My guest post on Tosca Reno's blog!!!

  So today is the day guys!!! I am so excited and honored to be picked to guest blog!!!! I would LOVE for you to go check it out!! So go visit Tosca Reno

I also have the link button to The Eat Clean Diet down on the right. If you go to the site I am on The Kitchen Table and you can friend me.

A blog that makes me go "YEAH"

  Once in awhile you can come across someone who really inspires you. Someone that writes something that you say wow~" I love that" or okay~" light bulb moment". I recently found a blog that has done just that. Lindsay's Ramblings is a VERY fit young lady. She is strong in her faith and her biceps. She is tiny but amazingly strong. I LOVE her attitude about weights and clean eating. What I have learned from reading her blog and archives are things I am going to put into my own training. LIFT HEAVY, have one cheat meal a week and that my body will only get better with time. Pick better goals..".training goals" not weight loss.I think the thing that has really hit me is this isn't going to be a quick fix this is going to take time.This quote is from Lindsay's blog a post from June 2011.

  "Getting an amazing body is hard work. It's not something you get in month, or even 3 months, or even a year! IT TAKES TIME. A LONG TIME. It's not just something you get by changing a few little things in your diet here and there or exercising a couple of days a week, or lifting light weights.

It's a CONSTANT changing of your habits and lifestyle. It's changing your whole mindset. It never stops-you must constantly evolve and try to become better and healthier. THAT is when you will get results. When you are willing to change. When you stop trying to just get in shape quick for that trip to the beach, and you start wanting to change yourself for the better, from the inside out."

  A couple of days ago Lindsay had a fantastic post about the scale. You should check it out. If anyone can convince you to go heavy Lindsay can. I feel so inspired I have always LOVED weight training and she is making me go harder. Her words and too die for muscle has me getting downstairs and pushing out some bigger weight on my sets.
  

This is Lindsay and she looks this way not to compete but because she loves to lift. Love it!!! Those arms and legs..yep..that's my inspiration!!!

let me introduce.. Ruth Heidrich

Photo from Ruth's Website

  I thought everyone should meet the lovely Ruth Heidrich. If your familiar with vegan books or watched Forks over Knives (if you haven't~ take the time it is eye opening) you will know the name. This photo is Ruth at 73 in 2008. She is still going strong in 2012.

  I love Ruth's story so I thought I would share her story from her website and this current article on Vegan Mainstream . Ruth was a very healthy women at 47 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She ran marathons ate really well and was in disbelief when her doctor told her she had breast cancer.

     So she fought back with the help of John McDougall's program helping her fight her cancer with a low fat vegan diet. She trained for her first Ironman after her surgery. Ruth has been Vegan for 30 years and has never looked back. She had the belief in her heart and from Dr McDougall that the change in her diet would and HAS helped fight her cancer. I love her spunk, her determination and her drive.What an amazing lady.

Two funny and lovely ladies from the HBO series "The Weight of a Nation"

  I personally believe that food plays a HUGE role in our state of health and our children's. I have been watching the HBO special " The Weight of a Nation" and it is quite scary the situation that we will all be in if we don't change. My biggest concern that our kids are the ones paying the price.I shared with John the information that the two main things that shocked me why our kids are getting so big. TV's in there rooms and the heavy marketing campaigns that the food industry is assaulting our kids with. That blew me away!!

  I am still learning and continue to be challenged everyday by the call of sugar, bad beverages and watching TV instead of getting outside. My pledge to myself and my son is that I am going to get outside every day. I will continue to add more veggies and fruit to my families daily diets. Nothing but water in his lunch kit. I am giving up coffee, pop and wine (except for a glass if we go out). I know that my weight loss is stalled by the drinks I consume. In the program from HBO they stated teenagers consume an entire meal in drinks a day. I thought lets be honest with myself .. " I do this". I have loved teas for years so in with tea and water. Yummy!!

  Is there a challenge you want to do for yourself or your family this summer?? Post in comments if you want or write them down for yourself. Lets all make this a healthier summer.

  On a fun note the countdown to my guest post on Tosca Reno blog is in 8 days. MAY 29th!!!

The PLAN !!!!

 So today I took the time to plan my food for the next little while.I am going to stay very close to what the design is here. I do follow a plant based diet but, I do have the occasional eggs.I may bump up the eggs as I weight train more. This is trail and error for me I haven't done a ton of hard core workouts and followed my plant based diet. I will get more advice from my magazines, Tosca and various blogs.I can tweak along the way.

Okay so water, herb teas ( I have tons of David's Tea's) and green tea. I am going to try to get tons of lemons in the water for the liver. I have to recommend a new David's Tea Mulberry Magic. Yummy!!!



Food

Breakfast...protein smoothie or oatmeal

Snacks.... Almond or peanut butter w whole grain crackers or celery
                 Fruit
                 1 tbsp raw almonds
                 protein shake
                 Coconut or soy yogurt w fruit

Lunches....soups (lentil and bean) w salad
                  Salads w beans or tofu
                  Fruit 1 cup

Dinner ...tofu and bean main meals
Quinoa or brown or wild rice ( this is every two days)
2 veggies of some sort


 My plan is to eat 5 times a day and also cut out sugar. I have Tosca's new Veggie Cookbook and I plan to make meals from that as well. So it's simple and that should help.

 Workouts-  So this is the workout right now. I am working to get this hip flexor injury fixed.

Weight training 5or 6 times a week...chest, back, triceps, biceps and shoulders.I am working this on rotation. This is working fabulously I am finding myself more focused.
 
 Walking with running intervals. My physiotherapist...who is amazing. She is recommending running.I was shocked!! She wants me to warm up REALLY good then start shocking the muscles. Forcing them to work differently. 

 Right now no legs...but a wall squat Keri has me doing.Mama mia!!!. It not really a squat and super hard. It is forcing those buttocks to do some more work.And butt squeezes all day long.

 Abs right now it is ALL about the core. Keri has me thinking 24/7 about the pelvic wall. Pulling it in with EVERYTHING I do.Everything I do requires me thinking about my core. Kegels..  ladies I cannot tell you how important this is!!! And side planks I am getting better every day.

I am going to get rid of 40 pounds......... it's time.

Being a MOM

Happy Mother's Day!!!!

Wow six years of being a mom. A mom to me means ... Endless laughter, little hands, a heart so filled with love it feels like it will burst, reading books, nighttime kisses, pillow fights, adventures, learning, family time.


My mom taught me that love is boundless and gives you shelter when you need it. I know I'm a better mom because I learned from the best. I love you mom!!!!!!

These are pictures from a pillow fight I will never forget!!

So true

Say "Thank You"

   I watched Oprah's tour from Toronto (I love PVR) yesterday. Wow~ did this one hit me in the heart. I took so  many notes and I can say this show was amazing. These are the things I took away from it!!

    Say Thank You!! That's it. It can change our worlds. You can't stay angry, mad or hurt if you just give some gratitude. You can't feel these negative emotions if you think positive.It's impossible!! Deepak said that living in a state of grace can heal our bodies. It opens us up.When we are constricted our bodies suffer.Open up and say Thank You.

 Finding a way to give back. I hope to teach Josh compassion and that contribution FEELS really good.   Children live through our examples. Health, fitness and what we do and say~ WE will be their biggest influences.Tony Robbins said the best message his mom every taught him~ was FEELING the gift of giving.

 Bishop TD Jake's said his mom would say to him "The world is a university and everybody is a teacher when you wake up in the morning be sure to go to school" Your mom teaching you that EVERY PERSON has something to teach you.That is a powerful message.

  I had read recently in a book The Dalai Lama asked people what the greatest challenge facing our time? His words "The greatest challenge facing our time is not weapons of mass destruction or terrorism or ethnic cleansing" he said "It is that we are raising a generation of passive bystanders." Are we teaching our children through our actions not to act on what we believe in? Actually what THEY believe in? Yes by not making time to give back, not standing up for what we believe in and by not saying thank you to those around us and the earth itself.

 Why did I write about this today? Because I felt it and by saying Thank You and being grateful and giving back you will be healthier and feel better. That's what this blog is all about.

 So say "Thank You" to someone today. So THANK YOU for reading!!

Sunday's to do

Walk in the gorgeous sun
Be grateful
Back workout
Yoga
Pick up niece
Go
See Avengers with John, Josh and Maddy. I can't wait!!!
Prep for week
Dinner and hopefully eat out on the deck in the sun

Two videos I had to share

Ernestine ~ 75 years young

   This amazing women is Ernestine Shepherd. Isn't she in amazing shape!! She is 75 years young. She is so inspiring!!! I came across her story on another blog and I had to share.

    To my delight she has a website. So what is Ernestine's story. She didn't start her journey to health until she was 56. That's right 56 ~she made the decision to get herself in shape.(It kind of blows that excuse" I can't do it at my age" right out of the water ) Her sister started started to get in shape with her and then died suddenly from a brain aneurysm. Ernestine was devastated and stopped going to the gym until a friend said her sister would have wanted her to continue. She returned to the gym with determination to get fit.

  She started slow and built up in little steps. She now trains "mostly" senior women 5 days a week. "She lives to inspire senior women to reach their potential". I would says she has surpassed this goal because she definitely inspires this 40 year old.

  This women competes in 5K and 10K races and runs marathons.She gets up at 4:00. She strength trains 4 times a week.At 71 she competed in a bodybuilding competition.

 Ernestine offer this advice on her website

  ~ Begin slowly and get guidance from a expert personal trainer
  ~ Good nutrition is important
  ~ Has support from her husband
  ~ Gets her body the rest it needs
  ~ Have a positive attitude
  ~ Know where you want to go and what you want accomplish

"Determined- Dedicated- Disciplined To Be Fit" Ernestine's Mantra

    This is what I aspire to be!!!!!!!! What a role model!! This is healthy living!! This is treating your body with respect and she shows us that it can be done at any AGE!!

      This quote is from her website " She has a lot to teach us about thriving at any age- if we are ready and open to learn."

Right Now!!

Gorgeous spring tulips!

   So I took a social media break this weekend. Did I peek at Facebook..yep!! But a quick has anyone sent me a message.Nope ... then get off.

    I got to spend the weekend with my boys. I tend to get on Facebook, my blog or other blogs and it will consume alot of my time.I can't give up these things I like them far too much. The connections with friends and family and doing my blog... I love it. But my friend and I on a walk the commented that it can be a bit much.So I took some time off . And I didn't miss anything.

    So I am setting some new priorities. If the boys are around give them my full attention, get outside, workout and look at things I love. Read things I love. If a blog is not really me~ I don't read it. If an article is not me~ I don't read it. If it opens my heart and makes me feel good~ then I'm all over it.At this stage in my life I feel my time is precious. My husband and I don't get to spend alot of time together so it's about quality of time.Josh loves family days and these are the days he will remember.Like this weekend playing at the school and he said " you need to chase me and play tag cause that's what families do!" He laughed so hard being chased.Life doesn't slow down and I need to absorb these times and make some wonderful memories.

I loved this quote by Deepak Chopra from Oprah's new show. " The most important time in your life is now, the most important person in your life is the one you are looking at right now and the most important thing you are doing is what you are doing right now". Lovely and just what I needed to hear.