Loving yourself through the journey

The title of this blog is pretty self-explanatory – you gotta love yourself no matter where you find yourself in life. It sounds so cliché, but absolutely true. I think this is probably one of the key “truths” I have learned in my short life… particularly when it comes to how I view my body.

I have been a lot of shapes and sizes – having had a couple of children guarantees that experience. After having the last (absolutely beautiful) baby, I had about 40 pounds to lose to get to where I am today. As of today, I still have about 10 pounds to lose (in the next 6 weeks - eek) before I cross the stage for the Toronto Super Show. Here is the key though – I am perfectly happy with how I am today. I look in the mirror right now and I like what I see… even without the 6-pack. Yes, of course I will enjoy seeing those abs come in, but I don’t need them to define me.

You will still be you when you reach your goals. If you don’t find a way to be happy now, you will be very disappointed when you finally reach your goals. More muscle, or less fat cannot make you happy. You will have developed some character in pursuing your goals, but there is no magic bullet to make everything in your life perfect. I think the first step in that process is learning to be grateful for today, for where you are now, and the gifts you have been given in life. For instance, I am truly grateful for a body that can run, jump and do a solid 25 military push-ups (there was a time when I could do maybe two). Being grateful for what my body can do now allows me to celebrate who I am today. Being grateful right now also removes the anxiety surrounding “weight loss” or “muscle gain” so I can enjoy the process.

Be grateful. Enjoy the journey. Love yourself today.

Stress and Chocolate

Some days are hard. Some weeks are hard. Some months are hard. And yes, some years are hard. I will admit that during my rough patches – like the last few weeks of my life – my gut reaction is to use food as my drug of choice. However, the problem with that is the fact that it really is a drug of choice, not just a funny phrase. Because, food is not something that is intrinsically bad for us, like tobacco or alcohol, it can be easy to justify its use in dealing with our emotions. However, over-feeding yourself, particularly on sugar or other calorie dense foods should never be justified. It is unhealthy and it only masks the stress, frequently exacerbating it, rather than actually soothing or helping the problem.

For instance, I recently spent close to $30 on chocolate and consumed it in a three day period – and it was half-priced Easter chocolate so you can imagine the large quantity. That is completely insane!!! Not only is that a terrible way to treat my body, but I also feel like I have completely betrayed myself and everything I believe in (can you see my stress is exacerbated?!).

Now it is decision time – what do I do with this? Do I throw in the towel and think “oh well, I guess I am just meant to be mediocre and a failure at this” or do I find a way to deal with my failures and get back up? My decision? ABSOLUTELY GET UP! I will be out of bed tomorrow morning at 4:30 am ready for my cardio. I will be packing a healthy lunch (plus snacks of course) AND I will be leaving my cash and cards at home so I cannot cave to the half-priced Easter chocolate lingering downstairs.

No one is perfect and in those moments where life is particularly difficult, whether it is financial, family or job related stress, it is completely normal for your good habits to fall apart a little. However, don’t let the stresses of life completely derail you from all of the great goals and aspirations you have. Find a way to get up… even if it is in the literal sense of getting up a little earlier tomorrow to fit those good habits back into your life.

Fats

There are so many conflicting pieces of information when it comes to fat – what is good for you, what is bad for you – and it changes seemingly daily. Based on my own research and, of course, what tastes good I thought I would weigh in on the conversation with my favorite oil. (*insert note here that I am not a doctor or registered dietician so do your own research too*)

One method of classification for fats looks at the length of the carbon chain (the geometry is also in important) – remember like high school chemistry? There are short-chain, medium-chain, long-chain, and very long chain fatty acids (no joke, very long chain fatty acids are actually a thing). Sometimes you will see a triglyceride thrown in there so it might read ‘short-chain triglyceride’. You can Google all these terms, because in order not to bore you I am going to chat about the medium chain fatty acid. 

In particular, I want to chat about coconut oil. Coconut oil is interesting because unlike many of the other fats/oils/butters we eat it is predominately a medium-chain fatty acid (MCT). According to our friends in the world of science, MCTs are easily absorbed by the body because of their small molecule size (a good thing from a nutritional point of view) and because of the way they are absorbed your body is provided with a good source of energy. There is some research to show that MCTs are good for boosting metabolism (controlling weight) as well as providing better sustained energy through the day. The other major point is that they stand up well to heat. Coconut oil, for instance, does not turn into a trans fat when you cook with it at high heat, like many other oils do. This is important because trans fat = bad.

Ok, so that was the quickest science lesson of your life… and not very thorough so if you are interested do some more research. If you couldn’t care less about the science but like the idea of a good fat, just integrate coconut oil into your life. It truly is delicious and nutritious. You can get a great cold-pressed organic coconut oil from Bulk Barn.

And since you have read this far, be rewarded with a tasty cookie recipe, modified from a Meal Makeover Moms recipe (check them out) using coconut oil.

Berry Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 cup coconut oil (softened)
3/4 cup palm sugar (ok you can use another sugar if you don’t stock palm sugar in your house)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole wheat or coconut flour
1½ cups old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup frozen mixed berries (yes you can use fresh)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F

2. Mix all the wet ingredients, add the dry ingredients, and mix in the berries at the end.

3. Drop large spoonfuls of the batter onto an un-greased baking sheet (I line with parchment paper) and bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until set around edges but still soft in the middle. Transfer to a wire rack to cool (I never transfer to a wire rack because I don't own one but I thought you should have the option).

Sometimes portable meat just doesn’t cut it

Sometimes, when I can’t eat any more meat a nut-loaf can be just the ticket. This recipe is super delicious… and as with most of my food, it is portable. If it can’t go in a cooler to work, I don’t want it. I also operate on a ‘cook on Sunday and never again until at least Wednesday’ principle. This is one of 3 recipes I am cooking up this weekend to stock the fridge with healthy dinners (the other two involve a seafood chili and grilled chicken with a fruity salsa).

Anyway, I hope you give this a try and that you enjoy it as much as I do. Now onwards, and forwards to the beautiful weekend.

Vegetarian Nut Loaf

½ tbsp coconut oil

2 stalks celery, diced

1 large onion, diced

2 cups chopped mushrooms

2 tsp thyme

1 tsp ground caraway seeds

1/3 cup chopped sundried tomatoes (not packed in oil, the dry kind)

¼ cup vegetable broth (in honesty I use beef broth because I am not actually a vegetarian)

3 eggs

1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup chopped walnuts

½ raw unsalted sunflower seeds

½ cup strained diced tomatoes

1.     Preheat oven (or toaster oven) to 350 degrees

2.     In a large skillet heat oil over medium heat, add the celery, onion, mushrooms, sundried tomato, thyme, caraway and broth. Saute/cook until no liquid (or very very little) remains.

3.     In a bowl beat together eggs, bread crumbs and baking powder; fold in mushroom mixture, walnuts and sunflower seeds. Spread in parchment paper lined load pan. Pour strained tomatoes over top.

4.     Bake for approximately 1 hour, or until slightly puffed and firm.

* Makes 4 to 5 servings (i.e. if you eat this with salad I would say 4 servings, but if you are eating it with sweet potato fries and asparagus then probably 5 servings) 

* Don’t stress if you don’t have thyme or caraway seeds, just throw in some Italian seasoning or whatever you have on hand.

Portable Meat and Ice Cream – What I need in my Life

Well I never thought I would see the day where there would be a serious need to have portable meat I could eat without heating. Now I know there are lunch meats and strange dried meats you can buy at gas stations, but I am talking about real food, not faux food with ingredients as long as the alphabet. Anyway, I decided I would share my favorite portable meat with you, in the form of Chelle’s Chicken Mini Loaves (you can go to her blog recipeforfitness.com from my links). I have adjusted her original recipe, but if follows essentially the same idea. Obviously these are a favorite because they taste good both hot and cold but I really love that I can make them in a toaster oven. Four little loaves fit perfectly on that little pan (lined with parchment paper – I am in love with parchment paper for anything that gets baked).

Ingredients:

1 pounds lean ground turkey

½ cup chopped mushrooms

½ medium sized zucchini grated

½ small onion finely chopped

1 egg

Random seasoning – whatever is in arms reach (my favorite is a little Mrs. Dash and some Italien seasoning)

Frank’s Red Hot (if the children will not be eating any)

Instructions:

1)   Mix everything togther – preferably with your hands

2)   Form into four mini-loaves

3)   Cook at 375 until done (about 25 minutes)

Now ice cream, who doesn’t love ice cream? Of course, I can’t exactly have real ice cream but the next best thing can be found in a combination of Greek Yogurt and Chocolate Protein Powder (or vanilla). If you haven't learned this about me, I kind of hoard Greek Yogurt and use if for everything from dessert to making chicken salad. It is like my culinary life was made complete when I was introduced to the stuff. I am dreading the day I have to say good bye to it for a few weeks in advance of the June 2nd show.

Ingredients:

¾ - 1 Cup Greek Yogurt (I like President’s Choice)

1 Scoop Protein Powder of Choice (I like a natural chocolate sweetened with stevia)

Instructions:

1)   Mix together

2)   Put in the freezer until ice cream like in texture (maybe an hour

Oh happy day, happy day, there is ice cream!!!

Here we go again...

It is about 13 weeks until the OPA Provincials at the Toronto Super Show. I have stocked my fridge with produce and meat (I always have enough oats and quinoa to feed a small army). Going back to work has put a bit of a strain on my eating habits – namely 2 pm and Peanut M&Ms have put a strain on my eating – so I am actually pretty excited to get going on a stricter meal plan. Although, I have been packing healthy (clean) food everyday, my self-discipline as it pertains to those dag M&Ms has been lacking. To fix the M&M problem I am no longer bringing money, bank cards, or credit cards into the office tower. I will have to eat what I have planned or nothing at all. I assume at some point I will let myself have my cards back but while I am de-toxing from sugar-garbage I may need the extra barrier.

The moment of truth, what does my starting point look like? In terms of measurements (in inches) – waist: 27.5 – hips: 37 – thighs: 22. In terms of body fat, according to a combination of my magic scales and some calipers I am at around 17.5% and my weight… 148. This is the part where I would like to recommend everyone look into the concept of body fat because although I believe in weighing oneself I believe in using multiple calculations. For instance, if I were just to look at my weight I might feel ‘fat’ but when you look at my body fat it becomes pretty apparent that there is a lot of muscle in there. Check out this great article for a quick guide to body fat with pictures: http://www.leighpeele.com/body-fat-pictures-and-percentages.

And where am I going? Including water weight lost, hopefully down to about 130 pounds, 13% body fat, and measurements of waist: 25 - hips: 35 - thighs: 20.5. This would be approximately where I was in November for the last show so it seems like an appropriate ballpark goal. Again, I need to be clear that in now way, shape or form do I believe it is appropriate for me to live at a state of 13% body fat. I do not believe that would be healthy and at that weight I would be miserable with no energy.

So the really big question – why am I doing this? Good question. In part, it is because I have just always wanted to do compete. However, that is not really a reason. The real reason is that I find having a goal and a focus outside of work, and family provides me with balance and determination. Working on self-discipline in one area truly helps me with other areas – in the past few days I have already seen better results at work in my focus and in my patience with my children.  I go to bed more satisfied at night and that is a huge benefit for my life.

Well, wish me luck and I will be keeping you all updated with my stats as we move along… and maybe I will get brave enough to throw up a photo or two (but it is unlikely because I don’t even wear a bikini to the beach on vacation – yes there is a lot of irony there).

Calories – Why I find them useful once in a while

I generally don’t count calories, but once in a while I find them helpful as a marker.

Before going any further, I want us all on the same page so let’s start with a quick definition of a calorie. By definition a calorie is the energy it takes to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water 1 degree Celsius. In short, a calorie is energy. It is a way to measure the energy that fuels our bodies.  What a calorie will not tell you is whether or not that calorie came from a nutrient-dense food or if it came from some pretend food like deep fried butter balls. This is the basic reason why I would never encourage anyone to only look at calories.

But calories have a place as one indicator in our tool kit for fueling our bodies. In particular relation to weight loss or gain, it takes an excess of 3500 calories above your needs to gain one pound. Likewise you have to reduce your calorie intake by 3500 calories to lose one pound. But how many calories do you need to begin with?

Even if you stayed in bed all day you would burn a certain amount of calories. This is your Basic Metabolic Rate, or BMR. Once you know your BMR you can use the Harris Benedict Equation to find the approximate value of  how many calories you need based on your level of activity. To find your BMR with the Harris Benedict Equation, you could use this online calculator : http://www.muscleandstrength.com/tools/bmr-and-daily-calorie-calculator.html

Using that particular calculator my daily calorie requirements are around the 2300 calorie range. I find it helpful to check in once in a while to make sure I am eating that appropriate amount. I frequently use this website to look up caloric values: http://caloriecount.about.com/. When it comes to weight loss I have found that once I go below 1900 calories/day for a few days I will likely find myself on a binge. For whatever reason my body is not a happy camper below that point. Therefore when I need to lose a few pounds (i.e. if I have spent a few weeks overindulging over the holidays) I know I can easily do it by cutting about 400 calories per day. That means it takes me a little more than a week to lose a pound, which might not sound exciting, but it is the point at which my body is happy to work with me.  If I go below 1900 calories that is the hard way to lose weight. I am miserable and I will self-sabotage by eating 6 ice cream bars after the children are in bed or eating a half jar of peanut butter with a spoon. I would encourage you to find out what range you should be eating in and check in once in a while to see how you are doing. It is just one way to gauge things and I personally find it helpful.

One caveat, calories listed in food (anywhere) are not an exact science. They are an approximation, because food items can vary. That said, it is still helpful to figure out how much you are eating as compared to how much you should be eating. Finally, remember you should be getting these calories from lean protein, fresh or frozen veggies/fruit and whole grains not from processed or fast food sources.

Domesticity and Quinoa Muffins

I do not like to clean but I like to bake. In particular, I like to bake on the weekends when it provides me a domestic outlet that does not involve scrubbing a tub or mopping a floor. I can feel good about doing something for my children that falls under the category of 'happy childhood memories with a 1950s stay-at-home mom' without getting out a vacuum.

This weekend one of the baking adventures involved developing a Quinoa Muffin Recipe. I fell in love with these, so much so that I should probably not make them again. I think I ate 3 when they came out of the oven and another 5 the following day.

Now, if you haven't joined the quinoa band wagon, you should consider adding it to your diet. Quinoa offers a complete protein, meaning it contains all 9 essential nutrients. It is also a good source of magnesium, manganese, folate, and phosphorus.

On with the recipe...

Yield: 12 normal-sized muffins or 18 small muffins

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked quinoa
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup ground flax seed
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup safflower oil
1/4 cup palm sugar (or other sugar)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup milk (I used 1% but use what you prefer)
1 large egg
1 tbsp vanilla extract


Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 and prepare muffin tins. If using silicone you wont need to oil or use paper.
2. Mix wet ingredients in one bowl and dry ingredients in another.
3. Mix wet and dry ingredients together.
4. Pour into prepared muffin tins.
5. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes. For 18 small muffins, it takes 22 minutes in my oven.

People Who Build Your Character: What To Do About Them

I think most of us have at least one person in our lives that could be described as character building. I know I do, and if you don’t, well count yourself lucky.

That said, I find the most brilliant way to keep myself from wanting to throw things – I say wanting to throw things because although I would never actually throw something at anyone I also don’t even want to feel like throwing anything – is regular exercise.

There are a whole host of reasons why you should consider physical exercise, including positive changes in self-perception and well being, an improvement in your self-confidence, a positive change in your mood, less tension, less anxiety, and just a general state of mental well-being.  Although I am certainly no scientist, there is significant research out there that shows this to be true AND I have experienced it for myself.

But why? Well, evidently, when we exercise our brain releases endorphins into our blood stream. The endorphins act in the same way as morphine (in fact the word endorphin is derived from the words endogenous and morphine). I don’t know about you but I think a brilliant way to deal with my issues includes a perfectly safe and legal drug courtesy of my brain.

Happy Sunday

It is Sunday afternoon and you really want a little bit of a special snack to lounge with while the kids nap… ok so now you know what I want on a Sunday afternoon. I have, however, solved my problem, without killing my nutrition plan. Welcome a yummy mocha latte and no-bake protein bars.

Let’s start with the protein bars because you have to stick them in the freezer for a half-hour to get them to really set.

No Bake Protein Bars 

Ingredients:

•  1 ¾ cups rolled oats (seriously people just stop buying the quick oats)
•  ½ heaping cup natural nut butter of choice (I used peanut butter but I am thinking cashew butter would be AMAZING)
•  4 scoops natural whey protein powder (I usually avoid the flavored stuff – too much garbage rolled in there)
• 1 tbsp of flax seed (because flax can really go in anything)
• ½ cup water
• 2 tbsp of agave nectar or raw hunny (we were reading Winnie the Pooh last night so that was an intentional typo)

Instructions

1. Put everything in a bowl, wash your hands, and mix it up with your clean hands.
2. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper, press the dough into the pan.
3. Pop the pan in the freezer for a half hour, remove and cut into 6 squares.

Ok, so now that we have our protein bars done, let’s move on to the latte. If you don’t know me well, you may not understand how strongly I feel about good coffee. It is kind of a love affair that coffee and I have going on and because it is such a strong relationship I try to limit my exposure to two cups a day. However, today is Sunday and we are going to town with a third afternoon cup so let’s make this mocha latte. 

Mocha Latte

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp ground coffee
• 1 tbsp cocoa
• ½ tsp vanilla
• ½ cup milk of choice

Instructions:

1. Put the first two ingredients in your French Press (if you don’t have a French press you could use a Melita).
2. Fill the French Press half way up with hot water, then add the vanilla.
3. While waiting for the coffee to brew, heat your milk. I chose the easy method of the microwave with a follow-up of my hand foamer. However, you could also heat your milk on the stove and whisk like crazy.
4. Add the milk to the coffee (in a cup, not the French Press – I do not drink straight from my French Press even with my extreme love of coffee). 

Now settle yourself down, enjoy, and if you children are awake by now put on a DVD – something educational so you can feel good about taking a break. Voila, Happy Sunday!!! 

Baby Boy Banana Muffins

These muffins are named after my son's extreme love for them. They are really quite healthy Enjoy.

Ingredients:
4 mashed ripe bananas
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/8 cup wheat bran or wheat germ
1/8 cup hulled flax seed (you can just leave this out if you don't have any and use wheat germ/bran instead)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1/4 cup agave nectar or raw honey
1/4 safflower oil
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling!)
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

Instructions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350. Prepare 12 muffin tins either with cooking spray or line with paper.
2. Combine all dry ingredients in one bowl.
3. Combine all wet ingredients in another bowl.
4. Mix all ingredients together.
5. Pour into muffin tins and bake for about 30 minutes (mine work out perfect in 28 minutes).

Beautiful, Not Broken

Everyday on my way to work I walk by a large photo of Marilyn Monroe hanging in the window of a hair salon. The other day, as I noticed how beautiful this Hollywood icon appeared in her photo, I couldn’t help but remember that she was evidently far from happy. Of course, I am no expert on the life of Marilyn Monroe, but that doesn’t really matter. My point is that, although this woman was a superstar and has remained an icon in the psyche of popular culture she appears to have been a terribly unhappy person who had a number of broken marriages, no children and a dependency on prescription drugs. I think her life provides a clear illustration: your character and your relationships are what really matter. No matter how beautiful you are it isn’t your appearance that will make you happy.

I know we all hear it, but you really wont find your life’s satisfaction in perfecting your body. As you work to improve anything in life, you need to do it from a place where you know you are just as valuable today as you will be when you have lost 10 pounds or gained some muscle or run a marathon. Losing weight or accomplishing a goal is important but it cannot be the source of your happiness. So as you move into the new year and you potentially think about setting some goals for yourself, be reminded that you want to be beautiful not broken – set your sights on creating a character that is as beautiful as you are on the outside. Use your nutrition and exercise goals to support healthy relationships and a lifestyle that inspires other to create a better life for themselves.  

Oatmeal to Go Breakfast Cookies

These are my favourite thing in the world to make. I love this recipe so much that I have had to limit my making them, or as in the case of this weekend, plan on giving most of them away. I am bringing these to work on Monday (yep, back to work after a whole year off on maternity leave). I tend to eat them for two or three meals a day when I have them on hand, which isn't the most balanced approach to life so I will pawn off the delicious healthy 'cookies' on others. These cookies freeze really well so whip up a batch, throw 'em in the freezer, and you will be ready to grab one when you need a healthier snack on the go instead of some sugar and saturated fat filled store bought bar (yuck).

The recipe is modified from one in Tosca Reno's 'Eat Clean Diet Recharged' book (if you haven't figured it out yet, I love Tosca!).


EC Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

1 1/3 Cup Safflower Oil or Light Olive Oil (or any 'healthier' oil, buy organic cold pressed if you can)
1 1/3 Cup Unsweetened Applesauce
1.5 cups Sucanat, Palm Sugar or other healthy sugar
4 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla
1 ½ tsp salt
8 cups rolled oats
2 cups whole wheat or 12-grain flour
1 cup wheat germ or flax or a combination of both (if you don't have wheat germ or flax just use flour)
1 cup plain whey protein powder (if you don't have protein powder just use flour)
8 oz raisins (optional)
8 oz chopped walnuts (optional)

* If you really want to get crazy, add 8 oz of smashed up 80% cocoa dark chocolate - this will be the addition for my coworkers*

Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Cream the oil, applesauce and sugar together in large bowl until smooth. Beat in eggs, vanilla and sea salt. Use a large wooden spoon or clean hands to work in flour and oats. Add raisins and walnuts (or chocolate) if desired and mix until evenly distributed. Shape the dough into large 3-inch balls and press into 5 or 6 inch flat cookies on baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes or until as brown as you desire. Cool on wire racks.
Makes 24 very large cookies.

Five Things

Today I thought I would share a random assortment of information and tips with you, just things I think everyone should know:

1. Crunches - You would have to do about 250,000 crunches to lose 1 pound of fat. You will never have ab definition by relying on crunches. The key to abs surrounds is your diet. You need to eat clean – for more info on this check out Tosca Reno’s books if you haven’t already.
2. Fitness Models - Also related to those coveted abs (particularly for women) 99.9% of fitness models on magazine covers diets down before a shoot.That fabulous body does not look like that 365 days a year. Although, I am no fitness model, I will use myself as an example here. I intentionally gained about 8 pounds after my fitness show earlier this month. Why? It wouldn’t be healthy for me to maintain a body fat percentage that low AND I was water depleted the day of the competition. I was down about 3-4 pounds of water weight! I am learning to be happy without the level of muscle definition I had a few weeks ago and recognize that magazines are not a reflection of reality (which I can forget sometimes).
3. Lifting weights – if you are female, under no circumstances will you look like a body builder if you lift weights. You do not have the testosterone required to build bulky muscle. Muscle on women only makes them ‘tighter’ and ‘leaner’. Also, as a bonus, resting muscle burns more calories than resting fat which means you get to eat more. I don’t know about you but I would like to be able to eat extra food every day. I like food. I eat six meals a day and I love it!
4. The scale – The scale can be evil. Do not rely on your weight to tell you what you look like. Have you ever walked up to someone on the street and said “Excuse me, what do you weigh?”. A number means very little, especially if you have a significant amount of muscle. For instance I know a woman who is almost 4 inches shorter than I am and weighs the same as I do (140 pounds – yep I just revealed my weight – shock and big gasp haha). Guess who looks “better”? She does - She has a lot of lean muscle and a lower body fat percentage. Instead of relying on the scale, take before and after pictures, measurements, body fat percentage, the fit of your clothes, and most importantly how you feel as an indication of your progress.
5. Planning and Preparation - These are the keys to almost all success in life, and particularly in terms of health and fitness. If you want to succeed you need to plan your meals and your workouts. Prepare healthy food on the weekends so you have something nutritious to grab when things are going crazy. I like to throw a bunch of chicken breasts on the foreman grill so I can chop and add them to any meal. Get your workout clothes out the night before so all you can do when you roll out of bed is put them on. My running shoes are literally beside my bed when I go to sleep at night. My morning routine looks like this: Get up; make coffee and grab a quinoa pancake from the freezer; drink coffee and eat pancake; work out. Make exercising a non-negotiable habit and healthy food all that is easy to grab in your house.

Ok, I think that sums up my little rant of the day. Big hugs and support to everyone keeping it healthy through the holiday season.

No More Excuses

Ok, so we all like to pretend that we are some special case, like we have a really legit reason for not getting in shape, eating healthy or losing some weight. Here is the thing, if you even know me, you should realize by now that you have absolutely no excuse – zero - none. You can take whatever situation you are in and work with it to create the body and the life you have always wanted.

However, if you haven’t clued in and still want to make the excuses I am going to bust through those right now.

1.     “I don’t have time”

Umm, yes you do. You only need about 20 minutes per day to get in a workout.  I get up at 5 am every day of the week to make sure I get in at least 45 minutes of exercise on 6 of those days.

2.     “My partner/spouse/family isn’t supportive so I can’t fit exercise in or eat clean”

So what? I don’t even have a partner and I make time. I have no one to watch the kids while I take time out for me. Again, I get up at 5 am to fit in a solid workout before my children wake up. AND you can make your own food if your partner still wants to eat garbage. Live by example and forge a path instead of following their bad example.

3.     “I don’t have the money for a gym membership”

I am a sole-support parent without the babysitting or the extra cash at present for a gym membership. I got that body you see on Facebook solely training at home with almost no equipment.

4.     “I don’t know what I am doing”

Exercise: Number 1, you have GOOGLE! Seriously! You also have YOUTUBE! However, if that doesn’t work for you buy yourself a $10 Jillian Micheals DVD or a subscription to Oxygen Magazine. Both are inexpensive ways to figure it out.

Eating Habits: Buy ‘The Eat Clean Diet” by Tosca Reno. This book, or any book in her series, is literally all you need to change your eating habits and it is only $15.85! If you don’t have $15 as for it for Christmas. Here is a link on Amazon to buy it http://www.amazon.ca/Eat-Clean-Diet-Recharged-Tosca-Reno/dp/1552100677/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321109880&sr=8-1

5.     “I can’t afford healthy food”

Actually, you can. Here are some tips: Stay out of the centre aisles of the grocery store; Eggs are cheap and a great source of protein; Organic Tofu is another inexpensive protein option; Watch for sales on things like chicken breast; Buy frozen fruit and veggies to supplement the fresh fruits and veggies; and STOP buying coffee and meals out - make your own. Again, I am a sole-support parent here without a ton of cash and I make it happen.

6.     “I have health problems”

You can work around literally any health or physical problem. Talk to your doctor or physiotherapist to help you come up with a plan.

7.     “I don’t want to look stupid”

No one is going to laugh at you. All those really ripped people out there will be silently cheering you on for changing your life – that is why they may look at you, not because they are laughing at you.

8.     “I don’t like to work out”

Then you haven’t looked hard enough for something you like to do. Also, just change your attitude! Decide you are going to enjoy your workouts instead of griping about them. Furthermore, you are an adult and we have to do things we don’t like sometimes.

9.     “It hurts to work out”

DOMS – Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness is normal. This is just because you are not accustomed to the exercise.  This will decrease over time and when I am sore, I just like to think of it as my workout having been effective.

10. “It’s my genetics – I am destined to be fat/skinny because my whole family is fat/skinny”

This is a giant lie! In the words of Tosca Reno (and a lot of other experts) your genes make up only about 10% of what your physical body looks like. It is your eating and exercise habits that shape your body for the most part. I never want to hear this out of anyone’s mouth again.

11. “I have no energy to exercise”

This is a chicken vs. egg argument. You have no energy because you don’t exercise and you don’t exercise because you have no energy. Change your habits today. Get enough rest, cut out the refined and processed foods and decide you are going to start an exercise regime. You will have more energy than you ever dreamed possible.

Post Competition

In case you missed the BIG news, I placed 2^nd in the Bikini Tall category at the OPA Ottawa Championships. I am still a little in shock but sooo pleased with the results. This also means that I qualify for provincials in the spring and I am beyond excited about that.

Now, it is 4 days after my first competition and I feel HUGE.  As many of you are aware, fitness competitors and fitness models lean out significantly to get that great muscle definition in the couple of weeks prior to a show or a photo shoot.  However, I have found regaining those last few pounds – a totally healthy and normal thing – to be really hard psychologically. I know in my head that maintaining such a low body fat percentage is not healthy or reasonable but that doesn’t mean I don’t wish I could have six-pack abs every day of the year!!!

My other struggle has been food and by food I mean eating too much of it and not the right balance. After being on such a regimented diet leading up to the show, the idea of being able to eat whatever I want has been a little overwhelming! Tonight for instance, I ate about half a pint of ice cream… and I feel really sick. Sigh!!! However, to combat this cycle, I have created a detailed meal plan for myself for tomorrow. It is posted on my fridge and I can check the meals and snacks off as I go. I like to check things – it fills my heart with joy.

On a more positive note, my workouts this week have been amazing!!! Having more carbs in my diet has made such a difference in both my strength training and cardiovascular workouts. I feel like superwoman -- I am killing the intervals on the treadmill and pushups are my friend again. May God bless rolled oats and Ezekiel wraps for making my life such a happy place once more.

Just for your entertainment, here is the aforementioned meal plan for tomorrow:

Breakfast: ¼ cup quinoa, ¼ cup steel cut oats, 2 egg whites, ½ cup cranberries plus black coffee

Snack: 1 cup Greek Yogurt, 1 cup mixed berries, 1 T flax, 1 T hulled hemp hearts plus black coffee

Lunch: mango-chicken Ezekiel wrap, asparagus

Snack: 2 hard-boiled eggs, ½ cucumber sliced

Dinner: whole wheat chicken, spinach no-cheese Pizza (home-made), mixed salad greens with Balsamic Vinegar

Snack (If Hungry): 1 scoop protein, 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling), and cinnamon to taste

3 L of water throughout the day plus extra during cardio training

Strapped for Time but want a workout?

Strapped for Time but want a workout? Here is a quick plyometric circuit for you.

This workout will get you results in all areas – cardio capacity, strength and power – and all you need for equipment is a way to time yourself.

Instructions:

Complete each movement for one minute, doing as many repetitions as you can within that minute then move onto the next move.  

Take breaks when you need to between exercises. For instance, you could complete two exercises then rest for one minute, complete two more then rest for one minute.

If you have more time, you can repeat the circuit.

Monday Morning Plyo Routine

1.     Skipping (faux skip if you don’t have a rope)

2.     Jumping Jacks

3.     Mountain Climbers (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyeZM-_VnRc

4.     Butt Kicks

5.     One Leg Quarter Turn Jumps (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZ3elB616wA)

6.     Burpees (ya know you love ‘em and if you don’t love ‘em learn to xoxo)

7.     Knees Up

8.     Plank Jacks (instructions here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pm7asV_h-Mw)

9.     Jump Squats (instructions here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utQShuge6Vk&feature=related)

10. Speed Skaters (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpnT1XrdhBU)

Freedom: It's what drives success.

Diet and Exercise. Those two words are enough to make about 50% of the population cringe. Lets use a timeless example, how often have you (or someone you know if we don't wanna make this personal) gotten on a treadmill to run off those cookies or that piece of chocolate cake?

Is the run any fun? No.

Do you feel better about yourself after? No.

Why is that? Because we diet and exercise from a place of legalism and punishment for not being good enough.  We say things like ‘I am not allowed to eat those cookies’ or ‘I have to work out for exactly 1.5 hours, 6 days per week or my body will never change’. If that sounds like your approach to fitness, take an imaginary eraser and erase everything in your brain that told you what eating and fitness were supposed to look like. It doesn’t have to be like that.

If you are reading this blog you probably know that I have lost 30 pounds since February of 2011. How did I do it? Diet and Exercise BUT here is the real key, I have learned not to punish myself but instead to enjoy the journey. Now when I run I enjoy the freedom of movement, the chill of the fall air, and the changing colour of the leaves. I am even enjoying the extremely limited nutrition plan I am on now as preparation for my first fitness show. 

How did I get here? It has been a slow process of revelation centred around the fact I want to enjoy every single minute of my life and I want to be able to live life as big as I can. I want to know that my time spent on earth was not only spent wisely but also in giving my all to every moment. I cannot give my all if my body is unhealthy. As I move myself to a place of being a better me, I can enjoy what previously seemed like discomfort because it is making me a better me. No one is forcing me to go through this process, I am FREE to choose and I am FREE to enjoy my life.

Where do you start in getting free? Today, I want you to find 6 things about yourself that you really like - 3 physical attributes and 3 character traits. Anytime you hear a negative voice telling you that you eat too much, you don't weigh what you should, or that you don't have enough discipline I want you remind yourself about those 6 things. Start rejoicing in who you are and where you are on this journey so that you can move forward from a place of completion instead of from a place of not enough.

Lighten-Up Pumpkin Pie from Clean Eating Magazine

Still on the theme of Thanksgiving, I am sharing a recipe from the folks at Clean Eating Magazine (www.cleaneatingmag.com) for an easy to make healthier and lighter but oh-so-tasty pumpkin pie. I don't know about you, but seriously Thanksgiving would not be complete in my mind without pumpkin pie. Yumm! I can't wait to make (and eat) this pie!

Lighten-Up Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups crushed ginger snaps or graham crackers

1 ½ tbsp safflower oil

2 egg whites

1 whole egg

1 scant cup loosely packed organic brown sugar

1 tsp finely grated orange or lemon peel

1 tsp each of ground ginger, cinnamon, ground cardamom and sea salt

1/8 tsp each ground allspice and mace

1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk, preferable skim

1 (14 oz) can organic pumpkin puree (not pie filling)

Instructions:

1)   Place crumbs in a deep-dish (9 or 10 inch pie plate). Drizzle with oil. Using a fork, stir to moisten. Using your hands press crumbs against the bottom and up the sides of the pan – the crust should look crumbly. Refrigerate while making the filling, allowing the crust to set a little.

2)   Lightly beat egg whites and whole egg. Whisk in brown sugar, grated peel, spices and seal salt. Whisk in milk and pumpkin puree. Pour over crust. Place pie on a baking sheet. Bake in centre of preheated 300 F oven until centre is almost set when pan is jiggled, 60 to 75 minutes.

Timesaving Tip: Pie tastes best the same day it’s made. However, it will keep well if covered and refrigerated overnight. The flavors blend as it sits, so a good alternative is to make the pie filling and crust the day before. Wrap and refrigerate each separately. Fill crust and bake on serving day.

Thanksgiving so Have Some Giving

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I am feeling pretty grateful for all of the wonderful people/places/things in my life. Sooo I thought I would do some giving. This post is a full body at home workout that you can do with just your body weight - no materials required. I have provided youtube links demonstrating proper form and technique for each movement.


*** Remember you should always consult your physician before beginning any diet or exercise program. ***

This program is designed as a circuit - I love circuits - circuits make me happy.

Start with the warm-up movement (your choice of either inchworms of squats depending on your level of fitness) then complete exercises 1 through 6. Take a two minute break. Repeat the circuit two more times, for a total of three times through the circuit. Beginners: do the circuit twice through and work up to three times through.

The number of repetitions are outline for you. For instance, for side-step lunges you are doing twelve lunges on each side. The number of repetitions are a guideline. If you cannot make it to the number stated just go until exhaustion. Alternatively, if you can do more (with proper form) go for it. Also, begin the push-ups aiming for one full military style push-up before modifying and work your way up to the whole set. Remember to stretch at the end.

The Thanksgiving - Giving Workout  - Complete 3 days per week

Exercise	Reps	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3
Warm – Up: Inch Worms	10		N/A	N/A
1.  Side Step Lunges	3 X 12 (each side)
2. Push-Ups	3 X 12
3. Supermans	3 X 10
4. * Band Bicep Curl -  Wall	3 X 12
5. Tricep Dips (Chair)	3 X 10
6. Plank Shoulder Taps	3 X 12 (each side)

*If you don't have a band or weights and cannot buy either, get a two small bags, fill them with some stuff to make them heavier and lift it like weights.

Youtube Links

Warm-Up:

a) 10 inch worms (stand in between each rep)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWytglYN8HI&feature=related

OR

b) 15 Squats

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDdSZmWNYQI&feature=related

* Don’t do full speed, keep it slow and controlled

1) Legs – Side Step Lunges

Proper Lunge Form

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egITs8S5R8c

2) Chest/Shoulders – Push-ups

Proper Military Push-up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5ewKCtUGgk

Proper Modified Push-up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilKBvS91MEA

3) Back – Supermans

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8szJuzPt-sg

4) Triceps – Chair Tricep Dips

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKjcgfu44sI

5) Biceps – Band Curl Against Wall

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqRCwG1z1CU

(Don’t squat if using band, just keep back against the wall)

6) Core - Plank Shoulder Taps

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_pk0vEOIFY

* These can be modified from knees like a push-up