One more step.,

Its already the 26th of the month. I've been able to hit a few goals. I have my pedometer goal up to 8000 steps.lol. Yesterday I was 7999! One more step
I think that is the key sometimes. Just to go that extra step.

When I was young there was a saying in my church. "go that extra mile" I think that can extend to a number of different areas in life.

Where do I want to go EXTRA in!
(well..sadly I'm already in EXTRA sized clothing..ppsht..)

Extra at being a homemaker
Extra at being a nurturer
Extra at being a friend
Extra at being creative and of course being Extra good to MYSELF

As I work on my goals and plans these are virtues that I want to expand in my life.

So today.. I'll go an extra step and maybe I'll hit my goal..Maybe I won't but if I do not try then I do not succeed.

Well Hello Stranger?!?

I'm so glad that it is 2010!! 2009 begone. Some wonderful things happened but most of the year was a blur of drs, hospitals and pain... and I am currently 5 lbs more then I was last year. FIVE POUNDS!!

It has hit me with lightening speed that.. In 11 months I will be 40. FORTY!! I actually got an email from my sister about a director who is doing a documentary on people turning 40 in 2010.. Like its a big deal or something. I emailed to find out what this was about and this was some of the response from the director.

"I am going to be interviewing people turning 40 this year and talking to them about what that means to them, where they want to go as they hit the so called "mid life" point, do they feel good, bad or indifferent about it, etc."

OH MY GOODNESS> MIDWAY POINT.. Breathe breathe.. I still have 11 months of being in my 30's..

I have now booked a church gym for my big MIDWAY point of my life. I hope to have a fun party to celebrate this new phase. Have fun with because all that you can do otherwise is cry.. which I'm sure I'll be doing too!

So I'm going to contact a few friends and see if they want to join me on a better me journey. Its not just my weight. i need to stop being a happy sheep - thanks nintendo DS walking program - and be full of joy, vigor and a more enriched life.

(organization) ssshe. yes.. That does seem to be a key. So I've got myself a planner I'm going to do this smart.

I'm a grown up and need to act like it. If i am sick; I'll just have to work thru it. If I'm sad, i'll take a moment and then move forward. If I am tired..I'll do a little less that day but I'll do SOME!!


Will keep you posted.

Yoga and the baseball glove

Dear Friends, I can't believe how time flies! I've had some fantastic success with getting into a healthier lifestyle...and a few unexpected trials.

I'm going on a cruise in April to celebrates the Chefs 40th b-day!! We are all excited about a vacation. The countdown has begun so I've upped my work -outs!

My routine for the last month has been 30 min on the treadmill in the morning. Then the Chef and I were doing 30- 45 minutes of Yoga every night. If you can do Yoga with your spouse; try it. Its so relazing and serene. We picked up a book that gives an 8 week program.

We stopped for a week while I wrestled with a major migraine and the Chef had overtime (yaah! Work!!)

Then I woke up with baseball gl0ves on my hands..ok. not real ones but it feels like it. I've struggled with Carpal Tunnel since I turned 30 but it always been on my right wrist. Both of my hands are numb and its painful to type this or do any real hand work. I'm assuming its carpal tunnel.. no nail infection? Crazy times...

My dr is away for march break so.. I'm a waiting with my braces on both wrists to see if it helps ( not really) It hasn't affected my treadmill work! I worked off almost 500 calories today on that baby which is great for me. So I'm still in it!

There is always something! But I'm strong enough to keep going. Will let you know whats up with the crazy numb hands.. Hopefully the next post won't be soooooo cumbersome to write :)

The Great Fat Blob has been silenced!

Was I ever depressed with my last blog. PMS anyone??? At those times it feels like the great blob of fat on my tummy comes alive. You know that fat part that you can grab with your hands. I have a two-headed blob. The little head flaps over my belly button and then the great blob covers my pelvis and I swear has doughy tentacles down my thighs.

I’d be depressed too if I was just a great blob of fat and my life was being threatened by this crazy exercise stuff!! Why exercise. if you can toddle to the fridge and back? What more do you need? Geesh!! And eating HEALTHY! What fool thought of that! Everything has chemicals in it anyways..

Actually I did realize that I was doing too much all at once. Why did my ‘a-ha’ moment to get in shape come in the new year… with the crazy Canadian weather; this is the most torturesome time for migraines and illness.

I realized I was pushing too hard when dh, the Chef said ‘your pushing too hard.’ He such a discerning, wise, wise man.

The Canadian guidelines suggest one hour of activity a day. (in at least 10 minute segments) So I’ve dropped the level of work-out so I’m not stressing about it. I walk for 30 minutes on the treadmill and work up a light sweat. The Chef and I have started to do Yoga at night for 30 minutes. (sometimes that can be REALLY fun ) I’m not losing humongous loads of fat a day but I feel like I’m slowly strengthening my body so I can get prepared to push it more. I’m preparing for spring.

I’ve also started to have protein every morning and I’m increasing fiber.

The ugly BLOB rears its head every once in a while but.. I’ve found a louder voice. My COMPETITIVE gene. The Chef needs to lose weight too so if I don’t do my exercises and he DOES.. Then I:VE LOST. I hate losing. So Go away Big Blob.. MOah-HA-HA-HA!! I have the POWER!

ps. This is the Canadian government website for physical health. They have neat guidelines for physical activities for different aged kids, adults and seniors.
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/pau-uap/paguide/start.html

There’s always going to be something

I’m just emerging from a real struggle to keep on going. Exercising that is.. not life or anything. I’m pretty fantabulous about life; just not so about changing my lifestyle. I did think I had hit a point of ‘That’s it!’ But as with all change there does drag along a fair shake of ‘ this is just too much’. It scares me a little (read: A LOT) Change means – well change and also the risk of failure! Will I be unsuccessful at this expectation to get healthy. It is mentally hard to push myself.

My struggles this week were not helped by having a migraine. The horrible throw-up, light sensitive, motion wary, no one make a sound around me type of migraine. This is when the strong drugs come out. My sister commented about an article discussing the relationship between mood disorders and migraine. “I believe migraines CAUSE mood disorders. That type of pain just isn't normal and so it drives you loony” That’s what I had.

There are 2 horrible side effects of taking migraine narcotics such as percocets & demoral
1. Your body craves more so you have to wean yourself off the medication. It is a delicate dance of want vs need.
2. It makes me really really.. what is that word that rhymes with witch.. yeah. That’s me. Not conducive to change.

I’ve emerged from it and feeling better. I’ve actually lost 4 lbs. I do tend to favour soups and liquids when my head hurts and my stomach wobbles. Nevertheless I also had an unreal hankering for poundcake. That’s beneficial to a better health. Hah.

After decades of addiction my eldest sister finally quit smoking. I know it was hard for her but one observation she made about it has got me thinking. Whenever she had quit before; something stressful happened. Finally she said. “There’s always going to be something” Then she quit.

So maybe I need to work that into my daily affirmation. There will always be migraines, school projects- all due at once, tornado attacked bedrooms, laundry mountains, volunteer guilt, family troubles and turmoil’s, fat food indulgences and just bad days. I just need to keep at it; one work out at a time.

That’s my plan and I’m sticking to it!

My Secret Weapon VS. Mother Nature

Mother Nature has come to visit with me for a few days. Usually this ordeal is my excuse….err NEED to wear old flannel PJ’s, laze in bed reading highly educational books {eh.. the nerd in shining armor was Very educational} and munch on bad foods washed down with chocolate…The only exercise I would have is turning pages and unwrapping food.

But not the Treadmill goddess! No! I say! No more and I have a secret weapon that I unleashed this week. Yes my friends, I have taken over my kids Wii with its sensational Fit game + board. (I can assure you that I have no affiliations with entertainment systems or Nintendo. I lean more to anti video games because I am addicted to pc games and don’t want my children to follow my path of destruction.)

You do have to go thru the Wii hall of shame however as you set up your little you which they call ‘Mii’. That is fun; picking your colours, your face and so on. Then on the Fit game you must stand on the board and it weighs you; figuring out your BMI. Clear the room for this – and for the privacy types you can password your mii..like I did. I was shocked at my Body Mass Index.

I was so relieved to discover that I am not on the worst level. I am only ‘very high risk’ at Obese Class II instead of the mortifying ‘Extremely high risk’ at Obese Class III.

I cannot imagine the heights of my joy when I move up to only ‘High risk’ with Obese Class I. It’s a light at the end of my tunnel I must say.

Okay. Back to the shaming stuff.. (Yeah, that’s not it. ) after it displays your weight and BMI you see your Mii transformed from a comely small Mii to a FAT Rolly Mii. That’s a little too true to life for me.

I decided to work-out on the Wii ignoring the evil glances from my treadmill. There is yoga, aerobics, strengthening exercises and balance games. I was sweating after 20 minutes. I am seriously out of balance. Ha ha!

The bonus of this is that it gives you time credits so you know how long you worked out AND you can add to it ‘other exercise’ to include any treadmill time! It tracks your progress and lets you make a goal. I'm so doing this the days I need a break from the treadmill (Sorry baby)

At the end of the session you can stamp on the calendar that you worked out that day! I can’t wait to reach the level of my 7 yr old son so I can get the smiley stamp!! :)

Find out your BMI (BREAK MY ILLUSIONS!) by checking out
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/bmi-calculator/NU00597




Health Risk Classification According to Body Mass Index (BMI).
Classification
Source: www.hc-sc.gc.ca

Meeting Murphy:

"Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong," is an adage I grew up with called Murphy’s Law. In my twenties I heard a little ‘extra’ to this quote."Whatever can go wrong will go wrong, and at the worst possible time, in the worst possible way."

I’m certain an ancestor of mine wrote this. My husband however claims it was his irish ancestors. (On a side note; He is a little more fond of his Scottish background than the Irish. You must understand he grew up with Irish jigs and lots of green; both of which he loathes now. He usually only claims his Irish side when troubles arise ) Nevertheless, I’m doubly screwed I think

Its rather telling than many sayings I learned in my childhood were along this particular inspiring frame of thought such as; “If it rains, it pours” “Death comes in three’s” “bad things happen to good people” and many more.

I know your thinking; Whatever! Did you exercise or is this your flimsy excuse for ducking out? My dear friends. I did not exercise on Friday. Oh no! Murphy’s law was enabled and I spend the whole day alternating between the Master Throne and the Master Bed. My husband kindly cracked the windows open and kept me supplied with liquids. The good thing about this was I was so ill I didn’t notice any muscle pains. “If you have lemons than make lemonade”

So Saturday then? Alas.. I was running around Saturday but I had the forethought to wear my daughters pedometer and walked almost 2 miles before the thing broke. (Ahah!) So in a way I did exercise. My stomach was still a teensy weeny bit off so I decided to give the treadmill another day off. I kept telling myself that it was a smart decision.

The decision not to exercise plaqued me all night. It is amazing how much emotional traumu I associate with exercising. Ovbously some self esteem issues buried beneath but I’ll only share the juicy tidbits... eventually.

Despite a slight headache from a rotten night of sleep; I prevailed and got back on the treadmill today. Killer work-out so I hope that helps me sleep better. 2.2-3.8 on the treadmill scale killing 160 calories.

There was a surpise for me when I went to the basement. While I had been sick, my husband had put up a huge picture of a beach up in front of the treadmill. I had bought the picture from Ikea ages ago for this exact purpose but never put it up. This is much more pleasant than looking at bare concrete walls. I do love my Irish-Scottish mixed up man. “Tell me whom you love and I'll tell you who you are”

Ps. I’m not making this up! I went to spellcheck this and my spellcheck is NOT Working! So screwed…