Damage Control... Before This Gets Worse, I'd Better Do Something...

I have always had good intentions when it comes to working out. However, you know how good intentions work... throw in my life and nothing that is completely and only about me gets done. However, this week it is pretty bad. I had a dance rehearsal Tuesday night for A Little Night Music wherein we waltzed for about 45 minutes of the hour and a half (maybe a bit more, hard to tell), this was followed by set painting the next morning for about 3 and a half hours at Walterdale and on Thursday morning I was walking like a 90 year old. My right knee was killing me and my lower back was not happy. I took Thursday off and tried to rest through the ache, but then I painted again on Friday and that afternoon was not good. I know that I have to make the time for me to get in better shape. I am not going to run marathons, I do not even care what size I wear, it's the aches and pains that I cannot deal with. This week must start with me as priority. That is my intention... let's hope I follow through.

Kids are Back in School and it is Quiet...

The kids went back to school on Wednesday. The first day was pretty busy as I had some running around to do during the day with Mark's court thing and getting photocopies made for the callbacks for Much Ado. Thursday was also a write off because I was so tired from being out so late after the call backs for the deliberations. I slept quite late on Thursday after making the lunches and packing the backpacks. Today I finally 'used' my day without kids home. I did a little organizing and finally cleaned my kitchen floor. It has needed a good wash for a couple of weeks and other than sweeping and spot cleaning, I haven't had time to really clean it. Of course, that meant that Gibson would spill a full glass on it at supper time, but it was only water so that was lucky. I found a variety of fruit that needed to be thrown out and did so. I also did some running around errands in the morning. It was a good start to the school year.

I am anxious to see how my time is going to suss out this year. I have Child Check one day a week and my Theatre History class 3 days a week and I plan to do some work at the theatre in the daytime (especially painting). Mark is talking about me working at the store, but I am not sure how that would fit in. I still have so much work to get done around the house. I was looking forward to using this time to get things done that we have put off for 2-4 years and if all the time gets filled, I will feel as out of control with my household as I have for the last year. I made some good progress with purging early in the summer and I loved how that felt. I want more of that!

I also want to get in shape - both nutritionally and physically. If I run from thing to thing, that's not going to happen.

Fitness and Food - Focus of the Day

Well, I checked out that FitDay Site that my sister recommended and I quite like it. I had to do some other research online about how many calories I should be eating (my initial impulse to say 1200 was far too low). It is puzzling, because I lack the knowledge about nutrition that I feel would help me do this really well, but I like the inputting on computer and the fact that it will make little graphs and track my calories and fat grams and protein and carbs and all that. It also forced me to look through the pantry for 'better choices'. A turkey burger vs. a beef burger was a great decision, and I can have many, many pickles before it has too much impact on the calories. I am still struggling to figure out what the balance between carbs, fat and protein should be, but this site tracks it all very well for me so if I don't have success, I can print it off and take it to someone who knows better.

I also went on the treadmill again today. I only went for 27 minutes because that was all I could fit in and I was sore from yesterday, but technically I have fulfilled 2/3 of my exercise commitment for the week. If I keep this up I will exceed my goal and that's not a bad thing!

Fitness Begins...

So, I got on the Treadmill today. No excuses, so I did it. It was a good hour with about 45 on the treadmill, and 15 of pushups, crunches and squats. It is a new beginning. Wish me luck on my continued comittment to fitness. I knwo I will never be skinny, but I have to do something now before my physical condition gets worse no matter how much I would rather be doing other things.

I looked back... now to the future...

Already there are some things in the works for this year, but I am going to try to control the shape of my year better. Last year was great, but there was a tumble, tumble to it because each project or commitment rolled into the next and I felt like I had no down time. Even when I had a few days off I felt guilty if I didn't work on things I knew were coming up and I want to avoid that this year. Wish me luck.

My resolutions, if you want to call them that, as as follows:

1. Think carefully about what I commit to. I am avoiding taking much responsibility for the fact that it is my 25th High School Reunion (if we have one). I will help but I will not chair. Hopefully I will be able to attend, but I have some things on the table already for the summer so I can't be responsible for anything else. I also planned the first two. I was Chair for the 10th and heavily involved for the 20th (and the only one of the committee actually living in Fort McMurray so you know how that goes). I want to see everyone, but someone else should step up. With theatre I will also have to watch it. Right now I have a crazy February. My fault. I wasn't paying attention. I am going to be more careful about what I commit to for the rest of the year, including when 'my' show for Walterdale will be in the 2010-2011 season. Another part of this thinking carefully is that I will trust my instincts and say 'no' when the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Despite the allure of the project one of the things I have learned is that there will be no shortage of opportunities for me in the future. I don't have to do them all!

2. Fitness. I should set a concrete goal. But really I have to just start. I have let my personal fitness slide because of the chaos of my life (i.e. no time). I turned to crap food too often because I needed a reward and I had no time for a pedicure or a vacation. Bad. Oh well, I am not going to beat myself up about it, because then I will feel bad and want to eat more. Right now (like this minute) I am trying to detox from all the Christmas crap and I am not buying any more. I am also going to start by getting on the treadmill for a minimum of 1 hour a day for 3 days a week. In March I will increase that to 4 times a week and in April I will go for 5 times a week. That's the plan. I am also going to be attempting to reduce the diet coke intake. Already I have increased my water intake (it's not hard to increase from basically zero). In April I will revisit and see where I am at.

3. Writing. I really want to have more time for writing. I am keeping October open so that I can go to Playworks Ink. I missed it the last 2 years and I loved it the year I went. In my busy life that is what I wish I had more time for so I must make time for it... after February is over...

4. Friendships. I think I am pretty good at these, but I do want to make at least one trip to see Wanda and I wouldn't mind a trip to Toronto to see Annemarie and Tina. I feel like I need to make that time.

That's a good list. I'll let you know how it goes!

Juggling Act

I am currently in the little break between weekends of "Baby". If you haven't seen it, come out. It is a pretty good show and although I am not in much, I think we will give you a fun night out. Only 3 shows left, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Tonight, I am going to the first rehearsal for Cinderella, the Fringe show I am in. If I didn't have that I would have had a rehearsal for the One Act I am Assistant Directing at Walterdale. I may drop by there after the Cinderella rehearsal ends just to see where it is at. I have been away from it for a week and a half because of "Baby" so I am interested in seeing what has happened with it. I am looking forward to when it settles into just one thing.

Anyhow, I did want to say that I got back on the Treadmill today. These shows really screw up my working out because I find myself craving sleep more than working out so I let it lapse. However, a lot of the dressing room talk has brought up fitness and fatness and then i watched Biggest Loser Australia last night and I figured I had to get back on. Even if I can't make it to the YMCA at 9 AM, I can certainly climb on the treadmill at 10 AM. It was tough, but I know it will get better.

Funny Link

A friend of mine posted this link on his Facebook wall - I thought it was very funny. Enjoy (and I hope you get it - please don't tell me if you don't).

http://www.theonion.com/content/opinion/you_know_whats_stupid

Oh, yeah, I am hurting. I can't believe I went to a Step and Core class the day after Manuela's Cardio Kick-Start. I am surprised I can even move. BUT I have to do it because, as my weigh in told me yesterday, I have a lot of work to do.

Fitness is frustrating...

So, this Fall I committed to working out. Oliver is in school full days and it is much easier to leave one child in babysitting plus Gibson is usually pretty easy going about those things. As well, with Oliver in full days I didn't have to worry about being home for the bus and all that. No excuses. So I have been booking Gibson in for babysitting 3X a week and I go to a drop in class at the YMCA. I also try to use the Treadmill at home on my "days off". I feel stronger, however, I am gaining weight! I don't think I am eating more. I have also started a "don't eat after 8:15 p.m." rule which has cut out a lot of extra calories. I have to believe it is muscle because it is annoying! The other annoying thing is that Gibson has started being really fussy about going to babysitting. I know he is doing it to see what he can control, but my "easy" kid is starting to get challenging and I don't need that! Arghhhh!

I can feel my Abs...

...when I stand up from sitting. I went to Cardio Kick-Start again today. Different instructor. I don't always like everything in the class, but maybe I'm not supposed to. I'm moving my muscles, that's what counts.

I'm sore. but that's a good thing...

...it means I worked hard right? I went back today for Step and Core and the boys had a great time at the babysitting. They had a lot of kids so they moved half up to the racquetball court and when I went to get them about half the kids were doing laps around the track. One of mine was leading the pack and the other was bringing up the rear. Gibson was so proud of himself to be doing "extherthise". I was a bit sore this morning but I pushed through it. I like doing the classes because I can't just quit in the middle like I can do at home with a tape. Too embarrassing! I also like that I feel sore because it tells me I am working different muscles. I am never sore after the Treadmill, even if I go for an hour and a half. My leg muscles are used to that motion. I am planning next week and I will try to go 3X.

Morning at the YMCA...

Yesterday I finally did what I had intended to do for months. I called the YMCA and booked my kids in for babysitting during a time when a drop-in class was offered (Circuit Challenge). So this morning we headed off at 8:45 to drop them off for 9:00 a.m. at babysitting. I was a littler early for the class and went up on the treadmills for 10 minutes before it started. What a class! It was a nice mix of cardio and resistance and she kept us working. I think my knees might hurt a bit tomorrow, but I was so glad I went. I signed the boys up for babysitting again tomorrow and I will go at the same time for Step and Core. THEN, if I am still moving I will sign them up for Friday and do the Circuit Challenge class again. I have to commit to this and the boys had a great time in the babysitting room so that was cool, and it was pretty cheap ($7.50 for the two boys for 1.5 hours - half of what I pay my regular sitter). I know that some weeks it won't work with Oliver's summer programs, but for the weeks it will work I am going to try and do it. If I get in the habit now it will be so nice in the Fall when I only have to put Gibson in because Oliver will be in full days.