun group of people we had then. We had to work hard, but we sure had fun doing it. The food was SO good. I had lemon grass beef & onion on rice. Perfect portion size. Countable and filling. A classic combination!!

I treated myself to a latte for the bus ride home. It will replace my afternoon snack. It was so tasty and I managed to stay awake on the bus!

Mmmm, not much else to chat about today. I bought the latest Yoga Journal magazine. It is now the only magazine I'm purchasing, except for WW. I used to be a fitness type magazine junkie - but these are tough economic times! HAHA!!

Things are looking good on the tv front. Future shop was really quite helpful. Kudos to them. They provided customer service - you don't find that very often!!

Have a healthy day!!

no title Monday

Weekend was good. Didn't really get up to much.

Miz: I laughed when I saw your comment. Mostly cause I have to report that I in fact did not make it up. The only exercise I did was a quick walk with the pup and then my run on Sunday.

Saturday night I had the urge to much SO bad. So bad that resisting said urge actually gave me a freakin' headache!! Seriously. Who the fuck gets a headache from thinking about food?? OMG!!

I also ran this morning. I upped my treadmill speed by .1 this morning. I've been doing that every week. I was going so fast I was like a blurr on there! HAHA

So, our new TV (well, relatively new - just over 1 year old), for reasons we don't know - won't turn on anymore. Well, that isn't quite true. It turns on, and then off immediately. Then on and then off immediately. Until we finally unplugged it. Husband was so mad I thought his head would explode. We are pretty sure that we bought the extended warranty, but like complete boneheads, put the receipt somewhere safe. Next stop is to contact Future Shop to see if they can give us a copy. Sigh.

I decided to make daughter's fav for dinner - sheppard's pie. Little monkey is now not coming home for dinner because she is at her friend's place working on a project. Blah, blah, blah. They were supposed to come here.

Oh, I updated the results from my weigh in. I don't think I mentioned it. I'm sure you can all guess why!! By big insight this week - following plan for one day a week does not work. Oh, and when I tell myself that I don't care that I'm going off plan - total lie. I do care.

Have a healthy day bloggers!!

confessions and "a ha" moments

Remember when I said yesterday that I was GOING to do strength training and maybe go for a walk with the pup? Well, I did walk the pup - sans booties - it is already so nice out again that everything is melting. He did, though, walk through EVERY puddle he came across!! What I didn't do was strength training! I FORGOT!!! Who does that - especially when they have taken the time to write out the workout in their journal. Sigh.

That my friends is why we need to journal in a timely manner. Had I written down my dinner info after I got home from belly dance (or, of course, after dinner) I would have seen my strength workout there and remembered to do it. I didn't write in my supper until this morning, where I GASP noticed that I hadn't done my work. ARGHHHHH!!!

I'll make it up Saturday.

On to my AHA moment. Had lunch after curling up at the Club. Went for lunch with my team. Ordered a Chicken Souvlaki Wrap - which is new on the menu (YUM) - but asked the waitress to hold the feta cheese. Had a side of garden greens. Both my lunch mates, who are on again/off again weight watchers commented on my choice. I said that, since I had dined on a breakfast sandwich (also at Club) for 6 pts this morning - I wanted to forgo 3 extra pts (at least I figure) of cheese. Well, both of them made a big deal when the meals came, because they both had it with cheese (which is how it comes, they didn't get extra). The one gal said "well, I just LOVE cheese". I said that I did also, but that it came down to choices, and that for today, I needed to not have it. They kept going on like I wasn't ALLOWED it. But that wasn't it. I could have counted it. I CHOSE to forgo it. This was a big moment for me - but they kinda made fun. I held strong though and felt pretty proud for making a choice that worked well for me. Even though it was like they ordered to spite me (I say this because of their comments, not because I think people with cheese on their sandwiches are out to get me!!) all I could think was how they weren't hurting me at all.

We had a real hoot curling this morning. So much fun. My team is really nice. Even with the lunch drama - really nice ladies. I look forward to the season.

I ran today. Uber frustration. I did a 2k run to calibrate my Nike+ because it was running fast. Then, I did another 2k run, cause, well, I like to run around 4k. What did my Nike+ say after the big calibration???? 1.76k. Seriously. O....M....G!!!!!!! Sigh.

Well, I better get to making supper. Don't know what the heck I'm going to make......

Have a healthy day!!

PS: Fatmom - thanks so much for leaving a comment to say how you're doing!! I'm SO VERY HAPPY that WW is working for you - what a great success you've seen so far! Keep up the awesome work. You rock!

Up @ an unGodly hour!!

Oy! Daughter had to open the pool up @ our Club where she works part time today. She is just covering someone's shift. All of this meant that I was up @ 5:00 so that she could be there on time. I'm way to old for this kind of shift work! haha! The good part of this story is that.... I was 2nd in line when Tim's opened!

So Belly Dance last night. Wow. It was really hard. We are now up to 2:00 into the choreography, but she went FAST. It was actually almost frustrating. We kept asking her to break the count down for us for this one move where she kept saying that we needed to do 2 full figure 8's out then round out to 2 full figure 8's in. But every time we ran through the dance, her count would change. We asked her to do it without music, just with count, and she kept saying, but it's faster. Well, once the music is on, you adjust to the beat of it. But we need to know the counts. URGH!!! I wasn't the only one frustrated.

So, meeting today. In 3 hours. YIKES!!!!

Not much else on the agenda. Strength training with bands.... belly dance again.... maybe a walk with the pup. I'm hesitant because it's booty time again for him and he doesn't like them! But the snow gets so stuck in his fur.... and the little bugger kicks them off! Funny the first time..... not so funny after 5 times when I've only made it two blocks down the drive!! Good thing he's SO cute. See gratuitous picture of cute puppy below:

What a face!!

On that note - have a healthy day bloggers!!!

Enough Snow!

Seriously. Moving on. Luckily I earned an activity point shoveling!

I went to lunch with my girlfriends and then I ran on the treadmill. I had to go to the car to grab my running shoes and I fell in a big way. Oy! What a sight I must have been.

In spite of that I had a good run. I need to re-calibrate my Nike+. But for now, since I'm working on my speed, it doesn't REALLY matter.

I have belly dance tonight. I'm really looking forward to it. I meant to write down the steps of the dance we've learned so far. Sadly I didn't and now I've forgotten them. Sigh. I'm sure it all come back to me, but....

Mmmm, I think I'm going to go to a WW meeting. That won't be pretty.

Well bloggers, have a healthy day!

Freaky Friday Fatinah Style

Except it wasn't Friday it was Monday. But daughter & I switched places. She was getting ready to go to her personal trainer. I was trying to decide if I wanted to run while she worked out or sit and read my book while I waited up at the club. Daughter says "you are doing your run. if you skip it you're going to regret it all day". Imagine. Daughter talked ME into working out. Then, she told the trainer on me! Trainer thought it was hilarious.

Meanwhile - I had a great run. Daughter had a really good workout with the trainer. Had to run 3 flights of stairs 3 times in between weight sets. Shudder.

I had a great Thanksgiving weekend. Sadly I didn't even pretend to stay on plan. I paid the price though. I've been up since 2 this morning with a very upset stomach.

Today is a new day.

It is snowing outside like crazy. Sigh. My calendar says it's only Oct 13. Looks like Dec 25 out there. Nuts.

Mmmm, not much else to report. Other than just knowing there is so much snow out there is making my feet cold.

Have a healthy day bloggers!!

Friday - time to take a breath!

What a week!

I worked - like many do - but boy am I out of a routine. I felt like I was rushing all the time. Daughter of course, works with her personal trainer Mondays before school. All 3 of us were up at the gym to work out before 6:30 am!! Tuesday was a mad rush after work to pick daughter up from work right after work and then off to Alpha course at the Church. Wednesday rush after work to club to run, home to make dinner, back to club to Belly Dance. Thursday rush after work to make dinner then off to club to Belly Dance. Oy - I hadn't realized how much we did in the evenings until I was busy during the day also! Of course, daughter was working after school every day, doing a swim fit class and husband was working out and curling all speckled in there. Yeesh!

The good news is that work went great. Remembered everything I needed to remember and got my work done in a really timely manner. I also managed to pick up some more contract work for the end of the month. I'm quite happy about that.

Today I was supposed to curl, but there was a death of a Club member and so many people from my curling league are friends with him and his surviving wife that most of the league will be at his funeral this morning. This is the fellow that I had been receiving e-mail updates about. So sad.

I am going to buy new running shoes today. I need them BADLY. I can't wait!! I have a run scheduled today. But not before I get new shoes!

Oh, bloggers! This has been a week of good news. First I get the extra contract work for the end of the month (and it should go on for 3 month ends - fingers crossed), then my sister in Ottawa calls - wondering if she (and her son) can come for Thanksgiving. Um.... YES!!!! How wonderful is that?? It would be perfect of course if her husband could come also, but he has to work and I am grateful for as many of them as I can have visit. We are going to have the very best Thanksgiving because I also have an Aunt in town from New Brunswick. Yay!! Then, if that wasn't enough, husband received some excellent news from his business that I can't talk about - but dudes - some huge pressure lifted. We have been very blessed this week.

Food front...... um...... well, I've written it all down. I have a plan in place though for the end of the month so that I can continue on my path of healthy eating. I will be shopping using a weekly plan and grocery list for the Healthy Eating for the Rushed cook book. This will provide me with healthy FAST meals in the evenings and awesome left overs for lunches the next day.

Hmm. Not much else to report. I'm way behind on my blog reading. I will endeavour to catch up this morning as I have been missing you all very much. I have my favourites and I can't wait to read how you're all doing!!

Have a healthy day!

I'm still at it!

I'm still here! Sorry to have been away for so long. I've been re-evaluating my life. Still watching what I eat, and exercising. I've been looking for work. I have contract work starting on Monday. Don't know how many days I will have since we haven't discussed that, but any days are better than none!

I got my tattoo worked yesterday. And I have pictures. Please see below:

This is my tattoo when I started. I got it 22 years ago.

This is what my tattoo looks like now. Yay!!

Many thanks to Tigerlilly for providing the inspiration that ended up my new tattoo!!

My running is coming along so well. I have moved inside to the treadmill at the club. I have noticed that if I'm at the club, just having people around provides enough social pressure for me to get my stretching in. That is a huge plus! I'm happy with the progress I'm making with my pace.

My shoulder is healing.... sort of. I wish it would go faster.

We have learned 40 seconds of our new routine in my intermediate Belly Dance class. I think it will be lots of fun! When I've learned the routine I'm going to video myself for you all. I'm sure you're all just thrilled! HAHA

What else..... eh... not much. My whole family hit the spin class this morning and then daughter went and did a weights class RIGHT AFTER!!! Can you believe that! I was very proud of her. She has also found a swim class at the club that she can do for free while she is waiting for me to be done belly dancing. She is really enjoying her personal training sessions. The young woman she sees has really inspired her. Can you imagine what it must be like to inspire someone?

We are having company for dinner tonight. I'm making what I hope will be a very yummy supper. Pork tenderloin with a rub, bocconcini salad, pine nut salad and baby potatoes with a dijon sauce. 2 of the recipes are from Eat, Shrink & be Merry. The rub and the bocconcini salad. Mmmmm.

Well, I must away! I have an obscene amount of housework to do before the company comes. I'm such a slob - I don't know how my husband hasn't divorced me!

Have a healthy day bloggers. I will be back to regular posting and reading, although I have deleted many blogs from my bloglines. Some bloggers you just don't connect with, and it is overwhelming to have a bazillion entries to read. I still have some to delete yet. Even doing that takes time!