The post about #sunroofselfies, sports nutrition and running to Mississauga

My #sunroofselfies from last week.

• Almost everyday I do a little feature on Instagram and Twitter called #sunroofselfie. It's actually a legit hashtag and my photos often get liked or favorited by an account called Sunroof Selfie from Istanbul. That's sorta cool. And I like showing off my frugal fashion sense. If you've been following me for a while you know that I love a good bargain. Especially when it comes to clothing. It all started when I began losing weight and my size was changing so frequently. I couldn't bring myself to pay full price for clothes that I would only be wearing for a month or two. Desperation and lack of funds brought me to my very first Value Village. 
• I know some people have reservations about wearing other people's clothing. Me, not so much. It does have that special VV smell when you get it home. Nothing a couple spins in the washer won't fix. So necessity brought me there. Cheap clothes that are name brand kept me there. I have rules when it comes to clothing and accessories. I don't play more than $10 for anything unless it's genuine leather. So pants, tops, sweaters, bags, shoes...everything. And that rule goes for new or used. I will make a few exceptions on new if it's a few bucks more, but I try to stick to my rule. Anything I see new that I love will be a fraction of the price at the end of season and I am patient. And I'm confident that even if I buy a summer dress in November, it will fit me when summer rolls around again. It has to because I refuse to gain any weight back. 
• So in the #sunrooselfies above, I am wearing my frugal fashion finds. To be fair, some of it was bought with my $1000 gift card I got from being on the Steven and Chris show a couple years ago. But even then I waited until things went on sale because I could buy more. And I still stuck to my rule with the exception of a few pieces of clothing. That gift card lasted me more than a year. And the leather? The brown jacket was gifted to me, the black grommet one was $12 at VV, the red Danier leather one was $12 at VV. 
• When I weighed 300+ pounds, I wore what was comfortable and could fit. That is all. Now I can actually purchase clothes I like. And part of the fun for me is spending hours in VV looking for treasures. It takes time for sure and I only go a couple times a month. I'll spend $50 and come out with 5 pieces of clothing. But it's worth it because they will be five really nice pieces of clothing from labels I can't afford new.

Meals from last week...and $70 worth of sports nutrition.

• I ate well last week. Made some crock pot meals, stir-fries, and an old favorite...salmon cakes. Haven't had those in a while and they were delish. Recipe is under the recipe tab of my blog in the Paleo section. Big cans of salmon were on sale at Freshco this week. So I stocked up. A great goto meal and easy to do. 
• A week ago I swore off fruit, nuts and wine. Still on my never ending quest to get a touch leaner in my hip and ass area. The nuts can especially be a problem for me. In reflection I have altered my edict. I will not have fruit or nuts over the next month or more, and I will only drink wine on the weekend. I need something for the love of Pete. Yeah, I'm weak. And human. And maybe I should purchase a scale so I can actually see numbers instead of going by how my smallest jeans fit. Now there's a thought.
• Since I'm getting into long distance again for my weekend runs (15+K), I needed to buy some sports nutrition. Sportive and electrolyte gummies (or gels work too). I can't eat before I run. Even if it is a long run. That's when I drink the sportive. Right before I leave. Two scoops actually gives me the energy I need to run for a couple hours. And if I'm feeling peckish, the gels come in handy and help me finish. I'm famished afterwards, but the very expensive sports nutrition is worth the money so I can get it done. And to be fair, the $70 I spent, should last me a couple months of long runs at least!

Last weeks runs equals the distance from Hamilton to Mississauga...47+K.

• I ran 18K this past Sunday. A good run overall. I'm always, ALWAYS anxious before a long run because I know my toes are going to cramp. And Sunday did not disappoint. My toes cramped badly at 13K. And I know the drill. Once they cramp, I run through the cramps until the pain becomes numb. It's still there, but I guess I just get used to it. I've run 30K with cramped toes from the 7K mark (this past March). Yeah, I'm a glutton for punishment. And maybe I shouldn't be running long distance. But I can still do it, so I will. I'd love to run pain free just once though to see how that would feel at the end. Imagine just having tired muscles instead of tired muscles with feet that feel like I just ran over open switch blades. That would be awesome. And those of you that don't run probably think I'm stupid. The only way I can justify my actions is, I need to run. Not just for maintenance, but for my mental health. Running is my time. And I run alone. I can run with someone, but I like to run alone. Helps me organize my thoughts and is my best therapy, hands down!
• My physio is going well. I definitely have better movement in my neck. As soon as that's sorted, we get to move onto my rotator cuff. And once that's done, back to the gym I go. I'll use some machines again, but I think I'm gonna focus on the pilates and yoga more. A stronger core means I won't tire as quickly during runs, which means I can hold my form longer, which means I can run pain free longer. My toes will cramp earlier if I tire quickly. Now I just have to figure out how I'll fit class times into my already busy schedule. 
• Health and fitness is work. Weight loss and maintenance is work. Preparing, scheduling, executing, it's all work. It's still worth it though. Truth is I never feel badly after completing a workout or eating a good meal. But the mental anguish I feel from skipping a run or eating off my plan can be soul breaking and something I try to avoid at all costs. In the end, it's just not worth it to me. And something I have learned over the past few years? I am worth all the effort I put into my lifestyle. Cheers:-)

The post about fallen soldiers, RIP Corporal Nathan Cirillo & Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent

Saluting our nation's fallen soldier as he returns home to Hamilton, Ontario.

• It's been a tough week for our great country. The events that unfolded last week has left us speechless and in shock. Our nation is in mourning. We lost two Canadian soldiers in what appears to be terrorist attacks. Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent was run down in Quebec a eight days ago, and two days later Corporal Nathan Cirillo was shot down at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Ottawa while standing guard. Corporal Cirillo was from Hamilton.
• Friday morning I took my regular running route in the east end of Hamilton. I normally run this route 2x per week. As I ran down a street I frequent regularly, I noticed Canadian flags draped on the light posts. I figured I was in a very patriotic stretch of neighbourhood, considering what had just happened. Then I saw the flowers and balloons and noticed the police cars and realized where I was. I was running by Cpl. Cirillo's family home. It was before dawn and the neighborhood was very quiet. Just me and the two police cars. I recognized the house from pictures on the internet. Such a stab of pain to my heart. I could not even imagine the pain and despair the people in that house were feeling. I continued my run lost in thought.
• I thought about a time 3 years ago when I was visiting my family in Scarborough. Just after we left on a Sunday evening in the summer to head home, we noticed a crowd of people on the 401 McCowan Road overpass. They were holding Canadian flags and there were emergency vehicles parked there as well. It took me a moment to figure out what was happening. One of our fallen soldiers was returning from Afghanistan and taking the trip from CFB Trenton to the coroner's office in central Toronto. I remember looking back at Julien and feeling such a stab of pain, just imagining what that young soldier's mother must have felt like. One of the images of this past week that was hardest for me to see, was Cpl. Cirillo's mother following her son's casket from the funeral home in Ottawa to the hearse which would bring him home to Hamilton along the Highway of Heroes. 
• On Friday night, my small family walked to the foot of our street in Hamilton to watch the motorcade that transported Cpl. Cirillo to the funeral home where he would rest in state less than a kilometer from my home. It was an incredibly somber moment. So many unanswerable questions from a 7-year-old. And it was quiet. Hundreds of people lined the streets with Canadian flags, but it was so quiet. A Hamilton fire truck waited with it's lights flashing. As the procession passed the firefighters saluted and applause broke out. Not the joyful applause of a celebration, but sad applause, if you can imagine that. No one spoke. And once the motorcade passed, the crowd dispersed and everyone walked away with heavy hearts.
• A difficult time for sure. For Canada, for the world. Our pain is felt internationally and the world is in disbelief right along with us. I still shake my head over these unbelievable events. Today Cpl. Cirillo was laid to rest in a full regimental funeral service in Hamilton. Looking at the press pictures just now, my heart is again in shreds seeing the pain and despair on his mother's face. This blog has taken me days to write because I wasn't sure if I could accurately express my feelings. The events of last week has changed our country forever. God bless the Cirillo and Vincent families. God bless us all.

The post with a bunch of collages

My runs from Sunday to Sunday...

• So this is going to be a mostly picture post with a bullet point to explain the collages. This was my week. Above are my runs from Sunday to Sunday. Sixty five kilometers in total. I'm running exclusively again and loving it. My pace sucked this week, but I'm just rolling with it and enjoying running in this much cooler fall weather. My aches and pains are being dealt with at physio and bottom line is, I need to strengthen my core to be a more efficient runner. That is where the gym comes in. Once my neck and rotator cuff are sorted, I'm going to start taking yoga and pilates classes. Should be fun, and comical if nothing else.

Sunroof selfies.

• Still in therapy. Going pretty well. Talking about your self image and how much you love yourself can be boring shit sometimes. I still heed the advice of my first therapist and take a lot of pictures. Once in a while I get negative comments via Twitter or my blog. Very few, but they always centre around me being in love with myself. Truth is, I'm trying real hard to love myself the way I should and unless you've been morbidly obese your entire adult life then lost a ton of weight, it's hard to understand. I don't take the comments too much to heart and I know that the people who leave them truly don't understand what the mind goes through when you lose the equivalent of an adult woman. I also need to take the pictures to keep myself in check. And as Sarah, loser of 200 pounds and maintainer of 10 years said, pictures help us maintain. The brain can better process a body it gets to see! One hundred percent truth! And I've mastered the selfie. An important skill to have.

Winetime

• On Twitter I do a little feature called #winetime. It's something fun I started back in the spring. I don't do #winetime everyday because I don't drink everyday. Usually Friday to Sunday and maybe once or twice during the week. Usually once. Got an extra day in last week due to Thanksgiving. I get pictures back and #cheers from around the world. And I love my red wine. One of the extras I allow myself on Paleo because I still have to live.  And wine comes from grapes...which are Paleo. Reaching? Nah:-)

Food from the week

• This week in food was not great. I did make some awesome curried chicken and some delicious turkey soup. I also broke my rule of not eating in my car and got pepperoni sticks and cashews (which was my lunch) during a long driving day because I didn't plan ahead and pack healthy snacks. And I ate out for lunch when I wasn't with a client which is something I try to avoid as well. I have to eat out with clients as part of my job, but when I don't have client meetings, I should be bringing my lunch. And I'm not eating enough. I'm going long stretches of not eating and skipping meals which is counter productive. I need fuel to run and perhaps this is why I'm struggling a lot? I vow to have a better eating week and to eat more frequently throughout the day.

Shopping and a party.

• Julien had his friend's party on the weekend. He was so excited. We did a halloween theme and four of his guests were from the neighborhood. I'm just so happy he has friends that he can play with on our street. Makes me know that even though my house is a decorator's nightmare right now, we definitely made the right choice by moving. And I found a pair of Tommy Hilfiger boots at Winners I love. But $145? Goes against all my thrifty shopping rules. It's all good, I have the photo to lust after. 
• That's all I got for you right now. I have some correspondence I am behind in...again, and blog reading to catch up on as well. I leave you with my Transformation Tuesday post from last week. Have a blessed and safe week:-)

Transformation Tuesday

The post about racing, a blogiversary, my boy's special day and giving thanks

Favorite thing about fall besides the pretty leaves? I get to
wear my leather again. Every leather jacket I own I bought
at Value Village for under $25...

• Busy time of year. And my favorite time of year. All my favorite fall veggies are in season. And cheap. Eating is good in the fall. Starchier veggies which means running has got to be on point! And it has been. I'm on my 3rd week of running 5 days per week. And just for fun, I may run 6 days this week because Monday is a holiday. Why not? A short recovery run after I do my long run later this morning.
• I have been running exclusively. No gym. No cycling. Although I'll head back to the gym once my aches are worked out (namely my neck and rotator cuff), I'm probably done with cycling for the time being. It's too dark for me to ride in the morning, and get's dark too early for me to ride in the evening. And it's fecken cold during those times. I could go on Saturdays, but I get tied up with family stuff and by the time both hubby and I run, the day's half over. 
• And I'm signing up for a couple more races. I've already registered for the Around the Bay 30K the last Sunday in March. I'm also going to do the Chilly Half Marathon on March 1st. It was my first 1/2 and I'm going to attempt to better my time. Not only was it my first half, but it was also my best time for a half. So game on! And for the 1st time ever, I'm going to run the Boxing Day 10 miler. It's a Christmas tradition for runners here in Hamilton so I am going to start making it a tradition for me too. It was almost cancelled this year due to residential complaints, but it's a 93 year old race for Pete's sake. A shame if it would have been cancelled.

My runs from this week. Still have today's 14K and tomorrow's
6K to add onto the mix. 

• So I am officially back in physio. I had an assessment with Graham at Meadowlands Physio on Wednesday. Graham was my physio guy from when I had my hamstring injury (1.5 years ago) and then my broken fibula from this time last year. He moved clinics, but I tracked him down and he's saddled with me once again. He has confirmed what I already suspected. I'm a bit of a mess right now. I don't have good neck mobility on my right side which is also affecting my rotator cuff. My vertebrae are actually out of whack, so he's working on my once again. Even with initial supervision and instruction at the gym, he suspects that I have lifted wrong and that is where this injury stems from. I need adult supervision all the time:-(
• Friday was my 3rd blogiversary. I cannot believe I've been writing this blog for 3 years...or that anyone still finds my day to day life interesting. It's not, and sometimes I wonder if I shouldn't just pack it in. But then I get emails from people telling me how much my blog helps them so I continue to write. Not as much as I used to, because truth be told, I am a creature of habit. I eat the same stuff I always have, I still run, and I stick to my eating plan 85% of the time. When I mess up (ie: the cheese incident in Europe), I need to own it. I still have no idea how much I gained over that debacle, but everything is zen again. It took a few weeks of running hard and eating like I know I should to get myself back to my happy place, but everything fits properly once again. Life is good and every once in a while I shake my head in disbelief. What a long way I have come. My former self would have taken that weight gain and rolled with it, likely adding what ever I gained x2 or three. My how times have changed.
• Not only is this Canadian Thanksgiving weekend, but it was also Julien's 7th birthday yesterday. We celebrated as a family and let Jules dictate the day. He wanted to check out the toy department at Target where he picked out a few things he wanted. Then we headed to Wacky Wings in Brantford for dinner. Next Saturday is his party with friends. It will be a Halloween themed party. And we'll have pizza and cake. I let him pick where he wanted his party and he picked at home. Surprised me. Figured he would have picked and arcade or bowling alley.
• It's getting light out and it's freaking cold this morning. I gotta choke down my sportive and get running. My family's coming by for Thanksgiving dinner later and I still have to get to the store and try to hit a pumpkin patch. I'm making pork roast and ham for today, and roasting a turkey tomorrow. I cannot wait. I LOVE turkey, and turkey soup! Enjoy your Thanksgiving if you're celebrating. I have spent the weekend reflecting on what I am thankful for. My family, my friends, my life...

Pics of Jules and I from yesterday. Rocked my Johnny Cash shirt in observation
of Universal Music Day. And Julien and me 7 years ago...I think we've both
changed a lot!

The post about some injuries, some accolades and a busy month

Pictures taken this past week. I like the way I look in all of them. I'm curvy and I think
I look strong. Strong and healthy is my goal. Big giant head in top left pic:-)

• So I touched on not feeling 100% in my last post. It's true. I have been ignoring...avoiding...pretending like they're not really there, some pains I've been having. You know, hoping they'll just go away on their own. They haven't. I go for my physio assessment on Wednesday. My physio guy Graham is no longer at Highland Physio in Dundas. But I did track him down to Meadowlands Physio in Ancaster, so I booked my assessment with him. I got discharged from physio in December 2013. I've almost gone a year pain free. But running and gym stuff does wear and tear on your body. It was only a matter of time before I had to go back. Physio is not a bad thing, it will keep me running. 
• New and improved pains include neck (can't comfortably check my blind spot) and right rotator cuff. My old left hamstring injury is back too. I can feel it quite pronounced when I run long distance. So I'm basically a mess. And even rest (2 weeks off exercise while in Europe) did not help. So I'm getting real and getting this stuff dealt with. I need to run, bottom line.
• I am still in therapy for my self esteem issues. Haven't talked about this in a while. Although I am still a work in progress and y'all may have gotten sick of hearing how much I love myself, I still struggle day to day about how I feel about me and how I see myself. Shocking, right? That after almost 2 years on maintenance, I am still struggling with the same shit. But that's my reality and the reality of anyone who has dealt with a big weight loss. It takes a lot of time for my inner self to see what you all see. And I so appreciate all your kind words. They help tremendously. But this is not something that is fixable overnight. I wish it was that easy, and I'm holding out hope that one day, my mind will catch up with what I see in the mirror.
• So this week I took some pictures of myself as per my therapists advice. Not daily like she wants me to but enough so that I can appreciate how I look. I never give myself enough credit. And I rarely know how to respond when I get credit from others. 
• One of the best compliments I can get is from a total stranger who has no idea where I've been and is shocked to find out I weighed 300+ pounds at one time. It happened on the plane ride home from London. A couple I was sitting beside and chatting with questioned why I wouldn't eat the pasta dinner or the chicken wrap option offered.  I can hide my flaws well and when I explained a bit about my journey, they were truly shocked. And the wife actually refused to believe me until I showed her my before picture from my phone (always keep one handy in case I think of eating off plan). That kind of response makes me realize that I need to give myself credit where credit is due. I should be proud of my accomplishments. There are so many others in my life who are, and I never give myself accolades when I should.
• This means I am going to work on appreciating my appearance much more than I have been. Whether I post a picture on Instagram or Tweet something I like about myself, it's important that I feel love and appreciation for me. I can see beauty in everyone...unless you have an ugly heart, but I need to appreciate the beauty in myself too. Weight loss isn't as cut and dry as I expected. Not only is maintenance a lot of hard work, but so is body acceptance. This is so different than what I envisioned in my mind when I started my weight loss journey 3 years ago. I never prepared myself for the emotional repercussions of weight loss. 
• My body is finally back to it's happy place. I've no idea what I weigh right now...still, but I can say this with 100% conviction. I feel right once again in my skin and my clothes. Two weeks of running 5 days a week has gotten me back to where I am most comfortable. That and cutting out my weaknesses...nuts and fruit. I ate nuts today, and still eat one fruit serving a day, but more importantly, my metabolism has kicked itself into high gear again and my pace is even improving. Running is what works best for me. And even though I still bike and will get back to the gym once I address my injuries, running has to be my 5-day a week activity. I can't duplicate the cardio or calorie burn in any other activity. Running is my maintenance saviour.
• October is a busy month for me. It's Thanksgiving, Julien's birthday (7 on the 11th), and of course, Halloween. Not sure what's going on with family celebrations for next weekend, but I will plan a fun time for Julien. His party won't be until the 18th but he'll still get a special day on the 11th. Time has flown by. In another month I have to start thinking about Christmas again. And, although we're moved into the new house since July, I still need to paint it from top to bottom. This is when it would pay to be Samantha from Bewitched. Wish I could just snap my fingers and twitch my nose:-)

My runs from this week. It's been a while since I had a 40K week.

No grains, no gains - Dealing with body shape and body size changes

A group of Primal/Paleo/Grain Free women who blog about their experiences/life/benefits without grains. A great way for others (who may be WANTING TO LOSE WEIGHT, reverse an acute/chronic health trend, and/or transition from commercial weight loss programs) to read about real life women who are living the life and succeeding.

This month's topic is dealing with body shape and body size changes. This is a topic that is near and dear to my heart. It's no secret that last winter I had a bit of an emotional breakdown due to my self esteem issues. I got myself into therapy and I'm still attending therapy in regards to this. I'm going to let you in on a secret. Just because you lose the body weight equivalent of another adult woman does not mean you automatically feel good about yourself. That is the honest to God truth. Confidence is a lot of work. Just like maintenance. And it's something I struggle with everyday...just like maintenance.

I have been following the Paleo lifestyle since March 2013. I find Paleo the best option for me for maintenance. While I was still in active "weight-loss mode" I was somewhat leaner. I can tell the difference even if others couldn't. I was leaner but not necessarily stronger. I don't count portion size or calories on Paleo, but if I notice undesirable changes in my body, I cut out nuts, cut way down on fruit and stick to mostly protein and less starchy vegetables. Just making those changes will cause my body to return to what is my normal within a week. It's a foolproof system for me. 

I am slightly bigger following Paleo than I was when I first reached maintenance. That's not necessarily a bad thing though. My legs are muscular and I feel strong. I feel that even though I'm curvier, I'm stronger. As long as I keep up with my running and exercise regime and am on point with my eating, my body stays the way it should. Funny that for the first time in my life I do not own a scale. I was obsessed with the scale my entire life. It had the ability to make or break my day. I haven't been on a scale since July when I got weighed during my fitness assessment at the gym. Prior to that, I hadn't been on one since early spring of 2014. Crazy you say? Maybe, but I'm in pretty good tune with my body and I can tell when things are off. 

I was doing strength training at the gym. This was definitely a good thing for me because I have zero upper body strength. I found that the gym made me super hungry and I was eating all the time. I also started running less which was not such a good thing for me. Running lots and eating Paleo works best for my body. The running keeps my metabolism up so I can eat without worrying about counting calories or portions. I haven't been to the gym in a month. I definitely need to go back, but I've had to booked an appointment with my family doctor to have my right rotator cuff checked out. I'm not sure if I damaged or tore it at the gym, but it has been aching me since before I went to Stockholm/London. To the point that it bothers me at night and causes my entire arm to ache. Right now I'm focusing solely on running again and I'm back to running 5 days per week. Although I considered going to the gym in the interim to do some yoga and pilates, I'm hesitant to do anything that will require I use my arms/shoulders because I don't want to do further damage.

So do I accept my body the way it is now? There is always room for improvement. I'm still a work in progress. I have definitely come a long way, but my self perception is still trying to catch up with how everyone else sees me. I do like what I see when look in the mirror, but the way I envision myself in my mind is completely different than how others see me. It's hard to understand unless you have lost the body weight equivalent to 2 Irish Setters (140 pounds). It's a constant struggle but one that I will continue to tackle because the alternative is not an option. I have said it before and I'll say it again. Nothing tastes better than missing out on my son's life or my good health. I've worked hard to get where I am and I'll be damned if I go back to where I started. Nothing I could eat is worth that!

Check out my blogging peeps. They're going to share their views on their personal body changes/issues/acceptance. Everyone has different experiences. Looking forward to seeing their take on this subject.

For Life
Garden Girl

Picture on left taken the summer of 2011. Picture on the right taken one week ago.

The post about a London adventure, feeling shite and getting back to reality

Flight from Stockholm to London...then at my lodging in London!

Thanks to Lynda over at Living the Life, I was able to recreate my lost blog from last week. If you've already read this, skip over it. If not, you can still skip over it. I re-entered it for me to be honest:-) Thanks all the same Lynda. You rock!!!!

What an adventure I have had. Time to return to reality:-) And trust me, I'm so happy to be home with my family. It was definitely hard being away from Julien. Especially since he was cast a few days before I left. He is no longer in a cast. Turned out his broken fibula was just a sprain. Thank goodness!!!!

I traveled from Stockholm to London on the 16th. I had a hard time that day. I was missing my family. And I was nervous to be traveling to London alone. Getting from Heathrow to Central London seemed a daunting task. And it was. I landed at the most inopportune time. Five pm. That's right. I got into London during rush hour. I was stuck in a subway car with no escape at 6:30pm. Luckily some Londoner in a suit took pity on me and got me out of the Tube at my stop. I think crying uncontrollably helped!

I stayed in Camden in Central London. Which was awesome. Walking distance to everywhere. And surprisingly enough I knew about a lot of places in London from the historic romance novels I read. Hangs head in shame...

Sites seen around London:-)

• I was blessed to meet some really awesome people in London. I was treated like a Queen. I met up with Frank whom I follow on Twitter. He took me around London on foot. I honestly have no idea how far we walked, but we walked a lot. Such a gentleman Frank was. We've been friends on Twitter for a while and it was a pleasure to finally meet him.
• I also met with my best friend's cousin. We haven't seen each other since the "wedding party" seven years ago, so it was super great to catch up! Val took me to Cafe Rouge at Hays Galleria for salad and wine. Lots of laughing an a fun evening!
• I also had the very humbling privilege of meeting with a couple of my favorite bloggers Tanvee and Ayesha. Such an awesome experience and such beautiful women inside and out. And I got to meet Tanvee's extremely lovely husband Terrence. Such a great person and they are so incredibly cute together! 

Clockwise: Ayesha, Tanvee and Terrence, Val, Frank

Something that was not on point during my vacation? My exercise and food consumption. I ran the half marathon with Tanya on the 13th...and that's it. Yes I walked a lot, but didn't run again until yesterday morning. I ran a pretty brutal 6K. I knew it wasn't going to be fun, but I sucked it up and did it. I felt better for having gotten out there. This evening I'm cycling 21K up the escarpment and back down. Need to just get right back into doing what I need to do. 

While away I definitely over indulged. In wine and cheese. No grains, but wine, cheese and sauces. In Sweden the cheese is ridiculously delicious. Cheese and dates and wine. And in London, the blue cheese is equally delicious. I have eaten more cheese in the past couple of weeks than I have in the last year before that! So how did my digestive system do with all this cheese? It got used to it. Dairy no longer bothers me. This is not good! So starting yesterday...No more dairy! And wine only on the weekend again. And only protein and veggies grown above ground for the next month. I feel bloated and ugh! My clothing still fits, but doesn't feel right. I don't have a scale since we moved but I will be weighing in at the gym. I need to detoxify.

And I need to start running regularly again. Running is my favorite exercise. It's what works me the hardest and I felt best physically and emotionally when I ran 5 days a week. So starting yesterday, I'm going back to my 5-day running schedule. Mondays and Fridays are my running rest days. Today I'm going to cycle, but in the future those are the days I'll be going to the gym. So I aim to be active everyday of the week. 

Next month I find out if I'm going to be heading back over the pond in April to run the London Marathon. If I get a lottery spot, it will be my first and likely only marathon. My Morton's Neuroma makes it very difficult for me to run long distance. The half marathon and 30K is doable for me. Doable but painful. Adding another 12K onto that could be torturous. But if given the opportunity, I'd have to do it. It will be a challenge and I won't back down from a challenge.

So here I am. Back in reality. It's great to be home with my family again. I missed them loads. And Skype is an awesome thing. Even when you're far away, you don't feel like it. Back to work today. A crisp fall day it's going to be. My favorite time of year for the clothing options. And I'm bringing my lunch. Two cans of salmon, broccoli and lots of cucumber. Today is day 2 of Operation Detoxify European Vacation. I'm not even going to remotely whine or complain. I could have done things differently and chose not to. So now it's time to pay the piper. And I need to just do it:-)

Drank cappuccino every day here in London. Apparently I am the nations favorite coffee place:-)