How's your water?

I am looking back over the last couple of days, and trying to do some positive self talk. Trying not to fall victim to more of what has been going on yesterday & the day before. I see too that I haven't been drinking nearly enough water. Nowhere even close to 8, 8oz glasses of water. More like 1 or 2, for the whole day. So dehydration may be exaggerating the mood swings.

So needless to say, lots of augwa for yours truly today.

I woke up and wanted to get something in me that was going to keep me full for a long time. I had a big morning a head of myself. This called for a protein green monster. This one was so good, it might even be worth submitting to The Green Monster Movement site. Note the spill, not because it's over-flowing, rather I got distracted while pouring and made a mess lol.

Peanut Butter Vanilla Green Monster

• 1 scoop of vanilla Whey protein powder
• 1 whole banana
• 3 cups of spinach
• 1 tbsp Kraft smooth PB - running low on the cashew butter otherwise that would have been used.
• 1 cup of UVAB
• Blend & Serve

After breakfast was over, it was off to get a quick run in before hitting the gym. Cardio Bosu class today. Honestly this class keeps me going all week long. I luuurve it! Here are a few sample pics I found online of what Cardio Bosu is like. We run circuits in the class, it's great!

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I even managed to fit in an hour spin class with my fav instructor Sheena this morning. Ok, ok it's a lot yes, but I was excited and had banked on doing all of this before work this morning.

After class, I went and had a swim in the pool. However not the best of swim, I ended up getting chatty with 2 other swimmers, who also run. So there was much to talk about. I did however manage to get 5 laps, maaaaybe 6 before I had to take off and start working.

Needless to say burning all those calories I needed to refuel before I would have time to get a typical morning snack in. I planned for this and had half my lara-apple-bar.

Once I got back to the office (as I had some out of office work to complete) I was ravenously hungry. I ate my apple so fast, I'm not even sure I saw it. Tupperware lid open, mouth open, apple gonzo! Two of my coworkers have recently asked me what I do to my apples to keep them from getting all brown (as I cut and pack my apple the night before). I haven't been doing anything special, and I've been more aware of this trying to figure out what my secret is. When I cut my apples, it's packing varies from Tupperware to glassware, and it's storage varies from refrigerated to left out on the counter top. Then coworker Kelly and I figured out it might be the type of apples I eat. I eat Royal Gala Apples, which I love because they are almost always firm and crunchy, unlike a soft McIntosh. Could this be the secret to not having uber brown apples?

Remember when I talked about my love for breakfast foods here? Well being in a mopey mood last night I had no grand inspiration for today's lunch. So I went with something comforting and oh-so loveable! Oatmeal! That's right, breakfast for lunch (I swear dinner isn't going to be breakfast food).

I packed my dry ingredients, and tossed some fresh fruit in another Tupperware.
Lunch Time Oats

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup of quick oats
• 2/3 cup of water
• 1tbsp chia seeds
• 1tbsp dried goji berries
• 1/2tbsp cinnamon
• 1/4tbsp nutmeg
• 1/3 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/2 cup blackberries
• 1 banana
• 3 walnut halves

Directions

• See here for standard banana mash
• Add water
• Add all dry ingredients to your banana mash mix (oats, dried fruit, seeds & spices)
• Mix well with a fork to get that banana mash goodness all over
• Cook in the nuker for 2 mins
• Top with fresh fruit and nuts
• Using your fork, mash that fresh fruit to release it's juices into your oatmeal

Manga manga!Just for an update, I have already had 6, 8oz glasses of water today (by 1:00), and I am feeling much better today. Fingers crossed that it stays this way for the rest of the day.

Question: Do you ever do uber long workout sessions? Do you feel like you need to make up for missing one?

Answer: Me? Why did I workout so much today? Because I felt like I had to? No! Did I feel like I had to make up for missing yesterday? In a way, kind of. However I didn't do all that I did this morning because I felt like I had to. I did it because this was something I was looking forwards to. I had fun doing it and seeing if I could push myself and make it through it all. I never feel like I must workout. I do get the feeling of having to, but let me explain that more. Being that I work so much and have such a busy schedule because of work, the times that I am not working, I feel like I have to workout, because I know that I won't get the chance to later, so it's a now or not today. So I have to grab the opportunities that I have otherwise it would be way too easy for me to say, I work 2 regular jobs and 1 casual, I don't have time to workout. So If I want to,I have to!

Fabulous Friday

Friday was a great day though the afternoon dragged on. Usually my boss leaves work around 3/3:30, so when he left at 2:30, I still had 1 hour to sit around at work and wait out the clock.

My afternoon snack tied me over.
Check out the short list of ingredients. Can you pounce them all? That means it's even better for you and your body if you can!
Pretty impressive nutritional information.
Key Lime Pie is also a high ranking favorite of mine. It doesn't beat out the apple flavour, but this one is so good. Coconut, tart, a nice crunch to it. Though I wouldn't eat this one for a breakfast before a workout. Key Lime Pie is more a dessert/snack type bar than a breakfast bar.
After work I had 2 lovely ladies I was meeting for a dinner date. Though because I was early I went to Home Sense and picked out some new dishes. You'll see them starting to make appearances here and there.

After I was done shopping I started to head over to Lone Star. While sitting in traffic (darn accident, a 5 minute drive took me 20), I saw a fox right beside the off ramp to the HWY401.
Finally making it to the restaurant, I had the best of intentions for the evening. I would make as many healthy choices as I could. Well that went right down the crappier.

I was hungrier than I realized I was and ended up mowing down on more greasy nacho chips than I should have. Man they were salty too!
I also gave in to peer pressure. Well no that isn't far to say, I just went along with the masses. I ordered myself a margarita. Gotta say it was pretty tasty. Only had the one and then had a glass of water after that.
Originally, we, as a table ordered a spinach dip. I knew I was going to end up eating way more calories for the day than I would need to, especially with a spinach dip. *right now I am working on not eating food just because it is in front of me*

Well lucky for me the waitress forgot to put in our order for the spinach dip so rather than keep waiting we asked her to take it off the bill.

For dinner at Lone Star, let me tell you the healthy options are sparse if non-existent. I ended up choosing the Veggie Fajita. Wow, lots of food!
I made 2 fajitas, and then,
I piled all the veggies a sprinkle of cheese, guacamole and a itsy bitsy bit of sour cream and mixed it all together. It was good, but man those veggies sure are coated in grease!
After dinner me and my two girlfriends went and saw Death at a Funeral. The movie was hilarious. I recommend going out and seeing it.

After dinner we went to Demetres. Now I again had the best of intentions of making a healthy choice. Instead of ordering a Belgian waffle with peanut butter ice cream and brownies, I thought I would ordered a fruit bowl. Well I didn't and I ended up getting the Belgian waffle, ice cream and brownie combination.

Question: Do you struggle to make healthy choices when you are eating at a restaurant with people? Do you feel a strong pull to snack on food just because it is sitting in front of you, and its the sociable thing to do?

Feeling Great

Well there is so much to write about this morning! Layoffs, workout videos, a fabulous morning workout with the husband and some pretty amazing food! p.s. sorry in advance for the long post today.

Let's start with the layoffs. Remember when I was all uber stressed out that I might lose my job? Well, the drama continues. It has not gone away by a long shot. If anything, it has gotten worse at work. Bumping is still happening all throughout the agency. Rumours as to people being bumped are being spread a week before those people have been given their notice. And these rumours people have all turned out to be true so far. Monday 2 of our 3 full time workers were given their notice and their options (accept layoff and take Employment Insurance or bump someone with less seniority). They opted to bump. Well the union president told them both, individually of course, that they might not even be able to bump down from their full time position into a part time one (our part time list is 16 people with 5 casuals). They were told that there is 16-20 people bumping all throughout the agency and ultimately our department is the bottom of the barrel so those other people might take the positions our full timers are looking to bump down to.

So what does this all mean for me? Well if this is all true and this is how it plays out. I am part time, part of the 16 part time staff. That would mean if the full timers who are 1 and 3 above me in seniority can't get a part time spot, logically that would mean I'd lose my spot as a part timer.

How am I dealing? Well I am far beyond worried stressed anymore. I am annoyed stressed. This whole process has been going on already from start (where they announced they would be making cuts) to now, has been 3.5 months. And the layoff/bumping is still going on, and could be until May 18th.

Ugh whatever, I'm so over it, I wish I could just be told one way or another right here and now what my fate is going to be. I'm sick and tired of them stinging us along and it taking over my life.

Breath!

Yesterday's mid afternoon snack I shovelled into my mouth so fast I don't even remember what it tasted like. I thought I had a meeting right at 4pm, leaving me with mear minutes to eat. Turns out I didn't have a meeting until 4:30. Well at least I could relax as I digested a little. lol

1 serving of Liberte Greek plane yogurt, 1/3cup of all bran buds and 1 tbsp crasins.

I was anxious to have dinner. A repeat salad from the other day, which apparently I didn't share with you, so here it is today! This is where I used me homemade red wine raspberry vinaigrette I walked about here.

• 2-3 cups baby spinach
• 4 large (honkin') strawberries (1/8thed)
• 6-12 raspberries
• 1/4 cup blueberries
• 1/8 avocado
• 1 tbsp of cashews, slivered almonds, chia seeds, sesame seeds, Pumpkin & sunflower seed
• 5 halves walnuts

I truly love fruits and nuts in my salads.

I also ate a grapefruit after my salad. I sneaked out of work 10 minutes early as I wanted to check out WalMart for . . . . . Some Jillian Michaels. I've been hearing a lot about her 30 day shred, so I did some research and messaged some people who had or are doing it. I was sold based on their feedback. But after 2 WalMarts and no luck, I headed to Future Shop. There I found 1 30 day shred.

Now I was looking for two. One for me and one for my girlfriend MJ. No luck finding the second, but I did find this,

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I thought well I could 'share' and by share I don't mean take turns with the DVD ;-) the two between us. And for 9.99$ each, you can't go wrong. [Source]

So MJ is going to start her shred Saturday May 1st. I work from 9am-11pm so I haven't decided when I will start mine. Maybe May 2nd-May 31 (that's 30 days). Yup seeing it now written down, that is what I will do. :-D

I ran out of Future Shop as I had a hot date at 8:30. None other than my favourite Hot Yoga! It was an advanced class. This is my second advance class, and I'm loving it. I love trying all the balanced postures (extended side arm balance, eagle pose, peacock, crow and headstands). Luuurve it!

This morning came so early. Even earlier for Kevin (as he didn't get home and to bed until 1:45am). I was so so so happy that Kevin agreed to get up with me for a early morning workout.

For breakfast I started again with my new favourite Apple Larabar. Honestly its perfect for me first thing in the morning before a workout.

After mowing down on this, it was out to get on the bikes. Not before stopping to use some masking tape on our right pant legs (neither of us have chain guards and it was only 6 degrees Celsius out). Sadly I didn't think to take a picture of this.

Off we were for a 13k bike ride followed by a short 2k run. My energy was running low and so was time before work otherwise I would have pushed through for more K's. Back at home Kevin and I did some weights working our arms and then did some ab work.

Then as I promised Kevin, I would show him the advance postures I've been working on in Hot Yoga. He was impressed with my progress (I can't always get the poses or hold them too long but keep practising).

I grabbed a quick shower and though I was going to have a mushroom egg white scramble, I was short on time. So I made something I could take with me in the car to work for a mid morning snack.

• 2 tsp ground flax
• 2 heaping handfuls of baby spinach
• .66 of my banana from yesterday
• 1/2 pint of blueberries
• 1/4 pint raspberries
• 1 cup Almond milk
• 1 beet

It was delish and hit the spot around 10am this morning.

Question: What is your favourite Yoga pose? Have you ever tried a pose you didn't think you could do, but gave it a try anyways?

For me that was the first time 4 weeks ago when I first tried a headsatand. It felt great just getting into the pod.