Insanity Program - Week 3 Update

First off, thank you so much to all who have either emailed me or commented on my posts regarding my fitness program. It is great to hear encouraging words from you all, and I always love getting comments on my posts! It helps me keep going! I am at the end of my third week of my nine-week journey. It has been a bumpy journey, that's for sure!

Week three was a tough one for me. I definitely felt more muscle soreness this week, which many times made me think if I should rest until my muscles were better. However, the only day I took off this week was Tuesday, and that was to go bike riding instead (not as many calories burned, but still physical activity!).

Changes

I have been noticing lately that I have become more crankier than the other two weeks (sorry dear hubby!). I think it is a combination of little sleep (for some reason 7-8 hours is not enough for me nowadays!) and less sugar intake. I think this was my body crying out for some sugar and some sleep! I have {tried to} avoid anything with refined sugar all week. I snack on fruits or make smoothies when I have sugar cravings. Or I have been eating the sweet cinnamon flavoured CheeCha Puffs (yes they have sugar, but I limit myself to how much I consume, and sometimes I definitely needed it).

Food

I have really started to increase my protein intake by eating more meat, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt and oatmeal. With MyFitnessPal, it is so super easy for me to see how much of proteins and nutrients I get in a day. Based on the daily reporting, I have noticed that my calorie intake is low as compared to the recommended caloric intake of 1790 (as per the nutritional guide calculator). I consume about 1500 on average a day. It is mostly from the fact that I am just not that hungry! I try to snack at work on yogurt or nuts, but I just feel so full. Not sure why this is happening. Maybe once I start month 2 I will be a lot hungrier. To give you an idea of what my meals look like, this is what I have been eating this week:

Breakfast (7am) - Oatmeal with strawberries and blueberries; or Apple Cinnamon Cheerios cereal with 2% milk. I would also bring some green tea in my Libre tea glass for work.

Snack (10am) - Cottage cheese; or vanilla Greek yogurt.

Lunch (12:30pm) - Leftovers: Homemade broccoli soup (recipe to be posted soon!); or homemade pizza (recipe to be posted soon!); or stuffed peppers

Snack (2pm) - Mixed nuts trail mix; or Activia yogurt; or fresh fruit (pineapple, strawberries, grapes, apples)

Dinner (5:30pm) - Homemade broccoli soup (recipe to be posted soon!); or homemade pizza (recipe to be posted soon!); or stuffed peppers; or grilled chicken with mashed potatoes and veggies.

Post-workout (8:30pm) - Fresh protein smoothie (sometimes I got hungry and had a bowl of cereal again instead of smoothie!)

I am also drinking lots of water a day!! I have read somewhere that you should drink half of your weight in ounces. So I try to do that as well by drinking about 70 oz a day, which is something I probably never did before! This is an easy one to keep track of for me during the days at work - I bring my Klean Kanteen stainless steel water bottle, which holds 27 oz, and I make sure to drink one bottle in the morning and one after lunch. Then I drink as much as I need when I get home and during my workouts.

*     *     *     *     *     *

I will give you all a fourth week update next week! Have a great weekend!

I'm sharing my journey with the "Non-Scale Victories" linkup at KTJ Weighing In

Summer Fashion

It has been a very long and cold winter here in Ontario. It seems like we only get about 3 months of true, hot weather and then 9 months of mediocre and cold weather. And it truly sucks. But hey, who am I to complain, especially considering that in some areas there were reports of snow last week. SNOW....in MAY! Yep. So I will close my mouth and shush!

With June on its way and the summer days not too far ahead, I can't wait for the cute summer dresses, skirts and shorts that are just dying to come out of my closet! (Sorry summer clothing...you have been cooped up in my closet for a very very long time!). Here are some cute pairings and clothing for 2013.

1 // 2 // 3

1 // 2 // 3

1 // 2 // 3

Healthy Trail Mix

Since starting my Insanity workout program, I have been really conscious of what I snack on, eating only what helps fuel my body for those insane workouts at night. These snacks also help to fill my hunger between my main meals, since I try to eat every three or four hours during the day. Since I work all day, it is easy for me to keep track of what I snack on. I have always brought healthier snacks with me to work, such as yogurt and fruits, but really wanted to increase some healthy nutrients as well (and besides, yogurt gets boring after a while!). So I purchased a few raw, unsalted nuts and bring a handful of them to work now, as well as dried apricots.

Nuts are so healthy for your diet. They provide your body with the nutrients it needs every day. Nuts are rich in dietary fibre, vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids, unsaturated fats and antioxidants. I make sure to pack them for easy convenience at work or on my long commute home after work. Plus I eat a few slices of dried apricots due to the high concentration of iron they have.

Spinach and Berry Protein Shake

Recently, ever since I purchased my Hamilton Beach Single Serve blender, I have been going crazy and making smoothies and shakes every day! I blend both veggies and fruits for a nutrition-packed drink. I also make sure to add Greek yogurt or a scoop of protein powder for an added boost of protein, especially since I started the 60-day workout challenge and have been working out every day. I try to use fresh fruits, but for a "smoothie" type of feel I use frozen berries and blend them frozen instead of using ice. It tastes so much better! Enjoy!

Spinach and Berry Protein Shake
Prep time: 5 min        Yield: 1 serving

---

Ingredients
- 1 small handful spinach, rinsed
- 1 cup mixed berries (fresh or frozen)
- 1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup almond milk (or you can use skim, rice, goat, or soy)
- 1 tbsp flax seed (or hemp, chia seeds) (optional)
- 1 scoop protein powder (optional)

Directions
1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!



Where I link up my posts!

A Daily Dose of LOL

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and a very nice Mother's Day!

Some funnies to help kick off your work week! Happy Monday everyone!

*     *     *     *     *     *

via

via

via

via

via

via

(Note: I do not own any of these images. They belong to their rightful owners)

Insanity Program - Week 2 Update

Last week I told you all that I was starting the Insanity 60-day workout program. This is the second week of my nine-week journey. The Insanity program is a cardio-based workout program that combines interval training with resistance training to help you burn calories, lose fat and increase body muscle and cardio fitness.

Being on week two, I can definitely feel myself becoming stronger - both in muscle and cardio. I can keep going all the way of each interval until the next rest break, and I can definitely feel my muscles getting stronger. However, I can also feel myself being more tired than usual. I think I will start to include more protein into my diet to help boost my energy as well as more sleep, which I think I am lacking. I ended up missing two days due to an injury, so that kind of sucked (being in the first week as well!). But I am determined that the next 7 weeks will go smooth.

Changes

I am also beginning to see changes, even after two weeks. I have lost two pounds so far and have definitely noticed some extra "space" in my pants and a getting-there flatter tummy. Because I work long days and my drive to work and back is a not-so-fun hour each way, the best time for me to work out is during my evenings. This way after dinner I am packed with energy and ready to go. It's also a great time for me since I can just shower and plop into bed!

Food

I am not really following the Insanity nutrition program - it consists of a very high protein and fibre diet. However, I am trying to intake more protein and fibre with both  my meals and my smoothies. I have also been cutting sugar and sweets out of my diet (although I had a slice of cake this past weekend!). The guide also states to eat five meals a day, all of the same calorie count. I oftentimes don't get hungry to eat the two extra meals between my breakfast, lunch and dinner. Instead I opt for Greek yogurt, apples with peanut butter, nuts, or fruits. This way I am not starving myself before lunch or dinner and I am keeping up my food intake. I still have sweet cravings, but I satisfy them with either vanilla Greek yogurt or make a smoothie. I have really been into smoothies and shakes ever since I started my workout program, and am making one every day. I try to mix veggies with fruits for a sweet drink. I will share some of the recipes I have been experimenting recently with you all in the upcoming days!

I will give you all a third week update next week! Have a great weekend!

Rum-Flavoured Apricot Pastries

With Mother's Day coming up, I have the perfect brunch pastries you can make for your get-together! They are super easy and so delicious - especially when they are still warm from the oven! I made these for Easter this year and they were a hit! This recipe is from one of my older cookbooks that I ended up modifying since I didn't have some of the ingredients it called for. The original recipe called for brandy (1/4 cup), but since I had only rum flavouring I used that instead. It also asked for pistachios instead of walnuts, but I like the taste of walnuts better in pastries.

It is so easy to assemble as well! Cut puff pastry sheet into 9 or 12 squares, depending on your sheet size. Spread each piece with about 1 tsp apricot jam, leaving about a 3/4-inch border. Top with cream cheese mixture, apricots and walnuts.

Brush border with egg wash. Fold up each corner to the centre and press to make the dough stick. Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes, or until golden. Enjoy!

Rum-Flavoured Apricot Pastries
Prep time: 20 min        Cook Time: 15 min           Yield: 18-24 servings

---

Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (about 30) dried apricots, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp rum flavouring (or you can use real rum if you prefer)
- 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 egg + 2 tbsp water for egg wash
- 1 pkg frozen butter puff pastry, thawed and unrolled
- 1/4 cup apricot jam
- 1/4 cup  walnuts, coarsely chopped

Directions
1. In small bowl, combine apricots and rum and allow to stand for 10 minutes so that the apricots absorb the rum flavour.
2. In a separate bowl, beat together cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk and vanilla until smooth. Set aside.
3. Make your egg wash: beat egg and water together.
4. On a lightly floured surface, cut out puff pastry into 9 squares . Spread each piece with about 1 tsp apricot jam, leaving about a 3/4-inch border. Top with cream cheese mixture, apricots and walnuts.
5. Brush border with egg wash. Fold up each corner to the centre and press to make the dough stick.
6. Place each pastry on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in the centre of the oven at 425°F for 15 minutes, or until golden.



Where I link up my posts!

Time

Libre Tea Glass {Review + Giveaway}

Hello friends! Today I am so happy to share with you an amazing product that I recently found! 

I am a HUGE tea drinker. I don't drink coffee - it gives me heartburn and I hate that awful after-taste that just seems to linger even after brushing my teeth or chewing on gum. So tea is my "morning wake-up" drink. I always make sure to bring a mug to work filled with tea. However, I always use tea bags because I never found a product that has a built-in strainer for the loose leaves. I love purchasing tea leaves in bulk - it's both economical and environmental! Plus the Teavana store in the mall has a wide variety of tea leaves to purchase that I have always wanted to try - doesn't the Sparkling Strawberry Rose Champagne/Peach Tranquility tea blend sound so yummy?

So when I came across Libre, I was so exited to learn more about the products that they have! Their products are designed to infuse tea while you take it on the go - to work, to school, on a road trip, to your yoga class, or even to visit your friends down the street!

I received the Original Glass n' Poly, which holds 260mL (9 oz.). It is the perfect size for me, since it fits nicely in my car cup holders and my lunch bag when I return home from work.

The first thing I noticed when I opened up the box was the pretty designs all around. I have an eye for pretty things, and I just couldn't help but notice how pretty the designs are, both on top of the lid....

...and on the sides!

Aside from all the prettiness, the design and engineering of the tea glass is what I love the most. At first, I noticed how the interior of the tea ifuser is made of glass, which is awesome since it won't absorb any smell, taste or colour as you use your glass over and over. The exterior of the tea glass is BPA free plastic, which is great since you won't burn your hands holding on to the glass.

And third, the glass actually goes higher than the plastic. This is great if you decide to drink your tea without the stainless steel filter.

The tea glass comes with a stainless steel filter surrounded by BPA free polypropylene.

There are two ways you can steep your tea - pour your leaves right in the glass or pour leaves on top of the filter for teas that need lesser time to steep. I ended up doing the pour-in-the-glass method! I purchased oolong orange tea, which is known to sharpen thinking skills and improve mental alertness. Yay!

I have been using the tea glass for a week now and love it. I love the fact that I can pour boiling water into my glass, grab it and run out the door in the mornings - no hot or boiling sensations felt! I also love the fact that the tea remains hot for a very long time, since my travel time to work is an hour. And the tea is still hot even when I arrive. 

However, the only one thing I would recommend is to have a thermometer somewhere to show you when the "ideal" temperature is reached so you can drink without burning your mouth. This way, you don't have to "test" it to see if it is cool enough to drink. Other than that, I am really satisfied with this product and will recommend to all my friends who love to drink tea!

Libre is a Canadian company that ships to both Canada and the US. They have other sizes of tea glasses available, so make sure to check them out! You can order your own libre tea glass through their site.

Libre is so generous to provide one of my readers the same Original Glass n' Poly! Want to win one? Just fill in the info below and cross your fingers!!

Giveaway will run from today, May 6th until Monday, May 13th. Open to Canadian and US residents only. Winning entry will be verified so please, play nice :) Good luck all!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Note: I was given the product for review. However, all opinions expressed here are entirely my own!

TubeReplay - A YouTube Trick

Hey all! Recently I have been hooked to listening the "Madness" song by Muse. I don't know why, but I just LOVE it and can't get enough of it. So while at work, I tend to listen to it over and over again until I get sick of it! I recently found out about TubeReplay. It is a simple website where you can enter the URL of the YouTube video you are listening (or watching) and it will continuously loop it so it replays over and over and over!

Just go into your YouTube video, copy the URL link, paste into the box on TubeReplay, and click "Replay". And that's it - until  you get sick of the video/song!

Enjoy your repeats!