Late Start

Ug, woke up 3 hours late today! Luckily I made it in to work only an hour late. I hate getting up late, I feel so disorganized and have a hard time getting started. As such, I did not have a chance to make a lunch or breakfast or anything, so today will be a write off in the food department. Plus, being New Years Eve, we are going to Wes's brother's for fondu and drinks, so it is pretty much a guarantee that my "diet" would have gone right out the window. May as well start now then! (as I write this I am having a Tim Horton's coffee and bagel.... donut to follow)

Trained yesterday. It was good.

Glute activation and hip mobility work

Deadlifts 95/105/115/125/135lbs x 5
Leg Press 270lbs x 8 x 3
Calf Press 270lbs x 10 x 2
Bulgarian Squats (DB) 25lbs x 12 x 2
Medicine Ball Twist 6lbs x 15 x 2

Crockpot Porridge

1/2 cup cracked Wheat
1/2 cup steel cut oats
1/2 cup rye flakes
1/2 cup brown rice
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 dates, chopped
6 cups water, or soy milk, or almond milk, or a combination of those
pinch nutmeg
I also added cinnamon and cloves

Put everything into a crockpot and cook on the lowest setting for the longest time.

I think adding grated apples would be good with this. You can add any sort of nut or dried fruit as well. I put in some chopped almonds and flax seed in mine.

Split Pea with Root Vegetable Soup

Such an easy recipe, I remember it.... I think.

6 tbsp Olive Oil
3 carrots, chopped
2 parsnips, chopped
2 leeks, chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp marjoram
1 1/2 lbs roasted turkey breast, bone in ( I roasted chicken breasts, since I couldn't find turkey breasts), cut into chunks
3 bay leaves
11 cup chicken broth
3 cups split peas

Heat oil in large stock pot. Over low heat, add vegetables and spices, cover partially and cook for 20 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 45 minutes or until desired thickness. I think I cooked mine for and hour and a bit. Lost track of time, so I am not 100% certain.

And the verdict is.....

As I was making my soup last night, the thought occurred to me, what if I don't like it? The recipe made a large pot of it, and even if I did like it, chances are I am going to be the only one eating it. Good thing this soup KICKS ASS! The suggested serving size is 1 cup, but it is so thick, I can barely finish half a cup. This recipe is a keeper fo sho! I am still a little unsure of what I think about the crockpot porridge. I think I like it, but it needs something. If I could figure out what that something is, I think I could really like it. I'm thinking maple syrup, or adding apples to it.....

Trained today, and for some reason I was really tired throughout my workout. I didn't feel very strong either. Weak and tired. My diet was spot on today, so I am wondering if this is sugar withdrawals.......

Bentover flyes 10 x 12 x 3
Lying one arm DB scap protractions 20 x 20 x 2
Lat Pulldown 75 x 12 x 2
Scap Push Up BW x 20 x 2

Military press 45/50/55/60/60 x 5
Chin ups 1 band x 5 x 4 (I was shocked at how pathetic this was. I was doing chin ups, without the aid of bands, fairly easily before. Looks like I have more work then I thought before I reach my goal of unassisted pull ups (5 x 5). )
Seated Cable Row 75 x 8 x 3
Incline DB Press 25 x 12 x 2
Poorboy Shoulder Horn 10 x 15 x 2


Diet was 90% today. I missed my last meal, and had a few nibbles of treats. Likely, the calories ended up fairly close to my goal, just the macros would be messed. Love the soup!

Must.Drink.More.Water

Happiness is...

This had been a great weekend. Yesterday, after Wes and I dropped Tay off at Grandma's, we went to his gym and worked out together. It was nice. We don't actually work out together as much as we work out in the same vicinity. Either way, we were together. Afterwards, we came home and cleaned the house together, then had a nap. You know you are getting old when a day like this is considered ideal. We went out for dinner, then to a friend's place for a couple drinks, then home to bed. I finally got to sleep in my own bed and wake up on my own accord. The rest of the day was pretty uneventful. I am trying two new recipes from my new cookbook; crockpot porridge and split pea and root vegetable soup. They are both cooking and making my kitchen smell fantastic! Back to work tomorrow. I like starting the week well prepared; lunch made, gym bag packed, coffee ready to be brewed and dinner planned out. I hate being rushed in the mornings. I am up at 4:45 am every morning, so that I have enough time to get out the door by 6:30 am. So, the more prepared I am the night before, the smoother my morning goes. I am off to bed early tonight!

Before I go, posting my workout from yesterday.....

Glute activation and hip mobility work

• Full Squat 95/105/115/125/135lbs x 5

(I think this was a personal best for me. I do not recall ever lifting this much before. It was kinda a fluke, I started my first set at 95 lbs, which was 30 lbs higher then the last time I did squats. I was already onto my second set before I realized the weights were much heavier. Either way, the lift went pretty well. My form felt strong, although I didn't get down as low as I should have. Unfortunately, my right knee has been bothering me ever since)

• Split Squat 65lbs x 10 x 3
• Leg Press 170kg x 10 x 3 (Assuming this was kilos, since I usually press 250+lbs, although it was also a different machine then I am used to)
• Standing Cable Crunch 27.5kg x 15 x 3
• Seated Alternating DB Curls 15/17.5/20 x 8

I'm sore today. Very sore.

Catching up with the wagon

I had a fantastic Christmas this year. I got everything on my wish list; Wes spoiled me with an iPod Classic and a KitchenAid Mixer. I also got a food sealer that I was wanting for all the chicken and rice I pre-cook. My other favorite gift is the Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook. It was a stocking stuffer (did I mention I fill my own stocking?). All the recipes contain good carbs, protein and low/er fat. It also has a good selection of gluten free recipes. I am excited to try out some recipes. Of course one of the first things I do when I get a cookbook is to go through it and flag any recipes that I would like to try. I always struggle with breakfast. I don't care for cereal or sweet things for breakfast, I prefer something salty; toast, bagel or something like that. I can't stand egg whites, the only way I like eggs is when I can dunk my toast into the runny yolk. I was happy to see the Eat Clean Diet Cookbook has a lot of breakfast ideas that actually appeal to me.

I have spent the last couple days going through the book and planning out meals and daily menus that fit in with my allotted calories and macros. I have started putting together my grocery list so that I have everything on hand that I will need and therefore less likely to fall for something that is less then ideal, Mac and Cheese comes to mind.

Today, Wes and I are taking Tay to her grandma's for the afternoon/night. We are going to go to the gym together, then dinner or something. I always feel my best when I am in the gym, yet Wes and I never work out together, so I kinda feel like he doesn't get to see me at my best. I have asked if would could make an effort to go to the gym together once a week. We both like to work out, so this is something we can do together.

Boy, it feels good to back on track again!

Happy HO HO!

Happy HO HO everybody! Ahh, Christmas eve is finally here. I think I actually like Christmas Eve more then Christmas Day. The anticipation of Santa coming, the excitement of putting out cookies and wondering what sort of gifts you will get. But at the same time, it seems a little more relaxed and less hectic then Christmas Day. Or maybe that has just been my experience. I am also looking forward to the 26th; the end of Christmas. I am truly sick of all the sweets and humongous 7 course dinners. If I am so sick of it, why do I continue to eat the crap? I feel better physically and emotionally when I eat better, yet when given the choice between something healthy and some sort of sugar and/or fat ladden goodie, I still choose the latter. I could make up some excuse like, I have been too busy running around getting stuff ready for Christmas and I didn't have the time. But in the end, it is still my choice.

Just for the hell of it........... "Things that make me happy"

• finding a good parking spot
• when I get up in the morning and see Wes has prepared coffee for me
• getting something in the mail that is not a bill (card, magazine, letter)
• finding the perfect purse
• 4 limbed hug from Tay
• a great haircut
• quiet, sunny mornings with a cup of coffee
• family kiss/hug
• having my back tickled/rubbed

Have a safe and happy Christmas!

Process, Details and Fog

I recently had the opportunity to see Olympic medalist, Simon Whitfield, speak about his experience in the Olympic Games. He talked about staying focused on the process and the details required to achieve his goals. He said that many athletes are content to just compete, because by actually saying they want to win could mean they could fail. “You must put aside your fear of failing and focus on the process and details.” In order to do that, one must have a workable plan and ignore “the fog”; the fog being anything that distracts you from, or clouds your vision of, the process and details of your plan. Sounds easy enough, but unless you know what the fog looks like, you may not realize you are being led in a different direction. For example, if you were planning a road trip, you may buy a map and plan out your route. You may decide to stop at a few attractions along the way and you plan those out as well. But what happens if you lose your map? Or what if you are talking to someone and they tell you of a different way to go? What will you do? This is “the fog”. Ignore the fog and stick to the process you planned.

I am not a fan of counting calories; I just don’t have the time to plug numbers in to a computer everyday. However, until you know your route, you will have to refer to a map. So, if I am wanting to see more gains in the gym (and less on the scale), I am going to have to come up with a plan, something to focus on. As far as how many calories to consume or how much protein etc, everyone is different and there is no set answer. It is just a matter of trial and error. Some people do better with more fat or more carbs then others, some have such a messed up metabolism that they may have to start with fewer calories and slowly work their way up. The biggest mistake anyone can make is to not eat enough calories. If you do not eat enough calories, your body will try to hold on to whatever you give it in order to fuel your workouts (assuming you are working out). Your metabolism will slow down and eventually you will start to break down your hard earned muscle for fuel (a process known as catabolism). Consume too many calories, and well, we all know what happens then…..

There are many different methods of determining how many calories to consume, none of which are perfect. As I mentioned before, everyone is different, so it is just a matter of trial and error. To make things easy, I am going to determine my daily calories based on my level of activity and my current weight. Multiply your current weight by; 12 if you are sedentary, 13 if you are moderately active, and 14 if you are very active. Based on this, my daily caloric intake will be roughly 1650. Again, this is just a starting point and may be altered later, depending on my progress. Once I know how many calories I will have per day, I need to determine where those calories will come from. Since, everyone is different how you decide to split up your macros is up to you. I am going to start with a 40/30/30 split; 40% protein, 30% carbs and 30% fat. Therefore; 660 protein calories, 495 carbohydrate calories and 495 fat calories = 1650 Total. To break this down further, 1 gram of protein = 4 calories, 1 gram of carbs = 4 calories and 1 gram of fat = 9 calories.

660 / 4 = 165g of protein/day 495 / 4 = 124g carbs/day 495 / 9 = 55g fat/day

So, now I know that I will aim to plan my meals so that I am consuming 165g of protein, 124g of carbohydrates and 55g of fat per day. My preference is to consume 4-5 smaller meals per day, I find it works better for me as far as energy and hunger levels. Some people prefer to only have 3 meals a day, others prefer to spread it out over 6 or 7 meals. There is no definite right or wrong method, you could even have one large meal and use up all your calories in one sitting, albeit that isn’t the most effective choice. As far as I am concerned the best choice is which ever one you can stick to. If you can stick to it, you will have success; if your plan is just not workable for your lifestyle, you will most likely fail.

Living in my Buffet Pants

Less then a week until Christmas, and I have to say I am almost ready for it to be over with. I love this time of year, but all the running around is starting to wear me down. My diet is a mess with all the treats, parties and special dinners. I am not totally strict about what I eat, I indulge every now and then, but it seems that this time of year almost everything revolves around food, which makes things so much harder to stay on track. There really is no valid excuse, so I will not make one up. I do not believe in ‘dieting’, unless it is for health reasons or you are an athlete. For me personally, I cannot stick to a super strict diet, but I also do not like the way I feel when I over indulge either. When I over indulge I end up bloated, tired, gassy, and with a generally feeling of blech. I think it is important to find a happy medium. When I am craving chocolate or fast food, I will treat myself to it, within moderation. Instead of a Big Mac meal, I will order a Happy Meal, which I find just as satisfying. It has taken me a long to time to get to this point; I always felt everything was ‘all or nothing’. I can tell by how my clothes fit and how I am feeling as to whether or not I have been giving in too much. The one thing that I have found that helps me avoid the fast food pitfalls, is being prepared. I generally try to keep 100g portions of cooked chicken breast in my freezer at all times, along with some cooked rice and the fixings for a salad. That way even if I am rushing to get out the door to work in the morning, I can almost always find the time to grab a couple things from the freezer or fridge, thereby avoiding a trip to the grease laden food court. At least once a week, I will cook up a super-pack of chicken breasts. I will either grill them or bake, using assorted marinades or spices. I recently discovered I can make some pretty good chicken in the crock pot. Once the chicken is cooked, I cut everything up, weigh and package it into 100g servings and put it in the freezer. If I am particularly ambitious, I will do the same with rice; however, we generally eat rice on almost a daily basis, so I just try to make extra.

Once the craziness of Christmas is done and over with, and I have the time, I am going to sit down and plan out a few meal plans. I want to get back on track with my training and start working on making more gains in my lifts. In order to do that, I need to feed my body the right stuff. I have worked with a few trainers in the past and I definitely noticed a difference in my workouts when I eat the right stuff. The right stuff being; enough protein to promote muscle growth, the right carbs to provide enough energy and proper pre and post workout meals to help build and repair the muscles. Until then, bring on the CHOCOLATE!

Close to home

In light on the recent economic downturn in the US, I really felt that living in Alberta was a safe haven. While the economy here is slowing slightly, it is still pretty good in comparison. However, last night I was given some news that shook my foundation a little. Yesterday, hubby's company laid off 600 people corporate wide. Hubby prints the newspaper and thankfully, no one in production was affected by these layoffs, however, there were 20 people from the office that were. To add to that, the new CEO of the company is pushing for the paper to have a larger online presence. Apparently many newspapers in the US have already shut the doors to their production plants and are focusing on the internet as their main media source. While hubby's job seems secure at this time, we would be foolish to think that this is the worst it will get. They have already announced there will no longer be any profit sharing and this year will be the last year for Christmas bonuses. We have been in the process of planning some major renos to our house, however, with the recent events those plans may need to be put on hold. I think that as long as we can hang on for the next 5 years, we should be able to make it through this recession fairly unscathed.

So, onto happier news.... Christmas is a week away!! I am very excited. My daughter is 4 and this Christmas should be fun. She asks me almost everyday when Santa in coming. When I was young, I would get so excited for Christmas I would actually get hives. My daughter and I are so much the same, I am curious to see if someday she will have the same reaction. I love Christmas. I love baking, I love decorating, I love wrapping presents (no gift bags here!). In an attempt to cut down on my spending, I had wanted to make as many gifts as possible. I am giving baking to some friends and co-workers and I was going to make Christmas ornaments for my mom. Last night was trying to finish up the Christmas ornaments and unfortunately I kind of wrecked one of them. Seeing that it is so close to Christmas, I was unable to find the stuff I need to fix it. So, now I am scrambling to put something else together.

For as much as I love Christmas, I will be happy when it is over. Will all the events and parties over the next week, getting to the gym is just not possible. I went on Sunday and had a great workout, still sore actully. But, I am not sure when I will get a chance to go again. Not likely until after Christmas. And I am SO not looking forward to the New Years rush at the gym. I have to say, that is one of my pet peeves. January and February, the gym is full of resolutioners who hog all the equipement. By March, more then half of those newbies are gone and by April the gym is pretty much back to its regulars.

I do not believe in New Years resolutions. I do not know many people, if anyone, who have actually stuck to their resolutions. As such, I prefer to think of goals that I would like to focus on. This year, my main goal is to work on paying down some debt and sticking to a budget. I also want to clean up my eating habits too. I am fairly consistent with the gym and weight training, but I need to work on eating more protein, drinking more water, and eating less sugar. I am also looking to start a cardio program. I am not a fan of cardio and I rarely do it, but I think it is still an important part of a healthy lifestyle. I would also like to be able to do 5x5 unassisted pull-ups and get my bench press up to 115lbs by the end of 2009.

Mental Ramblings

After about 9 different starts to this post, I decided to just wing it and ramble. I got my first gym membership when I was 18, that was how old you had to be to join. My mom got me a membership to SpaLady for my birthday. There was no way I was going to step foot into a gym where GUYS were training! I would be humiliated for sure. I did the typical workout which consisted of 20 minutes on the eliptical or recumbant bike, followed by probably 100 sit ups, then a few sets on the butt master machine. As the years went by, I started reading Fitness Magazine, Muscle and Fitness Hers and Self, and learned more exercises using weights! I started doing a traditional bodybuilder split; chest/tricep, back/bicep, legs and abs/cardio. As my confidence in the gym grew, the more eager I was to learn and before I knew it I had outgrown my SpaLady membership. With some hesitation, I started going to a gym that had BOYS! While there were a few muscle heads, most of the guys there didn't seem to know much more then I did. In fact, I probably could have taught them a thing or two.

Fast forward to today.... First of all, you wouldn't catch me dead at SpaLady, or in the women's section of a co-ed gym for that matter. Most of the time, I am one of the few girls that dare venture into the free weight area. I do not use the weight machines, I prefer free weights. Gone are the days of curling 5lb dumb bells; I like to lift heavy. I love to see the expression on people's faces when I load up the leg press with 270lbs and proceed to push out 3 sets of 10 reps. I have come a long way since I stepped into SpaLady for the first time. While the number of the scale has gone up, so has the amount of muscle I have. I am stronger then I have ever been and I am proud of the muscle I have put on. While I am not as lean as I would like to be, I am not dissatisfied with my appearance either and as far as I am concerned that is HUGE.