A week of skating!

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Well, ALMOST a week.

I went every day ... Sunday through Thursday - and I can definitely feel the improvement! I'm still very much a beginner at ice skating, but it's a fun new hobby, which means I will be motivated to do it a while longer, at least until the weather is too warm for the rinks.



INSIDE, I feel like this kid - happy, bubbly, ready to show off my moves. The reality is that I am a bit of a klutz. I go slow, which, on the ice, is actually a bad thing, because you actually have less balance at slower speeds. Well, I do. Momentum is your friend, but my body hasn't quite got the message yet!

Whatever.

To me, it matters more that I am doing a little bit each day.

I know the half-hours and whole hours of practice will do my form some good. And I know that just getting the skates on regularly will help more than anything else. After all, practice makes perfect! :)

So, the goal for this week is another 5 days of skating. Since I don't have a day off booked for this week, that should be very do-able, because I usually skate en-route to work.

Believe me, at 7 in the morning, there is no one else on the ice.

I've met a few people walking their dogs.

One little mutt went totally berserk and yipped his head off the first time he saw me on the ice. But over the next few days, he's got used to me and now he ignores me.

Another big fella comes over to be petted - he's just a big baby.

And all the owners are nice people, so I've made a few new friends this week! :)

Okay, I'm off. Doing laundry today so I have clothes to wear this week.

And yay, me: I actually cooked up a batch of healthy AND tasty food yesterday, so that should be enough to combat the "I want to eat out" thought that goes through my brain most days just around 11:30. :)

Hope you're all having a great week!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

ANNARUTH2 1/22/2011 3:08PM

You make it sound so good! makes me want to go skating! This was suppoaed to go on last weeks but somehow it ended up on here! Comment edited on: 1/22/2011 3:09:16 PM Report Inappropriate Comment

MELTEAGUE 1/20/2011 9:33AM

you are doing so great with your SKATING! awesome! I don't even know where my skates are...... but with the abuse I have been putting my legs through doing YOGA ...I don't think skating would be appreciated by them, it also involves the invariable frozen toes! lol You go for it! the best thing is that you are loving it! yes - to answer your question , I do have a slow cooker...problem, is the kids don't like slow cooker food URGH! ( very frustrating! lol) but I will keep it in mind and look for some kid friendly recipes! thanks for the reminder! Report Inappropriate Comment

ANNARUTH2 1/16/2011 8:52AM

Yea you! is right! Wish I could do all the exercise that you do. Congrats that you cooked up a bunch of stuff ahead! That really makes it easier to resist temtation. Next you will be playing hockey. Report Inappropriate Comment

Another fun day!

Thursday, January 06, 2011

Today, I didn't have a half-day at work.

But I still wanted to skate.

So I left home early. Out the door by 6, at the rink by 7:20 (never mind, I know I have a long commute).

By the time I got the skates laced up, it was 7:25.

Got on the ice, and it was just another perfect morning - balmy temperatures (given that it's winter, anything near 0 degrees Fahrenheit is balmy!), sunshine, no wind.

Best of all, at that hour of the day, there was no one else on the ice!

I basically had my very own practice rink!

Loved it!

Skated for more than an hour, going first clockwise, then counter-clockwise. Skating forward, then practising my backwards skating (I go about 3 times as fast forward as backward ... you can tell I am a rank beginner). I even had time to practice cross-overs in both directions.

That was a fabulous workout. I am always surprised by how intense of a core workout ice skating is - every single time, I can feel the muscles in my abs and back being put into use. I walk a LOT, and that's good for core stability, but I can tell that skating brings way more of those stabilising muscles into play.

Fun stuff.

Wish I could do this every single day. But winter only lasts so long. And I only do the skating on work days (the rink near home is tiny and crowded ...).

Ah well, I have a short attention span, so I guess it's a good thing I don't *have* to do it every day.

I also walked two miles - a mile to get to the bus this morning, and another mile round-trip to the library from work at lunch time.

So, another fun and productive day up in Toronto. (Yeah, work was great, too ... I love how much more focused and productive I am at work if I have time for fun before I do the work!)

Tomorrow I have the day off because I worked on a statutory holiday ... so it's a long weekend for me. I'll have to figure out something fun to do that keeps me moving!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

ANNARUTH2 1/15/2011 10:22AM

Hi Maya just catching up on your postings. For some reason I have not been getting notified when you blog. I have never tried ice skating did some roller skating in my younger days but my body can't handle that anymore! I hope you are doing well and are reaching your minigoals. Stay warm! Anna Report Inappropriate Comment

ANEPANALIPTI 1/12/2011 5:12AM

Wow- WTG girl! Report Inappropriate Comment

MELTEAGUE 1/10/2011 11:27AM

OH man, I need to skate more too, but my leg COMPLAIN afterwards! lol Report Inappropriate Comment

Some days are just so ...

Wednesday, January 05, 2011

... perfect!

Really. :) I know everyone has their own definition of perfect - my idea of perfection seems to hinge on being able to do a variety of things I enjoy doing.

Take today, for example.

It started at midnight.

While everyone else in Toronto was probably fast asleep, I was at work. Okay, worked from home, in bed, but I was working, logged in to my workplace.

Did that for 2 hours, then slept.

Woke up around 5 am, surprisingly full of energy.

Because I'd done a long day on Monday, AND had pulled the overnight shift last night, I decided to make today a half-day at work.

So, a whole morning stretched out ahead of me - what did I want to do?

I decided I wanted to swim. And I wanted to go ice skating.

Decided to do BOTH.

So I went downtown to my gym and got in a nice swim. While I know people (Mel, for example) who think nothing of swimming 3500 metres a day, mine was a very modest swim: just 400 metres. But it was plenty of work for me, I'm not a particularly good swimmer. :)

Showered and changed and then went down further south to the HarbourFront Centre and skated for a solid half hour. It's taking a while, but I'm slowly gaining confidence on those skates. It was perfect weather for a skate, too - balmy temperatures, no wind, sunshine! And the ice was only mildly cut up - there had obviously not been much of a crowd since the zamboni made its last pass. Bottom line - I did have a perfect morning.

Headed in to work, had lunch (a fabulous salad with baby greens, mango, avocado and a nice piece of tandoori chicken - YUM). Worked. Then I was still feeling energetic, so I walked two-and-something miles from work to the subway, even convincing two of my colleagues to head over with me on their way home ... it was a perfect evening for a walk.

Headed home and had a great dinner.

Now, last night's lack of sleep is catching up with me. Notwithstanding that, today was an almost perfect day, so I'm quite happy to let it go and look forward to another great one tomorrow.

Hope your day was perfect, too!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

MELTEAGUE 1/10/2011 11:26AM

Yay for your 400 meters...FYI , I STARTED only doing 22 laps, back when I did my first swim , so I built up slowly, so don't mock your 400, just increase it by 2 laps or 4 laps each time and before you know it you will be doing 1000 meters without thinking! Whoo hoo! Report Inappropriate Comment

ERPARA 1/6/2011 1:20PM

Sounds really nice! Need those kind of days once in awhile! Report Inappropriate Comment

Setting goals again.

Saturday, January 01, 2011

Believe me, I don't want to.

I hate the whole goal-setting process.

At many levels, my brain just goes "Gaaaah!" at the thought of setting a goal and working to achieve it.

I am the poster-child for contrarian.

However.

It sucks to realise that I gained 12 pounds last year when I'd been so good the year before. Well, NOT so good, actually - I'd lost 30 pounds, but by the end of 2009 had gained back about half. And in 2010 I gained back the other half. Grrrrr!

Okay.

So.

Goals.

Nothing major.

Veggies and fruit every day, with at least 50% of each plateful of food being a freggie (fruit or veggie).

Stick to 3 meals, try to avoid snacking (I think this one may be key for me - when I snack, I tend to do it ALL DAY LONG!)

No exercise goals - I'm active enough, just gotta do that whole FOOD CONTROL thing. :)

Hope 2011 is fabulous for you. And for me! :)

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

MELTEAGUE 1/10/2011 11:24AM

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Report Inappropriate Comment

2SHORT2BETHIS 1/3/2011 9:44PM

Good luck with your continued dedication! Report Inappropriate Comment

ANNARUTH2 1/1/2011 5:09PM

Maya. I'm hoping to see a little less of you and me at the end of this year! I do OK on the food I just need to up my exercise program! Report Inappropriate Comment

Red Riding Hood!

Monday, December 27, 2010

Actually, it's more of a pimp jacket. :)

Long, though. So maybe a pimp coat?

It's RED.

It's shearling - soft leather, woolly on the inside.

And it's ALL mine!


(No, this is not exactly the same as mine, but mine is the same length and colour. The difference is that I don't yet look quite this good in it.)

I have a thing about jackets - I like them to be either ultra-light or ultra-warm.

Comfort is key.

And there is not much that's more comfortable than leather and wool for the Canadian winters.

So there you have it - my Boxing Day treat.

Now I can't WAIT to see the looks of horror on the faces of my rather conservative colleagues when they see me in the pimp coat.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

2SHORT2BETHIS 1/3/2011 9:45PM

Love it! Report Inappropriate Comment

ANEPANALIPTI 12/28/2010 3:29PM

lol. niiiiiiiiiice :) Report Inappropriate Comment

SUNSHINE6859 12/28/2010 2:18PM

Love the coat, I've been looking at the same one bur I don't think it was called a pimp coat. Nonetheless, you have great taste in coats. Coats are my thing as well. Right now I'm kinda falling for a Peacoat. Report Inappropriate Comment

MELTEAGUE 12/28/2010 9:49AM

YOU HAVE IMPECCABLE TASTE! awesome! I hope the boxing day price was good too! How have you been? Hope you get some time off to relax.... I tried the Wii fit hoola hoop thing last night and thought of you! HUGS Report Inappropriate Comment

ERPARA 12/28/2010 3:13AM

Wow that is nice! Work it Maya! lol Happy Boxing Day indeed :) Report Inappropriate Comment

ANNARUTH2 12/27/2010 10:36AM

I LIKE IT! I'll bet you look fabulous in it! Report Inappropriate Comment

MONIA30 12/27/2010 5:45AM

PIPM, not PIMp, looks great, i love the color, and i am sure you'll look fab. Forget people from your work , its not about them, but i wish i could see their faces too Report Inappropriate Comment

STALEYK 12/27/2010 5:42AM

I like it. Glad you got somethings special for yourself. Report Inappropriate Comment

DOROTHYBERO 12/27/2010 5:38AM

Love it! Report Inappropriate Comment