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.

party prep

thanks everyone for all of your recommendations. i am going to go to the running room and see what they have to offer. probably better than ordering something online, because who would know if it fit or was comfortable, etc. and then i will probably go to mountain equipment co-op for a hat. i also want some new running shorts. by shorts i mean something little that just covers my bum. i have no shame... i just don't want to be hot...as in overheated ;) if it looks gruesome i'll get something with more coverage, but i'm sure it will be fine.

in other news, last night i tried the HIIT (high intensity interval training) that everyone is talking about these days. i wanted a short but effective workout so here is what i did:

warm up
0:00-1:00 3.5 mph walking
1:00-2:00 3.8 mph walking
2:00-3:00 4.0 mph walking
3:00-4:00 4.2 mph walking
4:00-5:00 5.0 light jogging

intensity time
30 seconds 8.5 mph (fast running!)
60 seconds 5.0 mph (light jogging)
i did this for 20 minutes... tiring!

cool down
5 minutes walking slowing down from 4.0 mph to 3.0 mph.

let me tell you... i was SO SWEATY. sweat was dripping off of my face and body. my head was soaked. my breathing was really laboured... in a good way of course. i read all about HIIT here and how it's really efficient for fat loss without muscle loss. maybe it is, maybe it isn't, but why not give it a try. i am always looking for shorter workouts to do on days that i'm not running (for pleasure) so maybe this is the way to go.

so it's my birthday coming up in june, and i'm having a birthday party in my condo. the thing is... i don't have bedding. i have sheets and stuff, but my old duvet cover was red and black and i painted my bedroom walls this colour (for the record, this image is not my bedroom, just a screen capture of the paint online):

i can't have a bedroom that is green and red, that's crazy! my bedroom furniture is white, and i've been holding off for bedding that is black, yellow, and white. but i can't find any. and it would be embarrassing to have a party with a naked duvet (no cover)... so i bought this "bed-in-a-bag" today from sears. it is for "youths" but i love the colours, especially the yellow.

i will not have a bedskirt (hate them), those giant flower pillows, or the mosquito net. but everything else. yes... it's kind of crazy but i like it that way. and it's just for the mean time, while i continue to search for the perfect bedding.

today on the menu is:

1/2 banana with natural PB

smoothie made from:
skim milk
2 t PB2
1/2 banana
splash of unsweetened almond breeze
1 equal
a few scoops of plain 2% yogurt

quaker high fibre berry oatmeal with:
1 T flax
1/3 cup all-bran
1/2 cup blackberries

big salad with:
2 cups spinach
chopped cauliflower
mushrooms
orange pepper
carrot slices
baby tomatoes
1/2 cup lima beans
1/3 cup wheat berries
1 T sun dried tomatoes
newman's own thai sesame dressing

1 serving kashi TLC crackers (if hungry)

and for dinner... not sure. :)

in a haze

i'm really out of it this week. is it tuesday already? last night i came home from work, promptly jumped into bed with some giant wheat goldfish crackers (yummy yummy), did a bit of reading, and napped for an hour. then i went downstairs to the gym and walked for 5 miles on the treadmill. i didn't really want to, but i didn't do anything on sunday and the slope to lazyville is pretty fast and slippery if you know what i mean. this morning i went for a 5 mile run. i was feeling really lazy before i did this, so i'm glad it's out of the way.

i think it's so funny how many of you were shocked about my dress-buying experience. i will take a picture of myself in the dress. i was feeling too lazy last night to even think about that. i have to say, i am more dumbfounded than offended. i mean, how could anyone be so ridiculous? that being said, i think i would have a much different reaction if i were still trying to lose weight and having someone say i was popping out of my dress. my coworkers thought it was so funny that she said i should skip a few lunches, especially since we all went out to this mexican place together and i definitely didn't skip lunch. i had a sauteed veggie burrito, and it came with rice and beans on the side. i ate the whole burrito (i think because i was so tired...) and half the rice and beans. i'm sure it wasn't that healthy of an option...

i finished reading lullabies for little criminals already. it was that good... i couldn't put it down. i was addicted. and now i'm so sad that it's over. luckily there are 50 million kabillion trillion other books left in the world for me to read... maybe more. i am 3/4 of the way done this book called the elements of style but i wouldn't recommend it. it's ok... about nyc rich people - a lot of he said she said blah blah blah. i'm only finishing it because i started it.

tonight i am going to do a bit of strength training in the gym downstairs and i am also going to clean my kitchen in a major way. it really needs to be done. last night i accidentally knocked over this nice skinny beer glass my bf got from one of his students as a gift and i noticed that the cabinets need to be wiped. i will clean the stove, the insides of the cupboards, the fridge, the floor, behind the fridge and stove (which won't be too bad because i did this recently), and then i will be happy with myself.

i feel so lazy though. i keep thinking about going back to bed. obviously i can't because... i am... at work. time to take care of business. (TCB)


today i'm eating:

1/4 fibre source bar (pre run)
1/4 fibre source bar (post run)
handful of shreddies (post run)
coffee
(2)

more coffee
blueberry pomegranate nestea single (0)
oatmeal with flax and shreddies (3)
source yogurt (1)
berries (0.5)
(6.5)

yesterday's sandwich (6)
source yogurt (1)
berries (0.5)
(14)

berries (0.5)
source yogurt (1)
apple (1)
(16.5)

dinner:?

getting back on track tips

the home improvement project continues. last night i painted two coats of varnish on the newly black tv unit, painted one wall in the den pink (one coat so far), and painted a frame black. i also took lots of empty boxes down to my storage locker. some of you might remember that i bought the debbie travis paintable wallpaper for the one pink wall in the den... i've decided it's a no go. i did the measurements last night and i would need to buy another roll and truthfully, i can't be bothered to hang it up and make sure the patterns match and stuff. it's too much work. so the wall will have to be pink on its own with no texture and hopefully that will be interesting enough. (it is... it's vividly pink.)

i didn't mention this before but i have this thursday, friday, and monday off of work. i have vacation days from 2007 that i have to use up before the end of march or else they vanish into thin air. poof! i only get 2 weeks of paid vacation a year so of course i greedily hold onto those days in case something comes up and i need to lickity split. of course nothing comes up haha. but i am going to use those days for painting. *finishing* painting so i never have to talk about it again.

i just read this article which had some pretty good tips for getting back on track if you've fallen off the wagon. so here are a few (that aren't plugging the website...)

1. Try a short workout. Even five minutes is better than nothing.

2. Try a new recipe. Cooking healthy foods can be fun and it never has to be bland.

3. Eat a healthy breakfast. Your morning meal sets the stage for the rest of your day, so start if off right! Get lots of breakfast ideas here.

4. Drink your water. Try to aim for 8 cups each day and you’ll feel the difference!

5. Read success stories online.

6. Track your food today. No matter how it adds up, you’ll learn from it.

7. Share your goals.

8. Exercise for 10 minutes. Jump rope, march in place, or do some crunches. Small amounts do add up to something big!

9. Find a buddy. Get support from friends, whether you need someone to listen or a mentor to give you ideas and encouragement.

10. Take a walk. Don’t worry about how long or far you go—just get out there!

11. Go shopping for some healthy foods.

12. Check the nutrition facts before you go out to eat. That way, you can make an informed choice.

13. Ride your bike. Even a leisurely ride has benefits for your body and mind.

14. Work in the yard. Gardening and yard work is a great way to add activity to your day.

15. Take the stairs. Even if this is the only thing you do all day, you’ll feel stronger for it.

16. Listen to an inspirational song. Better yet, make a playlist of them so you can turn to it whenever you need a boost.

17. Measure your portions. It’s a simple way to learn how much you’re eating.

18. Eat a piece of fruit. Even if 5-9 servings of fruit and vegetables sounds impossible to you, one is doable.

19. Slow down during meals. You’ll be less likely to overeat and more likely to enjoy your meal.

20. Play! What kids call “play,” we often call “exercise.” Play a sport, a game, or use the playground equipment to bring the fun back into fitness.

21. Learn something new. Sometimes simply taking a quiz or reading an article about nutrition, fitness, or health can change your mindset and get you back on track.

personally, i love shopping for healthy foods, and reading success stories online - but sometimes i forget about these things.
i'm very busy at work so i'll post workout and menu for today... tomorrow!