And we're back to...

Friday!!! My favourite day of the week!!

One, last work day before the weekend!

Two, training session with Shawn tonight!

We are not going for another run. He has promised me that we are doing something more upper-body. Not that the spirit isn't willing - I'm still all warm-fuzzy-glowy feeling from Tuesday night - but I don't think the body is quite so on board. My butt is still protesting, and I've managed to somehow injure my right knee. Which is great considering it's my left which is the bad one. Been icing it since last night, but it is still sore (which means I look like the oh-so-fashionable one at work, using the scarf I wore today to tie my ice pack around my knee. Very sexy). I did a lot of core work on my own last night, and I'm kind of hoping we have a good, strong ab/back workout again tonight. If not, I might ask Shawn if we could plan one for the future. I mean, I love toning my arms, but my core strength is where I really still need work, and where I don't tend to push myself.

I do have to say, I find my home life really creating a lot of strain for me on this path this week. As I've mentioned before, I don't get a lot of outside support, particularly for the whole "get in shape" endeavour; that's not so hard to take, really. I'm used to doing things on my own, and what support I do get (from Shawn, especially, and the intermittent support from my siblings and their significant others, who are behind me), is usually enough to keep me moving forward. But now I'm feeling more and more like those closest to me, who should be behind me, just aren't. In fact, sometimes it even feels like they are trying to sabotage me, or would like to see me fail. It started out as snide or off-handed remarks, then dismissal of the changes I was being advised to make, even going so far as to imply if I was serious, I wouldn't need a trainer. This week, the tactic has switched to being "concerned for my health" and that I'm overdoing it, despite my repeated explanations of "this is why I work with a trainer". So I can't overdo it or hurt myself. While I fight to stick to my diet, I have these voices nattering in my ear about how I can't be eating enough (I am), about how the books aren't always right, about how all these so-called "rules" change every few years (they don't), about how you can't stick a generic plan to an individual person (hence why I have the trainer) - essentially, trying to give me excuses to overeat. That's how I got into this problem in the first place. This is hard enough without the feeling that everything I put in my mouth is under scrutiny, and without the criticism. This week, I decided to try changing my diet up a bit, taking out the brown rice I usually have for lunch and adding in a large salad with a ton of different vegetables instead, and a diced chicken breast for protein. I'm a big fan of salads and figured it would work. Plus, it's a little lower in calories and gives me more servings of fruits and vegetables. And it's super yummy. Well, I've miscalculated somewhere, because when I left the gym yesterday, after a not-really hard workout, I was exhausted. I either didn't drink enough water during the day (doesn't seem like it but maybe) or didn't eat enough, or didn't eat properly (more likely). I've been reconsidering the salad thing, because I'm finding myself quite hungry in the afternoon when I get back to work. I mentioned this, in passing, last night, and immediately got jumped on with "We said you aren't eating enough. We knew that diet wasn't right!"

That's not what it means! I changed something, and it didn't work. Now, I go figure out how to change it again. Today, I'm adding a glass of skim milk with my lunch, to see if it will make a difference, and I'll mention it to Shawn and see if he has any suggestions. Maybe some edamame or something to boost the protein in that salad?

That's going to be my challenge all along this path, I think - avoiding those kinds of potholes.

But, today is Friday, which means Fun Facts Friday!

Spring is coming and with it, the first allergy season of the year! If you find yourself especially tired and depressed during allergy season or throughout the year, there might be something to it. Researchers have suggested there might be a link between problems such as chronic fatigue or depression and allergy response.

That headache or sore back plaguing you? Try taking slow, deep breaths. Studies indicate that the slow deep breathing might produce a calming response from the parasympathetic nervous system that counters the pain response from the sympathetic nervous system.

Ladies, lace up those sneakers! Walking briskly as little as twice a week can reduce your stroke risk as much as 30%. A study that looked at the most beneficial type of exercise for lowering stroke risk factors showed that there was no siginifcant benefit gained by higher-intensity activities - a brisk walk was all it would take. And of course, the more often, the better!

Have a great weekend everyone and get out for a walk!