friday

friday in list format:

1) weigh-in day! this morning i weighed in at 118.2 pounds, which is 2.2 less than last friday, and more than 4 pounds lower than sunday. i'm feeling really fit and i owe it all to a) exercising every day b) oatmeal and portion control and c) having the willpower not to snack between meals and my planned healthy snacks, and at night.

2) this morning i got up early and did 80 minutes, changing intervals on the treadmill. i read two, yes, two, entire people magazines during that time. i am a big fan of borrowing magazines from my mom (who's office has a people magazine subscription) and the library, since i go through them so fast.

3) i am spending tonight on my own, so i am going to canadian tire to buy paint for my apartment. also, i think i'll go to walmart and look for some new workout shorts. i usually work out in pants but lately i've been into the shorts. and i only have one pair of somewhat suitable short and they are way too big for me. can anyone suggest some neat paint colours for me? i have a red couch in the living room, and velvety curtains. here is a picture of the pillow on my couch. see those circles? well i was thinking of using those colours as inspiration. maybe a gray wall colour. silvery-gray, not blah-gray. and then what about a green bedroom. i really like green... it's so fresh. i still have the bathroom, den, and kitchen. i love yellow kitchens... but i don't want my house to look like an easter egg. although i do want it to be vibrant and fresh looking. advice! i also like purple and was thinking about that or blue for the bathroom. also, does anyone have any tips to make a room look bigger? my den is very small and boxy.

4) anybody doing anything exciting this weekend? since it's just me tonight, i might make a pizza (or buy one) and rent a movie, or watch what not to wear. isn't that looking good naked on tonight? is there anyone in canada who has seen the american and not the british version of this show? for some reason whenever i see it on the tv guide channel it's the british version. it's good, but maybe less relevant to north american ways... i don't know. tomorrow night i am going dancing at my favourite 50s and 60s rock n roll night. i haven't been dancing in sooooo long - winter hibernation has been setting in.

today's menu - more oatmeal!

pre-work out:
4 almonds

post work out:
handful of cinnamon shredded wheat
coffee

breakfast:
coffee
weight control maple brown sugar oatmeal
strawberries

snack:
cottage cheese

lunch:
fibre berry medley oatmeal
strawberries
clementine

snack:
cookies and creme oatmeal
banana yogurt

dinner: maybe pizza!

for once

i am nervous and excited for tomorrow's weigh in. i am feeling really good and looking pretty good, but like many the numbers on the scale can have an influence on my mood. sort of. actually if i am back in my maintenance range i'll be happy. i know last friday i was only 0.4 over it, but saturday i was more than a pound over and sunday more than 2 pounds over. i don't even want to think about monday after sundays gorge-fest. i am pretty good about shrugging off bad numbers actually, i just want to see results for the work i put in this week.

last night for dinner we had fast fry steaks, salad, and whole wheat rotini mmmmm. delicious. and a post dinner snack of smartpop mixed with ketchup chips. i managed to eat mostly popcorn which was a victory for me because i loooovvvveee ketchup chips.

this morning i woke up and had a great run on the treadmill. except for that my headphones stopped working in one ear a couple of days ago. yesterday i went headphone shopping but couldn't believe how expensive they were, so i am going to try ebay. i decided to try running with no music, and let me tell you it was a very pleasant experience. i felt really in tune with my body and running, and my thoughts were very clear. until the big guy with b.o. got on the treadmill beside me and i could hear his music through his headphones. so i did some running and stretching, sit-ups and pushups, and i think i will go back tonight for some strength training before tap class. i really love getting cardio out of the way in the mornings. it sets me on a happy track all day long.

here is today's menu:

pre-run
1/2 slice sprouted grains bread

post-run
other half of bread slice

breakfast
banana bread oatmeal with added flax and splash of unsweetened almond joy
blueberries and strawberries
coffee

lunch
low fat coffee yogurt
weight control maple brown sugar oatmeal
clementines

snack
clementine
cookies and creme oatmeal

dinner
maybe oatmeal pancakes and peas. for some reason i am craving these pancakes again. :)

doing well

wednesday and it's FREEZING today. wowee wowee. but it's ok. last night for dinner i had peas, cauliflower with frank's chili lime hot sauce, and mix of tuna, onion, and sun-dried tomatoes mixed with mustard, baked until hot, and served over a slice of multigrain toast. i made way too many veggies so i have a bit left for lunch today YUMMY. i knew i really should eat tuna when i was STILL craving it. maybe i heard john tesh talking about mixing it with mustard or something haha.

so canadian girls, i have a freebie for you. it's a 32 page guide to your health called live well: a woman's guide to optimal health. i can't vouch for how good it is because i just ordered mine this morning. but why not order it? it's free (my favourite price).

i am feeling good about my weight and health, but i'm not stepping on the scale until friday because a) it's tom, which truthfully i don't think affects me as much as other women and b) i don't want to get discouraged.

i got up again this morning and walked for 60 minutes on the treadmill. i bumped my speed up to 3.8 mph and changed the incline from 0% to 11% every 1.5 minutes. EDIT: i also forgot to mention that i actually went swimming in the condo pool last night - only for about 1/2 an hour and definitely not strenuous, but it was fun and i will go again soon.

here is my menu today:

breakfast:
pc blue menu multigrain oatmeal with added flax
clementine
coffee

snack:
toffee yogurt

lunch:
leftover peas, cauliflower and tuna mix
clementine

snacks:
vanilla yogurt
cinnmon roll oatmeal

dinner:
not sure as my boyfriend is coming over tonight.

ps. it turns out my kitchen scale was not delivered because UPS didn't have my apartment number - GRRRRRRR. hopefully it will come soon now that it's cleared up.

cookies and creme oatmeal

this is cookies and creme oatmeal:



i couldn't find ANYTHING about it on the quaker site, and this photo is from a site called "canada only" so.... that sums it up. it's for kids and by the "dino eggs" oatmal... it's ok nutritionally, but not really tasty enough to make the switch. i always thought this one would be super tasty and it's pretty tasty but nothing to write home about.

EDIT: now you can buy canadian products online WTF and have them shipped anywhere. hahaha. for some reason this really amuses me. maybe because i think of canadians being so gung ho for american products. i recommend the swiss chalet homestyle gravy hahaha.

http://www.canadaonly.ca/

feeling better already

i think my oatmeal plan is working. by the end of the workday i had three packs of quaker instant oatmeal and i truthfully i was a little sick of oatmeal. but then for dinner i had oatmeal pancakes (and peas). funny because this morning i got a comment on my last post suggesting oatmeal pancakes. maybe it was the vibes of the universe ;o). i didn't really feel hungry all day, except before my workout and dinner. already i feel really in control and less likely to snack on things that i don't need. i want my stomach to get used to eating small meals, 4 or 5 times a day, and this really helps. and already i'm craving weird things like tuna and mustard.

last night i went for a 4 mile run. i had to stop and start a little because my womanly areas were feeling funny (wed. is t.o.t.m.) - also i had to go to the bathroom. so i walked for 5 minutes, ran for 25, walked for 2, ran for 5, walked 2, ran 3, walked 2, ran 2, cooled down walking for 5. in the end it was more like 4.6 miles but i wanted to get a full 35 minutes of running in. i also did some stretching, sit-ups, and strength training. i went to the bathroom in the women's change room, connected to the pool, and it is soooooo nice. why am i not swimming more? maybe i will swim tonight or tomorrow morning. maybe!

my oatmeal pancakes were delicious - i added flax. a side of peas may seem strange to some people but i figure that i only can eat whatever i want for dinner for so long, without having to think about other people, like "men" or "kids" so i might as well just eat what i want.

this morning i got up early (i also went to bed early which was amazing for me because i love staying up but then always regret it) and walked for 81 minutes on the treadmill. i walked at a speed of 3.7 mph which is really comfortable (not too fast) and changed the incline from 0% to 10% every 1.5 minutes. a good workout for sure, but not necessarily difficult which i like.

so it has come to my attention that when i'm in the car listening to the radio, which is rarely because i usually only ever drive on sundays, i sometimes enjoy the john tesh radio program. the speaking parts, not the music. is this a sign that i'm getting old? anyhoo, yesterday i downloaded his diet and fitness podcasts and i've been listening to them on the way to and from work, on the streetcar. i really recommend them. it's just a bunch of really short tips and tricks for dieters - like things you may not know, or what to eat to feel full, or what foods have more brain power etc. he really is pushing for everyone to eat oatmeal in the morning. maybe that is why i like him so much. and he just seems like a real guy - he mentions his daughter from time to time and says that if he didn't follow his own advice he'd weigh at least 25 pounds more. so i'm recommending his podcasts to you. there are also ones about relationships and other stuff which i will move on to soon.

doesn't he look like a reliable guy?

anyway, i'm oatmealing it up again today, so here is my menu!

breakfast:
1/2 boiled apple, chopped
weight control maple brown sugar oatmeal
cottage cheese cup with mixed berries
coffee

lunch:
banana creme pie yogurt
cookies and creme oatmeal
clementine

snack or lunch 2:
fibre berry medley oatmeal
clementine

dinner:
maybe oatmeal pancakes and peas again. it is really yummy :)

monday, a new start

i have to say despite my best intentions, my eating on the weekend was pretty poor. yesterday i went to a joint birthday party for my dad and sister and ate: caesar salad, spaghetti and meatballs, pillsbury crescent rolls (plural), chocolate cake with cream cheese icing, and mint chocolate *and* heavenly hash ice cream. and THEN i went to an oscar party and ate: indian samosas, other indian things, handfuls of chips, brownies, a slice of homemade pizza, and cranberries. yes, all this food was eaten in relatively small(ish) portions and over a long period of time, HOWEVER, it's not really acceptable eating behaviour. and i should not be in the same room as mint chocolate swirl ice cream. i become a gluttonous savage beast. 

i have gained a bit of weight recently and i'm feeling kind of bummed about it. i'm still exercising, so i must be really overeating to be actually gaining weight. obviously i'm not monitoring my portions correctly, or i'm snacking - a bite here, a bite there, not recording it, whatever. so that's got to stop. especially before spring which is quickly approaching (thank the good lord above).

so i thought to myself, what is a good way to control portions while still eating the foods i love? the answer to that is another question: what food do i love most right now? oatmeal! i love love LOVE oatmeal. it's sweet and nutritious and filling and delicious. so here is my new plan for this week: oatmeal and fruit for breakfast, oatmeal and yogurt and fruit for lunch, then a more balanced dinner, like fish and veggies and yams and rice, etc. oatmeal is so quick and easy to make, and i really look forward to eating it. so here goes nothing - obviously i can only eat like this when i'm on my own and nothing "social" is happening. did i mention that i LOVE oatmeal? i love it. 

breakfast:

weight control maple brown sugar oatmeal

clementine

lunch:

banana bread oatmeal

cappuccino yogurt 

grapes

dinner: ? 

snacks:

clementine

cherries

more oatmeal? just kidding.

also, for a monday laugh, everyone should check out the everyday normal guy on youtube and his second video here . seriously it's hilarious. 

where does the time go?

happy day it's friday! yesterday was the science fair and it was fun. except the gym was FREEZING and for some reason my body (especially my extremities) can't stand any temperature but warm. seriously walking outside my feet are always ice blocks. do other people have this problem? 

some of the science projects were awesome! there were these two super cute girls who tested different types of wool for "feltability" which means they knitted squares of sheep wool and felted (washed in the machine on specific settings) so that the fabric binds together and turns into felt. oh they were sooooo cute. "we are both avid knitters" they said. i hope i have daughters just like them (one day!) another girl tested the effects of chlorine on hair, and another girl looked at different fast food fries to see which ones had the most preservatives (burger king haha). very fun. 

and it was also fun to see my boyfriend in his element. his students asked, "is that your girlfriend?" and he said, "no just a science fair judge" and then they saw us walking together at lunch and accused him of cheating on his girlfriend. :o) hahaha. 

friday is weigh-in day and i gained again even though i was really good this week. i only gained 0.4 but still, now i am above my maintenance range which sucks the big nut. i am not upset about it really, i just want to stay in control. 

i woke up early this morning to exercise but changed my mind. i could have done it but i did work out on tuesday, wednesday, and thursday and my body really needs a break. last night at tap i was the worst tapper ever. i could have fallen asleep standing up. sometimes i think i push it too hard. i hate being idle so i'm always doing something or going somewhere. it's important to relax too!

this weekend is going to be really fun. tonight i am going to challenge my boyfriend to a friendly game of scrabble for a prize ;) and we are going to make chicken soft tacos for dinner (he doesn't know this yet). then we are going to watch kenny vs. spenny episodes that one of his students leant him on dvd. kenny vs. spenny is sooooooo funny. it's these two friends in toronto who just compete with each other doing ridiculous things... like seeing who can not talk for the longest. ha! tomorrow we are going to the leafs game! YAHOO! we are going with his parents. my boyfriend's sister is this awesome young broadcasting talent and she is the in-house host for all of the home games. she is on the ice, on the jumbo-tron, you can even hear her voice (at home on tv) every time the whistle blows. anyway that's going to be really rad. 

on sunday my family is having a double party for my dad and sister - he is 60 and she is 22. and then i am coming back into the city for an oscar watching party! busy but fun. 

and finally, here is today's menu:

breakfast:

clementine (0.5)

berry medley oatmeal with flax (2.5)

(3)

lunch:

coleslaw with ff caesar dressing (1)

1 cup mushroom barley soup (1)

turkey on sprouted grains sandwich (3)

(8)

snacks:

2 clementines (1)

all bran bar (2)

yogurt or cottage cheese (2)

dinner:

chicken soft tacos 

science fair day

so today i was a science fair judge at my boyfriend's school! FUN, although tiring. i will post more about it tomorrow. it is only 3:47 and i am already home. bonus. i am going to the gym to get a run in before all of the work cronies get home.

i hope everyone is having a great thursday. :)

menu:

breakfast:
berry medley oatmeal with milk and 1T ground flax (3)
3/23

snack:
ferrero rocher (1.5)
4.5/23

lunch:
avacado and brie sandwich (estimated 8)
2 potato wedges (1)
13.5/23

snack:
yogurt (2)
berries (0.5)
all bran (0.5)
almond slivers (0.5)
17/23

dinner:
chicken (2)
rice (2)
peas (1)
22/23

later:
vanilla wafer maybe :)

exercise:
4 mile run (right now) go go go
1 hour tap dancing tonight

a picture survey

i stole this survey from lex-d

next birthday age:

place i'd like to travel:

my favourite place:

favourite object:

favourite food:

favourite animal:

last movie i saw:

favourite movie:

favourite colour:

town i was born:

town i live in:

pet's name:

first job:

good morning, belle!

little town, it's a quiet village
every day, like the one before
little town, full of little people
waking up to say....

BONJOUR! bonjour! bonjour! bonjour! bonjour!

tonight i am going to see beauty and the beast. my old university roommate is the musical director and who doesn't love beauty and the beast? oh, disney, so clever. 



last night my book club was the most successful one yet. we read the line of beauty by alan hollinghurst. it was mos def not my favourite book. one might go so far as to say it was a painful chore to read, but it sparked some really interesting conversation. it is a beautifully written book—very descriptive—so if that's your "thang" maybe you should check it out. it feels like i have been reading it forever. when i have to read something for book club i feel guilty reading anything else until it's done. this morning at the gym i read my bf's grade seven history textbook (he is a teacher) and it felt so freeing :) and i learned all about new france too.

this morning i did 80 minutes of interval inclines on the treadmill. it was painful but good (now that it's over). there was a big fire near my apartment this morning. six alarm - scary! i could see the smoke from my building. luckily no one was hurt. here is today's menu:

pre workout:
1/4 fibre source bar (0.5)

post workout
1/4 fibre source bar (0.5)
1/23

breakfast:
pc blue menu multigrain oatmeal with: (3)
1 T ground flax (0)
1 T splenda (0)
1 T no sugar added maple syrup (0.5)
1 T cinnamon (0)
strawberries (0.5))
5/23

snack:

1/2 ww bagel (1)

6/23

lunch:
1 cup pc blue menu mushroom barley soup (1)
carrots and hummus (1)

1 slice sprouted grains toast (1)
9/23

snacks:
grapes (red and green) (1)
clementine (0.5)
caramel flavoured yogurt (2)
12.5/23

dinner is a mystery although i don't think we are eating until after the musical so things could get crazy.

good morning

what a lovely sunny day it is. although still frigid boo hoo whinge whinge. but that's ok. this morning i got up and hit the gym. i did 35 minutes running on the treadmill, with a 5 minute warm up and cool down walk, and some sit-ups and stretches. i really need to get into the habit of running in the mornings, before work. for some reason i was scared of doing this. maybe i thought i'd be too tired or lazy, but that's just a ridiculous excuse. and i really don't like running at night right now because i do it inside (dreadmill) and the gym is busy after work, and i think about it all day. but now it's done and i feel grrrrreat! and i have my whole evening free which is another huge bonus.

my weekend in niagara was really fun. we walked along the strip, ordered pizza, went swimming in our hotel pool, went on the skywheel (a giant ferris wheel with enclosed pods), went to the ripley's believe it or not museum, the fudge and hershey stores, watched a movie, went out for dinner, went to the casino (where my boyfriend won at slots... he always wins), went to a haunted house, walked along the falls, drove to queenston heights (where general brock was killed in the war of 1812) and that's about it. eating was bad but could have been worse, and we split our portions at each meal that we ate out.

i have decided to rededicate myself to following a stricter eating plan, also known as less snacking and eating more healthful foods. i have gained a bit of weight and need to take of it before five pounds become ten.

today's menu:

pre-work out:
1/4 fibre source bar (0.5)

post work out:
1/4 fibre source bar (0.5)
1/23

breakfast:
berry medley oatmeal made with water (2)
strawberries (0.5)
3.5/23

lunch:
1 cup homemade soup (1)
2 slices sprouted grains bread (2)
2 deli turkey slices (1)
1/2 cup peas (0)
7.5/23

snacks throughout the day:
yogurt (3)
apple (1)
clementine (0.5)
fibre source bar (2)
english toffee tea (0)
14/23

dinner:
chicken breast (2)
mixed vegetables (1)
1 cup rice (4)
21/23

after dinner:
1 glass wine @ book club (2)
english toffee or tazo calming tea (0)
23/23

19 points + 4 AP this morning.

saturday

it isn't even noon on saturday and already i've been very productive. i'm going to attribute that to my boyfriend NOT being here haha. being alone is nice because you can do whatever you want and nothing else.

i went to the gym and did 5 miles on the treadmill - about 4 running, and then some steep intervals. then some strength training, situps and stretches. there is this man at my gym who starts running on the treadmill, leaves it running, does weights for a few minutes, runs again for another minute or so, more weights, more running etc. do you think this is fair? everyone is entitled to do their own workout, but leaving it running for your entire gym time? i mean, come on. there are only three treadmills. today he was teaching his father or father-in-law about his workout program and they were doing it together which was actually pretty cute.

i am going to try and pack in 14 minutes and out the door. do you think i can do it? i am pretty organized. i cleaned last night so i wouldn't have to come back on monday to a messy apartment.

today, i've eaten:

a banana creme pie yogurt (100 cals) with sprinkles of all bran
1 cup coffee
500 ml water at the gym
and another cup of coffee
and 1 packet quaker berry medley oatmeal
with 1/2 packet of pc blue menu multigrain oatmeal
and 1 T ground flax
and 1 t peanut butter
and 1/4 cup milk

:) have a good weekend.

freitag (that's german for friday)

i have a lot to talk about today, so i'm going to do it in a list format.

1) friday weigh-in day: gained 1.6 and now am 120 pounds. note to self: stop mindless snacking immediately.

2) yesterday i bought this online. it is a starfrit electronic digital kitchen scale. it was only $19.99 with free shipping, and it has a tare function. my current kitchen scale is not electronic, not digital, has no tare function, and is so tiny. so can't go wrong.


3) last night i had an excellent run: 5 minutes walking, 35 running at a 6.2 mph pace, then 5 minutes walking cool down. and then i went to tap class for an hour.

4) after tap last night, i hit up shoppers drug mart and the grocery store. i noticed that the dominion has lean cuisine paninis now, but i didn't buy any because my freezer is full. i did buy diet chocolate cherry dr. pepper though. i don't drink pop on a regular basis, just when mixing drinks and stuff.

5) at shoppers drug mart, i bought this clearance oil of olay in-shower body lotion. you put it on in the shower and rinse it off. i've only used it once (this morning) but seriously people it's wonderful.


6) this morning i did A LOT. i woke up at 6:13 am, walked on the treadmill with interval inclines for 80 (yes 80!) minutes, made a giant pot of homemade soup, made oatmeal (the kind that takes 15 minutes), showered, got ready for work, and here i am.

7) i made a modified version of a hungry girl 0-point soup. i made this soup to have with meals, in a hope that it will deter me from stuffing my face unnecessarily.

ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
1 can plum tomatoes, diced
1 can sliced carrots
3-4 cups cabbage (i used bagged)
leftover adzuki beans
4 cups (i used 900mL) fat free vegetable broth
salt
pepper
mrs. dash original
many shakes of frank's chili lime red hot sauce

directions:
in a large pot sprayed with non-stick spray, cook onion for 2-3 minutes, chop the tomatoes from the can, add everything including tomato juice. cook for 2-3 minutes on medium. add carrots, cabbage, beans, broth. bring to a boil, season accordingly, reduce heat and cover for 5 minutes, and voila! the original recipe made five 0 point one cup servings. mine made a lot more than that and probably 1 point per cup, or something because i added the carrots and a few beans... maybe. does it matter? no, it does not. the hot sauce made it really good.

8) tonight i am going to see 27 dresses with my main gal pal. am looking forward to it!

9) my mom wants me to take her car (instead of mine) to niagara falls this weekend. hers has automatic doors and windows, an automatic starter (from a remote), and heated seats. mine has none of these things and makes funny sounds.

10) what does everyone think about these?

11) today's menu:
1/2 cup oats with milk and pumpkin
orange
homemade soup
turkey and swiss sandwich on rye
caramel yogurt
more soup
grapes
popcorn
something chocolately

things to do in niagara falls

last night was my valentine's date at the chalet swiss. i had a garden salad with fat free raspberry vinaigrette dressing, a messy chicken sandwich with mashed potatoes, and we split a 1/2 litre of wine. this meal was a lot of weight watchers points but only about 600 calories (not including the wine) which isn't that bad.

sometimes these weight watchers points annoy me. let's say that i was in weight loss mode. i would be eating 19 points per day. not a lot. and if you calculate calories, that could be as low as 950 calories, which puts your body into starvation mode. obviously at 19 points a day you have to find creative ways to eat more food, like 0 point fruits and veggies, and up the fibre... but still. on the other hand...

i see people eating 2,000 calories a day and still losing weight. i think that if i ate 2,000 calories a day, i would gain weight. i know it's true, actually. i mean 2,000 with no exercise at all. i know everyone has different metabolisms but i just don't understand it really. maybe it's best to avoid thinking about it at all.

and as promised, here are some pics from last year's romantic valentine's getaway to niagara falls. there is a lot to do there. including, going through the most terrifying haunted house of all time:

yes, this is my real face and i didn't know they were taking a picture at this time. it was pitch black... i couldn't see those ridiculous gravestones on the wall.

or, you could go to the old tyme saloon:


pretty funny. i think anyway. i just found out that we are going out for lunch today at work... i am still stuffed from breakfast.

here is today's menu:

breakfast:
1/2 cup oats
1/4 cup pumpkin
mixed seeds

lunch:
enchiladas

dinner:
leftover enchiladas i assume

it's only wednesday

it's only wednesday. but that's ok. last night there was ANOTHER major snowstorm. it took me a really long time to get home on the streetcar. it's brutal out there. even though today is cold it is thankfully sunny. i need sunshine in a major way. hurry up summer. i am fantasizing about dragging my new papasan chair out on the balcony and reading in the hot sun, while drinking a calorie-free iced beverage. doesn't that sound nice?

so tonight is my big swiss chalet date. apparently there was a "misunderstanding" and my boyfriend thought we were ordering in, while i thought we were going to the restaurant. don't worry, i cleared it up ;) but seriously, if it's too cold or whatever i'd be happy to order in. although ordering in... i don't know. sometimes it just doesn't do it for me. if i'm going to eat at home in front of the tv (because that's what happens at home) i'd rather have something healthier and cheaper. so we'll see. i like to order in thai food. i used to live near this great thai place but not anymore. boo hoo hoo. they had the best spring rolls and panang chicken. the thai food i like the best uses peanuts and coconut milk which is not the best in terms of health.

i am really looking forward to the weekend. yes, the brock plaza hotel is amazing. marilyn monroe stayed there while filming a movie. and...

"As Niagara’s first luxury hotel it has long been a favourite of Hollywood elite and royalty. Since it’s opening the Brock Plaza has played host to notable guests throughout history including Walt Disney, Shirley Temple, Jimmy Stewart, Princess Margaret, Queen Elizabeth, and perhaps most famously Marilyn Monroe while filming the movie “Niagara”. In recent years the Brock has been graced with appearances from Sylvester Stallone, Matt Dillon, Bruce Willis, Jackie Chan, and has even appeared on film. The ending to “A whole nine yards” starring Matthew Perry was filmed on the balcony terrace on the 11th floor."

we actually went to niagara falls and stayed at the very same hotel last year around v-day, for free because my boyfriend's parents had some sort of points we redeemed. i got a great deal this year though... niagara falls is awesome - there is a lot to do. i will post some pics from last year's trip tomorrow... they are really funny trust me (and not just to me because i'm in them).

in terms of eating, i am not doing that well. did i mention that a printer in hong kong sent my office a huge basket of chocolate and goodies for the chinese new year? hershey's kisses, chocolate pizza, chocolate almonds, chocolate spoons, jujubes, popcorn, lemon butter cookies, shortbread, chocolate mints, peanut brittle. the list goes on and on. thankfully there are no more chocolate almonds as these are my weakness. did i mention there aren't any more because i took them home and ate them all? yeaaahhhhhhh.

today i am focusing on mindful eating. healthy snacks between meals to avoid the crap.

menu:
breakfast:
tea
organic maple nut oatmeal with a few blueberries and 1/3 banana
coffee

snack (only if i'm hungry):
apple
cottage cheese

lunch:
mc frozen dinner
frozen peas, microwaved

dinner:
swiss chalet

r is for romance

so... what's everyone doing for valentine's day? on the actual day (thursday) my boyfriend is taking me.... nowhere! it's not a good day for romance because i have tap class and he has band rehearsal... i think. anyway we are going to swiss chalet tomorrow night instead. 

you may think... swiss chalet for valentine's? isn't that lame? no, it is not because 1) swiss chalet is tops and 2) we are going on a romantic mini-break holiday weekend to niagara falls from saturday until monday! yahoo! and we are staying here at the Brock Plaza which is one of the nicest hotels i've ever been to. did you know it was named after general brock? he's a hero, look it up. and that marilyn monroe stayed in this hotel? 

it's something to look forward to. i am feeling really unmotivated about everything. i don't want to do anything. i am forcing myself to go to the gym but only because i'm hoping this feeling will pass. winter blahs anyone? last night i ran on the treadmill and went on the stationary bike, and this morning i walked on the treadmill. tonight i am going to clean my apartment (for sure) and then "chillax" in a major way. 

there are treats in my office - a big basket of chocolate and candies was delivered from hong kong for the chinese new year. grrrrr. i could not resist the temptation yesterday but today i will. happy tuesday, and here is my menu:

pre-walk:

1/2 pc blue menu cinnamon raisin bagel

post walk:

tea

other half of bagel

breakfast at work:

grapefruit (this was insanely delicious... go out and get one immediately)

berry fiber oatmeal

lunch:

carrots with hummus

ham and swiss on whole wheat

salad 

snack: 

cup of cottage cheese with fruit

apple

dinner:

?

frigid monday

WOW it's cold today. -15°C or feels like -24°C with the windchill. i am wearing leggings underneath my pants and it's making me feel a bit chubby. this weekend was alright although i was a real grumpy gus for no reason. 

friday night i went to a bar for my friend's birthday. there was a good band playing but the venue was SO SQUISHY. seriously couldn't move. and there were mirrors on the walls that gave the illusion of a big space but alas that was not the case. 

saturday i went for a run at the condo gym. it was alright except i felt asthmatic and it was hard to breathe. i normally don't have this problem. in the day my boyfriend and i went grocery shopping and picked up a movie - the heartbreak kid with ben stiller. it was funny in parts but mostly stupid. at night we were supposed to meet my boyfriend's friends at a dance bar, but the line was too long. we went somewhere else but not for long. both friday and saturday night i passed out big time - from exhaustion! i don't know why i am so tired lately.

on sunday i met some of my girlfriends at the movies. we saw persepolis which was amazing! we read the books in our book club. i really recommend both the books and the movie. i visited my family in the burbs and watched the jane austen book club with my mom and sister. it was cute. i sure watched a lot of movies this weekend... i don't even like watching movies that much because i have a short attention span. 

food wise i didn't make the best choices. shall i list them? poutine, licorice in large quantities, movie popcorn, ketchup chips, pillsbury turnovers, pasta with alfredo sauce. :( this week i need to get back on track with healthy eating. for me, that means only eating when hungry. the body is very smart and will tell me when it's time for more food. i hope anyway. 

today's menu:

1/2 weight watchers bagel (1)

tea

coffee (0.5)

pc blue menu oatmeal (2)

banana (2)

campbell's butternut squash soup (4)

goldfish crackers (1)

2 clementines (1)

fat free yogurt (1)

1/2 weight watchers bagel (1)

and for dinner... i have leftover pizza so maybe that and a salad. 

hooray it's friday!

i love fridays, but who doesn't? people who have to work on the weekend, that's who. thankfully, i am not one of them. 

last night i did four miles on the treadmill and then went to tap. my run wasn't that great, but tap was fun. i've started doing this new super stretching routine after any cardio and it's really making me feel good. lots of leg stretches, side stretches, back stretches, some push ups, some yoga moves like the downward dog. my hamstrings are SO inflexible. i can't even touch the ground or my feet with my legs straight. i took yoga last winter and liked the flexibility it gave me but thought that the class was sort of boring. not the class itself but doing the same sun salutations over and over and over again. switch it up! anyway i really need to work on flexibility so i need to keep doing these super stretches when i work out. incorporate it into my routine, you might say. 

so i've decided to take another sewing class, i think. it starts in march and is 4 sessions.... and is "how to make a pencil skirt." doesn't that sound awesome? i think so. i should sign up fast to claim a spot, since there are probably only six spots. hmmmm. i am also taking a photoshop course in march. too busy? maybe baby. 

i got up this morning and did 60 minutes of interval inclines on the treadmill, then stretching of course. today was supposed to be a day off but i woke up early with energy and thought i might as well. today was friday weigh in and i gained a WHOPPING 0.2 pounds which is a great maintenance amount. wow — i could not spell maintenance for the life of me. i had to google it. i kept putting maintainance then maintainence... you maintain but go through maintenance AHHHH. now that i'm analyzing it they all look wrong. and i'm babbling barbara too. 

tonight i'm going to some bar on king street for one of my university roommates birthdays. not my scene but c'est la vie! should be fun anyway. and today's menu:

pre-walk: 

1/2 fibre source bar

post-walk: 

1/2 fibre source bar

1/2 banana

breakfast: 

1/3 cup oats with

1 T slivered almonds

1 t splenda

1 t cinnamon

2 T milk

1/2 banana

2 T PB2 peanut butter

lunch:

chicken teriyaki lean cuisine bowl

carrots and lemon dill hummus

snacks:

fat free vanilla yogurt with all bran sprinkles

red seedless grapes

dinner:

not sure, maybe soup and perogies

bunnies in a car

toot toot! so...

i like to drink something hot before bed... tea, just hot water, a hot alcoholic bev... anything! so last night i made my boyfriend and i drinks with mint chocolate baileys. 

i used:

2 cups unsweetened almond joy

2 T splenda

2 shots mint chocolate baileys 

and

3-4 drops of red food colouring which made the drink a pinkish colour. 

i added the food colouring to make it seem more minty, if that makes sense, like a peppermint. the drink actually came out really thick and sweet and yummy. i told my boyfriend about the food colouring and he said great idea, and now that it's pink, can't you taste the strawberries in it? 

and i could! isn't that so weird? that because i was drinking a pink drink and thinking about strawberries, it began to taste like strawberries. so weird. one of our upcoming books at work is a science book, and there are experiments that prove the power of sight and suggestion really influences taste. for example, if you stare at an apple while biting into an onion or radish, apparently it is supposed to take on an apple-like flavour. true or not? try it out... but it's in the book for real! 

so maybe this power of suggestion is why i can eat healthy versions of my favourite foods and think they taste so great. i love mashed yam and cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes, but i think of them as a mashed potatoes substitute and that's why they are so good. who knows. 

there is SO MUCH SNOW on the ground this morning. ayayaya! and tonight i have to drive (to tap class) too. one more day until the weekend!

OH YEAH! the poll is over. 

11 people store their cups lip down

7 people put them lip up

and 4 people put "other"

very intriguing! if you put other, TELL ME how you store your cups, glasses, and mugs! i am very interested! i personally store my cups lip down, but could go either way since i use so many my cupboard is often empty, meaning that there really is no chance of dust collecting. 

so i'll think of a new poll soon. i was going to ask if people believed in the power of taste suggestion, but "yes" or "no" answers are boring! 

today i'm eating:

a oatmeal pumpkin pancake

fiber berry oatmeal

2 clementines

a ziploc bag of red seedless grapes

a ham sandwich with swiss cheese on rye bread

a fibre source granola bar

coffee & tea

and for dinner... not sure, but i'm dining solo tonight so maybe another oatmeal pancake (i love them) or perhaps a veggie burger, or maybe even a lean cuisine pizza. 

:)

thanks everyone for all of your nice comments yesterday - you are very thoughtful - all of you! :) i am feeling more like myself today... less in a hazy daze. my uncle wouldn't want anyone to mope around feeling too sad. now he isn't suffering, and is in a better place. 

last night my finance planning seminar didn't take place. i walked for 60 minutes on the treadmill and did some really good stretching and sit-ups. then i watched biggest loser. i won't ruin it for anyone who didn't see it yet but i have to say, i really loved the challenge this week - the cooking one. it was awesome. they prepared these really nice dishes and they were pretty low calorie. not to mention that chef rocco was so cute. and i loved how he taught them how to cook afterwards instead of just making a meal. the vote-off was not that surprising... what do these people expect?

since it was pancake tuesday, i also made pancakes! oatmeal ones of course. 

ingredients:

1 banana, mushed

1/3 cup oats

1/3 cup egg whites

1 t vanilla

1 t baking powder

1 t cinnamon

1 T splenda

1 T peanut butter

1 T jam, any flavour

directions:

mix 1/2 mushed banana, oats, egg whites, vanilla, baking powder, cinnamon, and splenda. let sit for a few minutes. turn on pan and spray with non-stick cooking spray. pour in 1/2 mixture and form into a pancake. flip when needed. makes two. then top one pancake with the peanut butter and the remaining mushed banana, and the other pancake with jam. SO GOOD. 

that's about it. today i'm taking a break from exercise (for sure!) and spending a quiet night in with my boyfriend. nice! today on the menu is:

fat free yogurt, with strawberries and all bran sprinkled on

maple nut organic oatmeal

2 clementines

campbell's healthy request herbed chicken noodle soup

1 slice sprouted grains toast

maybe some carrots and hummus

and dinner, as always, unplanned

sad

today is a sad day. last night i got home from work, went down to the gym and ran an easy four miles, signed up for this free financial planning seminar that my condo is running (it's tonight but so far i am the only one signed up), and went to meet my friend for drinks. it was fun but i noticed i had a voicemail on my phone. since the bar was busy i didn't listen to it. then later, around 10:45, my mom called, acting all weird, saying that she was worried about me because she didn't know who i was out with, and it was raining and getting late, and to take a cab home (it's a ten minute walk) and she will pay for it, etc. this is weird because i have not lived at home for seven years, since i was 19, and although we talk a lot, she doesn't regularly check up on me like this. 

so i go home right away and call my mom, and she tells me that my uncle has passed away. he had lymphatic cancer but wasn't expected to die or anything, so it's a bit of a shock and really sad. he didn't have kids of his own and we were really close. :( so anyway, it's a sad, sad day. and scary to think about my parent's siblings dying - really makes me think about mortality... 

ANYWAY today i'm eating:

organic maple nut oatmeal

2 clementines

a turkey and mozza cheese sandwich on whole wheat

strawberries

yogurt with all bran sprinkled in

and for dinner i haven't thought about it

i forgot about this!

i ran out of keroppi stickers and had to start using valentine hearts. be mine! 

heh

being "a cup annie" is good for something!

monday monday can't trust that day

ah, monday again. i had a great weekend. on saturday i went for a jog and then hung up a picture and made the other bedside table. we went to a fun party outside of the city - it was a house party and so cute... there were little bowls of candy everywhere, and in the basement a jam room so we rocked it out. i played the drums (not very well). smash boom bang!

yesterday i visited my parent's in the burbs. on the way i stopped off at planet organic in port credit. everyone on the blogs has been talking about it and i wanted to see what was up. i bought a can of adzuki beans, some maple nut oatmeal, annie's whole wheat mac and cheese, and a container of that creamy tomato soup. mmmmm. i got the beans because every time i watch you are what you eat, the host goes on and on about how great and good for you these beans are. i plan on throwing some in a salad tonight. at first i got some dry adzuki beans from the bulk section, then i found them ready in a can. i put the bag (of bulk) on the shelf and just as i was doing it an employee says, "SO! (loudly) are you finding everything you are looking for?" uh oh... caught in the act! i felt like a jerk for the rest of my shopping trip but i'm over it now.

after that i went to pier one and bought the chair of my dreams. it was on sale and here it is, although i got it in black:

these chairs are so rad. they look so retro, and i can fit my entire body in it, which is great for cozy reading time. and in the summer i can drag it out on my balcony and read there... can't wait. i have ALWAYS wanted a chair like this and now all my dreams are coming true.

THEN i had some tire air pressure problems and my dad made me go (right away! and with him) to the gas station to put more air in. during the superbowl! yes, that's right - my dad left the football to help me with my tire woes. personally i don't care about football but he does. i thought that the superbowl just happened in november but apparently that was the grey cup. shows what i know!

anyway that's about it for now. i am not exercising as hard this week. tonight i am meeting up with a friend for a drink with a capital D. looking forward to it!

my menu today:
breakfast:
oatmeal pumpkin pancake (2)
clementine (0.5)
coffee and tea
2.5/19

snack:
oatmeal (3)
5.5/19

lunch:
turkey sandwich with mozzarella on whole wheat (6)
apple (1)
12.5/19

snack:
yogurt (1)
grapes (1)
granola bar (2)
16.5/19

dinner:
salad with adzuki beans and chicken or veggie burger (5)
21.5/19

post:
drink with capital D (2)
23.5/19

i love weekends

thanks everyone for voting in my poll. maybe i'll have a new one on monday - seeing results is more fun than you might think. i made a fruit salad this morning with the only fruits in my house - mango, banana, and apple. chopped and sprinkled with sugar. i am sure it is good but i haven't tried it yet. my boyfriend is still sleeping and better for the sugar to really sink in to the fruits and make everything supersweet and delicious. too bad it's monday tomorrow. since friday was a snow day, i kind of feel like i had a long weekend, even though i worked from home. working from home is nice once and awhile but i would go crazy doing it every day. where is the motivation to work and not watch the view? i don't actually watch the view (because i'm at work and i find blabbing shows boring) but maybe if i worked from home i would. watch it. going now! happy weekend. :)

snow day

today i am working from home because it's a snow day! yippee! thank you mother nature. by working from home i mean i went back to bed until 9:30, changed some light bulbs, enjoyed a delicious coffee, made a pumpkin oatmeal pancake from kath eats and here i am. the pancake was MUCH bigger than i thought it would be. and very tasty. i will actually do some work today, since i brought some home yesterday (my boss told me to), but since technically i have all weekend, i can be a little slack. i wasn't going to go to the gym today, but since i have all of this time, i might as well. i'll do a walking incline interval workout. i thought about going swimming as well (yes, my condo has a pool... pretty sweet) but i really can't be bothered. i used to be a lifeguard and now hate getting wet. seriously. i like swimming but can't stand being wet for longer than i have to. i NEVER let my hair air dry or go to bed with it wet... *shudder*

anyway, speaking of exercise, it is now feb (yes!) and i put 21 stickers on my calendar in the month of january. i will post a photo on monday. friday is also weigh in day and i am 118.2 today, down 1.4 from last week. i hate being thisclose to my upper number (115-120), some breathing room is nice. i avoided snacking at night this week and i think that's what really helped.

i can finally post those pictures from my "not a model" shoot - for that CD cover. see here and here if you don't know what i'm talking about. the images are NOT going to be on the cd cover... too bad. the band was signed to a new label that didn't like the concept, even though the band did... i don't know. not a big deal. here are my two favourites:





high five! ok, off to the gym. have a great weekend everyone! :o)