P1: Well I did it: I quit my Brazilian Butt Lift class. I sent my boss a letter (email) of resignation today. Adam was right. Running around teaching fitness classes was something that I did in my 20s and it's not really fitting into my life right now. I am so sick of racing down to the financial district in the middle of each Thursday. And yesterday was the final straw: When I hopped on my bicycle to ride down there, I discovered that my rear tire was flat. I took my bike directly to the bike shop around the corner and then ran down the street trying to hail a cab. There were no cabs so I just kept running down the street trying to figure out how I was going to get there on time. Fortunately, a bus arrived so I took the bus and 2 subways and got there with 3 minutes to spare. It's just not worth it. It's not like my spinning class at the JCC which is on Sunday mornings and gives me the chance to see so many people with whom I have a personal connection. But taking on this class allowed me to prove to myself that I've still "got it", that I can still teach a variety of classes, even if I haven't taught them in years. For now, I am content with just my Sunday spinning class and being able to attend yoga classes when I can.
P2: Big A was great this morning, thank goodness. I was expecting the worst after yesterday. Little A, however, was a bit trying. She was playing with the TV remote and Big A took it away so she wouldn't mess up the satellite. She started screaming so I took out a battery and then gave it back to her. It took her 1 minute to realize it wasn't working and she started freaking out. She had a major screaming fit that lasted 15 minutes! Good grief, how did I end up with 2 such stubborn, strong-willed girls??? Wait, don't answer that...
F1: I'm now craving things not allowed on my "cleanse" so I'm grateful that I didn't plan on sticking with it over the weekend. I cheated at lunch and put my hummus and sauteed garlic spinach in a pita (with 290 mg of sodium). Tonight I'm making chicken and bean burritos with cheese and whole wheat tortillas. I'm just not going to add any additional salt. Tomorrow will be a sodium disaster because we are getting take out for dinner with our friends. Oh well, you gotta live. As I said before, this is not going to be a permanent diet, but I am going to make as many positive changes I can maintain as possible.
I also wanted to sing the virtues of psyllium fibre. I believe that it may be responsible, along with the decrease in sodium, for the improvement in my digestion and bloating. It has also helped Adam lower his cholesterol levels. Just a few teaspoons a day!
F2:Speaking of yoga classes, I will really miss the yin yoga class I have been taking after my BBL class each week. I might even speak to my boss at the JCC about bringing in the instructor to teach one there. I think the JCC members would love it. Last week I tried a class at the JCC called Restorative Yoga, thinking it would be similar to yin yoga. Oh boy was I wrong! The best way to describe it is: An instructor-led nap! I think I did actually drift off simply because we were on our backs with our legs up in the air for pretty much the whole 75 minute class. I guess it's more relaxation/meditation than anything else, but I didn't get any of the stretching/soft tissue benefits that I look for in a yoga class. Perhaps that's why I was only one of two participants under the age of 70...
I recently discovered that if I walk with a slight tilt forward and my knees slightly bent, my sciatica is less likely to get aggravated. This seems easier to remember on the treadmill than when I'm out walking with the girls. But the payoff is worth it. Unfortunately, anything that tightens my hamstrings causes the nerve to be compressed and then I'm in pain. Shifting the load to my quads helps a lot. I've been better since I saw the osteopath, but the problem is still there, I'm hoping this is not a permanent condition but I fear it is.
P2: Big A was great this morning, thank goodness. I was expecting the worst after yesterday. Little A, however, was a bit trying. She was playing with the TV remote and Big A took it away so she wouldn't mess up the satellite. She started screaming so I took out a battery and then gave it back to her. It took her 1 minute to realize it wasn't working and she started freaking out. She had a major screaming fit that lasted 15 minutes! Good grief, how did I end up with 2 such stubborn, strong-willed girls??? Wait, don't answer that...
F1: I'm now craving things not allowed on my "cleanse" so I'm grateful that I didn't plan on sticking with it over the weekend. I cheated at lunch and put my hummus and sauteed garlic spinach in a pita (with 290 mg of sodium). Tonight I'm making chicken and bean burritos with cheese and whole wheat tortillas. I'm just not going to add any additional salt. Tomorrow will be a sodium disaster because we are getting take out for dinner with our friends. Oh well, you gotta live. As I said before, this is not going to be a permanent diet, but I am going to make as many positive changes I can maintain as possible.
I also wanted to sing the virtues of psyllium fibre. I believe that it may be responsible, along with the decrease in sodium, for the improvement in my digestion and bloating. It has also helped Adam lower his cholesterol levels. Just a few teaspoons a day!
F2:Speaking of yoga classes, I will really miss the yin yoga class I have been taking after my BBL class each week. I might even speak to my boss at the JCC about bringing in the instructor to teach one there. I think the JCC members would love it. Last week I tried a class at the JCC called Restorative Yoga, thinking it would be similar to yin yoga. Oh boy was I wrong! The best way to describe it is: An instructor-led nap! I think I did actually drift off simply because we were on our backs with our legs up in the air for pretty much the whole 75 minute class. I guess it's more relaxation/meditation than anything else, but I didn't get any of the stretching/soft tissue benefits that I look for in a yoga class. Perhaps that's why I was only one of two participants under the age of 70...
I recently discovered that if I walk with a slight tilt forward and my knees slightly bent, my sciatica is less likely to get aggravated. This seems easier to remember on the treadmill than when I'm out walking with the girls. But the payoff is worth it. Unfortunately, anything that tightens my hamstrings causes the nerve to be compressed and then I'm in pain. Shifting the load to my quads helps a lot. I've been better since I saw the osteopath, but the problem is still there, I'm hoping this is not a permanent condition but I fear it is.
Have you read "Happiest Toddler on the Block"? A lot of it sounds stupid, but I've started using the 'talk to a toddler have a tantrum as if they're a neanderthal' method with Timmy (And Ant!) when he's having a throw down tantrum, and actually do find that it works. In a nutshell, you repeat back to the toddler what she wants, so for little A you would say in a loudish voice, "WANT REMOTE, WANT REMOTE". It lets them know that you understand what they want, and that seems to get them out of the intense emotion of the moment. It may still take a little while to really calm down, but it helps take the edge off.
ReplyDeleteNico, I will give that a try thanks...I'll try ANYTHING! What worries me most about Little A is she is a bit of a bully. She will scream and push kids, even kids 3x her size, if she wants something. It's one thing to act that way with the family, but I fear she's going to get herself in big trouble when she starts daycare in a few weeks.
ReplyDelete