Goal Setting

                                            Let be real, this isn't me, but maybe someday ....

I've been trying to lose weight with varying degrees of success.  What's really been the big success so far, is that I'm finally starting to get into shape.  I've been faithfully going to the gym for the past two and half months and it finally hit me today while I was walking the dog, that I'm actually looking forward to my workouts, instead of dreading them and trying to think up excuses to avoid them.  This is a big step forward!

My weight isn't really moving (and it needs to), but I've stopped obsessively worrying about it.  I'm just concentrating on getting fitter (more fit?) and hope that the weight will start dropping off eventually. 

There were a couple of different reasons for this whole fitness regime, the main reason being the quality of my life.  I'd reached a point that I was the heaviest I've ever been, everything ached and I could no longer really enjoy doing the things I like to do.  Hockey had started to become more of chore, instead of the joy that it originally had been, simply because I was so weak and slow, that I became more of a hindrance to my team rather than the limited help that I wanted to be.

And so I've endured a lot of time at the gym on the treadmill and recently on the bike.  It still isn't easy, I don't think it will ever be easy at my point in life.  Yet I can finally jog continually at a slow pace for 30 minutes.  I know it's not much, but it's a big accomplishment for me, thus I decided to enter a 5K race so I'd keep on track with my fitness goals.  A few clicks of my computer mouse and lo and behold I was registered to run the Walk of Life 5K run at the Science Centre on May 14th.  My friend Julie has decided to register too and last night Madie said she wanted to run also (though I think she was more interested in the free T shirt).

Thus a goal has been set and I know I can work towards it.  I remember a hundred years ago when I started to compete in Triathlons, that I could run a 5K in 25 minutes.  I doubt I'll hit that, but I am hoping for a sub 30 minute time.  Stay tuned to see if I do!

And yes, there has been some crazy talk about doing another triathlon - do stay tuned!

Weight Loss #11

Weight to Lose:                 30 lbs

Weight Lost to Date          17 lbs

Weight Still to Lose:          13 lbs


I haven't weighed myself in a few days, because the last time I did I was up 5 lbs!!!!!!!!!!!  You know things are tough, when you're trying to comfort yourself with the idea that maybe I just have a 5 lb tumour.  I know there can be a lot of factors in play here and I'm trying not to let it get me down.  I'm sticking with the original plan of eating healthily, eating moderately and working out on a regular basis.

I'm at the gym either four or five days per week.  Half an hour of cardio at 80% max heart rate.  I alternate jogging on the treadmill and the stationary bike.  I can now jog for a half an hour at 4.2 mph and next week I kick it up to 4.5 mph.  On the bike I'm still doing the hill program at level 11, I tried moving up to level 12, but found it too hard to keep my RPM up.  At the end of both programs I'm a sweaty mess, which actually feels good.

I have added situps on the incline bench.  I'm now up to 35 each day and next week it'll go to 40 (once I'm at 50, I'll add some twists).  I've moved up on my weights for my arms and legs, so the weight training is going well.

I will do this!

Weight Loss #10

Weight to Lose:                 30 lbs

Weight Lost to Date:         17 lbs

Weight Still to Lose:          13 lbs

Well nobody can say I'm doing some crazy diet that makes me lose weight too quickly!  One pound over 3 weeks certainly isn't taking me where I want to be at light speed, yet I knew when I started this whole process that it wasn't just about losing the weight - it was about changing lifestyle.

I'm quite proud of myself with regards to working out.  This week John couldn't join me at the gym and instead of ditching it too, I continued to work out, mainly because I realized that I enjoy it now.  Don't get me wrong, some days are easier than others and some days are downright brutal.  I still find when I'm doing my cardio that when I'm about 10 minutes in to my 30 minute run or bike, that I feel I can't do and I start trying to come up with excuses to quit.  So far I've never quit, plus I have no intentions of doing so, but yesterday I started looking for excuses at the 22 second mark!  Yup after 22 seconds of jogging, I wanted to quit!  I managed to just suck it up and push myself through it, but I did not enjoy any aspect of the jog.

I know some of my weight loss has been slowed down, because I've probably gained a bit of muscle.  Just got to keep at it.

I will do this!

Weight Loss #9

Weight to Lose:               30 lbs

Weight Lost to Date        16 lbs

Weight Still to Lose         14 lbs


Arghhhhhhhhhhh ...... the dreaded plateau! 

I knew it was coming and here it is.  It would be so nice if my weight loss could proceed in lovely 2 lb increments each week, but alas it is not to be.

To be honest, I was pretty sick last week and didn't really work out.  I ate a lot of the leftovers from the party we held here on Family Day.  Sigh

But this week I've been really good.  I've worked out every day.  I'm very proud of the fact that I can now jog steadily for 30 mins !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ok it's at 4 mph, which is really considered a fast walking pace, but I'm jogging, not walking.  On alternate days I'm doing the hill program on the bike at level 11.  Both cause me to sweat a ton and I'm really feeling like things are slowly starting to firm up - I've even gone in a hole on my belt!

But no weight loss.

Patience is a virtue and all that crap.

I will do this!

Hacking, Hoarking & Hissing

Try doing this when you wear a cage!

I've been sick.  Nothing fatal, just a common cold, but since everybody knows that in the throes of cold's worst symptoms, there's really nothing common about it.  I blame Jamie who was home with us this past week for his University reading week.  He returned home with a lot of dirty laundry, with a lot of hunger for home cooked meals and with a lot of viruses and/or bacteria that young people who live in residences seem to cultivate in droves.  My retribution was less cooking, but since we had a ton of leftovers from a party we hosted on the Family Day Monday, the poor boy did not go hungry!

My lungs are my Achilles heel.  When I get a cold, it always goes straight to my lungs.  This time it took a short bypass in my throat, so when I coughed I sounded like the cartoon character of Mutley laughing!

listen to this

Luckily I could take the time to recover, which was 2 1/2 days without a voice and a lot of lounging by the fireplace with apple juice.  My two men (John and Jamie) took my other man (Guinness) for his morning walk, so I didn't have to go out in the inclement weather.

I missed Friday night hockey, but was determined to get back to playing for Sunday night.  Thus Sunday found me labouring up and down the ice with various viscous liquids emitting from my nose.  There is nothing ladylike about playing with snot continually running out your nose and phlegm congealing in the back of your throat.  The pros deal with this issue by simply blowing/spitting said liquids onto the ice (or the floor of the bench area), but I differ from the pros (yes, I'm quite aware that that's the understatement of the year), by the fact that I wear a cage.  A face cage in hockey is a wonderful piece of protective equipment, that I wouldn't dream of playing without, but it is a somewhat restrictive, when attempting to rid yourself of the previously mentioned liquids. 

Miss Manners fails to mention what a lady should do when trying to deal with vast quantities of phlegm and and snot while playing hockey.  Come to think of it, I'm sure Miss Manners never utilized the words 'phlegm' or 'snot' in her life.  She does mention the dainty use of a handkerchief when one is face with dilemma of clearing one's nose, but since I don't think I even own a handkerchief (my grandmother is rolling over in her grave), I usually resort to the use of my hockey jersey's sleeve in a pinch (yes, I wash it after every game, even when I'm not sick).

Perhaps when I get better at hockey I will feel confident in raising my mask and spitting on the floor of the bench area.  I play with a lot of guys who do that, even when they don't have colds.  I've found that guys simply like to spit.  Till then, I'll use my sleeve and just hope that Miss Manners never watches hockey.

Weight Loss #8

Weight to Lose:              30 lbs

Weight Lost to Date:     16 lbs

Weight Still to Lose:      14 lbs


Yippee - over halfway there!

But I'm sick.  Yuck.  I've got a cold and I feel like crap. 

I'm not eating much, but I'm not working out either. 

Just got to get better and get back on track.

Sigh

Family & Friends

The Ross Boys (Jamie, Justin, Kyle & Jordan) Between Games

Any parent who has put their child into hockey and especially competitive hockey, knows only too well what a huge time, as well as financial commitment that means.  It's a labour of love, both for the parent and the child, since that's what you require to make those numerous practices, games and tournaments; in addition to the never ending requirements for equipment as they grow in both size and skill level.  A cold hockey arena is really only fun for those play - those watching are there in a supportive (and chilled) role.   

In 1961, Ken and Mary Lou Ross started my husband John in hockey, his brothers Les and Doug soon followed.  The rule in the Ross household was the year you learned to walk, was the winter you started to skate.  All three of the Ross boys followed that maxim.  The Ross boys were all two years apart in age, so of course this necessitated various leagues, lessons and age groupings, but also allowed for a lot of hand me downs as well.  The Ross boys played a lot of hockey in the Lindsay/Peterborough area.  John talks about by the age of 12, play by play radio broadcasts of his games would be the norm.  All the Ross boys would experience this.  All of it was made possible by Ken and Mary Lou Ross.

Brothers, John and Doug Ross

Time would pass, and eventually the Ross boys gave up their dreams of playing in the NHL and started their careers and families.  They too would now spend countless hours ferrying their kid(s) to arenas, buying equipment, coaching, sending their kids to hockey camp ... now with the youngest of the group turning 17, the time spent continuing their parent's legacy is slowly coming to a conclusion.  The matriarch of the group, Mary Lou, has continued her involvement with her grand children's hockey (Ken passed away in 1993), she's still a keen fan and supporter.  Only time will tell if this generation of hockey players will create a new generation of hockey players.

Madie (the youngest grandchild) and Mary Lou

On Monday February 21st (Family Day), we had the rare opportunity of bringing the Ross clan together to play hockey in a tournament put on by Hockey Toronto.  The Ross boys (John, Les and Doug) had never played an actual game together growing up due to their age differences.  The same with the next generation (Justin, Jordan, Jamie, Kyle & Madie).  Somehow we managed to bring it all together, with the addition of myself, Les' buddy Dave and his son Paul, along with some Blues teammates, Aaron, Meghan, Tyler and Nick.

We had an absolute blast! Doug hadn't played in an actual game in about 30 years (his equipment clearly attested to this fact).  Justin had left hockey many years ago also, but it didn't really matter, what mattered was the fact that we had a chance to spend the day together, playing a game we loved.  For the fathers to play with their sons (and daughters) was a wonderful opportunity!  

I silently thanked my luck stars that I had been working out for a month beforehand, since otherwise I wouldn't have lasted through the third game.

We acquitted ourselves well, in fact we went into overtime against the team that won the tournament, so that says a great deal for some of the talent on our team.  Mary Lou said it was hilarious to watch our bench, since all the grand kids were standing up watching, while all her sons were sitting down (valiantly trying to regain their breath).

At the end of the day, we played some great hockey, went 1 - 2, drank a few beers and more importantly got to spend some fantastic time together as a family - now that's what Family Day should be all about!