Variety, the spice of life.

I have so much enthusiasm for life right now it’s busting from my pores! … ok don’t visualize that but instead embrace it!

Faith Bowyer Photography

I’ve had the best, most inspiring week. I was fortunate enough to meet a few new people, catch up with old friends and challenge my fitness harder than I have in months! Since Faith and I moved from our cute, crazy busy house in Kits to our cozy, home-y place in Shaughnessy I’ve been struggling to figure out what kind of workout/training schedule I want to take on while training for the half marathon coming up in August. My gym membership ended and in order to push myself to try new things, I didn’t renew it. And as variety is the spice of life – I decided to do something a little different everyday to test myself.

It started with an incredible free hot yoga class at the new Moksha East Van studio to kick off the week. I met up with my friend Leah who I haven’t seen in a while and a new friend Justine who I met for the first time from twitter (<- shout out to my amazing twitter followers who engage and inspire me to keep attacking my goals!). I know I always say it but I LOVE hot yoga. I love the way it makes me sweat, how it’s 80% mental and how my muscles ache afterwards. If you like to push yourself when you workout but love the bliss you feel after giving yourself time to listen to your own body – you have to give yourself hot yoga.

You can thank me later :)

With no gym membership I of course threw in some Insanity because that kicks my butt harder than any other home workout. Ever.

My friend Alex has been trying to get me to come out to Surrey to take a Core Training class and I’ve never been able to take the time to do it – so this week I said why not and jumped on the Skytrain to join her. We pulled up to a fitness complex that is actually a baseball training facility and I was a bit skeptical… that was until Mark and Keith Faure at Sports Starz kicked my ass! Seriously, I almost want to pick a sport and start training because I thrive off of mixed high-intensity athletic training drills.

Finally, last night I went to my second kettlebell class with Darren from Vancouver Kettlebell expecting a class to work on my swinging and snatching skills… and walked into a high intense cross-fit-inspired (keyword inspired) ass-whipping (..excuse my French)! I think I was too cocky and impressive during the first class eh Darren? I just have to say that I wasn’t able to power-through without having to rest… I don’t remember the last time that I’ve pushed my body THAT far. I can’t wait for what he has to throw at me next week!

I personally challenge you to come join me in one of his classes and challenge yourself (I promise it’s for all levels of fitness and ability, he has baby kettlebells too)!

And since I didn’t do a workout today – I’m off to do some kettlebell swings, push-ups until my arms fail and my favourite 12 minute ab workout before crawling into bed:

A wise person reminded me today that difference between those who conceptualize their ambitious goals, and those who actually achieve them is in the self-discipline they practice. Successful people achieve their dreams not in the plan, execution or follow-through of the goal, but actually in the act of discipline they exercise in sticking to that plan and not letting anyone or anything get in their way.

Speaking of which – operation Alcohol-Free-February is still going strong!

Don’t let anyone persuade or let their jealousy get in the way of achieving your goals – it only inspires them to practice a little discipline themselves.

The final August weekend: 2011 edition

Did you realize it’s the LAST weekend in August? How did that happen already???

This weekend was definitely one for the Vancouver memory books – another tourist/local necessary experience was had! After my normal Saturday morning workout (best time to fit it in and make sure I start my day off right!) Faith, Ambrose and I decided we’d go the brunch at the infamous Seasons in the Park and check out what all the locals are raving about.

As soon as we walked in we were in complete awe. Not just because of how beautiful the restaurant was, how comfortable and inviting the patio looked, how nice the staff were, or even how good the food was…

But because of the VIEW!

The restaurant is located in Queen Elizabeth Park at the top of a small mountain. The location is a gem and the view is spectacular! I decided on smoked salmon eggs benny and changed my potatoes to salad (it was a good choice – the salad was SO fresh!).

We had a wonderful brunch and headed out to the look off to take in the view and see the spectacular gardens before leaving.

Gardens and a view!

Looking at the restaurant patio looking from the side:

Typical tourist shot!

The most fun part about the look off was the bronze statues who were like permanent tourists – with a photographer and all! Who ever designed the park was a genius! Faith the photographer wanted her picture taken by the photographer!

Ambrose tried to ruin the shot but got shoved out of the way!

After leaving the park Faith and I went to lay in the sun in English Bay and reveled at the sparkling ocean.

We decided to get all dressed up (for no reason other than to dress up – you have to do that sometimes!) and meet Faith’s friends for a drink at a cute place called Sandbar on Granville Island.

Then, before I knew it I was heading downtown to Yaletown to meet up with another friend and ended up meeting some pretty great people! I danced my feet off and had a spectacular time! Not bad for a zero-plan kind of evening.

This spontaneous weekend was amazing and was another justification for my love of Vancouver. I love feeling like this is my city  and now, six months after being here, the list of things we’ve experienced is larger than most people who’ve lived here their whole life.

I was walking to the bus stop after hot yoga one evening last week and it occurred to me that I fit in. I go to work, head to yoga after work and walk downtown with wet hair, no makeup and wait for the bus with no shame. No need to impress or feel out-of-place because I fit in, I’m just like every other Vancouverite.