Oh Very

Racing at UNLV, 11 years ago!

I did it! I finished my first Masters swim practice!

Man, was it tough, ha ha. It was only an hour long, and we only swam 3K, but that 3K knocked everything out of me. Half way through, it wasn’t about training, it was just about making it through the practice. Arms were screaming, calves were cramping, and “Just keep moving!!” was pounding through my head. But I did it.

If there’s any hope in moving beyond that feeling, which we elegantly refer to as “dying,” I’ll need to attend 2-3 practices a week.

The next one is on Thursday. Wish me luck.

It’s ironic to have written about how much fun I’ve had working out in these last few months when these last two weeks have been a poor showing.

Why is it so difficult to get back into the swing of things after vacationing? Taste my frustration.

I guess that’s why I’ve officially decided to try out Masters Swimming!

Yep. I’m doing it again. I haven’t competed in five years, and it will probably take a good 5-6 months of training before I race again (besides, meets aren’t regular), but I’m starting up.

My good friend Jill and I are going to kick it off with a couple of rec swim practices Thursday and Saturday before I begin the first of my trial swims with the Downtown Swim Club on Tuesday. Sure it’s Toronto’s gay and lesbian swim club, but the pool times and locations are perfect, and they’re not going to ask for proof, right? ;)

My emotions are a mix of nervousness and excitement. Heck, I even dreamed about racing last night. I can’t help but wonder if it will be difficult to train “casually,” only a few times a week. God, I can feel my adrenaline now just talking about it.

Okay, okay. Enough about that. I’ll let you guys know when I have my first meet, and you can come witness the madness, haha. Oh dear.

Clearly it’s been awhile. I don’t know where my head’s been, guys. Ever since I wore my blonde wig out (weeks before I had the brown one cut, which was also weeks ago), my fitness routine has gone down the drain. Wearing it triggered a lot of emotions I wasn’t expecting to feel, and those emotions seem to have taken over and canceled out the motivation to be healthy. What’s up with that?

I’m an emotional eater, so I’ve been eating a lot – and a lot of junk, and barely working out. You can see the impact already on my body. It’s not that the new curves are unflattering, it’s that they’re there for unhealthy reasons. The changes to body, skin and sleeping habits are all a big fat reminder of how letting your emotions dictate your diet is dangerous.

And you know what? I’m sick of it.

It’s time to take back control, enjoy food that’s nutritious as well as delicious and learn the difference between hunger and emotion-triggered sugar cravings.

You know what that means. It’s time for a mini cleanse.

Hey, hey. If you’re rolling your eyes at how that sounds or are cringing with thoughts of the Master Cleanse, stop. We’re not talking extreme measures here. This week’s cleanse is about eating clean. It’s going to be just like the ReCleanse Challenge, except for no supplements. That means lots of veggies, fruits, protein, whole grains and (good) fat.

It’s also a time for a cupboard cleanse.  Here’s what I’m throwing out. There isn’t much to show since most of the bad foods consumed are take out.

Here are some other ideas for limiting emotional food buys:

• Don’t carry any cash except for emergency money (cravings do not constitute an emergency).
• Drink a tall glass of water before leave in the morning. It’ll actually do a good job of waking you up, and you won’t be as tempted to quench your thirst with a sweet Starbucks beverage.
• Don’t cut out bad food all together. If you love burritos, you can still have them – when you make them at home. You’ll know exactly what’s going in them. (Heaven knows how much oil restaurants use.)
• Wait it out. Cravings usually don’t last very long.

It’s on!

If you’ve ever considered taking a dance class in Toronto but were too afraid, stop right there and come to a beginner Lindsay Ritter class. They’re certainly challenging, but nothing you can’t handle.

A friend took me to her beginner’s commercial jazz class with Natasha (Mondays at 8pm at the National Ballet School), and it was a blast! I think I was sore before warm-up was done, actually.

Tash makes it very clear that she wants quality and technique – cheating won’t get you anywhere. Most of all, all instructors provide a really positive atmosphere for you to try out different styles of dance with friends.

Tonight they mixed things up with a beginner’s contemporary workshop with Marta, who teaches intermediate classes on Tuesdays. Most of us have wanted to try contemporary since So You Think You Can Dance began. We learned to loosen up, be more organic with our movements (a work in progress), do fun backward runs and plié, plié, plié. I’m already sore!

My friends and I just have such a wonderful time at these classes. We can work hard, laugh at ourselves, get fit and learn the joy of dance in an environment that’s far from intimidating. You get a jazz base with a taste of hip hop, ballet, lyrical and contemporary, all to music you actually know.

Plus, on Facebook, Lindsay has created this fabulous dance community of encouraging and patient faculty, professional dancers, intermediate dancers and beginners, like us. I’ve never once felt “not good enough” to comment on an intermediate or advanced video (she records every class and posts the videos on Facebook so you can review your work).

Here’s one video that she posted on YouTube (couldn’t find any beginner’s class vids there – quel surprise!). If you’re interested in coming sometime, let me know!! You can also follow Lindsay on Twitter (@Lindsay_Ritter) for more info.

Check out what my good friend @JilldeLarzac got me for my birthday! A Moleskin wellness journal!

I’ve been interested in this log for months and often peek at it in Chapters, so it was a super appreciated gift. I can log my workouts – exercise, reps, sets and how I felt – and food intake. I don’t count calories really, but it helps me be more accountable. Food’s my biggest issue. I actually binged a bit tonight, but I’m human, and I like gross food, and that’s okay sometimes. I did feel a bit guilty writing it in my journal, but it’s keeping me honest.

Annnnyway, it’s a cool journal. There’s a very helpful section on when foods are in season, what months they’re available via cold storage, etc. They have conversions (conversions from ounces are finally conquerable!) and awesome little stickers to help express yourself better. That part’s a bit silly, but fun nonetheless. It’s also got extra empty tabs for things like recipes, contacts, classes, websites, shops and more.

Check it out:

Thanks, Jill!

x