Episode 28

I haven't posted anything for a while because I have been treating myself to a days' long pity-party.

I made a huge mistake at the beginning of the summer. I decided that I was doing so much exercise and feeling so good from the endorphins that the exercise produced, that I could cut back on my anti-depression medication. By mid-August I was completely off them and feeling pretty good. However, I started bingeing again in a big way - almost always at night and always in secret.

It finally dawned on me, that while the exercise was lifting the depression, it wasn't doing anything for the underlying anxiety. Anxiety is what makes me binge - on bad carbohydrates that provide the seretonin boost that make my brain quiet and make me feel better - which is exactly what the anti-depressants do. DUHHHHH. I'm back on them.

I expect it to take a month to six weeks to start feeling the full effects of the medication, but I'm already noticing subtle differences.

I've never given up on exercise, and I'll never give up on finding the right balance for me where food is concerned. Bless my sister for opening my eyes to the fact that I never allow myself to actually 'enjoy' anything I eat. It's never too late to learn and so I'm starting a new page in life and on we go.

Episode 26

Another fantastic week in the exercise department. I'm feeling good about the progress I'm making at Crossfit - I'm doing things I never dreamed of doing and each week is an adventure in forcing my body to do things it would rather not!

On the sidebar there is a link to a workout called 'Fight Gone Bad.' We did that on Tuesday and I was ready for the basket by the time I finished. That workout is done in every Crossfit gym all over the world at least once every 6 weeks or so, and it kind of makes me happy to know that I can do the same workout that a working soldier in Iraq is doing - albeit with a lot less intensity. There is something very validating about pushing your own limits.

Canadian Thanksgiving was a blast for Reg and I - we spent time with our grandchildren, and there isn't anything better in my mind. We had a lot of laughs - a lot of food - and I thought of several new things to be thankful for this year. If you have good health, you have everything, and we could all spend a bit more time making sure we keep our health.

Free health care is great - I'm thankful that I rarely have to use it.

Episode 25 - Believe in Yourself

I don't usually title these episodes, but this one deserves one. I learned a valuable lesson last week - it is a huge mistake to discount your own ability until you try. If you try and find out you can't do something - fine. BUT - don't decide in advance of trying that you can't do something. If you don't try you will never know.

Thursday's daily workout (WOD) at Crossfit was to row 2 kilometers, and then push press a weighted bar for 5 sets of 5 reps with a one minute break between sets. As soon as I saw the 2k thing on the board I started to panic. Oh no! I can't do that! The most I'd done before was 500m at a time - take a break to do something else, and row another 500m. That was tough. So I just knew I would never be able to row 2k. Why that's...that's...wait 'till I get my converter - that's 1.24280 miles! Never gonna happen. Said I.

I groused around about it for a while, and finally Coach Dave said - OK - how about this - we'll set the timer for 10 minutes and see how you do. I agreed to that.

At the 10 minute mark I had rowed 1,875m - 125m short of the 2k. I could have easily done the 2k (and did finish it outside the time) but I made up my mind before I started that I couldn't do it.

That is not going to happen again. I will never assume that I can't do something until I try it. (Except bungee jumping - I'm never going to try that.)

One thing I have learned since I started doing Crossfit is that the human body is capable of way more than we think it is. I have done some things that I never dreamed possible, and I know there is a lot more to come.

Nike says Just do It. I say - Just Try. ( I don't run any sweatshops so who you gonna believe?)

Episode 24

This is the CrossFit gym that I work out at, and the guy is Dave - my trainer. He doesn't look so scary does he? He isn't really, but he will rarely take no for an answer. He's an excellent motivator, and he knows how far he can push.

I thought he was letting me off way too easy this week with the WOD (workout of the day.) It involved a lot of situps, situps with medicine balls, leg raises, and knees to chest maneuvers, as well as overhead squats. I really didn't feel like I had done enough when I finished. I really didn't feel anything the next day - in fact I did more situps and a bunch of squats.

On the third day I rested because I had no choice. I couldn't walk upright. It hurt to stand up and it hurt to cough. Everything from my shoulders to my hips was tight. My abs (yes, I know there are abs under that roll of fat) feel tender to the touch. I definitely did enough.

I am no longer a vegetarian. I have been eating chicken and fish regularly since I started working with Dave, and while I can't say that I love it, I'm getting used to it and I'm recovering from workouts faster than I used to. I was never into it because of ethics - I just don't like meat. My mind is open to almost anything, so on we go.

Major accomplishment of this week - I cut Dexter's toenails and we're both alive to talk about it.

Peace out.

Episode 23

This was a pretty fantastic week. Great weather - lots of sun and blue sky, and nice warm temperatures that we never got all summer.

The photo is my poor elbow after I fell again on the trail at Fanshawe Lake. I wasn't even running at the time, but standing at the top of a steep gravel-coated downhill, trying to take a picture with my Crackberry. I lost my footing and couldn't stop the slide. My elbow, knee, and left hip got the worst of it - especially my hip which is now a lovely shade of black/green.

I came home and promised Reg I wouldn't go running out there alone anymore. I have other options for trail running, and once Thanksgiving is over and the main park closes for the season, I can run the trails there without fear of falling over the cliff.

I'm going to be making a big announcement on next week's show - so stay tuned. It's big for me - won't be for any of you. HA!

Fifty Counting Down Episode 22

This is the Killally Road Hill. I have ridden my bike down it several times, but I always take an alternate route home because it's VERY steep and since I have been afraid to try to change gears on my bike I knew I would never get up it in the gear I normally use.

Sunday - I rode the hill and conquered it. It wasn't anywhere near as difficult as I thought it was going be, once I got into the right gear. I practiced changing gears for a while before I got onto the hill road and then just decided to let 'er rip and get 'er done.

Somehow, this photo doesn't do the hill justice - it really IS steep at the top end, and my poor old heart was pounding like it never has before. I stopped to let it come back to sort of normal, even though I might have been able to continue without stopping.

I feel like I really accomplished something this week by riding that hill, and from now on I'm not going to be afraid to push myself a lot harder than I have been at running.

My heart can take it.

Episode 21

This has been a good week for me - a few stress-related food issues, but that's on ongoing problem that I may never be rid of.

I had two great sessions at Crossfit - one with just me and Dave doing running drills, and one with 6 other people in a group class. I love/hate the group for various reasons, and I'll definitely go back. I think twice a week will be good for me for now. Nobody leaves a Crossfit class thinking they didn't work hard enough!

I ran 3.5 miles this morning using the Pose method - I still have to concentrate on making sure I'm not heel-striking, but it's coming along and it's definitely a lot less tiring than the way I have been running. I expect it to come naturally before too long!