Well heidi ho, poppits and greetings from Phoenix! I won't taunt you with the weather, sparing those of you in cold & snowy or rainy other places. I will tell you, however, that it hasn't been all "fun-in-the-sun" weather here. As a matter of fact, I got caught in a rain storm (thunder & lightning included!) as I was walking home from my bro's office one day. Of course, every CSI episode came back to haunt me as I imagined myself getting struck by lightning and/or having my brain fried through electrocution while listenting to my iPhone. Clearly my imagination was in overdrive on that day. OK, I know what you're thinking..."when ISN'T her imagination in overdrive?!?" Fair point...
So, what have been I up to and why have I titled this entry as "manic highs & lows"? Well, that's how I've been feeling. Clearly it's the sugar detox that has some effect, but I have been going on such an emotional roller coaster these past few days. On the positive side, I've been getting tremendous, positive feedback about my weight loss and how great I look. That's always a booster. However, the low's have come from the verbal self-flagellation associated with my lack of control over my eating. There was one low point, after I'd INHALED about 10 cookies, where I thought to myself "Yvonne, you've become a pig." Honestly, I called myself a "pig". I was so full from over-eating at dinner and yet that didn't stop me from eating 10 cookies. The sad part was, I didn't even realize I was eating them. Before I knew what I was doing, I had just eaten them...like I was on pig-out auto pilot. Pathetic, really...that's how I was feeling.
So, as many of you can predict, my self-destructive internal critic "Michelle" was in her heyday, calling me all kinds of names and telling me terrible things like...
"You're not going to get into your clothes" ... and "Look at your face. It's fat and your double chin is back".... and "You'll never climb The Inca Trail if you keep eating like this". I'm telling you, I was really feeling at an all-time low. I'm not sure if my brother was able to figure this out, as most of my self-abuse was internal, but I felt like I was too fat and ugly to do anything.
.... then came the hike to "The Summit"...another trail on Squaw Peak.
The scene...John, myself and nephews Tommy, Craig and Mark drove to the bottom of The Summit where we were to meet Cornelia and Gina. The boys were pumped and Mark, being the yoga guru, showed us some stretches. We started talking about The Inca Trail and Mark was telling us about his climb of Mt. Everest and the challenges he faced. He's so upbeat and was so excited for us about The Inca Trail that I started to get excited too. Admittedly, I was a bit intimidated looking at the trail we were about to climb, but when Craig said, "take it slowly Aunt Yvonne and you'll be able to do it. We're not in any rush", I started to feel better. When Cornelia and Gina joined us, I was feeling cautiously optimistic when we began the ascent....
It was REALLY challenging - partly because of the GOBS of people also doing the trek, but mostly because it was rough terrain and lots of rough "stairs" to the climb. What a PERFECT trail to prepare us for the Inca Trail! I was so happy that John & Cornelia have this hike and, admittedly, a bit jealous that I couldn't do it with them the whole winter. Sooooo, if anyone has any work for me in the Phoenix area, please feel free to contact me!!!
OK, so I didn't do the entire climb, I stopped climbing after the .75 mile point and headed down. I felt like I was getting tired and knew I needed to keep my strength for the tough descent. Besides, I knew it was time to head down when I almost slugged a few people for laligagging on the trail...imagine they felt it was an opportuntiy to socialize!! Who does a 1.5 mile hike up rough terrain in the boiling sun just for fun?!? What's the matter with these people?!? But I digress...
Thanks to John for giving me my hiking poles as my knees were spared alot of pressure! So, John & I will go back to The Summit at least twice before I head back to Toronto. My goal is to do the full climb. I know now to eat something before I go and to make more frequent stops along the way, if I need to. John's goal is to climb the Summit twice in one day by the end of February. "Go-go, daddy-o!" is what I say to that!!
So, I'm feeling much better about myself now..thank goodness! Although Michelle peaks her head up every once in a while, I'm doing a much better job of restraining my eating. John & I walk our 8 KM walk every morning, so that's a great way to start the day. To really show myself that I actually CAN restrain my urges, I have 8 chewy mint candies sitting on my dresser. My goal is to eat NONE of them...to look at them every day and say "nah, you're not worth it" and walk away. At some point during the week, my goal is to actually stop noticing them! So far so good! Also to celebrate resisting eating the leftover cookies and pie that are sitting in the kitchen. I'm back to my protein shakes and salads, so that's been very helpful. John is also restricting himself, so that has been helpful. Yeah to us!!!
Before I sign off, I wanted to tell you about my friend, Ann, who I reconnected with today after something like 8 years. The last time I saw Ann, she was, like 60 lbs. heavier. She looks TOTALLY amazing, even after a second baby, and has been doing really well. It was so great to reconnect with her and I left feeling GREAT about all I've accomplished on the diet and work front. She has always been a great supporter of mine, believing in me, encouraging me and leading by example for me. Ann has raised two boys, who are SO GREAT - well-behaved, respectful of each other, smart, fun, yada-yada! I've always admired Ann's "just do it" attitude and I was, once again, reminded of her resiliency, tenacity and amazing positive outlook. I am soooo glad she is back in my life.
Well poppits, time to sign off. Given that we're up tomorrow for another walk at 5:45 in the am, it's almost bed time for this bonzo!
As you look back on 2009, I hope you will feel proud of all you've accomplished and look forward to all you will accomplish in 2010! The sky's the limit, poppits, and know that I am walking beside ya,toasting your successes with really yummy champagne!
Cheers to us!!
(a) yt xox
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Have you been naughty or nice?
Personally, I'd like a definition of "naughty" before I answer that question...
Well, tonight is the night when Santa Claus delivers all the presents to the good boys & girls, poppin' his jolly, round butt and cookies-and-milk-filled belly down chimneys around the world. Not sure how he does it, or how the whole condos & apartment buildings thing works, but he does a pretty good job of delivering good cheer. Three cheers to the fat guy in the red suit!
Tonight I head to Sun City for dinner & stimulating conversation with my family. My sister Dianne and hubby Denis & their two boys (Craig & Mark) will be our hosts, with sister Kathy, her son Tommy and bro John & partner Jimmy along for the food and beverages! It's all good. I've been "saving myself" for the food that is today and tomorrow, although I could've done a better job of on the "saving myself", truth be told.
True confession time, poppits...I've been overdosing on sugar treats. Remember I told you how I couldn't keep my hands off of the hard candies that seem to be everywhere? Well, yesterday I went into a See's Candies retail store. See's is like our Laura Secord, without the yummy eggs at Easter. They have lots of boxed chocolates and other treats, including these REALLY YUMMY peppermint candies. They're puffy and melt in your melt and are very hard for me to resist. So, despite the HUGE number of CRAZY senior citizens in the store...harassing the staff to show them their discount...demanding free chocolate samples ... yelling "WHERE'S THE SUGAR FREE STUFF!!!" over and over in the middle of the shop...despite these distractions, I still managed to grab a bag of the yummy peppermints. Oh, I shared...like, 10 of them with my brother, but I ate the ENTIRE rest of the bag myself. I just couldn't stop myself. I may as well have been the crazy old lady in the middle of the store shouting, "WHERE ARE THE PEPPERMINT PUFFY CANDIES?!?" I'm guessing that will be me sometime mid-next week, strung out and suffering from sugar withdrawals...sigh...
Well, I should sign off. I can hear my brother John, frantically doing last minute gift wrapping in the other room. He's so stressed that even dog, Pearl, is avoiding the room. Perhaps I'll offer him my help (and take a peek at the presents!!)...or maybe I'll just curl up for a nap...gotta love vacations!!
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and all the other stuff that goes with the love and spirit of the season. Remember to leave out cookies and milk for Santa and to believe in the goodness of humanity. Also remember the awesome post-Christmas sales!!
(a) yt xox
Well, tonight is the night when Santa Claus delivers all the presents to the good boys & girls, poppin' his jolly, round butt and cookies-and-milk-filled belly down chimneys around the world. Not sure how he does it, or how the whole condos & apartment buildings thing works, but he does a pretty good job of delivering good cheer. Three cheers to the fat guy in the red suit!
Tonight I head to Sun City for dinner & stimulating conversation with my family. My sister Dianne and hubby Denis & their two boys (Craig & Mark) will be our hosts, with sister Kathy, her son Tommy and bro John & partner Jimmy along for the food and beverages! It's all good. I've been "saving myself" for the food that is today and tomorrow, although I could've done a better job of on the "saving myself", truth be told.
True confession time, poppits...I've been overdosing on sugar treats. Remember I told you how I couldn't keep my hands off of the hard candies that seem to be everywhere? Well, yesterday I went into a See's Candies retail store. See's is like our Laura Secord, without the yummy eggs at Easter. They have lots of boxed chocolates and other treats, including these REALLY YUMMY peppermint candies. They're puffy and melt in your melt and are very hard for me to resist. So, despite the HUGE number of CRAZY senior citizens in the store...harassing the staff to show them their discount...demanding free chocolate samples ... yelling "WHERE'S THE SUGAR FREE STUFF!!!" over and over in the middle of the shop...despite these distractions, I still managed to grab a bag of the yummy peppermints. Oh, I shared...like, 10 of them with my brother, but I ate the ENTIRE rest of the bag myself. I just couldn't stop myself. I may as well have been the crazy old lady in the middle of the store shouting, "WHERE ARE THE PEPPERMINT PUFFY CANDIES?!?" I'm guessing that will be me sometime mid-next week, strung out and suffering from sugar withdrawals...sigh...
Well, I should sign off. I can hear my brother John, frantically doing last minute gift wrapping in the other room. He's so stressed that even dog, Pearl, is avoiding the room. Perhaps I'll offer him my help (and take a peek at the presents!!)...or maybe I'll just curl up for a nap...gotta love vacations!!
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and all the other stuff that goes with the love and spirit of the season. Remember to leave out cookies and milk for Santa and to believe in the goodness of humanity. Also remember the awesome post-Christmas sales!!
(a) yt xox
Monday, December 21, 2009
Life is a garden...
...dig it! That's how I was feeling this afternoon as I was cruising Thomas Ave, walking from John's work to his home...iPod playing my favourite tunes...new Christmas purchases swinging from my arm ... no jacket required. I was living La Vida Loca, baby!
Today I got up at 5:45, showered and rode into work with John. My mission: to ride the Metro to the courthouse, drop off a report for John, then reward myself with a Metro ride into Tempe for a fun morning of shopping and a Venti Starbucks Peppermint Mocha. When we arrived at the office, John realized the the judge was on vacation, so I didn't have to drop off the report. I have to admit I was a little disappointed, as my Law & Order crazy mind had created several possible, dramatic scenarios that could have played out. For example, I could've been taken hostage by some crazed criminal who busted loose from the cops just as I was entering the building. Of course, some hunky-yet-intelligent, tough-but-sensitive cop would rescue me, falling instantly and forever in love with me. OK, so maybe that's a combination Law & Order and Harlequin Romance, but can you see why I was disappointed?
ANYWAY, I ended up spending some time in the office catching up on emails and practicum stuff, then headed into Tempe for a little shopping and alotta Peppermint Mocha. Mission accomplished on both fronts, by the way. Then I headed back to John's office, had lunch with him and walked back home.
As I was walking back, I realized, once again, just how friggin' lucky I am. My life is so amazingly wonderful that I simply can't stand it! I have a supportive wonderful family, awesome friends, good health and naturally curly hair. Really, what more does anyone need?!? Can ya stand it? OK, enough bragging...
So, yesterday we went for a hike up Squaw Peak. Poppits, I'm quite proud of myself. I could see considerable improvement from the time I was here in July. AND, we climbed all the way to the top this time...which we didn't do before. It was an extra 15-20 minutes straight up with some creative footwork required over the rocks. To be truthful, the whole climb was on fairly rocky terrain. Not sure why I didn't remember that from July...must be a mental block! Anyway, I climbed it using the new hiking poles my bro gave me and what a blessing those poles were!
My nephew, Craig, joined us on the hike. As we were doing the descent, I became pretty skiddish at one very rocky point. Craig said to me, in a quiet calm voice "Aunt Yvonne. You've got good poles that will support you and amazing reflexes to stop you from falling. You're going to be ok." Well, that was better than a massage 'cuz I felt my whole body relax. He was right. I just had to watch my step, go with the flow and chillax!!! It's amazing what a little shot of confidance can do for you! That moment I must remember whenever I go into a coaching session. People just need to realize their own strengths and the resources they've got available to them. That Craig..so young, yet so insightful!!
The weather is changing and expected to be overcast and "cold" through Christmas Eve. "Cold" for Phoenix is 10 celcius...I can live with that! Although I miss the sun, I am confidant it will return Christmas Day. While some folks are dreaming of a white Christmas, this chick wants to feel the warmth of the sun!!!
G'night poppits! Time for my beauty sleep. Until next time, go dig in the garden!!
(a) yt xox
Today I got up at 5:45, showered and rode into work with John. My mission: to ride the Metro to the courthouse, drop off a report for John, then reward myself with a Metro ride into Tempe for a fun morning of shopping and a Venti Starbucks Peppermint Mocha. When we arrived at the office, John realized the the judge was on vacation, so I didn't have to drop off the report. I have to admit I was a little disappointed, as my Law & Order crazy mind had created several possible, dramatic scenarios that could have played out. For example, I could've been taken hostage by some crazed criminal who busted loose from the cops just as I was entering the building. Of course, some hunky-yet-intelligent, tough-but-sensitive cop would rescue me, falling instantly and forever in love with me. OK, so maybe that's a combination Law & Order and Harlequin Romance, but can you see why I was disappointed?
ANYWAY, I ended up spending some time in the office catching up on emails and practicum stuff, then headed into Tempe for a little shopping and alotta Peppermint Mocha. Mission accomplished on both fronts, by the way. Then I headed back to John's office, had lunch with him and walked back home.
As I was walking back, I realized, once again, just how friggin' lucky I am. My life is so amazingly wonderful that I simply can't stand it! I have a supportive wonderful family, awesome friends, good health and naturally curly hair. Really, what more does anyone need?!? Can ya stand it? OK, enough bragging...
So, yesterday we went for a hike up Squaw Peak. Poppits, I'm quite proud of myself. I could see considerable improvement from the time I was here in July. AND, we climbed all the way to the top this time...which we didn't do before. It was an extra 15-20 minutes straight up with some creative footwork required over the rocks. To be truthful, the whole climb was on fairly rocky terrain. Not sure why I didn't remember that from July...must be a mental block! Anyway, I climbed it using the new hiking poles my bro gave me and what a blessing those poles were!
My nephew, Craig, joined us on the hike. As we were doing the descent, I became pretty skiddish at one very rocky point. Craig said to me, in a quiet calm voice "Aunt Yvonne. You've got good poles that will support you and amazing reflexes to stop you from falling. You're going to be ok." Well, that was better than a massage 'cuz I felt my whole body relax. He was right. I just had to watch my step, go with the flow and chillax!!! It's amazing what a little shot of confidance can do for you! That moment I must remember whenever I go into a coaching session. People just need to realize their own strengths and the resources they've got available to them. That Craig..so young, yet so insightful!!
The weather is changing and expected to be overcast and "cold" through Christmas Eve. "Cold" for Phoenix is 10 celcius...I can live with that! Although I miss the sun, I am confidant it will return Christmas Day. While some folks are dreaming of a white Christmas, this chick wants to feel the warmth of the sun!!!
G'night poppits! Time for my beauty sleep. Until next time, go dig in the garden!!
(a) yt xox
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Evils be gone!!
Greetings from sunny and warmer-than-Mississauga Phoenix! I arrived last night with my sister (Dianne) and nephew (Craig) and headed to Sun City for dinner at my sister, Rita's. It was a lovely night, but it started me on the beginning of my Temptation Hell.
Rita made a lovely, healthy dinner of salmon, asparagus, sweet potato fries and salad. My decadence was the 10 sweet potato fries and a 1/2 glass of wine. I avoided the chocolate cake for dessert, but couldn't seem to keep my hands off of the candies in the dishes all over the living room. Before I even realized what was happening, I had inhaled about 10 Christmas hard candies, 3 mints and 4 chocolates...YOWZA!!! I had to sit on my hands to keep myself from grabbing more candies. Not a good way to start my vacation....
Today, John & I got up and walked 8 KM in the morning, then we had a hearty everything-but-the-kitchen-sink omelette for breakfast. Then we entered the human rat race of last minute Christmas shoppers and bought all our stuff for Christmas dinner. What a mad house out there! Now, I've always said that it's my gift to humankind to stay out of shopping places at this time of year. So, what do I find myself doing? Cruising around Costco, Frys Supermarket and Trader Joe's. Add to it, I was a bit cranky because I was still tired from taking too many Tylenol PMs last night. Come 2:00, it was not pretty. Many a curse words were said and scowls were given to unsuspecting people who happened to rub me the wrong way. Fortunately, no one was hurt in the exchanges... well except for John who had to put up with my whining...bless his wee heart!
Our last stop was to Hi's Health where I picked up protein powder for my shakes. I've decided it's time to take back control of my eating....so far, so good! We went to "Glendale Glitters" tonight, which is an outdoor event where they have all the trees lit up for Christmas and lots of little booths with trinkets, trash, & tasty treats. Temptation abounded! Do you think I could find something healthy to eat?!? It was either a chicken pita from the Greek place or cheddar chili fries..those were my temptations. Or else I could've had Indian Naan bread with chocolate and powdered sugar...or maybe a big ass bag of Kettle popcorn...or there was always the caramel apples with chocolate chips or coconut or peanuts....or better yet, I could've gone for the frozen cheesecake on a stick dipped in chocolate..seriously. Do you see my hell, people?!? So, I settled for the Chicken in a Pita, a big jug of water and a piece of gum, which I chewed like a cow with an overactive cud. Like chewing my gum REALLY loudly with my mouth open would make me NOT want to mug the old lady with chocolate dipped strawberries. Sheesh!
So, here I sit at 10:11 pm reminding myself of all the food I missed out on tonight. It's a bitter sweet victory, really. On the one hand, I'm glad my only indulgence was the pita bread. However, the flip side is that I missed out on chocolate covered frozen cheesecake on a stick. When will I ever get a chance at that again?!?
Tomorrow, John & I are meeting some folks and hiking Squaw Peak in the morning. I'm curious to see how I do this time...20 lbs lighter and with 3 hikes under my belt. Wish me luck, poppits!! In the meantime, if you're one of those last minute Christmas shoppers, remember to be patient, to turn the other cheek and that elbow pads soften the blow to the person you're fighting with for that absolutely-perfect-gift-for-mom. Practice safe shopping, poppits!
(a) yt xox
Rita made a lovely, healthy dinner of salmon, asparagus, sweet potato fries and salad. My decadence was the 10 sweet potato fries and a 1/2 glass of wine. I avoided the chocolate cake for dessert, but couldn't seem to keep my hands off of the candies in the dishes all over the living room. Before I even realized what was happening, I had inhaled about 10 Christmas hard candies, 3 mints and 4 chocolates...YOWZA!!! I had to sit on my hands to keep myself from grabbing more candies. Not a good way to start my vacation....
Today, John & I got up and walked 8 KM in the morning, then we had a hearty everything-but-the-kitchen-sink omelette for breakfast. Then we entered the human rat race of last minute Christmas shoppers and bought all our stuff for Christmas dinner. What a mad house out there! Now, I've always said that it's my gift to humankind to stay out of shopping places at this time of year. So, what do I find myself doing? Cruising around Costco, Frys Supermarket and Trader Joe's. Add to it, I was a bit cranky because I was still tired from taking too many Tylenol PMs last night. Come 2:00, it was not pretty. Many a curse words were said and scowls were given to unsuspecting people who happened to rub me the wrong way. Fortunately, no one was hurt in the exchanges... well except for John who had to put up with my whining...bless his wee heart!
Our last stop was to Hi's Health where I picked up protein powder for my shakes. I've decided it's time to take back control of my eating....so far, so good! We went to "Glendale Glitters" tonight, which is an outdoor event where they have all the trees lit up for Christmas and lots of little booths with trinkets, trash, & tasty treats. Temptation abounded! Do you think I could find something healthy to eat?!? It was either a chicken pita from the Greek place or cheddar chili fries..those were my temptations. Or else I could've had Indian Naan bread with chocolate and powdered sugar...or maybe a big ass bag of Kettle popcorn...or there was always the caramel apples with chocolate chips or coconut or peanuts....or better yet, I could've gone for the frozen cheesecake on a stick dipped in chocolate..seriously. Do you see my hell, people?!? So, I settled for the Chicken in a Pita, a big jug of water and a piece of gum, which I chewed like a cow with an overactive cud. Like chewing my gum REALLY loudly with my mouth open would make me NOT want to mug the old lady with chocolate dipped strawberries. Sheesh!
So, here I sit at 10:11 pm reminding myself of all the food I missed out on tonight. It's a bitter sweet victory, really. On the one hand, I'm glad my only indulgence was the pita bread. However, the flip side is that I missed out on chocolate covered frozen cheesecake on a stick. When will I ever get a chance at that again?!?
Tomorrow, John & I are meeting some folks and hiking Squaw Peak in the morning. I'm curious to see how I do this time...20 lbs lighter and with 3 hikes under my belt. Wish me luck, poppits!! In the meantime, if you're one of those last minute Christmas shoppers, remember to be patient, to turn the other cheek and that elbow pads soften the blow to the person you're fighting with for that absolutely-perfect-gift-for-mom. Practice safe shopping, poppits!
(a) yt xox
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
When you look at me, what do you see?
I'm gonna take a stab in the dark and guess that what YOU see is very different, and most likely far more positive than what I see. Thank you, Inner Critic, Michelle...
Last night I had dinner with my new friend, Panagiota. Now Panagiota is a warm, funny, smart, gorgeous woman with alot to offer. And yet...do you think her inner critic would allow her to acknowledge that?!? No way!! What is up with that, anyway? I've always said that it would be great if we could see ourselves through the eyes of our friends. Imagine how good we'd feel about ourselves! No matter how objective I THINK I can be, it's rare that I can see myself objectively. Oh sure, I'm down 67 lbs, but am I completely rid of fat pockets and cellulite? Nope. So instead of seeing my not-quite-a-six-pack abs, I see the jiggly bits all around my abs. It's not quite fair and I'm not sure how to stop the madness that is my Inner Critic, Michelle.
I've been listening to The Law of Attraction on audiobook. It's by Jerry & Esther Hicks, where Esther channels Abraham, a collection of spirits who have a message to get to us humans about how the Law of Attraction works. In a nutshell, it's all about being clear in what you want and thinking only of what you want...ya know, positive messages; good emotional energy, etc. It's basic stuff. It's been helping me to think more positively about things, even though I'm not experiencing them right now. For example, I focus on all the things I can do, now that I've lost alot of weight (like hiking and cross-country skiing and cycling). I no longer think about how unachievable these things are or how awkward I will look doing them. Instead I think about when I can squeeze them into my calendar! It's pretty cool. I'm thinking this is a way for me to battle Michelle, my Inner Critic. Ya know, think about all the things I CAN and WILL do, not what I can NOT do. Does this make sense? I hope I haven't lost you...
In the meantime, I've decided that I want to actually start telling people what I see in them - let them really see themselves through my eyes. Of course, I will tell only the positive stuff I see...unless they've got spinach in their teeth or a boogie in their nose. That's my commitment to you, poppits. So be prepared for the good stuff!
Imagine a world where everyone had only good things to say to each other ... hmmmm....
G'night and sweet dreams of compliments and good feelings!
(a) yt xox
Last night I had dinner with my new friend, Panagiota. Now Panagiota is a warm, funny, smart, gorgeous woman with alot to offer. And yet...do you think her inner critic would allow her to acknowledge that?!? No way!! What is up with that, anyway? I've always said that it would be great if we could see ourselves through the eyes of our friends. Imagine how good we'd feel about ourselves! No matter how objective I THINK I can be, it's rare that I can see myself objectively. Oh sure, I'm down 67 lbs, but am I completely rid of fat pockets and cellulite? Nope. So instead of seeing my not-quite-a-six-pack abs, I see the jiggly bits all around my abs. It's not quite fair and I'm not sure how to stop the madness that is my Inner Critic, Michelle.
I've been listening to The Law of Attraction on audiobook. It's by Jerry & Esther Hicks, where Esther channels Abraham, a collection of spirits who have a message to get to us humans about how the Law of Attraction works. In a nutshell, it's all about being clear in what you want and thinking only of what you want...ya know, positive messages; good emotional energy, etc. It's basic stuff. It's been helping me to think more positively about things, even though I'm not experiencing them right now. For example, I focus on all the things I can do, now that I've lost alot of weight (like hiking and cross-country skiing and cycling). I no longer think about how unachievable these things are or how awkward I will look doing them. Instead I think about when I can squeeze them into my calendar! It's pretty cool. I'm thinking this is a way for me to battle Michelle, my Inner Critic. Ya know, think about all the things I CAN and WILL do, not what I can NOT do. Does this make sense? I hope I haven't lost you...
In the meantime, I've decided that I want to actually start telling people what I see in them - let them really see themselves through my eyes. Of course, I will tell only the positive stuff I see...unless they've got spinach in their teeth or a boogie in their nose. That's my commitment to you, poppits. So be prepared for the good stuff!
Imagine a world where everyone had only good things to say to each other ... hmmmm....
G'night and sweet dreams of compliments and good feelings!
(a) yt xox
Monday, December 14, 2009
Post-Carbohydrate Consumption Disorder
or as it's more commonly known amoung the food addicts, "PCCD". Anyone else familiar with this term? Recognize any of the following symptoms:
- perpetual state of drowsiness and low energy?
- cravings of sugar, bread or anything covered in peanut butter?
- fabric marks and drool on your cheeks from falling asleep on the couch with your mouth wide open?
- general tightness of the pants and swelling of the ankles?
- a low desire to make any movements, including exercise, house cleaning and/or rolling out of bed?
- a Pavlovian drooling at the sight of chocolate?
If you are experiencing one or more of these symptoms, you have Post-Carbohydrate Consumption Disorder (PCCD). Anyone can get PCCD. all they have to do is eat...like ALOT of breads, or sugars or anything really tasty.
I know because I am experiencing PCCD now. My journey-to-hell began last Wednesday when I started baking for my Open House & Tacky Gift Exchange. I THOUGHT I could exercise control, but I knew I was in trouble the moment the Oatmeal Scotchies came out of the oven. Instantly The Rationalizer kicked in and before I knew it, I had snarfed down 4 cookies "because I needed to taste-test the new recipe." Sound familiar? People, ONE cookie is taste testing, a dozen is gluttony...
By Saturday our family "Christmas Day", I was grabbing anything that looked like it contained sugar or fat or dairy...seriously. The only thing I didn't eat were the candy canes on the tree. And don't think I didn't try to eat one, but couldn't find a moment alone with the tree or else I would've grabbed one and shoved THE ENTIRE THING into my mouth.
So, here I sit Monday evening, waiting to pick up my nephew Craig from the airport. If I didn't have the 11:59 arrival time, I would be fast asleep in a carb-induced coma. The past 6 days have taught me many things, including:
- no amount of carbs is worth the drugged up, no energy, downer feeling of PCCD
- when I decide to let go, I really have no self-control when it comes to sweets. That insight, quite frankly, is scary!
- If I bake it, the pounds will come
On a positive notes, the 12 Oatmeal Scotchies I ate with a glass of milk at noon have been sitting in my belly like a lead balloon. I haven't felt like eating another thing since. Of course, I can't seem to shake off the looming nausea, but I guess I deserve the pain.
I really wanted to capture the feeling so that I can look back on this blog anytime I have cravings for carbs and ask myself "is it really worth it?!?" Right now, I'm hearing a resounding "NO FLIPPIN' WAY!!!" in my head, but that's because the Oatmeal Scotchies and milk refuse to digest and I can't seem to keep my eyes open. No doubt I'll be going through my carb withdrawals for the next three weeks, a really bad result of PCCD. One day I hope to learn from this experience, but until then, I acknowledge my weakness for the carbohydrates and focus on the positives ... like ...
- the last of the cookies, fudge and delicious treats have been given away to a deserving family of skinny people
- I'm facing 2 weeks in Phoenix and my brother has lined up lots of exercising gigs, including walks and hikes
- Christmas and Tacky Gift Exchanges only happen once a year, so I am confident in my full recovery from PCCD before I face the carbs again next year
Well poppits, I hope your holiday season is filled with love, joy and good eating...however you're defining "good"!
Cheers!
(a) yt xox
- perpetual state of drowsiness and low energy?
- cravings of sugar, bread or anything covered in peanut butter?
- fabric marks and drool on your cheeks from falling asleep on the couch with your mouth wide open?
- general tightness of the pants and swelling of the ankles?
- a low desire to make any movements, including exercise, house cleaning and/or rolling out of bed?
- a Pavlovian drooling at the sight of chocolate?
If you are experiencing one or more of these symptoms, you have Post-Carbohydrate Consumption Disorder (PCCD). Anyone can get PCCD. all they have to do is eat...like ALOT of breads, or sugars or anything really tasty.
I know because I am experiencing PCCD now. My journey-to-hell began last Wednesday when I started baking for my Open House & Tacky Gift Exchange. I THOUGHT I could exercise control, but I knew I was in trouble the moment the Oatmeal Scotchies came out of the oven. Instantly The Rationalizer kicked in and before I knew it, I had snarfed down 4 cookies "because I needed to taste-test the new recipe." Sound familiar? People, ONE cookie is taste testing, a dozen is gluttony...
By Saturday our family "Christmas Day", I was grabbing anything that looked like it contained sugar or fat or dairy...seriously. The only thing I didn't eat were the candy canes on the tree. And don't think I didn't try to eat one, but couldn't find a moment alone with the tree or else I would've grabbed one and shoved THE ENTIRE THING into my mouth.
So, here I sit Monday evening, waiting to pick up my nephew Craig from the airport. If I didn't have the 11:59 arrival time, I would be fast asleep in a carb-induced coma. The past 6 days have taught me many things, including:
- no amount of carbs is worth the drugged up, no energy, downer feeling of PCCD
- when I decide to let go, I really have no self-control when it comes to sweets. That insight, quite frankly, is scary!
- If I bake it, the pounds will come
On a positive notes, the 12 Oatmeal Scotchies I ate with a glass of milk at noon have been sitting in my belly like a lead balloon. I haven't felt like eating another thing since. Of course, I can't seem to shake off the looming nausea, but I guess I deserve the pain.
I really wanted to capture the feeling so that I can look back on this blog anytime I have cravings for carbs and ask myself "is it really worth it?!?" Right now, I'm hearing a resounding "NO FLIPPIN' WAY!!!" in my head, but that's because the Oatmeal Scotchies and milk refuse to digest and I can't seem to keep my eyes open. No doubt I'll be going through my carb withdrawals for the next three weeks, a really bad result of PCCD. One day I hope to learn from this experience, but until then, I acknowledge my weakness for the carbohydrates and focus on the positives ... like ...
- the last of the cookies, fudge and delicious treats have been given away to a deserving family of skinny people
- I'm facing 2 weeks in Phoenix and my brother has lined up lots of exercising gigs, including walks and hikes
- Christmas and Tacky Gift Exchanges only happen once a year, so I am confident in my full recovery from PCCD before I face the carbs again next year
Well poppits, I hope your holiday season is filled with love, joy and good eating...however you're defining "good"!
Cheers!
(a) yt xox
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Christmas is over and yet....
..it's only December 13th!
Well, it's 10:51 pm Sunday night and I have survived a very busy weekend. I'm watching "A Christmas Story" with my brother, John, who is staying with me for the weekend. And what a weekend it's been! Friday night was our "Christmas Eve" when everyone arrived into Mississauga, to my sister Lorry's house, our gracious hostess. Saturday morning we opened our presents and Sat. night was Christmas dinner. Then to my Open House & Tacky Gift Exchange Sunday afternoon & evening. It was a whirlwind of food, treats and more food. It was difficult to maintain some control over my eating what with all the friggin' cookies & bars I baked, the chocolates and desserts at my sister's and general temptation all around. I'm trying to look for the positive and the only thing I can think of is that I resisted drinking booze. Considering I don't drink alcohol, I'm not sure that really counts, but I'm clinging to it. So I must pay the piper, step on the scale tomorrow and just suck it up.
I've been talking with my brother about my trip to Phoenix and we've decided we need to exercise, hike and work our asses off...literally! I'm' looking forward to it. But before I hit Phoenix, I must survive one more workout with The Evil One. Oh dear.
As you know, this weekend was quite chilly with crappy weather. My brother, who now has woosified blood and can no longer stand temperatures below 25 celsius, suggested I spend my winters in Phoenix. As I looked at him getting ready to go out for a smoke, putting on his toque, ear muffs, mittens, scarf, boots and heavy jacket, I thought "why not?!?" Really, if I could build a business there, I would be happy to spend winters in Phoenix. Soooooo....I'm approaching my Phoenix Christmas vacation with a new filter...what is the business I can build?!? John already suggested a couple of ideas for workshops I could do and he offered the boardroom in his office for my use. Hmmmm.....this time next year I just might be blogging from new home in Phoenix! I'll be sure to get a spare bedroom for visitors....
Well, it's now 11:13 and I'm meeting my AFOOFA buddies tomorrow morning at 8:00 so it's time for me to sign off and get my beauty sleep!
G'nite poppits!
(a)yt xox
Well, it's 10:51 pm Sunday night and I have survived a very busy weekend. I'm watching "A Christmas Story" with my brother, John, who is staying with me for the weekend. And what a weekend it's been! Friday night was our "Christmas Eve" when everyone arrived into Mississauga, to my sister Lorry's house, our gracious hostess. Saturday morning we opened our presents and Sat. night was Christmas dinner. Then to my Open House & Tacky Gift Exchange Sunday afternoon & evening. It was a whirlwind of food, treats and more food. It was difficult to maintain some control over my eating what with all the friggin' cookies & bars I baked, the chocolates and desserts at my sister's and general temptation all around. I'm trying to look for the positive and the only thing I can think of is that I resisted drinking booze. Considering I don't drink alcohol, I'm not sure that really counts, but I'm clinging to it. So I must pay the piper, step on the scale tomorrow and just suck it up.
I've been talking with my brother about my trip to Phoenix and we've decided we need to exercise, hike and work our asses off...literally! I'm' looking forward to it. But before I hit Phoenix, I must survive one more workout with The Evil One. Oh dear.
As you know, this weekend was quite chilly with crappy weather. My brother, who now has woosified blood and can no longer stand temperatures below 25 celsius, suggested I spend my winters in Phoenix. As I looked at him getting ready to go out for a smoke, putting on his toque, ear muffs, mittens, scarf, boots and heavy jacket, I thought "why not?!?" Really, if I could build a business there, I would be happy to spend winters in Phoenix. Soooooo....I'm approaching my Phoenix Christmas vacation with a new filter...what is the business I can build?!? John already suggested a couple of ideas for workshops I could do and he offered the boardroom in his office for my use. Hmmmm.....this time next year I just might be blogging from new home in Phoenix! I'll be sure to get a spare bedroom for visitors....
Well, it's now 11:13 and I'm meeting my AFOOFA buddies tomorrow morning at 8:00 so it's time for me to sign off and get my beauty sleep!
G'nite poppits!
(a)yt xox
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Finding your sweet spot
Hi everyone!
When you hear the words, "sweet spot" what do you think of? Some people will think of golf and the spot on the golf club that makes that wonderful "crack" sound when you hit it just right and the ball goes screaming straight down the fairway. Or perhaps your sweet spot is like mine which is the vortex at Union Station that contains Dairy Queen, Cinnabon, Laura Secord and, sometimes, fabulous silver jewelry on display for purchase...food and bling...heaven really....
Well, this week I feel as if I've been swimming in my "sweet spot" every moment of every day! Wonderful & awesome things have been transpiring in my life. Call it "The Universe", or "God's mysterious ways" or "the stars aligning"...whatever! It's all been really good stuff going on and I've been feeling amazing, really. So, sit down, grab a drink and maybe a treat and read on, poppits!!
It all started after my AFOOFA meeting last week with the fabulous Duane, Aubrey & Sylvie. For some reason, I couldn't stop thinking about people's resiliency and their ability to draw strength from within to help them cope with/survive major upheaval throughout their life. This seed got planted and before I knew it, I was sending an email to many of my family, friends and colleagues asking if they would share their stories with me. All I can say is...
!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOLY RESPONSE, BATMAN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YOWZA! Clearly I've hit on something because so many people are intrigued by the topic and very interested in sharing their experience. So, I have no idea what I'm going to do with the information, but I simply CAN'T WAIT to hear the stories! I've got a good feeling about this one...
Well, other great things that have been happening all seem to be around workshops and coaching. I received a call from someone I met at an ACPI meeting. Remember the guy I almost stole the banana cream pie from? Well, he called me and asked for my input on a whole day workshop he was contracted to do for a local college. Next thing I know, I'm sitting outside Starbucks, brainstorming an outline for a morning workshop...wow!! It was such a cool feeling! I never thought of myself as a designer of workshops, but here I came up with one within 1 1/2 hours. It was such a great feeling. And, again, the objective was to help people tap into their own strengths to help them cope with an upcoming change.
My point of sharing is that I have been RIDING HIGH for the past week and a half simply because I'm living out my passion, my mission, my joie de vivre...and it feels GREAT! For me, it's all about connecting with others and helping. Now, I'm learning that it's ALSO about helping people realize their own strengths. People are so brilliantly resourceful...they just need to be reminded of that! And this past week was filled with lots of Practicum stuff, coaching sessions and really great networking meetings. Man! I'm so pumped remembering the past week that my fingers are just flying over this keyboard. The Apple is SMOKIN', baby!!!
And now, cut to how life is on the food and exercise front...
Well, some good news...I'm down another 1 lb, so that makes 67 in total. That's a good thing considering my only exercise was my workout with The Evil One. It's going to be the same this week as I've been quite busy and heading into Christmas party central! BTW, had a bit of drama around LPS. It seems Clance (the owner) packed up the entire gym and evacuated it Friday night...without telling anyone but the movers! Hello?!? I got an email from Werner telling me the news, then a call from Clance late Sunday night. Such mystery and drama. Anyway, The Evil One is now working from a private gym called "Station 7", which is above the Good Life Fitness at Union Station. It's so much more convenient to the GO Train and is really more private. Sooooooo, if anyone's interested in being trained by The Evil One, now's your chance! You, too, can sweat your ass off...literally and figuratively! Oh, and THIS gym has really fun machines for pull downs that make your arms come out of your sockets and a big ass bag that weighs about 50 lbs and looks like a punching bag that you get to carry across the gym floor twice...makes you want to come on down and sign up, doesn't it?!?
My family comes to town for our "Christmas in Ontario" and I have my Annual Open House & Tacky Gift Exchange for which I am baking up a storm. My brother, John, is staying at my house. He's notorious for "sleep walking" when there are homemade treats in the house, leaving nothing but bread crumbs and disappointment the morning after. Fortunately my sister, Bea is also staying with me and can share "John Duty". On the positive side, I get to open some Christmas presents this weekend...yes, poppits, it's all about the presents!!
Well, I have more to tell you but it's late and I need to get my beauty sleep. I wish you sweet dreams and wishes for you to find your sweet spot very soon!
Merry Christmas season, poppits!
(a) yt xox
When you hear the words, "sweet spot" what do you think of? Some people will think of golf and the spot on the golf club that makes that wonderful "crack" sound when you hit it just right and the ball goes screaming straight down the fairway. Or perhaps your sweet spot is like mine which is the vortex at Union Station that contains Dairy Queen, Cinnabon, Laura Secord and, sometimes, fabulous silver jewelry on display for purchase...food and bling...heaven really....
Well, this week I feel as if I've been swimming in my "sweet spot" every moment of every day! Wonderful & awesome things have been transpiring in my life. Call it "The Universe", or "God's mysterious ways" or "the stars aligning"...whatever! It's all been really good stuff going on and I've been feeling amazing, really. So, sit down, grab a drink and maybe a treat and read on, poppits!!
It all started after my AFOOFA meeting last week with the fabulous Duane, Aubrey & Sylvie. For some reason, I couldn't stop thinking about people's resiliency and their ability to draw strength from within to help them cope with/survive major upheaval throughout their life. This seed got planted and before I knew it, I was sending an email to many of my family, friends and colleagues asking if they would share their stories with me. All I can say is...
!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOLY RESPONSE, BATMAN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YOWZA! Clearly I've hit on something because so many people are intrigued by the topic and very interested in sharing their experience. So, I have no idea what I'm going to do with the information, but I simply CAN'T WAIT to hear the stories! I've got a good feeling about this one...
Well, other great things that have been happening all seem to be around workshops and coaching. I received a call from someone I met at an ACPI meeting. Remember the guy I almost stole the banana cream pie from? Well, he called me and asked for my input on a whole day workshop he was contracted to do for a local college. Next thing I know, I'm sitting outside Starbucks, brainstorming an outline for a morning workshop...wow!! It was such a cool feeling! I never thought of myself as a designer of workshops, but here I came up with one within 1 1/2 hours. It was such a great feeling. And, again, the objective was to help people tap into their own strengths to help them cope with an upcoming change.
My point of sharing is that I have been RIDING HIGH for the past week and a half simply because I'm living out my passion, my mission, my joie de vivre...and it feels GREAT! For me, it's all about connecting with others and helping. Now, I'm learning that it's ALSO about helping people realize their own strengths. People are so brilliantly resourceful...they just need to be reminded of that! And this past week was filled with lots of Practicum stuff, coaching sessions and really great networking meetings. Man! I'm so pumped remembering the past week that my fingers are just flying over this keyboard. The Apple is SMOKIN', baby!!!
And now, cut to how life is on the food and exercise front...
Well, some good news...I'm down another 1 lb, so that makes 67 in total. That's a good thing considering my only exercise was my workout with The Evil One. It's going to be the same this week as I've been quite busy and heading into Christmas party central! BTW, had a bit of drama around LPS. It seems Clance (the owner) packed up the entire gym and evacuated it Friday night...without telling anyone but the movers! Hello?!? I got an email from Werner telling me the news, then a call from Clance late Sunday night. Such mystery and drama. Anyway, The Evil One is now working from a private gym called "Station 7", which is above the Good Life Fitness at Union Station. It's so much more convenient to the GO Train and is really more private. Sooooooo, if anyone's interested in being trained by The Evil One, now's your chance! You, too, can sweat your ass off...literally and figuratively! Oh, and THIS gym has really fun machines for pull downs that make your arms come out of your sockets and a big ass bag that weighs about 50 lbs and looks like a punching bag that you get to carry across the gym floor twice...makes you want to come on down and sign up, doesn't it?!?
My family comes to town for our "Christmas in Ontario" and I have my Annual Open House & Tacky Gift Exchange for which I am baking up a storm. My brother, John, is staying at my house. He's notorious for "sleep walking" when there are homemade treats in the house, leaving nothing but bread crumbs and disappointment the morning after. Fortunately my sister, Bea is also staying with me and can share "John Duty". On the positive side, I get to open some Christmas presents this weekend...yes, poppits, it's all about the presents!!
Well, I have more to tell you but it's late and I need to get my beauty sleep. I wish you sweet dreams and wishes for you to find your sweet spot very soon!
Merry Christmas season, poppits!
(a) yt xox
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