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 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 does it ever make a difference! I’m saving time 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 got here and I feel confident that I will stick to it this time because I love feeling this way. Fasting In August 2019 I started intermittent fasting, 8hrs eating window (noon-8 pm) and fasting the rest of the day. I started to feel healthier, more energized, and leaner…

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Mindful Drinking: My Journey with Sunnyside

You probably don’t know this about me but for just over 2 years I’ve been tracking my alcohol use with an app called Sunnyside. This app has had a huge impact on my life and I feel it’s truly helped change my mindset around drinking and encouraged me to be more mindful in other areas of my life. I was recently on the Sunnyside Podcast talking about how I use the app, scroll down to watch or listen! For years I went out all the time to media events, product launches, restaurant openings, and parties. Most of it has been documented here! In 2020, I started to take a healthier approach to my life by going to the gym, running, and eating healthier. This was just before the pandemic, and although I stuck to my workouts, there were times during that period when I consumed more alcohol than I cared to admit. I reached a point where I decided something had to change, I wasn’t looking to go totally sober but I knew that drinking regularly was having a negative impact. I’m unsure how I found Sunnyside, but I’m glad I did. I started with a trial which included setting up text alerts, tracking dry days, and being intentional with the times I was going to consume alcohol. The trial moved to 3 months and I began paying for the app. Now, two years later, I can confidently say it’s had a huge impact. I’ve swapped all the random events for weight lifting and yoga and am much more intentional when I do attend something. Watch this video to hear my story with the Sunnyside app or listen to the podcast here on your favourite platform. Today marks 745 days with Sunnyside and I have no plans to quit the…

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Day 375: Healthy Meals for Me

Ya girl is kinda exhausted! I took a nap after dinner and then went for a walk before the sun went down. Moving to FT from PT is definitely an adjustment. I enjoy the job but it’s just different being on for so many hours a day. I feel like WFH vs work in an office is a bit harder to handle. In an office you have camaraderie & water cooler chats, whereas being at home, it’s just you and the computer or Zoom-style meetings. In other news, I’ve been testing out some new healthy meals and thought I’d share! As part of my fitness journey over the past two years, I’ve moved towards a more plant-based diet. I’ve been doing intermittent fasting to curb my late-night eats and trying to up my intake of fruits, veg, and fiber. Some meals I’ve been really enjoying are smoothie bowls and these high-protein, vegan breakfast patties from TMRW Foods. I also ordered their burger & ground products to try later this week. I find that I’m less tired when consuming fewer meat-based products and my skin feels better. ? This dairy-free coconut yogurt from Liberté is also SO GOOD in a smoothie or bowl topped with fruit, creamy coconut oatmeal, and All-Bran buds. I love how beautiful smoothie bowls look and they are absolutely delicious as an afternoon snack! That’s all for today, going to bed early so I can get a full 8 hours. Since getting an Apple Watch I’m committed to completing my fitness and sleep goals. I’m still running each morning and it’s been so nice having warmer temps. YAY SPRING!

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Beat Winter SAD: Sweat!

Since making exercise part of my life over the last few months, I’ve started to crave the feeling I get from working out. Each night I lay out my gym stuff and look forward to going each morning. I wrote a bit about my fitness journey here and once I started to see results, it motivated me to keep going. I’m committed to not letting this winter give me seasonal affective disorder like last year, I never want to get that way again. I’m sure there will be sad days here and there (there deff are), but I know I can fight it with fitness. Today’s tip to beat Winter SAD is to SWEAT. Find a class, get a YouTube video going, download Nike Training club, dance, or jump around. Do something to get yourself moving, create endorphins, get your brain high on body moment. My Fav Apps & Fitness Resources I like the NTC app for exercises and the NRC app for running. I often do Yoga with Adrienne on Youtube or find workouts on Pinterest. There are so many free resources available online if you don’t have a gym membership. If you are in GTA and want a workout buddy to try a class, ask me anytime! I love hanging with friends and movement makes us all feel good. You got this, we can beat winter SAD!

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Day 295: Fasting + Habit Stacking

When it comes to goal setting or creating a new routine, there is no day like TODAY to start. You are the director of your life and you make the decision each day how you live out your 24 hours. Just because we’re starting a new year, you don’t need to lead with the ‘new me’ mentality. I’m moving forward with my quest for constant improvement and giving myself the freedom to follow what gives me joy. I’ve mentioned how over the last year my focus has been on health & fitness. Working out has been a big help in getting me through the cold, dark days of winter and months of quarantine. This year I’ve added a few new things to the mix, I’m focussed on mindfulness, skincare, and what I put into my body. My commitment to fitness has become a lifestyle and I wake up to workout first thing each morning, even on weekends. I’ve been stacking my habits by adding a few extras to things I’m already doing. It helps me stay on track and it feels like less work. Here’s a few new things I’m adding to my daily routine! The NRC & Zero apps are free and I’ve linked to free trials for Calm and Peloton. 10-minute meditation before I get out of bed each morning in the Calm app and a sleep meditation at night A shot of Apple Cider Vinegar w/ water first thing in the AM for digestive health Fresh lemon juice in my room temp water each morning Running at least 2k/day w/ Nike Running Club App (Last year I started with 1k/day!) 1 workout in the Peloton App (at least 10min) Washing off makeup before bed and using face oil + night cream (I need it for my wrinkles…

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