New Tracking Spreadsheet

What do you think? I'm going to see if numbers actually do help keep me moving. You can see I'm also tracking rest (yes/no) to make sure I'm incorporating that oh-so-important aspect to health.

At Work Meals-How To

It's not easy packing your daily meals and snacks to work, to play, or on a road trip. A little planning and you'll find great success in your meals- committing even 1 hour on the weekend to some prep for the week will make your goals attainable. Here's a glimpse into how I use preparation on the weekend to create easy meals during the week.
1. Once home from the grocery store, immediately wash and cut your vegetables, and store. Then make a batch of hummus for the week. I divide the hummus into individual containers as I need it.
2. Next, just mix a bunch up into take-away containers for a couple days at a time. Here I've created two days' worth of veggie sticks to go. When they run out, I'll head back to my veg stash to make more. Also, the pre-cut and washed veg can be chopped for evening salads!
3. Lunch right now is a salad. So I create a protein combo on the weekend with a pot of rice, and some beans. This week I mixed them with Jalepeno peppers and some corn for the 'meat' of the salad for the entire week.
4.Thrown over some spinach, that concoction becomes my lunch for the day.
5. Then it's onto my morning snack- my beloved hot cereal, either oats or creamy rice. Every other day I make a pot of 2 servings, and divvy it up into two containers.
And that's it. I throw some Vega into a bottle every morning, and add it all together for my day's worth of healthy, whole foods. Wherever I go, my lunch bag goes with me.

Weekly Training & Nutrition: You're trying to teach me something aren't you?

Photo taken by a very talented family member of mine
I'm sitting in my parents' house, in a small town south of the city I love. I'm taking the opportunity to be with my family, to attend a memorial service for a good woman who passed, to have my Dad 'tune up' my vehicle, and do a little 'tuning up' on my mind and body. The last weeks combined into an ironwoman type of experience. My job required a LOT of me, and when I step up my hours at work, I step up my hours on the treadmill. I was training hard, just to balance the stress that my job was placing on me- and then I burnt out. So my nutrition was less than clean, indulging in brownies one night and cookies from a friend the next. I had 2 glasses of wine over the week as well. Not worried about it, not guilty about it, not ashamed of it. Just recognizing that by pushing myself too hard I created a 'perfect storm' for unhealthy habits. Letting myself get too tired, and overtraining alongside made me crave sugar and left me with little mental power to curb cravings. Perhaps there's a lesson in there somewhere...
And onto my training- or what little training I did. I found getting out of bed hard in the morning, and literally went to bed at 3pm Monday and Tuesday and slept through the nights in almost a comatose state. I could not have trained. I did not want to train- and that was the biggest signifier that I should stay off the treadmill. When my motivation goes away, when I no longer ENJOY the workouts then I know it's not for me that time. Normally I love every bit of my training. This week I loathed the thought of the gym, and the treadmill. But I was comfortable with the yoga mat.
Sunday: OFF
Monday: 30 yoga with weights
Tuesday: OFF
Wednesday: 50 min yoga sculpt class
Thursday: 30 min cardio
Friday: 45 min cardio, 45 min power yoga
Saturday: OFF
Not a worry. One week of minor changes in my schedule are totally ok. I like living in a cushy moderate spectrum knowing that I will (and want) to get back on my regular habits when I feel like myself. These nice days in the country with my family will get me back to myself. I look forward to Sunday's workout, and Monday's hot yoga session.
How do you feel about 'taking time off' of training and your strict nutrition plan? Do you need 'breaks'? Or does your lifestyle allow for flexibility so you don't have to schedule down time?

The Thrive Diet: Review

If you're looking to spice up your diet, whether you're vegan, an athlete, a vegan athlete or none of the above, get a copy of this book. The author, Brendan Brazier, is a super-athlete who thrives off a vegan diet and has learned through years of experimentation how to use vegetables, seeds and nuts in ways you never dreamed of. All of his recipes are included, and I can guarantee you will love the fuel bites recipe and the innovative (entirely gluten free) "pizza" recipes.

I had to take this book as an exploration of another way of approaching nutrition rather than a prescription for how to plan my meals. It's very strict, but certainly not limited. If you are already in the habit of eating mostly raw, vegan foods this will be easier for you to jump into. I am not, I eat gluten, and dairy-free and eat meat less than once a week and followed the plan pretty easily, with some planning, for one week. But had major stomach issues during the week. It takes time for the body to adjust, just as Brendan mentions in this well-written book.

Pick this up, just to expose yourself to another possibility of nutrition. Whether it is right for you, you must decide based on the question- Are you going to safely and gently incorporate the changes he suggests?

Brendan is quite charismatic and has online support multimedia at http://thrivein30.com/sign-up-now/ which can take you through much of the content of the book using videos hosted by the author himself. For further support, try the community devoted to this diet at www.vegacommunity.com.

He has created a nutrition line, Vega, to supplement the diet he talks about in this book. I have been using his Vega Whole Food Health Optimizer as my post work-out shake for quite a while. It's a great, gluten free, dairy free option for you athletes out there looking to get a combo of protein, carbs and nutrients out of your shakes. Other than that, I have no affiliation with Vega, or Brendan Brazier.

Live A Little!

I love these thoughts- let's get out of our own heads, and back into our lives ladies! Go read this post by Melissa- http://talesofadisorderedeater.org/2010/01/05/new-book-tells-women-to-stop-fretting-about-their-health/

Intentions for 2010

I have gotten so many inquiries about advice for motivation, for ambition, for workout programs and healthy eating tips in the last two weeks and I thought I would lay them down here. I'm re-commiting to each of the following which I have dispensed to close friends trusting in me for guidance, but also as a participant in them myself. A good whop in the arse is exactly what I need from myself:

So, to stick to our intentions for 2010:
1. Be your BIGGEST fan- be kind to yourself. Setbacks will happen, you will cry and you will support yourself like your own best friend
2. Be consistent, be consistent, be consistent- when making a change, you are building a mountain using grains of sand.
That's it. Two simple suggestions to guide our thoughts, and then our actions towards success.
Biggest Fan icon from the Dictionary of Automotive Terms
A colleague of mine committed to a healthier lifestyle in a BIG way this year and is using a blog to maintain motivation and I hope like me, it builds a community of support for her. In addition to her, I have watched so many beautiful women commit to something new in the last few months, both a cousin and friend of mine reached a 20lb weight loss goal in December (way to go girls! You inspire me!). So regardless of the day you choose to change, I raise my water bottle to you in sisterhood in healthy choices.

An Apple a Day-Lit Review

I read this on the treadmill, over a couple of weeks- you can tackle a couple chapters in your half-hour of cardio if you can read and run/walk at the same time. And this book is about the easiest one to read if you are challenging your cerebellum by running and reading at the same time. Dr. Joe Schwarcz (author) is not a medical doctor, is an amateur magician and advocate for popularizing science- so the language is direct, simplistic and so tongue in cheek I couldn't help laughing, or at least 'chortling' between breaths on the run.
The tag-line is 'a must read for anxious eaters'- but don't let that deter you from reading it. On the contrary, if you believe food is just that- food, then pick this book up. Dr. Joe holds his doctorate in Chemistry- not medicine. So he talks about food in it's elemental form- and straight up sends the message to just 'chill' when it comes to what you eat. Make good choices, don't fret about organic too much, don't fall into the traps of modern advertising about this argument or that argument for or against fat content in your diet (as an example).
Structurally the book is unique- he devotes each chapter to a unique concept; for example, there is an entire chapter on Tomatoes. I love that we can all identify what a tomatoe is, so of course we get what that chapter will address. Further, he doesn't force his opinion, but rather discusses various research (including the sordid, and sometimes almost pop-culture drama of the researchers) about the different topics in the book. You can arrive at your own conclusion before he lays down his own. Never intrusive, and always thoughtful.
Pick this up and give it a go- especially if you have read any of Micheal Pollan's books. They come from very different points of view, and I find the differences between them very intriguing. Pollan talks about food as a whole, and the dangers of 'nutritionism' (breaking things down into parts) while Dr. Joe breaks it all down for us.
When read together, a balance is quite nice to behold mentally- and you can make up your own mind. Which is why we read anyway- right? None of us has ever read a book and then fallen head-over-heels with the prophet writer's works?
I did of course, when I read Brendan Brazier's Thrive Diet, directly after reading "An Apple a Day"- with unhealthy results (indicative, I think, of following anyone's word to the letter). But that, my friends, if for the next literature review.

Flexitarian

Flexitarian: a semi-vegetarian diet focusing on vegetarian food with occasional meat consumption (Wikipedia).
Also, see this Newsweek article.
I realized my first week on the 'Weekday Vegetarian" concept that I could not take it literally. I didn't feel like eating meat when Saturday came around, but on Wednesday I had a scallop spinach salad. Worry about when I was going to have my 'meat-meal' was similar to the damaging concept of having a 'treat meal'. Any meal plan that restricts me makes me batty; I have to have choice. I have to feel better for eating better, not like I 'have' to.
I love the way I feel, and the fact that my skin has totally cleared of any pimples and all eczema since reduced, dramatically, the amount of meat I eat.
Growing up in "I Love Alberta Beef"-land, I was raised on eating meat in at least 2 meals a day- lunch and supper. Let me tell you, since I've eaten meat only 1-2 times a week for the last while, I've not missed out on anything.
If you're looking at trying to reduce your meat intake, try asking yourself why you eat meat- is it a habit? do you enjoy it? And then ask yourself if you'd like to try something new.

Weekday Vegetarian

TreeHugger is a great site, I've got them updating me on Twitter on their articles around sustainability, eco-conservation action and otherwise greeny stuff.
A week ago they 'tweeted' that this article was posted- Try a Weekday Vegetarian Diet: Eat Green Food Without Taking the Plunge.
The concept of eating a Vegetarian meal schedule during the weekdays, and only eating meat on the weekends has been flirting with me ever since. Really, it's been like that hot guy you noticed (before you were married) out of the corner of your eye, looking and smiling at you, but you just can't look him in the eye. I thought on it, then mentioned it to my husband (who could sustain himself on steak alone and be blissful), and even questioned my sister-in-law about introducing meat into my nephews diet (he's only 6 months old and his parents eat meat, of course they will eventually).
Well, no sense thinking about it if I don't flirt back; so it's Monday, and I've made a conscious effort not to eat meat today. Here's what a weekday could (and might, if I continue working it) look like:
Breakfast: 6 egg whites, spinach, tomato and a bowl of oatmeal
Mid-morning meal: 3/4c kidney beans and rice, and steamed vegetables
Lunch (normally my post-workout): 1 Vega shake
Mid-afternoon meal: raw vegetables
Supper: steamed vegetables, and a salad or vegetable soup
Hmmmm...I'm going to play with this possibility.
For more on Weekday Vegetarianism, and it's benefits for Mother Earth, check out Shannon and Parsnip Spaceship's blog.

If the Pilgrim Didn't Eat It

Image from Natural Home magazine's article on Harvest, Exchange, Celebrate Thanksgiving with Friends- a great article on how to share the bounty of the harvest at your celebration, including great, clean recipes.

I went surfing the internet to find motivation to maintain a clean Thanksgiving. I don't want to come back to the office on Monday hungover from sugar and alcohol, and itching my skin from indulging my allergies of dairy and gluten. So yea, I want to stick to a clean lifestyle, whether it's Thanksgiving or simply a Thursday.

And I began to think about what the original Thanksgiving dinner would have been, and how different it is from the feasts-of-plenty we may be fortunate enough to look forward to this weekend.

The original Thanksgiving feast was about as clean as you could get- maybe it was the fact that there were no trucks roaring across the country with pounds of sugar to sweeten their cranberries, or perhaps it was due to the fact that the concept of the pumpkin pie hadn't been mainstreamed yet. Cool whip wasn't around to top those slices of pie; and there is no evidence that they butchered a pig on the occasion.

Interestingly enough, it seems from this History TV article, and other information I ran across, the original menu was dairy (cow), egg and refined sugar-free. They had wheat flour in plenty, and so perhaps the celiacs in the small crowd should not have indulged in the bread, but there would have been corn bread for them anyhow.

Meat dishes ranged from wild fowl, to venison and even seafood. Seasonal vegetables like carrots, beets, peas, lettuces and radishes brought color to their table. (Note the absence of buttery or creamed corn).

Image from Supplemental Science's quick-list on how to have a healthy Thanksgiving.

Butter and cream cheese were not available; there had been no cows on the Mayflower. They would have opted for the lower-fat (and my fave) option of goat's milk cheese.

Desert would have been a light mix of fruit and nuts from the direct area. There were no buffets of multiple desserts to choose from (isn't there always an option or four for those who don't like pumpkin pie?)

So I have found my motivation- as I fill my plate (not heaping, and only once) this weekend I'll do so with whatever the pilgrims would have first placed on theirs.

Happy in My Skin

Image c/o Barbara Goodwin of Wisdom Magazine Cover Art- This is her Feel Good mandala.

I've been feeling good lately-how about you? With the students back at it, my gym (located on a Uni campus) is packed. Last fall I enrolled in high-impact aerobic activity classes to avoid the gym rush. It suited my mood at the time, and re-established a reasonable workout schedule for me. I had only one class a day, so could only workout for a specific amount of time- it helped reduce over training.

This year I'm doing something entirely different, and it's suiting me perfectly for now. I bought a year, unlimited downloads membership from www.yogadownload.com. With their variety of 30, 45, 60 and 90 minute classes I can tailor every day depending on my energy level and time bank. I'm doing 30 min of a different yoga class every morning (great variety!) and 30 min cardio every weekday. On the weekends, I do longer sequences (60-90min) and take nice walks around the neighborhood with my husband. I'm weight training by doing yoga with weights, but am finding I'm maintaining muscle tone even by just doing vigorous vinyasa flows.

I'm getting happy in my skin again (check out this article from Yoga Journal to find tips to get happier in yours too!).

Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin

Tosca Reno posted this link on her facebook page this morning and if I were a bat, and she the ball, this would have been a grand slam. Perfect execution of hitting it out of the park when the universe throws it your way. Time Magazine's article: Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin.
Read this article.
This summer, I've been enjoying workouts again, and recently I even strayed so far as to change my routine drastically. And by change I don't mean switching training splits, or exercises in total body routines. I mean, transforming my intention for exercise. Why do I exercise? It's moving away from striving to get into my size 10's again and toward heart health (Cardio), flexibility and strength (yoga and weights)- and most importantly working out because I feel like it. It's holistic and for betterment of my mind and body. And as a result my nutrition has changed to support that intention- I am naturally eating less and eating more vegetables, because I feel like it.
I don't know if I'm thinning down, but I know that I'm feeling balanced, clean and happy. So don't kill yourself in the gym and then go down a high calorie, high sugar protein shake or meal. It's my experience and it's referenced in the article above, that rest, movement rather than 'workouts' and pure food are the keys to your ultimate health.

Fitness on Vacation

Image from Canadian Living's article on How to Stay Fit on Vacation.

I jumped on a plane and followed my husband down to Utah for a week; he was in class all week and I was taking my time off to hang out. Over-planning is a weakness of mine which became crystal clear as I headed onto the open road towards the little town my husband was in. Following the I-??, I stuck to the map I had printed out from Google, and had backed up with a Utah map I had bought at the airport. Keeping my head on my map instead of my surroundings led me into the middle of nowhere where a sigh welcomed me to Wyoming and notified me there were no services for 100 miles. I was 2 hours east of where I should have been. I couldn't conceive how I ended up in the wrong state! I had planned this!

So I threw that damn map out and stopped by the first haphazard log cabin-type convenience store? (I use the term 'store' loosely but it was convinient). The women at the counter smiled a toothy grin from a shining face framed by stringy blond hair- her first (ever!) Pepsi machine had just arrived. I talked to her about where I was going and she gave me general directions- so I headed out again and felt my way south, through a beautiful national park to my original destination safely. Her happiness and kindness went with me.

That lesson on awareness set the standard for how my week on vacation went. Not only did I not use maps at all, choosing instead to follow my surroundings' cues to get me to my mountain trailheads every day, but I abandoned all the research I had done and planned events I had envisioned before I got there. I turned my awareness inward to what my body wanted from this week away and felt my way there. I talked to people everywhere and got their recommendations for hikes to do, shops to visit and restaurants to try.

So I encourage you to throw out your workout plan while on vacation, and instead commit to activity each day, but in a loose form. Commit to being fit, healthy and active and the opportunity will arise. Whether it's a swim in the fab pool at your hotel, or a brisk run on the city pathways you can explore- just get out there.

Feel your way to health, and you will get there (with less mileage on the rental car!)

As it turned out I got to experience a great new form of yoga with a reknowned teacher, and hiked the best of Utah everyday while I was away. I couldn't have planned that any better.

How to Taste Coffee

Image from Starbucks
Coffee is more than a drink, more than a social playing card and more than your morning/afternoon/evening jolt. It's an experience. No, I'm not a connoisseur of coffee; I don't sit in grand cafes sipping different blends and postulating on the mild notes. I actually only enjoy 1 cup a week, on Sunday mornings with my husband. And that is why it's so much more, coffee is an experience.
How many of us keep wine journals? Documenting tasting notes, and vineyard information? Do you also add little sides about who we drank it with, and where we were? One could do the same for coffee. Maybe it's a standing date with your girlfriends every Sunday morning, or catching up with a colleague during the work week, your coffee is part of that conversation. Why not choose it with the same awareness we choose our wine? Per oz can be just as expensive, so why not savour it the same way?
Here's how:
1. Smell- Cup your hand over your coffee mug opening and inhale deeply through your nose. What do you notice? Describe the aroma.
2. Slurp- By slurping you spray the coffee across your entire palate, enabling the subtle flavours and aromas to reach all the tasting zones of your tongue.
3. Feel- As you taste the coffee, identify where you are experiencing the flavours on your tongue. Note the weight of the coffee on your tongue.
4. Describe- Use descriptive words to express the characteristics of the aroma, the flavour and the way the coffee felt in your mouth.

Terms:
Aroma- The way the coffee smells. Descriptive terms for aroma can include earthy, spicy, floral, and nutty
Acidity- This is not the pH of the coffee, at least not directly. Acidity refers to the degree to which the coffee cleanses your palate. Are you left with a clear feeling on your tongue after a drink, or do flavours linger? Think of this as similar to eating a lemon, the lemon's acidity cleanses your palate.
Body- Body is the weight of the coffee, not the strength of the flavour as some assume. A light body will feel light in your mouth, while a full coffee will feel heavier. This is similar to the feel of skim milk versus homogenized milk in your mouth; skim is lighter while the thicker milk coats your mouth.
Flavour- The taste of the coffee. This is a combination of the aroma, acidity and body of the coffee.

Coffee can be paired with food, just like wine can. Try different combinations of coffee and chocolate, nuts, cheeses and fruits.

For more information on coffee tasting check out this very descriptive article.
Try it out for me. In the comment section I'm going to post my thoughts on tasting Starbucks' Casi Cielo coffee this morning in my coffee tasting lesson. Feel free to add yours once you've tried your next coffee.

When Less is More- Yoga Journal

Image from article referenced below.
"The desire for external wealth causes unhappiness on both a practical level and a spiritual one. In order to afford things, you have to work long hours, leaving you less time for what truly sustains you, whether that's yoga and meditation, a hobby, or time with your kids. An expensive lifestyle also limits your choice of career, forcing you to take a high-paying job that may not be fulfilling."
-Helena Echlin , Yoga Journal

5 Ways to Stop Stress Eating and Build Resilience

Today's image from article
Care of StressEating.com: great tricks for diffusing your stress eating urge

How to Lose Fat: Easy & Stress-free

A simple article on the fundamentals of getting healthy. This article is well-rounded with advice on training, nutrition and supplements from a 'real-girl' perspective. She advocates training 3 times a week, and eating clean; a program that is stress free is the only program that will work for you. If you find yourself stressed, anxious or worried about training or nutrition, then it's not the program for you.

Why Willpower Won't Work

Wonder why you and I are slaves to those cravings? This article explains: Why Willpower Doesn't Work

Bob

This morning was a glorious workout; I actually breathed in and could feel my breath recharging me. I've become so numb lately due to stresses of work and home life. My husband got laid off almost 6 weeks ago which has negatively affected my nutrition goals; he's and I started treating ourselves more than usual. We've been consistent in our training, but using food to comfort and reward ourselves. I'm ready to leave that off.
Who is Bob? Bob helped me breathe deeper and see the sunlight shining brighter as I walked back to the office after my workout. Bob is a 78 year old friend of mine whom I used to see every single day at the gym in the morning, lifting iron after walking to and from the gym. I hadn't seen him in 6 months- he had cancer. He had survived chemotherapy and surgery and was back in the gym today for the first time, to get back into his schedule. He commented on his wife's health (sadly, not doing well from the stress of his diagnosis).
Looking into his beautiful, playful blue eyes I realized how excellent a person he was. His strength, kindness and mischievousness shone through.
What a gift to see Bob today. Only by being curious, lifting my head and smiling at the strangers around me did I ever build a relationship with him. What beautiful conversations are you missing today because your head is down and your life is 'too full'? Be curious and I guarantee you'll be inspired.

8 to Great Success

Ran across this from Chris Morgan at Learn2Develop; he posted this great video from TED. It's Richard St. John's 3 min vid about what makes success- from years of research and thousands of interviews with successful people.



The weekend went very well with 2 training sessions, and sticking to my yoga challenge. Yesterday's yoga was a 90 minute power session which left my legs really sore today.
My meals were the same as every other day, but I indulged in some treats over the course of Friday to Sunday. These included
-1/2c trail mix
-Haagen Daaz coffee ice cream
-3 cadbury creme eggs (yes, they are my favourite candy-ever! so I went overboard)