The State of my Body

Last year, I took charge of my weight and lost a little over 30 pounds with running and weight watchers. Took me about 5 months because I wanted to look great for my brothers wedding in which I was a bridesmaid. And? I did. When my brother got married (this weekend last year) I felt so amazing, beautiful and I couldn't stop looking at the pictures of me that were took. 

Then summer came, and I started dating Alex. I gained the "honeymoon 15", but thank goodness it wasn't 15, or even close to that. Right now I'm about 6 pounds heavier than when I met Alex. I still worked out but I wouldn't be focused because I knew I would be meeting him and my mind was else where. 

When I started back at school in September I wasn't running as much. School got tougher and I felt that I couldn't go out running for an hour when I had an essay to write. Or when my boyfriend and I were going a date later. Basically, exercising was put on the back burner. Totally my fault.  

Then I ran my 1st half-marathon in October and decided I wanted to beat my time so I started training in mid December and ran a 2:07 Half Marathon in February. That was amazing. Even though I was running, that's all I did. No weights to tone or ab workout either. Granted, some days when I ran 12km or more, that was my workout for the day because I had no energy. But the days during the week where I was running 5k, looking back on that I could have pumped out for bicep curls and bicycle crunches. But I didn't. So my legs were strong and had muscles but everywhere else, was flabby. 

After my half in Feb, I took 2 weeks off to rest my body, and then running became once a week and maybe the max I ran was 5k. Naturally my body changed and I left it. The scale was sssslllooowwwwlllyy going up week by week. I became unhappy with myself, how I mirrors again how I was back looking at women's bodies saying how much I wanted that. The skinny ones that I once was. 

Then I went on vacation last week with my skinny best friend. And every picture I took I had to fight the urge not to delete. Then Karen wanted to take pictures on the beach, when we were in our bathing suits. When I looked at the many she took at me, it took everything I had not to cry on the beach. 

I swear thats not how I look. I never thought my stomach looked like this but pictures don't lie. 

It became really bad when I started wanting to skip meals on vacation and would rather spend time in the gym and not on the beach or pool. I was so unhappy and still am. 

~

I worked so hard last year and now I feel like my habits are back. I feel like I'm letting myself go and I even have looked at women who are very big and thought "I hope I don't look like that at 50+)

 I so badly want to get back to that place where I have confidence  in how I look. Where I'm in charge of my weight and food. So, my plan of action now is to make meal plans, do some sort of physical activity every day. I've started running again, ran 14k since sunday and weights are my friends. I plan on biking to summer school classes and go to skin class 1x a week. For food: I want to join weight watchers again to lose 10 pounds (6 that I gained since july 2012 and 4 more for "room.") It worked last year, and I know it'll work again. 

I know I'll get back. Back to my "comfort" number on the scale. And the comfort body I once had. Stay tuned. 

Vacation Withdrawal is the worst.

Coming back from vacation to real life is so hard. Especially coming back from the beautiful Punta Cana. Karen and I went on a girls week trip there this past week and it was so amazing. Never had so much fun with her and it was much needed. Now that she and I are in serious relationships we spend less time with each other so this week was great to spend together.

We mostly would spend the afternoons on the beach and later headed to the pool to cool off and enjoy more drinks. We got in some workouts at the gyms, gotta burn off that buffet food! 

We stayed at the lovely Gran Bahia Principe Punta Cana (in the Ambar side) which is 21+. For a girls week we wished we weren't put there because we were the youngest by far in Ambar and by 10:30pm all the adults were sleeping. 

The weather was perfect. Only rained for a few hours on the Thursday during the day and the rest was sunny and HOT! The food was great, mostly North American food (pizza, hamburgers) but by the end we were sick of the same foods even though they did try and rotate different kinds in every meal. 

Other than that we can't wait to go back! Worth it. 

Alberta re-cap

I'm home now! Got in about 7pm last night after a good flight.

To be honest I didn't want to come home at.all.

Like I mean, I almost begged not to leave.

You have to understand, yes I was glad to see my parents and cats but now that I'm home, I hate the city.

Like can't-wait-to-move hate it.

The country is really starting to grow on me.

In case you have no clue where I was look at the maps below.





I live in Toronto, and flew to Alberta (teal province.)

If you  look closely, you will see a town named Camrose. It southeast from Edmonton. Camrose is like 15 minutes away from my aunts/uncles house.

The house and school is located in New Norway.

I had a wonderful time. I loved hanging out with my family. It's very hard since I live here and they live so far. The four of them come every summer for a few weeks to visit my grandparents so we get to see them then.

I was able to come to school with my aunt who teaches grade 1. It was great, just being able to get more teaching experience. My cousin Eric was so sweet and picked me up at the gr.1 class room and he took me upstairs to have lunch with his friends. They were all so sweet to me. (fyi: its a k-12 school, with one grade per class. ya I told you it was country)

My cousin Megan, who is 6 months younger than me, invited me out to hang with her friends, which I was glad about. We went to the movies one night with her girlfriends, Bridemaids is so funny! Like, crying-funny. Friday night was the school's (where my aunt teaches, where my cousins go/went to) grad. After was a dance which I got into. I'm glad I did because I met a real cowboy! We danced all night together. Okay, enough day dreaming.

The country is so different from the city. Duh! I love the quietness of the country. The clean(ish) air. How everyone looks out for eachother. New Norway school is like a big family. One big family.

I can't wait to go back. My aunt told me after that I am always invited to come. Trust me, I would live there if I could. One day, hopefully.

~

Now that I'm home, I can blog without  people looking around. I sorta like to read blogs when no one bugs me. And now I have my tv :) I may or may not have stayed up till 3am last night to watch a few!

happy monday!

So far so good

Guess who got the internet working on her laptop? Yup, thats right. I was, to be honest getting used to not using my mac but I really missed blogging! Seriously let's not do this again.

Here are some pictures of my week so far.

Aren't we cute?

She's coming home with me

Pictures so far

This? Is what I get to look at each day.

There is something so beautiful of the country.

I mean, I've been here 3 days and 5 cars have driven past this house.

Talk about peaceful.

I plan to print this once I'm home and hang it

oh yes, they have chickens

the dog, lucky

when I said counrty, I meant it!

I have more pictures but to load these 4 took me about 15 minutes.

happy wednesday!

checking in

I feel so disconnected to the real world blog world. As you know I'm in the middle of no where in Alberta, Canada. I thought by bringing my laptop I would blog in my room and watch tv at night before bed, same as before. You know what they say about assuming.

Sunday, I asked my uncle for his password for his wi-fi. Long story short I have to have a usb like thing in my computer but needed a password from home to get on. It would be so easy to call my parents back home but they were shopping in the US. They got home a few hours a go and called with the password. I tried getting on but no luck, hopefully when the uncle comes home, he can help me.

I'm SO behind on my tv shows it ain't even funny. Everyday I make a note on my phone what shows I need to watch when I get home. I swear to you that I will spend a whole two days catching up. The tv here has 3 flippin channels. Only one tv, I might add. So we all watch tv together. It's cute but not when I like watching tv by myself! At least they have Oprah. I would die if I couldn't watch her final show. And? My uncle is only allowed 5 g bites a month for video streaming so those hours shows would eat it up! Joy.

All bitterness aside, I'm having a great time, ya know being one with nature. I went to school with my aunt who teaches grade 1 today. It was only a half day so it was nice to ease into the school. Yesterday, my aunt and I went to a zumba class. I've never been but love it! We might go another night.

I do apolize for not commenting on peoples blogs. When I log into blogger from the home comp, and click on the blogs to read 9/10 times it "kicks" me out of their site. A.N.N.O.Y.I.N.G! I do read them but only from my reader.

I *hopefully* will have my computer up so I can show y'all pictures from the country. If not, I'll stick with the posts with no pictures.

happy tuesday!
For all those prayer warriors, pray for my sanity as I'm going thru detox.

I'm alive!

I had a good blog post that I was planning on writing today about what my two weeks in Alberta might look like.
I powered up my Mac to find that I needed a password from home to access my uncles internet.
That being said: I a) can't watch my fav shows until I get home. All because my uncle can't go over 5g bites of video streaming a month. Also with no internet I can't blog until my parents get home and text me the password. Le sigh. I don't want to blog on their computer so I'm forced to blog on my iPhone. As you can tell. I promise that the second I have the password I will be back blogging!
Until then I will miss venting to you all.
And please, nothing big happen. I don't want to feel left out.

I'm leaving on a jet plane!

When you read that title did you say it in a sing-song voice?! Well, just say you did for me. 

Its Saturday..meaning time for Saturday Morning Scene with Katie. 

I'm leaving for my two week vacation to visit my aunt/uncle and my two younger cousins. Not really younger since Meghan is 6 months younger and Eric is 2 years. I haven't seen them since July and haven't been to their house since 2006. I bet a lot has changed. 

My flight takes off tomorrow at 8:50am (i rather get there early so they day isn't wasted) 

Since I have t-minus 24 hours and half of that is sleeping, you would think I would be packed and ready to go! Nope, not the case. I have some packed but not close to being done. 

So I have a big suitcase and a small duffel bag (which may or may not be filled just with shoes!) 

I like shoes and since I'll be going to school with my aunt every day to teach grade one I NEED to look nice!  :) 

Well since I have more packing to do, along with ladies class at church today with a potluck this time around, I really should get a move on!

happy saturdays ladies!

Go link up with Katie!