Monthly Archives: September 2012

The Benefits of Losing Almost 30 Pounds

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…..looking better is only one small part of it

Today I ran with the kids who came out for cross country. I love running with them. Most of them are faster than me but when I do pass some of them they miraculously find the energy to pass me. Many of them sent me encouraging words along the route and I think many of the parents were surprised to see me out there running with their children.

After school I went to yoga class. It was my first time back since May. Why was it so much easier today? It turns out that a lot of the moves are much easier to do when your belly fat doesn’t get in the way. My balance had improved and I could actually do the archer pose, hug my legs and do the tree pose without falling over. Maybe I’ll go back to Bikram hot yoga and try it again. Many of the moves in this hot yoga are next to impossible to do when you weigh as much as I did.

It’s been a great day! Here are the benefits of losing almost 30 pounds:

1. I can run without feeling like a bowl of jello.

2. I can complete 3 k without looking like I’m about to die.

3. My stomach and thighs don’t get in the way of basic yoga moves.

4. My thighs don’t rub together when I run.

5. My wedding rings are looser.

6. I have less joint pain.

7. I sleep better.

8. I look better in my clothes.

9. I don’t have to buy plus size clothes.

10. I have more confidence and don’t worry about how other people see me.

There are a few more that are too personal to share.

Today’s activities have strengthened my resolve to continue on this weight loss journey. I’m excited about the positive benefits yet to come.

Cheers!

 

A New Week, A New Start

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…. I must confess that after my birthday I let things slide

I was so close. Probably only 1/2 pound off of my 30 pound goal. Now I’m 3 1/2 pounds away.

It’s amazing how quickly I put weight back on. A glass of wine here, a serving of pasta, a couple of slices of bread and a few pieces of dark chocolate and the spiral begins. This wasn’t all in one day but over the course of the week I wasn’t as diligent about what and how much I put into my body. I haven’t been getting as much exercise either.

All this changes now. Calorie wise my day wasn’t bad but some of my food choices involved foods that I have avoided for most of the summer. Food combinations is critical for me. Years ago I remember thinking that this theory was ridiculous until I tried it. It worked.

Tomorrow morning, cross country running starts at school. I’ve already made a commitment to run everyday with the kids. I’m actually looking forward to it.

Now that I’m back to work I need to plan out our meals for the week. Coming home tonight without a plan could have been disastrous but I pulled together a meal of oven baked salmon, braised onions, celery and portabello mushrooms with a small side of whole wheat pasta in a pesto sauce. I probably could have done without the pesto but I did limit myself to a small portion.

One of my ‘red light’ foods has always been pasta. I love it but I can never seem to get enough of it once I start. Tonight I packed the leftovers away immediately after finishing the food on my plate. It will be a long time before I allow myself pasta again. It is definitely one of those foods that I can only allow myself once in blue moon.

The last time I reached this weight I became complacent about continuing on my weight loss journey. I felt good, people complimented me on my appearance and my clothes fit well. I can’t let this happen again. I want to fit into smaller clothes, continue to feel well and stay as active as possible as I get older. This won’t happen if the weight goes back on.

The best part of being back at school today was interacting with all the kids. None of them said anything about how I looked but I could tell that they all noticed that something was different about about Mrs. C..

Until next time, cheers!

Abandoned Beach Chairs

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…. signs that summer is almost over

Late Sunday morning as I wandered down to the beach with Frances I was taken aback by the isolation. It was after all the Sunday of the the last long weekend in the summer. It was the Labour Day Weekend.

I expected people to be lapping up the last rays of summer, playing with their summer toys, using up the gas in their motor boat or sea-do, going out for one last sail. The conditions were perfect. Where was everyone?

The only signs that human beings used the beach were the unused beach chairs. Some looked like they were waiting to be used momentarily, neatly lined up, facing the water or arranged in a circle for imminent conversation.

Others were already folded and stacked, ready to be put away until next summer. While some looked as though they hadn’t been used in a very long time as beach grasses reached up through the slats and around the legs. Peeling paint and blistering wood scar the surfaces, resulting from years of exposure to the blazing sun, the drifting sands blown about by the off shore winds, to say nothing of the rain and snow.

Is this the end of summer? For many it is, as they head back to school, back to their 9 to 5 jobs. For others it is the best time of summer, the shoulder of summer. For those lucky few I envy you, for you have some of the best days yet to come. Get out there and use those chairs. They await you.

Albino Praying Mantis

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….or a really cool bug waiting to be photographed

Today on the way home from the cottage we stopped at the closest restaurant, which happened to be in Lafontaine. We decided to enjoy our eggs and coffee on the picnic table outside this quaint little restaurant where all the farmers and locals like to gather and catch up with the day’s news.

We sat outside mostly because we had Frances with us and we didn’t want her waiting in the car. It was already proving to be a very warm day. While enjoying my omelet my husband noticed a very unusual insect close to my feet. Never wanting to miss a photographic moment I pulled my camera from my bag, set it for macro zoom and carefully positioned the lens to get the following pictures.

After I showed our waitress my pictures a small group from the restaurant emerged and a discussion ensued as to what kind of insect it actually was. Some said it looked exactly like the bugs they’ve seen on their tomato plants but they were green and others were pretty sure that it was a praying mantis.

Does anyone out there know precisely what this is? I’d like to know.

Cheers!