Oh, the Guilt!

Daily Angel Wisdom

Angels are "messengers from God," and they are in your life whether you follow a religion or not, and even if you don't believe in them.

- Margaret Neylon

(Stick with me Tom – your stuff is at the end)
Yesterday, I took the day off work (it was a scheduled day off approved by the manager) to go downtown and have my hair cut and coloured by someone other than my regular stylist! I’ve cheated on my hairdresser! Oh, you know how it is…sometimes your regular girl has been doing you so long and knows you too well and you just feel you need a bit of spark. My girl is very up-to-date actually, with what is current and is always going on training sessions to see what’s new in the industry. Last time she did my streaks I just felt they were done too finely – she said ‘chunky streaks are out’. I beg to differ – I see them all the time in the office, on the street and on tv. The month leading up to the appointment I wondered, How do I face her again afterward? How do I explain? My whole mindset was that this would just be a one time thing and I’d go back. Well, I was sitting in the chair yesterday and the new girl says, and next time it will be easier because I’ll be able to pick these out…Next time? Oh…now who am I going to offend? I came to this new girl because my boyfriend gets his hair cut by her. It’s a good trendy salon downtown and I thought I needed a change. And then at the time of payment she asks when I’d like to come back…then Bill says he’s back on March 1 and as luck would have it there was an opening right after his…Oh, well. Change is good right? I could just not ever see the regular girl again right? But oh. I started taking my son to her a couple years ago and he is in real need of a cut right now - guess I’m wearing a hat to his next appointment!?

BTW – had a good LBWO today. Missed it yesterday so did it today.

Joke of the day

(okay, so if it wasn’t on your radar, we’re having a Federal election on January 23rd, hence all the political jokes)

School
One day a fourth-grade teacher asked the children what their fathers did for a living. All the typical answers came up fireman, mechanic, businessman, salesman, doctor, lawyer, and so forth. But little Justin was being un-characteristically quiet. When the teacher prodded him about his father he replied."My father's an exotic dancer in a Gay cabaret and takes off all his clothes in front of other men and they put money in his underwear. Sometimes, if the offer is really good, he will go home with some guy and make love with him for money." The teacher, obviously shaken by this statement, hurriedly set the other children to work on some exercises and then took little Justin aside to ask him, "Is that really true about your father?" "No," the boy said, "He works for the Liberals and is helping to secure the re-election of Paul Martin, but I was too embarrassed to say that in front of the other kids!"

Fitness Tip of the day
Improve your grades! For every 2 percent increase on the treadmill grade, you burn 25% more calories. Try intervals of increasing the inclines during your walks or runs to increase your level of fitness and burn more calories.

Free Day Friday

Today's Quote

"Some cause happiness wherever they go;
others whenever they go."
Oscar Wilde

It was a good UBWO today, though I didn’t make it through all the weight stages. I’ll tell you why.

Since the upgrades at my gym they got rid of the weight set I used to use. It progressed nicely from 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 20, 25 lb dumbbells etc. I now have a jump from 5, 10, 15, 20+ lb dumbbells. I had a nice (successful) routine going with my BFL workout of 8, 10, 12 and maxing out at 15 lbs for six reps.

Now I have only 5, 10, and 15 lbs to work with. Sounds like a piece of cake doesn’t it? But in reality these dumbbells are 7, 12 and 17 lbs and boy, that jump to 17 lbs I am not ready for.

Well, I can do the Military press alright with the 15’s. I really hit a 10 on that today with my rep of 8 but there’s no way I can lift the 20 yet (22 lbs in reality counting the handle). So I’ll just plug away at this. I’ll have to modify the program and know that when I CAN finally lift that 20 for even one rep – wahoo! - I’ll know I’ve reached the next level.

This kind of started me thinking…should I try Creatine to get over this hump? Naw, what’s the point if I can lift 20 lbs but I feel miserable because I feel fat and bloated!? I think it will be much more satisfying to me to bridge that gap all on my own power.

So tonight is Free Meal. Friday is Pizza Night. It’s a Flame Pizza – hot chilis in the tomato sauce, hot cappicolli, hot pepperoni, green peppers and mushrooms. Remember – HOT food raises the metabolism! I’m enjoying my white wine – though I plan to be back on the water for the weekend. (Hey Tom, what brand of beer is it you drink? That’s pretty much like water to us up here anyway.)

Joke of the day

Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin was invited to address a major gathering of First Nations two weeks ago in Northern Canada. He spoke for almost an hour on his future plans for increasing every Native's present standard of living, should he be re-elected. He also referred to his career as Finance Minister. Although the Prime Minister was vague on the details of his plan, he seemed most enthusiastic about his future ideas for helping his "red sisters and brothers". At the conclusion of his speech, the Tribes presented him witha plaque inscribed with his new Indian name - Walking Eagle. The proud Prime Minister then departed in his motorcade, waving to the crowds. A news reporter later inquired of the group of chiefs as to howthey came to select the new name given to the Prime Minister. They explained that Walking Eagle is the name given to a birdso full of shit it can no longer fly.

Good Day

Today's Quote

A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes.

-Hugh Downs

I had a good day today. Slept the best last night than I have in days, two girlfriends I haven’t seen in a while said I had lost weight and was looking good, ate well today and got in day 4 Cardio at the gym.

I attribute my sleeplessness to not having had a drink since Sunday Jan. 2nd. I have cut out alcohol in order to speed up my fat loss on this challenge. Normally I would have 1-2 glasses of wine when I got home from work. It really does “take the edge off” as they say and now I know it really relaxed my brainwaves when I went to bed. When I go to bed without having had a drink my mind is wired, flitting from thought to thought, I can’t relax, I worry, and I have dream after dream after dream. I seem to wake up every 40 mins or so. I hate this. I have tried Melatonin. (for those of you that want to try it, it was suggested to me to take it about 10 mins before bedtime, opening two capsules under the tongue and drinking a glass of warm milk.) Melatonin didn’t work for me. I am one of those people where if a medication says it will make you drowsy – it does the opposite for me. I believe this is also one of those supplements that you have to take for a while to really see results. I sure couldn’t take more nights like that. It wasn’t AWFUL but it sure wasn’t the expected outcome. In November I had my yearly check up with the doctor and I talked to her about this sleeplessness. I’ve known her for years and she is aware that I’ve had this problem for many years. She prescribed Lorazapam. (aka Ativan). I haven’t tried it yet. I’m afraid to! I tried it 10 years ago when I was depressed and HATED IT. Okay I would have had a couple beer before bed and I took it and I had a horrible night! I felt like Pig Pen from Charlie Brown – more depressed with a dark cloud hanging over me.
Anyway, hope I sleep good tonight! Kinda looking forward to a bottle of wine this weekend…I’ll have to talk about my problem with goal setting another time…


So we are 5 days in to the New Year – how many NEW diets have you seen on the market already! Yesterday was The Sonoma diet. (This I could possibly do! Says I can have my wine and my cheese and eat it too!) Today I get an UNSOLICITED email from Prevention magazine touting The Flavor Point Diet.

http://www.flavorpointdiet.com/uof/flavorpointdiet/?keycode=011424

“What if losing weight could be effortless? If you could watch those extra pounds just disappear? If diet foods and “meal replacements” tasted like the foods you crave, instead of like cardboard?” TRICK YOUR BRAIN INTO FEELING FULL, ANDWATCH THE POUNDS JUST DISAPPEAR!At some point during every eating experience, we all begin to feel full and fulfilled. When you reach that point of fulfillment—the Flavor Point—you stop eating. If you reach the Flavor Point early enough, you will feel full on fewer calories. If you reach the Flavor Point too late, you overeat. By combining foods by flavor, The Flavor Point Diet tricks the brain into being satisfied all day long…helping you reach your Flavor Point more quickly, fill up on fewer calories, and lose that extra weight once and for all—with almost no effort!

Give me a break! Come on people! Anything worth having is worth striving for. It don’t come easy. It takes dedication. A plan. A new mindset. A lifestyle change.(And let us not forget exersize!) Then when it is truly a lifestyle…it is easy…or easier. There will still be temptations. But the more good days you have on plan, then you can treat yourself to the things that are only reserved for special occasions.

Diet Tip of the Day: Make your resolution to change one thing weekly. Instead of resolving to lose 20 pounds in a month, stop drinking soda. Drink one less soda a day and you'll save over 1,000 calories a week. In just one month, you'll lose a pound without much effort. Small changes pay off in big rewards.

Sorry Tom. No jokes today.

Cardio Day

Today's Quote

To the world you might be one person, but to one person you might be the world.

-Unknown

Stardate: C2D2. My cold was feeling better all morning today, but when I got to the gym and onto the elliptical trainer I couldn’t stop coughing. I figure I my medication was wearing off because I was an hour away from my next dose of medication. I think it was also the change in air from the office. I expected the cardio area of the gym to be quite busy due to new resolutions but luckily I was the only one. (So at least I didn’t bother anyone with my dry cough.) Bill said the gym wasn’t busy this morning either. But then our gym didn’t do ANY advertising in Dec. They never do! We wonder how long this gym is going to be around even though they just did a whole bunch of upgrades. With no advertising how can they survive?

An 80-year-old man

An 80-year-old man went to his doctor for his quarterly check-up. The doctor asked him how he was feeling and the 80-year-old said "Things are great and I've never felt better. I now have a 20 year-old bride who is pregnant with my child. So what do you think about that?"The doctor considered his question for a minute and then began."I have an older friend, much like you, who is an avid hunter and never misses a season.One day when he was setting off hunting, he was in a bit of a hurry and accidentally picked up his walking cane instead of his gun.As he neared a lake he came across a very large male beaver sitting at the water's edge. He realised he'd left his gun at home and so couldn't shoot the magnificent creature but out of habit he raised his cane, aimed it at the animal as if it were his favourite hunting rifle and went 'bang,bang'.Miraculously, two shots rang out and the beaver fell over dead.Now, what do you think of that?" asked the doctor.The 80-year-old said, "If you ask me, I'd say somebody else pumped a couple of rounds into that beaver."The doctor replied, "My point exactly".

A Fresh New Year

I have not failed 10,000 times. I have successfully found 10,000 ways that will not work."-- Thomas A. Edison

Happy New Year everyone! Hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday season. Now its time to get back on track with my fitness goals. I’ve had a head cold since Dec. 23. I think it is just starting to let up now. Today was the first day of Challenge 2 for me. I had a half assed upper body workout today at home with dumbbells and a fitness ball. I will be packing tuna and cottage cheese and raspberries for snacks tomorrow at work. It’s my first day back at work since my vacation started on Dec. 19. I got some time in on the recumbent bike and had 1 great 30 min. run outside in the rain the first week but that is it for fitness over the holidays. I am not looking forward to getting back to work EXCEPT for the fact that I really need to get back into the routine of things. My scheduled breaks really help me get my meals and snacks in. I have no discipline when I’m at home and honestly the boring food is not as hard to handle when I’m working. When I’m at home I want pizza for lunch or grilled Panini sandwiches or A&W Mozza burgers. If I don’t take leftover turkey breast from home tomorrow I’ll be getting a turkey wrap at the office cafeteria. They make them fresh.

I like the quote above because it tells us that we cannot expect different results if we keep doing the same things, or follow the same habits over and over. If every diet or fitness plan has failed in the past for you it’s because you didn’t change something(s) very critical – whatever that may be for you – in order to achieve the desired results. Oh, someone in the fitness world said it much better I think. I hope you get the drift.