March Daily Exercise Update

As we near the end of March I wanted to update my exercise progress. At the beginning of the month I had challenged myself to daily workouts, based around Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred. I have never been good at maintaining any sort of consistent exercise routine, but this month I have rocked it! Monday will bring me to the end of the 30-day challenge. Level three is now getting easier, and I am ready for the next challenge. I haven't noticed much of a visual difference in my body (as I suspected!) but I am most definitely in better shape and ready to kick it up a notch.

I did take a few days off of the 30-day-shred here and there, but I always did some other form of exercise those days, such as hiking or running on the treadmill. Speaking of which- I have avoided using the treadmill for running due to the joint wear-and-tear that it can cause. Well a couple days ago I bought some new cross training shoes and wanted to test them out. I looked at the treadmill and felt frustration at being physically limited. Throwing caution to the wind I decided to go for it. I used to run, and there is nothing like that feeling you get during and after when the endorphins kick in.

I started off slowly at 2.5 miles/hr, with a 5% incline. (Using an incline helps prevent shin splints- it works like a charm and obviously adds resistance at the same time.) Maintaining the same incline throughout, I increased my speed by 1/2 mile each minute until I reached 5.5, then brought it back down to 2.5. I cycled through until I hit the 30 minute mark, drenched in sweat. This is known as High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), and is known to be far more effective for fitness training and fat burning than keeping the same speed throughout. As an added bonus, you get a better workout in a shorter amount of time.

I was very pleased to note that I had no aches and pains the following day. I will be adding this cardio into my routine as often as possible, which means I'll be running in the mornings before work. Did I ever think I'd be saying that? No!! But here we are.

Quinoa Banana Bread Muffins

Today was Good Friday- one of the few statutory holidays that falls at the end of the work week. We had gotten free passes to the West Edmonton Mall Waterpark, joining what seemed like half the city's population. The parking lot was absolutely overflowing. With some trepidation, we got through the line and made our way in. It actually wasn't too crowded in the main wave pool section and we all had a good time letting the waves carry us along and splashing each other. We spent a couple hours playing before the people got to be too much and we called it a day.

I also got a chance to play in the kitchen again today (I love this not working thing!) Since I have a bunch of pre-cooked quinoa in the fridge I wanted to incorporate it into baked goods, as I had read that it adds a nice texture and moisture, and of course it's healthy! I made some banana bread batter and added a cup of the quinoa.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 egg
1 cup cooked quinoa
3 medium bananas, mashed
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cooking oil
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon in a large bowl in set aside. Separately, mix the egg, quinoa, mashed banana, sugar and oil. Add to the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. (Batter will be lumpy.) Fold in chocolate chips if desired.

Pour batter into a muffin tin or loaf pan. If using a muffin tin, bake for 20 minutes. If using a loaf pan, bake for 50 minutes. These are great warm or cold, but fresh out of the oven is always awesome! Enjoy...and see if anyone notices the "secret" quinoa ingredient. My picky daughter didn't!

Foot Scrub

Despite what the snow covered landscape might indicate, spring is officially here, which means summer is around the corner. Once the snow is all melted it will be sandal and flats season! Hooray! I always end up wearing the same pair of boots all winter long and craving the variety that summer brings with different footwear options. I have way too many pairs of seldom-worn shoes considering how short the season is. But hey, it's one of life's small joys.

I tend to forget about my feet over the winter since they're always encased in either socks or slippers, but this time of year I start my "foot rehab" treatments. A good scrub in the shower and some intensive lotion before I put on my socks in the morning. Pinterest yields some effective do-it-yourself foot scrub recipes, and I tried one of them out a few days ago. It is as follows:

2 handfuls of rice (ground to a medium powder)
2 TBL honey
Cider vinegar (enough to get the desired consistency)

Grind the rice in whatever tool you have....coffee grinders and blenders both work. You want it to be somewhat grainy still, not a fine powder. Add the honey and mix together. Pour in a small amount of cider vinegar to get a smooth, slightly runny consistency. Use the scrub on the heels, and whatever other parts of your feet are calloused/ have dead skin. Rub in a circular motion for a minute or so and rinse off. Be sure to follow up with moisturizer. I ended up with enough scrub to last about a week. I just keep it in the shower.

According to site that offered this recipe, this works great for severely dry heels that are cracked (mine are nowhere near that bad, but it worked great for me too.) The rice is an exfoliant, the honey is a moisturizer, and the vinegar is a gentle method of removing dead skin. You can also add olive oil for extra moisturizing power. I've been using it every day, and my feet are thanking me for it. Bring on sandal season!

A Weekend in Jasper

As mentioned in a previous entry, I booked myself two nights at a Jasper hotel over the past weekend so that I could enjoy the tail end of winter in the mountains. I chose to stay at the Whistler's Inn right in the heart of Jasper's downtown section in order to minimize my driving. The Edmonton area was absolutely walloped by a severe winter storm the day before I was scheduled to leave, so I was afraid that the drive would be a nightmare. As it turned out, the highways west of Edmonton were just fine once I got a few kilometers out of the city. It was dry and sunny the whole way, and since I was traveling alone I sang along to my iPod to my heart's content! (A major perk of solo traveling, just so you know.)

Once I got close enough to see the mountains I could feel my heart soaring. The sun reflecting off the snow covered peaks was mesmerizing. I'll never understand how anyone can speed through the mountains when they're driving, but I guess if you see it everyday it's not as special. I had a grin pasted on my face the whole time.

Stopping briefly in Hinton to stock up a few grocery items and some wine, I made it to Jasper in plenty of time to check in and do a bit of shopping before the Maligne Canyon ice walk tour I had scheduled. The hotel was in an excellent location and boasted two outdoor hot tubs on the roof. Those were the good points. The not so good points....it is an older hotel with very thin walls and a musty smell. The other hotel patrons tended to be very young and prone to drunken partying in the hallways. I think I might have been the only one that wasn't part of their group, as they all seemed to leave their doors open to wander back and forth into the early morning hours.

I decided to take a wander around town and explore the charming shops that lined the streets in abundance. I spent a happy hour window shopping before it was time to get changed for my Ice Walk tour. The company that was taking me was located right across the street. I discovered one of the drawbacks of traveling alone when the other group members showed up. It was comprised of three couples and myself. Hmm. I cracked a joke about it, and we all got along just fine after that. A short bus ride later, we were ready to explore the canyon floor. It is only in the winter and early spring that the canyon is accessible on foot- in the summer it's a raging river. We were supplied with waterproof boots (a necessity), and crampons to help keep us from slipping. There was still plenty of slipping on the icy paths, but I'm sure it could have been worse. The walk was fascinating and surreal. Recent warmer temperatures had caused some spectacular ice formations for us to enjoy.

Pictured below: Some of the ice formations; a view from the bottom of the canyon where a river is normally running; an ice climber (look closely!); and an ice cavern that we went inside.

Towards the end of the hike our guide asked if we were all interested in some cave exploration. Being an adventurous group, the answer was a resounding yes! I've always been interested in spelunking and figured this would be an easy introduction. Not so much, as it turned out! Once we got to the mouth of the cave he warned us that the first 20 feet or so had to be navigated on our stomachs, slithering like snakes, so if any of us were claustrophobic we should probably sit it out. Only one woman opted to do so (and it sure wasn't me- claustrophobia has never been one of my issues.) We put on some headlamps and slithered in one at a time. As you can imagine it wasn't exactly gentle, sliding across jagged rocks and ice. It did occur to me halfway through that I bruise ridiculously easily and would probably have colorful arms and legs in a couple days. (Incidentally I was right...my legs are a horror show right now!) It was so worth it though; we got through the narrow passage and climbed down to a larger, open chamber where I felt a sense of awe knowing that the weight of a mountain was on top of us at that moment. The air smelled earthy and warm, and when our guide suggested that we all turn off our headlamps for a few moments, the most complete darkness that I have ever experienced descended on me. It was like sensory deprivation...I felt like I had black velvet over my eyes. If one of the women hadn't been a bit squeamish and turned her lamp back on right away, I could have basked in it a lot longer.

We squirmed our way back out of the cave without incident and hiked back to the van, stopping along the way to try berries from a juniper bush. They tasted very intense, and very much like a concentrated burst of the gin that is distilled from them. I actually quite liked it... I might give martinis another try sometimes. We got dropped off at our respective hotels and parted ways.

I decided that I simply had to try out the rooftop hot tubs at that point, being a little sore from the cave exploration. I took a glass of wine along, which is actually allowed in this hotel, and was pleased to see that I had both hot tubs all to myself. It's a lot more relaxing to stretch out in an unladylike fashion when there's no one around to observe you! Ahhhh....best feeling ever! At some point during the brief period that I had been inside, the clear evening had clouded over and was flurrying like mad. Of course it doesn't matter when you're in a hot tub. I thoroughly enjoyed my soak, complete with wine.

The next day I slept quite late thanks to the late-night revellers...they got up early so I took advantage of the quiet and basked in my bed until nearly noon. Being a mom, this is a rare treat! I had a late breakfast/lunch and wandered across the street to the Parks Canada office. I asked where the best snowshoeing trails were and found out that most of them had very little snow left. But he gave me a map and suggested a trail right outside of town called the Valley of the Five Lakes. I took the short drive out there and found that he hadn't been kidding- there was hardly any snow at the trailhead. I took my chances, hoping it would be better further out. I had the trail to myself completely, which surprised me considering how beautiful it was outside. There was more snow once I got past the first short section, and I happily crunched along the ice and snow, enjoying the smell of the trees. The trail crossed a wooden bridge and rose higher, making for a gorgeous panoramic view of the mountains. As I stood enjoying the sight, a group of deer made their way past me, completely unafraid (as is typical of wildlife in the national parks). I never did make it as far as the lakes indicated in the title, but I still had a lovely walk.

That evening was spent walking around town again, watching the completely tame elk in the town square, and eating delicious pizza from The North Face pizzeria. I had gone down to the pub the previous night, and decided that tonight I would just stay in once I was done my walk. I snuggled up in bed with the rest of my pizza, white wine and Netflix on my iPad. (The tv reception was awful.) I fell asleep early... I'm such an old woman! Ha ha. But it felt gooood.

Going home the next day it was just as beautiful and sunny, but the drive was tinged with slight sadness that the mountains were now at my back. I immediately started formulating a plan for my next trip, which will be all about hiking. I felt better knowing that I would be back soon. Jasper, I adore you....so beautiful, and right in my backyard! Until next time...I will just have to enjoy my memories.

Irresistible Peanut Butter Play-Dough

I had a fantastic weekend in Jasper which I returned from yesterday afternoon. I have so much to talk about, but it will have to wait for tomorrow's post when I have a bit more sit-down time. I actually took this week off to be with my daughter for her spring break, but of course staying home means I have much less time with my computer!

I've been having fun in the kitchen today, and came up with an AWESOME edible play-dough recipe to keep her busy (for roughly five minutes.) It's as yummy as candy but far healthier and very moldable. I had a hard time not scarfing it down myself actually, but I managed to resist.

The recipe is as follows:
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup plus 2 TBL raisins
1/4 cup powdered milk
2 TBL salted peanuts
1/8 tsp vanilla extract
1 TBL honey

Blend all the ingredients in a blender or food processor until well combined. Turn onto a hard surface and knead until smooth. Add another pinch of powdered milk if it's too sticky. Toss it onto a piece of waxed paper and let your kids go nuts! (pun intended. Hehehe.)

The Coffee Grounds Cellulite Solution (My Firsthand Experience)

Depending which stats you look at, between 80 and 90% of adult women suffer from cellulite to a greater or lesser extent. The causes range from hereditary (me!), poor circulation, hormonal changes and accumulation of toxins. Like many of you gals, I do have the dreaded cellulite on my thighs and rear. It prevents me from comfortably wearing shorts and bathing suits as I am always hyper-aware of it. (It doesn't actually stop me from wearing them, but it would be nice to feel more confident.) I know mine is hereditary since it started showing up when I was 15, long before any possible toxin accumulation or poor circulation. Of course it's only gotten worse with time.

Yesterday one of my friends re-posted a link on pinterest showing how a person can use coffee grounds to help reduce the appearance of cellulite. Intrigued, I did a bit more research to find out the how and why, and whether it was worth my time to try. It turns out that warm coffee grounds increase circulation to the affected area, helping to flush out toxins and excess water from the tissue and lessening the dimpled appearance. Sounds good to me! There are a couple of lotions on the market that seem to be effective as well (according to the reviews), but at $60 for a month's supply I'd rather suffer with the cellulite. I'm not made of money. Coffee grounds it was! I decided there was no time like the present, so after my evening workout and a bit of slacking off in front of the tv, I got to work. The simple recipe I chose is as follows:

1/4 - 1/2 cup of warm coffee grounds (heat in microwave for 10 seconds if they're cold.)
2 Tablespoons olive oil

I had to make some coffee to produce the grounds this time around, but I will save them in the future. The general consensus seems to be that you should use this treatment three times a week. The effects are temporary, so it's an ongoing process.

Step one: The instructions stated that I should stand on newspaper or in a tub/ shower, and rub the mixture onto the affected area with a firm circular motion for a few minutes, leaving as many of the grounds on my skin as possible. I decided to use the tub and I am very glad I did- it is MESSY! I don't recommend using newspaper, as you will end up tracking grounds everywhere. As it was, I had to wipe my feet when I exited the tub. After massaging the grounds into my thighs and rear I had a fair amount stuck to my skin, and even more on the bottom of the tub.

Step two is to firmly wind plastic wrap around the massaged areas and let it sit for about ten minutes. Okay. Thighs are easy to wrap so that didn't take long. The rear end though...that's a bit trickier. I ended up just putting saran wrap all the way around my hips in order to swathe my entire lower half. It was difficult to get it tight, but good enough! I was SO tempted to take a picture when that part was done since it looked quite hilarious, but I figured that would be a little too risque for my blog. I passed the next ten minutes watching Netflix on my phone and laughing at my reflection in the mirror. Note: firmly wrapping saran wrap around your rear isn't attractive. The poor thing was completely flattened out!

Step three: I got back into the tub and turned on the shower before attempting to unwrap, trying to avoid extra mess. It worked well that way. I simply unwound the plastic wrap and crumpled it into a ball for the trash, then rinsed the grounds off with warm water. Note: you are supposed to use ONLY water, not soap. It took awhile to get the mixture out of every nook and cranny, kind of like sand from a day at the beach, but I managed.

Step four: Dry off and use a rolling pin (yes, the one in your kitchen), to roll over the treated area firmly for a couple of minutes. This part was also quite hilarious and kind of fun. Bonus: it's like getting a massage. Once that part's done your treatment is complete! The whole process took about 20 minutes and should be repeated no more than three times a week as I mentioned. Any more than that will seriously dehydrate your skin.

My consensus: the coffee grounds not only smelled great but did a great job of exfoliating. The olive oil kept the whole area moisturized nicely and my skin ended up very nice and soft. Even if it does nothing for the cellulite it is obviously great for the skin. The treatment was a bit of a process, but it wasn't unpleasant, and if it helps then it's well worth it! I will continue to use it three times a week and update on any difference I see.

Meal Organization

My downfall with consistently preparing healthy meals at home is the same as many people's: lack of time and inclination. When you work full time and arrive home hungry (with a hungry child), it's all too easy to fill up with convenience food that isn't necessarily nutritious. I do well most of the time, but there are sometimes entire weeks where I fail to plan ahead. Not only does it result in poor choices, but it ends up costing a lot of money! Last night I was feeling motivated though. We loaded up on grocery staples including a bunch of chicken breasts, pork chops and various marinades. When we got home I divided the meat into single meal portions and poured a different marinade into each ziploc. Using my handy label maker (I love that thing), I made sure to indicate the type of sauce and calorie content so there wouldn't be any guesswork. (That's for my sake- I do like to keep track of my calorie intake since losing 35 lbs a few years ago.) The end result was two weeks worth of main dishes that I can thaw one at a time and pair with veggies and rice or potatoes. There is enough variety to keep everyone happy. There is something super satisfying about being organized like this...must be the bookkeeper in me!