Writing About My Workouts

Life is hectic and finding time to document my life on all social media outlets can be demanding. And takes away a lot of the experience. That being said it also can hold you to a goal.

Between school work and just everyday life with a wild little boy, I want to recommit myself to reaching my goals I made at the beginning of the year. The biggest thing that needs work is my diet.

Over the course of the next week I am hoping to start a YouTube channel with some workouts you can do at home.

Today I got a great workout in. Even at the gym! Getting to the gym is getting increasingly more difficult.

Real deal sweaty selfie.

Today my goal was to focus on steady state cardio, to maximize fat burning. Aka running ! Three miles trying to keep my heart rate around 168. Followed by a great all over toning resistance training workout.

Trying to fit it all in a day is tough, but we can do it. Together. Let’s remember why we started

Granola On A Budget

My all time favorite snack is granola. I could eat it for every meal. I love it plain, with yogurt or with milk I’m not too picky !

But I HATE paying for it at the grocery store. It is usually at least $6 for a tiny bag.

We have a pretty tight budget and I honestly can’t justify it. So I make my own!

At first it seem like a daunting task, but in reality it is SUPER easy and doesn’t take much time.

You will need:
3 cups old fashioned oats
1/4 vegetable oil
1/3 cup of honey
Sprinkle of cinnamon
Dash of vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Mix all together in a bowl and bake at 300 for 12 minutes, or until it is golden.

Then take it out and let it cool, and be sure to stir it every so often. I dont stir mine a lot because I love the chunks!

This is just a basic granola. I think it is delicious by itself. And extras take a little more from you budget. Today I found some room for chopped nuts and dried fruit.

Mix this is after the granola has cooled.

That is a jar of heaven. This recipes makes about a jar and a half. And cost me a total of $4. I already had most of the ingredients, the biggest expense was the dried fruit.

What do you like to add to your granola ?>

Fitting Fitness In

Life is busy. And is one of the biggest obstacles we face when sticking to our fitness goals.

Time is precious and it easy to fill our day and forgot about our workout.

I know I’m guilty of this.

Between being a mum, working part time and being a full time student, it’s a constant battle to find time. Lately in my down time I’ve just wanted to relax.

I would be crazy not to want to snuggle with this cutie.

How do I fit my workouts in? That’s a great question! Typically I try to plan my day out in the morning. So my husband know when he will be on taj duty and so I can mentally prepare myself for a workout.

Lately, I have been having some trouble getting to the gym, because of my husbands and my work schedules! Or his hunting activities.

This upcoming week, I will be working on recommitting to my workouts. And making more of an effort to be consistent with my fitness.

How do you get a workout in ??

I felt like such a dork having my husband take a picture of me flexing ! >

It’s Been a BIG Week.

 

This week marks a huge milestone for me. For years I have told myself I will get my personal trainer certification. Last August I finally signed up for a course. Upon receiving my material, it was obvious I was in over my head. There is SO much more to personal training than just showing someone a work out. 

Why I Workout

Everyone starts on their fitness journey for different reasons. Mine began for a more vain reason than health reasons.

Growing up I was never petite. I’ve always been on the bigger size of average. From the age of 3 until I graduated high school, I was a serious dancer. So I have always been somewhat fit.

I became sadly aware that I was biggerish when I went to by my first pair of boots, I think I was 13. My mum and I probably went to half a dozen stores in hopes of finding a pair. Unfortunately, no boots would zip up over my calves. Talk about a blow to a fragile self esteem. To this day, I still have insecurities with my lower body.

In high school, I began to pay a lot more attention to the number on the scale.

I wasn’t small or big, but my means of managing my weight was fair from healthy.

I didn’t have the tools or knowledge. So initially, I just tried to keep the number on the scale from getting too high by eatting less. This ended up actually making me gain more because I’d go periods without eating, then I would follow it up with a huge binge.

After having baby taj, I decided to educate myself on how to become healthier and how to learn to love the body I have. I’m still working on the loving part. My initially goal was to be skinny, not necessarily fit. I just wanted to look like a regular 20ish year old, and not like I’ve had a baby. That may sound silly, but that was why I started.

as I have watched my body progress, I’ve learnt that being strong and fit is so much more satisfying than being stick thin.

Before, running a mile was a struggle. Now I can run 7 miles on a long cardio day! Talk about improvement.

I love seeing my body transform, and how it is performing now I’m treating it with the respect it deserves ! I can only imagine what my body will be able to do as I continue to work on fueling it with better things and less french fries !

Homemade Naked Juice

Are you like me and love naked and odawalla juice , but hate the price tag?

Baby taj and I are trying to get more fruit and vegetables into our diet. That’s honestly one of the hardest things for me.

Yesterday, I bought a Green Machine naked juice while we were out grocery shopping. To my surprise, taj had finished half the bottle before I even had a sip.

So I decided I would try making a similar recipe. Lots of mums I follow on Instagram are on the green smoothie bandwagon. And their kids love it. So we have given it a go.

1 kiwi.
1/2 lemon (peeled and chopped)
1 cup canned pineapple
1 cup frozen mixed fruit
2 cups baby spinach and kale
1 tablespoon cilantro
1 1/2 cup water

I was concerned with it being too chunky so I blended everything in steps. Adding one ingredient at a time until the juice was pretty smooth.

I prepped it last night so I wouldn’t have any extra clean up this morning !

The whole mason jar has 220 cal.

Also I’m on a mission to get a perkier bum !

What’s for dinner ?

I love food.

All kinds. So sticking to a “diet” of healthy eating is hard.

And honestly last week I did terrible. But it’s a new week!

Today I have done better.

Pork and apple salad with a side of fig sauce.

4 oz pork chop
Half a Granny Smith apple
1 1/2 cup spinach

Dinner was under 400 calories !

I love when healthy eating is filling and delicious. Tonight was a winner. Plus I have a left over pork chop I can have for lunch !

New Move Monday

Getting bored of your workouts ? I know I am and we are only in January!

Mix this new move in.

The “inchworm” push up will work your abs, arms and also offer a great stretch!

You can start from an upright position or in a push up position. I prefer to start standing.

Walk you hands forward until you reach push up position. Lower down and complete a full push up.

Then walk you hands back to toes and stand up.

Do the inchworm push up 10 times, rest for 30 seconds then complete another set of 10!

Flex Friday

Let’s see those muscles !

Mine are starting to show.

Only a little.

Lots of progress, but lots of room for improvement 🙂