My very good friend Jennifer
http://www.jakeandjen.blogspot.com/
has decided to take the plunge and commit whole-heartedly to dropping her "baby weight". She has chosen to go the route of the "30 day shred", a program marketed by Jillian Michaels the trainer from "the biggest loser". In this program you do a specific 20-30 minute workout EVERY day for 30 days. Jennifer has also decided to blog about her progress and has chosen to motivate herself by "humiliating" herself. To this end she has posted her measurement list as well as a short video of her "before" body.
My dear friend has inspired me, along with the many other things that have inspired me recently. So I have decided to join her on the PUBLIC quest for a new body. I will not be doing the "shred", but have chosen to follow the training program that Dominique Larocque has designed for me and my bike. I have also come to the realization that a very large quantity of the sugar that I consume must go. I began a Candida cleanse last week to aid with that but have found myself slipping in my commitment. I am re-committing and will begin the cleanse again tomorrow.
I have been struggling with my weight since very early in my college experience. The school that I went to had a very poor cafeteria, and since I lived in residence I didn't have much choice but to eat there. This was also a stressful time in my life, I was far from home(11 hour drive), I had no friends when I arrived(and found it difficult to make them), and my Father was vary ill with cancer(he passed 3 weeks after I got home from my first year). In the first 2 months at college I think I gained about 20 pounds, and they stuck, this is the same weight that I have been trying to loose ever since. On the plus side, 2 pregnancies in as many years did not cause me to gain any additional weight :)
I have chosen now to revamp my body since 1) I am now single again and need to take the time to look after myself for the benefit of my sanity and the well being of my relationship with my boys. 2) I have a new body that could use some further transforming(breast reduction in March). and 3)I need the satisfaction of actually completing something.
Ugh, The pictures are even more humiliating than I expected. I did commit to this and I will post them. I WILL LOOK GREAT SOON, I WILL LOOK GREAT SOON, I WILL LOOK GREAT SOON!
I think I will post my measurements first, might not be so painful.
Weight- 159 lbs
Arm- 31cm
Over Bust-94cm
Bust-98cm
Ribs-87cm
Waist-85.5cm
Hips-106cm
Thigh-61.5cm
BMI- 27.3 (mildly overweight)
You may have noticed that I have done my measurements in centimetres, I know it isn't standard, it however a smaller increment which gives me the "illusion" of faster results(in theory).
It would appear that my pics and Blogger are not cooperating. I promise that I will upload them at a later date. (can I get away with a simple before/after when I'm done?)
The Plan
One 90 minute ride/week
Two 60 minute ride with high intensity intervals/week
One 60 minute(at least) trail/mountain ride/week
Meal plan- cut sugar, no wheat, only one latte/chai per day, eat mainly veggies.
Goals- drop 10 lbs in 6 weeks and be in good enough shape to mountain bike in California in 6 weeks.
Here I Go!
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Inspired
On Saturday I finally fulfilled a desire that I have had for about 5 years. I have been wanting to learn to mountain bike. The first time I had this idea I was at a massage course at Blue Mountain resort in Collingwood. This particular weekend was in the spring and it was one of the training weekends for the local "Fly Gurlzz". It looked like so much fun seeing this group of strong, fearless women bomb down the side of a ski hill on bicycles. At the time I was pregnant with my second child, so that year was out of the question. Every year since then I have struggled with the idea of taking time way from my kids and my family on weekends to go mountain biking by myself. So needless to say this was a dream that went unfulfilled. Then suddenly this year the idea popped into my head again. The difference this year is that I do have "free" time. I have every other weekend that I can spend doing things that I want without the guilt that I am abandoning my familial responsibilities. So, a month ago I signed up for a beginner class for this past weekend. I am so glad that I did. I am also so glad that this opportunity came at this challenging time in my life. I am also so glad that I chose the instructor that I did.
My course was taken through LaRocca XC Mountain Bike School, at the Creative Wheel Centre. The owner and instructor is Dominique Larocque. She is one of the most inspiring women I have ever met and we hit it off instantly. She has built this centre literally with her bare hands out of dream that she had to have a safe haven for many types of therapy. She has created a bike trail system that is designed specifically for technical training. After 3 hours of one-on-one training with Dominique I had made it through a mere 4 trails, and I progressed faster than most beginners. This is not meant to be discouraging, only meant to demonstrate the time and effort that Dominique puts into providing high quality technical training even at a beginner level.
Now this is where the "inspiration" comes in. Dominique, this wonderful and caring woman, has built the centre from a dream. It continues to grow, and evolve as needs change and finances are available. It has been emotionally and physically challenging, but she has stuck it out. She is creating a place that makes her feel inspired and recharged in the hopes that others will find it that way too.
So what does that mean for me? I almost have too much buzzing around in me to even be able to figure that out. I'm a thinker, and a planner, not so much a "do-er".
Things I have Learned from Dominique
- Guilt is a waste of energy
- I do not start out "perfect"
- Dreams take time, and that's ok
- I am a STRONG woman
- I am "not normal"
- Dreams are organic, they move and grow, and adapt
Like I said, I'm not sure where all this inspiration will take me, but right now I'm excited and energized. I feel like I have moved many steps closer to living the life I dream of, the life that I can feel comfortable calling my own.
My course was taken through LaRocca XC Mountain Bike School, at the Creative Wheel Centre. The owner and instructor is Dominique Larocque. She is one of the most inspiring women I have ever met and we hit it off instantly. She has built this centre literally with her bare hands out of dream that she had to have a safe haven for many types of therapy. She has created a bike trail system that is designed specifically for technical training. After 3 hours of one-on-one training with Dominique I had made it through a mere 4 trails, and I progressed faster than most beginners. This is not meant to be discouraging, only meant to demonstrate the time and effort that Dominique puts into providing high quality technical training even at a beginner level.
Now this is where the "inspiration" comes in. Dominique, this wonderful and caring woman, has built the centre from a dream. It continues to grow, and evolve as needs change and finances are available. It has been emotionally and physically challenging, but she has stuck it out. She is creating a place that makes her feel inspired and recharged in the hopes that others will find it that way too.
So what does that mean for me? I almost have too much buzzing around in me to even be able to figure that out. I'm a thinker, and a planner, not so much a "do-er".
Things I have Learned from Dominique
- Guilt is a waste of energy
- I do not start out "perfect"
- Dreams take time, and that's ok
- I am a STRONG woman
- I am "not normal"
- Dreams are organic, they move and grow, and adapt
Like I said, I'm not sure where all this inspiration will take me, but right now I'm excited and energized. I feel like I have moved many steps closer to living the life I dream of, the life that I can feel comfortable calling my own.
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