Day 7: Wow I can do a lot in the morning :)

This morning went well. I got up at 5:15 and went on the elliptical at resistance 2 and 15% incline for 36 minutes and then 4 more minutes of cool down...the robot said I burned about 500 calories. I wanted to do 38 minutes but my asthma told me it was enough, so I didn't push it. Breathing is a good thing. In the midst of this I also did a few chores, made lunch and a load of laundry. Time was tight, but it is nice to know that after a long day I'll get home to less to do.
We're really getting organised and it's really encouraging me. After finally finishing up moving things to the computer room upstairs I've been doing some more decluttering and organising. What is left downstairs is now J's stuff, so he can do what he wants with it. We moved a bit of furniture around yesterday, and it's looking even better...not perfect, but I am quite happy with how things are now. For the first time in ages I feel like I live in a normal house...like if my Mum just showed up out of the blue I wouldn't be embarrassed to let her in, you know? It's not perfect by any means, but there has been so much clutter and disorder for so long with renos and reorganising that it's almost a physical release to have things "sort of" in order. I still have some work to do in my craft room and in a week we're renoing the kitchen so everything in it will then be downstairs in boxes (*sigh*) BUT at least it's not piles on top of other piles...it'll just be that to redo once the kitchen is fixed up. So much easier. I have to book the gasman and pick out a faucet and grout colour (light grey or blue I think)...but other than that, I think I'm ready for a parental visit and some kitchen renos. Maybe even some Christmas decorations too. Woo.

It's been a good day so far and it's not even 8 AM :)

I love it when things start out this way.

Workout CD of the week: Plastic Compilation Vo. 2

Day 6: much better

Well today went much better. I was up at the right time (check and rechecked the clock this time!) and I worked out to my ball DVD, and have had a yummy breakfast. Oatmeal and blueberries. Yum yum yum.
Plus, I do believe I may actually be done editing my MSc proposal (finally...who knew you could edit something so many times. It's much better for it, but I've no patience for editing...and one of mys supervisors is a stickler for grammar. Fun fun fun!). Tonight I get to hang out with my friend Heather who I never get so see because of her shift work. We don't have any grand plans...just catching up on a whole month of missed time. I can't wait...
On the plus side, I had my first weekly scale weigh in ages...I was good and didn't step on before I said I would. We have a cheapy old scale so I *think* I am down at least a half pound, but it will take another month to be sure...the needle is definitely below 134 now...more in between 134 and 133 and sort of touching 133. So I'm "<134." Woo! Going down is all I'd hoped for. It may take another week or so to see for sure. Encouraging. Definitely.
Have a great day K? :)

Day 5: Gong show

In my brilliance I set my alarm last night, but didn't actually turn it ON.
Yeah. Smart.
Luckily I woke up about 10 minutes before I had to leave for work, so after some frantic rushing I didn't miss my bus, although I am not feeling at all fresh or perky or any other adjective I was hoping to apply to my morning. So, needless to say I didn't get to workout this AM, unless you count frantically running for the bus a bit of a workout :). Luckily I keep a stash of soy milk and cereal at work, so I could snarf breakfast once I got here, but jeez...what a way to start a day. I know I was preoccupied with editing my proposal (AGAIN...sigh) and my Mum when I did it. I'm sort of caught up now with my day so it'll go OK from here...I think.

I was talking to my folks last night and my Mum is going into the hospital for a few days starting today so she can undergo observation for her heart. She was having some coughing and weak spells the past few weeks and they want to observe her heart and make sure she's getting what she needs, medication and treatment wise, and that nothing new has developed. My Mum has initial congestive heart failure and has had a heart flutter for many years. She has a valve that doesn't entierly function, so she's been on blood thinners for that too. The last few years she has had to take much greater care of her medication and herself as her heart has really weakened a lot.
I admit I'm a bit freaked. I can't help it. Her Mum (my grandma) started down this slope a few years before she passed away of heart failure..the same kind of thing. It's very possible that my Mum's heart is just starting to wear out like Grandma's did towards the end. I mean, my Mum is 75. Of course, on the other hand, it could just mean she needs her medication adjusted and was doing too much again. My mum doesn't really know the meaning of "slow down" so I can see her fidgeting her way to exhaustion. She just can't do as much as she used to and I know it frustrated her. It took her a while to learn to keep a slower pace.
My Dad didn't sound overly worried, so I'm trying not to be. I know he would have said something if he felt it was serious. At any rate, they are both coming up to visit before Christmas. Dad will help me with the kitchen (and Mum will supervise!) so that will be delayed for about a week. No biggie. My Mom was actually apologising for putting off the visit! Silly woman. I told her to let the doctors take care of her and I'd see her in a week.

I heart my Mum.

Day 4: Cardio

Well, I hit snooze this morning...it was a hard morning. I did get up though and went on the elliptical. I worked out for 38 minutes, with resistance 2 and incline 15%. I tried 20% but after about 10 minutes I moved back to 15%...The last 10 minutes or so were a chore, but I knew I was in the home stretch so I finished them. Then I did 4 minutes slow for a cool down and then a few stretches. I feel the better for it after a hot shower and some oatmeal.
My arms are tired from yesterday. I had bellydance class and we did a lot of arm work, with tribal arms and torso twists. We also learned hip circle twists and practiced all that in a trio. They are simple moves but they looks so pretty done in trio formation. We did some zill work too, which made for quite exhausted arms at the end. It's still sort of like learning to play the piano with matching up zills to hipwork...they're totally different things and it will take some practice to get them working independantly. Lots of fun though...and the cats hate them...heh heh. A girl I work with says her dogs love them...she's clicker trained them so they think when she is playing zills that they are the best dogs in the whole world! :)
By the end I was quite happy to go home to some soup and grilled cheese and relax a bit with J. I was tired but happy. As a plus, the performance tribal group is performing at the local Festival of Trees tonight after work, so we're going to go watch them...I'm quite excited.. They're goooooood. :)

After soup reclamation we went out to get some supplies to paint the rims on our car. They're cheap crappy boring black rims, so J had the idea to paint parts of them up yellow to match the car, just for the hell of it. We'll see how it goes...if they're not too laughable I'll post some photos.
If they look rediculous we can jsut paint them black again! It's strange enough to not have our snow tires on yet...we figure we'd better get at it as they'll likely need to be on next weekend...I can't see the lack of snow lasting all the way to christmas. It looks like temps will start stayingbelow 0 next week so we'll finally be at winter. I'm ready. It's been a rather warm fall and it's not proper putting up christmas stuff without snow...

I must say, I'm looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow. Plus, we're going out for a posh dinner together...it'll be fun to spiff up and have a dinner date. It's been a while. And it'll be sushi. Yum...:)
Have a great weekend!

Day 3: Exerball

Well, again, up and at them at 5:15 and did my exercise ball workout. I was still a bit stiff, and again the push ups were hard, but I did it. My stomach muscles were very fatigued by the end. I'm sure I'll feel them tomorrow...and I think I'm getting used to the drinking more water thing after nearly a week. I'm not going the the bathroom 8 thousand times a day anymore - that was getting annoying. I am thirsty much more...even though I am easily drinking 8 glasses of water in a day. Makes me wonder how thirsty I was before...and maybe how much my thirst was making me hungry...I used to just drink other liquids, mostly coffee. Now they are on *top* of the water. Hopefully I can keep this up...

Last night I did some more organizing near the "workout" space in the basement and it's reached my level of OK now. Seeing as it's J's space, I've almost moved all the books upstairs that I can and the rest of the stuff is all his gear, so it is up to him to organise and move around to his liking. Otherwise he won't be able to find anything. It doesn't look like the bookshelf and desk vomited all over the room anymore...that's all *I* care about! I didn't realise how much it bugged me until it was cleaned up.
I also made a thought link up this morning...getting up at 5:15 means I can throw in a load of laundry and it's done by the time I'm done my workout and hopping in the shower...so if I get behind on laundry, I *can* actually adjust to keep on top of it. I did laundry this AM and it times out rather nice and doesn't add more than 3 minutes to my morning. Good to know. I may be able to keep it together during grad studies. The anticipation is kinda freaking me out, so anything I can do to help keep up sure puts my mind at ease...
Maybe.
To me it's just wrong to be excited about new a way to do laundry...maybe I'm turning into my Mum.
Help...

Day 2 - Cardio

Wella well. I have emerged from my comfy warm bed victoriously this morning to wander downstairs to workout on the elliptical. I did 35 minutes at 15% incline and resistance 2. I kept in the endurance range on the RPM (60-70 RPM)and i must say - the last 5 minutes were tough, as my muscles were fatigued. I wanted to do 40 at high speed, but I chose to 35 full out and then 4 more minutes at a low speed for a cooldown, just to make sure I didn't over do it too much. I don't want to do too much too fast and hurt myself. It will take a few weeks to build up to the 45 minutes at high speed that I used to do, but it wasn't terrible. I didn't get short of breath and kept a good pace. The elliptical says I burned 495 calories. I have no idea how accurate that is, but it is encouraging. I can tell I pushed myself a bit yeaterday as my major muscles have that ache you get when you've pushed them a bit. It's nice to have a tangible reminder of what you've done...it's a *good* kind of stiff. :)

I've decided that I will pick different music I haven't heard in a while as workout tracks every week to keep me motivated. This morning was Ganga Giri, who I stumbled upon last summer. They are an electronic/dance band I saw at Shambhala...great stuff to get you moving. I love the internet...because I was looking for a video or audio clip from them to post here and lo and behold there is a clip from the ACTUAL show I saw them at :) Life is cool sometimes! Have a listen...


I've had a good breakfast, and am sitting here with my water bottle, ready for the day. I feel so...good. :)
Last night I got some more organizing done downstairs...we started to move the computer area upstairs a long long time ago...and then got busy...and then discouraged, but for some reason last night I felt like attacking it...and quite honestly because my parents are coming in a bit and I don't want them to comment on how the area they helped me renovate LAST Christmas still hasn't been fully relocated and organised yet. It is ridiculous what you can ignore when you are busy/determined/lazy enough. :) It feels good to get it done.
Last night I had our bread robot make some potato bread. YUM. I love just loading it up, walking away and then coming back ~4 hours later to yummy bread :) I tried to make a healthy supper...but made too much of it. I have to work on portions. Pita "pizzas" made with pitas topped with pesto, spinach, feta and peppers and baked were yummy and healthy...but having 3 of them (I was starving) sort of negates the whole health factor! Ah well...I won't beat myself up about it. I have to focus on just learning to make less or putting less on my plate...cuz if it is there, I will eat it. Portion size is always my downfall...
Have a great day all. I'm off to the lab.

Day one - Exerball

Well I did it :)
this morning I got up and did my Exercise ball DVD workout. It was tough doing the pushup section of it...you are supposed to fatigue your muscles. I sure did! My shoulders are definitely less strong than they used to be. It felt good to work out again though...I love that slight burn feeling when you push yourself a bit. Tomorrow is cardio. :) I have decided I am only going to weigh myself every week on monday morning. I am also trying to drink 8 full glasses of water every day. So far this has resulted in me getting up a zillion times in the night, but I will try to better time out my water today...plus I'm assuming my body will adjust in a while...here's hoping! I feel like I'm spending half my day in the bathroom :)

I had a good breakfast (my current breakfast obsession is oatmeal with blueberries and a dash of milk) and I'm now at work, psyching myself up for a meeting with my 2 (likely) project co-supervisors. With any luck it will go well, and all my paperwork will be submitted by the end of the week.
Then I will do the funky dance, because I can finally relax and let the upper admin people do what they do and know my application is completed. There is a possibility of my tuition being funded for part of this too. I am so blessed. I just want to hear the official go ahead so I can celebrate properly :)

Later: Meeting went well. I'm in the home stretch. I have two really helpful but really picky supervisors. They will push me to be my best. I'm glad. :)

I must be off - meetings and then a whole day of (yawn) data entry awaits.
Cheerio my good peeps.

Have a fantastic day!

And so it begins...

Wow...17 bags of leaves and 2 days later, I finished the yard. I then went and soaked in the local pool hot tub for a while...I'm glad I did. I'm super stiff and I bet I'd have been completely seized up if I hadn't. It was so nice, and I'm glad the yard is ready for winter for another year.
I stepped on the scale today and I am 134. So, I'm using that as a start point. I'm going to try to be down to 130 by New Year's Day. Given my creaky status I didn't work out today, but tomorrow it will be up and at them. I already feel less creaky and I'm sure by tomorrow morning I will be good to go...I was having trouble putting lids on containers last night I was so stiff...heh. I figured I'd better give myself a break after all the crazy raking. I spent the weekend catching up on lots of home stuff, and feel rather sane again...sometimes you just need to be home for a bit, you know?
After the Santa Claus parade yesterday I really feel like the holidays are here. I spent the day with family having a belated birthday dinner and it was nice, going to peek at J's brother's family's new house that's being built. I'm very excited for them. Plus, our provincial team won the western football finals yesterday so they'll be in the Grey Cup this year. I swear the whole province is nuts and coated in the team colours. I confess I don't follow football, but even I will likely get sucked into watching Grey Cup this year with the Roughriders in it. Rider pride is contagious...even I, an avid sports ignorer, am being dragged into it :)
Must be off...lots to do. Have a good day :)

I'm a genius!

I have figured out how to make my own version of Udon soup here at home. I have made it 2 nights in a row because it is so delicious. Veggies...noodles...shrimp...yum...and pretty healthy too.

Want some? My recipe is here.

Body for Geo

OK, this weekend J will be away, so besides doing lots of work to finish up my MSc stuff, I plan on cleaning the house (it really never ends...) and, yes - working out. Don't be shocked. It is true. My ass will be moving. Not sittign reading and eating popcorn. Oh no, I'm building a list and I'll check it twice.
I was looking at photos from a friend of mine, who recently lost about 20lbs and thought..."man. She looks amazing!" Then I looked at myself and went "meh". Don't get me wrong, I'm a bit of alright, but I'm not in the best shape of my life like I was a few years ago. I want to get a hold on organizing my life so when grad studies start I get in my exercise and eat well with as little stress as possible. I want to pick away at the last 10ish Lbs I keep carrying around now that my body has plateaued at my new weight. Not only will it give me more energy, happy juice and feed my brain and help me sleep, but it will give me a stress relief I get no other way.

After cleaning and halfass organising my house this weekend (as parent are coming to visit for over a week to help renovate in December) I will get on planning my kitchen panel windows and then start working on a menu plan and exercise plan for next month. I am cringing about the exercising, as I know it will mean getting up at 5:15 (ick) but I did it before. All the time. It was so much simpler when J was up at that hour for work...it's much harder knowing I'll be int he shower before he even cracks an eye, but I know I can do it. Beacause I *have* done it. I need to get it as a part of routine before my routine ramps up even further. And the thing is, right now the weather is fantastic...all the snow melted and it's ~-5. For mid november that's positively tropical. I should at least be walking.
After a week I'll feel fanfreaktastic and the stiffies will ahve faded....and I hope by Christmas to have lost 3Lbs. That seems reasonable right? It's a good way to start and a small goal is doable. In a week or so I'll be getting next month's groceries, so if I have a weeks food plan by then I can really relieve my stress that way. Scrumpy suggested doing that and the more I think about it the more I like it. If nothing else, just having a list of 2 weeks worth of meals purchased and written down in a book will save me. I love to cook, but hate deciding what to make...this takes the pain out of it all. Less stress.

You know, a part of me would really like to do Body for Life. A friend of mine did and wow - she looked incredible. But it fades if you don't keep it up...and I don't want to go to a gym-I want to be able to do it at home. I enjoy it, but I know me. If I can't fit it in to my morning it ain't gonna happen. Plus I want a workout I can live with...not just do for 10 weeks and then wonder what's next. I think I may design my own "Body for Geo" plan and use their base plan to set up workouts I can do at home with my ball, freeweights and elliptical. I'm looking at picking up some resistance bands this month too- my Woman of Power workout from Fat Chance Bellydance has a section where you use a pole and elastic resistance band...and I want to do it for one of my workouts...so I will get on it. It is a good solid 45 minute all over workout...a good place to start. I just haven't been home at all to do this stuff. I make my life too busy...then get behind. Plus in a fit of delerium I made a promise to enter a winter half/full marathon in February...heh heh. Yeah.
Time to relax, recoup and pull on my adult pants. :)
Beacuse I know that most of all I need to look after me. I go slightly nutty when I get busy and put myself last...and the sanity gets worse from there on in. If I can figure out what I want and then do it...well I bet it will be a very good thing :)

Tonight's workout is to rake half the back yard...then finish all the raking up tomorrow. I have to get it done before snow comes...here's crossing my fingers...anyone know how many calories you use up raking??