Trickin' and Treatin'! The real scare: NOT eating any Halloween candy. Muhahahahaha!

HALLOWEEN SLIMMING TIP: Expecting trick or treaters?? Don't buy your candy till the last minute. Better yet, only buy candy you DON'T like so that you aren't tempted to eat any of it.

My weaknesses don't  include candies or chocolates or desserts so Halloween is not a scary occasion for me in terms of treats. My real weakness is salty and starchy foods so it's around events like Thanksgiving, Easter and Christmas where I really have to pay attention to what I eat.
This year at work I have several fun size kit kats and coffee crisps that are sitting at my desk and I can't be bothered to eat them.

MILESTONE MOMENT: Another weakness of mine used to be seeing food. Meaning that if I see it in front of me, no matter how full I am, I would have to eat it or at least nibble at it. That was me a year ago. Today, I can see food ant

ROLL CALL

Breakfast:
1 slice whole grain sprouted bread
2 free range organic eggs
3 oz rosemary ham


Lunch:
Garden salad (lettuce, tomatoes,
1 grilled chicken breast
1 tbsp Kraft French salad dressing

Dinner:
1/2 cup rice
Curried beef
Side salad

Going to a Halloween party so I will probably have to update this post after the party as I will definitely have some drinks and I'm sure there will be chips and other such noshes there as well.

DRINKS:
1 tall long starbucks Americano with honey and nonfat/whole milk (1 tbsp each)

EXERCISE: Rest day. I'll go back to the gym tomorrow to kick off the week

Happy Halloween and we won't let Halloween scare us away from eating healthy today!

The scale is a mofo. That's right. A fullscale bitch it is.

It's Friday night people! Do you know where your first drink is??  ( rum and diet coke of course. VERY low in cals)

Weigh-in day:      187lbs

Current Size:       12

Current Waist:     31"

Reflections: Oh darn. I really wanted to see 186 or lower on the scale but my week has been filled with deliciousness and overindulgences (2 of my favourite words!). Ah well. I won't let it get me down. Plus, although my weight is up 1/2 a lb, I definitely see more definition in my body. My back especially! I have some definition there - wowza! So while the scale remains a stubborn bitch this week (ya, you heard me scale!), I will find happiness in other non-scale related areas. Yay!

ROLL CALL

Breakfast:

2 slices whole wheat toast

2 eggs over easy

3 slices bacon

2 tsp butter

Lunch:

Vietnamese: Flank steak and tendon pho (noodle soup)

 Dinner:

1 1/2 cups pea soup

DRINKS:

8+ glasses of water

3 cups of green tea (2 tea bags)

EXERCISE:  Crossfit again.

Intervals: 1 min skipping, 1 min weighted burpees and medicine ball tosses

Weight lifting: front squat and bench press

Cardio: 1000m row,30 burpees

Happy Friday!

Potlucks are the devil! Moderation really is key.

Had a potluck at work today so eating was....interesting to say the least! I can't and never will say no to a potluck. I'll just work out extra hard at the gym instead. Done and done!

ROLL CALL

Breakfast (845am): 

Breakfast shake made with

1/4 cup strawberries

1/4 cup blueberries

1/4 plain full fat yogurt

1 scoop greens + energy booster

1/4 cup cooked steel cut oats

Lunch (12 noon):

smorgasbord of foods and treats and desserts and candies and chocolates.

oh and cheese too. Oh and potato chips and spinach dip and chicken wings

mmmmmmmmm

I would have to estimate about 50g of fat and 1000 calories - ALL WORTH
IT! mmmmmmmm :)

Dinner (8:30pm):

1 slice of whole wheat bread

1 TBSP peanut butter

I actually had to force it down a little. Not too hungry after the all you can eat buffet @ lunch.

DRINKS:

8 glasses of water

2 cups of green tea

1 cup of chamomile

EXERCISE: 

Lots of cardio today  to make up for the luncheon

10 minutes StairMaster

10 minutes on elliptical

30 minutes on treadmill

20 minutes of abs and stretching

SLIMMING TIP: Moderation is key. Although I'm still full, I really didn't eat too much at the pot luck today. I'm sure I estimated too high on the FAT and CALS but I enjoyed myself immensely and frankly, I wish I could have eaten MORE! Damn you shrinking stomach!

Weigh in tomorrow morning, wish me luck.

Happy slimming!

Plan to win, plan to fail, just make sure you PLAN!

SLIMMING TIP: Plan, plan plan! My hormones are out of whack this week and by default I’ve stopped caring about what I eat. Usually on Sundays I would plan out and then purchase the food I would need to make my meals and stay on track. This did not happen this week.

NB: Sometimes my tips repeat but that’s just because they’re sooooo important to drill into your psyche. Mine especially. Planning is key and I have to remember that adage: If you fail to plan, you plan to fail!

Time for the ROLL CALL

Breakfast (9:30am):

• 2 hard boiled free range eggs, 1 de-yolked
• 1 slice flourless, sprouted grain bread, toasted
• 1 TBSP peanut butter
• ½ pink grapefruit

Lunch (12:30pm @ Costco):

• 2 mini butter tarts (damn you, free samples!)
• 1 jumbo hot dog
• ½ container of French fries (shared with a friend)

Note to followers: I felt sooo gross afterward and tired for the rest of the afternoon. It was definitely delicious though but my body just wasn’t used to that crap after months of healthier eating. I’m gonna pay for that in this week’s weigh in for sure!

Dinner: (830pm)

• Take out stir fry
• 2 oz beef and chicken
• ½ cup white rice
• 3 cups of chopped vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, carrots, onions, zucchini & mushrooms)
• 1 oz firm tofu

Drinks:

• 8 glasses of water
• 3 cups of green tea (2 bags over the course of the day)
• ½ cup of diet coke (@ Costco)

EXERCISE (6 to 7am): A fun and challenging cross training workout called – Crossfit
It kicks my ass each time and I love it. Made for all fitness levels, it challenges you to get to the next level in your personal fitness. Perfect for me as my level is continuously increasing.

Happy Eating!

Don't be lazy. Add vegetables to everything

ROLL CALL:

Breakfast (9:30am):

3/4 cut steel cut oats

2 tsp each - sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds raisins

1tsp brown sugar

1/2 protein bar

Lunch (12:30pm):

1 pesto and cream sauce stuffed chicken breast (200 cal, 6 grams of fat)

1 large garden salad (iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, red cabbage, shredded carrots, sliced cucumber)

1 tablespoon ranch dressing

Afternoon Snack #1 (3pm):

1- 35g bag Ruffles  sour cream and cheddar flavour baked chips

1 tbsp ranch dressing (for dipping. mmmm)

5 almonds

Afternoon snack #2: (7pm)

1/2 max chocolate bar

1/2 crispy crunch

Dinner (9:30pm) :

6 oz beef stuffed whole wheat pasta

1/2 cup Classico Italian sausage pasta sauce

- yes I should have added veggies but I was too lazy

DRINKS:

8 glasses of water

3 cups of green tea (1 tea bag, portable mug refilled 3 times)

1/2 cup of xxx vitamin water (I just keep sipping from the bottle in my fridge)

EXERCISE:

Warm up: 13 minutes on StairMaster @ level 12
Work out:  chest and back
2 sets of 10 full, military style push ups
2 sets of 25 - chest press @ 55lbs
2 sets of 25  - pull press @ 50lbs
2 sets of 25 - lateral pull down @ 80lbs
30 minutes - elliptical

10 minutes of ab work (basic sit ups,
Cool down/stretch

SLIMMING DOWN TIP: Add vegetables where you can! My pasta today should have included green peppers, onions, mushrooms and zucchini but I didn't bother to because I had company over and just went right for the goods. Plus my company arrived very late so I didn't start to cook till late.

Easy way to include vegetables:

• Buy them pre cut in the grocery store. This will cost you more but you'll at least use them and it will save you time.

• Add a side salad/garden salad to any meal

Wanna slim down? Get to bed early

ROLL CALL (ie Daily Food Diary)

Breakfast (930am):

1/2 cup of full fat plain yogurt

3/4 cup of sliced strawberries

1/4 cup of Terra Breads granola mix

(I also had a grapefruit to eat but I didn’t feel like eating much)

Lunch (1230pm):

(Brought a garden salad and a chicken breast to work but didn’t feel like having it so went to café @ work instead)

1 Veggie samosa

1 cup - chick pea salad (chick peas, red peppers, vinaigrette dressing, black olives)

Afternoon snack (nibbled between 3pm to 4pm):

1 cup air popped popcorn

4 Ritz type crackers, 1 Tablespoon peanut butter

Dinner (Ate 1/2 @ 530pm & the other 1/2 @ 8pm):

Grilled ham and bocconcini cheese panini on 1/2 whole wheat focaccia

With artichoke hearts, lettuce, tomato and green olives, mustard and 1 tsp of pesto mayo ( I made the sandwich lady take off any extra)

Drinks

6 cups green tea (2 tea bags over the course of the day and refill the portable mug with hot water)

8 glasses of water (still drinking a few more glasses now)

EXERCISE: None today so extra effort should have been made on the eating – Oops. Better luck tomorrow!

SLIMMING DOWN TIP: Get enough sleep!  I couldn't sleep last night and only had 4 hours of rest. I felt listless and tired all day and drank more coffee and tea than usual to perk myself up.
 Don't believe me?? Read the source article from Glamour mag or better yet - try it yourself!

Eat for Energy! Sunday, October 25th, 2009

ROLL CALL

Breakfast (1:30pm):

4 egg whites, 1 yolk

1/4 cup each of green peppers, mushrooms and onions

1 oz havarti cheese

1/4 cup sliced tomato

Lunch (6:30pm): 

1 slice of sprouted whole wheat bread

1 tablespoon of peanut butter (lite cuz its sweeter. mmmmm)

Dinner (8:30pm):

1 blue menu spinach and ricotta cheese stuffed chicken breast

1 large garden salad (iceburg lettuce, tomatoes, red cabbage, shredded carrots, sliced cucumber)

1 tablespoon ranch dressing

Drinks: 

1 tall, long Starbucks americano with honey and milk

10 glasses of water

2 cups of Starbucks awake tea (i had lots of writing to get to today)

EXERCISE:

• 15 min warmup - stairmaster
• 45 minutes interval training - squats, jumping squats, jumping lunges, leg press, hip abductor, quads, hamstrings
• 30 minutes steady jog on treadmill
• 10 minute walk on treadmill
• 10 minutes ab work
• 10 minute stretching

SLIMMING DOWN TIP: Eat for energy! Today being the weekend, I had time to do a longer workout - approx 2 hours. I forgot to eat something first and by the end of my workout I was yawning on the treadmill.  Had I simply had a proper pre-workout snack,  I would have had the energy I needed to complete my workout more effectively.

Great pre workout snack ideas:

1. Yogurt ( I prefer the full fat kind in smaller quantities)
2. Bananas or other fruits (1 medium)
3. Half-cup trail mix with nuts, seeds and dried fruit
4. Energy bars (carb focused ones)
5. Protein drinks (25% protein & 60% carbs)   

• Try to eat at least 30 minutes prior to your workout to allow for digestion 
• Be sure to check with your health professional and or fitness trainer prior to starting any new eating or fitness regime.

In the beginning....there was excess fat

STATISTICS:

 
Current Weight:   186.5lbs
Height:                   5’7”
Age Range:          25 to 34

Run Down: I’ve just dropped 30lbs in 6 months (woo hoo!) and now feel bigger than ever (how does THAT happen??). At 186, I’m actually at my lowest adult weight. My clothes are looser, my energy levels are up and the attention I get from the opposite sex is definitely at an all time high but still – where’s that pot of happiness that I always thought would be at the end of the weight loss rainbow? Maybe it's not here because my weight loss journey isn’t over yet!

Background:  over 10 years of dieting, healthy eating and gym and workout experience. I’ve tried almost every type of ‘diet’ under the sun and now understand that dieting is not the way to go.

The Plan: Drop 30 lbs and firm up the muscles

How: Lots of fun exercises and great workouts, plenty of healthy, delicious eating including some of my favourites like chicken wings, pizza and pastas, plus I will happily try some new healthy eating methods along the way 

Your Role: I value your feedback, comments and any tips and tricks that you may have. We all know someone who’s trying to get to their ideal weight. If we all work together and use our shared experiences we can kick the ‘fat’ illness for good.

Pot of happiness, here we come!