Motivation in Unexpected Form

I just watched a video featuring a young boy who calls himself "Kid President."  Here is a link to it.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=l-gQLqv9f4o

I have to say it is one of the best motivational videos I have seen in a long time.  It really made me want to get up and get going so kudos to you Kid President!

Not much else going on.  My course seems to eat up my free time which is ok.  It's a good distraction and beats being bored.

(The gnomes represent some of the bits of whimsy I keep around the house.  I like little things that make me smile and that are in unexpected places) 

Yikes!

I'm taking an on-line course on Health and Wellness at a local college and it is really taking a bite out of my daily routine.  I graduated university in 1980 and had forgotten how much time it takes to read course material and do homework.  I'm not sure I like it.  I can't imagine being at school full time if one course is taking up about 20 hours of weekly daylight!  My textbook cost $141.  I would expect a Gutenberg Bible for that amount of dough but no. It's about the size of a coffee-table book but paperback which means its unwieldy and can only be read sitting at a table or desk.

I'm pretty sure I'm the oldest person in the class going by the introductions and comments.  It is interesting and I'm learning and confirming knowledge about health.  If I continue with this study, I will get a certificate in Nutrition Management.     

I've been doing ok diet-wise.  I need to get out more and walk but it's about -20 here for the last few days.  I'm hibernating.

Contemplation

Oh my, I have not been very good in the healthy food department.  I have not had any candy though since January 1st and have resisted it's siren call.  Yesterday I was out for a walk with my husband and I said, "I feel like some chocolate." He said. "No you don't." And we just kept walking.  That was good.  I didn't feel inclined to argue.  I was ok without it.  Note that my husband is not a domineering sort and has never said anything about my weight.  I told him some time ago not to get me any candy, even if I ask. 

I've had a lot of time on my hands lately.  When I'm not reading, crafting or watching TV, I contemplate and think about my life and what I want to do with it.  I know I have an opportunity to try something else.  But sometimes I don't think I have the courage... which is why I'm still looking for a full time job in my area of expertise.  

I'm a procrastinator at the champion level.  I have some writing projects that I could be working on, fabric all cut out for projects, crochet dolls half made and books at various stages of being read.   I've also just registered for a college course on nutrition and health.  Despite being over-weight, I know a lot about nutrition.  It's the application that eludes me.  Maybe the educational approach will help!

Not so bad...

Ok, I weighed myself, not as bad as I thought it would be.  But still not great.  I gained back 20 pounds last year.  I thought it would be a lot more.  It certainly feels like a lot more.  I need to get rid of that 20 to get back to where I was and then continue to get healthy from there.  

What got me here?  Depression, which lead to inertia.  A circle that needs to be broken.

I'm eating better this week.  I haven't had any candy or baked goods.  I already feel less splodgy.  So that's good and I feel optimistic.

I'm applying for another job today.  It's always causes me anxiety as my fear of rejection is so keen.  And let's face it, my fear this past 9 months has been justified.  I'm lucky though that my financial situation is not desperate.  I could retire if I wanted, but I'm not ready yet.  I liked being out in the world.  I liked being downtown.  Three of my old school chums are now retired and believe me, it's tempting.  The difference is that they chose their retirement time whereas I had mine thrust upon me.  

I'm a good fit for this job.  I have the experience and the knowledge and I'm willing to take a pay cut!  Keep your fingers crossed for me.

2013...It has to be better than 2012!

Happy New Year...although I start this year with sadness.  I mourn the loss of my step niece Cori and feel the pain that my brother and my niece Samantha will be going through as they work through the loss of daughter and sister.  

I'm glad that 2012 is over.  It was not a good year for me.  I'm hopeful that 2013 will be better but I know that I have to make that happen rather than just hope for the best.  I need to get back to health by eating better and moving more, which brings me to this blog and why I started it.  For the next few days, I'm sort of detoxing.  I haven't weighed myself in a while as I'm afraid of what the scale will show.  I'll do it tomorrow as I need a place from which to move forward.  

So... here's to 2013.

Cori

This is a picture of my brother Rocky with his step-daughter Cori.  Cori passed away on Boxing Day after a long and courageous battle with cancer.  She was only 26.  She had been in our family since she was 5 although as things deteriorated between my brother and her mom, we did not see as much of her as we would have liked.  She was a beloved big sister to my niece Samantha and an Aunt to Emery.   She will be sorely missed.  Although it is inevitable, I can't imagine losing a sibling.  I'm very close to mine.

Too Much Food

Ugh, Christmas is over and we had way too much food.  There were plenty of leftovers so my Dad pretty well won't have to cook all week long!  As the table was being cleared, I noted that there was a lot of good food left on the plates.  This annoyed both me and my Dad.  Because some members of the family are vegan, we had two versions of some dishes to omit butter and milk.  Next time we are making just one version (vegan) so that we save table space and don't waste food.  The other reason for the wasted food is the old "eyes bigger than stomach" routine.  People had been eating cookies all day so when dinner came, they weren't so hungry but wanted to eat all of their favourites.  

I kept a bowl of baby carrots (honest!) on the kitchen counter all day and ate those whenever the urge for a cookie came about.  I can honestly say I did not over-eat on Christmas and I think the carrots helped.  Of course the fact that I have a tenacious cold helped as my appetite and taste buds are somewhat diminished.

Other than the over-abundance of food, it was a good day. All of my siblings, nieces and nephews where there at one time or another and everyone was on good behaviour.  We babysat my great nephew almost all day.  He's 4 and a delight.  He loves his Great Papa's house.  Most of the time, he is easy to deal with... It's only when we want him to eat something (other than a cookie) that he says no.  We found if we just put the food in front of him and didn't ask him to eat, he will.  I made him some little banana pancakes, so he could just pick them up like a cookie when the urge hit him.  He also gives us a bit of business when it's time to go home.  I don't blame him.  Papa's house is fun and he's indulged non-stop.  

I was going to start dieting a bit more seriously on Boxing Day but I succumbed to the allure of the mashed potato.  I'm going to make a pot of soup today.  It's good, hearty, low cal and just what I need for my cold.  Here is my recipe (as written, this is vegan but you can add other protein such as chicken or lean sautéed sausage or a tablespoon of bacon bits for a smoky flavour):

2 tsp olive oil
1 small onion chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
2 peppers chopped (any colour)
1 can crushed tomatoes
32 oz of low sodium vegetable cocktail juice
2 tbsp lemon juice ( I use way more)
1 or 2 can of beans. I used white beans and or black beans.
1 tbsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 cup fresh cilantro (I used the tubed stuff)
1/4 cup fresh or dried parsley

Sauté the onion, garlic and pepper with olive oil in a stock pot.  Then add everything else except the cilantro and parsley.  Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Then add the cilantro and parsley.  If it's too thick, add some broth.   This makes a lot of soup.  It can be made in a large crock pot but I prefer the stove top as it tastes more fresh.