GOLD!

CANADA WINS GOLD IN HOCKEY! WOOOO!

Back to regular scheduled blogging.

My buddy Lisa and I spent the majority of the afternoon outside enjoying the beautiful weather. It was a warm 4 degrees, and sunny. We took Jersey for an hour long walk. It was glorious!

Speaking of Jersey, her meds are making her tummy upset. The vet gave us some sensitive stomach food and I think that made it even worse. She’s been a pukey-saurus-rex.

Today she’s been eating a combo of either cottage cheese/rice or boiled extra lean ground beef and rice. Yummy in her tummy. She’s not a huge cottage cheese fan, but this combo suited her just fine.

I arrived home to find Andrew waiting for me. I will fully admit to missing his face this weekend.

I whipped us up this little snack place to watch the hockey game. Mary’s Crackers, old cheddar and a guac/salsa/greek yogurt dip.

Following the hockey game, we whipped up some taco salads for supper.

Lettuce, green/red peppers, cucumber, lean ground turkey/lack beans, topped with guac, salsa and greek yogurt and 5 tostitos.

Which I crumpled up to add some crrrrunch.

Dessert was quite excellent also. It starred this:

Some people make oats in a jar… I make dessert in a jar yogurt container.

Blueberries, 1/4 container coconut yogurt, graham crumbs, cool whip (to cut the calories of this crazy calorie laden yogurt!) and a teeny little bit of granola to crunch it up a notch.

I’m off to watch the closing ceremonies. Until tomorrow!

Great start to a Sunday

I’m not sure who ditched who, but my running date didn’t happen this morning.

The texting went a little something like this:

• A- What time are we running tomorrow?
• C- What time do you want to run?
• A- I kinda want to have a little sleep in, how about 10?
• C- I need to be ready by 11h30.
• A- Ok, well if would want to bail I won’t be sad.
• C- I’ve been enjoying sangria since 5pm.
• A- No running then?
• C- We have to, I’m away next weekend.

Problem is.. I didn’t get that last message until this morning. I texted her at 7h30 to tell her I was awake, but I’m assuming the sangria got the best of her!

I got dressed and dragged myself out the door. I ended up banging out a solid 12k by the time all was said and done. Its such a beautiful day in Ottawa. Sun is shining and it was 2 degrees. Gorgeous! Not mention unheard of in February!

I arrived home, showered and made a smoothie to refuel.

Unsweetened Almond Breeze, spinach, banana, 4 frozen strawberries, Amazing Grass and greek yogurt.

Did I just say greek yogurt? YES I DID! I’ve been having a love affair with it all week. Its thick and creamy, and best part FAT FREE and packs 25g of protein per serving.

To all my Ontario friends, check your closest Metro. They are a Quebec-based chain, therefore are likely to carry it!

I made a date to take Jersey for a walk with my workout buddy Lisa. She’s been under the weather, so a walk on a sunny day is JUST what the doctor ordered. Talk to you later friends!

Mini (Bella)me

I’m up and at ‘em pretty early today.

Hitting up the gym in a few, but I started out the day with a Breakfast Cookie! '

In the mix (I miss my chocolately version!) 1/3 cup oats, pb, plain protein powder, unsweetened Almond Breeze, raisins, pumpkin seeds, coconut, chia seeds and cinnamon. YUM!

Today I’m off to another baby shower for Connor. This kid is costing me a fortune, but I can’t help it. I love buying baby stuff!

When I saw this little outfit, I thought of Andrew.  You may or may not know this (and of course I can’t quickly find a picture of him wearing plaid shorts) but Andrew is very much a golf shirt/plaid shorts/sandals kinda guy. So sexy on him too!

Connor will be a mini (Bella)me!  Get it? haha

See the resemblance?

I always like to add a book to my shower gifts. I grew up a pretty big book worm and (according to my grandmother) started reading at a very young age. Dr Seuss’ “Oh, the Places you Will Go” is one of my favorite children’s books so when I saw this baby version, I was sold!

Thanks for all the kind words of concern about Jersey. I think this is something I’d like to keep off the blog… but just know that she’s doing great and is well looked after.  I pretend to be all “ hardass” dog rules lady, but truth be told, she slept in my bed last night. Andrew was away, so I let her share the bed.

I love that girl, but frig she’s a bed hog. Back to the floor for her tonight!

Lots of love to you all! xoox

Scared to death

 

Jersey and I had quite the scare today, which resulted in a trip to the emergency animal hospital.

Scared me to friggin’ death. My knees were shaking as I opened the door to the hospital.

$204 later, she’s back home safe and sound.

Food porn and healthy living blogging to resume tomorrow.

Until then, I’m keeping my girl extra close and asking you all to please please please not bring toys to the dog park.

Goodnight. xo

Worst walk ever.

My office is located at point B, my house at point A.

Usually I take the bus into the city to go to the gym after work and Andrew picks me up. Today I decided to take a rest day, so I walked home after work.

There’s no real direct route home (see blue line) so I decided to off road (see red line) around some fenced off power lines to make my walk home a little quicker as it was snowing/raining pretty hard. I’ve seen people walking that way with the dogs before, so I thought I’d go for it.

clearly I suck at using MS Paint!

We’ve got a whack load of snow this week in Ottawa, but its been verrrrrry mild.

I started walking, and was thrilled that there was a quasi established path. I started following the footprints of the person that started the path.

Bad news, this guys stride was HUGE… so I either had to leap to stay in his tracks or fall outside of them.

When I was unable to hit the track, I’d seriously fall through a good 2-3 feet of soft snow. I struggled the entire walk home, rolled my ankle twice.

It certainly didn’t help that I was carrying my very fashionable bag, and my work bag which kept throwing me off balance.

Top that with the falling snow/rain, it made for a very miserable Amy upon my return home.

  If I look at it from an exercise perspective, I got a decent workout as I was pretty much doing jumping lunges the entire way home, not to mention my core and stabilizers were likely working big time to keep me upright!

I’m already in my PJ’s on the couch and I plan to stay here for the rest of the night.

I DECLARE TODAY A DAY OF SLOTH REST!

Wordless Wednesday

…as always there are a few words with my wordless Wednesday post.

I’m blogging during the first intermission of the hockey game, so gotta make this short and sweet.

Nothing earth shattering to report today. I ate well, had a sweaty workout and drank lots of H20.

I shall leave you with a pretty hilarious picture.

My Nanny and my crazy brother. How cute are they? Seriously!

Miss you Patrick! xo

Taco Salad Makeover

As a result of one of my ask anything questions, a reader named Jen asked:

"I saw you mentioned "taco salad" as a go-to healthy meal. Since Mexican food is notoriously fat-laden, what do you make for your taco salad?"

I have come up with a few little tips and tricks to making taco-salad a healthy/fahhbulous meal!

1) Minimize the iceburg lettuce.
I mix my iceburg lettuce with spinach to add loaded with calcium, folic acid, vitamin K and iron. Spinach is also rich in vitamin C, fiber and carotenoids. Add its lutein and bioflavanoids and spinach is a nutritional powerhouse.

2) Ditch the full fat sour cream
Although rich and delcious tasting, one 2 tbsp serving of full fat sour cream has 60 calories and 6g of fat. I replace it with fat free sour cream which has just 25 calories and 0g of fat. Another alternative is fat free plain yogurt.

3) Make your own guacamole
You have no idea whats in store bought guacamole. I make my own by simply mashing 1/4 of an avocado, add s&p, some salsa and cilantro. Avoacados are PACKED with healthy fats. Avocados contribute nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and beneficial plant compounds that can contribute to the nutrient quality of your diet. One-fifth of a medium avocado (1 oz) has 50 calories and contributes nearly 20 vitamins and minerals making it a good nutrient choice.

4) Use lean meat.
I fry extra lean ground beef and add beans and corn to the mixture. This is a good trick to cut calories but still get lots of protein and nutrients from the beans and corn.

5) Use salsa for dressing
Rather than using high calorie ranch dressing, I toss my salad in SALSA! Full fat ranch dressing can have up to 150 calories and 15g of fat per 2 tbsp serving. Salsa on the other hand has just 10 calories and 0g of fat per 2 tbsp serving. LOAD IT ON and enjoy!

6) Add baked tortilla chips
I like a little bit of crunch to my salad, so I add some crushed baked tortilla chips rather than the traditional ones.

7) Ditch the fried shell
Not that this is really an option at home (as I don't have a deep fryer) but I just skip this part all together. In the past however, I have made my own bowls by spraying a tortilla with a little olive oil, pressing it into a metal bowl and baking until crisp. No deep frying needed!

8) Go easy on the cheese
I often just skip the cheese all together as there is so much flavour in the salad, you don't notice the cheese. If you want the cheese, I say go for some extra old cheddar (big flavor, a little goes a long way) and grate it using the the small side of your grater. You can always use light cheddar, but I prefer a little of the real stuff!

Can you now see why healthified taco salad is my favorite healthy meal? It packs a punch nutritionally, is full of flavor and its FILLING!

Enjoy my friends. :)

Expensive Workout

I arrived at the gym tonight, only to realize I had forgot my pants.

Awesome.

Good thing my gym is in a mall. I made a mad dash to Lululemon and procured myself a pair of Run Empower Crops. They’re great, and are super flattering. It did make for a really pricey workout though. Sorry Andrew! ;)

I rocked Body Attack tonight. I was a sweaty disgusting beast at the end, but my ass looked great in those pants… even as a sweaty beast!

My food today was pretty tasty.

B- 2 fat free Source yogurts, 1/4 cup granola, 1 banana

L- Leftover tomato/turkey macaroni, orange

D- Pizzzzzzzzzzzzzzza and brussels.

I realize its pretty hard to tell what exactly this is.

I made the crust from ESBM and split it in half to make 2 mini pizzas – one for me and one for hubby. It turned out pretty big because I rolled it super thin.

My toppings included: Alfredo sauce, red/green peppers, zucchini, broccoli, mushrooms, diced chicken breast and one itty bitty ounce of old cheddar.

On the side (aka shoved on the side of the plate) shredded brussels.

Tons of veggies makes me a  happpppppppppy girl! 

Question: Are you a fan of Lost or 24? What do you think of this season of both shows?

I’m a huge 24 fan, but this season I’m finding it pretty dry.

As for Lost… I’ve watched it from the very beginning. But honestly, I don’t think I get it. I don’t know if I’m detail oriented enough to catch every little detail. I bet even after the show’s finale I’ll still be saying WTF?! lol.

Day of Rest

Thank you for all the birthday wishes.... and all the laughs reading your porn star names! :)

Today was a rest day… but not from exercise, from work! I had a couple of days I needed to use up before the end of the fiscal year, so I opted for a long weekend.

I started the day by an hour long run on the treadmill at the gym, followed by 15 mins of abs. Felt great.

I didn’t get home until about 11:00am, so for brunch I made some delicious oats.

Banana/blueberry oat topped with chia, pumpkin seeds, raisins, mini pb chips and some coconut.

My chocolate detox is going really well but I miss it in oats. A lot.

I spent the majority of the afternoon in the bedroom cleaning my closet. I was able to fill 2 garbage bags with clothing for donation.

Dinner was simple and comforting.

Tomato and ground turkey macaroni casserole, with some steamed broccoli. This dish remind me of my Gramma. She ALWAYS made this. Its amazing how just 2 ingredients can taste so delicious.

Random fact about moi: I used to ski A LOT. I was on the ski team in highschool and belonged to a ski club that went on trips every Saturday.

I kinda stopped skiing when I went to University, and then picked it up again loosely when I was dating my ex-boyfriend.

I got Andrew some downhill equipment for his birthday, in hopes that it will be something that we can do together. We live VERY close to a few ski hills, close enough that we could even go night skiing during the week.

The end of the year sales were amazing, and I was able to score these puppies for 50% off. Its like wearing heaven on your feet. Krissy, I’m posting this picture mainly for you! ;)

Jersey had a busy weekend… I think she’s happy to have some R&R. She’s passed out COLD, spread eagle style!

Gotta go… gotta get ready for my boyfriend Jack Bauer. Night!

I am blessed.

Today is my 29th Birthday.

And I can tell you this, I have never been as grateful for my wonderful friends,family and wonderful husband.

I’ve written before that my family is less than perfect. Sometimes I feel I get wrapped up in what others have in their lives and get slightly jealous. But you know what?

I have an amazing husband that loves me.

I am surrounded my the best friends a girl could ask for.

And what lacks in my immediate family, my extended family and in-laws fill the void.

Rewind to yesterday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MR. @AMYSQUEST!

I spent the day yesterday getting baby snuggles.

Meet Connor. Son to my cousin and his wife.

Jersey met him too!

I kind of look like a natural eh?

  It absolutely melted my heart seeing Andrew with a baby. Love at first site!

Look at the lovely flowers I received from my friend Charlene. Beauty 307. Also note the little gray critter that jumped up, just as I was snapping the pic.

Remember the “Create your porn name” = your first pet and your street name? Charlene’s is Beauty 307.  Kind of an inside joke between the 2 of us.

Lewis likes getting flowers as much as I do! :)

Some other wonderful birthday loot from some of my AMAZING friends. Thank you so much. xoox.

Andrew and I always hide each others presents in odd spots. This morning as I was getting ready for the gym (yes I went to the gym on my birthday!) I noticed a Tiffany bag on the piano.

I instantly thought “SCORRRE!” but then I thought “There’s no way he got me something from Tiffany” and that perhaps he used the bag from my bracelet to wrap my birthday present. I opened the present when I got home, convinced it wasn’t from Tiffany. I saw to Andrew, “Just as a FYI, don’t fool a girl by presenting gifts in a Tiffany’s bag.”

I was shocked when I opened it, and it WAS from Tiffany.

Thank you baby! xoox

Andrew and I were chatting this morning, about how much life can change in 4 years.

Because our birthdays are a day apart, they tended to be a bit of a gong show in the party department. 4 years ago today, I was waking up to THE WORST hangover of my life. (right Krissy?!)

Today, I woke up at 8:00am and went to the gym. Oh my, how I’ve matured! :)

Don’t get me wrong, I still like a good party, just less frequently!

Question: What is your porn name?

Mine is Whiskers Matheson. Hot.

Size Healthy Contest

Shopping not fun for me.

Its when all my “former  fat girl” insecurities come back. I struggle with the number on the tags, which leads to me scrutinizing every imperfection on my body.

Recently I wrote a post about having a bit of a break through about buying a bigger size of pants.  I saw this over at Oh She Glows, and instantly I fell in love with the concept.

I cannot tell you how great it felt wiping out the numbers on my tag. I made this one a heart… although it kind of looks like Mickey Mouse! LOL

Who cares what size I am? I’m FIT AND HEALTHY!

Who cares about the size on the tag? When people see you, they have NO idea what size you’re wearing.

I encourage you all to liberate yourself, and get rid of the numbers.

Those jeans look amazing on you, you’re beautiful, and you deserve it! xoox

Broccoli Stuffed Everything

I arrived home from work feeling kinda hungry. Although my lunch was tasty, it was lacking on the protein side. I needed a snack before I headed out for my run.

A banana hot dog. 1 slice whole wheat bread, a schmear of peanut butter and 1/2 a banana.

I had planned to go to the gym, but I got stuck at work late. Lucky for me, the sun was shining so Jersey and I ran instead. 5k in about 32 mins. Not bad at all.

Dinner was delicious.

I bought a huge bag of broccoli at Costo earlier in the week, so I put it to use.

Broccoli and cheese stuffed chicken, broccoli topped potato, roasted carrot sticks and some shredded brussel sprouts.

How good does this chicken look? I just nuked some broccoli until tender, mixed it with some grated cheese and added in in the middle of a sliced chicken breast. I wrapped the chicken in tin foil prior to baking, which kept everything together. It turned out to be moist and delicious.   There was some left over stuffing, so I added it on top of our taters.

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In other news, check out the feature on me over at That’s Fit.

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More Ask Anything Q&A’s

How do you find time to blog?

I honestly find it challenging. I blog in the evening after dinner , usually on the couch on my laptop while watching TV.  Often, I’ll write a couple of posts and set them to post at a later date and time.

Do you make Jersey run too much? I’ve heard too much running is bad for dogs.

I have consulted with the vet on this issue, and he is THRILLED that both Andrew and I are runners. Running is hard on bigger dogs, but Jersey is on the small side of the retriever family at 55 lbs. We never run for over 45 minutes with her. She also receives glucosamine enriched dog treats every day.

What is Jersey’s favourite treat?

Jersey isn’t like most dogs. She doesn't LOVE dog treats. I mean sure she’ll eat them, but she doesn't jump through hoops to earn them. Her favourite treat is actually peanut butter or cheese. Another weird treat quirk: If a stranger offers her a cookie, she won’t eat it. She’ll only eat treats from her parents. :)

How do you like EA Active? Is it a good workout?

I looove EA Active, and yes, its a great workout. I had no idea that a video game could deliver such great results. My only beef: The resistance band that comes with the system is WAY too light. I just use a thicker one that I had at home.

Does Andrew actually enjoy the food you make him eat?

Andrew’s quote: “Yes, I love Amy’s cooking. Except you go a little overboard on the beans sometimes, you try to sneak them in everything”

Truth be told Andrew isn’t very good in the kitchen. The first time he ever made dinner for me (bless his heart) he made a Lipton Side Kick, an M&M chicken Kiev and some frozen veggies.

We had the “She cooks/He cleans” system in our house, and it works out GREAT for us.

I ADORE you Amy and read your blog faithfully. I used to be a runner but stopped and gained a lot of weight. I really want to get back to it but am scared because I feel like I might be TOO heavy and will hurt myself. Would you have run at 250lbs?

I’m not really sure how to answer this, as I don’t have a proper background to answer correctly.

That being said, I’m a firm believer in taking things slow. If you follow a PROPER training program (Running Room’s Learn to Run for example) you will gradually increase your running time and distance which will help in preventing getting injured.

Amy, why is there a pepper on the floor?

A little dialogue occured at the office this morning.

A co-worker was walking by my office, and noticed a red pepper on the floor.

CW: Amy, why is there a pepper on the floor?
Me: I brought it for lunch.
CW: (looks into my bag) Oh did, you go grocery shopping?
Me: No, thats much lunch.

In her defence, my bag pretty much looked like the produce aisle. You see, I didn't have any leftovers to bring for lunch (my go-to) so I grabbed some veggies, a few mini pitas and some hummus for lunch. I didn't have time to prep them, so I just brought them whole.

My lunch was delicious. 1/2 a red pepper, 1.2 a cucumber, 8 mini pitas, 1oz old cheddar, 2 tbsp Sabra Red Pepper Hummus.

So, what kind of bag do I bring to work? I'm embarassed to admit, but I tote around this reusable shopping bag from RW&Co. Its big enough to fit my gym clothes, shoes and lunch.

And some random things on the bottom: nail polish, a cheapy set of pearls, orange, banana, a "just in case" can of soup, tampons, hair elastics, the cover for my umbrella, house/car keys, a head band, 3 tubes of chap stick, a guest pass for a gym, a package of light hot chocolate, the manual for my new Mp3 Player, some work forms, 4 pens and some cutlery.

Bottom line, I think I need a better/more stylish bag that dosn't expose my peppers to the world! :)

Ask Anything Answers, revealed!

How often do you have sex?

Wow. Straight to the point eh? We do just fine.

Are you hoping to have or adopt children?

We’re on the fence on the children issue.

Of late, my ovaries are churning BIG TIME. We’ve had a couple of births in the family, and quite a few of our friends are expecting.

At the risk of sounding like a drama queen, my big fear about becoming a mother is dying young and leaving my children. I lost my Mom at a very young age, and as a result grew up with a less than perfect existence. I wouldn’t wish that one anyone, especially my own children.

How do you like living in Ottawa?

I love living in Ottawa. Its a great city. But, truth be told I’m actually a Quebecer. We live in Gatineau, QC. Its very convenient as I work downtown… and Gatineau is actually closer to downtown than most parts of Ottawa!

Have you ever tried hot yoga?

I’ve done hot yoga a handful of times. I actually really enjoyed it, but I find it to be kind of expensive. Especially when I already pay for a gym membership.

How does Andrew feel about being on your blog all the time?

Words directly from Andrew’s mouth: “I have no choice. I have never been asked if I want to be on it” LOL

Andrew is the best about my blogging. He tolerates it (and benefits from TV time, as I type this he’s watching basketball and I’m not even complaining!!) and is very supportive. He even reminds me to take pictures of food and comes up with blogging topics for me. He’s also my tech support guy too!

He even flew to the East Coast to meet my “internet friends”. I really can’t ask for more.

What is your favorite movie?

The Goonies.

You're now a fitness freak. Were you always athletic even before you lost your weight? AWESOME work by the way!

Thank you! Yes, I was always the athletic chubby girl. I skiied, played volleyball and baseball, and rode horses.

How much money do you make from your blog?

I earn a few dollars from Foodbuzz, but nothing to write home about.

Have you lost friends since you lost the weight?

I wouldn’t say I’ve lost any friends, but I sure as hell have made a lot of friends!

You say you don't really "love" running, but it's such a big part of your life. Why do you run?

Honestly run because I’m afraid to stop. If I didn’t run, I’d FOR SURE be a fat bastard. Its a great cardio workout, and it pushes me out of my comfort zone. I also hate sweating, which goes hand in hand with running. I sweat like a disgusting beast.

What's your favorite "go to" (healthy) meal?

Taco Salad!

You workout a lot, but don't seems to lose weight. Do you think you have a problem?

Yes, I workout a lot. But I don’t think I have a problem. The “problem” is that I like food too much.

What plan are you following for weight loss right now? WW, Sparkspeople or just trying to eat right and exercise?

I am back to counting points. Its what works for me. I’m also focussing on eating clean foods.

Since you're so active, do you "crave" exercise or is it something you have to push yourself to do? I think you are amazing!

I am one of the few people that have zero problems getting to the gym. I absolutely LOVE to workout. I do have to push myself to run, but luckily I have a furry beast that loves to run and needs the exercise. I also make running dates with friends to get myself out the door.

Why do you have so many animals?

I have “so many animals” because I:

a) look at the humane society website too much

b) peruse kijiji too much

c) am a sucker for a cute face.

That being said, our animals are very well looked after and have fantastic lives.

Favorite book?

Catcher in the Rye, JD Sallinger.

Favorite classical piece?

Nocturne in E Flat Major, Chopin

What is your favorite mushy song?

Good one! Hard to say just one, so I’ll give you my top 3.

1 – Hold You in My Arms – Ray Lamontagne

2 – Try, Blue Rodeo

3 – This Years Love, David Gray

I could keep going and going…

4 – The Long Day is Over – Norah Jones

5 – Sullivan Street – Counting Crows

When was the last time you were truly awed?

Lame to admit, but I was in complete awe at the responses to my nearly naked X-Weighted pictures.

Why did you start a formspring?

All the cool kids are doing it, and I LOVE reading them!

When was the last time you received flowers?

When I left my last job…. December 2008.

Amy, Can you give a coles notes run down on your weight loss? How much lost...how long How much did you exercise, eat etc?

I started Weight Watchers at 267lbs in 2003. I suspect that I was heavier than that, but I had lost some weight by joining the gym before officially signing up for Weight Watchers.

I got down to 165lbs in 2004.Stayed there for a while, but I looked like death. Maintained between 170-175lbs, my happy weight.

Over the last 2-3 years I’ve climbed up to the 190’s and am on my way back down again.

If I had to average it out, I would say I exercise 6 days a week for give or take an hour.

Do you ever call Andrew "Andy" or "Drew"? Do you have any other special nicknames for Andrew?

Andrew LOATHES being called Andy. His Mom calls him Drew. I don’t really have any nick names for him, but when I’m trying to get his attention I call him "Annnnn-drewwwwwwwwwwww” in a really high pitched voice.

Who is your favorite pet?

You may assume its Jersey, but its actually Sam. He’s the best cat ever. He’s cute. He loves to snuggle. He’s got attitude. He chases the mean cats out of our yard. He only drinks water out of the tap. He likes to spoon with me. And he looks like a cat version of Batman.

Where did you go to university?

I went to the University of Guelph.

What are you the most self conscious about?

Loaded question!

Firstly, I’m the most self conscious about my loose skin. I carry a lot of it in my lower abdomen. I’ve become quite good at dressing appropriately to cover/camoflage it… but it does prevent me from wearing cute low rise jeans etc.

Secondly, I have a bit of a facial hair problem. I have PCOS and facial hair is sadly one of the side effects. :(

What is your favorite TV show?

If I had to say just one… it’d be 24. But if I could name a very close second, it’d be Dexter.

What is one thing we don’t know about you?

I drink 1-2 diet Pepsis a day, and am too ashamed to blog about it.

Thanks for sending all the questions guys!

I loved both reading them and replying.

Ask me Anything!

I have LOVED reading all the "Ask me Anything" entries in the blog world lately.

I himmed and hawed about doing it myself, so I decided just to bite the bullet and do it.

Ask away bloggies!

http://www.formspring.me/amysquest

2 for 2!

Runs this week are 2 for 2! 2 solid runs in a row.

But first I must backtrack a little bit.

Today was pretty rough. I’m having some friend issues which are starting to take a toll on me. I arrived home from work feeling pretty sad. The couch and Y&R were calling my name.

Then the following thoughts went though my head:

“Maybe, I should just go for a walk”

“I deserve a rest day”

“I never regret a run”

Then I caught a glance of Jersey’s “I am so abused and have the worst life ever” look, immediately changed and hit the streets.

I ran 5k, and you know what? I felt great afterwards. I ran off my bad mood and came home to make a feast.

Tomorrow marks the debut of Lent. What are YOU giving up this year?

I’ve decided to go chocolate free again this year, along with the gorgeous Jess and some other Twitter buddies.

I whipped up some pancakes to commemorate pancake Tuesday. I made them from scratch and topped them with some fruit and FF Cool whip. On the side: 2 little slices of bacon. YUM!

The best part about having pancakes for supper? I didn’t need any dessert!

Off topic, and not related to health/fitness in the slightest. Andrew’s birthday is on Saturday, and mine is on Sunday. Our birthday cards arrived from my mother-in-law today. She always sends us separate cards, but they always arrive on the same day. For some reason I think its just adorable.

My Dad on the other hand usually buys me a “Happy Birthday Daughter” card and adds Andrew’s name to it. It was funny the first time, but it still hasn’t gotten old for him. Jackass.

Time to watch some hockey/Idol/Lost. Night all!

*Yes, I know I blog about Jersey too much. But hey, she's cute and leads a healthy lifestyle too!*

Running mojo is BACK!

Guess who had a wicked run tonight? ME!

I haven’t written too extensively on the blog, but lately my runs have been sucking some major ass. I haven’t felt like much of a runner at all in the last couple of weeks.

Today is “Family Day” here in Ontario. As a result, there was no classes at my gym tonight. While walking home, I devised a plan.

The plan was simple. To run.

And that I did.

But what I did differently was not focus on time or pace. I ran a 7k route, but I didn’t bring my garmin, I have no idea how fast I was going, or how long it took me to do it.

I can tell you this though, I enjoyed every minute of that run!

I rocked out to a great playlist. You may or may not know that I was a music major at university, and as a result have rather interesting taste.

Today’s tunes included:

• Sexybitch, David Guetta
• Tonight, Tonight – Smashing Pumpkins
• Closer, Ne Yo
• Dancing with myself, Glee Cast
• Little Bones, Tragically Hip
• My Best Friend, Tim McGraw
• Grace Kelly, Mika
• Love is Strange, Dirty Dancing Soundtrack
• Bad Timing, Blue Rodeo
• Empire State of Mind, Jay-Z/Alicia Keys
• Please forgive me, David Gray
• America, Simon and Garfunkle
• Mrs Potters Lullaby, Counting Crows

My running buddy was a gem today. She kept gazing up at me with her cute little brown eyes and a huge “smile”. She must have worked up a sweat though, because as soon as we got home this was her:

Someone should report us to the humane society. Jersey has a miserable life! :)

Bad news on the X-Weighted Challenge front. I gained 2 lbs last week. Its expected, as I was a little gluttonous over the weekend. I’m over it, and feeling excited about getting back on track this week.

Its amazing what a good run can do for the moral. Maybe I don’t hate it as much as I claim to, sorry Marie! ;)

Happy Hearts!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Andrew and I started our celebration last night. He surprised me by making a reservation at Play, a new’ish/trendy restaurant in Ottawa.

Play created a special 4 course meal for Winterlude, and when I caught a glimpse I was SOLD!

I apologize in advance for the crappy pictures they’re all courtesy of my blackberry.

My first course was a roasted carrot salad with fennel, raisins, grapefruit, pesto and goat cheese.

The best part of this menu was that there was an optional wine flight, which I of course HAD to have. I love food and wine pairings!

The salad was matched with Refosoco Rose, Bastianich, Friulli, Italy, 2008.

Course #2 was my favourite. Grilled Shrimp with pineapple, water chesnut, procuitto, savoy. Pair with a crisp Pinot Blanc, Konzelmsn, Niagara, 2008. This wine really brought out the citrus flavour in the shrimp dish.  Course #3: Grilled Hanger Steak with mushrooms, frites and aioli. Paired with an unpictured wine called “House Wine” from Washington State. It was a very full bodied red which stood up quite nicely with the steak. The steak was amazing, and sooo tender. By this point I was getting full, so I left most of the frites.

My handsome date. Love those dimples!

Last but not least, the dessert course.

A chocolate macaroon with cashews and gelato.

This was paired with Maury, Domaine Fonanel from France 2004. On my first sip, this wine was verrrrrrrry sweet. However paired with the dessert, it really brought out the chocolatey tastes of the wine.

The service at Play was wonderful. To anyone in the Ottawa area, check it out. It won’t disappoint.

I started out today by hitting up the gym for Body Combat. I felt the need to get a good sweat on after indulging last night.

I came home and made a decadent breakfast for my valentine, Chocolatey Oats. In the pot: 1 cup oats, 2 cups unsweetened chocolate almond breeze, 2 tbsp cocoa powder, agave and one sliced bananas.

I attempted to make a coconut heart for Andrew’s, but it didn’t turn out so well.

My toppings included: peanut butter, coconut, chia seeds, and dried cranberries.

We spent the afternoon playing referee to the doggies, and doing a power clean of the house.

Around 6:00pm I whipped us up some Valentine’s Day pizzas.

Hers: Homemade crust from ESBM (I added chia seeds!) alfredo sauce, chicken breast chunks, broccoli, green and yellow peppers, spinach, mushrooms and zuchinni, YUM!

His: Store bought crust, pizza sauce, italian sausage, chicken, bacon, peppers, mushrooms.

Served with a side of cesar salad.

Desert was pretty kickass too. I made mini peanut butter and jam cups that I saw over on Oh She Glows.  Now, I’m the first one to admit I suck I baking… mainly because I don’t measure much.

My cups turned out a little crunchy, I think mainly because I didn’t use enough butter and maybe too many graham crumbs. Either way they were tasty. I served them on top of 1/2 cup of fat free vanilla ice cream with a drizzle of sugar free caramel sauce. YUM!

In other news, congratulations to my cousin and his wife who gave birth to their first child yesterday, Connor Andrew James!

We survived our weekend with Jasper. But as a result I’m exhausted. So is Jersey. Ditto for Andrew. Good night!