Our Killarney trip

Well, this post is long overdue since it was two weeks ago tonight we headed up north.

It was a fabulous trip! Four days and three nights of backwoods camping, canoeing and hiking. The Beau and I were also joined by two of our best friends and their two wonderful dogs. We tried to canoe with one of the dogs in our boat but he had a bit of separation anxiety from his owner and, despite being a bit afraid of the water, the dog almost leaped out of our boat to get to his people! We were able to pull up on shore and safely deposit the dog into our friends' canoe and all was good.

This was also my first time to Killarney and it was breathtaking. I really do love the outdoors and don't spend nearly enough time enjoying them so having four days was just what my mind and body needed.

I mean, how can you not love this?

We also spent a day hiking up Silver Peak, which is a 3.5 km hike (one way) but up a mountain that's over 500 m in elevation. It was an intense climb:

But absolutely beautiful when we got to the top:

Each day we were so exhausted we ended up in bed not long after the sun went down but that meant we were up when the sun came up!

 It was a great weekend and I'd go back in a heartbeat!

And - we're back!

We made it home safe and sound today from our five-day sojourn to Muskoka and Algonquin Park. And what a wonderful five days! Since it's the end of April, we weren't crazy enough to camp in a tent; rather, we rented a cabin at Blue Spruce Resort, which was beyond perfect. Our cabin had one bedroom with a king-size bed (which I still managed to almost kick the Beau out of), a 4-piece bathroom with a jacuzzi tub (JACUZZI TUB!) and a full kitchen. It was all kinds of awesome and adorable.

Oh, and we had a fireplace! We had a fire every night and all day Thursday (it was a cold, rainy day).

We were hoping for good weather, but instead got snow and woke up Tuesday morning to about 3 inches. But that didn't stop us from a short hike on the trails around Blue Spruce. Even with the snow and overcast sky, it was a beautiful and refreshing hike. But we got a little wet, so when we got back to the cabin, it was fire time! Later, books.

We also managed to get into Algonquin - and that day, we had blue sky and sunshine! We had ambitiously planned for a 30 km hike, but a late start plus wet and muddy terrain limited us to 8 km. But that was still 4 hours worth of hiking, so it was a good day! That night, we had steak, red wine and playoff hockey!

Our last day, Thursday, was rainy and cold so we stayed in with books and a fire, then hit up the games room for a couple rounds of pool.

And now we're home! What a great week away. And it's even nicer to have a weekend before heading back to work. I'll be honest, I didn't count points at all this past week, but I don't even care. It was worth it to relax and have a fun week away with the Beau. Plus the hiking counted for something. I would go back in a heartbeat!

Vacation snow!

We're still planning on hiking but it will be through a beautiful winter wonderland instead.

Hopefully the rain stays away!

VACATION!

Our vacation officially starts today! Even though it's overcast and windy in Toronto, we're excited and really looking forward to getting away. We'll arrive at our rented cabin this afternoon and then spend the next three days hiking through Algonquin - we're even planning a 30km hike for one day!

I'm not bringing the computer (or a scale) on the trip so no weigh-in this week and blogging will be at a minimum, if it happens at all. But I do have mobile blogging on my phone and I may feel the need to share some of the awesomeness of the trip.

Until then, see y'all later!

WW Weigh-In #16

It's weigh-in day! Let's get right to it:

Last week: 185.0 lb
This week: 185.6 lb
Total gained this week: 0.6 lb

Weight loss target: 181.8 lb
To reach target: 3.8 lb

This is the third week in a row I've logged a gain. Three weeks ago, I was at 183.8; now I'm at 185.6. That's only 1.8 pounds, which is incredibly negligible and is partly why I'm not discouraged. But on the flip side, it's small increases like that that landed me in at the weight where I needed WW.

If I wasn't weighing in weekly, I wouldn't notice the weight slowly creeping back on. And I know it's not that much and I know it's easily lost again and I know I'm still making amazing progress. Also, I'm not trying to advocate that gaining a measly half pound is cause for concern or that you should weigh yourself daily to keep yourself in check.

Rather, for me, this is what I need. I need the regular weigh-ins and the points program and a way to see how what I eat and what I do affects what I weigh.

For some people, checking how their clothes fit works. For me, that's good but not great. Yesterday the jeans I was wearing were a bit loose, which is awesome, but at the same time I was putting on weight - and I gain all over so I never notice significant weight gain until I've packed on 10+ pounds and then it's a bigger challenge to get it off.

And despite my gains over the last three weeks, I'm still weighing in at less than I was four weeks ago (when I was 189 lb) so it's all still good!

As a quick note, there will be no weigh-in next week as I'll be on vacation in beautiful Algonquin Park. The Beau and I have rented a cabin and we'll spend the days hiking and enjoying all that spring in Algonquin has to offer, while evenings will be spent grilling delicious food, reading, soaking in the jacuzzi tub and, well, probably little else. 'Twill be heavenly and I have no intention of packing my scale! So in two weeks' time we'll see what a week of hiking does for me!

Up-Down Challenge Weigh-in #23

Okay, I'm finally back!

It has been quite the week, that's for sure.  While I love long weekends, it means we lose a day of production on the magazine so I've been pulling longer hours and I'll be working on Monday as well.  BOO.  But I've got other fun things planned for the weekend so that will help make up for it.

One thing I did make time for this week was to weigh in.  It has been two weeks since my last weigh-in and it would have been nice to be down a few pounds, but I did spend one of those weeks in Halifax, eating every bit of seafood I could find, including amazing lobster chowder, a lobster roll and a full lobster dinner (it wasn't all lobster though - I also found time to eat fish & chips, pan-seared haddock and caramelized scallops.  YUM.)

Pre-vacation weight: 192.2 lb
Post-vacation weight: 192.4 lb

You know, a 0.2 lb weight gain is something I can live with.  I wouldn't be surprised if that extra weight was because of him:

We're home!

Oh it feels good to be home!  We drove from Halifax to Toronto yesterday - that's right, 20 1/2 hours in one day.  It was hella long but worth it; sleeping in my own bed last night was amazing!

Also amazing was our week in Halifax.  What a beautiful city!  Also, what a beautiful part of the country and what a beautiful drive.  I'll share some pictures and stories soon, but right now we have to go pick up our kitty!  I've missed her so much!

Pre-vacation update

Since we're heading out at 6 am tomorrow and I'm at work today and I'm still not packed, there's not much time to post before we leave.  But...one major development happened today and I must share:

I PAID OFF ANOTHER STUDENT LOAN!

That's right, another one bites the dust!  I still have two more to go, one each with CIBC and the National Student Loan Service Centre, but I'm well on track with those ones.  The next one to pay off is the CIBC loan, as it's the lowest balance of the remaining two. 

Here's where I stand:

CIBC: $3,985.55
NSLSC: $5,849.54
TOTAL: $9,835.09

You know, it's kind of amazing to see this figure below $10,000.  And it feels so good to be on track!  It's also a nice feeling to feel so good about my loans before vacation; makes me feel less guilty about the spending we'll be doing over the next week (but it's money we have saved, so it's not like I'll be compromising my payments because I want lobster).

Okay, back to work now.  Our travel companions are arriving tonight around 8 pm and the Beau is off today to do the last-minute things, but I'm hoping to get out of work early today so I can help him out and, you know, pack and stuff. 

See y'all in a week!

So, how's your Tuesday?

Today is my long day at work.  I started writing this post at 3:00 pm; it's now 7:30 pm, I've been here since 10:30 and I could be here until 2:00 am.  While I love my job, my long day inevitably ends up with long stretches of me waiting for things to get done (as the crux of my job is making sure things get done and not so much doing them) so I figured I may as well do an update.

I've done a number on my legs.  I ran on Sunday (not quite 3km, but I did increase my speed, so that's probably why).  I usually take a day off between runs but my legs felt so good yesterday that I thought I'd go for another run.  BIG MISTAKE.  I made it through 1 km before I had to start walking because my legs were aching.  Then, being the smart person I am, I decided to start running again.  That lasted about 1/2 km before I was back to walking.  Eventually I had to get off the treadmill and finish my cardio on the non-impactful bike.  My legs still hurt a bit today but I've been stretching them every chance I get and I won't be doing any more running this week, because...

We leave for Halifax on Saturday!  Super excited!  We're driving out with another couple and we'll be gone for a week, with four full days in Halifax.  This makes it even more important for my legs to be in good shape because we'll be doing a lot of walking - including, of course, a brewery tour.  We'd also like to go kayaking in the Bay of Fundy, hit up Shakespeare by the Sea and maybe even drive out to Peggy's Cove.  Also, there must be some ocean time because the ocean is amazing and who doesn't love an amazing ocean?!

I'm still going to do my planks while in Halifax.  Our hotel has a fitness room too, so I'm hoping to squeeze in a workout or two (but no running!).  My body needs to do weightlifting regularly or else my back gets sore - such is life with an ample chest.  Plus I like how I feel after a good session with weights and since we plan on doing a lot of walking in Halifax, I'll be getting in my share of cardio.  I also did my plank today, so I'm 13/15 - and I'm up to a solid 30 seconds.  Woot!

I think it's time I see a nutritionist as well.  I get the stomach gurgles more than I'd like, and probably more than I should.  I feel like everything I eat makes me bloated and uncomfortable.  One of the things I love about work is that we have an on-site health centre, complete with nutritionist (and a massage therapist, who I also want to go see, as the therapist will file my benefits claim for me!).  

I've also decided that I want some personal training sessions in the new year.  My money is better spent on my debt until then, but by that time I figure I'll need a good shake-up to my workout routine.  There are trainers here at my work gym, so I'll go see one of them and (hopefully) enjoy the "hurts so good" hurt that will be put on me.

There's not much else going on right now.  I'm looking forward to fall and enjoying the cooler days and much cooler nights we've been having.  I've also been enjoying all the lovely fall fashion that's been coming out and I can't wait to be back in denim and cozy sweaters.  I've also decided this is the year I find a pair of knee-high boots.  I have large calves, which have thus far thwarted me from getting boots, but I'm determined to find ones that fit for fall.  As long as they're brown.  I love tall brown boots.

All right, back to work.  Gotta get this magazine out the door!