How to compromise and STILL put your health first, when living with family, friend or roommate! December 29th, 2014

Excuses excuses excuses.

They come in many shapes and forms, but one HUGE one for me, and lots of others out there is that I live with someone, we share the tv and living room (only space big enough) so when she is at home, I can NOT do my workout. Usually it goes something like this..."They're watching tv, I can't use it right now" "I don't want to bug them" "If I asked to use the tv, they would say no" "Its their tv time, living room time etc" "If I just wait, maybe they'll go do something else". 

Sometimes, you just have to suck it up and work out some compromises. It may not be a compromise with the people you live with but rather, yourself. I'll explain.

You want to workout, put your health first but you live with someone so that is difficult. 

1. Look at your schedules - is there any time where you are home alone, that you will be able to fit in a half hour workout?

2. If you woke up 1/2 hour earlier, would you be able to use the tv to workout?

3. Have you tried asking your family/friend/roomie if you can use the tv at a specific time to workout?

Sometimes it takes a little schedule juggling/shifting around to figure out a time that works for not only the people you live with, but yourself as well. If you don't make time, it won't just pop up for you out of nowhere.

YOU have to make this a priority, and if that means giving up a half hour of sleep to get it done, then just do it!
It may not sound pleasant, you may be cursing me that I don't have a magic solution to this problem but if you don't do it, it won't happen no matter what.

What do I do?

I wake up at 6:20 am and get myself ready for a workout before my roommate wakes up and comes into the living room. This works well for me, and then it is done like dinner (except its the morning!) or I will do my workout after work on days that I know she works later, and I will have the time to myself to do that workout.

Bottom line!!!
If you want the results, if you want to look great, lose weight, have more energy, feel healthier, be in the best shape of your life THIS IS WHAT YOU MUST DO:
You give yourself that time, you make yourself time and work around whoever/whatever that is causing you to make excuses (sometimes it is yourself!) and JUST DO IT!!!

21 days is all it takes to break old habits, bad habits and create brand new healthy habits that create a new routine and lifestyle for ourselves. Just keep going, hold out for a little bit longer and I promise you, after each workout you're going to feel that much better than the last and soon enough, you've created a new habit you won't want to stop at all. 

December 10th - My 25th Birthday, a year in review 2014

Personally, every year kinda ends around my birthday. Mainly because it is in the middle of December but partly because after my birthday there is crazy Christmas shopping, wrapping, visiting families and dinners. Then after that it is Boxing day shopping and then it is already New Years Eve.
So basically, after my birthday the year ends.

As a general rule, I don't really like to say that anything "has been the best of my life" because I am only 25 now, and I trust that I have many many more years of experiences and opportunities ahead of me. As my birthday approaches, I find myself reflecting on all my experiences and opportunities this past year. I am so grateful for all the amazing people I have met and come in contact with this year, and all the positivity and support from my family and both existing and new friends.
This year definitely had its ups and downs but I pushed through it, stepped out of my comfort zone countless times and began a new journey creating a better life and future for myself.
That being said, I can however say that 2014 has been a year to remember, a year full of once in a lifetime opportunities and experiences, a year of huge change, and a year of epic proportions.

Let me start at the top. 

January began with myself and my roommate still attending the gym from the month before, though now not as frequently. As January blurred into February and the snow was still here, we spent a lot of time indoors watching tv and movies and slowly slid back into eating crappy food again. March was more of the same but I did take my dad to see ZZ-TOP in concert - FIRST ROW!!! OMG AMAZING!!! 

And then April came and changed everything. 

It all started with one event that I FINALLY agreed to go to. A Beachbody event, a live workout, Shakeology tasting and hearing stories from other coaches...plus it was free. I thought why not, its not freezing anymore (I was invited to the one back in January but didn't go) its free and I'll be able to get out and see what it is that Jess is always talking about. 

The people, the atmosphere was incredible. It was inspiring, heartwarming and motivating. The Shakeology tasted great, I felt like I died after the workout, but I also felt super hyped up - so I became a coach too! (That came a few weeks later when I had saved enough to buy the challenge pack mind you but it was because of the event). I just knew I had to become a part of this team, this family of coaches helping others get healthy all while doing the same for themselves. 

April turned into May, and I had received my challenge pack at this time and began my program - the 21 Day Fix. 

21 days, portion control colour coded containers and only a 30 minute workout a day - yes please!!

In my first round I lost a total of 6 lbs and 5.5 inches I was so excited!

May slid into June and I kept up eating with the containers but I definitely slacked on the daily workouts. My little brother finished Grade 8 - started HIGH SCHOOL this year HOLY MOLY!!
My little sister graduated and I cried - sooooo freaking proud of her!! When July rolled around another program created by Chalene Johnson (PiYo) was launched and of course I purchased it (we did it at the Super Saturday event) and proceeded to start that. Also in July, I went on a trip with some of my family (mom and little brother) to Ontario and had the best time, did the most amazing things and stepped WAAAAAY out of my comfort zone on a few of them. I crossed a bridge 152 ft in the air!!! OMG!!! But the feeling of accomplishment afterwards - priceless.

August was a busy month at work, but I still had time to fit in another fabulous concert - AFI,  30 Seconds to Mars and Linkin Park. 30 Seconds to Mars definitely had the best stage presence!!

With the start of September and school, busy parents and programs at work left me with little to no energy to do anything. Beachbody launched in Canada on Sept 6th, and of course I mustered up the energy (who am I kidding I was PSYCHED!!) to head down to the launch, and also to meet the creator of the 21 Day Fix - Autumn Calabrese!!!
She is a fantastic person and I am sooo grateful and amazed that I had the pleasure and once in a lifetime opportunity to meet this wonder woman, and have my picture taken with her!

After all the excitement of September, I decided to do a 3 Day Refresh, and reboot my system in October. So that is exactly what I did, with great results as well.

I began helping my mom plan for her wedding in October, as well as getting ready for Halloween (my favourite holiday by far) and so the workouts again became nonexistent. Then up came the actual wedding date in November - they look so happy!!!

And thus began December, and the snow. And then this post.
I'm currently finishing up another round of 21 Day Fix so I can achieve the goal I set at the beginning of December - to be under 200 lbs for my 25th birthday. I am so close to making it, 3 more days!

So my next step is to get through the holidays (I'll be posting some tips on how to get through those temptations after my birthday) and create a new goal for the new year. So stay tuned not only for the holiday tricks on temptation but also for my new goals come next month!

Lemon Blueberry Pancakes!!! December 7, 2014

I had my little sister staying with me last Saturday night so for Sunday morning breakfast, of course we had to make pancakes. I don't use a box mix, and I didn't have any buttermilk so I jumped on the computer to see what I could find for us. What I stumbled across was a delicious blend of citrus and sweet - blueberry lemon pancakes.

Let me tell you, they were DELICIOUS!!! But because they were so delicious, I forgot to take any pictures of our pancakes we ate them right away!

Blueberry Lemon Pancakes

Yield: ~4 servings

adapted from:

Pastry Affair

1 1/2 cup Flour

1 tablespoon Baking Powder

2 tablespoons Sugar

Zest of 1 Lemon

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 large Egg

2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

1 cup Milk

1 1/2 tablespoon freshly squeezed Lemon juice

1 1/3 cup Blueberries

1)  In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, sugar, lemon zest and salt.

2)  In a separate bowl, whisk together egg, milk, oil and lemon juice.

3)  Make a well in the dry ingredients, add the wet ingredients, and whisk together.

4)  Stir together until just combined (lumps are totally cool here!).

5)  Finally, fold in blueberries.

6)  Pour 1/4 cup or so of batter onto a heated pan or griddle and cook each side until lightly browned.

7)  Serve with lemon glaze, maple syrup, or a blueberry sauce!

[Optional: Lemon glaze]:

1 tablespoon Lemon juice

1 cup Icing Sugar

2 tsp of Lemon zest

Stir together lemon juice and zest, and slowly add icing sugar until desired consistency is reached.

Drizzle over pancakes, and serve!