Sugar Free

Rule for today:  No Candy.

What a freaking bizarre rule for a healthy living blogger, eh?

Started off with pretty standard fare.  Coffeeee....

I had written toast on my meal plan, but um...well you kind of need bread to make toast.  LOL.  So half a bagel it was!  With almond butter, sliced 1/2 banana, and a side of apple...

Carbs + protein + coffee = sustainable breakfast!

For lunch I whipped up a salad because it's been a few days since fresh greens made the menu.  A Greek-ish salad as it were.

Baby spinach, grape tomatoes, cucumber and yellow peppers...

Topped with light feta cheese and a big drizzle of Spring Herb dressing...

Added protein and crunch with a side of hummus and Mary's Crackers.

Last night's super crumbly Club Soda Cupcakes had some time to settle overnight so I was able to very carefully get most of them out of the pan unscathed.  These really are a "eat the next day" kind of treat.  So I did...I ate one on my way out the door to the gym...LOL.

For my first day back at the gym in about a week I decided to tackle my upper body and abs.  Sitting at my desk all week I can tell I've been neglecting my core.  Boooooo to that!

3 sets of 12:

• Overhead Press
• Tricep Dips
• Bicep Curls
• Barbell Bent Over Row
• Hammer Curls
• Lateral Raises
• Cable Tricep Pulldowns
• Hamstring Curls on the ball
• Crunches - knees up
• Reverse Crunches
• Back Extensions
• Side Extensions

Plus a 10 minute warm up on the recumbent bike.  I really wanted to get a run in, but there was never a treadmill to be had.  Crazy busy in my gym tonight. 

They recently did away with the sign-up sheets for the equipment and I'm not so sure I like that.  Now people can totally disregard the 20 minute time limit and those of us waiting have no way of knowing which machine should be available next. 

I guess it doesn't matter since I'm leaving anyway! ha!

When I got home dinner was quick and easy...and completely based on a couple of things I had on hand.

Scallop & Asparagus Stirfry

Blanched some chopped fresh asparagus and one small carrot in a bit of water with salt & lemon.  Drained off the water and added a drizzle of veggie oil...when hot, stirred the veggies around and added half of a small sliced onion. 

Added five sea scallops, salt & peppered and turned to coat lightly in the oil.  Just pushed the veggies to the side of the pan and stirred occasionally while the scallops cooked.

When almost finished, drizzled with my go-to stirfry sauce, stirred and let cook until the scallops were brown and finished.  Serve piping hot.

  

I know you are wondering where the rice or noodles are, but I didn't need the extra carby filler...and oddly enough I actually got full and didn't even finish the veggies.

I'm guzzling water now and hope that a cup of tea will keep the sugar cravings at bay.  There's nothing in the house I can eat anyway so that's all good!  Those cupcakes are there...but I don't crave those the way I've been craving actual candy lately...so I think they are safe.  :)

I am also tired already at 10pm, so this is a good sign!

Mini DIY Vacation Booty Camp

Yesterday morning I was pressed for time, but being Tuesday I wanted to get my vacation Booty Camp time because I knew my fellow Halibloggers at home would be working up a sweat with Heather. I don't want to be tooooo far behind my girls!

I did a similar run to Sunday's, but admittedly there was a little more walking. My lower back isn't loving the futon we've been sleeping on and is making everything in my body a little tender. It was still a solid 3 km of cardio though.

For my mini-workout at the school park I took an idea from Amy's 15 Week Challenge and decided to use the bench for my exercises. Squats (30), step-ups (30), tricep dips (15), pushups (15) and a plank (30 sec). I wanted to do ab work as well, but they had just mowed the field and the mosquitos were out in full force. Instead I did some walking lunges and then jogged back to the house.

Not bad for a 1/2 hour. :)

There’s Sand in My Booty

Tonight was my first class of Booty Camp, along with some other Haliblog girls (thanks for the name Farm Girl!).  I went into it knowing it would be a good workout, but hoping it wouldn’t be too hard or too easy.  I also knew we would all laugh our asses off the entire time.

Our instructor, Heather, is personable, easy going, and super qualified.  Not only is she a trainer at a local gym, but she also just completed the Kineisology program at Dalhousie.  We like her!

First, I should tell you that this entire event took place on a sandy outdoor volleyball court…but not nice, lovely sand…grainy, scratchy, wet sand.  However, I’m kind of glad it did because it helped up the intensity/difficulty level. 

Heather explained that we switch areas of focus when the songs change.  Start with cardio, then squats, then lunges, more cardio, some upper body, some core…you get the idea. For the most part I found it a good workout and fairly easy…although I will admit that it’s pretty easy not to give it your all.  With 25 women in the group, it’s hard for her to whip us all into following exactly.  I’m hoping with a few more sessions she’ll get more “boot camp” on us and start really giving people hell for slacking.  We shall see.

After our hour of power, we all hung around Farm Girl’s car enjoying some fresh strawberries she brought from her family farm.  Deeeeelish!   We were waiting on our turn to weigh in and get measured (yes, Mouse she put the scale out on the road!!  it was the only flat place…haha), and wouldn’t you know it but the local Red Bull car pulled up.

So we all had a good time getting free sugar-free Red Bull (which I won’t drink but it was fun to get free swag) and sitting on their car for a photo op.

Lynn, me, Farm Girl, Lex, and Angie 

So, all in all, a fun first day.  I’ll try to take it more seriously in the sessions to come.  Honestly though, so far it seems like it caters to folks with little to no fitness level and is mainly a weight-loss program…neither of which really fit me at this point.  We shall see!  I really just want to get better at real pushups!

 

Before I headed out, I had my planned fruit in the afternoon…

and an On the Glo granola bar about an hour before class.

When I got home I scarfed down the leftover chicken salad on whole wheat with some greens.

 

Today I got five litres of water in.  I’m definitely hydrated.  :)

Booty-licious Everywhere!

After posting a shout out yesterday about Angie and Farm Girl’s contests for Booty Camp Fitness, I too received an email offering me a four week free booty camp trial!

So fun!  Five of us lucky Halifax bloggers are now signed up for the inaugural run of the local booty camp! 

Check out their website to see if there is a location near you!  Keep in mind (teaser!) that I too will have some free sessions to give away in the near future…  :)

 

Why I think Booty Camp Fitness will work for me:

Their 3 Core Values:

1. Fun. We are always seeking to make the Booty Camp experience more fun via new interesting and exciting exercises, cardio drills, music, motivational incentives, and nutritional ideas.
2. Friendly. We do our best to create an empowering and supportive environment for women where they can share, grow, and have fun.
3. Fitness. We’re all about getting our recruits’ fitness results!

Stay tuned for reports about our fabulous new adventures in fitness!

Workin’ Hard

Considering that I had no significant plans for today, it wound up very productive. Thanks mainly to another beautiful day, a handy neighbor, and a desire to be active.

After posting this morning I made myself a pineapple spritzer (pineapple juice and seltzer) and sat on the front porch reading in the sun for a bit. Eventually the bug for coffee hit me so I took myself out to Starbucks for an iced coffee with skim milk (note: these are supposed to be sweetened with their classic syrup, but mine wasn’t…what a shock taking a big swig expecting sweet and getting bitter!)

I perused a few garden centers while I was out. I literally pass five on the way to Starbucks. No one really has much in the way of annual bedding plants yet…I’m holding out for impatiens for my planters, but I did get two lovely hanging baskets for the front porch. Purple Calibrachoa…which look like tiny petunias to me!

I brought my iced coffee home (to add sugar!) and made lunch. Turkey and avocado wrap with chips and salsa. Deeeeelish.

In the tortilla: light mayo, grainy mustard, deli turkey, avocado slices and grated light cheddar.

Still wanting to tackle the weed wasteland that is our lawn I asked my neighbor if I could borrow their mower until FH gets a chance to look at ours when he gets home. She suggested her hubby have a look a mine, so I took them up on that. After a few minutes poking around and several pulls on the rip cord, he got it to start! He didn’t do anything different than I was doing, so his guess is that there was some old gas in the line that just needed to be flushed out. Nice!

This was awesome because I was then able to tackle the dead spots on the front yard like I had wanted to early in the week. Three bags of lawn soil and I could have used at least three more…but I raked it out carefully, sprinkled with a ton of new grass seed, raked a little more, and watered it carefully. My new pet project will be to watch and see if it works!

The back yard is a huge task, so that will definitely be a Summer-long project for FH and I to worry about a little later.

Three hours out in the sun made me a little hungry so I came in for a bowl of Liberte Svelt vanilla yogurt with a handful of Organic Daybreak and some of the leftover fruit from last night. This gave me enough energy to change my clothes and head to the gym.

Run + full body strength training…

Treadmill: 2 minute warm up, 18 minute run, 3 minute cooldown

Upper Body: 2 sets of 12 reps (I upped my weights and went for fewer reps today)

- Tricep pulldowns (17.5lbs)

- Bicep curls (30lbs)

- Military presses (30lbs)

Lower Body: 2 sets of 12 reps

- squats on upside-down bosu

- stationary lunges with 2 x 10lb weights (each leg)

- hamstring curls on the ball

Core:

- 30 regular crunches

- 30 bicycle crunches

- 30 reverse crunches

- 30 second plank

- a few yoga stretches for my lower back, legs, etc

When I got home I walked up the block to get the mail, then came in and immediately made dinner. Stuffed a chicken breast with a smear of light herby cream cheese and leftover spinach and sprinkled it with s&p and fresh parmesan and baked it in the oven.

Served with a simple tomato salad (just added a smidge of minced red onion, a little EVOO, sea salt and ground pepper to a whole chopped tomato), fiddleheads, and two mini slices of baguette leftover from last night (thanks Lynn!).

All that has led to this crazy long post and now I’m zonked. I just got out of the shower and plan to give myself a little mud mask action before relaxing with a cup of tea and a few more Butterfly cookies. It will be a reasonably early bedtime tonight so I can be bright eyed and bushy tailed tomorrow….because FH IS HOME TOMORROW!! Weeeeeeeee!!

Blood Sugar

Well that was certainly an awful start to the day.

I sat last night and wrote out my fitness plan for the week. I packed my gym bag, filled my water bottle, laid out my gym clothes, and set my alarm for an hour early. I even wrote out my menu plan for today so I wouldn't be humming and hawing about what to eat.

My alarm went off this morning and I only hit snooze once. I got up, washed my face, pulled my hair back, set up the coffee maker, and got into the car by 7:45 as planned.

Got to the gym and started my new Mon-Wed-Fri routine of 20 mins of HIIT...today on the crosstrainer. Pushed myself and got through it all hot and sweaty and feeling great. Headed over to the weight area to work on my strength training. I rewrote my routine last night....combo of favorite exercises from the two routines I have from my trainer sessions...got through the first two machines, but as I was starting my second set of tricep pulldowns I started to feel woozy. This reminded me that I had forgotten to drink my planned smoothie before I left home, but not eating before a workout isn't at all unusual for me so I thought nothing of it. But the wooziness didn't pass so I decided I'd better take a break.

By the time I got to the changeroom I was having full on spins. I went to a bathroom stall so I could sit down somewhere private...plus I thought I might puke. I was extremely lightheaded and I think I may have actually passed out for just a second because I wound up sitting on the floor of the stall. I sat there for a really long time until my breathing and heartrate returned to normal. Then I stood up and had to lean there for a while longer until my head stopped spinning.

I washed my face and towelled off, but I was all sweaty....like cold sweats. Basically I felt disgustingly drunk.

I managed to cool off enough by pulling my hair up and changing out of my runners....so I decided to go outside. Sat in my car for a while, and thankfully was able to drive myself home.

Got home, went straight to the fridge for the juice I should've had earlier....then straight to the couch where I fell asleep right away and slept for two hours. Woke up, still felt like human jello so had a bowl of fresh pineapple and then a chocolate granola bar. Obviously I'm assuming my blood sugar must be all out of whack for some reason....so I was trying to pump it up quickly.

I ended up going back to sleep for another hour, then forced myself to get up and at least check on work. 3.5 hours behind. Lovely.

Since then I've had a big bowl of cereal, lots of water, and I'm now considering some Advil and some more protein. I still feel like shit....like I'm hungover...which obviously isn't the problem.

I know people get nauseus or sick from working out too hard all the time, but seriously....this was no harder than I've ever worked out and I hadn't even made it 2/3 of the way through. WTF? It was fricking scary that's for sure.

Anyway, I'm hoping that eating will cure the issue and I'll be feeling back to normal tonight. I guess if I do, the rest of my activity will be mowing the lawn in the cool evening air....or maybe it will be continuing to lay on the couch with my laptop and bad movies. I am hoping for option A.

What a freaking piss off that this would happen on my big day of re-committment and gym excitement. Argh.

(Oh, and to top it off, of course I forgot to weigh-in....so I don't even know if my days of OP have panned out.)