The Cost of Being Fit

Before I break down the costs of my new fitness regime, I’d like to preface this by saying that I think investing in my health is worth every penny. I am laying the foundation for a longer life, filled with wonderful experiences.  I hope to remain fit throughout adulthood, and starting now will give me a competitive edge. However, as I continue to buy the equipment I need, and enroll in clinics and events, I can’t help but eye the costs as they slowly stack up.  Such is the life of a competitive athlete (tee hee, I’ve never been able to call myself that before).

This year has been really great for me from a fitness perspective. Around February, I switched my gym membership to Goodlife Fitness. This was in anticipation of my goal to finish a 5k run, which I completed in 27:47 minutes. Only problem?  I got hooked.  I then signed up to do a Give it a Tri. I had wanted to do a Spartan Race in June, but the thought of shelling out an additional $60 when I was practically homeless (if you haven’t read my May-June archives, I definitely suggest it.  The truth is stranger than fiction, but it involved losing my apartment, quitting a horrible job, living on my friends’ couch for six weeks, before finally finding a nice one bedroom and a great job).

Now, here I am in November, and my fitness bill has continued to grow.  I’m including all the costs that I can remember, although I’d factor in an additional $100 of miscellaneous costs, including flat tire fixes, bike lights, special cell phone pockets, and uncategorized equipment. This also excludes my $18 biweekly gym membership, my volleyball fees, and any nutritional costs, such as protein powders.

Ugh.  In no particular order, here we go:

$50 – 5k enrollment fee

$100 – Vibrams Five Finger Shoes

$75 – Give it a Tri enrollment fee

$60 – CN Tower Stairclimbing (tax deductible)

$540 – New bike

$25 – Swim Goggles

$80 – Half Marathon Clinic with the Running Room (includes technical wicking t-shirt).

$75 – Bike Pannier (which split open the week after I bought it, haven’t figured out how to fix it yet).

$220 – Ironman enrollment

$100 – Miscellaneous Costs

TOTAL:  $1,325 (approximately, year to date).

Anticipated future costs:

$100 – Special bike shoes

$125 – Merrell Pace Glove minimalist shoes for winter running

$100 – Miscellaneous running gear, including new items for winter running

$70 – Padded bike shorts

$200 – Bike upgrades, including additional water bottle holders for endurance cycling

$300 – Triathlon wetsuit

$50 – Half Marathon Enrollment

$75 – Olympic Triathlon Enrollment (as a practice)

$80 – Marathon clinic (I have a feeling I’m going to want to do a marathon after this…my half marathon clinic starts tonight and we’re only running 4-5k, lame).

$200 – Miscellaneous triathlon costs (transportation, stay at the hotel, etc.)

TOTAL:  $1,300 (by September 9, 2012).

The total budgeted cost for me being fit on a competitive athletic scale is $2,625.  That’s a LOT of money, and it’ll probably run closer to $3000 when you factor in that I play volleyball (about $120 for the summer), and buy protein powder.  There will probably be some other costs associated that will pop up unexpectedly.

Truthfully, I’d rather be spending all this money elsewhere.  I’d rather be putting it towards my savings, travel,  investments, or more importantly, a down payment. But having the Half Ironman as a goal has focused me in ways I couldn’t have imagined. I think about it every day. It motivates my every action. It reminds me to eat healthy foods. It forces me to go to the gym, even when I don’t feel like it.

I’m doing okay, though. I don’t have as much in the bank right now as I’d like (I know, the plight of the 20-something), but I can afford an additional $1300, spread out over 10 months. I’m hoping for a good Christmas bonus; meanwhile, I have identified some areas of my financial spreadsheet that need some loving.

My current areas of financial improvement:

EMERGENCY FUND:  $150 (needs to be closer to $3,000, and that’s just to start, ideally I’d like for it to be $10,000)

TFSA:  $0 (would like to have $10,000 of stocks and investments)

RETIREMENT: $8,600 (would like it to be closer to $15,000)

How have you invested in your health?

Funny story:  shortly after I posted this article, Single to the Penny posted her own costs of running … and I can completely identify!!!  Check it out here :)

FacebookGoogle ReaderEmailShare
November 1, 2011 | Money Rabbit | 9 Comments »

Rabbit on the Run – It’s Running

I did it. The new blog is up and ready for action. The design kind of blows and I still have a ton of work to do in terms of getting it up to snuff, but Houston, we have lift-off.

So go check it out at www.RabbitontheRun.ca – it’s going to cover a much wider variety of topics than here at Money Rabbit, including but not limited to running, cycling, strength training, swimming, travel, nutrition, meditation, and Toronto based adventure.

And in case I’m not embarrassing myself enough by sharing my workouts with you, I figured I’d ramp up the humiliation by posting my first ever vlog!  That’s right, I have a face. And in case you didn’t read my post about going crazy, you’ll know that I wound up returning the camera that I made this video with.  So unless there is a collective desire for me to do more vlogs (I was thinking I’d take you on a few of my runs and hikes, show you some recipes, etc.) it’s going to be a one hit wonder.  Without the part about it being a hit. Or wondrous.

To celebrate the new blog, I’ll be hosting a giveaway this week on a yet for products from a mystery site (but it’s pretty awesome.)

This video is incredibly choppy and I wasn’t able to figure out how to make it fade in and out to ease the transitions, but hey, it’s a start, and is hopefully flashy enough to convince you to visit me at my new home. Without further ado (or self-deprecation), enjoy le vlog!

FacebookGoogle ReaderEmailShare
October 16, 2011 | Money Rabbit | 7 Comments »

September 9, 2012

That is the date that I have been given by the Muskoka 70.3 Ironman officials.  Registration will be in the next few weeks.

I have a confession to make; I am absolutely terrified.  As in,  just thinking of September 9th gives me the same racing heartbeat and feeling of dread that I get when I watch ghost movies, and that’s saying something.

I’ve taken a look at the course – turns out 90k is an awfully long way to cycle. No ipods are allowed. If I get a flat tire I’ll be expected to do my own repair on the side of the road. My bike will definitely have to be a road bike. I’ll have to buy and not rent a wetsuit, as I’ll be swimming in September water, and I’ll want to start practicing in May to get used to frigid temperatures.  Because I DON’T want to go into hypothermic shock the way I did during the Give it a Tri.

So if you see some nutjob in a wetsuit in Lake Ontario in May 2012, odds are that it’s me.

The sheer mental, physical, nutritional, and financial preparation that is going to have to go into this is HUGE.  Beyond anything that I’ve ever undertaken before. Is it going to be worth it?  HELLS yes. Am I going to kick its ass?  You can bet your bottom dollar YES.

Am I so scared right now that there has been a pit of fear in my stomach ever since I found out the date?  … yes.

So what do I have to do to get ‘er done?

Right now, I’m breaking it down into sections.  I need to reach certain physical and nutritional levels before I even start worrying about equipment or learning how to change tires. I can wait until March or April for purchasing wetsuits, helmets, fuel belts, etc. 

For now, this is my breakdown:

-Currently have out several books on marathons and triathlons, currently reading “The Marathon Method” by Tom Holland.

-Going to try to work the following schedule: Monday Strength Training Tuesday Run for 1hr Wednesday Strength Training Thursday Run for 1hr Friday  Strength Training Saturday Run for 1.5-2hrs Sunday Swim.

-Go as close to full Paleo diet as I can

-Start swimming at least once per week.  The community centre across the street from me has free lane swims, including on the weekends.  I took a look at the pool and it looks to be about 30m. I’ll have to do 60 laps in order to simulate the swim in the lake, which will be in open frigid water.

This is where my jaw dropped

Once spring rolls around, I have two definite things that I need to get done, which are: a) Complete the Goodlife Half Marathon, and b) Go on a long distance cycling trip every other weekend, constituting 100k+.

It’s going to be expensive.  Absolutely.  Getting a wetsuit, training equipment, probably new shoes, staying in a hotel the night of the event, etc. is probably going to set me back about $1000.  However, this is offset by a couple of things. The first is that I’m paying off my car loan in full tomorrow (detailed post to come). The second is that I am investing in my health.  I am adding time onto my lifespan. The third is that pride is priceless.  If I can learn to focus on an event with such determination and grit that I can achieve something completely out of my comfort zone, then it’s worth every penny.

My mom was afraid when I was going on and on about training that I was going to turn wafer thin and instead become extremely unhealthy.  However, when I was home this weekend, she confided that I looked good, and perhaps this wasn’t so loony after all.

The Ironman motto is Pain is Temporary, Pride is Forever.

I can add in, Money will come and go, but the money I invest in accomplishing this feat will live forever as a proud memory.

FacebookGoogle ReaderEmailShare
September 28, 2011 | Money Rabbit | 6 Comments »

The True Enormity of My Goal – Wham!

I was jogging up a relatively steep hill tonight when it hit me; I really and truly want to run a 20k half marathon, so everything’s going to have to change.

Essentially, my thinking was that I could just keep trucking along with my running as I have been, gradually increasing the length of my runs until six months from now, when I would magically be at the 20k point.

Wham! It hit me. If I really want to attain my crazy 2012 running and fitness goals, everything is going to have to completely change.  I need to become another athletic animal altogether.

If you follow me on twitter, you’ll know that I decided to aim for the 20k half marathon in the spring, followed by a Half Ironman by the end of the summer. A Half Ironman is a 1.9k swim (!), a 90k cycle (!!), and a half marathon thrown in at the end, just for kicks (!!!). Considering that the swim for the Try a Tri nearly KILLED me at a mere 400m in frigid 17 degree Celsius waters, I have a LOT of work to do. That’s without the cycle and run.

I was originally going to try for a 10k in the spring, and a Sprint Triathlon in the summer, but considering that I only get one or two shots a year to compete, I wanted to put myself to compete in the Half Ironman this upcoming year. Otherwise I’d have to wait until 2013, and that’s just not cool. I’m not very patient at all.

I am Iron Man! Da na na na na na na, Iron Man!

The “Wham!” moment was when I realized that I’m really going to have to change my life, from the way I eat, exercise and sleep. For example, tonight I baked two chicken breasts, shredded them, and am going to make a 2 Minute Big Ass Salad from the Paleo Diet for lunch tomorrow. I’m going to sincerely try to go as close to full out Paleo as I can for the next few months.  My biggest downfall is that I LOVE sugar and carbs, whereas the Paleo diet focuses on eating mostly protein and fat.

No more mid-week guilty pleasure McDonald’s trip. I’ve bought instant coffee so that I don’t need to leave my office (costing gas) to pick up a coffee to beat my 3pm slump ($2 from Second Cup). My lunches will all be packed now.

I’m going to need to be at the gym or running every single day, with the exception of a rest day (maybe Sunday?)

Little known fact about me though: I work best on these sorts of things in solitude.  I like training alone. I don’t go easy on myself, if anything, I push myself harder when I’m alone. So I’m going to be spending a lot of time alone, but I’m genuinely okay with that.

This week I’m trying to not buy ANYTHING during my workday.  I’ve been really bad lately about cookies and coffee, as well as lunches.  Even though I mostly pick it up from the grocery store, it still is more expensive than a homemade lunch.

In a month I’ll see changes.  In three months I’ll look very different.  In six months I’ll hopefully look like Angelina Jolie (one can dream). But with a crazy definitive goal and the WHAM! moment over with, I’m ready to rock and roll.

FacebookGoogle ReaderEmailShare
September 19, 2011 | Money Rabbit | 1 Comment »

Review: Fit Factory Fitness

Upfront disclosure:  I am NOT being paid or compensated in any form by Fit Factory Fitness.  I bought a WagJag deal for 30 days of class with them for $30, and figured I’d work in a review.

Here’s how my past two weeks have been, in my head. Cue epic music.

Ah, vanity.

Over the past month, I’ve gotten cocky.  I’m a triathlete. I can run faster and farther that I’ve ever been able to before. My muscles have started to become more defined.  Clearly this can only mean one thing; that I am a superhero.  I must only be a class or two away from being a modern day Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Obviously, my physical prowess can be surpassed by few. Maybe CSIS will send me an invite to be their new Canadian superspy.  So when I signed up with the WagJag deal to get 30 days of unlimited bootcamp with Fit Factory Fitness for $30, I anticipated that it would be difficult, but I figured I could take it in stride.

After I stumbled home, my protein shake had the bitter tang of humility.

Stop music. Rewind.

When I arrived at my class this evening, I was greeted by the energetic and charismatic Tony A, who gave me a huge high five and welcomed me to the class.  His T-Shirt read, “Your Workout is My Warm-up.”  We wouldn’t be stopping, he warned me, I’d be pushed to my hardest level.  Ha ha, think I, I’ve already done a triathlon.  Surely this will be a walk in a park.

Within ten minutes I was dying. Windmilling my arms, I didn’t know my body could ache like that.  Tony didn’t relent.  “Get ‘em up! Get ‘em up!  Push! Push!”

Unfortunately, this is when Tony learned my name.

“Marianne!!!  Mar! Ee! Anne!  Lift your arms higher!”

Ouch.  Ow ow ow.

What happened next can only be described as pure hell.  Running. Lunging. Arm raises. Jumping.  Burpees. Kettle bell raises. Non-stop.  When we didn’t run from one station to the next, Tony made us go back to our original exercises, and we repeated. By the time we finished, I was ready to collapse in a pool of pure exhaustion.  Then we got to the “stretching.”  I joined hands with another bootcamper, and we took turns digging into a squat and dragging each other across the floor.

“Mar! Ee! Anne!  This is the stretch!!!  Get your butt down!!”

I got my butt down, my muscles promptly seized up, and I fell smack on my ass.  Classic.

I was completely wiped when we finished, but I’ll be back.  In fact, I highly recommend Fit Factory Fitness for anyone looking to take their workout up to the next level, whatever that may be.  And don’t just take my word for it; check it out for yourself.  The first class is free. The classes run super early in the morning, or in the evenings.  There’s an outdoor class on Saturday mornings at Ashbridge’s Bay, which I definitely am hoping to attend, since I love to exercise outside.

Tony A is a former U.S. Marines Corps Drill Sargeant, and I can genuinely believe that he wants to push his students to reach the same level of fitness as the U.S. Armed Forces. You can tell he is extremely passionate about his work; he took safety very seriously, and repeated all his instructions over again if even just one member of the class was chatting. It felt like I was getting the full-out U.S. Army experience, and let me tell you, those soldiers would be lucky if they had Tony as their drill master.  He is skilled, focused, driven, and forces you out of your comfort zone.  Boy, did he ever.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a newbie or a seasoned fitness veteran, or if you fall towards the n00b end of the spectrum like I do. If you’re a beginner, expect to be pushed, but don’t worry about being judged, everyone there is focused on their own progression. The ones who have been there longer didn’t stop the entire time, and did each movement with an added vigour. The encouragement was palpable, and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Verdict:  I highly recommend Fit Factory Fitness.  You will burn calories. You will hurt. Your workout will be vastly more challenging than anything you could put yourself through at the gym. Tony A is made of pure muscle and energy.  He is sensitive to your authentic levels of exertion, but if he thinks you could go even just an ounce further, then gosh darn it he is going to get you there.  If you were to attend regularly, you could pretty much be guaranteed to lose weight, gain muscle, and hit new fitness highs. Fit Factory Fitness gave me the dose of reality that I so desperately needed…that I still have a very long ways to go, but that with some sweating, swearing, and unpleasant grunting, I can get there.

Also: if you’re not in Toronto, I would also highly recommend checking out local bootcamps.  Many will offer the first class for free, so sample a few of them and see if it’s something you can commit to. They’re hard, sweaty, and painful, but you WILL reap the rewards. It’s cause and effect.

FacebookGoogle ReaderEmailShare
September 14, 2011 | Money Rabbit | No Comments »

Jacked with No Gym – Day 1

Last night I did my first trial at-home workout.  I loaded up my favourite heart-pumping hits (Memories by David Guetta, They by Jem, Pjanoo by Eric Prydz) and went to work.

Confession time:  I already miss the gym. 

I’ve always been an upper body/core kind of gal.  I don’t like working my legs and butt, simply because I hate feeling sore the next day; and since my legs are quite large (I’m nearly 6 feet tall), that’s an awful lot of soreness to be feeling.  When my arms are sore, I can still do basic things like write or cook.  When my legs are sore, I can barely sit down to pee. 

But with it being cycling season and all, that’s changed. My legs have finally gotten the attention that they’ve deserved after being neglected for so long, and I’ve whipped them into shape through running and cycling.

Why does that make me miss the gym?  Well, now that my body is fairly even in terms of overall strength, I miss the weights that I used to use for my arms and shoulders.  In my former life as a gym rat, you could find me amidst the muscleheads who hog the freeweights.  I’d lay out my towel, turn on my Britney, grab the set of 15lbs, and do my best to ignore the lingering scent of testosterone. 

Did you buy your tickets to the gun show?

In terms of exercise, it’s pretty easy to do lower body exercises when not at the gym.  I can squat in my living room just as well as I can squat at the gym.  Same with core; I’ve been doing the plank once a day, often at work so I don’t forget.  I’ll do the front plant for 60 seconds, and the side plank for as long as I can (usually 30-40 seconds, I hate the strain on my wrist).  I also do air bicycles and a series of other core exercises, and I’m pleased to say that you can now see some definition.

Unfortunately, my upper body is out to lunch, and the best thing I can do are tricep dips on a chair, and push ups.  At this point, I can do about 15 dude-style push ups, or 20-25 lady push ups.  To mix it up, I’ve started to do the walking version of this: I start in a full plank, do a push up, put my left hand next to my right, and move my right over a couple feet, then lower into another push up.  I walk back, pushup.  Walk to the left, pushup.  It engaged both my shoulders, arms, and core.  They’re so challenging that I can really only do three on each side, if I’m lucky.

What many sites have recommended is installing a pull-up bar above a door frame.  I reject this for two reasons; one, it costs money.  Two, it doesn’t go with my decor.  That’s right, I said it.  My apartment is so girly that a massive door pull-up would just look atrocious.  I may change my mind eventually, especially since I want to train for a Sprint triathlon, then a Half Ironman, but for now, it SO does not match the coasters. 

So right now, I have but one solution; hit the playground.  Doing body weight exercises ain’t gonna cut it, so it’s time to go back to school. I’ll be hitting the monkey bars with the vengeance of a 23 year old longing to redeem herself from a past filled with monkey bar misadventures.  This time, I’ll walk away the victor.

Only problem: my neighbourhood is filled with families, and children actually use the playgrounds.  I don’t want to show up, game face on, and start grunting like a warthog as I try to do chin-ups, while horrified children and parents look on.  Neither do I fancy a midnight trip to the playground, especially with the recent shooting in my neighbourhood (what can I say, it keeps my rent down, and if you haven’t been shot at in Toronto, you must be a tourist!  Just kidding, mom…) 

So I think I may do a run-by scouting of the local playground; if it’s covered with children actually using the equipment (heaven forbid!) I’ll come back another time.  If it’s free, I’ll do a quick set of pull ups and chin ups and walk away like nothing happened. 

Does anyone have any ideas for other exercises to do to target my biceps?  My goal is Linda Hamilton in Terminator 2.

FacebookGoogle ReaderEmailShare
September 2, 2011 | Money Rabbit | 4 Comments »

Jacked with No Gym and Foster Kitty

My gym membership is going to expire at the end of this month, and I am not going to be renewing it right away.  I lucked out this year when I switched from Extreme Fitness to Goodlife, getting a fantastic deal through a corporate rate.  I have moved about two blocks away from a 24/7  Goodlife gym.  It’s the perfect situation; and yet, I’m not going to be renewing my membership.

Instead, I am going to be doing a 30 day challenge, in which I exercise every day, but I’m not setting foot in the gym. I’ll be buying no additional equipment from what I already own, which is a jump rope, a yoga mat, and Jillian Michaels/P90x workouts.

If I can look like this by December (well, my muscles, at least) I can die happy.

It’s not just about saving money, although that is important too.  It’s also about making a point that I don’t need a gym to be healthy. If I were to get a gym membership now with no corporate rate, I’d probably be look at about $50-60 a month (whatever the current Goodlife rate is). What I usually use the gym for is lifting weights.  However, I believe that I can get the same results if not BETTER if I apply a 30 day workout plan and some readers that I’m being held accountable to.

I’ve added a new page (the tab labeled “Jacked with No Gym”), and since I’m a wordpress rookie I don’t know how to add individual posts and categorize them under a page, so I’ll be updating it every day after I’ve worked out, journal entry style.

I have an idea of how I’m going to make it happen, but I want it to be a surprise, but I WILL be taking before and after shots, since I do believe that I can make some drastic changes.  I already am in pretty good shape simply from training for my triathlon, but I think I can definitely bump it up a notch and take my training to the next level.

Why bother training?  All this will help me in my activities that I love; cycling, skiing, beach volleyball, etc.  That’s why I love being in good shape, I can participate in pretty much anything that I want.

Side note:  I did my Try a Tri yesterday, the 400m swim, the 10k cycle and 2.5k run.  I did it in under an hour. I was very proud of myself, but I got really slowed down during my first transition, which cost me two extra minutes. My body also went into shock when I hit the 17C waters of lake Ontario with no wetsuit, and I actually struggled to breathe.  BUT it was a fantastic experience and I will definitely do it again, if not aim for the sprint triathlon, which is 750m swim, 30k cycle and 7.5k run.  I’ll DEFINITELY have to get a better bike though, if I had been on a road bike I would have shaved another 5 minutes off of my time.

I am also now fostering a cat, who is honestly one of the sweetest cats I have ever met.  She is usually either hiding somewhere, or curled up on my lap.  She doesn’t meow, but if she wants attention she’ll go up to you and place her paw on your arm, then start nuzzling you. However, due to allergy issues, upcoming work crazy, etc., I’m hoping to find her a home sooner rather than later, preferably in a month or two.  SO if you are in the GTA and are looking for a really great cat (she’s SOOO cute, white with tortoise-shell patches and green eyes, and is very small as far as cats go), please message me and I’ll put you in touch with the fostering/adoption agency for next steps.  I can also send you pictures and the links to her listing on PetFinder. I’m going to be donating all of her things to her forever home (her scratching post, litter box, etc.) so you’d only need to pay the small adoption fee.  She is a quiet, gentle cat who would do better in an adult home with no other pets.

Ta ta for now, keep checking my Jacked with No Gym section for updates on my progress!

FacebookGoogle ReaderEmailShare
August 28, 2011 | Money Rabbit | 6 Comments »

Operation: Buffy the Vampire Slayer

What a week, and what a month!  I’ve been practically bleeding money, and will continue to do so until the end of the month, but August should stem the flow.

The Frenchman and I finished the biggest part of my move on Friday, which took two hours almost right down to the minute.  I had to rent a cargo van (about $80 – pretty damn good, in my opinion), but it was worth it, just to be able to do it all in one fell swoop.  I was incredibly grateful for his help; after moving three nights in a row, I don’t know if I could have kept going just on my own.

I came back from the Canada Day long weekend exhausted, bitten to pieces by mosquitos, but incredibly happy.  It was a really wonderful trip, and I was thrilled to have the chance to get to know everyone better.  Even though at the end all I wanted was a shower, the trip was amazing.  Again, I still don’t know how much I owe for this particular trip, but I’m guessing close to $500-$600 or so (canoe rental, camp site fees, food, equipment).

I get my apartment this Friday (fingers crossed!) and I’m pumped.  I’m sick of living out of boxes and bags, which I’ve been doing for the past 45 days.  I’m psyched to decorate it, get settled in, and start feeling like I have my own life again.  Even though things are finally on track for my career, I think it’ll be much easier to get my personal life back together once I have my own place again.  It’s been really, really tough, but the end is so close, and it’s going to be here before I even know it!  I’m so excited to have a one-bedroom apartment, it’s going to be amazing.  I’m even getting a whackload of furniture from my parents – a couch, a kitchen table, and two wing chairs.  None of them match, but that’s the glory of slipcovers.  I may have to wait a few months before I can afford slipcovers and before I determine my colour schemes, but that’ll mean I’m absolutely certain about my choices.

You may have noticed the title of this post, and yes, I am on a Buffy kick again.  Except this time I have a huge deadline coming up – my triathlon is at the end of August.  It is just a small triathlon (400m swim, 10k bike, 2.5k run), but I still need to be in top form in order to get a good time for the race.

I also want to use my new space in order to get back into my peak level of fitness.  I am SO close to a Goodlife gym, that it’s really embarrassing if I don’t start going again.

I find sometimes it helps if I remind myself of the reasons I’m getting in shape, which are:

-I’m able to participate in more events, like races, volleyball, triathlons, trips, and general adventures

-I feel wonderful and energized, which translates to a better work ethic

-I look great, which translates into higher self confidence

-I’m doing myself a huge favour and prolonging my own life

I think one of my problems lately has been that I have been so social that I’ve been neglecting my fitness.  I’ve been visiting with friends, going on dates and outings, so when I’m home the last thing I want to do is work out.  I think I need to trim down my socializing by quite a bit, because another consequence is that money has been gushing out of my accounts.  I haven’t been preparing my own lunches or dinners, I’ve been out to eat more often than not, and I have stuff to buy for my new apartment (like a mattress).

So I’ve started a wager with the Frenchman, or at least I hope I have, because he hasn’t responded to my challenge email yet.  I’m calling it, Operation:  Buffy the Vampire Slayer (or Operation Buffy for short).

Oh, six pack, how I long for thee.

He’s going away to Australia for pretty much the entire month of August, so he’ll be able to see visible results.  I have challenged myself to attain the following things by the time he returns to Canada:

-Visible lady-version of six pack abs
-Visibly toned shoulders and arms
-Be able to run 10k
-Be able to (mostly) do the splits again
-Be able to (mostly) do a handstand

Since I’m starting from scratch, and will be filling up my cupboards anew, I’ll have a chance to be much more selective with the foods I eat.  I eat a lot of sugar, since I have a major sweet tooth, so I’m going to try and cut down on that.  I have to eat way more protein, and cut down on carbs.  A friend of mine has lost close to 70lbs on a diet he himself devised of proteins and fats, excluding sugars and carbs almost entirely.  He feels great and looks amazing.  We’re going to be gym buddies when he’s back from the Middle East.

The only thing about me getting in shape is that I tend to lose weight very, very quickly, much to the alarm and chagrin of my family/close friends.  In fourth year, I had a girlfriend approach me saying, “Um, are you still eating?”  The answer is yes, I love to eat.  My end goal is to build more lean muscle in place of fat, NOT to lose weight.  If anything, I should be gaining weight, although my waistline will in turn lose a couple inches.

Being in peak physical condition makes me feel powerful, confident, and ready to take on any challenge that presents itself.  I’m in a relationship right now with an incredibly independent guy, who is showing me the power of taking time to develop yourself.  He’s always taking classes, lives alone, and has very high standards for his way of living.  As a result, at 26, he already has one of the most powerful work ethics I’ve come across, and is extremely knowledgeable in areas that he’s very passionate about, like wine.  It can be a little intimidating sometimes, but it pushes me to keep working, and reminds me that putting my development as a priority is okay.  I’m in a good place with my career right now … it’s time to move on and start working on my body.

Six pack and handstand, here I come!!!

FacebookGoogle ReaderEmailShare
July 11, 2011 | Money Rabbit | 5 Comments »

Happy Long Weekend!

Okay, I lied, this post isn’t about condo assignments, I’m going to be posting that on Monday (to my subscribers – I’m sorry I’m bombarding your inboxes with posts. I’ll settle down next week, I swear). What I wanted to talk about was saving money over the long weekend while still having an amazing time.

In my experience, creativity can only be truly unleashed when a limitation is imposed upon it.  For example, Blu’s art in Brazil, which is an incredible stop motion piece of street art that uses white and black paint and public walls.  That’s it.  The result is something I would describe as mesmerizing.

This weekend, about seven or eight of my friends and I are biking from Toronto to Niagara Falls.  It’s about 150k, and we have a pool for how long it’s going to take.  My bet is 12 hours, since I’m factoring in an unexpected mini-disaster, food, bathroom breaks, and water refills.  The lowest bet is 9 hours, which means that at the very least, everyone is expecting that we’ll be in Niagara Falls at the EARLIEST by 5pm.

But it’s not the destination, it’s the journey.  It’s going to be tough, but at the end of the day, we’ll be able to say “we did it!”  Best part is that with gas at about 128.5 cents per litre, it’s pretty much free, with the exception of food, and our hostel, which is going to cost us each $23 a night.

I am estimating about $60 for the whole trip – that includes accomodation, food, and any schenanigans we get up to in the Falls.  I don’t believe in gambling, so I won’t be hitting the casinos, but I will happily watch my friends if they decide to throw the dice.

That got me thinking, what if I had stayed in the city?  What sort of free things could I have gotten up to?  There is so much going on that it would be so easy to NOT spend money.  Here are some things that we could do for little or no cash:

-Fireworks at Ashbridges Bay

-Ontario Place opens on May 21st, and admission is free this year

-Playing pick up beach volleyball at Ashbridge’s Bay

-Hosting a neighbourhood barbecue

-Gardening

-Geocaching

-International Circus Festival (at Harbourfront, also free)

-Volunteering with a cause you support

What are you plans for the long weekend?  Is anyone else specifically planning a frugal holiday to save money at the pumps?

FacebookGoogle ReaderEmailShare
May 20, 2011 | Money Rabbit | 3 Comments »

I ate my 5k for breakfast because I am awesome

The title pretty much says it all.  There is a lot of personal pride in this post – I not only completed my 2011 goal of doing a 5k, but I did very well on my time.  If you were at the race, I was the tall blonde wearing a huge smile the ENTIRE race.

It was a blustery, cold, rainy day in Toronto.  The kind of day with a damp chill that settles into your bones within minutes of stepping outside.  The pavement was slick with the drizzle that had been falling all night.

I woke up at 7:45am and powered up with a full breakfast (much against the advice of some readers and websites, but since I have low blood sugars I didn’t want to risk fainting).  Eggs, breakfast sausages, strawberries, bananas.  While I chowed down, I warily eyed the great outdoors.  Seriously?  I thought.  I have to race in THAT?!  Nevertheless, I pulled on my lulus, my Vibrams, and my Ontario Real Estate Association baseball cap (representin, word) and listed to Miley Cyrus to get me pumped up.

As I headed out of the condo and walked to catch a streetcar to Union Station, I remembered that Vibrams are not exactly waterproof, since within the first minute of being outside, my feet were soaked through.  Brrrrr.  However, I’d rather run the race in wet Vibrams than dry running shoes.  Nike can suck it.

Hundreds of runners poured off of the streetcar onto Queen’s Park.  We followed the loud music to get to the start of the race, lined with tents handing out promotional protein shakes, chocolate milk, bagels, and bananas.  I dropped my stuff off at a marked post which served as a “bag check” and made my way to the starting line.

I'm pretty sure I had an expression like this guy when I crossed the finish line

There were about 2100 runners who took part in the 5k, and I wound up close to the back.  I arrived about 20 minutes early, and had nothing to do but hop on the spot to try and keep warm.  The drizzle kept falling, everyone’s hair was damp around their faces, but there was a palpable spirit of “let’s do it!”  Within minutes of arriving, I began answering questions about my shoes.  Yes, they are very comfortable.  No, I’m not worried about lack of shock absorbtion, you really don’t need it.  Yes, I’ve noticed a huge difference in my speed.  As soon as one person noticed and started talking to me about my shoes, everyone within a 10m radius started gaping at my feet.  I kept a look out for other barefoot runners, but I’m 90% sure that I was the only one wearing Vibrams.  (*hint* Vibrams, I have done SO much promotional work for you at these races I think you should send me a free pair)

When the gun went off, I actually had to powerwalk the first 500m since everyone was so jam packed that I simply couldn’t move any faster.  As we hit College Street, with a big grin on my face, I took off.

Smiling relieved some of the tension I was holding in my body, and helped keep my speed consistent.  Running down University Avenue, which is usually crammed with cars, was surreal.  I had to keep remembering to pace myself, because all I wanted to do was charge.  The roads were speckled with family and friends wearing garbage bags and holding signs:  “You inspire us”  “Keep going!” “Toenails are for sissies!” (my personal favourite).

I didn’t have to slow down to walk until about 3.5kms in.  But even though I hit the wall, it was so easy to just push it back and think, I’m doing well, I can keep going, I think I may be able to do this in under half an hour!  The thought of crossing that finish line in under 30 minutes pushed me to step it up again.  With Judas by Lady Gaga roaring in my ears, I kept going.

Reaching the last 750ms was incredible.  The sides of the route were packed with people screaming, cheering, and banging cowbells.  With a speed I didn’t know I had in me, I sprinted, and I had no idea I could actually move that fast.  I’m six feet tall, so my stride is pretty long, and I absolutely booked it to the finish line.  As I got close, I saw the clock – 28 minutes.  28 minutes?! I did it under 3o minutes!!!

I had no friends or family waiting for me at the finish line, but in a way that made it even better.  There was only me, and the self-love I felt was just so powerful and very personal.  I picked up the bronze medal that they were handing all of the participants and immediately called up all my nearest and dearest to tell them how well I did.

What the whole experience has taught me is that you really and truly can accomplish anything that you set your mind to.  I’ve never been a natural runner, but with enough training, I was able to push past my own mental and physical barriers to achieve what I set out to do.  Not only that, but achieving something that is challenging and outside of your comfort zone pushes you to keep going and achieve something even more challenging.  I feel now that the 5k was a warm-up to get me prepared for the Spartan and the Give it a Tri Triathlon on Toronto Island.  I’m registering for both today as soon as I finish putting up this post :)

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
FacebookGoogle ReaderEmailShare
May 16, 2011 | Money Rabbit | 14 Comments »
« Older Entries

Analytics Plugin created by Web Hosting