Two weeks ago I accidentally had a coffee without my standard 1/2 a teaspoon of sugar. I say accidentally but really I was just so damn tired I simply forgot to even put it in ... and had practically finished the coffee before I even thought about it, never noticing the lack of sugar in said coffee.
So, rather sheepishly, I realised it was time to stop putting any sugar in - since I hadn't noticed it missing. Although the exhaustion may have also numbed my tastebuds. Nonetheless, I've stopped purposefully putting it in ... but every now and then I find myself doing it automatically, or at least preparing to do it - most times I have caught myself and stopped.
I'm happy to admit that I haven't missed it in the slightest, although I'm rather embarrassed and annoyed at myself. How long have I been putting sugar in my beverages when I haven't needed to? It's not even a calorie concern, although obviously every bit counts, it just made me realise how I do a lot of things out of habit rather than actual need or desire. Well, the sugar is really the only example I've come up with. And putting salt on things ... although I stopped that ages ago by simply keeping the salt in the cupboard and not on the table.
Anyhoo, in terms of the sugar cravings ... I have found the no sugar in coffee/tea has helped. Or has at least lessened the severity. This afternoon I was thinking "man, I'm realllly hungry" but really, I was just experiencing that old "I want sugar" feeling. Ignored it! So far anyway.
Monday 19 October 2009
Saturday 17 October 2009
Kennel cough and Bikram ... and second week of new job
Ahhh, this has been a tough week. What I thought was a slight cold or case of hayfever turned into hideous sinus infection with horrible cough. Fabulously timed with second week of the new job, which was extremely demanding as I was having the second website I am going to be producer for handed over to me, plus being in charge of the first website for the first week and stuff.
Fortunately I sounded much worse than I actually felt, which is probably better than feeling horrible but sounding fine. On Monday I gave in and went to the doctor on the way home after work instead of going to Bikram and got my first lot of anti-biotics in god knows how long. Hah, five days later I'm marginally better but really not convinced of the effect of the drugs! Think it's just run its course.
Despite missing Bikram on Monday, I managed to go three days through the week. Struggled due to blocked nose. Bikram focuses a lot on breathing through the nose and keeping your breathing controlled, which was pretty much impossible due to my blocked nasal passages. Breathing through the mouth isn't ideal as apparently it stimulates the adrenal glands and makes your heart beat faster ... not ideal when you're in a super-heated room and pushing yourself into challenging positions. Bah. But anyway, hopefully one or two more days and I'll be breathing normally again.
Aside from kennel cough and terrifying colleagues with coughing fits and going through a box of tissues in a week, work was bloody awesome. So excited about some of the future prospects. First big interview coming up next week ... hopefully will not sound as diseased and terrify the 'talent'.
Only managed one run this week, in an effort to shift nasal blockage ... thought maybe the jolting would help shift it, but absolutely no effect. And wheezing cough did not make it fun either. Will attempt the morning runs again next week!
Bikram challenge is going well, currently at 13 classes in 17 days which I'm pretty happy with. Cannot help but miss Friday classes as there's no 7.30pm class and still cannot decide if going to the 6.15am class will make me late for work or exhaust me for the entire day. I think if I can make it to the other four classes during the week and both days on the weekend that will keep me on track to complete the 40 classes in 60 days.
So it's week two of the challenge (two and a bit technically), and this week my body has been tired and sore. I'm told this is normal! Aside from the soreness though, I've really started to feel some changes in my body. Not so much seen them, but hopefully that will come in the next, what, 43 days - ha ha. Still very tight in some joints ... well, most joints, but especially my hips and knees. Think running and desk job for the last 10 years can be partially held responsible. Look forward to feeling them open up a bit!
Fortunately I sounded much worse than I actually felt, which is probably better than feeling horrible but sounding fine. On Monday I gave in and went to the doctor on the way home after work instead of going to Bikram and got my first lot of anti-biotics in god knows how long. Hah, five days later I'm marginally better but really not convinced of the effect of the drugs! Think it's just run its course.
Despite missing Bikram on Monday, I managed to go three days through the week. Struggled due to blocked nose. Bikram focuses a lot on breathing through the nose and keeping your breathing controlled, which was pretty much impossible due to my blocked nasal passages. Breathing through the mouth isn't ideal as apparently it stimulates the adrenal glands and makes your heart beat faster ... not ideal when you're in a super-heated room and pushing yourself into challenging positions. Bah. But anyway, hopefully one or two more days and I'll be breathing normally again.
Aside from kennel cough and terrifying colleagues with coughing fits and going through a box of tissues in a week, work was bloody awesome. So excited about some of the future prospects. First big interview coming up next week ... hopefully will not sound as diseased and terrify the 'talent'.
Only managed one run this week, in an effort to shift nasal blockage ... thought maybe the jolting would help shift it, but absolutely no effect. And wheezing cough did not make it fun either. Will attempt the morning runs again next week!
Bikram challenge is going well, currently at 13 classes in 17 days which I'm pretty happy with. Cannot help but miss Friday classes as there's no 7.30pm class and still cannot decide if going to the 6.15am class will make me late for work or exhaust me for the entire day. I think if I can make it to the other four classes during the week and both days on the weekend that will keep me on track to complete the 40 classes in 60 days.
So it's week two of the challenge (two and a bit technically), and this week my body has been tired and sore. I'm told this is normal! Aside from the soreness though, I've really started to feel some changes in my body. Not so much seen them, but hopefully that will come in the next, what, 43 days - ha ha. Still very tight in some joints ... well, most joints, but especially my hips and knees. Think running and desk job for the last 10 years can be partially held responsible. Look forward to feeling them open up a bit!
Friday 9 October 2009
Zero running but mucho Bikram
It's Friday night and maaaaan I am shattered. First week at the new job was awesome. A simply fantastic department of people, talented, switched on, friendly and hard working. I started off the week slightly freaked out that I was out of my depth, but after each day I felt a little bit better and a little more confident that I was up to the challenges ahead.
I managed four Bikram classes this week, a definite record in my books. Was tough and somewhat insane as I have been getting home from work just after 6pm and having to head back out the door at 7pm for the late Bikram session. Home about 9.30pm, bed by 10.30pm and up again at 7am at the latest. Not much time for much in between. Anyway, next week we'll see how we go. Think the Bikram helped to deal with the stress factors of work and public transport (URGH hateful train system) and the bloody awful weather. Temp hasn't been above 18C all week. And sure that's fine, but some idiot (toot - me!) washed all their winter woollies and had their jackets cleaned/dry cleaned and packed them away and now ... I need them. But the same idiot packed them in the more modern version of moth balls ... but almost as stinky (and hopefully just as effective).
It's so interesting though. Each Bikram class is its own challenge. One day I achieve an extra inch or two in one stretch, and the next day I've lost an inch but gained more in another posture. One class the heat barely bothered me, another I felt like I was going to spontaneously combust I was so hot and uncomfortable. First week, however, so I'm sure there are a lot more 'interesting' experiences to come in Bikram.
Should/could go for a run tomorrow but I have been battling some sort of sickness all week. Glands in my throat up, sore throat, fever etc ... but I have been willing myself not to get sick. And so far managed pretty well. So do not think running around in the rain will help, much better to stick to the hot, sweaty torture of Bikram. It does seem to help - purging toxins and all that.
Can't wait for a quiet weekend, catching up on some sleep and just ... absorbing all the information thrown at me and the work stuff that happened during the week.
Hope everyone in blog land is well and has a great weekend, toot toot.
I managed four Bikram classes this week, a definite record in my books. Was tough and somewhat insane as I have been getting home from work just after 6pm and having to head back out the door at 7pm for the late Bikram session. Home about 9.30pm, bed by 10.30pm and up again at 7am at the latest. Not much time for much in between. Anyway, next week we'll see how we go. Think the Bikram helped to deal with the stress factors of work and public transport (URGH hateful train system) and the bloody awful weather. Temp hasn't been above 18C all week. And sure that's fine, but some idiot (toot - me!) washed all their winter woollies and had their jackets cleaned/dry cleaned and packed them away and now ... I need them. But the same idiot packed them in the more modern version of moth balls ... but almost as stinky (and hopefully just as effective).
It's so interesting though. Each Bikram class is its own challenge. One day I achieve an extra inch or two in one stretch, and the next day I've lost an inch but gained more in another posture. One class the heat barely bothered me, another I felt like I was going to spontaneously combust I was so hot and uncomfortable. First week, however, so I'm sure there are a lot more 'interesting' experiences to come in Bikram.
Should/could go for a run tomorrow but I have been battling some sort of sickness all week. Glands in my throat up, sore throat, fever etc ... but I have been willing myself not to get sick. And so far managed pretty well. So do not think running around in the rain will help, much better to stick to the hot, sweaty torture of Bikram. It does seem to help - purging toxins and all that.
Can't wait for a quiet weekend, catching up on some sleep and just ... absorbing all the information thrown at me and the work stuff that happened during the week.
Hope everyone in blog land is well and has a great weekend, toot toot.
Monday 5 October 2009
Long weekend action
Toot, toot what a crazy busy and wonderful long weekend. Great mix of all the good things in life.
Started the action on Friday with a fantastic facial, including some micro-dermabrasion or something like that and an oxygen facial. Not as relaxing as most facials, but seems to have perked my skin up a bit. I was looking a bit tired and worn out after some weirdly sleepless nights ... no trouble falling asleep, but had some ve-ry weird dreams (horrible ones about my family members) which I attribute mainly to stress and worrying about my brother who is away with the Army at the moment, my dad who is doing OK post a double hip replacement, and my mum who is just not handling these things well right now. Ahhh well. I'm just trying to keep them all happy and positive.
Had to buy a new hairdryer on Friday too as mine CAUGHT FIRE while I was using it. Well, there weren't flames, but there was a lot of smoke and a red glow coming from its insides. Eeek. Quickly turned it off at the powerpoint and had to carry it out to the balcony, putting smoke through the house, in my UNDERWEAR. Oh well, it was quite early so hopefully the neighbours were too busy getting ready for work etc to notice. Ridiculous shopping trip with cranky saleswoman trying to get me to buy the most expensive models despite me assuring her that yes, I will use it pretty much every day but do not want to spend $100 on something I could break and drop at any time. Also, do not care about ionic whatsermercall it, just want it to dry my hair. Anyhoo, reminded me of why I stopped going to Myer. Rude cow rolling her eyes at my clear stupidity for not forking out $100 for a superior hairdryer. Blah.
Saturday morning myself and some fellow CanToo diehards braved the rain and went for a trail run. It was just fantastic, we took it at a really easy pace (for me anyway) for most of the way out and just enjoyed the gorgeous scenery of the Lane Cove National Park. We ran about 4km into the park before we were thwarted by a swollen stream ... twice! Ran back and did some extra loops of the oval before heading to our traditional Saturday morning cafe for coffee and about two hours of chat. It was great. Took myself off to Bikram for Day 3 of the challenge and felt very proud to tick off three classes in three days (in a row)! Never before achieved this. It's strange the early changes in my body ... just noticed tiny differences around my knee/lower thigh, more defined calves and forearms. And paaaain. Quads and stomach are sooo sore, and wrists also ... but all this should improve quite quickly I believe.
Huuuge night on Saturday where I undid a lot of my good work, although not so much as while it involved about 3 glasses of wine, four beers and three shots it also involved nice Thai stir fry with lots of veggies and about six hours of intense dancing! Sweated up a storm, but man it was fun. Was a late night, not helped by daylight savings kicking in at 2am ... meant I got home at 5am instead of 4am. Still ridiculously late for me! So Sunday was naturally very quiet. Watched some TV, cleaned a bit, made some meatpies (made a big bloody mess too) and watched The Sound of Music. Find it all so sugary sweet romantic, but for some reason it's the looming threat of the Nazis taking over Austria that makes it so fascinating for me. The knowledge of how Austria was about to change and the horrors the world was about to see, and how this contrasts against the sweet innocence of Maria and the kiddies ... ahh, it makes me sad! But happy at the same time ... oh, and of course I want to learn to sing and meet a strikingly handsome former Naval Captain. Whoot!
Today I managed a Bikram session, a quick lunch with some friends and have spent the remainder of the day getting ready for the first day of my new job.
I feel SO blessed by my new job opportunity. It will be a fantastic new challenge, and there is so much potential for promotion in the company it's just so EXCITING ... two years from now, who knows where I could be. Hell, six MONTHS from now. No more shift work, no more working on weekends, no more working on public holidays. I won't know what to do with myself! Ha ha, except go to the gym/Bikram/running of course.
Started the action on Friday with a fantastic facial, including some micro-dermabrasion or something like that and an oxygen facial. Not as relaxing as most facials, but seems to have perked my skin up a bit. I was looking a bit tired and worn out after some weirdly sleepless nights ... no trouble falling asleep, but had some ve-ry weird dreams (horrible ones about my family members) which I attribute mainly to stress and worrying about my brother who is away with the Army at the moment, my dad who is doing OK post a double hip replacement, and my mum who is just not handling these things well right now. Ahhh well. I'm just trying to keep them all happy and positive.
Had to buy a new hairdryer on Friday too as mine CAUGHT FIRE while I was using it. Well, there weren't flames, but there was a lot of smoke and a red glow coming from its insides. Eeek. Quickly turned it off at the powerpoint and had to carry it out to the balcony, putting smoke through the house, in my UNDERWEAR. Oh well, it was quite early so hopefully the neighbours were too busy getting ready for work etc to notice. Ridiculous shopping trip with cranky saleswoman trying to get me to buy the most expensive models despite me assuring her that yes, I will use it pretty much every day but do not want to spend $100 on something I could break and drop at any time. Also, do not care about ionic whatsermercall it, just want it to dry my hair. Anyhoo, reminded me of why I stopped going to Myer. Rude cow rolling her eyes at my clear stupidity for not forking out $100 for a superior hairdryer. Blah.
Saturday morning myself and some fellow CanToo diehards braved the rain and went for a trail run. It was just fantastic, we took it at a really easy pace (for me anyway) for most of the way out and just enjoyed the gorgeous scenery of the Lane Cove National Park. We ran about 4km into the park before we were thwarted by a swollen stream ... twice! Ran back and did some extra loops of the oval before heading to our traditional Saturday morning cafe for coffee and about two hours of chat. It was great. Took myself off to Bikram for Day 3 of the challenge and felt very proud to tick off three classes in three days (in a row)! Never before achieved this. It's strange the early changes in my body ... just noticed tiny differences around my knee/lower thigh, more defined calves and forearms. And paaaain. Quads and stomach are sooo sore, and wrists also ... but all this should improve quite quickly I believe.
Huuuge night on Saturday where I undid a lot of my good work, although not so much as while it involved about 3 glasses of wine, four beers and three shots it also involved nice Thai stir fry with lots of veggies and about six hours of intense dancing! Sweated up a storm, but man it was fun. Was a late night, not helped by daylight savings kicking in at 2am ... meant I got home at 5am instead of 4am. Still ridiculously late for me! So Sunday was naturally very quiet. Watched some TV, cleaned a bit, made some meatpies (made a big bloody mess too) and watched The Sound of Music. Find it all so sugary sweet romantic, but for some reason it's the looming threat of the Nazis taking over Austria that makes it so fascinating for me. The knowledge of how Austria was about to change and the horrors the world was about to see, and how this contrasts against the sweet innocence of Maria and the kiddies ... ahh, it makes me sad! But happy at the same time ... oh, and of course I want to learn to sing and meet a strikingly handsome former Naval Captain. Whoot!
Today I managed a Bikram session, a quick lunch with some friends and have spent the remainder of the day getting ready for the first day of my new job.
I feel SO blessed by my new job opportunity. It will be a fantastic new challenge, and there is so much potential for promotion in the company it's just so EXCITING ... two years from now, who knows where I could be. Hell, six MONTHS from now. No more shift work, no more working on weekends, no more working on public holidays. I won't know what to do with myself! Ha ha, except go to the gym/Bikram/running of course.
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