Healthy Halifax Girl Found

Like many people pretty much every weekend I make myself a deal that come Monday morning I’m going to get back on the straight and narrow. You know…that whole Embracing Balance concept?! It seems like pretty much since the day I drove out of Halifax I’ve gone downhill with my healthy lifestyle.

At first I chalked it up to not wanting to limit myself from things because I had just moved home…and you know how all social events seem to revolve around food and beverages…but it carried on even after I was settled in. It wasn’t too bad but then I got injured and couldn’t work out! By then I was already in a bit of a spiral of not necessarily awesome eating habits and it seemed impossible to sort that out when I was feeling sad and bored because of the injury.

So there I was eating my face off and sitting still for basically 6 weeks solid. Not good. I peeked at the scale and didn’t like what I saw. I went up a belt buckle size for the first time in four years. I saw all of the arm definition I worked so freaking hard for just disappear! Yes…I’m still thin but all I can feel is how I no longer look or feel fit. My friends and family beg to differ but they aren’t the ones that popped the top button on their favourite pants for the first time ever. Sadface.

Thank freaking gawd my blown disc is finally almost better and I can now work out again! Baby steps for sure but along with those first few trips to the gym came my old desire for meal plans, healthy recipes, and less focus on social food situations. Hilariously it’s the holiday season and life will be chock full of eating out but if I can make better choices at home and pair that with working out I won’t have to feel guilty about Christmas indulgences. I’m kind of happy to have found this old me before the turn of the New Year when so many others will jump on the bandwagon. Hopefully I can be near the front of the wagon by then!

Last night I wrote out my meal and work out plan for today and when I woke up this morning I had no problem getting right to it. First thing I have decided to reimplement is the Green Smoothie. Gotta get more fruits and veggies into my system and what better way than a salad in a glass?

In the Kitchen Aid today: 1/2 frozen banana, 1/2 cup frozen blueberries, 1 packet Amazing Grass Green Superfood, 2 tsp flax meal, 2 massive handfuls baby spinach, and about 2/3 cup UVAB.

Followed up the tasty sludge with hot coffee spiked with light egg nog…

Before heading off for a post-lunch hour gym trip I fuelled up with Silver Hills Squirrelly toast schmeared with almond butter and Crofter’s pomegranate jelly…

Into my purse I packed a handful of mini mandarins and a Larabar.  I had a massage appointment after my work out so lunch was going to be a long way off.

My first upper body strength session in well over two months was tough but I felt fantastic when I was through. Oh, rowing machine, how I missed you!

Back at home I heated up the last dish of Chicken Corn Chowder and paired it with Kashi crackers and a few slices of marble cheddar.

Hit the spot! For a quick sweet treat I popped out yesterday and today’s advent chocolates. :)

If I’m working late afternoon into the evening I have been getting very snacky recently. This is going to be one of the hardest new habits to kick…so I’m focusing on hydration during that time instead. My water bottle and sippy cup are both going to be full of water at all times and if I feel like I need something else I’ll make tea. #waterlogged

Since lunch was so late I planned a light dinner knowing I wouldn’t be starving. Originally I had just penciled in a small salad but I don’t want to wind up with the super munchies later so I turned it into a pasta salad.

To the hot drained fusilli I added light feta cheese, chopped tomato and cucumber, baby spinach, red onion, and a quick and easy dressing. Adding everything while the pasta was still warm helped wilt down the spinach and cheese and soaked up the flavour of the dressing.

Dressing: 1 tbsp Italian seasoning, huge squeeze of fresh lemon juice, salt & pepper, and a couple of tablespoons of EVOO.  Let stand while prepping the meal so the dry herbs soak into the oil.

It was deeeelish!! I may have eaten the last few bites straight from the pot while packing up the leftovers. Tomorrow’s lunch – check!

And now because I know cutting out treats altogether would spell dooooom I’m focusing on an evening cup of decaf tea and a sweet snack.  In tonight’s case it’s those delicious Trader Joe’s egg nog cookies…only a few left and I plan to enjoy them!

The biggest hurdle I have now is to do away with bedtime snacking. You all probably don’t realize this…um, because I never blog about it…but I watch a lot of TV shows on my laptop and I tend to watch them in bed. Months ago I started taking snacks to bed while I watch and I cannot seem to break the habit…I have tried sooo many times. Tonight will be night one of no effing snacks even if it kills me. Right? Right!!

Thanks to those of you that made it to the end of this marathon post. I really hadn’t intended to blather on diary-style but I started typing and look what came out! This is a good sign though…history tells me that whenever I really let it all out it makes it a lot easier to follow through. I’m bringing back that healthy living Halifax girl…she’s found home here in Victoria. :)