Fabulous Fitness Survey

Hello hello,

I Hope that everyone is having a great week! I'm heading to the cabin this weekend with Al and Co. so my excitement starts tomorrow :) food+drinking+sun+deck beers+adventure? Ahh yiahhh!

Anyhow, I haven't had much time to blog lately because: 1. work has been super stressful lately and I'm I'm so tired in  the nights and 2. the month is coming to an end so I've been clueing up my June goals which you can find on this post.

I have some great ideas for upcoming posts but they're pending in my shneaky black book! For now, I'm gonna do a fun little survey called Fabulous Fitness Survey. I totally stole it from CNC but I thought it'd too fun to pass up (ok, obviously fun for me and not so much you).

FFS

1. What did you eat for breakfast? I didn't eat breakfast today as yesterday I started a 24-hr fast (totally would have had egg+avocado -- ma new fav)

2. How much water do you drink a day? Anywhere from 2.5-4L, definitely

1-2 bottles a day plus I use a Lulu and Goodlife bottle

3. What is your current favorite workout? Jogging/Running

4. How many calories do you eat a day? A-L-O-T! Well, anywhere from 1200-1500 (definitely have been exceeding this a little lately)

5. What are your favorite healthy snacks? Omg,

• 100% apples with Sunbutter..
• Celery with Sunbutter..
• Banana with Sunbutter..
• A spoon with Sunbutter..
• Trail mix. But I've been limiting this lately because Trail Mix + Moderation = German to me

Bulk Barn does it best!

I'd have fruit for EVERY meal if my teeth sisn't rott
out of my head (sick, Vic) but it's true. Heart Heart Heart

Absolute Favorite (Costco, $9.99)
Too much sugar so I don't buy it anymore :(
butttt I make my own unsalted, all-natural trail mix

6. What do you usually eat for lunch?

Salads, Salads, Salads (which I actually don't get bored with if I switch them up).

I always feel 'refreshed' when I eat a nice salad

7. What is your favorite body part to strength train?
I'm not very good with strength training but if i had to pick, I'd say biceps (which are very untoned, atm)

8. What is your least favorite body part to strength train?

Core. I don't hate training my core, I'm just weak and this makes it challenging (boo-hoo)

9. What are your “bad” food cravings?

Nanimo Bars - biggest weakness
Dried Mangos - crave them weekly
Granola/Trail Mix - crave it hourly (not kidding)

10. Do you take vitamins or supplements?

I do. I take vitamin D, Omega-3 Complex, Calcium-Magnesium (knee issues) and an iron steroid.

11. How often do you eat out?

Maybe once every two weeks, recently. I generally drink at restaurants but don't actually eat there.

12. Do you eat fast food?

I can honestly say that I don't :)

13. Who is your biggest supporter?

Probably my mom, Trudy!

Gotta love red eye

14. Do you have a gym membership?

Sure ya knows

15. How many hours of sleep do you get a night?

5 hours

16. Do you have a “cheat”day?

I kind of cheat every day in a way. I eat so much Sunbutter that it's ridiculous. I could put it on anything. 'moderation..moderation'

17. Do you drink alcohol?

Yes Sir! (See here)


git dat in yer guts

18. Do you have a workout buddy?

Not a steady one. I love when Val texts with a "Quidi Vidi" or mom with a "Signal Hill", but other then that, I kinda do my own thing.

19. What is the best thing that has changed about your life since committing to a healthy lifestyle?

I can't say I've completely committed to a healthy lifestyle by definition (drinker, caffeine junkie..sm**er <--? ) but I'd say the best thing is how I now view exercising. I used to go to the gym cause all I would tell myself was "get skinny, get skinny, get skinny", but now I love how exercise makes me feel. I am truly obsessed with how I feel after I've completed any form of physical activity.

20. What was the last healthy thing you did?

Filled up my 1.5-L bottle of water :)


Soooo that was fun, right? haha probably not but everyone loves a good survey! I am in love with making lists so it was the perfect post to pick at.

Try it. It'll make you think.

 

Happy happy Thursday, Friends <3

Productive Sundays are my Favorite

So this weekend was F to the U to the N! Fun! I may have only had Sunday off of work but Saturday night was filled with laughs and Sunday was topped with exercise and productivity! Yay for no hangovers!

My day you ask? ..
Well here goes..

Signal Hill

Mom & Myself

the view never gets old

yelling out to Trude, telling her to truck it up that last set of stairs

 

I got home from Ed's house a little after 12pm. I was so surprised I wasn't hungover and sooo grateful (my past two Sundays have been shocking). Anyhow, I called up mother-bear and we headed for the Cuckled's Cove Trail. I'd never done it before and mom said it'd be a better workout than just doing Signal Hill. I'd never done it before. I'D NEVER DONE IT BEFORE! WHY???? It was soooo beautiful! How could I had never tried this hike before?? I almost felt as if I'd missed out on years of awesomness! My god, it was beautiful and suchhh a great workout! I actually can NOT wait to go for round 2 this weekend.

 

Quidi Vidi 1/2

I was feeling a little fat swollen after drinking/eating lots the night before, and I was full of energy. I figured since we ended up at QV that I might aswell have a light jaunt around the lake. Guess what? .. I wasn't even a minute into my walk when I decided I was in a running mood. I started a light jog (still patiently waiting for bad karma to hit me and a massive hangover to kick in right then and theree) but noooo. No such thing! I began my jog and loved every second of it! I later explained to mom that it was one of those jogs that you're not looking for your finish mark or looking at your watch to see how much time is left. I loved it solely for running. The endorphins released were riding high and I was actually in my glee!

 

Post-jog - sun burn + sweaty betty

 

Not kidding, I don't think I've ever sweat so much in my life. That sounds dramatic but it was 24+ degrees out and I felt like I could barely catch a breath. So satisfying though and beyond worth it :)

 

 

Post-jog Beer?..and a steak

After my jog I went to moms to see what all the news was / get something to eat. It was a definite deck beer day so that's exactly what we did. Sam scam came over and her and the mama drank a little homemade wine and I downed my own little serving.

 

 

I actually think I would quit my day job and workout alllll dayyy longggg if it justified drinking cold beer all day (skeet?) ahh yuhh! I just can't handle it. I would run laps around a horse if I knew there was a half case involved. I preach about eating healthy and "hi, I'm Vic. And I like to run. And I like the gym" blah blah blah but secretly I'm a undercover lover of post-workout beer! Budlight to be correct, but I'll settle for anythang in hot weather :) Le sighh o lifee 

 

 

 I'm definitely not a big steak kinda gal but when mom put this offer on the table, I gladly accepted! :)

 

I am definitely an almond kinda gal :)

 

Mama-bear+baby-bear havin a glass ;)

 

 

Quidi Vidi 2/2

It was still warm in the late evening on Sunday so when Val text and asked if I was game for Quidi Vidi, I was more than happy. We met there around 6:30pm and just walked and chatted. When we were all finished, Val wanted to do something else (though she had just done two laps) so we headed to Kent's Pond and did a lap around there (1.5km, 0.9mi). I have to admit, I was super pleased with the amount of exercising I did. It may have been a lot of walking, but slow running is better than no running ;) (not funny, I'm aware)

 

Groceries

 

On the List:



• steak (stir-fry)
• red onion
• green onion
• iceberg lettuce
• carrot match-stix
• pre-pkg stir fry
• sweet potato (3)
• green peppers (4)
• hemp hearts
• ground flax (sweet potato flax crisps)
• granny smith apples (3)
• eggs
• sunbutter ($4.99/bottle this week - high five!)
• dill
• sun-dried tomato spice

 

Total: $70.71

 

Prepping Hour  

I'm trying to switch up my meals so I don't get bored (I find this is key to eating remotely well) so I bought a steak (I generally cook up a bunch of pork loin) to switch it up. I bought hemp hearts (so good for you and so delicious on salads), some new spices and herbs and some sweet potato to make sweet potato flax crisps

 

After I got back from Dominion and unpacked everything, I took an hour to prep some goodies for the week (hardly call them goodies all the same - meh).

 

Bbq Chicken Breast - mom bbq'd these while I sat and hydrated
myself in the sun. She cooked a 1/2 a box of Harvest Creek to
get my through the week (4kg for $29.99) 

 

Small fruit salad since I'm only working three days this wk:  green grapes,
 peach, orange parts 

I have a lot of individual packages of hummus and there is nothing
 that tastes better with hummus than green peppers..Get in mehhh :)  

Shaved a head of lettuce as I assumed I may put this off and it 
would go bad if I didn't do it right then and there.

I love having lettuce on hand to make a quick salad ;)

Classic egg boil-up and vegetables

Salad Toppings

Sweet Potato & Flax Crisps

So ya, that was it. Enough to get me through 4 days and then some. I truly love grocery shopping and planning my meals. If I have a good mind-set on what will be on the menu for the week, it's more likely that I'll eat better and feel better.

 

 

Why was Sunday such a good day??

• Realized I only have 8.8-miles to run this month
• Exercised 12.9km (not including the Chuckled's Cove turnoff. Just counting the Signal Hill portion)
• Found a new hiking trail that I'm in love with
• Got a tan burn
• Completed goal #10 on my June list - walk or jog Quidi Vidi 7 times
• Completed goal #14 on my June list - bake something I've never baked before
• Completed goal #17 on my June list - compose my Tely 10 playlist
• Finalized goal #19 on my June list - add 10 recipes to my recipe book
• Finalized goal #22 on my June list - walk 20-miles
• Ate exceptionally well (steak, almonds, chicken breast, banana, homemade granola) 
• Was in bed by 11pm

 

So there you have it. A healthy (minus alcohol) and Happy Sunday!

 

What do you do to make the most of your Sundays? Do you find it hard to spend your whole day being active when your friends are having deck beers? (me too)

 

Sweet Potato Flax Crisps

So I found a recipe called Cheese Sweet Potato Crisps from CNC and have been dying to try it for some time now. I'm very limited with my dairy intake these past few months so the cheese component was kinda throwing me off a little. I knew I had to cross '#14 - bake something I've never baked before', off of my June goals list so I decided I'd take this recipe and alter it to suit myself best. Here is my recipe for Sweet Potatoe Flax Crisps:

 

 

 

Sweet Potato Flax Crisps

all ingredients can be found at Dominion (sea salt from Costco)

Ingredients
2 medium-large sweet potatoes
liquid egg whites
green onion
ground flax meal
sun-dried tomatoe seasoning
sea salt
ground black pepper

Prep Time: Approx. 15-minutes

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 325-degrees celsius
2. Chop up green onion and set aside
3. Using a cheese grater, grate the sweet potato (this is easier than it sounds)
4. Squeeze the juices out of the sweet potato but leave in  mixture
5. Add green onion (amt is optional), 3/4 cup of liquid egg whites, tsp of sun-dried tomato spices and a dash of salt/pepper to the sweet potato mixture
6. Mix up and roll in balls
7. Sprinkle flax on balls and a heat in oven for 30-40 minutes, or until crispy
8. Serve hot and enjoy! :)

 

I didn't love these when I tried one hot but I had two for lunch the next day and they were delicious! I had a taste tester also and they agreed! :)

 

 

Try & Enjoy!



Wedneday Onward (High & Low Week)

Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I've had a pretty hectic week at work and have been busy and/or tired in the night times. I have some good updates coming this week and seeing how I'm going out tonight for Adam Wallace Trum's 25th Birthday Celebration, you be assured that there will be updates tomorrow! (I refuse to have another god blessed 4pm Sunday! Mark it down)

 

 

Wednesday, June 19th

So I took Wednesday night off of the gym. It wasn't by choice though. I left my keys at my desk at work (I was car-pooling) so when I left, I realized my little rental car would be spending the night in the Tim Horton's parking lot in Paradise (I was so overly dramatic about this at the time) haha

 

Anywho, Wednesday night ended up being a pretty good night afterall. It was went as follows:

 

Visits & Prep

Note: Anyone is welcome at my house if they will bring me a
starbucks. Day or night, rain or shine. Anyone. Any any anyone.

 

Shaneen came over (with Starbucks) for an hour and we sat and caught up. As we I told stories (holy rambling on I did) and made some Canada Day plans, I prepped and cooked for the rest of the week.

the one & only :)

Brussels sprouts, olive oil, chipotle seasoning, green onion,
green pepper, sea salt & a little pepper
Ahh, helloooooo - YUM!



Sweet Potato Wedges

'leftover food in my fridge' Stir Fry: yellow & green
peppers, broccoli, green onion, egg whites, olive oil, herb
& garlic seasoning, hot sauce

 






Salad A: spinach, avocado, strawberries, blueberries, grapes,
mushrooms, egg, baby tomatoes

Salad B: spinach, mushrooms, blueberries, baby tomatoes,
ground flax, avocado

 

Thursday, June 20th

 

s-o-a-k-i-n-g! Bam!

 *Note: I wasn't trying to be a wannabe duck poser in that perched-lip picture. I thought my lip felt swollen (I'm a mouth-chewer when I run sometimes ... ahh ..) and when I used the camera as my V-mirror, I accidentally took a picture. I thought it looked ridiculous so I posted it :)
*Note: Usually shadow pictures make your legs look long and lean. Ahh pictures taken mid-jog do NOT make your legs look long and lean
*Note: I was sweating so intensely that I felt guilty leaning back on the seat of my rental car (as I felt dirty). I'm pretty much summing myself up to be the hottest thing at Quidi Vidi that day. O lifeee <3

Happy 25th Birthday, Adam

 

We had reservations at Yellow Belly for a few birthday dranks!

 

get dat in yer guts while you're waiting for your friends
(classiest gal you know, right here!)

I had the Wexford Wheat. To be honest, I'm not really an Ale kinda girl. To my surpise, this beer wasn't too bad. Tasted a lot like Rickard's White. Generally the only thing I enjoy about a White is the orange that is wedged on the side of the pint glass. I definitely recommend this if you're a light beer drinker (Budlight til I die.. probably not though..)



The Birthday Boy & Laura :)

Jenessa with her Margarita Pizza

Myself with my fav <3 <3 

So ya, Thursday was a good day in the exercise/socializing department! :)

 

  

Friday, June 21st 

 

 

 

Saturday, June 22nd

 

Highlights of Today

• wore Lulu and runners to work cause I knew it'd be an office day
• had my lunch made for me [thank you :)]
• completed inputting 1/3 of the required data for a project I was recently assigned
• got to mark lines through my 'To Do' list on more tasks than I had expected
• I'm off tomorrow
• I'm getting drunk afterwork
 

 

Weekly Summary 

 

Exercising

I'm pretty content with the amount of exercise I did this week. I tried to be active each night after work [minus Wednesday (totally wasn't my fault - O wait, that's what happens when you're an idio* and don't check for your keys)].

 

I truly *enjoyed* running this week. Like, honestly! I felt like Quidi Vidi was the best outdoor run I did this season (7.6-km). I felt like my run with Mandy was one of my bests for the gym. I know it was only 4-miles but it was how I felt during the run that made it good for me. 

Eating
I'm very disappointed in my eating this week. Like, VERY! Like, kicking myself. Pissed off. Trying not to dwell but dwelling.

Sunday-Wednesday were great eating days but when Thursday came, it was as if I had stopped caring (cookies, a brownie here or there .. granola up to your eye-balls). Everything bad for you. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. I said I was gonna have a paleo week..FAIL. I said I was gonna have a week of following myfitnesspal..FAIL. I said I was gonna have a caffeine free two days..FAIL.

SO.. here's what's next.. I am telling myself to stop being a drama-mama, get the F over it and ensure that the following week will be better! And it will be better. I'm going to make it better. And I AM going to follow MFP this week. And I'm NOT going to eat sh*t like cookies and brownies. And I'm going to care. And if I eat something terrible, I'm gonna post it on bloggy blog right away. 

I used to hate eating sweet foods because I would be constantly looking at my stomach and wondering if I gained weight (crazy, I know) right then and there. But these days it's not the stomach fat that bothers me. It's how it makes me feel. It disappoints me, it makes me feel stomach-sick (literally), it makes be feel like a healthy-eating poser! I mean, they say 'moderation' but moderation doesn't work for me. It has to be black and white (grey). I have to eat all the sweets in the world or eat none..and that's exactly what next week will bring! Promise!

Anyways, cheers to that! Cheers to a good week with healthy choices and active living :)

HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY SATURDAY, FRIENDS! :)

Happy Happy Tuesday!

Why was yesterday a good day you ask? O, I don’t know .. let me see

1.       I ate 100% paleo

 

Just a couple of my delicious treats for the day!

 

2.       I documented my food intake using myfitnesspal, perfectly (lies, nothing I do is ‘perfect’)

3.       I was planning on taking a night off jogging but booted myself through 2-miles (6.0mph-8.5mph) and a 1-mile incline walk (4.0-mph at 5 incline)

 

a walk + a run = better than none (funny? I thought so..)

 

4.       I did a circuit workout with Samantha

5.       I was in bed by 10:30pm

6.       I slept 6-hrs and only woke once (rare)

7.       I made an AWESOME salad for supper and sat by my lonesome while I ate, drank a litre of water and started a study syllabus for my Power Engineering exam (step 1)

 

spinach, egg, blueberries, strawberries, grapes,
baby tomatoes, mushroom, avocado

 

8.       With use of my little fitness calendar I calculated that I have 13 days left to walk 5-miles (easy-peasy)

 

 

9.       I calculated that I have 12 days left to jog/run 19.89-miles (very doable)

 

June Progress Calender

 

10.   It struck me that there are 6-weeks minus 1-day until the Tely 10! Hello J

 

Post-Tely 10, July '12

 

 Hope Tuesday is equally as swell :)

 

Cheers, friends!