smoothies

a few weeks ago, my older son G was having major stomach pains which took us to children's hospital.  after a 2.5 hour wait and 20 minute visit with the doctor, he was diagnosed with constipation.  i always knew G was "regular", but given that he's 8.5 years old, i never bothered asking him "did it hurt?", "how much did you poop?", "anything unusual?".  so as it turns out, he may have only been pooping every couple of days, and more than likely it was tough to push out.  so, with doctor's orders, we've been giving him a laxative every morning, and increasing his dose of fibre-goodness.

so what does my son's constipation have to do with my healthy journey and smoothies?  simply put, we're throwing all of this fibre-goodness into a smoothie and increasing our veggie & fruit consumption!  so, at least 3x a week when G has after-school activities, i whip up a smoothie for his snack and we share it on the road.  what's our smoothie of choice?

1-2 cups spinach
1-2 cups water, varies depending on consistency
1 cup frozen fruit of choice (we've used pineapples, mangoes, or blueberries)
1 banana
(honey for sweetness if needed)

i played around with it and threw in a cup of greek yogurt for protein, but it changes the consistency and alters the taste.  neither of us is a fan of adding dairy. this week i bought some kale, so i'm going to try doing 1/2 spinach, 1/2 kale.  i don't want to overdose on the spinach...we'll get bored of it soon enough.

my trainer also realized that i'm not getting enough protein at breakfast to kick-start my day.  so he's suggested that i add a protein shake.  i hesitated at the idea, and told him i'd figure out some foods that i could eat instead in the morning.  after a hectic week with the kids, i wasn't successful.  so, i bought the epicure protein powder (a friend share a 50% coupon, so i figured why not)...and the verdict is....i hate it.  it's coconut flavoured so it has to be incorporated appropriately.  and it's gritty.  and brown.  and it ruined my spinach smoothie today.

i told my trainer about my experience with protein, and he said to stick with vanilla or chocolate protein powder.  and he also said the dot fit (sold at steve nash) is the best out there.  but it comes with a $60 cost.  so, i'm back to square one, wary of protein powders, but still lacking protein in the mornings. 

however....today i had a kick-ass breakfast!  poached egg and avocado on an english muffin.  so simple.  so good.  but definitely something i don't have time for on most weekday mornings. so we'll see what i can come up with next!

#smoothies #protein #constipation #30before40

Zumba!

many years ago, when I first joined SNFC, I was told about a Zumba class @ Kingsway with really great instructors.  so I checked it out and was hooked after my first class.  those instructors eventually left SNFC to open their own studio, so I followed them and bought a groupon for a set number of classes.  it was great because I could get there twice a week and I really enjoyed the classes.

then the groupon pass ended, and I had to actually pay their fees and I balked.  then I discovered that there was Zumba at the community centre near my house...I even saw them doing a class outdoors when we were at the park nearby.  but I never went to a class. 

now that i'm back at SNFC, I've decided to re-visit Zumba and have gone to 2 Thursday night classes.  i'm not sure if I've gotten less coordinated, or if it's the extra weight i'm carrying around, but BLIMEY, it's hard!  for some reason I thought I had SOME rhythm, but being in the class full of mirrors, I can NOT move!  regardless of my limitations and lack of skill, I LOVE this class.  i don't care that i can't body roll, twerk or booty pop, i'm in it to get moving and get my sweat on. 

so, now my goal is to meet my trainer 2x week, Zumba 2x week, and 1-2x week doing my own cardio/strength. 

#30before40 #Zumba #exercise #class #twerk #whatsthat #feelgood

rest

at last night's session, i did a weigh-in...only down 1 pound.  a bit disheartening, considering how much I've changed my eating habits in the past 13 days.  but i realize that i'm building up muscle right now, so i can't expect drastic changes.  i have definitely noticed an improvement in my strength...my first plank, i didn't quite make it to 20 seconds.  3 sessions in, and i'm up to 25 seconds using a bosu ball with newton (my trainer) adding random pressure to test my core.

i'm always gung-ho for something new and exciting, so for me to hit the gym 10/13 days isn't crazy.  it's on days where I know i'm going to falter with my eating choices that I feel like I need to hit the gym after.  it's not even a matter of eating something "bad".  it's just the fact that I ate "out" and I realize that the calories/fat/whatnot add up.  but on the other hand, the body does need a day of rest in-between workouts...especially after intense workouts with newton.

so, today is my MIL's birthday dinner and we're going out for dinner.  I gave newton a heads-up, and he's going to help me narrow down the menu options...I gave him 4-5 options that i'd be willing to settle for.  we'll see what happens when I actually go to order my meal :P  i'm also feeling guilty about this meal ahead of time because i know we're having birthday cake and i can't "off-set" it with a workout.  today is a day of rest...i've earned it :)

#30before40 #strengthtraining #food #1pound #restday

samsung gear

one of my motivating factors for getting back into the gym was my new phone.  my 2 year contract was up for renewal, so I bought the Samsung S7.  i'm all about new toys, so once I had my phone, I decided to splurge and get the Samsung Gear S2. I had a Fitbit before but I had misplaced the charger for awhile, and then I just stopped caring about my health and tracking steps.  and besides, it only tracked my steps.  the S2 is more robust and alerts me to messages, phone calls, emails, etc. etc.  I've linked everything together with Samsung Health/Gear/MyFitnessPal, so i'm getting all sorts of reminders on my wrist reminding me to get up and be more active.

since changing jobs in February, I've definitely become more sedentary.  I drive 2 minutes to work.  yes, I could walk to/from work, but our morning routines would have to start really early.  an important perk of working closer to home was to ease the burden off my MIL from babysitting at 6:30 a.m.  now she shows up at 7:20, and I'm at work with time to spare :)  so, now instead of walking to/from the skytrain and office, i'm going down the elevator to my car, drive, elevator to my office, and done.  this was another motivator for getting more healthy...an average "steps" day for me was below 5,000 (vs. d/t average was 9,000).  plus i'm not as active in my new job...before I was managing an office over 3 floors...now, I just sit and support 1 executive in a smaller office.

since becoming more active and hitting the gym, I'm averaging the recommended 10,000 steps per day.  even if I don't hit the step goal when I have workouts with my trainer, i'm getting the strength workouts which are super intense.

while it may seem silly to be motivated by technology, it works for me (so far).  I know myself best, and it doesn't take much for me to fall off the wagon and revert to old habits.  here's to hoping that my love for new toys and technology keep me on track!

#30before40 #technology #samsung #samsunggears2

a new (motivated) me

i've come full circle from 2011, and re-joined Steve Nash Fitness Clubs. my 2 year membership at 30 Minute Hit isn't quite over yet (due to my 3 month suspension from last year's car accident), but i haven't been going consistently.  part of it is the monotony of the same circuit, and the other part is the restrictive hours.  i know i can take the kids with me and they'll sit and play on their gadgets, but J has been unpredictable lately and more attached to me.
i think my big motivation is turning the big 4-0 this year (yahoo!).  but i also want to feel better about myself, and really focus on being healthy.  

so, let's get it out there.  my mid-april weigh-in with my trainer was 182 lbs.  surprisingly, this is lower than i had thought i weighed :)  so i have a goal in mind...to lose 30 lbs before i turn 40 (#30before40).  since my birthday isn't until december, it's a real possibility. 

so what am i doing about it?
 
step 1:  i joined the gym.
joining a gym is easy for me...i've done it 4 different times in 10 years.  the challenge i face is once i join, i need to GO to the gym and KEEP GOING. see step 2.

step 2:  i booked 15 sessions with a personal trainer
i've committed to see my trainer 2x a week, plus 2x a week on my own.  that's the minimum. since i joined 10 days ago, i've managed to hit the gym 8x. after only 2 sessions with my trainer, we're already starting to see some results.  i'm going to have him video me doing some exercises to see the end results after 15 sessions.

step 3:  i'm tracking my food & exercise with myfitnesspal
it's true, tracking all of the food i eat is definitely making me more aware of how much i'm eating, and how much good vs. bad i'm eating.  the tracking app isn't perfect...i'm picking food descriptions that match as closely as possible to my intake.  but, just knowing that i'm accountable to my trainer has me more aware of choices i make. i ate out twice this week, and both times opted for a salad instead of burgers & fries which is more up my alley. i realize that restaurant salads aren't perfect...they still have plenty of fat and calories depending on the toppings and dressing.  but i'm making baby step progress. i've also resisted ordering my usual coca-cola, and opted for club soda with lemons & limes.  i really like my fizzy drinks :)

step 4:  i connect w/my trainer between sessions about my "diet"
i have to be accountable to someone.  yes, the app helps open my eyes to the calories, fat, etc.  but having someone i can message for advice and motivation is helpful.  it also helps that he loves food as much as i do, so he can relate to my food tendencies.  but, he also is serious about me reaching my goals.  it also helps that i have mom-friends who inspire me and motivate me to be a better healthier me.
 
so, what's next?  i'm determined to keep up with this blog just so i can track progress and be accountable to myself.  this is it...i want this. #30before40 #BRINGITON