Catch-Up

Hey,

Well it’s been awhile since I blogged, I really need to get myself on some sort of schedule. Anyways, I unfortunately don’t have a whole lot to report this week. I’ve been majorly slacking with the gym. Last Wednesday, I went for a run in the cardio room in my apartment, because it was pouring rain and I didn’t want to go outside. It’s convenient for that reason, but the machines are kind of old and for some reason it’s always really hot in there… I much prefer the fancy treadmills with built in fans at the gym! I’m so spoiled. Anyways, wasn’t my best showing, largely due to the heat factor. Nike+ Stats were: 3 miles/32:43/10:53 min/mile with 330 Calories Burned. I was happy I just made it there at all.

One observation about the Nike+ though – the calories portion is always ridiculously off of what the treadmill will say. For example, that workout last week had the treadmill reading over 400 calories burned, whereas the Nike+ was only 330 – I don’t get it. Has that happened to any of you? Which one is right? I’m not a big calorie counter or anything; it just kind of irritates me.

Other than that, my only other workout last week was a quick round of the 30 Day Shred on Saturday afternoon followed by a one hour Pilates DVD. I suck – I know. I was actually home in Toronto for the weekend, and I always find it harder to stick to a routine when the scenery changes. Oh well. I’ll have to get back on the wagon this week.

My weekend was a much needed break from moving though! Friday night I had dinner and a drink at Moxie’s with my college roommate, and it was so nice to see her and catch up. On Saturday, I met some of my high-school friends downtown and we went out for drinks at a pub. It was so nice to let loose a little – haven’t had that kind of fun in awhile.

Anyways, I’ve just got to truck it through work this week (4 Day Week – woot woot), because on Friday I head to Calgary for the weekend. I’m SOO excited. I haven’t seen the boy in close to a month, and I can’t wait to see where we’re going to be living and tour around the city At least I feel like the hardest part of the break is over, phew.

That’s all my news for today, I’ll update more often, I promise. 

'Twas A Good Day

Hey Hey

So I had a great Sunday this weekend, I went to the gym and pounded out 4 miles (my longest yet) in 39:27 - at 9:51 min/mile pace and burned around 500 calories according to the Nike+. It was an amazing workout, not gonna lie. When I was thinking about my training plan the day before I told myself I'd be happy with somewhere in the 40-45 minute range, but I did even better than that, on my first one. LOVE IT. I have no clue what it was that made it so awesome, only things I can think of were that I had 2 weak runs on Wed/Fri - so maybe I was due for a good one; or because it was the weekend I had time to make self a decent breakfast before I left - that might have kept my energy up better. Either way, there were times I was running and I had to say to myself "I can't believe this doesn't hurt more right now" - anyways, I felt like a million bucks after that one.

After the gym on Sunday, I tried my very first CLIF bar! I've been hearing so much about them all over the blogosphere, but they are kind of hard to come by up in Canada from what I've seen. I actually surprisingly found a few varieties at a Shoppers Drug Mart near where I live, its one of the BIG ones though - so maybe that was why. Either way - it was VERRRY exciting. I tried a Maple Nut one, and it was delicious/very filling. I'll have to pick some up again the next time I'm around there. After my snack, I headed to the mall to discuss cell phone options for me and the boy, once we move out west. We're hoping to get some kind of couples plan, but I just got my blackberry last February so its only like 8 months old - so I'll have to see if it'll cost me boatloads more to change the contract. They gave me some good ideas to think on - we'll probably figure it out once we get out there.

Haha, in other news, the boy told me Saturday night that he went furniture shopping out west and got us a coffee table/end tables... oh yah, and bought a 50" TV from FutureShop... :P What are we gonna do with a TV that size, sheesh? It'll be nice for watching sports (cuz I watch soooo many of those) and stuff like the Olympics I guess - but its definitely gonna be more his baby than mine. So that was an interesting development.

Other than that, I did a quick 35 minute XT on the bike at the gym yesterday, which was actually relaxing because I read a magazine. Also, my boss at work is travelling today and tomorrow - so it'll probably be a little more relaxing here :) JOY!

Anyways, strange thing happened last night - I was home from work for about an hour and my right foot starting hurting - like RIDICULOUSLY badly - it was hard to walk. So Weird! It was still hurting at 11:30 when I went to bed, so I decided to skip the gym this morning and take it easy - but I'm supposed to have a run tomorrow and I really really don't want to miss it.
Has that ever happened to you? What are your strategies for a strain/injury - do you run through it or rest for awhile?
I need all the advice I can get!

Its Been Awhile

Hey,

I've been slacking this week - I just realized I hadn't posted since Monday. :S Ooops

Its been a pretty busy week at work, so I haven't gotten much of a chance to catch up on my Google Reader either... that'll be on my to-do list this weekend! Other than that I don't have much planned for the next few days... probably a couple of trips to the gym, and another girls night with my old roommate tonight. It seems to be becoming a bit of a Friday ritual. Hopefully, I'll have some time this weekend to update this blog - there are so many things I want to add to it - I need to make a date with myself to GET'R Done lol :P

Workout wise, I've been pretty good this week - I did a 2.5 mile run on Wednesday morning - it was a bit rough, I have a difficult time pushing myself. I set mini-goals in my head (ie. run a mile), and once I get there, I stop and walk for 30 seconds or so - but I think I'm gonna have to stop that if I want to build up my endurance. I ran again this morning did a quick two miles in about 19:30 - so maybe I shouldn't get discouraged, I am improving my time bit by bit - its just a slower process than I thought I guess.

How do you stop yourself from getting discouraged??
Do you have any tricks to push through the "ahh I need to stop" moments of your run?

Thats all for now, have a great night all.

Blogs Make Me Smarter...

Hey

So my last update was Saturday (i think)- so what have I done since then - not a whole lot, lol :P I spent Saturday afternoon doing the 30 Day Shred/Yoga, cleaning and getting some groceries. I decided to indulge in an "I'm home by myself" dinner and had asparagus and mushroom risotto using a recipe that the MIML found me off the Food Network. It was delish, but involved a sizable amount of BUTTER :P eee... oh well. Nice to pretend like you don't care every now and then. Saturday night I was supposed to go out with some people, but I bailed, because I totally fell asleep on my couch for 2 hours at 7:00 - and figured I was too tired. Bah - I'm no fun I guess. Or maybe I'm just getting OLD!

Anyways, yesterday I hit the gym fairly early. Pre-gym I had breakfast that consisted of rye toast with cashew butter, which I found while shopping on Saturday night. It is FAB-U-LOUS... I'd put it on par with almond butter - so that was very exciting. At the gym I ran 3.5 miles as per my 10K training plan - it was a bit rough around the middle, but I finished pretty strong and was happy with my time. Nike+ stats were: 3.5 miles/36:49 min/10:30 min per mile/385 Calories burned. The Nike+ thing almost made me laugh out loud when I finished because Lance Armstrong came on and congratulated me - haha, SOOO random. That made me smile. In the afternoon I took some old clothes to goodwill (*yay* for giving back), grabbed a Starbucks, did some laundry, and hunted for jobs in Calgary. I hate job hunting, its depressing - especially in this economy. I'm terrified of not finding something once I get out there. :S

Couldn't decide on what to make for dinner last night, so I made lemon chicken and ate some leftover risotto with it. It was tasty, and I have extra's for lunch today. While I was making dinner I discovered that my mother THREW OUT my $11 package of QUINOA while she was packing on Friday, because "I already had alot of rice" - its NOT THE SAME... lol :P - silly lady.

Anyways, so I've decided that the tips I find in blogs - make me way smarter about eating healthy. Exhibit A: I decided to try Overnight Oats which I've been hearing lots about in the blogosphere. They turned out great, I was so impressed. They are definitely going to be a staple in my breakfast routine. THANKS KATH. I added some almond butter and strawberry rhubarb jam and it was the perfect treat before my strength training.

So, do any of you have any favorite goodies you add to your oats? As I mentioned, I feel like they'll be making a regular appearance, and I would love to try some new varieties :)

Packing Up My Life

The past couple of days have been a whirlwind. I've been working during the day and then trying to fit in work-outs and packing during other times. Thursday night I managed to pack enough to make a dent in things during Grey's and CSI - two of my fav shows.

Yesterday, my family drove into town from about 2 hours away, to help pack and move furniture while I was at work. I felt bad that I couldn't help them out more - but it was sure nice to come home to a bunch of packed boxes and with not a whole lot left. They did an amazing job! Now I feel like I can actually breathe, so I might get to relax some this weekend, without the stress of moving hanging over me. One of my friends had a few of us over last night for a girls night - we watch 'My Life in Ruins' with Nia Vardolas - which got awful reviews but we all thought was really cute, and then played a board game. I was out until 2 - haven't done that in awhile :P.


As far as workouts - I had a great 2 mile run at the gym yesterday. Fastest one yet - I was impressed with myself. The Nike+ Stats were: 2.00 miles, 19:52 time, 9.54 min/mile, 220 calories. I really love the 2 mile runs, I feel completely strong at that distance, and I like knowing I don't have to run for a super long time. Its a mind over matter thing to get through the long runs.

Anyways, today is a cross-train day, and I'm not really feeling hitting the gym, so I think I might do an eppy of the 30 Day Shred, followed my a 20 minute yoga podcast. All from the comfort of home :) Gotta love it.

I Think I'm A 5 Day A Week Girl

Hey,

So its Thursday, and I can't believe its almost the weekend, I'm so excited. This week has been crazy stressful, with the MIML leaving on Monday, and then packing stuff, arrange for people to take my furniture, and trying to fit it time for workouts. I'm a tad overwhelmed! My mom, sister and uncle are coming to town tomorrow to pack some stuff/take furniture while I'm at work - which is super nice of them - but has made me more stressed, because I'm afraid my mom will think I've accomplished nothing. She's even more of an organizational guru than I am! *yikes* we'll see.


So yesterday was supposed to be my cross-train day, but I ended up bailing on that idea. I seriously think I'm only a Workout 5 Days a Week kind of girl, the 6th Day is just KILLER. I was also exhausted after work, and I ended up getting Wendy's for lunch - which was probably a bad idea. I hadn't had fast food in months, and I felt like garbage after. DAMN YOU WENDY'S. I attempted to make up for it by making a fabulous salad for dinner. I basically used everything i could think of: lettuce, red/green onions, cucumbers, celery, pine nuts, pomegranate seeds, tomatoes, and I even put a hard boiled egg in. I was delish and SUPER filling.

This morning I felt bad about missing my workout yesterday, so I hit the gym early and did 20 minutes on the elliptical and 10 on a stationary bike and burned about 270 calories - woo! Now I feel like I'm back on track.


And because I missed it yesterday, Happy Remembrance/Veteran's Day to everyone. Lest we forget.

A Run & Vitamins

So yesterday was a rough day, had to say goodbye to the MIML early in the morning and I just hate goodbyes. So I was a bit emotionally on edge for the whole day. Its just so weird to think that he's not ever going to be back at our place in London again. Kind of sad. It also leaves me thinking about all the packing, and shipping and eating of what's left in the fridge I have to do - hopefully the latter doesn't put a damper on my healthy eating plan.

Anyways, to get my mind off things yesterday, I hit the gym right after I dropped him off. I spent 40 minutes on a seated bike, pedaling while reading the first book ('Dead Until Dark') in the Sookie Sackhouse series (AKA True Blood) series written by Charlaine Harris. I really like the book - and I've only seen the first couple episodes of True Blood, so I'm hoping it will convert me into an addict. I also did about 20 minutes of weight-training once I finished that. I was happy though because it allowed me to catch up on some of the cross-training I missed by being lazy on Saturday.

Today, I went for a tough 2.5'er before work, and I don't know why - but it was a massive struggle. I did 3 miles on the weekend, and it was easier than today for some reason. I made decent time, Nike + stats are: 2.5 miles, time: 25.59 min, pace: 10.21 min/mile, calories: 276 , but I just wasn't feeling it. Does anyone else just ever have an off day?

Anyways, I have a hair appointment scheduled for 5 today, after work. I'm really looking forward to that, because I've been feeling like my hair looks like birds nest for the last little while :P

Lastly, I've been thinking about vitamins alot lately. I say I'm practically an old man with my row of pills I take in the morning. Currently, my vitamin list consists of: B12 - prescribed by doctor, as I have naturally low levels; as well as, a calcium supplement, vitamin A&D, and an Omega 3-6 pill. So it makes me wonder what everyone else thinks on supplements? How many do you take and which ones? Do you believe supplements even make a difference? Am I'm taking too many? I'd love you know what you think.

4 Day Recap!

So its been a few days since I've blogged, I apologize for the delay - its been busy.

So Thursday was my rest day, which was nice. The day was really special though because the MIML got his MASTER'S degree. *yay!!!* so exciting. He did so awesomely too, he is an awesome public speaker - like seriously, I work in PR and I still get all jittery and put my foot in my mouth when I have to make a speech, I was really impressed. I was also really nice because I got to hang out with his parents at the campus restaurant and chat for a few hours while he defended, after which we met up with him and some of his work friends for a celebratory drink at the Grad Bar. Then after a quick dinner, we headed back to our place so the MIML could give some of his books and other keepsakes to his parents since we won't be taking them to Calgary. The poor guy, he LOVES reading, and it looked like his heart was breaking a bit as he packed all his books into boxes. So sad. I guess the plus side is now he can just buy new ones once we're out West.

Friday, I worked the whole day then met up with a friend of mine to hit the mall for a baby shower present, we had so much fun looking at all the little booties and bibs and cute baby stuff. Then I hit the gym for a quick 2 mile run, and did 20 minutes or so of weights. Stats from the Nike + were: 2.03 miles/20:30 time/10.03 min per mile/ 224 Calories. That was basically it for the night, spent most of the next few hours helping the MIML pack for Calgary.

Saturday was my bad day for the week - I had planned to go to a spin class in the morning, but I was so exhausted from packing the night before that I bailed. I was angry about it later on in the day - that'll teach me, :P I went to the baby shower in the afternoon, which was alot of fun. My friend Andrea's baby is due in early December but they think she'll go early - so it was nice to see her get all decked out with baby gifts. I think she had a great time.

This morning, I got up and headed to the gym by 9:30a.m. for my 3 miler (long run of the week) - it was tiring but I still managed to give'r for the last 2 minutes and finish strong. The Nike+ Stats were: 3.01 miles/ 31.53 time/10.34 min per mile/332 Calories. I'm hoping I can improve my time over the next few weeks. After the gym, the MIML did some last minute running around, dropping off furniture, picking up packing supplies, and giving some of his clothes to goodwill. I can't believe he leaves tomorrow - the place looks so empty without his half of our stuff... :(

Hopefully the gym/packing will keep me busy while he's away, and my parents offered me some of their air miles to fly out to Calgary at the end of November and bring the 1st round of my stuff/see our new place. So thats exciting - I love my parents for being so awesome.

Guess thats about it, I've been meaning to give some shout-out's to my favorite running/health blogs - so that will come later this week. Stay tuned.

Advanced Yoga = A Bit Scary

Hey,



So I did an evening workout tonight, which was fun - and I had an absurd amount of energy when I got home, like it was a little ridiculous, I was bopping around to my iPod for like the first 10 minutes I was home. Anywho, I did a quick 20 minute cross-train on the elliptical tonight and burned a little over 200 calories woo! Then I went to a yoga class, I've never been to the Wednesday night class - but it's listed as just a general yoga class. Problem was, I'm 98% sure it was some type of crazy advanced yoga, cuz it was nowhere near as do-able as some of the other classes I've been too. Huge challenge, on the plus side, I had a great time laughing at all my awkwardness.

Today eating has been pretty good, I had some cottage cheese and a granola bar for breakfast; and then I grabbed a veggie sub from Subway over lunch, and had the 2nd half as a late afternoon dinner before the gym. I also went to Wal-Mart over lunch and got some of those Space Bag things for when we move. I really hope they work, and don't like explode in the suitcase, has anyone ever tried them before?

Not sure if I'll get a chance to blog tomorrow, the MIML is defending his Masters thesis - so its a pretty big deal. I'm taking a half-day at work so I can go watch him present. The in-laws are coming into town to see it as well, so we'll probably do dinner/family stuff - should be good, I know he'll do awesome.

Guess thats about it for today!

P.S. I'm in love with the new BSB song "Bigger" I've probably played it like 10 times today - go download it.

Learning to Breathe

Do you ever just forget to breathe? I did that repeatedly this morning. Today was my first run as part of my 10K training plan. It went pretty decently, I guess, I've done better before - but I think the delay was largely due to the weather. It was only like 2 degrees this morning, so it was a tad chilly. The Nike+ stats are:
Distance: 2.51 miles
Time: 29:30
Pace: 11:42 min/mile
Calories: 277

So it wasn't a super quick run. I did stop 2-3 times at traffic lights for short walk breaks and water... so that may have made it longer. Either way I'm happy I stuck it out and finished. Could be alot worse. I didn't even realize how chilly it was outside until I got back home, and couldn't breathe properly for like 5 minutes while readjusting to "regular" temperatures. Has that ever happened to anyone else? I think I'll have to try and re-train myself to breathe better in colder weather. That was the most challenging part I think.

I've also decided I need to devote some time to my iTunes Workout playlist - considering its basically non-existent at the moment. I find that a good song will really motivate me to move my arse, so that's definitely on the top of my running to-do list. Any recommendations would be awesome!


Anywho, I'm looking forward to the rest of my day. Started it off with a Liberte Strawberry Yogurt and a tea for breakfast. Then I'm meeting my friend at Starbucks for a coffee over lunch - (*WOO* Red Cups start Today!!). Later I think me and the MIML are going to finally pick out furniture and order it so it can be delivered to him when he gets to Calgary next week. Then, one of my bestest friends and my old roomate, Ange, is making us a going away dinner. How awesome is that? And she's Italian - so its guaranteed to be AMAZING! Such a sweetheart.

Anyways, that's my plans for today - tomorrow, I'm gonna do a yoga class in the evening and maybe 30-40 minutes on the elliptical beforehand. So it'll be an evening blog tomorrow, just for a change of pace.

Day 1 = Success

So today was Day 1 of my 10K training plan, and it was a big success. Feels good already. Day 1 is just strength training, so I did a combination of arms, legs, and ab work - but focused primarily on legs (for running purposes, afterall). Probably about 50% legs, 40% arms, 10% abs. I was surprised that it didn't take me that long to get through everything either, only about 45 minutes. And thanks to 'falling back' this weekend, it was actually sunny when I left my place at 7:15 this morning, that was a nice change.

I just got into work and I've started the day with a Timmie Ho's (Tim Horton's for all the USA readers) tea, and two Kashi granola bars (Honey Almond Flax & Peanut Peanut Butter) - cuz I was starving, but wanted something healthy.

Last night for dinner, the boy and I had a quinoa salad with lots of veggies in it (peppers, zucchini, cherry tomatoes etc) and it was delicious. I was super impressed with how quinoa tastes and isn't super time-consuming to make. Now we have leftovers for a week!

After dinner we met two friends downtown and headed to Centennial Hall for the Just For Laughs all-star tour, it was mucho funny. I've never really been to a comedy show before, but I was very impressed. I think it'll have to become a regular occurance, since it seems like one of the few things me and the boy can agree on.

Anyways, better get cracking on work - but I'm soooo looking forward to tomorrow. 2 miles here I come!