Midwinter New Moves Fitness Challenge: #1 Deadlifts

In my last blog I talked about all the dope stuff that was under my Christmas tree and why I am motivated to sty fit in 2015. It has been a busy month with my new job, my old job and the puppy but I have still been in the gym every week (or playing sports) 5 out of 7 days each week. New Years Eve I actually worked one job and then went to the gym, had a healthy lunch and then finished the day at my second job. It was a very productive day.

Going from working at a restaurant in the evenings to working 9am-5pm everyday has been a struggle. I used to have all the time in the world to workout everyday and maintained a very specific training plan. Things have changed; now my workouts have to fit in between work and supper, most days supper comes pretty late in my house. 

Now my workouts have to be quick and thorough. One thing I am doing is breaking out of my comfort zone more and moving away from single muscle group exercises. I am challenging myself to do new workout moves that are more productive for my body. As I mentioned in the previous blog I am easily intimated at the gym and now that I am becoming more comfortable at my new gym I think it is time to learn some new moves for my new lifestyle.

In December I started doing squats and now they are one of the key parts of my training routine. I see and feel the impact squats have on my body. I am so happy I moved past the short-term awkwardness and now can feel the long-term gain.

January has been all about deadlifts. Again, I am so happy I have added the deadlift to my program. I had been disappointed with my efforts over the first few weeks of working my new job and fitting in time at the gym. Now with squats and deadlifts added to my training plan I am feeling like I am gaining back what I lost.

Here is a great video of some tips that helped me feel comfortable enough to try deadlifts for the first time at the gym. Check it out.

From now until the end of February I am going to try to do something new every time I lift.  I am thinking that will be about 20 blogs. Give or take. For example today I should have soccer and would not be having a full weight lifting session and at least two days a week I work both jobs (making it impossible to get to the gym).  I’m hoping to not get sick again (I am sick at home right now, moping around because I was too sick to go to work). Also, I will have to have my wisdom teeth removed over the next month or so too.

New Move #1 -> Deadlifts

New Move #2 -> Lumberjack Squats

Check them out here:

 

I’m a girl in love with squats right now so I am pumped to try doing Lumberjack Squats! That’s what it is all about right?

Also, I love the “Buff Dudes” channel on Youtube. I like these videos so much that I am able to get past being called a “Dude”.

NaNoWrMo Update #2

We are seventeen days into National Novel Writing Month and I am still going strong with my efforts.

Yes, I am still behind but I am currently at 19,170 words (that is 30,830 words away from the goal of 50,000). I am working at a pace of 1,127 words a day. What this means is I have to work at a pace of 2,203 words a day to finish on time (November 30) rather than the original 1,667 words.

Is my novel good? Nope. I completely understand why people criticize ‘National Novel Writing Month’ it doesn’t promote actual good writing, it promotes quick writing. I am still having fun with it though and it is nice to see my progress climb a little bit everyday, hopefully I will pound out a whole lot of writing and get closer to be on track. Right now I will finish on December 15.

NaNoWrMo Update: Week 1

I am constantly challenging myself to try new things. Like oysters (growing to love them since my NYC visit), Pimms (new favourite drink thanks to Vancouver), I tried bell peppers for the first time the other day (they will have to be over powered by other foods for me to ever mistakenly eaten again); those are just a couple examples of new things I have tried recently. Oysters, surprised me, Pimms not so much and well let’s be honest with each other, I am never going to want to eat bell peppers.

One of the things I have always wanted to do but I have never done is write a book. Now, I am convinced it won’t be a best seller. In fact I have no desire for anyone else to ever read it, I just want to put my pen to paper (okay my fingers to the keyboard) and hash out a story to its completion. There is something eerily fascinating about the potential of creating something that may be bigger than you, something that will outlast you. That is why I am excited to be taking part in National Novel Writing Month, NaNoWrMo for short. Every November people take part in scribing around 1,700 words a day and crafting a novel. 

Now, I must admit, I am a little behind. I have just hit 6,500 words. By the end of today to be on par with the program I will need to have around 11,900 words. My plan is to sit and embrace this snowy weather tonight and hash out some more of my first novel. Saturday is a big word count push day too, so the push is on to get back on track and working towards my goal of finishing November 30^th!

Current Word Count: 6,500

Words Needed To Finish On Time: 11,900

Difference: -5,400

Looks like I better get at it!

It is not too late for you to join in, check it out at http://nanowrimo.org!

*This is approximate; the actual word count calendar is below. 

Jimmy Kimmel's Halloween Candy Challenge

Jimmy Kimmel puts new meaning in the phrase taking candy from a baby… in his annual Halloween prank he has easily convinced the parents who watch his show to mess with their children by telling their kids that they have eaten all of their spoils from Halloween. I love this video; I always tried to maintain my candy stock as a child by giving my parents all the candy I didn't like and then some of their favourites. Every year as soon as we got home we would dump our bags and trade candy until there was only non-name brand candy and Oh Henry bars left. This video has gone viral for good reason today, it is so funny. 

Thank goodness my parents never did this to me!

Kate's Reading Challenge Book 10: '50 Shades of Grey’ by E.L. James

One of my goals I set for myself on my twenty-fourth birthday was reading a book a week.  I am a little behind, moving twice and finishing school put a damper on my plan. To help motivate myself to finish books on time every week my new plan is to share my latest read with you on my blog. I w
ill read anything and everything and I would love your suggestions, feel free to email them to me at kate@mountainfm.net.

Book 10: '50 Shades of Grey’ by E.L. James

After saying I would never read ’50 Shades of Grey’ I can now say I have. I made the pledge to get through the book on-air when it was announced that Charlie Hunnam would play the lead role of Christian Grey. I had made several attempts to read the book in the past, but I just could not get into it. After forcing it, I finally managed to turn the last page a couple of weeks ago.

My thoughts?

I’m not impressed. I didn't expect a realistic story line in this book, so no disappointment there. I really did not like much of this book; I found it hard to sympathize with Ana because she was just too pathetic to me. Imagining Charlie Hunnam as Christian got me through the book. I was prepared for so much more and it seemed a little green and drawn out, maybe I just have a super dirty mind? The books pace was so slow and then it abruptly ends. I know that there are more books in the series, I will not be wasting my time on them, I have no more time to waste on a set of books.

I am also very discouraged that Hunnam has since decided not to do the film adaptation. 

Kate's Reading Challenge Book 9: 'Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me (and Other Concerns)’ by Mindy Kaling

One of my goals I set for myself on my twenty-fourth birthday was reading a book a week.  I am a little behind, moving twice and finishing school put a damper on my plan. To help motivate myself to finish books on time every week my new plan is to share my latest read with you on my blog. I w
ill read anything and everything and I would love your suggestions, feel free to email them to me at kate@mountainfm.net.

Book 9: 'Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me (and Other Concerns)’ by Mindy Kaling

I loved this book, as someone working in the entertainment industry I found a lot of her stories very fitting in my own life. I have often wondered the same thing, is everyone hanging out without me? Kaling is brilliant, I recommend listening to this book rather than reading it because she does a stellar job bringing it to life (as she should, it is her memoir and all). Just the sound of Kaling’s voice makes everything more livelily, I think this book is on par with Tina Fey’s ‘Bossypants’, it is honest and heartfelt and explores all the elements of Kaling’s life that has led to her continued success after 'Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me (and Other Concerns)’ was published.

I really enjoyed this book; it really does hit the highs and lows of being a working woman that tries to make people laugh for a living. I love the stories from the Office and Kaling’s awkwardness in life and her career. I really relate to her stories about saying the wrong things, at the wrong time.

This is a great light read, perfect to listen to on a road trip if you are so inclined!

Yay, Mindy!

Kate's Reading Challenge Book 8: 'I Can Barely Take Care of Myself: Tales from a Happy Life Without Children' by Jen Kirkman

OOne of my goals I set for myself on my twenty-fourth birthday was reading a book a week.  I am a little behind, moving twice and finishing school put a damper on my plan. To help motivate myself to finish books on time every week my new plan is to share my latest read with you on my blog. I will read anything and everything and I would love your suggestions, feel free to email them to me at kate@mountainfm.net.

Book 8:  'I Can Barely Take Care of Myself: Tales from a Happy Life without Children" by Jen Kirkman 

I did not finish this week’s book review; I will not make this a habit. I was pretty bored with the book in general, which I guess I should have realized by the title. At a solid 400 page plus book on my e-reader all about not wanting to have kids and not wanting to be judged because of it. I am not huge on the idea of having kids, in fact right now at twenty-four I am pretty dead set on not having them; but I don’t feel the need to write an entire book about it.

I know this book is a bit of a bio of Jen Kirkman, but it really feels like it is loosely strung together by the fact that she does not want to have kids. I think with all the other books written by funny gals on the market these days this book just does not hold up. It does have its fun moments, moments that will make you laugh… but I am not sure they mesh well with the theme of the book and I really don’t think they are worth the pages it takes just for Kirkman to say that she does not want to have kids.

FYI, I still don't want kids. But, I'm not going to write a book about it. 

Kate's Reading Challenge Book 6: ‘Debt-Free Forever: Take Control of Your Money and Your Life' by Gail Vaz-Oxlade

One of my goals I set for myself on my twenty-fourth birthday was reading a book a week.  I am a little behind, moving twice and finishing school put a damper on my plan. To help motivate myself to finish books on time every week my new plan is to share my latest read with you on my blog. I will read anything and everything and I would love your suggestions, feel free to email them to me at kate@mountainfm.net.

Book 6: ‘Debt-Free Forever: Take Control of Your Money and Your Life' by Gail Vaz-Oxlade

Gail Vaz-Oxlade is the hard-nosed penny-pinching Canadian finance guru that hosts some of the hottest Canadian finance television reality shows. She caught my eye with her shows this spring and her insightful appearances on CBC news advising average Canadians on their finances.

I am not in crazy debt, I am actually in a pretty good place for being a twenty-something new grad working in my first professional job; but I chose this book because I want to be pro-active about my finances and not end up in the situation many Canadians find themselves in with dangerous credit cards.

I really do not think that they spend enough talking about personal finances and credit in school. I think you should have to take a course on using credit before receiving things like credit cards, you have to take driving tests and lessons; why a not financial test to prove you know how to use credit responsibly.

I chose ‘Debt-Free Forever’ because I wanted to learn the basics on personal finance. I wanted to be able to craft a responsible budget, begin an emergency fund, start a big expense savings account and start thinking about the future by saving for retirement (etc.). I ended up getting so much more out of this book than what I originally intended, I will be keeping it around for reference for the rest of my life.

If you are like me and pretty green to the world of finances, this book is for you; it is a pretty easy read but Gail still gets the important details across and manages to take a hard line on important issues. She does not allow excuses or whining, with all her experience it is like she can sense the moments where you want to fight her advise; at these points in the book she kindly reminds you to think of the goal and work hard towards it.

I think this is the perfect book for anyone, if I had a child I would give it to them around their final year of high school. Easy steps to get them started (without knowing it) are getting them to set milestones and goals. If you start your kids with in this process it will not be alien to them when they need to them. Even the smallest steps, like saving for the newest want will put them (or you) in the right direction to getting to the goal.

The biggest thing, once you have gotten past spending every dollar you earn each paycheck is to follow Gail’s mantra, “plan like a pessimist, so you can live like an optimist.”

I like to revert to the wise words of Kanye on this front, “Whether you broke or rich you gotta get this. Havin money's not everything not havin it is.”

A seriously good read. It is not an adventure that whisks you away to another time or place; it is not a lusty romance or a page-turner thriller that will stimulate your fantasies. ‘Debt-Free Forever: Take Control of Your Money and Your Life' is a book that will allow to have the freedom to have adventures of your own, a financially responsible relationship and a live in the moment life rather than a life filled with regretful spending and the stress of bills piling up. 

Kate's Reading Challenge Book 3: ‘Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us’ by Michael Moss

One of my goals I set for myself on my twenty-fourth birthday was reading a book a week.  I am a little behind, moving twice and finishing school put a damper on my plan. To help motivate myself to finish books on time every week my new plan is to share my latest read with you on my blog. I will read anything and everything and I would love your suggestions, feel free to email them to me at kate@mountainfm.net.

Book 3: ‘Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us’ by Michael Moss.

I was instantly hooked on 'Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us' because I love learning about the horrible food I eat before I eat it. To be honest with you this book really did shock me with some of the details it reveals about things like processed foods, but I still eat them. I am pretty conscious about the things I put in my mouth 90% of the time, the other 10% is where the crap foods that this book talks about come in and I am completely fine with the ratio of good food to bad food that I put in my body.

With that being said, I would encourage people to read this book if they really struggle understanding what foods to buy when they go into the grocery store. Parts of the book talk about meetings between the heads of large companies, discussing strategy to get us commoners to eat their food. I now picture mafia style meetings whenever I see there logos. Personally, I think some of these companies are no better than drug dealers trying to get people to eat to things that are designed to be addictive even though they are horrible for our bodies. 

I really liked that this book is easy to read, it is not overly complicated. There were a few bits that went over my head, but I quickly worked them out. I think this is one of the best books about food that I have ever read; I rarely get through entire books about food because they can be so complex and overly complicated. 

If you are concerned with the foods you are eating, give this book a read. I unconsciously apply the lessons I have learned from it every time I buy groceries. 

'Wheat Belly' is another good book that is very down to earth in its discussion of contemporary food and health.  'Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us' is a little more legitimate (I think), though I completely agree with Wheat Belly I had a problem with the amount of anecdotal evidence used in the book. 'Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us' makes a better case by using historical data and evidence backed over time, rather than just telling stories about specific dietary cases. Read both though, they are both great reads!