My 2 Cents

I am in the best mood I’ve been in since getting back from my trip. Not sure if I’m just finally caught up on sleep or what it is but today was a fabulous day. Had a decent day at work, a killer work out, did some DIY crafts and of course, Kardashians are on every Sunday night. HATE ALL YOU WANT, IT WON’T CHANGE MY MIND. Anyhoo, I thought I would write today about some of my "secret weapons" that I FEEL have done wonders for my bod, my legs in particular. First is, my stair master workout. I totally understand that climbing stairs for long periods of time can get extremely boring, SO, something I’ve come up with is a good way to mix it up a bit so you don’t get discouraged. Make sure you have a killer playlist that is going to get you pumped and keep your spirits up. I’m sure every machine is different but I set mine so that I’m doing 50-55 steps a minute. *TIP-always enter your weight when you can, that way your calorie tracker is more accurate. So here’s how it goes…

1^st song-regular stair climbing

2^nd song-sideways climbing (be careful, don’t trip) this works your outer ass area (saddlebags)

3^rd song-switch sides and climb the other way

4^th song-wide step climb, you will probably feel like a gorilla but DO IT, it works the inner thighs

5^th song-skip a step, this will work the deep core of your butt cheeks, you know, dat bootay

This will take you about 20 minutes (give or take). Do it three times and that’s an hour on the stair master. You will burn about 1000 calories & be soaked in sweat. Also, I always see people leaning on the hand rails because they are too tired…this is just making your work out WEAK. Buck up and keep your weight in your lower body, don’t be a sissy.

The next one is also a good one for thighs/butt. At my gym we have Free Motion treadmills that go up to a 30% incline, most treadmills only go to ten. If you don’t have a Free Motion, just use a regular treadmill, your intervals will just be shorter but it will be (about) the same.

0% @ speed 4 for 3 minutes

3% @ 3.8 for 3 minutes

6% @ 3.6 for 3 minutes

9% @ 3.4 for 3 minutes

(are you catching on?)

12% @ 3.2 for 3 minutes

15% @ 3.0 for 3 minutes

18% @ 2.8 for 3 minutes

(you should be DYING by now)

21% @ 2.6 for 3 minutes

24% @ 2.4 for 3 minutes

27% @ 2.2 for 3 minutes

30% @ 2.0 for 3 minutes

*try sooo hard not to hang on to the handles or rail-

pump your arms like crazy!

Now, reverse. Lower your incline and up your speed in the same increments, all the way back down. This too will burn roughly 1000 calories and you will be able to feel your thunder thighs melt away J

It’s only a one hour work out. ONE HOUR. 4% of your entire day.

 

I don't know about you, but I want an ASS like this...

 

Long Time Comin'

HOLY CRAP…It’s been almost 2 months since I’ve written a blog??? That is terrible & I really do feel bad. I was on such a roll and then….I don’t even know. Nothing changed in my work outs or my nutrition, which I feel is most important. I think I was just getting so excited for my Utah/Vegas trip that it was all I could think about and everything I did was in preparation for that trip. That being said, it was the most amazing trip EVER. Seriously though, it was flawless and I will never forget it. So many amazing memories <3 <3 <3

Every single sacrifice I have made when it comes to my diet was 110% worth it. Every time we went to the pool or got dolled up to go out, I was so happy with how I looked. I’m not being conceited; I’m just saying that all the hard work was sooo worth it. When you make the decision to change and it pays off, it gives you that push you need to keep going. I am very proud of myself and my accomplishments and I have every intention to continue bettering myself. I am 10lbs from my latest “goal weight” (it keeps getting lower) and once I’m there, I plan to mold and define every muscle in my body.  I don’t want huge muscles (at all) just leaned out and defined. I’m excited. The month before my trip I cut out dairy and gluten and was doing only cardio work outs. I dropped 15lbs that month J My new plan now goes as follows…

Mondays- Legs & Booty

Tuesdays- Arms & Back

Wednesdays- Lap Swimming (Oh how I’ve missed it)

Thursdays- Legs & Booty

Fridays- Arms & Back

Saturdays- 90 Minutes Mixed Cardio

Sundays- Hot Yoga

I’m going to try this routine out until the end of September and see how I like it. Don’t worry, this time I really will keep you updated. Speaking of updates, in my last blog I talked about the laser treatments I got on my legs and promised you guys some before/after pictures. Well, I don’t have pictures (I need to request them still) but I did lose an total of 7inches and the visual difference (to me) is amazing. I’m so glad I did it & it was worth every dime ;) I would recommend it to anyone who is willing to put in the hard work to get the best results. Like I mentioned before, it’s not a quick fix, I worked my ass off (literally).

Now that Vegas is behind me *sniffle* I have some other things going on to be excited about…for instance I am on the hunt for an apartment/basement suite to have allll to myself J &&&…I’m going to Utah again @ the end of October. Just a quick 4 day trip but I’m still super excited. After that I’ll be going to New Brunswick for the first week of December to visit family. With all these fun things coming up, I definitely have plenty of motivation to stay dedicated to my work outs and nutrition.

If you are having trouble finding *inspiration*, think of something that is coming up that you want to look FAB for, works like a charm. And if you have nothing, plan to reward yourself! For me, I have to have something to look forward to or I get sad and lazy-and that’s not good. Stay happy, motivated and inspired and you can do ANYTHING J

HOLY CRAP…It’s been almost 2 months since I’ve written a blog??? That is terrible & I really do feel bad. I was on such a roll and then….I don’t even know. Nothing changed in my work outs or my nutrition, which I feel is most important. I think I was just getting so excited for my Utah/Vegas trip that it was all I could think about and everything I did was in preparation for that trip. That being said, it was the most amazing trip EVER. Seriously though, it was flawless and I will never forget it. So many amazing memories <3 <3 <3

Every single sacrifice I have made when it comes to my diet was 110% worth it. Every time we went to the pool or got dolled up to go out, I was so happy with how I looked. I’m not being conceited; I’m just saying that all the hard work was sooo worth it. When you make the decision to change and it pays off, it gives you that push you need to keep going. I am very proud of myself and my accomplishments and I have every intention to continue bettering myself. I am 10lbs from my latest “goal weight” (it keeps getting lower) and once I’m there, I plan to mold and define every muscle in my body.  I don’t want huge muscles (at all) just leaned out and defined. I’m excited. The month before my trip I cut out dairy and gluten and was doing only cardio work outs. I dropped 15lbs that month J My new plan now goes as follows…

Mondays- Legs & Booty

Tuesdays- Arms & Back

Wednesdays- Lap Swimming (Oh how I’ve missed it)

Thursdays- Legs & Booty

Fridays- Arms & Back

Saturdays- 90 Minutes Mixed Cardio

Sundays- Hot Yoga

I’m going to try this routine out until the end of September and see how I like it. Don’t worry, this time I really will keep you updated. Speaking of updates, in my last blog I talked about the laser treatments I got on my legs and promised you guys some before/after pictures. Well, I don’t have pictures (I need to request them still) but I did lose an total of 7inches and the visual difference (to me) is amazing. I’m so glad I did it & it was worth every dime ;) I would recommend it to anyone who is willing to put in the hard work to get the best results. Like I mentioned before, it’s not a quick fix, I worked my ass off (literally).

Now that Vegas is behind me *sniffle* I have some other things going on to be excited about…for instance I am on the hunt for an apartment/basement suite to have allll to myself J &&&…I’m going to Utah again @ the end of October. Just a quick 4 day trip but I’m still super excited. After that I’ll be going to New Brunswick for the first week of December to visit family. With all these fun things coming up, I definitely have plenty of motivation to stay dedicated to my work outs and nutrition.

If you are having trouble finding *inspiration*, think of something that is coming up that you want to look FAB for, works like a charm. And if you have nothing, plan to reward yourself! For me, I have to have something to look forward to or I get sad and lazy-and that’s not good. Stay happy, motivated and inspired and you can do ANYTHING J

I'm A Gym Rat & Proud Of It

No Cottage Cheese Please...

Did you know there are different types of cellulite? Adipose cellulite is the firm cellulite, orange peel effect on loose skin. Oedematous cellulite is fluid retention, soft cellulite often on loose skin. And fibrotic cellulite is hard, compact cellulite with orange peel effect.’

There are also four different grades of cellulite:

Grade 1- No visible cellulite, even when the skin is pinched.

Grade 2- No visible cellulite when lying down or standing.  An orange peel texture can be seen when the skin is pinched.

Grade 3- Cellulite is visible when standing, but may disappear when lying down. (This is what I have)

Grade 4- Visible cellulite when standing and lying down.

95% of women have a type of cellulite somewhere on their body. Even skinny people get cellulite. Cellulite is often hereditary, so it’s likely your family members will be suffering from the same problem.

The real bummer is, it’s nearly impossible to get rid of with diet and exercise. I’ve heard some people refer to it as “what’s leftover” from weight loss, working out and healthy eating.

*You are probably wondering why I’m rambling on about cellulite…*

You all know that I have been busting my ass at the gym for months and eating super clean. Now don’t get me wrong, losing 38lbs and 6 pants sizes was definitely worth all the hard work and sacrifice but I just can’t get rid of this darn cellulite. The only place I have visible cellulite is on the back of my legs and although it has improved, it’s not gone. This is where you are going to think I’m crazy…I have resorted to laser treatment. I’m starting off with 6 treatments and I have already done 2 of them. I realize how much I have ranted about losing weight naturally so don’t start flipping out just yet. Let me explain the process. This is NOT a quick fix, it’s NOT a miracle fix and it is NOT a cop out. Here’s how it works…

The machine I get treated with is called the VelaShape. It goes up and down the problem area (backs of my thighs) for about 20-30 minutes. As its going up and down, it is sucking the skin up so that the lasers can shoot down to your cellulite, turning it into a liquid fatty tissue that gets burned off with exercise. If you get these treatments and expect your cellulite to just go away, you will be very disappointed when it just goes back to where it was before the treatments. Am I making sense? I hope so. By doing this, I will be able to work off all that icky cellulite by hitting the gym like I’ve been.  So it doesn’t just make it go away, I will still have to work for it ;) 

I have only had 2 of the 6 treatments and I can already see and feel a difference (seriously).  They took “before” pictures and they will take “after” pictures when I’m through all the treatments and I promise to post them. I’m pretty excited about it but I know I will have to keep working hard to maintain it.

Go ahead, judge me.

I don’t care J

I set a goal at the beginning of the month to lose 20lbs OR drop my fat% from 33% to 25% by August 1^st. Wellll…. J I’ve lost 8lbs and 5% body fat so far. Gettin’ there. 

Beats

Have you even been doing cardio and reached that point where you’re convinced you can’t go on? Your lungs are on fire, your legs are jello and your hearts pounding out of your chest while sweat drips down into your eyes? Do you sometimes come to a screeching halt rather than toughing it out until the end? I find that I always come to that at some point in my work out and I’ve learned that if I just suck it up for a few more minutes and get past that, I make it to the end, every time. Something that really helps is having that one song come on that motivates you and gives you that extra push. Here are some of my favourite songs to work out to, some that have come on my shuffle just before I surrender.

Till I Collapse-Eminem

300 Violin Orchestra-Jorge Quintero

Here Comes The Boom-Nelly

Killin’ It-Krewella

Android Porn-Kraddy

DNA-Little Mix

Glowing-Nikki Williams

Lets Go-Trick Daddy

My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark-Fallout Boy

Undead-Hollywood Undead

Get Down On The Ground-Gillie Da Kid

I was nearing the end of my run today when 300 Violin Orchestra came on and it gave me that second wind I needed.

Put in the time and the effort to make a work out playlist jam packed with songs to get you amped up. Music can make all the difference in your work outs and be a big factor in reaching your goals.

Happy Downloading!

Baby Gorillas

I’ve been throwing around ideas in my head all day about what I would say in this blog. I haven’t been able to decide if I want to talk about my first “dairy and carb free” week or if I want to talk about the fact that I am PMSing and I have the appetite of a baby gorilla. Well lucky for you, I’m going to write about both J

Monday-Friday I did fabulously well. I didn’t crack one time and I actually ate some pretty scrumptious things. I feel lighter and cleaner and just all around better. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m working on my strength training and muscle mass so I haven’t been weighing myself. I can tell by my workouts that I am getting much stronger and so I know that if I step on the scale, it’s probably going to be a few pounds higher than I’d like and I don’t want to freak myself out. That being sad, my pants are a bit bigger than they were last week J I highly recommend giving it a try.

Saturday night my friend Alex was in town so we went to dinner at Joey’s, ‘cause it’s our fav. I ate really light and clean all day and had a killer workout that morning so I felt good about allowing myself to eat something I normally wouldn’t. For dinner I had their yam fries (to die for), the Summer Salad (dressing on the side) and we shared 4 Ahu Tuna Tacos (all 4 are under 500 calories). They were all relatively healthy choices and other than the goat cheese on the salad and the taco shells, there were no carbs or dairy in anything. (Yams are a veggie, not a carb J) I was planning on considering that to be my cheat day, until today...oye.

Last night I got 8.5 hours of sleep. I woke up at 9 and by 1 I was back in bed and didn’t wake up till 5:30pm. All I had to eat before going back to bed was a smoothie (see? I had good intentions) so when I woke up I was famished.  Without going into too many details, lets just say I definitely ate carbs and dairy. Not feeling so great about it but like I said, I’m PMSing, so back off. I will suffer through this fatigue and constant need to stuff my face for about 3 days and then I’ll be fine. The good thing is, I don’t have any carbs or dairy at work (I keep all my food there, ‘cause I live there) so I will have no choice but to eat well. Plus, it’s a gym so it’s a very motivating environment to be in when you aren’t feeling like getting on a treadmill or pumping iron.

The moral of the story is, as long as you give it your best, eat clean as much as possible and commit to your workouts, one bad day isn’t going to ruin everything. I know I ate things I shouldn’t have but I also know it’s not the end of the world because it doesn’t happen often, if ever.  Don’t ever beat yourself up about one bad day, just make up for it with the days and workouts to come! 

This week I’m going to start taking notes on things I eat and come up with some yummy recipes for you guys J

Soy What?!

“Soy has been upheld for many years as the pinnacle of health and wellness. It has been over-glorified by being placed on a pedestal above foods that truly should represent health. Through all of its promotions, through all of the publicity, it has failed many people, leaving them with problems that are difficult to treat. Not every health fad is what it is cracked up to be. A little research into these effects goes a long way.” http://www.naturalnews.com/024407_soy_health_estrogen.html

Here are some little know facts about Soy-

-The soy that Westerners (Americans) consume is very different from the soy that Easterners (Asians) consume. Western soy is genetically engineered where Eastern soy is natural.

-Soy DOES NOT contribute to bone health. It actually increases the body’s need for calcium and vitamin D.

-Soy contributes to infertility. For women, painful and irregular periods are common and for men, a decreased sperm count can be found among heavy soy consumers.

-Soy formula is not a good sub for breast milk or even milk formulas. Soy based formulas are high in phytoestrogens and other anti-nutrients.

*Giving an infant soy formula is comparable to giving the baby five birth control pills.

“Whey protein is regarded as a supplement staple, used by athletes, bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts to help with muscle recovery, lean muscle growth, and general health.” http://www.muscleandstrength.com/expert-guides/whey-protein

Facts about Whey-

-Whey is a complete protein source (80%-90%)

-Whey is rapidly absorbed and digested.

-Whey helps maintain muscle mass and prevent age-related muscular atrophy.

-Whey enhances immune system functioning, especially in those who are physically active.

-Whey can provide anti-catabolic properties during prolonged aerobic activities.

Clearly, I buy Whey Protein Powder. Most protein powders are about 100-120 calories per scoop, have 1-2 grams of fat and 2 grams of sugar. I have protein powder once, sometimes twice a day. I make mine with original almond milk or coconut water. Sometimes I get bored of the same old protein shakes so here are some ways I like to shake it up (literally). Ha. 

½ banana+1tsp of cocoa+2tbs peanut butter

½ banada+1tsp of cocoa

½ banana+2tbs peanut butter

½ banada+strawberries

½ banana+2tbs coconut milk

2tbs coconut milk+1tsp cocoa

2tbs coconut milk

1tbs sugar free vanilla or chocolate pudding mix J tastes like a milk shake

1tbs sugar free vanilla pudding mix+ a handful of frozen strawberries

*I always get vanilla flavoured protein ‘cause I feel like it gives me more freedom when it comes to add-ins.

Protein is ESSENTIAL after your work out.  Consuming protein after exercise will help to repair the muscles used during exercise, the practice is nothing but beneficial. 

No Carbs, No Dairy

So I have some rather exciting news…I BOUGHT MY TICKET FOR UTAH!!! WOOHOO!!!  AND, while I’m in Utah, some of my buds and I are going to drive down to Viva Las Vegas!!! Can I get another WOOHOO?!?! Anyway, going to Utah and Vegas means that I need to seriously crack down on the clean eating. I would say I eat clean 85% of the time but I need to do it 100% of the time for the next 2 months. I’m cutting out carbs and dairy and it will be sooo worth it when I put on that yellow polka dot bikini I bought. I need to stay extra motivated and ON TRACK! WHO’S WITH ME?!?! No more cheat days, no more “light work outs”, I really need to step it up a notch. I’m mostly just talking to myself as I write this but that’s okay. I know that if you guys are reading it, then you are going to help hold me accountable ;) I’m going to start working out twice a day, too. Heavier weights, more multi-muscle work outs and a running a 5k twice a week.  Gotta do it, do it with me!

I’ve cut out carbs before but never dairy. So this is going to be challenging, but again, WORTH IT. 

Here is what I am replacing my dairy with…

Almond milk, instead of milk

Coconut oil, instead of butter (just for cooking)

Daya Cheese, instead of cheese

That’s all I’ve had to replace so far, not too bad. Almond milk is definitely an acquired taste but I mostly just use it for my protein shakes. Plus it's pretty cheap and you can buy it in bulk  AND you don’t have to keep it cold before you open it. (I just bought 12 boxes for $1.50 each) I can keep some in my office, too.

 J

The Daya cheese isn’t exactly delish, BUT if you put it in things like omelets, where it melts, it’s no different than regular cheese. I wouldn’t recommend eating slices of it.

Coconut Oil is good for you, but it’s also really REALLY yummy to cook with. I like to put some in my protein shakes, too.

I bought a butt load of frozen fruit-mangos, peaches, blueberries, black berries, strawberries and raspberries so I can throw ‘em in a blender with some kale/spinach in the morning. (Flax seeds, too) J

The picture on the top is my new, healthy version of EGG SALAD. It’s egg whites, chopped tomatoes, and daya cheese, scrambled. Then I put it on a bed of spinach and topped it off with more sliced tomatoes and sliced avocados. I drizzled some hot sauce on it and 

ATE THE CRAP OUT OF IT.

The one on the bottom is two Basa Fish fillets, just baked with lemon juice and pepper. The brussel sprouts were steamed and I put a sweet and spicy mustard on top. It was delicious, packed with protein and fibre and it filled me.

I’ve been slacking on my writing this last week because work has be cray cray but I hope to be able to write at least twice a week from here on out. As always, I leave you with some words of encouragement…