Ops, I forgot I had a blog....

Why yes, I am still alive!! My lovely Big-Man reminded me the other day that I have a blog but have neglected to update it for a while.

I thought I would give a quick post and update you on at least 10 things that have happened in between.

• As per below picture, the Christmas tree is up
• I had jury duty two Monday's in a row, sadly was not picked
• Made and mailed out my Christmas cards last week

• Going to the gym with Quilting Newbie on weekends when the man is working
• Stopped colouring my hair to find out that I have more gray hair than I remember
• I spent over 1,700.00 on car repairs in the last two weeks
• As per below, turned 37 to a fantastic bottle of wine and "New Moon" movie

• Working on two baby quilts, damn twins, just joking!!
• Babysat 6 month old, confirming I made correct decision not to have children
• Had a freaking fantastic trip to Punta Cana!!
  
  

My cheap Price Chopper Amaryllis has exploded, I have 4 flowers on the one stem and 5 on the other, and another bud stalk on the way. I hope everyone that reads is doing great and I promise not to be gone so long again.

32point5 One Year Later

The year is over in the 32point5 plan. To recap, I wanted to see what exactly it is that I do all my time with the intention of reaching a waist size of 32.5 inches.

I should have called it the 33point25 plan. Sadly I was off by 3/4 of an inch, however pretty good considering the starting number was 38. I know, disgusting!

Comparing the pictures above I have on the same shorts and belt. What you can't see is that I was actually holding it in in the first picture, the pants were unbuttoned and the belt was tight. I'm relaxed in the after picture, fully buttoned up and the belt on the last available spot.

These pictures don't really show much of a comparison other than I am a lot happier and physically fitter. Exercise has become a part of my daily routine, I now enjoy long walks, running on the treadmill and tennis. I've always thought that I eat well, however I still struggle with portion control.

I especially have to Thank my Big Man. He is constantly my biggest supporter. Some days were tough and he was always there to kick my ass and motivate me to keep going. He's my own personal "Tommy Europe", the white chocolate kind -- Smooches!!

Finally, what better way to celebrate the end of a great year....with home made Bumble-berry pie! Best part is half of it is still in the freezer....see portion control.

Thanks to everyone that took the time to read my blog. I will still be posting; it's been nice to realize that my life is not as boring and lame as I thought it was.

Martha Stewart Living March 2009

We're into the third week of March 2009 and things are starting to liven up outside with a little over a solid 12 hours of sunlight! I checked on my herb garden on the weekend and my Oregano and Thyme are already perking up!

As I had previously stated I'm going to quantify my Martha Stewart Living subscription by using one article every month. I've been super busy, so I cheated with the easiest article I could find. "Good Things" on page 50 suggests using an envelope and scrolled scissors to make a page saver. Click here for the instructions from Martha's website.

See super easy! The book is The Comfort Table written by Katie Lee Joel. Ugh, she is so pretty! I only wish I could be casually elegant like her. I love in the foreword written by Paula Deen she states "I don't trust a skinny cook!". Hilarious, but secretly I think true as well.

Lastly, I thought I should give an update on the 32point5 plan. I've stopped being lazy and have been inspired by the amazing progress by my friends Donny, Maggie and Tara I'm back to the 5K treadmill every other day. I'm warming up for 10 minutes and then alternating between running and walking. This week is 6 minutes of running broken by 2 minutes of fast walking. My goal is 10 minutes broken by 2 minutes.

I have been reading a well written blog called Trying for a Tri that has fantastic exercise and diet tips. I made the shake above with some Whey Powder that I picked up at the bulk barn. I find that I eat relatively healthy however I don't think that I get enough protein. Let's see if it will help. Off to work, see you soon!

Elvis the Pelvis....??

It has been a disgustingly long time since I have provided a 32point5 status update. Since it's Monday and a week into the "New Year" no time like the present.

First off I want to explain a medical issue that I have been dealing with for about a year now. Last year around December, they got us new chairs at work. They are supposed to be great ergonomic chairs, but I found they were so hard. For lack of a more polite word, my butt started to really hurt.

Ischium = Letter F

I went to my family doctor and told her how much my butt was hurting. Basically she just gave me a prescription for an anti-inflammatory and told me to ice and rest the area. I was also going to my Chiropractor, some times up to three times a week. After months with no improvement, he suggested I go back to my family doctor and ask to have x-rays done. By this time, the pain had crept from my butt into my groin/hip with ever increasing pain.

If I unexpectedly knock my left leg, the pain is so fierce that I will gasp outloud! I can no longer sit comfortably anywhere which is hard to do when I drive 2 hours a day to work and have a desk job. I can move my left leg over to the right, and forwards and backwards with no pain but not outward to the left.

The x-rays have revealed that I have bone spurs on my left Ischium, letter F on the diagram above. I'm not sure how they formed but basically the muscles and what-not that surround the bone are tight and pull on the bone making it grow the spurs. It's the spurs that are creating the pain and limiting my hip extension and movement.

I have to give a huge amount of love out to my husband. I feel bad for all the money that I have spent on doctors and "remedies". Not once has he lost his patience with me; and trust me I've been a Super-Bitch at times!

There is no "cure" however the number one recommendation is weight loss to take the pressure off the joints. So hence, the 32point5 plan is not only to make me hawt, but to help relieve the pain in my butt.

I have been using a free daily food journal over at My Calorie Counter. As you add a food, it stays in your lists, so it's really easy and fast to journal your daily food consumption and physical activity. There are really interesting charts and graphs once you have enough information stored for comparison. For my height, weight and physical activity levels, I need to consume about 1460 calories a day to lose 20 pounds by the beginning of May.

Below is an example from Thursday, see how nicely it shows the comparison of my intake against the RDA-recommended daily allowance. I have noticed that I eat too much protein and consume too much sodium. Go a head, try it out and let me know how well you do.

Thanks for the support to everyone who has had to listen to my constant moaning for the last year. Giant hugs and kisses!

Week 10 of 32point5 plan

Sept 13, 2008 after 4 mile jog!

Wow, week ten already!?

I sadly admit that I did not meet my weight loss goal of losing 1 pound per week. But in consolation, I am down 8.6 pounds which is great considering I ate a big chunk of this on the weekend.

Since the last update at week 5, I have walked/jogged another additional 140 KM (aprox 87 miles). I've also started lifting free weights, skipping rope and punching/kicking a hanging weight bag. In measurement I have not lost any more inches so the total still stands 8 inches lost. It's so scary how I can see a fitter body that's just padded with little pats of fat here and there. The texture of my skin and it's appearance has changed, generally I feel a firmness that was not there before.

I'm still super positive about the 32point5 plan and know it will work out the way I want it to. I'm incredibly happy with how well the blog has come along and with the new people I have met through it.

Thanks to everyone for dropping by and providing words of encouragement. I especially want to thank my Big Man for being the best cheerleader ever! 10 more months to go.......

Week 5 of 32point5 Plan

Since it is the beginning of week 5 for the 32point5 plan I though it was about time I threw out some numbers to show that I have made progress:

• I have walked 100 km (62 miles--txs SD) in the last 29 days
• My last timed walk/jog of 5 km came in at 40:40 down from 47:00
• Lost 5.8 pounds in 28 days
• Lost 8 inches total from Bust, Waist, Hips, Thighs and Arms (BWHTA)

Meh, OK I guess. Obviously need to try a bit harder for the next big update which will come at the start of week 10.

Long Weekend!

Today's post will be a recap of all the things I accomplished during this past Long Weekend. I started out on Saturday by tackling my Cherry Tree below and the back garden surrounding it.

Saturday = Full and Overgrown

Sunday = Neat and Tidy

It took two days to get everything back to normal. Since I work afternoons, I was spending too much of my mornings out walking and had sort of let things slide in the yard. With all the rain we have been having, it just got out of control. I think I am going to dedicate Wednesday and Saturday mornings to yard work from now on.

New to Me Shoes from Double V

I hooked up with a girlfriend on Saturday afternoon for a little break from yard work. We went to Fabricland, Value Village and then had Chinese Buffet for dinner. (I swear, cough, I tried to be good!).

I know, eww, I bought second hand shoes but look at them, their great! The top ones are Nine West; not sure about the bottom, but hey cut out Mary-Janes how could I leave them behind. I think they will look great in the winter with dark tights. Kinda hard to tell in the picture, but I also bought a Melmac-Melamine bowl resembling a Rachel Ray garbage bowl. Mine was considerably cheaper at $1.99.

Butterfly/Moth

Just as I was finishing up on Sunday I noticed a butterfly/moth? lounging about on my purple cone flowers. I scooted inside for the camera. Thankfully it was nice enough to stick around for a couple of snaps! I've had my camera for about 2 years now. I've never really used it much before, so I'm just starting to learn all the settings. I've borrowed a book from the Library called Digital Photography for Dummies. Hopefully, this might make an improvement in picture quality, that is if I ever find the time to read the book!

Echinacea

My Girl sat out and supervised, happily drinking water and apparently eating too much grass. I only know this fact because of the lovely pile of half digested grass that was barfed (sorry) up on my kitchen floor this morning! Such a nice thing to deal with before coffee.

Completely exhausted, no make-up, bed head, probably not smelling my finest!

Strelitzia

A co-worker gave me a bulb to plant this past spring. She said it was a Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia). I'm not sure that's true because it doesn't look like one according to Wiki. Who cares....it has totally exceeded all of my expectations!! I love it when people walk past the house and point!! That's the best compliment of all. If you happen to know what it's "really" called, please let me know in the comments.

My Big Man spent some time on Sunday giving me a set of back brakes. These new ones are just perfect, the last set I had were "grabbing". Thanks Babe!! I love them.

Other than that, just got back from lunch at Swiss Chalet with some friends who we should be hooking up with for a movie later tonight.

Oh yeah, since it's Monday it is time for a 32point5 update. I have more shrinkage, but no droppage of pounds (sigh) still the same number. Oh well better to be the same than up eh? I promise that before this year is up, 32point5 will be met. Phew, at least I've got another 11 months to get there!

Poppy

Absolutely nothing exciting happened today.

Started out with the 32point5 weekly numbers. Sadly, I have no good news to tell. I am neither up nor down but exactly the same as last week. I knew this was going to happen since I overdid it with the food and drinks on the weekend (no regrets though!).

Did another 5 KM with the Big Man and the dog this morning, went to work then came home.

POPPY FROM MY BACK GARDEN

I can't wait for this weekend, especially since it's a long weekend. I have so much work to do in my yard. So far, this is my favorite picture from my garden this year. I love the top of the picture, it's like the petal edges are on fire! Click on the picture to see what I mean.

Sorry for the dull post today, I promise something exciting will happen some day soon.

Blog Bliss

I have to start today with expressing how thankful I am for one of the comments I received today on an entry. There are three blogs that I read EVERY DAY.

One of course is Deb at "Smitten Kitchen", you can expect to see me make reference to her often as she is such an inspiration with food and photography. The other is "Blonde Excuse" which belongs to a girl named Lauren. I like reading her entries because it brings back those great memories of carefree youth and young love.

Finally there is Jocelyn at "Rock Star Diary". I can not express how much I enjoy Jocelyn's blog. She truly does have the "Rock Star" life. She lives in an amazing loft in New York City where she has a fantastic group of loyal, professional, and fun friends. You can always expect something exciting from Jocelyn. It might be it a concert review, exciting trips, great photography and really nice family adventures. Jocelyn took the time to leave a comment today. THANK YOU.

Hmm, let's see, 9 days into 32point5 and I am already overjoyed. Thanks to everyone that has dropped by so far, I hope you all drop by again. XOXO

Oh yeah, since it is Monday, there is the weekly 32point5 update. It was a good week, down in inches and pounds. Yeah for me. My only question, when will my armpits actually stop hurting when I try to brush my hair? See you tomorrow!

Yeah, it's Friday

Ahh, Friday! I love Friday's, want to know why? Because the "Whitby this Week" comes on Friday filled with all my lovely grocery flyers. My weekly ritual is to come home from work and have a nice refreshing alcoholic beverage and enjoy my flyers. But wait, something is a miss this week.....NO GROCERY FLYERS. WTF!!! Grr, now I am forced to look at all my favorites on line at "Flyer Mall". Listen up paper boy, no $6.00 for you this collection period! I mean it!!

On to better things. We tend to be a red wine family here. Since it has been such a lovely summer, I have slowly been trying to convince the husband to try some nice chilled white wines.

Quick little review of last weeks and this weeks choices:

1) Kim Crawford 2006 MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC, New Zealand

Rated a 94. Beautiful, Beautiful wine. Tasted so good! Light, crisp and really grapey. If you see this wine, buy it. Price point was around $22.oo from the vintages section. Nice treat for sure.

2) KWV CATHEDRAL CELLAR CHARDONNAY 2005, South Africa

Rated a 92. Price point was about $15.00 from Vintages. Hmm, I think I would have to argue the 92 rating considering how fantabulous the Kim Crawford was. This is an oaked Chardonnay, making it a bit heavier (I guess....I am no expert in having a palate in whites). It is definitely not horrible, but just a little bit sweet for me, more fruity than grapey. Not so bad that I won't be rejecting a second glass tonight.

Well, that's it for today. Hope you had a great day, I did. 5 KM walk with Husband and Dog. Again, remember to come back and visit soon cause I'm sure something exciting will happen sooner or later.

PS....huge shout out to my BIL in New Zealand! Thanks for looking and give big hugs and kisses to the family. I miss you all very much!

Weee...people found my blog!!

Well my day had been super boring until I checked by Site Meter location stats. Shout out to the people in Nova Scotia, New Zealand, Australia and Northern Ontario who checked out my blog today.

Wow, 5 days in and I have already passed my expectations of anyone seeing my blog. THANKS!

So I ate very well today but no physical activity. I had unexpected visitors this morning (my parents) so that jammed my schedule this morning.

If you’re reading this, hope you had a great day! Stay tuned; I’m sure something interesting should happen sooner or later.

Official start date

So, today is the official start of the “32point5” plan.

I don’t intend to dwell daily on the boring stuff like what I ate, if I exercised and how much I measure and weigh (ugh).

For background information, the following picture was taken of me on Saturday, July 12/2008. Not my prettiest for sure, but hey, we went to an amazing house party the night before; the haggard look is well deserved. I don’t think that I am GINORMOUS, but I need to lose about 25-35 pounds to reach a healthy frame and weight. I recorded all the awful numbers this morning and once the goal has been met, I will most certainly post the stats.

ME

Not much happened today, went for a big walk (5 km) with my husband. Work, then home to update the “motivation” blog.

If you’re reading this, hope you had a great day! Stay tuned; I’m sure something interesting should happen sooner or later.