by Tish MacWebber | Jul 11, 2017 | Weekend Warrior
Yes, I know it is Monday. But when your vacation ends on a Monday, the weekend ends on Monday too. What a week I have had!
I will be writing about that in a guest post as soon as I can. I am waiting for pictures from family members to put into that post, and what I write will be determined by the pics they send.
I can tell you that I went home. I went swimming and spent a fair bit of time between visiting with my family and one of my best friends. It was a full week.
I was supposed to be writing at this time. I have not yet started my book. I was very busy on my vacation while being able to relax and have fun at the same time.
This weekend was also busy. I was on the road for most of Sunday, after staying Saturday night at my friend’s house. We stayed there most of the week. It was nice to spend time with her at her home.
Today was a day to make phone calls, and get my driver’s license renewed. Then the first step back into my routine, back to Zumba class. I go back to work tomorrow. So this is the end of my vacation right now.
I did have a hard time in Zumba. It has been a while since I have gone to class. I am not looking forward to going back to work, and back to normal tomorrow. So I was in my head in class. I broke free for a few minutes, but it was with a heavy heart that I worked out in class today. I have a hard time saying goodbye, and there were more than a few this weekend. It was good to see the people I was able to see and hard to come home.
I was ready, though. It was time to come home and feel like I was home again. I love my friends and family, but being home is also a feeling that is good. Another weekend has ended. Back to life in the real world tomorrow.
by Tish MacWebber | Jun 13, 2017 | Weekend Warrior
The Zumba adventures continue even while there is no class for two weeks. I have found another comparison between Zumba, my body, and a musical instrument. First, though, I want to take you back to my pre-Zumba university days. Back to when I lived on campus and went out dancing quite often (who am I kidding, four nights a week) to party when I really should have been studying. When I started university, moving away from home was a big deal, and I was in control of my life for the first time ever. I made new friends and shared rooms with roommates. One, in particular, comes to mind in relation to this story. We were in different programs, and at times, there were personality conflicts. It happens, and it is a part of growing up.
This roommate liked animals more than people and had a different taste in music than I did. We would take turns playing our favourite music when we were in the room at the same time. These days, that would not be a problem, because I am sure every Millenial out there has an MP3 Player of some sort with amazing headphones so the issue I ran into would not be a problem today like it was back then. Yes, I am talking about playing music on a ghetto blaster, also known as a boom box. Back then (yeah, I know this ages me some) we had cassette tapes, and CDs were still new. It was a thing for us to play the music you liked for other people, and see if they liked it as much as you did. Sometimes it was great. Other times it was overplayed. The worst was when you had to listen to someone else’s music that you hated because it was their turn to play their music.
Living with this roommate ALMOST ruined Bon Jovi for me. She played it over and over and over. My love for Bon Jovi returned after a few years, but it was iffy for quite some time. When she decided to play a different band, I was open to hearing something new. Oh boy, was that a short-lived bit of hope. The other band she absolutely LOVED and wanted to play when she wasn’t playing Bon Jovi was a band called The Who. I tolerated it the first time I listened to it, but it really wasn’t my cup of tea.
Miles and miles and miles and miles and miles still haunts me when I think of it. Twitch. There was one song that I found amusing. Squeeze Box. It is a funny little song that has more than one meaning. A Squeeze Box is another name for an accordion, but if you let your mind drift a little left of center, you know what the song could be referring to if you have any sort of a gutter based imagination. Imagine my surprise when this song popped into my head in the middle of a Zumba class!
As of yet, we have not done Zumba to Weird Al Yankovic or any of his Polka Parties. (How much fun would THAT be)? Weird Al is the accordion player that I listen to, and I really like his music. I love the humour in his parodies, and the fun he inserts into my day if I am listening to his music. I digress. The Squeeze Box reference refers once again to my chest.
You see, I am rather curvy, and just as my hips sometimes get in the way of my bowling, my “girls” get in the way at Zumba. I crack people up whenever I think this stuff up, because then I act on it, or tell someone the joke to see if it is funny. A few weeks ago we were reaching in front with our arms. Sometimes I feel like my arms are really too short, like T-Rex short. So for the instructor to see, I pretended to extend my arms longer at my sides, and then cross them in front of my stomach like she was showing us to do, holding the upper parts of my arms straight down, and just bending them to reach to the front from my elbows. I look really funny when I am flailing my arms like that. She laughed. She lost track of what she was doing for a minute.
Then, in another recent class, we were doing a move that involves crossing your arms in front of you while you make your legs wobbly and move your knees to touch each other, and back apart. I know that might not be the best description, but if you think of the funny dance when you put your hands on your knees and move your legs like that and cross your hands back and forth, it is like that, except we are standing straight up, and you are crossing your arms in front of you. So when we do this, I hold my arms straight out and cross them back and forth, but because I have short arms, the “girls” become my Squeeze Box, just like that song implies. I shared my accordion thought and got the desired reaction from the Zumba Crew that heard me. Another funny analogy brought to you by me, an old roommate, and Zumba.
As the summer time hits, and we are all working out in the heat, please remember to hydrate. And when your Zumba instructor is encouraging you to show some fire in class, remember, it is about your dance moves, even if all you really feel like doing is putting out the fire with the Zumba move I am going to call the, “Stop, Drop, and Roll.” If you decide that you NEED to try this out, and you want to deliver it with a bigger impact, throw in the T-Rex arms. Hilarious, until you get the ambulance bill.
Oh, and by the way, my ghetto blaster is still working, as is my walkman. Long live the mixed tapes and the local radio stations! I am looking forward to my next trip to The Zumba Zone!
by Tish MacWebber | Jun 8, 2017 | Trust Your Gut
The names here may or may not reflect the person’s real name. If someone wants to remain unknown, we will choose a different name for that person’s story. The goal is to help people, and anonymity is a valid personal choice for contributors. I will use a person’s name only if they give permission to do so.
This week I am pleased to share another of my own stories.
Here is Trust Your Gut: Tish’s Story; Part 16
My hormones have gone CRAZY! When I was sick my body got a little confused, and now that it is getting on track, I WANT CHOCOLATE! Not the square or two of the 85% cocoa that is on plan, but regular, easy to find, totally bad for me chocolate. I am fighting with myself a lot right now. I know what I should do, and then there is what I want to do. Sometimes, the want is more than average, and my brain makes it a need. So this week I gave in a little.
I also made the lasagna last Sunday, and I have been eating a piece a day for lunch this week. I needed suppers, and I have planned an adventure in my kitchen that happened yesterday…
I love making Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole. I don’t have any chicken breasts ready in the freezer to make it with. So I poached some salmon pieces and made Salmon Bacon Ranch. It turned out really good. I swapped the chicken for salmon (poached in water with onion powder, dill and garlic) and made the recipe. I doubled the dill, added spinach, and extra Miracle Whip and Plain Greek 0% fat yogurt. I used extra old cheddar, and bacon bits. I kept the parsley, cream cheese, garlic and pepper as per the recipe.
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Salmon Bacon Ranch Casserole
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Salmon Bacon Ranch Casserole 2
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Salmon Bacon Ranch Casserole 3
I was surprised at how good this turned out. It is rich and heavy, but carb free. I checked my sugars right after supper, and they were at 10.2. For after eating, this is really close to normal range. Considering that it was a Zumba night, and I had a juice box, a G2 and a snickers bar before supper, (I was hangry and dropping) this is what I needed to see. It means that I was correct about being low, and I didn’t do too much to overcompensate. YAY!
So what I am getting at this week is that sometimes, chocolate is a necessary evil. More importantly, it is good to experiment in the kitchen with healthy recipes. You might surprise yourself.
I am not going to have Zumba classes for a few weeks. I am in charge of keeping the Zumba Crew motivated until class starts up again. I have a few ideas, but I need to get the gumption up for me to work on it as I need to be active too, especially when classes are cancelled. Dance off, anyone?
#TrustYourGut
by Tish MacWebber | Jun 3, 2017 | Events
Relay for Life 2017. Tish & Matty
I attended Relay for Life to participate in the Zumba at Relay. My Zumba instructor does this every year, and when I am able to attend extra Zumba classes to support her and to get me moving more, I go. I actually met her at Relay several years ago. I have come a long way with my Zumba since then, and I will be continuing to go to Zumba as long as I am able to go. I do what I can, and I am feeling the rewards of stress relief, getting stronger and healthier.
So many people are affected by the ugliness of cancer in their lives. Relay is a fundraiser to help find a cure for cancer, but for many people, it is more than that. It is a chance to reflect on loved ones who have lost the battle. It is a chance to support people you know that are fighting cancer. It is also a chance to celebrate with those who have looked cancer in the eye and beat it. Sometimes more than once.
Members of my family have had cancer. It is something I have learned to live with while trying not to live in fear of it. I have been spending some time with a good friend who is not going to win her fight with cancer. It is hard to face as a friend, but it must be even harder to face as a person with terminal cancer. It makes me sad to know that her time is limited and that her family and friends will feel this too. It is hard, sometimes, to know what to do or say. We are becoming better friends because of this terrible thing that is happening to her. We were friends before, but it is important for me to make sure that I am available to spend time with her now, while she is still here and able to enjoy the company of our friendship.
I went to Relay and did Zumba there. I did not participate in anything else. My focus this year was to go and have a good workout. I promised another friend that passed away that I would take care of myself, and although it wasn’t cancer that he died from, in going I am keeping my promise to him. The first few classes I went to after he died broke my heart. I cried. I fought to finish the classes, and I am still keeping my promise to him every time I go.
They found a Rebel who was unable to convince them of the health benefits of Zumba at Relay.
I didn’t see the Storm Troopers in the crowd this year. They were at Relay, but I am guessing Darth Vader ordered them to not participate in Zumba. There were a lot of people there. I saw some angel wings, costumes, masks, and a little girl in a princess dress. When Zumba was over, there was a song still playing on the speakers. We all stopped, and the little princess walked over to me and wanted me to hold her hands and keep dancing. So I did. I don’t know her story, if she was sick, or if she was there because of someone else. I knew I didn’t have a choice in the matter. When a princess approaches you in a crowd full of people and wants to hold your hands and dance, well, you hold her hands and dance in a circle until she wants to stop. I don’t know who she was, except that she was a princess for Relay. I don’t know why she chose me in a crowd full of people, but she did, and I wasn’t prepared to walk away. That is why I attend Zumba at Relay. You never know what kind of memory you will take home with you, and it somehow makes you feel that even when it seems like the ugliness of cancer is at its scariest, if you are able to support a friend or hold the hands of a princess and share a dance, there is a glimmer of hope. Be present in your life, and do good unto others while you are here. Which left me with the message I am carrying in my heart. Hope.
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Zumba Stars
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In the Zumba Zone!
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There were a lot of people there.
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Wider angle pic of the crowd
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Which one do I follow? A radio celebrity is on stage with the Zumba Queen
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Clapping to the warm up song. The Relay Princess is in this picture.
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Finding my Zumba groove
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AIR DRUMS!
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Words of encouragement and hope with some of the participants
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One of the teams and the Zumba Queen
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Looking out over the Relay crowd-pic from the Fredericton Relay For Life page.
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Zumba moves take practice! -pic from the Fredericton Relay For Life page.
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Group photo with my former Team Wipeout. Hey Ellen we take amazing group selfies too!
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Silly after Zumba selfie.
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The real after Zumba Selfie
Most of the pics are from my friend Matty. There are two from Fredericton Relay For Life 2017 Facebook Page, all shared with permission. Why do you Relay?
by Tish MacWebber | Jun 1, 2017 | Trust Your Gut
The names here may or may not reflect the person’s real name. If someone wants to remain unknown, we will choose a different name for that person’s story. The goal is to help people, and anonymity is a valid personal choice for contributors. I will use a person’s name only if they give permission to do so.
This week I am pleased to share another of my own stories.
Here is Trust Your Gut: Tish’s Story; Part 15
Up to now, I have been sharing my story and the stories of others with their issues regarding weight. That means if you are reading this week’s story, and have been since I started writing, you know that I am struggling. Sometimes week to week other times day to day, but it could literally be bite to bite. I wake up thinking about food. I go to bed thinking about how tired I am or am not, and this is usually related to what I ate that day. When I dream about food, it wakes me up to go test my blood sugar. If it is OK, then it was just a dream. Sometimes it is my body telling me that I need to get a glass of juice.
Today was no different than any other Wednesday. I got up, went to work, went to Zumba, and then I came home. Where I knew I had meat in the fridge, both cooked and ready to be cooked, but I could not bring myself to start making a healthy meal. I wanted the easy way out. I sent an SOS to my husband for fast food. I was tired when I got home today. Bone tired. I decided that I would nap until he arrived home.
Sometimes it is the only way to accomplish everything that you need to do, taking the easy way. But taking the easy way is not the healthy way to live. I am living proof of that. The easy way is not the path less travelled. The easy way is the way to childhood obesity and the epidemic that I happen to be a statistic of, the Type 2 Diabetes crisis that is blowing up all over the world right now. If you continually choose the easy meal, the easy snacks, the sugar, the preservatives, the chemicals and the toxins you will not live a healthy life. It isn’t possible. It’s called junk food for a reason.
What is the alternative? Hard work. If you put in the time and effort into yourself, it will pay off. It doesn’t matter if you stray from the path when life happens. What matters is that you value yourself enough to go back to the path you have chosen to follow because you strive towards living a healthier lifestyle. There are always going to be days when you are too tired to cook. I have had days where I am so tired and hungry that I can’t even decide which restaurant I want to go to. The main thing is that I don’t give up forever. I keep trying. I keep pushing myself to do better. And I keep celebrating every little success along the way.
I cannot stress the importance of planning ahead and prep cooking enough. If I had made that casserole last night, I would have had supper planned, and this helps me to make healthy choices. Sometimes I am too busy. I planned my lunch today but found I was very cold at work, so I bought soup and BBQ chips to give my circulation a little kick in the pants with some mild spices. Would I do that again tomorrow? Not unless I felt the exact same way I did today. I am usually bundled up in layers at work, but there are limits to what I am able to wear and what they will allow me to wear to stay warm at my desk. Today I was maxed out on layers, and still cold. I did what I needed to do to adapt to the day. It worked. Tomorrow may be a different story, yesterday I found it a little cold, but tolerable. Today I could not get warmed up. This is a side effect of having thyroid disease, sometimes I am cold when I should be warm.
When I am out of ideas for lunch, I plan scrambled eggs and cheese. I can cook it in the microwave, and I can eat vegetables with it. I almost made that for lunch today, but I changed my mind and made good old PB&J on sprouted bread. I am not the biggest fan of this sandwich, so I am using regular peanut butter. I bought the kind that has no sugar, which must be stored in the fridge. It was left too long and dried out. So for the few times that I make it, I am using regular peanut butter. When I decide to make something that has a need for peanut butter that is on the plan, I will buy more that is made with just peanuts and salt. I use sugar-free jam. The sprouted bread is on the plan. 2 out of 3 ain’t bad, to quote a song by Meatloaf. I ate my sandwich after Zumba class, to hold me over until the fast food was here to eat.
If you are struggling like me, then neither of us is alone. It can be a solitary journey if you are hiding behind closed doors or sneaking around to feed the monster inside. I am calling it what it is. A monster that is obsessed with food, and thrives off of sugar. It does not mean that I am a monster. It does mean that I have to fight it. The harder I fight, the smaller it will be. It will reflect on the outside what is happening on the inside. And that is where the beauty hides. The beauty that is inside all of us needs to be nurtured and loved. It will flourish and bloom if we give it the attention that it deserves. When this happens, you start to glow from the inside out, and the monster shrinks inside. Just as the monster scares your inner beauty, the glow from that inner beauty outshines the monster if we let it. As someone who loves to sparkle and shine, I am going to focus on that for the next week, and see where it takes me.
Trust Your Gut is the weekly series that I have decided to publish on Thursdays. I think it is time to give it a hashtag of its own. Help me to get the word out to other people that may need to read these stories and know that they are not alone. Help me to reach out to other people that want to help by sharing their own stories. All it takes is an idea to create something big that matters and can help people. I am starting that now.
Together we can help people, just like you and me.
#TrustYourGutThursday and #TYGT
