Some Life Rules

Randomly I gave myself some new life rules this week.

• No more computer in bed.  I have developed a bad habit of catching up on missed TV shows and Google Reader after I crawl into bed each evening.  This leads to staying awake until 2-3am. 

For the last three nights I’ve gone to bed by 11pm and read until no later than midnight.  The result:  I’ve slept SO WELL.  Duh.

• No more late night snacking.  You know what happens when you stay awake until 3am?  You are starving at 1am.  And then you eat cereal, or crackers, or cheese, or all of the above.

For the last three nights I’ve been asleep so no wee hour snackage. 

• No more hitting snooze eleven thousand times.  Yeah.  That whole staying awake until 3am thing makes it really hard to get up when my alarm goes off at 8:30.

For the last three mornings I’ve been up, walked the dog, and poured my morning coffee by 9:15.  Yes, I do realize I have it good but hey man, that’s part of the reason I wanted this whole work-at-home gig.

• No more waiting until 11:30 to eat breakfast.  I always eat three proper meals each day but my timing has been ABSURD.  Eating in the middle of the night, combined with getting up late, and my usual sleepyhead bleary-eyed morning funk leaves me not wanting to eat right away.

For the last three mornings I’ve made a point of making breakfast as soon as I finish my first cup of coffee, then eating lunch by 1pm (instead of waiting until like 3pm after my workouts) and making dinner at a normal time.  All this with a couple of light snacks in between has left me completely satisfied.

• More reading, less TV. 

By not watching TV in bed I’m now behind on some of my shows but I’m not missing them too much since I have a couple of good books to read.  (Hunger Games anyone?)

None of these rules were on purpose really.  I had a good weekend and woke up on the right side of the bed this past Monday.  I felt motivated and my brain just formulated these plans for me without me having to really think about it.  I guess sometimes your body really does know what’s best for it!

Ever just wake up one day and feel like instituting some healthy new life rules?  Feeling motivated about life in general these days?  Share with us!!

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. :)

Amazing Grass!

Finally!  I’ve been hinting around a review of the Amazing Grass Organic Greens SuperFoods product samples I received a while ago, and am just now getting to it.  I wanted to try as many of the flavors/items as possible before posting a critique, so I guess now is finally the time.

The sample pack was quite a haul!  I was excited to find not just one sample of each product, but two of each product! 

Plus the awesome, highly sought after Amazing Grass shaker cup.  (this may have been the highlight of the package…LOL).

First up, Amazing Meal.  Mixed with juice or milk (or milk substitute) these powder blends contain enough protein, fibre and whole food nutrition to serve as a small meal replacement.

From their website:  Amazing Meal is a powerful and satisfying blend of Green SuperFoods, plant based protein, phytonutrient rich fruits & vegetables, digestive enzymes and probiotics. The way Mother Nature intended...Organic, Raw and Delicious.

I tried all three flavors, usually mixed into a smoothie with almond milk, banana, spinach and whatever other fun things I had on hand.

Original:

Chocolate:

Pomegranate Mango:

I preferred the Original, believe it or not.  Chocolate takes second place.  I wasn’t a big fan of the Pom-Mango…too sweet & fruity for me.

Next is quite possibly the most versatile product, SuperFood.  Again, this product comes in three flavors…green, chocolate or berry (as well as a couple of Kidz variations)…each offering between 5 – 9 fruit & veggie servings.  Packed full of antioxidants, pre & probiotics, and digestive enzymes these powders pack a powerful nutritional kick for only 30ish calories per serving!

I mixed mine into either a full blown smoothie, or just straight into juice or almond milk for a fast, healthy snack on the go.

Again, not a big fan of the berry…but that’s just me.  :)

My samples also included multiple Organic Green SuperFood Energy Bars.  These bars pack an whopping amount of veggies, fruits, protein, healthy omegas, and natural carbohydrates into a tasty little package.  Calorically high enough to act as a meal substitute in a pinch, or as a big snack after a tough workout or long run.

From their website:  We've taken our alkalizing Green SuperFood, with antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables and combined them in a bar that will satisfy your hunger and deliver nutrients to your body the way Mother Nature intended...unprocessed, organic and delicious.

• Raw
• Cold Processed
• Alkaline
• Gluten Free
• Fair Trade
• Dairy Free
• Vegan

Available in four flavors:  original, chocolate, chocolate peanut butter, and berry. 

I went straight for the chocolate-pb for my first taste.  I loved that they are actually green inside!  I loved this one, although I was hard pressed to know it was peanut butter.

I’ve also tried the berry version, which I did enjoy but I’m still curious to try the original because so far it seems that I’m liking the simplicity of the straight up greens.

The only thing I haven’t ventured to try yet is the Wheat Grass.  I had big plans to tackle this one for you guys before making the review post, but as time ticks on I just haven’t gotten to it yet (read: haven’t worked up the courage!).  I know it’s a powerhouse and it will be super good for me.  I think it will make an appearance over the holidays as part of my goal to keeping balance between the Christmas treats and a healthy lifestyle.  ;)

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And now … a little something for you all!

The kind folks over at AmazingGrass.com would like you to pop by and try some products for yourself.  Tis the season for generosity, so please feel free to grab yourselves a 15% discount at the checkout, using the code HEALTHY 123. 

Woot!  Who doesn’t love a discount?! 

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How many of you have tried Amazing Grass?  What are your favorite products?  Do you feel healthier after consuming them?  I know I do!

A Little Insight...

Recently I have received a couple of emails and a few comments from new readers asking me about my food philosophy and healthy lifestyle. I thought I would dig out this information I put together about a year or so ago and re-post it for those of you that missed it the first time around. I have really put a lot of thought into this over the last couple of months since I’ve really gotten into the food porn and become aware of my desire for healthy balance. I am very excited with where my journey has led me so far, and look forward to venturing forward to see where it takes me!


I was never what anyone (other than me) really considered overweight. It was just one of those cases of getting older, getting a desk job, and getting complacent in the fact that I wasn't very active. My clothes got tight, I was always tired, and life outside my apartment was somewhat passing me by.Three summers ago I joined a recreational rowing team with some girlfriends and that was my first venture into what I can now call an active lifestyle. Prior to that I had attempted a few yoga classes and had a failed gym membership at the Y. I just hadn't ever had a ton of motivation and because I wasn't ever "sporty" (I'm still a clutz with very little coordination!) I thought physical activity would never work out for me. Boy was I wrong!

Once we started rowing I really felt the effects of the 20 or so extra pounds I'd starting toting around after 5+ years at a desk, so I decided that it was definitely the time to do something about it. Better than waiting to become really overweight and have more troubles, right?

So my Weight Watchers journey began. I chose WW because it seemed doable and wasn't completely restrictive. I started out at 173+ lbs....so set my goal to 150 lbs. It should be noted that I am 5'11" so this is well within my healthy weight range. The initial 10 lbs just about fell off because my eating habits became so much better (hello portion control!), but then it took me almost a year to get the other 13 pounds off (I know now that my body was craving more activity). Once I hit 150, my body immediately went right back up to 153lbs and I've fluctuated around there ever since. I'm perfectly happy with that, but occasionally get back on the bandwagon for that elusive 150. I still follow WW to some degree...averaging food points in my head and planning my meals each day helps keep me on track. These days I am much more about choosing healthy options and real food (but it does help to know off-hand how many points that banana bread/chicken strip/bowl of clam chowder might be when I'm looking to indulge).

After rowing ended, my girlfriends and I took up non-contact kickboxing (Muay Thai). This was a hardcore class twice a week taught by a champion female martial artist that kicked our asses! We learned moves and skills we never could anywhere else. I realized that I am a lot better at these things than I ever thought and I really owe my new found love of fitness to that class and our instructor. I had to give it up when I moved across the country, but I missed the activity in my life (and the muscles in my arms!) so that is when I decided to join a gym and consult a personal trainer. From there I took what I learned and started pairing it with fitness information I found through my own research, and mainly from other bloggers. I have also found other local bloggers who are on the same path and together we have taken on hot yoga, hiking, frequent lunches, and fun times (and a sick love of all things lululemon).

Some days (weeks!) it's tough to feel that groove that gets me moving but by Embracing Balance I can remember to keep it real. It's a great journey. And who knew? If you'd asked me about working out or eating healthy even 5 years ago I wouldn't have known where to begin. Look at me now!

Doctor

I finally found a local doctor! Thanks Farm Girl for letting me know about this great lady that accepted new patients. Only took me a year...

So I had a laundry list of things to talk to her about at this first visit and now have to go back twice, plus hit up two other clinics this week. Yikes. Glad I didn't wait much longer!

- PAP scheduled...after the whole HPV situation last year, I need to get this done ASAP.
- blood work requested....I have to hit up a separate clinic for that on my own time...I requested the works to make sure my iron, etc are all up to par...been lightheaded a lot lately
- plantars wart to be removed...ewwwww I know....but they offer a special clinic twice a month so I can go in and get the little bugger frozen off
- asked about the Hep Twinrex vaccine....she said it's a good precaution but I could tell she didn't think it's that big of a deal...her opinion is that we are just as likely to contract Hep here as we would be on vacation....I got the prescription though so I might as well do it
- and the biggie....she gave me an x-ray request so I can have that done any time I like and she put in a referral to a sports medicine doctor downtown for me to have my shoulder/arm pain thingy checked out.....soooooo excited about this!!

Downside is all of the time away from my desk this takes. There was a huge wait today....like over an hour! (which they claim is highly unusual...we shall see). So now I have a whackload of work to catch up on....and will have to take a few more hours for the bloodwork and xrays this week. Good thing FH is away so I don't mind working in the evenings if need be. It will be nice to get this stuff all caught up and sorted out!