April 29th...Times Colonist 10km Run!

Well we made it...Angela, Bev, Christine, Trellia and my cousin Julia, who joined in somewhere along km 3, to finish their first 10km!  I just wanted to say you made me proud!  As a Trainer, this is the best part of my job, when I get to share a huge moment with someone, right as they accomplish their goal...that's pretty special and that's why I love my job.  We had the best day ever!  Car pooled in and planed our strategy, not! We were half awake...my driving proved that.  Scored parking right down town (thanks to Christine) A.K.A. Yellow Coat Warrior...well really it was a "cream coat".  Headed to the start line, briefly lost Angela...A.K.A. Chatty-Patty.  Found a spot in the sea of people, including my cousin Julia and her man, Kyle.  And then we were off, took about 6mins. to actually get to the startline. 

 We were at least 2 blocks up from the start line...

Trellia and I, freezing our butts off waiting to start...

Even with all this body heat, we were still cold and some were wearing way less than my awesome ear warmers...

 So many people, spent the first 2 kms, weaving in and out of them...

Then somehow in the mids of thousands of people, I found my cousin Julia and got her to the finish line...

And apparently we had time to pose for pictures...

Ahhh the beach, were getting close to the finish line...

Only Angela would get a picture of the finish line as were about to cross...

Angela and Trellia, happy it's all over with...or because they just had some yummy treats from the recovery tent!...

 We all made it!  Bev, Trellia, Christine, me and Angela.  We even finished with enough energy to eat some cookies afterwards from the recovery tent.

 Happy, Happy!  Me and Angela...

 Joy, Joy!  Christine and Bev...

 Happy girl with her coffee, I am!

 Post race chit chat, we were all afraid to sit down, thinking our legs would seize and we wouldn't be able to get back up...we need the "Life Line" button!

 Look back at the finish line and what we accomplished today...WE ROCK!

April 27th..."Plain" old yogurt!

Well there is definitely something to be said for plain / natural Greek yogurt.  I had both in my fridge because my brother who was visiting last week, just had to have "something" in his yogurt. Well he did al-right!  " Holly sugar Batman"...here's the difference.  

Plain, per 3/4 cup. 120 cal. / 0g fat./ 12g carbs. / 2g sugar / 18g protein. 

Fruit on the bottom, per 3/4 cup. 190 cal./ 3.5g fat / 25g carbs./ 19g sugar / 14g protein.

WOW, there are some serious differences here.  If you are not reading your labels then you could be adding allot of extra calories to your day.  Instead, ad some fresh fruit or a bit of your favourite trail mix.

April 23rd...Big "Thank-You" to Craig and his tools!

Well the weekend is over and I have to say that I might have over indulged just a weee bit!  Friday was a full on Turkey dinner at Mom's, which I had 2 servings! Saturday's "Carb Fest" included 2 pieces of bread, 1 cookie and turkey leftovers, Oh and 1 1/2 cocktails at a Fund-Raiser for my son's Pre-school.  Sunday was the home run of pig outs, I had 1 piece of this 2 layer pizza creation...so let's call it more like the equivalent of 2 pieces.  Needless to say I feel grouse and my body is NOT happy with me...let's just say, it was a good idea that I didn't have to go anywhere this morning!
     Today, I'm totally pumped because Craig(Angela"s hunny pie)came over and installed 2 screws into the rock face.  I added some other hardware and 2 large dock ropes.  Now we have Mel's version of a "rope climb" yeehaa, can't wait til tonight to use it for Boot Camp!

 I added knots to the rope to help with the grip strength.

 Using your feet pressed against the rock wall, helps lift your body off the ground.

       You have to pull with everything you got!

And then dig a little deeper...or the matt awaits your butt!

Some make it look effortless...even pretty ;)

This is an awesome view to really see just how much of an incline your on, and realize just how much upper body strength is used.  Awesome job everyone!

April 22nd...who do you influence?

My brother Derek, is in town visiting from Fort Mac, and we were down in the gym working out yesterday doing our thing, when my son came in and decided to join us.  He was very enthusiastic, and wanted to copy everything we were doing...I even had him hanging off the pull up bar!  To my son, this was effortless and play time.  I was reminded at that moment, just how much of an influence we have on our children and how they view exercise.  If you want healthy kids then it has to start with you, your actions and your attitude, towards exercise and good food choices.  Try to include them in picking out healthy snacks and let them choose a healthy activity, like going to the beach, looking for treasures or going on a hike.  Here are some actions shots of Chase working out!

 Chase doing a Bench Press...looks pretty intense with his socks on and feet crossed!

 He was about to get fancy and do the "bridge" on the bench...he said it would challenge his core and balance more that way.

While Uncle Derek is pounding out push ups, Chase decide to take a rest and flex a little muscle for us!

April 19th...Sexy Arms for Summer!

Well, now that I'm a good 14 years into the Fitness Industry, I'd have to say I have a good selection of exercises under my belt.  Trends come and go, and new "tweeks" are added to the old exercises to spice them up. Boot Campers, can you think of how many different kinds of lunges we have done...I know one of your favorites was the "lateral hoping" lunges we did this week, tee hee.  I came across this shoulder exercise again, in the P90X-2 and forgot how awesome it was.  Why I like it, cause it hits the shoulders hard, if you want fab shoulders for summer, this is the exercise.  Plus it gently stretches out the muscles in the upper back as you transition from one direction to the other.  Give it a try!

 Step 1) Stand with palms facing outward.

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 Step 2) Keep arms straight and lift up to the outside...DO NOT LIFT PAST SHOULDER HEIGHT.

 Step 3) Bring arms together, pause at the top.

 Step 4) Drop down arms fully to your sides. Now you are complete in the FORWARD direction...repeat in REVERSE now!

 Step 5) Bring arms back straight up.

 Step 6) Arms straight out to the side, don't forget to smile!!!

Step 7) And back down to start position...that is 1 rep.  
NOTES: Stand feet shoulder width apart, chest up and keep arms straight through out...if you can't, then the weight is TOO HEAVY. Move through each transitions slowly.  Do not use heavy weights here, start light 3-5lbs. and add Reps 8-15, before weights...this will keep your shoulder/back healthy and injury free.


FOOD DIARY:
7am-coffee.
8am-Banana and 1 protein pancake.
9:15am-My workout.
10:30am-2 eggs mixed w. veggies and 2 pieces turkey bacon...and yes 1 choco chip cookie.
1:30pm-1/2 cup Greek yogurt w. 1 tblsp dried cranberries.
4pm-1 turkey pepperoni and 1 chic pea cookie and 1 small piece cheese.
4:45pm-Teach Crossfit Boot Camp.
6:30pm-4 pork skewers, 1/2 potatoe, 2 cups spinach salad w. 1 orange.
8:45pm-1/2 cup berries w 1 scoop Greek yogurt and 10 chocolate chips;)

April 18th...All of us have a Cookie Monster inside of us!

Here's how I was feeling today...

I was on a cookie making frenzy, cookies for the kids and trying to conquer this Chic Pea Protein cookie.  I'm trying to make it tastier with out the added calories...I know If I added chocolate chips to it, they would taste great...but then I would eat the whole batch.  By just making it a bit sweeter, it's a treat for me but I won't eat more than one at a time. Yes I'm playing head games with myself, but it works! Sometimes ya just gotta do what ya gotta do to stay on track.


FOOD DIARY:
7am-coffee and 1 power ball.
8:30am-1/2 cup raw oats w. 1/4 berries and 1/2 cup yogurt.
9:20am-Teach Crossfit.
11am-2 cold Italian sausages and 2 power pancakes and 5 strawberries
12:30pm-coffee...baked cookies ect... for 2 hours:)
2pm-1 choco.chip cookie and 1 chic pea cookie...hmmm I wonder which tasted better!
3:30pm-my workout
4:45pm-Protein shake w. water and banana.
5pm-Teach Crossfit.
6:05pm-Spinach salad, w. strawberries, 1 turkey burger.
7:15pm-1/2 cup chili w. 8 w/w tortilla chips...the chips tasted great at first, then I could totally taste the oil, yuk!
7:30pm-DAM choco.chip cookie again!!!

April 17th...Paleo Abs

OK I'm officially just over 2 weeks in doing the Paleo Diet.  So far so good, learning about my eating habits AGAIN!  I have realized that to be successful for this type of eating I so have to be on it for my meal preperation.  It would be so easy to just grab a P&J sandwhich, but no, I had another freak'n spinach and chicken salad...I did have 6 mini flavored rice cakes...Chase was driving me nuts!!! Children another food trigger.  I posted another picture of my Abs, side view cause I think the front still looks the same... you all get to see my sexy fleece PJs!

My clothes are definitely looser, I know from before, that I need a good 4 weeks to really see a difference.  I had a good chit-chat with Laura about figuring out what type of work outs we like and don't like and what gets us results.  So based on that conversation, I have decide to kick up my work out, take it up a notch...been a bit "lazy" for me last 2 weeks, been doing the work outs just not long enough or as intense as I should be. Going to put together a work out schedules today, stick it on the fridge, put in my set work out times, so there are no excuses!  I know what I put into it, is exactly what I will get out of it...time to get HARDCORE...look out Boot Campers cause it ALWAYS over flows onto you!!!!...maybe I should have a nap first...lol


FOOD DIARY:
7am- coffee
8:30am-2 eggs w.spinch, mushrooms, grn onions and 2 pieces turkey bacon and 1 Protein pancake...I was hungry!
10:30am-2 chic pea cookies and coffee.
1pm-Spinach salad w.chicken and strawberries, 1 tsp dressing and 6 mini rice cakes. 
2:30pm-45 min. work out
3:30pm- Protein shake w. water, berries, kale, power ball.
6pm-2 Italian sauages and 1 cup root veggie soup.
7:30pm-1/2 cup chili and a power ball.

April 16th...Chic Pea cookies, really?

Ok so by now you must know my sister in law, Lara.  She's the one that finds all these awesome recipes and gets me to make them...but when she told me about Chic Pea Protein Cookies, all I could think of was, a cookie tasting like hummus!  WRONG, yum!!! What I love about these cookies is that they are a great base or starting point. I should have read the recipe right through before I started, but having no patience, I didn't.  Anyhow, it states that if you are use to really sweet cookies you might find these a bit bland.  I used dark chocolate because I didn't want all the extras that go with regular chocolate chips.  Adding a banana and some cinnamon or a bit of your favourite dried fruit would really add some WOW to these.  Here's what I used...

, 

Pretty sure most of us have this stuff kicking around in the pantry...I was tired this morning and actually opened a can of white kidney beans first...read you labels!

                       4 squares of dark chocolate equal about 3oz. 

 

Portion size is 1 tblsp. note to self, use a regular spoon and eye ball it, otherwise you'll be there forever scraping the dough out of the tblsp.

 I got 23 cookies out of this batch, works out to 67 calories per cookie, with 3 grams of protein in each!

So you can see the inside, it's soft and moist.  I think even if this time around it was a bit bland, I will still eat anything that looks like a cookie!


Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, well-rinsed
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup nutbutter (I prefer making it a Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough by using peanut butter)
• 1/4 cup nondairy milk (I used almond milk. Water will probably work, too)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

First, drain and wash chickpeas well. Make sure they are well-washed so that the cookie dough doesn’t taste like beans. Add all the ingredients except chocolate into a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Adjust liquid as needed. Stir in chocolate chunks.

Drop dough by Tablespoonfuls on an un-greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400* for 15 minutes or until the bottoms are nice and brown.

Got the recipe from " A Spoonful of Sugar Free"

April 13th...Hello sunshine!

Well it's about time the sun came out! I find I feel glum when it's raining out and unmotivated to do anything but eat.  There is nothing better than working out in the sun, you feel the warmth on your face and the brightness lifts your spirits...plus a little tan is always good too!  I posted this picture yesterday on FB, and it seemed many of you were feeling the same way!

If looking at this poor dog does not make you smile, well then, you really had a bad day!  I just wanted to give a "shout out" to all my Boot Campers, you all did amazing this week, really gave it your all, on our last WOD.  I love to see how strong and confident you are all becoming! I had a great conversation with my client, Grandma S, besides the the fact that she totally rocked her work out, AGAIN, it's about putting yourself first...if you don't see your health as a priority or make it YOUR priority, how do you expect others to see it that way as well.  Your not being selfish, your just saying that this is important to me and others need to respect that.  Enjoy the weekend, go somewhere different for a walk or run, either way, get outside!


Food Diary:
7am- coffee
8am-banana
8:10am- quick 20min. work out.
9:15am-Lara bar and Protein shake w.water.
9:20am- teach Crossfit.
10:40am-my work out.
11:45am-turkey burger, 2 cups spinach, 1/3 cup yams, 1 tsp dressing, 5 strawberries, 1/2 a power pancake.
2:15pm 1/2 Greek yogurt w.2 tblsp. trail mix, 1/2 cup popcorn...Cavemen may have heated up some corn on the cob...just saying!
4pm-1/2 power pancake, 2 chocolate eggs ARRRRR!

April 12th...need recipe ideas?

Ok so energy level is a bit low this week.  Very frustrating, cause last week I felt great.  So either I'm fighting a bug which would explain my sore throat and runny nose last weekend or I'm not getting in enough calories.  I haven't been calorie counting, just lazy, but maybe I should...I made power pancakes this morning, somewhat Paleo friendly, as I said before I'm not giving up my raw oats and some dairy.  I had 2 for breakfast with some strawberries and feel full.  The recipe makes 2 portions but I made 4, so each pancake has only 71 calories! http://www.eatcleandiet.com/food_and_recipes/clean_recipe/power_oatmeal_pancakes.aspx

You can find more great food ideas in her books below.  I have been a fan of her recipes for awhile...some of the ingredients can get a bit expensive or are just hard to find...use whatever works best for you.

Some other good finds where the 2 magazines below which have great salad dressings, desert ideas and lots more.  The Chatelaine was only $3.99 but the Better Homes and Gardens Special issue was $12.99...but worth it!

FOOD DIARY:
7:45am- got to sleep in! coffee
8:15am-2 power pancakes(142cal) w. 5 strawberries.(20cal.)
10am- 1 Lara bar(140cal) and 1 apple(65cal) w. 1tblsp peanut butter(100cal!!)
1pm-turkey burger(160) w.1 cup root veg. soup(175cal) and 1 turkey pepperoni stick(50cal).

4pm-2 eggs(160) and 3 pieces turkey bacon(90) and 8 Smarties :)
6:15pm- sm.tin of tuna(80) and 1/2 Greek yogurt(100cal) 2 tblsp trail mix(80)
8:30pm- turkey pepperoni stick(50cal).


total calories=1412...I'm sure it could be a bit more, might not have exact stats, let's call it 1500cal for the day. P.S. the Smarties don't count!!!!

April 11th...surviving Easter weekend!

Well now that Easter weekend is over, I've been feeling the wrath of the sugar crash or a sugar hangover! I ate clean all week, and yes I had a few chocolate eggs over the weekend, not even the good stuff! AND I had Tim-bits on the way home from Parksville, arrrr.  I have been feeling like crap ever since we got home and I know it's from the evil sugar.  So, now I know better and as Oprah says, I will do better.  Yesterday, I through out any left over Easter candy because if it's around I will eat it, get the crap out of the house.  It's hard enough to eat right everyday, get the "triggers" out sight or don't have them in your house at all.  I made up my weekly food menu,

On it I have listed the entire menu for the week.  What the family eats on one side and my modifications for the Paleo diet on the other side.  Tuesday, I made turkey spaghetti for the family, instead of pasta for me, I used spaghetti squash.  So you see, it's not that hard.  It makes me nuts!!!!! when people use the excuse that they can't eat that well cause they don't want to cook a bunch of different meals to satisfy them and their family.  OMG people, shut the TV off, it takes 5 mins. to look up recipes and by now you know what is healthy and what is not.  If we spent less time complaining about what we can't do and spent it on what you can do, great things could happen.  So, let's make this a day of all the things we can do!


All my soups are home made, actually most everything I eat is home made, including the nut mix.  So when you see my food list, I don't want to keep repeating "home made"


Food Dairy:
7am- coffee w. Almond milk...going to kick the sugar free syrup this week.
8am- banana and sm. piece of Lara bar.
9:15am- Protein shake w. water, 1/4 frozen berries, 1 cup Kale.
9:20am- teach Crossfit
11:15am- 35 min. work out.
12noon- 1 cup chicken w. veggies soup and 1/4 cup mixed nuts.
2pm- 1 cup of Root Veggie soup.
3:30pm- 1/2 chilli and 1 apple w. tblsp peanut butter(natural), herbal tea.
5:30pm- teach Crossfit.
6:45pm-my work out.
7:30pm-5oz. steak w. spinach salad
8pm-3 chocolate eggs...found them and had to eat them! 

April 5th...Easter SUGAR bunny!

 Ok in the true spirit of the Easter Bunny, I thought I'd point out just how much sugar you might consume if you decide to indulged, just a little bit! One of these little eggs has 1 1/2 Tblsp of sugar A.K.A. " white gold";)

                Not sure if you can even consider this a "Nutritional" value!

 Since going Paleo, I was starting to feel like the Easter Bunny, eating spinach everyday.  My Mom was in town so we got out cooking on!  We made a big pot of soup!  We went through the store looking for pretty much any veggie out there that we thought could work in a soup.

Here's what we put in it:
3 cartons of the " Blue menu" low sodium chicken broth / 5 chicken breasts / 7 big carrots / 1/2 big turnip / 1 red pepper / 1 onion / 1 cup fresh mushrooms / 5 cups fresh spinach / 6 stalks of celery / 3 tblsp Curry powder / 1 tblsp Cumin /pinch of salt and pepper at the end.


I use the super low sodium broth...added flavour with the spices instead of using salt.  I find that once I start eating cleaner, my taste buds come back so I don't need the salt.  Get creative and add what ever you like for flavour.  It's quite a hearty soup and is great for freezing.  Always try to make extra of whatever you are cooking, so you don't eat the same foods all the time.  I get in a bad habit of doing that, then loose it and binge on crap! 


Food dairy
7am coffee
7:30am- 1 piece of Mom's home made banana bread...not a good start!
8:15am- 2 eggs scrambled w. spinach, grn onion, mushrooms, 5 strawberries.
11am- black coffee
12pm- home made soup, 2 cups. 1 turkey peperoni. 2 small pieces of Lara bar.
3pm- 1 apple w. natural peanut butter 1 tblsp. 
5:30pm- Protein shake w. water
6:45pm- 1 turkey burger, spinach salad w. 4 strawberries, 1 tsp. dressing, 2 oz Salmon.
8:30pm-1/2 yougurt and 1 piece...you guessed it, banana bread! arrrrrr but sooooooooo good, did I mention there were chocolate chips in it!

April 4th...Lara Bars

Ok so 4 days into the Paleo diet, doing pretty good, had a few slip ups.  What I love about this process is being aware of my food habits, good and bad!  I'm realizing that I need some kind of snack/treat for myself.  So that's where my power balls and now the newly discovered Lara's Bars, thanks to my sista in-law, Lara, are coming in handy!  I also realized that like most of us, I too eat out of board em.  I can say my house is very clean today! I did a bunch of cooking/baking yesterday and I stock piled the fridge and freezer, so that I have a variety of food.  This comes in handy when the family is eating something, not so Paleo friendly, I can just grab something out of the freezer. Here is the "Lara Bar"...got the recipe from another website,Eat Clean Momma.

My ingredients differ a bit from the original recipe, use what ya have!

Use the food processor.  Mix nuts and dates/dried berries separately at first, then combine. Chop up dark chocolate into fine piceces and add altogether.  Extras I added, 2 tblsp. each of Flax Seed and Wheat Germ.  I also had to add 1/4 cup of honey in order to get the mixture to stick together.

  

Line baking pan with parchment aper, pour in mixture and press into pan with backside of spoon.  Leave in fridge 1-2 hours, to harden.

Lift out of pan and cut into whatever size pieces you want...I did "bar" and "snack" sizes.  Put in an air tight container to keep fresh or put away in the freezer for later.  So I figured out the calorie count.  If you can get 20 bars out of the pan, it works out to be 130cal. per bar...I have 18 above,( 143 calories) note they are about an inch thick at least.  The commercial Lara Bar I think was 210cal. and thinner than mine!


Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups pitted dates / 3/4 Almonds / 3/4 Cashews / 3/4 dried berries / 2 pieces Dark Chocolate / 2 tblsp Coco powder / 2 tblsp. Flax seed & Wheat germ / 1/4 cup honey.




Food Diary:
7am- coffee
8am- 1/4 cup raw oats, w. 1/4 frozen berries, 1/4 cup Greek yogurt.
10:40am- turkey burger, spinach salad w. 1/2 avacado, 1/2 cucumber, 4 strawberries.
11:45am- black coffee, hot dog...no bun, Easter party! 2 jelly beans, 1 chocolate egg, 1 chocolate bunny.
2:45pm- Protein shake w. water, frozen berries, banana
5:30pm- 3oz Salmon, 1/2 cup yams, spinach salad.
7pm- 1 of Mom's home made cookies!