Snow Wonderful!

I am NOT a winter person. I've had my bouts throughout my 52 years when I tobogganed, skated on the bay, snowmobiled, cross country skied and even made a few snow angels in my day! But my favorite winter day up to this point has been a relaxing soak in the hot tub wearing my fur hat and watching the lazy snowflakes decorate the birches.

If you've read my blog, you will probably have made the connection between my "I hate exercise" blog and this one that's shaping up here! Winter is a LOT of work. Just getting dressed in the appropriate type and layers of clothing can make my pre-menopausal body break out in a cold sweat! To say nothing of the struggle of finding the winter gear in our over loaded basement and getting it all transferred to a vehicle so we can get somewhere to work some more muscles that are already strained from pulling on those blasted boots!

BUT! I think I have found a winter pasttime that I can actually enjoy! Right out the basement door and off into the winter paradise that we live in! I am utterly amazed.  In November we met Bob and Karen as we were shopping in Costco and I showed them our newest purchase... snowshoes!!  As polite as they are they didn't fall down on the concrete floor laughing with gusto and scorn! Thanks, guys! (They bought some too!) The snow shoes then languished in their pretty boxes for the rest of November and December and January... Paul took his for a spin the last weekend in January but mine were still shiny and new, wrapped in their protective shrinkwrap. And I could hear them calling my name... "Lori, Come get us!" WHAT? snowshoes calling my name? Chocolate, cookies, potato chips... all now banned from the house ... I was well accustomed to my name being called by these good buddies! But snowshoes? Really?

Well Saturday brought an emergency trip to Mercer's for good snowboots for both of us. I got Sorels and Paul bought the neatest pair of BOGs I have ever seen. Back to the house, suited up and out the basement door. Ratcheting bindings and adjustable heel straps! Easy! I took my ski poles with me for support but I didn't need them and stuck them in a snow bank and off through the back yard we went! Having spent a few winters cross country skiing I felt a little let down that I couldn't coast down the hills but I sure appreciated the claws under my snowshoes when I had to come back up the same dips!

The fresh snow was a lot of work, but much kinder on the joints than the hard packed snowmobile tracks. And I have to tell the truth, after 30 minutes of walking my mind and hips were begging for the return trip home! But, Sunday we went again! This time we were watching the skies very carefully and turned around and came back when the snow started to fall ... Couldn't get lost in our back yard could we? Wow, the woods have a lot of paths in them! When we walked down there in January, you could tell which trails were used, but with them all covered in snow and ski-doo tracks, it can be a little confusing for newbies like us!

Well it is Tuesday now and I am eagerly awaiting the weekend and some more exploring! Gotta love Lethbridge!

OH! And the weigh-in last night? I am down again! Not much but enough to make me smile!

Hitting a Wall

Yep, you heard it here first. I've hit a wall. I was up 1.5 pounds on Monday night and all around me in that room were people who were celebrating losses. Well, not everyone, it just felt that way, but I definitely wasn't celebrating. When I am up at the weigh-in I feel like I should  put on my coat, drop my dollar in the "fat can" and slink away. But I stayed and felt good for the member who gained 7 pounds over Christmas and now has it gone again. I clapped as the biggest loser for the week got her prize and was absolutely delighted that my best friend and tiny shrimp of a girl is now back in her leeway ( TOPS term for being in a range around her goal weight that the organization considers to be acceptable).

And was I motivated to do better?    ... not at all. I just feel defeated. Or I should say I felt defeated. Monday night, Tuesday, Wednesday and most of Thursday I was disgusted with myself. Then came a TV show about weight loss and I saw a 12 year old boy cry because he was overweight. In the program that followed he learned to ride bike for the first time and started with the help of his family to eat better choices in food. I felt a subtle shift in my attitude. Something I can't even put into words. But if I had to say anything it is that every week can't be a losing week. But every week I can work at it. I can exercise and eat healthy and stop the snacking (always been my downfall). And if there is a day I don't exercise or a meal that doesn't fit into the "healthy eating" description or there's a little too much giving into my cravings, it isn't the end of the world. Tomorrow might be worse but I can try to make it better!

I treadmilled (I know it isn't a real word but I like it) for 50 minutes this morning and did 100 crunches. There is now a love-hate relationship with the treadmill. I CANNOT STAND the first 10 minutes I am on that beast. There's no speed that I feel comfortable at and I am as grumpy as any woman can be. But then comes the sweet spot... the point when the stride is perfect, the music is exactly what I need and I finally get used to the trickle of sweat that is going down my spine. EWWWW! I hate sweating!  And when that spot kicks in, I can convince myself that I can go for one more song. Sure I can. I want to quit as I approach each 5 minute increment and then when I get there and the song isn't finished I tell myself that another 5 is fine. The music and the darling iPod is my salvation!

So here's my first blog entry for February! In 16 days I start the journey to Spain and my girlie!  Ryan and his sweet Raisa are in Hawaii today for a well-deserved holiday. Enjoy!

My beautiful children!