Happy New Year

Goodness it has been far too long since I have been in this space. I actually contemplated deleting this blog but I have a renewed sense of possibility so I am going to see if I can post once a week here for the foreseeable future.

So much has happened since July. I did work both jobs like a mad lady for August and most of September. “Luckily” for me the call center closed on towards the end of September so my 70+ hour work weeks came to a screeching halt. 🙂 The work is now being done by a third party work from home call center. It took some convincing from the call center staff to get me to sign up for this new “opportunity” as the pay is now on a per order/call basis instead of hourly. Since I was burnt out from working both jobs, I have cut my hours at the new PT job in half and refuse to do more than the 15 mandatory hours. Unfortunately the bulk of the hours (10!!!) need to be done on Friday through Sunday. Since it makes no sense to work late on Friday as the calls seem to drop significantly after 8pm I am left trying to figure out when to work on the weekends. I like having my evenings free so early morning quiet times for me. Read that as volunteer hours as no calls = no pay.

The day job is chugging along. Sadly not much has changed given that we are in a pandemic other than we are back to 100% pay. YIPPEE!! We still go into the office every day and I swear we are hiring more and more people. The business is booming.

On the fitness front, I have fallen off and on the exercise bandwagon. Good to know not much has changed for me huh? LOL. With the new year I have recommitted to moving at least 20 minutes a day, every day until the end of March. Today I overexerted myself and went for an almost 5 mile walk. My feet and legs are not happy with me. Tomorrow I have a walk scheduled with my Mom and she likes to be out for at least an hour … at least she walks slow.

Financially, I am doing ok. I still have to firm up my budget for this year and really get serious about finding a new FT job. I have been at my current spot for 3.5 years and the time to move on is coming. Not sure what job searching will really be like in this second wave lockdown but nothing ventured, nothing gained.

My girls are still employed. Most who were offered the option of being laid off took it, so both of them are working at least 30+ hours now doing curbside pick. Not sure how long this will last but the store is on barebones staff so no further cuts can be made without closing the store on certain days or drastically reducing the hours they are open.

Overall 2020 was a year to remember. Not all bad happened. I am not sure what 2021 will bring. I am not holding out hope in the vaccine being the magic cure. Hopefully we as a planet can get our collective selves together and start focusing on what is good for all instead of what is good for self.

I should stay off the internet

Every morning at work, I start my day by reading msn. There are usually fitness articles from Popsugar. Recently I read 3 articles about daily exercise challenges; 100 squats/day for 2 weeks, 50 burpees/day for 30 days and 50 push-ups/day for 2 weeks. Out of the 3, the push-ups seemed the most doable. I’m 10 days in and it is not getting any easier. I did not add the challenge of doing all the push-ups on my toes. I have only tried to do some on my toes once. And well … it sucked royally.

Usually by the time I am getting to do my push-ups it is late and I just want to get them over with as soon as possible. So modified push-ups for the win!

Maybe after these 2 weeks are over I will continue but instead start on my toes and see how far I can get in 2 weeks.

I am still getting in some workouts at the company gym but not as many as before. So far I seem to be working 3 shifts/week at my part time job. Only 2 of those are during the week, so I really have no excuse.

I was attempting to avoid going while the boot camp was in session but our paths crossed last week and it was not as bad as I thought it might be. Our gym is not very big so it really starts to feel restrictive with more than 4 people in it, at least to me.

A friend of mine is trying to convince me to join the local no-frills gym. It is $5 every 2 weeks, so $130/year. Not ridiculously overpriced. It is a 24/7 location so the only thing to figure out when to go. Ideally I’d love to go first thing in the morning, especially since the location closest to me is in a mall with a glass wall. It makes me think of zoo animals as everyone in the mall can watch you work out. So my only options are to go when the mall is closed and late night working out does not appeal to me.

Other than that life is pretty mundane.

Putting my money where my mouth is

So I went to the Dr last week for my annual physical. He told me I had gained some weight since my last visit 4 years earlier … Don’t ask, clearly self care is sometimes lacking.

I knew this, but it was still difficult to hear. Since I have fallen off the wagon somewhat, I have joined the workout class at work. It happens twice a week for 1 hour each session with a trainer. Cost is $10/class and requires a 10 class commitment.

Today was the first class and I hurt already, so tomorrow is going to be fun. There were many moments of being out of breath. I really need to work on this and it makes the workout harder. On top of that I am fighting a cold. I am hoping to get over it quickly.

The gym at work was deserted at 5:30 so I am thinking that I should go after work every day. Even if it’s only for a 30 minute walk on the thread mill. According to my Dr, I need at least 150 minutes of exercise a week. The workout classes well get me to 120, and I can manage another 30 minutes on my own.

I am making some dietary changes as well. For the most part I am giving up flour and am trying harder to a more plant based diet. Still haven’t tried out my Vitamix blender. Bought some veggies yesterday but the energy to make anything is lacking right now.

I hope these changes make some positive changes on the scale. I need to get myself under control.

February Goals

I’ve had this post in my head since last weekend … Better late than never, right?

Right now I am struggling with life/work balance. I am so unhappy at work I have started looking for another job. I moved to the early shift and still find myself working at least 2 hours overtime almost every day. 😦 The only “bonus” is that I am still leaving work at a “reasonable” hour. I really thought that work would get better since we were bought out but that is not the case. It also does not help that just about everyone in my department is miserable including my manager.

Friday had me running around like a chicken with my head cut off as we’ve just implemented a new pricing process that requires multiple busy people to look at our costs before the quote goes to our finance department and then back to our VP of sales. If she changes a penny, it must go back to finance for approval …

The process is taking 5+ days. Unacceptable, but what can we do. It honestly feels like we are being set up to fail. I am told right now is our busy season and it will slow down but I am not seeing it.

On the fitness side, I am still managing to fit in at least a 20 minute workout into my day every day. My body is tired but I am getting it done. I want to increase the amount of time I exercise but I have not yet convinced myself to work out before work. And when I get home, some nights I am so hungry that I inhale a yogurt before exercising and then choose a 20 minute workout. I still have not attempted a Jillian workout.

I need to get a better handle on my food intake. I was supposed to start tracking it on Feb 1 but … I neglected to. Made myself the world’s most awesome sandwich for breakfast today and yesterday. Put it into myfitnesspal.com only to cry at how calorie heavy it is. No regrets, but it is an eye opener. Also my water intake has fallen by the wayside. 😦

Financially … I have not been as diligent as I used to be with my money. I have been having way too many coffees out. Considering I am/was a one coffee a day kind of girl and 99% of the time it was instant from home as I am not a “real” coffee drinker. I like coffee that doesn’t taste like coffee, flavoured is my jam. This new habit of going for a second coffee 3+ times a week needs to end.

Basically I am a hot mess and need to get myself back on track. This is the month to start focusing on me.

 

2013 Goals

Happy New Year!

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This year will be better than ever!!

Isn’t that what we say every January first?  Only to have life return to “normal” by February/March?

Then all resolutions or goals and plans are forgot or deemed to be out of reach.  Too hard.  Takes too long.  Requires too much effort.

I can’t say I have elaborate resolutions … or even any resolutions at all.

There are some things that I would like to accomplish but they are not resolutions per se; more of a lifestyle plan.

Family

I don’t see my family nearly enough.  My Dad & Mom often but my Uncles and Aunts that are in Toronto, not so much. 😦  I need to do better than once a year.  I see my family in MD more than I do the ones that are local. 😦

Friends

Other than my BFF, I can go months without seeing some of my friends.  We will talk/text often but we are not in front of each other often enough.

Fitness

Project Get Healthy will continue.  I have not worked out in almost 2 weeks and even thought my weight is remaining steady, it’s time to get back on the exercise wagon.  While it’s nice to see the numbers on the scale decrease, it is not the most important factor.  I don’t want to turn into a “dieter”.  I just want to eat healthy 80% of the time.  Life without cheese treats is not as exciting to me.

Financial

Reduce my debt is still on my list.  Along with increase my net worth.  Try to keep my eye on the prize and not get distracted by shiny new toys.

Personal

Learn and grow.  I think it’s been a long time since I have really stretched myself.  I haven’t learned any new skills that I can think of.  I’m stuck in a rut.  In the future I would like to learn something new.  What that is I have yet to determine.  But I will push myself out of my comfort zone.  I will remember the following quotes and try to live my life by them.

Life is too short. Live your life worthy while you’re here. Because we’re only here temporarily. Live life to the fullest! ~ Unknown

Life is too short to be sad all the time, so laugh everyday, smile when you want to cry, love the ones that care for you, forget the ones that don’t, hang out with friends whenever possible, regret nothing because at one time it was everything you wanted, never backstab someone cause they will backstab you back, and just live life to the fullest because you only get one life. ~ Unknown

Nothing too outrageous.  Just common sense. 😉

IWIW – 07/04/12

I want a toned strong body.  Particularly strong arms.  I have spoken before about my fear of “Oprah arms”.

I really like love Ciara‘s body.

And I understand that she’s 16 26, AND has never given birth to a child AND it’s her job to be in shape but that still doesn’t change my desire to have a body like hers.

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While trolling the internet I came across Ruby Carter-Pikes.  She is a 64-year-old great-grandma who is taking the body building world by storm.

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And Ernestine Shepherd, a 75-year-old body builder.

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Body building has never appealed to me but what these two older women are doing is just phenomenal.

Very inspirational and motivational!!