Wooooohooooo Canada rocks :)

I'm sure many,many Canadians were glued to their t.v's this afternoon to watch the Canada vs Us Hockey game, now I must confess I'm not a real big sports fan, but I really enjoyed watching the game and was absolutely ecstatic when Canada won. I was around my friends house watching the game and we all jumped up and down with glee (scared the bloody hell out of the little pooch sitting on the couch with us!) and then we all had a little tipple to celebrate! I was so happy that Canada won, it's great to see how well they did in the Olympics, you go Canada!

So, food wise I just kinda went with the flow today and ate what was on offer, but not consistently as I would have normally, there were pretty long intermissions between mouth falls! And alcohol wise I'm not a big drinker, so that wasn't really an issue I had a celebratory drink when Canada scored that last wonderful goal and a little try of something my friend mixed up, but that was about it. So, definitely not an eating clean day today, but tomorrow is back on track and today was just a laid back fun day with friends and a few old food buddies.

Go Canada Go!

Every time I walked past a television set or listened to the radio the Canucks were winning medals all over the place, you go Canada. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow my Greyhound buddy is having a closing ceremony celebration round his pad, it's going to be a lot of fun, and I also get to catch up with my old busing buddies. Oh yes and eat a bunch of stuff that I'm pretty sure isn't any where near my eating plan! But its okay I have a plan, I'm going to eat just a plate full of what ever is there and not keep going back for me, that's one of my weaknesses, hopefully everyone else will gobble up all the naughty stuff.

Today pretty much was errand day I had a few girlie appointments I had to attend to, always fun and keeps me looking in tip top shape, I didn't sleep that well last night so I kinda dragged my ass to kickboxing, but about halfway through I got a second wind and kicked some serious butt.

I'll keep it short I'm kinda pooped so I'm off to make dinner and cuddle up on the couch.

Down the hatch:-

Breakfast: low fat oatmeal muffin, water, & cup coffee.

Lunch: wholegrain wrap with salad, low fat cheese, sliced cucumber & tzatziki spread, water.

Snack: Clean protein bar, water & coffee.

Dinner: Salmon fillet, asparagus & salad, water & cup tea.

Snack: apple and sml piece organic dark chocolate.

Activity: 1 hour kick-boxing class.

I wish Canadian athletes all the best tomorrow, win more gold it looks good on you!

Woo hoooo 2 more lbs down :)

As I stood on the scale first thing this morning I was absolutely elated when I saw the numbers drop by another 2lbs, woooohooo this new eating plan kicks butt, literally! Shortly afterward I went to my hot yoga class and the teacher was commenting on my slimmer appearance, wow I guess other people are starting to notice, sweet! If you are just joining my blog I embarked on a eating clean lifestyle about 6 weeks ago, I have lost a total of 11 lbs and 8 inches. What this plan entails is just eating a whole lot healthier, switching out all the white crap, bread, white flour, sugar and most importantly all the cancer causing additives and preservatives in today's food. If you're not sure what to do first, just follow me day to day, I list everything I eat and my activities, but if you want further help buy the book "The eat-clean diet" by Tosca Reno, its an incredible book and its totally changed the way I treat what goes into my body.

This really is a lifestyle change, so you have to be able to eat like this realistically for the rest of your life, so the odd treat is okay I have had a few ups and downs since I started, splitting up with my boyfriend of four years, being diagnosed with a lump (non cancerous thank goodness, but still needs surgery) taking a course to better my chances at getting work. So I have indulged in the odd commiserative drink or a girlie's night in of munchies, but I have really minimized the treat days or nights to a bare minimum. In the book Tosca discusses treat days and its totally up to you, what you think will work best for you, she chooses very few treats, usually just a few a year, so she is very strict.

The best way to explain the plan is to eat every two to three hours, a portion of protein is the size of your palm, a portion of veggies two cupped hand fulls, complex carbohydrates is one cupped handful. So per day you have six portions of complex carbs from fruit and veggies. 2-4 portions of complex carbs from whole grains and starchy carbohydrates. 5-6 portions of lean proteins. 2-3 litres of water, clear herbal tea (unsweetened) , black coffee (in moderation). If you are going to embark on this eating plan I would purchase the book as it explains everything in detail and I found it a fascinating read and of course before embarking on any new regimen consult your doctor first.

Down the hatch:-

Breakfast: 3/4 cup wholegrain cereal, 1/4 cup blueberries, skim milk, 1tbs bee-pollen, 1tbs flax seed, water & cup of coffee.

Snack: Banana & handful of unsalted nuts, water.

Lunch: wholegrain wrap with sliced boiled egg, spinach, watercress, cucumber, tzaziki, water and skinny latte.

Snack: Clean protein bar, water.

Dinner: Lean grilled chicken breast, potato salad, grilled zucchini, water and cup of tea.

Activity: 1 hour hot yoga.

I am so thrilled with the results, do you know this is the first time I have really given a 100% effort into preparing and cooking the food myself, I always followed some kind of frozen diet prepared type of meal plan. I guess I thought it was too difficult to do it on my own and you know what ITS NOT so if you're in the same kind of funk give this plan of eating a try once you've grasped the concept, its totally doable. Believe me I thought I was hopeless in the kitchen, but now I think I'm pretty damn good! I wish you all the best with your weight loss efforts, bye for now.

I love L.A Ink :)

I'm so glad that "L.A Ink" is back, I love that show, I do miss "Inked" and "Miami ink" too but I have Kat to watch every week so I guess I'll survive! I must say I still felt kinda tender after all the prodding in my neck yesterday, it was really swollen and bruised today, but it got better as the day progressed. And the weather did help lighten my spirits today, plus seven in February, bloody brilliant and Oh yes all the gold medals the Canadians got, you are a patriotic bunch, I live here in the beautiful country of Canada and love to cheer for my fellow Canadians. Go you crazy Canucks!

So I wasn't feeling too bad after my ordeal yesterday, so I did venture back to the gym, I had a good intense workout, the only thing that hurt was when I tried to lift my head to do sit ups, so I stopped that straight away! The gym was totally packed again, I had to elbow a few people out of the way to claim one of the cardio machines, I guess it still is New Years Resolution Season! I'm sure you're all noticing the influx of people at your gym too, I wish it wasn't like that. I wish that people would make a lifetime resolution to change their life and their health for good and not make it such a glib thing. I didn't have long term success with my weight loss until I realized this and changed my habits for good.

And when I did gain some of the weight back (which is very close to being gone!) it was when I had lost focus of myself again and I let things get out of control, when things are out of control my eating is out of control. There was a lot of stuff going on in my life and it was very stressful and I wasn't aware of my old addiction (Food, the other F word!) creeping its insidious way back into my life. Once you make the decision to change the way you live and change the way you eat stay focused on your new journey and don't let anything lead you astray, just remember you're worth it.

Down the hatch:-

Breakfast: 1/2 cup granola, 1/2 cup strawberries, 1/2 cup no fat natural yogurt, 1 tbs flax seed, 1 tbs bee-pollen, water & cup coffee.

Lunch: Boiled egg sliced over a bed of lettuce, spinach, artichokes, cucumber, crumbled walnuts, tiny amount of olive oil, (Spruce up your salads with what ever comes to mind, add nuts, dried fruit, craisins are lovely, but if chocolate covered M&M's come to mind maybe skip that as a topping!) water.

Snack: Clean protein bar & handful of dried fruit, water.

Dinner: Mackerel fillet, snap peas, potato salad (made from baby potato's, herbs & Tzaziki, a great low fat option to mayo) water & cup tea.

Activity: 40 mins elliptical, 30 mins circuit training with weights.

So, I hope wherever you are in your weight loss journey that you're excited and hopeful about your new life and if you're struggling, don't give up, keep going consistency is the key and just remember you're worth it, keep up the good work :)

What a pain in the neck!

Okay, I am warning you if you're squeamish I would skip this first paragraph, you have been warned! About Six years ago my doctor found a couple of growths on my thyroid gland, so I got it all checked out and it was all good. But, since that discovery I have to go every two years for an ultrasound and a biopsy, now the ultrasound isn't that bad, they squirt you with cooling gel and press a hand held thingy against your neck, it's not bad at all and quite relaxing. Now comes the non fun part, they tell you to relax as the big bloody needle looms over head, "oh yeah sure I'm relaxed as a day at the beach, I don't bloody think so". Instead I nod politely and as I cringe further into the rustling paper beneath me a tear wells up in both eyes. Now, that the anesthetic is done they can begin with the actual procedure of sticking THREE more needle's into my neck! Not a fun thing, not at all.

Okay, I'm done with my whining and complaining I do realize this is a necessary procedure and it could one day save my life, so its all good. I didn't realize when I was booking my appointments a couple of weeks back that my laser hair removal treatment fell right on to today's agenda, Oh lucky me! It was actually a gift certificate from my ex boyfriend given to me at Christmas, I know what you're thinking, what a jackass "Happy Christmas my furry little one" not quite. I actually asked him for this, as laser treatments can be quite expensive and being half Greek I need all the help I can get in the hair removal department!

I went to the Radience Spa that is in Canyon Meadows, a nice European lady greeted me and told me to whip of my clothes and relax "Oh no not that again!" Now, I actually haven't had laser treatments for many, many years and when I had it back then, it bloody hurt! And the part of my body that I was having lasered is rather delicate (I shall leave that to your imagination) but it went very well and it was quite bearable and only pinched in a few sensitive areas. If you're thinking of getting this done I would definitely recommend this place, they were great, put you at ease and their prices are actually way cheaper than anywhere else.

So, because of my pockey, prodey, icky day I didn't work out, I was actually saving today as one of my rest days as I knew what was in store for me. But back to the gym tomorrow folks.

Down the hatch:-

Breakfast: low fat organic oatmeal muffin, water & cup coffee.

snack: handful of dried fruit and unsalted nuts.

Lunch: tuna and veggie wholegrain pitta, diet coke.

snack: Clean protein bar, water & skinny latte.

Dinner: grilled chicken, veggies, water & cup tea.

Activity: none, no way no how!

So, tonight I have my painkillers and some bad t.v to watch to help wash away the days stresses! I wish you all a great day tomorrow, adios for now.

Sunshine and Timmy's

Oh I was dragging my feet today, I had very low energy, I still went and worked out and it was one of those days where it was going to kill me or cure me! Luckily it did the latter and I got a second wind, instead of going home to nap on the couch! It was such a lovely day today I just adore these mild sunny days, I wish it was here to stay, alas I know it isnt so make the most of it while it's here.

I went to my Overeaters Anonymous meeting tonight and I chose to lead the meeting, I always have a fear of doing that so I force myself out of my comfort zone and took the lead. I dont know why I always worry about leading the group because everytime I do, I end up really enjoying it. It was a small meeting tonight, just lately there have been many newcomers, which is always comforting as people are getting the help and support they need. A couple of us go to coffee afterward and that is always such an enjoyable part of the evening, I really feel that I have made lifelong friends in the programe. So all in all a nice day, nothing too crazy, just an enjoyable day of sunshine and coffee with good friends.

Down the hatch: -

Breakfast: 3/4 cup wholegrain cereal, 1/4 cup blueberries, skim milk, 1tbs bee-pollen, 1 tbs flax seed, water & cup coffee.

Lunch: wholegrain wrap with boiled egg, fresh spinach, afalpha sprouts, tziki, water.

Snack: 2 brown rice cakes, 2 tbs humus, 1 apple, water & cup of coffee.

Dinner: Chicken & vegetable chilli (chicken or turkey are great lowfat high protein substitutes for this traditional dish) water.

Activity: 1 hour circuit training with weights class.

So, I off to meditate, get out and enjoy the warm weather if you can tomorrow and have a great day.

Kicking butt and cleaning fridges

I must say I have found the least favourite thing to do, clean the fridge! I used to be a nurse, so Ive seen some nasty stuff but cleaning the fridge totally grossed me out and it wasn't even that bad! I guess I'm just not a domestic diva, even though I keep my house pretty clean and tidy, my mum's a hoarder, so I'm pretty diligent about keeping things in order, although I'm not obsessed about it. Have you seen that show on A&E "Hoarders"? I tell you, I have learnt so much about my mum and how serious a sickness hoarding can be and how it affected us as children growing up in that chaos. We have really tried as a family to get my mum to see that she needs help, but she refuses and the problem cannot be fixed until she herself has asked for help. It's a real tough situation between my mum and the rest of us, it's quite disheartening and upsets us because we feel so helpless. We all hope and pray for the day that she realizes she has a problem and when she does we will all be ready to step in and help her, hopefully one day soon.

I went to my kickboxing class that has been canceled the last couple of times and I didn't realize how much I missed it. I put 100% effort into that class, I can barely walk out of the club afterward, stumble to my car and putting the keys in the ignition is a labour intensive chore! I think it's the perfect class for overall fitness, you get cardio(a lot of cardio!) toning, from all the punching and kicking and it's so much fun, well I think so anyway!

Down the hatch:-

Breakfast: organic low fat oatmeal muffin, water & cup of coffee.

Snack: handful of unsalted nuts and 1 orange, water.

Lunch: 1 slice ezekiel toast, poached egg, grilled tomato's, water & cup of coffee.

Snack: Clean protein bar (if your looking for a clean bar, just look for one that has no preservatives, additives and if it has sugar that its from a natural source) I like the "Luna bars" for women, they're tasty and fit into the clean eating plan, also I found some at "Popeye's store" their bars are called "Elevate me" they also fit into the plan. If you're not sure just ask and they should be able to help you, the best places are health food stores, vitamin stores and some supermarkets.

Dinner: mishmash of leftovers! Lentil & veggie stew, 1/2 a baked squash, spinach, feta & potato cake, water and cup tea.

Activity: 1 hour kickboxing class.

I'm so happy my scary fridge is clean and some real good happy hormones from my intense workout earlier are kicking in. So, its off to meditate and pretty soon after, off to la la land. Bye for now.

Surrender

What to you think of when you hear the word surrender, does it conjure up images of giving up, weakness, failure? It really isn't any of those things, what got me thinking about this simple yet, misunderstood word was our yoga teacher, she asked us to truly surrender at the end of our practice and its a lot easier said than done. We hold onto so much negative shit and stuff from our past that weighs us down and infects our new relationships. I have really been trying to surrender and let be, what will be, but the ego always wants to get in the way and run the show.

Being in a twelve step programme I have learnt a lot about surrendering, you cannot truly be free of your addiction until you surrender to a power greater than yourself and a lot of people struggle with this step. Instead of looking at surrendering as weakness I think its shows incredible courage, strength and a willingness to believe in something other than yourself. So surrendering isn't weakness or throwing in the towel, it is being truly powerful and putting your faith in something that you cant see and that is bigger than you, not always an easy thing!

So, if you are hanging onto something from your past that's been weighing you down, really put all your effort into releasing it to the universe and surrendering fully and completely and see how it feels. I find that when I do this an incredible lightness takes over my whole body and my mind is clear and free of worry. Sometimes you have to try this a couple of times as those old thoughts and behaviours really like to hang around and linger.

Down the hatch:-

Breakfast: 3/4 cup wholegrain cereal, 1/4 cup blueberries, skim milk, 1tbs bee-pollen, 1 tbs flax seed, water and cup of coffee.

Lunch: brown rice crackers, nut butter, half a banana, water.

Snack: Clean protein bar, water.

Dinner: Lean ground burger Pattie, wholegrain roll, lettuce, tomato, sliced onion, pickle, mustard, water and cup tea.

Activity: 90 mins Hot Yoga.

So, I wish you luck with the surrendering stuff, and remember if you don't succeed at first, keep trying, you're worth it. Take care

Spookey Shutter Island

Today was a pretty laid back I didn't workout I was feeling pretty lackadisial, so I did a few errands and then searched for a new book, I have finally wadded my way through the last book of the Twilight series, I found it started really great, kinda slipped off in the middle and ended on a pretty awesome note. So, I needed new material to read so I went to Chapters on Macleod, that's my favourite book store and coffee shop, my two loves rolled into one! I came upon a new series of books on werewolves called "Bitten" I got through a good chunk of that book and I think I have found a keeper, the author is Canadian, so that's cool I like to support as many Canadian authors as I can, I cant remember her name though, the books in the car and it too freaking cold to go out & get it.

Tonight I went to see Shutter Island, it was really good, super creepy and kept you on your toes, a really excellent film, I would give it two thumbs way up, I forgot how good an actor Leonardo is, he was perfect for this role. And of course my favourite Ben Kingsley, always gives an incredible performance. It was really different not what I was expecting, I don't want to give anything away, but it's a doosey, go see it!

Down the hatch:-

Breakfast: Oatmeal muffin, water, coffee.

Lunch: 1/2 baked potato, feta cheese, chopped veggies, water.

Snack: Clean protein bar, water and skinny latte.

Dinner: Lentil & veggie stew, water.

Snack: at cinema popcorn but no butter, small bag of smarties, diet coke (couldn't resist the munchies stuff, its so hard once the smell hits you)

Activity: none, rest day.

So, I hope you all have a great rest of the weekend, bye for now.

2 more lbs down!!!

Well, it's coming off and I must say I am noticing it, although I am working my butt off, literally! I was ecstatic as I stood on the scale this morning with just my birthday suit and a smile! When I see the numbers going down, it lifts my mood and tells me that I'm doing everything right, because when your trying something new you don't know if you're doing right, although I must say this is one of the more simpler plans that I've been on. I did tweak a few things the last couple of weeks, I did make my portions smaller, I think they were a little on the large side and I have been really consistent with my working out, especially the cardio fat burning part. I still lift weights but I have lenghthened my cardio segments. Also, I've selected a more lower calorie, lower fat options when it came to a lot of the food choices, e.g wraps they can be anything from 100 calories and some as high as 300 calories, so be very careful, just because it says wholegrain doesn't mean its low fat or low calorie. Also the cereals too, I switched out some better options there too.

Today, I fancied a burger, but don't worry I didn't drive the nearest fast food joint, I bought some super lean ground burger patties at the supermarket, they even had the health check on them, also a wholegrain roll, sliced tomato's, pickle and mustard, it was a pretty healthy tasty version of a yucky fast food rendition and it totally satisfied my cravings.

Down the hatch:-

Breakfast: 3/4 cup wholegrain cereal, 1/4 cup blueberries, skim milk, 1 tbs bee-pollen, 1 tbs flax seed, water & cup of coffee.

Lunch: wholegrain wrap with tuna, salad and water.

Snack: 2 brown rice cakes and 2 tbs nut butter, water.

Dinner: Yummy healthy version of a fattening classic. Lean ground beefburger Pattie, wholegrain roll, sliced tomato, garlic pickle, lettuce, water and cup tea.

Activity: 40 mins elliptical machine, 30 mins circuit weight training.

I hope you all have a great weekend, talk to you tomorrow.

Stuffed Spud anyone?

Okay, I met up with one of my female bus driver buddies on 17th Ave for a coffee and afterward I decided to do some window shopping and I was hungry and I came upon a stuffed potato shop. Why is that good news? Well, because back home we've got one of these shops almost as much as pubs, and there's a lot of bloody pubs! Its a great,quick cheap, healthy lunch or dinner, they bake the spud, fill it with whatever you want, I chose the Greek filling, because of the low fat feta cheese and tons of veggies, it was a great lunch, but I only ate half of it as a whole spud is too many calories, so I took the rest home for another meal. It's also an Ice Cream shop, so if you can resist the cool treats you can find yourself a healthy, cheap lunch. I think it was called "The Creamery" on 17th Avenue, SW.

Other than that, it was mainly job hunting and kinda taking it easy as today was a rest day from working out. Oh, I did start on my pile of income tax stuff, it was threatening to completely topple over and land in an even bigger mess on the floor, so I did make a start on the mountain and then it's onto my log books, as a diver you keep a log of every trip and if it's an over night trip you can claim for meals. So that will be my next pile to attack, for now I'm happy with the neat orderly piles decorating my living room.

Oh yes, I was super excited tonight as it was the season premier of "L.A Ink", I don't know about you guys but I love that show, not to make you jealous or anything but last year I got a tattoo by one of the artists there, he's name is Nate, and it is totally amazing, I love it. I got a butterfly with the words Love & Peace in a flowing banner on my hip above my bikini line. I tell you, that tattoo makes my other's pale in comparison, he did an incredible job. So, did I see Kat? Well, I saw the back of her as they were in her office filming, so I managed to get a quick sneak peek at her. She is super tall and super skinny and of course super gorgeous!

Down the hatch:-

Breakfast: Oatmeal muffin, water & cup of coffee.

Lunch: 1/2 baked potato, feta cheese and veggies, water.

Snack: Clean protein bar & an orange, water & cup of tea.

Dinner: Sole fillet, squash, broccoli, water.

Activity: none, rest day.

So, I hope you all had a great day today and hope tomorrows even better :)

Hotter the Yoga the better!

I have fallen in love all over again with Hot Yoga, no not a guy, although I think I am ready to move onto another relationship, but I'm just letting go and letting God do the deciding instead of me. Because when I try to take the lead it doesn't work, so when the time is right the universe will say its so, by plonking a dude in my midst and hopefully I'm not too short sighted to see him! Oh yes, I was talking about the hot yoga, I just love it, it's such an incredible workout, it works all your muscles, yet calms your body and mind and just makes you feel bloody brilliant! I go to the Moksha yoga, but there is Bikram too, I prefer Moksha because it's different each time, it depends on the teacher, which is really neat.

I decided to throw in a few Vegetarian days on my new eating plan, just because it's a change and it is good for you, but I shan't be giving up steak ant time soon! I am still feeling pretty good on the plan, I'm getting into a routine that works for me and trying to make it as variety packed as possible, so boredom isn't a factor, yes I have a short attention span if you haven't already figured it out! I think that's why Ive had so many jobs, one day I'll list them all you'll think it's crazy the amount that I have had in my lifetime.

Down the hatch:-

Breakfast: 1/2 cup granola, 1/2 cup natural no fat yogurt, 1/2 cup strawberries, 1 tbs bee-pollen, 1tbs flax seed, water & cup of coffee.

Lunch: low fat cheese & veggie wholegrain wrap, water.

Snack: Clean protein bar, water & cup of coffee.

Dinner: Vegetarian curry, 1 apple, water.

Activity: 75 mins Hot Yoga.

Well, that's about it for today, sounds like the weather is going to improve, which is always a good thing. Have you noticed how peoples moods instantly change when the weather improves, and when it's snowy and cold everybody is miserable. So, there shall be happier folk roaming our streets in the next couple of days, I'm all for that!

My lovely extended family!

Today I went and got my Class 1 license and it feels a little more real now, I can't have the physical license for another couple of weeks, but I have the temporary piece of paper folded up in my purse. I didn't realize that you cant bloody smile for your drivers license picture, so now I look like a bloody convict on my passport and my drivers license! Whats up with that? I know they said that smiling changes your face, but it changes it for the better, I look bloody terrible! But, anyhow, its not the end of the road it's only a mug shot.

I went to my Overeaters Anonymous meeting tonight, I missed last weekend because of all the craziness, it was so nice to go and reconnect with my fellow members. I really notice when I don't go to a meeting regularly, the old habits can easily sneak up on you. But I am diligent about connecting to my higher power everyday and meditating (which I just adore) reading some OA literature and also connecting by phone. I do have a sponsor, but we keep it pretty simple, I just call her when I can and we get together for a coffee once in a while, I think that's what I needed in a sponsor, someone that cares about me, but someone that gives me the space I need. I really adore her as a friend too, she makes me laugh out loud.

Down the hatch:-

Breakfast: Oatmeal muffin (from my own recipe, I added more protein to make it compatible with the plan, it's all organic and made with sprouted organic grain, and it tasted bloody great!) water, cup of coffee.

Lunch: low fat cheese & veggie wholegrain wrap, water.

Snack: Clean protein bar, water & cup of coffee.

Dinner: Lean ground turkey balls, wholegrain pasta & fresh tomato's, water.

Snack: 1 Apple & handful of nuts.

Activity: 1 hour circuit training weight class, 30 mins on elliptical machine.

I hope you all enjoyed the lovely warm weather today, it felt like Spring, all the snow melted in my garden, it made me realize Spring is just around the corner, hopefully :)

Happy Family Day!

If you live in Alberta, Canada, happy Family day to you all, hope you all had a good day with your family or friends. I have no family here, so my I count my good close friends as my extended family, although today I just kinda lay low and took it easy, although I did work out. I was missing having a muffin for breakfast, so I found some organic oatmeal muffin mix and added some protein powder to it to amp up the protein content and I think my little baking experiment fits into the Eating Clean Plan.

Last night my friend and I went to see "The Wolfman" it was really good, very reminiscent of the old classic black and white flick, special effects were great and the acting was excellent and it was filmed all dark and gloomy giving it an air of an old world past. And just for a Valentine's touch it did have a love story to it, tragic of course, because if you fall in love with a werewolf its only going to end in tears.

Down the hatch:-

Breakfast: 3/4 cup Wholegrain cereal, skim milk, 1 tbs bee-pollen, 1tbs flax seed, large glass of water & cup of coffee.

Lunch: grilled chicken & salad, handful of nuts and dried fruit, large glass of water.

Snack: Clean protein bar, large glass of water and cup of coffee.

Dinner: Lean Turkey meatballs and wholegrain pasta, large glass of water.

Activity: 5o mins on Elliptical.

I'm hoping my Trucking buddy gets hold of me soon as I am quite eager to begin working, the funds are pretty much depleted! And I'm also eager to start my new career and see what it's all about and see if I like it, although my friend did warn me that the first year is tough and a lot of newbies leave, but he said if I can get through that first year I will end up loving it and never want to leave. So we'll have to see, my main priority right now is to get some funds rolling back in instead of just rolling out!

Werewolves and Lattes

Oh yeah and it's Valentines Day, happy V day to you all. Today I played molly maid and cleaned my pad then I headed to Starbucks and did some writing. I treated myself to a light mocha, since I'm not consuming any chocolate today I thought a mocha might hit the right spot and make me feel warm and fuzzy! And it did, I just made it a light, so not too naughty a treat. So, my story that I'm working on is a fictional story including werewolves, hence the title of today's blog, also my good friend and I are going to see the "Wolfman" tonight, I cant wait!!! I love horror movies and what I am so excited about, is that this movie is like the original black and white flick from waaay back, love it, love it, love it! Oh yes and it had Benecio Deltoro, hello super yummy and fabulous actor!

Down the hatch:-

Breakfast: Egg white omelet, grilled tomato, 2 slices of Ezekiel toast, large glass of water and cup coffee.

Lunch: 1/2 slice wholegrain organic pizza (totally okay on this plan), large glass of water.

snack: Dried fruit & nuts and Light Mocha.

Dinner: Fish Tacos and small side salad, large glass of water.

Activity: House cleaning, hey it counts, it feels like a workout!

So, I hope you all had a god day today and I'll let you know how the movie goes, bye for now.

It's treat day :)

I decided since I did so well at my trucking course and passing the road test first time around that I would have a munchie treat this weekend, as it happened one of my good Greyhound buddies decided to treat me to a celebratory lunch on getting my Class 1. So, I thought perfect, we went to The Cheesecake Cafe, although I stayed away from the cheesecake as that is one of my addictive trigger foods and we had a very enjoyable lunch, I felt pretty good in my decision, not because it was good for me, but because I knew it wouldn't trigger a binge.

Now, if you have read Tosca Reno's "Eating Clean Diet" she does say that its okay to have a treat day, but really limit it to a small percentage of your new eating plan. She herself eats clean a major part of the year and only has a very few times a year when she indulges, usually at Birthday parties and special occasions and even then it's very minimal, she chooses a small slice of cake without icing, that kind of thing. What you have to find is a plan of eating that works well for you, if you feel you need a treat once a week, twice a month or just a couple of times a year, choose what works for you. This is a lifetime plan of eating, so you have to ask yourself can I eat like this realistically for the rest of my life?

You also have to recognise what are your trigger foods and can you handle just one of them? If not it's best to just cut them out of your life, I know mine is sugar, so I handle this kind of food with kid gloves and try to avoid it as it usually lead to a binge, if not immediately usually very soon after consuming it. So, I enjoyed my treat today and I got right back on the healthy eating plan for the rest of my meals today.

Down the hatch:-

Breakfast: 3/4 cup wholegrain cereal, 1/2 banana, skim milk, 1 tbs bee-pollen, 1 tbs flax seed, large glass of water & cup of coffee.

Lunch: Garlic cheese bread, vegetable quiche & fruit cup & diet Pepsi.

Snack: Clean protein bar, large glass of water.

Dinner: Tomato soup & organic crackers, large glass of water & cup of tea.

Activity: 50min run on treadmill, 100 walking lunges, sit ups.

Do you know after I had my intake of major white carb overload I really felt it in my body, I felt tired and bloated and lethargic, its weird once you stop eating stuff like that, how your body reacts, if it could talk I think it would go something like "why did you just do that to me?" .
So I wish you all a Happy Valentines Day for tomorrow, take care.

The results are in!!!

Well, today was weighing and measuring day. I have lost 7lbs and 8 inches in a month on the Eating Clean plan, can you believe that 8 freaking inches! And three of those where from my butt! I am so happy with the results, it totally amazing that I would lose more inches than weight, that's why it's really important to not just weigh yourself but measure too. I am really noticing the definition coming back in my arms and shoulders and a little in my thighs, a lot in my butt, I do still have some junk back there, but that's okay, the guys seem to like that!

The really big difference has been in my skin and my hair, they are both in the best condition I have ever seen and I suffered from terrible acne as a child so my skin has never been a favourable part of me, the few lines I had seem to have puffed out and my skin just glows. I must say I noticed a big difference in my mood too, 90 % of the time I am happy, but I do tend to suffer from the occasional low, especially around a certain time of the month, but even that was very minimal, it's wonderful.

So, onto the second month, I don't know when I will start working, but until then I shall follow what I've been doing and when I do work I shall just have to prepare and take as much stuff as I can on the road with me, which is possible as my trucking friend does that too and he is the slim est, healthiest trucker I've ever seen! Do you know I thought it was going to be hell giving up white flour and sugar and I was terrified to do it, but it's not that bad. Once you get over the
initial withdrawal and start to feel human again and all the crap leaves your body and you feel better than you ever had in your entire life.

Down the hatch:-

Breakfast: 3/4 cup wholegrain cereal, 1/2 banana, skim milk, 1tbs bee-pollen, 1tbs flax seed, large glass of water & cup coffee.

Lunch: wholegrain wrap with grilled chicken, fresh spinach and sliced tomato, large glass of water.

Snack: 2 brown rice crackers, 2 tbs humus and 1 tangerine, large glass of water & cup tea.

Dinner: Salmon fillet, fresh green salad with chopped raw veggies, sprinkle of walnuts and cider vinegar, large glass of water.

Activity: 75 mins Hot Yoga.

So I am totally happy with the results of all my hard work, on my health, body and my new career. I only have about 8-10 pounds to go and I know that the next pounds maybe more stubborn to come off but this isn't a race, it's a plan of eating for the rest of my life, so however long it takes isn't a big deal. I hope that some of you out there that maybe thinking about changing the way you eat, hopefully you find something that inspires you through my journey and you might want to give it a try too.
Take care all and have a great Saturday.

WoooooHooooo I passed!!!

Yes, I did it I passed my Class 1 road test and I am so happy. Last night when I was meditating I visualised everything from the beginning of the test until the end and the examiner handing me the pass slip and what do you know today was a pretty close replica of my visualization. I tell you that stuff really works, call it the secret or Dr Wayne Dyer (personally, my favourite) author of "the power of intention" manifesting what you want to bring into your life. I recommend giving it a try for what you want to bring into your life, you have to really feel it and really want it, but also take the steps to make your dream a possibility.

It is weigh and measure day tomorrow, I was really tempted to have a full fat latte with tons of whipped cream to celebrate, but I stuck with my second best treat a skinny Cinnamon Dolche latte, its only 90 calories the possibility of it going to your thighs is not such a big threat. So I'm really curious to see what the results are with a month of eating clean, with just a few tiny indiscretions thrown in, considering a major break up and taking an entire course and passing it first go, I did pretty good under the circumstances!

I had so much pent up energy after passing the exam that I went to the gym and was bouncing away on the elliptical machine like some crazed energizer bunny and then I did a full circuit of weight training three times around and finished it off with a nice pummel on the massage chairs. Then a nice calm zen came over me and I'm just about ready to crash, I can only handle so much excitement. I found a great Pizza that I can eat on this plan (I know Pizza, right!) I bought it at the health food store, it's made with a very thin organic sprouted grain base, cheese, garlic and tomato's it was super yummy and it was only 170 calories for 1/2 a Pizza (HALF!), 8 grams of fat 0 sugar and full of only good stuff. Yay, I can still have Pizza on this plan, my next mission will be to find a donut that fits in the same category!

Down the hatch:

Breakfast: 1/2 cup Ezekiel cereal, 1/2 cup strawberries, skim milk, 1tbs bee-pollen, 1 tbs flax seed, large glass of water & cup of coffee.

Lunch: Assorted sushi & a tangerine, large glass of water.

Snack: Clean protein bar, large glass of water and cup coffee.

Dinner: 1/2 pizza (not delivery, or Digorno!) fresh salad, large glass of water.

Activity: 40 mins on elliptical, 30 mins circuit weight training.

Well I'm off to meditate, gratitude will be high on my list and passing out will be second. Take care all until tomorrow.

Good hair day =:)

Isn't it amazing how great you feel when you get your hair done! Well, for us girls anyway, I had to cover up the new grey hairs that have sprouted up in the last couple of weeks. Hopefully feeling all new and refreshed will give me a good luck glow for tomorrow, I cant believe it's my test already! I'm going to keep it short again tonight and get a wee bit more studying in.

Breakfast: 1/2 cup granola, 1/2 cup strawberries, 1/2 cup natural no fat yogurt, 1tbs bee-pollen, 1 tbs flax seed, large glass of water & cup of coffee.

Lunch: Assorted Sushi and tangerine, large glass of water.

Snack: Clean protein bar, large glass of water & cup of coffee.

Dinner: Tofu, vegetarian curry, large glass of water, cup of tea.

Activity: none, too relaxed after getting my hair done, but I'll be back on it tomorrow.

Wish me luck for tomorrow, bye till then.

A long hard day at Trucking School!

Well, the title says it all, I am pooped again, but hanging in there. I really want to keep this journal of my progress a daily thing, no matter how weary I feel. As it gets closer to exam day (Thursday) I need to be as close to a professional driver as I can be at this level, the guys at the training school are all great and their knowledge and patience is wonderful. I am feeling more confident as the days go by, I am trying not to think too much about the road test, but keep a positive outlook as it approaches, without feeling too nauseous!

After school I really didn't want to go and work out, I was so drained physically and emotionally but I went and got a second wind and ended up doing a 90 minute workout, go figure! After that I came home fixed a nice healthy dinner and watched "The Biggest Loser" I love that show!

Down the hatch:-

Breakfast: 1/2 cup 10 grain hot cereal, 1/2 cup skim milk, 1/2 cup blueberries, 1tbs bee-pollen, 1tbs flax seed, large glass of water & cup of coffee.

Lunch: wholegrain wrap with a sliced boiled egg, fresh spinach and watercress, large glass of water.

Snack: Clean protein bar, large glass water & cup tea.

Dinner: Salmon fillet, salad with fresh chopped veggies and 1/2 avocado, large glass of water.

Activity: 1 hour circuit training with weights & 35 mins on Elliptical machine.

I'm off to meditate on passing my test on Thursday, have a great day tomorrow, bye for now.

My head hurts :}

I only have a couple of days until my exam and I realised with my lesson today some of the pre-trip stuff isn't sticking in my head, so I sat in Starbucks and studied, came home and studied, had a shower and studied, had dinner and studied. I don't think my brain is capable of holding one more crumb of knowledge about my shortcomings on the pre-trip (it's a check you do before you drive the big honking truck away). So I'm giving my poor aching head a well deserved break and after I've filled you in on today I am going to meditate, ahhhh something nice and relaxing for my overtaxed brain!

So, I'll just fill you in what I ate today and I'll be on my way, it's getting a tad late and I have to rest my throbbing brain.

Down the hatch:-

Breakfast: 1/2 cup Ezekiel cereal, 1/4 cup blueberries, 1/2 cup skim milk, 1tbsp bee-pollen, 1tbsp flax seed, large glass of water & cup of coffee.

Lunch: wholegrain wrap, sardines, cucumbers, large glass of water.

Snack: 2 brown rice cakes, 2 tbs humus, 1/2 cup fresh strawberries, large glass of water & cup of coffee.

Dinner: grilled chicken breast, fresh spinach, asparagus & broccoli, large glass of water & cup tea.

Activity: None, still feeling crappy, but tomorrow I'll be back on it, I will just take these last two days as my rest days and I should still be able to stick to my five days of activity for the remainder of the week and weekend.

Well, have a good day tomorrow all, I just hope all the info I absorbed today doesn't leak out of my head! Goodbye for now.

Lazy, hazy Sunday

So, since Aunt Flo has only just arrived I listened to my body and took it easy vegging on the couch and watching a few scary movies. Before I was on the clean eating plan as soon as Aunt Flo arrived I would use her has an excuse to stock up on comfort food and pass the time away munching away mindlessly and feeling sorry for myself. I would completely justify my bad eating habits on the fact that I felt crappy already, chugging down a couple of boxes of Tim bits (donut holes) wasn't going to make a difference.

I understand us females feel totally lousy this time of the month and if indulging in a few goodies makes you feel better, that's okay. But if you have an addiction to food it can have an incredibly destructive effect on your mind, body and especially your health. If you indulge in a couple of chunks of chocolate or a bag of chips, that's not too bad, but I would totally go overboard in my addictive behaviour and chow down enough to satisfy a 300lb quarter back! I also find when a craving is connected to a hormonal reaction it is twice as tough to fight, I realize that strong craving I had a couple of days ago was connected to Aunt Flo, but I didn't give in! So basically it is possible to not have chocolate and not want to kill everybody you come in contact with! It certainly isn't easy, but it's doable.

Down the hatch:-

Breakfast: 2 slices Ezekiel toast, 6 egg white omelet, 1/2 cup fresh strawberries, large glass of water & cup of coffee.

Lunch: Potato salad, made with herb ed Greek yogurt, low fat goats cheese and snap peas, large glass of water.

Snack: 1 apple, handful of nuts, large glass of water & cup of coffee.

Dinner: Salmon fillet, 1/2 baked sweet potato, broccoli & large glass of water & cup of tea.

Activity: none, feeling too crappy.

Well, I'm off to check out Jennifer's body. Oh, get your minds out of the gutter, I'm talking about the movie "Jennifer's body", hopefully it was a good choice, it's pretty difficult to find a good horror flick these days. Enjoy the rest of your weekend, bye for now :)

1lb Down!

It's amazing that I even lost a pound because today Aunt Flo decided to visit and when she does she usually brings a couple of extra pounds with her! So if the evil Aunt Flo wasn't here I have a sneaky suspicion I would have lost a lot more, so 1lb is great news, considering. If you're wondering who the heck Aunt Flo is, she is an evil aunt that visits the female of your household once a month, bringing with her unhappiness and pain. Her misery isn't only inflicted on the female though, any one who comes within a ten mile radius of Aunt Flo feels her wrath and we all count the days until she leaves, or even better the day she decides to never return and everyone will live in a happy, sunny world without the dark, gloomy presence of the evil Aunt!

I'm not at the point yet, but heading towards it and dream about it on a regular occasion! I'm off to my friends house tonight, her boyfriend is cooking us a nice dinner, we were going to go dancing after, I might have to take a rain check on that one, I'll see how I feel. I just have to let y'all know that I didn't break out this month, which has happened since puberty a week before Aunt Flo arrives, but my skin is glowing, clear and looks better than ever! I totally believe it's because of this new eating plan, I tell you it's amazing!

Down the hatch:-

Breakfast: 1/2 cup Ezekiel cereal, 1/2 cup skim milk, 1/2 cup blueberries, 1tbs flax seed, 1 tbs bee-pollen, large glass water & cup of coffee.

Lunch: wholegrain wrap, sliced boiled egg, 1tbs Greek herb spread, snap peas, large glass water.

Snack: Clean protein bar & cup of tea.

Dinner: undetermined!

Activity: 1 hour Kick-boxing class.

You know, for all the yucky things us gals have to put up with I'm still happy I'm a girl, even though I whine about it I wouldn't change a thing. have a fun night all.

Short and sweet

I'm not talking about myself! But I am keeping today's musings a tad on the short side, I'm flagging again, this hormone stuff I'm going through is just zapping my energy, so I'll just list what I ate and be on my way to nappy time. Take care all, till tomorrow.

Down the hatch:-

Breakfast: 1/2 cup Ezekiel cereal, raisins, strawberries, 1/2 cup skim milk, 1 tbs flax seed, 1 tbs bee-pollen, large glass of water and cup of coffee.

Lunch: wholegrain wrap with low fat goats cheese, spinach & tomato, large glass of water.

Snack: Clean protein bar, large glass of water, green tea.

Dinner: salmon fillet, 1/2 sweet potato, cauliflower, grilled tomato, large glass of water, handful of nuts and dry fruit.

Activity: 75 mins Hot Yoga :)

I'm Back :)

I didn't blog anything yesterday as I was not feeling well, I was totally whipped out and just exhausted and on top of that I really wanted to binge badly, but I didn't! Thank God! It was such a strong feeling yesterday, but I took a moment prayed and the urge left me, thanks to the strength of my higher power I had the strength to not give in to my cravings, thanks H.P. I had a lovely get together with one of my female bus driver buddies, it's funny because I call her my Canadian sister because all the drivers would mistake one of us as the other. We had a good old girlie chat, all 3 1/2 hours of it! It was great! I'm so lucky to have a few close good friends that I can tell anything to and vice verse. Good friends are rare but when you find them hang onto them, don't chuck them on the wayside when a guy comes along, or a girl!

So, today I felt 100 %, I had tons of energy, worked out, ate the same way I've been eating now for a while. I must say I don't know what the scale is going to say, but my clothes are fitting looser, my skin is glowing and my hair is growing like crazy, I'm going to need my roots doing a lot sooner! Oh yes and I took my written exam for my Class 1 and passed, yay to me :)

Down the hatch:-

Breakfast: 1/2 cup oatmeal, 1/2 cup skim Soy milk, 1/2 cup strawberries, 1tbsp bee-pollen, 1tbsp flax seed, large glass of water & cup of coffee.

Lunch: boiled egg wrap with fresh spinach and tomato, large glass of water.

Snack: 2 brown rice cakes, 1tbs humus, large glass of water & cup of coffee.

Dinner: Tofu curry with veggies and 1 apple, large glass of water & cup of tea.

Activity: 40 mins on elliptical machine, 30 mins weights circuit training.

I keep setting my mind back to yesterday, when I could have so easily derailed and undone all the good. That horrible nagging addictive voice almost got the better of me, I am so glad I didn't give in and asked for help and it was granted to me. My mum always used to say "just ask God for what you want and he'll give it to you", but when I was little I used to ask God for a Barbie and couldn't understand why I never got it! But I have asked him on several occasions as an adult to help me and he has graciously granted my wish, but then again I never ask him for a Barbie anymore!

Try asking God, or a higher power as you understand him and see what miracles appear in your life, because me not binging yesterday was a true miracle. Good night all and all a good night.

The lovely bones

I went to see that film "The lovely bones" it was such a good movie, it was sad, but the story was well written and very different. It dealt with a sickening all too common topic, as sad and disturbing as it was, I like the mysterious nature of it and the acting of the little girl Susie Salmon was incredible. I would definitely recommend seeing it, bring a whole bunch of hankies with you though, it's a weepie.

Today I studied my brain off, I have the written exam of my Class 1 soon, so I'm trying to absorb all the info I need into my already overcrowded brain! I always tend to over study because I don't think I have all the info, it's just the way I've always been with any course I've taken and especially at school.

Down the hatch:-

Breakfast: Ezekiel cereal, 1/2 cup skim Soy milk, raspberries & raisins, 1tbsp bee-pollen, 1 tbsp flax seed, large glass of water & cup coffee.

Lunch: Tuna on tossed salad of spinach, spring onion, chives and tomato.

Snack: Clean protein bar & large glass of water & coffee.

Dinner: Vegetarian Curry (low fat and supper yummy :) large glass of water.

Activity: none, a rest day.

So, bye for now, I wish you all the best, may good health, happiness and peace be yours.

Monday, Monday!

I couldn't think of a title other than it's Monday, I'm not working right now so it's not such a heinous day of the week for myself, it's just another day. I decided I needed to spice up my new eating fare, so I went in search of a nice low calorie, sugar and gunk free curry sauce and found a really nice one at Sobey's. It has no additives, no sugar and quite good calorie wise, it was called "Rogan Josh" a tomato based sauce (always the best low fat option especially when dining out) I cooked it with my lean chicken breast, garlic, mushrooms & chopped broccoli & cauliflower, when it was cooked I poured it over brown rice and it was super tasty!

Not much happened today folks, other than studying for my course and hunting for a good curry sauce, so I'll just list my grub and yak at y'all tomorrow. Have a good one.

Down the hatch:-

Breakfast: 1/2 cup granola, 1/2 cup low fat Soy milk, 1/2 banana, a few Craisons, 1 tbsp bee-pollen, 1tbsp flax seed, large glass of water & cup of coffee.

Lunch: Boiled egg sliced over fresh spinach, artichoke, chopped onion and tomato, large glass of water.

Snack: 2 brown rice cakes, 2 tbsp natural nut butter, 1/2 banana sliced on top, large glass of water & a cup of coffee.

Dinner: Lean chicken breast, cauliflower, broccoli, mushrooms, garlic all cooked together in a low fat curry sauce and poured over brown rice, large glass of water & cup of tea.

Activity: 1 hour kick-boxing class.