That's what I told myself this morning about the blog avoidance problem I've been experiencing. First it was related to a "funk" I was going through, now it's just plain laziness!
But, here I am....
Hallooooooooooooooooo!!!!
I'm on my couch, listenin' to the Disco Brunch on boom 97.3...nothin' like Donna Summer to bring up the spirits! Sing it, sister!!!
So, what's been shakin' for the past two weeks....well....
- down more weight bringing my total loss to 70 lbs. It's nice to be able to say that. It's a good, round number! I am only 35 lbs. from my Inca Trail goal...YOWZA!! What a great feeling it is to be so close! That's only 4 lbs/week, which is totally doable.
- exercise program is back on track for 3x/week at the gym. We've bumped it up a notch, given The Evil One's commitment to "ride my ass" until I reach my goal. He's quite effective at that, btw. When I work out on my own, I climb stairs carrying weights. I'm up to 500 stairs, with an end goal of 2,000. I'm told that's equivalent to climbing the CN Tower. Yes, I AM nuts!
- I've been hiking every week with The Inca Chicks. What a great group of women! I'm really enjoying getting to know everyone. And talk about "fit"...these women kick my booty when it comes to these hikes. I can barely keep my heart from pounding out of my throat, while most of these women (who are ALL older than me, btw) barely work up a sweat! On the one hand, it's embarrassing. On the flip side, it's really motivating me to keep going. They're all so supportive. It's really great.
- I've had some ups and downs on the "trying to make money" thing...more downs than ups, but I'm not giving up. I've got some great networking meetings coming up, for which I am most appreciative. I know things are going to work out and that, wherever I land, it's gonna rock my world! Sometimes, though, I need a gentle reminding of that....feel free to nudge me along anytime!
All in all, I'm back to being me, which makes me feel pretty good. I'm really trying to stay focused on my commitment to viewing things as a possibility vs. a limitation. I've had some successes in this area, for example...
- when my next food adventure was presented by The Evil One (a 9 day cleanse which reflects 7 days of shakes only & 2 days of "near fasting"), my first reaction was "Hmmmm, better not make any plans with friends I want to keep." That's improvement, right? I actually didn't put up resistance and said to Werner "Bring it on!" But I know myself well enough to know that I'll be in Crankyland for those 9 days and avoiding humankind is really the best thing for everyone. I'll let you know when the cleanse begins so you know to stay away...you're welcome!
- When I was presented with the physical challenge of doing 2,000 stairs, instead of smacking The Evil One upside the head with the 15 lb. weight I was carrying, I smiled at him and walked away. OK, so I was cursing him in my mind, BUT I DIDN'T THROW THE WEIGHT AT HIM! On the contrary, I challenged myself to do two more reps on the stairs, increasing from 300 to 500 steps that day. BOO-YA, BABY!!
So you see, things are improving for me. Although I don't LOVE the idea of them, I no longer dread the Sunday morning hikes in the cold, even when it's -8 like it was today. Instead of calling in sick, I get my bum out of bed and throw on my 20 layers of clothing, waddling to the car with the anticipation of staying warm as I sweat my ass off from keeping pace with the rest of The Inca Chicks.
I had a bit of a setback at last week's hike, I must now confess to poppits! This is an example of where I saw the limitations first. As a matter of fact, I saw absolutely NO possibilities whatsoever!
Picture me this...
I'm driving with Marta & Dawn to our hike at Rattlesnake Point (in Burlington). We pull up to a dead end road and park. As all the other hikers arrive, Marta says, "The entrance is over here. We just have to hop the fence to get in."...just like that, real casual. Of course, I start to get eye twitches and ask "Are you serious? We have to hop a fence?!?" I'm sure I was borderline hysterical because my voice sounded like I was 6 years old...or drunk.
Marta proceeds to hop over the fence, demonstrating to all "how easy" it is to get over the fence..."put your left foot here (on top of a steel bar), grab here (a big ass log), lift your right leg over (another, higher steel bar), put it here (in the same, tiny space where your left foot is), then push off and jump down (without falling on your face)."
Admittedly, she did make it look easy, but I wasn't fooled, knowing that Marta is about 100 ft. tall and in FAB shape. Following closely and easily behind her was Dawn, also 100 ft. tall and in good shape, who whipped over with no problem. Then came Ellen Mary, who is short and in her 60s'. She had a little trouble getting up, but she did it. So I thought "Hmmmm, maybe it isn't so bad"....seeing possibilities (but forgetting that Ellen Mary was one of the Mt. Kili hikers), I take my turn....
- Lift left foot onto bar...ok...
- lift bum up to grab big ass log...nope...step back down, giggle in embarassment
- try again to lift bum, grasping desperately at the log...feel mysterious hands on my bum...up I go!
- lift my right leg over second, higher steel bar...not quite...giggle and curse under my breath...
- Now I'm sweating and start to lift my leg again...feel mysterious hand on my boot helping to lift my right leg over the bar....
- try to put both feet into same spot on bar...not happening! Seriously, how can other people with their hiking boots fit both feet in the same spot?!?
- more sweating and cursing...then I just say "F@$K it" and with as little grace as you can imagine, I hop off the fence.
The good news is I landed without a face plant.
And poppits, that was just to BEGIN the hike...remember, I had to climb this damn fence to get out of the park. And, don't think I didn't think about spending the day in the park trying to find another way to get out.
Needless to say, by the time we had to climb out of the park, I was more tired from the hike and not looking forward to hoisting my exhausted butt over that hellacious fence! At that point, I was all about limitations, imagining that big, hairy steel arms would come out as I tried to lift myself up and push me down...or throw me over forcing me to land with a "splatt" on the ground. But fortunately my Inca Chick peeps were one step ahead of me...no need to push my bum up as Marta and Dawn pulled me up from the front and two women grabbed my leg over. It was much easier the second time. Still, embarrassing...
I told Werner of my embarrassment and he said "We can fix that"...uh-oh...so, the next workout with him I did step ups...120 of them, carrying a 9lb. weight for the last 40 reps...oie! All good, right?!?
These past two weeks have been a real testament to my faith...that my "Leap of Faith" was the right thing to do. I would call what I was feeling, the equivalent of bashing up against the mountain from which I leapt. I'm still heading down to an amazing landing, but I was knocked into the side of the mountain by a few birds passing by. It was a bit painful, but short-lived. The thing for me to remember during these times is to seek out my friends. People who remind me that I am loved and worthy of living my life the way I want to live it.
I recently re-read the stream of conscious journalling I did during my Foundations course when I was writing about my passion. I read the line..."If I stick to my passion (of helping people), everything else is just noise." The "noise" I was referring to were things like worrying about making money, worrying about what the cynics would say, worrying about my inner critic, blah, blah, blah...it was great to be reminded of why I was put on this earth.
Tell me, what is your passion?!?
I promise to keep in touch more often.
Cheers! May your February be filled with warmth & comfort food - whatever that may be for you!!!
(a) yt xox
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
What a difference a day makes!
I can't believe it's already been a week since last I typed. Not because I'm incapable of taking a week to update the blog (!!) but because I can't believe a week has passed so quickly! A few tidbits to update you...
- I gained 9.5 lbs over the Christmas period, basically the month of December. I lost it and am now back to my total weight loss of 67 lbs. Yippee! I can't tell you how wonderful it was to step on the scale and see that number drop...slice of heaven!
- I started back with The Evil One and he is whipping my sorry ass into shape again. Last week, when I stepped on the scale and fessed up to the 9.5 lb. weight gain, he tried the "nice guy" approach to understand what emotions I'm having while I eat and what support do I need. It was a very nice approach and made me get a little teary, which freaked him out slightly - not my intention, but a nice side benefit! Why I got all teary, I don't know other than to recall the time in Phoenix when I felt out of control and my inner critic was riding high in my head. That wasn't fun to recall, which could be why I got all boo-hooey with Werner. Or maybe I was just feeling like I needed to cry...like, WHAT-ever!
- This week (yesterday), I stepped on the scale and showed the big loss. The Evil One decided to change his approach from Mr. Nice Guy to Mr. Hold-Me-Accountable Guy. He reminded me of my commitment to work out at least 3x at the gym and that I had failed in living up to that commitment last week..DOH!! I could tell he wasn't buying my excuses (well, they were pretty lame!) and he started to play a little hard ball with me. After much back and forth, he asked me the question...
... How hard am I willing to work for this last 40 lbs.?!?
YOWZA!! Well, that was a good question and it got me thinking about alot of stuff. I started to get this heavy feeling last night and carried it through as my day began today. Alot of CRAP surfaced...like...
... I am PETRIFIED of not making this goal...that my will power won't be be strong enough to overcome my cravings...that I won't be able to achieve and sustain the level of exercise I need to have in order to keep losing the weight...that my caloric intake will reduce so much that I'll be down to eating nothing but spinach and water!
I know I was melodramatic (again!), but that was what was going through my head last night. And it made me question EVERYTHING - the weight loss journey, whether or not coaching was the right choice, if I was ever going to see money come into my bank account again, would I actually be able to climb The Inca Trail...yada-yada! Quite frankly, last night was not the best night of my life!
THEN, I met Maggie for coffee this morning and things changed!! As you know, I always love my conversations with Maggie because she always has such different perspectives on things and she doesn't judge and she's caring and supportive and an overall great person! Anyway, in that conversation, I was able to articulate what I really wanted to do. She helped me define my nirvana corporate gig! That was really helpful to me and I left that conversation feeling optimistic and focused!
On to a GREAT coaching conversation with an amazing client who worked hard and was able to see what an incredibly resourceful, caring person she is. That conversation reminded me of everything I loved about being a coach!
Then, I dragged my sorry ass to the gym. It was a short, but intense self-directed workout and, at the end of it, I felt glad I did it...especially as I was walking to the GO Train, feeling the burn. Nothing says "success" like a sore ass!
And tonight? Yoga with Nadia. This was my second class with Nadia. It's a "fundamentals" course, which means she shows you the basics of the poses. Yeesh! I had no idea a body could be stretched in such a way! I'm really excited about the possibilities that yoga will bring to me. I can't wait until I can hold the poses for 1 minute..then 2 minutes! I will be so strong and limber...right on! In the meantime, not-so-much, really. I can barely hold the pose for the required 10 seconds and my toes cramp up because I'm stretching them in directions they don't want to go. It ain't pretty, but I'm not giving up! Nadia is a GREAT teacher and I can see the value of doing this. This will be something I will do for the rest of my life...toe cramping or not!
While I ran the gammit of emotions in less than 24 hours, I'm happy to say I'm back on track for seeing possibilities and being optimistic. Tomorrow I will work from home and I'm going to develop materials that will support me in growing my business. I'm really excited about what lies ahead and the ideas I have. It also helps to have people who know your business capabilities and remind you of them every once in a while - lucky me!
BTW, shameless plug time, I'm still looking to add to my coaching client base, so if you know of anyone...seriously...
OK, time for bed. I've got a big, productive day planned for tomorrow and I'm gonna need my sleep! Thanx to Maggie, SS, Aubrey & Nadia for their contributions to my FAB-YOU-LUSS day!!
G'night, poppits!
(a) yt xox
- I gained 9.5 lbs over the Christmas period, basically the month of December. I lost it and am now back to my total weight loss of 67 lbs. Yippee! I can't tell you how wonderful it was to step on the scale and see that number drop...slice of heaven!
- I started back with The Evil One and he is whipping my sorry ass into shape again. Last week, when I stepped on the scale and fessed up to the 9.5 lb. weight gain, he tried the "nice guy" approach to understand what emotions I'm having while I eat and what support do I need. It was a very nice approach and made me get a little teary, which freaked him out slightly - not my intention, but a nice side benefit! Why I got all teary, I don't know other than to recall the time in Phoenix when I felt out of control and my inner critic was riding high in my head. That wasn't fun to recall, which could be why I got all boo-hooey with Werner. Or maybe I was just feeling like I needed to cry...like, WHAT-ever!
- This week (yesterday), I stepped on the scale and showed the big loss. The Evil One decided to change his approach from Mr. Nice Guy to Mr. Hold-Me-Accountable Guy. He reminded me of my commitment to work out at least 3x at the gym and that I had failed in living up to that commitment last week..DOH!! I could tell he wasn't buying my excuses (well, they were pretty lame!) and he started to play a little hard ball with me. After much back and forth, he asked me the question...
... How hard am I willing to work for this last 40 lbs.?!?
YOWZA!! Well, that was a good question and it got me thinking about alot of stuff. I started to get this heavy feeling last night and carried it through as my day began today. Alot of CRAP surfaced...like...
... I am PETRIFIED of not making this goal...that my will power won't be be strong enough to overcome my cravings...that I won't be able to achieve and sustain the level of exercise I need to have in order to keep losing the weight...that my caloric intake will reduce so much that I'll be down to eating nothing but spinach and water!
I know I was melodramatic (again!), but that was what was going through my head last night. And it made me question EVERYTHING - the weight loss journey, whether or not coaching was the right choice, if I was ever going to see money come into my bank account again, would I actually be able to climb The Inca Trail...yada-yada! Quite frankly, last night was not the best night of my life!
THEN, I met Maggie for coffee this morning and things changed!! As you know, I always love my conversations with Maggie because she always has such different perspectives on things and she doesn't judge and she's caring and supportive and an overall great person! Anyway, in that conversation, I was able to articulate what I really wanted to do. She helped me define my nirvana corporate gig! That was really helpful to me and I left that conversation feeling optimistic and focused!
On to a GREAT coaching conversation with an amazing client who worked hard and was able to see what an incredibly resourceful, caring person she is. That conversation reminded me of everything I loved about being a coach!
Then, I dragged my sorry ass to the gym. It was a short, but intense self-directed workout and, at the end of it, I felt glad I did it...especially as I was walking to the GO Train, feeling the burn. Nothing says "success" like a sore ass!
And tonight? Yoga with Nadia. This was my second class with Nadia. It's a "fundamentals" course, which means she shows you the basics of the poses. Yeesh! I had no idea a body could be stretched in such a way! I'm really excited about the possibilities that yoga will bring to me. I can't wait until I can hold the poses for 1 minute..then 2 minutes! I will be so strong and limber...right on! In the meantime, not-so-much, really. I can barely hold the pose for the required 10 seconds and my toes cramp up because I'm stretching them in directions they don't want to go. It ain't pretty, but I'm not giving up! Nadia is a GREAT teacher and I can see the value of doing this. This will be something I will do for the rest of my life...toe cramping or not!
While I ran the gammit of emotions in less than 24 hours, I'm happy to say I'm back on track for seeing possibilities and being optimistic. Tomorrow I will work from home and I'm going to develop materials that will support me in growing my business. I'm really excited about what lies ahead and the ideas I have. It also helps to have people who know your business capabilities and remind you of them every once in a while - lucky me!
BTW, shameless plug time, I'm still looking to add to my coaching client base, so if you know of anyone...seriously...
OK, time for bed. I've got a big, productive day planned for tomorrow and I'm gonna need my sleep! Thanx to Maggie, SS, Aubrey & Nadia for their contributions to my FAB-YOU-LUSS day!!
G'night, poppits!
(a) yt xox
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
The "new me"
Happy New Year everyone!
Well, I made it home Monday with little trauma, other than the airline pulled the handle from my suitcase. That was a drag, but not the end of the world.
It seems like a long time since last I typed, so I thought I'd give you a quick update...
- the weather improved GREATLY for the last week of my stay. By the weekend, it was nothin' but sunshine and low 20s.
- John & I continued our daily exercise routine, toggling between morning walks and hiking. Once we completed "The Summit" there was no turning back for us. We hiked that friggin' mountain for three days in a row! By the end of it, I was sore, sick of hiking and ready to come home and rest my weary knees! I was also quite envious of "Team Phoenix" for having the opportunity to be able to hike The Summit during the winter...lucky them!
- 2010 was ushered in with Dianne, Denis, Mark, Craig, John & Jim...quiet, but very nice.
A good time was, indeed, had by me. So, now I'm back to the reality of Christmas decorations to put away, suitcases to unpack and laundry to be done. And I face this with the hunger pains and carb withdrawals associated with my "getting back on track". I'm sure it doesn't sound like I'm happy, but I actually AM glad to be back! I'm glad to regain control of my eating (day 1 with my normal routine of protein shakes and my chicken, spinach sautee) and to be working out again. Although I'd never tell him this, I actually missed The Evil One while I was gone. I know you're thinking "She's finally lost it!"....
Today I met with a friend of mine. I was telling her about my Christmas break and all the exercise I did and mentioned that I'd never dreamed I'd be hiking and here I was! She said, "well, that's the new you". That sure made me think. I initially resisted the notion of "a new me". I'm not sure why, but I think it's because I kinda liked the "old me". Then I got to thinking...and did a comparison of new vs. old me...
OLD ME - believed walking 1.5 KM to buy ice cream at Dominion was justifiable exercise
NEW ME - would KILL to eat ice cream
OLD ME - thought I would look funny doing any kind of exercise and would not do it
NEW ME - KNOWS I look funny while I exercise and really doesn't care
OLD ME - hated my boss, hated my previous company and was overall cranky
NEW ME - LOVES my boss, thinks my current company ROCKS and is The Ambassador of Positivity
OLD ME - felt wound up and ready to lash out anytime someone challenged me
NEW ME - only feels this way in traffic now
OLD ME - felt a protein shake was the drink to wash down 5 slices of pizza
NEW ME - drinks the shake INSTEAD of pizza
I've spoken about changing my mindset on what was "normal" eating for me. Today I realized I need to change my mindset on what is possible for me. For example, I did my first-ever yoga class tonight. I went into it thinking it would be very difficult for me to do and that my belly would get in the way. Well guess what?!? I DID IT!! It wasn't that difficult AND no belly interference! So, I've decided I want to think about possibilities and not limitations, especially when it comes to my physicality - exercise & whether or not I can be attractive.
I'll need your help, poppits! I'm hoping you can catch me when you hear me speaking of limitations and not possibilities. I'm not sure how to explain it, but I promise you will know those limiting words when you hear them. And call me on it! Thank you...
2010 is going to be an amazing year - I can just feel it! This is the year for success, for so many of us! My big goals for this year?
1) achieve financial prosperity and the freedom to choose my own career path (all those irons in the fire WILL pay off!!)
2) achieve my optimal weight and maintain great health forever...the right foods and the right exercise. I WILL climb The Inca Trail in May, with no problems!
3) date up a storm on the way to finding my "Mr. Right"...it's time for me to share my life, poppits, and I'm excited about finding the right person to share it with!
Now can you see why I'm excited about 2010?!?
Tell me, dear friends, what gets you excited about this year? About this decade?!? The possibilities are endless....
G'nite, poppits!
(a)yt xox
Well, I made it home Monday with little trauma, other than the airline pulled the handle from my suitcase. That was a drag, but not the end of the world.
It seems like a long time since last I typed, so I thought I'd give you a quick update...
- the weather improved GREATLY for the last week of my stay. By the weekend, it was nothin' but sunshine and low 20s.
- John & I continued our daily exercise routine, toggling between morning walks and hiking. Once we completed "The Summit" there was no turning back for us. We hiked that friggin' mountain for three days in a row! By the end of it, I was sore, sick of hiking and ready to come home and rest my weary knees! I was also quite envious of "Team Phoenix" for having the opportunity to be able to hike The Summit during the winter...lucky them!
- 2010 was ushered in with Dianne, Denis, Mark, Craig, John & Jim...quiet, but very nice.
A good time was, indeed, had by me. So, now I'm back to the reality of Christmas decorations to put away, suitcases to unpack and laundry to be done. And I face this with the hunger pains and carb withdrawals associated with my "getting back on track". I'm sure it doesn't sound like I'm happy, but I actually AM glad to be back! I'm glad to regain control of my eating (day 1 with my normal routine of protein shakes and my chicken, spinach sautee) and to be working out again. Although I'd never tell him this, I actually missed The Evil One while I was gone. I know you're thinking "She's finally lost it!"....
Today I met with a friend of mine. I was telling her about my Christmas break and all the exercise I did and mentioned that I'd never dreamed I'd be hiking and here I was! She said, "well, that's the new you". That sure made me think. I initially resisted the notion of "a new me". I'm not sure why, but I think it's because I kinda liked the "old me". Then I got to thinking...and did a comparison of new vs. old me...
OLD ME - believed walking 1.5 KM to buy ice cream at Dominion was justifiable exercise
NEW ME - would KILL to eat ice cream
OLD ME - thought I would look funny doing any kind of exercise and would not do it
NEW ME - KNOWS I look funny while I exercise and really doesn't care
OLD ME - hated my boss, hated my previous company and was overall cranky
NEW ME - LOVES my boss, thinks my current company ROCKS and is The Ambassador of Positivity
OLD ME - felt wound up and ready to lash out anytime someone challenged me
NEW ME - only feels this way in traffic now
OLD ME - felt a protein shake was the drink to wash down 5 slices of pizza
NEW ME - drinks the shake INSTEAD of pizza
I've spoken about changing my mindset on what was "normal" eating for me. Today I realized I need to change my mindset on what is possible for me. For example, I did my first-ever yoga class tonight. I went into it thinking it would be very difficult for me to do and that my belly would get in the way. Well guess what?!? I DID IT!! It wasn't that difficult AND no belly interference! So, I've decided I want to think about possibilities and not limitations, especially when it comes to my physicality - exercise & whether or not I can be attractive.
I'll need your help, poppits! I'm hoping you can catch me when you hear me speaking of limitations and not possibilities. I'm not sure how to explain it, but I promise you will know those limiting words when you hear them. And call me on it! Thank you...
2010 is going to be an amazing year - I can just feel it! This is the year for success, for so many of us! My big goals for this year?
1) achieve financial prosperity and the freedom to choose my own career path (all those irons in the fire WILL pay off!!)
2) achieve my optimal weight and maintain great health forever...the right foods and the right exercise. I WILL climb The Inca Trail in May, with no problems!
3) date up a storm on the way to finding my "Mr. Right"...it's time for me to share my life, poppits, and I'm excited about finding the right person to share it with!
Now can you see why I'm excited about 2010?!?
Tell me, dear friends, what gets you excited about this year? About this decade?!? The possibilities are endless....
G'nite, poppits!
(a)yt xox
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
The manic highs & lows of Christmas
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
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
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
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