Less Squishy, More Fit...update

So, as per my mother's prompting, I have decided to give you an update. To be honest I completely forgot about my blog!

Yesterday marked 6 months since I started the 30 Day Shred DVD by Jillian Michaels. I would like to announce that by purchasing that DVD and deciding to become more active I may have created a monster! LOL! I now exercise 5 out of 7 days a week, at least. Since Christmas I have lost 25lbs and I fit back into all my old skinny clothes. I don't even care that I no longer am in fashion, I look fab!

April 13th I ran my first 5km in 5 years. My time was somewhere around 35 minutes (it was a free run so no official times). 2 weeks later I ran the TC10K and surprised myself with a time of 1:10:43! I haven't run a 10k in...well, honestly I've never run one that well so yay me! On the 3rd of June I ran another 5km, The Goddess Run and completed that with a time of 31:51. I was absolutely drained after that run so know I gave it everything I had...but I'm still looking on improving that time one day! I'm now training for another 10K in August when we head to the Kootney's to see my brother. I'm hoping for a time at least as good as the TC10K.

In addition to running twice a week, I have been cycling to or from work...once and a while both. It is 21km one way and takes me between an hour and five minutes to an hour and twenty minutes, depending if I'm going to or from and how tired I am. I have also started swimming once a week with my friend Laura. We go Monday nights from 9-10 as it's only $3. Yes, we are cheap! The days which I don't run, cycle or swim I will usually pop in Jillian Michaels 30 day shred or I have the Turbo Jam DVDs and those are my current favourite. Actually I think I have those to thank for being able to say bye to my 'mummy tummy'.

I have never been in this good of shape in my life, I'm sure of it. I have a little more weight to lose but I'm liking how things are looking. I have no intention of stopping this exercise when I reach my goal, I don't want to go through this all again. Losing the weight is the easy part...maintaining it, this is where I ALWAYS struggle.

So if you're looking for inspiration, get up off the sofa and do some jumping jacks, or go for a walk or call up a friend and go for a swim. Get that heart healthy!

Here is a before and some after shots. I don't have anything from Christmas when I was at my heaviest but this is close. This was taken in June 2011 in Crete.

 

This was after my first 5km in April, yay I survived!

After the Goddess Run 3rd of June

 

Taken last Friday (22/06/2012) in the same shirt (as first picture)

Taken Tuesday (26/06/2012) in a slimmer fitting top and a side profile.

I have about 9lbs to go to reach my 'goal'. Once I'm there I'll reassess I guess. My Chiropractor commented on my upper body strength and how I'm 'balanced'. Apparently not something you see too often in adults. Yay! I feel better, I look great and I'm balanced!

Less Squishy, More Fit!

So on Boxing Day I bought a DVD for $5, Jillian Michael's 30 day SHRED. This has got to be the best purchase I have ever made. I started the next morning with my sister, her two boys and my little man watching me attempt to complete this 20 minute workout (with 2 minutes warm-up and then stretching for 10 minutes, not the 2 the DVD does). I was determined to complete the 30 days. I didn't, not in one go that is. I got to day 18 and got a stinker of a head cold...so I stopped...for 9 days. 18 - 9 = 9...so I started again on day 9 and made it to day 27 before I had to start my next training plan, running.

So my latest training plan is a learn to run a 5km training plan in 9 weeks. I have signed up for a 5km in 6 weeks...so yeah, I'm on week 3 already. So my current training plan is run three days a week and Shred 3 days a week. Sunday's I get to rest (Hooray!). So I finished my 30 day SHRED by working it in with the first week of my running training.

I am now on week 3 of my Shred L3, Run, Shred L2, Run, Shred L1, Run, Rest training plan. Yes, I created it all by myself but I had gotten used to getting up at 5am to do the Shred that I thought, why not keep it up! I have done running training before and been SO sore in between my training runs but now that I'm cross training, I feel OK. Granted my legs do NOT want to do what I'm telling them to and I do have to stretch at my half way point but I'm surprising myself at how well I'm doing! Yay me!

On April 13th I am running the Free Run and it is 5km. I cannot bear to be last but there are only 1000 entries to this run...so I could be last...and this is what spurs me on.

It is now the end of February and I've been exercising consistently for 2 months now. I'm totally amazed by myself. I feel like something is missing if I've not exercised. This past Sunday I even cleaned the house I had so much more energy!

I've not lost loads of weight as I've not been eating quite so well and now I have another dietary hurdle to master (I'll post about that later!) but exercising is definitely making me feel better and I'm not quite so squishy!

I've joined My Fitness Pal which will hopefully spur me on. I want to be healthy and fit...tired of being so squishy!

Goodbye 2011...Hello 2012

So it's January...and I have some time...so I will do my first ever year in review! Bear with me...it was one hell of a year!

So for those of you who don't know or have forgotten, we moved from England in October 7, 2010 back to Victoria, Canada. So, January 2011 sees me without a job and no prospects at that point but I do get to spend loads of time with my little man which was awesome! We tackled potty training on the 21st of January and went straight from diapers to no diapers with no night pants or anything. Best idea ever! Zachary was pretty much accident free after a day and a half. We followed the potty training in one day method. We didn't buy the kit, I just found out the method online and did my own thing!
http://www.pottytrainingconcepts.com/A-How-to-Potty-Train-One-Day.html
After three nights he started having dry nights and now only has the occasional accident at night and usually when he's not feeling well. Yay!

February we celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary and left Zachary with a babysitter, the first time EVER! It all went well of course as my little man is a gem! I finally landed a job at the end of February with Fujitsu Consulting. I started in as an Assistant Project Manager and by this point I was willing to take anything. I found the job ok but not very challenging but better to have a job than no job at all!

In March we decided to go and visit our mortgage broker to see if we could get a mortgage or if we had to wait. Because I was working for a sister company they classified it as a transfer and didn't need wait the 6 months as we expected. So we started house hunting right away. It all happened so fast but we found a house we liked and took posession on the 9th of April, 1 week before we were due to go to England.

April was a very busy month with buying a house, and going to England. With the house we had to get the back yard landscaped because a new septic system had been put in and it was all uneven and new grass had to be planted.

We went to England as a surprise visit for Richards Mother. It was her birthday on Good Friday and we showed up on the Sunday previous. Richards brother picked us up from the airport and we arrived at the house and she had no idea. "Bloody 'ell" were her exact words when she looked up and saw Richard and Zachary standing there! We stayed for a week and agreed to see her in May in Crete.






We moved into our new (and first) home 3 days after we arrived back from England. I was at work and Zachary was at Daycare (which he started when he was 2.5 years old in March) so it was just Richard and the movers. This was good though. Everything was pretty much packed up and he didn't have us in the way. Everything seemd to go smoothly except for noticing the damp patch in our ceiling the first night we were there.

May saw us going to Crete for a week to spend time with my in-laws. A week is not long enough for such a lengthy trip! But all in all we were glad we went as this would be the last time we would see Rosa (other than on Skype). I can still feel her hug and remember her words so clearly as we said good bye.






I don't remember much from June. We had fathers day and went for a round of mini-golf and out for lunch at Smokin' Bones....We had a lovely day and the weather behaved itself. But other than that not much else happened (I don't think!). I also took part in the Canadian Cancer Society Relay for Life. I failed to organise a team from work so myself and one lone co-worker joined another team consisting of young girls. Michelle and I walked most of the night and talked and talked and talked. It turned out we had a lot in common and we got on very well. Michelle has now become one of my closest friends in Victoria and we have done a number of things with her and her husband Oliver.

In July we decided we could no longer manage with just one vehicle as Richard's work was taking him over to the mainland more and more often. Where we live it isn't possible to catch a (three) bus(s) and still catch the first ferry.  So we bought a brand new Toyota Rav4. We love our new car and it holds six of us perfectly. My sister lives in Nanaimo and doesn't drive so it is very handy for that. Otherwise Moose gets transported about in the back.

Moose is doing very well. He was put on a strict weight lose diet again as he was getting way to heavy (just like his owners?). He has now lost 8kg! Yay Moose. He hardly struggles with his back hips now which is great as he is getting old.









August I don't remember much of other than going camping with Lynda and the boys and then starting a new project. I am no longer an Assistant Project Manager, I am now an Applications Analyst...basically, I work on a Service (Help) Desk. It's pretty dull but I love the people I work with and it is a fairly secure roll (and I didn't have to take a pay cut!).

September was Zachary's 3rd birthday! We had a fun party with 4 little friends, some games and cake and presents. I made the cake for Zachary in his current favourite theme. Cars! Miriam and Dave came over for the weekend as well and it was so lovely to meet long awaited baby Teagan born July 22, 2011.

I was quite ill the end of September with the flu and then numerous head colds. I was off work for 3 weeks in total. I finally kicked the germs out of my body the end of November as I was fed up!

Rosa lost her battle with Cancer on November 2, 2011. She was a fantastic person and my life will always be richer for knowing her. She was my friend and mother-in-law and a fantastic Gran to Zachary. She is missed by everyone who knew her.

We went to England for the Funeral. Richard and Zachary went on the 2nd but didn't quite make it in time. Rosa was told "Your boy is coming home, and he's bringing his Dad". She died later that night. I flew back on the 6th and we came home as a family on the 17th. It was a very hard trip but we knew it was coming. I just pray that she is now at peace.

December saw my 35th birthday (ouch!) which we celebrated with Michelle and Oliver and of course Christmas. Zachary was thouroughly spoiled and he still has more to open (Nanny and Papa's presents arrived yesterday!).

The past year drained Richard and I emotionally, physically and of course financially. We are ready to put the year behind us and start this one calmly and in a nice routine.