Body Butter Update

Okay...I started this experiment on Thursday morning. My official weight on my scale at home that am was 215.7 - dang noodles and their excessive salt content! Anywoo, using Lubriderm Daily Moisterizing Lotion with Oatmeal...that's gotta be good for a pound or two, right??? Did have a minor scare yesterday when the scale tipped up at 216.2, but this morning I was down to 213.6. Hmmm...interesting. Oh, and I also use, daily, face cream to avoid wrinkles (that's gonna cost me!) AND Biosilk Hair Oil...pretty sure I'm absorbing it even as I type...uh-oh! I'm tracking for the next month (I have a spreadsheet...which doesn't surprise many of you) and will let you know the results.

Meanwhile, it started out very cold this morning, but after a lovely lie-in (I've been at work before 7 am all week), I went for a walk to meet up with H. and her mom, but H. is at home, sick in bed. She must work at feeling better, as we're off to the Laurier again for dinner tonight!

Need to hit the farmer's market for veggies and fruit for the week. Other than that, my weekend is calm this week...other than the 29k I'll run tomorrow. Who's idea was this again?!

We're in!

5:42 am...third day in a row...there is something seriously wrong in my life right now! But this too will end, so I just have to suck it up for a few more days, and then I can sleep in till 7!! Ha ha!!

H. and I both got into the Melissa's 22k in Banff in September. I signed us both up at 6:45 yesterday morning, and when I checked our confirmations a minute later, it appeared that it would be sold out by 7! The race is capped at 1750 runners, because of the National Park restrictions, but it is an extremely popular (and by far the most beautiful) run, and this year will be it's 30th anniversary. Hotel is already booked (did that in December) so we are set!

Body butter/lotion experiment begins today...wish me luck!

Just a quick note tonight

After getting up at 5 (you all know how I feel about mornings!), I was at work at 6:20 am. I thought it would a be a productive way to spend my day, fighting with IT, Desktop, Finance Admin and assorted other departments and computer programs before finally getting the tax forms I've been trying to work on since February 9th working at 1 pm TODAY!!!!!! Nothing like being prepared! But I am happy to say the forms are processing and I may still meet my deadline of February 28th (these aren't T4's, so they don't have to be out, but they're still tax forms, and are important to the people getting them). Depends what other bits of work my boss has in mind for me this week.

Had an interesting talk with my hair dresser regarding yet another "miracle" diet - wait, not a diet but a system of re-programming your metabolism by injecting yourself with some freaky hormone thing (I'm a woman...I have more than my fair share of hormones!) and then restricting yourself to 500 calories a day for 3 weeks (and $1100)...but you'll never get fat again! What ever! People are desperate and gullible...He's bragging that he lost 10 pounds in 10 days - well, d-uh!! 500 calories a day... And yet another person going on about not using body lotion, because "you absorb it and gain weight"...is everyone in the world suddenly on crack?! So here's my experiment...I'm going to start using body butter/lotion and see how much I gain in the next 7 days! I shake my head...

I'm off to bed - got another long day ahead of me tomorrow. But Melissa's opens in the morning, so fingers crossed that H and I get in to run it again this year.

Whatever happened to lazy Sundays?

I don't know...I think when I said those infamous words "I want to run a marathon", I successfully removed all chances of me having a lazy Sunday for a very, very, very long time! Got up this morning (a little later than normal, but still too early for a Sunday), and after some breakfast of yogurt, oatmeal, All Bran, mixed fruit and a half a latte, I headed out for a 26k run. This will officially be the longest I've run, ever, and I was doing it alone. So I headed down to Eau Claire with a plan and headed out. East to Langevin (Edmonton Trail), and then across the river, and then west young lady, head west...past where I was stationed last week at the Hypothermic Half, turning around at the old Bowness bridge...on the way back, my breakfast was totally gone, and the gel I had was pretty ineffective...I did a great 10:1's all the way out to the 13k mark, but the way back was slower and most walking. Weighing down on me was the fact I also said I was going to bake the cake for tonight's birthday dinner (mine yesterday, my mom's (today), my nephew's (next Friday), and my brother's (mid March))...so I didn't do the full loop back, finishing at 22.5 km. Came home, soaking wet (they said it was -12, so I dressed for it!...they lied!!!), changed, baked a chocolate Guinness cake, jumped in the shower, got the cake and icing stuff ready to roll, changed again, packed up and headed to Mom & Dad's. Ordered Chinese (a long standing tradition, and there goes my deep fried goodness rule!), watched my brother and father fight before running to hide in the bathroom, wishing I drank more, before everyone settled down, and we had a lovely evening. Cleaned up the mess, and then drove my nephew and his girlfriend home, and just got in myself. Now I'm going to enjoy my lazy Sunday and settle down to watch the Amazing Race.

Hope everyone has a good week.

Today is my birthday...

Na na na na na naa...
Happy Birthday to me...
Na na na na na naa...

Wow...I was alive when the Beatles first sang this song... Happy B-day shout out to all those celebrating this weekend!

Happy Friday

My week was so stressed at work, I decided last minute that I needed a day off! So here it is, I took today. Got to sleep in a little, and now I'm lounging in my jammies, sipping a latte (more espresso than milk, just the way I like it) and deciding what I should next. I am going to help H. move some furniture and then do some running around with Mom later this afternoon. And I potentially have a date tonight (yes...with a man, so pick yourself up off the floor and continue reading!), although I haven't heard details yet, so guess it's still up in the air.

I was proud of myself this week...I was very close to cracking and inhaling every chip and other salty, deep-fried, sugar-coated, dipped in chocolate badness I could get my hands on, but instead I greeted my emotions rather than eating them, and went for a brief walk. Between a coworker taking days off (when they are so far behind in their own job) and then calling in sick, computers not working and fighting with the desktop/network people all week about the cause, reports needed having to be reworked 4 times just to get the data right and looming deadlines, I'm amazed I didn't knock off a candy store!!! But my resolve held out and as a result I kicked another 1.8 lbs to the curb this week (I am no longer saying I lost, because that implies that I can find it again!) at weight watchers. And I have a very good run yesterday (fueled by stress, no doubt!) that saw my average pace increase by a good 1/2 minute per km.

Interesting article on the news this week, about how some doctors in Canada (an Alberta doctor is spearheading) are calling on the Federal government to regulate diet programs. Their concern are these fad and 'rapid weight loss' programs out there that promise excess weight loss with little or no effort on the patient's side. Reading the comments was also entertaining - found it on http://calgary.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090217/CGY_Diet_Regulation_090217/20090217?hub=CalgaryHome.

Well, I should go make some breakfast (usual oatmeal, milk, craisons and almond slices) and jump in the shower to head out on my day.

Have a great one, everyone.

Where did the day go?

First off, due to the icy, snowy conditions yesterday, I did not run 23k. I did a short walk in the morning with the coffee ladies (3.3??) and then ran 8k in the afternoon, with my friend MF, who paced me on his bike. He almost wiped out more often than I did - there were some very slippery spots. I was feeling sorry for the Hypothermic Half runners scheduled for their race today, but the humidity dropped, so no more snow or ice over night, and it turned into a glorious day. I was also able to pick up my volunteer package yesterday (helps with the Running Room crew remembers you), so I could sleep in today, rather than having to be up and down at the start line at 8:30. Instead I was stationed at a checkpoint, probably at about the 10-10.5k mark, watching for traffic (big stop sign in hand) and wayward runners (point them in the right direction). Not sure how many runners / walkers there were (it was capped and sold out, hence volunteering instead of running), but the first guy raced past me at 10:39 (the race started at 10!), and the first lady about 3 minutes after him. And let's hear it for the sisters, shall we?!?! She ended up passing him, and won the race, with a time of less than 1:28!!!!!!! Holy mother, that's travelling fast!!!

I must remember the next run I'm on to be very appreciative and vocal to the course marshalls. I was overwhelmed by the number of 'thank-yous' and high 5's for me, rather than for themselves. What else did I have to do on a Sunday morning?? And I got brunch out of it. Sat with a group I know (MF from yesterday, posting a time of 2:05 - none too shabby!), and after filling my belly with the best bacon ever (of course, when you never eat it anymore, it all tastes sooooo good!) and wicked good muffins, I headed off to the Farmer's market to get some fruit and veggies (and pita from the Greek ladies), came home, swept and cleaned up my sidewalks, and now I think a nap is in order!

Hope everyone has a great week!

Happy Valentine's Day

There is something wrong with this picture...it's 7:28 AM on a Saturday, and I'm up. Dang...I did enjoy a few pints of Guinness (less calories than Coors Light, and way better tasting!) last night, but no ill effects today (yet!). It appears to have snowed all night, and it's currently -14, which is really making me look forward to the 23k I'm off to run later today. Still meeting the ladies for coffee at 9 (sans H., who's spending the day working in her apartment) but have to meet up with M. at noon. He's going to pace me on his bike - that just sounds scary!! He's running a Half tomorrow, otherwise he'd be running beside me today, but at least I'll have some company. This will be the longest I've run, ever (Melissa's last fall was 22k), so I hope to have it all done in under 3 hours. And I'll have sidewalks to shovel at some point today too...just hope the running paths are cleaned, although the City is pretty good about that.

Off to the shower...I don't want to be all stinky when I go for my run!

Happy Valentine's Day, by the way...for those of you in love, enjoy. For those of us still searching...happy hunting!!

Happy Valentine

Thursday night...

Home with a belly full of chicken pho, extra veggies and some shrimp salad rolls. It's a good thing! Good weight watchers meeting...I think it is just as important to find a good group of people that you meld with, along with a kickin' leader. We have that on Thursday nights...everyone is vocal and has great ideas and comments and usually aren't afraid to speak up about them, and Faye as our brave leader, is in a word, AWESOME! Faye was my first leader when I joined, oh so very long ago now, and after some wandering (finding a more convenient location, etc), I am back and never leaving her again. And I am on a roll...gains have been minimal and losses very reasonable and consistent. Just the way I like it!

Ran at lunch - weather was cooler (-9) but it was actually quite pleasant to run in. Going to do some hills tomorrow, since I had a meeting on Wednesday that got in my way, and then my long slow 23k on Saturday, since I'm volunteering to help out at a half marathon on Sunday, and won't get my run in then. I'm so not going to know what day of the week it is!!

But most importantly, it's almost Friday!!! Happy weekend, everyone!

Exercise comes where you least expect it

After my meltdown on Sunday, I called the nice people at Garmin yesterday, and all is well once again. Feel rather silly, but it turns out that Forerunner 405's can "time out" when they have been over-charged (one would think they could have mentioned this on the website). Combined with all my attempts to reset it on the weekend, and all my baby needed was to be plugged back in to charge from scratch. Worked like a charm today, although I did not get in my full 6k run. I had a breakfast of egg, ham, cheese, lettuce & tomato on an english muffin, with some baked hash browns (our deli at work doesn't have a deep fryer, so everything has to be baked or roasted - unintentionally healthy!) which sat like a lump in my gut when I was trying to run. I made it the first km, fought the urge to hurl, and walked the remainder of the way. Didn't help (but it did...my butt anyway!) that it also snowed this morning, so the icy patches on the pathways now have a nice layer of snow on them. Worked on my balance, and maintained a good walking race pace.

Got back to work, and after a lunch of Meditterrean chicken soup (orzo, chicken, tomatoes, peppers and celery in a light broth) and yogurt with peaches and blueberries, was ready to spend the rest of the afternoon playing with my various spreadsheets. However, a generator on our roof had different plans in mind, as we finally got the evacuation order after 20 minutes of sirens and "there is an emergency in the building" being blared over the loudspeakers! Down 7 flights of stairs to the street below to wait it out - After about 20 minutes watching cute fire-boys do their thing, we got the all clear to re-enter the building. However, the elevators hadn't been turned back on yet (concerns about the generator, maybe?), so nice hike UP 7 flights of stairs! I figure that was my punishment for not doing the full 6k loop at lunch! I promise...2k and 4 hills tomorrow...really...just don't make me listen to the fire alarms again!!!

Fading fast, so must get to my chores for the night, so I can go to bed in peace.

Sunday Afternoon

It's amazing how one thing can completely ruin your day! I was scheduled for a 19km run today, knowing H. had to work (and still doesn't want to run 19km with me!), so I figured I'd be running alone later. We did meet up at 9, went for coffee, and then went to the farmer's market to stock up on more fresh veggies and fruit, and where I picked up a lamb leg for a greek stew I had in mind for supper. Dropped H. off, came home, got the lamb in the slow cooker with garlic, shallots, a myriad of greek spices and evoo, changed and grabbed my Garmin, ready to hit the pathways. Hmmm...this is odd...my Garmin appears to be stuck. It says 100% charged, and that it's still 8:05 am...this can't be good. Pop onto the Garmin website for guidance, and the closest thing I could find was a way to reset said device. Okay...that's easy, I'm good at following directions...done. Except now I have a TOTALLY DEAD AND USELESS PIECE OF EQUIPMENT ON MY HANDS!!! Sigh...PO'd to the extreme, I dig out my receipt (said dead device is only 4 months old) and walked down to the shop where I got it. Which sadly brings to light yet another question...where have all the smart and helpful people gone?!?! Dude at the Running Room looks at my Garmin and says "oh, it shouldn't be doing this"...yeah, d-uh!, and then proceeds to tell me that there's nothing he can do and I'll have to deal with Garmin directly. Who's "Customer Service" lines, by the way, are only open Monday to Friday...I mean really, what idiot would be using a running training device on the weekends while they run, and could therefore experience a problem or two?!?! To further rub salt in my already open wound, dude admits he knows nothing about Garmins but the guy that is a real expert...well, he's not in right now but he was in earlier. Helpful...thank you...not quite sure what to do that piece of information...

Walked back the far loop, to hit up the grocery store for some milk and yogurt, and came home to pout. I know I could have still gone for a run, but now I didn't want to...I'm totally ticked that I am, at present, holding onto a $300 piece of crap, and that I'll most likely be training without it for the next 2-3 months, as I will probably have to mail said p.o.c. back to Kansas for repairs!! Have I mentioned that I am mad?!?

Up ever so slightly this week, but that's fine...last Thursday's dinner at the Keg cost me 55 points (and it was worth every single one of them), so I'm not complaining about a .2 gain over last weeks number. At least I know my routes and distances for the weekday runs, and I've mapped out a rough route for the 23km I'm scheduled for next week. Which I will do on Saturday, as Sunday I've volunteered to be a course marshall for the Hypothermic Half.

Lamb is done, and now to cook some Orzo and whip up a salad...I may look pasty-pale and Irish on the outside, but I am Mediterranean through and through!

Hope everyone had a great day.

It's Thursday!

Last day of training, and it went pretty good. A little cooler today, but that's okay, since I look like I swam the river regardless of whether it's +10 or -10! I was a touch slower (legs very tired) but still managed to crank out all 8 in just over an hour. Good thing I've got a really understanding boss - she knows I get my work done, and doesn't seem to mind if I take extra time at lunch with my runs. I think she also realizes that I rarely call in sick (catch the odd cold, but that's about it, knock on wood!) and that the running probably helps that.

Went to Weight Watchers and for noodles on my own tonight. H. had to work, and B. had surgery last week, so it was an order of noodles to go please. I have a very happy tummy right now! Did go up slightly this week, but found out that its pretty much even because the math last week was wrong...either way, it was a half pound gain which I can easily take. Last Thursdays dinner at the Keg was a whopping 55 points, so half a pound - no big deal!

Got an Epicure party order to unpack and deliver, then it's off to bed for me.

Till tomorrow.

Middle of the week...

I love Chinooks!! Sorry everyone else in Canada, but it was a glorious +9 when I started my run at lunch, and I think it hit as high as +13 by the end! I came to a realization today that not all things written are truth though - with the aid of my Garmin, I discovered that the 8km route noted on the maps issued by the Y and the Running Room is off. They both say the loop is Eau Claire to Crowchild, cross the river, run back to Prince's Island, cross again and finish at Eau Claire for 8km. What it really is is 7.56 km...I hate being short. So today I ran the loop, adding a further bridge on the far east end of the island, but that only got me to 7.92 - dang it!! I am a tad OCD about these things, so tomorrow I will just run out the end...meaning once I get to my normal spot, I'll just have to run out that 440 meters till the Garmin says 8. I hate being off...however, adding the 300+ meters today only added about a minute onto my time, and I actually passed people...who were running! That hasn't happened in a long time.

Dinner was fast and simple tonight, as I was heading over to help H. decorate her new place (don't let me in your home with a drill - it wasn't pretty!), so I cooked up some chicken shitake tortillini (fresh made at the farmer's market), and made a sauce of light cream cheese melted with some 1% milk, and the new Garlic potato topper from Epicure. It was quite perfect. Did just realize as I was typing this that I should up the veggie intake, so I'll munch on some carrots while I get ready for bed.

Till tomorrow, remember...left, right, repeat.

Just another day...

After not moving from my desk all day yesterday (day 1 of month end...ask an accountant - they'll explain it), I came home and sludged out on the couch. Ate the rest of the baked beans from Sunday - added another tin of diced tomatoes for more veggies, and to round out the meal.

Today went better - packed oatmeal for breakfast (1/2 c oatmeal, 1 c 1% milk, 1/8 c craisons, 1 tbsp almond slices), which powered me through a great 6k run. Not my fastest, but not my slowest, and I even managed one of the six under 7 minutes. It was nice out, as a Chinook blew in, and it's supposed to be even nicer tomorrow. Bring on the 8k!

Got home, and decided after a quick snack of rye crisps and some Imperial cheese spread that I needed to get the hallways of my building clean (I am also Schneider of my building - One Day at a Time reference), so I went out and vacuumed the three hallways, all the stairs (3.5 flights x 2) and the laundry room. Then I washed all the stairs and the two entry ways. Hauled some garbage, and then decided that now I was hungry. Trouble is it's past 9! So decided on a frittata - made with 2 Omega-3 eggs and 2 egg whites, some green pepper, onion and black beans, Epicure Selections Taco seasoning (nothing fake in it!) and topped it with some shredded cheese. A minute or two in the toaster oven, and ate half of it with some salsa and low fat sour cream. Just enough to get me through the night, and now I have lunch ready for tomorrow. It's 10:47 and I am going to bed!

Till tomorrow then...

Month in Review

I am blatantly stealing this from my friend, H-woman, as I like the recap idea.

January in review:
Start Weight: 221.6
End Weight: 214.4
total lost: 7.2 (best start to a year I've had in a long time - now the key is to not get lazy and "find" it all in February!)

Exercise: I've focused on the running/walking with the Marathon approaching in May, but here's the total klicks:
21 out of 31 days walking or running
108.5 km running
34.8 km walking (which does not include my daily commute to/from work)

I want to incorporate some toning/weights/pilates type stuff, so that is my goal for February. To inspire myself, it's time to take some measurements.
bust: 43"
waist: 41.5"
hips: 44.25"
right thigh: 28"
right calf: 16.25"
right upper arm: 13.25"

Yikes...I'm a rectangle!

Sunday Run

Even though I would have loved staying in bed today, and enjoy a true lazy Sunday, the training beckoned...so after crawling out a little later than normal, and puttering around eating breakfast (whole grain toast, PB, mashed banana, yogurt, oatmeal, a peach and some low fat latte), I finally made it to the path system at 11. The goal today - 16km, in better time/shape than last week. Day started cool (-10) but had no wind, and by the time I passed the CBC building on Memorial Dr, it was already up to -2. Paths were clean and dry, except for the odd patch of ice from yesterday's melt, which was good. My left foot did cause some initial grief but after the 1st km, it fell into line - could be that dang 'traveling tendonitis (sp??)' my doctor keeps referring to. Anyway, managed to crank out all 16, sticking to a fairly consistent 10:1 schedule (missed the beep of the watch a couple of times but got back into the run right away). Amazing how the weather changes everyone's mood as well, as everyone out there today was friendly and smiling and waving and saying good morning... Finished the full loop (Eau Claire to the tip of Shouldice Park and back) in 2:20, which is 11 minutes faster than last week. Yay! And I feel much better this week as well.

Even though I look like I had been dragged through a wringer, I decided to do the Farmer's market and grocery store visits right after the run, as my couch beckons me even as I type this! So I now have a fridge full of fresh veggies, a very lean pork leg burbling away in a home-made BBQ sauce in the crockpot, fixings for baked beans as a side for dinner, and even a treat for me - fresh home-made pita with artichoke spinach dip. I also had some left over pasta from last night, so just added some kalamata olives, feta and dressing, and now it's a Greek pasta salad for my late lunch.

Happy Sunday, everyone...hope everyone's week went well, and we're all looking forward to the ground hog's appearance tomorrow...but I forget...do we want him to see his shadow?!