Winter blahs...already?? Not if I can help it!

I can't seem to shake off this funk that I have been in for the last few weeks. Believe me I want to eat healthy, I want to exercise and I want to be stress-free but despite my best efforts on all fronts I just can't shake it and that is making all of those things very hard for me.

Whats a girl to do???

Answer: Focus on all the things that I make me happy. What better way to escape the nagging little negative mood that has been hanging around then to remind myself of all the things I love about my life right?? So here we go......

My friends/my mom/my sister. They are fun and understanding and supportive and I don't know where I would be without these awesome people!

My boyfriend. We've had our ups and downs over the last two years but he's still my #1 fan!

My puppy. Ok so technically he's not a puppy anymore but he'll always be my lil' guy.

(Here he is @ 7 weeks old....so cute huh?)

The holidays. Everyone around me seems so stressed out when Christmas rolls around but there is just something about this time of year that makes me smile.

Bootcamp. The fitness instructor at my office gym is starting one in a few weeks and I am really excited about the butt kicking that I just know is about to take place.

Being a bridesmaid. My good friend B is getting married to the love of her life and I am so honoured to be a part of it. It also helps that this is the first time in my adult life that I am in a bridal party...crazy huh??

All of you. I haven't being doing this for very long but I have got to say that blogging is so much better than I expected it to be. I am so inspired by everyone that I come across in this little world!

I am sure that there are plenty of things that I am leaving off the list but for this is me for now. One step closer to moving out of my little funk and moving towards an even happier life!!

So tell me, what are you most happy about right now?

My first award!!

Thank you so much to Tiffany over at Skinny Jeans for giving me my first-ever blog award! If you haven't visited her blog you definitely should. Her journey towards a healthier life is truly inspiring!

The terms and conditions are as follows:

-Each Superior Scribbler must in turn pass the award on to five most deserving blogger.

-Each Superior Scribbler must link to the author and the name of the blog from whom s/he has received the award.

-Each Superior Scribbler must display the award on his/her blog, and link to The Scholastic Scribe, which explains the award.

-Each blogger who wins The Superior Scribbler Award must visit this post and add his/her name to the Mr Linky List. That way, they'll be able to keep up-to-date on everyone who receives this prestigious honour.
http://scholastic-scribe.blogspot.com/2008/10/200-this-blings-for-you.html

-Each Superior Scribbler must post these rules on his/her blog.

And now I have the honour of passing this award on to some fabulous women who inspire me with their heartfelt, honest and sometimes hilarious tales of weight-loss, fitness, health and so much more:

SKINNY ME!!...coming soon
Loser Girl
Live, Smile, Run
Feed Me I'm Cranky
Girl With the Red Hair

I hope you will visit them...I know that you will love their posts as much as I do!

And finally thank you all for sharing your lives with me and letting me share mine with you!!

I'm back on track and I have photos to prove it!!

Disclaimer: The photos that you are about to view were taken by an average photographer with an average camera. I am jealous of all the food bloggers out there with their artistic closeups of scrambled eggs and I am not ashamed to admit it. Until I get a better camera (bf if you are reading this then take this as a HINT for an upcoming holiday that shall remain nameless) this is all I got. Me and my lil' Nixon Coolpix against the world!


As I proclaimed in an earlier post I have been having a very tough time staying on track over the last few weeks. I have been stressed for a variety of reasons (when it rains it pours right?) and I just haven't been focused or motivated. My gym sessions went from 5 a week to 2 and my food spiralled even further. I ate everything and anything hoping to feel a little better. Bad idea and no surprise it didn't really help. Sure that yummy can of Coke tasted good and gave me a bit of a sugar rush but I was still dealing with the same problems as before I decided to crack open the can. Wouldn't it be nice if the worlds' problems could be solved with 42 grams of sugar??

Today I woke up and resolved that, despite earlier plans to end this binge, today was the day to put a stop to it once and for all.

Here was breakfast:

1 slice multigrain toast (plain), 1 boiled egg, 1.25 cup fresh berries (raspberry, blueberry, blackberry) and 1 container fat free strawberry yogurt. Very tasty and a perfect start to a cloudy November morning.

After a late breakfast I took a trip to the mall to walk around and window shop and despite a craving for a Vanilla Bean latte I opted for a coffee with sweetener and milk instead. Yay me, and to be honest it hit the same spot that the latte would have (and the spot being a wee caffeine craving that had been nagging at me since I woke up)

After the mall, and between loads of laundry and prepping dinner I snacked on a couple of clementines. There is just something about these sweet little treats that remind me of being a kid at Christmas that I just can't resist. And it sure beats the nostalgia of candy canes and gingerbread men!!

Dinner was a stirfry made with chicken breast, red peppers, onions, mushrooms, zucchinni, spinach and ginger with lemon juice. I have never actually cooked with fresh ginger before so I wasn't sure what the outcome would be but I really like the combination of lemon and ginger so I thought I would give it a shot.

Outcome:

                              

YUM!! I added a serving of goat's cheese to mix up the flavour (and because I am totally addicted to it right now) and it was just fantastic. The protein from the chicken and the cheese has left me feeling really full and satisfied. All and all I would say a successful meal and a successful day in the food department!!

And while the camera is out maybe I will come out of hiding and post a picture of me *gasp*! Coming soon: Sugar-Free Cupcake is revealed.....stay tuned!!

Enough f#@%ing around...I mean it this time!!

Okay, so I know I wrote a few days and went on and on about geting back on track and focusing on health and blah, blah, blah. Truth is, I didn't do it. Stress stuck around and I ignored my promise to myself. I suck, I know.

Well enough is enough and this time I mean it! I am not going to let this little rut that I have fallen into derail months of effort and accomplishment. Its just not worth it and it has to stop.

I am in the middle of a late breakfast as I am writing this and I will be back with more later. I just needed to declare an end to the binge. Its sooooo O-V-E-R!!!

Uhhhhh....I need to detox

Isn't funny how when life gets crazy the first thing to go is a healthy lifestyle? I have been on a wee bit of an emotional rollercoaster over the past week and my eating habits and activity levels have definitely suffered as a result. When stress takes over I have such a difficult time looking to salad to console me. Emotional eating is one of my biggest downfalls and it always has been. I eat to cure sadness and anxiety and boredom and over the years it really started to add up.

Looking back over the last 7 days I know that I haven't made the best choices. I weighed myself today because I felt it was time to face the music and although there was no gain (How is that even possible???) I still know that I need to get this under control.

My relationship with food should be emotionless. It should be about fuelling my body to run further and faster, to get stronger and become healthier. I should eat because I need the food not because I want it in some attempt to cure the blues or shake of the effect of a stressful day. I am not perfect with this approach yet but I am trying, little by little, to get there.

I am not a big believer in detox, at least in the celebrity-inspired drink only lemon juice and vinegar way that we so often read or hear about. Instead I think that its important to get your body and mind back on track after a few less than perfect couple of days by pumping yourself full of nutrients. Its vital to re-focus on all the good things that you been missing by overloading on fresh fruits and veggies and whole grains and get the sugar and fat out of your system so you won't crave more and keep repeating the cycle.

Today I had a huge serving of fresh berries and yogurt for breakfast. In fact it was so huge that a co-worker asked if it was anti-oxidant day. And don't worry I shared the fruit (spread the wealth right??) so I didn't overload on calories. The rest of the day was good too: Whole grain vegetarian sandwhich and an apple for lunch and a whole grain granola bar for a snack. Up next is a big ol' plate of steamed veggies and some chicken. Should be good and I am truly looking forward to it!

So here's to getting back on track. I'll keep you posted on how the week is progressing.

It's Christmas @ Starbucks!!

Its official: The holiday season has begun. How do I know you ask? Well the Christmas machine has infected my local Starbucks and for the next 2 months my daily Grande Bold will be served in the seasonal cup that all us caffeine fiends have come to know and love.

I love Christmas time! The fresh snow and crisp air, Jingle Bells and beautifully wrapped gifts. There is just something about the magic of Christmas that brings a happy little tear to my eye.

There is also something about the food-fest of Christmas that brings a few extra pounds to my hips. That part is not so magical. (If it were magical holiday calories wouldn't count!)

I need a plan to get through the onslaught of cookies and appetizers and high cal beverages that are about to surround me everywhere I go. Can I honestly enjoy the season while forsaking gingerbread men and steaming hot chocolate? Will it really be the same?

On the other hand, can I really enjoy the new year feeling bloated and heavier then I need to be?

I think I need to find some balance. A few less cookies, a salad or small meal before the party, a few more minutes on the treadmill. Small choices that will hopefully keep any weight gains small too. Sounds simple enough to me. I think I can do that!!

So here we go...may the holiday bring you happiness with those that you love and may the scale be kind to you when its time to take down the tree!

Tell me, how do you plan to get through the temptations that are brought on during the holidays??

I love when I beat my own record!

I am so excited! Last week I was able to complete my first full 5K without breaking to walk at all and I just felt absolutely on cloud 9! My time was 34:45 and I knew that was just the beginning. It was my personal record and my motivation to keep pushing forward with a number to beat.

Yesterday I ran another full 5K and cut a whole minute and twenty seconds from the time from the week before. Can you imagine how happy I was? It felt so good to get through it and look at the number 33:25 on the treadmill. YAY!

Now get this, today I went for another run because I missed my boxing class and despite being exhausted from what felt like a really loooooong week I was determined to at least match Thursday's time. I pushed through fatigue (and a wee bit of boredom) and just kept running despite wanting to slow down ( okay lets be honest, I wanted to stop altogether). I ran and ran and then ran some more and by the time I reached the five kilometre mark I was absolutely elated. My time:

32:23

I feel so great! I ran 14 km this week on top of my Pump and spinning classes and I just feel like I kicked some major ass this week!

Hope everyone is having an ass kicking week too! Happy Friday!