April Ending, May Beginning

Even though I started this journey on April 4, I am going to do a month end - month beginning today. It hasn't been a month quite yet, but close enough.

What do you think? (No I'm Not Sucking In Marek!)

Not gonna lie, I'm looking pretty hot! 

Here are the stats for the end of the month. Pretty psyched about the 2" waistline loss, and 3.8 (please can I round up to 4) pounds!!!

My PTNB is in Saskatoon for her Masters in Professional Accounting - whoot whoot - so I am going this month alone. Sans Bronwyn. I'm going to cry. Hopefully she is reading this and remembers to send me my exercises for May. 

Speaking of which - my PTNB recommended a book called The Women's Health Big Book of Exercises. 

* More than 100 core exercises! You'll never run out of ways to sculpt your abs.

* 74 biceps, triceps, and forearm exercises: Tone your arms faster than ever before.
* 64 chest exercises, to burn more calories and even help give your bosom a lift.
* 103 back exercises, to make sure you turn heads in your backless dress.
* 40 shoulder exercises, so you can wear a tank top with confidence.
* 99 quadriceps and calves exercises, to help you look great in a pair of shorts.
* 62 glutes and hamstrings exercises, for the perfect backside.

Um... yes please!

Juicing (Without Steroids)

I did a lot of research before buying a juicer. Centrifugal vs Masticating Cold Press. Breville vs. Omega. And it goes on and on. After watching Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead the decision I was leaning towards (Breville Centrifugal) was solidified.  Joe Cross lost over 100lbs and completely eliminated his dependency on medication for his chronic urticaria - all while using a Breville Centrifugal juicer.

Now that I knew what kind of juicer I wanted,  I still had to choose the Breville model that would best fulfill my needs. Believe it or not, Breville has about 8 different juicers. I chose "The Juice and Blend," as we did not have a blender at home and Marek loves smoothies. The blender can also be used to puree fruits and vegetables to add to my juices. The Juice and Blend is listed at $499.99 on Breville's website,  however Marek bought it for me (anniversary gift) on Amazon for only $334.99 with free shipping!

I could not wait to take the juicer out for a rip! I grabbed some apples, strawberries and my spinach/kale/chard medley (all I had in the fridge) and got to juicing. Wow! It was so easy and tasted pretty good. Nice and sweet. Marek even drank some and liked it. Quick tip: put a plastic bag in your pulp collector for easier clean-up.

This week I am going to start the 7 Days in May Green Juice Challenge. I don't think these juices will taste nearly as good as apple and strawberry. Cucumber, kale, sprouts, broccoli and celery? Yuck! I'll keep you posted. 

Tomorrow is month end measurement time! I'm nervous. Wish me luck.

Goal reached: got a juicer!

New goal: take the 7 Days in May Challenge.

Weigh In #3 - Postponed

I am sorry to disappoint you all but I had to postpone weigh in #3. Simply put I am in Fort McMurray (I know, cry for me) and could not access my scale!!! I weigh myself every friday morning and I could not do it today :( I was upset at first, that I couldn't share any news with you - but if we look on the bright side it means I can share even better news next friday. 

Being in Fort McMurray has forced me to overcome some difficult issues. HOW ON EARTH DO I EAT HEALTHY OUT OF TOWN? It is so hard to do. I have grabbed some snacks from the grocery store, but I miss my morning oatmeal. I miss my Kashi and yogurt. I've been trying to eat the best I can, but it's been a challenge. 

We at Boston Pizza for dinner tonight. I had a spinach salad while everyone else had Boston Brutes and pizza and fries. It was depressing. Last night we ate at a pub where I had a greek salad and everyone else ate poutine, burgers and more fries. It is so much harder than at home. At home I tell Marek what we are eating and that is that. He doesn't eat fries and burgers in front of me.

I would love some advice on eating on the proverbial road! Healthy places to eat, good snacks etc. Please!!!

The second obstacle was going to the gym after working a 10 hour day. But I did it. I was fortunate enough to have the company of two of my coworkers. The gym in our hotel is under renovations so we went to the Syncrude Centre for Wellness. I had a great workout and it went by quickly since the cardio equipment had personal TVs on each one. So cool. 

That's it. Exhausted. 

California Salad with Avocado and Mango

Tonight for dinner I made a dish both Marek and I can both enjoy. I love salad - he loves chicken. Best part was it was very good! Try it out. I made mine on my George Foreman grill and didn't measure out my salad greens, avocado or mango. Just cut some up and made it look pretty. With a side of quinoa, you're good to go!

California Salad with Avocado and Mango
2 tbsps olive oil
2 tbsps fresh lime juice (I used lemon, all I had)
2 tbsps mango chutney
1 tbs low-sodium soy sauce
3/4 tsp grated, peeled fresh ginger (ours had a hint of flesh, try not to grate your thumb)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts halves
8 cups mixed salad
1 cup diced, peeled mango
3/4 cup diced, peeled avocado

1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

2. Combine oil, juice, chutney, soy sauce and ginger in a small bowl.

3. Place chicken on a large plate, spoon 2tbsps of the oil mixture over the chicken. Turn chicken to coat, let stand 5 minutes

4. Grill the chicken until done. Brush mixture from plate onto chicken before turning over.

5. Arrange greens, avocado, and mango on to plates. Arrange chicken on greens. Drizze dressing over salad.

Nutrition Per Serving
Calories: 185
Fat: 8g
Protein: 8g
Sodium: 203mg
Fiber: 5g
Carbohydrate: 24g

Weigh In #2: Hungry For Change

Yesterday was weigh in day. I was soooo nervous. I haven't "fallen off the wagon' at all. I am still doing an hour of cardio every second day, pushing myself harder each day. I am still eating well and drinking a lot of water. But I was nervous. I didn't want to be up a pound or still at 147. I was worried my "girly time bloat" would affect my weigh in. And I didn't want to disappoint my followers or myself.

April 9, 2013 - Weigh in #2 - 145.8lbs

Down 1.2lbs from Last Week! Hell ya! 

I am down 2.6lbs in only two weeks. It feels amazing! It is not a huge loss but it is a loss, and it is progress. Go Katie! 

Last night I watched Hungry for Change, a documentary on Netflix recommended to be by my cousin Emily. Wow. What an eye opener. I am a very skeptical person when it comes to health books/diet fads/documentaries etc, but this show was fantastic!

The show basically explained that we are not eating "good" but that we are eating SUBSTANCES that are made to look and smell good. There are so many chemicals that are being put in our food to make it appealing. For example, many blueberry muffins made at fast food restaurants use propylene glycol to make the "blueberries". They look appealing, but they are chemicals substances. 

The show also explained that the majority of people are starving themselves of nutrients. We are eating table salt, bread, sugars (manmade) - high in calories, but starving ourselves of nutrients. We are overfed but still hungry. Our cells are starving.

One of the things I found most interesting was how our fat cells are storing sugar. We are eating so much sugar that it cannot be processed quickly enough by our pancreas it ends up being stored in fat cells. Which would be fine if we were living in the early days when we had to "store for winter" and hope to find our next meal. In today's day we can call our next meal on the phone and have it delivered. 

I was watching this show with a gf and she said "If my grandmother doesn't know what it is, I won't eat it." Makes sense. "Grandma - what is aspartame?" "Grandma - what is propylene glycol?" It's a good rule of thumb don't you think.

Finally, I have made a decision to buy a juicer. I am definitely not getting enough vegetables in my diet. If I try to eat 6-8 servings a day it would probably take a couple hours. This show really opened my eyes to how easy it is to juice and intake the correct amount of REAL FOOD. Definitely not going on a raw/juice diet. Oh no. But it will help me ensure I am getting all the nutrients my body is starving of right now.

Goal reached: Did not weigh myself all week, lost 1.4lbs

Goal missed: Take a Zumba class

New goal: Buy a juicer

Morning Work Out

This blog post is going to be super short because I am exhausted. I only slept about 4 hours last night - but guess what - I did it! I finally got to the gym in the morning and it felt great! It was definitely not easy to get up, but once I was at the gym I was super proud of myself. I had more energy at work and was able to come straight home afterwards and have dinner. Tomorrow is Friday weigh in. Eeeek! Wish me luck. 

I leave you with this great snack/breakfast I tried today before the gym. I got it from Rabbit Food For My Bunny Teeth's blog. So tasty! We will talk this weekend - with my weigh in a more! Goodnight.

Banana Roll-Ups
Serves 1

2 soft taco size whole corn tortillas
1 banana
1 Tbsp almond butter, peanut butter, or natural nut butter of your choice.
sprinkle of cinnamon to taste

Cover the tortillas with a damp piece of paper towel and heat in the microwave for 15 seconds. Spread the tortillas with nut butter. Cut banana in half and place on the tortillas. Sprinkle with cinnamon, and roll the tortillas tightly around the banana. Slice into half inch pieces like sushi, and enjoy!

Meal-Prep 101

On saturday at work I watched a video with a co-worker about meal-prep and it got me thinking. Why don't I do this? I purchase all the ingredients I need throughout the week, but why don't I put together some of the dishes? Especially lunches. This would save me a lot of time in the mornings, and ensure I'm eating a well balance meal for lunch.

One of my favorite things to make in meal-prep is roasted vegetables. I can cook up a couple of pans of veggies and they will last Marek and myself all week. And they are super healthy!

Heat your oven to 400. Mix your cut veggies with olive oil and salt-free spices. I like to throw in some thyme and oregano too. Roast them up! So simple. Here are some of my favorite veggies to roast, split up according to how long they take to roast.

Quick Roasting Time

Quick Roasting Time (10-20 minutes)
Tomatoes (grape tomatoes, tried slices-too gooey)
Mushrooms
Asparagus
Corn

Medium Roasting Time (20-30 minutes)
Bell Peppers
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Zucchini
Squashes

Medium RoastingTime

Onions

Long Roasting Time (40-60 minutes)
Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes
Turnips
Brussel Sprouts
Carrots
Beets




Another great way to ensure you eat enough vegetables is by making a big batch of squash/sweet potatoes. These are both powerhouses for Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and are low in sodium. All you have to do is peel them, cut them into cubes, and boil them until soft. Mash them up with spices or just leave plain. So simple. And so tasty. See the below comparison chart. I like to mix one of each.

	BUTTERNUT SQUASH (1 CUP)	SWEET POTATO (1 MEDIUM, ABOUT 1 CUP)
Calories	63	130
Fat (g)	0.1	0.0
Carbs (g)	16.4	33
Fiber (g)	2.8	4
Sugar (g)	3.1	7
Protein (g)	1.4	2

My latest favorite "meat" for meal-prep are SPOLUMBO chicken sausages from Save-On. OMG! My PTNB introduced me to them. The sausages I've tried are plain, apple hickory and sundried tomato. The best way to cook them is BBQ or frying pan. Try them! You will love them! 
Finally, make up a batch of brown rice, or some quinoa. Throw a few chicken breasts in the oven at the same time as the roasted veggies. 
Marek and I made all this food in just under an hour. We are set for a week's worth of lunches. Mmmm. 
Goal Reached: Well, 1/4 reached. I missed Friday's Zumba (had to work). But I am planning to go next Saturday instead. So at least I have a plan. New Goal: Don't weigh myself until Friday, and don't cry if I weigh more than expected. It's period week!!

Weigh In #1

It's been a week. A very long week. It almost felt like a month. In fact I think it was a month and my calendar did some form of "Back To The Groundhog Day Future" trick on me. Either way I did it. I lasted a whole 7 days of eating properly and doing an hour or cardio every second day. My energy levels are up, my face looks thinner and overall I feel a sense of accomplishment mixed with self-fulfillment and pride. Once I am more flexible I will pat myself on the back - with my feet!

I did my first "new lifestyle" weigh in today. My PTNB asked me to weigh myself every Friday and ONLY every Friday. I waited patiently and didn't cheat.

I WEIGH 147.0 POUNDS! 

I LOST 1.5 POUNDS IN ONE WEEK!

At first I was disappointed. I think I wanted to be down to 130lbs in one week. LOL. Now I realize it has only been ONE WEEK. 7 DAYS. I did great. My body is in shock, adjusting to exercising, getting used to the weird shit I'm feeding it. And it still thanked me! Woo!

Here is a photo that my PTNB shared today. I is going to be my new mantra! I am so much better than the person I was a week ago.

Goal Reached: Did not weigh myself until today.
New Goal: Go to Zumba this month for a change in my cardio exercises.

My Sweet "Teeth"

With all this healthy eating I am having a HUGE craving for sweets. I miss cookies, cakes, ice cream, butter tarts - basically all the things Marek still loves to mauw down on in front of me. Metabolically blessed a-hole! For now... (insert evil laugh). I asked my followers (sounds like I'm a serial killer) for some advice on what I can eat when I am having a sweets craving. I hope you enjoy these two tasty treats.

Super Food Fudge
This recipe is from my girlfriend Nichole. She dropped some "poop" on my doorstep for Marek to try as it had PB and walnuts in it. Marek found it "not bad." I am allergic to life, so I will have to make a batch with AB and almonds before I can taste it.

3/4 cup organic canned coconut milk (NOT the watered down "light"

version which just replaces some of the healthy coconut fat with

water...use the real full-fat version)

1 bar (3-5 oz. bar works well) of bakers unsweetened chocolate - 100%

cocoa content (if you can't find 100% cocoa bakers chocolate, look for

at least 70-80% cocoa content on the label of any dark chocolate bar -

to minimize sugar content)

4-5 tbsp of organic peanut butter or your favorite nut butter

(almond butter, cashew butter, pecan butter, and/or macadamia butter, etc)

3/4 cup raisins or dried cranberries or goji berries (optional)

1/2 cup whole raw almonds or other nuts (optional)

1/4 cup raw chopped pecans (optional)

1 scoop, about 25 gms of your favorite protein powder

3 tbsp chia seeds, hemp seeds, and/or flax seeds  (optional, but adds

crazy amounts of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants...plus a

nutty taste)

2 tbsp rice bran (usually only available at health food stores)

2 tbsp whole oats or oat bran

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

A little natural stevia powder to sweeten (add a small amount to

achieve the sweetness you prefer) add a small touch of real maple syrup

if you want a more "blended" sweetness flavor (keep the amount small to

keep sugar content low) 

Note on coconut milk: don't be afraid of the fats in this... coconut fat is mostly medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) that are more readily used for energy and also contain a special fat called lauric acid, which is extremely healthy and supports the immune system.

Home-Made Granola Bars

This next recipe is from PTNB and soooo good! I've made it once myself and have tried it before several times. 

1 cup of whole wheat flour

2 1/2 cups of oats

1/3 cup of brown sugar

1/3 cup of each - raisins, craisins, slivered almonds, chocolate chips

(your choice, I do all)

1/3 cup unsweetened coconut

1 tbsp cinnamon

dash of salt

1 tbsp hemp hearts/chia seeds/flaxseed 

(your choice)

Mix all dry ingredients together.

In a separate bowl add:

1 cup unsweetened apple sauce 

(put on bottom so honey doesn't stick)

1/2 cup honey

1 beaten egg

1 tbsp vanilla

Add to dry ingredients. Put in 9x13 greased pan and bake in oven at 350 for 30 minutes.

ENJOY!

If You Show Him, He Will Cook

My plan today was to wake up at 7:00 and head to the gym before work. This is one of my ultimate goals, to go to the gym in the morning from 7:30-8:30, then to work by 9:00. Unfortunately today - like every day - this did not happen. I was disappointed in myself, and felt I had let down Marek as I promised him I would make dinner. Now I wouldn't be home until 6:30, a little too late to make dinner.

Lucky for me, Marek LOVES to cook so I asked him to start dinner. Having a meal plan (including where to find the recipe) and the ingredients in the fridge; dinner prep tonight was a cinch. In fact, when I got home from the gym our dinner of tilapia, asparagus salad and brown rice was on the table.

I promised I would share some of the recipes I try as long as they are decent. The salad Marek made was amazing. He even liked it, Mr. "I'm afraid to try new healthy things." This is progress - but he still has yet to say anything nice about whole grain rice.

Asparagus Walnut Salad
Making The Cut by Jillian Michaels pg. 71

1 pound of fresh asparagus, ends trimmed
1/4 small onion, very finely chopped (I substituted with green onions)
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 packet of Splenda
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cups spring mesclun (I substituted with kale/spinach/chard medley)
1/4 cup toasted walnuts (chopped)

1. Steam asparagus until crisp-tender. Drain, and pat dry with paper towels. Set aside.

2. Combine onion, vinegar, mustard, Splenda, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Divide mesclun on 4 plates; arrange asparagus on top, and drizzle with vinaigrette. Sprinkle with walnuts.

CALORIES 107
FAT 5.7g
PROTEIN 2.2g
SODIUM 393mg
FIBER 4.1g
CARBOHYDRATE 11g

Enjoy!!

The Lonely Yolk

Eating breakfast is a HUGE change for me. I always equated breakfast to a cup of coffee at 10am. Much to my surprise (kidding I already knew this) LIVESTRONG.com states that "when you skip breakfast---the most important meal of the day---you're missing out on calories and nutrients that your body needs to get you through the first part of your day." I asked my PTNB for a few great breakfast ideas that I would like to share with you.

1. Yogurt Parfait - I gave you a sneak peak of this in my post "Hemp Hearts and Steel Cut Oats." All you need is 1/2 cup of Kashi (my favorite is Go Lean) found in the cereal aisle, 3/4 cup of PLAIN fat free greek yogurt (Costco's Kirkland brand is very good) and 1/2 cup of berries. I prefer strawberries, as they are in season.

Nutritional Facts Per Serving:

(including strawberries)

Calories: 264

Sodium: 197mg 

Protein: 28g

2. Steel Cut Oats - making this type oatmeal every morning takes at least 20 minutes, time most of us don't have. Well I dont, I like to sleep. My PTNB told me to make a big batch on a Sunday night and keep it in the fridge for the week. Brilliant! I cook up Bob's Red Mill steel cut oats (eat 1 cup), then add in some Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts (eat 1/2 tbsp) and golden raisins (10 of them per serving). For extra protein I like to add a tbsp of almond butter. And of course warm it up and add a bit of milk. My PTNB recommends almond milk. 

Nutritional Facts Per Serving: 

(without milk or almond butter)

Calories: 230

Sodium: 1mg if that... 

Protein: 10g

3. Lonely Yolk Burrito - I just tried this one today. And it was good. Marek even said "Wow. Tasty." Incredible! He liked something that wasn't ice cream. Scramble up three eggs but only use one yolk. Throw it on to a warmed wheat tortilla (I prefer the Weight Watchers brand) and add some veggies. Today I did low-fat cheese, tomatoes and a spinach/kale medley. 

Nutritional Facts Per Serving:

(medium eggs and tortilla only)

Calories: 199

Sodium: 332 mg

Protein: 15.5 mg

I hope you enjoy these recipes. Please comment and share any of your favorite and healthy breakfast foods with me. I am always looking for ideas. 

Measuring: A Canadian Horror Story

When I first started on this journey all I could focus on was losing weight. I want to be 120lbs again which may be optimistic, since my mother says I have not been small since junior high. Oh well, a girl can dream. The point of this is that weight-loss is a bad goal for me to have. My PTNB tells me that I should focus more on inches. She made me get measured! Can you believe it? I know - I was horrified too. But not as horrified as I will be after this blog is published and you can all see my STATS.

I asked my boyfriend to measure me. Big mistake. He made a game out of whipping my half-naked body with the tape measure and telling me that he doesn't want my boobs to shrink. You and me both pal, but its going to happen.

According to Nelly's song "Ride Wit Me" 36-25-34 is the ideal body type. I wonder what he would think of 37.5-35-40? Luckily I am not trying to impress a rapper with a band-aid fetish. I hope you realize how hard this is for me to share this photo. I am only doing it because in a couple of months they will be drastically different and it will make me feel good to say "I did it"!



Goal reached: got measured and didn't cry at the results
New goal: as per my PTNB I cannot weigh myself until next Friday, goal is to not weigh myself until next friday. :)

Hemp Hearts and Steel Cut Oats

According to my PTNB (Personal Trainer Named Bronwyn), eating healthy is more WAY more effective than exercising. It is all about changing your eating habits and substituting. This morning for breakfast I tried Kashi Go Lean (tasty), strawberries (tasty) and Plain Greek Yogurt (not so tasty, too thick and sour cream like - ick). I even sprinkled some Hemp Hearts on it! For those of you who are like me and have no idea what a Hemp Heart is - click here.

My other favorite breakfast dish is/are steel cut oats with raisins in skim milk. Best part is warming it up and adding a tbsp of almond butter (I'm allergic to PB). Yum.

I spent a hour today creating a grocery list and meal plan for the week. I went to Superstore tonight and bought some new "staples" for our home. Whole wheat wraps instead of buns, whole wheat pasta and brown rice instead of white, almonds to snack on instead of chips, and rotisserie chick instead of processed lunch meat - just to name a few. Eating differently is going to take a lot of getting used to, but I have yet to be bloated or out of energy. I am always conscious of my decisions. Marek wanted me to grab him a double double from Tim Hortons today on my way home from the gym. I really wanted a coffee too, so I ordered it black and put skim milk and splenda in it once I got home. Just little changes.

On a side note: I am making a few meals this week from my Jillian Michaels "Making the Cut" book. It has great exercises, recipes and meal plans. I will post the recipes if they turn out okay and taste good.

Goal reached: learned what a hemp heart is AND tastes like
New goal: measure myself... dun dun dun

New Gym Clothes

Dri-Fit Shirt from Walmart

Today I reached my goal of buying a new sports bra, in fact I went a little overboard. I completely endorse GEORGE and JOE if anyone looking for workout clothing. DryFit shirt: $10, crop pants $12, yoga pants $15, sports bras $16, looking hot at the gym; Priceless. But seriously - LuLu is overrated. My boyfriend (Marek) thinks my new shirt is funny. He has such a dirty mind.

In my search for a new lifestyle I have been given a god-send, my soon-to-be (fingers crossed) sister-in-law, Bronwyn. Let me put this into perspective, Bronwyn is the kind of girl everyone either wants to date or be best friends with. Her fun personality is contagious, and she is as fit as a... well just amazingly fit. When we went to Mexico together I had to walk behind her in my bathing suit cover-up because I didn't want to be seen side by side. She is the epitome of fit, healthy and what I stive towards.

Bron has set me up with a meal guide and workout regime for the month of April. I am to do cardio for an hour every second day. Yes. ALL CARDIO. You can tell that this photo is from the very start of my workout. Before I died. It looks like I am even smiling. Ha! I did 30 minutes on the elliptical, 15 minutes on a bike and 15 minutes on the treadmill in something Bron calls interval training???? Basically I was on a 6.0 incline walking for 2 minutes and then running for 30 seconds. Long story short I was Gumby once I got off the machines. My legs were numb, drunk and looking for a couch.

Goal Reached: bought a sports bra that fits (and much more), did one hour of cardio
New Goal: create a meal plan for the week, buy some "health food"

April 2, 2013: Day One

I hit 30 last year. It wasn't anything I couldn't handle. I have a house, a career, a soulmate. 30 was fine. It was once I hit 31 that I realized the one thing I was very unhappy with: my body. I have a great rack, a nice ass and a pretty face (or so I'm told), but it is my stomach, my thighs, my neck and my turkey flap arms that upset me. Don't get me wrong - I'm not one of those "I'm so fat" girls that weigh 100lbs (wet) and eat ice cream for every meal. I know I'm beautiful inside and out - but I want to be lean. I want to have more energy and to be able to do a flight of stairs (I have two in my house) without running out of breath. Hence "Day One". Today is the day. Today I made the decision to change my lifestyle by eating healthier, working out and changing my sleeping pattern.

My first step was to join a gym. I have a treadmill and weights at home, but they don't do anything for me. They are set up in my TV room and I have to walk past my couch to use them. My couch has its own gravitational pull, always dragging me down and FORCING me to watch Netflix. 

Therefore, I decided to try out GoodLife Fitness at the new Mill Woods Town Centre location. I shaved my legs, found an old sports bra (two sizes too small) and headed out to the gym. It is super close to my house - BONUS - and has a woman specific area which I stayed in for my entire workout. There is something about sweaty, grunting, juice monkeys that scares me.


After spending an hour at the gym I decided to buy a membership. $900 for a year - but hey who can put a price on my health??? Plus I got a "free" bag!

Goal Reached: joined a gym
New Goal: buy a sports bra that fits more than one boob