September Summary & October Goals

I'm kind of sad September is over. I feel like I've missed out on sunny September days when I should have been out enjoying the last bit of summer...but I think that's because we've been getting a lot of rainy weather, so there haven't been a lot of nice days to enjoy.

Good stuff:

• My treadmill is back in working order
• The new Zumba schedule is working out really well for me
• I feel like I'm back in a more normal workout routine...

September Workouts

01: Ellen Barrett Barefoot Cardio DVD[45 mins]

04: Strength Circuit[35 mins]

05: Pick Your Level Pilates DVD[30 mins]

09: Kathy Smith Staying Strong - UB + Abs[30 mins]

10: Kathy Smith Staying Strong - legs + Glutes[30 mins]

11: Zumba

13: Zumba

18: Zumba

20: Zumba

22: Jackie Warner Power Circuit Total Body[30 mins]

24: Crunch Joy Of Yoga[35 mins]

25: Zumba

28: Jackie Warner Xtreme Circuit

30: Strength Circuit[45 mins]

 

Not so good stuff...

Actually, I don't have too many complaints at the moment, aside from the rainy weather. 

 

• The days are getting shorter and my sunrise alarm clock is pretty much at the end of it's life. I've ordered a new sunrise clock though, and it can't rain forever. We're bound to get some sunny autumn days soon.
• We have a portable dishwasher and last night, as I was rolling it across the kitchen to the sink, I managed to smash my hand between the dishwasher and the pointy edge of the china cabinet. That's not so good. I'm sure I didn't do any serious damage, but it's mighty sore and I think I am on my way to a rather spectacular bruise. 

Onward to October!

Exercise: I want to keep the momentum going. September was decent, a good mix of activities, I want more of the same.

Eating: Husband came home from Japan and noted that I am pretty much off the wagon when it comes to avoiding wheat & dairy. I was going through a phase where I just couldn't think of things I  wanted to eat and didn't want to be bothered with cooking. Which leads to making poor choices when I finally decide I'm hungry and I need to eat. So, at the time, I decided it was better to let myself have a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich on whole grain bread than to eat potato chips for dinner (sad but true). So far I seem to be doing okay with the wheat & dairy, so I'm just going to see how things go.

However, there have been some bad habits creeping in. Like those bags of potato chips that are so easy to grab from the lunchroom at work. I don't need to be eating those every day. So my goal is to stay away from them for the next four weeks. I can do that.

Still picking tomatoes - at least I was a week ago. It rained really hard all weekend, so I didn't get out to the garden, but the previous weekend I brought in another bucket full. Aren't they pretty?

So we have been eating lots of tomatoes...Really, there is pasta under that pile of tomatoes, olives & feta. 

I have also experimented with taking pictures of the moon. I was surprised at what I can get with my little camera and lack of photography experience. This was cropped out of a larger image taken with a 55-250mm lens.

Today was a busier day than I wanted it to be, and I didn't quite manage to get everything done that I  had hoped, but I still accomplished a lot. The rest can wait for tomorrow. October off to a good start!

Teeny Tiny Baby Steps

I wouldn't say I'm 100% back in the exercise groove, but I'm on my way.

Bad news: My treadmill conked out on me. We did buy the extended warranty, so hopefully I can get it fixed.

Good news: The schedule at the fitness studio changed again, so I might start getting back to Zumba.

July:
July 03: Zumba
July 04: Jackie Warner Power Circuit Upper Body

July 10: Jackie Warner Power Circuit Upper Body

July 11: Jackie Warner Power Circuit Lower Body

July 28: Pick Your Level Pilates DVD

August:

Aug 10: Kathy Smith Personal Trainer Stretching workout

Aug 13: Treadmill Walk [30 mins]

Aug 15: Treadmill Walk [30 mins]
Aug 17: Crunch Fat Burning Yoga DVD
Aug 20: Weeding garden
Aug 22: Weeding garden
Aug 27: Treadmill Walk [25 mins]
Aug 28: Pick Your Level Pilates DVD
Aug 31: Kathy Smith Staying Strong DVD

Food wise, I started to  make some progress...was feeling good...did some major back-sliding...and now am hoping that I'm ready to get back to good. All within the space of a couple of weeks. All over the place. That's me.

I have so many tomatoes this year, we've had an excellent growing season (aside from the lack of rain early on) and I'm loving it. Carrots also grew really well, so I've been eating lots of this:

That would be grilled cheese & tomato with carrot sticks. Husband is still away, which means this is often dinner. I like it. Not so much that husband is away, but that I can eat what I feel like.

Of course, sometimes I do feel like something a bit fancier:

That would be haddock that I cooked on the BBQ, wrapped in foil with lime juice and a Thai spice blend. I then topped it with a fresh peach salsa and had fresh veggie spring rolls on the side. Sometimes I amaze myself. :)



Did I mention the tomatoes have been fabulous this year?

Hello from the Fabulous Felines!

And good night!

Hello Treadmill! Remember Me?

This has got to be the worse exercise slump I have ever experienced. I am unmotivated, disorganized and easily distracted. My routine - I used to have one - is completely shot. I could go back through the series of events, list causes and explanations...but the important part right now is the solution.

Why hello there treadmill! It's been a long time...

In my unmotivated, disorganized state of mind, I can't settle on any exercise that I feel like doing. Since I have no routine, I can't look at a schedule to see what my next workout should be. But my treadmill is still there, faithfully waiting. This is one of the reasons I wanted a treadmill in the first place; barring injury or illness, I can almost always manage a walk on the treadmill. Tired? Busy? Lacking in energy or motivation? A short and/or easy walk on the treadmill still adds some exercise into my day.

So Monday after work I liberated my treadmill from it's corner in the basement. When I first turned it on, it did this horrible shuddering-groaning-grinding thing, but once it started up it was fine. I went back through my workout notebook and found that the last time I used my treadmill was in February; I don't think it has ever gone unused for such a long period of time.

So we're getting to know one another again. I'm taking it easy for now. I think I need new sneakers. But I'm getting back in the game.

Now to tackle the eating. When Husband first started traveling for work, I was all enthused to cook purely for myself. I enjoyed experimenting with full time vegetarianism. Then adding in some fish. Trying to cut out wheat and dairy and finding that it does have health benefits for me. But I've lost my motivation there too. I don't want to be bothered with cooking. I can't think of anything in particular that I want to eat. What is the healthy eating equivalent of the treadmill? Any thoughts?

I did stop at the grocery store on the way home yesterday to stock up. Hard to make eating your veggies a priority when the fridge is pretty much empty. In addition to my usual veggie staples, I bought a bag of Broccoli Slaw. Open bag. Dump in bowl. Consume. I should be able to manage that. Baby steps in the right direction.

What's Up For July

Had a fantastic Canada Day Weekend! Took Friday off as well, so I had 4 days and the weather was perfect. Spent lots of time out in the garden, got a few things done inside, made time for some relaxation and fun - a pretty perfect weekend all around. It was hard to go back to work on Tuesday.

This month I am:
Trying to get back to food journaling - not calorie counting, just moving towards intuitive or mindful eating (still) so more about how I feel. Cutting out wheat & dairy is a lot more difficult with Husband home full time. Aiming for 5 out of 7 days to start (though this past week was a bust).

Since the schedule changed at the fitness studio, I will only be able to get to zumba once a week, instead of twice. I definitely need to get back into the home routine. Last week was bad because I ended up not feeling well, this week will be busy, but I will try to fit some short ones in.


I signed up for a month long online photography course. It actually started on June 28.I consider myself a beginner, but the first bunch of lessons were basic, even for me. Still, the review didn't hurt, and the lessons seem to be getting into the things I want to know/feel like I need to learn. It's good in that the lessons come by email, they are videos that I can watch when I have time, so there's no pressure.

Workouts for June:
Again, I did not keep track. I only had four written down in my notebook:
June 2: Garden
June 3: Garden
June 4: Zumba
June 5: Zumba

....And that was it. I know it was mostly Zumba Mondays & Tuesdays, with yard work in between, and I remember one strength workout for sure. So this is all I can fill in for the rest of the month:
June 11: Zumba
June 12: Zumba
June 18: Zumba
June 19: Zumba
June 24: Kathy Smith Personal Trainer Sculpting workout

I like to have these records, so I am definitely going to try and keep better track this month, though so far there hasn't been much to keep track of.

I will say though, we are having a fabuolous summer so far. The weather has been great, I have been spending quite a bit of time out puttering in the garden, so I'm less worried about the formal workouts. I just want to enjoy the summer!

Late June Update

I have been meaning to post an update for the past week or so, but somehow I never find time in my day. But here I am now, so let's get this done...

Eating and Excercising
I am working my way back to the gluten & dairy free eating...The extremely itchy skin is very motivating. Based on last time I know it will take almost 2 weeks to see a difference, so I am gritting my teeth and hanging on.

Exercise has basically been Zumba on Mondays & Tuesdays, then gardening on the weekends. I used to have a pretty good routine, and was getting in some workout DVDs, but lately that has not been happening. I have reasons though...

a) My beloved cats are kind of being monsters, and I'm having to take them out for a lot of walks
b) I think it's time to switch workouts; I tend to settle on a routine - which has been Jackie Warner DVDs for a while now - and then suddenly I get to a point where I just don't wanna do it. I realized last weekend that's where I am now - time to switch to something else for a while.

The Zumba schedule at the fitness studio I go to is changing anyway, and now it looks like I will only be able to get to one class a week. I am undecided on what to do. I was thinking of trying a different class - they offer yoga which might enjoy...Then it came to me last night (after work, as I was out weeding and hanging out with the cats) that I should just play it by ear; when the weather is good, it probably makes just as much sense to go out and work in my garden and not worry about formal workouts. I wait all winter for the warm weather, and there is plenty to do out there right now.  Plus...

My Little Monsters ~ previously known as the Fabulous Felines
Ever since we went to Japan the cats have been peeing all over the house. We had a house sitter while we were away, and I had asked her to open the basement window for the cats if the weather wasn't too bad, but she didn't let them out at all. So I don't know if it's the fact that they didn't get outside at all, or if they just didn't like having someone stay in the house...or if they were just upset that we were gone for 10 days...In any case, they were showing their displeasure by peeing in the house.

I think that may have been what triggered my binge in late April/early May. Husband was away again, and I was cleaning up cat pee and trying to figure out how to make them stop. I wasn't talking to anyone about it because somehow "I'm living in cat pee" is just not something you want to say to people. I was stressed out.

The vet said it can take up to 3 months for cats to stop behavior like that, assuming it was stress induced. It has pretty much been 3 months now. It hasn't completely stopped, but it's less frequent now and taking them out for lots of walks seems to help.

So that's my life right now. Doesn't it sound like fun?

Nose dive

The few of you still reading (since I hardly ever post these days) may recall that back in the fall, Husband went away on business and I took my alone time as an opportunity to experiment with cutting out wheat and dairy. I was really strict about it for two weeks, then I tried but it was honestly hit and miss. Still, I definitely cut down on my wheat & dairy consumption.

Over the next few months, I found I was gradually losing weight. I didn't feel like I was dieting - aside from the wheat & dairy, I was eating what I wanted in reasonable amounts. And I was feeling pretty darn good. I was sort of mentally holding my breath, you know, waiting for the other shoe to  drop...But also thinking that maybe I'm finally getting the hang of this intuitive eating thing.

You know what happens next right?

Things went so smoothly from November to late March, early April. Then Husband left on his 4th business trip since November, gone for another four weeks. I drove him to the airport on a Saturday morning, then went directly to the salon for a hair appointment, followed by grocery shopping. I hadn't eaten breakfast. It was one of those mornings that I just didn't feel like eating. I put a LaraBar in my purse, but I didn't eat it. I picked up another  coffee  and a baked treat on my way to the salon. Then went grocery shopping and proceeded to make very poor choices. And pretty much went on a four week binge of eating crap.

I have no  idea where it came from, but I'm so disappointed in myself. I lost 6 pounds or so between November and April, then put it all back on in 4 weeks. So so angry at myself. And afraid  that I won't be able to  lose it again. Six pounds does not sound like a lot, but it's the most I've manage to lose in years of dieting. And  I lost it without making myself miserable. I'm afraid that I won't be able to do it again. Like it was a one-time magic formula that can't be repeated.

Why why why did I do this?

So this is me. Starting over again for the seventy-millionth time. Okay, maybe not that many, but more than enough.

Meanwhile....It's spring! That's been nice. Lots of lovely weather and green things growing. Husband got sick a few days after he got home from his trip. Then a week later I got sick. That wasn't so much fun. But I'm feeling much better  now. We're having a rainy week, but I hope the sun comes back soon so I can finish planting  my garden.

Cherry tree in our front yard, May 11.

 Frank in the garden, May 11.

Our herd of deer, May 20

Belated workout logs from April & May...

April
02: Zumba
03: Zumba
04: Jackie Warner Xtreme Circuit DVD
15: Zumba
18: Jackie Warner Power Circut Total Body DVD
23: Zumba
24: Zumba
26: Walk - 30 mins
27: Workout with Jackie DVD - lower body
28: Workout with Jackie DVD - upper body
30: Zumba

May
01: Zumba
04: Garden
06: Garden
07: Zumba
08: Zumba
?
?
15: Zumba
17: Burn & Firm Pilates DVD
19: Garden
20: Garden
21: Garden
29: Crunch Joy of Yoga DVD

I have a gap in my notebook for May...Lately I have not been as diligent about writing down my workouts so I'm not sure if I really did skip that many days or if I forgot to write stuff down. I do know that between the 21 - 29 is when I ended up getting sick. May 19 - 21 was Victoria Day Weekend and I was out in the garden every day. The weather was perfect and I got a lot done. Went back to work on Tuesday feeling great. Woke up Wednesday morning feeling unbelievably exhausted...Wondered if all the yard work was catching up with me after all but it turned out I was getting sick. Boo. :(

Did you know that in Japan they have all kinds of weird and wonderful flavours of Kit Kat bars? We tried a few during our vacation, I like the dark chocolate and the cinnamon cookie. Husband asked if I wanted him to bring me anything and I said some Kit Kats. So he stuffed his suitcase full.

That should last me for a while.

March Summary

I'm going to hazard a guess and say this is the shortest workout list I've ever posted:

Mar 01: Jackie Warner Power Circuit Total Body[40 mins]
Mar 05: Jackie Warner Xtreme Circuit[30mins]

Mar 08 - 17: Walked All Over Japan

Mar 26: Zumba
Mar 27: Treadmill Walk[45 mins]
Mar 28: Zumba Toning

At the beginning of the month I was busy getting read to go. Then I was gone. Then I came home and got sick. But it was still a good month because I went to Japan! I'm probably not going to get tired of saying that.

I'm so far behind on everything else it isn't funny, but I'm okay with it because: see above.:)

Spring is coming. I need to get some seedlings started. And exercise. And get back off the wheat and dairy (I ate whatever I wanted in Japan and the wheat & dairy didn't seem to bother me, but now that I'm home I'm getting itchy again. Sigh).

Slowly getting pictures up on the garden blog - see the link above if you are interested.

Walking up stairs. In Japan!