I'll continue to be healthy.
I've made a number of new year's resolutions this year, but nowhere does it say "lose weight" or "eat better". Those are two things that I don't need to do because (a) I really have no more weight I want to lose and (b) I already eat just fine! I do have health-related goals, but they're more specific.
Once again - I've said this before - it feels amazing to just be healthy. It's not something I need to do; it's what I already am. And that doesn't mean it doesn't take thought or effort, but it takes as much thought and effort as it takes to brush my teeth. It's part of my routine, and after about 18 months of being this way, I continue to feel inspired by the second-naturedness of it. More importantly, I continue to feel the incredible benefits: strength, better mental health, better sleeping, better fitness, better endurance, more confidence, etc., etc., etc.
So here's to 2015 and continuing the good habits I've already established!
Showing posts with label health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label health. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Sunday, July 6, 2014
Sunday
I'm just having a really nice Sunday and I feel like posting about it / as a result. Unfortunately my girlfriend K. is not here, because that'd be one thing that would make it better. I dropped her off in Mississauga yesterday so she could head home to Toronto, spend two days with her family, and then go with them on a family vacation! I stayed overnight in Mississauga with my bestie W. for around 24 hours. We chilled, we ate, we watched "Joanna Lumley in the Land of the Northern Lights". This morning, W's mom made us aloo paratha for breakfast. I was in heaven.
Then I drove back to Waterloo. The weather was perfect for a Sunday afternoon drive, and I had a great playlist to match. I went straight to the gym upon getting here, and had an excellent work-out. When I go to the gym, there's a number of forms my work-out might take. Sometimes it's a quickie; in and out in about 30 minutes (save the shower for home). Sometimes it's for a Body Pump class, in which case I'd warm up with 10-15 minutes of cardio and then do the class. Today I had my medium-level luxury work-out: 10 minutes on the arc trainer, 20 minutes of strength training machines, 10 minutes on the treadmill, and then the luxury part -- long sauna, shower, and then 10 minutes or so on the massage chairs the gym has. Who knew going to the gym could be such a rejuvenating part of a Sunday afternoon?!
That reminds me: yesterday (July 5th) marked 1 year since K. and I began our journey to better health and physical fitness. As of July 5, I've lost a total of 47.6 lbs. Even better, my lifestyle has changed completely and for the better. I feel amazing!
After the gym, it was over to the grocery store. You know when grocery shopping is the last thing you want to do, but you sense you'll want to do it even less tomorrow? I'm glad I bit the bullet. I also filled up my tank, took out some money at the bank, and got a drink at Starbucks. A few errands and a treat, and then I was back home for the evening. I'm here now with a beautiful breeze coming in through the patio door, my sweet cat Spoon nearby, and nothing to do for the rest of the day but relax, prepare for the week ahead, and enjoy myself. That's why it's been such a nice Sunday.
Then I drove back to Waterloo. The weather was perfect for a Sunday afternoon drive, and I had a great playlist to match. I went straight to the gym upon getting here, and had an excellent work-out. When I go to the gym, there's a number of forms my work-out might take. Sometimes it's a quickie; in and out in about 30 minutes (save the shower for home). Sometimes it's for a Body Pump class, in which case I'd warm up with 10-15 minutes of cardio and then do the class. Today I had my medium-level luxury work-out: 10 minutes on the arc trainer, 20 minutes of strength training machines, 10 minutes on the treadmill, and then the luxury part -- long sauna, shower, and then 10 minutes or so on the massage chairs the gym has. Who knew going to the gym could be such a rejuvenating part of a Sunday afternoon?!
That reminds me: yesterday (July 5th) marked 1 year since K. and I began our journey to better health and physical fitness. As of July 5, I've lost a total of 47.6 lbs. Even better, my lifestyle has changed completely and for the better. I feel amazing!
After the gym, it was over to the grocery store. You know when grocery shopping is the last thing you want to do, but you sense you'll want to do it even less tomorrow? I'm glad I bit the bullet. I also filled up my tank, took out some money at the bank, and got a drink at Starbucks. A few errands and a treat, and then I was back home for the evening. I'm here now with a beautiful breeze coming in through the patio door, my sweet cat Spoon nearby, and nothing to do for the rest of the day but relax, prepare for the week ahead, and enjoy myself. That's why it's been such a nice Sunday.
Monday, June 2, 2014
When a chore becomes second nature
I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but if I was to look back at my health & fitness journey (11 months and counting) and pinpoint the thing that I'm most proud of, it would be this: going to the gym becoming part of my routine. Put another way, I am so proud of getting to a point where I genuinely want to go to the gym. Even better, I need to go to the gym. I had a pretty indulgent weekend; it was my best friend's bachelorette and indulging was par for the course. I drank, I ate, I partied. As a result I felt sick, bloated, and my immune system was shot. I got back home from the debauchery yesterday afternoon and you know what I did yesterday evening? I went to the gym. Going "off-track" or indulging food-wise could've made me feel like I'd failed, but I hadn't, and I still really wanted to go to the gym.
I woke up this morning feeling totally under the weather. I very seriously contemplated calling in sick... I even had my sick day email drafted up, but then I thought of how much I wanted to get done and how lame I felt at taking a sick day after a bachelorette weekend. So, I powered through, crushed up vitamins in my smoothie, and went to work. The day went great - I made a point of eating really nutritious food and drinking lots of water - and then you know what I did? I went to the gym again after work for my regular Monday Body Pump class. I may not feel 100%, but I feel pretty great, and I have a feeling that with more vitamin C and a good sleep, I'll feel even better. My, how I have changed!
I woke up this morning feeling totally under the weather. I very seriously contemplated calling in sick... I even had my sick day email drafted up, but then I thought of how much I wanted to get done and how lame I felt at taking a sick day after a bachelorette weekend. So, I powered through, crushed up vitamins in my smoothie, and went to work. The day went great - I made a point of eating really nutritious food and drinking lots of water - and then you know what I did? I went to the gym again after work for my regular Monday Body Pump class. I may not feel 100%, but I feel pretty great, and I have a feeling that with more vitamin C and a good sleep, I'll feel even better. My, how I have changed!
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
What really matters
If you start "getting fit" and "eating healthy", you may be motivated by a number of things:
- Living a longer life
- Avoiding potential health issues
- Losing weight
- Gaining energy
- "Looking better"
- Getting stronger and more fit
- Getting a hobby
...and a multitude of other things! I would say my motivation was mostly to be a healthier person overall. That being said, I wanted something to measure my progress, and my primary metric was weight. Weighing myself on a regular basis helped me see how I was doing, what patterns and habits changed the number on the scale, etc.
However, the thing you don't know when you make lifestyle changes is what developments you'll truly value once progress is made. For example, it's amazing to be able to say, "I've lost 40 lbs." But I've learned it's even more amazing to say, "Working out is part of my routine now", or "Working out is no longer a chore". That's probably my biggest accomplishment: making working out part of my life. The weight loss is great, but eventually it will level off (it kinda already has), and soon enough it'll stop because I'll have met my weight loss goal. However, the thing that will continue is the exercise. It's been incredible for my energy, strength, endurance, confidence, mental health, and so many more things I can't even articulate.
That's what I'm proud of!
However, the thing you don't know when you make lifestyle changes is what developments you'll truly value once progress is made. For example, it's amazing to be able to say, "I've lost 40 lbs." But I've learned it's even more amazing to say, "Working out is part of my routine now", or "Working out is no longer a chore". That's probably my biggest accomplishment: making working out part of my life. The weight loss is great, but eventually it will level off (it kinda already has), and soon enough it'll stop because I'll have met my weight loss goal. However, the thing that will continue is the exercise. It's been incredible for my energy, strength, endurance, confidence, mental health, and so many more things I can't even articulate.
That's what I'm proud of!
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Spoiler Alert!
Tuesday
Girls -- I love the show "Girls", but I have not been keeping up with it in its current season. So, last night I took advantage of my minimalist apartment and indulged in some television (on my iPad). I re-watched (mea culpa) the final two episodes of season two and watched the first ep of season three. I'll watch the second ep tonight, I hope... maybe more. Normally I would just download all of the episodes, but I have no personal computer, so... we'll see what I can stream. I liked the season premiere! I was a bit sleepy during it, so I may have to re-watch (fight the urge!) before I move on to the next one.
Wednesday
*Edit - I ended up kinda re-watching the first ep of season three during my lunch break yesterday, but just skimmed through it to refresh my - apparently poor - memory. Then I watched the second ep, but I haven't seen any more. I need to find a good streaming site.
Opera -- On Monday night, I received a call from the Canadian Opera Company. They often call their patrons after they know they've seen a show to chat with them, do a little cultivating (I work in the biz, I should know), and - in this case - try to get them to buy tickets to more shows. Although I didn't want to buy tickets that night (I'm waiting until the $30 under 30 tickets go on sale), I did enjoy talking opera with the woman who called. Normally I'd give short answers, but I figured it was a great opportunity to test out my growing knowledge of opera. I spoke with the woman about the specific singers we saw in Cosi (I said I loved Tracy Dahl and when the woman I was speaking with acknowledged that she's Canadian, I said "I know, and she teaches at the University of Manitoba!"), I expressed my opinion on the show (I loved it! ... not the most sophisticated opinion, but it's true), and talked about what I was hoping to see next season (The Barber of Seville, Don Giovanni, and Madama Butterfly). Anyway, pretty proud!
Laundry -- I had my first "laundry night" in my new building last night. Great success! That may sound lame, but going through the process of doing laundry in a new building is always an adventure. I'm pleased to report that it was an easy and fun adventure instead of one filled with obstacles. It was fun last night, and all my laundry is now done (yay!!!), but now that the first time is done, it won't be that fun moving forward... just laundry...
Body Pump -- I did my first Waterloo Body Pump class on Monday evening and it was great! The thing I love about being a member of GoodLife is that it's been so easy for me to move to Waterloo and keep up my gym routine. And the thing I love about Body Pump is that it's the same everywhere! I've been doing Pump classes pretty regularly now, but I've never made a point of going on a weekly basis. I think I'll try to go every Monday moving forward. I hope I can stick with it!
Alright - that's all for now! Two days' worth of posting rolled into one. I love it!
Girls -- I love the show "Girls", but I have not been keeping up with it in its current season. So, last night I took advantage of my minimalist apartment and indulged in some television (on my iPad). I re-watched (mea culpa) the final two episodes of season two and watched the first ep of season three. I'll watch the second ep tonight, I hope... maybe more. Normally I would just download all of the episodes, but I have no personal computer, so... we'll see what I can stream. I liked the season premiere! I was a bit sleepy during it, so I may have to re-watch (fight the urge!) before I move on to the next one.
Wednesday
*Edit - I ended up kinda re-watching the first ep of season three during my lunch break yesterday, but just skimmed through it to refresh my - apparently poor - memory. Then I watched the second ep, but I haven't seen any more. I need to find a good streaming site.
Opera -- On Monday night, I received a call from the Canadian Opera Company. They often call their patrons after they know they've seen a show to chat with them, do a little cultivating (I work in the biz, I should know), and - in this case - try to get them to buy tickets to more shows. Although I didn't want to buy tickets that night (I'm waiting until the $30 under 30 tickets go on sale), I did enjoy talking opera with the woman who called. Normally I'd give short answers, but I figured it was a great opportunity to test out my growing knowledge of opera. I spoke with the woman about the specific singers we saw in Cosi (I said I loved Tracy Dahl and when the woman I was speaking with acknowledged that she's Canadian, I said "I know, and she teaches at the University of Manitoba!"), I expressed my opinion on the show (I loved it! ... not the most sophisticated opinion, but it's true), and talked about what I was hoping to see next season (The Barber of Seville, Don Giovanni, and Madama Butterfly). Anyway, pretty proud!
Laundry -- I had my first "laundry night" in my new building last night. Great success! That may sound lame, but going through the process of doing laundry in a new building is always an adventure. I'm pleased to report that it was an easy and fun adventure instead of one filled with obstacles. It was fun last night, and all my laundry is now done (yay!!!), but now that the first time is done, it won't be that fun moving forward... just laundry...
Body Pump -- I did my first Waterloo Body Pump class on Monday evening and it was great! The thing I love about being a member of GoodLife is that it's been so easy for me to move to Waterloo and keep up my gym routine. And the thing I love about Body Pump is that it's the same everywhere! I've been doing Pump classes pretty regularly now, but I've never made a point of going on a weekly basis. I think I'll try to go every Monday moving forward. I hope I can stick with it!
Alright - that's all for now! Two days' worth of posting rolled into one. I love it!
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Gettin' Fit
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! I just can't believe that another year has come and gone... 2014!!! I can't wait to see what the year will bring. One of my resolutions is to update Sugar & Gravy more often. This can be such a fun creative outlet, and I want to bring a little more of that back into my life.
You know what I'm not making a resolution this year? Eating healthy / getting fit / losing weight. Why is that? Because I'm already doing it. Unbeknownst to you (contrary to popular belief, I don't write everything about my life in this blog), I have been adopting a very healthy lifestyle over the past while. In fact, today marks exactly six months since my girlfriend K. and I decided to eat healthier, join a gym, and generally become more health-conscious. Since that fateful day in July 2013, I have lost approximately 35 lbs and made working out a genuine part of my routine. I have gotten stronger, fitter, and gone down about two dress sizes. Most importantly, I've gotten to the point where working out is almost as natural and necessary as brushing my teeth. It feels incredible!
I've heard many times that exercise is THE way to keep you mentally healthy (in addition to all of the physical benefits). And you know what? I get it. I have a lot going on right now in my life (all positive, and more on that another time soon), and so I've been wont to get overwhelmed. Today I'm also feeling outrageously hormonal, and as a result I found myself totally lethargic, bummed out, and emotional this afternoon. BUT K. and I had put a workout in our schedules this evening, so I fought my instinct to stretch out on the couch and watch "The O.C.", and instead walked through the snow to the gym. Around 30 minutes later I couldn't wipe the smile off my face. I was sweaty and panting, yet I felt like I could run to the top of a mountain and sing! It probably sounds cheesy and over the top, but that's genuinely how I feel right now.
It makes me wonder... why did I wait so long to make this part of my life? Who cares?! It is, and that's what's important.
You know what I'm not making a resolution this year? Eating healthy / getting fit / losing weight. Why is that? Because I'm already doing it. Unbeknownst to you (contrary to popular belief, I don't write everything about my life in this blog), I have been adopting a very healthy lifestyle over the past while. In fact, today marks exactly six months since my girlfriend K. and I decided to eat healthier, join a gym, and generally become more health-conscious. Since that fateful day in July 2013, I have lost approximately 35 lbs and made working out a genuine part of my routine. I have gotten stronger, fitter, and gone down about two dress sizes. Most importantly, I've gotten to the point where working out is almost as natural and necessary as brushing my teeth. It feels incredible!
I've heard many times that exercise is THE way to keep you mentally healthy (in addition to all of the physical benefits). And you know what? I get it. I have a lot going on right now in my life (all positive, and more on that another time soon), and so I've been wont to get overwhelmed. Today I'm also feeling outrageously hormonal, and as a result I found myself totally lethargic, bummed out, and emotional this afternoon. BUT K. and I had put a workout in our schedules this evening, so I fought my instinct to stretch out on the couch and watch "The O.C.", and instead walked through the snow to the gym. Around 30 minutes later I couldn't wipe the smile off my face. I was sweaty and panting, yet I felt like I could run to the top of a mountain and sing! It probably sounds cheesy and over the top, but that's genuinely how I feel right now.
It makes me wonder... why did I wait so long to make this part of my life? Who cares?! It is, and that's what's important.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Yoga: Then & Now
Wanna know a secret? I've been working on my fitness. Well, it's not actually a secret; I just haven't blogged about it or posted about it on Facebook, Instagram, etc. It's been going on since July of this year and I wanted to share it now as I have something related to it to write about.
In Fall 2012, my girlfriend K. and I joined a yoga studio. That was not something I ever imagined for myself, but soon enough the classes became part of my weekly/biweekly routine. I really enjoyed it! I enjoyed - and still do - the deep stretches, the peace and quiet of the practice, the attitude that facing your own challenges is the point (and that there's no use in comparing yourself to others, and - of course - child's pose. I loved bringing something into my life that took me out of my comfort zone and did some good for the health of my mind, body, and soul.
In Summer 2013, K. and I decided we needed more, so we educated ourselves on and are continuing to establish healthy eating habits, and then in late August we joined a gym!!! Again, not something I imagined for myself, but we've been going 3x a week for the past two months or so and we feel fantastic!
So - what's the point of this post? Well, last night I returned to our yoga studio for the first time since... the summer at least, I think. I took a level 1 Ashtanga class with an instructor who I've taken classes with before, and he's really intense. But, it felt AWESOME! I felt stronger, I had better stamina, and I challenged myself to hold poses longer and try harder things than I normally would. It really felt incredible.
I never thought of myself as an active person, and I guess that point-of-view turned into a belief that I couldn't be active. Boy was I wrong! I can do anything!
In Fall 2012, my girlfriend K. and I joined a yoga studio. That was not something I ever imagined for myself, but soon enough the classes became part of my weekly/biweekly routine. I really enjoyed it! I enjoyed - and still do - the deep stretches, the peace and quiet of the practice, the attitude that facing your own challenges is the point (and that there's no use in comparing yourself to others, and - of course - child's pose. I loved bringing something into my life that took me out of my comfort zone and did some good for the health of my mind, body, and soul.
In Summer 2013, K. and I decided we needed more, so we educated ourselves on and are continuing to establish healthy eating habits, and then in late August we joined a gym!!! Again, not something I imagined for myself, but we've been going 3x a week for the past two months or so and we feel fantastic!
So - what's the point of this post? Well, last night I returned to our yoga studio for the first time since... the summer at least, I think. I took a level 1 Ashtanga class with an instructor who I've taken classes with before, and he's really intense. But, it felt AWESOME! I felt stronger, I had better stamina, and I challenged myself to hold poses longer and try harder things than I normally would. It really felt incredible.
I never thought of myself as an active person, and I guess that point-of-view turned into a belief that I couldn't be active. Boy was I wrong! I can do anything!
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