The Benefits of Losing Almost 30 Pounds

Posted on September 5, 2012 by Mama Cormier

…..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

Posted on September 4, 2012 by Mama Cormier

…. 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!

Three Days of Summer Left

Posted on August 31, 2012 by Mama Cormier

…. and I’m already starting to feel the stress of returning to work

I’ve been at school for 4 out of 5 days this week, anywhere from a couple of hours to 6 hours, trying to remove or organize my belongings in one room and find a place for these belongings in my new room (the library office to be exact). Today I found out that the superintendent is coming to the school to observe our opening day. Even though the library won’t be used the first day I felt the pressure to tidy it up in case she decided to visit my space.

I haven’t been getting enough sleep this week. I’m slipping back into my old pattern of staying up late and getting up early. I know this plays havoc with my weight and with the added stress I’m looking at double jeopardy.

When K and I woke up this morning neither of us had the energy to drive to the cottage. We decided to leave tomorrow morning. I wish I was there now. I would already be in bed getting at least 8 to 10 hours of sleep.

The beach is calling me.

The heat was oppressive today. I put off my bike ride because it was just too hot. Our house is not air conditioned and sleeping in this weather is difficult. Thank goodness that I got out for one of our long walks this morning.

I feel like I’m coming off a ‘high’ after celebrating my birthday and visiting with old friends two days later. What a difference a couple of days can make. I seem to be in a daze and can’t make the simplest of decisions. This post makes me sound like I’m depressed. I probably am.

I started to write about other things that are weighing heavily on my mind right now but I’ve deleted most of it. It’s just too much of a downer. I know that all these feelings will pass in a day or so or after a good night’s sleep. No point in making my readers feel bad. I’m not looking for sympathy.

Things that were positive today:

I bought a brand new pair of sandals that were on sale and I had an additional $15.00 off coupon to use.

I bought 2 new flowering plants to brighten up my garden

I discovered that the cabbage that I thought had bolted is actually a brussels sprout plant and is still producing little brussels sprouts.

The main part of my library is tidy and ready for visitors.

I had a good food day today and am back on track with my eating.

I’m getting to bed before midnight so that I can enjoy my trip to the cottage tomorrow.

On that note I’m bidding you all a good night. Sleep well!

Surprises – Part 2

Posted on August 31, 2012 by Mama Cormier

….. the best was yet to come

Walking into the restaurant amid cheers and clapping and flashing cameras.

As we were driving to the restaurant I knew that K had planned something; I just wasn’t sure of the size and magnitude of the event. I didn’t want to think about it for fear of being disappointed.

I wasn’t disappointed. As we approached the restaurant I could see some of my best friends sitting by the front window. When we walked in the welcome I received was heart warming and I had a hard time containing my emotions. Everyone asked me if I was surprised. I was on two counts.

First I was surprised that K and my girls had pulled it off and secondly I was surprised and delighted by the diversity of the people in attendance. My immediate family was there and my best friends, our oldest friends from Calgary, my sister from Chatham and her family, some of my colleagues/friends from work and some of my neighbours.

K socializing with the guests.

The chef, Amato and the owner, Tony came to greet us and dinner started. It was like an Italian wedding. The menu looked something like this:

Carol’s Special Birthday Dinner

Pizza

Salad

Pasta – Rigatoni with a red sauce

Tortelini with a white sauce

Calamari

Chicken with a Citrus glaze

Veal with Mushrooms

Rapini, Yellow Squash, Red Peppers

Oven Roasted Potatoes

Chef Amato welcoming me to my party.

As you can see from the menu, there was a lot of food. K asked them to cut back on the portion sizes but that fell on deaf ears. I had to leave food on my plate. It was delicious but too much.

Both K and I walked around in between courses to talk to all the guests. Everyone seemed to have a good time.

And just when you thought there couldn’t be any more food, they brought out the dessert. It was the biggest tiramisu I’ve ever seen and it was aglow with candles.

Thank goodness your 60th birthday happens only once in your lifetime. All the leftover food went straight to school the next day to be shared by the staff. I’m back on track with my eating and thank goodness I only put on 1 pound. I’ll be down again by the end of the weekend.

Cheers!

Back to Running

Posted on August 22, 2012 by Mama Cormier

….. I love this poster. I’ll think about it every time I run laps.

Today I went running with my husband, K and our dog Frances. I did 6 laps of the rugby pitch and of those 6, I ran 5. K lapped me once but I’m proud of the fact that I did 2 laps without stopping and after that I walked about 50 m and then ran 1 full lap before walking again. Each lap is roughly 500 m.

It felt good to get out and run again. I hadn’t done it for about a week. I was thinking about how slowly I run as I was doing my laps but this poster has put a new perspective on it for me.

When we got home I got out into the garden and cut the grass in the front and back and then trimmed the edges and cut back the shrubs. I still have to cut the hedge. Maybe I’ll get a start on that after dinner.

The other thing that I started again today was drinking more water. I find that it really does help with my weight loss. Dinner tonight is a vegetarian dish, homemade chickpea curry. Yum!

I have 1 week to get to my goal of losing 30 pounds before my birthday. I need your positive energy sent across air waves. Wish me luck!

Cheers

My vegetarian chickpea curry with a dollop of fat free Greek yogurt. If there’s enough interest I’ll post the recipe.

Down 1/2 More but I’ve a Long Way to Go

Posted on August 21, 2012 by Mama Cormier

…. stepped on the scale with my eyes shut this morning.

After 3 days at the cottage, with stops at Tim Horton’s for breakfast both ways, a birthday celebration, a spaghetti meal (my first in 4 months) and pancakes for breakfast not once but twice, I was terrified to see the number on the scale this morning. I literally had my hands over my eyes as I stepped onto the scale and then I carefully spread my fingers apart to face the music.

I was so surprised by the number that I got off the scale, reset it, and got on it again. It showed the same number. I am down another 1/2 pound. I was certain that I was going to see an increase.

I have a long way to go with my weight loss journey. That became abundantly clear when I saw pictures of myself in a bathing suit this weekend. Not a pretty sight! I was becoming complacent about how I looked because I felt good in my clothes. My old clothes were fitting much looser and new clothes that I purchased were smaller sizes. I can say that I am almost out of plus sizes (depending on the cut and the manufacturer).

I am more determined than ever to continue losing weight. I want to be able to say that I’m down 30 pounds before returning to school. My good friend L, asked me how I was going to continue losing weight once I started work again. One thing I want to do is help out with the cross country team again but this time I want to run with the kids and not just be in charge of the paperwork.

I know it will be a challenge. The stress of starting a new job, the labour unrest in the province with teachers and the constant temptation of snacks in the staffroom will haunt me. I’m not really worried about the food. Saying no to the snacks is the least of my worries.

When we went to Niagara Falls last week we packed a lunch, with lots of fruit and vegetables to snack on and water to drink. I just have to pack a picnic everyday when I go to school.

I would never have sat on this chair 27 1/2 pounds ago.

Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way!

Posted on August 15, 2012 by Mama Cormier

….lesson learned by watching a squirrel

I’ve learned a lot on my weight loss journey and I continue to learn. The difference on this journey is two fold. First there’s a ‘will’ or stick-to-itiveness that I’ve never experienced before and secondly I’m baring my soul and putting myself out there on this blog. I think the second reason is why I’m experiencing the will power to follow through.

Today in the garden we were watching a very creative squirrel trying to retrieve food from the bird feeder. This little guy was determined to find a way to get at that bird seed. He eventually found a way and met his goal. Like the squirrel, I’m determined to meet my goal and despite some trials and tribulations I will get there.

All the following photos were taken by my cousin, PW, with his Canon Power Shot SX40.

Getting a Workout at a Baseball Game

Posted on August 14, 2012 by Mama Cormier

…. or how not to gain weight at a sedentary event

At the Rogers Centre in Toronto for the Blue Jays vs the Chicago White Sox game. Monday, August 13, 2012

Let’s face it, watching baseball is a very sedate activity. So how does one go about getting a workout at a game? Here are a few suggestions:

1. Park the car far enough away so that you have to walk at least 1.77 km to and from the stadium. You’ll also save money using street parking; $4.25 vs $10.00 in a lot.

2. Buy tickets for the upper deck so that you have to climb to the 5th level up the ramps and descend using the stairs. You’ll use 2 different sets of muscles and give your heart a good workout. Again you’ll save at least $30.00 per ticket by sitting in the “nose bleed” section.

3. Stand up and cheer every time the “Let’s make some noise!” sign appears on the jumbo screen. Just hang on to the rail so that you don’t fall over into the crowd below.

4. Eat a healthy dinner before you go so that you’re not tempted to buy the $8.00 hotdog and $10.00 beer. Again you’ll save yourself some money.

5. Throw caution to the wind and get up and dance when your team wins the game in overtime.

Did it help me with my weight loss journey?

Yup, I’m down another 1/2 pound for a total of 27 pounds.

Did I miss the beer, Cracker Jacks and hotdogs? Not one little bit.

My cousin P, his girlfriend M and me at the game. While we posed for this picture we missed a home run.

My Weight is Down Again

Posted on August 13, 2012 by Mama Cormier

….. an then up but still down more than up

Yesterday was a good activity day but also a lot of time was spent sitting in the car and at my Dad’s.

I’m not sharing my total loss from yesterday morning because it was up slightly again today, despite a walk/run in the morning and a very long walk (5 km) in the evening. The problem was that I spent at least 3 hours driving to and from my father’s house in Oshawa. Once there we were ushered immediately to the dining room for lunch and then 2 hours later to a picnic BBQ at the German club.

I think that I made the best possible choices that were available to me but I think that my nemesis, salt, played havoc with my weight again. If my weight is down again tomorrow I will share by how much. No hotdogs for me tonight at the ballpark. I will eat dinner before I leave. Salad and salmon. Yum!

On our walk yesterday I took some pictures of one of my favourite wild flowers, Queen Anne’s Lace.

Enjoy!

Feels Like a Cottage Morning

Posted on August 11, 2012 by Mama Cormier

…even though I’m still in the city

I woke up early this morning to the sound of rain hitting the pavement. After all the heat and drought we’ve experienced this summer the rain is welcome relief. It’s one of those mornings where you want to stay in bed, read and write and contemplate life.

But alas I have company here and I need to get up and start the coffee and make breakfast.

My cousin and his girlfriend arrived last night after being on a bus for over 50 hours. It was our first encounter. What a lovely couple! We enjoyed a simple supper together here at the house and to our surprise they stayed up till midnight and shared stories of their adventures here in Canada. They’ve been here since last October but mostly out West.

I was hoping to get out for a run today with Frances. Even though it’s still raining I might brave it anyway. K left for the cottage early this morning (5:30) so that he could build the staircase. He’s usually my motivation for getting out to run.

My weight loss journey has slowed down considerably but I am down another 11/2 pounds for a total of 26 1/2 pounds. I’m not discouraged but I do feel that I have to re-exam my food intake. I love cheese and I think that’s my biggest downfall. Even though it’s acceptable on a low GI diet I think adding the gluten free crackers slows my metabolism and interferes with how fast I lose weight.

Obviously I’m burning more calories than I’m eating and that’s the main thing. I keep moving forward in a positive direction and there’s no looking back.

As I lie here and ‘contemplate life’ I feel that this weight loss journey is different from any I’ve ever been on and I’ve been on many. The difference this time is that I’m not thinking about when this diet will be over. I’m developing habits that will last me a lifetime and I honestly don’t feel deprived. I’m not thinking about going back to my old ways and looking forward to my next piece of cake.

Unlike this little chipmunk from the cottage I’m not constantly thinking about my next meal and scavenging for food 24/7.