Whole 30 Experience – Days 19 thru 23

Day 19

I skipped my walk this morning and attempted to sleep in, but I basically got up at the same time and got some things done around the house before heading out to work and away for the weekend.  (I settled on a mini-walk around town before work started.)  For breakfast I had two eggs and coffee.

Throughout the morning, I snacked on and off on plantains – and I had a second cup of coffee.

For lunch I had a piece of fish and left over zucchini.  I also snacked on some apple slices mid-afternoon.

I had a Larabar post-workout, and for dinner I had some broccoli with beef.

Later in the evening I snacked on half a dragon fruit and some plantains.

Day 20

Today was my day off – from work and from working out!  Loved it…but I always feel a little guilty about not working out.

For breakfast I had 2 eggs and a breakfast sausage, and of course, coffee.

I spent most of the day in the City doing some shopping and celebrating a birthday, so for dinner out I had a small steak with onions, mixed veggies, and potato.  This was a really great meal out and it kept me satisfied and feeling full all night.  Which worked out well because I had a wedding reception to go to and there was food and booze and dessert…and this gal did not indulge in any of it.  I just enjoyed the company and the atmosphere.

Day 21

Breakfast this morning was one egg, a breakfast sausage, a very small peach, and coffee.

At lunch, I hit the gym and then did some grocery shopping as I’m getting a little bored with veggies and meat.  I also picked up some pumpkin spice coffee because I am a nut for everything pumpkin.  (I also found some pumpkin spice wafers but I’m not able to eat them until October.)

Post-gym/post-shopping, I snacked on a Larabar to tide me over until dinner.  I spent the weekend away so I had some cleaning and laundry and food making to do.  When I finally had dinner, I made a fish taco bowl.  I’ve never made this before but it was so good and I’m definitely going to be making it again.

I had large leaf romaine lettuce (which formed the bowl inside my bowl, but eventually, I made into tacos), diced cucumer and green peppers (I thought I had red onion, but I was wrong – next time, onion for sure), baked haddock, and baked heirloom tomatoes drizzled with olive oil, diced black olives. I tossed in a handful of the veggies on top of the lettuce, then added the fish, and spooned some pesto onto it, and added in some avocado, then tossed on some more veggies.  SO GOOD!

I was sort of bored last night and decided to make Whole 30 compliant cookies/pancakes (they’re pretty flat).  I mashed up two bananas, mixed in two eggs, and some cinnamon.  I blended it up really well then poured it onto a baking sheet and tossed in the oven.  Once they were cooked, I ate two of them. They’re not bad.

Day 22

This morning was a walk/run before work.  It was cool and dark (still dark when I got back home) and the only bad thing about being outside this morning was that a skunk had been hit right by my house.  I could smell it all thru the neighborhood.  I was trying to plug my nose while running but 1. it’s not easy/it’s hard to breathe thru panting and a closed nose 2. I really must have looked stupid to the passersby.

This morning I was happy to (finally) indulge in some pumpkin spice coffee!  So excited. For breakfast I had two eggs and one of my cookies/pancakes with some homemade pumpkin butter spread on.

Pumpkin Butter

 

What You Need:

2 15-ounce cans plain (organic) pumpkin (not pie filling)

1 cup good quality apple juice or apple (I diced mine and threw them in the food processor)

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

pinch of cloves

pinch of nutmeg

 

To Make:

if cooking in a saucepan:

put all ingredients into a saucepan, and bring to a boil, immediately after mixture comes to a boil, reduce to low, partially cover to (help prevent splattering) and simmer about 30 minutes stirring frequently. The pumpkin butter is done when is is slightly darker in color, and you can run a knife through it and the line will stay in the butter. Allow to cool. Store in the fridge or freezer.

 

if cooking in a crock pot:

place all ingredients in a crock pot, and cook on low for a whole day, about 10 hours. Once finished cooking, stir, and let cool. Store in the fridge or freezer

For lunch today I had Eggs in Purgatory – which is a simpler take on Shashuka.  I love this dish.  It’s warm and, although it’s only tomatoes and eggs (I also added mushrooms and spices), it’s hearty.  I have made it with meat before – sometimes chicken and sometimes ground beef or sausage removed from the casings.  It’s really good.  If you like eggs, then I suggest you try this dish.

I had a Larabar mid-afternoon as a pre-workout snack.  And for dinner, I made cauliflower rice stir-fry with chopped up sausage.  Before dinner, I also had 2 of my pancakes with pumpkin butter.  And later in the evening, I snacked on a handful of coconut bites.

Day 23

This morning I was up at 20 to 6 to meet a friend for a pre-work run.  We walked/ran for just under 5k.  We could have gone further but she has to be to work an hour before I do, so we headed back before 7.  Great morning tho and we’re intending to do it again tomorrow.

I had my regular breakfast of coffee and two eggs.  For some reason, this morning they were extra spectacular and tasty.

Once I got to work, I snacked off and on on nuts and cranberries.

For lunch I had leftover Eggs in Purgatory and a lot of water.  I was really full.

Late afternoon, I ate a mango as a pre-workout snack.

Post-workout, I made Pumpkin Cauliflower Rice-otto (instead of risotto).  Oh.Em.Gee.  I’ve made regular pumpkin risotto before, and the cauliflower-rice version is just as good. And super easy to prepare:

Here’s my recipe:

I sauteed 1/3 onion and 3 small garlic cloves in ghee (clarified butter) – but you can certainly use olive oil.  I sauteed them for a few minutes then added in 1/2 cup of mushrooms.  Once that was sauteed for about 2 minutes, I dumped in a big bowl of riced cauliflower…I used up what I had left which worked out to be about 2 cups.  The regular calls for vegetable or chicken stock, but for the healthier version I just added in water. You have to add in a bit of water every few minutes and stir it in.  Eventually, I also added in some more ghee, about a half a teaspoon.   Cook the rice for about 7 minutes and then add in the pumpkin.  Because I had so much rice, I used close to a cup and a half.  Mix it and keep an eye on it.  You may have to add a little more water (the cauliflower is very absorbent).  Cook for another 5-7 minutes, add in salt and pepper, and serve.

I have to also admit that, since I went shopping after teaching my boot camp class, and by the time I showered and did laundry and was making dinner, I totally snacked on some plantains and coconut.  🙂

~FB

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Healthy Pumpkin Spice Latte

I am a huge pumpkin spice fan.  Huge.  In fact, I look forward to this time of year – all the time!  I am obsessed with everything pumpkin and I love me a good pumpkin spice latte.

That being said, although I love a good PSL, they aren’t the healthiest option and are loaded with sugar (and who knows what else!).  So, if I deem myself favoring one, it is definitely a treat.  In the meantime, if I feel like I want to partake in the seasonal goodness, I make my own healthier version of a Pumpkin Spice Latte (I made one this morning).

Here’s what you need

• 1 cup milk of choice (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
• 1-3 tbsp pumpkin purée (I went on the side of 3 tbs)
• 1 tsp of pure vanilla (not vanilla extract)
• ⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
• tiny pinch ground nutmeg
• tiny pinch ground ginger
• ½ cup strong coffee
• *1-3 dates

1. Add the milk and pumpkin to a small pot. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk, until the mixture begins to simmer. Add in the vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg (*if you like your latte a bit sweeter, this is where you add the dates. Let them simmer in the wet mixture and they will literally sweeten the pot). Whisk the mixture until it becomes frothy.
2. Add the coffee to a large mug, and pour the milk mixture on top.
3. If you fancy yourself a Frappuccino type, let both the pumpkin mixture and the coffee cool (make the night before and let sit in the fridge), toss in the blender or Bullet with some cubes of ice and blend away.

If you want to make your drink even fancier by adding whipped cream, make this healthy version:

1. One can of full fat coconut milk (Put in freezer to freeze). Once it’s frozen, remove and let sit in room temperature for 30 minutes.  Flip the can upside down and open from the bottom.  The coconut water separates from the milk (you can save the water to drink or for other recipes).
2. Dump the coconut milk into a mixing bowl (or blender) and whip it on high until you get a nice whippy, fluffy consistency. Add in a little vanilla (or a dusting of Stevia or teaspoon of date water if you prefer it a bit sweeter) and continue whipping.
3. Add the whip to your drink and dust with cinnamon.

~FB

Whole 30 Experience – Days 9 thru 15

Day 9

After my morning walk I indulged in 2 eggs and coffee for breakfast.

My lunch consisted of left over zucchini noodles (zoodles) and a 1/4 pork chop.  I also had a small peach and some cherries before heading to the gym.  I did not eat a lot or enough.  On the way home from the gym I had errands to run and I could feel that my sugars were getting low (I’m Hypoglycemic) and I was getting light-headed, so I snacked on a Larabar.

For dinner, I made mixed veggies and steaks.  We don’t usually eat red meat and it was kinda gross.  I snacked on dried cherries and nuts afterwards because my palette was not satisfied.

Day 10

I was up way too damn early this morning to get to the gym and I worked my ass off.  Therefore, I was near starving by the time I got to work.  I had two eggs and a hash brown for breakfast (along with an ice coffee I drank on the way to work).  Mid-morning I was still really hungry and decided to inhale yet another hash brown.

For lunch I had a can of tuna (packed in water) mixed with avocado and chopped up dill pickle.  I also sucked back another iced coffee.  I’m very tired.  During the day I snacked on a few plantain chips and dried cherries.

Dinner was spectacular!  I made spicy crab stuffed avocado and it was so delicious that I can’t wait to make it again.  (Cut the avocado, remove pit and scoop out the fruit.   Chop up crab meat (I put mine in my blender – kinda gross but did the job) or use canned crab, a little red onion, and a little cucumber and mix in a bowl with the avocado, a little lime juice, and a little paprika.  Once mixed well, spoon it into the avocado shell.  You can eat it cold but I popped mine in the oven for a bit.  #sogood

I also had a little of the sweet potato brownie as I was prepping some for Day 11.

Day 11

Post-morning walk I had 2 eggs and some turkey bacon – plus coffee.

I do not know what was wrong with me today but mid-morning I was starving.  My sugars were down, I was light-headed and a little dizzy, and completely hungry.  In fact, I was so hungry I kinda ate two lunches.  First, I had packed with me some mixed veggies with a few pieces of shrimp.  This equaled about a half a cup and did NOT satisfy my hunger.  So, about 45 minutes later I picked up a piece of chicken and some potato.  I also had a half dozen cherries to go with it and felt satisfied.

To be perfectly honest, now that I’m thinking about it, I don’t know if my hunger was a result of just being really hungry today or if it was for lack of water.  I normally drink a couple of liters in the morning but it was a busy day and this morning I only filled my water jug once (which is about a liter and a half).  I think that had a lot to do with it.

After hitting the gym, I was excited to get home to eat.  I made the rest of the spicy crab from the night before and also had a slice of prosciutto to go with it.  I snacked on some coconut balls while I was making dinner and meal prepping for the next day, and a bit later I also snacked on some plantains.

Day 12

I was up at 5:25 this morning so that I could get to the gym bright and freakin’ early (got there just before 6 *barf*).  I actually really enjoy my morning workouts – whether I’m just up for my morning walk or hitting the gym to lift heavy.  I feel very accomplished afterwards.  But since I was up so darn early (it’s really dark that time of the morning), and because I lifted so much this morning, I made sure to prep a good breakfast.  I had cauliflower pancakes (eggs and cauliflower) and some prosciutto.  And I’m on my second coffee already.

For a mid-morning snack I had a Larabar and for lunch I had the remaining leftover crab and avocado salad, a pork medallion, and some cherries.

I snacked on more cherries in the afternoon.  And for dinner I had some basic (compliant) bacon and eggs.  I went out with the girls later in the evening to a local pub and, unfortunately, there was not a single thing on the menu that I could order.  This particular restaurant is a bit on the pricey side and I really didn’t want to spend a lot of money on something I couldn’t eat.  So, at 10pm, I ordered a basket of fries while my girlfriends shoved super delicious treats in their faces.  Technically, fries are compliant but certainly the Whole 30 program wants you to shy away from them.  As I mentioned in an earlier post, because this is, like, my 10th round of the Whole 30, I have made peace with having to go “off-program” here and there and this was one of those times that I had to.  I also was running a 5k obstacle race (Foam Fest) early the next morning, so I tried not to feel overly guilty about the fries.

Day 13

The next morning I was up again at 6:30 to get ready for the Foam Fest.  One thing I will admit to – on or off the Whole 30 – I hate exercising on a full stomach.  I absolutely cannot do it.  And as such, I did not eat breakfast this particular morning.  My BFF and I split a date/energy bar a bit before the race but that is all I ran on.  Oh, I also made half a cup of coffee.

After the race, BFF and I had to stop at the grocery store and while she was shopping she was eating taters from the store’s deli…She shoved a few of those at me to tide me over until I got home.  And once home, for brunch I made eggs and prosciutto and another cup of coffee.

That afternoon I went shopping with another bestie and she and I grabbed coffee.  I almost never have 3 coffees in a day but I was exhausted from my early mornings all week and from the run in the morning.  Black iced coffee was my bff that afternoon.

I did not eat again until dinner that night.  I roasted a chicken, carrots, and cauliflower.  I basted my chicken with a little olive oil and mixed herbs and garlic.  It was perfection.

Day 14

Once again I had eggs for breakfast (are you at all surprised?  Eggs are my staple.).  I had a lot of work to do to finish up my preparing for my online boot camp session to launch before I headed out of town for the night.  Hence, why I made the chicken dinner the night before.

For dinner, my other half decided to go to Subway.  I already had my chicken dinner but decided to pick up a chopped salad at Subway and throw in some of the chicken with it.  I also had half a dragon fruit.  And in the evening I snacked on some plantains.

Day 15

After finally having a semi-decent night’s sleep, I got up and made eggs and coffee for breakfast.  Once my honey woke up, we went out for a mid-morning coffee.

For lunch I had some leftover salad and chicken.  It was a very lazy day (Labor Day!) and I didn’t do much until I had to leave to teach boot camp.  After class, I came home to meal prep and make myself dinner of eggs and a small pork chop and some cauliflower.

I will fully admit that this weekend I did not eat enough and went off chart a bit.  I usually stick to my guns when it comes to staying compliant.  And I feel like if I hadn’t been so darn tired this weekend, I would have made more choices, better choices, and would have eaten more.

 

Whole 30 Experience – Days 5, 6, 7, & 8

Day 5 

I managed to stay up this morning and get my walk in.  In fact, I was up before my alarm was due to go off.  Even better.

For breakfast I had my regular coffee, 2 eggs, and the last slice of the prosciutto.  You likely won’t hear my talk about the prosciutto anymore.  I only bought it on a whim because it was on sale.  😝

Once I got to work I sipped on a black iced coffee from McDonald’s. and at 10:30 I had some coconut chips to munch on and a little after 11am I had half a blueberry smoothie.

For lunch I had mixed grilled veggies and chopped up hamburger patty.  There were Timbits floating around my office but I steered clear.

After a Friday afternoon gym sesh I headed out of town for the weekend.  My beau and I picked up a small rotisserie chicken for dinner and I had some watermelon and plantain to go with it.

Day 6

Today was rest day so aside from my coffee I didn’t bother to eat until later – for brunch I had 1 egg, 1 sausage round (compliant), and a small salad with garlic olive oil.

For dinner my beau took me out for anniversary dinner and I had pan-fried haddock, mixed veggies, and some home fries.  Thank goodness white potatoes are compliant (now).

In the evening we had a movie date and while popcorn was going around, I snacked on some plantain chips and salsa.

Day 7

This morning I had breakfast of two eggs and some prosciutto (look at that, more prosciutto) and, of course, coffee.

I hit the gym early afternoon and then spent the next few hours at my BFF’s working on new videos for my online boot camp (starting September 4!).  I was super exhausted and struggled to get through the video exercises and then realized I hadn’t had any carbs.  Whoops.  So bestie grabbed us each a pear to chow on.  Thank goodness because by that point my sugars had also dropped and I was dizzy.

For dinner I made a pork burger (aka I chopped a pork chop in half) on a sweet potato bun (complete with avocado, dill pickle, and tomato {I forgot the lettuce}) with a side of cauliflower mash.  It was so delicious.

Day 8

Whoot!  Made it thru week one with no cravings.  Although, I did have some really bad belly bloat that lasted most of the week that I’ve never really experienced before.  I’ve heard about people having issues with bloating and other things while getting thru the first week or so of Whole 30.  But this was my first time.

After a 40 minute walk this morning, for breakfast I had two eggs and some prosciutto (I swear I only got it again because it was still on sale!) and coffee.

A little after 11am I had 6 cherries to snack on.  I still feel hungry but I’m trying to hold out for lunch.

Lunch today is leftover cauliflower mash and a 1/4 chopped up pork chop (leftover).  I snacked a bit throughout the afternoon on a combo of plantains and cherries.  And about an hour before teaching my boot camp class I shoved a banana in my face. #fuel

For dinner I made – FROM SCRATCH – coconut chicken tenders (slice a b/s chicken breast into strips and dip them into melted ghee and then into coconut (I also added in a bit of salt, pepper, and garlic & herbs) and zucchini noodles.  I also made a dessert/snack of sweet potato brownie:  sweet potato (cooked and scooped from the skin shell), melted coconut butter and nut butter (I used almond-hazelnut), and cocoa powder.  Mix it all together and pop it in the oven.  I made enough for a single serving.  It was actually really good and tasted like a warm, gooey brownie.  I know I’m not technically supposed to be having dessert, but, I’m recovering and refueling.

~Cheers

 

 

If It’s Too Good to be True…

My social media feeds are sometimes flowing with sales pitches for things like skinny wraps and magic teas and this and that – all for the benefit of losing weight.  Let’s be real people – if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Most of these products want you to either eat or drink nothing for days, all while boasting “you’ll lose 10 pounds in one week!” or “Drop a dress size over night!” <– WTF??  Seriously?  This one’s not gonna happen.

This post was in my Facebook feed a while back and the so-called story behind it is that she spend hundreds of dollars on skinny wraps and greens and all that jazz and ended up like this.  I.Call.Bull.Shit!

Whatever happened to not putting all kinds of shit in your mouth and actually working for your weight loss.

Put down the cookies.  Put down the beer.  Get up and go for a walk or to the gym or to a class.

Those “magic” products aren’t really going to guarantee you lose weight AND CERTAINLY aren’t good for your health.  (And let’s be freaking honest – any weight that you may lose is going to be water weight – especially if you’re drinking teas or sweating if off in wraps! You’ll gain it right back.).  And those products that boast “cleansing” or “detoxing” – um, you have a liver for that!  Seriously.  Don’t waste your money.

No, airhead, you should have not eaten that whole bag of chips and laid on the couch all day – you SHOULD HAVE gotten some exercise and had a healthy snack.

Instead, look at YOURSELF as an investment and if you really want to slim down or get healthier, invest in yourself – whether it’s money or time or effort.

Remember when Oprah said there is no such thing as a magic pill to make you lose weight because if there was she’d be on it.  Well – she’s right.  There is not.  You have to work for it. And working for it means watching what you eat and making better decisions about your food choices and finding the time to exercise.  Even if it’s for only 20 minutes a day.  How many times do I have to say it: twenty minutes a day can change your life!

The next time you’re inclined to spend some hard earned cash on a quick fix wrap or tea, reconsider.  Use your money wisely.  Invest in yourself and make some real changes that will benefit you long term – not just for the quick fix.

You’re worth it.

~FB

 

Slaying the Sugar Dragon

I finished my last Whole30 in May and it was a really great 30 days of strictly clean eating – with the exception of having a small sliver of cake at my grandfather’s 99th birthday party.  I fully acknowledged I would possibly being doing that prior to starting my 30 days in May and I fully made amends with it.  I have done the Whole 30 program so many times over the last two years and I decided that if I wanted to have a piece of cake with my grandfather to celebrate his 99th birthday, I darn well would!  And without the guilt (although I did feel some) and without restarting the program.  Like I said, I’ve committed to 30 days many times in the past and this one indulgence was an exception to the rule.

This book changes everything!

But, since I finished those 30 days and since the start of summer, I feel like I have been overindulging way too much.  I feel sluggish and fat and bloated and kinda disgusting.  So, I decided last week that I would start a new Whole 30 this coming week.

At first I was okay with it.  Then I was feeling a little panicky because I’ve been enjoying my treats this summer.  And that right there is the problem!  Too many treats!  the sugar dragons are slaying me and I need to change that around.  So, now I’m back on board and fully excited about starting fresh on Monday.  I literally cannot wait.

So why wait?  I’m sure you’re asking.  Because I need to get ready.  To be honest, I (personally) don’t find the Whole 30 program that hard.  There have been a few times in the past that I struggled a bit with cravings, but most of the times I’ve done the program, I have been A-OK.  And I’m pretty stubborn, so when I commit myself to doing something like this, I fully commit to it.  That being said, it’s not something I want to jump into.  I need a couple of days to plan it out.  I need to think about food choices and meals and preparation and “it’s still summer and where am I gonna be next week?” types of things.

But I’m ready.  And I am motivated and committed and I can’t wait.  And each time I look in the mirror and I see that weird little belly bloat, it gives me the kick-in-the-butt-motivation I need to ensure I go through with it.

That’s me slaying the beast…I’m the one in pink.

If you haven’t tried this program, I encourage you to do so.  It’s only for 30 days and it can help you rid your body of bloat and inflammation and possibly even excess weight.  The benefit of ridding yourself of sugar cravings and having food freedom – even for only 30 days – can make it all worthwhile.  And you don’t have to skimp on meals or count calories. You get to eat delicious, fresh and whole foods.  And you can experiment with different foods or food combination.  I have never felt less than satisfied when doing a Whole 30.  And Pinterest is a great place to find recipes, guidance (although I fully recommend that you read the book The Whole 30, it might change your life), meal ideas, etc.  Here’s a link for some great lunch ideas.

If you’re not ready to try 30 days of clean eating, maybe ask yourself why.  What would you be afraid of?  That chocolate cake or ice cream sundae will still be there in a month’s time. Going without processed mayo (Whole 30 has several recipes for mayo) is not going to end you.  Check out the book and the website and consider giving it a try.  And if you have any questions, comment below or shoot me an email

~Cheers.

 

Start

Happy Monday Morning!!

Today is the start of a brand new day…and week.  So why not make the decision that today will be the day you change your life.

Deciding to start a fitness program or healthy lifestyle does not mean you have to commit to running a marathon or hitting the gym every day or signing up for an intense boot camp class (though, you’re more than welcome to come to mine!).  You can start your brand new life by going for small walk around your block or adding in the Commercial Break Workout to your TV watching routine or even, since it’s summer, going for a swim.

Just do something.

I promise you that if you started adding a little fitness (and healthier eating) into your life your body will thank you.  And soon enough, your body will crave it.  Chances are you will feel more energized and happy and excited…and proud.

So, Happy Monday!  Make today the day you change your life.

❤

~FB

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pet Fit

Living an active lifestyle is, as you know, important for heart health, keeping us trim, and able, and young.  But, it’s also important for our pets to keep active as well.

I am the first to admit that I have a big, fat cat.  My boy is an inside house cat, and therefore he is definitely not as active as he should be by nature.  Therefore, I do my best to have exercise time with him.  This includes playing hide-and-seek (he loves to pounce on me) and also taking him outside on his leash during the Spring, Summer, and Fall (in Nova Scotia winters the poor guy would disappear in the snow!).

*sigh* Sometimes he strolls, sometimes he sits there and glares at me. #attitude

In addition to my cat, I am also Auntie to a friend’s dog (remember Dora from my last post?).  Dora and I have been hiking and walking quite a bit since the Spring and her dog, Layla, now associates me with walk time.

The Three Amigos: Dora, Layla, and me on one of our evening strolls

It’s actually really sweet.  Whenever I step onto the threshold of Dora’s house, Layla goes crazy, jumping around, scattering around the house, and jumping as high as she can to give me kisses before we head out.

Sweet Layla

Dora and I make as many dates as we can through the week to get together to walk Layla. We have a great time, and in addition to Layla getting some workout time in, Dora and I get to improve our fitness as well.  Layla also gets walks in the morning before Dora heads to work.

Besides walking the dog, Dora is certain to include Layla in her other fitness adventures.  As I mentioned, they go hiking, and swimming, and running on the beach.

Layla and a friend on the beach

There are so many ways to incorporate your pets into your fitness regime.  And this doesn’t just go for dogs.  If you have a cat, and depending on its personality, you can take your cat hiking, walking, and sometimes even swimming.

My Aunt Donna can attest to this.  If you recall, Donna did a guest post for me last year. Donna had her second spinal surgery just a few weeks ago.  After her first spinal surgery several years ago when she was living in Vancouver, she got herself a new kitten, Ms. Coco Chanel.  Coco was and is very much a therapy cat.  When Donna returned home from the hospital post-surgery, to ensure she would get up and out, instead of remaining sedentary, she started taking Coco for walks.

Little Coco

These walks have become a way of life for both Donna and for Coco.  Coco loves her strolls and her hikes and they keep both her and Donna active.  Even when Donna is having a high-pain day, she turns to Coco to ensure they both get out for their stroll.  Coco has climbed trees and hiked trails and strolled beaches.

Coco loves nature and she always stops to smell the roses Lady Slippers

There are many other things to do with your pets to keep them active:  throw balls or a Frisbee, use a laser light or other toy, chase them (Layla loves this!), you can even invest in pet fitness equipment.  My boyfriend’s father takes the dogs for at least one swim a day during the summer.  And the dogs love him for it.

There are so many ways to keep your pets active and doing so can help improve their health, longevity, agility, and overall life.  So, the next time you’re heading out for a hike, why not leash up your buddy and take him with you.  Or include him in the family swim.

And, in the meantime, check out PuppySpot. They’re a community of dog lovers who place healthy puppies into happy homes. They were kind enough to provide this awesome infographic for you all.

~FB

FitBit Cat-Fight

Earlier this week I posted an article about not cheating in FitBit challenges and that you should earn your steps.  I’ve been in tons of challenges and have won some and lost some. I’ve been in challenges with people who bust their butts in order to keep them active and moving, and I’ve been in challenges with people who do whatever they can to earn first place…including cheating.  These people freely admit that they cheat (well, some of them freely admit it) and find it humorous to knock each other out of first place on an ongoing basis.  I really couldn’t care less if I’m in first or second or seventh place, as long as I know I’m doing what I can do to keep my activity up and earning my place – wherever it may be.

Unfortunately, I’ve received some backlash in relation to that post, and one woman in particular has taken great offense to the post.  A woman I have never met, do not know, and likely will never meet in my lifetime.  Here’s what happened:  I created a challenge earlier in the week.  I invited a friend (we’ll call her Bonnie) and she invited a friend (Clyde) and Clyde invited this woman (we’ll call her Jane).  When I shared my post to my Bonnie’s Facebook wall she tagged a few of her friends so that they could also read it.  I got a lot of positive feedback from her friends, as well as from others I shared the post with (and from the blog itself**). However, this one woman, Jane, commented something along the lines of “no cheating here if that was implied”.  Since I don’t know Jane I did not respond.  My post was shared with Bonnie and others simply because we were currently in a challenge together and thought it might be of interest for her to read.  I should also note that Bonnie is a BeachBody coach and inspiring people with her own fitness journey.

Shortly after her comment, Jane removed it and added something else about her weight loss – which I commend her for.  From there, it seems all hell broke loose.  As I continued on with my day, my step count continued to go up.  My coworker and I have been walking on our lunch break since the winter.  I will note that my current coworker Boo Boo is filling a maternity leave for my BFF/coworker Spanky and for a good portion of last year and thru most of her pregnancy, Spanky and I would run on our lunch breaks – so lunchtime fitness is nothing new.  In addition, since the start of the summer and since I began physio for my ongoing back injury, I have been dragging my butt out of bed bright (not quite) and early every morning and walking several kilometers before getting ready for work.  Since race season is starting back up, I need to condition myself to get back into running after stopping for several months to allow my back to heal.  And in addition to all of this, I have been doing a lot of dog-walking/hiking with another friend Dora since the Spring when there was still snow on the ground.  This is all on top of my regular gym time and teaching boot camp and fitness classes.  Therefore, my step count each day is pretty high.  That’s just my life.

When I went to bed Wednesday night, I had a high step count.  I had gotten in several walks that day, taught my boot camp class (in 34 degree heat, mind you) and finished the night off with a near 10k hike with Dora, not arriving home until after 10:30.  I don’t keep data turned on on my cell phone and I turn it off at night (I have a house phone) , so when I turned my cell phone on in the morning, I was about 10 or 12 thousand steps ahead of Jane.  Apparently, Jane did not like that my step count was higher than hers as she posted in the challenge that I was a “looser” (eep! Loser?) and a cheater and then she quit the challenge.

But Jane took it further.  She called me out, indirectly, of course so that I had no way to defend or explain myself.  She posted some nasty stuff about me on her private Facebook page – naming me specifically, calling me a cheater and saying it was disheartening because I’m a fitness coach and saying that I didn’t like that she had blown by me, etc.  Of course, since I don’t know, therefore am not friends with Jane, I had no way of seeing these posts publicly – until others starting sending me private messages with screenshots of her post and comments.  My blood pressure went through the roof!  Thankfully, severally people came to my defense stating that perhaps I don’t sync my steps at night and yadda yadda yadda.  And, Bonnie and Clyde totally defended me and shamed her for her comments about me.  They both commended me on my abilities as a trainer and as a fitness professional and that her very public comments could hurt my credibility as a trainer.  (Thank you lovely ladies for that!)

Jane also made comments that I joined the challenge and took it over and that she never would have joined if she knew it was all trainers.  Clyde responded that Jane was wrong – that I, FB, created the challenge and that she, Clyde, invited her, Jane, and that it wasn’t all trainers.  In fact, I, FB, had only invited a few people – most of us who have sedentary jobs – in order to motivate each other to keep moving.  It wasn’t until Jane had joined the challenge that it turned into something so freakin’ dramatic.  I believe Bonnie or Clyde may also have pointed out to Jane that she had had no problem with this challenge and the step count while she was in the lead and it wasn’t until that morning with my additional 10,000 steps that she had lost her cool.

I also want to mention that, after Jane called me a “looser” and a cheater that I sent her a message stating that I work my ass off each and every day to achieve my fitness goals and that I had not cheated and I invited her to spend a day with me so she could see first hand how I earn my steps.  Of course, however, I received no response.

It’s unfortunate that a FitBit challenge and a blog post could cause such hoopla.  And, admittedly, perhaps my article comments went too far, but I meant no offense to anyone and if anyone took offense to my writing, then for that I apologize.  That being said, Jane was the only person from the many my WordPress stats show who’ve read the post who became defensive.  My theory on that is if you’ve done nothing wrong (ie. cheat), then why are you getting so upset.  Again, if I am wrong, I sincerely apologize.

Any challenge I’ve created as a fitness professional – or just as a regular Joan – FitBit Goal Days, Boot Camp Bingos, etc, have been meant to be kept lite.  They’re supposed to be fun ways to motivate yourself and each other to stay on track and get up and move.  They’re not meant to bring anyone down.  For Heaven’s sake – it’s a FitBit Challenge!! I shouldn’t be receiving hate comments (I expect those only in my boot camp classes and only in jest).

So, for those of you who’ve defended me, thank you.  For those of you who’ve participated, thank you.  And for those of you who continue to support each other, thank you!

Keep it lite, folks.

**One positive outcome from all of this incredible drama is that it caught the eye of a company in the US and they have asked me to write a guest post for their online site.  Stay tuned later this week for the upcoming article.

~FB

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earn Your Steps

I love me a good FitBit challenge.  If you can recall, a month or so ago I had to opt out of some challenges as I was getting a little burnt out with working, teaching and participating in classes, training, hiking, and trying to be numero uno in all the challenges I accepted. But, that being said, I do love the challenges.

Via FitBit

The great thing about FitBit challenges, I find, is that they keep me motivated (not that I need any motivation when it comes to fitness).  But, sometimes I’ll be sedentary for too long at work or if I’m enamored in a great book and I look forward to that FitBit alert to give me the little nudge I need to get off my butt and do something.

That’s the thing with these challenges though…you have to do something.  Unfortunately, there are people who are more caught up with winning the challenge that they’re resorting to cheating (and yes – walking around your living room is getting your steps in, but seriously, are you actually earning your steps? No!) just to take over first place.  Funny thing about that is a) you’re making me work harder, that’s for sure…and if I’ve earned second place, I’m okay with that  b) If you’re resorting to cheating in any form to win a freakin’ FitBit step challenge, more than likely I can out-lift you, out-run you, and out-burpee you any darn day of the week.

What’s totally awesome about the step challenges is that it can bring a small community of people together to work harder at their health and push each other to strive for their best.  I’ve made some friends via FitBit challenges and we’ve helped each other step up (pun!) our game.

FitBit Besties….

So, if you’re one of those people who somehow manage to get 6,000 steps at 10 minutes to midnight by roaming around your living room (or any other measure of cheating), think about it next time why you’re doing what you’re doing.  Is it to be in first place?  Is it to have bragging rights?  (<- If that’s the case then maybe you should review your life and find out what’s missing in it.)  And instead of being a jerk and cheating your way to first place, you should focus your energies on earning your steps and motivating yourself so that you can win first place.  Earn it people.  Own it!

~FB