Stats, Refections & Choices

Stats & Reflections

Diet
Though I'm not tracking my food right now, I'm still sticking to weighing in Monday mornings. Monday morning sat at 170.4, which means I'm staying the course... renewed interest in physical activity should help me with some balances, but I need to make sure that I don't overeat when my appetite grows due to the exercise.

Conclusion - I need to start tracking my food STAT.

Running
March 18, Learn-to-Run class: 2.5k, 5 min ea. warm-up/cool-down, 10 1/1 intervals (total 30 min)

• Reflected upon in this older post.

March 20, Run with thomas: 2.7k, 5 min ea. warm-up/cool-down, 10 1/1 intervals (total 30 min)

• Still felt doable (these are the reflections I end up with when trying to write them over a week later)

March 25, Learn-to-Run class: 4k, 5 min ea. warm-up/cool-down, 9 2/1 intervals (total 37 min)

• The first minute of walking felt like 10 seconds - not nearly enough time to recover. But as the intervals went on, it actually seemed to get easier. Other hard parts included going up an incline for the first time and, oh yes, it being about 12 degrees colder than the previous Friday.

March 27, Run with thomas: 2.7k, 5 min warm-up untimed cool-down, 5 2/1 intervals (total approx. 20 min) - run cut short

• My knee cramped up when I tried to tie the opposite lace. My GOOD knee. But I was already having a lot of trouble long before. I felt that my pace was much slower than Friday. I don't know if it's just optics. There are many faster girls on my Friday class, but there are many slower girls, too. I run at my pace and I end up running with a few different people along the way. When I run with Thomas, I know he can go much faster. It doesn't make me feel bad, but it does make me think that I'm not going fast enough. However, it could have just as easily been the wind we faced. I felt like I had to put out a lot more effort on Sunday to do less than I did on Friday.

Choices (sigh)
I realized yesterday that I have to make a decision, and quickly.
-Registration for the Ottawa 5K is 90% full.
-It will take about three weeks once I get measured to get my orthotics made.
-In those three weeks, I should be endeavouring to run nine times.
-My knees are sore, and I don't think that I can keep up that pace - yet.

So I've made the decision to defer my clinic. I'm going to spend the next while strengthening the muscles in my legs and building a better base for running.

I guess this is the one time I really should have put it off.

Exploding with Options, Part Two

Part two: Running, its successes and roadblocks.

Since starting my first running class on March 18, I've gone for four runs; two with the group and two with Thomas. The former seems to be much easier than the latter, and there could be a plethora of reasons for it. I'll have to do a few more runs to get an honest comparison.

But there's other, bigger issues. As previously mentioned, I felt like I'd done a number on my knees coming back from Costa Rica. It was March Break and I couldn't get an appointment with my GP until the 21st. By the 17th I was feeling much better but felt that it couldn't hurt to get myself checked out.

And that's when the bad news came. My left knee, the one I dislocated five years ago, is suplexed. From what I understand, that means it's sitting out of its regular position on the outside. My GP was concerned about my running, but allowed me to get the opinion of a physiotherapist, too.

So off to physio I went. She was understanding of my desire to run and said that we can work with my legs in order to make that happen. I'll be getting orthotics, doing lots of home exercises, and listening to my body.
I've also decided to supplement massage. I went to see my therapist yesterday, and she gave me an awesome treatment that combined some accupuncture, cupping, and bodywork.

But I feel like crap today.

My right knee, the healthier one, has been giving me problems. I had to cut Sunday's run short because when I went to retie a lace, my knee spasmed when I crouched. It happened again yesterday about four hours after my treatment. The rest of the night and this morning it's felt...out of sorts.

I'm off to the physiotherapist today, and hopefully I can get an appointment soon with the person who does the orthotics. I really hope that both with contribute to a better running experience.

Exploding with Options, Part One

I feel like I have so much to convey but can't seem to get it in order... therefore I'll be throwing down a few posts this week.

So, here we go. Part one: Diet, food, and weighing in.

At one point on my Weight Watchers journey, I had gotten myself organized to the point where I was eating fairly similarly each day. It didn't bug me while I was doing it, and I did try to throw in some changes to that it wasn't identical.

But when I got off course, the idea of going back to that lifestyle was harder than I could imagine. Coupling that with the changes to the WW program and having to recalculate all that I ate left me frustrated and eating whatever the hell was around.

I'm not giving up on the program completely, I'm just taking a break and seeing what else might work for me. I've signed up for SparkPeople but haven't used it. Then I thought about cleaning out my system and starting from scratch. I'd thought about doing this ages ago, but knew that the household I was living in wouldn't be condusive to the choices I needed to make.

I've considered doing this for reasons other than weight loss. I've suffered through enough indigestion and food poisoning. I constantly feel like my body is fighting the food I'm putting in it, and I have no idea what guilty ingredients are. I originally planned on talking to friends about the over-the-counter products available and seeing if any suited me.

Then last week I was inspired by a friend's blog entry mentioning what he was planning to do to detox his system. I aspire to do the same, removing the usual suspects (alcohol, caffiene, meats of all kinds, dairy, gluten, etc) and slowly reintroducing them into my diet to see what effect they have on me. Or maybe I'll just take on this new gluten-free vegan-esque diet if it works for me, who knows? It won't be easy, considering I'll be living with a partner that very likely won't be doing the same.

Does it sound like I'm trying to explore too many options? Because that's the way it feels.

Your suggestions and feedback are welcome.

PS - these choices aren't being made right now...as we wait for Thomas's benefits to kick in, we're cleaning out the pantry and freezer before buying more food. And they're filled with beef, chicken, pasta and sauce.

What's in a name?

Well, I guess this is it. A certain friend has inspired me to continue my blogging here instead of notes posted on my facebook page. A little housekeeping here: I've moved the posts over from Facebook. I'll keep them there because I want to have access to the feedback, but I'm removing the tags so that they aren't accessible from those people's pages.

It may mean not getting as much traffic, but I've come to recognize that the privacy over there is kind of sketchy. While this may be generally more public, I feel that only those who want to come see this will, instead of stumbling onto a tag on someone else's facebook page.

It didn't take long to decide on a name for this blog. The person who inspired me to start of here came up a fantastic name for his recently-started blog, and once I thought of him, the Tao of Pooh came to mind.

Once realizing that 'Tao' roughly translates into 'path' or 'way' (thank you Wikipedia) or 'how things happen' (thank you other non-wikipedia site for verification), I knew it was appropriate for a blog about the journey I've started in order to heal a lifelong issue I've struggled with.

Now, here I am. Using the identity of a book revered by many and I haven't even read it. I promise you it will be the next one I pick up. And if any of you have a copy that they'd want to lend me, I'd appreciate it greatly...

Your feedback requested

It's funny, I haven't even posted the last journal on sparkpeople. I haven't taken the time to get use of the full extent of the site. Either way, this note isn't really about fitness or physical health...it's about mental health, and where my focus has been sitting all week. (This is also the reason there are a few more people tagged here today)

I am terribly unhappy with my job. I have been for years, but one thing or another has kept me there. The promise of possible growth, the great work life balance, the fantastic people I work with.

But there have been major changes, and those fantastic people are dropping like flies. The work life balance isn't nearly as balanced. And finally, the organization all but outright said to me yesterday that I'm not worth any investment to them.

I've been looking for work. In fact, I've been looking for a long time. The easiest transition would be to move into another role like mine. But I hate the type of work I do. So I've been looking for the kind of work I want: entry-level human resources. But the positions are few and far between. When you incorporate my limited commuting ability (pretty much either Brampton or downtown Toronto), the options are limited.
And of course, every other HR grad for the last few years plus those who have experience are all applying for all the same few postings. The last job I applied for had over 400 submissions. 400 people to compete against just to make it to the short list.

So with many applications over the last three years, I've managed to land one phone interview that didn't end up panning out. And I made it on that short list because I knew someone on the inside.

Which brings me to today. I've tinkered with the thought of going back to school for a while. The first time around, I went and took classes that were intuitive to me. I ended up hating school and just sticking through it to get the piece of paper that proved I knew what I already knew.

This time, it would be pretty foreign territory. I'm hoping to get into a nutritional studies with the end goal of becoming a Registered Dietician. I know that healthcare is not the best place to set up, but I also know that there is going to be a major shift in the next five years with a slew of retirements.

So, I ask for your feedback. If Thomas and I can make the numbers work, and ONLY if we can, do I do it? Do I get back into studies and put everything else on hold? Your opinions wanted.

March 20

In the setting up my account on SparkPeople, I was told to choose some easy to achieve goals. My motivational goal is to write three journals this week, and I feel like it may be too many. I want to say many of the same things as I did on my last note a few days ago...

Does this mean that I'm not making enough progress? Because I feel like my time is completely filled right now with making choices and following through. I constantly think about all the things on my life to-do list and how I can only manage to work on one or two at a time. This weekend it was all about getting out and being active.

On Friday I went to my first learn to run class. The goal is time, not distance, and we went out for a 5min walking warm up, 10 intervals of run for a minute/walk for a minute and a 5 minute cool down. When I got home I tracked the length of our run and we did bout 2.52k in that time. I wasn’t at the front of the pack nor was I at the back. I had a challenging run but it wasn’t anywhere close to impossible.

The best part is that I felt ready to go again this morning. Because I don’t live in the area where my group runs I won’t be running with them, but I have a more than willing running partner in Thomas. He’s so happy to have someone to run with that he doesn’t seem to mind the fact that I’m seriously slowing him down ;)

I guess that’s it for now. I’m hoping this week won’t be as hard to get through as last week was, but I’m already in a better place with these challenges I’m setting out for myself.

Next note I’ll get into the priorities I’m laying out for myself and what I’m tackling right now.

Wow, what a week.

I was about to use the term emotional roller coaster to describe my week, but I seem to remember using that term a LOT a couple of years ago when I'd swing between deep depression and amazing highs from day to day.

And maybe if I was the me I was two years ago, it would be appropriate. But this week has been pretty stable. I've had my share of heartache this week, but I can't change that. I can only affect how I handle it. Instead of dwelling in the negative, I've been keeping up with the promise myself to get on track with my nutrition and fitness.

So it's Thursday. Where are we?

Well, I did a number on my knee in Costa Rica and today is the first day I've walked around without my tensor. Instead of letting it lie, I'm checking in with my GP on Monday and seeing if she recommends any kind physio or other therapy. Tomorrow I'm going to see massage therapy guru Sarah Ritchie in Oakville and treat myself and my knee to some true massaging talent.

But I'm not letting my knee impede the fitness choices that I need to make now. I've decided that my knee is strong enough at the moment to take a bit of a beating over the next two days, and have signed up for two things. On Saturday I'm attending a four-hour self defense seminar at The Orangeville Dojo where Thomas trains. These are skills I've always looked at having and am afraid that one day I'll run into some trouble and realize that I waited too long.

The second thing I've signed up for is the Learn to Run 10 week program at the Running Room. Most classes started while I was in Costa Rica, but the Beaches store starts their class tomorrow. Its goal race is the Ottawa Race Weekend, and I think I might just head out with Larry and do my run there.

Finally, due to some inspiration I received on Sunday, I've taken a second, harder look at this site (SparkPeople) and am attempting to use it to track my nutrition and fitness goals. I'm going to be blogging from there, too.

I thought about just posting a link to the blog, but I know that things can get buried in the FB-verse quickly without tags. So I decided that if you guys still want to keep up with the Baranses, I'll copy and paste my blog posts here.

If anyone is using SparkPeople, send me a message and I'll add you into my circle of friends :)

No weigh-in, no week. Just an update.

So I've been on hiatus for a couple of weeks. I never did get going the last week before my vacation and was up 5 lbs to 174 on Monday, February 28.

This post comes without a weigh in from Sunny Costa Rica. I have no idea what my weight will be when I come home, and it doesn't really matter to me. I'm on vacation. An between lots of heat, lots of exercise, lots of fruit (mmmm papaya) and lots of beans and rice, who knows what will be?

I don't know if I'll start right back next Monday. I know I have a LOT of things to figure out and habits to recreate. and the more I throw at myself at once, the harder it will be. So upon my return, I will take some time and devise a plan. And when that plan is set in motion, you'll all be hearing from me on a regular basis. Now back to your regularly scheduled week. See you when I get back!