Thursday, January 31, 2013

A random Thursday post...


Yesterday's workout:

A.M Walked 6.5km pushing a stroller
Nothing in the evening, I gave my sore legs a break!
Total milage for the week so far: 29.5km


Usually I have an idea of what I'm going to talk/write about at least a day or two in advance but today is going to be random, a little bit from here and there.

First some new songs:

Gary Allan - Every Storm (Runs Out Of Rain) - usually country can be really hit or miss for me but I love this song.
Classified - Anything Goes  - a good new one for running, some swearing.



And something I can't believe I never thought of myself.....line a bowl with aluminum foil, pour grease from whatever dish you are cooking inside, wait until it hardens and then roll it up and throw it away. So simple and mess free.



How about these fun new Valentines Day collars that just arrived from AddisonLogan, aren't they SO cute? Love them. :)


My very favourite slipper for the kiddies (and adults too!)? Definitely the ones from Padraig Cottage. They are so warm and cozy, and they tie onto the little ones feet which if you have children you know how nice that is.



Does anyone have a Nike FuelBand? I want one. It tracks all your daily activities, steps taken, calories burned and logs it for you. You can set goals for yourself and it makes sure you meet them. Also doubles as a watch. Cool hey?


Do you have a bucket list? Do you keep track in your head or have you put it down on paper or made a pinterest board? What are some things at the top of your list?

Here are a couple of mine:



And one day I want to attend the Kentucky Derby (and I will wear a fabulous hat. :) ).


And yes I would love to have the body I have never had.


So the important thing now is just to:



And on that note I just entered the Bazan Bay 5K. It's on Sunday March 10th in Sidney and I've run it before so I know the course is fast and flat. Who's with me?? Come on, 5K is easy, anyone can do it. :D

Happy Thursday!








Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Wardrobe Wednesday


Yesterday's exercise:
A.M. Walked 7km pushing a stroller
P.M. 5km alternating laps running and walking at the track.
Total km's so far this week: 23km

One of the blogs I follow does a fun post every Wednesday called WIWW (what I wore Wednesday) and other bloggers who follow her can link up to to show what they wore too. It's a great way to get more inspiration for your clothing/wardrobe choices. If you want to check out Lindsey's blog you can go here: The Pleated Poppy

Here's my Wednesday outfit. It's comfy and cozy to wear and full of bright colour in the middle of this dreary winter weather we've been having.











Cami: bootlegger (on sale right now for only $9.99!)
Skirt: a Winners find
Tights: Wal Mart
Boots: Winners
Scarf: from a booth in the mall over Christmas
Pendant:  Fox Pendant  


Yesterday I tried a new low calorie/low fat muffin that turned out really yummy. Don't you just want to bite one (or maybe two because they are only 92 calories!)?? Apparently they freeze well (we'll soon find out) and both kids really like them so they are perfect for breakfasts and lunches.

Here's the link to the recipe: Oatmeal Applesauce Muffins
They say to use old fashioned oats but I used the 3-5min ones and didn't soak them.



Enjoy!





Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Last nights dinner

 In an effort to stay on track and also share with you/be accountable for my exercise I am going to start each blog post off with yesterdays exercise log.

Yesterday A.M. Walked 7km pushing a stroller
Yesterday P.M. Ran 4km on the treadmill

But the best part (isn't food always the best part??) was last nights dinner. Oh Gina at Skinnytaste you never fail me. I have yet to make a meal from her website that I haven't enjoyed, and they are all low on calories with fresh ingredients.

Last night's dinner dishes were so easy too, no special skills required and they had great flavour. I've used images directly from her blog as I didn't change the recipes other than using boneless pork chops and pre grated parmesan cheese.

I love potatoes in pretty much any form and I like sweet potatoes too but usually find them a little too sweet to eat too much at a time. These changed that, I could have eaten the whole pot. The garlic in these ones changed the flavour to more savoury and they are more like a puree than a mash...soooo good. Make them tonight, easy and you'll love them. You're welcome.





Also very tasty was the oven roasted cauliflower with parmesan sprinkled on top. Again, very easy and delicious.



And the meat with last nights dinner was pork chops with mushrooms and shallots (I used a regular onion).




The whole meal was a definite make again, and I will be making both side dishes to go along with other meals as well. Very tasty.


Monday, January 28, 2013

Motivation Monday

Hello! It's Monday, the beginning of the week.....long slide to the weekend....the time when I need motivation the most. I'm back from a brisk 7km walk, showered, lunched and about to do my grocery list for the weeks meals. I've been pumping myself up all weekend to hit this week hard so I'm feeling pretty good. Today's motivational quotes come from the mind. The mental part of working out and eating right is always the hardest part. If my head is in the right space I can push myself really far, run just a little bit further, walk right by that cupcake, but if I am not committed or am feeling wishy washy....fogeddaboudit. It IS mind over matter.



Your brain will get you out the door when you don't want to go.


Make it a part of your daily routine. You can't move it around or reschedule....it's just something you do, everyday.


Don't let doubt creep in...I'm too fat/slow/old/busy/tired to run. Nonsense! You can do this.


Rid your mind of can't.....


The only one stopping you is YOU. Don't let that happen.


Now get out the door, you will be so glad you did. Nothing feels as good as that post workout feeling, the feeling where you're kind of tired but feel like you made a real accomplishment. Relish in it, you earned it!



Sunday, January 27, 2013

Sunday deals and steals

I love to shop, and online is even better. It's easier when you don't have to fight traffic, find a parking spot, haul children with you and go through all the stores looking for just the right thing. I much prefer sitting in the comfort of my own home with a cup of tea and browsing online. A couple of clicks and it's on it's way to you. What could be even better? Free international shipping like it is for this awesome Marc by Marc Jacobs tee. I love the lips, so cute (and great for Valentines Day!). Regularly $78, down to $51.




Want some other fun Valentines Day ideas?

How about these two from Uncovet? 20% off orders over $75 right now. Just use the code sweetdeal.




Or this fun pillow (seriously, I want this on my bed):



This sweater isn't on sale but it's so cute:




Love this heart scarf:






I went out to see Silver Linings Playbook last night (date night with hubby!) and it was so good, definitely one to see and worthy of it's multitude of Academy Award nominations. To kill a little time between dinner and the show we went into London Drugs where I happened to find this great palette from NYX. I have been wanting some matte shadows as most of mine are shiny, other than a couple in my Naked palette from Urban Decay (love!) and this fit the bill perfectly. The best part of all though?? Regularly $20.00, on sale for $12.99. With 24 shadows and 2 blushes that's a great deal. The sales girl sang the praises of NYX so I'm excited to try it out. The only thing I have at the moment is a liquid liner which I like.



Has anyone ever shopped at Whole Sale Panda? They have extreme discounts on great name brands such as Toms and The North Face and free shipping.

I have been wanting these red Toms so looks like it's time to get them, only $37.80 and even cheaper if you buy multiples.

Here's the link: Wholesale Toms



Hope you're having a great weekend!






Friday, January 25, 2013

Pinspiration Friday

I pinned a great look from The Beauty Department quite awhile back on Pinterest and have been meaning to try it out ever since. I happened to be in Wal Mart yesterday when I remembered said pin and so picked up the Sharpie markers that I needed.

Here is the final look:



And here's how to do it:


 Wal Mart didn't sell the different colours separately so I got the three pack of gold, silver and bronze. The three of them were only just over $4 so I was fine to bring all three home. When not being used as nail pens they are great for invitations, decorating etc..


I chose a grey polish by Gosh (Shoppers Drug Mart's home brand) and the gold sharpie.



Apply a base coat and two coats of your colour polish.


Draw whatever design you wish. FYI, this is a lot harder than it looks, at least it is when you are drawing with your weak hand.



I had to do my right hand twice. According to the pinterest pin you could remove the sharpie marker with rubbing alcohol, but I didn't find this to be the case. It made no difference. I had to wait until the marker was dry and then just rub it off. 
Once you are happy with your design, wait until the marker is dry and apply a top coat overtop. Don't skip this step or the marker will just come right off.
If you are really ambidextrous or if you have someone who can draw on your nails for you than there is no end to the designs you can do. The sharpie has quite a sharp point so that makes drawing easy. I did Ella's nails at the same time as mine and did little hearts on each nail (so fun for Valentines Day). You could even do a design on just one finger for a pretty accent nail.

If you decide to try it out please share pics, it's fun to see the designs people come up with and we could all use a little more (p)inspiration. :)


Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Some motivational weight loss quotes

So I got on the scale this morning...full of dread....the Holidays were a time of abandon for me, too much food, too much drink...and it's not like this excess consumption just goes off into the universe somewhere and you never hear from it again. Nope, it settles happily on your stomach, hips, thighs (face, arms, back, big toe...everything feels fat right now) and fills you with regret. It does for me anyway. The 10lbs I had lost (and worked darn hard to lose) is now only 4lbs lost. I try to take some comfort in the fact that it didn't all come back but let's face it, going back up sucks no matter how much it is.
I feel like I keep starting over rather than seeing things through to the bitter (sweet!) end. I keep getting to the 10lb mark and then get relaxed. What I really need to do is get to the 10lb mark and pour on more steam so that I can get to the next 10lb mark (and so on until I reach a 60lb total). It's really hard to do, I love food and eat with a carpe diem kind of attitude, but that just ends up turning into a carpe fatty kind of body and then I'm mad at myself.
So here I am, picking myself up and starting over again. Beach body I can almost taste (whoops...nope...FEEL!!) you.


I stumbled across a great collection of weight loss motivation quotes and since they resinated with me I hope they do the same for you. We can do this right?


1. "Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it's always your choice."   ~Motivational weight loss quote from Wayne Dyer

2."When friends tell you how awesome you look, drop the "I still have more to go" crap.  You worked hard and you deserve the compliment!"  ~Jillian Michaels

3. "The one way to get thin is to re-establish a purpose in life."  ~Cyril Connolly, The Unquiet Grave

4. "If nature had intended our skeletons to be visible it would have put them on the outside of our bodies."  ~Elmer Rice

5. "Gluttony is an emotional escape, a sign something is eating us."  ~Peter De Vries

6."Aim for success not perfection... Remember that fear always lurks behind perfectionism. Confronting your fears and allowing yourself the right to be human can, paradoxically, make you a far happier and more productive person. " 
~ Dr. David Burns  

7. "The greatest thing you have is the 24 hours in front
of you.The past is gone; the future is distant.Today you CAN succeed. Set a goal you can achieve in the next 24 hours." 

8."I lost weight by walking. I changed my lifestyle. I gave up fried foods, cut back on starches and red meat. I had to start taking vitamins and slowly get into a regular exercise routine." (Celeb Al Roker on his weightloss)

9. “If we can get you to focus on just 10 pounds of weight loss, if we can educate you, motivate you, get you moving . . . get you eating a better diet plan . . . we can show you that can do anything you want, achieve whatever weight loss you desire— whether it be 140 or 14 pounds,” ~ Dr. Oz 

10.“Water is a great weight loss help! It fills you up. I mean, it’s the simplest thing you can ever think of, but I drink at least one and a half to two liters a day. I always just keep a big bottle by me and that way I can monitor how much I drink." ~ Padma Lakshmi

11.“My weight was a symptom and not the problem, I used food to soothe and reward and I don’t do that anymore.” Wynonna Judd

12. “I haven’t cut off pizza from my diet plan,” she says. “I just limit myself to two pieces once a month so that I don’t completely have to give it up from my weight loss diet plan.” (TV Star Jenna Keown)

13. "Place a picture of someone that looks like what you want to look like when you reach your weight loss and fitness goal somewhere nearby. However, be sure to keep it realistic to your own body type. This is a visual reminder of what the end result of your fitness and weight loss program will be, helping to keep you motivated." ~ Jackie Warner 

14. "Stop yourself from bashing your body when you look in the mirror so that you do not hold yourself back from achieving your weight loss and fitness goal or being satisfied once you reach it. “Say to yourself–out loud–to ‘Stop it’.” ~ Jackie Warner

15. "Every week, have an ‘enjoyable’ fitness exercise session such as cycling, dancing, swimming, running or yoga exercise, in addition to your daily fitness exercise program. ~Nicole Kidman

16. "Without exercise, I feel like my head doesn’t work right. I just feel better when I work out. I do sit-ups, push-ups and jogging. I think the body is a beautiful thing, and you should take care of it. Whether it’s going for a run, dancing or loving, my rule is break one sweat a day.” ~Matthew McConaghy

17. “I had a healthy weight loss which was a diet plan that’s all about portion control, healthy choices and not mixing proteins and carbs in the same meal because they digest differently.” ~ Kenda Wilkinson

18. "Cook your own food... it’s easy. When you cook, you control the salt, fat and quality of your food. ~ Rachel Ray (famous weightloss icon)

19. “Weight-loss begins with a goal. If you don’t set a weight-loss goal then you won’t be able to reach it. That’s why I’m realistic and set my goals in increments of five-pound losses. This way, my goals are easily met!” ~ Vince Lombardi
20. "No matter who you are, no matter what you do, you absolutely, positively do have the power to change."~Bill Phillips


Running will begin again, walking will increase (Kathleen, I'm looking at you), and dietary changes with be implemented.




2013 is the year!



Monday, January 21, 2013

Calorie wise banana chocolate chip muffins

So after yesterday's blog post I knew I had to start coming up with some good calorie wise baking ideas.....and the best place to start? Why with this pile of overripe bananas on my counter of course....


Here is the recipe for:
 Calorie Wise Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

I doubled everything because I wanted some baking for the freezer, plus I had exactly six overripe bananas and needed to use them up.

3 medium very ripe bananas
1/3c milk
1 egg
1/2c brown sugar
1/2c granulated sugar
1tsp baking soda
1 and 1/2c all purpose flour
1tsp salt
3Tbsp chocolate chips (I always use mini chips...love them)
2Tbsp chopped walnuts ( I didn't have any but I think they would have been great in this recipe).


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.


Peel bananas and mash them up with a fork or with your mixer like I did.



Mix in milk, egg and both sugars.


In a separate bowl mix flour, salt and baking soda together.


Mix both sets of ingredients together, don't over mix.


 Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts (if using).



Get your helper to flash you a big smile. :)


Spoon equal amounts of batter into each greased muffin tin. You can also use muffin cups if you prefer. I used Pam cooking spray.


Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.


Enjoy this deliciousness. 




I know that butter isn't calorie wise but it makes the picture look good. ;)


I was happy with this recipe and would make it again. The muffins were moist and flavourful and I could only marginally tell they didn't have any type of oil in them. At only 167 calories each and 1.2 grams of fat I think it they are worth it (and that is with the walnuts).

Let me know if you try it and what you think.

Ciao!