movin on

Moving on to another location on the interweb.

Come follow my struggles with my desire to find my athletic self at a wordpress location near you.

Yup it's broken.

Broken Toe.

Now what?

Lots of situps with feet in air? whoot. exciting.

Possibly the stupidest injury ever. You can't do ANYTHING. And there is nothing can be done for you.

I'm on crutches to help carry the weight...but the pain oh the pain. Situps will be easy after dealing with this little injury.

Might go to one crutch...maybe.

The lesson learned from all this? One bottle of champagne okay...Two....not good. Because I don't know what I did to my foot and I also can't remember most of the fun stuff and conversations of the night.

But now I'm 30.

where's the gym again?

Back from Vacay and it's been one week. I finally feel normal again. Sleeping, eating and living. It's a great feeling.

Now the sun is out in Vancouver it's a abalmy 17 degrees Celcius and the idea of working out seems to be a lost cause.

I will have to find my rhythm again. But not this weekend. I am hosting a shin dig that will for sure grant me a lovely hangover on Sunday. Wouldn't expect less from your 30th birthday would you?

lost 5 lbs on vacay!

I'm back from vacation...lost 5 lbs. I think it's because I didn't snack...sort of. And it's because I didn't really like the food and the idea of continuous American Buffet at these 4star establishments in Egypt was kinda disgusting. Also, eating in London is expensive. OH and food poisioning from a little ice cream at the musical's interval has also cured my love of ice cream. For now anyways.

Here's hoping I don't take too long to get back into a running routine.

Softball last night was interesting for a girl who is on London time and catches the ball with her left bicep, then forarms, then chin, then boobs all without using her glove. TALENT.

*snap *crackle *pop

Not sure what's wrong. Knee popping good times all around.

No gym this week. No desire to even do an ab workout.

Status: Not Good.

Also, no beach vball team right now. Really hoping one comes along. I need, want, desire to play.

Knee must get better. Vball team must come along.

If I will it, all this will happen right? RIGHT?

bumped...again

I got bumped. Again.

This is the second time that I've gotten bumped from this Volleyball team by the same Capt'n.

The first time was when she asked me to sub and then she called me the day of and said they didn't need me after all as one of the guys was bringing the girl he was dating that week. And after that...I played the rest of the season.

Along the way she asked me to play on a beach team. I had already joined a team of people I had never met, but said yes to Capt'n as she is a friend and I would have much more fun with her and the other two guys. So fast forward about four weeks then approach to this morning. 8:14am in fact.

A message was sent to my FB account from Capt'n. She was apologetic that she didn't call me on Saturday like she had said she would and then informed me that

"Mike found a girl that he is kind of interested in and wants her to play all 7 weeks. she was going to play for the first two, but will miss out on another league if she starts with us, so i figured it was only fair. I don't know if you still have the other team to play on, but maybe instead of leaving them, just chill with them and then in the summer we can hook up and play then. i feel terrible, but it is their team too and he is really excited about playing with her. Don't hate me! :) "

My reply:

"Actually I don't have another team to play with. I got a replacement just to play with you guys and was really looking forward to it.I understand that Mike wants to play with this new girl and thats great.

But I kind of feel completely shafted and you knew I couldn't play the first two weeks from the get go.

Now I am out of a team. I am kind of hurt and it's kind of not cool.

Definitely call me whenever you can, I can talk during my work day today or this week.When I come back we can definitely meet up for a drink."

So now I am waiting for a call. I did text the Capt'n and asked her to call me whenever she has five minutes. So We will see. If she doesn't call before she leaves town on Thursdsay than this friend isn't heading the to the Circle of Trust which I was hoping the direction of our friendship would be. It's the way it is. I just hope she doesn't expect me to sub or join the team when something between Mike and said girl falls apart and makes the whole thing uncomfortable.

I still can't help but feel disappointed. It's very difficult to find a team to play on with people you like especially when all the leagues start this week and I'm going on vacation for the next two weeks. So I'm going to try, because this is the one activity I absolutely love.

****UPDATE*******
So Capt'n and I chatted. The guy actually found a girl who he wanted to play beach 2's with. Fine. Then I find out that they have been talking about this for two weeks. It took some coaxing to even kind of get an apology for the inconvience, which is what I'm a bit ticked about. If they new two weeks ago. Tell me two weeks ago. Then I could have had time to find a team! Now. I have a team that I can go sub on. But it would be nice to have a regular playing option.

Still not impressed. Needless to say, Capt'n won't be entering my "circle of trust" anytime soon.

Sun Running

So my friend has a spot available. Free of charge for me to participate in the outdoor 10Km run through Vancouver. However, I probably will walk and run. I stopped training outdoors in February due to travel and the fact that my body doesn't like running in the cold. Like I can't breath and feel like I"m going to die. Hopefully that won't happen on Sunday morning.

Club 15

Club 15 is the brain child of Jenny who also blogs her world on All Eyes on Jenny .

It's all very basic. You log in and tell her how many workouts you've done in one month, the goal being 15, but when her Dad [also a member] busts out a 28...you feel like you could do more. Hence the motivation and competition.

The best part is, that is for everyone across the globe to join. It's all about accountability and honesty to yourself and to others.

Now you might ask, what counts as a workout. It's a very subjective topic, however, for myself I classify it as a minimum of 30 - 60mins of working out where I break a sweat and feel accomplished. Usually involoving a 30min run and 30 min of weights. Some days its 40mins of running and 40 mins of weights...i would count that as two! Mainly because if I had the desire to get up in the morning I would do half then and half in the evening.

I do not count golf or softball as a workout, because they seem to be more of an activity and less of a push and grunt to the ultimate goal of a better me in a bathing suit.

So...there you have it folks.

Join Club15.

Did I mention it was free????

buckles are down and locked - 30 here I come!

after two weeks with a cold and one week in reno, i have curbed my desire, want, longing for something surgary and sweet and bad for you. well almost. actually, i'm in panic mode. realizing that in less than two months i'm turning 30 and in less than one month i have to put lay on a beach on the red sea as part of my difficult vacation.

*sigh*

now i'm taking my diet seriously. seriously! i am not consuming alcohol regardless of whose birthday it is or what celebratory event occurs where alcohol will make it sooooo much better. i am also eating more vegtables and fruit and trying to get more protein. who knew that you could trick yourself to believing that unsalted almonds are actually good? fiber comes in the form of instant oatmeal.

i'm also drinking copious amounts of water and you would think that i'd be running to the loo 45 times a day. contrary to that belief, i'm not! i always have been drinking a lot of water and my body is finally realizing that it's a good thing. i maybe have a diet coke [my vice].

last night i was good. usually i would over eat on the sushi with my friend Melissa, but i didn't. i had takeout from nuba an authentic lebanese cuisine place with really good and healthy and relatively inexpensive food.

oh and i've cleared my social calender to ensure i go to the gym 6 days of the week. regardless of it being 5am or 9pm. i have to, must, need to hit the gym/workout. should be interesting to go to the gym after dinner with friends tonight. whoot to salad and grilled chicken with dressing on the side....while at a pub where theres so much good food all of which is bad for you. *sigh*.

back to my almonds.

WTF

I'm sick.

I have a cold.

I haven't worked out.

I haven't been eating right.

I'm sure I have gained weight.

I'm sure that I have a gut again and I desperately need to focus for the next little bit.

I go on vacation April 24th to Egypt. This requires a bathing suit.

I go to Reno next week for work.

I need to find a resolve within myself to really meet this goal.

Multitasking my life goals with a social life with work has never been my strong suit.

WTF.

Back At It!

Last Sunday I strapped on the court shoes, pulled on the knee pads, taped up the fingers and flew across the court playing the game that I love and have missed and thought I would never be able to play again. And I can.

This is my game. Volleyball.

I have been a fan of it since I was 12. I enjoy the strategy, the angles, the power and the true team effort. All without physical contact with the opponent. I'm not the best at it, nor am I the worst. I just ejoy it. It's a full body workout and the only one you can blame for injuries is yourself and bad luck.

After Sunday night, my body had those good aches you get from a great workout. I'm no addicted and wanting more.

I went to the gym 3x this week after work, doing interval training on the treadmill for 30min and doing 30-40min of weights. I'm not going to run the SunRun here in Vancouver, I'm just going to concentrate on the fact that I'm turning the big 3-0 at the end of May and bathing suit season is approaching. I want to be confident and sexy as I turn 30 and when it comes time to hit the beach I'm not going to be insecure. Mainly because I have signed up to play some beach vball too.

mentality rate

well after last weekends love affair with all junk food on the planet [ice cream to diet coke to smartfood white cheddar popcorn...yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm] this weekend, i'm proud to say was a tad better.

i haven't been back to floor hockey though. aside from the family strife, my shoulder is killing me and i really, truely do not want to hurt it further playing floor hockey...running is hard enough.

speaking of running! this sunday i woke up early...8am...for no other reason than i spent Saturday cleaning my apt and organizing my clothes, which took til 11pm at which time i went to bed. so being the old fogy that i've become i got up early on sunday and strapped on the running shoes and went for a run on kits beach. came back with a headached. not a major one, but one of those..."just so you remember i'm here, i'm going to hang out here forever" type of headaches. I then took the rest of the day easy and went to sleep at 10pm.

woke up this morning and hit the treadmill at 6am and decided to challenge myself and hit the 5Km loop on the treadmill. it took 43mins to complete, but that also inc. the 5min warm up and cool down plus some minutes for some breaks. my quads tightened up by about the 25min mark and i just tried to push through and continued breathing. at about the 35min mark i increased the speed from a steady 5.0 to 6.0 for about 5mins.

i find it easier to breath while on a treadmill than while running outside and therefore am able to run a comfortable pace longer and keep the right shoulder in check. this is problematic as most 10km running events are indeed outside.

it's all mental

So I left off complaining [whining?] about my right shoulder. Well, aside from the fact that it still hurts, I push on!

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday last week were the first time I've been able to get up at 5:30am to head out for a run! I was so proud of myself for accomplishing this task. I've been wanting to get the exercise done in the morning for a couple of reasons.

1. I like to leave my evenings flexible for social activites.
2. The gym, seawall, kits park are crazy busy after work.
3. I tend not to do anything else after going to the gym in the evenings.
4. Sometimes watching some trashy TV lying on the couch in the evenings trumps running and lifting weights.

It was pretty darn awesome feeling.

Then Saturday was a day of acknowledgement. I got to speak to my best friend, who lives 4 hours away, for about an hour and completely divulge some of the more emotional issues that have been happening to the family. All of which I had been keeping at arms length. Well...they hit me like a brick and I felt really sad and alone all of a sudden. OH did I mention it was Valentines Day and I was single??? This is not a good mindset to be in to A) stick to your healthy living and B) want to exercise.

Common sense was telling me to buck up and go do something active. But in all honesty, I didn't want too. My resolve to do nothing outweighed my mental image of me ending up like either of my parents - overweight and cranky. Also, my couch was comfy. So was the quart of Hagen Daas Dulce de Leche ice cream. Yup.

Whoops.

This fog did not lift out of my head until Tuesday night. I tried to go for a run Wednesday morning, but it wasn't going to happen. However, I did manage to get in a run after work. Run/Walk 3:1 - running 9 times! I barely made it. My shoulder was killing me. The last two 3 min passes had me running 1min walking 1 min. It was cold and difficult to breath. But I did it. I had to do it. I had more desire to do it.

This morning I hauled my a$$ out of bed at 5:40am and went to the gym. It was just too cold and dark to think I could run outside this morning. But I did 2:2 on the tread mill for 30min. Jacked up the running spead from 5.0 to 6.2 for the last min and a half of the last 4 mins I ran straight. Awesome. Sure my shoulder was killing by the last 5min, but as soon as I jacked the speed and I had to pay attention to something else my shoulder was an after thought until the last 10 seconds. They were the longest 10 seconds.

Also: 30 burpees, 30 tricep squats, 30 leg squats

I thought my legs were going to go on strike and walk away on their own, with my shoulder following closely behind. Think it's time for physio on the shoulder.

With more family challenges ahead for the next month or so, the mental war continues. I did win this battle, although next time, I hope it doesn't last four days long.

**Oh.....this post on Women's Health Magazine also made me feel better something about busting myths!!

30 min Run

That's all I had in me yesterday. 30 min walk/run thing on the dreadmill. I was doing 2 and 2 for the first 20min then I just said "f*ck it" and ran for the last 12 min. All because the gym put a time limit on the dreadmills to 30min. So now there is really no way to complete the 45min run cycles if it's busy. Another push for me to go outdoors.

Also, my shoulder was acting up. I'm not entirely sure how this is happening.

After 6 months of chiro and one shoulder check in floor hockey and no volleyball, my right shoulder is killing me. Not sure if it's the flying to and from Reno last week [for work...noone voluntarily goes to Reno] or sleeping funny. All I know is that my right shoulder is KILLING me.

So now I sit here moving a mouse with my right hand trying to keep my right shoulder relaxed and pushed back and down. When the reality is I'd rather pull it out of the socket and bang it on the table. That's would be bad right?

Hopefully it will stop snowing. Running this evening. Outside.

terrible am i

oh i'm horrible! i was doing okay in Reno for food consumption....minus the two fast food laziness episodes...

but i only worked out once. ONCE all week.

this past weekend apparently chocolate, popcorn, diet coke [my complete nemisis] and dulce de leche ice cream were on the agenda of food consumption. Not to mention brunch at some louisiana food place on Granville Street after playing "golf" rather pitch 'n putt. You know, to practice the short game. This weekend was a complete and utter right off. I don't even think I've made any headway on my goals and what I have made, I completely blew off the last couple of weeks.

I think I need to reorganize my timetable.

I need time to do social things, but what I'm doing socially isn't helping my overall healthy goal. Floor Hockey is the one thing that I'm continuing to be not too fond of. There are a couple more weeks left on the schedule. Five to be exact. I think I can hold out until then - I've missed three weeks so far. I'm sure work will rear it's ugly head and deter me from attending again. I like watching but not really enjoying the playing part. But I've paid and I won't give up. Maybe just not sign up for next year.

Softball is starting soon. That will take over Monday night activities. But that is really fun and much more enjoyable.

As for the rest of my schedule. I desperately need a plan and I need to figure out how to stick to it more regularly.

Dare I try and run in the mornings again?

Trader Joe's

Well it's been one full week until I hit the treadmill again. Today. I did just that. I left the office at 5pm on the dot. Returned to the "high end" Best Western, and changed into the workout attire that I brought and hit the rickety old treadmill.
I'm not to comfortable running outside here in Reno. It's not a sidewalk friendly city, especially where I am staying, right by the airport. In fact...there doesn't seem to be a lot of sidewalks and I'm not in a residential area...so it's all busy, busy, busy, busy streets. I know it seems like an excuse, but at least I still hit the dreadmill. I think I'm just spoiled by getting to run in Vancouver, where runners are everywhere.

So while I'm here in Reno, I'm trying not to eat out so much, therefore I stocked the fridge with pre-packaged salads and other protein meals. All thanks to Trader Joe’s. Ergo, I’m not spending 30 bucks each day. I spent $35 for all the groceries.

This begs the question. Why is food so gosh darn expensive in Canada?

Oh dear god. There’s chicken in my fridge at home in Vancouver. It’s going to be a bad science experiment by the time I get back.

Crappy Living

So much for eating healthy. This past week has been a gong show for trying to eat right let alone hit the gym. Wednesday to Friday was brutal and I'm not done. Currently I'm in Nevada for work. Ergo, I haven't worked out in 5 days and now I don't have a stocked fridge with healthy options.

2 hours in Reno - Grilled Chicken Ranch BLT sandwich....from...McDonalds. FACK.

I'll have a healthy breaky tomorrow...right? RIGHT???

Hopefully I won't be working 12 hours tomorrow. But I do hope to hit the "gym" here at the hotel. Which I checked out and it smells like a sauna and is just as hot. Which is a god send because Reno, NV is pretty darn cold. Because there is no cloud cover. At least there will be sun!

Vitamin D whoot!

now if I can just get some Vit. B, C, etc. etc.

It's Tuesday

Running is easier. It makes me want to keep going.

3min run/2min walk for 45 min. All on a treadmill. I know I know. I have to brave the outdoors or else this is fruitless, pointless.

Unfortunately, it's really, really, really, really cold outside. Therefore no running outside. I was suppose to go running outside today after work...but it's 5:30pm and I'm still at work. I'm going to be here for a while.

I was really dreading this beginning of week 3, but now I think it's doable, with a bit of gym workouts in between. Got to work out 5-6 times a week if I really want to shed serious weight and continue to change my life. I'm doing pretty good so far.

however, the CrossFit idea is still hanging out in my head.

update

Thursday update.

I haven't done much this week.

Lets see...
The weekend I sat around either in a car or on a couch. It was comfy.

Monday night:
2min/2min walk/run on the treadmill
weights
abs
you know the drill

Tuesday night:
1min/2min walk/run outside with Crystal
some stretching
then home where I did some abs
OH and groceries i needed groceries

Wednesday night:
out with friends - important birthday dinner

Thursday night:
I'm still here.
At work.
My intentions of going home and having a run outside after work are not going to happen now. It's freeeeeezing outside.
Vancouver has been in a cloud of fog for two weeks now. It's suppose to be lifting just in time for more snow. yeah. fun.

I'm not going to Floor Hockey tonight.

I'm indifferent about floor hockey.

I like my team.

Not really a fan of the dirty players on the other teams and I hate getting hurt hurt. Sure a little banged up never hurt anyone...but seriously...some of these guys are just plain dirty. And when I get bumped to hard I'm not shy about it, but I'm not exactly good about it either. Maybe my temper flares up just a tad...okay..more than a tad. And I feel bad about it, embarassed even...because it's not cool and i know that and all you want to do is have fun. But I don't need an email lecture reminding me about that either. ya know? who wants that? do you? A lecture just makes it worse...but a question or a brief statment...is all that is needed. Especially when it's friends. Or that's my opinion anyways.

I feel though I need to give it a bit more time though to get back into the groove of it. But tonight I worked a little too late and considering the email in question came yesterday...why the hell would I want to go? Maybe next week I'll go.

Hopefully tomorrow night i'll make it to the gym...or maybe even volleyball???

hmmmm lets not get too far ahead of myself.

It's dark at 4:30pm...what up with that?

Last night was the first time in ages since I've run outside. I have been running/walking inside on the tread mill. But you put me outside and all of a sudden different muscles are working. Breathing is different. It's definitely harder.

It's nice to have a partner to run outside with at least once a week. Crystal and I are both walking and running and we are on the same schedule and same tempo. So it's good. Hopefully we will stay comitted to meeting up. It's hard. My schedule is sometimes unpredictable.

It's hard to run outside during the week with the sun setting at 4:30pm. It's all dark and dreary so it's definitely not ideal for running solo. But if we have to do that we will.

Running outside is so much more pleasureable than running on a treadmill going nowhere. In fact you could just jump in one spot on a treadmill and probably not go flying off the machine.

Can't say the same for my Ipod.

H*ly Crap That Hurts!

Cardio - 45 min - 1min Run 2 min walk...starting at the very beginning with a faster pace. A better pace. A more natural pace...not so g*ddamn slow.

Weights - 20 min. Arms/Squat with DB & some weight machines. good.

Abs - Crunches = good.

Trying to work the lower abs felt like I was tearing out my abdomen by my hands. I don't think I can adequately describe how it felt.

No leg raises for me! obviously did too many last Thursday and I still haven't recovered.

Worked my ass off yesterday. So much so, I'm not sure I'm going to make it to the gym.

40 min of 2min walk/3min run
90 crunches
60 russian twists
30 straight leg lifts
30 DB flys
30 DB press

stretching. lots and lots of stretching.

1 hour of floor hockey...well not really one hour but intermittent bursts of energy for 2 or 3 min shifts over an hour - lots of fun. Good crew and good fun. The best part was that after every shift I wasn't out of breath! The worst part was that my pants continue to want to fall down when playing floor hockey but not when running.

what up with that?

working hard

Tuesday workout:

40 min on the treadmill - alternating 2min walking/3min running

and in no particular order:
30 jump lunges
30 DB anchors
30 DB bicep curls
30 russian twists
30 crunches
30 pushups

i still think i can get up at 5:30 and get some yoga in or something...but really who am i kidding?? the alarm goes off at 5:30 and somehow goes off again at 6:30 when i finally decide i need to get up for work.

i've also looked into doing CrossFit, but i think i need to get into the groove [and make sure shoulder, groin, knee and ankle injuries stay away] before i commit myself to exercise workouts that make you want to puke. in fact. they encourage that. ummmm....hmmmmm......

until then i'm taking some of the moves and applying them at home. thank goodness for youtube to give you new workout routines. now...all i need is a chin up bar at home...

off to the gym today after work too.

2009

it's the beginning of a new year.

and i have few decisions made.

2008 was the year of me.

well 2009 is to be the year of my health.

time to continue headstrong into the lifestyle changes and commit to them full force.

for the next 28 days. no alcohol. unless take last minute vacation with jodie to an all inclusive drink fest in mexico [hopefully that will be put off until February] and even then it's a limit to my alcohol intake. hopefully this will save me a couple hundred a month.

start doing more activities.

the goal is to do a minimum of 1 hour of hard core activity a day. If not an activity, hit the gym. I have to get serious. especially if there is a threat of a bathing suit in February :) Plus, i hate the way i look in pictures, hence why i don't post any.

currently my activity schedule is light, thursday is floor hockey and if my social life really craps out, friday night i can hit the kits community centre for some vball....other than that, the treadmill and i are friends.

it's either this or save for plastic surgery.

cheers to the new year and to a new body and a new life.