Efforts

So today I met with my trainer Michelle and went over food and nutrition for a little bit. She looked at a week's worth of my eating and exercise habits and gave me a new food goal: 1500 calories, and some new ideas for foods and when to eat what. It's definitely a little more restrictive, but I am excited that she gave me some new ideas and it's inspiring me to crack open a few cookbooks for some lentil and veggie ideas.

We also took my measurements and body fat percentage and I am happy to say that I went down 2% in body fat and lost 13 inches and almost 15 pounds. It's been 7 months since I started working with Michelle and even though part of me looks at that kind of progress and thinks it's a little slow, the majority part of me is proud that I have started to accomplish what I set out to do this year - my resolution was to make this year 'my year of fitness'. About 3 months ago I started adding in an extra day or two of cardio at the gym - I soon after attempted a kickbox class and then spin - SPIN! classes. They have quickly become my new obsession - I love huffing and puffing my way through the class and the amazing feeling I get when I leave the gym. In the last two months of doing these classes I have really started to see and feel a difference in my body - exhilarating!

Looking at the last year and 5 months I have, one day at a time, made little changes in my life that are building up to make a big impact. My progress may be slower than a person would normally opt for, but I can honestly say that I began looking to change my life FOR GOOD and all these months later, I have not once deprived myself of something I wanted, only limited how much I had. I feel my body returning to center - it's feeling more like the well oiled machine it is supposed to be than the prison it once was. I look back and feel like I lost sight of who and what I was and went on auto-pilot, only to wake up in horror and get a glimpse of the state I really was in.

It really does work... eat less, move more.

In my dream...

I was on vacation in India (in my mind, though it was more a blend of India, Thailand and Hawaii) with my mom... we were stying at this resort nestled into a lush, green mountain where the fanciest villas were at the top and as u walked down they became more 'moderate'. It was relaxing, beautiful and being with nature was exhilarating, even in my dream.
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It was getting near dusk, I was walking down the steep main walkway, clad in a tank top and shorts to enjoy the fantastic weather - and my canvas bag thrown across my body - I caught sight of the incredible sunset being reflected in the water from the nearby sea. I reached into my bag to grab my camera - one of those moments you thank God for having a point-and-shoot handy. I began to move to capture the best shot - looking through the viewfinder, I marveled that the pale, milky blue of the sky turned into a lovely amethyst and fuchsia combo - and was mirrored in the pale reflection of the water. Crouching down, I could just capture the scene before me in such a way that there was nothing between the sea and the sky and me... no buildings, no trees, nothing. I pulled the camera down and looking up, slowly, saw that the water was arc-ing over my head . In a panic I looked around me and with nowhere to go, I stuffed my camera into my bag, and with a set of prayers, braced myself for what would ensue.

The water pulled me heavily down and I was lost and overpowered - being pulled in many directions. I came to and I was at the bottom of the big hill... past the resort, into a suburban style neighborhood. I got up and assessed myself and I was actually okay. I began my slow trek back up the mountain...


Now that I have been mulling this dream over, I wonder - what the hell does this dream mean? Another things, a huge tidal wave and I am literally the only one affected by it? No one else running through the streets - houses and trees and the world, seemingly intact. Weird.

travel

I am itching to take a journey and because it's completely unrealistic due to my financial constraints, I am free to take as lush and dramatic a trip as my mind allows.

Right now, I want to fly to Oslo, Norway and rent a fantastic and comfortable car... preferably a convertible. Drive to Larvik and visit my family... perhaps pick up a passenger or two and follow the winding highways of Scandanavia - from Norway to Sweden to Finland (with stop-overs in Stockholm and Helsinki for exploring the streets and all the cities offer) until I finally reach my grandmother's apartment in Gdansk, Poland. A long trip full of amazing experiences, lots of photos and incredible memories, all before my actual 'vacation' begins. Now, that would be incredible.