Lots of Dog Pics

Posted on November 1, 2012 by Jen @nutcaseinpoint

Yesterday, I bundled up and took Layla for a walk.

I haven’t taken her for about a week because it’s just been too crappy out. It was still pretty bad yesterday- even the pup was slipping on the ice- but she needed to stretch her legs…

and roll.

Beware this post is heavy on the dog pictures.

I was kind of having a down-in-the-dumps day. The weather was yuck, I didn’t feel like doing school work, I ate too much candy, AND I was stressed about gym stuff (more in a sec). I told Tyler, and this was his response:

Yup. He basically TOLD me to go buy Lulu! I originally planned to swing by the mall after teaching my class, but I was sweaty and it was cold, so I am going as soon as I finish this post! :):):):):)

Ok, so the gym thing.

UGH.

Le sigh.

So, if you’re new to this here blog, lemme give you a quickie recap.

I taught 4 classes/week at the Boston YMCAs when I was living in Boston (Core, Muscle, Cardio Ball)
I was certified to teach Cardio Kix/Cutz from Corpbasics
First Aid/CPR certified
ACSM cPT (certified personal trainer)

When I got to Calgary, I found that I could not get a paying job until I had my PR card. (Which is still not going to be until May/June/July 2013). Also, the positions at the Calgary YMCA’s are unpaid. So, the fitness director who I befriended allowed me to teach outdoor bootcamps downtown throughout the summer. She just recently gave me my regular indoor circuit class on Wednesdays, and the personal training department ‘hired’ me to teach a registered TRX class.

I had also been on the list for certification courses that were the equivalent to my American certs. Unfortunately, the courses have been barely offered, so I have been able to complete only ONE CERT since living here (I still need a Fundamentals certification to teach group fitness, and I need to CHALLENGE the cPT exam which is so stupid because I have my cert through the ACSM which is a program that the YMCAs here REFERENCE. doh)

WELL.

My fitness director friend accepted a job elsewhere, so I no longer have a buddy working at the Y. AND she informed me that since my certs are still not up to date, I have to have a moderator present at each of my classes.

Basically, a babysitter.

It’s liability issues.

And don’t even get me started on the music that we can/cannot use in classes.

I basically got fed up. Not only was I now leaving my house 90 minutes prior to class time so that I could drive the 4 miles downtown and park 1 mile away from the gym (for free parking) then trek ELEVEN FLIGHTS of outdoor stairs to get there, but I couldn’t get the certifications in a timely manner due to THEIR scheduling, and I have to have a babysitter? AND not get paid? No. Not good.

So, unfortunately, I had to go to the director yesterday and tell her that I could no longer teach classes.

Do you have any idea how hard that is? It was my 2 hours a week of being able to be around other people and teach them what I love. And get in a great workout.

But I don’t want to be on thin ice with liability issues until they can offer me the proper certifications. Then, as soon as I get my PR card, I am going to a private gym for a full-time PAID position.

It didn’t help that I was having approx. ONE PERSON attend my Wednesday classes each week,

On a happier note, this was my little monster when I got home last night:

I may or may not be back later to share a couple recipes, potential purchases at the mall, and the workout from last night’s class! 🙂

Let’s get to it.

Posted on October 29, 2012 by Jen @nutcaseinpoint

Happy Monday, folks. Let’s get to it.

1. I won 2 tickets to the Kensington Wine Market Wine Fest on Friday! I was so excited because I really never win anything- and this I could share with Tyler!. Unfortunately, he got my cold, so at the time he couldn’t really taste much. We still had fun though!

There were 80 wines to try, and they were separated by country. Only one bottle of each wine was opened, so we were encouraged to ‘move on’ to another sample to allow for others to get a try. They had some food catered- finger foods as well as meat and cheese platters (I got hooked on the smoked bison).

And Crave cupcakes!

The event ran from 7-9pm. At 8pm, they brought out the cupcakes and dessert wines. If I could have just drank port all night, I would have been fine with that.

I got a good laugh because everyone arrived very timid and quiet, and by the first 15 minutes, we were all buzzed and chatting. Tyler and I made nice with the Spain and US tables. MMmmmmMMM (I have the pamphlet they gave us which listed all the wines, but I have yet to take a picture to share with you. I would do it now, but I am typing this in bed and I’m too comfy to move. Maybe another time.)

So fun!

2. Saturday, we ran tons of errands. But who cares about those. When we got home a bunch of hours later, we carved our pumpkins!

Tyler’s came out better than mine. Whatever. I scraped the insides out of both of those suckers, so I’m the real hero.

His:

Mine:

And I roasted the seeds! I had no idea how friggin easy that was. AND TASTY.

4. Our post pumpkin treats were….beer. We indulged in some seasonal brews from one of my faves, Big Rock Brewery. We loved all three!

Autumn Wheat: Spiced Ale. Light in taste. Great with din din.

Loved the Espresso Stout! Only 4.2% alcohol content. It tasted like cold coffee with a hint of beer. There was absolutely no aftertaste. We both thought this would be nasty, but it was an awesome surprise. I could have drank about 6 more of them.

But I moved on..

Winter Spice Ale was 6.0% alcohol content, so I thought it would be massively strong, but it was still quite pleasant. Seriously, there is not a single beer from Big Rock that I don’t like. Good job, guys.

5. Oh, and I actually got dressed on Saturday. Like, makeup and everything. That never happens. Even Tyler gave me a double look because of it.

Not TOO shabby.

6. Yesterday I finished up my two midterms. Not fun, but after about 5 hours of work, I submitted both and the weight was immediately lifted. Now, only 5 weeks to go and I’ll have my Masters!

7. Layla is a lazy bum.

8. Workouts. Love em. Let’s talk about em.

Friday

Best Body Bootcamp workout C (It was a mostly-arms circuit)
20 minutes of kickboxing

Saturday

Sunday

The 100 workout

Oh wait, you don’t know what that is? Probably because I made it up. I was too busy making pumpkin pancakes, watching football, doing schoolwork, and finishing my book to get to the gym for any cardio yesterday (wasn’t up for cardio anyways), so I do a bunch of strength stuff in my jammies at home.

100 pushups
100 Gliding side lunges
100 stability ball situps
100 lateral raises
100 wall squats
100 leg lifts

Today will be an INTENSE cardio session followed by Workout A from BBB.

8. I bought toilet paper this weekend. I know, I know, it’s a big deal. I used to buy it at Target (in bulk), and it’s cheap. But grocery stores are significantly more expensive. I chose the cheapest one, which oddly enough was 3-ply. The verdict? 3-ply is no better than 2-ply, so don’t waste your pennies. #justsaying.

9. Started this book last night:

(Source)

10. Got the new Pink CD. Played it on Friday night after we got home from the Wine Fest, and of course I had a dance party (with myself. Tyler doesn’t dance, and Layla usually just stands in front of me and stares)

This one is my fave: (you probably won’t see the link if you’re viewing this through Google Reader)

11. Important notes saved on my phone:

These are very imporant

Trash can liner size
light bulbs for house
light bulbs for kitchen lights
weight conversion (mostly for meat in the grocery store)
gas prices. I still don’t understand why they price it so crazy looking,

Ok, I have to get to the mall. See ya.

Hello! I love everybody!

Posted on October 23, 2012 by Jen @nutcaseinpoint

I am a bad blogger because I haven’t published anything in almost a week. That is not acceptable! But I have some excuses if you’d like to hear them.

I am sick
It’s midterm week
SNOW

I don’t know if they’re legitimate excuses, but I am using them.

Hmmm…so since I have been stuck inside blowing snot out of my face and doing homework, what do I have to talk about???

1. Best Body Bootcamp started yesterday!

If you’ve never heard of this before, I definitely think you should check it out and register for the next round! Anyways, it’s an 8 week program for only $25. Cannot beat that. Tina sends you 4 phases of workouts (each are 2 weeks) that incorporate strength and cardio.

“But Jen, you’re a fitness instructor and personal trainer, why are you TAKING a class?”

“Because, my little internet friends, it is awesome to have someone plan a fitness regime for you. And it refreshes my workouts, and gives me inspiration to incorporate the different exercises and concepts to the classes I teach. Again, cannot beat that!”

Yesterday’s workout was 20 minutes of cardio intervals that alternated between 60 second and 30 second recovery periods. I did the strength portion at home because I had all the equipment. Then when I finally decided to chip the large ice cube that had formed around my car, I got to the gym for the cardio- which I probably shouldn’t have done while sick. I was doing my 8-8.5mph sprints in such a fog, that I don’t remember thinking of anything but bed.

I’m sore today, so it was worth it.

Today’s workout will have to be modified since I am teaching TRX. I’ll probably skip the strength portion for another day but still get the cardio done (assuming I can breathe, I heard that’s important).

2. Midterms this week. This is all I have to say about that:

3. There is a lot of snow outside.

And I lost my winter coat this weekend. It is my belief that all coat-checkers be certified (you know how elevators have inspection stickers, and restaurants have certifications, and hair stylists have their permits? Yeah, coat-checkers should have the same) I handed mine to an imposter and BAM my $220 coat was gone. So sad.

Because I am super cheap, I spent most of the day yesterday online trying to find a WARM coat for a good deal. After much hoopla, the best thing was to have my parents get one for me in NY and mail it here. Therefore, I can’t go outside until the FedEx guy shows up Thursday. (Ok, I do have a wool coat and a puffy parka, but the wool coat is fancy schmancy and the parka is for poopy dog walks only)

4. My bestie, Kysha, sent me an invite to Zulily since they had some coats on sale there. (THANKS!!!) I got sidetracked and looked through Zulily (it even allowed me to ‘shop internationally’, so Canadians out there, you can shop on Zulily, too!) and there are so many awesome deals. Click here to check it out, sign up, and SHOP SHOP SHOP till ya DROP DROP DROP! (or if you lose a coat, like I did)

5. I roasted my first acorn squash last night and it came out perfectly. I suck at using sharp objects in the kitchen, so I took a butcher knife and a hammer to that sucker and got the job done. I sprinkled each half with melted butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup and baked at 400 degrees for just over an hour.

I also tried my hand at Turkey Quinoa Meatloaf. It was alright, but not good enough for me to post the recipe. We also had asparagus. Um, there is a reason I don’t buy asparagus here.

it’s THICK (twss)
You end up breaking off almost half the stalk, so it’s wasteful
it’s MUCHO DINERO

6. My latest Pinterest obsession has been wedding flowers. I need to make a decision so I can figure out what some of the other decorations I might want. This one caught my eye for color purposes only

That’s the extent of my wedding posting for now.

7. If the stupid Lions didn’t F up the game last night, I would have won this week’s football poll. I can’t even be mad at Jay Cutler for that one.

I’ll leave you with yet another picture of my four-legged companion:

To the dog park

Posted on October 18, 2012 by Jen @nutcaseinpoint

Yesterday I woke up all ready to attack the day with my laziness. Followed by teaching HEAT class. But then I made lunch.

It was a good sandwich that I just randomly came up with. Some multi grain bread from the local bakery, sliced cucumber, sauteed red peppers, cream cheese, and a slice of cheddar. I slapped that on the panini press and lunch was served.

Immediately following, my stomach started hurting. It hurt so bad that I called for a replacement to teach my class last night…and I got in bed. I thought perhaps it was the cheese or the bread that did me in, but we’ll never know.

I tried to survive through dinner that Tyler brought home, but I think that made it even worse.

We took Layla for a walk afterwards, and then I knew I was a sicky-sick little lady (HA! Little?).

I woke up this AM with a sore throat, some post nasal drop and a headache that made me fall over when I got up to pee. (YOU’RE WELCOME).

And yet, I still managed to take my four-legged child to the park. Hells no I was not going to walk her, I am dead people! I took her to the fenced in dog park, slapped my chair in the corner, and watched her do her thing. Unfortunately for me, she knew the park was right next to the river, so she whined and jumped on my until I hooked her up and brought her for a swim.

So there I was, in my pajamas, coughing and moaning, while my idiot of a dog jumped into the frozen (ice not visible to the naked eye) water. Then she freaked when she heard all the broken ice clanking around her. I laughed. Then coughed. Then laughed and coughed at the same time.

You see, since I have been a miserable beast of a mess all day, I have no energy to do things to write about. Nor am I my witty, hilarious self. And don’t even get me started on how difficult it has been to attempt homework today. I think I might lay in the tub (with water in it, of course) and take a nap. And by nap, I really mean sit in there reading my book until I pass out, and then wake up with a crook in my neck.

I might also get real stupid-ass stubborn and head to the gym for a cardio interval session on the treadmill. I’m kind of craving it right now.

Oh, and I am making pulled pork.

And coleslaw.

And since football is on tonight, I might have an adult beverage. Doubt that’ll help with the sickness, but it’s Thursday, dang it! )That means absolutely nothing to me since I have been happily unemployed for 8.5 months now. Wow, time flies when you live in a foreign country with a dog, a dude and no money!

I gotta get better by Saturday! A friend and I are making out own impromptu pub crawl downtown! I can’t wait. Are you in Calgary and want to join? Let me know!

Also, I am accepting applications for a new best friend in the Calgary area. Must like working out, drinking, and laughing. (Kysha and Katie, you’re still my besties, but I need a gal that doesn’t have to use a passport to see me!) Why am I interviewing for a new friend? Because I need someone to have fun with! Someone that doesn’t always have to do ‘couples’ things, or has a bed time, or is a grump. Someone who isn’t Tyler. I love him and all, but I need me some quality fun-girl time.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some moping to do.

ROOF!

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Jen @nutcaseinpoint

I think my new favorite exercise (at least for this week) are TRX tabatas. They are no joke. I formatted yesterday’s class to incorporate 2 moves on the band (to fatigue), then do two moves with dumbbells that use the same muscle groups. After those were complete, we would do a 90 seconds cardio burst. We did this for 5 rounds, but I snuck in two different tabatas to really get our blood pumping. The first was TRX squat jumps and the second was Swimmer Starts (shown at minute 1:20).

I originally planned to get in a quick run after class, but since my muscles were pretty much dead after class, I just walked back to my car and headed home. I got a pretty sweet sunset shot on the walk to my car

Today’s funny story is brought to you by….ME!

I am still pretty much a child in that when I see something, like a duck, I’ll either shout “duck!” or “quack!” Or I read signs aloud as we drive by. Stuff like that. On an unrelated note, we are getting our roof done (they came and delivered the materials 2 weeks ago, we are just waiting for them to come back and actually do it.) Anyways, because we were in the process of picking out what color roof, we would point out ones we liked when we were out walking Layla. So, the other day when we were in the car, I noticed a lot of houses in a row were getting their roofs re-done. So I yelled “roof!” and Tyler goes……”you saw a dog? What kind?”

Hhahahaha, does anyone see the humor in this? My idiot self shouting ROOF sounded like WOOF. I really need to grow up and not proclaim things as I see them.

Read this post about plateauing. You will laugh.

I found some REALLY BAD pictures from college. So I thought I’d share some of them with you. This is prior to he existence of facebook, so these are what I like to call ‘rare finds.’ Enjoy. Or barf.