Fitness + Sports + Loungewear = Decathlon

It’s 2024 and we are over gatekeeping! Before the holidays I was introduced to Decathlon and was it ever perfect timing. I was given a gift card to get a few things from the store and I’ve been living in a few of these items for the last couple weeks. If you’re not familiar with the brand, let me introduce you! Decathlon is a world-renowned French brand with 1,700 stores in 60+ countries with 15 stores in Canada. They design, manufacture, test, and sell apparel and equipment for a ton of different sports. Since they do everything internally, they’re able to offer extremely reasonable pricing. We went to the Bramalea City Centre location and it is HUGE! They legit have equipment and apparel for every sport, I found these kids’ camo pants in the hunting section. They were a perfect fit (I’m short, ok!) and I 100% added to cart. 🛒

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Trying New Things: Toronto Marathon!

Last weekend I ran 5k in the Toronto Marathon! It was my first race and the first time in about 2 years that I’d run that far! About a month ago, my BFF Sarah mentioned she was doing the half marathon and I decided to sign up for the 5k. Before the race I was by myself and sure sure where or when to line up in the corrals. I saw this tiny blonde woman with big glasses ask “is this where we line up?”, I replied, “I don’t know I was wondering!” Next, she popped right through the metal barrier and started walking to where everyone was lining up. In her words “if we’re not supposed to be here, they’ll let us know“. Her energy and attitude really helped to lift my spirits before the race. Thank you, Kelly, I hope to meet you again! I kept a steady pace for the entire race and when I came to the finish line, I was ready to keep going! Next time I’ll do a 10K and then in spring 2023 I’ll sign up for the half marathon. The vibes were so high that I stuck around to watch Sarah cross the finish line for the half marathon. It was such an exciting moment to watch her run past! In a surprising twist, I came in the TOP 20 for my category! I’m feeling more motivated than ever to keep training! You truly never know what you can accomplish until you try! Here’s to more adventures & new things!

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CN Tower Climb: 1,776 Steps in 21.5 Mins!

This weekend I did the CN Tower climb for the World Wildlife Foundation! I made it to the top of the tower in 21.5 minutes. It was hard but I was really determined to beat my last time of 23 minutes. Some of the fastest times I saw were around the 14-15 minute mark, the fastest of the whole climb was 11 minutes. I don’t know how that is humanly possible! They must have run the whole way, 2 steps at a time! I probably could have done it a little faster if I wasn’t out late the night before but oh well! 🍻 Happy with my results and tbh idk if I’ll ever do it again. Twice is enough for me! Overall, proud of myself for doing it. Thought I would be sore the next day but I was totally fine. Running has clearly paid off! My next big fitness activity is the Toronto Marathon on Mother’s Day in May (I’m doing the 5k!). 😁 In other news, check this out! I had a shoot a couple of months back for my gym, The Body Engineers, and I’m on the poster for the new challenge that starts this week. If you’re interested, sign up here. In the last challenge, I came in 2nd place out of the whole gym and was the only woman in the top 3. 🎉 She’s a fitness girly now!

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Bend when you can, snap when you have to.

I’ve been going to yoga again since the start of January and it’s made a difference in my life. I love yoga; moving, stretching, bending, breathing. It sounds so simple but they call it a practice for a reason, you have to work at it. For years, I had class 4x a week with Sandy, and it changed my life. Part of my ‘Trying New Things’ this year includes going to more fitness classes at different places. I signed up for a free month of ClassPass this month to experience new places. I went to Mosiac Yoga today and I was kinda nervous for a few minutes before leaving the house but once I got outside I was fine. It was great, I already booked another class. Join me for free here. I used to have a really hard time being still, alone with my thoughts, resisting the urge to move. In 2019 I wrote a post called ‘It takes Practice” where I talked about learning how to be still, slow down. Looking back, I’m so glad I started to make changes before the pandemic. It would have been harder otherwise. Seeing the person I was in old blog posts makes me prouder of the person I am now. It’s hard to grow & change, but so worth it when you come out the other side. This is a quote from the end of that post from 2019: “If you’re feeling stressed or holding something inside, let it go. Write it on a piece of paper and throw it in the fire. There is no sense carrying it with you for another day, week, or year. Free up that space in yourself to fill it with something that makes you happy, with sunshine.” CASIE STEWART, 2018 ‘ It Takes Practice‘ The…

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She Does The City: Taking The Plunge

Over the holidays I was interviewed by Jen McNeely, founder of She Does The City about cold water therapy. If you’ve been here a while, or follow me on Instagram, you’ll know I’ve been dipping myself into cold water for the last couple of years. It started at the cottage just before the pandemic and when we lived up there in 2020, I really got into it. Check out my interview here.  I’ve got my galvanized stock tank set up on the roof at home and go in it 3-4 times a week, usually after my run and before a shower. I need to get some new lights set up for night dips. If you’re interested in taking a guided dip, check out Unbounded Well or Othership. See my past posts on cold water therapy here. Use this link for a $10 credit at Unbounded in the Stackt Market. Their outdoor experience has cold plunge wells, Scandinavian saunas, a geodesic breathwork studio, and bonfire lounges. It’s great! I’ll be there in the evening on January 18th if you want to join. 😁

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TITIKA’S 100 Fit Women – Casie Stewart!

I guess my workouts have paid off in more ways than one! I’ve been chosen as one of Titika Active’s 100 Fit Women. The image below is from their November newsletter that went out to their entire database! That same day I attended an event they were sponsoring and was totally caught off guard when someone from their team said “hey I recognize you“. 😁 Titika 2023 Ambassador I picked out a whole bunch of my fav items from the website that you can see here. As an ambassador, I have been given a discount code ‘CASIE20’ that works sitewide, even on sale items. I’ve been wearing Titika to the gym and running for the past two months. I love how stylish their collections are and the buttery soft leggings. Check out my picks from Titika & use code CASIE20 Titika is a female-founded, Canadian company, started by Eileen Zhang, a George Browm College grad. In 2015, she was highlighted as a change maker in the fashion industry by the BBC, and in 2016, she designed sportswear for Madonna’s Hard Candy gym in Toronto. There’s a great feature on Eileen here on Style Canada (2021). I look forward to sharing more activewear with you soon! I did a photoshoot with my gym recently so will hopefully be able to share some images of me actually working out. In the words of Hal Johnson & Joanne Mcleod, keep fit & have fun!

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A Different Kind of Busy

Busy at the gym, making good meals, getting good sleep, taking care of myself. Before the pandemic, I spent so much time out in the world doing things that didn’t reallllly make me happy. I was in this pattern of going out all the time, eating garbage, drinking. It was fun, at times. I still like to go out here and there, but not as often. I’m happy being a different kind of busy.

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Go Outside. You’ll Feel Better.

Last week I was so tired. Pretty sure it was Daylight Saving time, mixed with pandemic anxiety, and maybe a little burnout. I was wiped. Slept for most of the weekend and felt much better going into this week. IDK about you but I always feel great after I workout. You know, when your heart is pounding and you’re sweating, but you feel alive and energized? Some days I don’t feel like going but I know it will only take a few minutes for my mood to change. Also, I paid for the classes so I REALLY hate to miss one lol. There’s something about pushing yourself physically that makes you feel alive, saying “I can do this. I am strong.” I love that feeling, it’s been great for my mental health. If you’re feeling down or stressed out, go for a walk/run, lift some weights, or do something that gets you moving. I guarantee you’ll feel better. ✌️😊 P.S. Here’s a video of me skipping. I used to LOVE SKIPPING.

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Four Weeks of Working Out

I’m totally a gym person now. Over the past four weeks of working out, I have amazed myself at my own strength. I’m lifting heavier weights each week and I truly look forward to pushing myself a little harder. I had planned to only go for the month of February but I feel like I can’t stop now. Today I did a plank (3×45 seconds) with 35 Lbs which is a personal best! My classes are not more than 5 people and the trainers work close to help you get the right form. When I look back to how nervous I was in my first class I feel like a totally different person. I look forward to my next class the way I used to look forward to going out. ? I’m still running regularly but I’m terrified of slipping so if it’s icy, no run. One of the best things during winter is getting nice and toasty at the gym. Let this be a reminder there’s no time like now to start something new and to do it for YOU. Happy Friday and I hope you have a great weekend!

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Focus Your Power

The title of this post is a reminder for myself as much, if not more, than anyone else. Focus your power. Believe in yourself. You can do hard things. A couple of weeks ago when I heard gyms were opening up I was keen to get back into one. I got an email with a 4-week special at a spot REALLY close to home so I went for it. To be honest, I was a ball of nervous anxiety before my first class. I didn’t know what to expect, what to wear? If it would be too hard if I would enjoy it. In about 5 minutes of being there, my anxiety was gone. I knew it was a good idea and I made a friend. This is my third week going and I love it. I never really knew how to work out, to use the machines. When I used to go to LA Fitness before the pandemic I did free weights & Nike Training app workouts + running. But NOW I’ve learned to LOVE squats and lifting heavier weights, using ALL the machines. I’m proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone and trying something different. I can’t wait for my next workout. ☀️ FOCUS YOUR POWER ☀️ Workout set by my friend! Check out Sasha Exeter x Joe Fresh!

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Day 49: Work It Out

WATCH THIS ?

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My Fitness Journey (So Far)

Let me start this by staying I felt like complete shit for a lot of last year. Behind the many smiling selfies, I was in pain, depressed, and trying to ignore nerve damage in half of my face. I had been treating my body like garbage with alcohol, bad food, no sleep, and something had to change. I gained a bunch of weight and after being small my whole life, I wasn’t happy. I couldn’t live like that anymore. For a lot of 2009-2019 I went to multiple events a week, sometimes several per night. I was always on the go. I ate like crap and drank multiple times a week. When I hit my 30’s, my body changed, I gained weight, then I had a breast reduction, nearly broke my back w/ two cracked back ribs, and closed out the decade with a fractured my collarbone. A lot of good things happened in the last decade too but I’ve already shared that stuff. For years I dreamed of being a better me, one who ate healthier, felt good in a bathing suit, had longer hair, and genuine happiness that shined out of her face. That’s who I wanted to be so I started doing things differently. From September to January, I lost 20+Lbs and man does it ever make a difference. I’m saving time every day by not stressing over my clothes not fitting. I feel mentally and physically stronger. I have more energy and I’m happier. Here’s the low down on how I get here and I feel confident that I will stick to it this time because I love the way I feel. ? Fasting August 2019 I started intermittent fasting, 8hrs eating window (noon-8pm) and fasting the rest of the day. I started to feel healthier,…

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56% Of Canadians Don’t have a Will, Don’t Be One of Them!

I’m in a Facebook group for my neighborhood, someone asked about wills this week and it was CRAZY to see how many people don’t have one. This is a short post with a code for you to go to willful.co and get yourself a will. You can create a legal will in minutes for $99-$150. USE CODE CASIE15 FOR 15% OFF AT WILLFUL WILLS I created a will when the company launched and had Sean create one before he went to Israel this past summer. I can’t imagine life without him but since we aren’t married, what would happen to the house and my whole life if he died? It’s never fun to think about life without someone you love or the world without you in it, but the fact is, we all die. If you have pets, kids, assets, what will happen to all that stuff? Take a few minutes to create an online will and save your kids, spouse, or family having to deal with legal fees and drama once you’re gone. LOVE YOU. PLEASE DON’T DIE.

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DO IT FOR YOURSELF. #JOMO

I read a great article on self-care yesterday about how it’s not all chocolate and bubble baths. Self-care is doing stuff for yourself like not going out, eating well, making time to exercise, and fighting through the hard crap like cleaning your room and doing your taxes. I finally did mine this year after more years than I care to admit.  This Is What ‘Self-Care’ REALLY Means, Because It’s Not All Salt Baths And Chocolate Cake In January I set out to take better care of myself and started regular yoga and since I’ve become stronger physically and mentally. I’ve carved out time in my life to do things FOR MYSELF and not be pressured to do things or go to things if I really don’t feel like it. Sure, I have missed out on fancy parties, previews but do I really care? No. I’ve gone to more parties and events in the last 10 years than some people will ever go to. I never feel FOMO when I scroll past familiar faces smiling or posting the perfect cheers in a Boomerang. I am all about the JOMO – THE JOY OF MISSING OUT. I love skipping things to go to yoga or leave early because I have something important t0 get to (aka yoga). Last winter I invested in creating a beautiful workspace for myself at home filled with smart lights, an air purifying fan, all the plants, and photos I’d been meaning to frame for years. I love staying home and there is nothing wrong with that. This is a reminder to you and myself to not feel bad for putting yourself first. If you don’t, who will? By taking care of myself, I free up room to do more and take care of others without feeling drained or worrying about things I need…

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