...sigh...
I'm typin' at 'cha live from the dining room table of my bro, Tom & sister-in-law, Dianne's home. He's got wireless internet..ooh, baby!! Tom doesn't know how it works, and he almost forgot the password to get in, but he's got wireless. I love it! My brother is da bomb...seriously!
Well, I did the 6 one-on-one Myers-Briggs "translation" sessions yesterday. The group represented the managers and director of the Chatham-Kent Public Health Unit. Nice folks and a very interesting dynamic of personalities! I love this stuff!! Many of them really opened up to me about some of the challenges they face with their teams. They seemed to appreciate the insight & context I was able to provide based upon their Myers-Briggs personality preferences. I felt pretty darn good about the conversations and saw at least one "a-ha" moment from each of them. It's a great feeling!
After the day, I met high school friends Kelly & Lisa for dinner. I hadn't seen Lisa for at least 10 years...she's still the same and said I was still the same. That is just cool! We spent almost 3 hours in "Glitters" downtown restaurant that was opened in Chatham when I was in high school. It was the be all and end all when it opened - a real happenin' place. Now it's home for many birthday celebrations and gossip sessions! Nothing about the place had changed, including the paint chipped walls in the ladies' washroom...love it!!!
The week seemed to have flown by. Honestly, I don't know where it went! Lemme see if I can do a quick summary of the events....
On the health front...eating has been pretty good...until I hit Chatham. I've eaten a few, too many carbs while here, including toast with peanut butter and a few nacho chips. Add to it that I only exercised once this week and that was a treadmill/weight lifting thing. Sooooo, not looking forward to stepping on the scale Monday. I did, however, drive out a 10.5 KM walk. It will be, if anything, scenic! I head east then south along the Lakeshore, then north, then west, then south, then north, then west then south! It's quite a jaunt and combines two of the walking "trails" I already do. I'm looking forward to tackling it - perhaps Monday. Next week for sure. There are plenty of coffee shops and convenience stores along the way, should I require some rest breaks. I'm not sure if I'll complete the whole 10KM in the first run, but my intention is to do so! Wish me luck!
I'm staying in Chatham today, then heading back to Mississauga tomorrow morning. I'm looking forward to a day of R&R by the pool, then a chick's night with Dianne & Lisa tonight. That should be fun! Sunday is a hike with Maggie, weather permitting.
Well, I'm off to meet an old grade school chum, Annette for breakfast at Eli's. My brother raves about Eli's breakfasts, so this should be good!!
Friday, July 31, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Will the rain ever stop?!?
Yeesh! Now I understand why people are complaining so much about the weather!
Today I went for a walk, when it was sunny. I was psyched, thinking I was gonna map out a walk that was at least 10K. I'm telling you, I was motivated people! But then, 40 minutes into the walk, I've got my groove goin', my butt wiggling to the latest 80's rock tune playing on my iPOD, then I see a flash and hear "crack" and know that I'm not gonna make it home in time. Sure enough, not only do I have to cut my walk short, but I end up soppin' wet for the last 20 minutes of the walk...oie!! Oh well, at least I got 40 minutes in!
I met with some of the Inca Trail chicks last week. They're a great lot and it was good to meet them. We discussed where we should be in our training and, basically, I'm kinda behind! We're supposed to be doing cardio 3x/week, strength training at least once/week and a hike once/week. So, it's time I get busy! I also realized I need to step up the diet too. It's time to really focus and get this weight off.
I spoke to The Evil One during my training session. When I asked him for suggestions for "stepping up" the weight loss, he got a bit of an evil grin on his face and said "well there is something you can do". All he needed was an evil laugh and I would've sworn he was auditioning for a part in "Mad Scientists". Anyway, he suggested that I do a 24 hr fast, once/week. I did my usual protest-like-hell and then started to warm to the idea. By the end of the conversation, I was committed to doing it (at least in my head), and Werner promised to provide me with more information. Given that he's now enroute for a week of soul searching in Squamish, BC, I'm thinkin' it will have to wait for a week. Anyway, I think this will be a good thing. I've heard that fasts aren't so bad and really, people do it all the time. If anyone has any feedback or thoughts on fasting, lemme know. Thanx!
So, I mentioned I had my first guided workout Thursday. Yikes! I felt quite weak. Although I did the same workout, I didn't do as much weight as I did before I left. Once again, I'm amazed at how much you lose over a short period of time! My butt hurt...my knees hurt....even my toes hurt, for the love of God! I don't know how or why my toes hurt, but they did! Soooo, back to my Epsom salt bath and muscle aches neutralized! They also helped me have a great sleep!
So, this week is about business development. I'm meeting with someone tomorrow who I might be able to work with to facilitate some workshops. That would be really cool. Then I'm doing my coaching sessions in Chatham for the end of the week. It's all good.
Gonna have to figure out the exercise thing and, of course, focus on eating better, oh, and find a day to fast...yada, yada....
Well, have a great week, poppits!!
(a)yt xox
Today I went for a walk, when it was sunny. I was psyched, thinking I was gonna map out a walk that was at least 10K. I'm telling you, I was motivated people! But then, 40 minutes into the walk, I've got my groove goin', my butt wiggling to the latest 80's rock tune playing on my iPOD, then I see a flash and hear "crack" and know that I'm not gonna make it home in time. Sure enough, not only do I have to cut my walk short, but I end up soppin' wet for the last 20 minutes of the walk...oie!! Oh well, at least I got 40 minutes in!
I met with some of the Inca Trail chicks last week. They're a great lot and it was good to meet them. We discussed where we should be in our training and, basically, I'm kinda behind! We're supposed to be doing cardio 3x/week, strength training at least once/week and a hike once/week. So, it's time I get busy! I also realized I need to step up the diet too. It's time to really focus and get this weight off.
I spoke to The Evil One during my training session. When I asked him for suggestions for "stepping up" the weight loss, he got a bit of an evil grin on his face and said "well there is something you can do". All he needed was an evil laugh and I would've sworn he was auditioning for a part in "Mad Scientists". Anyway, he suggested that I do a 24 hr fast, once/week. I did my usual protest-like-hell and then started to warm to the idea. By the end of the conversation, I was committed to doing it (at least in my head), and Werner promised to provide me with more information. Given that he's now enroute for a week of soul searching in Squamish, BC, I'm thinkin' it will have to wait for a week. Anyway, I think this will be a good thing. I've heard that fasts aren't so bad and really, people do it all the time. If anyone has any feedback or thoughts on fasting, lemme know. Thanx!
So, I mentioned I had my first guided workout Thursday. Yikes! I felt quite weak. Although I did the same workout, I didn't do as much weight as I did before I left. Once again, I'm amazed at how much you lose over a short period of time! My butt hurt...my knees hurt....even my toes hurt, for the love of God! I don't know how or why my toes hurt, but they did! Soooo, back to my Epsom salt bath and muscle aches neutralized! They also helped me have a great sleep!
So, this week is about business development. I'm meeting with someone tomorrow who I might be able to work with to facilitate some workshops. That would be really cool. Then I'm doing my coaching sessions in Chatham for the end of the week. It's all good.
Gonna have to figure out the exercise thing and, of course, focus on eating better, oh, and find a day to fast...yada, yada....
Well, have a great week, poppits!!
(a)yt xox
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Where did the week go?!?
Greetings & salutations!!
I just re-read my last entry and thought "wow!! It's been a busy week!" Alot has happened since that last entry, so lemme fill you in on the deats!
First of all, Thursday & Friday of the class were, by far, the best of the week. I also entered Thursday morning with an attitude adjustment. After all, it was a new day with no mistakes...why NOT be happy?!? I had a good conversation with Elizabeth, coach extraordinaire, and realized that hey! Maybe I'm not so bad at this coaching thing. And maybe others were feeling like fish out of water, too (turns out, they were!). And maybe I can learn a little about myself from this angst....like, theory and methodology are good to help provide context and framework for the coaching conversation. So what if it makes me feel like I want to poke my eye with a red, hot poker? SUCK IT UP, SISTER!! Which is pretty much what I did ... and the remaining two days went much better. As a matter of fact, by 9:30 am Thursday, I was back to my old self. Thanx to the support of the awesome people in my Foundations course and to Elizabeth, of course. Good peeps, I tell ya!
It helped that I signed up two coaching gigs as well...yeah for me! I'm off to Chatham on the 30th to do one-on-one Myers-Briggs "translation" sessions, where I help six managers understand their Myers-Briggs profile and preferences and how that may impact their communication style and their approach to work and leadership...all good stuff! Shout out to Kelly for the foot in the door! Stay tuned....
I got an email from Heather yesterday outlining where we should be at in our training for climbing the Inca Trail...oie! According to her, we should be doing at least one hour of cardio and strength training EVERY DAY! AND, like that's not gonna kill me, we should be doing at least one hike/week. OK, so the hike will happen weekly starting August 2nd, thanx to Maggie. But the other stuff? Not so much. Fortunately, I've scheduled weekly training sessions with The Evil One, starting today....which is good. However, I have got to figure out how to work the other hour/day into my oh-so busy schedule...sigh...
I came in to LPS to work out yesterday for the first time in 5 weeks. Because it was "self-guided", I ended up pulling that (enter expletive here) sled. Clearly, it had been a long time since I'd done that exercise because my heart was pounding through my chest and I was sweating like a cold Coke on a hot day... after only one pull of the sled across the floor! YIKES!! I can only imagine what today's workout with Werner will be like. Here's hoping he's in a good mood...
I've been experimenting with the food thing. I've decided it's time to step it up on the eating. I'd been acting like queen of the hop...drinking lattes, eating oatmeal for breakfast...heck! I even ate a scone from Whole Foods!! Come on, yt, party's over now! I'm gonna save the 9-hour window for when I want to kick start things again, so I'm back to eating my protein breakfasts. The good news is it will put me into a better routine again. I found when I was doing the 9 hour window, that I'd forget to take my fish oils & vitamins. Such confusion, honestly!
So....recommitment to me & my poppits...
- no grains or sugar (including but not limited to scones, granola and/or oatmeal)
- dairy limited to one yogurt/day (buh-bye lattes...sigh)
- goat cheese once/week
- fruit (max 2 servings/day)
- and portion control, for the love of God...
re: exercise....1 hour/day; 1 hike/week
I'm gonna see where this brings me. In terms of my weight loss goal (i.e. 22 lbs. by the end of July), well, I still have about 18 lbs. to go. I'm thinkin' that the end of July is a little aggressive for that particular objective, so I'm looking to achieve that before I go on my Alaskan cruise (August 18th).
Hold me to it, people. Just remind me that I asked you to do so when I give you "the look" or start to cry if you see me cheating!
Take care and stay dry!
(a) yt xox
I just re-read my last entry and thought "wow!! It's been a busy week!" Alot has happened since that last entry, so lemme fill you in on the deats!
First of all, Thursday & Friday of the class were, by far, the best of the week. I also entered Thursday morning with an attitude adjustment. After all, it was a new day with no mistakes...why NOT be happy?!? I had a good conversation with Elizabeth, coach extraordinaire, and realized that hey! Maybe I'm not so bad at this coaching thing. And maybe others were feeling like fish out of water, too (turns out, they were!). And maybe I can learn a little about myself from this angst....like, theory and methodology are good to help provide context and framework for the coaching conversation. So what if it makes me feel like I want to poke my eye with a red, hot poker? SUCK IT UP, SISTER!! Which is pretty much what I did ... and the remaining two days went much better. As a matter of fact, by 9:30 am Thursday, I was back to my old self. Thanx to the support of the awesome people in my Foundations course and to Elizabeth, of course. Good peeps, I tell ya!
It helped that I signed up two coaching gigs as well...yeah for me! I'm off to Chatham on the 30th to do one-on-one Myers-Briggs "translation" sessions, where I help six managers understand their Myers-Briggs profile and preferences and how that may impact their communication style and their approach to work and leadership...all good stuff! Shout out to Kelly for the foot in the door! Stay tuned....
I got an email from Heather yesterday outlining where we should be at in our training for climbing the Inca Trail...oie! According to her, we should be doing at least one hour of cardio and strength training EVERY DAY! AND, like that's not gonna kill me, we should be doing at least one hike/week. OK, so the hike will happen weekly starting August 2nd, thanx to Maggie. But the other stuff? Not so much. Fortunately, I've scheduled weekly training sessions with The Evil One, starting today....which is good. However, I have got to figure out how to work the other hour/day into my oh-so busy schedule...sigh...
I came in to LPS to work out yesterday for the first time in 5 weeks. Because it was "self-guided", I ended up pulling that (enter expletive here) sled. Clearly, it had been a long time since I'd done that exercise because my heart was pounding through my chest and I was sweating like a cold Coke on a hot day... after only one pull of the sled across the floor! YIKES!! I can only imagine what today's workout with Werner will be like. Here's hoping he's in a good mood...
I've been experimenting with the food thing. I've decided it's time to step it up on the eating. I'd been acting like queen of the hop...drinking lattes, eating oatmeal for breakfast...heck! I even ate a scone from Whole Foods!! Come on, yt, party's over now! I'm gonna save the 9-hour window for when I want to kick start things again, so I'm back to eating my protein breakfasts. The good news is it will put me into a better routine again. I found when I was doing the 9 hour window, that I'd forget to take my fish oils & vitamins. Such confusion, honestly!
So....recommitment to me & my poppits...
- no grains or sugar (including but not limited to scones, granola and/or oatmeal)
- dairy limited to one yogurt/day (buh-bye lattes...sigh)
- goat cheese once/week
- fruit (max 2 servings/day)
- and portion control, for the love of God...
re: exercise....1 hour/day; 1 hike/week
I'm gonna see where this brings me. In terms of my weight loss goal (i.e. 22 lbs. by the end of July), well, I still have about 18 lbs. to go. I'm thinkin' that the end of July is a little aggressive for that particular objective, so I'm looking to achieve that before I go on my Alaskan cruise (August 18th).
Hold me to it, people. Just remind me that I asked you to do so when I give you "the look" or start to cry if you see me cheating!
Take care and stay dry!
(a) yt xox
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Is 9:00 pm
an acceptable time to crawl into bed?!? I wonder because I'm about ready to fall down with exhaustion and it's barely scraping the 9:00 hour...sheesh! I'm not sure why I'm so bagged. Could be that this week's course is mostly theory and not alot of coaching. That's always draining. Or maybe it's because I just had a meeting with a team of people where 2 of them sucked the life out of me. Or maybe I'm suffering serious carb withdrawals!! Who knows, but I do know that I will drag my fat arse off to bed a soon as I'm done typing!
I had a couple of positive things happen today that I thought were worth sharing. Firstly, had a great conversation with new buddy, Maggie, from class. Maggie is interested in getting back into shape and offered to go on hikes with me. We talked about doing a hike every Sunday morning. She's going to talk to her friend who's an outdoor-do-healthy-stuff guy and will get some ideas on hikes that challenge us. I'm going to see if Heather, Inca Trail coordinator, wants to join us. Yeah!!
The other positive thing was that I demonstrated real self-control in the face of temptation tonight. Remember that meeting I was telling you about earlier? Well, I bought some snacks for the group. I popped over to Canadian Tire - ok, so not the best choice for healthy snacks...good lesson learned! Nonetheless, I bought a bag of chips and a tin of chocolate covered almonds for the group. I ate NONE of them, despite the taunting I could hear from said almonds & chips. All I did was say "are they really worth it?" and that was that. Yeah for me!
Now I want to change gears a little bit. Is it me or has anyone else noticed an increase in the male "shifting" problem?!? Do ya know what I'm talkin' about? That not-so-subtle way men have of adjusting their package. What is it about the discomfort that makes the behaviour so urgent as to do it in public...in front of me?!? Seriously, do I snap by bra in front of you? Or pull up my boobs to make them look perkier (only Meryl Streep does that on Oscar night)? Or do you see ME pulling out a wedgie in YOUR face?!? NO...and you won't! So why is it that this week alone I saw 4 men (count 'em FOUR and it's only Wednesday) do this?!? No kidding...on the subway...on the GO Train...walking down the street...and in the elevator in my building (with his wife present). Male species, can you not WAIT until you hit a washroom to fix yourself?!? What makes this such an urgent need?!? Perhaps I need a cue stick and a couple of balls to appreciate the game of pocket pool....
OK, thanx for letting me vent...done now and going to bed!
Cheers to movin' down the hill towards the weekend and watching the 6th Harry Potter movie!!
(a) yt xox
I had a couple of positive things happen today that I thought were worth sharing. Firstly, had a great conversation with new buddy, Maggie, from class. Maggie is interested in getting back into shape and offered to go on hikes with me. We talked about doing a hike every Sunday morning. She's going to talk to her friend who's an outdoor-do-healthy-stuff guy and will get some ideas on hikes that challenge us. I'm going to see if Heather, Inca Trail coordinator, wants to join us. Yeah!!
The other positive thing was that I demonstrated real self-control in the face of temptation tonight. Remember that meeting I was telling you about earlier? Well, I bought some snacks for the group. I popped over to Canadian Tire - ok, so not the best choice for healthy snacks...good lesson learned! Nonetheless, I bought a bag of chips and a tin of chocolate covered almonds for the group. I ate NONE of them, despite the taunting I could hear from said almonds & chips. All I did was say "are they really worth it?" and that was that. Yeah for me!
Now I want to change gears a little bit. Is it me or has anyone else noticed an increase in the male "shifting" problem?!? Do ya know what I'm talkin' about? That not-so-subtle way men have of adjusting their package. What is it about the discomfort that makes the behaviour so urgent as to do it in public...in front of me?!? Seriously, do I snap by bra in front of you? Or pull up my boobs to make them look perkier (only Meryl Streep does that on Oscar night)? Or do you see ME pulling out a wedgie in YOUR face?!? NO...and you won't! So why is it that this week alone I saw 4 men (count 'em FOUR and it's only Wednesday) do this?!? No kidding...on the subway...on the GO Train...walking down the street...and in the elevator in my building (with his wife present). Male species, can you not WAIT until you hit a washroom to fix yourself?!? What makes this such an urgent need?!? Perhaps I need a cue stick and a couple of balls to appreciate the game of pocket pool....
OK, thanx for letting me vent...done now and going to bed!
Cheers to movin' down the hill towards the weekend and watching the 6th Harry Potter movie!!
(a) yt xox
Monday, July 13, 2009
Can you say....
"avoidance", boys & girls?!? I have homework from my first day of class and yet, here I sit typing on my blog...see what I'm talking about?!?
BTW, sorry for the goof up. I'm not sure how to delete that extra post, so just ignore it...sigh...
Well, 1st day of "normalcy" today, although quite frankly sitting in a classroom for 7 1/2 hours really isn't all that normal for me! I mean that I'm back to taking my fish oils & vitamins regularly...back to eating healthy (vs. everything in sight)...back to exercising. Well, that last one was alreay part of my days, now wasn't it! Oh yeah...back to NOT sweating at the mere thought of going outside! Today was a gorgeous, sunny, totally reasonable weather day!
Many of us in the class are finding this particular week to be a bit more challenging than the Foundations course. There is a lot more content to absorb and less coaching. That last bit is a bummer for me. Plus, there are people in the course that had taken the Foundations course before us...strangers!!! Anyway, it all made for good learning. But I really should get to that homework...
I started taking the stairs again. For a while, I was taking the elevator at the GO Train station to minimize the pressure on my knees. Well, that's toast! No more coddling myself. I took the stairs at Union Station and I took the stairs in my building. Well, I took them to the ground floor because I couldn't find the stair well that went to the floors...need to find! I also did 30 minutes on the treadmill, increasing to an elevation of 12 and a top speed of 3.2. I could only manage that top level of 10 minutes without feeling like I wanted to throw up my lung, but it's something to keep pressing. My goal? Get to a higher elevation and a faster speed without a) tripping, b) throwing up and/or c) falling off.
OK..now I really MUST do my homework...
I hope everyone is doing well. BTW, feel free to let me know if you have any other suggestions to help prep me for The Inca Trail. Thanx to niece Sandra for treadmill tip - I'm not at the level she's at, but I will be one day! Maggie, awesome chick from class, has volunteered to hike with me. That's cool as long as she doesn't kick my ass on the hike..
OK...gotta go and do my homework now...:)
Later, poppits!
(a) yt xox
BTW, sorry for the goof up. I'm not sure how to delete that extra post, so just ignore it...sigh...
Well, 1st day of "normalcy" today, although quite frankly sitting in a classroom for 7 1/2 hours really isn't all that normal for me! I mean that I'm back to taking my fish oils & vitamins regularly...back to eating healthy (vs. everything in sight)...back to exercising. Well, that last one was alreay part of my days, now wasn't it! Oh yeah...back to NOT sweating at the mere thought of going outside! Today was a gorgeous, sunny, totally reasonable weather day!
Many of us in the class are finding this particular week to be a bit more challenging than the Foundations course. There is a lot more content to absorb and less coaching. That last bit is a bummer for me. Plus, there are people in the course that had taken the Foundations course before us...strangers!!! Anyway, it all made for good learning. But I really should get to that homework...
I started taking the stairs again. For a while, I was taking the elevator at the GO Train station to minimize the pressure on my knees. Well, that's toast! No more coddling myself. I took the stairs at Union Station and I took the stairs in my building. Well, I took them to the ground floor because I couldn't find the stair well that went to the floors...need to find! I also did 30 minutes on the treadmill, increasing to an elevation of 12 and a top speed of 3.2. I could only manage that top level of 10 minutes without feeling like I wanted to throw up my lung, but it's something to keep pressing. My goal? Get to a higher elevation and a faster speed without a) tripping, b) throwing up and/or c) falling off.
OK..now I really MUST do my homework...
I hope everyone is doing well. BTW, feel free to let me know if you have any other suggestions to help prep me for The Inca Trail. Thanx to niece Sandra for treadmill tip - I'm not at the level she's at, but I will be one day! Maggie, awesome chick from class, has volunteered to hike with me. That's cool as long as she doesn't kick my ass on the hike..
OK...gotta go and do my homework now...:)
Later, poppits!
(a) yt xox
Can you say....
"I'm a techno loser", boys & girls?!?
OK, so this one is the real post...check the next one!!
Sorry for the confusion!
OK, so this one is the real post...check the next one!!
Sorry for the confusion!
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Countdown to Week 2 of the course!
Greetings on Sunday evening, around 10:30. Of course, my body is saying it's only 7:30, so here I sit at my laptop typin' a note!
Can I just say how wonderful it is to be home and with my stuff?!? Don't get me wrong, I had an AMAZING time in Phoenix and my brother John is a great host. AND, I really enjoyed the party and seeing all the sibs....however, nothin' says "home" like my body pillow...which is waiting for me in my own bed, with my own pillows and my own sheets...ahhh....
Well, I should catch you up on the last few days. Thursday brought the rest of the family to Phoenix and chaos abounded! We all went out to eat at Souper Salad where we decided to head to Stone Cold Creamery for dessert. I ate sparingly 'cuz I knew the heaven that was waiting for me. Lemme tell you, I was not disappointed! I was, however, high on a sugar rush like you wouldn't believe! I ate this straight-from-the-ice-cream-gods concoction of chocolate ice cream, caramel, brownies, almonds & chocolate sauce...all stuffed into a chocolate & peanut covered waffle bowl! Oie! My teeth are hurtin' at the memory of all that sugar. Fortunately, that's a once every 12-18 months treat. Ya know, like cheesecake or that triple chocolate cake I ate for my cheat meal. Anyway, it was worth it!
Friday, John, Lorry & I did our 8KM walk. The pace was much faster with the addition of sister "long legs" Lorry! That girl can move, lemme tell ya! But, I'm happy to say I kept up with the pace and even led the group a few times...yeah for me! Friday night we all went to a Turkish restaurant for Jimmy's birthday celebration where we all shook our bootays with the belly dancer. Poor thing! She was a good sport, even when my Uncle Paul shoved a $20 bill into her top...oie! You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family...sigh...
Saturday was the big party day, where I spent the morning hangin' with homey, John at Baiz Market, a Lebanese food store. I was in charge of making kibbee (family tradition handed down to me from my father). In a 30 minute period, John & I consumed more carbs than we did for the entire week. But man! They were worth it! Fortunately, that was all I ate until I got to the party. Then, at the party, I went to hell in a handbasket....seriously! I could not control myself. Thank goodness for my niece, Sandra. I always felt the need to keep myself in check when I was around her. Of course, that didn't stop me from snarfing down everything in sight when she wasn't around, but hey! There were points of control!!
Anyway, did I mention it's good to be home?!?
So now my challenge is to keep up the level of activity while reigning in the bad eating habits! The eating part should be ok, but I should warn you not to eat anything sweet in front of me while I'm going through my carb withdrawals. I'm just sayin'....
My brother-in-law, Barry, gave me a good tip on how to better prep for the hikes. He's an experienced hiker, marathoner, triathaloner, he-man-pick-up-trees-and-throw-them-at-each-other-jock, so he's done alot of training. He suggested I start going up the stairs whenever I can. So, that's what I'm planning to do. I'm on the 5th floor, so I will do as many flights as I can, working my way up to 5...or higher!
Well, it's time to hit the hay. I start Week 2 of my course. I can't wait!
BTW, all the carbs and crap I ate yesterday has made me feel nauseous all day. Totally not worth it....when will I ever learn?!?
Cheers everyone!
(a) yt xox
Can I just say how wonderful it is to be home and with my stuff?!? Don't get me wrong, I had an AMAZING time in Phoenix and my brother John is a great host. AND, I really enjoyed the party and seeing all the sibs....however, nothin' says "home" like my body pillow...which is waiting for me in my own bed, with my own pillows and my own sheets...ahhh....
Well, I should catch you up on the last few days. Thursday brought the rest of the family to Phoenix and chaos abounded! We all went out to eat at Souper Salad where we decided to head to Stone Cold Creamery for dessert. I ate sparingly 'cuz I knew the heaven that was waiting for me. Lemme tell you, I was not disappointed! I was, however, high on a sugar rush like you wouldn't believe! I ate this straight-from-the-ice-cream-gods concoction of chocolate ice cream, caramel, brownies, almonds & chocolate sauce...all stuffed into a chocolate & peanut covered waffle bowl! Oie! My teeth are hurtin' at the memory of all that sugar. Fortunately, that's a once every 12-18 months treat. Ya know, like cheesecake or that triple chocolate cake I ate for my cheat meal. Anyway, it was worth it!
Friday, John, Lorry & I did our 8KM walk. The pace was much faster with the addition of sister "long legs" Lorry! That girl can move, lemme tell ya! But, I'm happy to say I kept up with the pace and even led the group a few times...yeah for me! Friday night we all went to a Turkish restaurant for Jimmy's birthday celebration where we all shook our bootays with the belly dancer. Poor thing! She was a good sport, even when my Uncle Paul shoved a $20 bill into her top...oie! You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family...sigh...
Saturday was the big party day, where I spent the morning hangin' with homey, John at Baiz Market, a Lebanese food store. I was in charge of making kibbee (family tradition handed down to me from my father). In a 30 minute period, John & I consumed more carbs than we did for the entire week. But man! They were worth it! Fortunately, that was all I ate until I got to the party. Then, at the party, I went to hell in a handbasket....seriously! I could not control myself. Thank goodness for my niece, Sandra. I always felt the need to keep myself in check when I was around her. Of course, that didn't stop me from snarfing down everything in sight when she wasn't around, but hey! There were points of control!!
Anyway, did I mention it's good to be home?!?
So now my challenge is to keep up the level of activity while reigning in the bad eating habits! The eating part should be ok, but I should warn you not to eat anything sweet in front of me while I'm going through my carb withdrawals. I'm just sayin'....
My brother-in-law, Barry, gave me a good tip on how to better prep for the hikes. He's an experienced hiker, marathoner, triathaloner, he-man-pick-up-trees-and-throw-them-at-each-other-jock, so he's done alot of training. He suggested I start going up the stairs whenever I can. So, that's what I'm planning to do. I'm on the 5th floor, so I will do as many flights as I can, working my way up to 5...or higher!
Well, it's time to hit the hay. I start Week 2 of my course. I can't wait!
BTW, all the carbs and crap I ate yesterday has made me feel nauseous all day. Totally not worth it....when will I ever learn?!?
Cheers everyone!
(a) yt xox
Thursday, July 9, 2009
The Hills are alive...
...with the sound of my grunting, moaning & puffing....
Today was hike day. Up at 4:15 and at the bottom of Squaw Peak by 5:00 where Frederica greeted us. I was kinda excited (well, interested) in seeing how I performed the hike this time vs. last week. On the positive side, I finished it again! I also took parts of it at a much faster pace than I did last week, as Fred informed me (bless her heart!). I had to stop a few more times, though, as my heart was pumpin'. I had the same feeling I had last week where, at points, I just wanted to lie on the rocks and say "go on, just leave me to die!!" Fortunately, I controlled that urge...just like I controlled my urge to eat the peanut-butter-and-banana sandwich. Well done to me!
I've been really good about watching what I eat. Remember my commitment to "letting go" and just chillaxin' about my approach to food? Well, it's been very helpful. I only eat what I want to eat - like the whole bag of honey-sesame almonds from Trader Joe's and not the chocolate dipped ice cream cone from the Dairy Queen. I'm lovin' this approach! I know I will indulge in two things before the trip is over...Stone Cold Creamery ice cream and my brother's German Chocolate birthday cake. It's all good....
Today the rest of the gang arrives from Ontario. Everyone is so excited! It's going to be chaos, so I'm enjoying the solitude of the moment and the pawing from Pearl. I don't even mind that she wants to play "fetch". Where does she get the energy...and how do I get me some of that?!?
Until the next blog...later, gators!!
(a) yt xox
Today was hike day. Up at 4:15 and at the bottom of Squaw Peak by 5:00 where Frederica greeted us. I was kinda excited (well, interested) in seeing how I performed the hike this time vs. last week. On the positive side, I finished it again! I also took parts of it at a much faster pace than I did last week, as Fred informed me (bless her heart!). I had to stop a few more times, though, as my heart was pumpin'. I had the same feeling I had last week where, at points, I just wanted to lie on the rocks and say "go on, just leave me to die!!" Fortunately, I controlled that urge...just like I controlled my urge to eat the peanut-butter-and-banana sandwich. Well done to me!
I've been really good about watching what I eat. Remember my commitment to "letting go" and just chillaxin' about my approach to food? Well, it's been very helpful. I only eat what I want to eat - like the whole bag of honey-sesame almonds from Trader Joe's and not the chocolate dipped ice cream cone from the Dairy Queen. I'm lovin' this approach! I know I will indulge in two things before the trip is over...Stone Cold Creamery ice cream and my brother's German Chocolate birthday cake. It's all good....
Today the rest of the gang arrives from Ontario. Everyone is so excited! It's going to be chaos, so I'm enjoying the solitude of the moment and the pawing from Pearl. I don't even mind that she wants to play "fetch". Where does she get the energy...and how do I get me some of that?!?
Until the next blog...later, gators!!
(a) yt xox
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Swimming & sunning & napping...
... oh my!
That was my day today. I think the toughest thing I did was to get out of bed at 5:15 and do the 8KM walk with my brother. Everything after that was smooth sailing!
I napped when I got home, after stretching and playing "fetch" with Pearl. Had lunch (chicken and lots of veggies...mmmm...) then headed to the pool. I am now, officially, a lobster. Well, at least on my upper body. The legs could use some more colour, but waddaya gonna do? I simply could NOT stand being in the sun any longer. In the 2-ish hours I was out there, I was in the pool 4 times and still I perspired. Honestly! I can't believe the heat here. It's overwhelming. Quite frankly, I don't know how the sibs are gonna handle it. Some of them do NOT do well with heat!
Today was a bad craving day. For some reason, I could NOT get the thought of a peanut-butter-and-banana-on-toasted-12-grain-bread out of my head. I'm telling you, it was all I could think about! Fortunately, I resisted, but YIKES! Enough already! Instead, I indulged in a few wedges of pita bread to soak up the dressing in my Greek salad at dinner. Not quite the same, but good enough. I also bought some yummy honey sesame coated almonds from Trader Joe's. Hey! Trader Joe's is a "healthy" store, so they can't be all that bad, right? Everything's fine in moderation, right? Oh, is eating 4 handfuls in one sitting "moderation"?!?
Sigh....
Up at 4:30 (yes, in the morning) and heading to the gym. CURSE YOU, TRADER JOE'S!!!
G'night my super-restrained inspirational friends and family!!!
(a) yt xox
That was my day today. I think the toughest thing I did was to get out of bed at 5:15 and do the 8KM walk with my brother. Everything after that was smooth sailing!
I napped when I got home, after stretching and playing "fetch" with Pearl. Had lunch (chicken and lots of veggies...mmmm...) then headed to the pool. I am now, officially, a lobster. Well, at least on my upper body. The legs could use some more colour, but waddaya gonna do? I simply could NOT stand being in the sun any longer. In the 2-ish hours I was out there, I was in the pool 4 times and still I perspired. Honestly! I can't believe the heat here. It's overwhelming. Quite frankly, I don't know how the sibs are gonna handle it. Some of them do NOT do well with heat!
Today was a bad craving day. For some reason, I could NOT get the thought of a peanut-butter-and-banana-on-toasted-12-grain-bread out of my head. I'm telling you, it was all I could think about! Fortunately, I resisted, but YIKES! Enough already! Instead, I indulged in a few wedges of pita bread to soak up the dressing in my Greek salad at dinner. Not quite the same, but good enough. I also bought some yummy honey sesame coated almonds from Trader Joe's. Hey! Trader Joe's is a "healthy" store, so they can't be all that bad, right? Everything's fine in moderation, right? Oh, is eating 4 handfuls in one sitting "moderation"?!?
Sigh....
Up at 4:30 (yes, in the morning) and heading to the gym. CURSE YOU, TRADER JOE'S!!!
G'night my super-restrained inspirational friends and family!!!
(a) yt xox
Monday, July 6, 2009
Not your typical Monday...
Well, I guess it would be if you're used to hangin' out in 110 degrees Farenheit! Honestly, I don't know how these Phoenicians survive this heat! I actually see construction workers doing their thang in the middle of the day...what's up with that?!? I feel so badly for them that I wanna just take a big 'ole water hose and spray them down. Of course, some of them have nice bodies, so my intentions are not 100% honourable... tee, hee... Movin' on...
Well, it's been an exciting and full two days since last I've typed! Let's start with Saturday. We did our walk, at 6:00 as promised. It was pretty good. It ended up being about 8KM and took us 40 minutes, so we made good time. Although it was hot, it wasn't the full-on"feel-like-you're-sitting-in-a-sauna-all-day" stifling hot temperature. I should tell you how we looked, as those of you who know both myself and my brother, John, will have an appreciation of our situation. Picture this..
Yvonne...hair pulled up into a teeny pony tail (small, but a pony tail nonetheless!); black head band pulling the rest of my hair off my face. Oh yes! My entire forehead and face exposed to the elements and anyone with the courage to look at me...add to this beautous look is my oversized tshirt (cherry red) and my capri-style black workout pants. Topping off this runway athletic fashion demonstration are my neon-striped-so-I-can-be-a-jock-in-the-dark blue & white runners. Can you believe someone hasn't scooped me up and married me yet?!? So....that's just me...now for my brother...remember the song "Let's Get Physical" by Olivia Newton John, where she's decked out in workout attire, headband and all, shaking her bootay on the video? Well, picture the male verison of that and you've got John! His outfit is truly practical, but um...well...not so stylish (not that I'm one to talk!). He's got on two "wife beater" tank tops, with shorts that are big for him...white socks that come just below his calf and running shoes. "That's not so bad", you're thinking...we'll add to that look, a lovely Dollar Store purchased black sweat band that stretches across the middle of his forehead..see what I mean? Are we a couple of fashionistas, or what?!? I guess it's a good thing we're out and about before the sun rises, isn't it?!? OK, 'nuf said about our fashion. It really is practical, but we could both use a little style! The sad thing is, we just don't care!!
After our walk and shower, John & I went to my favourite breakfast place - The International House of Pancakes (IHOP). I love that place! Not only do they make GINORMOUS omelettes, they give you a side of pancakes with warm-ish maple-like syrup. It's all very decadent and yummy! I ate 98% of my omelette (leaving 2 bites for my very envious brother), and 50% of my syrup-smothered Nut & Grain pancakes. Did I feel guilty or shamed at eating these treats? NO WAY, BAY-BEE!! This breakfast was well worth it. Besides, I knew it was gonna last me until dinner time, so I had no concerns!
After gourging ourselves at breakfast, we headed to The Anthem Outlet Malls - my favourite shopping place in this area. I'm telling you people, no one does "sale" like US Retailers on a holiday weekend. You can not believe the bargains I got! When we got there, John outlined his strategy - yes, my brother has a strategy for shopping these malls. I'm so grateful that he's a shopper! I welcomed his shopping wisdom and found myself following his mystic ways. Our strategy? Check out the stores, see what's there, then buy...loading purchased parcels in the back of the strategically located car throughout the process. It was a VERY good strategy. I felt no resentment towards people banging into my shopping bags, because I wasn't carrying any. AND, I didn't care about the bodies in the stores, 'cuz I knew what I wanted to buy (having looked earlier in the day before the crowd gathered) and went right to it. It was very good to let the Yoda of shopping guide my purchasing ways...
After a day of power shopping, we came home and had a healthy meal of chicken and salad. It was a really good day and we were both tired and in bed by 10:30. Such is my vacation...up at 5:15 and in bed by 10:30. I'm a crazy woman!!
Sunday was a glorious day! We picked up John's friend, Cornelia, and drove to Sedona. For those who have never been, you would love it! It has all of these gorgeous rock formations that have red rock and "healing powers". It's a very spiritual place, so there are lots of crystal holding, granola eating, cactus hugging nature lovers. And one can get any kind of "reading" that one desires done there, so it attracts quite an interesting group of people. Anyhoo, we climbed about 2/3 of the way up Belle Rock, which is my favourite of the rock formations. I have some great shots, which I'm hoping I can post.
I was quite proud of the hike and my ability to do it. It was considered to be "moderate". We walked 3.25 miles (about 5KM). It was a steady incline for most of the way with pockets of heavy duty, climbing-on-rocks action. Once again, I was grateful for having the ability to actually do the climb, but recognized I still have a long way to go to train...all good learning! I'm quite proud of my brother, John, who managed this hike quite well.
We met up with Greg & Joel. Greg will be joining us (Cornelia, John & I) on the Inca Trail, so it was nice to meet him. Then we all headed to Greg's CHARMING cabin in the smack of the woods. It was such a nice location and a great place to have our packed, very healthy lunch! Then back to Phoenix after a yummy dinner in Sedona.
Once again my left knee is really bugging me. It feels like there is a fist behind my left knee, so I know the muscles are really tight. I know I harp on about The Evil One , but I sure could use one of his torturous stretching sessions right now! I'm going to keep up the walking (treadmill at the gym, 8KM walk at home) and possibly do another hike with Frederica. I need to keep focused and, quite frankly, it's not so painful during the exercising, just afterward...like today when I have to get up in order to keep it from stiffening. Whine, whine, whine....enough!!!
Overall? This has been a GREAT vacation. I love that my brother is so focused because he's keeping me focused. His commitment is inspiring and dammit I'm gonna keep on it! I've decided I want to spend Christmas in Phoenix, so I want to be ... nay, WILL BE...at my optimal weight before I come here. There are all kinds of awesome hiking trails here, so John's promised we can do one when I come in December.
OK, 'nuf talking. Hopefully, I haven't lost anyone!
Take care and stay tuned to more Phoenix adventures!!!
(a)yt xox
Well, it's been an exciting and full two days since last I've typed! Let's start with Saturday. We did our walk, at 6:00 as promised. It was pretty good. It ended up being about 8KM and took us 40 minutes, so we made good time. Although it was hot, it wasn't the full-on"feel-like-you're-sitting-in-a-sauna-all-day" stifling hot temperature. I should tell you how we looked, as those of you who know both myself and my brother, John, will have an appreciation of our situation. Picture this..
Yvonne...hair pulled up into a teeny pony tail (small, but a pony tail nonetheless!); black head band pulling the rest of my hair off my face. Oh yes! My entire forehead and face exposed to the elements and anyone with the courage to look at me...add to this beautous look is my oversized tshirt (cherry red) and my capri-style black workout pants. Topping off this runway athletic fashion demonstration are my neon-striped-so-I-can-be-a-jock-in-the-dark blue & white runners. Can you believe someone hasn't scooped me up and married me yet?!? So....that's just me...now for my brother...remember the song "Let's Get Physical" by Olivia Newton John, where she's decked out in workout attire, headband and all, shaking her bootay on the video? Well, picture the male verison of that and you've got John! His outfit is truly practical, but um...well...not so stylish (not that I'm one to talk!). He's got on two "wife beater" tank tops, with shorts that are big for him...white socks that come just below his calf and running shoes. "That's not so bad", you're thinking...we'll add to that look, a lovely Dollar Store purchased black sweat band that stretches across the middle of his forehead..see what I mean? Are we a couple of fashionistas, or what?!? I guess it's a good thing we're out and about before the sun rises, isn't it?!? OK, 'nuf said about our fashion. It really is practical, but we could both use a little style! The sad thing is, we just don't care!!
After our walk and shower, John & I went to my favourite breakfast place - The International House of Pancakes (IHOP). I love that place! Not only do they make GINORMOUS omelettes, they give you a side of pancakes with warm-ish maple-like syrup. It's all very decadent and yummy! I ate 98% of my omelette (leaving 2 bites for my very envious brother), and 50% of my syrup-smothered Nut & Grain pancakes. Did I feel guilty or shamed at eating these treats? NO WAY, BAY-BEE!! This breakfast was well worth it. Besides, I knew it was gonna last me until dinner time, so I had no concerns!
After gourging ourselves at breakfast, we headed to The Anthem Outlet Malls - my favourite shopping place in this area. I'm telling you people, no one does "sale" like US Retailers on a holiday weekend. You can not believe the bargains I got! When we got there, John outlined his strategy - yes, my brother has a strategy for shopping these malls. I'm so grateful that he's a shopper! I welcomed his shopping wisdom and found myself following his mystic ways. Our strategy? Check out the stores, see what's there, then buy...loading purchased parcels in the back of the strategically located car throughout the process. It was a VERY good strategy. I felt no resentment towards people banging into my shopping bags, because I wasn't carrying any. AND, I didn't care about the bodies in the stores, 'cuz I knew what I wanted to buy (having looked earlier in the day before the crowd gathered) and went right to it. It was very good to let the Yoda of shopping guide my purchasing ways...
After a day of power shopping, we came home and had a healthy meal of chicken and salad. It was a really good day and we were both tired and in bed by 10:30. Such is my vacation...up at 5:15 and in bed by 10:30. I'm a crazy woman!!
Sunday was a glorious day! We picked up John's friend, Cornelia, and drove to Sedona. For those who have never been, you would love it! It has all of these gorgeous rock formations that have red rock and "healing powers". It's a very spiritual place, so there are lots of crystal holding, granola eating, cactus hugging nature lovers. And one can get any kind of "reading" that one desires done there, so it attracts quite an interesting group of people. Anyhoo, we climbed about 2/3 of the way up Belle Rock, which is my favourite of the rock formations. I have some great shots, which I'm hoping I can post.
I was quite proud of the hike and my ability to do it. It was considered to be "moderate". We walked 3.25 miles (about 5KM). It was a steady incline for most of the way with pockets of heavy duty, climbing-on-rocks action. Once again, I was grateful for having the ability to actually do the climb, but recognized I still have a long way to go to train...all good learning! I'm quite proud of my brother, John, who managed this hike quite well.
We met up with Greg & Joel. Greg will be joining us (Cornelia, John & I) on the Inca Trail, so it was nice to meet him. Then we all headed to Greg's CHARMING cabin in the smack of the woods. It was such a nice location and a great place to have our packed, very healthy lunch! Then back to Phoenix after a yummy dinner in Sedona.
Once again my left knee is really bugging me. It feels like there is a fist behind my left knee, so I know the muscles are really tight. I know I harp on about The Evil One , but I sure could use one of his torturous stretching sessions right now! I'm going to keep up the walking (treadmill at the gym, 8KM walk at home) and possibly do another hike with Frederica. I need to keep focused and, quite frankly, it's not so painful during the exercising, just afterward...like today when I have to get up in order to keep it from stiffening. Whine, whine, whine....enough!!!
Overall? This has been a GREAT vacation. I love that my brother is so focused because he's keeping me focused. His commitment is inspiring and dammit I'm gonna keep on it! I've decided I want to spend Christmas in Phoenix, so I want to be ... nay, WILL BE...at my optimal weight before I come here. There are all kinds of awesome hiking trails here, so John's promised we can do one when I come in December.
OK, 'nuf talking. Hopefully, I haven't lost anyone!
Take care and stay tuned to more Phoenix adventures!!!
(a)yt xox
Friday, July 3, 2009
I could get used to this...
G'morning all! It's 8:05 am Phoenix time and I'm sitting in a schwanky office in my brother's building. Nice place, really. I could get used to hanging out here! Hmmmm....perhaps I should hang a shingle in Phoenix, too?!?
Well, I didn't go in to the gym today. Instead, I listened to Pearl, the dog, sit outside my door and bark for a good hour. Apparently, her razor sharp hearing could hear me, I dunno, breathing! Although she is a real cutie, I must confess to being annoyed with her. I mean, really, I blew off going to the gym, so what makes her think I'm gonna play "fetch" with her at that hour?!? Fortunately, like with all my borderline insanity thoughts, I managed to NOT act out the many things I thought about doing to her. Good thing I have self-constraint!
Last night, John, Jim & I went for dinner at another all you can eat soup & salad place. This one, I was told, was a little more upscale than the one my sister, Rita, and I went to yesterday. Given that the all of my siblings will be in town next week, I felt the need to investigate so I could make an educated recommendation on which place is best. You can't imagine the pressure I feel! Anyway, the place we went to last night, Sweet Tomato, had a very nice pasta bar and a yummy bakery section. Needless to say, I was in hell. Oh sure, I managed to fill up on the mega topping salad, but there was very little protein and even MY imagination couldn't stretch far enough to believe that the sliced carrots on spinach I was eating tasted like that gooey carrot lava cake smothered in buttercream icing. Oh great, now I have a craving for carrot cake...sigh...Anyway, for an additional $3, I'm guessing Sweet Tomato will be the restaurant of choice. Most people will be able to eat the goodies, anyway, so I think for them it will be worth it.
My brother informed me that we get to sleep in tomorrow (Saturday) until 6:00 am. Oh goodie! That is because we're not going to the gym. Instead we're going for a power walk of 5 miles. We can't go any later than 6:00 or else it will be too hot. Hmmm...I'm wondering why we couldn't wait until, say 8:00,then go to the air conditioned gym?!? I'd suggest it, but I think he's got his heart set on the power walk. Sheesh, the things one has to do for family...tee, hee!
Well, back to work now! So much on my "Phoenix to do" list. No rest for the weary....
Have a great day, poppits!
(a) yt xox
Well, I didn't go in to the gym today. Instead, I listened to Pearl, the dog, sit outside my door and bark for a good hour. Apparently, her razor sharp hearing could hear me, I dunno, breathing! Although she is a real cutie, I must confess to being annoyed with her. I mean, really, I blew off going to the gym, so what makes her think I'm gonna play "fetch" with her at that hour?!? Fortunately, like with all my borderline insanity thoughts, I managed to NOT act out the many things I thought about doing to her. Good thing I have self-constraint!
Last night, John, Jim & I went for dinner at another all you can eat soup & salad place. This one, I was told, was a little more upscale than the one my sister, Rita, and I went to yesterday. Given that the all of my siblings will be in town next week, I felt the need to investigate so I could make an educated recommendation on which place is best. You can't imagine the pressure I feel! Anyway, the place we went to last night, Sweet Tomato, had a very nice pasta bar and a yummy bakery section. Needless to say, I was in hell. Oh sure, I managed to fill up on the mega topping salad, but there was very little protein and even MY imagination couldn't stretch far enough to believe that the sliced carrots on spinach I was eating tasted like that gooey carrot lava cake smothered in buttercream icing. Oh great, now I have a craving for carrot cake...sigh...Anyway, for an additional $3, I'm guessing Sweet Tomato will be the restaurant of choice. Most people will be able to eat the goodies, anyway, so I think for them it will be worth it.
My brother informed me that we get to sleep in tomorrow (Saturday) until 6:00 am. Oh goodie! That is because we're not going to the gym. Instead we're going for a power walk of 5 miles. We can't go any later than 6:00 or else it will be too hot. Hmmm...I'm wondering why we couldn't wait until, say 8:00,then go to the air conditioned gym?!? I'd suggest it, but I think he's got his heart set on the power walk. Sheesh, the things one has to do for family...tee, hee!
Well, back to work now! So much on my "Phoenix to do" list. No rest for the weary....
Have a great day, poppits!
(a) yt xox
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Ya just never know...
Hi everyone!
Well, it's Thursday morning, about 10:45, Phoenix time, and once again I opted to nap vs. go into work with John this morning. I guess it's the whole getting-up-at-4:15-on-my-vacation thing that's making me beligerent!
Today we hiked part of Squaw Peak in Phoenix. I say part, because I never would've survived doing the whole thing! As it stands now, there were moments on this trail where I wanted to stop and throw up a lung. Well, it's all good learning. Learning that I still have a ways to go in prep for The Inca Trail...Learning that I need to continue my focus to lose weight and train like hell...Learning that I am grateful to have received NOW and not later!! I've not given up hope. On the contrary, it's just made me more resolved to shrink my fat arse and get busy on the prep. I'll have to tell The Evil One so he can work my legs even more. I know, clearly I'm suffering dimentia or deep de-hydration for having said that!
I was quite proud of my brother, John, though. He was barely out of breath and only twisted his ankle once! Poor guy. I can understand why he'd lose it, though, as the trail was quite rocky in places. I found the way down to be just as painful as the way up. Not so much on the cardio side, but my knees are killing me! Story of my life, isn't it?!? Oh well...more exercise...less eating of crap...GOING FOR IT!!!!
Tomorrow it's back to the gym with a greater appreciation for the hill program. I think a high, steady incline is a good way to train. It's an exhausting program, but I know it will be good for me. God help me to not fall off the treadmill...and God help the person behind me if I do!!
Well, it's off to the pool for a few hours. I must get some colour on these legs...seriously!!
Have a FAB day everyone!
(a) yt xox
Well, it's Thursday morning, about 10:45, Phoenix time, and once again I opted to nap vs. go into work with John this morning. I guess it's the whole getting-up-at-4:15-on-my-vacation thing that's making me beligerent!
Today we hiked part of Squaw Peak in Phoenix. I say part, because I never would've survived doing the whole thing! As it stands now, there were moments on this trail where I wanted to stop and throw up a lung. Well, it's all good learning. Learning that I still have a ways to go in prep for The Inca Trail...Learning that I need to continue my focus to lose weight and train like hell...Learning that I am grateful to have received NOW and not later!! I've not given up hope. On the contrary, it's just made me more resolved to shrink my fat arse and get busy on the prep. I'll have to tell The Evil One so he can work my legs even more. I know, clearly I'm suffering dimentia or deep de-hydration for having said that!
I was quite proud of my brother, John, though. He was barely out of breath and only twisted his ankle once! Poor guy. I can understand why he'd lose it, though, as the trail was quite rocky in places. I found the way down to be just as painful as the way up. Not so much on the cardio side, but my knees are killing me! Story of my life, isn't it?!? Oh well...more exercise...less eating of crap...GOING FOR IT!!!!
Tomorrow it's back to the gym with a greater appreciation for the hill program. I think a high, steady incline is a good way to train. It's an exhausting program, but I know it will be good for me. God help me to not fall off the treadmill...and God help the person behind me if I do!!
Well, it's off to the pool for a few hours. I must get some colour on these legs...seriously!!
Have a FAB day everyone!
(a) yt xox
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Greetings from Phoenix, Arizona!
And it's a blazin' hot time in Phoenix, lemme tell ya! Why it's hotter than Brad Pitt in Legends of the Fall...uh...anybody?!? Is this thing on?!?
Hi all! Well, I made it to Phoenix on an uneventful flight - that's a good thing! There was no turbulence and I was able to catch The Reader on my very own TV screen! Add to it, I had no one in my aisle...sweet!! I arrived about 40 minutes early, and was picked up by my bro, John. Now John has lost a good deal of the belly he had when I last saw him in November, so I'm quite proud of him!
I came back to his place and hung out by the pool for a couple of hours. Now people, it's BLOOMIN' hot by the pool. Even the deck, which is supposed to be a special heat-resistant material, was smokin'! I'm pretty sure that, if I hadn't moved my chaise to within rolling into the pool distance, I would've had blisters on the bottom of my feet. Seriously! Needless to say, we popped round Wal-Mart last night where I bought a cheap pair of flip-flops...and some yogurt...and some almonds! All good!!!
It's been an eventful week of networking and hanging out. I went to Ernie's "Good-bye CIBC " bash and had a BLAST ! I saw alot of people I hadn't seen in a long while. It was a good time, that's for sure. I did fall a bit off the path, though. Ernie and her friends did ALOT of baking and I simply could not resist a Turtle Bar...yummy! But it was a good decision since I only ate one and resisted the other delights that were calling my name. It was all good!
I should mention that I finally broke the plateau and am down another 1 lb. so that's 45 in total!! Yeah!!
So...back to Phoenix....
As I'd mentioned before, John has lined up at least 2 hikes for us while I'm here. The first, with Frederica, is tomorrow (Thursday) morning. In preparation for it, I got up with John this morning (at 4:15 am, thank you very much) and went into the gym with him. I did a pretty good workout on the treadmill (hill program) then started to flounder my way through some other workout! I did free weights for the arms. I only did 10 lbs. and could hear The Evil One calling me "Woosy". Well, perhaps it wasn't Werner as his expression would've been much worse. Anyway, next time I go, which will probably be Friday, I plan to kick it up some more. I was feeling a bit out of sorts and unsure of where everything was. That made me feel a bit awkward. Now? Who cares?!? I'm going for it! It will be a much better workout! In the meantime, I'm really looking forward to tomorrow's hike. It will be good to see where my endurance is at this point!
OK poppits! I hope you're all well. Once again, I apologize for not sending something sooner. Hopefully I'll be able to send more greetings from Phoenix!
Cheers!
(a) yt xox
Hi all! Well, I made it to Phoenix on an uneventful flight - that's a good thing! There was no turbulence and I was able to catch The Reader on my very own TV screen! Add to it, I had no one in my aisle...sweet!! I arrived about 40 minutes early, and was picked up by my bro, John. Now John has lost a good deal of the belly he had when I last saw him in November, so I'm quite proud of him!
I came back to his place and hung out by the pool for a couple of hours. Now people, it's BLOOMIN' hot by the pool. Even the deck, which is supposed to be a special heat-resistant material, was smokin'! I'm pretty sure that, if I hadn't moved my chaise to within rolling into the pool distance, I would've had blisters on the bottom of my feet. Seriously! Needless to say, we popped round Wal-Mart last night where I bought a cheap pair of flip-flops...and some yogurt...and some almonds! All good!!!
It's been an eventful week of networking and hanging out. I went to Ernie's "Good-bye CIBC " bash and had a BLAST ! I saw alot of people I hadn't seen in a long while. It was a good time, that's for sure. I did fall a bit off the path, though. Ernie and her friends did ALOT of baking and I simply could not resist a Turtle Bar...yummy! But it was a good decision since I only ate one and resisted the other delights that were calling my name. It was all good!
I should mention that I finally broke the plateau and am down another 1 lb. so that's 45 in total!! Yeah!!
So...back to Phoenix....
As I'd mentioned before, John has lined up at least 2 hikes for us while I'm here. The first, with Frederica, is tomorrow (Thursday) morning. In preparation for it, I got up with John this morning (at 4:15 am, thank you very much) and went into the gym with him. I did a pretty good workout on the treadmill (hill program) then started to flounder my way through some other workout! I did free weights for the arms. I only did 10 lbs. and could hear The Evil One calling me "Woosy". Well, perhaps it wasn't Werner as his expression would've been much worse. Anyway, next time I go, which will probably be Friday, I plan to kick it up some more. I was feeling a bit out of sorts and unsure of where everything was. That made me feel a bit awkward. Now? Who cares?!? I'm going for it! It will be a much better workout! In the meantime, I'm really looking forward to tomorrow's hike. It will be good to see where my endurance is at this point!
OK poppits! I hope you're all well. Once again, I apologize for not sending something sooner. Hopefully I'll be able to send more greetings from Phoenix!
Cheers!
(a) yt xox
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