Martha wins this round

My last post was months ago, so whatever Martha Stewart is doing, it's way more than I have been doing in this regard!

But no matter, I have my lists, and my clippings, my thoughts and ideas.  I will get them on here, I will!

Pinterest will probably help me with that.  If only I could get paid to be on Pinterest, I would be a millionaire!  I love that site.  It is good for so many things, food, cute boys, clothes, funny stuff, you name it, it's on there.  Like my new obsession, SteamPunk!  I don't know why I love SteamPunk so much, but I do.  I am drawn to it.  (SteamPunk A type of subculture that mixes the clothing styles of past generations (such as the Victorian era) with modern conveniences, creating inventions that look as if they could have been created generations ago.......thanks Urbandictionary.com)  I really don't understand why I love it so much, but you know when you just instantly like things for no obvious reason, that is this to me!  (look me up under my name Pamela Doell Varga and you can see my boards!)  

I am trying, I think about being on here and sharing my finds with everyone, but other things like real life keep getting in the way!  I am still on the journey to becoming organized, so bear with me!  I swear, the day before I die, I will have all my crap together...and then I'll die.  But at least I can say I have enjoyed the journey!

Stay tuned for useful information.....but please...don't hold your breath while waiting!

Like Martha Stewart, only not as anal retentive

Did I mention that I am changing this blog? I think I did. I have been gathering ideas and things that I like, or want to try, for a few years. I have them all sorted and ready to go. This blog will be about household stuff, make-up, food tips, restaurant reviews and all that other domestic and useable stuff.

I look forward to telling you all the things I learn. I will probably be rating make-up first because I just bought all new stuff. Isn't that exciting? Well, it might be.

I also want to make a terrarium in this huge jar that I have. I have some tips on how to do that, so once that is done, that'll be here too. I do not have a green thumb, so it'll be interesting. I have a bunch of plants growing in my kitchen - I planted them from seeds and they seem to be doing well. The trick is to keep them alive once I put them outside. On the other hand, I kill most house plants, so the fact that I have grown anything is pretty amazing!

I have to go put away the groceries before I forget that I have them. The kids are back in school on Monday, but I am going to need a few days to unwind. A few lunches out, some shopping trips, and then maybe I'll have something to put up. I really hope I do!

Bad me

I've have been neglecting this blog. I'd like to split things apart and write about different things on each different blog. Goodness knows I have prepared for that.

I have a studio in my basement that now holds all my paperwork, the things I have collected over the years. I am going to put them to use......soon. I swear that they are all organized! I can pick an article and use it as my topic, then write about what I think of it and things pertaining to it. I really do like to share my ideas and this way I am not out talking about them and paining people to listen to me. You get to choose to read...or not, it will be your choice! Aren't you lucky. So keep an eye on this one, I start work on it next week!

Finally, some relief!

I have finally found something that works for my foot! I have been wearing a leg splint at night for the last week and it has helped my foot so much! The splint keeps my foot at a 90 degree angle from my leg all night so that my calf muscles don't pull on my foot muscles. That is the biggest problem with heel spurs and plantar fasciitis. The calf muscles are so tight that they pull on the foot and that leads to the foot problems. I am still going to laser therapy and I think that with all the stretching, icing, laser and the night splint, my foot just might heal! Although I was told today at laser that running is not good for me. Well that's just tough. I am going to run and play soccer as much as I can because doing nothing is even worse for me!

The agony of da feet......get it???

Yes it's the feet again, or rather I should say foot. Just the one, the bad left foot that has become evil and is mere pains away from being amputated. All I wanted to do was play some soccer, is that too much to ask??? They had open soccer at the YMCA and the kids and hubby and I played with a very diverse group of people. I don't think my team won, but who knows. I played defense and got burned by a 16 year old kid several times. I played goal keeper and got nailed in the belly. That kid felt really bad about it, but I told him I was used to it. Apparently a good goal keeper doesn't close her eyes while trying to stop a goal!

I'm still doing laser therapy for the foot, and the girls that take care of me are fabulous. They are a bit stumped by me. They have no idea why I am not responding to treatment. Amphy, the torture lady, took me to the torture room and did a "release' on my calf and hips. That ending with me covered in bruises. Now don't get me wrong, she is doing a good job, but with any physiotherapy, there is pain and bruising involved at times. If she wasn't such a nice person, I would hate her. They have no idea what they are going to do with me now...I guess keep going on the laser amped up to top strength, stretching and icing. What else can I do? I did the orthopedics and cortisone shots already. Maybe it's time to consider surgery?

I've done it again!

And it's not good. I was out yesterday down town, and I went to run across the street, the light had already started to flash the do not walk. So I went to run and I think I tore my facsia again. Man does that hurt! I say I think, because last night I went for a run, and it didn't hurt all that bad. But I know the feeling, and it hurts right now. Why can't my feet just stop hurting? Is it really that hard to stop? I may need a foot transplant. This time I want a pair that can walk in heels. I think I'll book an appointment with the doctor and see what he thinks. I am so annoyed by my feet. Can't they do anything right?

Back to the Grind

So my well deserved break gained me 5 pounds! Was it worth it? Maybe! I don't feel too bad - I have some resolutions in my head. I've got plans to eat well and exercise, maybe starting next week. I've just got so many things on my plate and sleep, exercise and eating right always fall to the bottom of the list when I am busy. But I feel good, tons of energy, lots of ideas, and I am ready to go....I'm sure I am burning calories just running around the house getting stuff done!

Time off for good behaviour

I am taking a well deserved break from eating right and exercising! I'm still getting lots of exercise, just not at the gym, and I'm still eating ok, I'm just adding a little chocolate to the diet right now! I just figure that instead of worrying about if I am going to eat too much junk over the holidays, I will let myself off the hook and not worry about it. I can have whatever I want, which only lasts until I get a stomach ache! We made sugar cookies last night and I tried a few too many! I felt like crap all night and that's how I remind myself not to do that.

I figure that I am going to do what I want anyway, why worry my pretty little head about it!

I was running!!!

After a very long ordeal with my feet, I was able to run again, for the first time in months, last week! I have been going to Laser therapy for my left foot for a few weeks now and I cannot believe how much it has helped. I ran twice last week and I couldn't be happier about it. My foot still hurt a bit after the run, but it rebounded so quickly and I hardly feel any pain at all most mornings. I even had my slippers, that I fitted with my inserts, in the laundry so I had to go without them this morning. I got out of bed, didn't hobble to the bathroom, and walked around for an hour without the slippers. I am wearing them again now that they are clean, but only because I still think it's a good idea.

What I did notice last time I ran, was that my pants were falling down, quite a bit. So I went out and bought some new yoga pants, in a size large! LARGE! Not extra large! I was so pleased that I was running again and in large pants that didn't fall down. What a great week! I did feel a bit like Phoebe (from Friends) when I ran - just because I was so excited. I even had to stop myself from fist pumping at the end of my run. I should have taken it easy on myself, but I didn't. I couldn't. I was running!

The trials of a soccer wannabe

So I am officially out for the soccer indoor season. I have torn my fascia...I think that's how it's spelled. So I was at practice one night and felt something pop. Not a good thing when it takes you down to the ground. Went to the podiatrist and he confirmed that I have torn the fascia in my left foot. I've tried to cortisone shots, no luck. So my next step was laser therapy. I am on my 6th treatment and I can feel an improvement. My foot is still tight and sore, but I can feel the change in pain level. I am hoping to start running again very soon. But the girls at the laser clinic have advised to not run outside! Imagine, that I'd have to be told that. For me, running outside would end with me under a bus..and that would be in good weather! So I've been taking it easy and swimming instead.

I wear this awesome swim cap to protect my beautiful locks, and I have to admit that I do look a bit like a penis. But if it protects my hair, so be it!

I have been alternating between swimming and a bit of gym and the efforts have resulted in losing the 5 pounds I gained after the tear. I know it doesn't seem like much, but I was down 5 pounds and it felt great. So I am back where I was before the tear, a little more sore, but all that more determined to take control of my body. Or, you know, let my body think I have! I like to think I can trick my body when it's not looking!

After all this I have decided that I love to run, but I have other options as well. And I realized that I do need to watch what I eat if I can't sweat the weight away. Who knew?

Hopefully I'll be back in good form by the time outdoor season rolls around. I was hoping to get on the field this season, but I guess I should heal up and then start again. I did get to warm up my daughter's goalie the other day, so I did get to be one the field once, I'm going to count that! I'll just keep my head up, my foot on ice and I'll be ok!

Soccer is weight loss gold!

I've had my second game, and I can say that I have never sweat like I did that night! It was freezing out and I was running like crazy, and I was so warm. Until about a half hour after the game when I had no more adrenaline in me and I froze! I can't say how much weight I've lost in the last few weeks, it hasn't been a ton, but I am almost at my 10 pound goal before vacation. It seems that I am not even hungry after a game, and I've burnt all those calories trying to keep my body warm, and keeping up with the other team on the field. I don't even care how much I've lost, all I know is that my body is changing. I can see it in the mirror week after week, things are moving and shifting in the most wonderful way! I'm not nearly as tired as I have been and I am eating better before a game, and even if I eat after, it's always good stuff that my body seems to crave. I say skip all that weight loss gimmick crap and join a team. I can't imagine I'll ever regret that decision!

No longer a soccer Mom!

I went to my first practice with my new soccer team last week. I am so pleased I found a team! I knew right away that it was a good fit because they made fun of me, and heckled me! Yes, that made me feel very welcome. It was exactly what I was looking for. A group of great girls looking to play soccer and not yell at me for sucking. The most important thing I heard that night was from the coach. Before we even took the field for a run he told us, "ladies, you are not soccer Moms, you are not a bunch of girls playing around. This is not time for you to watch your husband and your kids. You are athletes." I was hooked. It was a great practice, I learned a lot, but the best part was when we scrimmaged. It was just 4 on 4, but it was great! I had my poor toe stomped on, hit someone in the chest and rolled my ankle. The game was decided at the end by the coach, next goal would win. I got the ball, ran around another player and nailed it in the net! I was so concentrated on that goal, and I was leaned over so far left to get it, that I ended up falling down as I scored. It was legendary! (In my mind anyway!) I have my first game this week and I am so excited!

Team Sports

I am not a natural athlete, I'm not an athlete at all. Hold on, maybe I am and I never gave myself a fair shot at it. What makes an athlete? I can run - I am working on my endurance right now and I started at 5 1/2 minutes. I know, not a long time, but I am just starting. I can't do 10K right off the bat! But I lift weights, do classes, play soccer recreationally, soon to be league, I love to play badminton and tennis and I love to swim. So, am I an athlete? I love being active, I love being involved in sports and I am starting to think that I may be an athlete after all. I think that for so long I thought I wasn't an athlete and that just kind of stuck with me. But maybe it stuck because I never tried anything, or stuck with anything long enough to enjoy the athletic aspect of it.

My point is that I have started to play soccer, and for once in my life, I feel athletic. I never knew that team sports could make you feel so good and work me out harder than I have ever worked before. I think that so many people try to lose weight by themselves, I know I did. We think we are pushing ourselves so hard and that we are doing the best we can. Turns out, I wasn't. One 2 hour practice was harder than anything I've ever done before. And that is compared to taking an hour long class and then running or going on the elliptical for 30 minutes. I had to be accountable to other people for once and I worked harder knowing that they were counting on me to do so. So that's my new weight loss strategy, I am going to train myself to keep up with these other athletes. One day I might even be able to say that I am truly an athlete myself.

The Eat Clean Diet by Tosca Reno

I've just picked up this book and another by the same author, The Eat Clean Diet for Family and Kids. I have just started to read them and they are making a whole lot of sense so far. It's not rocket science, it's all about eating clean, meaning natural foods. Nothing processed, which, as far as I'm concerned, processed foods are the devils work and will wreak havoc on your body. So why do we eat them? Well in one word, a lot of those foods are YUMMY! Chocolate bars, french fries, fast food, do I need to go on? It's a really simple idea, eat foods that are just what they are, fruit, veggies, meat, whole grains.
I'm not an expert on this..yet, but when I know more, I will post that too. It just seems like a really good thing to do. Put good fuel into your body and I think good things will happen. Put crap in your body and you'll look and feel like crap. I am tired of looking and feeling like crap. My skin won't clear, I have trouble losing weight and I am so bloody tired ALL the time. There doesn't seem to be anything medically wrong with me, so let's see how I feel once I start eating better. I've been trying really hard to eat better, and because it's a work in progress, it's a slow process. You can't just change everything overnight. Well you could, but the chances of it sticking are slim to none. So I start with breakfast, then lunch and go from there. Some days I remember to eat just fruit and veg for snacks, and even that helps. Both books have lots of recipes and after the kids go back to school, I'll let you know what I've tried and liked.

Healthy stuff

This page is all about healthy things, resources, ideas. It's not about diet and exercise, but it could be. I don't believe in dieting, I think you have to change the way you live, the way you eat. Dieting may help you lose a few pounds but you need to find a real, long term solution to staying at that weight, or fitness level. Some of this stuff will be my ideas, MOST of this stuff will be pulled from books and magazines I read. I will always try to list the resource, to cover my butt, and so that there is a place to look it up.