Personal and Goals – Page 15 – HIKES & HAMSTRINGS

Ugh. Lessons to Myself.

When I get distracted at work, I Instagram my Starbucks cup. Yeah.

So the first step is admitting your problem.

My problem is that I’ve fallen off the fitness and healthy eating wagon, which is probably why I feel so gross right now. Let me elaborate. Tonight I had every intention of doing some work. Not only has my own day-job been busy, but I’m also helping out with some statistical something-or-other on the side, which means that I’m constantly in front of the computer coding in my favourite statistical program, SAS. I had planned for a long SAS-sy evening, so I came home after work, ate, took an hour to nap on my couch, and then decided to head back to work. En route, I stopped at Starbucks where I ordered a grande skinny mocha and a massive apple fritter. This seemed like a great plan at the time. As I drove, I devoured the apple fritter. The mocha was quite tasty too. Now fast forward 30 minutes where I’m sitting at my desk, at work, on a Thursday evening. I felt completely disgusting. Caffeine was flowing through my body (and still is as I write this!), and I had a sugar high that left me totally unfocussed. There was also much bloating going on. Eventually, I had an ‘eff-this’ moment, packed up, and drove home after accomplishing absolutely nothing.

I’m suddenly having flashbacks to my MSc days. I recall working long hours to complete assignments and work on my master’s capstone project. I remember smelling the donuts from Tim Hortons as I ascended the stairs to my office, and always taking a detour to get a chicken salad sandwich, honey cruller and a medium double double. I remember, at that time, never having ran a race, or worked out in many years. I remember these habits transitioning to my days at i3 until half-way through I said “enough” and vowed to kick that sedentary lifestyle to the curb.

Transition from my sedentary ways to a more active lifestyle.

To be fair, it hasn’t been all that bad as of late. I mean, I haven’t completed any solid exercise sessions (whether P90Xing, yoga-ing, or running) in about a week, and I know that’s not a long time. And I know I put a lot of pressure on myself when it comes to these things. But in the midst of my busy work schedule, the lack of vegetables in my diet this week, and an odd migraine-type headache that has left me feeling tired, irritable and generally whiny, I realize some things about myself.

1) Work Balance. Sure, many of us talk about a work-life balance. For me, I think the ‘work’ portion is best kept to the standard work week. I have never been good with managing my time around academia, so academic work outside of my regular work hours makes it difficult for me to maintain the other important aspects of my life- regular fitness activities, down-time, and some semblance of a regular sleep pattern (though I never get enough sleep :D). Rather than working in the evenings, even writing a blog posting is cathartic in many ways, so I need to ensure that there’s more ‘me’ time and time for the things that relax me.

2) Heathy Eating. I can’t be buying sausage and cheddar sandwiches and drinking grande mochas while eating apple fritters! I’ve also been unfocussed enough during the work day that I’m not snacking like my regular schedule once allowed. Usually, when I’m good, I’m snacking every 2 hours or so- a banana, almonds, yogurt with bran, an apple, carrots or celery with peanut butter. I haven’t been good to myself this way :(, but I need to get back on track. Granted, I’ve still been cooking here and there, so that hasn’t been too bad, but I really need to step up my game in this whole category.

3) Fitness. It’s been a while since I’ve felt this lethargic. I’m yearning to get back onto a regular fitness schedule, since I find that a schedule is what I need. Granted, I’ve been travelling a lot in the last many months, which makes it difficult to stick to a fitness schedule, but really, that’s one big excuse. You can run anywhere you go, and thanks to fitness programs like Insanity, it’s very possible to do a full cardio workout in the comforts of your hotel room. I’ve realized that my mood is completely different when I’m on a regular fitness schedule. This translates to a much more productive work day, followed by very active and fulfilling evenings. When I think about taking care of my body, I think about rest and eating healthy, yes. But I also think about continuing to push myself to my limits (and beyond) while I’m still fortunate and able to do. It’s time to make this a priority once again.

13.49 minutes running outside. Epic fail. I have shamed my family.

4) The Outdoors. Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean that enjoying the outdoors comes to a halt! It’s come to my attention that I have friends who are hiking regularly during the winter. Say what?? Why I gave up hiking because it got cold is beyond me. I did manage to finally go skiing in the Rockies (Sunshine Village) a couple of weeks ago. Yes, experiencing this was long overdue. And the verdict? It was amazing. Great company :D, lots of time for skiing, and so much fun. I also went on a winter hike- Tunnel Mountain in Banff. The fact that it’s cold is no excuse.

View from Tunnel Mountain. There’s really no excuse to avoid winter hikes…

So in the end, this blog posting is pretty much an ugh-pity-party for myself to help me get back on track. Actually, it’s less of a pity party, and more of a way to refocus my thoughts when it comes to keeping myself healthy, sane and fit. I’ve been more irritable, lazy and whiny lately, and I dislike being that way. I realize I love staying busy with all of these fitness goals, so it’s time to reclaim the ‘just gotta do it’ attitude that I know and love, and add some self-accountability. It does help that there’s some mad adventuring happening one week from today, when stitch-faced-Dan visits for shenanigans of the ice climbing and bobsledding variety! Also, with only 2.5 months until my first half-marathon of the year, I really can’t afford to fall off the wagon again. I definitely need P90X back in my life to remind me to BRING IT! Restarting that is mos’ def’ on the agenda.

Sunshine Village. Long overdue…

For Thought…

“Here’s Johnny!”

That’s pretty much all I know about Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining”. Well, that’s not true. I sort of know the story, but it surprises me that I’ve never seen this movie! Which is why I added it to my list of 31 before 31. And that’s why I purchased it through Amazon for a whopping $6.15. So now I really have no excuse :). Time for a movie night!

My iPhone 4S Bakes Cookies

So today is the day that I move up in the world. I’ve been very happy with my 3GS over the last few years, but I decided before the holidays that it was time I upgrade to the 4S just because. Yay, it’s finally here! Technology and me do not always mix so well, but so far so good. It’s sitting on my desk restoring from an iCloud backup, or doing whatever iPhones do.

Apparently, so I’ve heard, the 4S is quite a step forward from the archaic 3GS. There was much buzz and hoopla over its release, so I’m expecting big tings from this phone. In fact, I expect it to revolutionize my life. Beyond the usual syncing of my calendar, ability to check e-mails from anywhere, and iMessaging people near and far, my hope is that my new phone will also:

– Transform into things like a canvas bag when I need one at the grocery store.

– Teleport me places because it would just be so much easier.

– Manipulate time somehow… you know, like stop it.

– Randomly talk to me about the meaning of life, and not in the ‘Ask Siri’ sort of way.

– Clean the bathroom. I don’t like doing that, so there must be an app for it.

– Bake me cookies for those rare occasions when I crave them.

Anything less will disappoint.

The Year of… 2012

So here we are. Another year has somehow managed to fly by. Each year, my siblings, cousin and I try to come up with goals for the upcoming year. Not so much resolutions, which oftentimes are forgotten within the first few weeks, but more of a reflection on the past year and what we think the New Year will bring. How do I want to approach the next 365 days?

2011 was all about embracing the phrase: “Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery, Today is a Gift, That’s why it’s called the Present”. It was a great year in which I seized many opportunities in Calgary, while continuing my love of all things travel. I journeyed to Hawaii, Vegas and throughout Europe. I experienced things that I’ve always wanted to experience- skydiving, seeing lava from a volcano, rock-climbing, scuba diving, and an open-door helicopter ride. I ran my first half-marathon and realized that I love hot yoga. I pushed myself physically and tried to stick with my fitness goals despite some setbacks. I turned 30 without hesitation, and I truly believe that I’ve now entered what will be one of the best decades. I discovered that I have an absolute love and admiration for the outdoors, and the awe I feel for nature is akin to my understanding of a spiritual experience. The peace and connectedness when I’m hiking in the mountains and surrounded by incredible majesty add an interesting perspective on my day-to-day activities. What is important to me exactly? How do I see what’s important when the daily routine repeats itself? Who are important to me and how do I let them know that their presence in my life inspires me to be better and do better? Without the support and encouragement of friends and family, I do not think I would be trying to experience and live life the way I do. “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing” (Helen Keller). My own experiences, and the ones I’ve shared with family and friends, have helped solidify my relationships and strengthen those bonds. I’m so appreciative of that and I do not take it for granted.

So what will 2012 bring? Well, I plan to have a similar approach to life this year. Seize moments. Take risks. Embrace opportunities. Push myself because I can. But this year will be different. This year, I want to be inspired by love; love for the things I choose to do, the experiences for which I yearn, and the relationships that are so important in my life. I think it will be a year of changes, and though I’m not fully aware of what those changes will be, I feel incredibly excited and happy with the possibilities and the unknowns. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous at the same time, but I hope to be more introspective as I try to understand and trust the emotions I’ll be feeling. That’s not an easy task for a self-proclaimed cold-hearted Leo who’s not really all that cold-hearted! Whatever the situation is, I want to dive in wholeheartedly and trust that a happier, stronger me emerges. However the year unfolds, I know it will be a good and positive 2012.