How Low Can You Go

Answer

>> Thursday, March 31, 2011

     Thanks to all of you for your comments on my gym dilema.  I LOVE the gym.  Even before I started seriously trying to lose weight, I went to the gym.  Something about the gym atmosphere I love, all those people trying to get  in shape was motivating, the muscles , the sweat...  Also there was a time when so many people I knew went to the gym I went to, so it was also a social thing, there would be times that I would be at the gym for 5 hours, but would spend many of those hours talking and not too many actually exercising.  Nevertheless, it was fun times!

     Fast forward to last May, my gym announced that they would be cutting all group classes.  I was crushed, I loved Zumba and Spinning.  I felt like I had been dumped by a boyfriend I loved.  I like loved going to  classes when I was not in the mood to think about what muscles I wanted to work, I hate to work my abs and core, so classes allow me to work those areas.  I love the gym so much that  I would go everyday twice a day if I could, and I have; in the summer when I had time off.  Leaving my old gym was like losing a member of my family, I was there so much. 

    My muscles burning, lifting heavy weights are all sensations that I love. I feel so strong after a session at the gym.  I love lifting weights, I knwo some women are not a fan, but I can only speak praise for my iron compadres.

     There was too much drama at the studio I was attending.  I like to know that I have somewhere to go and there will not be too many changes.  Also if I did not make the classes I had no options to work out.  This made me sad.  The days that I would not work out became more and more every week.  Finally I looked at the choices in my area and all I could see was my 68$ option.

    I got a tour of the gym that I am looking at and it looks great.  They have over 70 classes a week, many in the morning as well in the evening.  They have an aerobics room, a yoga/pilates room and a spinning room, so many classes can be happeining at the same time.  The class areas are spacious to accomadate a large number of people at the same time. There are a variety of classes including, Zumba, weight classes, yoga and more. The equipment in the gym itself has resently been replaced and is brand new.  There is towel service, which is great for me because I always forget my towel.  The showers are immaculate and they have soap, shampoo and conditioner available if you want to shower at the gym.  There are also green apples at the front desk if you want a treat.  The woman that gave me the tour even called my yesterday to see how my experience was going to far.

     I know that 68$ a month is steep, but I really don't have any other options in my area.  I went for a trial on Tuesday and Wednesday and it feels so good to be back at the gym.  The crowd is really different than  my other gym (no black people :(  ), but hey  I guess I will just have to live with that.  I went to spinning class on Tuesday and it was great to be back.   All this to say that it looks like I am going to join. Honestly, if I were to eat out 3 times in a month I would spend that or more.  I will only be there until August, because I am looking into some big moves in the future, I will leave it at that because things are really in the baby stage right now, when I know more I will share with you.

     On the weight loss front, I feel great, but the scale it NOT MOVING!  In fact it is moving in the opposite direction.  I came back from Trinidad I was 209 (yeah), went up to 211 (I can deal with that) today I was 216 (what the f**k?).  The funny thing is so many people have asked me if I have lost more weight.  I go to the store and the clothes fit better than ever.  I just don't understand?!  I know that I have gained muscle, but come on now there is only so much muscle you can gain and not lose fat.  I am so confused.  All I can do is keep on trucking.

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North Carolina Anyone?

>> Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Do any of my readers/bloggers live in North Carolina?  Do you like it?  What city do you live in?  Tell me more!

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Question

>> Monday, March 28, 2011

Is 68$ to much to spend a month on a gym? Let me know what you think...

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Big Changes

>> Thursday, March 24, 2011

     A few big life changes are in the works now.  I need a motivation injection.

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Missing The Gym

>> Tuesday, March 22, 2011

My studio that I go work out at is not working for me, I need to go back to a gym.  There is a very nice one in the area, but it is a bit expensive, but the have SPINNING!  I miss spinning so much, I think that I am going to have to give in and head back to the gym.

This Sunday, I am running 12k yikes!  I don't think that I have ever run that much, wish me luck.

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Annoyed

>> Monday, March 21, 2011

Why is that everyday the scale creeps up a bit even though I am not doing anything different?  I hate you scale.

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Trinidad Carnical--Part 5--Top 10 Soca Songs

>> Sunday, March 20, 2011

Soca music is as much a part of Trinidad as roti or steel pan.  This year there were so many great songs.  I have a compiled a list of ten that I love, these are in no particular order.

1. Bend Over--Machel Montano



2. Come to Meh--Iwer George



3.Go dung--Lil Rick



4. Tow Ting--Cassi



5. Wine to the Side--Benjai



6. Illegal--Machel Montano



7. Ah Drinka--Ravi B


8. Iz A Trini--Benjai



9.  Carnival Jumbie--Blaxx


10. Wotless--KES


Let me  know what songs you like.

I hope you enjoyed this 5 part series on my trip, I really loved sharing parts of my culture with you.  We will be back to our regular blogging this week.

Just to let you know that I am still training for the half marathon in May, next Sunday I will be running 12K.  Now that the weather is getting nicer, it is a real pleasure to be outside and running.

I also came back from my trip 4 pounds lighter, it was all that dancing, I swear.

Have a great night!

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Trinindad Carnival--Part 4--Tobago

   After the parade festivities, we headed to Tobago the next day.  we took a two and a half hour ferry to the sister island of Trinidad.   On the ferry I had the chanceto watch The Blind Side, I had never seen it before and thought it was an excellent movie, Sandra Bullock really deserved an Oscar for this role.  If you have not seen it, I highly recomend it.


Our ferry.

We stayed at a beautiful place owned by a friend.
Beautiful pool

We then headed to the beach.

No trip to Tobago would be complete without eating Crab and Dumplings.






Near Pigeon Point Beach.

All in all my two days in Tobago was not enough.  I would love to go back, maybe even have my wedding there one day.  Tobago was so peaceful, it was the perfect rest after Trinidad, if you ever have a chance to go please do.

The last part of my Trinidad blog posts, will feature my top 10 favorite soca songs this season.

Have a great week!

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Trinidad Carnival--Part Three--The Greatest Show on Earth!

>> Saturday, March 19, 2011

Carnival Tuesday in Trinidad is the day that everyone has been waiting for.  We got up at 4 am to get our make up done for 5 am.  We waited around for 4 hours to get everything done and then we set out to the parade.  The climax of the parade is crossing the stage, where all bands are judged and there are photographers and videographers from magazines, newspapers and websites.  I found this on Torontolime.com, yup that's me on the end on the right.
This is the male custom to our female colorful one.

Before the parade we posed for a few pictures.  I love our costume so much!  Masai Tribal Warriors was the theme of our section

Getting ready to cross the stage.  Look at those abs!

A sea of color.

Another section from our band. Beautiful.

Do you recognize this actor? Hint, New York Undercover....I would have taken a pic with him, but this isn't 1998.

Beautiful costume, love the colors.

I get to keep all the jewelry, yeah!

Part 4 will showcase Tobago.


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Trinidad Carnival--A Taste of Part Three

>> Thursday, March 17, 2011

Here is a video of our band TRIBE crossing the stage Carnival Tuesday.  I assure you part 3, will blow you away!


My friends are actually in this video!

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Trinidad Carnival--Part Deux

>> Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Before I begin, tell me why this guy at the studio I workout at tells me, " You know, you have a grerat body, you just need to tone up a bit."  Thank you?  I know that this was meant to be a compliment, but for some  reason I couldn't help but think that it was a bit back handed...

   Last time I left you, I wrote that we went to the wicked breakfast party at 7 am on Sunday.  Monday at 2 am, the alarm goes off because IT IS J'OUVERT! J'Ouvert, stands for Jour Ouvert, which is French for Opening Day.  J'Ouvert is basically the opening of Carnival Monday and Tuesday.  You get up early and dance in the streets until the sun comes up (I will do a post on my top 10 soca songs of the season later this week|). J'Ouvert involves paint, mud and this year some bands even had chocolate, thrown around at the masqueraders.  We wore clothes that could be thrown away, because we knew that it would get messy.  We played with the Insomniacs.  To be honest this was one of my favorite parts of the trip, I don't know why, I loved the fact that everyone was free and just getting dirty.

Getting ready in the parking lot

Another band dancing down the road
Mud and Paint all over
Chilling J'Ouvert Morning

After this, we went back to the hotel showered and got ready for Monday Mas (the Monday Carnival parade).  This was a trial run for Tuesday.  Some masquaraders wear parts of their Tuesday costume ( bra, headpiece) or they wear something totally different in the colors of their costume (this is kinda what we did).


Make up by me, didn't use the right glue so jewels fell off in an hour
My Girls and I--Hot!
We Ready!
Cool Zone--Feelin' hot, just take a walk in the cool zone!
Sexy Body Paint

More to come in Part 3!

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Trinidad Carnival---Part 1

>> Monday, March 14, 2011

   For those of you that have just joined us, I was in Trinidad and Tobago for 2 weeks.  Trinidad is located of the coast of Venezuala, although I was born in Canada both of my parents are from Trinidad and have raised me a Trini from day one.  I love everything about Trinidad, music, food and their layed back attitude.  Every year, the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday,  Trinidad has the biggest Carnival in the world. Music, costumes, scantily clad women and dancing that would but Beyonce and her booty shakin to shame.  The following pictures will only give you a taste of what went on.

For the first week that I was in Trinidad I was hanging with my parents until my friends arrived, I went to a few parties with them and this gave me a taste of what soca songs I would be hearing for the next few days. Soca is a type of music that originated in Trinidad it is very fast and great to work out to.  Every year an artist is voted Soca Monarch, awarded to one of the best soca songs of the season this year it was Machel Montano's "Advantage" (ignore the overly dramatic first minute).



Friday night we went to the Blue Range Cooler Fete.  You were allowed to bring in a cooler of alcohol and other drinks as long as it was in plastic bottles and in before midnight.  It was open air and had a few live preformances.

A and I so happy to be away from the snow.
The next afternoon we headed to Scortch all inclusive party (drinks and food included).  To be honest the "food" was few and far between, but the drinks were great and even better when I found the margarita booth!


Please note that 1 Canadian/US dollar is about 6 TT dollars so this party was not 380$, but around 60$.



Sunday morning, yes, morning. we got up at 6am, to head to Diamond Vale Breakfast party.  We got there around 7 am and the party was already bunmpin!  Note that this was another all inclusive, bake and shark, pholourie, jerk chicken, drinks galore and soca music all at 7am!  I still cannot believe that we were partying this early in the morning.


I had about 2 sips of this champagne and then I put it down, it was 7:30 am, after all!


The weather was gorgeous and the scenery was breathtaking.



Part 2, will look at J'Ouvert, Carnival Monday and Tuesday!


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Almost Home

>> Saturday, March 12, 2011

Hello Strangers! It is 5:30 in the morning and I am at the airport in Trinidad waiting to board my flight to Miami. In the next few posts I will try to describe to you the craziness that is Trinidad carnival. I had the best time, the pictures are on their way! I missed you!

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