Badminton, My Throwback Thursday

So... in keeping with the racquet sports for the month of March... I attended a practice/tryout session for the Corporate Challenge Badminton!!! Why is this a Throwback Thursday moment? Well... as some of you may know... I played varsity badminton in high school!

At the time, I was feeling a little bit overstuffed from the team potluck and I also had a bit of a headache. None of my friends were going to be there. I seriously spent the last hour of my day contemplating skipping the practice.... all these things were stacking up & telling me to just drive home instead of going the exact opposite direction of home to play a sport I hadn't touched in over a decade w. a bunch of strangers. I think I was afraid of how bad I might perform. I was on the varsity team back then, even though I wasn't like an Olympic contender or anything, I was good enough. I was afraid that I'd get on the court and find myself starting from scratch... or worse... maybe I'd be able to envision what I should do and just wouldn't be able to execute any of it and become super frustrated & embarrassed with my own inabilities.

As I got to the freeway junction where I had to choose whether I'd go home or go to practice... I sucked it up and drove to the Las Vegas Badminton Club. I doubted my decision the entire way as I sat through traffic, drove around the enormous complex many times because I kept missing the obscure door, as I stood in the front being awkwardly not greeted by the Chinese mother/daughter receptionist duo, and finally signed the waiver. Then, I stepped into back area where all the courts were. And instantly, I felt excited! I was exhilarated! Exuberant! *Eeeeeeee*

I introduced myself to the team captain and immediately apologized for how bad I'm going to be because I hadn't played in over 12 years. She was so encouraging and spent time running some volleying and serving drills with me while the others played doubles. The first half hour or so was ROUGH. I'd swing and just keep missing. I had to slow down and remind myself that I had adjusted my swing to accommodate the really short paddle of pickleball. I kept at it and stayed positive.

An hour or so into the game... it was like riding a bicycle! Of course, my various partners really helped. Use your wrist! Hit high and force them back! Give them room and let them make the mistake! I loved every minute of it! The muscle memory came flooding back and the game, the strategies, the moves ... they just all started popping up. Don't get me wrong... I'm nowhere near good by any means, but I was definitely pleasantly surprised by the progress.

On top of it all,  I made a bunch of new friends! I definitely made the right decision. :)

What The Heck Is Pickleball?

I never heard of Pickleball until earlier this month... and now I'm totally in love with the game. It's basically a mixture of tennis, badminton (court size is the same as a badminton doubles court), and ping-pong... and you play with a paddle and wiffle ball.

Well, a couple of my teammates were trying out for the company pickleball team for Corporate Challenge, so I decided to join them. I figured that I knew how to play tennis and I used to play varsity badminton in high school... why not just try?!

It was amazing! I must admit that my work life had been in sort of a slump and dragging myself out of the house had become a chore. However, with the early morning picklball practice in our courtyard - I felt the zest come back! It felt so incredible to start the day off with some mentally challenging and physically engaging fun! Get that heart pumping, yeah! I gotta admit that after three days straight of early morning practice, I felt it all over. *groan* I also threw in a day of racquetball so my right arm/elbow/shoulder were so sore... lots of icing and Biofreeze. Even my ankles hurt!!! LOL... I don't think I've put them to so much work with sudden stops and turns in like a decade!

I didn't make the official mixed doubles team or the backup, but I loved cheering on the team on the day of the tournament. It was so awesome to be out there and feel the camaraderie in the air!

There are some plans in the making to continue practice throughout the year... and I really, really hope the plans come to fruition. I seriously love, love, love piiiiickleball! I just got the email this morning regarding badminton practice and tryouts. I'll definitely be trying out!!! :)

Scale the Strat 2015

So... it took me a long time to finally blog this... but here I am! On Sunday, March 1st - I attained one of my greatest physical accomplishments to date! I Scaled the Strat! I took 1,455 steps very, very slowly and steadily all the way to the 108th floor of the Stratosphere tower. It felt like quite the triumph when I reached the top!!! Woohoo!

It was daunting and I didn't train as rigorously for it as I should have. However, I was proud of myself for even signing up... I think it took a certain amount of self belief and a spot of courage to take that on knowing I am nowhere near the peak of physical health, lol. I have really great friends who supported me, helped me fundraise for the American Lung Association (the charity for this event) and even two friends who participated with me! It was a great feeling knowing there would be high fives and selfies at the top! :)

My hometown friend who Scaled the Strat with me stayed for the whole weekend and we definitely treated it like a vacation/staycation for both of us. Hee hee! We ate lots of food, relaxed and watched tv together - thanks for indulging in real life crime shows with me, and enjoyed a hard earned pedicure.

I can honestly say that I will do this again! My time this year was 34 minutes 53 seconds... now that I know what to expect, I think I can be more mentally prepared for it. I'm going to improve my physical condition for the next 11 months and try to beat my time. YEAH!!!! #beastmode #cantstopwontstop

PS - THANK YOU to everyone who supported me with donations to the American Lung Association. Your belief in me was like wind beneath my wings. ;)

Zion National Park

My great friend and college roommate came to visit and it felt like a vacation for the both of us! She's awesome because she's really supportive and mindful of my restrictions of living The No Food Fun Life.

For our first day together... we got some delicious Dim Sum for breakfast. She took the hit and ate most of the more carb-loaded morsels - like the savory sticky rice. I was still able to mostly enjoy yummy Shu Mai, Shrimp Dumpling, Chicken Feet, Tripe, Short Ribs... and a few other delicacies. We watched Jupiter Ascending in a luxury theater. And then for dinner we headed to The Container Park to eat & share a bunch of small things to some great live music... tacos, corn on the cob, raw vegan zucchini "pasta," unfiltered fresh ginger ale, and bought some beef jerky for the next day.

For our second day... we ate at The Divine Eatery just a couple blocks from my house. I ate eggs, sausage links, and we shared some Nutty French Toast, yum! I figured some carbs would be appropriate in preparation for a full day of physical activity. We drove to Zion National Park (actually, she drove while I napped... sorry!) and hiked to The Emerald Pools as our first choice. It was sooooo beautiful and the pools are absolutely breathtaking in their tranquility. I took the first leg (Lower Pool) like a champ, the second leg (Middle Pool) was challenging but manageable with steady breathing, but the third leg (Upper Pool) was killer! The incline was tough - but it was good practice for Scale The Strat... more information on that in a later post. We picnicked once we reached the top - pistachios, beef jerky, and sugar-free dried fruit. She bought and packed it all... see how considerate she is? :)

After we got back down, we took the Riverside Walk trail to get up to the beginning of The Narrows... it was too cold to wade into the water to go any further, but it was my favorite part of the entire day. When the canyon narrowed to a point where the riverbank disappeared, it really feels like you're a part of the river and the canyon. It's hard to describe, you just have to experience it - and I recommend that you do! Lastly, we returned back to the car and drove to the final spot to go to The Weeping Rock. I'm not going to lie... I posted a lot of resistance. I had walked harder and higher than I had in a long, long time. My legs were achy, my lower back & right hip were starting to lock up a bit, and all I wanted to do was drive home and eat dinner. But my friend wouldn't take no for an answer... she even dropped me off at the bathroom right at the head of the trail and then drove off to find parking - which, in retrospect, I think she did on purpose so I couldn't get back in the car and whine until we drive away. LOL. I am so glad she was there to push me when I felt weak and ready to give up. We're all capable of so much more if we can just remove our own mental blocks. And it was worth it! There was so much magic in the air when I stood under the rock over hang... looking up at the little sprouted plants hanging upside down and listening to the gentle droplets of ancient water falling to the majestic backdrop of the canyon... breathtaking!

When we got back that night, we cleaned up and went to Ceasar's Palace and each had a hard-earned beverage to relax... then shared some Carpaccio, meatballs, and fried calamari. We also stopped by the gas station and picked up some chocolate covered ice cream bars... but I felt very justified in consuming it... no regrets!

She left this morning, after we went to Lulu's bread & breakfast cafe and The Juice Standard. I am going to miss her so much! I'm glad we shared such a great vacation together... and I'm so happy I we shared a full day at Zion National Park!!!

Brunettes Bring It On

I finished my second 5K of 2015... Brunettes Bring It On! I woke up yesterday to a damp, cold, and gloomy morning. The course was riddled with duck/goose poop but we managed to finish and I felt so proud at the finish line! If I hadn't already paid (I get reimbursed by work only if we complete the race) and known that my friends were there... I would've just flopped back into bed! I'm so lucky they've absorbed me into their amazing group of support and motivation. :)

During the race, I told my friend that I had a looooooog day ahead of me. I was going to work for 7 hours, I had a presentation to give, and then a team building event at the opposite end of town that night. I was really daunted by the length of the day, but I told her that I was glad I hadn't ditched the race because it was the one thing that I was doing solely for myself. Yeah!

The 5Ks are pushing me to challenge myself mentally and get more fit physically, I love it! They're also inspiring me to embrace the "outside" more - I stay inside WAY TOO MUCH. So, I'm gonna hit the 5Ks until summer comes along... then we'll reassess the weather conditions, lol. Hey, it's the desert! Give me a break here.

So... the whole exercise part was down pat this Saturday... but the food part got away from me like a runaway train. After the 5K, I was famished! So, my friend and I ordered Jimmy Johns subs at work, yum! The turkey sub with lettuce, tomatoes, sprouts, cucumbers, and mayonnaise on French bread was HEAVEN... *drool*... ummm and then I ate a bag of chips. Then we walked like 5 blocks or so to our other work building and gave a presentation... and it was all hot... and I suddenly felt super tired and I needed to get up in front of the room and present... so I drank half a cup of Coke. I never drink soda!! I feel so bad... but it's not even the end. That evening, at the team building at the bowling alley, I ate chicken fingers & fries and drank a Pepsi!!!! Yeah... just carbing and sugaring all freaking day long. :(

So, this taught me a lesson. Next time if I have to work or be out & about after an endurance event, I'm going to pack myself some No Fun Food Life approved meals/snacks so I won't be in this situation again. Lesson learned.

Back to Real Life

I was pretty relaxed on the No Fun Food Life for the 2nd week of my vacation, but I managed to get in a few mindful meals. I won't bore everyone with the details - mostly because I don't remember. LOL

I did manage to settle back into the real life with a bang! I completed the Zappos Community & Downtown 5K with a few of my friends! It was overall a positive experience, even though I complained towards the middle. There's a part where you turn around and basically complete the entire thing backwards to complete the 5K, and we kept turning and twisting and the turnaround spot was nowhere in sight! But we finally reached the midway turnaround point, I reached the end, and I even managed to pick up the pace to a light trot and put on a million dollar smile for the camera!! LOL

I look forward to the next one tomorrow!! WOOHOO!

Wait, This Isn't Zumba?

YESTERDAY: With my New Year's resolve firmly in place, I responded with a resounding, "YES!" when my friend at work asked if I would accompany her to an on-campus Zumba class. Yeah... I don't have much rhythm or coordination... but there's music and dancing so I'll have fun I'm sure.*pumped*

I'm in the yoga/dance/workout studio at work... kind of standing towards the back... ready to just casually be overlooked while I bumble around to the beat. THIS GUY (in photo to the left) literally jumps into the class - clapping and jumping and screaming things.  He went into like a 5-10 minute high intensity introduction... Here's how his verbal and my mental dialogue went.

"Welcome to RAW Fitness!!!"
Wait, this isn't Zumba?
"Who is here for endurance & conditioning? Who is here for strength & toning? Who is here for cardio?
Wow, these sound like great choices... um... strength & toning, please!
"I am going to scream at you! Can I cuss here? Yes? F*ck yeah!!"
Yeah!!!! F*CK YEAH!!!!! Pumped Up!!!
"I am going to push you! I am going to make you hate me! I am going to kill you!"
Um, pardon?
"You might feel like you need to puke.....[explanation and further clarification]..."
Puke? What?!?! *look at friends in class with bewilderment* Help!
"You can go to the gym and sit on a bike with your phone and Facebook and get in people's way. Hahaha (not). You can do that on your own time. Not when you're here... you're on my time!"
Why did I leave my jacket, badge, and water bottle in 3 different locations? I can't even make a quick exit! Would anyone notice? Would he yell at me?? I bet he would yell at me. Is he talking about vomit again? WTF?
"RAW Fitness is for those Ready And Willing! Get it?? It's all in the name!"
I'm not ready.... omg, omg, omg... I don't even feel willing... omg, omg, omg.

So, this happened:
15 minutes: Insanity / P90X Remix - Max Interval Circuit Training
15 minutes: PiYo - Body Weight Athletic Training inspired from a fusion of Pilates and Yoga
15 minutes: Core Strengthening
05 minutes: Zumba... because we initially thought this was Zumba so he threw it in as bonus. Thanks.

So... a few other things happened.
1) I ALMOST vomited on about 4 occasions.
2) I saw *s*t*a*r*s* during the first/last 5 mins of PiYo.
3) I thought I was going to die.

TODAY: Unbelievably sore hamstrings and glutes. Walking is difficult... mostly done in one direction at an unchanging velocity. No turning, no pivoting. Sit to stand to sit mechanical functions are restricted. I'm not sure when/if I'll be taking that class again... I think I just need some time to feel better about the experience.

I guess I'm proud I got through the class...? But I'm not really sure I got through it... I can't remember like 30% of it! I'm pretty sure I mentally fainted, if not physically.

It feels like that one time I climbed down the cliffs at UCSD to the beach, witnessed a pervert touching himself in public on the beach while I was sunbathing, then rushed to climb up the cliffs again super fast - and whited out from heat exhaustion!! I saw stars then too. I'm not sure that this was the most reasonable induction to 2015 fitness... but it happened... no regrets.

New Year, New Start!

Welcome back... or more like, I welcome me back to you. Haha. It's been quite a few weeks... and how did I fare during my absence from The No Food Fun Life? Um, not too bad but not too well.

I'm going to just say that I indulged in quite a few carbs - delicate tea sandwiches, petit fours, at least three greenbean casseroles with extra crispy french fried onions, turkey tetrazzini, a two-cheese baked ziti, and some delicious Chinese Dim Sum. Oh yeah, and one day I had an extra-large slice of purple potato pizza... my excess serving of carbs was topped by little thin slices of starch. Yeah.

But! Now that I've listed my momentary lapses over the holiday season, I've had successes too. For example, we tried a new Italian restaurant for take-out one night, and instead of ordering the seafood linguine that I truly wanted, I ordered a Caprese Salad (tomato, mozzarella, basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar) and a side of meatballs. It was a guilt-free fancy meal at home! I also discovered that Atkins have a frozen foods section. I purchased the Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo and it was really yummy. I heated it up and poured the contents over a bowl of Miracle Noodles... winner! Of course, I don't make it a habit to eat highly processed foods, but this was a real life saver. At 26g Protein, 9g Carbs, 1g Sugar... it really helped me stay on track on those nights when I came home super tired from work and had no motivation to cook.

So, onward to 2015... it's time for the real deal. I busted open my bottle of Kevita Probiotic Tonic and drank half the bottle. That's the size of 1 serving and contains 5g Carbs and 4g Sugar... is it that much of the bad stuff? Meh. It's kind of marginal... and I take that hit because it's worth it! I seriously have a love affair with probiotics. The good bacteria keeps everything moving and grooving along on the inside, and they're super awesome for the immune system as well. So, I guess I'm kind of toasting myself to a healthier New Year? Cheers!

Now, for the next part. I stopped my 30 Day Yoga Challenge about 1/2 way through because of a rib injury last month... and I didn't pick it back up because of something else that's aggravated - related or unrelated? Who knows. It's a supra-scapular nerve impingement... it's painful to put any weight on my right arm, and my range of motion has been reduced. However, I won't let it stop my fitness goals for 2015. I need to find other things to do! And... CARDIO is the name of the game this year.

I did one of those body fat analysis thingies... 32% body fat. OMG. I can't believe I typed it... so embarrassing! I'm just going to trust that nobody here is judging me as hard as I'm judging myself. :( And increased body fat content is scientifically known to mess up hormone balance in females. I may have lost "weight" last year, but I need to work on this body fat situation. Stat!

Another confession!!! One of the things that I'm notorious for doing is using my scoliosis and neck/back pain as HUGE mental blockers against my own success. I know why I do it... there were many occasions over the past 16 years when I went to high-impact classes like Bar Method, Jazzercise, or Kickboxing... or just went jogging, did a high-intensty workout, or whatever... and my low-back has locked up and I get crippling sciatica pain. I mean, it does happen. But it doesn't ALWAYS happen. I think I'm afraid of taking on new activities based on the history of pain. However, I've got great insurance and a new wonderful chiropractic office that takes said insurance... so I vow to venture forth and take a little more risk in my activity choices this year.

Alright! Confessions have been made. Goals have been set. Here's to 2015 - a year of fitness and good health!

30 Day Yoga Challenge

I helped out on a tech project at work and received a $100 Zappos gift card. Woohoo! I bought a new yoga mat that's 8mm thick - it's a little bit more plush and cushioned - a yoga mat sling to carry it in, a workout shirt, and a new pair of yoga pants. A little shopping spree felt so good!

When I was 23-24 years old, I used to live just a few blocks away from a great yoga studio that offered a fantastic student discount. I practiced yoga about 3-4 times a week. I felt so amazing. I think that was the most fit and flexible time of my life.

Fast forward to now, 30 years old, with a sedentary desk job... I feel so stiff and stagnant. And when we're in that state, it's hard to just jump back into a fitness routine and get going. So, I tried to find some support to get motivated.

I solicited one of my good friends to take on a You Do Yoga - 30 Day Challenge with me. We just completed Day 6, so almost a full week! The sessions are very attainable - they're anywhere from 15-30 minutes long. There are enough "easy" moves to make you feel great AND feel great about yourself. *yeah, I totally just twisted my spine hella far* But then she'll bust out these moves that pretty much require a fitness level way beyond mine. *omg, I'm so happy I'm doing this in the extreme privacy of my own home*

Once again, I'm not a perfect person, and everything always has a little kink in it. Sometimes, I just flop down and grunt - which causes my dogs to become very concerned about me. Or I just go into Child's Pose... I wish there was a Child's Pose equivalent for work or life in general. And, on Day 5, I came home with a migraine headache and just couldn't bring myself to do anything. I'm pretty sure my head would've exploded if I went into Downward Dog. So, I just doubled up today to catch up. No harm done.

It's a lot more fun having someone to text whenever I complete a session who knows how it feels... or holding me accountable so I don't just quit. I appreciate the support! I'm going to keep it up until I reach Day 30... that's my goal and I'm committed to it! :)

Yoga and Hiking

Part of my commitment to my new lifestyle is moving and relaxing. I've been making some slow but steady progress in those departments. I've started wearing and syncing my Fitbit Flex every day. I've learned a few things: I average at just about 6,000-7,000 steps per day, I sleep just a little under 8 hours per night, and I don't move much when I sleep.

What else... I spontaneously joined my teammates in an outdoor yoga event after work one night. It was the moment where I chose to get moving instead of drive home and sit. It was a tough decision because my back was really killing me (I have scoliosis... and back pain and stiffness will keep me from moving around, which in turn causes more back pain and stiffness, go figure). However, I was very proud of myself for making the right choice. After yoga, I went to enjoy a burger with my friends - protein style, no sauce, with a side of broccoli. Yay!

Last week, I told myself... Yoga on Thursday morning before work or bust! I announced my intentions to a teammate so that I could have some sort of non-self accountability. I woke up with significantly less sleep than usual and felt pretty crappy - I'm not a morning person, at all. But I honored my promise to myself and got to the gym. It gave me a wonderful feeling - physically and mentally - all day.

Lastly, I went on a one day camping trip with my friends this weekend. I went on two hikes, one in the evening we arrived and one in the morning before we left. It felt great to experience the quiet adventurousness of being in nature was so relaxing. At night, the clouds rolled in and I could see their outlines in the remnants of twilight. Even though it really hid the stars, it felt so amazing because the moist air, cool breeze, and fire pit really reminded me of being on the beach in San Diego again. It gave me a bit of nostalgia.

I feel like I am finding opportunities to become more active and I'm finally giving that aspect of my life more attention. I remember how strong, flexible, and good I felt in my mid-20's when I used to practice yoga 3-4 times per week. Even though that is not something I can accommodate at this time, I am finding other ways to move more often and be more active. I take that as a small victory over a giant mental roadblock.