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

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

Start Before You're Ready : New Health Plan

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


img via


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