Friday 21 October 2011

Another Dream

To add to the list of things I'd like to learn how to do......


How amazing is she?

I could seriously see myself enjoying hula hooping as much as I enjoy bellydancing and zumba.  Now, to get myself a hoop and find someone to teach me how....

Thursday 13 October 2011

Hey, remember when we used to want to live here?

Long before we ever thought of leaving the city, we used to joke about living up here.  My dad had a vacation chalet here, and before we had T we came up for one last trip away as a couple.  I was 7mos pregnant and we stayed for a week, it was the most lovely holiday ever.  The weather was amazing, and we enjoyed every minute.  One day while we were driving along the waterside and I was gazing out over the bay, I sighed and said, "I could live here". 

Here we are.

So many times the views out here take my breath away and I sigh once again and say to myself, "Yep, I live here".  It's so amazing.

Of course anyone who has been reading my blog (Hello, are you out there?) may remember that I hated it here for a good year at least and wanted nothing more than to pack up and go home.  Not anymore.  Nope, no way.  You couldn't pay me to go back.

You know what I am really loving though?  Yes, I love the bay, and the trees, and the fresh air, and the fact that a million fun things are just waiting for us around every corner.  But what I really love is the community.  I know more people and have more friends now, here in this small-ish place, then I ever hoped to have in the big city with it's massive population.  There, where there are over a million people, I felt so alone.  Here, I never feel alone.  There is always somewhere to go and someone to hang out with.  Even if I just run out on some errands I usually see a familiar face.  I love it.

Another thing I love about this place is how health and environmentally conscious everyone here is.  People here CARE, they care about their health and their care about the state of the environment in which they live in.

I love that there is almost no traffic, and even in 'rush hour' it only takes me 10mins to get anywhere.  When I think about how much of life is wasted sitting in traffic back in the GTA, that alone is enough to make me happy that I call this place home.

Hey hon, remember when we used to joke about living here?  I never believed it at the time.  We are so very lucky.

Life is still pretty good.

Wednesday 5 October 2011

Exercise

F's swimming lesson was cancelled this morning so I decided to squeeze in another spin class this week.  I already went to my normal Monday class, but I'm loving it so much that I didn't have to convince myself to go again today.  The energy is so great and it leaves me feeling so amazing.  When I am there my muscles are burning and all I can think about is it being over, but when I am not there I just want to be there.

On Mondays the instructor is amazing.  She has the most addictive energy, I can't help but smile through her classes.  She wasn't there this week though as she is in the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii this weekend.  How amazing is that?  Go Claudia go!  Today's instructor was great too though.  She had a good energy too and I really enjoyed her class.

I like to see all the different people who turn out to spin class.  I used to avoid trying it, because I was worried about looking like such an amateur.  I figured the only people who did that class were hardcore cyclists, and that I'd totally look out of place though.  I was wrong, spin class is great for everyone, and I am in constant awe of the different people who join me there, of all shapes, sizes, ages, and fitness levels.

Like the guy in the back corner, a little overweight and not looking like someone who exercises, trucking along trying to keep up.  I'm so glad that he comes.  Or the lady who is almost 8mos pregnant who is always there, giving it her all and keeping up with the rest of us.  What an inspiration, I hope I can still keep up when I'm 8mos pregnant next time around!  Or the woman in front of me, who bobs her head back and forth to the music throughout the whole class, I don't even think she knows she's doing it.  I like watching her rhythmic bobbing, it looks like she is in the her zone.  I see other moms in there, people training for races, elderly people just trying to stay fit.  It's such a great mix of people.  I like to park myself at the back of the class and watch them all (plus no one has to watch my slow butt when I'm back there!).

It's fun to have this common ground with all these people I don't know.  I am there to stay fit and feel good.  Some of them are there for the same reasons, some are their to get in shape, and others are there to maintain their shape as they train for bigger things. 

There is something so motivating about being there with all those other people, and listening to the music.  Music is very motivating.  It gets me going, makes me feel good, and pushes me to work harder.

I'm still pretty novice in there, but I work at my own pace and keep up pretty well.  I'm glad I got to go a second time this week, and I plan on going again early Friday morning with Hillary.

I've made a commitment to get more exercise in.  I've been doing great with my 4 classes a week, but I think I need more.  I don't feel like I need to lose weight, but I'm still not looking how I want to be looking despite my current efforts.  So I've added a 20-20-20 class to my weekly routine, and will have to see where else I can fit stuff in.  I'd like to do one more spinning class at some point, just have to figure out when. 

I would love to get more yoga in too.  I really like Matt's yoga classes on Tuesdays and Fridays, but I wish there was another evening one.  I know there are some on Mondays and Wednesdays, but they are at 7pm which is too early for me because I have to get the kids in bed. 

Anyways, now I'm just going on about it with no real point left.  I love exercise, I guess that's my point.  I can't believe how many years I wasted sitting around and not doing anything.  Even when I was bellydancing several times a week, I thought that was sufficient but now I know that it wasn't.  If only I knew how much fun and exhilarating it is.

Oh well, at least I know now!