Busy Mom’s quick Circuit Training Workout

Like anyone else, by the time I get home from work, make dinner, put the kid to bed, it’s dificult to find the time to fit a workout in.  SO I have developed a plan from my younger days when I worked as a personal trainer. It’s a quick circuit training plan that doesn’t take very long at all. Yes, i have many days where i spend a lot of time in the gym, get a good weight training session in, and cardio…but then there are also the days where I only have 20 minutes, and rather than sit on the couch, i like to do this little circuit!

You will need:

1 skipping rope

exercise mat

2 dumbells (whatever you are comfortable with – I use 12lbs)

workout attire & shoes

The Circuit:

12 reps of chest flys with the weights, whie lying on your mat

jump rope for 30 seconds

12 back rows with weights, using a resistance ball for support if you have one, or you can use a chair

jump rope for 45 seconds

12 stationary lunges, with weights,  alternating legs

jump rope for 45 seconds

*Repaeat this cycle 3 times for a quick workout on the days you don’t have the time to spend traveling to the gym, working out, travelling back home.

It’s a great quick circuit to help squeeze in a workout whenever you can

My #Chobani Review… #nothingbutgood!

Chobani Greek Yogurt – It’s Nothing but Good!!!

So a while back this Greek Yogurt craze got really bit with all us health nuts, and I began my search for the best Greek Yogurt. All the ones I had tries so far were a little too thick or a little too tangy. I started hearing a lot about Chobani in health blogs, forums, etc. but I could not for the life of me find it anywhere. I don’t know if that’s because the grocery stores near me didn’t sell it, or because it was flying off the shelves. I came to realize that it was a bit of both.  Only a few stores near me sold Chobani, and those that did…it wouldn’t last on the shelves until my Sunday night grocery run.

So I took matters into my own hands, I contacted the good people at Chobani and explained my situation, and that I wanted to review their yogurt on my blog. They were kind enough to send me a case to try!! Aren’t they amazing???

So last week, I finally received my case of #CHO!!!! So exciting, i was like a kid in a candy store! I could not wait to get home and open the box and finally get to taste what all the hype was about!!!

Oh the beauty when i first opened it up! Even my husband was impressed! The case of yogurt was packed so well in ice to ensure freshness, my husband – who is not a yogurt eater at ALL – gasped and said “this is great”
And finally I had before me, in all it’s glory – my very first case of Chobani Greek Yogurt!

We could not wait to dig in! And yes I said WE…even my husband was excited to try it, and like i said before, he is NOT a yogurt eater, he never really has been.  So here are my thoughts on my first time tasting #Chobani

pomegranate

This was the one we tried first…AMAZING! So creamy, it’s hard to believe it’s fat free.  Perfectly sweet and tart, this yogurt made my day! My husband, again NOT the yogurt eater, savoured each spoonful. He was in love!  Beautiful, silky…this was a little taste of heaven!

black cherry

once we had finished our pom #cho, to my surprise, hubby says “ok, what’s the next flavour” lol. We tried black cherry right away. Again, this was a beautiful silky thick, but not too thick sweet but not too sweet tast of heaven.

Nice big chunks of black cherry, againg the smooth silkiness fo the greek yogurt = perfection!!!

Peach and strawberry

I just want to clairify, two seaparate flavours – peach, and strawberry – (not a peachberry combo) I’m just combining their review.

With these i decided to cook with them rather than eat them on their own. So I made a batch of virtually fat free muffins, and subbed these in place for my regular plain yogurt.

here’s the recipe:

DRY:

2 cups whole wheat flour

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup of ground flax

3 tbsp chia seeds

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

WET:

2 eggs beaten

1 can of crushed oineapple

1 peach Chobani greek yogurt

1 Strawberry Chobai Greek yogurt

1/2 cup applesauce

frozen bluberries

Mix Wet ingredients into dry spoon out into muffin tray and bake at 350 for about 25 minutes.

So all in all i am so happy the great people of Chobani were able to send me a case of their yogurt to try, now im hooked on nothing but good, and hope to be able to fine these in my local grocery stores…I may have to change my grocery day to align with their delivery days!!!

Eat Clean, Train Mean, Sleep Hard

Rest. Often put on the back burner, Rest is something we all need just as much Eating Clean and Training Mean. 

I try to push my self everyday do do a little more, to eat a little better than the day before, to drink more water, to train hard, but I often neglect my sleep. Being a busy, working mom, it’s so easy to forget about sleep because – lets face it – there isn’t enough time to get everything done.

Last night, my body decided to teach me a lesson. I did everything as i normally do, left work, picked up the boy from school, hubby made dinner…but through all of it I was just feeling so low energy. My husband and I took my son for a walk like we usually do, and I put him to bed when we got home. And…then I CRASHED!

I could not get going again after I put my son to bed.

I tried to relax, tried to tell myself : “5 minutes of rest and then we can workout”. I told myself: “OK we can skip the workout today, lets clean the kitchen instead”. Nope nothing worked. I fell asleep and was not able to wake up and get going until 5:00 this morning!

I realized I need to listen to my body. The crash i had was my body forcing me to take it easy, to take a break. I also realized this morning that I felt GREAT! I feel on top of the world. I feel like my muscles have recovered from my previous workouts this week. I feel refreshed and energized. My body needed this and I needed to listen.

We fail to realize that sleep, and getting enough rest is an integral part of and fitness plan. The body needs time to recoup. The muscles are pushed so hard when we train, that they need their recovery time. Cells need time to regenerate, and do the tissues in our body. Our mind needs the rest and relaxation. We need.to.slow.down.

It’s hard sometimes, especially as working parents, with so many things going on – but listen to your body. When it’s telling you to take it easy – listen and take it easy!

The Importance of Being a Fit Mama

What it means to be Some FIT MAMA!!!

Being a mother is one thing that is entirely in it’s own universe. There are so many life joys that come from being a mom, that life before kids just doesn’t seem to hold a candle to life as a MOM. That’s my take on it, others may not see motherhood that way, but I do. Now add being a FIT mom into the mix, and things get kicked up a few notches.

I feel that since I have started my fitness journey, my road to being Some FIT Mama, I have gained a further appreciation for motherhood. I kind of see things a little differently. I’ve stopped to smell the roses I guess, I think I’m just appreciating everything in my life a little more than I used to.

To me, the benefits of being a Fit Mama are endless, but some of the most considerable ones are:

INCREASED ENDURANCE:

• I can actually play with my son, on his level, on his terms. I’m no longer sitting on the sidelines watching him play, I am right there playing with him. Whether he’s colouring, or running around, wanting to play hide and seek, I can go along with him. This feels good. I’m building memories for both of us, all of us actually, my husband watches and wants to join in too. The delight on my son’s face is just priceless.
• I can keep up with him, in the past part of the reason i didn’t run around with him was because i couldn’t. It is truly a great feeling to be able to keep up.
• The increases energy and endurance I have from my workout’s help me in multi-tasking. We all know that parents have to be great multi taskers. As a working Mom, I feel like I have a million and one things going on at once, and I feel like I am now getting all of those things under control.

SETTING A POSITIVE EXAMPLE

• Children learn by example, and I feel that setting a positive, healthy example for your children to follow is one of the best things for them
• by watching us, and bu only having healthy foods in the house, my 2 year old actually prefers tomatoes and cucumbers to other snacks. He just loves tomatoes!
• He adores being active, not the kind of kid that just sits down and watches TV. He’s always into something, that’s why I’m so grateful for my increased energy levels.

CONFIDENCE

• I believe that increased confidence radiates on to those around you, especially little ones.
• I honestly feel that children are more well adjusted when both parents exude confidence in everything that they do.
• becoming more fit, and feeling better about myself has increased my confidence levels like crazy, and it’s not all just about how i look. I have more confidence in what I am able to tackle as well. I feel like I can handle anything.

and most of all

IMPROVED HEALTH

• I like knowing that by Eating Clean, and training mean I am improving my health
• I like knowing that this means I will more likely be generally well for my family, and hopefully lead a healthier life, and a longer life – which means I won’t be a burden on my children in my old age. This is something that is of great importance to me.

So these are what I feel are some of the greates benefits of being a fit mama! These points are things that have always been important to me when I’ve thought about what type of mother I want to be. I guess it all boils down to being the most positive influence I can be for my son, to help him become the best person he can be!!

Eating Clean, Training Mean, Living Lean – 40 day check in

Eat Clean, Train Mean, Live Lean! That’s been my moto for just over the lastfourty days now and I really feel great!

I completely see this as being my new way of life. I have no desire to stray off of this plan at ALL! I havn’t craved sweets or anything refined in about 3 weeks. I have also noticed many  other changes:

EATING CLEAN

• Increased energy – and I means TONS more. Having spent so many months wanting to crash at 9pm, and always feeling like I’m running on empty, this was definately a very welcom change. I feel energized upon waking, which never happened before, and I don’t get the mid-day dips in energy that I used to.
• Weight Loss – not a huge amount, about 5lbs but I know that it is the net result of loosing fat and gaining muscle. My clothes fit much better and i can see my body starting to trim up
• a general clean, detoxed feeling – not eating processed foods for this long has this clean, detoxifying effect

TRAINING MEAN

• A firmer body – in no way am I done, I have not reached my goals, but I see shape and definintion in my waist, arms, legs. I feel more muscle tone, and less squishy lol
• Increased endurance – when I started this plan, my cardio session were completely different, lower intensity, lower pace. Now I can run faster and for longer periods of time than before, I can push myself harder
• Increased strength – I have increased the weight i use when I work out – up 10lbs when working on my chest and back, up 8lbs when working on my arms and legs.

LIVING LEAN

• I love the effect that all of this has had on my mood and body, I feel confident enough to wear some more fitted clothing because I feel leaner than before.

All in all, I can say I am happy with the progress I’ve been making, and I have no intention to stop. I want, week by week to post some updates as I really feel that having this blog is what is keeping me motivated. I love finding new recipes to clean eat! And so, for the next little while I will be searching for some new clean eating recipes so I can share them with everyone!!!

on my way to becoming Some FIT Mama!!!!

ch-ch-cha chia seeds! Why eat Chia seeds?

I am constantly researching things to do to keep my health at optimal levels, looking for things to incorporate into my diet to aid in weight loss, things that will help me stay full between meals.

In my recent reseach, I’ve come across Chia Seeds. Chia Seeds, you ask? Like the ones that go one the Chia pet that was so popular about 20 years ago? Yes…the same kind of thing. Except these you can eat!

Chia seeds are tiny little black seeds that are from the mint family. They are tiny but JAM packed with nutrients!

• chia seeds are a complete protein as they contain all 8 essential amino acids
• they are very high in dietary fiber…so great for digestion (but make sure you up your water intake when eating them)
• chia seeds are gluten free!
• Chia has 8 times more Omega 3 than Salmon, and they contain 20% Omega 3 ALA…so they are heart healty!
• Chia Seeds contain more Calcium that milk, in proportion to thier tiny size
• they have 3 times more iron than spinach
• they are highin Vitamin C
• chia Seeds are high in Magnesium & potassium
• Chia Seeds, when consumed, have a very positive effect on balancing blood sugar levels, so great for diabetics, but also aid in not crashing from hunger

Consuming Chia Seeds can be as simple as putting 1tbsp in water after breakfast to keep you full and help stave off hunger pangs before your morning coffee break. But, you can also use Chia Seeds in many different ways since they are virtually flavourless.

Add them to oatmeal, muffins, protein shakes, puddings, quinoa, just about anything really!

How do Chia seeds keep you full? Well in addition to their high fiber content, When soaked in water Chia Seeds develop a jelly like coating kind of resembles tapioca pearls. This beautiful trait of the Chia Seeds is what keeps you belly full, and help to fight off hunger between meals!!

Pretty cool, eh? I was amazed when was doing my research and read about what they do. I went out last night and bought a container from the health food store and tried them for the first time this morning.  I added a tablespoon in my protein shake, and honestly, I made it to my morning coffee break (which I ended up taking late b/c I actually forgot about it) I was that full that I actually FORGOT about my morning coffee break!!!!  This thing is amazing! I am going to try it in a muffin recipe tonight!! can’t wait!

Below is a picture of what chia seeds look like raw and unsoaked:

November Goals

I can’t believe it’s already November! Where did the year go?

I am kind of excited about it though, I love the holiday season.

Since it’s the first day of a new month, and we’re nearing the end of the year, I thought it would be a good time to list some of my goals that I would hope to achieve this month.

1) Continue eating clean!: I love the way I feel knowing that whole, natural foods are the only things going into my body. I love the effect it has had on my mood and energy levels, and most of all my waistline!

2) Continue training mean!: Pretty much the same thoughts as above, elevated mood and energy levels…great effect on my body, I adore feeling stronger, I just realized today that my 30lb boy doesn’t feel so heavy anymore!

3) I hope to see a similar reduction in my weight by the end of the month, I had lost 3lbs in the month of October. I aim to step up my game a bit to increase that this month, but if I lose the same 3lbs this month,  I would be happy since it’s very evident that it is the net result of loosing fat and gaining muscle which doesn’t always show up as a huge loss on the scale. I’m already feeling like the weights I use to train are getting a bit easy, and so is my cardio routine. Definately hoping to kick it up a notch!

4) I want to see this blog flourish! I have only just started in the last week of October, but hopefully in a month I can see an increased number of followers. I feel like making a difference, and I know first hand how hard it is to fit in trying to “get fit” in a busy schedule.

5) convert at least 1 person to the “eat clean” lifestyle!!

I guess that’s all i can think of for now…it will be interesting to check in at the end of the month to see how I did!!!

Happy Halloween – Pumpkins are not just for carving!

Happy Halloween!

In the spirit of the day…Let’s talk PUMPKINS!

Pumpkins aren’t just for carving my friends!, They come with many health benfits…and can be cooked in a variety of ways.

Pumpkins are a fabulous source of nutrients, and are naturally low in calories. For example, 1 cup of raw pumpkin is only 30 cals!!!! Raw pumpkin is naturally fat free, and a great source of dietary fibre, as well as high in Vitamins A, B6, C, and E. it is high in Magnesium, Iron and many other “good for you” nutrients.

Some benefits: Beta Carotene can help reduce night blindness, and Magnesium is great for strong teeth and bones, and it prevents abnormal blood clotting.

Pumpkin seeds are great too! They’re a good source of protein and make a great snack to help fight off hunger…snack on a few today – or better yet, sprinkle some on top of your salad.

Here’s a great recipe for pumpkin soup that I love in this season:

1tbs EVOO (extra virgin olive oil

2 orange bell peppers, diced

1 large onion, diced

2 medium carrots, peeled and diced

1/2 tsp cumin

5 cups low sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

2 cups of pumpkin puree

salt & pepper

In a large pot, or dutch oven, heat oil and add onions, sautee untill tender. Add peppers, carrots and spices, and sautee untill tender. Add brot, bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Blend your wonderful creation until smooth, and then add the pumpkin puree. Keep on low heat and cook for another 10 minutes.

ENJOY!!

This is where it all begins….

I’ve been thinking about starting up a blog for over 6 months now, but have never found the time. So now, when I’ve decided to make a change in my life, I thought – there’s no better time than now to start my blog!

I’ve struggled with my weight all my life, and like anyone else out there, I’ve always wanted a time in my life to come where I didn’t have to worry about how much I weigh, or what size I am. I’ve decided that time is now. I’m turning over a new leaf, focusing on something else…feeling fit and being healthy for my family.

I want this blog to be a record of my journey to achieving my fitness goals of eating clean and training mean! Being a busy working mom often leaves little time for health and fitness, but I’m willing to take on the challenge and see if I can achieve my fitness goals, increase my energy, and keep up with my 2.5 year old.

Join me as i chronicle my journey as I become some FIT Mama!!