Let's go pound for pound

Moving to Korea is a life change. New country, new jobs, new friends - new lifestyle! Coming here I had it in mind that the entire lifestyle change would include a fitness change.

When Jean-Marc and I met last summer, we were both in much different shape. I was training for my first 10km race, so I was running 2-3 times a week and playing ultimate frisbee 3 nights a week .. plus the occasional softball game. I was feeling fit. Jean-Marc had spent a good deal of time playing tennis that summer and was also fit. When winter hit, we weren't working out as much and, well, I wrote a thesis. That comes with a lot of stress, emotional eating, boredom eating, top that with heavy Christmas food, and voila!  A recipe for disaster. With JM's slim body type, he lost weight because he wasn't working out (frig) and I packed on the pounds.

So last week we decided to shake things up a bit. We made a bet: pound for pound, whoever loses/gains the most by Christmas Day 2012 wins, and the other person has to pay for their Christmas vacation.

This weekend I joined a fitness group to start winning this bet. Flipside Fitness is an all girls group run by a fabulous lady from Ontario (I know - what are the chances?!) who puts her heart and soul into getting us in shape. She runs boxercise classes (read: intense butt kicking workouts) on the weekend and organizes events centered around health and being active throughout the month. I've only been a member a few days and already I feel empowered to take control of my life. Amy posts motivational quotes and information about eating well, as well as weekly fitness challenges and even a newsletter. It is a very active Facebook group.

I went to my first boxercise class on Saturday and what an intense workout it was. I don't think I've ever sweat that much in my life. Combining boxing with circuit training (yes, I put on a pair of boxing gloves for the first time in my life!), and you get a full body workout. It felt so great to exercise again.

Watch out ... we are pretty tough!

So there you have it. The bet is officially posted online. We'll keep you updated as to who is winning and what we are up to to achieve our goals. For now I'm going to go back to researching 5-star resorts in Tahiti for Christmas vacation. he he.

Looks good right?

Happy Birthday to Me

Growing up. Getting older. Earning your wrinkles. Obtaining wisdom and the right to pass gas in public. Alright, maybe I'm not there yet but birthdays never seem to get easier. That is, when you feel you have no direction in your life, a birthday is just the marking of another failed year past rather than a celebration. A year and a half ago, New Years Day 2011, I sat in a coffee shop with my dear friend Mallory discussing the future. Neither of us had a 5-year plan, heck we weren't even sure when we'd finish our degrees. But I told her my vision for the next 18 months. I would finish this darn thesis by the end of the year, if it was the last thing I'd do, I would take some linguistics classes in the winter semester of 2012, graduate that summer and move to Korea to teach English in September. And here's the best part: my plan came true! Everything I set out to do, in the time limit I set for myself, happened. Oh wait, there was one unexpected thing that I didn't plan for - I met a wonderful boy who fit right in and he's coming to Korea with me! I don't think I could have asked for a more complete year. It started with a bang too - last year I met my childhood idol Bill Nye The Science Guy on my birthday and he signed my t-shirt. Twenty-five was great, and I'm looking forward to 26. Hey! That feels good. It's been a while since I was able to say that.

My birthday is not actually going to be the most fun day. Because we are moving abroad, I have to get all my vaccines up to date. And I'm due for a booster shot (the tetanus one) and they want to test me for immunity to MMR. Ughh needles. But I did get an oral vaccine for typhoid fever and traveller's D + cholera. Yay for oral vaccines! And I have to get a chest x-ray. My guess is to show I don't have TB, but hasn't Korea heard of the skin test?? I'm also waiting in line to get my license plates renewed. Today is the only day I'm in Ontario all month, so it's the day to get health and car stuff taken care of.

Well, it's only noon and I managed to get all my errands done! Great Scott! Now I'm off to help my mom move into her new home. Tonight we have dinner plans in Toronto with my good friend Sandhya and a movie about a male stripper comes out today, so what better way to celebrate?!

Bye for now,

Jennika

June 29, 2011 - Meeting Bill Nye on my 25th birthday

June 29, 2012 - This year my dad got me a cake and it was delicious!