Blog Archives
Random.Blog.Com
Heyo!!
Ch-ch-check out the sweet headband I got from Matt at No Meat Athlete. Thanks Matt! You’ve just helped me plump up my future personal trainer wardrobe ;)
Okay, honestly, I had no idea how to start this post, but at least I now have your attention :)
Totally loved hearing all the personal items y’all need with you at work. Hand cream and chapstick were definitely the most popular, with pictures and post-its slightly behind. Although Emily has rubber bands in the shape of zoo animals and Janetha suggested a day-by-day calendar. I was actually quite entertained by the responses!!
In other news, I was up at 5:30 am for spin class today. It was stellar as per usual. I’m actually starting to get to know some of the faces in the class. Not to mention, I feel hardcore in the bike jersey Chris got me for Christmas.
Came back home after to shower and celebrate Waffle Wednesday.
Two Nature’s Path maple cinnamon waffles topped with a blended ricotta-cashew butter-cinnamon-maple syrup mixture. I was pressed for time, but still managed to get in a fantastic waffle feast :)
Work eats look disgusting, but I promise they were fantastic.
Morning snack was yogurt mixed with vanilla protein powder and strawberries. For lunch I had leftovers a la Leah! I have a fridge next to my office, and I’ve been eating in a cafeteria with a microwave. It feels like such a luxury to have a hot lunch! (how sad is that?). Anyways, it was Indian Cauliflower Stew with added shrimp. Afternoon snack attack was two carrot cake protein squares and a cheese string.
Nothing exciting to report from work. I ran into an old colleague at the drug store after, and he was asking me all about switching from journalism to communications. Or as reporters call it – “going to the dark side.” PR work is a whole different ball game. Totally different than journalism work. I feel like I have so much to re-learn (and forget!).
I bought a can of baked beans a while back after seeing them on Caitlin’s blog so frequently. I suddenly had a hankering for them and eggs for dinner. Breakfast supper of champions.
With an egg scramble. Various veggies from the fridge with cottage cheese and laughing cow cheese. What really made it was the green olives I added. Green olives and eggs are such a fantastic flavour duo!
Dessert…
My three addictions wrapped into one. Date + PB + M&Ms. Times two.
So a while back, I was a recipient of a Beautiful Blogger Award by Averie – a beautiful blogger herself ;) It’s about time I display it proudly!!
With the award, I must divulge seven random facts about myself. I’ve done this a few times, but I suppose I can always dig up a few more things to share…
- I don’t like wine. I’ve tried, numerous times. But I just never developed the palette for it.
- Babies scare me. They’re cute to look at, but please don’t ask me to hold or interact with one.
- I refuse to have the colour pink anywhere on my road bike.
- A childhood friend died downhill skiing when I was 10 years old. I’ve since developed a fear of ski hills and have only ever done cross-country.
- I only own two exercise bras. Instead of doing laundry every day, I often hand wash them in my sink between washes.
- The Beatles are my favourite band of all time. You will be “shushed” if one of their songs comes on the radio.
- I’m still wearing that headband. It’s keeping my forehead warm!
I must pass this on to seven other bloggers. In order to keep this fair, I randomly picked seven people who commented on my last post. Kinda like a giveaway, except it’s a jpeg and not something you can eat ;)
Lizzy (random.org actually picked you three times!!)
Lisa
Paula
Katie
Jessie
Diane
Angela
Wow, random.org is pretty smart. All totally deserving and beautiful bloggers in my opinion!!
Speaking of smart websites, I urge you to go check out www.cleverbot.com. Ask it something, although the responses aren’t always that clever..
Okee, bedtime! See ya tomorrow!
Just keeps going…and going…and going…
First, I want to say HI!! to all the new readers and commenters. I love seeing new names pop up, and clicking on your blog links. It’s almost like I’m getting to “meet” new people :)
Hm. Or, I’m just a big dork.
Moving on!
I rolled out of bed for the 6am spin class today. Surprisingly, I had tons of energy! Must’ve slept decently. Lately I’ve been dragging a little, but today I felt like I just couldn’t push hard enough! It helped my favourite instructor was back after a long hiatus. Funny how a good instructor can make all the difference in an exercise class!
I prepared a pot of steel-cut oats last night so I wouldn’t have to waste any time this morning making a yummy breakfast. Just had to pop it in the microwave!
One serving steel-cut oats cooked with vanilla protein powder, cinnamon and topped with dates and almond butter.
Then I rushed out the door to Day 1 of my First Aid course. I’m doing two 8 hour days of first aid training that’s required for my personal trainer certification. My class is uh, interesting. I’m usually the type of person who is nice or at least polite to anyone, regardless of how they come off. But wow, my class consists of some crazy characters! Two people actually got into an argument while going through how to use a defibrillator. It was intense.
Regardless, I’m finding it really useful. The way I see it, there’s a good chance someone will go down while I’m working in a gym. So I’m taking it seriously. Thankfully, our teacher is fully sane and a very experienced paramedic and nurse. Lots of good info!
The best part was that I got to come home for lunch. Not having to pack a lunch feels like such a luxury!
However, I did boil two eggs last night in preparation for my lunch, so I turned them into an egg salad with mayo, pepper, onion and green pepper, then put in on toast. And the mandatory side of orange ;)
And what’s lunch without dessert!?
My advent calendar chocolate and some dark chocolate M&Ms. A little goes a long way. As in, that way you can have a little after every meal ;)
After I got out of class, I fiiiinally hit up the grocery store. I didn’t do too bad considering there were some cleaning and beauty products on the bill as well. Except, I was planning on making butternut squash soup as my “big dish” this week, and there was only one near-rotten b-nut squash left. Boo :(
To make room for the new food, I finished up the remainder of last week’s “big dish”.
Pasta sauce mixed with quinoa on top of a bed of masaged kale. Yummmm!!! I love making really simple dishes, that way I can spice up the leftovers a million different ways.
Soooo, this is shaping up to be another crazy busy week for me. Ahh! How did that happen? I don’t have a day off till Saturday, which will be 16 days from my last day off. I’m not complaining, I know some people have it just as bad, if not worse. I was just hoping this would be a period of “catch up” for me, and it’s turning into the exact opposite. I’m falling even more behind!! My apartment is thisclose to being taped off as a hazardous zone :P Oh well. I can always hope for next week… Right…?
Questions of the Day:
1) What are your favourite ways to change up leftovers? I like to put them on a bed of greens, in a pita, stuff veggies with them, add cooked grains, or even just add different spices or salsa!
2) When you’re low on spare time, what things take priority? Even though I’ve been crazy busy lately, the two things I refuse to ditch are my workouts and food preparation. I feel so much better when I’ve worked out and have good food in my belly. Unfortunately, that has also led to a piles of both dirty clothes and dishes :\
Things I Learned This Month – November
- Dark chocolate M&Ms are a wonderful addition to my Best Bowl of Oats Ever
- Workouts are only has good as the effort you put in. Especially Monday morning step classes.
- Calorie counting is okay every once in a while to make sure I’m not falling back into old bad habits.
- Amazing Grass does not make for an amazing meal replacement, but it does make for an amazing post-workout snack.
- I need to eat more healthy fats.
- Honesty is always the best policy.
- It makes no sense to work in a field you don’t love, when the field you do love is right in front of you
- I still have a lot to learn.
- The people I’ve met through blogging are amazing. You have all made my life so much richer. Every hour put into blogging has been worth it.
- I need to install food photography lighting in my kitchen.
- Chocolate whey protein powder is not a great addition to baked goods.
- If I’m not happy, I’m the only person who can fix it. Sometimes the solution is quite simple, other times it takes a little more work.
- Peanut butter tastes awesome in everything.
- Peanut butter hummus is also a wonderful addition to a turkey pita
- I will never, ever tire of pitas and carrot sticks for lunch.
- I thrive on the energy of other people. This is hard to do when I’m not surrounded by other people.
- Life is very, very long. If all goes well, I should have the opportunity to follow many dreams, and not just one.
- “Salary” does not mean more money than “wage.”
- Almond butter makes for a tasty salad dressing when mixed with sesame oil, Bragg’s, agave and lime juice.
- Tofu and chicken taste awesome together. I’m still a carnivore with the soul of a vegetarian.
- Eating does not have to be complicated. Just simple foods eaten when hungry, with an occasional piece of sumthin’ to make my tastebuds happy.
- I need to stop being who people expect me to be, and start being who I want to be.
Question of the Day: What did you learn this month?
