let the christmas countdown begin!

my posting has been a little sparse lately. on friday it was a huge snow storm so i didn't go to work. i have to drive for 40(ish) minutes so it just wasn't worth it because a) it would have taken much longer and b) the chance of getting into an accident and dying an untimely death are somewhat high. and i don't have snow tires and wouldn't want to hurt anyone.

instead i went to my boyfriend's school for his christmas concert. cute!

i didn't weigh in on friday because i forgot. really! but it's probably a good idea. my clothes fit and nothing is really out of control, but i don't want any bad number (if it so exists) ruining my holiday enjoyment.

i have been doing really well in the exercise department. on friday i walked on the treadmill for four miles, on saturday i ran 5k on the treadmill (30 minutes without stopping), on sunday i went for a 40 minute swim, and this morning a 30 minute swim. i might do some more treadmill walking tonight depending on how tired i am after a long waking-up-early working monday. i am meeting a girlfriend at swiss chalet tonight for our annual festive special hooplah, so i should allow for some extra calories.

that's about it. oh, and i didn't get the other job either. BOOOOOOOOO! Hissssssssss! i guess it wasn't meant to be. :(

i have to work tomorrow too (with ma mere) but not wednesday or thursday (obviously). i am looking forward to some good old fashioned family time. by that i mean too much booze and family squabbles. i kid i kid. ;)

keep going

i really was oscar the grouch yesterday. when i got back to the city, i had an email from one of the companies. a rejection email! surprisingly i'm not that bummed about the job. i feel a sense of peace because i know. knowledge is power. anyway, being turned down motivated me to send an email to the other company, asking about the status of the job and just mentioning again why i'm the best person for the job. maybe being pushy like that is a good idea, maybe not. it can't hurt. at least now if they haven't chosen a candidate yet, i will be in their mind as a motivated person. and i feel like i've done everything i possibly can, so there is no self-doubt. if i get the job, i will be ecstatic. and if not, i will try to convince myself that it wasn't meant to be, and that something else will come along soon.

last night my book club potluck was a great success. there was lots of yummy food and fun times. it was a big mess but i cleaned it up pretty fast by dumping all the leftover food. what is the point of keeping it if i'm not going to eat it. like leftover slices of homemade pizza, spinach dip, those little baked appetizers, etc. there were also some cookies and holiday treats, but i think they were re-partied to begin with. and not really that good or exciting. i wouldn't re-party them, because i wouldn't want to say they were leftovers, and i definitely wouldn't want to imply that i made them! so into the garbage they went.

tonight is my boyfriend's holiday work party. i am bringing the cookies i made (all four kinds from the kraft website listed a few posts back) and lower fat oreos half dipped in melted white chocolate and sprinkled with green sprinkles. yummo :)

yesterday i didn't get in any exercise, but i woke up early this morning and swam for 30 minutes. i really didn't want to but once i started it was fine... better than fine... good!

apparently the city is being attacked by "snowmageddon" tomorrow morning and all day. i didn't make up that word... the weather people did!

bah humbug

i'm here, all is alright. tonight is my holiday book club potluck party. last night i ran for 30 minutes without stopping and without bum pain. i have not heard from EITHER job position and it's really frustrating me!!! those stupid jerks. don't they know i am going crazy?!?! my anniversary was very nice and romantic. we had dinner at the top of the CN tower in the revolving restaurant and my main squeeze gave me a diamond heart necklace. ooh la la.

crazy week coming up!

good morning. this week is going to be crazy. let's start at the very beginning.

monday: today is my two year anniversary (with my boyfriend). exciting! we are going somewhere or doing something but it is a surprise. i love surprises! i made him a scrapbook with photos from our year together and love quotes on fancy paper. the "glitter stack" of cardstock. i am fairly certain he doesn't read this blog so the surprise won't be ruined. ALSO, today i am definitely (i think) going to hear about one of the jobs. for some reason, instead of being excited about it, it has turned me into a nervous wreck. all weekend the hamster wheel in my brain was whizzing around at a thousand times a second. as soon as i woke up in the morning, no matter how early or how late i went to bed the night before, i was up because i couldn't stop worrying. i need to calm down.

moving on. tuesday: actually this day is nice and chill. i have to clean my apartment, bake the festive meringues, and watch the season finale of the biggest loser. nice!

wednesday: i am hosting my book club's holiday potluck party. so far i have made the chocolate clusters (amazing!), the no-bake holly cookies (interesting but a bit weird... they look good anyway), and this morning i made the teddy graham marshmellow chocolate bark. it is cooling in the fridge right now. i am planning ahead. so that's going to be really fun. i'm "bringing" a shrimp ring to the potluck. "thaw" - it doesn't get any easier than that. it even came with the sauce.

thursday: my boyfriend's work party. it's also a potluck, and a kris kringle gift exchange. luckily we already got our gifts. funny how everything can be stress free with a little planning and organization. except waiting to hear about jobs! gah!

friday: i am going to a bachelorette party. then finally i can relax. in a heap, on the floor.

my weekend was pretty good in terms of exercise, but not that great in terms of eating. i saw the sound of music (the musical), and had another sewing class where i learned to make a men's tie. it is so adorable and the best thing i've made so far. on saturday i went for a 40 minute swim and on sunday i did 2.5 miles on the treadmill, 20 minutes of which were running. so far... no bum pain.

my goals this week are a) try to eat sensibly while still enjoying myself. it's fun time and i'm going to try things don't get to try everyday. other things like store bought cookies and chocolates... i don't need. b) try to get some exercise in everyday. today i am going to walk to and from the library, and hopefully get a swim in. that would be the ultimate. c) drink and be merry, but don't drink too much. maybe i will pace my alcoholic beverages with water. 1 booze 1 water. or is it 1 booze 2 waters? d) get enough sleep. this is probably the key for keeping the other goals. when you are tired it's hard to think sensibly.

and finally, here is a picture of my coolio wall decal, and one of my little weenie christmas tree. the lights aren't on in this picture, so it isn't looking that festive.

a little stressed

sorry i didn't post yesterday. i am draining my own mental energy. here is the scoop going through my head right now.

i am in line for two jobs. both have good aspects and bad aspects. one pays more, but i think in my mind i've decided i'd prefer the other one. they are both in my field, but very different career paths. i had one interview for the job i'd prefer on wednesday, and i think they are deciding soon, because they said they wanted someone to start working by the end of next week. yesterday, i had the second interview for the other job and they are choosing between three candidates. they will let me know on monday for sure.

now, here is where my mental stress begins. what if i am offered both jobs? what if i am offered the job on monday and not offered the other job until it is too late to accept or not accept the first one? what if i am offered neither job!?!?!?! it could happen. after my interviews i was thinking gung ho, thinking i'd be offered both. but the more time passes, the more i am second guessing myself.

the rational side of my brain is telling me not to worry. i can't do anything about it until monday at the very earliest, unless something happens this afternoon. i hope it does. it would be the greatest holiday gift if i could start the new year with a new job.

anyway. today is friday weigh in and i am down another 2.4 from last week, which means i am very close to the bottom of my maintenance range, and the lowest number i've ever seen. i had a cookie to celebrate. it was free at the bank ;) now my holiday goal is just to stay within my range. i have some wiggle room and i'm ready to paaarrrrrtteeeeee! :)

i found some very exciting holiday treats on the kraft website. i am all about the least amount of ingredients and baking possible.

check it out:
chocolate clusters: my mom used to make these (except with no butter or peanut butter) and they are heavenly. the best of sweet and salty and crunchy too.
merry meringues: the cooking part is a bit time consuming, but easy and low calorie too. and i just looooooovvveeee meringues.
teddy s'more bark: if this isn't the cutest thing you've ever seen! so cute. not really christmasy, but who cares!
no bake holly cookies: amazing! and look how cute they are. i imagine they taste like rice crispy treats.

i am so shopped out

today i am not at work. i had another first interview this morning. it went really well. except... stupid me forgot to turn off my cell phone and it actually rang! for the love of pete! (who is pete, anyway?) i think i played it cool and it wasn't a huge deal but still. i only forgot because i arrived super early, and then sat outside on a bench reading until it was an appropriate time to come inside... and so forgot. oh well, i'm not going to dwell. what's past is past.

i am still doing really well on my plan. low carb, small portions, walking. i should go and walk now but i am so shopped out. i forgot to mention that after my interview i went to the eaton centre to finish my christmas shopping. and to shop for me of course. i deserve new things too! i got a nice gold make up bag from sephora for my boyfriend's mom. now my shopping is totally complete.

for myself i bought some black tights, satin gloves, black turtleneck, purple shirt, black shirt with lace, lace cover up thing, and two dress from H & M. yes, it sounds like a lot and it is in volume, but everything there is so cheap. the most expensive thing was $25 and some of the items were on for $10. at H & M they have "100 den" tights which means that you can't see through them at all. i love a nice black leg, don't you?

i also bought a fancy red dress from jacob. it's strapless and poufs a bit around the waist, and is knee length. i need a new dress because i am going to a wedding at the end of the month, and for new year's. since i won't be spending those two occasions with any of the same people, i can double up and get my money's worth. i went SO MANY PLACES and tried on dresses: H & M, Jacob, Guess, Banana Republic, Mango, Zara... on and on and on. Banana Republic had that 40% off sale today but I didn't really find anything I liked that was special.

tonight is date night, after dinner. and tomorrow morning i have a second interview (for a job i interviewed for last week). should i go and walk now? did all my mall walking count as today's walking? i will let the universe decide and wait for a sign and go eat some raspberry jello light in the meantime. :)

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boring bob

i feel like a bit of a boring bob lately... you know, not much to say, not much going on. of course that will all change next week when my life turns into a crazy madhouse with events almost every night. not that i'm complaining. it's better than being a social hermit.

yesterday i was on plan all day, and managed to get in a 3-mile walk on the treadmill at night. my boyfriend is a teacher, and through his school board i got a discount on magazine subscriptions to "shape" and "fitness" and my first shape issue came in the mail yesterday. love it! i like reading the success stories, as well as the recipes and health tips. i am not that into the exercise routines... they always look so complicated even though they probably aren't. that wouldn't make sense.

when i got home from work last night the fire alarm in my building was going off. it is so loud everywhere: in the underground parking lot, in the stairwells, in the hallways, and in each individual unit. it was so annoying. i decided to escape and go grocery shopping. it was still blaring when i returned. luckily i bought ear plugs at the grocery store which muffled the sound slightly. there is a new "phase 2" condo that went up beside mine and people have just started moving in. i guess one of the units started to flood (water pouring in through the heating vents) and that's why the alarms were going off. i had to walk up 10 flights of stairs to get to my unit, and then down 10 to go to the gym. good exercise? thankfully the elevators were working again when i left the gym.

did anyone watch gossip girl last night? chuck bass was looking really good in his angry state. normally i'm a nate type of girl, but this episode was all about chuck.

i'm listening to a new audiobook: "drop dead beautiful" by jackie collins. i have never read (or listened to) anything by jackie collins before and i am very surprised by how sexually explicit it is. shocked, actually! it's a pretty good story though. lots of juice and drama. last week i finished listening to "little earthquakes" by jennifer weiner. that was my first book by her, as well, and it was alright but nothing special. it was read by the author who was speaking too slowly for me.

i think that is about it. oh, apparently tomorrow there is a 40% sale at banana republic. on everything except one specific line. i am definitely going. normally i don't shop there because of the prices. whee!

back on it

ah monday, you kill me every time. actually today i'm feeling alright. i just want to go to bed and read lots of books and drink copious amounts of tea.

my weekend was pretty good. i did some relaxing, some shopping, had a 40-minute swim on saturday, and went to a girls holiday kris kringle exchange party. i got a book that i really wanted to read (three cups of tea), and i also overindulged in holiday treats. but that's ok. i didn't feel stuffed. i just wanted to try everything once. and a few things twice. ;)

i am back on my game this week. i don't really have any evening events this week, so i am going to do the same thing as last week (monday to thursday). small portions, higher protein, only eating when hungry, and walking 2.5-3 miles a day. it was easier than i thought it would be last week and really effective. i forgot how good it felt to be back in the middle of my maintenance range, instead of at the very top. the week after this one is a crazy one for holiday parties.

i feel so sleepy today! z is for zombie.

list it up friday

another list since i'm latey mcgoo AGAIN today:

1) friday is weigh in day and it's a christmas miracle because i am down 3.6 pounds this week. can you hear the angels singing hallelujah? i can! my hard work and diligence this week paid off and now i am blissfully back in the middle of my maintenance range. my goal now is to try and not gain (too much) on the weekend, so that i can maintain this loss next friday.

2) my hair looks fab (i got my roots done last night) and my boyfriend's show was great. i am the number one dancing groupie and i love it.

3) remember those purple, blue, and gray heels i bought on aldo online? well, i bought them in size 8, and then thought maybe they were too tight. so i exchanged them (in store) for a 9. but then they were too big, so i bought some cheap sole inserts to see if that would tighten things up, but they were still too large. so back i went to aldo and luckily they had size 8 and 10 left, and i exchanged them again. three exchanges. they must think my brain is made of flip flops. this time the salesgirl told me that they will stretch, not to worry. thank you! now is only i knew this multiple returns ago.

4)oliver my cat is so naughty. santa would cross him off the list for sure. he is chewing the bows on all my wrapped presents. little bugger. and then when i covered them all up with a towel, he pounces at it and creates an even bigger ruckus. there is nothing i can do! except not display the presents of course, but what fun it that. if i have to replace the bows at christmas time, that's fine with me - they were only $2 at walmart for a big bag of assorted ones.

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on a roll

i am really on a roll this week. three perfect days so far and i only have one left which will be easy! surprisingly it hasn't been that difficult. i've been eating small portions, high protein, low carb, every three hours. 8am, 11am, 2pm, 5pm, and 8pm. i have hardly been hungry at all! each day i've been walking for just over 40 minutes... about 2 1/2 miles.

last night was my final sewing class for the skirt. we had the option of putting in a waistband, and i decided to do it because it looked more polished. it was time consuming though and i didn't finish the skirt. i just have to sew the hem, which i have to do by hand anyway, so i can do it at home later.

today is another busy one. right after work i have a hair appointment. my roots are out of control and i need a trim. and THEN i am going to watch my boyfriend play a show. his band (which had been together for almost ten years) broke up last spring, and he has been working on a new project. this is the first live gig... i'm so excited for him, but nervous too!

this week has been crazy. getting out of bed this morning was difficult to say the least. i can't wait for tomorrow at about... oh, let's say 5pm. i need more coffee.

oh, and my interview yesterday went really well. i like the company and the people who interviewed me, so i hope i get it.

i wonder if i can get a walk in between my hair appointment and the show...

my tree is a cat toy

so i put up my tree last night. i think it looks smaller than 3 feet but it's still cute. it's decorated all in gold. i decided to forgo the red bows because they looked kind of tacky and even though they are small were dwarfing the tree. i also wrapped presents while i watched biggest loser.

i also put up this wall decal i ordered a while ago. i have been scared to put it up for weeks, and with good reason. it was a nightmare. first i had to cut it up the way i wanted, then tape it to the wall to make it look alright, and of course the tape kept unsticking. then i had to take it off the wall, press any bubbles out with a credit card, remove the backing, and then try to apply this clear sticky paper to the wall exactly where i had it the last time. it kept sticking everywhere and generally annoying me. it ended up not looking perfectly straight but still beautiful in my opinion. here is a picture of the wall decal i bought. this isn't my house, but i will post a picture of my wall (and baby tree) soon. it's called "birds on a wire" and i set mine up to look exactly like this:


my cat, oliver, won't stop playing with the balls on the tree. i have spritzed water at him about 500 times thus far but it doesn't seem to be deterring him for longer than a few minutes at a time. he even runs away when he sees the spray bottle, but i think it just revs him up for some excitement that i'm not really providing. does anyone have any tips?

this morning i am at my mom's office, and i have another job interview this afternoon. yes, another one! and then my final "a-line" skirt sewing class tonight. it already is looking pretty awesome. maybe i will wear it tomorrow and impress my mother. it's so long though, i look like a farmer. hopefully we are shortening them tonight.

yesterday was another completely on plan day. marvelous! i am feeling very on top of the ball and accomplished. i just need to make it until friday and then i can slack off a little.

tis the season!

hello friends. tis the season to be busy which i why i forgot to post today. until now! and i've been lacking in the commenting department as well, but i plan on catching up today and tomorrow. all of your blogs are waiting in my google reader!

yesterday i stuck 100% to my eating plan, even with my boyfriend tempting me at night. i didn't put one bite in my mouth that wasn't planned and it felt so good. except when he was eating in front of me. that's old news (yesterday) and i don't care about it anymore. having one great day under my belt makes it so easy to do well today.

today i bought my very own (and first) christmas tree and decorations. canadian tire had a great sale. i got a pre-lit 3-foot tree for $9.99, 60% off regular price. and a package of mixed gold decorations for $9.99, 50% off regular price. and some small red bows to jazz it up a little.

my big plans tonight include setting up my tree, and watching biggest loser. last week evil vicki actually showed some emotion - can you believe it?

hmmmm, what else? i am having a love affair with tea. it's so wonderful and warm. and it's perfect for tasting whatever you want to taste with no calories. peppermint, pumpkin spice, sugar cookie, vanilla, gingerbread... etc. i even have a flavour called "chocolately chai" which is heavenly and really chocolately.

not much to say

this weekend was really lame. i did nothing! i wasn't feeling that great and my boyfriend was even sicker, so we just mostly stayed in and took care of ourselves. on saturday during the day we went to the one of a kind show, and on sunday i went to my second book club which i just joined. it was a lot of fun - i love meeting new women who are so nice and genuine.

needless to say i didn't get any exercise in this weekend. just feeling too weak and weary. i don't think swimming is the best idea until i am fully recovered, so i am going to take it easy and just do some treadmill walking. food wise this week i think i'm going to try reducing my portions but eating more frequently. and not adding salt to my food (very difficult) and choosing more protein sources. i've noticed recently that when i'm eating alone i go for days and days without eating any meat at all. it's not necessarily a bad thing, but i'm not really choosing protein-y alternatives, like peanut butter or beans. food for thought. pun!

where is the sun?

it's been forever since i've seen the sun. when i was a teenager i loved gray autumn days (emo), but now i want sunny vitamin E-filled days of warmth. not having sun for so long is depressing. and it's only november! did you know it's not even officially winter yet? we almost went right from summer to winter.

thanks for your gift suggestions yesterday. i'm still at a loss. my boyfriend's mom doesn't really like music, and they don't really sit down to watch dvds, and i could make them something, but it would have to be as a hostess gift, so i'd have to get something else anyway. last year i framed a picture of everyone in las vegas. i don't really have anything to match the "sentimentality" of that gift. it's too early to start fretting about anything yet. christmas is still almost a month away, and i am really close to being done my shopping.

today is friday, my weigh in day, and i stayed the same this week. i thought i would have dropped since i've been eating next to nothing for the past two days (being sick), but no. then again i haven't been exercising and i've mostly been eating carbs. my tastes have been all off and things (like raw veggies and hummus) that i normally crave make me feel like gagging.

the good news is: it's the weekend. almost. let us rejoice! and hope that i feel 80% better by tomorrow so i can go dancing. :)

another list

1) i am really sick today. i slept for 9 hours last night, which i never do. my nose is all stuffed and i feel like poo. i took some daytime cold medicine which is helping but making me feel a little boozy. i can't wait until i can just go home and read and sleep and relax.

2) my job interview went well but i won't be offered the position because i'm just not qualified enough. but the interviewer really liked me and maybe in the future there will be a position for me or some freelance opportunities. overall a good experience.

3) my boots, shoes, and purse came in from aldo and everything was too small. but they make everything so easy. i brought my stuff to a store on tuesday, and exchanged the boots for the proper size in store. they didn't have the heels in my size but they ordered them for me and they will be delivered to my house in 2 to 4 days. i just returned the purse because it said it had a wrist strap, but it really was a shoulder strap.

4) i am listening to a fab new audiobook: don't eat this book by morgan spurlock. he is the guy who made that movie "super size me" and ate nothing but mcdonalds for a month. his book is great. some of it is about his experience making the movie, but most of it is about fitness and nutrition and the horror that is fast food. everyone should read (or listen to) this book.

5) what should i get for my boyfriend's parents for christmas? they are always so hard to buy for. a) because it's a joint "family" gift b) because they aren't really into the same things c) because they are european and d) they don't need anything. wine or chocolate is kind of a lame gift because it should be more personal than that.

6) i am not exercising today. sick = no energy.

what is up with this?

what is going on? don't tease me. tell me NOW dammit!

in other news, last night i had the french onion soup (5 points), a small house salad (2 points) with balsamic dressing (1 point). during the movie i had a tea because it was freezing, and when i came home i had a curves bar (1 point) because i was a bit hungry. success!

today i have a job interview. wish me luck! =D

a test of wills

today i feel a bit like a fatty mcbutterpants. last night my boyfriend and i went to see the new james bond movie (it was only ho hum compared to the last one) and we shared swedish berries and popcorn. i asked him TEN times not to get butter on the popcorn, and he got butter because he thought i was joking. joking? what kind of joke is that? i can't even wrap my head around it. obviously i still ate some because i'm not going to be a jerk who refuses to eat the popcorn that someone bought for me.

so i got up really early this morning and went for a 30 minute swim. i didn't really feel like swimming, but it's one of my quickest workouts, and i can shower in the pool change room which makes for an even faster time because there are no comforts of a home shower. no choice of body wash or shampoo, no relaxing stream of water from the rainfall shower head... just in and out.

tonight i am going to the movies again. i don't go for six months and then go twice in two days. apparently that's how i roll. some of my girlfriends and i are going to see twilight, and meeting for dinner at shoeless joe's first. i looked at the menu online, and it's really the worst thing ever. luckily the NI is posted, and I've narrowed it down to two options. 1) french onion soup (5 points) with a large house salad (3 points) and balsamic dressing (1 point) or 2) something called a salmon skillet which is salmon with veggies and rice (10) points. both are pretty good options. they have some things that sound yummier like the goat cheese burger, but i'm not compromising on the points after the butterfest of yesterday. it's only shoeless joe's, not a gourmet restaurant, and tomorrow i won't care what i ate for dinner tonight.

back in the game

i am back in the game with exercise. on saturday i had a 40 minute swim, yesterday i walked for 40 minutes (2.5 miles) on the treadmill, and this morning i had another 40 minute swim. after my saturday swim, i could really feel the burn in my arms and back muscles. this is great because i know that swimming is really doing something for me. i feel really motivated to keep it up this week. PHEWF. i thought i was becoming a bump on a log.

monday is the only day of the week that i don't go and work for my mother out in the burbs. i still need some time to work on job applications and get everything in order. without this time i would be too stressed. but for some reason, whenever i have something to do at home like applying for jobs, i feel like i can't get down to business until my house is clean and tidy. it's like i can't feel organized and in control in a messy environment. it's always been that way... like in school studying for exams and writing essays - i just couldn't even start until my surroundings felt serene.

time to get down to business. oh but first, a review of those greek yogurts i got in the states. the plain is BY FAR the best yogurt ever, but i could take or leave the mini flavoured ones. the plain is so thick and delicious. i have one container left. ok now time to get down to business.

too much wine

last night at book club i drank too much wine and now i am not feeling so fine. a short one today. i weighed in 0.8 higher than last week which is alright since i pretty much did no exercise at all this week. it's annoying because now i'm back out of my maintenance range, only slightly though.

today i am only working a short day, so i can probably squeeze in a swim or walk.
sometimes i am surprised by how quickly ww points can add up. for example, this morning i had a quaker maple weight control oatmeal (3) and yogurt (2), and brought to work another yogurt (2) and a clif kid z bar (2). i only have the bar left and when i eat that it puts me at 9 points which normally lasts until dinner. crazy but true, crazy but true. i am trying to avoid coffee today since it dehydrates. random!

fashion

the snow has arrived in toronto. it really feels like winter now. i am a very cold person. not cold hearted, just cold in general. every time i go outside, it takes about five minutes before my feet turn into giant ice blocks. i'm finding it really hard to drink cold drinks (water) now that it's cold outside. i am pounding it back right now, but had to get a sweater.

my lazy streak is sort of continuing. last night after sewing i decided enough was enough and went downstairs to the condo gym. i walked on the treadmill for about 35 minutes but my bum pain suddenly returned with a vengeance and i had to stop. after that i did some sit-ups, and some weight machines for about 25 minutes more. this morning i set my alarm to swim but once again it wasn't happening! it must have something to do with the change in weather. i just need a bit of hibernation before i can resume my usual workout schedule.

in other news, this morning i made oatmeal with sugar cookie sleigh ride tea. there is something about this tea that's weird and i can't put my finger on it. maybe it's that it doesn't really taste like a sugar cookie OR a sleigh ride. it's good, but not as good as i expected. for lunch i am having another flat out wrap, this time with PB2 and a banana rolled up inside. i love bananas and peanut butter - what a combo!

last night i spent some money online. i always do this. the internet is responsible for me spending money like a drunken sailor. often i wonder how i can make roughly the same amount of money as my friends and be able to buy more stuff, and it just came to me. i rarely spend my money on "entertainment" like going out to dinner, or buying drinks in a club. i just don't want to. tonight, for example, is my book club. i'm sure some of the girls will be buying dinner, but personally, i don't want to spend $12 on a hamburger and fries. #1 i don't want to eat that stuff and #2 to me it's just a waste of money. i'd rather have things like boots and purses.

speaking of which, here is what i bought last night on aldo online. aldo is great because there is free shipping, and if you don't like what you bought, you can return it to any store.




cute stuff. i have always wanted brown boots, ever since i saw a photo of giselle wearing them online.

in other "beauty" news, i had the opportunity to try this new mascara from lancome, called oscillation. it's special because it has a button that you push that makes the wand vibrate. it sounds crazy but it's really subtle and apparently moves back and forth 7,000 times a minute. it mimics the back and forth motion you would normally use to apply mascara. it really is the best mascara i have ever tried. anyhoo, i think today is the first day you can buy it online. and they are having special sales at the bay in toronto (on yonge street) and montreal (on ste. catherine street) today. ooh la la.

sewing day!

apparently it's supposed to snow a lot today. yikes! i hope it doesn't affect traffic because i have to be back to the city by 6pm for my sewing class. we are using the "amy butler barcelona skirt pattern" which looks like this:



i hope i can make it a bit shorter because i don't find that length to be very flattering. i bought a red and black patterned fabric last night at fabricland. i have to say, their selection of cotton fabric was really ho hum. unless you wanted a superlame christmas inspired design. can you imagine? maybe for pajamas or something, but not a skirt.

today i am lazy again. i woke up to swim at 6:30, and then suddenly it was already 7am and too late. what is going on? i went to bed at 11pm last night too, which is quite early for me. i love staying up late. i love sleeping too. what a conundrum, you see. conundrum: do you like that word? i do!

last night we made personal pizzas with multigrain flat out wraps as crust. i also went to the polish grocery store and bought two kinds of delicious salami. i went in to get tomato sauce and then forgot all about it, so we had to use bbq chicken sauce as a base. it turned out extra tasty. my pizza had green pepper, red onion, tomato, zucchini, mushrooms, light mozza cheese, and both kinds of salami. i always thought salami was really bad for you, but it's only 2 points per 1 oz. which isn't that bad because it's not that heavy.

i am having the rest of the salami today for lunch in a flat out wrap with lettuce, tomato, mustard, green pepper, red onions and mushrooms. wrapped up though too. it's huge! longer than my foot! i don't know if that's true or not. ;)

zzzzzz zombie

do you ever have periods of time, i mean days, where you are just tired? that's how i feel right now. i got home from buffalo and just wanted to veg on the couch. that's not unreasonable, because i didn't get home until 7:30pm, after a long day of shopping and driving. i watched gossip girl and last week's biggest loser. boy, do i ever dislike vicky! not only does she say mean things, but then she smirks about it too! like what she said was a real great jab... it was just mean, not clever! i don't want to think about her anymore or steam might come out of my ears.

this morning i was going to get up and swim but decided to sleep for longer instead. i am tired and lazy. i figure as long as i don't eat over my points, a few days of non-activity isn't going to turn me into a pile of mush. this week is so busy, too. tonight is date night, since tomorrow i have a sewing line (we are making A-line skirts), and thursday is book club. the book is divisadero, by michael ondaatje.

that's all for now. make sure you scroll down to read about all the yummy food i got in the states.

my loot

i am back from the united states, and it was everything i dreamed it would be. first of all, your comments about what to buy made me laugh. i was more thinking specific products, although it was really interesting to learn about what other parts of canada don't have. for example, toronto has a whole foods, and a sephora, and a bath and body works too.

unfortunately there is no trader joe's in buffalo, but i did go to big lots, wegman's grocery store, the fashion outlet mall, and target. here is some of my loot :)

1) oatmeal: country choice organic fit kids (1/2 cinnamon toast and 1/2 chocolate chip), quaker weight control banana bread, and kashi creamy all natural truly vanilla. i have died and gone to oatmeal heaven. by the way, i think you can click on the pics to make them bigger.


2. granola bars: quaker "true delights" granola bars, in toasted coconut banana macadamia nut, and dark chocolate raspberry almond.


3. fiber one complete pancake mix. wowee wowee!


4. clif kid z bars! i got a whole box of honey graham, and individual ones of chocolate chip, peanut butter, spooky smores, blueberry, and chocolate brownie (which was still hiding in the bags when i took this photo).



5. delicious hot beverages: swiss miss 25 calorie hot chocolate and sugar cookie sleigh ride holiday tea.


6. popcorn! jolly time sea salt and cracked pepper, and jolly time sassy salsa. i wonder what sassy tastes like?


7. the wonder food - greek yogurt!!! it was expensive but i didn't care. i just wanted to try it once. i mean twice. i bought 2 of the big 0% tubs, and three little ones: vanilla, blueberry, and honey. the last photo is a size comparison.




8. more delicious yogurt in flavours that blew my mind: orange creme, strawberry shortcake, banana creme pie, boston creme pie, raspberry cheesecake, and weight watchers amaretto cheesecake.



9. delicious "flat out" wraps in three varieties! multigrain, light italian, and light original.


THE END. i also got a few other things non-food related. a new hairdryer (mine had glowing embers... can't be safe), some beauty products for my man, a sweater and lounge pants from the GAP, this stuff, and a baby spoon because i like eating with little bites. to bed!

lazy vs. rest day

yesterday i didn't do any exercise. i didn't get home until 8:30 because i went to the walmart supercentre. i love you walmart supercentre. you are so big and super. i bought: a new tweezer, some dove intense repairing conditioner, three new cheap sports bras (A cup annies can get away with cheap sports bras), a new big bowl for microwaving oatmeal, 4 new drinking glasses (mine have slowly been breaking and i only have two left), some eye make-up remover (i like the rimmel brand), some dairyland fat free vanilla yogurts, and a pomegranate. oh, and a fancy wrapped wine from the wine rack in the walmart. oh, AND i forgot one to mention one of the best things i got. i mean, maybe the best, i have to try it first. here it is:

jolly time healthy pop caramel apple flavour. it's only 120 calories for 1/2 the bag. my box came with 3 packets, not 12. there were two other yummy flavours, like mallow magic, but that one was 360 calories for 1/2 the bag. outrageous! sometimes the walmart supercentre stocks products like this that i would usually only expect to find in the united states. occasionally it has chex mix which is my snack crack. i didn't buy any snack crack... don't want to OD!

i also went to canadian tire which was the main purpose of my trip because i wanted to buy a little (maybe 2 feet) christmas tree for my apartment. but i wanted one with pre-strung lights that didn't look tacky or cheap and it just wasn't my day. there were some nice bigger ones, but i don't want to go overboard. i bought my mom a nice whisk and spatula for christmas. i also got her a membership to costco. she is going to love it. i am going to love it too because i'm going to beg her to take me there. please mum please!

so i got home late, too pooped to work out. and i should mention that i was suffering from bum pain. dammit! so i took a "rest day." it's funny to me to call days when i plan to work out and don't "rest days" instead of just "lazy" or "can't be bothered" days. but it all worked out. normally i "rest" on friday mornings, but today i had a 40 minute swim. today is also weigh-in day and i am down two pounds and barely back in my maintenance range. hooray! i knew my pants were fitting better. even when i am a mere two pounds heavier i can feel the difference in my thighs.

this weekend is going to be fun fun fun until my daddy takes the t-bird away. tonight after work i am going to my bf's parent's house for his dad's birthday dinner (hence the wine). hence: do you like that word? and then tonight a home movie night with friends. tomorrow the ago is free all day (art gallery of ontario) so it would be fun to stop there, and then my bf is having a "november is boring" party. and THEN, on sunday, we are sitting on his roof (third floor street apartment) to watch the toronto santa claus parade! could it get any better? yes it can - by drinking a peppermint latte :) oh, and THEN on monday... i am going shopping in BUFFALO with my bff - it's her birthday.

my question for readers is: what would you buy in the states!?!?! i expect at least 1,000 comments, ha!

pizza pizza

today is rainy and gray. typical november. it's also that time of year when all media from the united states is bombarding us about thanksgiving. well... been there, done that in october! i don't need to know how to make healthy cranberry sauce and stuffing NOW! not that i make that stuff for canadian thankgiving either ;)

i am feeling pretty great this week. my pants are fitting way better. PHEWF! the feeling of having your pants fit is so much better than the two minute enjoyment i'd get from eating a donut. mmmm donuts. i mean, yay pants! someone actually brought donuts to the office on tuesday. i didn't eat one but i brought one home and put it in my freezer. for as long as i have existed with teeth on this planet, i have loved walnut crunch donuts from tim hortons. i have memories of being a child and going there with my grandparents and getting that. always that one. every other donut was a disappointment in comparison. even kid-friendly ones with sprinkles. of course i have to choose the one with the most fat and calories! isn't that always the way! maybe i'll stop talking about donuts now, sorry! so the donut is in my freezer but i'm not worried. i will split it with my boyfriend on the weekend or something. 1/2 a donut = good times.

last night was wednesday date night, and so we ordered pizza. i didn't really want to but he was starving and said i could order "that gross multigrain crust" if i wanted. ha! we got a thin crust pizza (not multigrain) with mushrooms, red onion, green pepper, pepperoni, and spicy italian sausage. i had three small pieces... and i mean small. it was like 1.5 of the bigger ones total. i really was so impressed with myself for stopping when i was satisfied and not too full. it helped that i was using a knife and fork to slow me down. my boyfriend finished three pieces in the time it took me to consume one. do you like that word: consume?


i didn't exercise today (yet!!!) but hopefully i can do something tonight. not running because my inner thighs are a bit ouchy, but either a long walk (i have some new magazines) or a swim. probably a walk.

good times

i didn't get back from the burbs until 7pm last night, and as soon as i got home i changed into my gym outfit and jumped on the treadmill (down in the condo gym). i was going to walk, but THEN the guy next to me was running, and i could see our reflections in the window, and thought, wouldn't it be funny (in my mind) to pretend we were running together. and so i ran for 20 minutes without stopping.

20 minutes!!! without stopping! i could hardly believe it. i thought about going for 30, but i was pretty pooped and it was getting to the point where i felt that if i pushed it more, i would be encroaching on bum pain territory. still, it felt great to run again. i am going to poo-poo doing the couch to 5k again when obviously i don't need to. i am just going to run when i feel confident and pain-free.

i'm tired today because i stayed up until 1:30am finishing the fourth twilight book. the fourth one is definitely the worst. still good, but by the end i could take it or leave it. but what do you expect? the magic to continue forever? it's like this with any good series... take the outlander series, by diana gabaldan. same thing.

this morning i went for a 30 minute swim. i'm feeling pretty good because i am on top of job applications, have been exercising and eating within my points, and my apartment is clean. also i hung up some new pictures. i got the frames from ikea and then bought a cheap marilyn monroe calendar from chapters, and used some of the photos from that as art. see for yourself. the middle is colour and her lips match the couch, and the two on the outside are black and white. ooh la la.

ouch

last night i was loading my dishwasher and slipped (i am very clumsy) and fell into the cutlery area. a sharp cutting knife poked into me, right between my little and fourth fingers. there was/is a deep hole but it didn't bleed that much and isn't wide so i think i'm going to make it without amputating and fingers... phewf. still annoying though.

i used that as an excuse not to swim this morning. that, and i really didn't feel like it too much. i didn't walk last night either. what is going on? i am trying to stay consistent with the exercise but it's hard. obviously life gets in the way and most people can't work out every day. really, three or four times a week is enough to reap the benefits. i am just going to try and adjust my diet on the days that i am inactive.

but i will probably walk tonight, if i can get down to the gym before biggest loser starts. i missed last week (not last week because it wasn't on, but the week before), but i read about it online. do you want to know what player drives me insane? vicky... she seems so heartless and evil. laughing at other people's misfortunes... and remember when she said she didn't care enough about the prize of a video from home to put her effort into the challenge... because she saw her kids just last week? i mean, come on. i am not a parent but one would assume that you would want to see your kids every chance you got. anyhoo.

yesterday i took care of business in the job application department. i applied for four jobs and wrote personal cover letters for each one. and some of them wanted writing and art samples so i did some scanning and it turned out pretty swell. yep, swell.

that's about all i have to say today. i have a yummy sandwich for lunch. i actually bought a regular loaf of bread (still whole wheat and full of goodness) instead of weight watchers or ezekiel or sprouted grains bread and i am excited to eat it. with fat free turkey and spicy mootard. i mean mustard. :) also, i'm doing the activia 14-day challenge... by that i mean eating one activia fat free yogurt per day, starting yesterday. i need to do some research because i'm not sure (yet) what the point of the challenge, except to turn into a belly dancer or something!

monday mania

good morning. there are still two minutes until noon so it's still morning! welcome to monday... bleh!

i had a great weekend. on friday i watched across the universe which was pretty good. how can anything made entirely of beatles songs be bad? the first half was better than the second half.

on saturday i had a 40 minute swim, and also walked to the library and back. i had some resume and cover letter books on hold to pick up, and i got two new amazing audio books for the car. i also got a book by madeleine wickham called the gatecrasher. did you know that is sophie kinsella, author of the shopaholic series? pretty *wild* ;)

on sunday, i went with my family to see jersey boys, which is a musical about the four seasons. amazing!

this morning i did some reading, and then went for a 40 minute swim. i am going to try and get some walking in later.

and finally, here is a photo from halloween (i am slow to upload things!) - my boyfriend and i were 70s olympians. i made the medals and the shirts... crafty!

yippity skippity!

hooray, it's friday! doesn't that make you happy? there is nothing quite like the good mood of a friday. happy happy joy joy. i'm so enthusiastic i'm beginning to sound sarcastic! but i'm not.

first things first, today is friday.... dreaded weigh in day. i am 0.4 higher than last week but that's ok for several reasons: 1) last weekend was halloween... candy... etc. enough said. 2) i was an exercise queen this week and i'm sure the scale will reflect that next week. and 3) i'm just going with the flow. it's not that bad. i am still less than two pounds over my maintenance range, which really is nothing but annoying that i haven't been able to get everything in check and then keep it there.

last night after i got home, i walked for four miles on the treadmill, and THEN swam for 40 minutes as well. i wasn't going to walk for so long, but i was absorbed in my book. swimming was hard after my grueling walk (ha) and it kind of felt like i was swimming uphill, but i stuck with it.

i decided to give my body a break and take this morning, and probably today, off from exercise. i will be back in the pool tomorrow, and i'm not going to take sunday off either. maybe a good schedule for me is four days on, one day off.

i'm wearing a new sweater today. it's from smart set - here is a picture:

have a great weekend everyone :)

i have a question

my question is: in that new pussycat dolls song, do they really sing "i want to have boobies"? i keep think i hear it, but then i think there's no way something so ridiculous would be in a song... right? maybe i shouldn't put it past them.

i didn't walk to my bf's last night. 1) i forgot that it gets dark at 4:30 and 2) the highway going into the city was still closed because of the accident and it took me almost two hours to get home.

i did walk home from his place this morning, and i plan on swimming tonight. swimming at night is weird for me. i think it's because i like to get wet and have to dry my hair only once per day, and i am a morning showerer.

in terms of my goals from yesterday, i did some thinking about them. i decided to really jazz up my cover letters in order to stand out more. resumes are usually just pretty standard, so it's the cover letter that needs to grab attention.

i also thought about how i could fit my hobbies into my time. right now, not having a job isn't giving me tons of spare time, because technically, i am working (just at my mom's office). i am a single girl with a mortgage, so i have to find money somewhere! and then at home my "free" time is spent applying for jobs.

i think i need to spend more short bursts of time cleaning up after myself. i can be very messy. i am always throwing stuff on the floor and everywhere, and then it takes so long to pick up after myself, because i wait until it gets crazy and then do it all at once. but, if i spent 20 minutes a day just getting things organized, that would free up a lot of other time. i think.

last night we went to tim horton's for dinner and they were out of buns for sandwiches, buns for soup, and only had chicken noodle soup. i like chicken soup, but it's so generic and i must have ten cans of it in my cupboard. so we decided to save our giftcard for another day, and instead made cream of mushroom soup and sandwiches at home. out of buns! can you imagine? no wonder i never eat there.

my audio book this week is a short history of progress by ronald wright. it's neat because i'm actually listening to a series of lectures that were read at universities across canada in 2004. they are very interesting. and finally i'm on the fourth twilight book... exciting!

some thoughts

since the new year is only 8 weeks away, i think it's time to set some goals that i want to accomplish. i don't want to go into the holiday season feeling unfit or frumpy, and there is still time to change things. i don't want to start 2009 with any regrets. without further ado:

1) it's time to get back into my maintenance range and stay there. no hovering around the top and going over at the end of the weekend.

2) i would like to strengthen my core considerably. abs and lower back. i heard that people with strong core muscles have better posture. do you think this is true? i am slouching right now, while i type this.

3) i would like to eat to live, not live to eat. will this ever be possible? do any of you eat to live?

4) i would like to have my closet organized - i have too many clothes that i don't wear. maybe i can sell some and donate the rest. or donate them all.

5) i NEED to get a job. in my career. i could get any job, true, but i am on a career path and don't want to stray off of it with an admin job or something that i dislike. i've had mundane jobs before and they really suck the life out of you.

6) i would like to evaluate my hobbies and have a plan to do more with them. for example, book writing, or sewing. i just can't find the time but i know it's there. it's not like i'm watching a lot of tv so i need to figure that out.

today there was a major crash on the route i would normally take to my mom's office in the suburbs. (i took a different one.) the big trailer of a truck fell off an overpass and crushed five cars below. people are in critical condition. very scary. i hope they are alright.

this morning i swam another 40 minutes, and last night i walked four miles on the treadmill while reading "eclipse," the third book in the twilight series. i am almost done and then on to the fourth. these books are like crack. i need to get them out of the way so i can get on with my regular life and pay attention to real people and not just edward cullen the vampire. ;)

tonight is date night and we are eating at tim horton's. only because we won a gift card at the halloween party last weekend. what is low point and not chili? a sandwich or something? i never eat there so i need some tips. i will walk to my boyfriend's house which is about 2 1/2 miles. i am kicking up the exercise this week if you didn't notice.

have a great wednesday, and congratulations to obama. i wanted him to win :)

absolutely disgusting

if you have a weak stomach, please skip this paragraph. this morning i decided to actually take the multitudes of vitamins i keep buying - iron, b6, multivitamin, c, zinc, and a fish oil pill. i should be taking this stuff every day (apparently). however, this morning, every time i cough or burp (in a delicate, feminine way of course) i am burping up this absolutely disgusting fish taste. it's so gross. it's not even like a yummy piece of grilled halibut or whatever, it's like the smell of chinatown put into a taste. BLEH!!!!

moving on. yesterday i had a great day! i had a 40 minute swim and then went to the swimming store and bought two polyester suits. one is a black speedo and one is a really cute bikini. it is like the one below but the main part is brown and the tubing on top is a light blue.


after the swim store, i went to the main office of the people who put on the halloween party and got the ticket money back for me and all of my friends (six of us!). i'm really happy they refunded the tickets. then i went to chapters and spent a long time browsing and reading all sorts of books. i bought a book on writing and a marilyn monroe calendar - i am using a few of the images in frames i already bought.

and THEN, when i got home, the third and fourth books in the twilight series had come in the mail, so i read 1/2 of the third. i also walked for 4 miles on the treadmill while reading... great way to pass the time.

in terms of food, the whole day was healthy and on plan and i'm feeling really great. this morning i had another 40 minute swim (in my new suit).

DID YOU KNOW THERE ARE ONLY 8 WEEKS LEFT OF 2008!?!??!?!

my apologies

for not posting on friday. it was a really busy day. i was helping my mom (as usual) at the office and there were way too many closings (real estate law) so i didn't have time to post.

halloween was good and bad. we went to this party that we bought tickets for, but the ticket holders had to stand in this giant line outside for more than an hour, and people who bought their tickets at the door got in right away. the line up was hundreds of people long. just a really poorly organized event. we ended up just going home after waiting for way too long. on saturday night we went to a house halloween party which was much more fun. we won third place in the costume contest. :) pics to come after i upload them.

i did weigh in on friday and was up 2.4 pounds and out of my maintenance range again. i don't even get it and i am not going to try to. today is another day and i'm moving on.

this morning i went for a 40 minute swim which was nice. i didn't exercise all weekend, although i did walk about 3 miles yesterday. today my big plans are 1) reading pride and prejudice 2) walking to the library 3) seeing if i can get a refund for that halloween party 4) going to the bookstore to see if they have any helpful writing books and 5) possibly going to the olympium pool - it is a pool double the length of standard community centre pools (50 metres instead of 25). i want to go there because they have a swim shop and sell a wide variety of polyester swimsuits. polyester is less comfortable to swim in, but doesn't stretch and become see through and flimsy like your regular speedo lycra swimsuit would. i have had the same one since high school (long time!) and it's time for a new one.

yawn to yawn

i am so beat this morning. it feels like my lips and face are raw. like i've been skiing or in the cold wind for too long. the concert last night was amazing, and my friend really enjoyed it which made me enjoy it more. i was a bit tired but i could tell he thought it was the bomb diggity. and it was of course.

i thought about sleeping in this morning, but i went to the gym, and walked for 3 miles on various inclines, and did some lunges, push-ups (girl ones), sit-ups, and that plank move that is supposed to be good for your abs. i am way more into the treadmill than the elliptical because i can read magazines and i have a stack of about 40 to catch up on. and i can set my mp3 player to radio and get the morning news as well. i didn't want to work out tonight because a) could be too tired, b) have a few minor things to do and c) all i really want to do is drink tea and read twilight. i bought the next book in the series so i don't have to go without. i am resenting all of the awake time i have to go through until i can finally sit down and read the book. and now it's too cold to read while walking outside (frozen fingers).

i really wanted something delicious and carby for breakfast so i made a quaker instant regular oats with added all bran, pumpkin, cottage cheese, banana, splenda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla. it was really filling and just what i needed. warm and comforting.

the latest audio book i'm listening to in the car is "my life" by bill clinton. it's very interesting even though i don't really know anything about american politics. did anyone know that bill clinton was a rhodes scholar? or that his younger brother went to jail for selling cocaine (to fuel his own habit)? i sure didn't!

that's about it... FOR NOW! i might skip tomorrow's workout but wake up at the same time to clean my apartment. i definitely need to step on the scale since i avoided it last week and all this week so far. but really, i've been feeling pretty good about myself so maybe i shouldn't. nah, i will. or won't. or will... i will. time to face the music... whatever that means. apparently it refers to shamed officers being drummed out of their regiment. hmmmmm the more you know.

another blog?

i'm thinking about starting another blog, one that isn't so personal but rather based on health and beauty in general. nothing to do with my own health, fitness, and weight goals but something more helpful to others. thoughts? of course i would continue this blog... just putting it out there.

i am feeling really good about myself today. i swam for 30 minutes this morning even though i had to convince myself not to go back to bed instead about five times. i had a great swim though. it was just getting down there and in the pool that was the hard part.

also, i'm really hungry today. instead of oatmeal for breakfast, i had an english muffin with peanut butter, yogurt and fresh cranberries. maybe it wasn't as filling? does anyone like fresh cranberries? they are so tart and delicious. and did you know that they are white on the inside? i wasn't expecting that at all! i think they are high in fibre, too. can't go wrong!

for lunch i brought a whole wheat bun, veggies and hummus, and a ready-to-go campbell's healthy request italian wedding soup. italian wedding soup is sooooo good. all of those little balls of pasta! i'm excited.

tonight i am taking one of my oldest friends to see "sharon jones and the dap kings" live in concert. i have seen them once before and they are amazing!

now i need to get a coffee to distract myself from this raging hunger.

it's nice to have new things

it has just occurred to me that i forgot to write about my fun shopping time on friday. it wasn’t that fun (because i do not like shopping) but i love having new things so that is fun. i do actually like looking at things in stores, but trying things on and crowds are very annoying.

so friday, after work, i went to canadian tire and bought a rice cooker for 50% off. great deal! it’s black and decker brand too. i tried it yesterday and my rice was pretty delicious. i also bought some cleaning supplies on sale. i hate when you are trying to clean but are nearing the end of a spray bottle. and really there is enough to use but not enough to have a full spray blast if you have to tip the bottle at an angle for whatever reason.

after canadian tire, i went to linens n’ things because i had a gift card. i had never been there before because there aren’t really any linens n’ things in my area but i made the trip since it’s going out of business. i really couldn’t believe how ridiculously expensive everything was there! everything there was horribly overpriced and i was just wandering the aisles thinking about how i could probably buy everything there for cheaper elsewhere. but that doesn’t matter when you have a gift card. i bought a car air freshener for $5 (christmas cookie scent), a garlic and sea salt grinder (for $8, and yum yum), an electric nose hair trimmer ($25!!!) and my new pride and joy, a rainfall showerhead ($40). i have wanted one of these since my dream shower in laguna beach, california. it’s very awesome and relaxing, and the water pressure is great too.

so that’s that. yesterday i was completely on plan and it was grrrrrrrreat! i had a 40-minute swim as well. this morning i woke up and was going to use the elliptical, but decided to do an incline (up and down) walk on the treadmill so i could read magazines while i did it instead. i walked for 3 miles, then did lunges, push-ups and sit-ups.

speaking of reading, i just started the first book in that twilight series (for teens) and it’s really good! i can hardly put it down. and there is a movie coming out in december. really, it’s really, really good. can all of my “really”s emphasize it enough? i don’t know!

here is today’s planned menu (room for ytbd snacks):

regular oats (2)
1/3 cup pumpkin (0)
¼ cup all bran (0)
½ cup fresh cranberries (0)
vanilla tea (0)
yogurt (1)
total: 3

coffee (0)
whole wheat bun (2)
peanut butter (1)
source yogurt, 2 containers (1)
baby carrots and yellow pepper (0)
2.5 tablespoons hummus (2)
total: 9

coleslaw (0)
yogurt dressing (2)
2 hard boiled eggs (4)
2 low fat hot dogs (1)
total: 16

this week the plan

monday: 40 minutes swimming

tuesday: 30 minutes elliptical, sit-ups, lunges

wednesday: 30 minutes swimming

thursday: 30 minutes elliptical, sit-ups, lunges

friday: 30 minutes swimming

saturday: 30 minutes elliptical, sit-ups, lunges

sunday: rest day.

i am going swimming in a few minutes, and then i finally get to try out my new rice cooker. i am probably more excited than i should be :)

cooking rice

it’s a nice gray autumn day today. and it’s friday which is always good news. i went swimming this morning for 30 minutes AND i did 30 minutes on the elliptical yesterday before book club which means that this week i was five for five on weekday exercise. whoo – pee.

for some reason i decided to step on the scale last night. i was feeling pretty skinny and good about myself until i was up about four pounds. i know it’s a night time weigh in but wtf, seriously? i have been on the ball all week long. how frustrating.

i decided that i couldn’t face friday morning weighing in today so i’m going to live in denial and pretend that it doesn’t exist this week. sometimes a girl needs a little denial.

this weekend is going to be great. after “work” today i am going to canadian tire because are selling rice cookers for 50% off ($9.99) and i want one. i am also going to linens and things because i have a gift card i need to use up before they go out of business.

tomorrow i am going on a hunt for halloween costume accessories, and then out for dinner and to a lounge for a friend’s birthday. in little italy too. have a great weekend!

ouchy ouchy

my legs are so sore (still!) from doing lunges with weights on tuesday night. seriously, i can hardly move. can anyone say “out of shape?” i was going to do the elliptical this morning but decided to take a rest day since i am moving at such a slow pace. i have book club tonight and if i feel like working out after that (not likely) then i will. tomorrow is weigh in day and i was hoping to get an extra workout in but it’s not the end of the world.

last night we ate low fat fries with swiss chalet gravy, and low fat chicken and cheese meatballs from sobeys. and baby tomatoes. it was very delicious. going to bed i was a bit hungry and while making his lunch for tomorrow, my boyfriend tried to throw some cheese at me, but i resisted and ate a clementine instead.

in other news, my boyfriend’s sister is putting on this fashion show for charity in november, and asked me to be a model in it. i have never been in a fashion show so it’s pretty exciting. there is a fitting on tuesday! maybe this will inspire me to think healthy thoughts this weekend.

lately instead of eating bigger meals like the three usuals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner, i’ve been snacking all day long or dividing my meals into a few different parts. during the week and especially when i’m eating alone i like this a lot better. for example, for breakfast i used to have oatmeal and yogurt, or oatmeal and cottage cheese, but now, i have the oatmeal as usual and save the dairy for a morning snack, or eat it around noon. it’s great. i’m never too full and hardly ever hungry.

tonight is book club and the book we read this month is “the watchmen” by david gibbons and alan moore. it’s a graphic novel. i enjoyed it, although i don’t really care for the topic of superheroes in general so it could have been better. apparently there is a movie coming out soon? i don’t know. it won a HUGO award and was voted one of time magazine’s top 100 novels, so that has to stand for something. :)

much better hair day

today i am feeling much better. last night i got home from work starving. if i am working out at night, usually i like to work out first and then eat dinner (because eating feels like a reward, don’t you think?) but last night i felt so hungry and weak that i decided to eat first and it gave me a lot more energy for the workout. and it’s better that way anyway because then i can avoid eating too late.

at the gym i did 20 minutes on the elliptical, then stretches, sit-ups, lunges with 5 pound weights, and girl push-ups, 10 more minutes on the elliptical, and then i walked up the stairs (10 floors) to my apartment. good workout and it burned about 350 calories. (i was wearing my HRM). i like to break up the cardio on the elliptical because a) it’s really hard! and b) it's better to pause and keep your heart rate up for longer. i don’t know what it is about the elliptical machines in my condo gym, but they are really tough. a lot less smooth than really nice elliptical machines i’ve used at professional gyms, but they work nonetheless. and i know this because my heart rate is out of control. usually around 150-160 and sometimes bordering 170 if i am really pushing it. now i wonder if i just liked other machines because they were easier... who knows, whooo whooo? (owl)

after the gym, my legs felt wobbly and jiggly. obviously i need to do more lunges with weights. i haven’t been doing very much weight training lately because of all of my swimming. my upper body muscles are definitely getting bigger from all of that resistance water training, but i guess since i’m not running (more on that another time) my legs are feeling left out. i’m going to incorporate more leg work at the gym: lunges, squats maybe, some press machines... that sort of thing. anyway after the gym, i felt all wobbly and jiggly and even though i wasn’t hungry, i had a source yogurt with ½ scoop vanilla protein powder. i felt so much better! obviously my muscles needed some protein right away. i’ve read that you should eat a protein-y snack right after doing any muscle-tearing activity to help the rebuilding process.

this morning i did 30 minutes of swimming even though i didn’t want to. i was a bit stiff from my workout last night, but i don’t want to wimp out on exercise during the week. i want to exercise at least five days a week, six if i am feeling energetic.

this morning i also made regular oats (1/3 cup) with tim horton’s pumpkin spice tea that was brewing (steeping?) during my whole swim. with ¼ cup all bran, ¼ cup pumpkin, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice it was a breakfast sent from autumn heaven. i ate some strawberries too.

tonight is date night and we are having poutine and watching top model. my boyfriend begs for poutine. what a sad addiction ;). it’s actually not bad at all. mccain low fat fries, swiss chalet gravy from the powder (pretty light), and served with a turkey grill ‘em or two if you are really hungry and love sausages. sometimes we have cheese (light mozzarella) and sometimes we don’t. it doesn’t make that much of a difference anyway because the gravy is deeeeevine.

what else? i finished last week’s audiobook and went to the library on monday to exchange it for another. i pretty much only listen in the car. i picked up teacher man, by frank mccourt . it’s great but read by the author and his voice can be really annoying when he imitates students. i have read his other books and they are awesome as well. have a great wednesday bloggers.

sports bra contest....

this bra looks really fab! and since mine are years old... and horrible... and disgusting... (enough bra bashing)

I entered the Gracie Gear Giveaway!

Check out Roni’s Weight Loss Blog for more information.

oh boy

today i'm not feeling so great. i feel really unattractive... you know, muffin top, pimple, windblown hair, faded jeans, under eye circles. generally bad news. it's so cold and windy today. i look like a monster - not joking. short bleached hair looks like the hair on a muppet after it has been blowing in the wind.

this morning i had my group session at the employment insurance office. really i just snoozed the whole thing away, although i did learn some great resources for improving my english. it was not helpful to me, personally, but i can see how it would be for some people. and it's good to make sure that people aren't cheating the system.

here is a general beef i have: why doesn't tim hortons take debit or visa? seriously... only mastercard or cash. i can understand cash only because they want to keep the lines moving along speedily, but some people don't carry cash (like me, usually). this morning i bought some boxes of that pumpkin spice tea. it's so delicious! anyway, luckily i found an old abandoned tim's card in my wallet, or else i would have had to give up my tea dreams. sad, but true.

in terms of food and eating, i have learned something very, VERY interesting about myself. i need to keep myself neither full or hungry. especially not too full. when i am too full, i feel like i've "blown it," like why bother stopping now... even if i've just eaten a plate of veggies. it doesn't matter... the whole ruining the diet mentally. even though it's ridiculous and i can rationally acknowledge its ridiculousness. so i can't let myself be too full, and ESPECIALLY, not in the evenings, when i am alone. i envy people who live with other people because it's sort of like a block for overeating. i wouldn't stuff myself in front of anyone else because of the embarrassment or the idea of someone judging my eating. but alone, why not? who is going to know? except myself and that's a whole other discussion of feeling bad about yourself!

so that's all i have to say today. today for breakfast i had strawberry carnation instant breakfast made with unsweetened almond breeze instead of oatmeal. a nice change taste-wise but it is not holding me over at all.

i broke my bowl

remember my new oatmeal bowl from ikea? well, i broke it this morning. i was excited because i was going to try microwaving oats instead of cooking them stovetop. i thought that maybe the bowl would be big enough to avoid the boiling over that usually happens in the microwave. but now i'll never know. it just jumped out of my hands. and it broke on the countertop... not even the floor. it must have been crappily made, because things normally don't break on the countertop.

everything is breaking for me lately. my phone is broken... it's been sent out for repairs and i have a weird replacement phone. last night my cat knocked over a glass on my bedside table and it shattered (on the laminate wood floor... also weird) and today the bowl. everything is destructing!!!! ahhhhh!!!!

anyway, my weekend was pretty good. i pigged out at the girl's sleepover on friday night, but did 20 minutes on the elliptical on saturday AND went swimming so i'm hoping i canceled out some of the bad. the rest of the weekend was kind of lame. except last night i had dinner with my parents and my mom made the best fresh pasta - spinach and cheese stuffed ravioli with roasted red peppers and mushrooms, and meatballs. and then we made brownies after dinner. wa wa wee wa.

today i am at home organizing my life. i applied for some jobs, and i have to organize some paperwork for a meeting i have at the unemployment office tomorrow. fun times... oh boy!

this morning i went swimming... it felt really good. i might walk to the library later and get another book on CD if i have time. i just love listening to them in the car. it's very relaxing!

friday update and rondom facts

the good news is it’s friday, i got my hair done yesterday and it looks awesome, i’m drinking a skinny cinnamon dolce latte from starbucks and i didn’t have to pay for it, and i lost 1.2 pounds this week (despite thanksgiving) putting me back into the very high end of my maintenance range.

isn’t that nice? the bad news is that i emailed a company i’ve has five yes FIVE interviews with and they informed me that they’ve hired someone else. this isn’t the same company as the interview i had earlier this week, by the way. but i’m really disappointed... what a bummer. i really thought they would offer me a job, too. :(

tonight i am going to a girl’s sleepover? isn’t that fun? although last time this happened some boyfriends came... lame! guys should not come to a girl’s sleepover. maybe they get some sort of thrill about raiding a girl party... i don’t know.

in other news, both fitting back in and vanessa tagged me to share some random facts about myself, so here we go:

1) i lived in leeds, england for ½ a year in university. i loved it there, although i was very homesick.
2) one of my very favourite movies is the secret garden.
3) i can’t eat whipped cream because it gives me horrible stomach pains and (shhh) gas.
4) yesterday i went to the library and randomly picked up a book on tape (cd). now i am obsessed with it. i put disc one onto my mp3 player and listened to it on the transit last night and this morning. and then this morning i listened to ½ of disc two on the way to the suburbs. the book is “light on snow” by anita shreve and it’s so good. it’s about a 12-year-old girl and her father who live in the middle of nowhere and find a newborn in the woods. the voice reading the book isn’t annoying at all. i was worried that it would be too slow, but it’s not.
5) this morning i saw a dead bird on the sidewalk, outside of my boyfriend’s apartment. it looked like it just fell out of the sky. it was on it’s back and it’s legs were sticking up rigor mortis-like. maybe it was an omen about not getting the job. and then my mom said there is a dead cat in the alley (beside the building).... weird!
6) this one will actually be about me. i like being very efficient with my time. this is probably why i hate driving... because i hate sitting in traffic. i don’t mind transit, because i can be reading and that’s a worthwhile thing to be doing. i like to get the most amount of things and stuff done in the shortest amount of trips.

happy weekend everyone. i’m going to resist the twizzler straws!