Cookies, Cupcakes, and Cardio

Walking Some More

November 14, 2010 by Jenn

This morning, Lisa, her mom Wendy, myself, Ruby and Angus went out again. It must be dog love…or at least we’re attempting arranged marriage for our dogs.

The route that we chose today was one of those “If I had known that we were going to go this way, I would have pretended to be sick…or washing my hair…or injured” basically, I would have done anything NOT to go if I had known that we were going to take the View Point Trail! The View Point is a lookout in the Cranbrook Community Forest.

Cranbrook Community Forest Map

Normally, I will ride my bike up this trail in the summer when I’m looking for a killer ride. The way up is long and a grind…it takes about an hour and a half to ride up, and you have to be extremely skilled to stay on your bike during the final 100 meters. If you stall…you’re done and have to walk the rest of the way up. I digress….just like this morning…I was doing anything I could to not have to go up the Viewpoint!

As the saying goes, “What doesn’t kill you, only makes you stronger”….and that is definitely how this morning was. It was great to get out, successfully get climb up the ViewPoint trail and …. get back down the other side!

Ruby and Angus at the top

Note: Remember to always bring water! Bring water even if you THINK you are only going on a little adventure, because it might turn into a BIG adventure…and you…and your dog…might get thirsty.

Hot, sweaty climb = freezing cold top. That's Cranbrook in the background behind Lisa and I.

And Note AGAIN: Wear layers that BREATHE!!! Oh lord is it uncomfortable when you can feel sweat dripping down your back…remember that you can always take off, but you can’t put on if you didn’t bring it!

Me at the top...FREEZING!...but admiring the view.

Filed Under: Cardio Tagged With: Cranbrook, cranbrook community forest, walking

Midget Dog Party

November 14, 2010 by Jenn

NO, I haven’t been vegging on the couch this weeked, enjoying my FOUR day holiday….I have been busy walking around the area….and, uh, shopping in the States….walking while shopping!! Walking is walking, right???

My friend Lisa is in town for the weekend, she’s staying with her mom who has a little dog Angus, sooo naturally, I wanted to take Ruby and Angus out for a walk…it’s not everyday that Ruby gets to get out with a BOY dog! I love taking Ruby out for a walk…as soon as she see’s that her leash is coming out, she gets so excited! It’s like Christmas for a dog…where will we go, what will we see, what will we smell, what will I get to pee on??? Get that leash on me!!! Christy was set to join us with her little dog, Stitch, as well, and to round out our walking group for the morning, our friend Kelli, who is allergic to the dogs! Of course they wanted to jump all over her the most!! Poor Kelli…..

Up Eager Hill

There is a beautiful short hike in the local Cranbrook area called Eager Hill. It’s a short drive (5 mins) east of town and it can take anywhere from 20 mins to 60 mins to get up the hill. It all depends on how fast or slow you want to go. With these ladies, we didn’t wait around for nothin’ and it took about 25 mins, and when I go up with my dad, it usually takes around 35-40. It’s a popular path in Cranbrook, and you can usually expect to see people out enjoying the mountain air, but not on this morning…it was just us, and our Midget Dog Party!

Midget Dog Party!

Christy is SUPA PUMPED about this walk!

At the top.

Trying to get the three midgets to pose.

SMILE 🙂

Ruby!! WTF!! People are looking!

View from the top...Steeples Range of the Rocky Mountains

How could you not love that face <3

We're much easier to pose than the midgets. Kelli, Christy, Lisa, Me

Heading back down

The End....HAHAHAHAHA

Filed Under: Cardio Tagged With: Cranbrook, Eager Hill, walking

Fortunate Fridays

November 13, 2010 by Jenn

I am fortunate for good friends. Thanks for the money dropping, delicious food eating, fabulous day, G!

I am fortunate for Cold Stone Creamery…Cake Batter Ice Cream with Peanut Butter, Reece’s PB cups and Gummy bears. Mmmm.

I am fortunate that Cold Stone Creamery is only in the States.

I am fortunate that the Canadian Dollar is at Par with the American Dollar.

I am fortunate for four day weekends…and the reason for the four day weekend…Remembrance Day…thank you Granddad for serving in WWII.

Fortunate.

Filed Under: Fortunate Fridays

What I’m Reading

November 11, 2010 by Jenn

I have just started Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

Summary (from BookBrowse.com):

Paris, July 1942: Sarah, a ten year-old girl, is brutally arrested with her family by the French police in the Vel’ d’Hiv’ roundup, but not before she locks her younger brother in a cupboard in the family’s apartment, thinking that she will be back within a few hours.

Paris, May 2002: On Vel’ d’Hiv’s 60th anniversary, journalist Julia Jarmond is asked to write an article about this black day in France’s past. Through her contemporary investigation, she stumbles onto a trail of long-hidden family secrets that connect her to Sarah. Julia finds herself compelled to retrace the girl’s ordeal, from that terrible term in the Vel d’Hiv’, to the camps, and beyond. As she probes into Sarah’s past, she begins to question her own place in France, and to reevaluate her marriage and her life.

Tatiana de Rosnay offers us a brilliantly subtle, compelling portrait of France under occupation and reveals the taboos and silence that surround this painful episode.

Filed Under: What I'm Reading Tagged With: books

Hitting the Treadmill Day 2

November 11, 2010 by Jenn

I did it!!! I went running TWO freaking days in a row. I’m very proud. To be honest, it seemed much easier today…not like 20lbs easier but, I had more energy. Perhaps I just accepting that this is the way I have to get myself back into better shape. Whatever the reason, today felt great. Here’s what I did:

Treadmill [speed changes/intervals…incline is flat (0.0)]

0-3 mins Walking from 4.0 (speed)

4 min – Running at 5.0

5 min – 5.3

6 min – 5.6

7 min – 6.0

8 min – 6.3

9 min – 5.0

10- 14 min – repeat minutes 5- 9

15 min – Walking 4.0

16 min – Running 5.3

17 min – 5.6

18 min – 6.0

19 min – 6.3

20 min – 5.0

21 min – 5.5

22 min – 6.0

23 min – 6.5

24 min – 7.0

25 min – 5.0

Cooldown….Thank goodness that’s over! The final interval is harder than the first 3 intervals, but the harder you work at the end, the optimal your calorie burn will be. Have fun with this one….I did. Finally. Tomorrow I’ll be on to day three.

Filed Under: Cardio, Running Tagged With: intervals, running

Hitting the Treadmill

November 10, 2010 by Jenn

I decided today that I needed to start running again. YUCK! Since I’ve been concentrating on the Cookies and Cupcakes but not the Cardio, I find myself carrying a few too many pounds. My too-tight pants don’t lie…neither does the jiggle, jiggle when my stomach hangs over the waistband!!! Am I grossing you out yet?

“Don’t you teach spinning?” you ask? Well, yes, but as you might have discovered yourself, your body becomes accustomed to doing a regular activity. I may spin 3-4 times a week, which sounds like a lot, but my body is used to that exercise, so it pretty much just goes through the motions. It gets bored! Of course you can start to push yourself even further and harder….and that is the change that you need to make if you have reached this plateau. Try something new…try your same activity at a new pace, with new resistance. I decided that for me to kick my body back into muscle building, fat losing mode, I would start running again.

I packed my gym stuff this morning (so I wouldn’t have a reason to come home and find the couch) and headed to the gym after school today. Here is how I started:

Treadmill (speed changes/intervals…incline is flat)

0-4 mins walking from 3.0-4.0 (speed)

5 min – Running at 5.0

6 min – 5.3

7 min – 5.6

8 min – 6.0

9 min – Walking 4.0

10 min – Running 5.0

Etc.

Repeat this cycle 3 more times…your last walk should start at minute 25.

It, sadly, was difficult for me. I used to do these sets between 6.5-8.0…..and I am determined to get there again. If nothing else, I have to do it so I have something to blog about. It hurts in the moment, but boy does it feel good when it’s over.

Filed Under: Cardio, Running Tagged With: intervals, running, treadmill

“What I Love to Hate” Updated

November 8, 2010 by Jenn

Check it out here….can you tell from the new ones that I spent the weekend in Vancouver?

Purdy’s is risking being put into the Hate category, as they told me this weekend that the Himalayan Pink Salt Peanut Butter was “just a trial” and “won’t be back for at least a year.” O. M. G. I guess I can say that they’re saving me from myself…at least for a year.

Peach, Apple, Cookie, Raspberry, Pumpkin

Thanks Shelby and Chelsey for the great day and night in Vancouver. We spent Saturday night experimenting with fruit beers…and to make it relevant to this site, we had Cookie Beer!! Someone must have been thinking of me when that one was made.

This morning, feeling excellent after a full extra hour of sleep (thank you daylight savings time), we headed for a delicious, VERY Vancouver (yuppie) breakfast at Provance. Even the name oozes yuppie.

The diners, who were clothed in a plethora (oooh, good word) of Louis Vuitton, and blinding diamond rings, knew that this was the place to be for breakfast.

French Toasted Baguette with Sautéed Raspberries, Syrup and Whipped Cream

Shelby enjoying her French Toasted Baguette....mmmmm

On recommendation, we tried the “French Toasted Baguette” with sauteed raspberries…..OH MY….DELISH.

If only it came with a Louis Vuitton bag as a side…

Filed Under: Randomness

Fortunate Friday

November 5, 2010 by Jenn

I am fortunate for the thoughtful family of one of my students who baked me a real, fresh from the farm, pumpkin pie. It made my week.

I am fortunate for the opportunity to work in Vancouver on an all-expenses paid weekend which starts today!