It's hard to believe that I arrived last Tuesday - and I'm getting ready to get on another plane tonight. I'm looking forward to the next leg - a little apprehensive as there are aspects of this next leg that are outside of my comfort zone.
My time here has been short - and it's been next to impossible to visit and catch up with friends and family. I'll be back in time for Cup Match and my birthday :-) so am looking forward to connecting with everyone then.
I did get to spend some time with family and it meant a lot to be here to celebrate Calvina's 21st! She's really coming into her own - and it as nice to spend an evening together - especially as we managed to get Mama Louise to try some sushi (which we described as cooked fish with rice around it). She was tentative but tried it ....and actually enjoyed it :-) It will be a while before she'll actually break down and order it -but by the end of the night she had tried a few rolls.
While I've made my rounds, several have commented on how 'great' I look and remarked at how much weight I have lost. I have a real problem with the wholesale use of the term "lose" when it comes to weight - so am on a mission to change the mindset and language used.
I struggle with the word "lose" as whenever we lose something we inevitable "find" it or it magically appears when we least expect it! Years ago I "lost" 75 lbs - and you know what? I found it ...and as luck would have it, it brought back a friend. In all honesty, I don't think we ever really lose anything - I can recall times when I've searched high and low for something. Fretting about not being able to find it - and will find it while looking for something else. It happened when I returned home last week. I couldn't find the key to my car. I thought that it was in my handbag - and it wasn't there. I looked absolutely everywhere. I had a meeting at the office and was beginning to panic about being late. I was about to call a taxi or a friend for a ride - and decided that I would put a load in the washer first. I opened up the closet where the washer / dryer is ...and there hanging on the hook was my car key, exactly where I left it! So I have determined that my goal is not to lose weight but to "shed the excess".
Think about it ....when a snake shed's it's skin - it doesn't crawl back inside it or go looking for it - it leaves it behind. The other image that I use is that of the caterpillar as it transforms into a butterfly. I think of caterpillars as being these pudgy little things that move fairly slow and spend most of their time eating. This time that I am taking for myself is the chrysalis phase and that there is a butterfly within me waiting to emerge!! :-)
So my friends, it's time to shake off the excess and let our lights shine!
Lots of love,
Norma
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Life on the outside!
This past week has been a roller coaster of sorts - I left SH resolved to be structured and to keep up my exercise regime. What I found is that in practice it's much harder on the outside than I thought.
I returned to Bermuda on Tuesday, dropped off my luggage and headed into the office - to say a quick hello and to meet up with one of my bosses. It was nice to see familiar faces, and I was surprised at how easy it is for me to get "sucked" back into my old life! Despite my best intentions, it was nearly 10 PM when I grabbed something to eat for dinner.
Wednesday was better - I managed to see Mom before she left to go to Canada for my nephew's graduation (congratulations Daniel :-)). I also managed to sign up for a week at one of the local gyms. So far ...sign up is as close as I've gotten to the gym! Each day I've made plans to go - and have not made it! I also went to the Pilates / Gyrotonic place - but they were not there - so I left a message. They are not open all day - so am planning to go on Monday morning.
The only exercise that I've done so far is my NIA DVDs - although it's not quite the same as being in an actual class - they will do for now. Oh...I did take the stairs instead of the elevator when I was at the office.
Emotionally, I've found myself all over the place - which has had an impact on my ability to sleep. I am finding that I've been tossing and turning - which doesn't help! I realise that I'm beating myself up - and need to be gentle. Returning to the office -was all to familiar -everyone wants to know what my plans are. It's a struggle - as the one thing I don't want is to fall back into the same routine that I had before I started this journey. This week I really became aware of how entrenched it is within my psyche.
It's not that I didn't know it before - and found myself wondering if I will ever manage to achieve a balance that will allow me to do all the things that I want to do. I haven't figured out the answer as yet - so for now - just keep going with the hope that the path will become clearer over the next month.
As my friend reminded me this week .... "I am worth it!" ...actually we're all worth it!
Lots of love,
Norma
I returned to Bermuda on Tuesday, dropped off my luggage and headed into the office - to say a quick hello and to meet up with one of my bosses. It was nice to see familiar faces, and I was surprised at how easy it is for me to get "sucked" back into my old life! Despite my best intentions, it was nearly 10 PM when I grabbed something to eat for dinner.
Wednesday was better - I managed to see Mom before she left to go to Canada for my nephew's graduation (congratulations Daniel :-)). I also managed to sign up for a week at one of the local gyms. So far ...sign up is as close as I've gotten to the gym! Each day I've made plans to go - and have not made it! I also went to the Pilates / Gyrotonic place - but they were not there - so I left a message. They are not open all day - so am planning to go on Monday morning.
The only exercise that I've done so far is my NIA DVDs - although it's not quite the same as being in an actual class - they will do for now. Oh...I did take the stairs instead of the elevator when I was at the office.
Emotionally, I've found myself all over the place - which has had an impact on my ability to sleep. I am finding that I've been tossing and turning - which doesn't help! I realise that I'm beating myself up - and need to be gentle. Returning to the office -was all to familiar -everyone wants to know what my plans are. It's a struggle - as the one thing I don't want is to fall back into the same routine that I had before I started this journey. This week I really became aware of how entrenched it is within my psyche.
It's not that I didn't know it before - and found myself wondering if I will ever manage to achieve a balance that will allow me to do all the things that I want to do. I haven't figured out the answer as yet - so for now - just keep going with the hope that the path will become clearer over the next month.
As my friend reminded me this week .... "I am worth it!" ...actually we're all worth it!
Lots of love,
Norma
Sunday, June 15, 2008
What a week!
I knew this week would be busy, but did not anticipate that I would not be able to update the blog until tonight!
I am pleased to report that I did really well on my fitness test - with noticeable improvements across the board. The same was true for my blood tests - with only two that fell slightly outside of the normal range. My uric acid is still above normal but is lower then when I first arrived and my white blood cell count was slightly below normal.
It was also great to see changes in my measurements (chest, waist & hips) - the combined total reduction is 14 inches - with 6 1/2 in my waist! I credit the changes to both Pilates and Strength Training - as both target my core muscles.
I have worked hard and was really psyched to see tangible results for all of my efforts. I am a little nervous about keeping up the momentum when I leave tomorrow -and so have been working to create a plan to keep on track. I started a few weeks ago - I picked up a notebook and have started to log my activities as well as my strength training settings and work outs. I picked up NIA DVDs and Cd's - so I can continue to do it on my own. I have identified two places that offer Pilates and was really psyched to see that one of them also offers Gyrokinesis - so will be ale to incorporate them into my weekly schedule.
I will also need to find a gym and perhaps a personal trainer. I have worked enough with Randy Weiss here at Structure House that I can train on my own - but have come to realise that there are clear benefits with working with someone like Randy. On my own, I can easily do the basics - but will miss out on the slight variances that Randy throws in to keep me on my toes, as well as the assisted stretches between work outs.
Here at Structure House - they have various lectures that are all designed to help prepare us for the "real world". The nice thing is that they do encourage you to ask questions and establish a plan. It was in one of these sessions that I discovered that one of the other leavers this week is also an in-house lawyer. We were able to relate on the challenges that we had factoring in exercise or eating properly with our busy schedules. We exchanged emails and have agreed to keep in touch.
The environment here is very supportive. I've met some really wonderful people (staff as well as participants) who have made my stay here memorable.
Up on the second floor (where most of the lectures are held) they have a "Wall of Success" - they showcase stories of past participants that have achieved their goal and maintained success. The were getting ready to update them on Friday afternoon, and it was nice to see that most of this months' success stories were from women. They are really inspirational - I found myself resolving to have my story appear on the wall. (Brings back memories from when I was in high school in Canada. OLC - now Trafalgar Castle - had boards throughout the school that listed people from previous years that had achieved certain awards. I vowed that my name would be there before I left ....and sure enough it was! It meant a lot to be able to show it to Katrine & Tish years later :-))
I'll be back for a week in September (part of my strategy of keeping on track) and am ready to see how I fare on the "outside". I fly to Bermuda on Tuesday - and will be there for a week. I'll then head over to Geneva for the ICF's ECC 2008 and then up to the UK + Continent for a few weeks before returning to Bermuda.
I will use this time to focus on what my next steps will be - I've been tossing around a few ideas but haven't landed on anything specific right now. It feels as if phase 1 is coming to an end and it's now time to roll up my sleeves and dig into phase 2!! :-)
What can I say.... my dance continues! Thanks so much for all of your support and encouragement. I really appreciate it!
Lots of love,
Norma
I am pleased to report that I did really well on my fitness test - with noticeable improvements across the board. The same was true for my blood tests - with only two that fell slightly outside of the normal range. My uric acid is still above normal but is lower then when I first arrived and my white blood cell count was slightly below normal.
It was also great to see changes in my measurements (chest, waist & hips) - the combined total reduction is 14 inches - with 6 1/2 in my waist! I credit the changes to both Pilates and Strength Training - as both target my core muscles.
I have worked hard and was really psyched to see tangible results for all of my efforts. I am a little nervous about keeping up the momentum when I leave tomorrow -and so have been working to create a plan to keep on track. I started a few weeks ago - I picked up a notebook and have started to log my activities as well as my strength training settings and work outs. I picked up NIA DVDs and Cd's - so I can continue to do it on my own. I have identified two places that offer Pilates and was really psyched to see that one of them also offers Gyrokinesis - so will be ale to incorporate them into my weekly schedule.
I will also need to find a gym and perhaps a personal trainer. I have worked enough with Randy Weiss here at Structure House that I can train on my own - but have come to realise that there are clear benefits with working with someone like Randy. On my own, I can easily do the basics - but will miss out on the slight variances that Randy throws in to keep me on my toes, as well as the assisted stretches between work outs.
Here at Structure House - they have various lectures that are all designed to help prepare us for the "real world". The nice thing is that they do encourage you to ask questions and establish a plan. It was in one of these sessions that I discovered that one of the other leavers this week is also an in-house lawyer. We were able to relate on the challenges that we had factoring in exercise or eating properly with our busy schedules. We exchanged emails and have agreed to keep in touch.
The environment here is very supportive. I've met some really wonderful people (staff as well as participants) who have made my stay here memorable.
Up on the second floor (where most of the lectures are held) they have a "Wall of Success" - they showcase stories of past participants that have achieved their goal and maintained success. The were getting ready to update them on Friday afternoon, and it was nice to see that most of this months' success stories were from women. They are really inspirational - I found myself resolving to have my story appear on the wall. (Brings back memories from when I was in high school in Canada. OLC - now Trafalgar Castle - had boards throughout the school that listed people from previous years that had achieved certain awards. I vowed that my name would be there before I left ....and sure enough it was! It meant a lot to be able to show it to Katrine & Tish years later :-))
I'll be back for a week in September (part of my strategy of keeping on track) and am ready to see how I fare on the "outside". I fly to Bermuda on Tuesday - and will be there for a week. I'll then head over to Geneva for the ICF's ECC 2008 and then up to the UK + Continent for a few weeks before returning to Bermuda.
I will use this time to focus on what my next steps will be - I've been tossing around a few ideas but haven't landed on anything specific right now. It feels as if phase 1 is coming to an end and it's now time to roll up my sleeves and dig into phase 2!! :-)
What can I say.... my dance continues! Thanks so much for all of your support and encouragement. I really appreciate it!
Lots of love,
Norma
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Prepping for test day.
Tomorrow morning is testing day for all those that are scheduled to leave at the end of the week. It all starts with blood tests first thing in the morning, we're weighed, measured and then our fitness is evaluated. We'll get our reports by the end of the week. I am very curious to discover the results and looking forward to comparing these results with those that I received when I arrived here 7 weeks ago.
I have had some great work-outs this week. I did karate yesterday and today - and picked up a new skill. We learnt how to use the sticks - we were told that the origins of the moves we did are from the Philippines. Our instructor told us to not think about what we were doing, not to worry if we miss a beat and to just keep going. It's fascinating as I soon found that every time I would start to think about what I was doing, I would miss or get confused. The more I relaxed into it, the easier it got. I also found that by relaxing, it was much easier to keep going when I did mess up. At the end of the class, Sherman (our instructor), reminded us how important it was to do the same thing in life - just keep going. Works most of the time ...although I do think that there are times when you do need to stop -especially if you keep walking into a wall - it may be that a step to the left or right will allow you to bypass the wall and keep on going :-))
As Rebecca is off on her course - it has meant that the regular class schedule has changed slightly. The additional classes are good (especially when they are ones that I enjoy) - but I do miss Gyrokinesis and the dance classes that we did together. Sigh ...guess I can't always have everything I want - which has been OK!
I had my second Pilates Machines class today. I like that this really focuses on my core muscles - and am pleasantly surprised to find that I'm stronger than I thought. I have to credit Randy for the work that we've done together - as he is very creative with incorporating exercises that focus on strength as well as the core muscle groups. I have one more Pilates machine class before I leave this week - it's with a different teacher -so will be interesting to see what it's like with a different instructor.
Well, I have an early start tomorrow - so will bid you goodnight!
Lots of love,
Norma
I have had some great work-outs this week. I did karate yesterday and today - and picked up a new skill. We learnt how to use the sticks - we were told that the origins of the moves we did are from the Philippines. Our instructor told us to not think about what we were doing, not to worry if we miss a beat and to just keep going. It's fascinating as I soon found that every time I would start to think about what I was doing, I would miss or get confused. The more I relaxed into it, the easier it got. I also found that by relaxing, it was much easier to keep going when I did mess up. At the end of the class, Sherman (our instructor), reminded us how important it was to do the same thing in life - just keep going. Works most of the time ...although I do think that there are times when you do need to stop -especially if you keep walking into a wall - it may be that a step to the left or right will allow you to bypass the wall and keep on going :-))
As Rebecca is off on her course - it has meant that the regular class schedule has changed slightly. The additional classes are good (especially when they are ones that I enjoy) - but I do miss Gyrokinesis and the dance classes that we did together. Sigh ...guess I can't always have everything I want - which has been OK!
I had my second Pilates Machines class today. I like that this really focuses on my core muscles - and am pleasantly surprised to find that I'm stronger than I thought. I have to credit Randy for the work that we've done together - as he is very creative with incorporating exercises that focus on strength as well as the core muscle groups. I have one more Pilates machine class before I leave this week - it's with a different teacher -so will be interesting to see what it's like with a different instructor.
Well, I have an early start tomorrow - so will bid you goodnight!
Lots of love,
Norma
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Time has flown!
It seems like only yesterday that I arrived here at Structure House - and now here it is the start of my final week here in Raleigh Durham! I'm the last of my original group. It's been an incredible journey and I've met some wonderful people along the way.
The sun arrived in full force this past week and we've had temperatures as high as 105! The staff have posted advisories up encouraging everyone to drink plenty and be mindful of the sun. The youth were busy soaking up the rays, playing in the outdoor pool. While I would have enjoyed playing, I am all to aware that the sun and my skin are not the best of friends, so I thanked them politely and played inside!
I've had some great work outs - I had my first Pilates class the other day - and then followed it with strength training with Randy. As both had some focus on my core muscles, my walk had a degrees of stiffness to it. I was still a little stiff this morning, but felt a lot better after my NIA class this afternoon.
Actually, today's routine was "Medicine Woman" and it was at the Woman's gym in Chapel Hill. It was exactly what I needed - as it chased my stiffness away. I like venturing to classes outside of Structure House as it gives me a feel for what it will be like post-SH. We've done the same routine here and so it was nice to be able to compare the two. Classes at SH are 50 minutes -and today's was a full hour. For the most part the two classes were the same - the difference was that we did floor work as well today - and Kate illustrated level 1, 2 and 3 moves. It was a great class -one of the ladies that was there today is 78 - I really like that NIA is something that people of all ages, shape and size can do.
As this is my last week here, it will be a busy one - I know they'll do my blood work again, take measurements and test fitness levels again. There are also lectures to attend on life post-SH. I'm looking forward to seeing my results. I'm beginning to notice a difference in my clothes - so am curious to see how it pans out on paper.
Have a great week everyone!
Lots of love,
Norma
The sun arrived in full force this past week and we've had temperatures as high as 105! The staff have posted advisories up encouraging everyone to drink plenty and be mindful of the sun. The youth were busy soaking up the rays, playing in the outdoor pool. While I would have enjoyed playing, I am all to aware that the sun and my skin are not the best of friends, so I thanked them politely and played inside!
I've had some great work outs - I had my first Pilates class the other day - and then followed it with strength training with Randy. As both had some focus on my core muscles, my walk had a degrees of stiffness to it. I was still a little stiff this morning, but felt a lot better after my NIA class this afternoon.
Actually, today's routine was "Medicine Woman" and it was at the Woman's gym in Chapel Hill. It was exactly what I needed - as it chased my stiffness away. I like venturing to classes outside of Structure House as it gives me a feel for what it will be like post-SH. We've done the same routine here and so it was nice to be able to compare the two. Classes at SH are 50 minutes -and today's was a full hour. For the most part the two classes were the same - the difference was that we did floor work as well today - and Kate illustrated level 1, 2 and 3 moves. It was a great class -one of the ladies that was there today is 78 - I really like that NIA is something that people of all ages, shape and size can do.
As this is my last week here, it will be a busy one - I know they'll do my blood work again, take measurements and test fitness levels again. There are also lectures to attend on life post-SH. I'm looking forward to seeing my results. I'm beginning to notice a difference in my clothes - so am curious to see how it pans out on paper.
Have a great week everyone!
Lots of love,
Norma
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Transitions
The reality that my time here at Structure House is beginning to set in. I have one more full week to go before heading home to Bermuda for a week. In many ways I am ready to leave yet at the same time want more time. There are still things that I'd like to achieve - and I know that it will be more challenging to maintain my progress when I leave - but I will continue to give it my all. I will certainly have to be more creative with my schedule in order to factor my work out times.
I will not miss filling out my menus and submitting them every Wednesday for the week ahead. I did do some menu planning before I came - but not to the extent that we do here. However, I have a better understanding of what my daily intake should be -and appropriate portions. This is the last week for my work out partner - we arrived together 6 weeks ago -and I will certainly miss his presence next week. We've been talking about doing it for a few weeks - and tonight was the night. We decided to go for Thai food as we both like flavor and spice. It was nice to eat "real" food for a change. We opted to share an order of steamed dumplings rather than fried (crispy calamari was on the menu - I had visions of the ones that we used to get at Palm Gardens in Rayne - but went for the healthier choice). For our main course -we shared an order of Thai Basil Chicken and another chicken dish (can't remember the actual name). It was very tasty - I ate mindfully, savoring the flavors and enjoying the moment. I found that I felt comfortable about halfway through and decided to stop rather than eat it all. This is something that I know I can do when I leave.
Wednesday also marked the end of my creative movement (dance) classes with Rebecca. I have really enjoyed working with her. She has such a gentle spirit and warmth about her - I felt encouraged to stretch myself, challenge my body to move in ways that it has done in 20 + years. I had fun creating and playing with the music as well as in silence. I'd like to continue - so will see what adult dance classes are available in the fall. Although I am a little sad that our classes together have come to an end, I'm really excited for Rebecca as she embarks on her own journey. She's off to attend the 6 week program with the American Dance Festival. (See http://www.americandancefestival.org/index.html for more information). Professional groups from all over the world will be here in Durham for the next six weeks to perform. I have tickets for one of the shows next Thursday evening.
Here's a picture of Rebecca and I after our class on Wednesday.
I had my first Pilates class on the machines today. I was really nervous about it - and discovered that my abs are stronger than I thought! It did feel a little awkward at first -but it was a good experience. Pilates is one thing that I know they have in Bermuda - and as it also has Gyrokinesis - I am planning to do both there. I've had a friend rave about Pilates for years - and now that I finally bit the bullet and gave it a try- realise that this is a great example of me letting my fears dictate my life! I have to admit - I am really enjoying myself in this "fear-busting" mode!!
I'm also noticing that I'm getting stronger and fitter - I haven't been to the Cardio Ballroom class, since my first week. I enjoyed the class, but found that my upper thighs were so sore that it made it really challenging to finish the class. I did -but with was not easy. Today - I got through the entire class without experiencing the same pain that I felt in week one. Progress :-)
The same was true for my strength-training workout with Randy. Most of my weights have increased as have the number of different exercises. Randy is really good at varying the routines and has a knack of upping the intensity at the right intervals. Finding the right personal trainer to match his skills and talents will be a challenge - as I don't currently belong to any gym. So if any of you in Bermuda have any recommendations or suggestions, please do let me know. I've tried to convince Randy to move to Bermuda - just for me :-) but then that wouldn't be fair to all those that he works with here at Structure House.
Well - that's it for now!
Lots of love,
Norma
I will not miss filling out my menus and submitting them every Wednesday for the week ahead. I did do some menu planning before I came - but not to the extent that we do here. However, I have a better understanding of what my daily intake should be -and appropriate portions. This is the last week for my work out partner - we arrived together 6 weeks ago -and I will certainly miss his presence next week. We've been talking about doing it for a few weeks - and tonight was the night. We decided to go for Thai food as we both like flavor and spice. It was nice to eat "real" food for a change. We opted to share an order of steamed dumplings rather than fried (crispy calamari was on the menu - I had visions of the ones that we used to get at Palm Gardens in Rayne - but went for the healthier choice). For our main course -we shared an order of Thai Basil Chicken and another chicken dish (can't remember the actual name). It was very tasty - I ate mindfully, savoring the flavors and enjoying the moment. I found that I felt comfortable about halfway through and decided to stop rather than eat it all. This is something that I know I can do when I leave.
Wednesday also marked the end of my creative movement (dance) classes with Rebecca. I have really enjoyed working with her. She has such a gentle spirit and warmth about her - I felt encouraged to stretch myself, challenge my body to move in ways that it has done in 20 + years. I had fun creating and playing with the music as well as in silence. I'd like to continue - so will see what adult dance classes are available in the fall. Although I am a little sad that our classes together have come to an end, I'm really excited for Rebecca as she embarks on her own journey. She's off to attend the 6 week program with the American Dance Festival. (See http://www.americandancefestival.org/index.html for more information). Professional groups from all over the world will be here in Durham for the next six weeks to perform. I have tickets for one of the shows next Thursday evening.
Here's a picture of Rebecca and I after our class on Wednesday.
I had my first Pilates class on the machines today. I was really nervous about it - and discovered that my abs are stronger than I thought! It did feel a little awkward at first -but it was a good experience. Pilates is one thing that I know they have in Bermuda - and as it also has Gyrokinesis - I am planning to do both there. I've had a friend rave about Pilates for years - and now that I finally bit the bullet and gave it a try- realise that this is a great example of me letting my fears dictate my life! I have to admit - I am really enjoying myself in this "fear-busting" mode!!
I'm also noticing that I'm getting stronger and fitter - I haven't been to the Cardio Ballroom class, since my first week. I enjoyed the class, but found that my upper thighs were so sore that it made it really challenging to finish the class. I did -but with was not easy. Today - I got through the entire class without experiencing the same pain that I felt in week one. Progress :-)
The same was true for my strength-training workout with Randy. Most of my weights have increased as have the number of different exercises. Randy is really good at varying the routines and has a knack of upping the intensity at the right intervals. Finding the right personal trainer to match his skills and talents will be a challenge - as I don't currently belong to any gym. So if any of you in Bermuda have any recommendations or suggestions, please do let me know. I've tried to convince Randy to move to Bermuda - just for me :-) but then that wouldn't be fair to all those that he works with here at Structure House.
Well - that's it for now!
Lots of love,
Norma
Monday, June 2, 2008
Renewal through body awareness & movement
That was the name of this morning's workshop . . . and it was exactly what I needed to kick start my week. A couple of people dropped out so it was a smaller group. For me, it was the perfect group as each of us have been here for at least five or more weeks. It was very interesting - the body awareness part was a guided meditation focusing on the body - called a "body scan" the movement part of the workshop involved a "trust walk" and working in pairs alternating between being a leader and a follower. It really helped that we are all very close so there was a high level of trust. I think the experience would be a lot different if the participants had people that I didn't know so well.
My partner for the trust exercises was my work out buddy (it helped that we're similar in height) so I had no problem being led. I enjoyed being the leader - although our biggest struggle was that my partner really struggled with being led. So I found myself encouraging him to relax - we persevered and got there in the end :-).
This afternoon was filled with physical activity. Immediately after lunch was my one-2-one with Rebecca - today she had me start with movement without music - it felt like a meditative dance. It was an opportunity for me to get a better understanding of my body and how it moves. We ended our session with working on Katrine's dance. I was caught up at first and then Rebecca encouraged me to make it my own - and that made a huge difference and I really felt more connected to it.
I have only one more session with Rebecca - as she's heading off to attend a 6 week dance program with the American Dance Festival. I know that she'll have a great time and do really well. I'll miss her - as I've really enjoyed working with her. I am going to try Pilate's on the machines so will book some time to do that next week.
After my one-2-one, I headed to Dance Fusion, followed by 10 mins on the elliptical and 25 mins on the treadmill. I ended my afternoon with Gyrokinesis which is a great way to end the day.
I have been avoiding the elliptical - but feel it's time to tackle it. I managed 7 minutes on Saturday, my goal is to increase my time over the week and aim to do 30 minutes by next Monday. I am also pleased to report that I can now do 3 mph on the treadmill with ease - and did 5 minutes at 3.2 mph. When I got here I thought 2.4 mph was hard and 3 mph was impossible - it feels great to know that I can now do it - even on hills :-)) PROGRESS!!!
My knees did well today too - so all in all it's been a fantastic day!
Lots of love & hugs,
Norma
My partner for the trust exercises was my work out buddy (it helped that we're similar in height) so I had no problem being led. I enjoyed being the leader - although our biggest struggle was that my partner really struggled with being led. So I found myself encouraging him to relax - we persevered and got there in the end :-).
This afternoon was filled with physical activity. Immediately after lunch was my one-2-one with Rebecca - today she had me start with movement without music - it felt like a meditative dance. It was an opportunity for me to get a better understanding of my body and how it moves. We ended our session with working on Katrine's dance. I was caught up at first and then Rebecca encouraged me to make it my own - and that made a huge difference and I really felt more connected to it.
I have only one more session with Rebecca - as she's heading off to attend a 6 week dance program with the American Dance Festival. I know that she'll have a great time and do really well. I'll miss her - as I've really enjoyed working with her. I am going to try Pilate's on the machines so will book some time to do that next week.
After my one-2-one, I headed to Dance Fusion, followed by 10 mins on the elliptical and 25 mins on the treadmill. I ended my afternoon with Gyrokinesis which is a great way to end the day.
I have been avoiding the elliptical - but feel it's time to tackle it. I managed 7 minutes on Saturday, my goal is to increase my time over the week and aim to do 30 minutes by next Monday. I am also pleased to report that I can now do 3 mph on the treadmill with ease - and did 5 minutes at 3.2 mph. When I got here I thought 2.4 mph was hard and 3 mph was impossible - it feels great to know that I can now do it - even on hills :-)) PROGRESS!!!
My knees did well today too - so all in all it's been a fantastic day!
Lots of love & hugs,
Norma
Sunday, June 1, 2008
It's June already!
I just realised that today is the first day of a new month - and marks the start of my sixth week here at Structure House. I'm looking forward to the week ahead - my knees are feeling a lot better as is my spirit. The last week was perhaps the toughest for me - my knees were bothering me so it meant that I had to slow down and listen carefully to my body.
I cut back on some of the cardio classes and worked smart on the strength training classes. It really helped that I had scheduled time with the personal trainer - as he made sure that I worked smart and checked in to see how things were feeling.
Physically - aside from the knees - I felt good. Mentally - it was a bit of a mix. I had a great session with Rebecca on Wednesday - but then on Thursday, stumbled a bit. One of the participants was talking about being "lazy" - and I commented that I thought of myself as being lazy too - which surprised everyone - and they challenged this as they see me as being driven - which is true - but not when it comes to taking care of myself. I keep myself very busy which then makes it OK (yes ...a weak excuse) not to take care of myself. Carol asked me something along the lines of what I would do or what would happen if I was not busy and I couldn't find the words to answer her.
You see, it's questions like that are top on the list of things that I habitually avoid - and as to be expected it continues to play on my mind. It's the one thing that I have managed to avoid dealing with since I got here. Somewhere along the road, I concluded that when I have too much time on my hands I get depressed . So .... I fill up my time with "stuff".
I took some time this morning to reflect on this and can see that I am really good at beating myself up for not being as good or rather as perfect as I envision myself to be. I know now that my expectations are unrealistic and that life is full of imperfection. I have to smile - as it was communicating this same sentiment to my daughter that gave me the impetus to make the decision that led to me coming to Structure House.
Listening to my body, listening to my heart and accepting imperfection in all its glory are the lessons that I'm learning. I'm getting there ...one day at a time!
Nancy, thanks for your suggestions - I will vary my workouts this week - I'm not able to ditch menu selection here - as it would mean no meals. I'm discovering that there is value to planning meals - as it helps to keep me on track. I missed breakfast this morning - so popped out to pick up a toasted bagel with peanut butter and was mortified when I checked the calorie count. Bagels are not problematic - there are some really good ones that are much less calorie then picking one up at one of the chains.
Now ...I need to get into bed as tomorrow is an early start. I signed up for a workshop in the morning so will need to be up and out very early!
Special thanks to Cathryn & the twins for the joke ... it was just what I needed today and want to share it with everyone :-)
Q. How much did the pirate pay to get his ears pierced?
A. A buccanneer
OK ..so it may not appeal to all ...but it tickled my funny bone. It reminded me of the jokes we used to get in my Gr. 10 English lit class!
Love & Hugs to all,
Norma
I cut back on some of the cardio classes and worked smart on the strength training classes. It really helped that I had scheduled time with the personal trainer - as he made sure that I worked smart and checked in to see how things were feeling.
Physically - aside from the knees - I felt good. Mentally - it was a bit of a mix. I had a great session with Rebecca on Wednesday - but then on Thursday, stumbled a bit. One of the participants was talking about being "lazy" - and I commented that I thought of myself as being lazy too - which surprised everyone - and they challenged this as they see me as being driven - which is true - but not when it comes to taking care of myself. I keep myself very busy which then makes it OK (yes ...a weak excuse) not to take care of myself. Carol asked me something along the lines of what I would do or what would happen if I was not busy and I couldn't find the words to answer her.
You see, it's questions like that are top on the list of things that I habitually avoid - and as to be expected it continues to play on my mind. It's the one thing that I have managed to avoid dealing with since I got here. Somewhere along the road, I concluded that when I have too much time on my hands I get depressed . So .... I fill up my time with "stuff".
I took some time this morning to reflect on this and can see that I am really good at beating myself up for not being as good or rather as perfect as I envision myself to be. I know now that my expectations are unrealistic and that life is full of imperfection. I have to smile - as it was communicating this same sentiment to my daughter that gave me the impetus to make the decision that led to me coming to Structure House.
Listening to my body, listening to my heart and accepting imperfection in all its glory are the lessons that I'm learning. I'm getting there ...one day at a time!
Nancy, thanks for your suggestions - I will vary my workouts this week - I'm not able to ditch menu selection here - as it would mean no meals. I'm discovering that there is value to planning meals - as it helps to keep me on track. I missed breakfast this morning - so popped out to pick up a toasted bagel with peanut butter and was mortified when I checked the calorie count. Bagels are not problematic - there are some really good ones that are much less calorie then picking one up at one of the chains.
Now ...I need to get into bed as tomorrow is an early start. I signed up for a workshop in the morning so will need to be up and out very early!
Special thanks to Cathryn & the twins for the joke ... it was just what I needed today and want to share it with everyone :-)
Q. How much did the pirate pay to get his ears pierced?
A. A buccanneer
OK ..so it may not appeal to all ...but it tickled my funny bone. It reminded me of the jokes we used to get in my Gr. 10 English lit class!
Love & Hugs to all,
Norma
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