Hello there lovelies!
I hope you all had a marvelous holiday. I did. I didn't go too crazy and I seem to have only gone up a few pounds on the scale. I had 3 family meals, plus I've been home and cooking up all my favourites, because I simply have the time. I'm not one for sweets and such, to that's not a problem for me this time of year. Even eggnog is rather meh. I just don't like the bloated feeling I get when I overeat so I generally don't too much. It's the Johnnycake and pancakes that get me :). But I know a few days of this is OK, and I'm now back at things. I wanted to log the last 2 workouts I've had now that I'm back on program again. I've been in the last two days for a full on workout. Yesterday was lower body and abs with 30 min HIT jog/run and today was upper body with 30 minutes on the bike. Booya.
I've pretty much confirmed something I suspected about the multiple benefits of exercise for me. It's amazing how at the beginning of this week I was really actually cranky from not working out for 4 days. It just didn't work out for me to get to the gym and there was no time at home. I was getting stressed out over silly things and I couldn't figure out why...until yesterday after my workout when I felt level and good again. All zen. Go figure :)
I got Rachel Cosgrove's book for Christmas and I'm quite excited. I'm hoping it will give me the advice and tips to bring things up a bit to the next level this coming semester. I need advice as far as weights go. I want to work out better...do more with my minimal time. I'm quite excited about what this semester will bring me. I can't wait.
I'm also excited as I have an outfit for new years party that ROCKS. There are leggings involved...and I look great in it :) Who would have thought!
Have a most excellent New Years everyone. I'll pop in when I can.
Love to you all :)
Pudding baby
Last night was nice at first. Little puff pancakes and sausages and games and spiced tea. It was fun. I ate just enough to be happy. Not too much overboard. Any more would have been too much actually. BUT, unfortunately 30 minutes after my sis-in-law presented me with a surprise dessert. She had spent hours making danish rice almond pudding and gave us each a HUGE bowl of it covered in cherry pie filling (??) and gave it to us with a big expectant smile.
Oh dear.
Now I love me some rice pudding, so other than the pie filling (not a fan) I figured it would be OK. It is her favourite thing and I've never tried it before. It was OK...but I know it meant a lot to her (and she is very very sensitive...OK I'm being nice-too sensitive) so I politely ate it all, pie filling included. Not too bad a combination actually, but still...not my thing. I was WAY too full of rich food. It was a cereal bowl FULL of pudding. Just too much, even on an empty stomach. And so for the rest of the evening I felt vaguely ill...even went to bed early with what I can only describe as a "pudding baby" in my stomach. Not sexy. No sir...
*blech*
I'm not sure how I could have gotten out of that one politely. I suppose I didn't have to eat all of it...I know I certainly didn't need it. It broke my new rule of only eating what I like. I'm actually a bit resentful at it. I think next time I'll ask to take most of it home for later (and politely just not eat it). I see what people mean about a "plan of attack" for eating well over the holidays. I just didn't plan on open pudding sabotage :)
We're over there christmas day and I'm already on edge...they invited us over for early morning waffles and I declined. I want to sleep in and relax with J. We're coming over mid afternoon for supper. I'm bringing some stuff. My sis-in-law wanted to have christmas supper at 3 pm. (WTF??) Thankfully I managed to push it back to the oh so late late hour of 5 PM. I think I am secretly french in that I like to eat a late supper...slowly. She does not and gets rather insane when she doesn't get her way, but I think it should be OK. We shall see what crazies christmas day brings...I'm hoping it's relatively normal. Dealing with difficult people that I can't avoid and must be kind to really takes away form the fun of it all and makes it stressful.
This morning, thankfully my pudding baby was only a memory, so I got up and came in to do a full lower body work out. Legs, abs and 30 minutes hard riding on the bike. I did my best to try and wear off all that damn pudding.
In a tragic offering to the gym gods the squares and a bottle of wine I brought in for my part of the christmas eve lunch nibbles at work tipped over on the gym tile floor and shattered spectacularly...all over the floor and the desserts. Lovely. Glass everywhere in a gym setting. Yeah. They loved me.
I cleaned it all up, but there is no wine or squares to be saved...only a few slightly wine filled Ferrero Rocher. I hope the gym gods appreciate their offering and grant me health and full pudding recovery. I think I'll just suck the wine out of the candies and call it a day :)
I hope you all have a most wonderful day.
Relax. Take the time to be with family if you can.
Tomorrow is Christmas. Enjoy! :)
Oh dear.
Now I love me some rice pudding, so other than the pie filling (not a fan) I figured it would be OK. It is her favourite thing and I've never tried it before. It was OK...but I know it meant a lot to her (and she is very very sensitive...OK I'm being nice-too sensitive) so I politely ate it all, pie filling included. Not too bad a combination actually, but still...not my thing. I was WAY too full of rich food. It was a cereal bowl FULL of pudding. Just too much, even on an empty stomach. And so for the rest of the evening I felt vaguely ill...even went to bed early with what I can only describe as a "pudding baby" in my stomach. Not sexy. No sir...
*blech*
I'm not sure how I could have gotten out of that one politely. I suppose I didn't have to eat all of it...I know I certainly didn't need it. It broke my new rule of only eating what I like. I'm actually a bit resentful at it. I think next time I'll ask to take most of it home for later (and politely just not eat it). I see what people mean about a "plan of attack" for eating well over the holidays. I just didn't plan on open pudding sabotage :)
We're over there christmas day and I'm already on edge...they invited us over for early morning waffles and I declined. I want to sleep in and relax with J. We're coming over mid afternoon for supper. I'm bringing some stuff. My sis-in-law wanted to have christmas supper at 3 pm. (WTF??) Thankfully I managed to push it back to the oh so late late hour of 5 PM. I think I am secretly french in that I like to eat a late supper...slowly. She does not and gets rather insane when she doesn't get her way, but I think it should be OK. We shall see what crazies christmas day brings...I'm hoping it's relatively normal. Dealing with difficult people that I can't avoid and must be kind to really takes away form the fun of it all and makes it stressful.
This morning, thankfully my pudding baby was only a memory, so I got up and came in to do a full lower body work out. Legs, abs and 30 minutes hard riding on the bike. I did my best to try and wear off all that damn pudding.
In a tragic offering to the gym gods the squares and a bottle of wine I brought in for my part of the christmas eve lunch nibbles at work tipped over on the gym tile floor and shattered spectacularly...all over the floor and the desserts. Lovely. Glass everywhere in a gym setting. Yeah. They loved me.
I cleaned it all up, but there is no wine or squares to be saved...only a few slightly wine filled Ferrero Rocher. I hope the gym gods appreciate their offering and grant me health and full pudding recovery. I think I'll just suck the wine out of the candies and call it a day :)
I hope you all have a most wonderful day.
Relax. Take the time to be with family if you can.
Tomorrow is Christmas. Enjoy! :)
Klien Yule
This morning is Klien Yule! 2 sleeps until christmas. Me hee!
I discovered many yummy things yesterday. J and I went to see Tron (awesome BTW) and before the movie stopped at a favourite local place for supper. Delicious. Cafe Soleil opened about a year ago and I can't get enough of the place. They make a lot of their own product to sell (jams, jellies, pickles, pasta, flavoured oil...) and pair up with local ethical farms for all their produce. They have a small bakery and store in the back for healthy ethically grown veg and meat and high quality spices and teas and their small restaurant has a killer wine selection and delicious nibbles. I had quiche and a deadly salad with roasted pecans and pickled beets in it. J had something equally nommy. I left with some apple spice butter for christmas morning. Yum. Local grown and made with love. Gotta love it.
This morning I got up and came in to work out. I did a full on upper body workout, with the 10 Lb dumbells and didn't skimp anything. Some mornings you just feel fierce! I also did 20 pushups (girly ones, but still. Booyah!) and then hopped on the bike for 30 minutes. I was a good girl and did my HIT biking...first time in a while. I need to remind myself to push myself sometimes. And now, I feel great.
I've got some clothes on that fit and I just finished a breakfast of some cottage cheese with blueberries and peaches. Yum. Tonight is Kline Yule at my brother's house - his wife's delicious Danish ebelskivers and tiny sausages and mulled wine. And tomorrow is a half day at work...then 10 glorious days off.
Wahoo!
I discovered many yummy things yesterday. J and I went to see Tron (awesome BTW) and before the movie stopped at a favourite local place for supper. Delicious. Cafe Soleil opened about a year ago and I can't get enough of the place. They make a lot of their own product to sell (jams, jellies, pickles, pasta, flavoured oil...) and pair up with local ethical farms for all their produce. They have a small bakery and store in the back for healthy ethically grown veg and meat and high quality spices and teas and their small restaurant has a killer wine selection and delicious nibbles. I had quiche and a deadly salad with roasted pecans and pickled beets in it. J had something equally nommy. I left with some apple spice butter for christmas morning. Yum. Local grown and made with love. Gotta love it.
This morning I got up and came in to work out. I did a full on upper body workout, with the 10 Lb dumbells and didn't skimp anything. Some mornings you just feel fierce! I also did 20 pushups (girly ones, but still. Booyah!) and then hopped on the bike for 30 minutes. I was a good girl and did my HIT biking...first time in a while. I need to remind myself to push myself sometimes. And now, I feel great.
I've got some clothes on that fit and I just finished a breakfast of some cottage cheese with blueberries and peaches. Yum. Tonight is Kline Yule at my brother's house - his wife's delicious Danish ebelskivers and tiny sausages and mulled wine. And tomorrow is a half day at work...then 10 glorious days off.
Wahoo!
last wednesday before christmas!
Last night I had a wonderful evening at a friends solstice gathering. There was healthy delicious food, wine and good people. Time to reflect on the past year and the year to come. Great time... I feel very grateful for all I have.
Despite getting home at about midnight I still got up to work out this morning. I am tired, but seeing as I don't know what next week will give me workout-wise, I'm trying to get in every workout this week. So far so good. I went on the arc trainer this morning for 30 minutes and then did some core and ab work. I was stubborn this morning and and I should have stopped the arc trainer and switched to the bike as my knee was getting stiff. I ignored it because I was enjoying my time...and now it is stiff. I'll leave it alone for a while. Stick to the bike. Boring. Necessary. Perhaps I need a frying pan to hit my head with so I remember. I tell ya, if stubbornness could heal something I'd be all better by now :)
It's funny how what I do now I could not have even attempted 2 months ago...almost seems easy. All the ab work I can do now compared to before is so inspiring. I have to catch myself so I don't push too far just because I can. I love the feeling of knowing I can do all these things. I am healthy. Strong. :)
Despite getting home at about midnight I still got up to work out this morning. I am tired, but seeing as I don't know what next week will give me workout-wise, I'm trying to get in every workout this week. So far so good. I went on the arc trainer this morning for 30 minutes and then did some core and ab work. I was stubborn this morning and and I should have stopped the arc trainer and switched to the bike as my knee was getting stiff. I ignored it because I was enjoying my time...and now it is stiff. I'll leave it alone for a while. Stick to the bike. Boring. Necessary. Perhaps I need a frying pan to hit my head with so I remember. I tell ya, if stubbornness could heal something I'd be all better by now :)
It's funny how what I do now I could not have even attempted 2 months ago...almost seems easy. All the ab work I can do now compared to before is so inspiring. I have to catch myself so I don't push too far just because I can. I love the feeling of knowing I can do all these things. I am healthy. Strong. :)
Have a great day everyone.
lunar loveliness
This AM I was up and in the gym for my leg work, as well as 30 minutes on the treadmill -fast walking with a 2% incline. I feel lazy though...I always do when I walk and don't run. Like I'm cheating. I know it was good for me though, and until the pool reopens mid january I'm filling in my tuesdays and thursdays with other things...the bike just gets boring so I'm trying to change it up a little.
Today I have a solstice party to go to after work...can't wait. Visiting with good friends. Tasty food. Wine. Hopefully some skating...maybe a walk outside.
Hope you all caught the lunar eclipse last night. It was gorgeous. We set the clock to get up to see it. It was chilly but worth it...so beautiful. It was the first lunar eclipse on the solstice since the middle ages...I'm glad it wasn't clouded over. If it weren't for the big tree in the yard we could have watched it from our bed out the window. THAT would have been the best :)
Have a great day!
Today I have a solstice party to go to after work...can't wait. Visiting with good friends. Tasty food. Wine. Hopefully some skating...maybe a walk outside.
Hope you all caught the lunar eclipse last night. It was gorgeous. We set the clock to get up to see it. It was chilly but worth it...so beautiful. It was the first lunar eclipse on the solstice since the middle ages...I'm glad it wasn't clouded over. If it weren't for the big tree in the yard we could have watched it from our bed out the window. THAT would have been the best :)
Have a great day!
I'm tellin y'all it's sabotage!
Whew.
Long fun weekend.
I have a great trim and colour in my hair and I've finished up my christmas shopping.
Yesterday was christmas dinner at J's grandma's and it was a nice visit. I ate well, but healthy, and received lots of compliments. I wore some of my new clothes that fit well and are really flattering...It felt nice to look nice. And there was turkey and cabbage rolls...mmm...:)
After that it was b-movie night at a friends. We were still full from our big late turkey lunch so we just went over to watch the wierdest christmas film I've seen (a 1959 mexican christmas film called Santa Claus...bizarre). We should have had something to eat first, as we spent the evening grazing on crap food. I didn't have any eggnog, but I did munch on a *lot* of snack mix. I'm not proud of that. I need to learn to not go to where there will be crap food when I will be hungry later...chips are my one munchie weakness. I tried to keep it together but I was hungry towards the end.
And, on that note, I have a rant: I was craving pretzels to munch on last night. I was going to bring some along for when I got hungry at the movie. I figured baked pretzels are relatively healthy right? Sure - but do you think I could find any to bring over to my friend's house? Nope! 4 different places and no pretzels...the closest thing was a munchie mix with some pretzels and sunchips in it. Boo.
More pretzels please!
So this AM I was up and in the gym to pay for my snackery. Upper body weights, 30 minutes on the bike and some ab work and I'm in at work with healthy meals. I know only 1 day of snackery won't hurt me...I just don't want to undo all my hard work by snacking away the holidays. I've pledged this holiday to enjoy every morsel I put in my mouth...and I do. :)
I just need to be mindful and healthy about it...
workout tunes: Beastie Boys: Hello Nasty
Long fun weekend.
I have a great trim and colour in my hair and I've finished up my christmas shopping.
Yesterday was christmas dinner at J's grandma's and it was a nice visit. I ate well, but healthy, and received lots of compliments. I wore some of my new clothes that fit well and are really flattering...It felt nice to look nice. And there was turkey and cabbage rolls...mmm...:)
After that it was b-movie night at a friends. We were still full from our big late turkey lunch so we just went over to watch the wierdest christmas film I've seen (a 1959 mexican christmas film called Santa Claus...bizarre). We should have had something to eat first, as we spent the evening grazing on crap food. I didn't have any eggnog, but I did munch on a *lot* of snack mix. I'm not proud of that. I need to learn to not go to where there will be crap food when I will be hungry later...chips are my one munchie weakness. I tried to keep it together but I was hungry towards the end.
And, on that note, I have a rant: I was craving pretzels to munch on last night. I was going to bring some along for when I got hungry at the movie. I figured baked pretzels are relatively healthy right? Sure - but do you think I could find any to bring over to my friend's house? Nope! 4 different places and no pretzels...the closest thing was a munchie mix with some pretzels and sunchips in it. Boo.
More pretzels please!
So this AM I was up and in the gym to pay for my snackery. Upper body weights, 30 minutes on the bike and some ab work and I'm in at work with healthy meals. I know only 1 day of snackery won't hurt me...I just don't want to undo all my hard work by snacking away the holidays. I've pledged this holiday to enjoy every morsel I put in my mouth...and I do. :)
I just need to be mindful and healthy about it...
workout tunes: Beastie Boys: Hello Nasty
Day off work
Today was my day off, but with a potluck at work so it's been quite a relaxing day. I got to sleep in a fair bit and wander in to the gym whenever I felt like it, have a long, solid unrushed workout (yay) and then a great potluck at work for lunch. I work with people form all over the world so our potlucks there are always great. A little bit of everything to have a bite of. Yum.
I took advantage of the time off and spent the afternoon doing some christmas shopping. It's so much nicer during the day when the crowds aren't so bad. I dislike shopping as a rule, so holiday obligatory shopping gets my hackles up. I just have one person left and I know what I'm getting them, so it's just a matter of picking it up after my haircut tomorrow. Not a lot of gifts this year (drew names for adults or donated to charity for them and then stuff for the little ones) and I'm glad. I only get things for people if it suits them...otherwise $$. But, man that adds up and I'm not really going out of my way to get anything...I can't imagine the stupidity if we had to get gifts for everyone in my family.
I can't wait to get a haircut tomorrow. I haven't cut my hair since we went to Paris in August, so I'm due. I am growing it out, but it needs a little reigning in and my highlights need some love. Then I'll be all reagy for christmas. In my gift shopping I've found a bunch of sale clothes that I can wear, so I now have some jeans and shirts that fit. And some new armwarmers. Oh how I love armwarmers...:)
Have a great weekend everyone :)
I took advantage of the time off and spent the afternoon doing some christmas shopping. It's so much nicer during the day when the crowds aren't so bad. I dislike shopping as a rule, so holiday obligatory shopping gets my hackles up. I just have one person left and I know what I'm getting them, so it's just a matter of picking it up after my haircut tomorrow. Not a lot of gifts this year (drew names for adults or donated to charity for them and then stuff for the little ones) and I'm glad. I only get things for people if it suits them...otherwise $$. But, man that adds up and I'm not really going out of my way to get anything...I can't imagine the stupidity if we had to get gifts for everyone in my family.
I can't wait to get a haircut tomorrow. I haven't cut my hair since we went to Paris in August, so I'm due. I am growing it out, but it needs a little reigning in and my highlights need some love. Then I'll be all reagy for christmas. In my gift shopping I've found a bunch of sale clothes that I can wear, so I now have some jeans and shirts that fit. And some new armwarmers. Oh how I love armwarmers...:)
Have a great weekend everyone :)
Sleepy day
After meeting friends for beer and supper last night I stayed up until after 1 helping J build a set for something he's shooting today. So instead of getting up at 5 I slept in as long as I could this morning to make sure I'll survive today. I'm going to work out after work instead, seeing as J works all night and all I really need have planned for today is to find Christmas gifts for my nieces. The sleep sure was needed. I would not have survived today on 4 hours of sleep...
After a healthy breakfast I'm in to work.
Here we go :)
After a healthy breakfast I'm in to work.
Here we go :)
Winter is here with bells on.
This morning I was a bit stiff in my butt and knees from yesterdays super sonic sweatfest, so I took it a bit slower. I need to keep from getting carried away and hurt myself...so I did 10 minutes on the treadmill and 20 on the bike, and then all my ab stuff, as it's "ab day". After a healthy breakfast I'm good to go.
I baked a bunch of pumpkin cookies and eggnog cookies last night to send with Dad out to my sister and home with my friend Magnus today...and there's a few left for us. Yum.
It's a snowy day. We had frozen rain and then a tonne of snow and wind last night. This morning, being out the door at the stupid hour I am, I'm usually making the first tracks to the bus next to the jackrabbits that live in our area. No one has shovelled by then so it's always an adventure. Some of the drifts on the way to the bus came up to my knees.
It's officially winter :)
I baked a bunch of pumpkin cookies and eggnog cookies last night to send with Dad out to my sister and home with my friend Magnus today...and there's a few left for us. Yum.
It's a snowy day. We had frozen rain and then a tonne of snow and wind last night. This morning, being out the door at the stupid hour I am, I'm usually making the first tracks to the bus next to the jackrabbits that live in our area. No one has shovelled by then so it's always an adventure. Some of the drifts on the way to the bus came up to my knees.
It's officially winter :)
Zen master
This morning was back to regular workouts -up and in the gym by 6. After my lower body weight work I had an itch to seriously sweat and I hopped on the arc trainer and put on a favourite psytrance CD of mine...and for the first time since I used to run "it" happened. About 5 minutes in, I closed my eyes, kept up to the rhythm of the music and just moved and enjoyed the music and grinned. At ~140 bpm I was flying and breathing and...wow. I went off into "that" zone where you move and breathe and feel and before I knew it my workout was over.
Bliss.
I didn't think I'd ever get that without a run...I'm so glad about that. It's so very zen for me to get lost in the music like that. The kind of thing that makes you glad to be alive. The same feeling I get sometimes dancing. This is my favourite kind of music. A bit odd for most I know, but nothing makes me move like this...
*grin*
Have a great day everyone.
I know I will...today I get to relax after work with my luv, spend some time with my Dad tonight and bake cookies.
I can't wait...me hee !
Music to get lost to: Hallucinogen - Lone Deranger
Bliss.
I didn't think I'd ever get that without a run...I'm so glad about that. It's so very zen for me to get lost in the music like that. The kind of thing that makes you glad to be alive. The same feeling I get sometimes dancing. This is my favourite kind of music. A bit odd for most I know, but nothing makes me move like this...
*grin*
Have a great day everyone.
I know I will...today I get to relax after work with my luv, spend some time with my Dad tonight and bake cookies.
I can't wait...me hee !
Music to get lost to: Hallucinogen - Lone Deranger
Ah!
Bliss is mine.
The semester is over.
After a week of crazy and a weekend of study study study and the odd meltdown I have written my exam and think I did OK on it. And, best of all...all things are in and my academic duties for this semester are OVER! Sure I can do stuff here and there on my project, but I have survived the insanity. I can hardly believe it. I have my life back! My Dad is in town visiting for a few days and so now I can relax and visit with him for a bit before he flies to my sister's on Wednesday. I can bake cookies...
you know...normal people stuff :)
This morning, because of my exam, I didn't come in to workout, I did my old trusty ball DVD at home and had a big bowl of Fibre One cereal for breakfast while I looked over my notes for the last time. The DVD seemed really easy. Too easy. I guess that means I'm doing OK fitness wise :) I'd like to have gotten more in, but it is the way of things. Tomorrow is another day and I can be back at things, so it's no biggie. I have a healthy lunch and I feel...happy.
I'm not sure how I expected to react at the end of all things, but I'm just so glad to be done everything. If I goofed up on the test I don't know about it, so I did as well as I could have.
That is enough. :)
Speech in my pajamas
I got up this AM for my arms and cardio workout. Upper body + 30 minutes on the arc trainer. Then cottage cheese with pineapple and blueberries for breakfast. YUM.
After much meetings, and finishing up my last paper that is due (he hee) I have to give my speech today for my MSc that was rescheduled. I think I'm ready. When I missed my bus the other day I picked up an awesome pair of cords, and they fit perfectly. I've gotten compliments all day on how I look... and many comments on the thinness. It's kind of creeping me out actually. Oh well...I do feel all posh and smart in my new comfy stretch cords and a nice black sweater. The cords look great but feel like pajama pants. So nice...
Hopefully the speech goes well. Then I can hand in my paper...and THEN...study all weekend . Oh joy. :) 4 days left! Meep!
After much meetings, and finishing up my last paper that is due (he hee) I have to give my speech today for my MSc that was rescheduled. I think I'm ready. When I missed my bus the other day I picked up an awesome pair of cords, and they fit perfectly. I've gotten compliments all day on how I look... and many comments on the thinness. It's kind of creeping me out actually. Oh well...I do feel all posh and smart in my new comfy stretch cords and a nice black sweater. The cords look great but feel like pajama pants. So nice...
Hopefully the speech goes well. Then I can hand in my paper...and THEN...study all weekend . Oh joy. :) 4 days left! Meep!
The one where I missed all the buses
Last night was a comedy of errors.
A bunch of us from work met for drinks after and I managed to get there a bit late, and then missed my bus to leave, so I sat with a coworker for a bit until his ride came and then caught the next one 30 minutes later (the bus service here is not stellar). I had to run some errands and got stuck talking to someone that wouldn't stop (I have no skills to shut that sort of thing down when I have to leave)...finally got away and tried to go home....and missed the bus. So I went inside the mall and went shopping a bit - found a nice pair of cords (size 5!) and came out...and missed my bus again. So...bit more unsuccessful shopping and finally made a bus to get home about an hour after I'd planned...I did about an hour of studying but then I kept falling asleep so I just gave in and went to bed. I must have needed it as I fell asleep in seconds and I woke up this morning feeling very rested. Unfortunately I didn't get in half the studying I had hoped, but I'm thinking the sleep did me more good...knock on wood.
AND today is another day, and J is picking me up after work so there will be no bus issues. :)
Tomorrow I have a meeting and my MSc presentation...so I have to go over that a bit tonight and then study study study. (always with the studying)
Think I'll wear my new pants tomorrow for my speech. They fit fantastic. I really can't believe it's me in them. :)
Well. To work. But first...cottage cheese with blueberries and pineapple. Mmmmm....
A bunch of us from work met for drinks after and I managed to get there a bit late, and then missed my bus to leave, so I sat with a coworker for a bit until his ride came and then caught the next one 30 minutes later (the bus service here is not stellar). I had to run some errands and got stuck talking to someone that wouldn't stop (I have no skills to shut that sort of thing down when I have to leave)...finally got away and tried to go home....and missed the bus. So I went inside the mall and went shopping a bit - found a nice pair of cords (size 5!) and came out...and missed my bus again. So...bit more unsuccessful shopping and finally made a bus to get home about an hour after I'd planned...I did about an hour of studying but then I kept falling asleep so I just gave in and went to bed. I must have needed it as I fell asleep in seconds and I woke up this morning feeling very rested. Unfortunately I didn't get in half the studying I had hoped, but I'm thinking the sleep did me more good...knock on wood.
AND today is another day, and J is picking me up after work so there will be no bus issues. :)
Tomorrow I have a meeting and my MSc presentation...so I have to go over that a bit tonight and then study study study. (always with the studying)
Think I'll wear my new pants tomorrow for my speech. They fit fantastic. I really can't believe it's me in them. :)
Well. To work. But first...cottage cheese with blueberries and pineapple. Mmmmm....
Just call me Busy Bee
This morning is a chilly one. I woke up with a killer headache - I think I've been up too late too much working on homework lately. It was another late night, but we went grocery shopping and are stocked up on all kinds of yummy healthy stuff. We even have persimmons :).
I came in today to do 36 minutes on the arc trainer and then some core and ab work. The gym is so quiet these days. It's nice. I'm sort of dreading what I expect will be a January rush. Usually it's a challenge to find an outlet to plug in your dryer to. This morning I had my pick of them all...
After a nice breakfast I'm ready to go... I'm hoping tonight I can finish my paper so I can study for my monday exam. Busy busy busy. Bee bee bee.
But soon. Soooooon! Muahahaha!
Music to work out to: Freestylers - Pressure Point.
I came in today to do 36 minutes on the arc trainer and then some core and ab work. The gym is so quiet these days. It's nice. I'm sort of dreading what I expect will be a January rush. Usually it's a challenge to find an outlet to plug in your dryer to. This morning I had my pick of them all...
After a nice breakfast I'm ready to go... I'm hoping tonight I can finish my paper so I can study for my monday exam. Busy busy busy. Bee bee bee.
But soon. Soooooon! Muahahaha!
Music to work out to: Freestylers - Pressure Point.
Taking a compliment
crossposted on my other blog...
Mmm...I just finished my breakfast of cottage cheese and peaches. I can still taste it. Yum...just yum. I still can't believe that that is one of my favourite breakfasts. Strange how things go like that...
This morning I crawled out into the cold cold world and came in to do my upper body weights workout and then 35 minutes on the treadmill nice and fast at incline 2. I admit to breaking into a run for 2 minutes near the end during a favourite song and then reigning myself in again. It's so hard. I'm one of those nutters that LOVES to run...it just isn't good for my knee and I know it. And I must be good, because my knee, for the first time in a LONG LONG while, is utterly and completely normal. In fact, it's better than normal. I've been doing one legged lunges the last few weeks with no complaints and last night I bounded up the stairs to get something at home. In the past this would have elicited a twinge or pinch.
Now? Nothing. Because I'm achieving my goals. My legs are strong. The muscles supporting my knee are strong. I used to only be able to do one set of leg raises of 10 lbs before my knee would complain and ache. As of yesterday I can do 3 sets of 40. Yes...hard work and attention to form has given me back the active, strong legs I have been wanting and I couldn't be more happy about it. I can do everything I need to do...and my butt is really coming together :P
Being the hermit I have been with school lately I've sort of not noticed the changes in my health and overall body shape over the past few months. Nose to the grindstone. Really it's only my annoying lack of fitting clothes that's given me any signals that I'm really changing my body. The last week or so, going to Christmas gatherings a few people have come up and asked me what I'm doing to make such a good change. It's a bit embarrassing for me as I still don't know how to take a compliment, but it really pleases me that it's noticeable. I mean, I see myself nekkid and I know about all the muscle tone I have...and I have passed the grinning husband test. I'm not doing this for other people...and yet knowing it's visible to others is really encouraging. It's the same reason why if I think I should pay a stranger a compliment I do...I know how it feels :)
I'm really struggling with finishing up my last assignment (it's one of those make work sort of things) and studying for my exam. It's been over 10 years since I've written a final exam...and I don't quite "get" all the material I need to to completely understand it all (it *is* biostatistical analysis methods...not exactly a cake walk, but still...I've got a nerdy brain. This stuff usually comes easily to me). If I can finish up my final assignment tonight I'll have 5 days left to study. I'm hoping it will be enough to mush things around in my head and come up with a decent understanding of what i need to know. Maybe I'm being a bit hard on myself, but I really want to know that when I walk into that test, whatever mark I get is the best I could get. If I blow it, so be it. At least I will have tried my best. Then there is no regrets and I can go on with life. It's been one long frigging difficult semester and I'll be damned if I give up with 1 week left :).
Well, I must be off. Lots of lab stuff to do...later taters!
Workout tunes: Fatboy Slim - Greatest Hits: Why try harder
Mmm...I just finished my breakfast of cottage cheese and peaches. I can still taste it. Yum...just yum. I still can't believe that that is one of my favourite breakfasts. Strange how things go like that...
This morning I crawled out into the cold cold world and came in to do my upper body weights workout and then 35 minutes on the treadmill nice and fast at incline 2. I admit to breaking into a run for 2 minutes near the end during a favourite song and then reigning myself in again. It's so hard. I'm one of those nutters that LOVES to run...it just isn't good for my knee and I know it. And I must be good, because my knee, for the first time in a LONG LONG while, is utterly and completely normal. In fact, it's better than normal. I've been doing one legged lunges the last few weeks with no complaints and last night I bounded up the stairs to get something at home. In the past this would have elicited a twinge or pinch.
Now? Nothing. Because I'm achieving my goals. My legs are strong. The muscles supporting my knee are strong. I used to only be able to do one set of leg raises of 10 lbs before my knee would complain and ache. As of yesterday I can do 3 sets of 40. Yes...hard work and attention to form has given me back the active, strong legs I have been wanting and I couldn't be more happy about it. I can do everything I need to do...and my butt is really coming together :P
Being the hermit I have been with school lately I've sort of not noticed the changes in my health and overall body shape over the past few months. Nose to the grindstone. Really it's only my annoying lack of fitting clothes that's given me any signals that I'm really changing my body. The last week or so, going to Christmas gatherings a few people have come up and asked me what I'm doing to make such a good change. It's a bit embarrassing for me as I still don't know how to take a compliment, but it really pleases me that it's noticeable. I mean, I see myself nekkid and I know about all the muscle tone I have...and I have passed the grinning husband test. I'm not doing this for other people...and yet knowing it's visible to others is really encouraging. It's the same reason why if I think I should pay a stranger a compliment I do...I know how it feels :)
I'm really struggling with finishing up my last assignment (it's one of those make work sort of things) and studying for my exam. It's been over 10 years since I've written a final exam...and I don't quite "get" all the material I need to to completely understand it all (it *is* biostatistical analysis methods...not exactly a cake walk, but still...I've got a nerdy brain. This stuff usually comes easily to me). If I can finish up my final assignment tonight I'll have 5 days left to study. I'm hoping it will be enough to mush things around in my head and come up with a decent understanding of what i need to know. Maybe I'm being a bit hard on myself, but I really want to know that when I walk into that test, whatever mark I get is the best I could get. If I blow it, so be it. At least I will have tried my best. Then there is no regrets and I can go on with life. It's been one long frigging difficult semester and I'll be damned if I give up with 1 week left :).
Well, I must be off. Lots of lab stuff to do...later taters!
Workout tunes: Fatboy Slim - Greatest Hits: Why try harder
Chilly day
This morning I was up and to the gym to do my legwork and ab work and 30 minutes on the bike. It's a chilly morning today but the sky is crystal clear...stars were very bright. Orion's in the horizon as I walk to the bus. Gorgeous.
This weekend I got a lot of work done, but also lots of relaxing. It was J's christmas thing with the people he works with and we got all poshed up and went out for turkey dinner and bowling (bowling in a skirt is not easy...). Then some tipsy rock band at a coworkers house. I'm embarrassed to say I curled up on the couch and napped at the end...it's been a long week. They just kept on without me and made sure I was comfy :)
This weekend I ate my very first persimmon. It's pretty much not in season for all other fruits at the moment except for apples or bananas (and I can't have any oranges...*sigh*) so I grabbed one to try. Yum. I love it. It's a very different flavour...I think I'm hooked. I'll definitely get some more.
I have exactly 7 days to persevere until I can relax and spend a few days with my Dad...I can't wait. I just have to be diligent. It's hard. I just want to nap and drink eggnog and put up lights :) It's my reward - I get to put up lights when classes are done. I can't wait :)
This weekend I got a lot of work done, but also lots of relaxing. It was J's christmas thing with the people he works with and we got all poshed up and went out for turkey dinner and bowling (bowling in a skirt is not easy...). Then some tipsy rock band at a coworkers house. I'm embarrassed to say I curled up on the couch and napped at the end...it's been a long week. They just kept on without me and made sure I was comfy :)
This weekend I ate my very first persimmon. It's pretty much not in season for all other fruits at the moment except for apples or bananas (and I can't have any oranges...*sigh*) so I grabbed one to try. Yum. I love it. It's a very different flavour...I think I'm hooked. I'll definitely get some more.
I have exactly 7 days to persevere until I can relax and spend a few days with my Dad...I can't wait. I just have to be diligent. It's hard. I just want to nap and drink eggnog and put up lights :) It's my reward - I get to put up lights when classes are done. I can't wait :)
The end of the week...yeah!
This morning was my last day of classes for the semester :). I was up late finishing a paper, but I still got up and braved the cold to make it in to work out. The gym was rather empty. Made me wonder if it'll be that way until exams are over...and wonder how full it will be in the spring with everyone resolutioning...hope it doesn't get too crowded.
I did my upper body today. I bumped up from 8Lb dumbells to 10 lb ones. Owie. A challenge :)
I hopped on the bike for 30 minutes and then did some ab work...
I really am getting msucles in my legs now. In fact I am getting a bit concerned that some of the exercises I'm doing to my lower body are making my outer thighs larger than I'd like so I'm going to do a bit of research into what exercises don't make for bigger thighs but will still strengthen my knees.
I am excited that we got our contract signed at work so we got a bit of backpay...so I can go shopping for a few new clothes, which will be great. I'm lacking in fitted pants and clothes period at the moment. It's a good thing healthwise, but really frustrating when you want to wear anything that fits and everything is baggy. I'm not a fashionista - I just require my pants to stay up! So next week while I'm christmas shopping a bit I'll also see what I can find for me. I'm envious of people who have always been one size...how many clothes you must have to choose from. I'm relishing the thought of shopping and having everything fit...I will have choices. :)
Have a great weekend!
I did my upper body today. I bumped up from 8Lb dumbells to 10 lb ones. Owie. A challenge :)
I hopped on the bike for 30 minutes and then did some ab work...
I really am getting msucles in my legs now. In fact I am getting a bit concerned that some of the exercises I'm doing to my lower body are making my outer thighs larger than I'd like so I'm going to do a bit of research into what exercises don't make for bigger thighs but will still strengthen my knees.
I am excited that we got our contract signed at work so we got a bit of backpay...so I can go shopping for a few new clothes, which will be great. I'm lacking in fitted pants and clothes period at the moment. It's a good thing healthwise, but really frustrating when you want to wear anything that fits and everything is baggy. I'm not a fashionista - I just require my pants to stay up! So next week while I'm christmas shopping a bit I'll also see what I can find for me. I'm envious of people who have always been one size...how many clothes you must have to choose from. I'm relishing the thought of shopping and having everything fit...I will have choices. :)
Have a great weekend!
Last day of classes!
Hello :)
This morning I crawled out from under my fluffy winter duvet (I just pulled it out...so fluffy....) and came in to do my legwork. I tried the 1 leg lunges again...whew! Because I just thought "boring!" when I looked at the bike today I hopped on the treadmill, turned on the iPod to some Prodigy, ramped the incline up and walked as fast as I could (about 7.4 kph) for 35 minutes. It felt great...it was tough to not break into a run because it is just what feels right to me, but I enjoyed it SO much. The movement. The flow. Something about moving my arms naturally along with everything else makes it so very zen for me. Add to that one of my favourite cooking shows on the gym TV for me to peek at and learn how to make wine glazed plums and custard (hello Christmas dessert!) and it's been a great morning so far.
Today is my last official day of classes and so from this point on there are only 2 assignments left, my MSc meeting/speech which was (grrr) rescheduled from Monday and an exam. My Dad is coming to visit in there somewhere too for a few days so it'll still be busy, but a different kid of busy. More time to breathe. Time to cook a bit...feel more like a human and less like a robot.
I'm looking forward to it.
I've just snarfed my yogurt and granola and banana and am going to take another whackload of coffee with me and get going with my day. For those of you who asked, a whackload is a few whiffins less than a tonne, give or take a few schlorps :)
Have a great day everybody!
This morning I crawled out from under my fluffy winter duvet (I just pulled it out...so fluffy....) and came in to do my legwork. I tried the 1 leg lunges again...whew! Because I just thought "boring!" when I looked at the bike today I hopped on the treadmill, turned on the iPod to some Prodigy, ramped the incline up and walked as fast as I could (about 7.4 kph) for 35 minutes. It felt great...it was tough to not break into a run because it is just what feels right to me, but I enjoyed it SO much. The movement. The flow. Something about moving my arms naturally along with everything else makes it so very zen for me. Add to that one of my favourite cooking shows on the gym TV for me to peek at and learn how to make wine glazed plums and custard (hello Christmas dessert!) and it's been a great morning so far.
Today is my last official day of classes and so from this point on there are only 2 assignments left, my MSc meeting/speech which was (grrr) rescheduled from Monday and an exam. My Dad is coming to visit in there somewhere too for a few days so it'll still be busy, but a different kid of busy. More time to breathe. Time to cook a bit...feel more like a human and less like a robot.
I'm looking forward to it.
I've just snarfed my yogurt and granola and banana and am going to take another whackload of coffee with me and get going with my day. For those of you who asked, a whackload is a few whiffins less than a tonne, give or take a few schlorps :)
Have a great day everybody!
Once day off
This morning I felt much more alive. We ordered in food last night and relaxed. Ate a bit to much chinese but it was glorious to NOT do any homework for one night. Even went to bed early. It was lovely.
I came in and worked out - 35 minutes on the arc trainer, some arm weights and then a bunch of ab and core exercises. I'm good to go. My breakfast is some fruit and cottage cheese and a whackload of coffee.
And now - back to it :) Have a good day!
I came in and worked out - 35 minutes on the arc trainer, some arm weights and then a bunch of ab and core exercises. I'm good to go. My breakfast is some fruit and cottage cheese and a whackload of coffee.
And now - back to it :) Have a good day!
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