a peek inside the fishbowl

The human body never ceases to amaze me. If you repeat the tiniest of physical actions, you will get better at them. Take for example, brushing your teeth with your left hand. If you’re right-handed, and you try it with your left, you’ll find it really awkward at first but the more do you it, the more adept you’ll become. (Try it!)

The same goes for fitness. For a long time, if I was walking the dog alone, I’d run the first hundred steps. It was always a hundred steps – never more, never less. I’d count them out loud.

OK, Piper? Let’s go! One, two, three, four…

(To this day, if I start counting, she starts to run. Isn’t that funny?)

When I first started, 100 running steps was hard to do. But it got easier very quickly. And because I promised myself that I’d only do 100 a day, I never felt bad about not doing more.

–

As some of you already know I’ve been obsessively counting using my Fitbit One for the better part of a year now. My goal is always 10,000 steps, and I’m usually pretty good about reaching it on a daily basis. I start with a 20 minute walk on the treadmill every morning, no matter what. Other things that boost my step count include parking far from the entrance at the grocery store and making a point of returning my cart. I walk Piper every day. And some days I walk to the grocery store or down to Westboro to grab a coffee. All of these little things add up to one big thing: I have been feeling pretty darn good. I’m no skinny minny, but I am certain it’s contributed a lot to my overall health and well-being. (And for the record, my doctor agrees.)

It took me a long time to stop beating myself up about not being the type of gal who plays Ultimate or goes to the gym or runs a marathon. I’m not that kind of person and I can’t become that person by sheer will. I am, ultimately, a lazy exerciser. My goal back in January 2014 was to do the minimum amount of exercise medical science requires for measurable health benefits, and that’s what I’ve done. The secret is that I can walk every day, and log a regular 10K, is that I actually enjoy walking. And that’s exactly why I’ve decided to step it up.

“ANDREA, you are one lazy girl,” I said to myself.
“I know. But I’m doing SOMETHING. And it’s better than nothing, right?” I replied.
“True. True. I looked it up and learned that people need a minimum of 150 minutes a week of moderate activity, and I’m doing that, which is great.”
“But let me guess, it’s not quite cutting it.”
“Exactly. I don’t think I’m giving the ol’ ticker enough attention. Shouldn’t I be sweating, at least a little?”
“Sigh. Ok. I can tell you are planning something. Spill it.”
“Two words: Interval. Training.”
“…”

So after talking it out with myself, I decided I had to add some intervals to my daily treadmill routine. The past few mornings have gone something like this:

• Four minutes of brisk walking
• 45 seconds of running as fast as I can
• Four minutes of brisk walking
• 45 seconds of running as fast as I can
• Four minutes of brisk walking
• 45 seconds of running as fast as I can
• Four minutes of brisk walking
• 45 seconds of running as fast as I can
• Brisk walking to cool down, for as long as I can go, time/energy permitting.

In case you’re picturing me as some kind of graceful treadmill gazelle, let it be known that I have to work really hard at not falling off at the end of each running part as I clutch at the handlebars and try to decrease the speed without wiping out or flying off the treadmill. (Note to self: I need to program my intervals into the friggin’ treadmill ASAP.) We’re not talkin’ smooth moves here.

Related: This is going to sound totally morbid, but I have actually pictured myself lying on a hospital bed strapped to a beeping monitor; sick with some kind of illness as my children look on, feeling lost and helpless. Mark is devastated. The doctor has cold hands. The food is terrible. My gown is drafty and super unflattering…. etc etc. Basically, it’s awful. Why am I here? What could I have done to change things, and make myself stronger, healthier? As my future self looks back on her life, the only thing she wishes is that she took a few minutes every day to honour her body and take better care of it when she was able to do so.

Running for four measly intervals of 45 SECONDS every day? Future self, you are worth it.

When I did my intervals yesterday I counted the number of steps I ran in 45 seconds and it was just over 100, just like I used to do when I walked the dog.

(What really solidified my thoughts on this issue was this article I found on the Weighty Matters Facebook page. Go read it and let me know what you think.)

Christmas is weird. You spend weeks, possibly months, thinking and planning and shopping and list-making … and then the day arrives. And then it’s over. And then it’s Back To Normal But Not Really Because the Holidays Are Still Kinda Happening.

Mark’s parents came over for dinner on Christmas Eve. The girls set the table and I prepped dinner: wild salmon fillets, roasted potatoes (which were amazing – here’s the recipe!), salad, baguette, and something that I’m totally forgetting at the moment. Our youngest baked a batch of chocolate cupcakes as well as a gingerbread tree (!) for dessert.

And before we knew it, it was time for the girls to don their new Christmas jammies (a long-standing tradition here at Casa Fishbowl), and participate in the annual reading of the Grinch.

Thankfully, this year we didn’t have very much last-minute wrapping to do, which was a relief, because there’s nothing I hate more than wrestling with the tape dispenser at midnight.

Amazingly, the girls slept in on Christmas Day, which my weary body appreciated. It was a peaceful morning. We had followed through with the four gift rule I wrote about recently, and I have to say it was pretty awesome. I didn’t get the impression anyone was disappointed with their presents or felt they were lacking. Mark and I only exchange stockings and the girls each chose something for me. The youngest bought me some Roots slipper socks, and the eldest chose a great puzzle and a really cool ornament with living moss in it. I got some much-needed wool socks in my stocking, a watch, a ribbon for my old electric typewriter (which I’m planning to resuscitate), a sushi cube maker thing, and more things which I am forgetting at the moment including a tortilla press … which I’m very excited about trying but was technically breaking the rules since it didn’t fit into the stocking. :)

The last thing on our to-do list is to take down the tree, and that will be happening sooner than later. And I still need to unpack from our wee getaway from Chateau Montebello. More on that soon.

I have several blog posts dancing around in my head at the moment, but I wanted to throw this one out there before it gets away from me.

How do you ring in the New Year?

Our own family tradition has evolved, and I’m pretty happy about where it is now. First, because it’s very low key – nothing complicated, and not too expensive. After the craziness of Christmas I am more than happy to keep things a little closer to home.

1) We eat a dinner of appetizers, mostly cut up veggies (note: put those out FIRST while you prep the other stuff, otherwise the may not get eaten up) and freezer-ready snacks I’ve bought ahead of time. There is wine for the adults, and fizzy drinks for the kids. (Enjoyed in the best crystal, of course.)

2) We go out to see a movie after dinner. Last year it was Catching Fire and this year we’re geared up for the new Hobbit movie.

3) After we return we play video games until midnight, at which point we wish each other a Happy New Year, and promptly turn around and go to bed.

The next day we’ll take down the Christmas tree. Maybe we’ll go for a walk in the woods and bring gifts for the birds. Perhaps we’ll make a new family resolution too. (Here’s last year’s post about it.)

If you are looking for something to do in Ottawa with kids, there are a few options available:

• You can celebrate at Councillor Rick Chiarelli’s annual, alcohol-free New Year’s Eve event. This year’s theme is “Heroes and Villains,” and it takes place at Ben Franklin Place (101 Centrepointe Drive). The fun starts at 6 p.m. and it’s free. It sounds pretty great for young families. Read more about it here and here.
• Go skating on the Sens Rink of Dreams, or at the new rink at Lansdowne Park. It’s open until 1 a.m. on New Year’s Eve, but bring your own skates as there are no skate rental services available. Click here for info and hours.
• Head out to an annual family event called the TD Hogmanay. It’s hosted by the Scottish society. You can read a bit more about it on Apartment613.
• Check out Alight at Night. This was our family New Year’s tradition for many years! It’s really neat to see Upper Canada Village done up and decorated.

So what are you up to this New Year’s? Do you do it up big? Or prefer something small?