toronto, running, swimming, i found money

wow i'm losing followers. i felt a little pang of sadness but it's over now.

another quick list:

1) my potato salad recipe for the potluck turned out pretty well. everyone enjoyed it thoroughly! it was more work than i thought because i had to boil eggs and potatoes first and cool them before even starting. it's fun to separate the yolk from the white in cooled hard boiled eggs. the yolks look so funny. like little shiny orange fun balls. there was so much yummy food at the potluck ... it can all be yours in the fall for the low low price of ... um ... i don't know yet!

2) this morning i woke up super early (5:20 am) and ran four miles. i have to be at work at 8 am and i commute so i have to leave at 7:20 am and i have to shower after a run (obviously ... don't want to stink) and realistically i need 20 minutes or so after waking up to get dressed and ready to run. it was hard to wake up and i really thought about going back to sleep but once i got moving it was fine AND the city was cool and empty! AND i found a loonie and a tcc token (toronto transit $2.75) my lucky day. i went to bed last night at 10 pm to prepare for this big event.

3) last night i went swimming. at first i didn't want to, even when i got into the pool. but then i thought to myself - remember when you loved swimming? where did the love go? and i realized my problem was (and is) that i'm always trying to squish a workout in, instead of enjoying myself. so i said NO RUSH, slowed it down, and really had a great swim. i hate feeling like i have to do this, got to do it right now, right now before my next pressing activity! i need to calm down. after my swim i showered and had a steam in the change room - very luxurious. i am pretty luck to have a pool and a steam room in my building!

4) tonight is date night. we are watching canada's next top model and make me a supermodel which i taped last night. i am also lucky my "main squeeze" likes watching model shows with me.

5) good places to shop in toronto:

number one: queen street west (if you start at yonge and queen - the bay at eaton centre) go west past bay and it's awesome store heaven. and you'll get to see city tv/muchmusic building which could be cool if you've never seen it. speaker's corner is also there. good shopping goes a bit past spadina road - there is an urban outfitters and american apparel and then it dies out before bathurst street.

number two: yorkville (yonge and bloor) go up yonge to bloor and walk west on bloor - the shopping here is amazing! there is holt renfrew which carries top designers, on bloor street there is a tiffanys, a louie vuitton, a chanel... etc. obviously i don't shop there but it's nice to look. go all the way to avenue (where the royal ontario museum is) and turn north because one block up on your right is ... whole foods market! yippee! there is an awesome cheap but nice restaurant called hemingways here.

number three: kensington market, this place is a world in it's own. i love it.

BAD BLOGGER

i am a bad blogger. take me to the garage and shoot me! my mom used to say that - i don't know why. i always thought it was really funny until just now when i thought of it literally and literally it's not funny at all. wow, emo! it's still funny if not taken literally. i can still take a joke ... i hope.

things have been really busy. last thursday i was out of the house from 7:15am (when i leave for work) until 11pm. i went to work, went running at lunch, went to the library after work, to a group meeting, then to see the dears with my boyfriend. long but pleasant day. on friday i came home after work and napped, woke up to eat and watch a bit of tv, then back to sleep at 11. i am battling this throat illness now. what is up with me contracting all of these sicknesses lately? thankfully it's not swine flu. oink oink! i can deal with the throat - it's sinus problems that are killer. head stuffed up = can't think = can't work but still have to work! look - here we are on thursday at the concert in the pouring rain - the radio station was taking pictures of people with neat umbrellas. mine is a monet - my mom gave it to me for easter ... thanks mom!

yesterday we went to see franz ferninand and i didn't get home until midnight. i had a nap before the show but still. it's concert city lately =D spring is here and so is the music.

i went for a run today at lunchtime. work is over but i'm still hanging around. i'm meeting my mom and sister at swiss chalet for dinner and then meeting some girlfriends at the movies here in the burbs. we are going to see ghosts of girlfriends past.

running is going well. today i am monitoring my calorie burn a la shirls. i am tracking it on my HRM from 7am this morning until about 11pm tonight - that's probably when i'll go to sleep. i will share the results tomorrow but can tell you right now that it pains me how low it is.

i forgot to share the big news with you all. are you ready? really? ok here it is. 1/2 scoop of protein powder in the oatmeal is tastier than one full scoop, but not as tasty as ZERO scoops, hehe. i do like protein powder mixed with fat free plain or vanilla yogurt though - yum. i had some today for lunch with raspberries mixed in.

i better get going! i am going to canadian tire to buy myself this zero-gravity chair for summer reading on my balcony. i was also going to buy this breadmaker because it's 45% off but changed my mind. i will never bake my own bread. i've used my rice cooker ONCE and my crock pot ZERO times. these are things i'm sure i'll use when i have a family, but i don't need more stuff collecting dust in my tiny condo. the end. thank you and goodnight.

last day of freedom

this is a real time post! i am sitting in my own den - it's so lovely and quiet with just me and my cat and not a thousand other family members. ;) family time was very nice, but i'm happy to get back to my regular life. i still feel out of the loop so here is a list:

1) posting in advance is easy! all you have to do is type up your post as usual, and then adjust the date and time in the "post options." i can see the post options link right below the words i am typing right now.... to the left of the labels for the post. this description is only for blogger users - not sure about wordpress or typepad or the other hosting sites.

2) new job tomorrow! excitement =D

3) winnipeg trip over! winnipeg was cold at first, but warmed up by the end of the trip. my cousin's hockey team in the US won the weekend tournament - that was a lot of fun. they player's are treated like movie stars - booths and free bottle service in the dance clubs. it really blew my mind because here in toronto you really have to be a somebody to get that kind of service. something i have never experienced despite my obvious somebodyness! hmph.

4) i didn't do too much shopping if you can believe it - i only got clothes in winnipeg from rickis (they don't have that store in toronto, although they do in the GTA). i got some of the regular food staples (25 calorie hot chocolate for my commute coffee, kashi fruit bars, peanut butter cookie larabars!)...

EDIT: i saved this post this morning and now it's nighttime. i have been rushing around trying to get everything organized and ready for tomorrow. how exciting! i'll continue on.

5) food on the trip: not great but not terrible. last night after i came home my bf and i ordered pizza and NOT the healthy kind. thankfully tomorrow begins my "routine" and i already have an awesome lunch packed: hummus veggie wrap, apple and yogurt, and a kashi bar if i get hungry.

6) exercise on the trip was not great either, but not-not existent. double negative means i did yoga three or four times and went swimming once. but the swimming was in the hotel pool which wasn't big enough for laps (and freezing) so i did maybe 20-minutes of bouncing and diving around before deciding enough was enough. i did go swimming today and maybe will tomorrow before work, we shall see.

7) wish me luck. =D

mallrat

this morning for breakfast i tried another luna sunrise bar, this time in vanilla almond. it was good, but not as good as the strawberry. i don't like eating bars all the time like this either, but they are great for eating on the road.

last night i went for a three-mile treadmill walk. it was alright but only because i had some good magazines to read. my bum pain has been acting up a little lately. WHY ME? WHHHHYYYYYYYYY? i guess i just have to accept it. it's no where near as bad as it was so i'm just going to suck it up.

this morning i went for a 40-minute swim. i really debated waiting until tonight but tonight i just want to relax and clean up a little, take care of some business, watch the biggest loser and get to bed early. for the last two weeks in a row i have taped the biggest loser, intending to watch it later and then i never do. instead of catching up on four hours of tv i'm just going to count my losses and start on from this week. i just don't like watching tv that much. well, sometimes i do (more on that tomorrow). if i am not excited about a show then it can be really painful. tv should be enjoyable, not something you feel you have to get through. that's lame.

so last night after work i hit up the mall. oh, the mall. the one great thing about working in the burbs is all of the great suburban mall action. so spacious, so many stores... no one pushing you and crowding you... hardly any lining up for change rooms.

i bought some new boots on aldoshoes.com but they were the wrong size. i am between sizes (8.5) and they didn't have any 9's online so i ordered the 8. too small! i brought them to the dufferin mall downtown and they didn't have any 9's either, but they put a pair on hold for me at sherway gardens. by the way, cinemarie, i did check out the GNR while i was there and saw the luna sunrise bars - thanks! i picked up the right size and they are awesome! check them out... so rock n roll.


after boot exchanging, i wanted to find a simple t-shirt for business purposes. a nice bright colour to go under a blazer. i knew i could find a shirt like this at smart set or H & M but those stores weren't in the mall! bah! i went to the GAP hoping they had plain t-shirts - they did, but they were all v-necked and i only want a round neck. come on, people! i will have to go back out tonight. i did get a scarf at the GAP. it's thin and more for fashion than warmth.

i also went to the pet store to look at the puppies. i don't know how i feel about pet store pets. my cat oliver is from the humane society, but when i was growing up my family bought a bichon frise puppy from a pet store in the mall. these puppies need homes too, and there were so many cutiepies. if i were to ever get a dog, i would buy one from a breeder or the humane society, but that doesn't mean i can't appreciate the supreme cuteness of puppies in the pet store. like this chow puppy! (blackberry photo hehe)

going places

good morning. monday again... back at it. my weekend was good. i went to a few parties, did a little shopping, some sleeping, same old same old. on saturday night i was the designated driver - it was weird not to be partying along with my friends but i really didn't mind it at all. and i learned a few things about myself: a) as a sober person, i don't have too much patience for drunkies, or rather, i notice the silly/stupid things they say and do and b) i didn't have that sad, weekend is over, withdrawal feeling that i usually have on sundays. very interesting. monday was still a jolt but not so bad.

exercise this weekend was good. on saturday i went for a 40-minute swim, and sunday a three mile walk on the treadmill, playing with the incline. three miles is the perfect amount for treadmill walking. it takes quite a while (anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour, depending on speed), it feels like a workout, but it's not boring. i love reading books and magazines while walking on the treadmill.

on sunday i traded in my telus nokia phone (clunker) for a blackberry pearl. ooh la la. my boyfriend is with bell and his contract was up so we went to the bell store. he got a blackberry and then the sales guy offered me a deal i just couldn't refuse. way cheaper than my telus plan, and they are paying for me to cancel out of my telus contract. did you know you can use any song as your blackberry ringtone? at first i had "this boy" by franz ferdinand, but it's loud at the beginning and i was scared every time my phone rang, so i switched it to "will you still love me tomorrow?" by the shirelles. i love oldies and this one is so pleasant.

this morning i put on my bathing suit for a swim and then changed my mind at the last minute because i was really pushing the clock. perhaps i will go tonight, or maybe another walk on the treadmill. or the elliptical. oh, the possibilities are endless. i had a luna sunrise bar for breakfast - the strawberry crumble flavour. it was delicious, very sweet though, and contained a good amount of protein and fibre. i bought it in the united states a few weeks ago and maybe i should have gotten more. has anyone seen these in canada?

sunny day

today is bright and sunny and i'm loving it. it's still frigid BUT if you notice on the side of my page, on the exercise sidebar, that the end of this week is no longer february. it's MARCH - yippee! february was pretty quick and painless. i love spring and summer. i used to like autumn the best but not anymore... more on that another time.

today is also my sister's 23rd birthday. isn't that nice? oh, to be young and carefree and jubilant again. actually i am still young and jubilant, so there. i bought her some books yesterday at chapters, and i also picked up this awesome gaiam wisdom aluminum water bottle. all of the gaiam products were 20% off. i still have some of those deadly nalgenes and i have been using them much less but it's time to cut them out completely. and the new bottle is fun to drink out of. and blue... like the ocean.

last night i went for a nice 40-minute swim. at the end of it i was feeling a little shaky. i am getting over a cold so that's probably why. i feel fine today. anyway, i was feeling a bit shaky so i decided to sit in the steam room after my swim. i really prefer saunas to steam rooms but there isn't a sauna in my building... woe is me. i like being in the hot steam because it feels like i've just stepped off a plane and into a tropical jungle. the heat is overpowering and it feels good to just sit there and surrender to it. the only thing that really bothers me about steam rooms is the giant water drops that fall off the ceiling and hit you everywhere. giant steam drops = ick.

i had an amazing sleep last night - eight hours and ten minutes, including two ten minute snoozes. i love sleeping but always put it off. being awake isn't so great. i should repeat that mantra every evening.

i was going to work out this morning, but decided not to because my bum muscles are aching from yesterday's "yoga for runners" session. i will wait until after work when i'm more loosey goosey and then hit the gym. i downloaded three new 20-25 minute free yoga sessions from yogadownload.com and i am excited to try them. i am not against paying for longer classes, but i don't want to bite off more than i can chew. right now i don't want to do yoga for longer than 25 minutes at a time.

today for lunch i have a tuna sandwich. i really like eating tuna, but i don't like eating the whole can at one time unless i am just dumping it on a salad. so i have to eat it two days in a row. yesterday i had a tuna and hummus wrap and today, finishing the can, a tuna sandwich. a whole can of tuna in one sandwich is overboard. instead of mixing my tuna with mayo, i used non-fat greek yogurt and it worked just as well with health benefits too. i wrote to stoneyfield farms and asked them to please start selling their organic oikos non-fat greek yogurts in canada, and they said they would pass on the message to their sales team. i like the fage brand too but have actually seen the stoneyfield brand in canada so i figure it's a better shot. i also have a cup of healthy valley lentil soup. yum yum.

shshshshopping

last night i went to homesense to do a little shopping. i am going to a girlfriend's birthday dinner tonight and don't want to show up empty handed. everyone always says "no gifts, no gifts" when no one is going to refuse (and not love) a little something. i like homesense because it is the same company as winners. i can go in, find the perfect gift, and not be distracted by the clothes!

i ended up buying more for myself than for my friend... of course. i absolutely LOVE flavoured coffees and i found two amazing ones from a company called "pie in the sky" and distributed by figueroa brothers, inc. although i can't find anything about the coffee on the website. the coffee flavours i got... are you ready for this?... coconut creme pie and boston creme pie. mmmmmmm. of course i haven't tried them yet but am confident they will be sinlessly delicious.

i also bought two bottle koozies. what is a koozie? yeah... that was my question too. it's a little zip up jacket for your bottle. i bought them with the intention of using them for alcoholic drinks. for example, if a person wanted to enjoy a pomtini on toronto island without arising suspicion. but then it occurred to me that they are probably for water bottles. one is bright orange with white polka dots and the other is bright green with white polka dots. each one has a cute little mitten zipper tag. i'm assuming they are being marketed towards women, which is why i never thought they were for beer. but they could be for beer. if you like beer. in a bottle. like a corona... alright i feel better now. they were on super discount for $0.70 each. in these hard economic times i can justify this goofy purchase.

i bought my friend a pretty amazing present, if i do say so myself. it is a Liquid Solutions Tea-zer Tea Brewing Tumbler with Infuser Basket in blue. basically a loose leaf tea thermos. what a great idea not to mention adorable. not everyone likes coffee (did i just say that?) but most people like tea. AND loose leaf teas are becoming more of a mainstream rage. or maybe, when you get to a certain age more people can afford and drink loose leaf teas.

afterward, i went to loblaws to pick up some fresh fruits and veggies. i love loblaws AND their organic section is pretty similar to whole foods market. last night i spotted almost everything i buy at whole foods for cheaper prices. i bought grapefruits, blood oranges, bananas, and this. i know it's overpriced for oats but i have to try it! review to come later.

i didn't do any yoga last night but i did do some this morning. i tried the 20-minute lunar flow. i loved the spine twists but some of the weird backward bending moves made my lower back ache and i'm sure i'll be in yoga pain tomorrow. i am heading down for a swim around noon, and tonight am walking a) to my boyfriend's apartment 2.5 miles away and b) to the restaurant, maybe another mile or so.

this week: the plan

i need a plan this week. i am going out for dinner on wednesday to the college street bar for a friend's birthday, and on friday my boyfriend and i are skipping town for a romantic valentine's weekend minibreak to niagara falls. i need a plan.

goals: i want to get in 4 cardio sessions, 2 yoga/pilates videos, lose some stomach bloat, and of course, grab the bull by the balls (as usual).

here is today's meal plan so far:

carnation strawberry instant breakfast (3)
1 cup skim milk (2)

second cup breakfast cookie (4)

homemade salad with spinach, lettuce, carrot shreds, baby tomatoes, 1 TBSP toasted almonds (1), and 3 TBSP newman's own low-fat balsamic viniagrette dressing (1)

pc blue menu spinach and cheese cannelloni microwave dinner (4)

maybe some fish for dinner? yet to be determined.

exercise plan!
monday: 3-5 miles walking on treadmill (later)
tuesday: 40 minute morning swim, 20 minute evening yoga download
wednesday: 40 minute morning swim
thursday: 40 minute morning swim OR 3-5 treadmill walk, 20 minute evening yoga download
friday: not sure yet
saturday & sunday: i think i'll bring my zune to get in some yoga workouts. i love the stretch and am really trying hard to increase my flexibility.

in other news, this weekend i bought a new coat. it is from canadian spirit and is a dream come true. i am just so sick of being cold in my fashion wool coats. wool does not cut it for canadian winters. this one has: "detachable hood with removable faux fur trim, irregular box quilting, invisible zippered pockets, double welt front zipper closure, extended inner fleece cuffs." and it's black.

moving on, moving up

high tea yesterday was a lot of fun. you choose from a selection of interesting loose leaf teas, and they keep refilling your pot with hot water. and the food! you start with strawberries and a crumpet with honey, then enjoy a selection of sandwiches, and THEN a giant tiered tray full of delicious treats like scones, mince meat pies, and desserts. everything is decadent but very little. i took home a few items... although when i got home they were all smushed in the carton so i just threw them out.

when i got home i was on a serious mission, and worked on job applications. there are some great opportunities out there right now. hopefully i will get some interviews and then jobs and then live a long and prosperous life.

my pants DID arrive yesterday, but not until nearly 7pm. UPS! when i first pulled them out of the bag i thought they were really short, but they are fine. i got a 31" inseam, which is perfect to wear with casual flat shoes, but not with heels. normally i wear skinny jeans, but these are bootcut. i'm trying to mix it up. SO... the pants fit, sort of. they do fit but they are a little snug in the waist. i refuse to wear anything that is remotely uncomfortable so i am putting them on hold for a few days. i suspected that i had gained a bit of weight and now i know it's true. i gain weight in my stomach first, so it makes sense that these jeans are only a bit tight there. i actually almost wore them today, but chose not to for several reasons: 1) i am wearing a white turtleneck sweater and thought maybe i should wash the dark jeans before wearing them with light colours, just in case the dark jean colour rubs off. 2) they are quite low in the rise, and give me a bit of a muffin top (shudder).

i'm sure my gain isn't much. five pounds max, if that, so i am just going to loosely count points, keep up the exercise, and lay off the salty snacking and the wine. not that i drink that much... but tonight is date night.

this morning i went for a nice 40 minute swim. i didn't want to get into that chilly pool but after a few laps it was fine. happy humpday. boy do i hate that term!

tight pants

my pants are tight today. uh oh. not good! but i'm not sure if it's because i've gain(ed)(ing) weight or because of other reasons. the other reasons could be:

a) post weekend - always a bit more bloaty due to excess alcohol and salt.

b) freshly washed jeans - and dried the whole way in the dryer.

c) last night i tried on a sweater and it looked tight and puny. but i haven't worn it in a while and i washed it and maybe dried it for too long and it could have shrunk.

excuses, excuses! i will see how i feel tomorrow. AND i bought a pair of silver jeans online after shannon mentioned the big sale in her blog, and they are the size of jean that i strive to wear and that generally fit me when i'm in my maintenance range. so they should be here today or tomorrow or this week (better be...) sometime so trying them on will be a very good non-scale indication.

in other news, last week i killed the exercise. i met my four x cardio goals and two x pilates video goals. AND i did one more cardio workout than planned. yarrrrrr. this week is going to be equally as magical for me.

for some reason i am experiencing some bum pain today. i've done a little more online research and i think the following describes it best:


Pseudo-Sciatica - Gluteus minimus

The smallest and deepest of the gluteal muscles, lying beneath the gluteal medius, its fibres run from the pelvis to the hip. Like the overlying gluteus medius it has a split role in life; the anterior fibres medially rotate the thigh whilst the posterior fibres assist lateral rotation, all fibres contribute to abduction of the thigh. It also helps to stabilise the pelvis during ambulation.

Symptoms

Hip pain that may cause a limp during walking. Lying on the affected side may be too painful and result in disturbed sleep. Pain on rising from sitting and standing up straight. The pain in the hip area can be severe and constant with no let up either lying down or walking. As this muscle lies close to the Piriformis, the pain patterns are similar. Like the Piriformis it can cause SI joint dysfunction. But whereas the Piriformis pain pattern can extend down to the knee, the minimus pattern includes the calf and the thigh. Low back pain in the sacral and sacroiliac regions is most likely be due to problems in the gluteus medius. Pain referred from trigger points in the gluteus medius is less likely to involve the thigh; gluteus maximus trigger points restricts flexion at the hip whilst Piriformis trigger points restricts medial rotation.

Activation

Trigger points may be activated by too much, too soon. For example, walking too far or too fast, especially over rough ground; overuse in running and sports such as tennis. Even painful blisters can alter the gait pattern sufficiently, or simply running awkwardly due to another injury.

Holding the foot constantly over the accelerator pedal during a long car drive results in hip muscle imobilization, resulting in activation of trigger points in this muscle. Likewise, prolonged standing will have the same effect. SI joint dysfunction will perpetuate the trigger points.

Sitting on a wallet placed in a back pocket can cause impingement on this muscle and therefore produce referred pain in a sciatic-like distribution pattern.

i'm sticking to not running until the spring although it's taking a lot of determination... hopefully this goes away and i can go back to my normal activities.

wrap it up

i am addicted to making wraps with the "flat out" brand of tortilla wraps that i bought in the united states a couple of months ago. i bought four packs and froze them, and now i am into them with a vengeance. for breakfast i make egg and cheese wraps, and for lunch, tuna and hummus wraps. today's lunch wrap also included onion and zucchini that i sauteed this morning. each wrap is only 90-100 calories and 9g fiber, which is only 1 weight watchers point. amazing! it's nice to get the taste of bread without going crazy on the carbs.

last night after work i headed right downstairs to the condo gym. i did 30 minutes on the elliptical and then some sit-ups and bootylicious exercises. i wore my HRM and overall my calorie burn was over 300, and my heart rate stayed in the upper 150s and 160s during my cardio. that is a high heart rate! last spring when i was running 5-6 miles, my HR would stay about about 140. am i grossly out of shape? i know swimming cardio is different than sweaty running/elliptical cardio, but still.

on the elliptical i played this game with myself to pass the time. 2 minutes using arms, and then 2 minutes without arms, or "running" on the spot. both are very effective. i can really feel the burn in my arm muscles when i'm using the arm ski poles (or whatever they are), and it's much harder on the legs to not have any arm help. i had so much energy it was hard to get to sleep last night!

today i have more big exercise plans. either swimming or using the elliptical again. i want to get it done before watching the biggest loser. i'm going to watch it tonight (instead of taping) and do some trinket organization. desk drawers, makeup cases, jewelry boxes. a major purge is needed. yesterday i bought some cheap makeup on ELF so i need to make room. aren't you supposed to throw out makeup that is 6-months old? i still have eyeshadows from HIGH SCHOOL. yes, that's ten or more years people. scary thought.

when days are hot, when days are cold

do you want to know what really gets my goat? (i don't really have a goat by the way) what gets my goat, is finding the perfect product online, at a reasonable cost, with reasonable shipping fees, only to find out at the very end of the transaction that they don't ship to canada. WHY NOT?!?!?! it's evil. we are part of the same continent as the US. and now that i'm on this subject, why OH WHY does it cost SO MUCH to ship american magazines to canadian addresses? a ridiculous amount more. i'd be willing to pay more for postage, but this goes way beyond postage. not fair not fair not fair.

the product i wanted from the united states was the iposture. this is definitely a "want" not a "need" item. i can imagine the poorest people in africa slapping me in the face for even considering this gadget. it's a little buzzing device that you attach to your skin or bra, and when you slouch for more than a minute, it buzzes until you correct yourself. eventually it's supposed to train you to sit and stand up more straight. i want this because i'm so slouchy. sometimes sitting up straight can be painful. i see those little old hunchback ladies walking down the street, bent over their canes, and i'll be damned if that is going to be me one day. note to self: keep eating dairy! i was practicing the keyboard a couple of days ago, sitting on one of my cheap kitchen table chairs from ikea with a straight back. after five minutes my back was killing me, but i had to maintain a straight posture to play. how many slouchy pianists have you seen? anyhoo, my shipping rejection happened a few weeks ago but it got me thinking. there was a fabulous sale on the device too. boxing week 50% off or something. i wouldn't pay full price!

this morning i got up early for a 40-minute morning swim. i didn't want to (of course) but as soon as i got into the pool all was cool. the water was chilly which is best because a) it wakes you up and b) you are constantly refreshed while working out. here is my standard 40-minute swimming workout. each "length" is about 15 metres - that is going from one side of the pool to the other.

40 lengths front crawl
20 lengths breast stroke
10 lengths front crawl
10 lengths breast stroke
20 lengths of 1 breast stroke, 1 front crawl

and then at the end i do 20 lengths of "cool down" which is five times of this:
1 length breast stroke, 1 length sprint front crawl (as fast as possible... like phelps), 1 length relaxed front crawl, and 1 length back crawl.

i find that if i don't count my lengths it's very confusing. i can't just swim for 40 minutes without a plan because it's so disorganized and unstructured. swimmer's ocd!

baloney man

last night i went to costco to pick up a few things. a big container of woolite which i haven't been able to find in regular stores lately, a combo pack of larabars, a big box of 100-calorie packs of ritz and cheese nibs, and a box of 12 individual microwave packs of edamame.

i wanted to try the woolite because my clothes are constantly fading and it's driving me crazy. and i kept seeing those television ads with stacy from what not to wear. marketing works on me obviously.

normally i am against 100-cal packs because usually they are grossly overpriced and have no nutrition value whatsoever, but the ritz and cheese nibs called to me. so salty and delicious and sometimes cheesy. how many people do you know that can stop at the suggested serving size of delicious salty ritz? how many crackers is that anyway? three? not enough.

the edamame is such a great idea and very useful. i can bring these packs to work and not worry about having to pre-cook them at home. the only bizarre (and annoying) thing is that each "bowl" is 1.5 servings, and the nutritional information on the box is for 1 serving. outrageous! it's irritating when companies do this. are they just not thinking, or are they trying to make their products seem healthier than they are? like those breakfast cookies at second cup - two servings per cookie. no one eats 1/2 a cookie. also outrageous!

in other news, i recently stumbled across this new funny blog the grandly spectacular and fantastically phenomenal fad diet experiment. this guy is going to spend the next 18 weeks trying 14 different fad diets for one week at a time, with a day off between each diet. it kind of annoys me that he's listed weight watchers as a "fad," but other than that it's very amusing to me and i'm pretty interested to see what happens to him. i'm not too concerned about the danger of this experiment - he's a grown man and can do what he wants!

and finally, this morning i tried the yoga booty ballet series dvd that i took out from the library. this dvd had two discs: goddess booty (25 minutes) and yoga core (30 minutes). the goddess booty workout was tough! my bum was really aching and i had to stop several times. does anyone have an extra pillow for me to sit on? at the beginning of this workout i was not into it, but by the end i came around. the yoga core workout wasn't really for me. i'd say these moves would be very difficult, if not impossible for beginners, and i've had much better core workouts from windsor pilates, and from the carmen electra fit to strip dvd. a few times during this video i felt dizzy and lightheaded... not good. the women in the video are alright, although they are VERY into the meditation-we-are-all-one-with-the-universe mumbo jumbo. sometimes i like it and sometimes it seems like a baloney sandwich.

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. :)

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

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