Hummus is one of my favorite foods to have on hand for the week for a dip for veggies or bean chips or an addition to a veggie wrap! It is so easy to make at home and you can save money and avoid some extra processed ingredients that come in the store bought versions! This is a recipe for a plain hummus, but you can add in other veggies, herbs or spices to mix it up. I like to add a small beet or 1/2 of an avocado!
Ingredients:
1 can of chick peas (rinsed thoroughly!)
1 heaping TBSP of Tahini
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 small clove of garlic
2 TBSP of olive oil
Put all ingredients into your blender or food processor and blend until smooth. You can add a small amount of water if you prefer your hummus to be thinner.
There is so much you can add to hummus to make it interesting: fresh basil or parsley, jalapeño pepper, or fresh spinach!
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Whole Wheat Raspberry Muffins
These were a huge hit with the kids and hubby! Great for breakfast, snack or a lunchbox treat!
Whole Wheat Raspberry Muffins (Makes 12)
1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 tsp baking soda
Zest of 1 lemon
1 egg
1/2 cup of organic coconut oil
1/2 cup milk of choice (cow's, almond, etc.)
1/3 cup of pure maple syrup
1 tsp of vanilla
1 cup of raspberries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix dry ingredients in small bowl.
Cream coconut oil with mixer. Add egg, milk, maple syrup and milk. Mix until smooth. Add dry ingredients slowly to moist ingredients. When combined, gently fold in raspberries.
Use ice cream scoop to fill muffin cups, Bake for 20 minutes.
These came out super delicious and the coconut makes them so moist!
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Why Run?!
Last year, I made the decision to get in shape. The thing is, I don't like gyms. I have belonged to a couple different gyms, and I just don't go. I say I'm going to, and I just don't get there. It's too far away, it takes too much time to get there and get back, it's smelly, the locker room is dirty. Excuses, excuses, right? So I decided I was just going to start running. There is no drive, no locker room, and it's just me and some quiet time. And, it's inexpensive, except for new running shoes, gps watches, race fees...haha, probably evens out!
This photo was my last half, hubby waited for me to cross the finish line with me for our anniversary. I never thought that would happen as he is so much faster than I am. It was the best gift he could have given me, such an awesome moment to share and memory to cherish :)
I am extremely self motivated. I am always trying to beat myself, whether it's grades in college or something fitness related, I want to do better the next time. So, the logical step was to sign up for a race. Gotta have a goal right? Something to keep me motivated to get out there and run because I definitely could not be unprepared. That would not be like me. And it wouldn't be like me to start small for my first race. Start with a 5k? maybe an 8k? Nope, let's just jump right to the half marathon.
To back track a little bit, I have always thought runners were insane, especially half marathoners and marathoners (and I still do think marathoners are insane, but hope to be one some day)! I mean, who just runs for hours at a time for fun? As a PT, I would always say runners were wrecking their bodies, they were going to be knee replacement candidates before they knew it. So what happened? I fell in love with running. I haven't changed my mind about runners being insane, I really think I am crazy sometimes, but I love it. At one of the races, lined up in the corrals with my running buddy, we just looked at each other and said, "What are we doing? We are lining up with hundreds of people to run for more than 2 hours straight, and we paid for it!! Who tortures themselves like this?" But, getting outside, getting lost in my own head with some good tunes, forgetting about miles and just running has been such an amazing stress reliever and given me some "me" time. It has also given me this amazing realization of what my body is capable of. I never thought I could run 6 or 7 miles, let alone 13.1! And I have done it three times in the last year!
When I was training for my first half, I was worried that I would not do well, that I would finish and not want to ever do it again. Was I ever wrong! As I approached mile 10, there was a large crowd cheering me (and everybody else) on! They didn't know me, but they were throwing high fives and giving me words of encouragement. I'm not sure what happened, but I totally choked up. I think that I realized what I was about to accomplish. To me, it is such an amazing physical and mental feat and I had this overwhelming sense of pride. It definitely takes physical strength and endurance, but there are points where your legs are tired, your lungs are burning, and it's your mind that takes over and pushes your body to it's limits. When I crossed that finish line and got to see my hubby (who finished ahead me), I was just overcome with so many emotions. All the hours spent training, and it's done. What I had accomplished. What my friends accomplished that day. What all the other random people there were accomplishing. I was tearing up watching other people crossing the finish line. It's not for everyone but if you have ever considered it, give it a go. I promise you, the end result, whether you finish strong or you have to walk most of the way, when you cross that finish line, you are a new person. No one can take that medal away from you.
On that note, I wanted to give first time runners (as I was, started with a 12 minute mile) some tips for success:
- Proper shoes! So, so important. Go to a specialty store, learn what type of shoe you need, and get fitted. This will prevent overuse injuries and allow you to progress your training plan.
- Follow a training plan. Doesn't matter which one. Use Google and find one that fits your goal race, time availability and fitness level. This will help you give yourself enough time to be properly prepared.
- Find a running buddy. It is super hard to get up early and get your miles in, especially if it's cold out, but if there is someone out there waiting for you, you have to go. I have been lucky enough to have a super awesome loyal running buddy for training for all 3 of my halfs!
- Good nutrition. Make sure you are getting a balanced diet with healthy proteins and complex carbs for good fuel! And of course, hydration is also key.
- Start with a good base. If you decide to train for a half marathon, make sure you can run 3 miles without much difficulty. This will save you frustration and keep you from increasing your mileage to quickly and setting yourself up for injury.
- Sign up for the race. If you don't sign up, you will procrastinate your runs. You will say I can do it tomorrow, which will turn in to next week. If you are registered, you will be so much more likely to get out there and train.
I am in the process of training for half marathon #4, the Scotiabank Toronto, where my husband will be running his first full. I hope to one day run a full but it just didn't work out for this year. Training is time consuming and I have lots of other things happening, including 2 amazing kids, one starting Kindergarten and one starting Pre-K! My goal for this next
half is to break 2 hours. I missed that by about 30s at my second half and I really think I can do it. I think I could go on and on about all the great things running has done for me, but this is a good start! Thanks for reading and I hope I may have inspired you to get out there and just run.
This photo was my last half, hubby waited for me to cross the finish line with me for our anniversary. I never thought that would happen as he is so much faster than I am. It was the best gift he could have given me, such an awesome moment to share and memory to cherish :)
Thursday, August 14, 2014
Reach for the Stars
When was the last time you set a goal for yourself? Was it a fitness goal? A goal that involved your occupation or school? Maybe it was to get married or expand your family by a certain time. Maybe you're like me, and realize that you don't set goals for yourself. When I say "set a goal", I mean write it down, visualize how it's going to happen, and take steps to achieve it.
When I started my journey with Beachbody coaching, one of the first things that I realized, was that I was not setting goals for my own life. Of course, I had ideas of what my next running goal would be, and things that we wanted to do with the house next year, vacations we might take, but I had nothing written down. I didn't have any personal goals, nothing that I was actively working towards or really doing anything about. This was a kind of rude awakening for me. I was caught up in the everyday stuff, just kinda one day at a time, and wasn't making any plans. I don't like to plan. I very rarely go on vacations because I don't like to the hassle of planning them. I want someone to tell me what, where, when and how much and I'm happy.
So when I started with the coaching boot camps, one of the first things we were told to do, was to write down our goals. Not just goals for our business, but personal goals, financial goals, fitness goals, family goals. Holy s*%t. I have never, ever sat down and written out goals for myself. I have always strived to be successful and to be happy, but somehow this concept had eluded me. I am a college graduate with a post professional doctoral degree. I am a health care professional. I have had several different jobs (therapists tend to hop around) and no boss that I have ever had has asked me what my goals were. No boss has ever encouraged me to do personal development. So I sat down and thought about what I really wanted for me, my family, my business, my career and I wrote things down. I decided which goals were most important to me and my family and that I was going to take the necessary steps to achieve them. I think so often we dream about things, wish for things, but we have to realize that without action, it is not likely they are going to happen. I have really started to believe that if there is something you want to be, or do, or have, go for it. But no one is going to do it for you, it's not just going to appear. You want a promotion? A beach house? A college degree? Maybe a new car? Write it down. Figure out what you have to do to get there. Take action. And give it time.
So I have been inspired to take steps in directions I never thought about before. I have taken action to improve my health and my family's health and to educate others on what it takes to do that. I am working towards financial freedom and I am regularly taking steps to improve myself. All it took was someone to tell me to set some goals. The goals are my motivation to work hard, reach out to people, and change as many lives as I can! My goal with this post is to inspire you. You can change your course, you can change your fate, you just have to write it down, visualize yourself there, and do it.
When I started my journey with Beachbody coaching, one of the first things that I realized, was that I was not setting goals for my own life. Of course, I had ideas of what my next running goal would be, and things that we wanted to do with the house next year, vacations we might take, but I had nothing written down. I didn't have any personal goals, nothing that I was actively working towards or really doing anything about. This was a kind of rude awakening for me. I was caught up in the everyday stuff, just kinda one day at a time, and wasn't making any plans. I don't like to plan. I very rarely go on vacations because I don't like to the hassle of planning them. I want someone to tell me what, where, when and how much and I'm happy.
So when I started with the coaching boot camps, one of the first things we were told to do, was to write down our goals. Not just goals for our business, but personal goals, financial goals, fitness goals, family goals. Holy s*%t. I have never, ever sat down and written out goals for myself. I have always strived to be successful and to be happy, but somehow this concept had eluded me. I am a college graduate with a post professional doctoral degree. I am a health care professional. I have had several different jobs (therapists tend to hop around) and no boss that I have ever had has asked me what my goals were. No boss has ever encouraged me to do personal development. So I sat down and thought about what I really wanted for me, my family, my business, my career and I wrote things down. I decided which goals were most important to me and my family and that I was going to take the necessary steps to achieve them. I think so often we dream about things, wish for things, but we have to realize that without action, it is not likely they are going to happen. I have really started to believe that if there is something you want to be, or do, or have, go for it. But no one is going to do it for you, it's not just going to appear. You want a promotion? A beach house? A college degree? Maybe a new car? Write it down. Figure out what you have to do to get there. Take action. And give it time.
So I have been inspired to take steps in directions I never thought about before. I have taken action to improve my health and my family's health and to educate others on what it takes to do that. I am working towards financial freedom and I am regularly taking steps to improve myself. All it took was someone to tell me to set some goals. The goals are my motivation to work hard, reach out to people, and change as many lives as I can! My goal with this post is to inspire you. You can change your course, you can change your fate, you just have to write it down, visualize yourself there, and do it.
Sunday, August 10, 2014
My Story Part 2: The Transformation
Ok, so this is where it gets good! So I want to tone up, I want to run faster, I know what I need to do. I need to do some resistance training and I need to work on my diet. Easy enough right? Wrong! I knew what I had to do, but what I didn't have, was the motivation or the accountability to get it done. So I just kept procrastinating on it until, one day, I saw an add for this 21 Day Fix. I watched a Youtube video, thought it looked interesting, and posted about it in a Mommies group on Facebook. I was contacted by a girl who was a coach, asking me questions, and telling me that I had to get this challenge pack, that included Shakeology! What the heck is Shakeology and WHY do I NEED it? It's expensive, or so I thought (and so does everyone until they try it), and I don't do protein shakes. So I sat on it for about 3 weeks. I finally decided that if I didn't just take a chance on this, I would never know, and I still wasn't faster and still didn't look any different. So I took the plunge and ordered it all.
I was put into a Challenge Group on Facebook and started this program on April 7, 2014. I can't even express to you the enormity of the change that occurred in those 21 days for me. Like I said, I had wanted to make a change, I was ready, but I just wasn't motivated. Well, this "support" group kept me going. I was seeing what other people were eating, seeing when others were getting their workouts in, and it kept me accountable so I could honestly post about what I was eating and when I did my workout. And, post about how much I freaking loved my Shakeology! I drank my chocolate shakeology for lunch. It was great because it was a no brainer meal. I could pack it for the days that I worked and I could mix it up for lunch when I was at home. Super easy, not to mention nutritious and free from chemical additives that other meal replacement shakes contain! I noticed a change in my energy! I no longer begged my kids to sit down for 20 minutes in the afternoon, so I could lay on the couch and "rest." My skin was clearer. I didn't crave carbs or sugar.
After completing the 21 days, I was down 7 lbs. and 10 total inches! I felt amazing. I had learned how to control portions and how to balance my diet. I learned to love veggies. I saw results, so I was motivated to keep them. I didn't want to eat junk and sabotage all of my hard work. And it is hard work. You have to make a change. You can not eat crappy and exercise alone and expect to see results. This is not a magic pill or a quick fix. It is a LIFESTYLE CHANGE.
After two rounds of the 21 Day Fix, I was down a total of 15 lbs, and my running improved! I knocked about a minute off my mile, and I beat a half marathon PR by 13 minutes. So you can now probably understand my affections for this program. To me, it is the total package. It teaches you how and what to eat, incorporates 30 minutes of daily exercise that is doable for anyone and the shakeology has all of this fantastic super nutrition that contributes to so many positive changes.
Now, I have continued my workouts, balanced with running, and follow the meal plan to maintain my weight. I don't deprive myself, I try to keep an 80/20 ratio of good to not so good for you food (just can't give up my ice cream). But if I do get off track, and it happens, I have something to fall back on with the support of all my challengers!
If you are looking for something like this, if you are ready to make a change, I would love to guide you along on your journey. This program along with Shakeology is the reason I became a Beachbody Coach. Add me on Facebook and private message me to get started! You can do it :)
I was put into a Challenge Group on Facebook and started this program on April 7, 2014. I can't even express to you the enormity of the change that occurred in those 21 days for me. Like I said, I had wanted to make a change, I was ready, but I just wasn't motivated. Well, this "support" group kept me going. I was seeing what other people were eating, seeing when others were getting their workouts in, and it kept me accountable so I could honestly post about what I was eating and when I did my workout. And, post about how much I freaking loved my Shakeology! I drank my chocolate shakeology for lunch. It was great because it was a no brainer meal. I could pack it for the days that I worked and I could mix it up for lunch when I was at home. Super easy, not to mention nutritious and free from chemical additives that other meal replacement shakes contain! I noticed a change in my energy! I no longer begged my kids to sit down for 20 minutes in the afternoon, so I could lay on the couch and "rest." My skin was clearer. I didn't crave carbs or sugar.After completing the 21 days, I was down 7 lbs. and 10 total inches! I felt amazing. I had learned how to control portions and how to balance my diet. I learned to love veggies. I saw results, so I was motivated to keep them. I didn't want to eat junk and sabotage all of my hard work. And it is hard work. You have to make a change. You can not eat crappy and exercise alone and expect to see results. This is not a magic pill or a quick fix. It is a LIFESTYLE CHANGE.
After two rounds of the 21 Day Fix, I was down a total of 15 lbs, and my running improved! I knocked about a minute off my mile, and I beat a half marathon PR by 13 minutes. So you can now probably understand my affections for this program. To me, it is the total package. It teaches you how and what to eat, incorporates 30 minutes of daily exercise that is doable for anyone and the shakeology has all of this fantastic super nutrition that contributes to so many positive changes.
Now, I have continued my workouts, balanced with running, and follow the meal plan to maintain my weight. I don't deprive myself, I try to keep an 80/20 ratio of good to not so good for you food (just can't give up my ice cream). But if I do get off track, and it happens, I have something to fall back on with the support of all my challengers!
If you are looking for something like this, if you are ready to make a change, I would love to guide you along on your journey. This program along with Shakeology is the reason I became a Beachbody Coach. Add me on Facebook and private message me to get started! You can do it :)
Thursday, August 7, 2014
My Story Part 1
About 18 months ago, I decided I wanted to get back in shape. For most of my 20s, I was fairly active, had a gym membership, did spinning, step classes, rollerbladed, biked, did some running, but once I got pregnant, all of that went out the window. So after almost 5 years of doing NOTHING, I decided to start running.
Running for me began with one 12 minute mile around the neighborhood. I started to build up slowly and got talking with my Kyle about possibly doing a race. He started talking about his Dad and running (Shout out to my father in law, Kevin Robison, who has done 26 full marathons and countless other races) and I thought maybe I could do a half marathon. Why start with a 5k?! A half marathon would for sure be motivation to get out and run because I would have to prepare for this long ass race! So that was that. I recruited my co-worker, Ryan, best running partner ever to be at the time, to train with me. We picked a training plan and dedicated our weekend mornings to running (and chatting). My first half marathon was the Niagara Falls International, finished in 2:13:something and accomplished my goal of breaking 2:15!
So, amazing right? I finished my first half marathon! I was damn proud of myself and even got emotional at the finish line (fully intend to post on the finish line high in the future). I had gained a new confidence in myself, I felt I was mentally stronger.
But, in the weeks after, I realized that there was one benefit of running that somehow eluded me. I ran 4 times a week for 6 months, and I started running to get fit, lose a few pounds and tone up, but my body looked exactly the same as it did when I started.
For most of my adult life, I was the same weight. Not overweight, not skinny, kinda average I guess. I was never really unhappy with my body. I was never down on myself about my body. But, I would see women my age with abs or really nice arms and think "If they can have that, why can't I?" I knew I wanted to make a change, and kinda knew what it would take, but wasn't ready to go there.
When spring rolled around and we started training again (signed up for the Buffalo half right after the first one), I decided that I wanted to add some resistance training and clean up my diet to see if it would make a difference. Would my body change? Could I run faster? So I tried a few free random workouts on my iPad, even subscribed to a couple, yeah, didn't happen. Didn't stick with it. Kept thinking about eating cleaner, decided I wanted to do these things, but just didn't have the motivation, support or accountability. What happened next changed my life forever, changed my body, my mentality, my health and my running. Stay tuned...
Running for me began with one 12 minute mile around the neighborhood. I started to build up slowly and got talking with my Kyle about possibly doing a race. He started talking about his Dad and running (Shout out to my father in law, Kevin Robison, who has done 26 full marathons and countless other races) and I thought maybe I could do a half marathon. Why start with a 5k?! A half marathon would for sure be motivation to get out and run because I would have to prepare for this long ass race! So that was that. I recruited my co-worker, Ryan, best running partner ever to be at the time, to train with me. We picked a training plan and dedicated our weekend mornings to running (and chatting). My first half marathon was the Niagara Falls International, finished in 2:13:something and accomplished my goal of breaking 2:15!
So, amazing right? I finished my first half marathon! I was damn proud of myself and even got emotional at the finish line (fully intend to post on the finish line high in the future). I had gained a new confidence in myself, I felt I was mentally stronger.
But, in the weeks after, I realized that there was one benefit of running that somehow eluded me. I ran 4 times a week for 6 months, and I started running to get fit, lose a few pounds and tone up, but my body looked exactly the same as it did when I started.
For most of my adult life, I was the same weight. Not overweight, not skinny, kinda average I guess. I was never really unhappy with my body. I was never down on myself about my body. But, I would see women my age with abs or really nice arms and think "If they can have that, why can't I?" I knew I wanted to make a change, and kinda knew what it would take, but wasn't ready to go there.
When spring rolled around and we started training again (signed up for the Buffalo half right after the first one), I decided that I wanted to add some resistance training and clean up my diet to see if it would make a difference. Would my body change? Could I run faster? So I tried a few free random workouts on my iPad, even subscribed to a couple, yeah, didn't happen. Didn't stick with it. Kept thinking about eating cleaner, decided I wanted to do these things, but just didn't have the motivation, support or accountability. What happened next changed my life forever, changed my body, my mentality, my health and my running. Stay tuned...
Sunday, August 3, 2014
The Best Place To Start
Ahhh! I am so beyond excited to start this blog! My intention is for this blog to be all about staying fit, eating clean(er) [no one is perfect], and living well while juggling work and a family, and still living life to it's fullest! It can be done and I am on a mission to accomplish just that.
So I figure the best place to start is to tell you all about me! I am 34 years old, married to an awesome supportive man (Kyle) and have two beautiful children, Nathan (5), and Eva (4)! I am a Physical Therapist (so is hubby, but no that is not necessarily how we met...), a runner (3 half marathons completed) and recently embarked on this new amazing journey that has motivated me to create awareness for health and fitness (more to come on that)!
Over the last year or so, I kept bringing up the topic of "clean eating" to Kyle, he would say "sure, whatever" and then I never really did anything about it. I like to read (to a fault) and would read endlessly about the chemicals in our food, body care products, cleaning products, etc., and I did start to make small changes but admittedly ignored a lot of it. It's hard! It's hard and expensive, or so I thought, to make all those changes. But over the last 3 months, light bulbs went on and my life has changed! I have turned into a fitness fanatic, a clean eating machine and have never felt better about myself and my health! My goal is to set an example for all of you, my friends, family and most of all, my children, of living a healthy life!
On April 7, 2014, I began this life changing program called the 21 Day Fix. I had no idea what was about to happen. As I worked through this 3 week program, I could literally feel myself changing, physically and mentally. I felt like I had this valuable secret, but I couldn't keep my mouth shut about it! I felt so passionate about what I was learning and how I was changing that I knew I had to share this with as many people as possible. This program taught me how to eat. It taught me portion control and balance. It made daily exercise a habit for me and I got toned and strong! The great thing about this program is that anyone - ANYONE - can do it. It is for someone who wants to lose 40 pounds, it is for someone who wants to lose 5 pounds, it is for a thin person looking to get healthy and gain fitness. The greater thing about this program is that it is no quick fix, it is hard work on eating clean and consistency with daily workouts. The problem I have now is comprehending how someone would not want to do this program. So basically it was The 21 Day Fix that got this journey rolling for me and I fully intend to share more about how it worked for me and my awesome results! Ultimately, it led me to become a Coach and I will share much more on that!
My mission with this blog is to not only share my take on fitness, nutrition, and life in general,
but to inform, inspire and connect with all of you! Can't wait to hear all of your feedback and there is more great info to come! Connect with me on Facebook for daily inspiration and tips!
Over the last year or so, I kept bringing up the topic of "clean eating" to Kyle, he would say "sure, whatever" and then I never really did anything about it. I like to read (to a fault) and would read endlessly about the chemicals in our food, body care products, cleaning products, etc., and I did start to make small changes but admittedly ignored a lot of it. It's hard! It's hard and expensive, or so I thought, to make all those changes. But over the last 3 months, light bulbs went on and my life has changed! I have turned into a fitness fanatic, a clean eating machine and have never felt better about myself and my health! My goal is to set an example for all of you, my friends, family and most of all, my children, of living a healthy life!
On April 7, 2014, I began this life changing program called the 21 Day Fix. I had no idea what was about to happen. As I worked through this 3 week program, I could literally feel myself changing, physically and mentally. I felt like I had this valuable secret, but I couldn't keep my mouth shut about it! I felt so passionate about what I was learning and how I was changing that I knew I had to share this with as many people as possible. This program taught me how to eat. It taught me portion control and balance. It made daily exercise a habit for me and I got toned and strong! The great thing about this program is that anyone - ANYONE - can do it. It is for someone who wants to lose 40 pounds, it is for someone who wants to lose 5 pounds, it is for a thin person looking to get healthy and gain fitness. The greater thing about this program is that it is no quick fix, it is hard work on eating clean and consistency with daily workouts. The problem I have now is comprehending how someone would not want to do this program. So basically it was The 21 Day Fix that got this journey rolling for me and I fully intend to share more about how it worked for me and my awesome results! Ultimately, it led me to become a Coach and I will share much more on that!
My mission with this blog is to not only share my take on fitness, nutrition, and life in general,
but to inform, inspire and connect with all of you! Can't wait to hear all of your feedback and there is more great info to come! Connect with me on Facebook for daily inspiration and tips!
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