My Intense Bosu Workout!!!

Welcome back and thanks for reading!! It's been quite a while since my last post and I apologize for that! This month has gone by so quick!!!

Anyway, I have done several workouts since I last wrote and can honestly say I have done really well!! My last blog post which you can find here talks about how much I struggled getting back into it after my vacation to Jamaica. Since then I have made an effort to get to the gym most days of the week and to control my portion sizes when eating. I have also learned to accept and embrace the weight that I've gained since my trip and am slowly seeing the numbers on the scale decrease. Yeaaaa!!!!

Today I decided to switch things up and do a workout in my home gym with my adorable dog Molly- doesn't she look happy?!!!  

Here is my intense BOSU ball workout!! Enjoy!!

Warm up: I chose to do 10 minutes on my stationary bike 

Circuit (plyo): 

1) 50 high knee jogs on bosu (dome side)

2) 40 split squat lunge jumps with front foot on bosu (dome side) 20x/side

3) 30x/side fast mountain climber jogs with hands on bosu (flipped)

4) 20 double leg jumps on/off bosu (dome side) 

5) 10 bosu burpees (holding onto handles of bosu)

                **Repeat #1-5 2 x each**

Circuit (strength): 

1) 20 deep squats on bosu (flipped)

2) 20 pushups with hands on sides of bosu (flipped)

3) 20 deep lunges with back foot on bosu (dome side) 

                **Repeat #1-3 2x each**

Circuit (core- all on dome side):

1) Medicine ball shoulder press Russian twists- 10 lbs (see video below) 

2) Front plank on bosu to fatigue!

3) 20 crunches plus 20 oblique crunches on bosu

4) Side plank on bosu to fatigue!! 

                **Repeat #1-4 2x each**

Hope you enjoy this workout as much as I did!!! I'm 42 minutes in on my bike while writing this post (and Molly is 62 minutes in--what a workout for her!!)

Now I'm off to clean, go to work, then celebrate the weekend with my boyfriend eating some Chinese food (a once a year occurrence for me!) and hot tubbing with some friends in Woodstock! 

I hope you have a great Friday and weekend!!! Remember to be happy, stay fit, eat healthy, and have FUN!!!!

Until next time.....

Continue Reading...

My Top 10 So Far This February!

So far February has been a fantastic month filled with lots of activities and fun! I have been getting back into the 'swing of things' and counting down the days until Spring-as I'm sure most of you are as well!! I feel I have finally gotten back into my fitness routine and feel a lot more confidant about my goals and life in general after sharing some of my struggles which you can read about here.

I would also just like to say a huge THANK YOU for all the overwhelming feedback from my last post. I had close to 600 views on my last post and several comments on my blog, FB, and through private messages all of which were very positive and inspirational and I really appreciate it :)

Here are the highlights from my February this far!

1) Several cross-country skiing adventures with my dog Molly. I think she has enjoyed it more than myself sometimes and being off leash and running free has left her a happy, healthy, dog who sleeps like a baby at night! Such a great feeling to be outdoors on the trails, zooming along without a care in the world! 

2) 10 pin bowling on a Friday night. What a great way to keep active, have fun, and satisfy my competitive personality (despite falling short of a win!) Those 10 lb balls are hard to handle! Next time I'm opting for 5-pin!!! 

 3) Outdoor trail hikes with Molly and my lovely family <3. This day was -23 with the windchill but dressing for the cold and walking quickly helped keep us relatively warm! Doesn't everyone look so happy! 2 hours later we were all ready for a hot shower and tea!!

 4) Sunset walks with Molly. Perfect way to end a busy day at work. Even though I didn't have a chance to hit the gym I felt great after this short but brisk walk. Every little bit counts right!?

5) Watching the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics!! Been looking forward to this for months and it's finally here! So what if there was a slight malfunction while displaying the 5 Olympic rings!? Makes Vancouver's cauldron lighting look not so bad!! 

6) 90 minute walk along the Grand River in Kitchener on a beautiful sunny day! I can always count on my family to keep Molly and I company! Thanks Davey! :)

7) Watching Canada win a GOLD AND SILVER medal in Woman's Moguls at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics! We have 4 medals so far (tied with the US and in 4th place!) and it's only day 2!! Way to make us proud Canada! 

 8) Meeting my friend's new German Shephard puppy! Isn't She adorable!? You can check out +Brittany Stager's blog at http://www.mydailyrandomness.com/ I love reading her posts and I'm sure you will too!

 9) Attending the Total Woman's Show on February 9th with my darling sister and mother. Great times with great people!

10) Goodlife Fitness workouts! This picture was taken after a busy weekend and was well deserved! 

Well there you have it...my last few weeks in a nutshell!!! I hope you have had a good month so far! I'm not sure about anyone else but I am definitely looking forward to some warmer weather and Spring can not come soon enough!!! But for now I will dress warm, use my car remote starter, and continue to take advantage of my indoor home gym and Goodlife Fitness!

Thanks for reading and for your support!! And feel free to share my blog with others!

Continue Reading...

These Are My Struggles...

Well here I am, almost 2 weeks after returning from my trip to Jamaica. Before I left I can honestly say I was in the best shape of my life. I worked hard with my trainer for 5 weeks (you can read about "Why a Trainer Hired a Trainer" here) and got the results I wanted. I weighed the least I ever have, my body fat % was at an all time low, and I felt on top of the world. 

Pre-vacation and feeling great! 

Then I went to Jamaica and ate and drank what I wanted all week and although I made it to the gym a few times while away, the intensity was not even close to the same.

Unairconditioned gym in Jamaica 

I came back from vacation, one week later, weighing 11 lbs more than when I left! I guess that's what happens when you have those eating patterns and lack of exercise. Though I have no regrets about enjoying my vacation and having a great time while away, it's been super hard to get back on track now that I am back to my normal life.

I have never been one to focus on or obsess about my weight so the 11 extra pounds I'm carrying right now doesn't bother me as much as the fact that my clothes aren't fitting as good, I feel more tired and sluggish, and I am not as strong or fit as I was a few weeks ago.

I know it's time for me to reevaluate my goals and figure out where it is I want to be physically and emotionally. This is my current struggle.

I met with my trainer this morning and had a great workout. I'm not going to lie it was very tough but as always, I feel great now. During my workout we chatted about a lot of things. My eating patterns, my workout intensities, and most importantly my goals.

I realized I don't currently have any goals.

I would like to be in the shape I was in before my trip but I understand that it takes extreme dedication to my workouts and strict clean eating to get there. I also want to be able to enjoy my life and so I'm finding it difficult to find a balance. I also know that stressing and worrying about this all only has a negative impact on my overall health and well-being. Well then that's an easy one right? Simply don't stress and worry, but I know that doing this will give me an excuse to make poor food choices, overeat, and slack off with my workouts. Again, a big struggle to find a balance.

When my trainer left I did shed a few tears while trying to determine what it is that I want and writing this blog post has allowed me to sort out some of my thoughts. Here are a few things I know for sure:

1. Eating clean and practicing portion control makes me feel good. I plan on not buying any more junk food because I know I will just eat it all if i do!
2. Goal setting is essential. I have to have something to work towards to keep myself motivated
3. It's unhealthy to stress about your weight and lack of progress and I need to stop overthinking things
4. I know I need to add some variety into my workouts to keep myself from getting bored. I plan to do each of the following once a week: Cross country ski, swim, go to the gym (probably 2-4x/week), workout at home with my trainer, and attend hot yoga and potentially some group classes at Goodlife

I feel a little better after sorting my thoughts out through this post and I have a few goals to work towards to help keep me on the right track. If you are reading this post and relate in any way, know that you are not alone. Everyone has these feelings and struggles once and a while. When you do, it's important to take a step back, reevaluate (or set new) goals, and figure out a plan to put your goals into action.

No one is perfect.

The important thing is how you deal with your trials and tribulations. I have to continuously remind myself that it takes hard work, dedication, and a positive attitude. And remember to keep life in perspective. Know what you want out of life and be willing to do what it takes to get there. And always be happy. Make the best out of what life hands you. You only get one life, make it good.

This was not one of my most positive posts ever but I do want everyone to realize that even personal trainers and health professionals have these struggles. As much as people may think exercise and clean eating comes easy to me, it surely does not. But having the right attitude and staying inspired is what keeps me going. Thanks for reading and thanks for your continued support. :)

Continue Reading...

Cream cheese filled and bacon wrapped Jalapeno Poppers

Tonight at 6:30 the Broncos will take on the Seahawks and people all over the nation will be hosting parties and attending events to celebrate and cheer for their favourite team. Some popular Superbowl food dishes include chicken wings, nachos, pizza, garlic bread, chips, pretzels, nuts, and my all time favourite, jalapeno poppers.

This is what I put myself in charge of bringing today and when I went to the grocery store I had a similar experience to the one I wrote about in this post. Frozen, pre-made jalapeno poppers are breaded, use highly processed cheese, and have a million complicated ingredients. Not to mention super expensive--$13.99 for 8 pieces!?!? No thanks!! So once again, I bought the necessary ingredients and made my own!



Ingredients: (Makes 20 poppers)
- 10 jalapeno peppers
- 1/2 brick light cream cheese
- 1/4 orange bell pepper (chopped small)
- 1/2 tomato (seeded and chopped small)
- 1 tbsp chopped cilantro (optional--I use cilantro in every recipe possible!!)
- 10 slices of bacon cut in half



Directions:
- Wash, slice lengthways, and de-seed peppers
- Chop tomato, pepper, and cilantro
- In a medium size bowl mix cream cheese, tomato, bell pepper, and cilantro
- Stuff each jalapeno pepper half with cream cheese filling and place on baking sheet
- Wrap stuffed pepper with a half slice of bacon

I have a friend who is vegetarian so I made a few baconless poppers separate for her to enjoy.

- Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until the bacon is cooked to your desired crispiness
- Transfer to a paper towel lined plate, serve, and ENJOY!!!

These incredible tasting appetizers are not the healthiest thing I've ever made however the fat and calorie content is almost HALF of that of the store bought ones. And everything in moderation right!??!

I hope you all enjoy your super bowl Sunday!! I am heading to a friends house for a delicious brunch and get together (girls only--the guys took off for a boys cottage weekend at Turkey Point!) and then heading to my parents to watch the big game with my family. Can't wait!!!

Continue Reading...