Giving the body a tune up?

Now and then everything needs a tune up......today I decided to get my primary vehicle, my body, fully inspected in a new, unconventional way.  After my sister describing a naturopath as "a psychic of the body" I decided I was intrigued enough to check it out.  I have found that I just haven't felt great for too long.  I was sick of being sick and not really knowing why I wasn't firing with all cylinders.

After meeting with the naturopath for an hour and a half, I was so shocked by how optimistic I felt about being able to fix me, and determined to make changes she suggested.  And boy did she suggest changes.  Basically, I need an overhaul to start  fresh.   But, although giving up some things I love to eat and drink basically sucks, I am so intrigued to know what it feels like to feel good.  A wise lady once told me about changes she had made as to the foods she choices and how once she felt great she was shocked that she didn't know she could feel that good and what "normal" felt like.  I want that feeling!

So, now starts the hard part........8 weeks of making drastic changes to get me tuned up.   For all your close to me, I may be grouchy, short with you, frustrated, and I may even cheat now and then through this process.  Since I'm not famous enough to be chosen for Celebrity Rehab, I must figure out how to kick this addiction on my own.......here is to ending my food addiction!

And to all your wondering...........yes TG and I still go to the gym every day at lunch ~ not only do we burn up some calories but we have also been practising our ping pong techniques!!

Weekends In.......Boring or Maturity?

I'm a bit slow to this one as it's all ready Tuesday but just a few thoughts about this past weekend......

A few years ago, last year, hell even months ago, as Friday would start to approach it would be imperative to start making your plans for the weekend.  I would find that I would even start making my plans around the hangover that I knew I would have.   Those hangovers would be a reminder of how my body does not agree with the amount of alcohol I choose to consume and that it was  my bodies way of telling me that "last night" was not worth it!

Don't get me wrong, I had some good times and made some great memories.  Nights on the town with the Heat, and later the Gems, the Splurge girls dressed in the theme of the night to ring in a special occasion, weddings, Vegas, Just Dance competitions- it all resulted in fabulous times and lots of laughs and still does.  But, I have finally realized somethings are changing.


A night in would have previously  drove me crazy; made me antsy as to what was going on around town.  These nights in are now the nights I look forward too.  Now, the weekends that involve impromptu errand running with mom, cleaning days with the kids, movie nights in, folding laundry on a Saturday afternoon while watch the crazy Housewives of every city,  and late night basement organizing are where I find happiness.

It's one of the things I am working on- balance. Balancing that time between being on the go and the time needed for Kim Time. I always thought Kim Time was hitting the town, having some drinks, dancing....and seeing what the night would bring. But, I started to find that after all that relaxing, I was more tired than I was to begin!   

I find with how busy things are now, quiet weekends in are what recharge me, and allow me to catch my breath after a hectic week.  Having these nights in and slowing down my pace makes me appreciate my nights out and events with my ladies even more!

Now that I have learnt to appreciate both my time in as much as my time out, my next step is fine tuning my "off" switch for those nights out!  Again, those of you who know me are nodding so I don't feel the need to elaborate!    Baby steps, I'm a work in progress!

Kim Time is now so drastically different and although many people may picture my weekends and think of me as boring.....I now love my boring weekends and take pride that this piece of maturity in my life brings me new happiness!

Making Time to Sweat

I am always jealous of those who like to workout.  Those who enjoy a good run and make it a priority.  I am always baffled by those who pack gym clothes and actually work out on vacations.  As I come to the end of two weeks of being back to the gym I am finally realizing how fast things can become a routine if you make time.

At the beginning of last week I started working out with my colleague TG.  We first set a goal of going on Tuesdays and Thursdays at lunch to ease our way back into the working out and to make use of the gym we have access to at work.  Ok to be honest  TG. was easing back in, for me it was a fresh start. 

I have a habit of jumping on the fitness bandwagon.  I try something, I go all out.......for a few weeks and then I realize it's cutting into the time I could spend doing anything else and I quit.  Those who know me, or have joined a class or sport with me are nodding their head right now and agreeing that indeed I am a serial fitness quitter.   A funny thing happened last week though....I liked the gym.  I found myself liking being there, and loving the feeling I had after the workout that would keep me on an endorphin high for the rest of the afternoon.    I was finding that instead of dreading "having" to work out after work or "having" to be somewhere at a certain time after I worked hard all day, I was looking forward to our gym lunch dates.

Working out at lunch almost mentally reset me each day.  I felt fresh, alert, positive, and focused after lunch (now I only have to work on feeling like that in the morning!)  Thursday morning I was grumpy, and starting up the climb to borderline bitchy even, but off we went to the gym and I was able to sweat out all the frustration that was building up.

I think TG and I have an interesting gym dynamic.  We first do our cardio and we don't speak.  I know some people like to have work out buddies so they can visit or catch up.  But, we honestly put our earphones on as soon as we come out of the change rooms and kind of have our own quiet time.   We have even developed a way of communicating just by looks and expressions so we can have a full conversation about things going on around us without even taking our earphones out. 

Then we move to the weights portion of our workout on which ever body part that doesn't hurt the worst.  During this part we laugh alot.  I think we get a full ab workout just from laughing.  Sometimes there is more swearing (me) than laughing (TG) but either way we feel the burn.

Since our first "vow" to go Tuesday and Thursday at lunch, that turned into Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday .....and we have a date for tomorrow again.

I started to realize that I can make time for a work out- it just has to be on MY time and my time seems to be lunch!  Right now my favorite time of the day is 11:30-12:30  ~ so who knows maybe if this feeling lasts maybe I will be packing work out clothes on my next vacation........nah, let's not talk crazy!

The Start of the Redesign

So I have told myself over and over that "2012 is my year!"  and things like "This is going to be my year!"  Well, after I alot of thought I wondered......what is different about this year?  What is going to change the outcome and what is going to finally bring me the happiness that I am told that I deserve?  After a lot of thought, a few nervous breakdowns, a lot of tears, and piles of comfort food I realized that all those corny sayings you read about controlling your destiny is true.  I look back on 2011 and realize that the bad habits I had, the choices I made, and my approach to situations caused the outcomes and results that 2011 produced.

The decision I made?  Time for a redesign!  I'm not going to reinvent myself with a new job or new hobbie or follow a new fade ~ I'm going to take ME and redesign ME to take back control of ME.

Now, this is where the blog comes in.  I have tried everything under the sun at least once but I have the attention span of a monkey at a flea market....ok that doesn't make sense but once I met a monkey at a flea market so it seemed to fit.  I need to be accountable.  I need to put it out for the world to follow my journey so that I don't detour once again.  This blog will follow what works, what doesn't, and allow me to share of piece of my very complex mind.

So, cheers to 2012 being different because I am going to make it different.  Here is to a heathy, happier Kim.  Stay tuned for the Redesign of Ms. Mealing