Accomplished fitness goals = Fulfilled shopping dream

Yesterday, I wrote about my upcoming fitness goals and action plan. I will start my plan today, November 25, and hope to have my goals accomplished by April 25, 2014. This may prove to be a little difficult as my gym membership at Goodlife expires at the end of December and I’m still not sure if I will renew it due to lack of funds in the winter months. In order to motivate myself I plan on giving myself a shopping spree after certain goals have been achieved. Each activity I complete will give me a certain amount of money that I can then use to fulfill my shopping desires.  

Here’s the breakdown:

• Attend a Zumba class = $1
• Attend a BodyAttack class = $2
• Attend a Bodypump class = $3
• Go to the gym 3 times a week for a month = $20
• Stay within 1,200 calories a day for a week = $5
• Complete one day of the core challenge = $0.50
• Drink 4-5 glasses per day = $0.50

Rewards:

• Fitbit Flex Band to make my workout efforts more fun
• Dress or skirt for the holidays to look smokin’ hot!
• Sexy lingerie/bathing suit to show off my hard work in the summer
• Spa treatment to relax after all my hard work
• Blog design to make my blog stand out
• Workout gear to look good while getting my fit on

I'm a weight loss failure

Hi, my name is Astrid and I’m a weight loss failure.

I’m 25 years old and although most people would not consider me overweight, I have always been on the chubbier side. As I’ve got older I’ve seen the weight be more proportionate to my body so I do not look as overweight as I used to in my teenage years. However, I’m still unhappy with my middle section and my muffin top. I am not sure what my current weight is but in May 2013 I weighed 132lbs, a 4lb loss from the 136lbs I weighed at the beginning of January. Now most people hear my weight and are quick to say I’m skinny and do not need to lose weight but I’m on the shorter side measuring at 5’2 so 132lbs is on the higher end of my expected BMI. I do not consider myself fat nor do I think that I need to lose a certain amount of pounds. My ideal weight is 125lbs and I know that numbers on the scale are just that “numbers” and not always a good indication of a healthy body so my ideal is to tone my core and lose 5 inches in my waist and hip area. 

Now, that I’ve discussed my goals here is why I’m a weight loss failure:

• I love food. I could never be on a restricted diet I’m just too much of a food lover.
• I’m Mexican and eat a lot of Mexican food which is cooked with lots of oil and includes countless tortillas. The oilier the better.
• I’m lazy, therefore I sometimes eat out more times than necessary and it’s not always the healthiest choices
• I’m lazy and will make excuses to not go to the gym
• I detest workout machines and prefer to do workout classes so if there are no classes available I choose to just skip the gym rather then get on a treadmill
• I love beer and I drink some at least once a week if not more.
• I detest water. I drink juice or pop instead and we all know that’s not the healthiest option.

Here’s what I plan to do to get on track to a healthy and fit lifestyle:

• Go to the gym at least 3 days a week
• Look at the gym schedule and plan ahead on what days and times I will go to workout classes 
• Attend at least two Bodypump classes a week to incorporate weight training
• Complete the 30 day core challenge 
• Try to keep calorie consumption to 1,200 calories a day
• Drink 4-5 glasses of water a day
  

I will continue to track my progress and possible failures and will link up with Sarah @ Venus Trapped in Mars to read other’s journey as well as to motivate each other.  

Sweet Sixteen - Part 3

As soon as I got off the plane the cold hit me. Hard. Here I was coming from temperatures in the low 20’s to temperatures in the single digits. It felt like I had just entered a freezer. I was wearing a light beige coat that provided me with zero warmth. I had to wear one of my aunt’s winter coats before we went to Sears to buy my own winter coat, hat and gloves. After, my aunt, uncle, and cousin picked me up we headed to a restaurant for lunch. I can still remember the restaurant decorated like a 50’s diner with jukebox and colourful flashy booths. It was located on Richmond Row, an area in downtown London. The restaurant closed down a few years later much to my dismay.

 

The first two weeks were really hard to get through. The teachers at my new school were on strike which meant the school was closed until further notice. That meant I spent two weeks in an apartment by myself for a good 8 hours with nothing to keep me entertained but watching television. In English! Of which I spoke zero words. Nada. My aunt and uncle both had to work and they encouraged me to go with them but being the stubborn person I am, I refused. My cousin went to school so he couldn’t stay with me either. Boredom lead to feeling sad which led to crying a good part of the day and being miserable. I hated everything about Canada. The weather, the language, the food (who eats cucumbers with the skin still on?) and just everything in general. I refused to eat anything and whatever I ate were nibbles. I probably lost a good 5 lbs during those two weeks alone.

 

I hated the sleeping arrangement too. My aunt and uncle lived in a two bedroom apartment when I arrived which meant I had to sleep in the same room as them. Worst nights of my life. Their constant snoring would keep me up and I just wanted to sleep in my old bed. Sharing a bedroom with my sister didn’t seem so bad anymore. One night I couldn’t stand the snoring anymore that I went to the bathroom and slept in the tub. After a couple of days I got my own “bedroom” in the living room area. Phew, an upgrade. Or so I thought. Until the leaky faucet in the kitchen annoyed me so much that I wanted to pull my hair out. Life seemed so terrible to me those days. I’m pretty sure I was going through depression. Everything bothered me and nothing could make me feel better. It got so bad that my aunt even considered sending me back to Mexico. She couldn’t stand to see me so depressed and miserable. My uncle told her to give me a few more weeks. I would eventually get used to living in Canada and once school started it would give me something else to focus on. He was right. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Flander's Field.....

.....the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields. 

 

It's Remembrance Day and in previous years I never took the time to really think what this day represents. None of my family members went to war and so I always felt distanced from this special day. Unlike others, whose grandparents, uncles, parents, brothers etc., are veterans, who show pride and respect for today, to me it felt like any other normal day. But this year I realized this day crosses national borders. Yes, none of my family is Canadian so I never felt that close connection but it's thanks to those veterans that I am able to live here in freedom and peace. 

 

So today I would like to send a special thank you to every single soldier who fought for our freedom. Thank you for having the courage to leave your family and friends behind to fight for a wonderful cause. Thank you to all the family members of those veterans who had to spend sleepless nights thinking about their loved ones being in danger and praying every single day for their safe return. Thank you to the nurses and doctors who also risked their lives to ensure all the soldiers came back home to see their families. Thank you to every single person that helped to make this country a wonderful place to live. I couldn't be more thankful. 

I'm Back!!! - Friday Link-up

It's been a long time since I have taken part in a five on a friday link-up so here we go!

One

I got serious for the first time on the blog. I'm writing a series of posts to describe how I got to Canada and what it was like during the first few months. It's amazing how all the memories are so vivid and even just writing about goodbyes makes me teary eyed. So far, I've written part 1 and part 2. 

Two

Show me the money! It's payday! I always look forward to pay day because well it's money and I love to spend it. Although I am now trying to do less spending and more saving since work hours are going down. Let's see how that goes.

Three 

I watched the U-17 World Cup finals this morning. Mexico played against Nigeria and sadly it was a loss for us. I can't complain because Nigeria played extremely well and their goalie has great skills. At the end you could tell the Mexican players were devastated but they got this far so a big Congratulations! to our team. 

Four 

Christmas and New Year's is just around the corner and I want to look hot with a capital H. I haven't touched foot in the gym for months and I think it's about time that changed. I have no idea what I weigh at the moment but would love to hit the 130lb mark or less. 

Five

The holidays are just around the corner and I love to buy new outfits for the occasion. I saw this beautiful dress on the dynamite website and can't wait to try it on and hope it looks as fantastic on me as it does the model. If I have to lose a few pounds so be it. It'll motivate me on my journey to get back to the gym. 

Sweet Sixteen - Part 2

As I mentioned here, coming to Canada took a couple of months. I can remember being told a departure date and then it would be changed. Once we were closer to that date it would change again. At some point I thought I was never going to leave Mexico. Then one day I was told I would be leaving November 3 and the closer we got to the date I began to realize that this time it was for real. I would be leaving all my friends and family in a couple of days and my adventure would begin.

My mom gave me a little agenda as a going away present. I went to all my friends and favourite teachers and gathered their numbers and addresses so I could call them and send them letters while I was gone. Truth be told, I never called or sent anyone any letters. I do remember saying goodbye to everyone I knew and even saying a few words to my schools. Remember, I was 9 yrs old. The afternoon before I left my entire family gathered together and gave me going away mementos. My grandma and mom both gave me letters telling me how proud they were of me for going away to start a better future and education. They told me they would miss me a lot but they would never forget me. I would always be in their heart. My older cousin, Ariadne, and my little sister drew me a family portrait. It had my entire family is stick people form with their names on top. At the bottom it said "Te amamos" or "We love you." My cousin, Enrique, gave me a card with a drawing of a character from the Knights of the Zodiac, an anime series we used to watch together at our grandparent's house or when I went to sleepover. The rest of my family gave me cards and letters and to this day I still have every single one of them.

My family took me to the airport early morning and we all sat around in the waiting area until I had to go through security to catch my flight. I can remember everyone trying to be happy and not look too sad but eventually it was time to say goodbye and everyone broke down. It was a time filled with tears and lots of them. Everyone single person had their turn at hugging me while telling me how much they would miss me and how they loved me. After all the goodbyes were done my mom handed me to my personal flight attendant who would be escorting me through the entire trip and personally drop me off with my aunt and uncle. I flew first class and had a whole section to myself but I did not enjoy it in the very least. For the first hour or two of the flight from Mexico City to Toronto I cried myself to the point where I had no more tears and slept the rest of the way. In Toronto I had to transfer to another flight that would be taking me to London, Ontario. This entire trip probably takes 6 hours but that day it seemed to last an eternity. I remember getting of the plane and seeing my aunt, uncle and cousin waiting for me through a large window. They waved at me and all I could do was squeeze my teddy bear backpack. Everything was all to real now. 

A post of my first few months in Canada to follow. 



Sweet Sixteen - Part 1

November 3rd marked 16 years of my arrival in Canada. It's hard to believe it's been that long seeing as how the memories of my first weeks in Canada are still so fresh in my mind. Coming to Canada was not all pretty rainbows and fluffy unicorns. On the contrary, it was hard and delivered an emotional blow to my young child mentality. For the first time in years, I will try to explain how everything began and how my life suddenly changed. I will be true with my emotions because like I said it wasn't all pretty colours and wonderful moments.

It all began with my aunt Patricia and her hope to provide one of her nieces/nephew with a wonderful opportunity to go to Canada and live with her while learning English. She approached my three older cousins and asked if they would like to have this once in a lifetime opportunity. For whatever reason, they either didn't want to or their parents didn't agree with the idea. I'm not sure when she spoke with my mom or what the agreement between them was but I remember when they asked me if I wanted to go to Canada. I remember the meeting like it was yesterday. My aunt Patricia, her husband/my uncle Pastor, and my mom took me to Plaza Azteca, a mall near my aunt Rocio's house. They bought me an ice cream cone, sat me down and asked me if I wanted to go to Canada and learn English. I was either 8 or had just turned 9 and to a little girl it seemed like the greatest adventure in the world. Sign me up! I was really excited to go and when they asked me if I would miss my mom and sister my reply was, “Of course, but I’ll be back soon.”

It took a while before I eventually made it on a plane and travelled across North America. I would say it took a couple of months if not a year before my visa was processed and my schooling in Canada was planned. I can even remember going with my mom to the Canadian Embassy and bringing in all the documents to finalize my visa. I can also remember going to get my passport and wearing my best dress for the passport picture. My mom did my hair in a sleek ponytail and I smiled shyly at the camera trying to look my best. During this time, I don’t think I realized what was happening, how everything would be real in no time, and I would be heading to a new country and saying goodbye to my entire family.

Stay tuned for the post about goodbye’s and the trip.   

 

Day of the Dead

For all those who are out of the loop or have somehow read my blog without realizing I'm Mexican, well I am, and yesterday we celebrated the Day of the Dead.

The Day of the Dead is celebrated throughout Mexico as well as other Latin American countries. It is celebrated from October 31 to November 2. The main focus of the holiday is to remember family members and friends who are deceased and keep them in our prayers and celebrate their lives. During theses days family members build ofrendas (altars) for their dearly deceased and placed upon them pictures of those being honoured, sugar/chocolate skulls, flowers, favourite food and drinks of those deceased, candles, pan de muerto (day of the dead bread) and crosses.

November 1 is the day where we honour infants and children who have passed and called this day Dia de los Inoncentes (Day of the Innocents).  Whereas, we honour adults on November 2 and call this day Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Altars are placed the night before so October 31 for the children and November 1 for the adults. On November 2, many family members will visit the graves of family members and adorn them with flowers, pictures and favourite possesions.

The purpose of the altars is to encourage the souls of the deceased to come visit and hear the prayers from family members as well as to eat the foods and beverages that have been placed on the altars.

When I lived in Mexico we use to build these ofrendas for my great grandparents and my grandma would cook all day long to ensure all their favourite meals where placed on the ofrenda. Once I move to Canada this tradition was lost and we never built any altars or really celebrated the holiday. 

I recently decided that I need to celebrate more holidays and really get into the holiday spirit and decorate my apartment.  So this year I decided to bring ofrendas back and honour my grandfather Felipe who passed away 5 years ago. I'm really glad I brought back a tradition that also keeps my grandfather's memory alive. Here is the ofrenda that I built for him and hope that each year it gets better and better. 

Grandpa, I love you with all my heart and hope you enjoyed the ofrenda as much as I enjoyed making it for you. Te extraño pero siempre estas en mi corazón. Te amo!