Over the course of a year, I started running (again after an eight-year break), ran a 10km race and a half-marathon! Which in hindsight is crazy goals for a new runner and I wouldn’t really recommend it. Firstly, because of how hard the training was on my body. And secondly, I should have given myself more time to train for my half-marathon. When you cram too much into a short time period, you tend to make errors. But at the same time, I learned a lot and that is how I created this list of awesome hacks for beginner runners. Oddly or not, I still consider myself to be a new runner. Because I’ve only been running for a year and a half I still feel like there is so much to learn about running. Who would have ever thought there would be so much to know about something so seemingly simple? When I first started running, I thought I would just slap on some shoes and I would be off! But it turns out a little bit more goes into having a successful run. This post contains affiliate links #ads. See Disclosure for details. Opinions are my own. Why […]
80 Day Obsession Review & Results This post contains affiliate links #ads. See Disclosure for details. Opinions are my own. 80 Day Obsession promises to make you obsessed with the process. And I have to admit, I am obsessed! And not just with the process, but with the results as well. The program is created by super-trainer Autumn Calabrese, and it presents just the right workouts in just the right order. This process is guaranteed to target your abs and glutes for great results with minimal equipment. When I first started the program I didn’t think it was possible for me to be in better shape than I was already in. I had just finished training and running a half-marathon and was arguably in the best shape of my life. While I had lost a lot of weight using P90X in the past, I just didn’t believe at the time that home workouts could take my fitness to that next level. But within two weeks of doing the program, I was seeing results and was officially obsessed. Program Review 80 Day Obsession promises to sculpt a lean and strong core with a firm rear. The program focuses on strength and […]
Weight loss is hard work and having to deal with a plateau can make the process even more frustrating. Tell me if you’ve been here: You’ve been exercising, eating healthy, even losing several pounds but all of a sudden things come to a grinding halt! All of a sudden you’re no longer losing weight! The things that were working before simply aren’t working anymore. You feel discouraged and ready to quit. That my friend is the dreaded plateau. A plateau is a state of little or no change. And when it comes to weight loss, a few things could be more frustrating to deal with. Personally, I have dealt with my fair share of plateaus over the years. But eventually, I figured out how to move past them and now, how to avoid them altogether. Have you been losing weight but have hit a plateau? Here are my 5 proven tips to help you get back on track. How To Move Past A Plateau The reason most people plateau is because their metabolism has started to slow down. You might be like, what? Slow down even though I’m doing everything right? Unfortunately yes. This is a natural response to your […]
Post contains affiliate links. See Disclosure for details. Opinions are my own. I spent endless years trying to count calories. I say tried because I never experienced real success. Over the years, I’ve tried everything from Weight Watchers to imputing my calories into a calories counter app. No matter how simple the system claimed to be, I found counting calories to be really hard. As a result of finding it so hard, I just assumed that healthy eating was something I just wasn’t capable of doing. It took a long time for me to learn that healthy eating is so much more than counting calories. It’s so much more than the type of food you’re eating. Over time, I learned that it is possible to eat healthy while still eating foods that I enjoy. The best part, I learned I could eat healthy without restricting myself. Everything changed when I began to focus on portion size. When I started to focus on eating the right amount of the right foods, my relationship with food truly started to change. More Than Eating Less Calories Portion control is about so much more than eating less. When most people think of portion control […]
Post contains affiliate links. See Disclosure for details. Opinions are my own. I love love LOVE self-care. I am so happy it’s a thing so I don’t have to feel guilty about spending extra time on myself. Not that anyone should ever feel guilty about spending time on themselves but you know what I mean. There are three types of self-care; emotional, spiritual and physical self-care. And while all three forms of self-care have a relationship to one another but I’m going to spend time talking about physical care. Simply because talking about all three is way too much information for one post. It’s easy to fall into the thinking that self-care is extravagant or a luxury. And it can be! But self-care is so much more than an expensive day at the spa. Self-care means different things for different people so keep in mind that this list of self-care is simply what works for me. I know I could add so much more but then this post would go on forever! But please, do share with me you favorite physical self-care practices in the comments for me to try. Why Is Self-Care Important First, let’s talk about why self-care […]
One of the most frequent questions I get asked is “how do I stay motivated?”. Everyone always wants to know the secret to staying motivated on a weight loss journey. Motivation is a funny thing. It’s something that we can easily have an infinite amount of or none at all. And it’s all up to the individual! Motivation is the force that drives a person to repeat a behavior. And it is generally considered to be one of the most important factors that drive change within an individual. So basically, it’s pretty important. I totally understand losing motivation while on a weight loss journey. While I may have it figured out now, it still took me over 25 years and lots of attempts before I really grasped how motivation works. And whether you have 5 pounds to lose or over a hundred, figuring out motivation is hard. But there are a few tips and tricks that make a big difference in staying motivated. And I’m sharing those with you below! This post contains affiliate links. See Disclosure for details. Opinions are my own. Tips For Staying Motivated On Your Weight Loss Journey Know Your Why: Knowing your true reasons for […]
Post contains affiliate links. See Disclosure for details. Opinions are my own. When I think of the Easter season I think of endless chocolate! Easter is one of those holidays where people don’t realize how quickly you can load up on unnecessary calories. Between chocolate, candy, baked goods, and holiday dinners, its really easy to get carried away! But Easter doesn’t have to be unhealthy! You can still enjoy a delicious Easter dinner and desserts without falling off the healthy eating wagon. Instead, this round-up of healthy plant-based Easter recipes will bring your family together and help you stick to healthy eating. Plant-Based Easter Recipes Even Meat-Eaters Will Love Easter is a holiday that brings family together around the dinner table. But most people agree, feeding so many different tastes can be challenging. This can be even more so if you’re planning a plant-based meal for meat-eaters. For many people, Easter tends to be very animal specific (lots of ham, eggs and lamb) but its definitely doable to sub out these meat-based mains for a healthy, plant-based alternative. Check out my list of nutritious, plant-based recipes below and comment on which is your fav! Easter Breakfast Carrot Cake Banana Bread: […]
This post contains affiliate links. See Disclosure for details. Opinions are my own. Working out after any length of time can be really challenging. That first workout after a break, whether it be because of illness or injury, takes a certain level of planning. Personally, I just got over a really bad case of the flu. It was so bad that I ended up taking 5 days off from working out. Which for me is a huge amount of time. But it was totally necessary. If you’re not careful a cold, flu, injury, or even just life getting in the way can mean falling off the fitness wagon entirely. And most people will agree that the longer you go between workouts, the harder it is to get started again. The more days there are without exercise the more likely it is that motivation will start to fall by the wayside. The best way to make sure this doesn’t happen is to be proactive. Read my tips to get back to your ass-kicking, workout slaying self! Remember Why You Started It can be so easy to fall into a lazy routine with no activity. A body at rest wants to stay […]
Post contains affiliate links. See Disclosure for details. Opinions are my own. So let me preface this whole post by saying that absolutely nothing happens overnight. Losing over a hundred pounds took a couple of years and a tremendous amount of effort. But if there is one thing I know for sure, it is that big weight loss is 100% achievable. Something else I know? Keeping the weight off is absolutely achievable too. Obesity is a big problem across North America. Recent studies show that a shocking 69% or 2 in 3 people in North America are overweight or obese. It affects people across all races, religions, and economic class. Worldwide, it is estimated that roughly 500 million adults are obese and by 2030 it is estimated this number will rise to 1 billion. I don’t know about you, but I find these numbers scary. I also know that at one point I just stopped wanting to be a part of the problem. At the time when I started my weight loss journey, I had twin babies who were starting to eat solid foods and all I could think was that I didn’t want them to end up like me. […]
Contains affiliate links. See Disclosure for details. Opinions are my own. Honestly, part of me barely knows where to begin with this post! There are so many aspects of a large weight-loss journey that have been surprise. Or at least, many things I hadn’t previously thought about. At the beginning of my journey I was like most people with a large amount of weight to lose. All I could focus on was the scale and numbers. When I started my journey I was 249 lbs, a new twin-mom, and was overwhelmed by life. While I had been overweight all my life, I had never before been this overweight. I was in a really low place. I was so close to tipping the scales over to 250 lbs and for me, I knew that if that happened, I would fall down a hole that I might never be able to get out of. So that was the first day that I pushed play on a fitness program. And from there, I never looked back. It was about putting one foot in front of the other. Numbers, Numbers, Numbers When I started my weight loss journey, it was all about the numbers. […]