Mon/Tues journalling

Okay dropped the ball Monday .. went out for dinner (not so good) but in true style I WILL report what I ate because that's important.

It is by no means a perfect eating .. but it helps me be more aware of what I'm doing and I stop to think about what I'm putting in my mouth more often which is great!

MON
breakfast - 3/4 c low sugar, high protein cereal from Costco - greatest cereal around with lowest sugar I've seen in any pre-packaged cereal   ..... 2 clementines   ---> breakfast on the go meal - needed more protein ( was hungry by 1st break)

1st break
spinach, cheddar quiche

2nd break
small chicken breast, carrots and squash, blackberries, edamane

Dinner
(starving for dinner, should have had an after school snack ready!)
- spinach dip (app), fiesta lime chicken with veggies and rice (not the best choice - out at Applebees for dinner)


TUESDAY

Breakfast - usual smoothie (Monday was not my typical breakfast as I slept in) ... In my smoothie I had : baby spinach, milk, protein powder, frozen strawberries, flax seeds, 1/3 cup of large flake oatmeals
YUM! - mcuh more filling to my Monday eating

1st break - edamnane, pear

lunch - wrap - whole wheat wrap filled with brown rice, pinto beans, corn, black beans and tomatoes - fantastic recipe on all recipes.com , 2 clementines

end of day - apple with 2 tbsp of sunflower butter

Dinner - Nick made sushi  ... I contained myself and had 8 pieces .. much more realistic and better than I ever would have done at a restaurant .. side of cucumbers and carrots


GUILTY of having 1/2 hc and 1/2 coffee BOTH days ... I'm tired lately and not the way to deal with it.  gotta get back into the green tea world :)


My reflection in a nut shell .... NOT eating enough veggies .. need to go out and buy some more fresh stuff as we are currently low right now which doesn't help matters .. probably eating too mcuh fruit (high in sugar) ... still happy with my protein intake at each meal.

Tomorrow is red maple buffett ... UGH

Wake-up call - I'm NOT okay with the weight of the world ... are YOU?

Okay it's 1:30am ... up too late and exhausted .. but had to do a very quick update. It's been about a month since I've updated and I've noticed when I stop updating on are regular basis the food and exercise actually slides a bit. I have only lost 5 pounds since Sept 18th and my trainer said it right - I can do better. I know I can and my original goal of under 200 before Christmas seems unlikely. That being said I'm not ready to give up and I need to stay dedicated. My biggest problem is food! (not so much exercise .. it's the food).

I dedicate this week as "Emily is going to journal week" starting Monday I'm going to try and track ALL my food for the week (yes even the visit to Mother Tucker's for my Dad's birthday on Wednesday). My challenge for myself is to post my food each day .. this is my challenge to myself .. will I succeed ? we shall see. Will it help me monitor my food intake? (from past experience I believe it will). Let's see how this week goes .... Happy November :)

I always find it funny what motivates us. For me it's my trainer telling me to push myself and work hard ... for me the scale motivates me as well. However I'm also highly motivated by other people's stories .. as well as the scary reality and truth of the overweight world. When I hear the scary reality and truth I'm reminded as to why I'm on this weight loss journey of eating clean and exercise. I want a longer life, a better quality of life for myself and my future children and I want to be healthy. This week I got a email with this You Tube video attached and damn was it ever a wake up call. Another clear reminder that it's NOT only important to eat clean and exercise so you'll look good in that bathing suit ... in fact it's much deeper than that. It's so you won't become another statistic .. you will be healthy and you will live your life to the fullest. You won't be diagnosed with the top 3 killers associated with obsesity. We have an epidemic on our hands and if you ask me .... it's scary.

Hope this video can provide a wake up call like it did for me.... Please share your comments.

October update

I had a crazy month so unfortuantely dropped off the blog post bandwagon for awhile. However fortunately the exercise routines have still be in place (generally) so I'm happy to say that.

I think my biggest battle .. even after almost 10 months of really focusing on healthy eating .. my biggest battle continues to be stress and eating. I have had VERY, VERY busy weeks at work, late nights (not enough sleep). My whole body shuts down and feels gross when it's in this state. Unfortunately I respond sometimes by overcaffinating myself (to stay awake) and not making time to plan food and eating acccordingly (not good!).

I'm still trying to find ways to cope with all this ... so ideas and suggestions are welcomed. My trainer tells me to exercise instead of eat when stressed and I 100% know that exercise does relieve stress .. but unfortuantely when I'm stressed and busy exercise takes a lot longer than eating something that I shouldn't. No excuses though .. just putting it out there as I'm sure everybody can relate.

Alas .. celebrating as I've lost 4 pounds since last post. Making me 11 pounds from my Dec 24th goal. On track I think. They say these little goals are helpful.

In closing I want to share a story that inspired me. It was of a 100 year old man who competed in the Toronto Marathon on the weekend and beat records. We're talking about a man who is 100 (and he ran his first marathon at 89). This man is proof that at any age and in any life situation if you want it badly enough you can MAKE the change. Your age and current health state should not deter you from reaching your goals.

Please take the time to read this article. You WILL be inspired.
http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1068859--100-years-old-and-still-running-for-records
This man's trainer says "In the Punjabi language, there is no such word as impossible." I couldn't have said it better myself. If you set your mind to something .. you can achieve it.

Putting a picture of my very own first 5km run in May 2010 along side the 100 year old man. I completed that 5km run at least 30 pounds heavier than I am now. Looking forward to doing some other different races etc. ... maybe a cycling event? Regardless I celebrated when I ran the 5km ... but let's be honest .. this 100 year old man's marathon is slightly more impressive ;) I guess that's why there's a news story about him. This picture is an additional part of my inspiration board so I can stay motivated and not give up!

Thanks for reading and all your supportive words. I really do have the best co-workers, friends and family around.

you need to WANT IT

"Nobody can want it for you, you have to want it for yourself."

This is so true .. I have discovered that you can't convince anybody to lead a healthy lifestyle or exercise. The bottom line is that person needs the inner motivation. I know from personal experience that inner motivation is the hardest thing to get. They say you can have the best nutritionist, personal trainer and doctor around but NOTHING will work if you don't WANT it for yourself. I think I finally got to the point in my life that I was sick of "being sick" as they say. Although I wasn't a heart attack waiting to happen I know I wasn't healthy. I had very LITTLE energy and I just felt "blah" (for lack of a better describing word).

I can't convince you all to exercise regularly and eat healthy but let me tell you when you do it .. the way you feel is incredible .. you'll feel like a whole new person!!!

So get out there and show the world that you WANT IT. When I finally wanted it for myself my life changed ... and yours can too!

GOAL!

They say a goal is best when it's written down .. so here it is for the whole world wide web world to see.

MY GOAL IS TO BE UNDER 200 POUNDS (198 pounds to be exact). This would mean losing another 15 pounds by the end of 2011. We'll see how it goes.
My mathematical side figured out that on AVERAGE I was down 5 pounds a month and well there's 3 months until Christmas so .. should be doable? We'll see!

slip up ...

Well everybody has them .. bad days .. bad weeks .. sometimes bad months. My personal experience included 2 VERY bad days.

I came fully prepared on Thursday with homemade chilli and vegetables to have instead of the pizza I know they were ordering for all the staff at the Open house. However when I got there .. the smell of pizza absolutely killed me ..I don't think it helped that I have been off dairy for 3 weeks ... pizza and chocolate are by far my greatest weaknesses!!! So ... there I was sitting in my classroom .. debating with myself. Then I decided all the staff is in the staff room I will go and just have ONE piece ... because a lifestyle change also means having the OCCASIONAL treat. Well .. unfortunately 1 piece turned into 2 pieces .. 2 pieces turned into 3 pieces .... you get the idea .. I had MORE than one piece and I had FAR too many pieces. The next day was followed by a trip to Timmies with my class and an iced cap made with chocolate milk and a SMILE cookie as I gave myself permission because the money went to the Acton food bank ... sound familiar? who's been there ?? trying to give yourself reasons for eating the way you do... that's what I did.

Lunch and dinner were fine but last night saw a trip to Demetres with ice cream sundae ... OYE! This was a very bad two days. I could sit here and dwell on it or I could do something about it.
I got my arse up this morning and gave it my all at the gym and plan to do the same tomorrow.

I think I'm sharing this because I want everybody to know that we've all been there .. a slip up that gets you feeling guilty..but the important thing is...when you get knocked down .. you get up again .. Chumbawamba anybody?

I was shocked when I weighed in today because I somehow still lost 2 pounds .. This was somewhat a relief but also made me think ... hmm I wonder how much I could have lost if I didn't have that pizza .. or that ice cream. With regular exercise and a balanced diet you'd be amazed what your body can do.

Tosca wrote something that really stuck with me ... if you have ONE bad meal don't let that be an excuse to throw out your eating for the rest of the day. Remember that!

40!!!!!!

So those last 5 pounds were tricky to lose due to the craziness that was back to school .. but I did it!

Since I joined the gym .. last January until today - Sun. Sept 18th I've lost 40 pounds. I feel fantastic and can't believe I ever let myself get to where I was. The introduction of regular exercise into my life and my incredible trainer Shawna have really changed my life. I look forward to going to the gym and miss it if I don't go. I never remember a time that my exercise routines were like that.

Although my last post was quite negative I reflected and realized I couldn't have gotten to where I was without the support I have in my life. The texts Saturday morning to say yep wake up let's go to step, Cathy for getting me addicted to the classes and always encouraging me (even from Mexico), my personal trainer for reminding me it's mind over matter and giving me endless encouragement but not being afraid to tell me like it is if I wasn't giving it 110%.  My boyfriend Nick for loving me unconditionally and cooking me the most delicious and healthy foods and of course my parents who always encourage me and cheer me on in anything I take on.

Thanks to those that helped me along the way. The journey is not over yet .. but I'm still excited and want to celebrate!!

I have not revealed my "weights" since starting this blog.. but today I feel motivated and comfortable in attaching a number to it all today. I'm doing it to motivate myself and so that all of you know whether you're 400 pounds, 250 pounds or 150 pounds ... if you want to get fit, develop muscle and lose weight .. it is possible!!

January 25th, 2011 -  starting weight 255 pounds                
 

April 23, 2011 - 238 pounds (17 pounds lost)

July 13, 2011 - 230 pounds (25 pounds lost)              

 September 18, 2011 (TODAY!)  - 215 pounds (40 pounds lost)              

And a quote to motivate and to think about .... well said by Biggest Loser trainer Jillian ...

"This is where it matters the most. This is where lives are made, in these moments when you can choose whether or not to say "I can't" or "I can." It is a choice that will either make or break you for life."
-Jillian

Go out and do it .. make a change .. because you CAN. The word CAN'T isn't in the dictionary (this was said to me while holding a plank by my personal trainer)...and I try everything possible to never use this word. So go get 'em....because now's the time and because you CAN.

healthy cooking

I think everybody's idea of "healthy cooking" is a different one. I think one of the biggest hurdles I've come across is that we have to rely on ourselves ... our own cooking and our own meal planning in order to be a success. This can be very frustrating!

I wish there was a magic pill that could encourage all the people in our lives to value a healthy lifestyle. It is difficult to see people you care about eating unhealthy or leading an inactive life. People don't realize how difficult it can be when they tempt you with unhealthy foods .. whether it is "let's go out for dinner tonight" or cooking food in oils and salts or serving high fat desserts.

I think I've just reached a point of frustration and thought my blog was the best place to express this. Moral of the story .. surround yourself with people that support you and your efforts because this is what will get you where you need to be.

The biggest loser winner said this at his talk. You need to be around positivity, healthy food and people that understand and support your lifestyle.

... and my thoughts for the day .... this change and shift in thinking is not an easy thing.. but in the end it's worth it.

fear ...

I think fear and weight loss go hand and hand to some extend. I know personally I have a fear of gaining the weight I've lost back and not keeping it off (this has happened in the past and it happens to a lot of people!). That being said we can't live our life in fear or worry. If anything we should be fearful of an inactive lifestyle full of unhealthy eating .. because that in itself (put bluntly) can be a death sentence.

This post was inspired by the following quote that I came across today ..

"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do." - Eleanor Roosevelt

So get up today and look fear in the face. Tell yourself that you will not become another statistic (heart disease, high blood pressure, disabetes) that are associated with an unhealthy lifestyle. Everybody deep down is scared of the challenges associated with changing your diet and exercise so have the courage to do it and make the change ... because the reality is .. you can!!

35 is a great number!!

I think today I have to celebrate because I've passed the 30 mark and I'm on my way to 40 as to total weight lost since I joined the gym in February and changed my eating habits to eat clean. It seems like 7 months is a long time and the negative side of me that creeps up sometimes feels I should have lost more than 35 pounds. However I'm just focusing on the end goal and celebrating the small successes along the road. I've read that this is what keeps us motivated.

Speaking of motivation .. if you ever need to feel motivated .. just go to the canfit pro conference. I went in Toronto this year and found it to be fantastic!! I saw Tosca Reno speak - who is an inspirations to me.

I wanted to share the following ideas that really struck a chord with me ..

Silken Laumann (Canadian gold medalist in rowing) said a few things (and was very inspiring):

• "what you believe about yourself and your abilities is directly connected to
  
  
  your successes"
• The most profound point she said was that your goals should be what matters most in your life .. reflect and ask yourself "what do I want from my life?"  ..WRITE IT DOWN. She says you would never go to a grocery store without a list and goals should be no different.
• My favourite was her story of the first summer she learned to row. In those two months she fell out of the boat 21 TIMES. She never gave up and look where she went with that. She ended with this .."have the courage to get back in the boat .. get back o
  n track .. and do it...believe in yourself and you will do amazing things"

The biggest loser winner (Patrick House):

• There is no finish line .. weight loss and maintenance is an everyday battle .. you have to keep  exercising and eating healthy for the rest of your life .. those fat cells are screaming to get out.
• He talked a lot about the importance of food journals and recording what you eat.
• He was also big into accountability. Have somebody like a work-out buddy or a trainer that will keep you accountable for showing up.
• He also said you need to find exercise you enjoy and have fun while doing it. Mentally we have to keep going and it's much easier to do this if you're enjoying what you do.

Then .... there was Tosca!

• she said she was sick and tired of always being sick and tired ... which inspired her to change her life ..
• Do you have your life and your goals as clear as the vision of what you're going to wear tomorrow ... your vision and goals SHOULD be clear
• Everybody's busy .. make yourself, your health and the vision of your life a priority ... NO EXCUSES
• Positive language and positive people will get you through. Look for people around you to be positive

I hope that some of these ideas were inspiring to you as they were me! I loved every minute of the canfit pro conference and definitely plan to go next year for more inspiration and ideas.

By the way I worked out with Richard Simmons who was hilarious, soooo fit and highly entertaining. Not a bad work out either ;)

the deadly buffet ... maybe it doesn't have to be?

Okay so I was away all week at a conference for work and the ladies I met wanted to go to a buffet... CHINESE buffet at that. My first thought is ... ugh I don't do well at all you can eat. If I could actually reflect and respond appropriately and not LITERALLY eat as much as I possibly can then I wouldn't be in the shoes I am today.

However strategies are important ... if there's anything I learned ... for long term success you have to find ways to cope in these types of situations.

First of all I knew anything deep fried would just be disaster ... I found this online ..
For one dinner sized plate with fried rice, noodles, 1 spring roll, lemon chicken and sweet & sour pork it is 900 calories and 40 grams of fat. Now that's only one typical sized plate at a chinese buffet. Even after eating one plate it's SOOOO easy to go back for more ... or another 900 calories .. then you're looking at almost your healthy calorie count for the WHOLE day...scary stuff.

Fortunately somehow I was able to just avoid deep fried stuff .... even chicken balls (that was the hardest!). I just didn't think it was worth it (it helped that I had been feeling under the weather). So I stocked up on salad bar stuff, veggies, fruit etc. and I felt great after it all .. not bloated .. not like I had just eaten as much as I could .. I just felt satisfied.

MY BIG HINT FOR BUFFET goers. Take a plate but only put 2 tiny servings of something on it ... I started with a small serving of a green salad and a few tablespoons of chick peas. The beauty in this .. was that when the people I ate with got up to get their 2nd plate of 900 calorie meal .. I TOO could still go up and get some things ... which is still part of the whole buffet experience .. (being able to go back for more!). Nothing worse than filling ever part of your plate with your healthy choices and seeing the people you're eating with coming back for plate after plate of fried food .. so I took very SMALL servings of the healthy food so I'd be able to get up when they got up.

I found this to be really helpful .. on my second trip I went back for cooked veggies etc. and it was great and I truly did not feel like I was missing out on the buffet experience.

If anybody else has strategies that help them during buffets. Please comment and share!

TOFU CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

My friend Jane had me over for a lovely lunch yesterday and I was on dessert so I thought .. PERFECT! I'll try out a new eat clean Tosca recipe. It was a RAVING success. Even my friend Jane's teenagers liked it. Nick enjoyed it too and said it was really good .. so I think that says something too. I adapted this a bit by using strawberries instead of raspberries (as shown in the picture) as a little add on. YUM .. guilt free pleasure dessert filled with the protein of tofu (you would have NEVER known).
Tofu Chocolate Mousse
YIELD: 4 servings (mine actually served 6.. it's rich so big servings not needed)
PREPARATION TIME: 10 minutes
COOKING TIME: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup / 180 ml dark chocolate chips or dark chocolate bars, broken into pieces
• 12 oz / 336 g silken tofu* at room temperature, drained
• 1/2 cup / 120 ml warmed skim milk or soy, rice or almond milk
• 1 tsp / 5 ml best-quality vanilla

*NOTE: You must use silken tofu for this recipe. (I  bought SOFT silken tofu at Fortinoes, in the health food section, not kept cold ... only 2 bucks too so it didn't break the bank)

Preparation

1. Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler or in the microwave. Make sure to let the chocolate melt slowly. Stir until chocolate is uniformly smooth.
2. In a food processor, combine tofu, melted chocolate, warmed milk and vanilla. Process until smooth. Place tofu mixture in fine-mesh strainer or sieve, pushing through with the back of a wooden spoon, into a medium decorative serving bowl. Serve from the bowl or ladle into individual serving bowls. Chill and serve.

Tosca's Tip

Make this recipe with white chocolate chips for a different spin on decadence.

Emily's Tip

Don't worry like me when it was slightly liquidy ... I just put it in the freezer to have it chill for 30 minutes or so.

my stolen tidbit for the day ..

I start most mornings by checking my email. Typically a quite inspiring young woman named Carrie who has lost and kept off 200 pounds updates her blog with great, inspiring information. Today the main message was as follows ....

You cannot out train a bad diet. 

Now I went to my personal training less than an hour after reading this and was discussing with my trainer the summer difficulty with healthy eating .... she said the EXACT same thing ...

You cannot out train a bad diet. 

I found it interesting that 2 of my motivators were aligned in their thinking today and told me exactly what I needed to hear. Who has given themselves the excuse well I can have that ice cream because I'm working out tonight ... or sure I'll have a second serving .. I did work out today. I am 100% guilty of being there and I think that's definitely a road block in any weight loss journey. Moral of the story .. you must have a healthy diet AND work-out .... exercise is NOT the only answer. Tosca actually says it's 10% exercise, 10% genetics and a whooping 80% nutrition (just shows how important it is to be conscious of what goes in your mouth every day).

Today was also an eye opening experience for me. My trainer put on a 25 pound weighted vest on me .. I thought okay sure I can do a few squats and lunges with this on. THEN I find out I'm wearing this vest for the WHOLE hour training session.

I think the most emotional, yet inspiring part of this was 3 months ago more than 25 pounds were on my body, stressing my heart and my joints. When I worked out today it was difficult....more difficult than usual and it made me realize I NEVER want to go back to carrying those 25 + extra pounds ... it just didn't feel good on my body and everything ached.

This picture is similar to the vest I wore except my face sure didn't look as relaxed as the people in this picture..

I looked like a member of the swat team and felt like I was on that challenge on biggest loser where they have to exercise while carrying all the weight they lost. However it worked .. more than ever .. after today I NEVER, EVER want to have that extra weight on me. 

In order not to steal others' ideas I must mention Carrie's blog if you ever want another inspiring read. I love it!   http://www.thebootcampblog.com/ 

Thanks for reading :)

can fit pro Fitness and Wellness show

At the Toronto Convention Centre on Sat August 20th there is a can fit pro Fitness and Wellness show .. looks fantastic and includes speakers such as Tosca Reno (my personal favourite!), and a biggest loser winner too. Richard Simmons is also speaking/ running an arobics class which is pretty cool even if it is Richard Simmons. I hear it's quite the event.

Very excited to go!

Wag jag has a deal on ... $10.00 for one ticket. check it out if you're interested..2 days left!
http://www.wagjag.com/?wagjag=31147

weight loss isn't easy!

I wanted to share some insight I have learned while on this journey. I think the main thing I've discovered in life is anything good and rewarding takes work.

My personal example is 3 gruelling years of finishing my masters. This was rough but in the end the outcome was great ...  helped me get a permanent teaching job, pay raise AND most importantly it gave me more knowledge to better reach my students with special needs. BUT anybody that knows me well .. knows I did not find this EASY.

Now my life aside... think about all the good things in your life .. your marriage/relationship, friendships or your job ... all of these things take work and time. Having a successful relationship isn't a piece of cake. You have to put effort into communicating with each other, spending time together, and compromising.

A healthy life and weight loss is no different. It is NOT easy and it shouldn't be easy, because if it's easy then it means your body and health isn't changing for the better. I wish there was a magic pill and a magic solution but there isn't.

It's NOT easy to say NO to the unlimited refills of the hot, steamy breadsticks at a restaurant. It's NOT easy to dedicate 4-5 days a week to exercise. It's NOT easy to push yourself when working out to lift a bit of a heavier weight ...and it's NOT easy to avoid fast food and chocolate. It's also not EASY to wake up on a Saturday morning to work out. These are the things I don't find easy ... but I think in the end we all have to realize that good things come to those that work hard.

So I challenge you to do something today that isn't easy for you .. not convenient ...maybe it's parking further away from the entrance at a store (tip from my trainer), maybe it's getting one entree and splitting it with somebody at a restaurant (Cathy and Mom tip) or maybe it's just saying No thank you to dessert. 

You have the power to make a change and it's not going to be easy. But like all the good things we have in our life they take time, perserverance and dedication. The outcome of a healthy lifestyle and healthy body is worth it! You will live a longer and healthier life if you chose to take the route that isn't so easy.

some visualizations...

Hey everybody ..

For the first time today my visualization technique paid off .... I was out for dinner thinking I really wish I could get the curry cocunt chicken with naan bread .. full of deliciousness and creaminess... then I visualized the money I'm spending on training and thought of what my trainer says ... a training program isn't anything without a nutrition program .. so I opted for a salmon salad which was actually delicious!! This visualization technique really pays off .. today when I was on maybe my 60th jump squat ready to give up I closed my eyes for the last ten and pictured my future (as dorky as that sounds). It was odd, but I saw my future family (including children). The reality is being healthy for pregnancy (in the FUTURE) and being healthy (e.g. being able to chase a toddler) is a big reason behind my weight loss journey. These visualizations are fantastic!

Another visualization that my Mom encouraged me to do was track weight loss through pictures. The idea was also inspired by my own trainer who posted her progress in photos. It's inspiring to work with somebody who started around the same weight as I did and is now healthy, muscular and fit (and has kept the weight off!).

So to start my journey .. I'm posting my starting weight picture .. Jan 2011 (unfortunately I don't have a full length picture) ..it wasn't until March 2011 that I really began to join the gym, eat clean and get serious about it all. The other picture was taken on July 14th 2011 in NYC. I wish the progress was faster but it's not easy ... 25 pounds lighter though and feeling good. 

STARTING WEIGHT                                     

25 POUNDS LOST (Like Mary Poppins I DO believe in magic..and hard work!)

a week of a weight loss journey in a nut shell..

So it has been awhile since I've posted. Things have continued to go well .. the summer is a tad more tricky with fitting in exercise and healthy eating but I wanted to share a few personal tips of the trade that I'm sure others can relate to.

1) I recently went to New York City .. a wonderful time ... I was eating healthy, walking a lot ... down a few sizes ..maintaining a 25 pound weight loss and thought all was well. Little did I know there are opportunities for somebody on a weight loss journey to feel discouraged wherever you go... The two girls I was with (love them to death but neither are a size 14 like myself) wanted to go to Victoria Secret. It was a HUGE store so I thought sure I could use some, new ,cute and sexy underwear and I was feeling good about myself so why not?!  Now I was shocked, discouraged and frustrated when Victoria Secret has xs, s, m, and L. Now the large looked like it MIGHT fit somebody who was a size 10 at most. Since when was XL size non  existant?This was where I let discouragement get the best of me. Even in the states where the sizes are suppose to be fit "big" I could not go into a store and buy underwear. I was so angry and resentful at myself, the store and my body. I'm sharing this personal story because I know anybody who isn't the size of a model has been there. You aren't alone!

At first I let it get me down then I realized that it won't get me anywhere. Instead I tried to eat clean as best as I could that day watching US portion sizes and I worked my ass off with my personal trainer the minute I left NYC. The whole time I was working with my trainer I thought of that Victoria Secret clothing line and it made me work that much harder.

Moral of the story .. I think Victoria Secret should have XL ... but they don't and there's not much I can do about what they sell. One day I may feel comfortable enough with myself to buy from there but in the mean time I have to focus on the journey.

2) My trainer is fantastic and told me before I left to remember that a US restaurant portion could feed a family of 4. I thought of that when I went out to restaurants and did what I could. No hot dog stands, no nachoes, no pretzels .. the desire just wasn't there for me. She also reminded me that a fitness plan without a nutrition plan is no plan at all. It's so true .. Tosca Reno says that your healthy lifestyle and losing weight is 80% nutrition, 10% exercise and 10% genetics. There's something else my trainer has taught me that I want to share ... in the exercise world it's all about MIND over your body.
I was on my 10th burbee .. 10 doesn't seem like a lot but OMG burbees are a killer!! She noticed me slowing down and said remember let your body take over your mind .. you can do this. it's so true .. sometimes I think we let our mind do the work and really our body can handle a lot more than we even know. So next time you're working out remember your body is a powerful tool but your mind sometimes takes over. Don't let it and just work hard...

Moral of my post .. we all get discouraged .. I know I felt it huge and I think the key is  to not let the negative thoughts take over and to never give up. I tell my special needs students to perservere and never give up ...everyday so I guess what I realized after I left that Victoria Secret store was that I should practice what I preach on this journey to a healthy life!

Thanks for listening .. :)

it was bound to happen ...

Well unfortunately for the first time in my journey I gained weight. I ended up going up a pound this week. Crazy how easy that is to do .. you just have a  few days of not staying on track in the eating department and you're in trouble. Although if I've learned anything from my past the worst thing any of us can do is get bogged down in these little hiccups along the road. BIG picture shows if you're leading a healthy life and FEELING better then that's the most important .. SMALL picture is that this week you had a gain. Same thing is applicable in the exercise department. I can sit and wallow and feel guilty about the fact I didn't get my butt moving for weekend classes this weekend or I can say ... I'll just work that much harder this week.

My advice to anybody out there .. is if you want to led a healthy life you can do it. Don't let anybody stop you ...whether it be people who want you to secretly fail and try and pressure you to "finish off the last bit of food" or "please try this cake, I made it especially for you". You should never feel pressured to eat or do something you know is not right for your body. Instead it should be a decision you make!

I'm reminded of a great clip that I hope can be inspiring to all of you. Please click on the picture below and watch it. If you want something bad enough, you can do it .. that's exactly how I feel about weight loss and changing to a healthy lifestyle. You just have to be determined to do it and don't let anybody or anything discourage you! Thanks for that piece of advice Will Smith ;)

craziness....

okay .. celebrating because we did it! We finished the 5km race. I was happy because I think I beat my time from last year's Rankin Run..finishing in 38 mins and 58 seconds. I think I'm the happiest because I managed to run the whole time. I can definitely beat this time and this speed and it would be great to try sometime too!

In other news I got my ass kicked by my personal trainer this evening. When I arrived she announced we were doing "something fun". She had a deck of cards. Each card suite had an exercise attached to it. I had to hop on one foot for about 2 meters, pick up a card (without my other foot touching the ground) and do the exercise associated with the card suite and repeat it the number of times on the card.
For example
hearts -- full squat
diamonds -- push ups
spades -- squat jump .. literally doing a squat, jumping up and going right back into another squat
clubs -- burpees (KILLER)

So ... this was all fine and dandy at the beginning and I thought hey this isn't so bad. BUT OMG after 10 minutes I was ready to die. I think the real killer was when I got the KING of CLUBS .. that meant 13 burpees ... now that may seem easy to you people but omg I can not a burpee kinda girl especially after all the other craziness the cards were dealing me.

Did I mention that jokers were worth 50 bicycle thingys (don't even know the proper term) it consists of being in the push up position and moving your legs up as far as you can to your chest ... kill me now deadly.

So after doing this for an HOUR I did the math and figured out
I had done 91 full squats, 91 push-ups, 91burpees and 91 squat jumps ...
don't fofrget the 100 bicycle thingys (2 jokers).

Alas .. I'm dead .. dying and continue to wonder why I pay for this torture. That being said I typically try and go to my perosnal trainer once a week but on the weeks I am not able to see her I still go to the gym but don't see the same results on the same. It is crazy what a one hour training session can do. I'm also finding she helps my form a lot too.

All in all I think I've noticed your body and your body weight is your own personal gym .. it's incredible what you can do with it!

What have you done today to make you feel proud?

In any journey .. weight loss and exercise wise .. we have to stop and think "what have I done today to make me feel proud?" ... You should be proud of your efforts and take the time to celebrate. I find even celebrating the little accomplishments like choosing to take half a cookie instead of eating 3 are important to keep yourself motivated. I encourage every one to reflect on their week and celebrate even the smallest changes you've made to better your healthy lifestyle.

Today I feel proud because it's my weigh in day and I'm 0.4 pounds away from the 25 pound loss mark. . Mostly I want to be proud because I participated in a gruelling dragon boat race with my MSB team last weekend .. I included a picture of me IN the boat for proof.  I made it through a hellish personal training session (gave it my all) on Tuesday night and I'm even more proud because along with some of my closest friends I'm taking on a 5k run tonight! Living an active lifestyle is the best feeling and being proud of it is even better!

What are you proud of today? Comment on this post and share below, I'd love to hear it!

And while you're at it .. take the time to listen to this song (biggest loser theme song) which is what inspired this post. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taCMAhv2wkw

IALAC

IALAC -a message from a grade 3 teacher .. I Am Loveable and Capable. Stolen from my favourite blog written by Carrie who runs a boot camp in North Halton. She learned this from a former grade 3 teacher and it was an inspiring acronym that covered the walls of her classroom.

I think for me I realized that I deserve a healthy life .. I'm worthy of a healthy life and I'm CAPABLE of a healthy life.

We chose to live the life we do ... we chose to eat that McDonalds burger .. or chose to skip daily exercise. It's in all of our powers to chose to think about ourselves first and put a healthy life as a priority. A parent commented on how I looked great and had clearly lost weight and I said the gym has been great for me. She made a comment about how all that goes "down the toilet when you have kids". I want to make this pledge now that I will be an involved and loving parent but in order to be provide for my future children I have to look after myself (specifically my health) first  or else I'll be no good to my future children.

I have noticed this already in teaching with my students. The days I go to the gym I feel so much more energized, confident and positive about myself and my job. I feel like I have more patience and I'm more focused for my students. The same results happen when I am eating "clean". I notice a major decrease in my energy level as a teacher when I don't take care of myself and eat healthy.

 Everybody deserves a healthy life and a healthy body .. our bodies are loveable and capable of that. So join me .. IALAC .. I AM LOVEABLE AND CAPABLE! Say it to yourself when you consider going through the McDonalds drive through.

Crunchy Kale chips ... yum, yum good!

I have found my new addiction ... at least it’s a healthy one .. KALE CHIPS!

Now if you had asked me 2 weeks ago what Kale was, I’d have no idea. However the Longos 5 dollar cooking classes showed me the amazement of Kale. I went to a salt and seasonings class where part of the class included making kale chips (using cyprus flake salt, but regular sea salt is fine ... I try not to put too much extra salt when I make my kale chips anyways).

I had not yet found a healthy alternative to the crispy, crunchy, salty goodness of potato chips (my weakness) ... until I met Kale. In fact I can confidently say I found kale chips to be even better than Lays because 1) they are a helluva lot more satisfying and filling than potato chips and 2) it’s an incredible way to get in the dark, green, leafy vegetables.

Enough of me raving about Kale ... want the recipe?!  

How to make them:

Tear the leaves from a bunch of washed and dried kale into bite-size pieces (don’t use the stems).

Toss with a thin drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil (about 1.5 tablespoons) and massage lightly into the leaves.

Arrange leaves in a single layer on two large baking sheets.

Bake at 350°F (180°C) until crispy and dark green (not brown), 8 to 12 minutes.

As soon as it comes out of the oven Sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt (or crushed up cyprus salt flakes), tossing to distribute. Or leave out the salt and add the seasoning of your choice, such as curry powder, smoked paprika, or whatever you have on hand.

I learned at the Longo class to tip to add the salt AFTER the kale is cooked. She told us that you don’t need NEARLY as much salt to get the salty flavour we all desire.

At Food Basics I spent 1.50 on Kale. You can’t even buy a bag of Lays chips for that. In the end I was able to make the equivalent amount if not more chips than you’d get in a bag of Lays. Furthermore it was a much more satisfying and healthy snack and I knew every ingredient that went into them. Can you tell that I’m sold?

Last thing .. why Kale? it is packed with vitamins A, C and K, as well as a host of other nutrients. This and other dark, leafy vegetables have been linked with a lower risk of cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis.  Other studies have shown that eating just one daily serving of green leafy vegetables can reduce the risk of heart disease by up to 23 percent. 

I was amazed when I read this registered dietian's take on Kale.

Check it out  http://www.lesliebeck.com/ingredient_index.php?featured_food=130

Moral of the story .. try these Kale chips. Tell me what you think!

personal training madness

Okay so I never thought I could work so hard I'd feel like puking after exercise ... well Tuesday's personal training session did jsut that. Not necessarily a good thing and my trainer suggested I maybe should have had a lighter meal .. alas I didn't actually puke but towards the end I definitely felt like it .

That being said I loved every minute of my training session..my trainer is fantastic!!  The KILLER part .. was running intervals up the hill behind the gym and back. My trainer made me do the hill 4 times ... each time I was given 1 minute for recovery...
The goal was to beat my time each time I ran. I looked at her first and laughed.

However first time I did it 22.34 seconds, 2nd time I did it in 17 seconds, the 3rd time I did it in 14.57 seconds. The final 4th run I was dead and did not think I had anything left in me ... however I beat it!!! Did it in 14.23 seconds ... wooo hooo SUCCESS IN HILL FORM! Great day!

Second point of the day .... have you even eaten something so bad, disgusting and unclean for you that your stomach is paying for it for the rest of the night?
Nick and I ended up at a pulled pork type fast food place ... definitely not ideal for clean eating and there wasn't a salad on the menu! UGH bad choice with pulled chicken sandwich, beans and coseslaw (tasted delicious at the time though) ... but it was done and my stomach paid for it afterwards. It reminded me how much better clean eating feels on my body and how this oily, fatty, fake crap really isn't meant for our bodies!!!!!

Alas .. gotta remember Tosca's suggestion to be more cautious of carrying a cooler because weekends are rough.

Weighing in again tomorrow and hoping that I've lost 2 pounds to make the 20 pounds .. felt like until tonight I had a very good week .. but we'll see .. tomorrow will tell.

Night world, 9am step class in the am. Need sleep!

not moving ..

Got my butt out of bed for a 9am class this morning and wow was it a killer. Our typical instructor (Vivenne for those that know premier) was away and somebody named Jackie was in. I had never had her before but holy cow I was dying at the end of it. I had 4 days off the gym due to a crazy schedule ... and man could I tell. It was a lot harder to keep up and yep .. I hurt! Still felt great afterwards .. and still ended up having my typical afternoon nap due to the early wake up . I'm wondering if this nap factor defeats the purpose of the early morning work out .. thoughts ??
So I'm at 18 pounds lost and not moving ... I've been the same weight for almost 3 weeks ... just not budging. I have a personal training session on Tuesday that I hope will help me tackle this.

I know it's primiarly the food and special occassions based where I overindulge because I definitely have the exercise going well. The additional 20 pounds (or 36 total)  by the end of June may not be so realistic .. we shall see what happens.

I highly recommend The Skinny Bitch book I'm reading (Thanks Katie). They discuss soda .. aka pop ... they describe it as liquid satan. "there is nothing in soda that should be put in your body." It describes their sugar levels, and the fact that there is high levels of phosphorous which can increase calcium loss from the body.

There is also a whole chapter on aspartane which has completely changed the way I look at diet coke. I have had diet coke since reading the chatper, but boy have I cut back.

I highly recommend this book .. it was a good one!

I'm so close to the 20 pound loss mark (yay!) ... I must admint the other day I pust two 5 pound weights kinda in my pocket/pants .. exactly where I probably carried this extra weight and I walked around with the weight. Holy shit (excuse the language), but I can't believe I once knowingly carried that extra weight (and we're only talking 10 pounds!). .. I never want to carry that extra 10 (or more specifically 18) pounds ever again.

May and June are going to be crazy ... just looked at my calendar .. but gotta stay focused, plan, exercise and make a healthy lifestyle a priority!

Thanks for the continued support.

celebrations and temptations all around ..

Been a bit since I posted ..

wanted to celebrate a few things .. but also be flat out honest about today which was a terrible, horrible, no good very bad eating day (can you tell I'm a teacher?)

Had my first week without a weight loss which fell of course on Easter weekend ..I stayed the same though so that's exciting..  I'm feeling good anyways phyically and know the lifestyle changes are good ones.

Celebrations :
Celebration section #1 ... don't even need milk or sugar in my tea anymore, just been going for black.
decreased my 1/2 hot chocolate, 1/2 coffee to 1/3 hot chocolate .. however apparently the Timmies people looked at my EA who ordered it for me funny...they don't have a 1/3 button so hopefully soon I can go for black. I know coffee isn't even all that good for you anyways but I feel in my job (just to keep me awake) it's not easy to cut out (I do about 4-5 cups a week). Thoughts and comments on coffee would be appreciated ...

Celebration #2 ....people are noticing my weight loss. For some reason the outfit I wore the other day people just began commenting which was really flattering to hear. I need to remember how great that feels next time I'm tempted by unhealthy food. I can also fit into an old pair of my favourite jeans! Hurray!

Celebration #3 .... Nick had the boys over for hockey .. and they ordered a party size pizza .. pizza is my UNBELIEVABLE weakness. What made it worse was that I hadn't eaten in awhile. I chose to make myself a spinach salad instead of the pizza. I felt so good about my decision afterwards even though the smell of the pizza was killing me! What was even better was Michele was over too and she was trying to resist and we both made a healthier choice so I"m proud of both of us! I didn't feel deprived, in fact I felt quite satisfied.

Now for the truth. I messed up today.... eat clean went out the window ... I'm at a hotel for a conference tomorrow in Kitchener. My friend and co worker Jane and  went to Montanas and shared sweet potato fries, and I had a whole wheat quesidalla .... and I had about 4 cookies after school that the after school program offered me. Not great choices ... and I actually felt kinda gross after my after school "snack" and dinner out.
Tosca says if you mess up not to let it ruin the rest of your day .. today I think I let the cookies after school give me permission to jump off the healthy eating band wagon. Tomorrow is another day and although breakfast and lunch is provided I'm going to try and focus on clean eating as much as possible. I'll let you know how it goes.

This post is to offically declare my celebrations but also declare that yes I made some mistakes today but I felt the effects (stomach didn't think it was a good idea).
Moral of the story .. I will probably still do it again (not going to lie to myself) .. but at least I have some motivation and evidence that my body felt gross afterwards and it's not something I ever want to resort back to on a daily basis!!

Great recipe to try

 Tried this recipe from Tosca's cook book. It was delicious. In other news made it through Easter keeping exercise in tack and healthy eating somewhat in tack. Weekends are sure tough! Did a great toning workout at today's 5:30 class, I sweat, felt the burn and in the end felt great. I was actually exhausted before I went almost ready not to go.. but I went and afterwards I was feeling awesome ... it's true that exercise gives you more energy!

Low-fat Turkey Burgers (I used lean ground chicken)

Ingredients:

1 cup/240ml of high-protein cereal flakes (I used large flake oatmeal)

½ cup/120ml skim milk

3 tsp/15 ml instant low-sodium chicken bouillon

3 Tbsp/45 ml minced onion

2 egg whites

1 lb/454 g lean ground turkey

Preparation:

1)      Combine first five ingredients in a large bowl. Let the milk soak into the cereal flakes for 5 minutes. Add lean ground turkey. Mix well with clean bare hands. Shape into patties and grill.

2)      Serve hot with lightly toasted Ezekiel buns or whole-grain buns. Avoid high-fat condiments such as mayonnaise. But definitely add mustard, low-sodium, low-sugar ketchup, lettuce and slices of fresh tomato. Enjoy!

Nutritional Value per Serving:

Calories: 209 , Calories from Fat: 51 , Protein: 29g , Carbs: 9g , Dietary Fibre: 1g, Sugars: 1g, Sodium: 810mg

it's Easter...

 I had my free demo personal training session and I was sold!! I'm going to try it for May and June because I LOVED my personal trainer (only once per week) .. but it will give me idea of what exercises I should be doing and will also give me a bit of support on free weights so I don't hurt myself in the classes. The one on one support and encouragement is amazing. When I was doing this ball exercise where she wanted me to move my knees up high as fast as I could to touch the ball .. aferwards she said "wow do you have an athletic background?" I almost laughed ... she says I have  determination which was encouraging.. Again I love this personal trainer because she's been where I am .. and lost 100 pounds .. she wasn't one of those always fit, skinny type ladies. She's quite inspirational and knows how to push me...

I couldn't get my butt out of bed for my Saturday class this morning but am quite proud of myself as I ran all the way to CIBC ... (without stopping) .. I realized I have to start running a bit as well because the 5k is fast approaching (a month away).  I ran 3.5km today and it felt amazing. Such a beautiful day out there and I'm glad I didn't let the sleeping in result in an excuse of not wokring out today. I also took out my 5 pound weights and did about 20 minutes of weight exercises after my run.. just like the ones I've been learning about during the fitness classes. I'm thinking of running or brisk walking to my parents for Easter tomorrow .. dependent on weather. Trying to do things to keep active even though there are no classes. I'd prefer to be outside then on a machine in the gym so until classes are back on Tuesday I'll do what I'm doing ,..

All in all .. my goal by graduation (June 10th)  is to be down another 10 pounds . my trainer thinks I can get 25 shed by the end of June ... as that's about 2 pounds a week .. but I don't want to go crazy so we'll see how this all goes. My personal goal is 10 and if I can do better than that .. awesome :)

I included my pic from today .. as a reminder that there are no excuses .. even if you sleep through a fitness class, or the gym is closed etc. we all have to find ways to make exercise and activity a part of our every day lives.

Good luck with Easter everyboday ... lots of temptations out there .. I chose to bring a salad to a potluck Friday night and am doing the same for Easter dinner. This ensures veggies and "clean" food too.

celebrations and well said by Tosca

Well theres been so much to celebrate lately. I must say the two words I' ve been counting down and waiting to say...I'M DONE!!! Thats right everybody I completed grad school and will be receiving my masters of applied disability studies...woooo hooo! It's been a long haul and healthwise I know the stress wasn't good for  me. Stress eating was common and lack of sleep was just a part of my everyday life....and both of these things hinder weight loss. For my body, mind and sanity I'm pleased the grad school madness is over so I will be able to continue to work towards a better, healthier me.

Speaking of celebrations I want to celebrate because during my total body conditioning class on Thursday I realized within me that I'm fitter than when I first tried that class at the beginning of March...the classes are getting easier and easier to keep up with which I think is a great sign:) .. It was weird not being able to do any work-out classes over the weekend, but I put in an extra day by going to an interval trianing class tonight which was quite good .. I think I'm definitely going to feel it in the legs tomorrow ...

Now here's my only BEEF with celebrations ...WHY WHY WHY must food be associated with celebrations ????...  This weekend I had a bit of booze, a trip to the Keg AND red lobster ... all in a short span this weekend .. definitely not clean eating ... but I did my best to try and be reasonable ... not easy with those delicious restaurant options. However I've come to realize there will always be celebrations and events like these and I can't deprive myself either .. but I just have to remember about portions and make as helahty choices as possible. My best advice for everybody out there is to preview the menu!!! I often go on the restaurant's website and decide what I'm eating  before I go ... this prevents me from even opening the menu to read about all the deep fried, creamy sauce, butter coated, high fat foods.

To end this post I'd also like to celebrate yet again as I'm basically done reading Tosca's book cover to cover .. this is VERY refreshing for me as it isn't a research article I have to read for class ... oh pleasure reading how I miss you!

Tosca said this ... seemed a tad blunt when I first read it I thought hmmm ... but then I read it again and realized she's completely RIGHT!

"Your current physique pretty much reflects what you're putting into it. The body doesn't lie. It tells the truth. If you're neglecting both nutrition and exercise you'll look, well, soft and squishy, a lot like the donut you love to eat. If you enjoy eating, can't locate the OFF button, and on top of that have no inclination to exercise, then you'll look like the couch you're lying on - softer and squisher.
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On the other hand, if you show equal respect for both nutrition and exercise, yor body becomes a reflectioin of your discipline. Skin, hair, eyes and nails glow with health. Muscles ripple under tight skin. Your waist is trim and you heart beats at a steady, moderate pace. There is no excess flesh anywhere...........Let your physique paint an accurate picture of what you are doing."

Bring on the healthy physique!

Be the Best you!

Damn it's been a week since I updated .. things have been so busy with the wrapping up of grad school but the exercise and healthy eating has been in full force and I've been feeling good.

The weeekend was nuts as I did two step classes in a row .. one was intermediate step (it about killed Laura and I but it was still great) and then Sunday was step and pump .. just as intense but with weights and step. Both days I had a nap lol .. the early morning on the weekend is still not quite happening for me .. and I thought exercise was suppose to give you more energy? Going to the gym on the weekends is a great thing ... it helps break up my week a little and allows a few more work-outs each week which i like. It also gets my day started. The instructors are starting to know us and there's definitely a social component of the classes which is great too.

Anyways I wanted to share this blog below ... http://thebootcampblog.com/  She's from Georgetown, runs a fitness bootcamp and also provides nutritional guidance. I have REALLY been enjoying her blog. So yes I'm going to post one of her recent blogs below for any of you that are like me and are always giving an excuse. Whether it be time, money etc. etc. etc. there's tons of excuses and life is always busy but your health should always be a priority and I've definitely realized that the last month.  Enjoy her truthful and at the same time inspiring post ....

“Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.” ~Thomas Jefferson~

If you are like many busy people you usually take care of everyone else but yourself.  You are putting your needs behind everyone the needs of those around you, but….at what cost?

You might notice that you have said things like, “Once hockey is over I will get back to exercising”, “As soon as I get that new job (or whatever) I will start working out and eating right.”, “When the nice weather returns I’ll get back to exercising.”

Maybe you’ve start noticed that you have less and less energy.  Things that once were simple or “easy” are now requiring real effort.  It might seem that you “woke” up and wondered how you gained that 25lbs?
The neglect of your personal well-being could take place over weeks, months or even years.  If you are sick or your body can’t handle exertion than what good are you to those that you have put before your own health needs?

Everyone has the ability to feel energetic.  Everyone should have energy each and everyday.  You have the right to put your health and fitness needs at the forefront of your life.
When you have energy, you can do anything.
When you feel energetic you usually feel more creative.  Things you do are more fun, your relationships are healthier.  Your thoughts are clear and can lead to action.  You are enthusiastic about life.  You feel confident, unstoppable, fearless.
Who doesn’t want to feel like that every single day????

Take care of yourself.  Be healthy, make the changes you know you need to make. Stop making excuses…make changes!

Go from good to great.

Be amazing, not average!

The bottom part that I highlighted was what I liked the most! :) Well said! Hope this post was as inspiring to you as it was me!

kick boxing cardio ... craziness!!

WOW ... I have never felt BETTER!!

That kickboxing class was unreal!! I think the kickboxing side of things actually punching etc. really got out bent up stress from work and everyday life. I envisioned my whole year of grad school while I was going PUNCH .. PUNCH .. KICK ...KICK .... wow it felt incredible!! Exercise has always made me "destress" but wow ... after today's class the destressing was taken to a whole new level! :) I felt on top of the world! The cardio work-out was awesome, my heart rate was up and of course squats were involved. Let me tell you a crunch has never been so painful .. ha ha .. I still hurt from pilates yesterdays so some of the "cool" down exercises were quite intense!

Now for the great news ... I had noticed today that my pants seemed really long .. and they were dragging in the wet puddles ... and then I realized why this was happening .. well ... you got it folks .. my pants were falling down .. never been happier to say it ... but it appears I've passed the "one pant size" mark as I am up to losing 14 pounds ...  I haven't really been weighing myself often and haven't gotten into a regular routine of it .. but just when I think of it and after this pant realization I thought hey .. I wonder how I'm doing. ... crazy what can happen in 4 weeks when you change your life.

I'm so lucky to have such a supportive network of people.... it is a definite help. So thank you to readers, those that drag their butts and encourage me to drag mine to the gym on Saturday mornings, those who comment on my posts to give me inspiration and those who just know not to even offer to make my tea with sugar anymore :)

soup soup soup!

Now is the time to celebrate .. all grad school assignments have been handed in and now I'm excited to continue to lead a life where I can put my energy into other things .. like exercise and healthy eating ... the grad school work has taken over my life so this will be a nice breath of fresh air! Tried out Pilates tonight .. DEFINITELY a tough class ... legs are sore, but didn't give me the same energizing feeling that some of the cardio based and interval/weight training classes have. I think it would be good for posture and general flexibility and help with the "core" muscles though.

You know I have more time in my life when I had time to make two delicious soups from my Tosca's Eat Clean Book. I recommend both of them. I enjoyed them :) I have lots left to last me the week!

ROASTED GARLIC AND SWEET POTATO SOUP

6 large sweet potatoes

1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 head roasted garlic
6 cups reduced-salt chicken broth
1-2 cups water Directions

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice potatoes in haf lengthwise, rub cut surfaces with EVOO, and place cutside down on LARGE baking sheet. On same baking sheet, place whole head of garlic (remove most but not all of papery skin. Cut about 1/2 inch off top to expose bulbs). Drizzle top of garlic head with more EVOO and a pinch of salt. Bake uncovered in center of oven for about 45 minutes or until potatoes are soft.
*While baking potatoes and garlic, heat EVOO in saute pan. Add chopped onion and saute until clear and soft. Place onions in food processor. Remove half of potato pulp from skins and place in FP with onions. Squeeze garlic pulp from skins and add to FP. Process all three until smooth puree forms. Place puree into a large saucepan. Puree remaining potato pulp. Add to saucepan. Add broth (I only used 4 cups plus 1/2 cup water) and water until desired consistency. Cook on medium until heated through.
*Enjoy!!! Makes about 10 cups of soup.

POTATO AND LEEK SOUP

Ingredients

• 6 leeks whites only rinsed, drained and coarsley chopped
• 4 medium baking potatoes
• 1 Tbsp EVOO
• 1/8 cup chopped onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 8 cups low sodium, low fat chicken broth

Instructions

Cooking Directions
Wash leeks thoroughly. Cut into pieces. Place in a coriander and rinse again. Drain. Peel potatoes and cut into one in chunks. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven heat oil. Add leeks, potatoes, onions and garlic. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes until soft. Add stock to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Once mixture has come to a full boil reduce heat and cook for 30 minutes until vegetables are soft. Process in food processor

Preparation Time: Approx 10 mins
Cooking Time: Approx 45 mins