It's a New Year again, and time for a status check. It was two years ago, in January 2010 that I made my initial resolution to lose weight and live healthier. So let's see how I'm doing against my original objectives.
Lose Weight - The first year (2010), I finally lost 5 pounds in the late summer but then re-gained it by the end of year, being overwhelmed with work and my husband's frequent business travels. In 2011, I took up stationery cycling at night for the first few months, which got me off to a good start, before I got bogged down with several rounds of neck problems. I also dropped to 4 days per week of work, but spent most of my Fridays running errands or getting frustrated with my housekeeper who was inclined to cancel on me without warning, and answering emails or calls from the office. In June 2011, I discovered a belly dance class which I attended with my 12-year-old daughter (and still do!). This has been a significant positive influence in my life. By the end of the year, I achieved a 10 pound drop in my weight, which I have been able to keep off for a couple of months now. So time to set my target for the next 10 pounds.
Increase Flexibility - The belly dance class has been AMAZING for me. I have learned so many good stretching exercises, which I have been able to incorporate into my everyday life (especially before going to bed, or on awaking feeling stiff). I have learned some of the early warning signs of my neck and shoulder problems, and some of the stretches which can prevent me from getting myself into serious pain. Looking back in my medical receipts, I see that I have been able to avoid visiting either of my chiropractors since July! This is VERY good. I hope to continue this trend into 2011, and continue to heed the warning signs, and one day even avoid the stupid things I do (yes, I am a workaholic) which get me into trouble in the first place.
Increase Stamina - Hmmm, not good. Although my daughter and I love our 4 pet rats we started collecting in April 2010 dearly, I finally admitted to myself after a year of coughing and finally wheezing, that I was allergic to them, and asked my doctor for confirmation. I have been on asthma meds ever since, which has controlled the symptoms, but I am sadly aware that I am operating on a somewhat reduced lung capacity. I get winded much more quickly, and in addition to my 2 puffs per day, I need to puff before going on walks or any other type of vigorous exercise. For my daughter's sake, I hope it is a long time from now, but when they are gone, we will not be replacing them. Hopefully I can go back to a relatively "normal" life after that.
Become Pain Free - Thanks to the belly dance classes, I have gained a lot of core strength in my tummy and back, and have learned more effective ways to stretch out the neck, shoulders and back before getting into too much pain.
Kick-Start my Thyroid - I have not been tested recently, but I seem to be pretty fine on my reduced dose of Synthroid, thanks to the natural supplement Thyrosmart, by Lorna Vanderhaege. It is one of those awful big capsules which I don't enjoy swallowing, but it has been effective for me, so I highly recommend it.
When I started, I set out some strategies for myself. How are these going, and are these strategies I will continue?
Find a sustainable exercise program - Belly dance once per week. And recently my husband and I have started walking a few nights per week, after the kids are in bed. We walk for over an hour each time, up and down the hills (there are no level streets where we live), so it is a good work out. But more importantly, it has done wonders for our relationship. We finally have a chance to talk, and even if it is about work most of the time, it has been very helpful to me to have this opportunity.
Introduce natural foods - Not so good. Mostly quick meals, or eating out. 4 out of 5 weekdays we have lessons or other activities after school/work, so it doesn't leave me much time for cooking. I am usually driving home with little time to spare before turning around & going out again. Then on top of it, my daughter is inclined to become a vegetarian (except her mom won't permit her to), so is even less interested in anything I know how to cook, and I haven't taken the time to learn new vegetarian cooking methods yet. Perhaps it would be a good time for her to learn some?
Learn what hunger really feels like - Hmmm, still largely reactionary eating. But I am trying to think of drinking water or eating fruit or other alternatives, when I feel the urge. This area needs more attention.
Stay off the scales - This worked for a while, but on the flip side I also found that stepping on the scales every morning worked for me also. If I was a good weight, I would be encouraged. If I was a higher weight, it was a wake-up call for me to pay more attention that day. Somewhat inspired by the book "The Jerusalem Diet", which was written by a church pastor. He used this basic principle (but was more disciplined on his diet days), and also the principle that some days life just happens (like he was invited to someone's house for dinner, or to a celebration), and you shouldn't beat yourself up on account of it. Just be diligent again the next day. I like that.
Be patient - Ha, I guess I'm that. Still here 2 years later recording my efforts in this blog. Not very determined, I guess, but patient with myself.
I didn't have this original strategy for myself, but I think I want to add one more:
Feel good about yourself and about life - My challenges revolve around neglecting myself in favour of my family (as I'm sure all moms will relate to), and in favour of my work & company. The belly dance has been a wonderful way to enjoy something for myself, as well as enjoy the evening bonding with my daughter. I need to continue the walks with my husband, since I finally feel like he has an opportunity to listen to me, and share ideas with me also. Recently, I gave up hope in having a housekeeper. For some while, she was coming for 2 hours on Fridays, but since it was mid-day, it tied me up from accomplishing errands outside the house (leaving me feeling locked in), or from enjoying time with friends or family, or by myself, for that matter. Then when she kept cancelling on me with too short of notice to make other plans, I finally (on advice from a few different people - it took a while for a it to sink in!) asked her not to come any more. Since then, it has been a great relief to me to have Fridays pretty much "free". I started going out with my sister for lunch, we will try for once every 1 or 2 months (which is really good, since it took almost 15 years of married life before I finally had the first lunch out with her!). I have a couple of friends I may also start seeing for lunch on Fridays also. This has given me something fun to look forward to, and to feel good about life and who I am (not just as a mom or employee or company founder). I hope to also take up more gardening and creative activites in the spring/summer. That always brightens my mood, and when I am feeling good about myself, I tend to take better care of my body too.
I hope that I will have some positive experiences this year to share and inspire you. If you are on a mission to look and feel better and are blogging about it, please let me know, so I can follow along with you too. Or drop a note about what strategies you are finding helpful. Happy 2012, everyone!
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Friday, September 9, 2011
Cleaning House
I thank God today for the belly dancing, and for good friends with timely advice.
The belly dancing has been really fantastic for me in many ways. Most notably, my lower back has been much better since I started dancing. I can always feel it the morning after a dance class, as a notable absence of stiffness. I have started using the belly dance stretches and moves whenever I remember, to remove tension from my lower back, hips, and also upper back. I have not noticed any change in weight or the fit of my jeans, but I feel stronger through my abdomen and other "core" areas. And it has helped me, to some degree, to deal with some of my feelings about my body. Being able to look at myself in the mirror, and have others look at me, while learning new moves (I'm not the most coordinated person I know), has been an interesting and positive experience.
As for friends, my dear friend Andrea very kindly kicked my butt the other day about my reluctance to let go of my "stuff". It is true, everywhere I go, I accumulate lots of "stuff", and for various reasons can't seem to get rid of things : feel guilty I bought it and never liked it enough to really wear it, someone gave it to me so I can't really give it away, I might need it some day, maybe my kids may want it some day...
She really challenged me to look at how I hold so tightly to stuff, and urged me to try to let go. So I have. In the first round of closet cleaning, I got rid of 47 shirts and pants from my closet, as well as a big pile of socks and undergarments, and about a dozen each from the two kids. Instead of my usual approach of looking for things I didn't want anymore, I threw everything out, and then only picked back the things which I quite surely would wear. The others were donated. I even found myself a pair of capri pants in time for our summer vacation at Otter Lake, so that was great timing. My daughter cleaned out two drawers of hair accessories which she doesn't use anymore, keeping only a few just in case.
On the second round of closet cleaning, I pulled about 9 more clothes from my closet, and 80 (!!) articles from my son's closet. It is much easier to get rid of his stuff, since he has a younger cousin to pass them along to.
Since then, I bought 4 more shirts for myself, similar to ones I already have and like and wear often. It was funny, they were all the same brand and style, but the price differed depending on the fabric design. I guess some were older stock, and others newer. I was proud of myself for buying the 4 which I liked the best, not the 4 which were the lowest price (which I might have done previously, and then not worn the couple which I didn't like as much). In the morning, I am able to pick clothes based on the temperature outside, and what I feel like wearing, rather than sifting through what I think fits or doesn't. It is a good feeling.
I am trying to do the same with items. I need to clean through books and other clutter which I am keeping for no good reason. My husband is also in a cleaning mood lately, and did a pretty good sweep through the office clutter the other day. Not too long ago, we spent a few hours pulling everything out of the shed, and placing back only the items we need or think we will use. That was gruelling, but since then I can actually walk through the shed, and pull tools off the back wall, without straining over the clutter on the floor. In his case, his clean up was prompted by his purchase of 3 ATVs for the family, which we have subsequently fit in the garage beside the 2 cars (in the area which was previously home to a lot of clutter).
I don't know how or if they are linked, but this external purging of clutter may be somehow related to my holding on to weight. I was reading a book during our trip (one of the few times of the year when I find myself actually sitting with a book in hand) about a 48 hour kick start to weight loss. The book explains how our body holds on to a large amount of excess water and fat as a means to protect ourself from toxins. And an excess of waste products since our liver and kidneys and other parts of our body are too fatigued and slow to process and remove them. Something like that. So it talks about what foods will boost the liver function, and help eliminate toxins and waste products, and what foods to avoid during this cleansing process, since they slow down digestion and elimination. Although I am not likely to dedicate a 48 hour period to doing something like this, I made notes on a little paper which I am carrying in my purse (I carry a small one, so I don't end up with too much in it!), so I can incorporate many of these ideas into my every day life.
One thing it explains is that if the body doesn't get enough water, it actually stores excess water to protect itself. So drinking more water will actually reduce water retention. It is recommended to drink 2 liters or more of water every day - 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after eating, but not during, so that it won't slow down the digestion process. And don't eat more often than 4 hours, since that adds more new food to the food already digesting, also slowing down the process. Interesting.
As for current weight, I am hovering at 6 to 9 pounds below my New Year's weight. I haven't hit the 10 pound mark yet. But I have a good feeling that I will be able to change my ways and "clean up the house" in that way also.
The belly dancing has been really fantastic for me in many ways. Most notably, my lower back has been much better since I started dancing. I can always feel it the morning after a dance class, as a notable absence of stiffness. I have started using the belly dance stretches and moves whenever I remember, to remove tension from my lower back, hips, and also upper back. I have not noticed any change in weight or the fit of my jeans, but I feel stronger through my abdomen and other "core" areas. And it has helped me, to some degree, to deal with some of my feelings about my body. Being able to look at myself in the mirror, and have others look at me, while learning new moves (I'm not the most coordinated person I know), has been an interesting and positive experience.
As for friends, my dear friend Andrea very kindly kicked my butt the other day about my reluctance to let go of my "stuff". It is true, everywhere I go, I accumulate lots of "stuff", and for various reasons can't seem to get rid of things : feel guilty I bought it and never liked it enough to really wear it, someone gave it to me so I can't really give it away, I might need it some day, maybe my kids may want it some day...
She really challenged me to look at how I hold so tightly to stuff, and urged me to try to let go. So I have. In the first round of closet cleaning, I got rid of 47 shirts and pants from my closet, as well as a big pile of socks and undergarments, and about a dozen each from the two kids. Instead of my usual approach of looking for things I didn't want anymore, I threw everything out, and then only picked back the things which I quite surely would wear. The others were donated. I even found myself a pair of capri pants in time for our summer vacation at Otter Lake, so that was great timing. My daughter cleaned out two drawers of hair accessories which she doesn't use anymore, keeping only a few just in case.
On the second round of closet cleaning, I pulled about 9 more clothes from my closet, and 80 (!!) articles from my son's closet. It is much easier to get rid of his stuff, since he has a younger cousin to pass them along to.
Since then, I bought 4 more shirts for myself, similar to ones I already have and like and wear often. It was funny, they were all the same brand and style, but the price differed depending on the fabric design. I guess some were older stock, and others newer. I was proud of myself for buying the 4 which I liked the best, not the 4 which were the lowest price (which I might have done previously, and then not worn the couple which I didn't like as much). In the morning, I am able to pick clothes based on the temperature outside, and what I feel like wearing, rather than sifting through what I think fits or doesn't. It is a good feeling.
I am trying to do the same with items. I need to clean through books and other clutter which I am keeping for no good reason. My husband is also in a cleaning mood lately, and did a pretty good sweep through the office clutter the other day. Not too long ago, we spent a few hours pulling everything out of the shed, and placing back only the items we need or think we will use. That was gruelling, but since then I can actually walk through the shed, and pull tools off the back wall, without straining over the clutter on the floor. In his case, his clean up was prompted by his purchase of 3 ATVs for the family, which we have subsequently fit in the garage beside the 2 cars (in the area which was previously home to a lot of clutter).
I don't know how or if they are linked, but this external purging of clutter may be somehow related to my holding on to weight. I was reading a book during our trip (one of the few times of the year when I find myself actually sitting with a book in hand) about a 48 hour kick start to weight loss. The book explains how our body holds on to a large amount of excess water and fat as a means to protect ourself from toxins. And an excess of waste products since our liver and kidneys and other parts of our body are too fatigued and slow to process and remove them. Something like that. So it talks about what foods will boost the liver function, and help eliminate toxins and waste products, and what foods to avoid during this cleansing process, since they slow down digestion and elimination. Although I am not likely to dedicate a 48 hour period to doing something like this, I made notes on a little paper which I am carrying in my purse (I carry a small one, so I don't end up with too much in it!), so I can incorporate many of these ideas into my every day life.
One thing it explains is that if the body doesn't get enough water, it actually stores excess water to protect itself. So drinking more water will actually reduce water retention. It is recommended to drink 2 liters or more of water every day - 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after eating, but not during, so that it won't slow down the digestion process. And don't eat more often than 4 hours, since that adds more new food to the food already digesting, also slowing down the process. Interesting.
As for current weight, I am hovering at 6 to 9 pounds below my New Year's weight. I haven't hit the 10 pound mark yet. But I have a good feeling that I will be able to change my ways and "clean up the house" in that way also.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Struggling but Hopeful in All Areas
In all areas, I am still struggling, but there are signs of hope.
At work, I have been completely overwhelmed, with losing one member of my team recently, and the remaining one on a 3 week vacation, and the management team deciding that two areas of the company need more attention, and both fall into my realm of responsibility. So I've hired a new employee who started Monday, so it's been even more crazy this week for me, trying to get her oriented with what she needs (good thing, at this point, that she is very independent) in the 1/2 hr or so I have each day between meetings. But I am feeling very hopeful that she will clear up the backlog (in this case, technical documentation) and then make good progress in improving the situation.
On the exercise front, I've been having a hard time getting back to cycling, since most nights I am working late after the kids go to bed (which is also getting later and later), and then too exhausted mentally to force myself to cycle. But on the hopeful side - actually the ecstatic side - I finally found a belly dance class for me and my 12 year old daughter. We attended our first class on Monday. It is mid way through a series of 10 beginner classes, but we joined it as a drop in. It is PERFECT. I have not done much dancing in my life, other than some square dancing and folk dancing, and one set of ballroom dance classes. I could give a speech in front of hundreds of people, but would be completely immobilized if I thought they were looking at my body. I used to be so self-conscious that when I was a teenager, and a charades would break out at a party, I would hide in the bathroom until they were over. I'm not much better now, I just have better ways of hiding.
Anyhow, the only "skinny" person in the class is my daughter. All the other ladies are more like me - when we wiggle our hips, plenty is jiggling also. Which is what belly dancing is all about. The instructor is super fun and friendly, and explains everything very well. A good half of the 1hr 15min session was devoted to deep stretches in the hips and legs and back. Each dance move started very slow and deliberate, then we brought it forward to a full speed. So even if I was left behind (which was actually rare!), I could still feel good that I had made very good progress. Not bad at all, since some of the ladies are on their third time through this set of beginner lessons.
When I awake in the middle of the night Monday, and visited the bathroom, I realized that my lower back was not stiff and sore like it almost always is. Amazing. I know that I have found the right place for me! My daughter also enjoyed the lessons, and our chance to do something together as just a girls night out.
It's funny, I've been looking for a belly dance class for some while now (although not intently). But when I stopped in Victoria with my husband on a three-night cruise three weeks ago, we discovered Cleopatra's Closet, and a wonderful selection of coin scarves and other belly dance costumes there. The owner was absolutely wonderful, and spent time helping me try on lots of them, trying to find a small one for my daughter, and a large one for me. Something pretty, and very jingly (it was interesting how they all had different sounds). We ended up finding and buying both. It was only after I got home that I opened the local paper, and saw a photo of our dance instructor doing belly dancing, and we tracked down her dance studio. So it was meant to be.
The photo is of my instructor Lisa, owner of the Ammara Dance Studio in New West, BC. Isn't she beautiful?
On the pain side, I have gone through too many rounds recently of being in pain in my neck and shoulder and right arm. The last couple of times, it was not an issue with the head/C1 alignment. Fortunately, my good friend Andrea was able to recommend another chiropractor, who was able to provide some relief from the knots I had gotten myself into. But it seemed like a pretty desperate state, to have 2 chiros and 1 massage therapist working on me (I was going to an appointment almost every week), and still not keeping me pain free. So finally I was forced to take one week off, to focus on relaxing and stretching, and limiting my time on the computer (I replied to emails on my Blackberry instead :-) ). That seemed to help. Now with the belly dance lessons, I am very hopeful that I should be able to keep pain free. This week I was fine right up until yesterday, when I was overwhelmed and pushed myself too hard, and now I'm feeling some warning signs again.
On the gardening side, I have made huge progress on cleaning up and making my garden even more fantastic than last year. So that has given me lots of hope, as well as exercise to counteract tension, and build some strength.
On the weight side, I am hovering at 6 - 8 pounds below my starting weight. My daughter is trying to help. Daddy has offered her $2 for every pound below the initial 3 pounds which I am by end of June. So her efforts have amounted to $6 - $10 so far. Poor girl. I have just not been able to give this the priority, with everything else going on. But I have not lost ground. So that is hopeful.
At work, I have been completely overwhelmed, with losing one member of my team recently, and the remaining one on a 3 week vacation, and the management team deciding that two areas of the company need more attention, and both fall into my realm of responsibility. So I've hired a new employee who started Monday, so it's been even more crazy this week for me, trying to get her oriented with what she needs (good thing, at this point, that she is very independent) in the 1/2 hr or so I have each day between meetings. But I am feeling very hopeful that she will clear up the backlog (in this case, technical documentation) and then make good progress in improving the situation.
On the exercise front, I've been having a hard time getting back to cycling, since most nights I am working late after the kids go to bed (which is also getting later and later), and then too exhausted mentally to force myself to cycle. But on the hopeful side - actually the ecstatic side - I finally found a belly dance class for me and my 12 year old daughter. We attended our first class on Monday. It is mid way through a series of 10 beginner classes, but we joined it as a drop in. It is PERFECT. I have not done much dancing in my life, other than some square dancing and folk dancing, and one set of ballroom dance classes. I could give a speech in front of hundreds of people, but would be completely immobilized if I thought they were looking at my body. I used to be so self-conscious that when I was a teenager, and a charades would break out at a party, I would hide in the bathroom until they were over. I'm not much better now, I just have better ways of hiding.
Anyhow, the only "skinny" person in the class is my daughter. All the other ladies are more like me - when we wiggle our hips, plenty is jiggling also. Which is what belly dancing is all about. The instructor is super fun and friendly, and explains everything very well. A good half of the 1hr 15min session was devoted to deep stretches in the hips and legs and back. Each dance move started very slow and deliberate, then we brought it forward to a full speed. So even if I was left behind (which was actually rare!), I could still feel good that I had made very good progress. Not bad at all, since some of the ladies are on their third time through this set of beginner lessons.
When I awake in the middle of the night Monday, and visited the bathroom, I realized that my lower back was not stiff and sore like it almost always is. Amazing. I know that I have found the right place for me! My daughter also enjoyed the lessons, and our chance to do something together as just a girls night out.
The photo is of my instructor Lisa, owner of the Ammara Dance Studio in New West, BC. Isn't she beautiful?
On the pain side, I have gone through too many rounds recently of being in pain in my neck and shoulder and right arm. The last couple of times, it was not an issue with the head/C1 alignment. Fortunately, my good friend Andrea was able to recommend another chiropractor, who was able to provide some relief from the knots I had gotten myself into. But it seemed like a pretty desperate state, to have 2 chiros and 1 massage therapist working on me (I was going to an appointment almost every week), and still not keeping me pain free. So finally I was forced to take one week off, to focus on relaxing and stretching, and limiting my time on the computer (I replied to emails on my Blackberry instead :-) ). That seemed to help. Now with the belly dance lessons, I am very hopeful that I should be able to keep pain free. This week I was fine right up until yesterday, when I was overwhelmed and pushed myself too hard, and now I'm feeling some warning signs again.
On the gardening side, I have made huge progress on cleaning up and making my garden even more fantastic than last year. So that has given me lots of hope, as well as exercise to counteract tension, and build some strength.
On the weight side, I am hovering at 6 - 8 pounds below my starting weight. My daughter is trying to help. Daddy has offered her $2 for every pound below the initial 3 pounds which I am by end of June. So her efforts have amounted to $6 - $10 so far. Poor girl. I have just not been able to give this the priority, with everything else going on. But I have not lost ground. So that is hopeful.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Shampoo vs. Dishwashing Liquid
I may be struggling with my weight, but I have finally realized what my problem is.When taking a shower, I often use the shampoo to lather myself. Yesterday I read what was written on the bottle : "For extra volume and body". No wonder it is so difficult to keep my weight under control. From now on I will instead use dishwashing liquid for showering, it claims : "Dissolves fat that is otherwise difficult to remove"!
(I received this story and cartoon via email, so don't know who to give credit to.)
In my case, I am still working on it, but not hard. I have lost about 6 pounds since the start of the year. But I have other more significant issues. Like the ongoing neck problems, which now keeps my "pit crew" of 2 chiropractors and 1 massage therapist busy, and still I am in regular pain. I have finally come to the realization that it is my inability to cope with the stress of my current work situation that is the root of most of my issues. Thanks to some encouragement from a true friend, I am now taking steps - or at least planning what those steps are - to recreate a new position for myself which will be fulfilling, and not nearly as stressful.
I look forward to some positive changes in the next month or two. I hope in the process, I will learn how to take care of myself.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Yes, Still Cycling
I'm really pleased with myself. I'm still cycling (on my stationary bike) the 4.5 km each night, and up to 6 km on some nights, if I start early enough. My husband, who is also my boss and father of my kids, is gone again this week. If all goes as planned, he should be back in time for my son's birthday party, so that he can drive my daughter and her friend to a church event. He wasn't here for her recent birthday party, although he made it for the family party the following day. But I can't feel sorry for myself. I am blessed with a wonderful family, and health, and good fortune. I just do my best, and that's all I can do.I'm not losing any measurable weight, but then I haven't changed my eating habits much. Tonight I even broke into a box of chocolate truffles, although they were all quite awful (yes, I sampled nearly all the flavours, but cut many of them in half). Too sweet. I miss my Lindt chili bar, but haven't seen it on sale recently. I'll need to buy it anyhow, next time I see it. Or make another batch of my wickedly hot chili chocolate.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Still Cycling
I may not have lost weight yet, but I'm still cycling my 4.5 km every night, while watching Netflix, and feeling stronger every time. Tonight my husband is still not home, after midnight, so I've cycled 6.5 km, and my legs are feeling warm, but not burning like they did when I first started my nightly cycling. In fact, I now look forward to the cycling. One night I watched a movie with my husband, and forgot to cycle, and I really missed it.
I joked to my daughter that with all my cycling, I may still be fat but eventually I'm going to have a tight bum instead of my big fat one. She doesn't appreciate my humour. I say it to amuse myself. I'm just happy that for now, I've found some sort of regular exercise.
My favourite exercise, gardening, is starting to become a possibility. It dumped snow only one week ago, but it snowed only 1 night, and has been warm and mostly rainy ever since. But any chance I get, like this weekend, I was out there clearing wheelbarrows full of clippings and dead plant material. With our lot of close to 1/3 acre covered largely by garden, it is easy to fill a wheelbarrow of plant material. I look forward to many more rain-free days to get out there and clean up, before Spring arrives in full force. It feels like it won't be much longer now.
No, the photo is not from this year, it was taken in March 2009. The cheery yellow crocus pushing up through the decaying Gunnera leaf is such a wonderful picture of early Spring, I think. I wish I had made a couple of attempts, and gotten a clearer shot. But it's still one of my favourite Spring shots.
My favourite exercise, gardening, is starting to become a possibility. It dumped snow only one week ago, but it snowed only 1 night, and has been warm and mostly rainy ever since. But any chance I get, like this weekend, I was out there clearing wheelbarrows full of clippings and dead plant material. With our lot of close to 1/3 acre covered largely by garden, it is easy to fill a wheelbarrow of plant material. I look forward to many more rain-free days to get out there and clean up, before Spring arrives in full force. It feels like it won't be much longer now.
No, the photo is not from this year, it was taken in March 2009. The cheery yellow crocus pushing up through the decaying Gunnera leaf is such a wonderful picture of early Spring, I think. I wish I had made a couple of attempts, and gotten a clearer shot. But it's still one of my favourite Spring shots.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
2011 - A New Year
Well, I entered 2011 at the same weight I entered 2010. So there is still much opportunity for improvement, and for finding more balance in my life.
Toward the end of last year, my husband challenged me to a contest. I forgot if it was to be the first one to lose 10 pounds, or what we said. Neither of us has lost any. But my 12-year-old daughter heard our conversation, and has since lost 14 pounds herself. Which is very impressive, since this is more than 10% of her body weight.
Before you freak out (which is what I would do, if I heard about a 12-year-old losing weight!), she is doing it the healthy way. Portion control. Eating the same good food (and lots of times, picking the healthier choice - like fresh fruit instead of baked goods), and just keeping the portions under control. She doesn't skip breakfast, or any of the other typically unhealthy or misguided "diet" activities.
So I am proud of her. Perhaps even inspired. We'll see. On the other hand, my husband is still travelling almost every week, and I am often overwhelmed at work. And it's rainy most days, so hard to enjoy any outdoor activities. I have been cycling 4.5 km almost every night on the stationary bike, while watching shows on Netflix. It's funny, but I don't feel as crazy hungry lately, as I usually do. So perhaps that it is a positive result of the nightly exercise.
I have cut back my work to 4 days per week, taking every Friday off. So far, most Fridays I've been tied up with meetings and such, interrupting my day. And I've recently hired a housekeeper for 2 hours a week (Fridays), and although I'm happy for the help, since she comes at noon, it splits up the day, and keeps me tied to the house. I've got to figure out how to take hold of those Fridays, and making that time useful. Perhaps by doing some regular exercise. Or indulging my artistic side. Or connecting with friends and family. Or just organizing and "de-junking" the house, to feel better about living here.
At this point, I have no real idea of how to proceed, but as I find any inspiration or success, I'll be sure to share it. And please share any of your own inspiration or successes with me. All the best to everyone in your own resolutions for healthier living in 2011. This is the year. Let's do it!
Toward the end of last year, my husband challenged me to a contest. I forgot if it was to be the first one to lose 10 pounds, or what we said. Neither of us has lost any. But my 12-year-old daughter heard our conversation, and has since lost 14 pounds herself. Which is very impressive, since this is more than 10% of her body weight.
Before you freak out (which is what I would do, if I heard about a 12-year-old losing weight!), she is doing it the healthy way. Portion control. Eating the same good food (and lots of times, picking the healthier choice - like fresh fruit instead of baked goods), and just keeping the portions under control. She doesn't skip breakfast, or any of the other typically unhealthy or misguided "diet" activities.
So I am proud of her. Perhaps even inspired. We'll see. On the other hand, my husband is still travelling almost every week, and I am often overwhelmed at work. And it's rainy most days, so hard to enjoy any outdoor activities. I have been cycling 4.5 km almost every night on the stationary bike, while watching shows on Netflix. It's funny, but I don't feel as crazy hungry lately, as I usually do. So perhaps that it is a positive result of the nightly exercise.
I have cut back my work to 4 days per week, taking every Friday off. So far, most Fridays I've been tied up with meetings and such, interrupting my day. And I've recently hired a housekeeper for 2 hours a week (Fridays), and although I'm happy for the help, since she comes at noon, it splits up the day, and keeps me tied to the house. I've got to figure out how to take hold of those Fridays, and making that time useful. Perhaps by doing some regular exercise. Or indulging my artistic side. Or connecting with friends and family. Or just organizing and "de-junking" the house, to feel better about living here.
At this point, I have no real idea of how to proceed, but as I find any inspiration or success, I'll be sure to share it. And please share any of your own inspiration or successes with me. All the best to everyone in your own resolutions for healthier living in 2011. This is the year. Let's do it!
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