Exercise? Do Not Want!

OK, I've never been one for exercise. I've always enjoyed dancing and I went through a period of a couple of years when I got really really into indoor rock climbing (I still love climbing, but it's highly expensive and inconvenient, as the gym is an hour from my new abode). But I've never been a big work-out-at-the-gym, cardio-lover. One might even say that I hate it. A lot. And one would be correct.

However, recently, as I mentioned before, I went to El Salvador and attempted to climb a volcano. The other people on the tour were all older than me, all smokers and all French-Canadian. I was positive that these factors combined, along with the fact that I even had climbing experience, would give me the ultimate edge and I would get to the top of the mountain first and have the pleasure of laughing and pointing as they struggled their way up to the top, coughing and sputtering as they went.

Not only did I not reach the summit first, but my friendly climbing partners got to the top, had a leisurely smoke and a chat, en Français, and watched as I panted and clawed my way up to the top (not joking). It was humiliating. And a big fat wake-up call. I'm young! (Sort of.) I'm 29 for Christ's sake. I'm able-bodied, aren't I? A little bit of a thunder-thigh situation going on, but nothing ridiculous and certainly nothing resembling obesity. I don't smoke. I even eat a healthy diet. I should damn well be able to climb a volcano if those Frenchies* can! Well, I barely made it up the stupid thing and probably looked like a complete a-hole in the process.

So, about 6 weeks ago, I started doing resistance training. Just on my own, in my spare room, with some dumb bells and a resistance band. And I'm really noticing a difference. My legs are far more toned, my ab strength has gone up tremendously and I can actually do squats and lunges and be able to walk the next day now.

I don't know if I'm in volcano-conquering shape, yet - but I'm getting there!




*Please note that I actually really like French-Canadians and any animosity you might detect in this post is purely rooted in jealousy.

El Salvador Effing Rules

This was seriously the greatest trip of my life. I climbed a volcano! Me. Lazy Annabelle. It nearly killed me. I may post more on this later, but right now I'm still a bit traumatized by the whole situation. I'm so glad I'm turning 30 soon and I can soon stop feeling like I need to do stuff like that. Until I'm 39 and it all starts up again. It may also happen at 34 - I'll be sure to let you know. I told bf that if I ever suggest anything like that again, he has full permission to bitch slap me.

Either way, it was an incredible experience. And I have a brand new renewed addiction to coffee, as Salvadorian coffee is arguably the finest in the world - most certainly the finest I've ever had. So much for my all-meat challenge. I bought 5 bags of beans, 2 of which I have given away. The remaining three are all for me! Me, me me! And any lucky son of a bitch who happens to come by my place for coffee.

I also made my first trip to Whole Foods here in Toronto yesterday and found a really gorgeous organic 35% cream with no additives and a label that states 0 g carb (which I know is not true, but I'm willing to blindly go along with). This morning I had Salvadorian coffee with organic 35% cream and nearly had an orgasm. Seriously. A couple of Kegel exercises and by next week, we should be talking business.

I also bought four kinds of raw milk cheese, which are full of glutamates and amines and sinfully yummy. Fuck it - I'm eating them!

I also bought some sheep's milk yogurt, which is 6% fat and possibly the densest creamiest substance I've tasted since my first spoonful of mascarpone so many years ago. And it's so uberdelicious. Maybe even better than cow's milk Balkan yogurt. Or at least as good.

I also found goat butter. Yes. Goat butter. I have yet to try it. I'm scared - I won't lie. How does one eat goat butter? On toast? I don't do toast. Maybe with eggs. I'm have to open the fridge and stare at it in fear a few times before I make a decision.

They also had all the Baretta farms organic meat, but the mark-up on it was so prohibitively expensive that... well... it prohibited me from buying it. Even as a test. I will have to order it myself, direct, and just go for it, one day. It may be a risk, but I'm willing to bet it's not all that risky and that I'll love it. I wish I had a big deep freezer. I wish I had room for a big deep freezer. I wish I had a deep freezer full of deeply frozen organic nitrite-free bacon.

One day soon.

Away

Foods Eaten: Clarified butter; eggs; peeled pear; cashews (both raw and roasted); Napa cabbage; celery; leeks; garlic; chicken fat; chicken (skinless); Scotch; potatoes
Calories: 1834 Fat: 148 g Carb: 61 g Fibre: 8 g Protein: 58 g
Weight: 152 lbs

Today I'm going to Peterborough to see a show that some friends of mine are playing. Unfortunately, we're staying with some friends' parents while we're there, so the food thing will be awkward - I'll bring food in a cooler and hopefully they'll understand.