Happy Easter, Pasqua, Pacques, Pesa!
I am celebrating by finally taking the time to do my nails, eating a Magnolia Bakery red velvet cupcake and getting ready to go to Hairy's grandparents' house for Easter lunch/dinner... a Portuguese feast of deliciousness.
The weather has been beautiful lately, so I took advantage to finally get some air and light exercise this weekend. I was down to 140-141 lbs this morning thanks to losing muscle from being in bed all the time. It's a good thing since I feel lighter, but I've been eating whatever I want because I don't like the feeling of losing weight and feeling weaker. Now I will slowly start getting active again. Hairy and I made a deal to run together once each weekend now that the weather's nice. In addition to volleyball (starting in May) this will keep me much more motivated, and I wont mind going to the gym a couple times a week in between.
In food news, the ever impossible task of importing a half dozen cupcakes from NYC for my personal enjoyment was achieved at long last by my friend and former manager who shall be named Foodie for blogging purposes. As a fellow food-obsessor, she truly understands where this need for the cupcakes comes from and was able to deliver the goods. I am sad that Magnolia Bakery changed the icing for the red velvet, but their cupcakes are still the best. I can only chock it up to the fact they have found the perfect icing to cake ratio, and their cake is always soft, fluffy yet dense enough to feel rich. Every other cupcake place I have tried has one good one maybe, but none have managed to achieve this level of cupcakey perfection. I don't really like cupcakes apart from theirs, and a couple of random ones from various locations.
Yesterday I walked 10 km in total. First walking around my hood with Foodie, then walking around another hood with another friend, let's call her Noblet. After walking with Noblet, I walked back home from downtown, and took some time to take side streets and check out a park I'd been meaning to have a look at. In fact, Hairy is looking for some outdoor basketball courts that would be usable for his team or for his own practice. We found one close to home, but when we went to play, it was still covered in slushy snow. We had decided to go buy a shovel and remove the snow ourselves, but ended up stopping for lunch and lost our motivation. Since then though, I have found two other snowless courts, so it's good we didn't waste our time. Soon Hairy and I will go head to head on the courts, where he will witness me butchering his favourite sport. I may have been born athletic and raised to play all sports, but basketball is my worst by a long shot. I was known as Airball in elementary school, which is the last time I ever really played, obviously.
As I walked around those side streets, in an area that I foresee being the place of my future home, I found the street I would LOVE to live on. It had colourful, well-maintained duplexes that this city is known for, but hidden away among many less beautiful streets. For a brief moment, I thought I had found my future street and let my imagination wander. Then, I got home and looked up the homes that are for sale there, and my dreams were dashed. There is no way I would be able to afford a home there anytime in the next 10 years, so that's out. Fortunately, for now, the other less beautiful streets still have many reasonably priced homes. I guess I'll have to just walk that street and dream...
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Checking in and checking out
Hi friends.
I am just providing a brief update so you can know I have a valid excuse for my absence.
After the food poisoning and finally getting back into shape, I caught a horrendous flu. Think skin pain, muscle aches, fever, chest congestion. When all of that started to fade and I went back to work after 4 days off, I ended up leaving early again with a wicked pain in my ear and sinuses. It worsened and I was an emotional wreck by the time I got home. Throughout the night I kept taking Tylenol for the pain and I could no longer hear out my right ear.
When I woke up this morning to a sudden feeling of relief from some of the pressure in my face, I realized there was fresh blood in my ear. I decided it was time to go to the doctor.
Turns out I have developed a severe ear infection that burst and am now on antibiotics. I have never taken so many vitamins, supplements and pharmaceuticals in my life I think. I generally don't get sick much, or when I do it is super intense and quick. This is dragging and keeps changing from one awful symptom to the next. I am relieved to know these antiobiotics will allow me to hear again soon and not relive the stigmata for Easter.
Thankfully, my boyfriend, who is also not well, has been doing a lot to take care of me, since there were a few days where I was non-functional.
I wont be back at the gym probably for another week or more given that my lungs are still so congested. I do hope to start moving more since 5 days in a tiny apartment are enough to make me insane.
I am just providing a brief update so you can know I have a valid excuse for my absence.
After the food poisoning and finally getting back into shape, I caught a horrendous flu. Think skin pain, muscle aches, fever, chest congestion. When all of that started to fade and I went back to work after 4 days off, I ended up leaving early again with a wicked pain in my ear and sinuses. It worsened and I was an emotional wreck by the time I got home. Throughout the night I kept taking Tylenol for the pain and I could no longer hear out my right ear.
When I woke up this morning to a sudden feeling of relief from some of the pressure in my face, I realized there was fresh blood in my ear. I decided it was time to go to the doctor.
Turns out I have developed a severe ear infection that burst and am now on antibiotics. I have never taken so many vitamins, supplements and pharmaceuticals in my life I think. I generally don't get sick much, or when I do it is super intense and quick. This is dragging and keeps changing from one awful symptom to the next. I am relieved to know these antiobiotics will allow me to hear again soon and not relive the stigmata for Easter.
Thankfully, my boyfriend, who is also not well, has been doing a lot to take care of me, since there were a few days where I was non-functional.
I wont be back at the gym probably for another week or more given that my lungs are still so congested. I do hope to start moving more since 5 days in a tiny apartment are enough to make me insane.
Sunday, March 10, 2013
In a new light
Since last weekend things have been good. I got to sub on volleyball teams twice, for early games no less. I was surprisingly good despite months off the sport. I sure was in pain afterward though, but it's a worthwhile kind of pain.
My weight is dropping. I am currently at 144, but again, I have made weight loss only a secondary objective. My main goal is now to be more active, and in that, I am succeeding. In addition to making healthier food choices in general, I now walk every day at lunch again, which has more benefits overall than volleyball or the gym I think. It energizes me, which makes me able to do all the other stuff.
This week I walked a bunch of places: to appointments, to class, home, to pick up produce, etc. Yesterday, since it was so beautiful outside, I went for a long, leisurely walk of about 1.5-2 hours in total I believe. My butt is thanking me by turning upward again and my stomach is getting flatter. People truly underestimate how effective walking is as an exercise, as long as you do a lot of it scattered throughout the day.
Aside: Here's an interesting read about yet another dodgy industry: http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2013/03/08/f-vp-crowe-big-sugar.html
Aaaand, back to me.
So, as I told you a few weeks ago, I have been taking Evening Primrose Oil and waiting to see what kind of effect it will have on me. So my short-term report is that it makes me sleep soundly, which was an unanticipated but enjoyable side effect, and it definitely lessened the bloating/cramps I typically get just before and after Aunt Flo arrives. The primary reason I am taking it though is to see if it will make me more regular (so that, in turn, I can better predict/manage my emotional state at specific times in my cycle). I will only know if it's working after about three cycles, so I'll keep you posted.
Walking = feeling more energetic = less down about eating well/exercising (more into it = doing more of it) = weight loss and better overall mood. All that combined with putting less pressure on myself is a good thing. I have to remember that the VERY FIRST thing that made me able to lose all that weight years ago was when I decided to stop with the guilt over being fat, eating garbage and being lazy. To let go of the negative thinking and instead focus on doing something about it. And THAT is something to feel good about.
My weight is dropping. I am currently at 144, but again, I have made weight loss only a secondary objective. My main goal is now to be more active, and in that, I am succeeding. In addition to making healthier food choices in general, I now walk every day at lunch again, which has more benefits overall than volleyball or the gym I think. It energizes me, which makes me able to do all the other stuff.
This week I walked a bunch of places: to appointments, to class, home, to pick up produce, etc. Yesterday, since it was so beautiful outside, I went for a long, leisurely walk of about 1.5-2 hours in total I believe. My butt is thanking me by turning upward again and my stomach is getting flatter. People truly underestimate how effective walking is as an exercise, as long as you do a lot of it scattered throughout the day.
Aside: Here's an interesting read about yet another dodgy industry: http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2013/03/08/f-vp-crowe-big-sugar.html
Aaaand, back to me.
So, as I told you a few weeks ago, I have been taking Evening Primrose Oil and waiting to see what kind of effect it will have on me. So my short-term report is that it makes me sleep soundly, which was an unanticipated but enjoyable side effect, and it definitely lessened the bloating/cramps I typically get just before and after Aunt Flo arrives. The primary reason I am taking it though is to see if it will make me more regular (so that, in turn, I can better predict/manage my emotional state at specific times in my cycle). I will only know if it's working after about three cycles, so I'll keep you posted.
Walking = feeling more energetic = less down about eating well/exercising (more into it = doing more of it) = weight loss and better overall mood. All that combined with putting less pressure on myself is a good thing. I have to remember that the VERY FIRST thing that made me able to lose all that weight years ago was when I decided to stop with the guilt over being fat, eating garbage and being lazy. To let go of the negative thinking and instead focus on doing something about it. And THAT is something to feel good about.
Sunday, March 3, 2013
A nice end to a rough week...
... well, one horribly rough day anyway.
I asked a friend if she'd be willing to escape the city with me this weekend, and she gladly obliged. We spent Friday brainstorming and only came up with one car rental and an idea of where we would go. Separately, at home, we had both ended up looking up things to do and where they are, so when the next morning came, we didn't even realize we had a full day already planned.
We stopped for the best croissants in town to get the trip started right. The first stop on arriving at our destination was tube sliding :) I was amazed at how frightened I was of even the beginner slopes. How embarrassing, when parents are practically chucking 2-year-olds down those very hills with no fear. In any case, we "manned up" and got to sliding, which was a lot of fun... especially what they call a tornado, which is like a bucket in which about 8 people sit and slide down, but under the weight, the bucket begins to spin as it descends at lightning speed. It would have been more fun had we not ended up with little kids who weigh nothing, because it was obvious the heavier buckets spun much faster.
Then, we had intended to have a light lunch since I had carefully selected a fancy dinner place for us to try, but when I saw that the sugar shack opened that VERY day, I could not resist: it has been maybe four years since I've been, and fortunately this friend is a fan.
Afterward, we drove around a bit on the hunt for a place to go snowshoeing, something neither of us had ever done. The weather was not as sunny and warm as in the morning, but when we did finally find a place, the weather couldn't have been more perfect really. It was grey and heavy snowflakes fell as we trekked alongside a partially frozen river, in a forest with probably 5-6 feet of perfect, fluffy snow cover and no one around. We only did one hour of snowshoeing since it was getting chilly and late, but I would love to go back and explore more of the area. What a great invention snowshoes are, especially the modern ones with the metal spikes :)
Next, it was time to visit the factory outlets very briefly. I picked up one Nike workout T-shirt and some fruit at a grocery store. Then we were basically done with that and went up to the main street in the village, where there is a good coffee place I like. We stayed there having something called a mochalattecino... it was good to warm up a bit and digest the heavy lunch before moving on to dinner :)
Good restaurants in this ski/tourist resort town are few and far between, so I dared to try a newer, fancier and "hipper" place than the usual places I try there. My friend and I shared a foodies plate that included: pate, proscuitto, salami, salad, tartiflette de roblochon (don't ask, it's so fat and it's good, but not great), a mini-poutine, and three varieties of crostini: a pair with calamari... very nice, a pair that was standard bruschetta, and the final duo being a mushroom/chicken combo. We each topped that off with a glass of Portuguese wine, hers white, mine red. The owner came out to see if all was edible, and the staff were very friendly. Overall the food was enjoyable.
All in all, a perfect day. Oh and I came home to Hairy, who had been in the U.S. with friends for the day, and who bought me a pack of super awesome flourescent workout socks and a Bluth banana stand shirt to sleep in, which is one of the coolest things I have ever received... For those who don't have any clue what a Bluth banana stand is, it's a reference to the TV show Arrested Development, which is a big favourite of mine.
This morning my stomach isn't feeling so hot because of all the fatty food, but I'm about to bring the rental car back then likely hit the gym for a light workout. My weight is still under control too since all I ate yesterday probably made up for the calories I did not consume Thursday.
I hope you enjoyed reading a more positive blog than my usual. It really was a much-needed escape.
I asked a friend if she'd be willing to escape the city with me this weekend, and she gladly obliged. We spent Friday brainstorming and only came up with one car rental and an idea of where we would go. Separately, at home, we had both ended up looking up things to do and where they are, so when the next morning came, we didn't even realize we had a full day already planned.
We stopped for the best croissants in town to get the trip started right. The first stop on arriving at our destination was tube sliding :) I was amazed at how frightened I was of even the beginner slopes. How embarrassing, when parents are practically chucking 2-year-olds down those very hills with no fear. In any case, we "manned up" and got to sliding, which was a lot of fun... especially what they call a tornado, which is like a bucket in which about 8 people sit and slide down, but under the weight, the bucket begins to spin as it descends at lightning speed. It would have been more fun had we not ended up with little kids who weigh nothing, because it was obvious the heavier buckets spun much faster.
Then, we had intended to have a light lunch since I had carefully selected a fancy dinner place for us to try, but when I saw that the sugar shack opened that VERY day, I could not resist: it has been maybe four years since I've been, and fortunately this friend is a fan.
Afterward, we drove around a bit on the hunt for a place to go snowshoeing, something neither of us had ever done. The weather was not as sunny and warm as in the morning, but when we did finally find a place, the weather couldn't have been more perfect really. It was grey and heavy snowflakes fell as we trekked alongside a partially frozen river, in a forest with probably 5-6 feet of perfect, fluffy snow cover and no one around. We only did one hour of snowshoeing since it was getting chilly and late, but I would love to go back and explore more of the area. What a great invention snowshoes are, especially the modern ones with the metal spikes :)
Next, it was time to visit the factory outlets very briefly. I picked up one Nike workout T-shirt and some fruit at a grocery store. Then we were basically done with that and went up to the main street in the village, where there is a good coffee place I like. We stayed there having something called a mochalattecino... it was good to warm up a bit and digest the heavy lunch before moving on to dinner :)
Good restaurants in this ski/tourist resort town are few and far between, so I dared to try a newer, fancier and "hipper" place than the usual places I try there. My friend and I shared a foodies plate that included: pate, proscuitto, salami, salad, tartiflette de roblochon (don't ask, it's so fat and it's good, but not great), a mini-poutine, and three varieties of crostini: a pair with calamari... very nice, a pair that was standard bruschetta, and the final duo being a mushroom/chicken combo. We each topped that off with a glass of Portuguese wine, hers white, mine red. The owner came out to see if all was edible, and the staff were very friendly. Overall the food was enjoyable.
All in all, a perfect day. Oh and I came home to Hairy, who had been in the U.S. with friends for the day, and who bought me a pack of super awesome flourescent workout socks and a Bluth banana stand shirt to sleep in, which is one of the coolest things I have ever received... For those who don't have any clue what a Bluth banana stand is, it's a reference to the TV show Arrested Development, which is a big favourite of mine.
This morning my stomach isn't feeling so hot because of all the fatty food, but I'm about to bring the rental car back then likely hit the gym for a light workout. My weight is still under control too since all I ate yesterday probably made up for the calories I did not consume Thursday.
I hope you enjoyed reading a more positive blog than my usual. It really was a much-needed escape.
Friday, March 1, 2013
recovery
Well, it was definitely food poisoning since I feel MUCH better now.
Yesterday, after posting on the blog, the situation got worse again. I was writhing in pain, my muscles and lower back aching, and felt nauseous, dehydrated and underslept. Hairy went to get me Gravol, which made it possible to quell the nausea a few hours at a time, and helped me sleep. Eventually, Advil killed off the back and muscle pain, and Gatorade seemed to bring my brain back to life.
I have never felt so awful before, but thank god I had Hairy here because if I didn't have someone to go to the store for me I couldn't have left the house myself.
Today I will bring oatmeal for lunch since I want to stick to plain foods and rehydrating. I am a little nervous about eating something that might trigger it all again.
And I was really pumped about the gym this week for once too! Oh well, another day another try. I'll go back once I am eating normally.
Have a good one.
Yesterday, after posting on the blog, the situation got worse again. I was writhing in pain, my muscles and lower back aching, and felt nauseous, dehydrated and underslept. Hairy went to get me Gravol, which made it possible to quell the nausea a few hours at a time, and helped me sleep. Eventually, Advil killed off the back and muscle pain, and Gatorade seemed to bring my brain back to life.
I have never felt so awful before, but thank god I had Hairy here because if I didn't have someone to go to the store for me I couldn't have left the house myself.
Today I will bring oatmeal for lunch since I want to stick to plain foods and rehydrating. I am a little nervous about eating something that might trigger it all again.
And I was really pumped about the gym this week for once too! Oh well, another day another try. I'll go back once I am eating normally.
Have a good one.
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