One month down...

...11 more to go! It’s time to check in with myself and see how I’m doing. 

How you doing, Grace?
I think I’m doing quite well, thanks for asking.

So, do you think you need/want to change anything?
Yes, I do. Although I do really love my walks, I think I need to change them slightly; my thighs aren’t getting enough of a workout. I may speak with my walking partner and ask if he’d be willing to split the time up a bit—maybe a half hour walk and then 15 minutes on the stationary bicycle.

Good, good… and your fitness class…what do you think about it?
I am loving it. I am definitely feeling stronger, less clumsy, more able to keep up with the pace… I’m pushing myself just the right amount. Not to mention, I get to see awkwardly-uncoordinated guy develop some coordination!

Well that’s good to hear, and your eating and drinking?
I’d say this is probably the biggest struggle for me, but I’m doing okay. I miss peanut butter, but I know it is best for us to stay away from one another.
I am peeing all the time! Man, I was sleeping the other day and started dreaming about my mom’s dog peeing on someone’s leg… while I was dreaming I thought ‘huh, that’s weird, mom’s dog is a female dog, and yet this dog in my dream is lifting its leg’… then I woke from my dream and had to run to the bathroom because I was about to pee the bed (thankfully, I didn’t). Another close call… got home from walking one day, headed into the bathroom to pee and couldn’t get my pants off (I neglected to untie the waist)… of course, panic struck and I nearly peed my pants. I didn’t, and hopefully I won’t (knock on wood). Well, that’s what drinking 2-3 litres of water a day will do!

Okay then, er, so not peeing your pants. Good to know. How do you feel about your nutritionist?
I am so, so, so happy to have a nutritionist because I think I’m learning a lot from her. Her challenges are interesting. Every one of the challenges she’s given me has seemed like an impossible task at first (like drinking 2-3 litres of water a day, or cutting back my coffee intake), but when I get home and actually try to implement those changes, I realize they’re not as difficult as I thought they’d be. 

So overall, the lifestyle change is working for you?
Yup. It is.

Can we expect anything different this month?
I think that now I’ve got a routine started and I’m starting to gain a better understanding of food, I’m going to try to kick it up a notch.

What do you mean?
Nothing serious, but, just try to walk a little faster, lift my legs a little higher, broaden my food knowledge.

Good, good stuff. Well, anything else you’d like to add here?
There is something else I’d like to add: I have amazing friends, coworkers, and acquaintances. I am really blown-away from everyone’s support and words of encouragement. Thank you. Some people have even said that I am a source of inspiration to them… this is so, very flattering.

I think though, that everyone is an inspiration… like my friend who is a stay-at-home mom raising 4 amazing children; or my friend who moved all the way to the other side of the country because she knew it was best for her family. My friends who suffer from depression and no matter how difficult it is for them, they still get out of bed in the morning and face the world, they are inspiring. I’m inspired by my friends who have quit their comfortable jobs and returned to university to pursue what they love, and my friend who has so much passion for her sport that she has a black belt. I think that my Christian friends and my Muslim friends who speak about their religion are inspiring because they are challenging stereotypes in a world where religion is no longer cool. I could go on, but you get the picture. All of us, each one of us, we are all sources of inspiration; we just need to notice it. Getting up and doing something out of our comfort zone because we know it’s the best thing for us and those around us, is an inspiring action. 


As I come to the end of month one, I am proud of the changes I’ve made. I’m excited about the changes I will make, and I hope that everyone else who is on their own journey (whatever it may be) is enjoying theirs as much as I am loving mine!

Awkwardly-uncoordinated guy...

...was at the Stratford Oval today! He's a far more coordinated 'walker' than he is 'fitness-classer'.

The weekends are the worst

Although I manage to keep myself fairly busy over the weekends—tidying the house, laundry, Ivan’s karate on Saturday mornings, swimming on Sunday mornings, and usually a visit to my parents’ place sometime in there—I still find the weekends the biggest struggle for me. I’m quite used to ‘grazing on junk food’ on the weekends, and they are still a very tempting time for me. Weekends are an exercise in self-restraint and self-control. I went to bed at 9:15 last night just so I would stop thinking I needed something to eat. No, I wasn’t hungry; I was bored and needed something to fill my time with… a habit that I’ve developed and had for probably 10+ years, one that certainly will take more than a few weeks to break.

I am thinking of starting a new hobby. I need a distraction that will help me get though the 'down times' when I'm most tempted to munch on something I shouldn't.

Maybe learning a new craft, playing games… perhaps I’ll start up a group of some kind… Anyone have any suggestions?

OH! But on a more positive note… I  put $40.40 into my ‘special account’ this weekend! Yay me!

Portion size and self-control

This lifestyle change is definitely interesting. I think the most interesting parts of it are understanding portion size, and working on self-control.

In a meal, I am eating much less than I used to. For example, I have ½ of a cup of rice rather than a cup of rice, or 10 almonds rather than 100 almonds (okay, I never ate 100 almonds, but I know I didn't stop at 10!). That being said, I’m not at all hungry… I'm eating six times a day, plus I'm drinking 2-3L of water a day, so my belly always has something in it.

Still, self-control is something that I am working on. Honestly, I haven’t had a drop of peanut butter since this began, but I am very, very tempted sometimes. Thankfully, I am slightly afraid* of my nutritionist and what she might say if I actually pigged-out on peanut butter…  I’m also slightly afraid** of falling off the wagon with the peanut butter-- it is never just one tablespoon for me. Nope, I’m not even going there!

* this ‘slightly afraid’ actually means that I have a great respect for my nutritionist's knowledge, and I don’t want to let her down.  

** this ‘slightly afraid’ actually means that I completely understand my peanut butter addiction and know that because I’m still working on exercising self-control, I can’t eat it. Ultimately, I don’t want to let myself down.  

Speaking of self-control, I am sticking to my exercise regime. Due to an unforeseen circumstance yesterday, I had to miss my walk. But I made sure I did something active after work. Despite missing yesterday, I was back in my fitness class this evening (thanks for coming J!).

Awkwardly-uncoordinated guy was there again… he’s such a joy to watch!

Curse thee, protein powder!

I know, I know, I haven’t posted anything for a number of days. It isn’t because I’m slacking off, nope, that’s not it. I was so, so, so sick over the weekend, too sick to sit in front of a computer (I am opposed to taking a laptop into the bathroom with me).

At first I thought I had a cold or flu. Then I realized that other than an extremely upset stomach, I didn’t have any other symptoms that would point to a cold or flu. So, on Sunday night I decided it would be smart for me to analyze some of the changes I’ve been making (specifically with my eating habits). Overall, I’m not eating anything that is out-of-the-ordinary or unusual, all of the foods I am eating now are foods that I have eaten in the past. However, there is one exception: the berry smoothie. Sure, sure, I’ve had smoothies before, but not with all of the ingredients that I’m using now, namely a scoop of flaxseed, and a scoop of protein powder.

After two days and nights of excruciating pain, countless visits to the bathroom, and a belly that was so bloated I thought it might actually explode, I decided that I needed to find out what is in this magical ‘protein powder’. Know what? It’s full of lactose! Know what else? I am only able to handle about a cup of milk in my system at a time, more than that and my lactose intolerance wreaks havoc on my digestive system.

Apparently, I can buy lactose-free protein powder. I didn’t realize there were different types of powders, and will invest in a suitable one on my next payday. In the meantime, I’m going to skip the protein powder in the smoothie and eat some almonds with it instead.

Why almonds with my smoothie, you ask? Well, almonds have a lot of protein in them, and my nutritionist says that protein should be consumed with carbohydrates. Protein aids in slowing the digestive process. This in turn, does two things:  it makes my blood sugar levels rise slower and spike later, and it postpones of the sense of hunger.

You know what else my nutritionist says?! She wants me to eat my breakfast within the first half hour of waking up.
“WHAT?!” says I, “Normally, my breakfast is consumed at least an hour after I wake up—Ivan and I have a routine, and breakfast is the second-last thing I do before leaving the house.”
But, no, that won’t do. “Breakfast should be eaten within the first thirty minutes of getting up,” says my nutritionist.
“Why… really, why?” says I, in disbelief.
“It kick-starts your metabolism in the morning,” says my nutritionist, and upon sensing my opposition to her suggestion, adds, “That is my challenge you, Grace. This week, breakfast within a half hour of getting up.”
“Ugh, oooohhhh-kay,” says I, suddenly feeling like Ivan when I’m trying to get him to clean his room, “I’ll do it.” (My nutritionist smiles at me and I force out a smile in return.)

Although it was a bit of a struggle, I am pleased to report that breakfast was the second thing I did today (after a brief, normal, visit to the bathroom), within 30 minutes of waking up.

COME DANCING!

I, along with a few friends, will be heading out to St Jame's Gate tonight to boogie down to their 'video dance party' (yes, just like the good ol’ days back in Junior High!). If you’re looking to burn off a few calories while having fun, you should come along!

Additionally, I will not be attending fitness class tonight. Not because I am going dancing, but because I forgot my lunch at home... I had an orange and a couple of rice cakes which is not enough for me to make it through my class. (Don't worry awkwardly-uncoordinated guy, I promise I'll be back on Tuesday!)

To one of the guys in my fitness class:

Dear awkwardly-uncoordinated guy in my fitness class: 

I must admit that when I’m in fitness class, I rarely pay attention to anyone other than my instructor. However, I have a confession: your flailing arms and legs in class drew my attention to you. Always a few seconds off beat, unable to bounce and punch at the same time, staring at the instructor with a puzzled look on your face... all of these are, truly, endearing.

 I hope that you continue to come to class because you are a great joy to watch. When I was starting to hit my wall and felt like I couldn’t do any more, I lifted my head, watched your mistimed punches and kicks and thought to myself, “Geez, if that awkwardly-uncoordinated guy can push through this, then so can I!” I wonder if you did the same with me? “Geez, if that chunky chick can push through this, then so can I!” 

Let us be each other’s source of inspiration. You can watch me burn off the fat, and I can watch you get more coordinated. Deal? 

Sincerely,
Chunky Chick