Sunday Sweat

I felt: A bit clearer in my own mind after drawing some cards.

I slept: 8 1/4 hours in 5 chunks, better than yesterday, but I did get up, meditate and practise yoga, as I was having stress insomnia.

I worked out:  21 minutes yoga and 29 minutes of cardio-sculpting. Once again, I used Allie del Rio's Time Crunch Cardio. This time, I did the middle segment, but added weights to most of the "cardio-bursts", then also treated the second dance combo of the third segment as a "light four limb weights section". Worked up a sweat :)

I ate:  After lunch, 20g choc and 12g biscuits, teatime 80g chocolate, after dinner 60g chocolate. Total - 172g, not as bad as I feared.

I am grateful for:  The calm of meditation and chant.

Time To Sweat

Friday

I felt: Glad to have some time to myself for a longer workout.

I slept: 8 1/4 hours in 4 chunks. I would have liked a bit more, but gave up after: a) my DH woke me coming to bed at 1.30am, b) my DH woke me coughing at about 4am, c) my son woke me crying at 4.50am, d) my DH woke me by bopping me on the head with his elbow at 8am.

I worked out:  61 minutes of cardio and weights with The Firm's Time Crunch Cardio. This time, I did all three segments. Have to say, the last "cardio" segment was my least favourite - too repetitive. I can imagine just using bits of it as a cool down for the other two sections in future. Once again, I did it with 5k, 2k, and 1k weights, but I kept the 1k's for quite a few of the "cardio" segments, as I was doing the non-high-impact variations. Definitely worked up quite a sweat! :D

I ate:  180g cake, 10g chocolate - total 190g.

I am grateful for:  A bit more help with my son today, so I could actually do some work, a couple loads of laundry, and go to the post office.

Saturday

I felt: Stressed by work stuff.

I thought: About lies and truth, and how others inveigle us in their issues.

I slept: 6 1/4 hours in 4 chunks :(

I worked out:  23 minutes of yoga and 36 minutes of step with Kari's Hot Steps

I ate:  150g cake, 55g chocolate - total 205g *thumbs down*

I am grateful for:  My DH, who is far clearer than I am about his point of view.

Boxing Day

I felt: Glad to spend some nice time with my DH and son - we went for a drive and stopped in a park for a drink and a little walk - I'm getting into this whole having a car thing :)

I slept: 9 1/2 hours in 5 chunks. Lots of weird dreams.

I worked out:  43 minutes of step with Cathe's Rhythmic Step. It was a lot of fun :)

I ate:  About 70g chocolate, 40g turrón, and 30g cake - 140g - so-so...

I am grateful for:  The ability to exercise.

Christmas Day

I felt: Happy that my son got into opening presents more today, or at least into playing with the wrapping paper.

I thought: "I could just throw these chocolates away, but it seems so ungrateful…"

I slept: 8 hours in 5 chunks, my DH and I were both coughing a bit :(

I worked out:  47 minutes of The Firm's Time Crunch Cardio. I did the first two 20 minute segments, and the warm-up of the last segment as a kind of cool down. The first time I did this a couple of days ago, I used 2k weights as both my heavy and medium weights, and 1k for the light weights. This time, I used 5k for heavy, 2k for medium and 1k for light. Definitely worked up a sweat, but I didn't feel like I over pushed. This workout reminds me of Cathe's After Burn, which I enjoyed, but which has an awful lot of exercises that are tough on the wrists - my weakest point. I can imagine doing it quite often :) It's funny, I never got into The Firm workouts before. Perhaps I'll have to invest in a couple more...

I ate:  After lunch, 20g biscuits and 25g chocolate. After dinner, I lost count a bit, so I'm gonna guesstimate: 170g chocolate, 20g turrón. Total about 235g :(

I am grateful for:  The Christmas season coming to an end - less junk in the house...

Christmas Tuesday

Not ours, but it was equally lacking in fresh greenness

I felt: Not too bad :)

I thought: About how hard it is to get anything done with my son around. I'm blaming him for the goose being overcooked and the broccoli a bit soggy ;)

I slept: 8 hours in 4 chunks - though not more than yesterday, it felt a whole lot better!

I worked out:  20 minutes of yoga before silent chanting in the early hours, and then 30 minutes of Cathe's Basic Step.

I ate:  At a guess, about 100g chocolate, 50g turrón, and 50g biscuits - 200g - not too bad given the Christmas glut.

I am grateful for:  My family :)

Windy Monday

I felt: Tired and a bit cranky. My DH has been like a bear with a sore head - man-flu *rolls eyes*

I thought: About how even doing things like sorting laundry with my son, I have to be really vigilant. He's been a bit wobbly since being in hospital, and falls over really easily :(

I slept: 7 1/2 hours in 8 chunks. Between my son kicking his blankets off and getting cold, my DH accidentally kicking me and having a nasty cough, and my own trouble breathing through a blocked nose in the middle of the night, it was not good sleep!

I worked out:  38 minutes of high energy walking with very light weights. Jessica Smith's Walking for Weight Loss. It's nice to have a fairly easy, mellow workout, to warm me through a bit, and with fun music :)

I ate:  20g turrón, 30g chocolate, 50g biscuits - total 100g.

I am grateful for:  My neti pot! Don't know how I'd have coped with this cold without it...

Sucky Sunday

I felt: Still cold-y.

I thought: About people letting us down - supposed to have someone helping out with my son over Christmas, starting on Monday, and she texted me on Sunday to say it was all too much for her and she wasn't coming! I know he's got quite complicated needs, but she's trained as a special needs teacher, and works as a teaching assistant in a special needs school! Anyhow, that and my DH having an argument with someone else who works with our son really put a nasty edge on the whole day.

I slept: 9 1/4 hours in 5 chunks

I worked out:  41 minutes of Time Crunch Cardio by the Firm. Didn't realise this dvd was also with Allie del Rio. Quite enjoyed it, and will definitely do it again.

I ate:  73g brownie and 40g chocolate - total 113g - much better than recently.

I am grateful for:  Having had a reasonably good day on all fronts other than my son's carers.

Pre-Christmas Saturday

I felt: Cold-y. I'm keeping it at bay with neti pots and gargling with salt water. Hasn't made it go away entirely, but I don't feel too bunged up and crappy.

I thought: About how my more intimate life has also been affected by people claiming "rightness", which I did a reading on and wrote about over at Neopagan. Like the whole science thing on here yesterday *doh*

I slept: 8 3/4 hours in 4 chunks. Got up at about 4.40am to do a couple of neti pots and gargle with salt water, as I can feel a cold trying to get a grip on me :(

I worked out:  49 minutes of step with Cathe Friedrich's CardioBlast Timesaver on the Low Impact Circuit dvd. I will confess that for one of the "bursts" I did an easier variation, but managed all the rest :)

I ate:  130g chocolate, 70g biscuits, and about 70g chocolate-coated nuts - 270g total. Not sure why I've been doing so badly lately, partly Christmas, partly stress, partly feeling under the weather...

I am grateful for:  My neti pot.

Post-Op Catch-Up

Think I'll do this a bit less structured than usual.

Sleep:  this has been so-so - 6 3/4 hours in 4 chunks on Tuesday night, worrying about the hospital visit on Wednesday morning with my son and having to get up early as we had to be there at 8am.  Then, 9 3/4 hours catching on Wednesday night in 4 chunks.  And 8 hours in 3 chunks last night, with about an hour and a half in the early hours when I went to chant and practise yoga.  In the past, I would have said 8 hours was plenty, but it doesn't feel that way at the moment.

Exercise: none at all on Wednesday, no time, as I was in the hospital from 8am to 7.30pm.  Thursday I did 30 minutes of cardio-toning-pilates with Ellen Barrett's Sleek Sculpt Express.  Friday, I practised yoga for 23 minutes at around 5am, napped a bit, and just before lunch did 36 minutes of step with Kari Anderson's Hot Steps.

Food: really bad on Wednesday, between eating from a sandwich shop for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Also pigged out on choccie biccies when I got home - total about 390g!  On Thursday, a good deal better, with about 215g of chocolate, chocolate-coated nuts, and biscuits.  Friday, so-so again, with 15g chocolate, about 120g choc-coated nuts, and 86g biscuits - approximate total 221g.

Feelings:  this week was a bit of an emotional roller-coaster, with my son in hospital.  Worried about it before hand, then glad that the operation went smoothly, but disappointed that the tests they ran were really poor.  Happy to be home, worried that he's caught a bug in the hospital, and a bit sore as I think I caught it, too.

Thoughts:  thought a lot about "science".  I remember a TV show by Richard Dawkins a couple of years ago where he set out to "debunk" various "psychic phenomena", such as divining.  Yet, I was disgusted at his lack of scientific method.  For example, with the diviners, they said that they worked best with running water, so he buried a bottle of water in a field and then scoffed when they didn't find it.  Now, if he had set up a field with several pipes through which water could run, and a little computer that randomly switched between pipes so that the experimenter also didn't know where the water was running at any given time, that might have been science!

In the same way, the doctors ran a test on my son to assess his reflux/vomiting.  However, to do so, he starved for nearly 24 hours, then had a general anaesthetic, and an operation that left him with a sore throat.  They then threw into the mix a tube down his throat, rubbing an already sore area, and making him gag.  Added to that, he was woozy and nauseous from the general anaesthetic.  And then they're surprised that he didn't eat very well and threw up a lot *rolls eyes in disgust*

TransFirmer Tuesday

I felt: Bizarrely less stressed than yesterday, maybe because it was such a busy day I didn't have much time to worry about the hospital visit tomorrow.

I thought: About acupuncture points. Took my son to an acupuncturist, and she recommended we apply pulsing pressure to just two points in his ears - sounds do-able. Hope it'll help...

I slept: 8 1/4 hours in 4 chunks - so-so.

I worked out:  42 minutes with the Transfirm Your Body Workout. This time, I did it with 2k weights, and a regular step and a high step, varying between 2 and 4 risers. It was definitely harder muscle-wise, but easier choreography-wise, as it made more sense when my two steps matched their two transfirmers :)

I ate:  100g cake :)

I am grateful for:  Alternative healing possibilities.

Anxious Monday

I felt: A bit stressed. My son goes into hospital on Wednesday, and it's always a worry.

I thought: About what to pack for him.

I slept: 9 3/4 hours in 4 chunks - I needed the catch-up :D

I worked out:  42 minutes of step with Cathe Friedrich's Rhythmic Step. I only did the warm-up, the first two combos, and the cool-down/stretch. Even so, worked up quite a sweat. It's amazing how fast paced it is, not just in terms of the exercise, but the choreography, too. I think there is as much choreography in just one combo, learnt and practiced in 13 minutes, as in many other workouts that are 3 times as long!

I ate: Not a great day: 114g cake, and about 120g chocolate - 234g total :(

I am grateful for: The hope that another hospital visit will be ticked off soon.

Sacked Out Sunday

I felt: Miffed to be awake, but too hungry to sleep.

I thought: About how much more autonomous my son has become over the last year. He sits and plays by himself with very little input for 20 minutes at a time, sometimes - such a relief. Though of course, it's never when we most want him to be quiet ;)

I slept: 6 3/4 hours in 4 chunks - the joys of sleeping away from home, and staying up too late :/

I worked out:  41 minutes of yoga self-practice.

I ate:  140g cake - not too bad given how tired I was.

I am grateful for: My yoga travel mat. It is super-lightweight, so I do take it any time I go away. Not sure you can see just how thin it is compared to a regular mat, but it's literally paper thin!

Eating Out Saturday

I felt: Pretty good overall. Enough sleep, at least a little exercise, and some nice, relaxing time with my DH.

I slept: 9 1/4 hours in 3 chunks - yay!

I worked out:  31 minutes of weights with Ellen Barrett's Bikini Ready Fast workout. Did it with 2k weights, and worked up a sweat!

I ate:  No idea - we ate out, and although I didn't have anything sweet til dinner, then there was plenty and I kinda lost track. I'll make a wild guess and say 90g chocolate, 100g cake, 40g sorbet - at least 230g, and that was on top of a big meal (seven courses over 3 hours!)

I am grateful for:  Birthdays not coming every day ;)

Feel-Good Friday

I felt: A little anxious - see below.

I thought: About how to tell someone I don't want to give them any more of my time. They asked for a favour several weeks ago, and I've already given them 4 and a half hours of my time, and now they say they need more help next week! But my son is going into hospital, and I haven't yet finished my Christmas shopping, and I still have my regular work to do, too...

I slept: 8 hours in 3 chunks, including a long gap in the early hours again :/

I worked out:  19 minutes of yoga in the early hours, and 45 minutes of step with Kari Anderson's Go.

I ate:  75g biscuits and 40g chocolate - total 115g. Not too bad given my DH was out for the evening, which often encourages me to eat worse.

I am grateful for:  Having gotten quite a bit done again today.

Cardio, Weights and Yoga Thursday

I felt: Quite energised and yet also confused - I've been helping someone out with a paper for her Masters, which reminds me how much I enjoy teaching. Yet, it's also hard because I don't like the restraints of academic writing, and her conclusions strike me as all wrong.

I thought: About what I want from next year. I have chosen a word for the year: Nurture. As I see it, that includes nurturing my children, nurturing myself and my DH, and nurturing the projects that enthuse me :)

I slept: 8 hours in 3 chunks, though I was awake from about 2.15 til nearly 4 *doh*

I worked out:  18 minutes of yoga around 3am, and then 51 minutes of step and weights with Cathe's Body Fusion :)

I ate:  160g brownie :/

I am grateful for:  The clarity of exercise.

Working Wednesday

Gü After Dark Hot Chocolate Souffles - my perdition!

I felt: Chuffed at how much I got done, a very productive day.

I thought: Maybe if I'd meditated I wouldn't have eaten as much sugary stuff… Or if I hadn't spent a chunk of time buying Christmas chocolates for other people...

I slept: 8 hours in 3 chunks.

I worked out:  45 minutes on the static bike, and 13 minutes of stretching.

I ate:  140g cake and 75g biscuits - 215g :/

I am grateful for:  The promise of a new day.

And Tuesday...

I felt: A bit annoyed - my DH's parents came over and stayed twice as long as they said they would, so I got hardly anything done.

I thought: About academia: both how formulaic academic writing is, but also how much I enjoy both learning and teaching.

I slept: 8 hours in 3 chunks.

I worked out:  32 minutes of yoga and 46 minutes of Walking For Weight Loss, with added weights.

I ate:  44g biscuits, 31g cake - total 75g :)

I am grateful for:  More time for work tomorrow.