Has It Been That Long?

Wow! I thought about blogging today and, boy!, was I ever shocked when I signed on to my account. I haven't blogged since August? Can't be!! Time has flown by so quickly. Unbelievable!!

A lot has happened since then, including my leaving my full-time employment at the end of October. After 31 years at the same company (fortunately NOT doing the same job!), I packed up my personal belongings and left.

I didn't leave for another job, but rather for me. I needed time to spend on "me" and I was lucky enough to be able to leave and not have to look for another job right away. But I won't be sitting around eating candies and watching Oprah (okay, I have watched two episodes since I've been off work, but that's it! Two!! And during one of them, I was on the treadmill!!! And I was NOT eating candies!!!). Seriously, I have SO many projects on the go, it's rare for me to sit and do nothing. I guess that's one of the reasons I haven't written in my blog since then. But I'm ba-ack!!

Okay, so what do I mean when I say I'll be spending time on "me"? It really encompasses many things, including projects I've wanted to do around the house but never seem to have the time, or experimenting with more "clean" cooking - making dishes I've wanted to make but, again, never had the time or energy, or just sitting down and reading or taking on a hobby that I have on my bucket list (oops! Sorry Nina... that should be "life list"). And then, of course, there's fitness!! I wanted to spend more time on fitness and see how far I could go. Really "walk the walk".

When I look at my bucket list (I really do like that name), one of the items that has been added (and erased) a few times is running a half-marathon. I don't think I'll ever have the urge to run a full marathon (I'm not that fast a runner, so running for five hours straight just doesn't appeal to me) but a half-marathon seems like a good fit. When I was working full-time (and training clients evenings and weekends), trying to fit in the required training seemed impossible. But now!! Now I have a lot more time on my hands, so I started thinking that perhaps it was time to add that item back on my to-do list. So I have. Mind you, I'm a bit anxious about it. Fear of the unknown, I guess. So I'm taking baby steps.

Today, I started another 10K training program (I completed one a few months ago, but since then have been running no more than 5K runs, so I need to work myself back up again). I'll follow this program until the end of January, and then, when I've proven to myself that I can do it (and why not, right?), I'll sign up for the Ottawa Half Marathon and start my 21K training program. I'm actually pretty excited about it. And being lucky enough to really put in the time is a blessing. I won't be able to stay unemployed forever, so now is the time!!

Wish me luck!! And if I can do it, anyone can.

My Quest is taking me in a new direction...

I've been thinking about this for a while, and recently read something that has me giving this Quest of mine some serious thought. What are we measuring ourselves against? Who says that I need to wear a size 2? What's wrong with wearing a size 6? Or a size 8? Or a size 12, for that matter? I mean, really, life is short, and as long as I'm eating healthy and clean, and exercising regularly, then why am I pushing myself to do more? Why not just live each day the best that I can?

A friend of mine writes has been writing a column for a local newspaper for the last few years; a chronicle of sorts, based on her struggles with weight-loss (http://www.montrealgazette.com/columnists/june_thompson.html), and in her last column she asked for some input from local personal trainers.... input on what their philosophies were on diet and exercise. Now, the two of us have had quite a few conversations about life in general, but this was a bit different. I had to ask myself "what ARE my philosophies on diet and exercise?"

I'm a certified trainer, so you would think that I would have very strong opinions on exercise and be pushing everyone I know to hop on the exercise bandwagon. And I believe in eating a variety of good, healthy foods (which is pretty much how I was brought up, although healthy then and healthy now are not exactly the same... but my parents didn't feed us junk, that's for sure!) so you would also think that I would be shoving my diet beliefs down everyone's throat. But I don't, or at least I don't think I do. But here I was, being asked (sort of) to put in my two cents, and explain what my philosophy was. I suddenly realized that I needed a philosophy. Not just because I wanted to send her a little something (and maybe get mentioned in a future column...), but for myself. I needed to be able to explain what it was that I believed in. And I had better make sure that it was a philosophy that I could live by, that I DID live by. Something that wasn't just a whim. But also something that didn't sound like I was preaching, because I never want to come across as if I'm preaching. So I thought about it, and I sent my friend an email... and here is a bit of an excerpt from it:

Okay, ........ I had to put in my two cents and take you up on your invite to send you my philosophies on diet and exercise. First... DIET! I really do believe that there are no rules - you can have your cake and eat it too - but how often you have that cake does make a difference.... .... Looking up the definition, I liked the first one I found... diet: "The usual food and drink of a person or animal". As a certified personal trainer, I am trained to put exercise programs together for my clients based on their goals... But I am not certified as a nutritionist, so when it comes to questions about food intake, I tell my clients to use common sense when it comes to eating - eat a variety of wholesome foods and stay away (as much as possible) from processed foods. Now comes the difficult part... how do you know what is wholesome and what isn't? The way that food companies label their products, it's hard to determine whether or not you are making the right choices. That's when it's up to the individual to take some responsibility for their own health and educate themselves on what healthy eating is. I suggest that they make an appointment with a proper nutritionist, read books on nutrition, and then, once they have the knowledge, they will be able stock the pantry and fridge with healthy foods. But what I do urge them to do is to eat!! Too many people I know (those wanting to lose weight AND those who don't) never seem to eat. They skip breakfast, they don't plan healthy snacks, they buy their lunch every day (sometimes not until quite late in the afternoon) and rush through a quicky dinner so that they can get to the arena, or to a class, or even just to bed ('cause they're exhausted from their day -- well, no wonder! They were running on empty!!) But their argument is that they are not hungry, that they feel fine, etc., etc. They are so used to feeling the way they do that they don't realize how much better they would feel if they actually paid attention to what (and when!) they eat. Of course, it takes time to prepare healthy meals (and snacks) but it's worth it. As for EXERCISE, again, there are no rules. We all need to be active. If you don't use it, you'll lose it. As we get older (and we all do, no matter how much we try to fight it), we want to stay as strong and healthy as possible. But that doesn't mean that everyone needs to take out a gym membership, take up running, or buy expensive exercise equipment. What it does mean is that we need to move! Find out what you enjoy (maybe it is running, maybe you get a kick out of power-lifting, or maybe you just enjoy an early morning brisk walk and spending time weeding your garden). Moving, bending, reaching -- these are the activities you want to be able to continue to do for as long as possible. I enjoy the rush I get when I complete a run, or get through three circuits of strength-training, but not everyone does. (I also enjoy brussel sprouts, but that doesn't mean that my husband has to eat them.) Try different forms of activity (or exercise), education yourself on what healthy eating consists of, experiment with different foods, have that piece of cake on your birthday, and enjoy life. It's too short to waste. On that note, it's time for my healthy morning snack :-D Have a great day, L

So now, with my philosophy in hand, I am going to continue to just do what I do. And live life. And make plans for that beach vacation. AND go bikini shopping, even if I don't end up losing that extra 5-10 lbs that I think I need to lose. Because, really, what difference is that 5 or 10lbs going to make in the long run? ii think my philosophy is a good one, no matter what size bikini I buy.

Clean Eating... Mmmm Mmmm Good

It's been a while since I "blogged" but here I am - back in more ways than one. Back to writing my blog, but I'm also back on the clean-eating bandwagon. It's hard when you're away from home, away from your daily routine, to really stick to a clean eating lifestyle (especially when your traveling companion really REALLY wants to sink her teeth into some Dixie Lee - just for old times sake! You go, Jody!!) and it has taken me a few days to get my energy back. But I'm feeling more and more like my old self again (I'd like to think of that as being a good thing... LOL!)

So, if I'm going to be serious about this "Quest" of mine, then eating clean 75% of the time just won't cut it. We have now upped the ante!! And a trip to Jean Talon Market, overflowing with fresh local produce, was just what the doctor ordered. We bought everything we needed for a full week of clean dinners (with plenty of leftovers for our clean lunches!). I chose the recipes from the September/October issue of Clean Eating magazine (which, by the way, is one of my absolute favorite magazines and well worth the subscription cost.) So far, so good. We've made Coconut Chicken, with Strawberry/Pineapple Salsa (photo herewith), Pork Tenderloin, baked with Peaches and Plums and served on a bed of Cranberry/Pistachio Brown Basmati (which, by the way, was absolutely DELICIOUS!) and a Summer Vegetable Curry (which was, on a scale of 1 to 10, about a seven... I may have to make a few adjustments next time).

As I mentioned before, we really were eating clean most of the time, with breakfasts and snacks never really being an issue. And lunches were usually pretty clean too, unless I went out for lunch with friends - but even then, I am pretty good at making healthy clean choices. My problem (and my godsend's problem too) is the evening meal. The meal itself is, again, usually pretty "clean", but we were probably really off on our serving sizes. Add to that the fact that I am a sucker for bread and there you have it - I was kissing my good, clean eating day adieu. Many of our healthy meals (for example, a nice tossed salad with a piece of grilled salmon on top...) would be ruined by my adding a slice (or loaf! .. Okay, slight exaggeration, but you get the idea!!) of crusty bread. Yes, yes... I would be sure to choose whole wheat, but still... Oh, and don't forget the margarine! Oh yeah, and the glass or two of wine!! Do you see where I'm going with this? So by REALLY planning our evening meals, I know that we will start noticing change. No question about it.

Now, I am not going to tell you that we're going to stop enjoying life and that I'll never enjoy a piece of bread or a glass of wine (or two) with my meal, but rather I'll be picking and choosing when to have them. For example, we're heading to a concert tomorrow night, which means we won't be home for dinner. So the plan is to pack an extra snack in my handy lunch bag so that I'm not famished when I meet up with my godsend for a pre-show cocktail. Cocktail? Yes, cocktail! Oh, didn't I mention that I am not going to stop living??

Vacation, Vacation, Vacation

Why is it so hard to follow a healthy lifestyle when you are away from home?

Actually, I did pretty well (note to self - stop beating yourself up!) The fact that my dear husband prepared meals in advance was a godsend, as is he. But there is something about being on vacation that tempts me in ways that I am usually not tempted at all. For example "let's go get an ice cream cone!" or "how about an afternoon game of Scrabble over a nice cold one?" were muttered a few too many times. So my "Quest", and the reason for this blog in the first place, got slightly sidelined.

Okay, here's the part where I listen to myself and stop being so negative. I did workout every day for a full week while at the cottage. Some days my workout consisted of a 30 or 40 minute run (someone could have warned me about country roads and the amount of inclines and (thankfully!) declines that they have). On other days, I would head out for an hour of kayaking or pedal-boating. We even walked 30 minutes in the sweltering heat one afternoon so that we could kick a soccer ball around on a soccer pitch that we had seen on one of our trips to town. We lasted about 20 minutes (soccer didn't seem that hard when I was young). Of course, we then realized that we had to walk back!

All that to say that I did exercise every day and other than an ice-cream (or two) and a bit too much alcohol, even our eating wasn't too bad. So why, then, am I feeling so sluggish? It's not like I don't have energy, because I do. But I know that I do not feel as energized as I usually do. Just the smallest slide off of my healthy bandwagon and I feel it. We're not talking about sliding off for a day or two, but it's now been almost two weeks and even though I have probably exercised more than many of my friends and have been eating healthy(ish) meals, I still notice a difference. As I wrote above, I'm trying not to beat myself up for it, but am I ever looking forward to getting back on track.

There's something about vacations that make you start planning when you will take your next one, where you will go, and what type of get-away it will be. My husband and I have decided that as relaxing as our cottage stay was, it still meant we (he) had to cook, we (he) had to wash dishes, and then of course we (he) had to clean up the cottage before leaving and pack up the car. I found it to be a bit exhausting at times, having to watch him work so hard (wink wink, nudge nudge). So we're heading south for our next vacation, to an all-inclusive resort, and will likely plan it for January or February 2011. Having made the decision, you know what that means don't you? BATHING SUIT SHOPPING IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER!!! And with only five months to go, it is imperative that I get back to my "Quest" because I refuse (refuse!) to buy a bathing suit that does not look good and that I am not comfortable in. Of course, if my godsend has his way, we'll be booking ourselves into some clothing optional resort and I won't have to worry about bathing suits at all! But that, my friends, is another blog all-together :-D

The "Quest" is heating up

Since the "Quest" began, I am proud to say that I have not missed a day. Alternating between cardio and strength-training, I can honestly report "so far so good". But although my husband is used to my getting up at the crack of dawn just to work out, even he was a bit stunned this morning when I headed out for a run at 6 a.m., as the temperature was reaching the 27 degrees Celsius mark. Just to paint you a picture, I'm a size four (six on a bad day) but when it's humid out and the insides of your thighs are sticking to each other with every stride, you can't help but question whether the "short shorts" were the right choice. Size four or not, I felt like thunder-thigh city, damn that humidity!!

But I did it! Short shorts and all... and finished a 4K run, ending with 60 park-bench step-ups. Let me tell you, I was drenched!!

Now, exercise alone is not going to have me bikini-bound. For those of you who are fans (assuming there are actually people reading this blog), I'm with Tosca on this one (not a fan? Google Tosca Reno...) who believes that it's 80% what you eat, 10% exercise and 10% genes. So since I get my lower body from my dear mother (I'm not complaining, I'm just being realistic in that I will never grace the high-fashion runways with legs going all the way up to my armpits...), what I put in my mouth needs to be paid as much (or should I say more) attention than what I'm doing on the exercise front. Now over all, my husband and I are pretty healthy eaters. Friends would probably say I'm being too hard on myself and correct me by saying that we're very healthy eaters. However today, because of the fact that there was nothing in the house (we're heading to the cottage in a few days, so why do groceries???), I ended up buying my lunch. BIG BIG MISTAKE!!! Healthy eater that I am, I was determined to choose something nutritious and decided on an Elaine special... "The Big Salad". So off I went to the food court where there is a "restaurant" that makes salads to go. How can you go wrong with a salad????? Lettuce? Check! Tomatoes? Check! Black olives? Check! Grilled chicken? Check! Cucumber? Check! Balsamic vinaigrette? Check! Sounds good, no? NO!!!! It had to be THE worst salad that I have ever, ever consumed... Absolutely terrible. Not only was it a waste of good money (10 dollars and 10 cents, to be exact) but also a total waste of my mid-day calorie intake. I think that bothered me more than the money. So what lesson did I learn? When it seems like there is nothing to eat, there's is ALWAYS the trusty peanut butter sandwich. Well, at least I know what I'll be having for lunch tomorrow. AND Tosca would approve.

The Bikini Quest

The Bikini Quest has started.

We're heading to a barbecue tomorrow and it promises to be a hot, sweltering day so swimming will definitely be on the agenda... BUT what to wear?

Here's the dilemma... I own two bathing suits. A one-piece which I did NOT purchase for it's looks but more for it's functionality. It was to be my "I'm going to start swimming for fitness" bathing suit. Well, I never did start "swimming for fitness", but I still have the bathing suit (and a matching bathing cap too, which you will NEVER see me in).

My second bathing suit is a bikini - a very small bikini. I bought it last year when I was in a "I don't care what I look like, I am buying a bikini" mood. And it doesn't look bad, to be honest, BUT it does show the one body flaw that I can't correct no matter how many crunches I do. It doesn't hide my appendix scar and, believe me, my appendix scar is a doozie!! It's a long, heart-breaking story which I won't go into, but let's just say that if I was in a wet t-shirt contest, one might think I had two belly buttons - one dead center and one off to the right. Yeah, it is that gross. So I thought I would go out and find a new bathing suit... a cute 2-piece with a higher waisted bottom... just so I don't scare all the other sunbathers tomorrow. But the thing is, I don't want to rush and buy something that I may not really love, or that doesn't look that great on me. Then I realized that a new bathing suit would be the perfect "carrot at the end of the stick", my reward for kicking my workouts up a notch and seeing what I can accomplish in a month by really REALLY giving it my all.

So this is my bikini quest and it has officially started today, Saturday, July 3rd, 2010. Don't get me wrong. I do regularly exercise and I do regularly push it. But like so many others, I have hit a plateau and am having a hard time losing that last dreaded 5 (okay, maybe 10) pounds. So this afternoon, I headed downstairs to my home-gym (yes, I am lucky enough to have a home-gym) and I pushed myself through an hour workout - 10 minutes of bootcamp-style warm-ups followed by 3 circuits of strength-training exercises. And I really did push myself, I swear!

A healthy dinner is on the menu for tonight (and yes, I will have a glass of wine...it is the weekend and who are we kidding??) and I won't be staying up too late. I have to get up early for a planned morning run before heading out to the barbecue (see opening paragraph)

Which brings us back full circle, and you may be wondering "Well, what WILL she wear at this barbecue tomorrow?" The answer? I'll be wearing the small bikini and wrapping a pretty, bright yellow sarong around my waist to hide the scar. Of course, if I go swimming, the sarong will have to come off. Hey, what's the worst thing that could happen? I scare everyone out of the pool and get to enjoy it all to myself... not a bad idea, actually :-)