bonjour

i should feel really tired today, but i don't. last night was wednesday date night and by wednesday date night i mean my bf and i just hang out, either at my place or his place, depending on who is lazier and does not want to travel. he has a lot going on this week so i went to his apartment, but i was feeling pretty lazy myself and decided to drive instead of taking the transit.

since i drove i had to move my car off the main street (aka go home) before 7am or risk a ticket and towing. this morning i left at 6:50 and saw the tow truck waiting to attack innocent sleepies so i know they mean business. i've had my car towed before - not a fun time.

the point is, i should be tired and i am not. when i got home i did two 20-minute pilates videos. the first:

windsor pilates ab sculpting!


and the second, windsor pilates bun and thigh scultping!


both videos are rad, because they are only 20 minutes long but quite effective. i tried my best not to stop with ab and bum exhaustion during the sets but it was hard. and 20 minutes is just long enough to feel some major burn, but not too long where it becomes boring.

my only problem with these pilates videos is my horrible lack of flexibility. i cannot lay on my back and put my legs straight up in the air at a 90 degree angle. it is not happening. likewise, i can hardly sit up straight with my legs straight in front of me. when sitting in that position, i definitely can't reach toward my toes! maybe 1-5 cms! the women on the screen are reaching their toes, chest resting on their thighs. ha! not in my lifetime. i know this is due to my very poor hamstring flexibility. maybe if i keep doing the videos i will improve. i should do a yoga video for this.

in other news, i am wearing the pants today. they are actually incredibly comfortable when i am sitting down. when i stand up they are a little tight in the waist. i say waist but they are so low cut i mean hips, and since they are around my hipbones and not waist, it's just a bit annoying not painful. they are already stretching and feeling better. and they fit so well everywhere else. AND the jean material feels like a dream. like buttery jean velvet. with stretch. i can't stop touching them.

today i am working in the burbs. i am going shopping afterwards. i have a giftcard to la senza from christmas and am in desperate need of undergarments. i might do some biking in the condo gym (because i can read while i do it) but i'll probably just crash instead.

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.