I'm a bit creaky in odd places from yesterday, but overall? I feel fantastic!!
I just came to sweat
Today was spin class with yelly Mel and she was surprisingly not evil today. At least it seemed that way...maybe I'm just getting into better shape so it doesn't seem like I'm going to die during class anymore! After the workout I did a few ab and back things and now I'm in for work to get things done.
I'm a bit creaky in odd places from yesterday, but overall? I feel fantastic!!
Must run -just wanted to log things in for the day. Hope you all have a fantastic day :)
I'm a bit creaky in odd places from yesterday, but overall? I feel fantastic!!
spider pushups are hard!
This morning I came in for class but the instructor was a no show (lame) so altho I had no music or interval timer, I made the best of it and tried to make up an overall workout on the fly with the weights in the classroom.
I ended up doing 3 rounds of:
-10 "dragon" curtsy lunges with 10Lb (both sides)
-20 deep squats
-10 bicep curls (18Lb bar)
-20 one legged deadlifts 2 X 10 Lb dumbells (both legs)
-10 squats + side leg raise (both sides)
-20 clean and presses (18Lb bar)
-20 bent rows (18Lb bar)
-15 bird dogs (each side)
-15 back leg raises (from hands and knees)
-5 ab/pushup combo: 2 full pushups + 2 planked knee to opposite elbow (both sides) + 2 spider pushups (1 each side) + 2 planked sides knee to elbow (both sides)
Than I hopped on the performance program of the elliptical for 25 minutes and called it a day. Just wanted to log before I got busy...Gotta run. It's gonna be one of those days...
Later taters.
I ended up doing 3 rounds of:
-10 "dragon" curtsy lunges with 10Lb (both sides)
-20 deep squats
-10 bicep curls (18Lb bar)
-20 one legged deadlifts 2 X 10 Lb dumbells (both legs)
-10 squats + side leg raise (both sides)
-20 clean and presses (18Lb bar)
-20 bent rows (18Lb bar)
-15 bird dogs (each side)
-15 back leg raises (from hands and knees)
-5 ab/pushup combo: 2 full pushups + 2 planked knee to opposite elbow (both sides) + 2 spider pushups (1 each side) + 2 planked sides knee to elbow (both sides)
Than I hopped on the performance program of the elliptical for 25 minutes and called it a day. Just wanted to log before I got busy...Gotta run. It's gonna be one of those days...
Later taters.
spin
This morning was spin class. Our old awesome bootcamp instructor was back for a sub for the guest class...missed her. Fun but evil...she had us do all these things with crouching and hamstrings on the bike that...well, that made my bum sore. Solid sweaty workout. She even did 5 minutes of abs at the end as a bonus. She will be working at a new fitness place downtown that will have bootcamps. I miss her bootcamps. I may have to sign up for them...I love bootcamps and functional fitness classes...there aren't enough of them in town...
And then at coffee someone at work gave us each a yummy hand made belgian filled chocolate....the kind that make you swoon. So very good. I refuse to turn down that. I can ignore cookies and other things but a high end belgian coffee buttercream filled dark chocolate? Divine...
Last night I made up some multigrain nut muffins in my head with Red River cereal and they turned out great. I will have to make them again. Healthy and tasty...yum.
And then at coffee someone at work gave us each a yummy hand made belgian filled chocolate....the kind that make you swoon. So very good. I refuse to turn down that. I can ignore cookies and other things but a high end belgian coffee buttercream filled dark chocolate? Divine...
Last night I made up some multigrain nut muffins in my head with Red River cereal and they turned out great. I will have to make them again. Healthy and tasty...yum.
repititions
This weekend was strange but good. Lots of relaxing and celebrating and a bit of sewing too. Even saw a movie or two. J's show aired it's first episode friday night...we celebrated with mead and cupcakes (chocolate irish creme with coffee buttercream...I outdid myself this time). So proud of him. He's working so hard and it's so cool to see his hard work pay off. :)
This morning I crawled out of bed and came in to workout and plopped into the spin and sculpt class. It was a solid workout, but it kind of annoyed me. This sculpt class was lots and lots of reps of movements...which drives me nuts sometimes. I just plain don't enjoy when I have to do 100 of something in a row. My form starts to suffer and in the end I can't do everything I'd like to because my muscles just can't do that many reps of something. Why not variation? And by variation I don't mean change in rhythm of how I move my limbs in a bicep curl - I mean other things....or cycles of things, where I end up doing the exercise, say, twice for less time? Why do I have to curse the instructor's family, heritage and soul as I struggle to keep moving? In the end I'd get more done and hate it less. Don't get me wrong - I'll still do it. I just won't enjoy it as much. I just wonder what the mindset is behind it...
Anyways. I should get busy.
Later taters...
This morning I crawled out of bed and came in to workout and plopped into the spin and sculpt class. It was a solid workout, but it kind of annoyed me. This sculpt class was lots and lots of reps of movements...which drives me nuts sometimes. I just plain don't enjoy when I have to do 100 of something in a row. My form starts to suffer and in the end I can't do everything I'd like to because my muscles just can't do that many reps of something. Why not variation? And by variation I don't mean change in rhythm of how I move my limbs in a bicep curl - I mean other things....or cycles of things, where I end up doing the exercise, say, twice for less time? Why do I have to curse the instructor's family, heritage and soul as I struggle to keep moving? In the end I'd get more done and hate it less. Don't get me wrong - I'll still do it. I just won't enjoy it as much. I just wonder what the mindset is behind it...
Anyways. I should get busy.
Later taters...
Lightbulb moment
They can transform your life. Even for chores you hate and little things to be done...what to do with your stuff when you're finished. Just take 2 seconds and put them away. You'' be glad to not do a lot at once later and you'll actually know where things are then too!
Even with a morning workout. A tough one. DO you whine? do it half assed? Think you'll "do better tomorrow"? I used to...but I've come to realise that a lot of life is living in the present. It *IS* life. And all of it, even the parts that make me uncomfortable, need to be done, not ignored or shrugged off in a half assed way. When I get up at 530 to workout I am not going to cheat myself. If I was going to do that I might as well have stayed in bed and gotten a bit of sleep instead...
This AM was spin and sculpt. I focused on maintaining strong movement. Keeping good form. Dropping down a set of weights if I had to but not quitting and not doing a half assed job. It was hard for some, as I'm still stiff from wednesday, but it was a good class. And now it should be a good rest of the day. J and I both have a free night and so we may (joy) get to spend it together. Doing what? Who knows...we may end up just falling asleep early, but at least we can have a night off together.
Meep.
alarming
This morning my alarm didn't go off. Now I am unsure if I may have turned it off in my sleep (which would be troubling to say the least) but regardless, I woke up 2 minutes before I usually catch the bus. So I was a bit late today. Still though, got up and ready as usual, just caught the next bus 30 minutes later. I figure consistency is the key, and even tho I didn't make spin class, I did still get in with plenty of time for a 35 minute elliptical workout on the performance hill setting, going full out to some high BPM dance music. I still had a decent workout so I'm pleased enough. I am rather stiff in my shoulders and leggy bummy bits form yesterday's pyramid workout (well more of a one sided pyramid really...just sounds cooler than a "hill compound" workout) so it's a good level of workout for the day I think.
I tried something new with my protein shake. I figured if instant coffee was good, why not try some matcha powder. And...well...I dunno. It wasn't bad...but I didn't love it either. As J would say "I'm forgainst it"...think I'll try it once more to try and decide. Seems a shame to waste matcha powder on this if it's not anything to get excited about.
Last night I just relaxed. My friend who had heart surgery has had trouble with his heart beating irregularly so he's been flown back in here from where they live up north for a few days. He and his wife (one of my oldest and dearest friends) are exhausted, so I haven't gone to visit yet now that things are more settled. Sometimes you need just time together as a family, and I don't want to intrude. I remember when mum was in the hospital sometimes I just wanted the well intentioned friends to go away so I could be with my family...I've just asked them to let me know when they want a visitor and I'll wait patiently. It's been a tense few days for them trying to get him stable. Thankfully after a few electric shocks (eep) they got his heart beating normally again (down to ~90 bpm from over 200!), but he'll be in for observation and rest for a few days before they let him go home again. Scary. Makes me hug my J more lately and be grateful for my health. While on the elliptical today I tried to get my heart rate up as fast as I could and it still, according to the machine, never got above 168...I can't imagine over 200...especially after just having a heart valve replaced...yes. I am grateful in so many ways for my health...
I'm feeling pretty zen at the moment. J had to work all night so I did a few chores but mostly I just lined up all the different fabrics i had for ideas to make bellydance stuff. No inspiration came so I listened to music and watched cooking shows and futzed around until bed time. Right before bed I got my poster reviews back form my old MSc supervisor....She (*shock and amazed*) liked them. Minimal edits.
*smug mode*
:)
Time for another day. I am grateful.
I tried something new with my protein shake. I figured if instant coffee was good, why not try some matcha powder. And...well...I dunno. It wasn't bad...but I didn't love it either. As J would say "I'm forgainst it"...think I'll try it once more to try and decide. Seems a shame to waste matcha powder on this if it's not anything to get excited about.
Last night I just relaxed. My friend who had heart surgery has had trouble with his heart beating irregularly so he's been flown back in here from where they live up north for a few days. He and his wife (one of my oldest and dearest friends) are exhausted, so I haven't gone to visit yet now that things are more settled. Sometimes you need just time together as a family, and I don't want to intrude. I remember when mum was in the hospital sometimes I just wanted the well intentioned friends to go away so I could be with my family...I've just asked them to let me know when they want a visitor and I'll wait patiently. It's been a tense few days for them trying to get him stable. Thankfully after a few electric shocks (eep) they got his heart beating normally again (down to ~90 bpm from over 200!), but he'll be in for observation and rest for a few days before they let him go home again. Scary. Makes me hug my J more lately and be grateful for my health. While on the elliptical today I tried to get my heart rate up as fast as I could and it still, according to the machine, never got above 168...I can't imagine over 200...especially after just having a heart valve replaced...yes. I am grateful in so many ways for my health...
I'm feeling pretty zen at the moment. J had to work all night so I did a few chores but mostly I just lined up all the different fabrics i had for ideas to make bellydance stuff. No inspiration came so I listened to music and watched cooking shows and futzed around until bed time. Right before bed I got my poster reviews back form my old MSc supervisor....She (*shock and amazed*) liked them. Minimal edits.
*smug mode*
:)
Time for another day. I am grateful.
pyramid schemes
I slept hard... like a brick last night. I don't even remember J coming home from work at night...usually I wake up to talk...last night I was dead to the world... It actually took a bit to mentally figure out what my alarm *was* this morning...but thankfully I crawled from the fluffy duvet and quickly figured it out :)
Came in for a sculpt class - it was a pyramid workout. I like them. Progressive repetitions of reps of the following, adding one item every round through:
-10 pushups
-10 forward lunges (each leg)
-10 squat woodchoppers (each side)
-18 bicep curls
-20 squats (some rounds had extra pulses at the end...killer)
-20 tricep extensions
-something that I can't for the life of me remember (?!seriously I got nothing?!)
-18 shoulder presses
-18 upright rows
-20 plank oblique crunches each side.
Then we finished it off with some planks and bicycle crunches and a good stretch. Solid. I find I can do more with more weight and focus on my form with this kind of workout, since there's not a zillion of something all at once. In the end I I ended up doing 100 pushups today! I sweated...I know it was tough. I have a feeling those woodchoppers are gonna make me stiff tomorrow...
Last night I had time to make good veg chili with cornbread for supper and some muffins and mexican chicken bean soup for my lunches for the rest of the week, so I'm feeling back on track.
Today is a bit of a rest day compared to the last few. Just gonna take it easy and see where it takes me.
I'm sure there's lots just waiting :)
Have a great day!!
All the to the park. All to the park...
Ha HA!
I am done my 3 poster drafts and my journal article draft. They are in for proofing by appropriate gurus and godesses and now I can relax and do other things while I wait for the red ink to flow :)
I'll take it. After a crazy few days it's a nice feeling. I'm nomming on some homemade cornbread, listening to old Wax Mannequin albums, sipping some glorious Chinese green tea and feeling rather proud and contented. I will do a tiny bit of sewing I promised a friend to put her bellydance belt together for her to sew things onto, and then...well...then I sleep!
"...all of the time....all of the time..."
Mee hee.
*grin*
Night taters!!
I am done my 3 poster drafts and my journal article draft. They are in for proofing by appropriate gurus and godesses and now I can relax and do other things while I wait for the red ink to flow :)
I'll take it. After a crazy few days it's a nice feeling. I'm nomming on some homemade cornbread, listening to old Wax Mannequin albums, sipping some glorious Chinese green tea and feeling rather proud and contented. I will do a tiny bit of sewing I promised a friend to put her bellydance belt together for her to sew things onto, and then...well...then I sleep!
"...all of the time....all of the time..."
Mee hee.
*grin*
Night taters!!
quick one
Fast post to log -I must run.
Worked all weekend.
In for spin class plus some ab bonus.
Must dash.
See ya!
Worked all weekend.
In for spin class plus some ab bonus.
Must dash.
See ya!
Clocks are not working today
Yesterday I attempted to have a kick-ass day that got derailed by the end...but I tried! Got up early for spin class, then to the farmer's market, fabric store and for a haircut before coming home to lunch with J. Felt great.. After a nap though what was supposed to be a quick few hours of work helping him build a set took much much longer... until 830 PM...so we didn't eat supper until 930. Because we were so tired and hungry it was a giant plate of cheese tortellinis...not the healthiest but at that point I didn't care what I ate. I was starving and tired. Then I tried to work on MY work which I wanted to do, but didn't do much before I fell asleep at my desk and gave up for the day.
Today was more of the same. Got up early and went in to help J again...but due to ridiculous life events and such, instead of getting home at 11 AM to work all day on my stuff again, like yesterday, there were delays. I just got home now...at 2 PM. And so I am almost 2 days behind on my deadline of crazy work.
GARGH.
His set looks awesome though.
I am inhaling some steamed vietnamese pork buns from the market and getting down to work to try and get some work done...
I have until 7 to get some serious sh*t done. Then I have to go back and help him again.
Oh lordy. I hate weekends like this.
Here we go...
Today was more of the same. Got up early and went in to help J again...but due to ridiculous life events and such, instead of getting home at 11 AM to work all day on my stuff again, like yesterday, there were delays. I just got home now...at 2 PM. And so I am almost 2 days behind on my deadline of crazy work.
GARGH.
His set looks awesome though.
I am inhaling some steamed vietnamese pork buns from the market and getting down to work to try and get some work done...
I have until 7 to get some serious sh*t done. Then I have to go back and help him again.
Oh lordy. I hate weekends like this.
Here we go...
Do what you can
Ah. Friday. Finally.
Yesterday was busy...full day of work. Four of us brought baking so it was cookie cupcake heaven. I've got to reign myself in a bit I think! After work I got to pop in to see my friend again in the hospital. It's remarkable the progress heart surgery patients make day by day. On tuesday he was pale and barely talking, mostly napping. Yesterday he was out of bed sitting, talking and smiling and sounding like his old self. He's still very weak and can't do much, but he is so much more "Jim" again. It's wonderful to see. He and Tab are excited to get him healed up enough that he can go home on the weekend (if he's strong enough to be able to walk the loop of the hospital floor he can go home). He's been in the hospital 2 weeks now with before and after treatments and is quite bored, as the wireless and internet are not very good in the hospital and his attention span is pretty small with the pain and the medications. I brought up some National Geographics for him to pass the time, but there really is no place like home. I'll probably get to see them once more before they head back up to Air Ronge Saturday, if all goes well. I am so happy he's doing so well. We actually had a visit yesterday. :)
Last night I made supper, died my hair (my grey bits were really peeking through) and worked on my poster for a few hours before falling asleep at the computer. This weekend will be work work work, but I am planning to get in a bit of fun here and there. There is a 815 AM spin class tomorrow so I may get up to workout tomorrow (still sleeping in 2 hours - ah!) before I run by the fabric store to meet friends to get fabric for bellydance costumes for a bit and *then* run to get my hair cut (It's pretty shaggy)... yep, all before noon. Then it's home to brunch with J and some work with him at the studio and at home on my papers and posters. Busy but good I think. I'm hoping to get away to meet my friend Heather for a bit if I can, but we'll see. There will be waffles involved somehow this weekend so it's all good! Monday is a work holiday ("family day") so I have all day to work on MY work, so I think it will be OK. I just have to focus. I think I can do it. :)
Hope you all have a great weekend! I'm off...
Yesterday was busy...full day of work. Four of us brought baking so it was cookie cupcake heaven. I've got to reign myself in a bit I think! After work I got to pop in to see my friend again in the hospital. It's remarkable the progress heart surgery patients make day by day. On tuesday he was pale and barely talking, mostly napping. Yesterday he was out of bed sitting, talking and smiling and sounding like his old self. He's still very weak and can't do much, but he is so much more "Jim" again. It's wonderful to see. He and Tab are excited to get him healed up enough that he can go home on the weekend (if he's strong enough to be able to walk the loop of the hospital floor he can go home). He's been in the hospital 2 weeks now with before and after treatments and is quite bored, as the wireless and internet are not very good in the hospital and his attention span is pretty small with the pain and the medications. I brought up some National Geographics for him to pass the time, but there really is no place like home. I'll probably get to see them once more before they head back up to Air Ronge Saturday, if all goes well. I am so happy he's doing so well. We actually had a visit yesterday. :)
Last night I made supper, died my hair (my grey bits were really peeking through) and worked on my poster for a few hours before falling asleep at the computer. This weekend will be work work work, but I am planning to get in a bit of fun here and there. There is a 815 AM spin class tomorrow so I may get up to workout tomorrow (still sleeping in 2 hours - ah!) before I run by the fabric store to meet friends to get fabric for bellydance costumes for a bit and *then* run to get my hair cut (It's pretty shaggy)... yep, all before noon. Then it's home to brunch with J and some work with him at the studio and at home on my papers and posters. Busy but good I think. I'm hoping to get away to meet my friend Heather for a bit if I can, but we'll see. There will be waffles involved somehow this weekend so it's all good! Monday is a work holiday ("family day") so I have all day to work on MY work, so I think it will be OK. I just have to focus. I think I can do it. :)
Hope you all have a great weekend! I'm off...
set phasers to stunning...
In the hunt for a trekkie love day card to send to J I came across this, which made me spit my coffee out laughing:
But no, you'll be happy I found something slightly classier...
This morning was a good spin class, and I threw in a few core moves afterwards. Now a nice hot shower and some breakfast have me ready to tackle the day. I've got lots to do, and plan to get to it.
So to all of you, I hope your enforced love day meets your expectations whatever they are :)
Later taters :)
pain pain go away
Ugh - yesterday I got a killer headache and hunger pangs just after lunch that lasted all evening. All my work snacks were stale, so after a quick snack in the hospital cafeteria I popped in for a short visit to my friend in the hospital on the way home. He was in a lot of pain, understandably (open heart surgery will do that to you...), so I didn't stay long. I don't think he needs people pestering him that much until he's feeling better. I was amazed - did you know all they like to give you after open heart surgery is ibuprofen so they can monitor proper healing and process...ow...Jim is a true gentleman to the staff and everyone around him. I would have been a drooling evil queen in his situation. You can hear his new heart valve clicking if you're really quiet (science!). His pain should get better day by day....hoping he will heal up quickly so the pain doesn't last. They're hoping he can go home to heal up there in a week or so if he heals up well. Tabitha is so relieved. The kids will likely go home today with her parents so it will be just the 2 of them to spend time together with less worry and stress, which will be nice for both of them I'm sure.
I ended up going home with my sparkle headache to have some "instant" roast chicken I picked up on the way home with some canned corn and then nibbled some rice cakes all evening in the hopes it would go away. I did not feel like cooking...which is when I know I feel lousy. It never did go away, so I napped off and on and tried drinking water, taking Advil and eating nuts and other random things to see if I could find why I had a headache and stave it off. Eventually, although I had plans to get some work done, I couldn't concentrate so I just went to bed.
Thankfully this AM I woke up feeling fine, so I had a granola bar before I came in to workout (just in case it came back) and came in for a sculpt class. It was all weights today so I figured I could come in and give it a go and see how much I could do. The headache hasn't returned and after a protein shake and some coffee I'm munching on some cottage cheese and raspberries (yum) and hoping to get a start on a better day.
Have a good day everyone.
I ended up going home with my sparkle headache to have some "instant" roast chicken I picked up on the way home with some canned corn and then nibbled some rice cakes all evening in the hopes it would go away. I did not feel like cooking...which is when I know I feel lousy. It never did go away, so I napped off and on and tried drinking water, taking Advil and eating nuts and other random things to see if I could find why I had a headache and stave it off. Eventually, although I had plans to get some work done, I couldn't concentrate so I just went to bed.
Thankfully this AM I woke up feeling fine, so I had a granola bar before I came in to workout (just in case it came back) and came in for a sculpt class. It was all weights today so I figured I could come in and give it a go and see how much I could do. The headache hasn't returned and after a protein shake and some coffee I'm munching on some cottage cheese and raspberries (yum) and hoping to get a start on a better day.
Have a good day everyone.
Better. Stronger. Faster.
I am delighted to say that Jim now has a super-improved heart with a new heart valve and is doing really well. His surgery went perfectly and he should be out of ICU and back on ward by lunch, so I can stop by and see him after work. I am so glad. I went over to keep Tab company during the surgery yesterday and talked with her and the kids to help pass the time...she's like a sister to me, and I'm so very glad I could be there for her. She is so very relieved and happy to know her love is doing so well. So am I :)
This morning I was very happy to be able to get up and be active and sweat and use this body I've been given. Jumped out of bed with a grin on my face :) Our guest instructor Mimi made us sweat buckets and I had a really good workout. She used to teach boot camp a few years ago and I miss her classes. Added in a few ab things after and now am in at work, breakfast snarfed and I am raring to go and ready for a busy day.
Have a fantastic day and hug the ones you love today for me (and for you!).
Later taters!
This morning I was very happy to be able to get up and be active and sweat and use this body I've been given. Jumped out of bed with a grin on my face :) Our guest instructor Mimi made us sweat buckets and I had a really good workout. She used to teach boot camp a few years ago and I miss her classes. Added in a few ab things after and now am in at work, breakfast snarfed and I am raring to go and ready for a busy day.
Have a fantastic day and hug the ones you love today for me (and for you!).
Later taters!
whirlwind
What a crazy wonderful weekend. I helped J build and tear down a set (which turned out really well!) and I also got to spend some time with some of my favourite peoples. My old friend Jeff is back home in Canada for 2 weeks visiting from China with his new wife Jo and we got to spend 2 days with them. Other old friends drove in from Edmonton to visit too, so it was so great to just hang out and catch up and visit with some of my most favourite people in the world. Add to that the fact that it was Jo's first time in Canada and that she was utterly thrilled with everything because it was all new and exciting and...yeah. I'm still grinning today. We even got Jo all dressed up in winter gear and took her tobogganing a few times. Hilarious and awesome. We drank mead, had traditional Chinese new year wontons for breakfast, and went out to a few favourite restaurants for indian food and good old fashioned diner food along with some tasty craft fruit beers (which Jeff loves but can never find in China) on the weekend. It's been 10 years since we've seen him. Much too long... :)
And so this AM I am back in, putting my healthy hat back on and getting back to normal, healthier life. This morning was spin and sculpt class with an old favourite instructor filling in so it was fun and a good workout. I have healthy meals planned and I even took my vitamins, so today is off to a good start.
I was reminded this weekend as to why living healthy is so important. You never know what life may throw at you. Another old and dear friend's husband is in the hospital as of this weekend, and today is having heart surgery to correct a heart defect he's always had but never started to impede his life until recently to make his life very hard to live "normally" anymore. It's the surgery my Mum should have had when younger, but she was too tiny and old to be able to heal properly from. All should go well, and Jim should be much healthier for the rest of his life after this. I feel bad that I wasn't able to get there to visit this weekend with all the shenanigans going on in the rest of life. But, I hope to be able to sneak away to see her and him before and after surgery today on my work breaks and get in some comforting/visiting time with them over the next week, as he recovers in hospital. Tab is one of my oldest and dearest friends too, so I feel as though it's happening to my family and if I can help her just by being there I will try...I can't imagine how worried I would be in her place.
This whole weekend has reminded me of the truly important things in life and why it is so important to care for your body AND your mind and enjoy the time you have with the people that matter most to you. Life is strange and wonderful. It's a lot to take in some days, but I wouldn't change it :)
And so this AM I am back in, putting my healthy hat back on and getting back to normal, healthier life. This morning was spin and sculpt class with an old favourite instructor filling in so it was fun and a good workout. I have healthy meals planned and I even took my vitamins, so today is off to a good start.
I was reminded this weekend as to why living healthy is so important. You never know what life may throw at you. Another old and dear friend's husband is in the hospital as of this weekend, and today is having heart surgery to correct a heart defect he's always had but never started to impede his life until recently to make his life very hard to live "normally" anymore. It's the surgery my Mum should have had when younger, but she was too tiny and old to be able to heal properly from. All should go well, and Jim should be much healthier for the rest of his life after this. I feel bad that I wasn't able to get there to visit this weekend with all the shenanigans going on in the rest of life. But, I hope to be able to sneak away to see her and him before and after surgery today on my work breaks and get in some comforting/visiting time with them over the next week, as he recovers in hospital. Tab is one of my oldest and dearest friends too, so I feel as though it's happening to my family and if I can help her just by being there I will try...I can't imagine how worried I would be in her place.
This whole weekend has reminded me of the truly important things in life and why it is so important to care for your body AND your mind and enjoy the time you have with the people that matter most to you. Life is strange and wonderful. It's a lot to take in some days, but I wouldn't change it :)
Friday! Giggedy!
Instructor today was sick so it was a make up your own workout on the fly day. No prob. My upper body is still really stiff from wednesday, so I made it more of a lower body thing.
The workout was 3 times through of:
20 deadlifts (35 Lb)
20 side step ups with knee raise (both sides)
20 lawn mower pulls (each side, 13 Lb)
20 deep goblet squats (13 Lb)
20 "kettlebell" swings (25 Lb)
20 side raise crunches (each side, 25 Lb)
20 hanging ab crunches
Then 30 minutes on the hill endurance program of the elliptical and that was that.
I am tired, but I feel good!
J and I spent last night scheming and have a plan to build his stage now from suspended spandex pieces. Should be able to do the set for less than $300 and now that it's all planned out, once we build it the first time it'll be smooth sailing. We may end up with too much fabric, since it stretches and I haven't worked with it on a large scale before but you can create some really cool shapes with it that really look amazing when you shine some LED coloured lights on them. It's fun to scheme :) I like when I get to build stuff with J...his boss said they haveminimal budget for a set so we're doing this and pitching in what we have to ourselves to make him amazed at what we can do. I think, unless we're really REALLY uncoordinated, it should look great! I'll take some pictures once it's built and lit...
Must dash. So glad it's friday, but it's another full day. I feel awesome - had my monthly scale check and I'm quite stellar! Definitely back down form the christmas indulgences, and my muscle tone is really coming back in my back and arms. It's very encouraging :)
I stumbled across this band last night on a friend's recommendation. It's "electroswing" music. Soo Very Catchy. I'm thinking I'll be picking up this album very soon. I love this kinda stuff!
And, I'm off! Have a fantastic weekend guys!!!
The workout was 3 times through of:
20 deadlifts (35 Lb)
20 side step ups with knee raise (both sides)
20 lawn mower pulls (each side, 13 Lb)
20 deep goblet squats (13 Lb)
20 "kettlebell" swings (25 Lb)
20 side raise crunches (each side, 25 Lb)
20 hanging ab crunches
Then 30 minutes on the hill endurance program of the elliptical and that was that.
I am tired, but I feel good!
J and I spent last night scheming and have a plan to build his stage now from suspended spandex pieces. Should be able to do the set for less than $300 and now that it's all planned out, once we build it the first time it'll be smooth sailing. We may end up with too much fabric, since it stretches and I haven't worked with it on a large scale before but you can create some really cool shapes with it that really look amazing when you shine some LED coloured lights on them. It's fun to scheme :) I like when I get to build stuff with J...his boss said they haveminimal budget for a set so we're doing this and pitching in what we have to ourselves to make him amazed at what we can do. I think, unless we're really REALLY uncoordinated, it should look great! I'll take some pictures once it's built and lit...
Must dash. So glad it's friday, but it's another full day. I feel awesome - had my monthly scale check and I'm quite stellar! Definitely back down form the christmas indulgences, and my muscle tone is really coming back in my back and arms. It's very encouraging :)
I stumbled across this band last night on a friend's recommendation. It's "electroswing" music. Soo Very Catchy. I'm thinking I'll be picking up this album very soon. I love this kinda stuff!
And, I'm off! Have a fantastic weekend guys!!!
sweaty palms
I was unaware, until today, that the back of my hands could sweat during a workout. Yup. Today was a tough spin class and in addition the room was very warm. Usually there is a big fan to turn on on days like this but for some reason it was MIA, so by the end of it I was sweating like crazy. She went a bit longer too, so we got a good solid 50 minutes of spin today-whew. I did a few ab things at the end and I am so very ready for my day. I am stiff from yesterdays tough workout in odd places too, so I feel very Amazon today. Strong :)
A friend of mine sent me this.
I had told her about feeling amazon and super strong lately and this was her response about her new super powers :) Made me laugh out loud. I think tough workouts and marathons should reward you with a cape at the end. I mean medals are cool, but a cape? I'd be in for it :)
Must be off to another busy day of work and finishing up my paper draft. It is coming along nicely and needs some serious proofing and a few things added, but it's coming together well...just keep swimming...
A friend of mine sent me this.
Must be off to another busy day of work and finishing up my paper draft. It is coming along nicely and needs some serious proofing and a few things added, but it's coming together well...just keep swimming...
Oh Vannah?
This morning was sculpt class. The instructor Mel (she who often yells in spin) hurt her neck at her job lifting a client (she is an EMT) so she was healed up enough to teach, but couldn't demo all the moves we did in class. And guess who she used as her demo for good form for a lot of the moves today? Me! He hee. So proud of myself for getting stronger inside and out. A few years ago I would have been mortified to be singled out and watched by a class of 20 people. Now, I just focused on doing the move right and took it as a compliment :) Being able to do proper form for harder moves like 1 legged squats and planks and behind the head shoulder presses has been something I've worked on for a while now. A "non scale victory" if ever there was one.
*grin*
And it was a good workout. We even did a few bicep curls with our palms down and it worked the forearm muscles...weird feeling when you use muscles you don't often use. It was a bit light on the legs overall today, but since I did some yesterday I don't feel cheated. Now it's off for a busy day and busy evening. Having Dad come to visit monday and tuesday was nice, but I certainly didn't get any work done. Turns out J needs my help desperately to plan, prep and help him build a stage saturday (which he's still planning...he heh...um...oh dear my luv is such a procrastinator) so I'm trying desperately to get a good final draft of my paper done around that for friday AM with greatly reduced time so that my supervisors can take it with them when they are away next week. It's reading week so they get a holiday. Lucky sods.
Dad and I went grocery shopping last night, since I had to go and we just wanted to visit (and J was working) so it was fun and odd to wander and buy my groceries with Dad. Just nice to spend time with him, you know? We had a little of my blueberry wine when we got home while unpacking it all and visited until late so I'm a bit tired, but it was worth it. He heads home today and I will miss him.
Hope you all have a good day. I'm gearing up for 4 or 5 days of crazy ending with a good old friend of ours visiting from China on the weekend. Just have to survive and get there first without overdoing it and killing myself or my spouse in the process!!
Courage. :)
*grin*
And it was a good workout. We even did a few bicep curls with our palms down and it worked the forearm muscles...weird feeling when you use muscles you don't often use. It was a bit light on the legs overall today, but since I did some yesterday I don't feel cheated. Now it's off for a busy day and busy evening. Having Dad come to visit monday and tuesday was nice, but I certainly didn't get any work done. Turns out J needs my help desperately to plan, prep and help him build a stage saturday (which he's still planning...he heh...um...oh dear my luv is such a procrastinator) so I'm trying desperately to get a good final draft of my paper done around that for friday AM with greatly reduced time so that my supervisors can take it with them when they are away next week. It's reading week so they get a holiday. Lucky sods.
Dad and I went grocery shopping last night, since I had to go and we just wanted to visit (and J was working) so it was fun and odd to wander and buy my groceries with Dad. Just nice to spend time with him, you know? We had a little of my blueberry wine when we got home while unpacking it all and visited until late so I'm a bit tired, but it was worth it. He heads home today and I will miss him.
Hope you all have a good day. I'm gearing up for 4 or 5 days of crazy ending with a good old friend of ours visiting from China on the weekend. Just have to survive and get there first without overdoing it and killing myself or my spouse in the process!!
Courage. :)
twice is nice
Last night we went out for supper for my Dad's birthday...for chinese food again! He hee. Yum. :)
I missed bellydance class and could have made part of it after supper but I was full and tired, so we just came home after to relax instead instead of rushing around madly to try and get in a bit of dancing. After I came home I was feeling chilly so I curled up with the cats and my fuzzy penguin blanket from my Mum by the heat dish with some music and ended up napping for an hour...and then decided to just go to bed early! I suppose I needed some sleep and it's a long week ahead. I felt great this morning so it was the right thing to do, even tho it means more work for me today.
Workout today was spin class with a new instructor. I really liked her. She made you work hard, but without the yelling :) Wore my new black nike dri-fit sports crop top (like new for $5 -Value Village score!) and new blue Lorna Jane tank top and felt good...always makes me work hard when I'm feeling good in my workout clothes. My tank top was very sweaty by the end so I know I got my workout in. After the 45 minutes of spin I threw in some extra leg bonus...basically the leg moves from the monday DailyHiit "Thriftshop" workout without the squat jumps (they aggravate my knee). Due to time, I did only just one "round" through of it and 25 reps of each exercise instead of a timed 50 seconds work /10 seconds rest because I forgot to put the new battery in my interval timer (heh oops).
The bonus workout was:
-squat with a knee raise medicine ball side twist, right leg (8Lb medicine ball)
-deep squats with shoulder raises (5 Lb dumbbells)
-Diamond squat jump jacks
-Diamond lunges with weight (8Lb medicine ball, back lunge + side lunge, 15 each each leg)
-squat knee raise medicine ball side twist, left leg (8Lb medicine ball)
-Squats with side leg raises (both sides)
After I had more of my coffee enhanced"mocha madness" protein and a good breakfast (banana+1/2c granola+1/4c yogurt). I have decided on my new mini goal for Feb - take my vitamins daily. I don't and I should, so I'm going to try and get back to it. Since there is a place in my new protein shaker for vitamins I have no excuse. I know my stomach is bothered when I take them on an empty stomach so it seems like the perfect solution. Day one is done.
And now? Time to get to work.
I ordered some bellydance pants and 2 tops on the internet with a friend from class from BellyDanceDigs...so pumped for them to arrive...I'm going to be such a keener checking my mail every day until they get here :)
Later taters!!
I missed bellydance class and could have made part of it after supper but I was full and tired, so we just came home after to relax instead instead of rushing around madly to try and get in a bit of dancing. After I came home I was feeling chilly so I curled up with the cats and my fuzzy penguin blanket from my Mum by the heat dish with some music and ended up napping for an hour...and then decided to just go to bed early! I suppose I needed some sleep and it's a long week ahead. I felt great this morning so it was the right thing to do, even tho it means more work for me today.
The bonus workout was:
-squat with a knee raise medicine ball side twist, right leg (8Lb medicine ball)
-deep squats with shoulder raises (5 Lb dumbbells)
-Diamond squat jump jacks
-Diamond lunges with weight (8Lb medicine ball, back lunge + side lunge, 15 each each leg)
-squat knee raise medicine ball side twist, left leg (8Lb medicine ball)
-Squats with side leg raises (both sides)
After I had more of my coffee enhanced"mocha madness" protein and a good breakfast (banana+1/2c granola+1/4c yogurt). I have decided on my new mini goal for Feb - take my vitamins daily. I don't and I should, so I'm going to try and get back to it. Since there is a place in my new protein shaker for vitamins I have no excuse. I know my stomach is bothered when I take them on an empty stomach so it seems like the perfect solution. Day one is done.
And now? Time to get to work.
I ordered some bellydance pants and 2 tops on the internet with a friend from class from BellyDanceDigs...so pumped for them to arrive...I'm going to be such a keener checking my mail every day until they get here :)
Later taters!!
spiders and cheating
Well today I was up and in for spin and sculpt class. A solid workout. I feel good. As a bonus - My mum-in -law picked me up some more chocolate protein powder at Costco (I like the chocolate Kaizen brand - decent quality whey protein that tastes good for good price) so this morning I had a protein shake after my workout for the first time in the new year (ran out before christmas). On a whim I added a half a teaspoon of instant coffee to the scoop of chocolate mix and it was very tasty. This is a decent protein powder for a fair price. Good amount of protein, not loaded with cholesterol and no fakey sugary taste...nice and chocolatey -turns out the coffee makes it taste like the uberexpensive iso-100 mocha flavoured protein powder I love but can't really afford. The Kaizen is $55 for 2 Kg. About 1/3 the price of the other stuff.
I also tried out my new black Spider 2go shaker bottle and I have to say - it rocks. It's a huge step up form the tupperware gravy shaker I was using before (what? it kinda worked...) It's even got little screw on bits at the bottom for vitamins or keys or extra protein powder or what have you. Perfect for people like me who leave the house at stupid o'clock and don't get home until late - no baggies or pouches of powder or vitamins to stash in your bag or purse anymore. But most of all - the little springy thing in it really works -it really does make perfectly mixed, foamy yummy protein shakes. Two giant thumbs up from me! Seriously the best designed shaker bottle I've ever seen. It's like a lab tool...for my muscles. Muahaha!
...anyways...ahem...
I had my first what you'd call weekly "cheat" meal last night in my new stricter-eating uberfrau plan. It was J's Dad's birthday so we had chinese food. I was good with the main meal and also had an egg roll and piece of apple pie with a bit of ice cream. So very good. I'm slowly learning that I can enjoy my favourite foods without gorging myself to blechiness on them. Only took me 39 years to start to figure it out. Go figure.
Must be off. It's a gorgeous -6 out today and I have much to do before I get to go celebrate *my* Dad's birthday tonight after work.
Have a good one!
...anyways...ahem...
I had my first what you'd call weekly "cheat" meal last night in my new stricter-eating uberfrau plan. It was J's Dad's birthday so we had chinese food. I was good with the main meal and also had an egg roll and piece of apple pie with a bit of ice cream. So very good. I'm slowly learning that I can enjoy my favourite foods without gorging myself to blechiness on them. Only took me 39 years to start to figure it out. Go figure.
Must be off. It's a gorgeous -6 out today and I have much to do before I get to go celebrate *my* Dad's birthday tonight after work.
Have a good one!
Saturday workouts rule.
I was up early to have breakfast with J before he headed out for a day of shooting stuff (on camera, not with guns). After some errands and shovelling the walk I had time for a workout, so I banged out ZWOW 54 twice through and now I'm off to the land of paper writing. Fantastic overall workout.
I feel AMAZING!
I feel AMAZING!
busy!!
Whew! busy day. Finally have a minute to post as I am snarfing down a peach pecan muffin I made last night (yum) and chugging a coffee before getting back to an experiment...that way I won't kill anyone with my grumpiness because I get a late lunch today! Yup, today is flying by.
This AM I was up and in for spin and sculpt class. It was really tough this morning for some reason. It took a while for me to cool down form the spin part, so a few of the shoulder exercises I did were a bit half assed, since I had to stop intermittently and walk around form lightheadedness. Once I cooled down a bit more I was OK and had a nice workout. I feel great and ready for a loooooong day. This weekend J has lots of work to do, so I will do the same, working here on stuff for a few hours but mostly on my cursed paper which is finally coming vaguely together...it takes a while to really look at how you can present everything logically, and now that I've spewed everything I have on the page I can start to edit and shape into a coherent document. I have a week to get it to final draft, so I need to get to it.
It's a balmy -21 today. Woo!
Gotta go!!!
This AM I was up and in for spin and sculpt class. It was really tough this morning for some reason. It took a while for me to cool down form the spin part, so a few of the shoulder exercises I did were a bit half assed, since I had to stop intermittently and walk around form lightheadedness. Once I cooled down a bit more I was OK and had a nice workout. I feel great and ready for a loooooong day. This weekend J has lots of work to do, so I will do the same, working here on stuff for a few hours but mostly on my cursed paper which is finally coming vaguely together...it takes a while to really look at how you can present everything logically, and now that I've spewed everything I have on the page I can start to edit and shape into a coherent document. I have a week to get it to final draft, so I need to get to it.
It's a balmy -21 today. Woo!
Gotta go!!!
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