On Health and Vitality

I was visiting some of my favourite Scrapbook Designers' blogs yesterday and was re-inspired to scrapbook and blog about my personal journey to live a life of Health and Vitality. I say re-inspired because it has been on my mind for a long time but I never actually set aside the time to do it. Today was the day!  Here is the layout and my story follows.

The Newtopia Me! I have been dying to use these Amy Tangerine papers,
they are so fun and colourful, glad I finally found the right use for them.

Almost a year ago my best friend stumbled upon something very exciting when she was sought out for a position in sales and marketing with a company that offered a new approach to weight loss and healthy living. We quickly poured over the website to gather more information and I was totally on board. I knew this was going to be good. About a month later she was working for Newtopia and I was in the office giving my saliva sample to have my genes analyzed - not all of them -  just 3 very specific ones related to weight gain.

I had tried for years to lose weight and keep it off. I bought just about every new diet book on the market, exercise dvd's unopened, shake makers, etc., but to no avail, and I was at a point where I wasn't really sure I was capable of losing weight any more. But what I knew is that I needed to make some changes in my life and I didn't want to gain any more weight - so that's what I told my Newtopia personal coach Anna-Roza - plus all the things that I don't like doing (lol)! I told her I could cut back on my junk food, record my food intake, but I would not wake up early to exercise, do a spin or zumba class, join a gym (I'd never go) or commit to hour long cardio classes! So she literally asked me if I could walk for 20 minutes after dinner at a vigorous pace, 3 times that week - how could I say no to that??

That was all it took. I soon saw the benefits of my healthy eating, my taking medical grade daily vitamins, and my increased activity.  With the support and encouragement of Anna-Roza I was already on my way to weight loss. When my genetics came in, it was confirmed - I have a marker on the fat gene (I'm a slow metabolizer), as well as a marker on the other two (low dopamine levels and my stomach does not tell my brain I'm full) - I had to move or I would never lose weight. Wow - I wasn't just a slug with no will power!! I could stop beating myself up - some of it was because I was actually genetically wired this way.

I very quickly increased my walking time and distance, and then decided I was bored and wanted to take it up a notch,  so I joined a Learn to Run Clinic at the North York Running Room, and by December 31st I ran my first 5K race. I NEVER thought I would be a runner - I always thought they were crazy people who seemed to look like they were in pain (including my own brother). I quickly learned that they ARE crazy - but in a really good way! Running 3 times a week all through our very mild winter and spring not only did incredible things for my body, but what it did for my frame of mind was even more beneficial. I really hate winter and I would literally hibernate, but I actually learned to appreciate the thrill of a brisk, cool run, and for once I didn't complain about our Canadian winter. I am still running 2-3 times a week, but

It took me about two months to lose my initial goal of 8 pounds and then I went for the secret goal - I wanted to be below 110 pounds - which took me about another month. Today I am 12 pounds lighter, I have lost a total of about 12 inches from head to toe, and on Mother's Day I completed my first 10K race! I feel incredible both mentally and physically, and for the first time since I was about 20 - I LOVE MY BODY! I still have thighs that have some cellulite and fat knees - I always will - and there's just a little jiggle in my arms - but thanks to my amazing personal trainer Debra Kirsch it is really just a little!

Losing weight is great but what I really wanted to share with everyone is how great if feels to be Healthy and live a life of Vitality. I am living a life I never thought possible.
Live the life you love, love yourself enough to do so.

Thank you for allowing me to share my long story with you.

If you want more info on Newtopia check it out here.

The HEALTH AND VITALITY kind of day...

On Project Life

I was very excited when I arrived home from Israel, and saw my Project Life package waiting for me amongst all  the bills, E-mails, and paperwork.  I did tend to all of those other things, but not before I took a peek at my collection!  I chose the Clementine (for some reason my post is not linking to the picture) theme and I must admit that I am very pleased with the combination of colours. I got the core kit and the page pockets (though I made a mistake and didn't order the full package - grr!). I am waiting for the album to come back in stock and then I will get the rest of my page inserts.

As I mentioned in my previous post, this is something I have contemplated doing for a while now - at least a year - but was afraid it would just be added to my pile of 'unfinished' projects, or even worse, added to my pile of  'never started' projects. Just last year, or maybe the year before,  I signed up for an online course that other scrappers I know were doing - I downloaded and printed everything, ordered and bought the binder and didn't do a thing!!! So when one of these same friends said let's do this together, I hesitated but couldn't resist and jumped on the bandwagon.

 Project Life is about documenting our lives, the ordinary everyday stuff that we do - not the events, holidays, vacations, etc. that we all seem to find so easy to photograph and document - but rather the carpools, food shopping, meal preps, meetings, etc. These are the things we do all the time that are significant to our lives, but we don't feel the need to document.

Since I don't own an I-Phone, the hardest part for me so far is to remember to carry a camera.  I have had to resort to using my BlackBerry so I wouldn't miss out on pictures. I also thought I would have nothing to write about and would be struggling to fill my journal blocks - but I found that my days are full and there is much to say. Of course it's only week 1 so that may change as my weeks repeat themselves!  I am pretty pleased with my first official week even though I haven't decided for sure if this is in fact "Week 1".

I have decided that I will try to journal daily and print my pictures at the end of each week, when I can fill my pockets and do some embellishing. I don't know if I will do much more than what you see here, as the idea is to keep it simple and get it done,  but I can't help wanting to use up some of my stash. And of course I couldn't resist running to Stamping Bella to buy the latest Elle's Studio embellies specifically imported for this project!

Thanks to the other Project Life scrappers for their inspiration, and now that you all know I'm doing this, I guess I have to see it through!

The Project Life kind of day....

I'm Back....

I'm not quite sure what makes today the day I return to the world of blogging but I am all alone in my friend's kitchen in Israel and I decided it's now or never!
My hubby left last night and should be landing in Toronto in about 40 minutes and I have spent the whole morning on the computer while everyone here is at work or school.  I cannot remember the last time I did that - I actually have a bit of a headache but I am determined to finish this. I have been catching up on other people's blogs, clearing out my various inboxes and sending out emails to those I need to be in touch with. The weather outside is pretty yucky - raining and windy - so it seemed to be to put it quite frankly the perfect opportunity to get off my ass and do something!
Those who have followed my blog have asked what's going on and why I haven't written - so many stories, reasons, and excuses that hardly seem important now so I won't bother going into them. I hope you will pick up with me again and that I can perhaps entertain you a little while I publicly share some of what goes on in my life, which as a scrapbooker was why I started blogging in the first place - to preserve my most precious memories...

Here is what the last year has looked like - very briefly!

• was working full time for my dad until now, went down to part time to pursue other opportunities
• continued my scrapbooking workshops at home
• oldest daughter graduated high school and was accepted to an excellent photography program at a University here in Toronto - 1 of 60 accepted - so proud!
• youngest daughter graduated middle school and began high school in an arts program majoring in drama - 1 of 60 accepted (I think, maybe less) - proud of you too!
• son has continued to amaze us with his involvement in school committees, holding down a job (even if it ended up being seasonal ): ) and keeping up with his school work
• had an incredible experience hosting a shinshin - Young Emissary - from Israel and got involved in the UJA committee that oversees the program
• another great summer with my hubby, cottage on the weekends with great friends and even another canoe trip!
• took a life transforming course  (for lack of a better word) in the summer  and have continued with this education to create new ways of being for myself and share with the people in my life - this does not really explain anything, but as I said, it's a brief overview
• started on a new life path in the area of Nutrition, Exercise and Well being with Newtopia - more on that another time, but I am fit, thin and feeling great! This is also my new career path and ticket to financial freedom.
• will begin teaching classes at a Michaels near my home - excited about this new opportunity to share my craft in a very different retail environment.
• In Israel again for the first time in 24 years - creating possibilities for myself is my game this year!
• have committed to living a full life - no more hibernating all winter and longing for summer! I will get together with friends more, make plans, continue to run during the winter with my Running Room group, and have date nights with my hubby!
• I have ordered Project Life which I avoided even though I was intrigued because I was afraid that like so many other things, it would sit in my office untouched- but I am doing it alongside a friend who I know will inspire me and keep me accountable -  I have already agreed to forgive myself if it's not 'perfect'

In Adamit Park, Israel 

So that's it in a nutshell and I will continue to write about life, the ordinary and the not so ordinary. I will post layouts and share ideas - hopefully you will join me again.  That's all for today - this took me forever to write and I am posting it without my Hubby's editing as part of my commitment to being confident! Shalom from Israel! 

The return to blogging kind of day...