The Road to Recovery

I'm not much for sitting around and so when an injury strikes I have to learn how to deal with it.
About 3 weeks ago I was out hiking with Scott and we took along our friends dog as we were babysitting the cute fella. He's a really big and strong dog (rhodesian ridgeback) and while we were going along my foot slipped out from underneath at the same time he pulled to smell a tree. I fell HARD! I was slow to get up but I thought it was only my leg and thumb that suffered the most. A couple days later I could barely stand up and I couldn't sit down. I finally gave in and sent myself to the chiropractor only to find out there that I had a sprained pelvis! Who gets a sprained pelvis?!

First day back on the trails with Keena

A sprained pelvis can get quite annoying as you find out quickly that you use it a lot. I couldn't jog, do intense yoga or even sit to use my laptop. I kept pushing myself to stretch into the activity and I was determined I could make it work. This idea was stupid and I was not getting better. I had to learn that with any injury you must take the time to let it heal itself. There was nothing I could do to make it heal faster and being someone who is impatient, this drove me nuts. Not having control of things is the most challenging thing for me in life.

After having a minor meltdown one day, I gathered myself back together and informed myself that I needed to be gentle with myself. Would I be so stubborn, aggressive and unloving to a friend who suffered a fall or injury? NO! so why was I allowed to beat myself up? I'm not allowed. So I took a couple days where I just laid on my bed and read or surfed my phone. I took a longer walk each day and could see some improvement. I was being gentle, finally.

I tried challenging myself last week to see if I got take it up a notch but I'm not quite there and instead of pushing myself I took a step back and asked what I could do right now to just keep the healing going. Small steps will help me get to my main goal of being back to my healthy strong self.

Are you being rough on yourself for something out of your control? How can you take small steps to help the recovery process instead of feeling stuck?

-Michelle 
Certified Holistic Health Coach

New to Yoga

I've found something new for me and I absolutely adore it! It's Yoga!

Over the past few years I've tried yoga here and there but always found it to be a challenge. Not physically but mentally. Stuck in my head were the thoughts "is this almost over" , "ugh, I hate being told what to do", and "I should be doing ____ instead of yoga right now". All these caused me to become irritated with yoga.

I couldn't understand how people developed this intense love for yoga. I tried giving it a shot at home but nope.. again easily distracted and left it behind until. Until recently when I was adamant about meditating every morning for at least 15minutes. This helped me become grounded (being in the present moment), control my breathing and set intentions for the day. My days became a lot more in the moment and less worrying about the past and future.

One day I saw that one of our local yoga studios (I live in the Vancouver area- there's lots!), Kushala offered an early morning class. I'm a morning person and am truly willing to try new things early on in the day so I thought I'd give it yet another shot. I walked out of the class thinking "hmm, that was different and I like it". Putting it out there and wanting more, the universe gave me a kind nudge and gift. Kushala Yoga had a deal for the summer - 2 months unlimited for a cheap price. Okay, I got the hint and I snagged the deal.

It's been 11 days since and I'm so in love with Yoga! My days are so much calmer. When stressful situations arise I don't react as I would have a month ago. My body is transforming into a long lean working power house that holds my found again spiritual side. I'm being challenged to try new things at my classes and I'm actually taking the risks. My thinking is going deeper into my true self and I'm wanting to express my true self to the world, accept me as I am. My posture when I do other exercises or even sit/stand has improved (my core is building). There are so many benefits that are naturally adding up after each class.

I'm aligned again and looking forward to the rest of my summer yoga journey. I will give you all an update on the rest of the yoga journey in September.

*Side note: Lululemon has come out with a great app that locates the nearest yoga studio near you and what their schedule is. Check it out here: Lululemon Om Finder

-Michelle
Certified Holistic Health Coach

Yoga for Starters - Namaste infographic by HealthCentral.

New Website Launched: Holistic Health Coaching

Ladies and Gents..... I give you:  My New Website!

Join me for a Health History consultation

www.REVIVE-healthcoach.com

I've been a busy bee lately (or should I say elf?!). I'm no website designer but I've given it my best and created my own website for my Holistic Health Coaching Practice.

Man is it nerve racking to put yourself out there. When you present something straight from your soul that means the most to you, it can become a tad bit scary. But this is what I'm meant to do in life and I'm happy to help people.

Hope you enjoy it!

Please pass it along to any of your family or friends who you think would benefit from health coaching program.

Lots of love,
Michelle

Positive Life : Vision Boards

I'm a visual person. I have to see something for it to really resonate inside me. This is why I love Vision Boards. Back in 2009, after I left my job of 9 years I created a vision board to bring more positivity into my life. 6 months later, almost half my board was being lived. In the beginning of 2012 I decided it was time to make a new one. This time I added on my health coaching business and also my health retreat. I'm on track to make the majority of the vision board come true.

I find vision boards help me bring together all my possible thoughts, dreams, wishes and goals. It's a way for me to see them outside of my, at times, judgemental head. It's a great way to make a declaration to the universe that you want something and you are on a mission to make it happen. It can help you gain a clear focus of what exactly you are striving for in life.

Vision boards are not just meant for material or career goals but you could even have a section on how you would like your relationships with a boyfriend/girlfriend to generate or flow in your life. I think this is why I love Pinterest so much. It's the same type of idea, boards for categories that really connect to our lives. Although I prefer making my own physical vision board that I can see, read and contemplate on every day. Some people prefer to make them, tuck them way and come back to the board in 6 months to a year to see what has come alive.

Another great idea is to add words to your vision board that motivate or inspire you. It doesn't have to be the typical motivational words but even just a single word that connects to your soul every time you read it.

Easy steps to creating a vision board:

1. Find your favourite magazines from around the house. Flip through them and whatever stands out, clip it out. You can figure out it's place in your vision board later. Just make sure to lead with your natural intuition.
2. On a large paper board, arrange the cut outs the way they connect to you. For instance: I laid mine out by categories such as house/home, career, relationships/family, appearance/fashion, health, and my large dream.
3. I like to add the words on last, where I find they will stand out most.
4. Start gluing!
5. Hang the vision board some where that you will be able to see everyday or most often. You can actually take a picture of the board and place it as a computer background, phone wallpaper or screen saver.
6. Have fun! This is for you, it doesn't have to be perfect.

I'll be creating my Health Coaching Business vision board this weekend.

Have you ever created a Vision Board?
-Michelle

Fitness Love: Vega Sport Pre-Workout Energizer

Energy Drinks have always been a weakness for me. I don't have a lot of energy from being anaemic (not enough iron in my body), so I usually require a little boost before I workout. I used to grab an energy drink on my way to the gym from a corner store. I knew it was very bad for me but I just needed something so I wasn't dragging through my run. Everything changed when I found Vega Sport - Pre-Workout Energizer. 

I'll admit I was a little doubtful if it would give me the same energy as a Rockstar or Red Bull. Luckily I was wrong and it actually was tremendously better than the "others". It comes in a small package that is handy to carry around in your purse or gym bag. Throw a couple in your car and all you have to do is add it to water. No more empty cans in my car either - bonus! I made sure to drink it 20 minutes before my workout and I could feel the change in my body. There was no energy spike and then crashing. It's a gradual energy increase that is perfect for exercising. I love that it doesn't over stimulate your body either. When I drank Rockstar my speech actually became slurred, it was scary! With Vega Sport there's no caffeine headaches and I never have trouble getting to sleep at night when I work out in the afternoon/evening.

My two cousins who are both teenage boys, play a lot of sports. I always hated them seeing me drink an energy drink when I would preach to them to stay away from it. After my cousins hockey game the other weekend I gave him one of the Vega Sport packages to try out. The next day I got a text (rarely happens lol) saying "I love this stuff! and where can I get more?". This cousin is 16 years old and is devoted to a healthy body and fitness. He said he couldn't believe the energy it gave him and he was able to achieve a full workout session at the gym and all while never losing his endurance.

My Rating:  5 STARS

Benefits of Vega Sport Pre-Workout Energizer

• Instant energy and slow burning fuel
• No crashing!
• Organic sprouted brown rice syrup enters the blood stream quickly (due to high GI index) and gives you instant energy.
• Organic palm nectar provides slow released energy (due to low GI index) = no spike no crash
• Convenient packages
• Two flavors: Acai Berry and Lemon Lime
• Tastes similar to a berry or lime iced tea
• Equal or less in price to other energy drinks
• It's a blend of 13 plant-based ingredients

Do you require an energy drink before you workout? Or do you enjoy having one every once in a while?

I'm curious to know how you build up your energy before exercising.
-Michelle

Weekend Warm-Up : Staycation

Roasted Butternut Squash via Oh She Glows

Happy Friday! Today is my last day of my "day job" before I head home for a stay-cation. I'm totally stoked for this. Luckily it came quickly for me and now I have the time to relax, rejuvenate and decompress for a while. I can't wait to catch up on blogs, write some new posts and study my butt off. Lately I haven't had the time to keep up to my goal of 3-4 blog posts per week because of school, work and everything else in between. This will also give me time to get outside and adventure on with my camera in hand.

 

This week I bought a new 2012 Ford Escape and am loving it. I think I might take a tiny road trip with just me and my camera and probably a dog to keep me company on the ride. On Saturday we are heading with a couple friends to go for a hike and then heading to dinner. I still haven't figured out how I'm going to look presentable to go for dinner after a hike?! With my natural wavy hair it loves to flop or go frizzy in the fall weather. I just might be rocking a sexy ponytail for dinner.

Any plans for the weekend?

Lovely Links: 

• Needing to cleanse? Ambitious Kitchen created a green monster smoothie that's drool worthy.
• Quinoa, Apple, Almonds and chickpeas - brilliant combo recipe
• Steven Jobs passed away one year ago today. The man had an amazing outlook on life.
• Looking for some new tunes to workout too? Fitsugar provides.
• I've got to come clean... I'm a Martha Stewart fan. Here's her Whole-Wheat Turkey Stuffing. I've used her stuffing recipes many times for Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners.

A quote from my horoscope for all the ARIES people :

Don’t forget, o’ charging Ram: sometimes the most brilliant ideas can come from looking back.

Have a wonderful weekend! aaand Happy Thanksgiving fellow Canadians xo

-Michelle

Weekend Warm-Up : Extended Summer

Here in Vancouver we are having an Indian Summer and supposedly it's lasting for another 60 days. Good news to me. I'm not a fan of the rain. Yes, I know, I live in Vancouver, rain city.

img via

 This week I started off with some slight back pain but thought I would push through it because I joined a new gym (Trevor Linden gym). Well it was really stupid on my part and I ended up hobbling around feeling like someone was constantly ringing out my spine like a wet towel. Ouch! So I dedicated some time to get rid of the pain instead of the gym. A little meditation and yoga hit the spot. My back pain is usually caused my an emotional blockage (ie.stress). Every time I try to convince myself that it's an actual physical injury and try to stretch and massage the heck out it. This method only equals complete failure. Once I calm down and realize it's stress I take the right steps. Stubborn Aries here!

This Saturday I'm heading to the car dealership. I'm thinking of getting a Ford Escape. The 2012, not the new 2013. The new one reminds me more of mini van. I've actually wanted an Escape for years and years but always ended up with something different. My car right now is incredibly non functional for me. Only 2 doors and does not have room for any dogs. It's also awful on gas so hopefully I say good bye to the nice car and hello Escape.


Lovely Links:

• an update for your morning granola. Pumpkin Granola for the Fall season. Yum!
• actual legit reasons to skip your gym session. Listen to your body.
• i've mentioned having warm lemon water in the morning before and here are some more reasons why.
• completely agree with this movie date tip. Maybe try it out this weekend?

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
-Michelle

Start Before You're Ready : New Health Plan

When a new season comes along it brings the opportunity to create new healthy habits.


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September is the perfect time to jump back into a healthy routine. Although it can get pretty hectic in the beginning of September with everyone coming back from vacation and kids returning to school, it's actually easier to get back to a normal routine. The amount of unplanned outings goes down and there's more time for scheduled activities and exercise. The number of unhealthy food temptations thankfully dwindles down too.

When to begin? Now! When creating a new plan for your health, there is no better time than right now to start it. It doesn't have to be made into a huge deal. Just take the first step. Don't make excuses of why you should wait for tomorrow or next week or when everything is a bit calmer. Your health routine/plan is a way of life and not a "diet". If it seems overwhelming, just take small steps at first.

For example: If your goal is to run a half marathon and you've never ran before, you wouldn't go out and run 5k on the first day. Your body would go into shock and you would more than likely quit on your new goal. Take it easy and gradually build up. The same principles apply to your eating habits. You don't have to go all out on the first day. Gradually eliminate unhealthy chemical filled foods from your diet each day till eventually you are eating only those vibrant and natural lean proteins, veggies and fruits.

Happy September Everyone!
Do you have any new goals for this Fall or Winter? I'd love to hear them.

-Michelle

8 Healthy Ways to Start Your Day

Are you morning person or are dragging your butt to get going?



Sun Salutation - via

 Me - I'm a huge morning! I love rising early before everyone else gets out of bed. I love the calmness of the morning and being able to hear all the sounds of nature outside. There is nothing like a crisp cold morning and watching the sunrise to revitalise you.

I find that how you begin your morning sets the tone for the rest of the day. Setting your morning off with a healthy routine leaves you wanting to live the rest of your day on healthy tone. I know that too often we can get caught up in the hustle and rush of the morning which leaves us feeling disconnected and lost. Making time for yourself in the morning is one of the keys to great health. It doesn't have to be complicated but adding some small steps and easy healthy habits can change your wellbeing. I've listed a few of my favourite habits that I do on a daily basis or a couple times of week. My best advice is to listen and observe what makes you feel the happiest. That is the goal when starting off the day: to bring happiness and love to yourself so you can share it with the world.

8 Healthy Ways to Start Your Day:

1. Warm Water with Lemon : this combination helps to get your digestive system going and also to jump start your metabolism. I also recommend drinking lemon water with filtered water through the day. It's great for your body and actually helps with weight loss.
2. Meditation: If this is new too you, I have one word for you: Patience. There is no right or wrong way to meditate. I've found the best way for me is to play some Reiki music (you can find it on Youtube), sit on a fluffy pillow so my bottom is raised a bit, cross my legs and place my hands with palms facing up on my knees. Focus on your breathing. Inhale for 6, pause for 2 and exhale for 6, pause for 2 and repeat. Focusing on your breath can create stillness in your thoughts.
3. Choose a mantra, an intention or word (or all 3) for the day: Creating a path for the day lets you have a focus. Having a mantra or word to fall back on when life becomes hectic or stressed always helps your to restart and become calm. For example: my word today is "gentle". Whenever I catch myself rushing around or speaking harshly I utter the word in my head 3 times and I instantly feel at peace.
4. Sun Salutation or Yoga: I love Yoga in the morning. It's a great way to gently exercise your body and mind. The sun salutation is my favourite practice. It feels very natural when you are performing the routine. The image above is a cute chart on Sun Salutation and here's a video I often refer too if needing a little guidance. If you are just beginning here is a more instructional video.
5. Be Still: If yoga and meditation is just not your vibe right now then the next best thing is just to be still and present. Grab a tea or coffee and sit still with no distractions. Reflect on the day ahead with a soft and positive outlook. Just breathe. Let there be relaxation and calmness.
6. Exercise: builds energy for the day. It can be any form of exercise. A small walk around the block, a run or anything that gets your body moving. This sends signals to your mind and body that it's time wake up and gets your brain sparking and metabolism going. Exercise in the morning actually has a great effect on what your eat for the rest of the day. When you go to reach for that unhealthy snack you will take a second and think if it's worth wasting the time you spent exercising in the morning.
7. Journal: The morning is a great time to write and get all your thoughts out of your head. Once they are all on paper it's easier to organize your thoughts, realize patterns or find new ideas through your notes.
8. A Healthy Breakfast: it's the most important meal of the day. This meal should be full of protein and provide energy. Fruit in the morning helps activate your brain. Breakfast is also a great way to jump start your metabolism. Make sure that breakfast leaves you feeling comfortably full so you don't run out of energy before lunch.

What are some of your healthy morning habits? What is your morning routine?

-Michelle

Fitness Love : Nike Plus & Free Run - Running Shoe

I'm a huge gadget/techy geek at heart and I love finding the best app for anything.

Nike Free Run - LiveStrong Edition

I've had Nike Free Runs for a couple years now and I LOVE them! I never bothered to get the sensor to go in them to connect to my Iphone as I wasn't really into running for a while because of my problems with my back. Just in the past year my back has gotten tremendously stronger and it was time to start amping up my runs. It was also time to get my geek on!

Last week I went out and bought my Nike sensor and an arm band for my runs and hikes. Scott and I headed up for a hike/run at Buntzen and it was awesome to finally see our distance, speed and calories burned. It also got us reved up to push ourselves a little harder. The next time we went out we ended up doing 11km and accomplishing some major hills. This past Tuesday we were ready to beat our 1st time - Oh we nailed it! Our competitive nature has kicked in.

This app has got us wanting to get out more often, try new routes and push ourselves. I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a workout app. It's interactive, you can see your results online and compare your efforts to the community.
 

Left: Large Hike Run - Right: Trail Run (time to beat)


Has anyone tried the Nike Fuel Band? I'm going to be downloading the running app tonight but afraid that it won't work while I'm running the trails that is out of cellular signal.

-Michelle

Weekend Warm-Up : Head in the Game

Happy Weekend! Happy Friday first of all!

I havent't kept up to my usual quota of blog posts for this week but you might just understand due to my last post. My head is slowly getting back in the game and my focus has shifted a tiny bit. I want to help people be aware of all the possible chemicals and processed ingredients that they may be feeding their bodies on a daily basis. The best way to avoid these pesky toxins from your body is eating a diet full of fresh fruit, fresh veggies and fresh seafood (or organic meat). I'll be doing a post coming up on how to navigate the grocery stores to avoid common unhealthy choices.

I'll admit that I don't usually go for the Organic Fruits and Veggies but that is my latest goal. I know that eating foods covered with pesticides and chemicals is no good for my body or yours. This is just another way to avoid cancer cells developing our bodies. Have you heard of the dirty dozen? It's the list of fruits and veggies to always buy organic and the ones that are low in pesticides. Here's a convenient way to remember.


img source



Here are my interesting finds from around the web this week:

• Heading to a BBQ and need a healthy dip? Avocado Hummus or 5 Layer Greek Dip will do the trick.
• Educate and Donate to F*ck Cancer. Hey and maybe get the cool T-Shirt too.
• 6 Core Strengthening Exercises using a ball.
• 5 Life Lessons from Olympians. Very inspirational! I can't get enough of the Olympics.

Have a wonderful weekend!

-Michelle

Weekend Warm-Up : Long Weekend Style

Happy Weekend Time!

Healthy Watermelon Popsicles

It's British Columbia day on Monday and we get the day off (a big woohoo!). What's everyone's plans this weekend? This weekend my goal is to keep my healthy eating habits and workout routine on the same schedule as the weekday. I've worked way to hard this week to let it slip.

This is just a quick post as I'm itching to get outside and enjoy this sun. I've got to get some work done and then I'll be running. Oh yeah... and if you haven't noticed yet on the side of the blog, I've recently made a Facebook Page for my blog and hope you can join it so we can keep a conversation going on all things health, fitness and travel.

Here are my favourite links from around the web from this week:

• This new book from Kris Carr comes out in October and looks delish!

• How do you reward yourself? Cupcake or Manicure? This made me think.

• I need a new crop pant and this one has been my favourite to wear while running.

• This tank is perfect to lounge around in and workout in.

• I'll be trying this Healthy Alternative to Pizza over the weekend. Great idea!

Have a wonderful everyone!

-Michelle

Weekend Summary : Fireworks and Rides

Hello lovely people!
This past Saturday was one of the busiest Saturdays I've had in a long time...

My BF and I started our exciting adventure by taking the bus to our local fairgrounds/amusement park called "Playland". The company I work for put on this event day in which they paid for our admission and had a BBQ inside the park. I've been to Playland many times but recently I've had no want to go. It's in much need of an upgrade. The last few times I went on the crickity old wooden roller coaster, I've walked off with bruises from being thrown around lol. We made the best of it and it was nice to see people from work out of the office.

After a couple hours at Playland we headed downtown Vancouver to watch the Honda Celebration of Light Fireworks. This is our annual fireworks display that is on a large barge right off the beach downtown. It's always a guranteed spectacular show put on. It runs on 3 different nights and each country in the competition has a night to display their talent. We got to see Vietnam. The fireworks go to music which you can tune into on the radio. On Saturday it attracted 300,000 people to the shores to watch.

Fitness Goals for the week:

• I love this routine that FitSugar posted. I'm going to add these quick little routines to my cardio in the afternoon.
• I'm also going to beat my time in running my 4k trail with my dog.
• I'm going to do 3 sets of abs each day.

What is your fitness goal for this week?
-Michelle

Weekend Warm-Up : Olympics Time! London 2012

Happy Friday!

Hope you all had a great week. I just came back from an awesome 4k run with the dog this morning. I decided to take today off from "normal work" and have a day to myself. After my run I had a delicious Natural Vega Energizing smoothie filled with some banana slices, strawberries, almond milk, water and chia seeds. It hit the spot! Last night my BF made a delicious healthy salmon cake (recipe to come). It's very healthy and I have to say it's the best one I've ever tried.

Today is the start of the Olympics and I am super stoked to cheer on all the athletes. Seeing an Olympic event live is on my bucket list. I hope to watch a Summer Olympic event one day. We were lucky enough to have the Winter Olympics here in Vancouver back in 2010 and the vibe that swam through the city was the most thrilling feeling. Every person you met on the street had a smile on their face and excited to tell you their story. The pride that overflowed from Canadians and all countries was incredible to witness.

Cheers to all the athletes of 2012 and good luck! What a vigorous journey it must be to get to the Olympics and so overwhelming to finally to be there and compete.

My favourite finds of the week:

I'm a sucker for infographs and I love this one on the benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar to your health

Tomorrow we are heading to the beach to watch these Fireworks

Feeling the heat? Need to cool off? Cool off with Super Foods

I freaked out when I saw this recipe. A healthy alternative for my ice cream addiction.

One of my favourite photographers - amazing color

Have a wonderful weekend!
-Michelle

My Fitness Love: Pilates for Your Abs

Mid-week and it's my Thursday. I have this Friday off and I'm going put it to good use. I'm thinking of doing lots of outdoor activities to take advantage of this sunshine that doesn't stay around here too long.

Angi Green image via

 This week I've come across a couple articles and women who have inspired me to think about a "big goal" to tackle. I'm going to be completely honest with you : I've never made a huge fitness goal before. I've made goals to lose a couple pounds or get ready for a vacation. I've never REALLY pushed myself. I'm trying to think of something I can do that will motivate me to push it. In the mean time I'm on a mission to get my abs and body looking similar to Angi Greene's. The picture featured to the left is the image that inspired me this week. I know I can do this and have seen my body been close to looking like this before. To me she symbolizes health and strength.

I'm debating taking pictures to track my progress and be accountable. This also... I've never done. What do you guys think of the idea of me tracking my progress through photos?

To achieve these abs I've decided to make a couple changes to my diet. I was noticing that my body was taking too long to bounce back after having a drink (or maybe 2). My body was becoming too dehydrated and having to restart the whole process to get my body to feeling amazing was becoming stupid. I've decided to only have my "couple drinks" one day on the weekend, if I even do decide to have one. If I do decide to have a drink during the week I will only have a glass of red wine (soak in those antioxidants). I have already noticed a huge difference with not having that extra drink during the week.

I've also eliminated any diet pop from my diet. The truth comes out... I enjoyed having a diet pop every once in a while. No more for me. It's clean, lean and mean here now.

So on to abs and core talk... my favourite ab exercises that I've tried over the years is by far, Pilates or modified Pilates! It's incredible how quickly your body responds to the pilates moves for your core (power house).

I first learned Pilates core moves from a DVD I purchased. It was part of the "10 minute Solution" series. It was a great place to learn the basics and in a week I could notice a difference. I've adapted over the years adding a few different moves in my ABs Routine.

I'll share my more intense Pilates Ab Workout in another post.

My Top 3 Pilates Exercises for Your Abs/Core :

1. The Criss Cross : Similar to doing a bicycle crunch but once you do 3 motions of the bicycle you hold your left elbow to your right knee and raise your straight left leg (with pointed toes) from the floor to above your hips (point toes to ceiling). Repeat for the other side.
2. The Tummy Tuck: Starting from a plank position you bring your left knee to your right elbow across your body and return to plank. Repeat on the other side for 20 times (10 for each side).
3. The 100: start with laying on the floor. Bring legs together and straight up to a 45 degree angle. With your arms beside your side, reach towards your feet with a 45 degree angle also. Bring your shoulders off the floor and head lifted up. Pump your arms up and down for a 100 times. You can do them in sets of 10 going with your breath.

 What ab exercise is a staple in your routine?
-Michelle

Weekend Warm-Up : In Memory of Captain the Dog

In memory of Captain

As some of you might have noticed, I am a huge animal lover and especially dogs. I've always felt a close connection to animals and love them with all my heart. It breaks my soul what happened recently in the Vancouver area. A German Shepherd named Captain was brutally beaten by a man and then left out in the hot sun in a dumpster in a back alley. A neighbour found him still clinging to life and took him right away to the SPCA (our local animal shelter). A team of doctors worked on him trying to bring him back to life and unfortunately yesterday Captain passed away. It is reported that the injuries sustained from the beating were so horrific that they couldn't even determine what was wrong. They had to put Captain in coma and it was thought if he did survive he would be paralysed in all 4 legs. Captain was originally in the Police Academy training (RCMP) to become a police dog but he was let go due to being too friendly. The RCMP sold Captain to a man who then sold it to the now accused man. I'm sorry to give you the whole sad story but I think what this man did to Captain is disgusting and unforgivable. People who harm animals should be prosecuted and punished for hurting helpless animals.
In honour of Captain a fund was set up to help the SPCA prosecute this man and any others who have harmed animals. It takes approximately $10,000.00 for the SPCA to gather evidence and prosecute each person. I have donated to this fund and it would mean so much to me if you could find it in your heart to help this cause.

You can donate at: Justice for Captain and if you would like to see who started the campaign (to ensure it's not a scam), you can find Nat & Drew from Virgin Radio here.

Thanks to everyone who donates *big hugs xo
You can find the full story on Captain here.

07/23/12 UPDATE: Their goal of $10,000.00 has been smashed but let's keep it going so the SPCA can prosecute more of these people who are cruel to animals.

Check out this little girls contribution to the cause - great job!

On a happier note - This week's neat tid bits from across the web:

• A different twist on the typical Mojito Recipe

• Great interview with the lovely lady from Rifle Paper Co.

• The Wheatfield Shop on Etsy by Katie Daisy - some of my favourite prints

• No excuses- exercise anywhere - no equipment necessary

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

-Michelle

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#WIAW Series - Fitness Theme

I've joined the "What I Ate Wednesday" #WIAW series created by Peas and Crayons.
 


The theme for July is too focus not only on the healthy food but what your fitness focus is. So here is my #WIAW for July 18th (yea yea it's Thursday now but hey... better late than never).

Breakfast: Strawberry, mango, banana smoothie. Added one scoop of Vega Natural Energizing Protein powder. 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of almond milk.

Snacks: Small nectarine, celery sticks with hummus dip and two mushroom caps stuffed with crab.

Lunch: Green salad with a tomato, orange pepper, sesame seeds and tuna. Balsamic Vinegar/Olive oil dressing.

Dinner (not pictured): Cod fillet with a sprinkle of panko crumbs on top. Side of green beans with Serrano pepper.

Fitness: This week I focused on getting back into my usual fitness routine. I was away in Seattle on the weekend and then sick for a couple days. It threw me off but yesterday was the first day I felt back to normal. I went for my usual morning HIIT run with the dog and after work I went and played tennis with the BF. Like usual there was lots of laughs and the usual competitive spirit from both of us. We played for about an hour.

How are your fitness goals coming along this summer? Keeping to them?

-Michelle

Are You Living Up to Your Full Health Potential?

Now and again I ponder: am I living up to my full health potential?


img: via

Am I doing everything in my capabilities to feel good about myself from the inside out?
It's good take a moment and re-evaluate your health and see if you are living up to the full potential you are capable of doing. Taking this time to consider your health gives you a chance to see where you can improve.

I know with my body that it is capable of looking a certain way. I am able to have a body that is fully toned and I am capable of working out for 80-100 minutes a day. Am I currently living up to my full potential? - No. This means for me, it's time to re-evalutate and see where I can get back on track and improve. I know how my mind feels when I am at my full health potential and it's amazing. Being at that point is in my control.

Everyday we make the decision on how we are going to feel. What you put in your mouth determines the way you feel. You may pick up that candy bar and feel great or you may feel guilty/terrible but only you know how it's going to make you feel about yourself. These are the decisions that come across your plate everyday. I know that working out more than 30 minutes a day makes me vibrant and transforms my body. Exercising creates a healthy mind for me where I am able to be present when choosing, cooking and eating my food. It is my choice to work out or not.

I'm going to choose to live up to my full health potential!

This is a typical day in my FHP plan:

• 30 minutes of HIIT in the morning
• 10 minutes of abs workout
• Drink half my body weight in water
• 2 green teas
• Breakfast Smoothie (only fruit of the day)
• Handful of nuts or a healthy grain
• Lean mean green lunch (veggies & lean protein) or Omelet
• Veggies with hummus dip
• 60 minutes of running trails or playing tennis
• Lean mean green dinner (fish and veggies)
• Rest time (7 hours of sleep)

Now it's your turn: Are you living up to you FHP (Full Health Potential)? Where can you improve to be at that place where you know you are able to conquer the world?

-Michelle

5 Tips on How to Avoid Weekend Weight Gain

I have to admit: I fall into an unhealthy eating blunder on the weekend more often than I would like. Weekend weight gain!


Appies & Brunch on the Weekend


This past weekend there were a bundle of events happening and I didn't want to fall into the trap of wasting all that hard work exercising and eating lean and green to go to waste. Sometimes we can get caught in the moment of having fun with friends and family and get carried away with our food choices. I've learnt how to make minor adjustments and plan ahead. I wanted to share with you how I'm making changes to avoid the weekend weight gain.

On Saturday evening we decided we were going to have an "appy night" so I knew I had to get in more exercise than normal to counter the calories I would be taking in later on. We went for an hour hike along the lake on Friday evening and woke up early Saturday morning to fit in some tennis before the sun was too hot to handle. Knowing how much work I had just done helped me be conscious of what appetisers I chose and how many I consumed. Your appetite may increase from doing more exercise so be careful not to eat more as you actually may not need that extra food and it may just be your body craving some protein or even water.

Stay Active - Get Outside

Sunday came around and that's always a hard day to push through for me. I had brunch planned with a girlfriend and I created a plan in my head before I left. Okay.. what am I going to eat? What is a healthy choice that I will find to be delicious? This let me look at the menu in a different way when I got to the restaurant. Instead of feeling limited, I now was excited to find exactly what I had planned on eating. No last minute decisions and no stomach winning over the brain. My girl friend and I decided to split a fresh veggie eggs benedict. It had just a touch of sauce on top and was placed on a whole wheat english muffin. To go along with the one egg, we split a crisp seared ahi tuna salad - more protein and vegetables = perfect.


Being honest here: I love to have a couple drinks on the weekend (really.. who doesn't?). Well I've noticed over the last few months that if I go over my "selected amount" of drinks, well.. I can see it in the mirror and it ain't pretty! There's the bloating, puffy face and the weight around the mid section that sneaks in. So I decided I needed to take control of this nasty habit. Not eliminate completely but just take control and give it some guidelines. I've set a limit for each day and I don't allow myself to exceed it or if I do... a big warning goes off in my head reading : "Muffin Top Growing". I've also found "Skinnygirl Cocktails" and love the Lime Margarita one over ice. Fits right into my "healthy liquid" plan for the weekend.

Here are 5 tips to help you avoid weight gain over the weekends:

• Set your day off right and rev up that metabolism by eating a healthy breakfast meal full of protein and fibre. This keeps you feeling full and prevents you from grabbing for those munchies

• If you're heading out to eat and being a good girl by eating a salad or veggies: avoid creamy dressing/sugar dressing and ask for a balsamic dressing. Calories saved instantly.

• When choosing an alcoholic drink: think simple. Less ingredients and fresher the ingredients the less it will stick to the body. Try a vodka soda with a lime. Avoid those sugar blended drinks. It's a meal in a drink!

• Water, water, water - you may think you are hungry but it may just be that your body is needing some water to keep up with you on the weekend. Try to have a glass of water between each special drink you have. Frappes included!

• Stay active - you may not want to hit the gym on your weekend but find another way to exercise. Maybe even take the dog out for an extra long walk in the morning. Just don't do nothing, find something fun.

Do you have any tips to staying on top of your healthy eating lifestyle over the weekend? I would love to hear about them in the comments below or you can find me on twitter @mishy_moe and tweet me your smart tip for keeping lean through the weekend.

-Michelle

Weekend Warm-Up : July 6

Here in Vancouver people are in MUCH better mood than last weekend. Wondering why?



Sunset in Port Moody, British Columbia



Sunshine has arrived! Just in time for the weekend the temperatures are creeping up and all my plans include being outside soaking up the rays. I've been watching the tennis matches at Wimbleton while I get ready in the morning before work and I'm sucked in again. I love not only to watch tennis but I love to head out and play tennis. So tennis is a guranteed event on the agenda this weekend. Tonight we are going to take the dog up for a hike and then a dip in the lake. Oh she's going to love it! I've been making sure to get up early in the morning to take her for a run so she doesn't get over heated from the heat and sun.

Any plans for the weekend? Are you heading outdoors for some adventures?

Here's a few links I've enjoyed from the web this week:

• Top 100 websites for women by Forbes. I've been exploring it all week.

• Dogs in the office - good or bad for your work related stress?

• Boozy popsicles? EveryGirl offers some great recipes for the those hot days.

• Speaking of booze: tips to avoid weight gain on the weekend.

• Looking for new breakfast ideas? Breakfast Quesadillas? Delicious healthy breakfast ideas.

• I recently found an interesting recipe on Pinterest by Queen of Quinoa

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

-Michelle