Posts Tagged "Glee"

Running down a Dream

Posted by cafebebemama on Mar 10, 2010 in Featured Posts, Mummy Tummy Begone | 9 comments

Tom Petty is one of my least favourite singers/performers BUT, I do like the title of his song “Running Down a Dream”.  It’s what I’m trying to do right now…a dream of a healthier me who feels better, looks better and can’t be beat!  Last night I managed day two of my Run/Walk plan for world domination health and fitness.  Hubby got home late, there was a Balance Bike to be put together and no dinner on the table at 8:00pm.  I could have packed it in but I didn’t.  Hubby took over with Little Miss, I put my headphones in and my jacket and gloves on and walked out of the door.

There is something about running/walking at night.  The air was cool and crisp; there was a light mist in the air and it was SILENT.  I popped my headphones in and searched for “Glee” on the iPod and noticed that my battery was almost completely flat.  I nearly went back in the house!  But, I was determined to see it through, “Glee” soundtrack or no.  I set off on a clockwise path around the village and marched on to “Don’t Stop Believin’”.  When I reached the end of the paved footpath up to the school and turned onto the dirt path around the side of the school, I broke into my shuffly-run.  It actually didn’t feel half-bad!  My initial plan was not to worry about a clock but instead set physical distances to try to achieve.  My goal was to get by the school and then walk but when I got to the pavement at the front of the school I carried on all the way to the corner by the pub (you know where that is, don’t you??).  I ran ALL THAT WAY!  I know you don’t know where and how far that is but for me, it was FAR!  I did a brisk walk along the next stretch of pavement and then ran from the local shop front to nearly the corner of the next turning.  I almost made it as far as I wanted…it’s amazing how your body just says, “NO…STOP!”

When I turned the corner, at a semi-brisk walk (my feet were getting MUCH heavier) the “Glee” stopped!  Literally.  Damn…right after “Gold Digger” and everything.  I had to complete the remainder of my walk without the cast of “Glee” urging me on.  But I finished with a final run push all the way to the lamp post on my road and then walked the rest of the block down to my house.  I was out for about 20 minutes, I suppose (I really have to start keeping better track of this) and have realised that my village is VERY SMALL but will plot out a few more streets to add a bit of length to the run/walk adventure.  I got back in the house with BURNING tibialis anterior muscles and a bit of a wheeze in my asthmatic lungs but I FELT GOOD!  What the heck?  Who knew?  Hubby was getting Little Miss ready for bed and all was right with the world.

I was a bit stiff this morning but feel better than I have in quite some time.  Thanks to some comments on my One Small Step I am beginning to wonder if I might have a bit of a gluten intolerance.  I have really cut back on my bread intake the last two days and I have no heartburn and don’t feel AS bloated (I’m sure you wanted to know that).  It would make my sad to be gluten intolerant as I LOVE bread and any form of Carbohydrate but perhaps for me, just cutting down dramatically will make a difference?  Baby steps…  Are you taking up the Mummy Tummy Begone Challenge as well?  What have you accomplished this week?  My run/walk might have to be in the light of day today as we’re at the inlaws for dinner and I might not be able to manage a run/walk after that.  I quite like the security of run/walking at night.  No one can see me!  And it’s so quiet…other than the sound of the cast of “Glee” in my ears.  Run/Walk tips are now called for…what works for you?  What’s your favourite music to run/walk to?

One Small Step

Posted by cafebebemama on Mar 8, 2010 in Featured Posts, Mummy Tummy Begone | 19 comments

I blogged this morning about a personal challenge.  Mummy Tummy Begone, is the name it’s been christened.  I’m fed up with the way I feel and the way I look and let’s face it, no one is going to do it for me so the time has come.

There was a very encouraging response and a plethora of comments from Mums everywhere who have struggled with the same thing that I am battling.  In particular, I am finding that a lot of Mums who are 1-2 years post delivery are in the same place as me which is comforting but also tells me that there’s something missing out there in the health & fitness world.  I’m hoping that the ladies who have commented and whom I have emailed will join me in this uphill climb.  I’ve even made a badge!

I’ve made some great progress on day one, I must say!  Little Miss and I went to the grocery store and bought a lot of fruit & veg, some good protein and NO BISCUITS or SNACKS whatsoever!  I had salad & veg for lunch accompanied by 2 Ryvita crisps with hummous spread (very thinly I might add) plus a handful of grapes.  I had a Cup of Soup for a snack and a VERY sensible dinner of chicken breast, roasted vegetables and couscous.  We even ate at the sensible hour of 7pm!

Here was the real achievement though!  Once hubby came home (around 6:15 tonight), I got my iPod which had been loaded with the “Glee” soundtrack earlier in the day, layered up and went out for a walk/run while hubby stayed with Little Miss.  I walked briskly down the street to “Don’t Stop Believin’” with a right kick in my step!  Then I tried running…holy.crap.  I think I have forgotten how to run!  I ran for about 40 seconds.  When I stopped, my feet could barely keep stepping.  The muscle that runs on the front of your shin (tibialis anterior, thank you very much) was in spasm.  It didn’t know how to cope with the minimal strain!  It took me several minutes for my normal gait to return!  I was battling with my iPod as well.  The headphones wouldn’t stay in my ears and I was trying to use the stopwatch feature to time my 1 minute of walking and 1 minute of running.

I persevered however.  I somehow managed to do another 3 stints of 60 second running but I needed quite a few more minutes in between those 60 second intervals to function properly.  I haven’t felt such pain in a long time!  The music helped.  The darkness helped.  I started to feel better and eventually feel quite good.  I was out walking and sort-of-running for all of about 30 minutes but it was a start.  I think I will still include running but I’m going to space it out differently.  I might attempt 5 minutes of speed walking and 1 minute of running.  Advice on this matter is much appreciated.

I arrived back home moderately exhilerated and got dinner on the table and enjoyed a healthy meal with my family.  I feel good and for the first time in a while am still full and not suffering from heartburn.  Day one is one small step for Cafe Bebe, one giant leap for Karin!  I may not be able to pick up my feet tomorrow or negotiate the stairs but I’m starting and will continue.  I promise I won’t bore you every day with a post about what I ate or the fact that I did manage to walk outside but I will share my baby steps throughout the week.  I hope you don’t mind and I hope you will join me in the challenge.  I’m going to take some ibuprofen now…I may be cursing Marathon Mummy Rachael tomorrow.

All the Single Ladies

Posted by cafebebemama on Jan 26, 2010 in American Mum Me, Vlog Posts | 9 comments

The Cast of Glee

The wonder that is “Glee” has hit our shores finally.  Who knew that it would be such a delight?  The UK imports some US shows when they failed miserably in the US and runs them on obscure channels at odd hours to fill a gap in the schedule.  I assumed that is what “Glee” would be.  Well, “Glee” is on an obscure channel but it’s creating a quiet firestorm over here and I understand it’s quite the hit in the US as well.  Of course, we’re always a tick behind on these things.

When I was in school in the US, we had “Show Choir” in our school (Glee Club is a rather old-fashioned, throw-back term).  They were not the total “geeks” of the school but they certainly weren’t the most popular.  I think had they been doing the sort of routines that the Glee Club in “Glee” are doing, a LOT more people would have joined.  My brother was a member of Show Choir…he managed to “mime” his way through a few years of it in fact.  I have yet to ever hear my brother SING anything!  I think he was in it for the girls.

I watched last night’s episode, “Preggers” and was hysterical with laughter over the football team’s rendition of Beyonce’s “All the Single Ladies”.  The fact that my hubby was as well says a lot.  I think I would watch a lot more (American) football (or any football for that matter) if the team suddenly burst into choreographed dance numbers before running a play.  This is my new Happiness!  Enjoy the glory that is “Glee”…

Perhaps I need to challenge bloggers to do their own rendition of “All the Single Ladies”…well, perhaps not.  I know if I did it, I’d be wearing my tiara for sure!