Back To Running

     A friend of mine from the running clinic informed me on Friday that she got a spot in the Ottawa Half Marathon.  This renewed me.  I was sure that I was going to walk the race, but now that I know that she will be there (we will actually be going and staying together).  Now that I know I will have a buddy, I actually have to train.  As you can see from the sidebar the race is in 26 days.  We went for a 7.5k run yesterday and it went well.  Then on Sunday I did 5.6K.


Yeah me!

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Take Three

Hello friends, 
     Remember when I did this and this? Well it is that time of year again.  My friends and I are going to play "mas" (short for masquerade) in Toronto in August during this years Caribana parade. Here is a look at this year's costume.

The theme this year is Empires and our section Egypt.  

I love the colours!

100 days to get back around 200!  If this isn't motivation I don't know what is!

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I AM BACK!

HELLO!

     After taking a few weeks off blogging (writing that is, I am always reading) I am back!  Where have I been?  Well, last week the pain from my wrist became unbearable (again) so I headed back to the doctor.  She confirmed that the tendinitis was not getting better and that I needed to be fitted for a brace. 

 I also had to make an appointment to get a cortisone injection.  Please note that before this trip to the doctor I had not been to the gym in WEEKS because the pain from my wrist was unbearable, this caused me to be so sad,  I felt like a part of me was missing.

The good news is that once I got the brace.  I already started to feel better.  I have to wear it for 3 weeks (even to bed) and then after that I will just wear it at night.  I cannot lift weights yet, but I can do cardio and leg exercises that do not involve me using my hands.  I went back to the gym on Saturday and I must say that it has really improved my mood.  I am at 228, which is 10 pounds up from last recorded, but I am working on it.  I am drinking a lot more water and herbal tea throughout the day and trying to really eat more vegetables.

Thanks again to all of you that read the blog and comment and are still with me.

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I'm sorry...

There will be a hiatus on the blog.

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Photo and Some

Ekphrasis Post. Go to flickr.com/explore and write a post inspired by the image. Can you link it to your health focus? Don’t forget to post the image! 


http://www.flickr.com/photos/cubagallery/4892874921/in/photostream/


Here is the link to my photo.  It is a picturesque beach.  I LOVE the beach.  I don't know what is it but I love the water, the heat, the sand.  My dream is to be at a comfortable weight that I can wear a bikini on a great beach vacation.  I am hoping that this will be able to happen on day....


I went to the gym last night and went hard.  I also made an appointment with a physiotherapist to look at my wrist because it is not getting better and I am starting to get worried.


I found out that I can access the downtown gym location once a week on my membership and guess what classes they have there? CROSSFIT!!!!!!!!  Yes!  I am going to try and attend crossfit classes downtown once a week.  I am going to go tonight, I am so excited.


To add to this excitement , I am going to see Hunger Games tomorrow, woot woot!

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I Write About My Health Because…

Today, I am supposed to free write about the above for 15 minutes. I write about my health because...there are others like me, who I can learn from and who can learn from me. I write about my health because...one of the leading killers of black women is heart disease. I write about my health because...the term 'thick' can only take you so far. At some point in my life I have to come to terms that I may be big and sexy, but I am not healthy. I may be comfortable in my own skin, but I am not healthy, I may rock the hell out of any outfit, but I am not healthy. I write about health because...I want others to know that yes, you can be over 200 pounds and run a 5k, 10k and half marathon all in the same year. You can run a half marathon one year after you could only run for one minute. You can do 30 hot yoga classes in 30 days and live to tell the tale. I write about health because...I love my blog readers, they make me smile, they make me laugh. They push me when I want to give up, they give me inspiration when I do give up. I write about health because...this is MY space to vent, share, brag and say what I want when I want. When I write here it makes me accountable, no one can take this away from me. Once the words are dropped onto the screen the serve as footprints. I write because... I can.

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Superpower Day

If you had a superpower – what would it be? How would you use it? 


The funny thing is that I have thought about this more than once. I have narrowed it down to a two.

1. I would love to be able to speak and understand every language in the world.  How cool would that be!?!  I could communicate with everyone (listen to what everyone around me is saying) and I could travel everywhere.  I would love to see the look on the locals faces when I bust out in fluent Farsi or Mandarin!
2. I would love to be able to teleport to anywhere at any time.  I could go to work and not have to worry about traffic, go to Cuba for the weekend.  The possibilities are endless!

I have also dreamed of having pockets that had never ending 20$ bills. No matter what I wear, I could pull an unlimited amount of 20$ bills from my pockets.  Why 20$?  Because 50$ are too big and people will look at my funny and maybe think I am involved in some illegal activities and 10$ is just not enough.  Picture it, I am at the store about to buy a Michael Kors watch, I stand at the cash and just start pulling out 20$. I tell the cashier to wait a sec, I have the full amount.  I go in my jacket, pants , purse...BAM! Paid! I love it!


In other news, I went to both Bootcamp and Zumba last night.  I am not back in tip top shape and with my wrist is still bothering my there were a few things that I could not do (planks).  I am happy that I went and I have been feeling better.  I actually got all my water in yesterday!  YEAH ME!  I am going to head back to the gym tonight to make it two for two.


Have a great  day!

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Quotation Inspiration (Sorry this is so long)

Find a quote that inspires you (either positively or negatively) and free write about it for 15 minutes.  Your body is the baggage you must carry through life. The more excess the baggage, the shorter the trip. Arnold H. Glasgow I really like this quote.  I think that I have posted it on this blog a few times. It rings so true.  You really have to make sure that you take care of your body because you only have one.  I know that this sounds so cheesy, but I know so many people that take such good care of their pet or are so focused on their education, but will not take a minute to take care of themselves.  They get no exercise or they make all the excuses in the world why they do not have time to even go for a walk.  So many people pay so much for medication that they are on and they really do not have to be on if they lost a bit of weight.  I just think of my Father who spends about 2000$ a year on medications most of them for diabetes which he acquired later in life and I am sure that if he lost 50 pounds he would not have to spend that much money.  My Mother and I try to tell him that he needs to take better care of himself, but he doesn't care.  Many of his friends have passed away and he feels like he should just live his life to the fullest, drinking what he wants, smoking and eating what he wants.  I really do not agree with this, but he is a grown man.      When I was in the hospital last year having my thyroid removed, I hated it.  The smells, the sounds, the room.  Don't get me wrong the experience was pleasant.  The nurses were great and the treatment that I received was excellent.  BUT,  I vowed never to go into a hospital again.  I really want to try everything in my power not to ever have to go to the hospital for something that I can control.  For these reasons I really try and take care of myself.  I know how important it is.  Especially as a teacher I try and set a good example for my students, especially since I teach at an all girl school.  Many girls notice my weight lose and this opens a forum on how to lose weight properly.  I overhear girls taking about "only eating lettuce" or "only drinking water".  I try to tell them that there is nothing wrong with wanting to lose a few pounds, but you have to make sure that you do it the right way.  Don't be drinking 3 energy drinks a day and eating chips for breakfast.  Many of them don't like to exercise because they sweat, I tell them that a little sweat never hurt anybody, plus guys love a girl who can throw a football or kick a soccer ball ;) Whew...that was a long free write. Do you have a favourite quote? Wanna share? P.S. I am not feeling this new blogger format.

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30 Days Of Health

Health Time Capsule Pretend you’re making a time capsule of you & your health focus that won’t be opened until 2112. What’s in it? What would people think of it when they found it?  I would place a before and after pic of myself, as well a copy of my gym schedule. I like to read a few fitness magazines so I would put a few issues of that Oxygen and muscle Fitness HERS. I have a notebook I write recipes and other little fitness thoughts in, I would place that also. I am happy to say that I and getting back on track. Thank you for all your kind words. I went to the gym yesterday and today. I have been watching what I eat and I am feeling better. Water intake has also been going much better. More to come!

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