What Happened When I Joined a Hockey Team

Leaving university was a tricky transition for me. For seventeen years straight I had worked hard at my role as a student; I knew what to do each day and what the end goal was. I had the consistent support of my family and my friends – my village. Once I left the city I had been in and started teaching, it felt like everything changed and I floundered. My friends dispersed into their various roles, my evenings were spent planning and marking, and I had to engage with a new community.

Building new relationships isn't something you can rush. 

Over time, I became connected to the school community I was teaching at. I made new friends and ended up marrying another teacher – how's that for building strong relationships? I joined a flag football team with friends from my university days and within a few years felt that I had transitioned well into my new role as a working and married adult in the suburbs.

How to Make Natural Deodorant That Actually Works

I have been wearing natural deodorant for three years. The reason I decided to move in this direction is that although antiperspirants claim to be safe, I want to reduce any possible risks due to my genetics. Men often have deodorant options but most of the ones available for women are also antiperspirants with parabens and aluminum. That sweat was meant to come out for a reason–we don't want to clog our pores on our face so why would we do it under our arms?

I have tried about 15 different kinds of natural deodorant over the years and all are not created equally. I have really enjoyed pastes as they tend to work the best and are gentle on my armpits. I recently decided to make my own and put it to the test; I ran 5 km's, I chased after children, I even taught a full day of PE. The result? This recipe works. So, without further ado, here is the simple recipe to make your own deodorant.

Five Things I Learned When My Son Wore a Fitbit

It's no secret that I love my Fitbit. I'm the kind of person who loves to quantify most things and enjoys a goal for each and every day. I always try to get 10,000 steps per day and I usually end up with about 13,000. I was curious just how active Kai (age 9) was as he always seems to be moving at home – did going to school prevent him from getting enough activity each day? I had an old Fitbit Charge and put it on him out of curiosity.

What did we learn after one month?

Five Simple Ideas to Increase Your Activity Level

For me, being active needs to be easy by ensuring that I do activities that I enjoy and would participate in naturally. If I make a bunch of rules and expectations on myself, it's inevitable that I will feel like a failure. For years, if I gave myself a number of pounds that needed to be lost or a number of kilometers that I had to run each week, it would make activity feel like a chore and therefore was a lot less enjoyable. This past year, I started something new...I ran without timing myself. This was huge for me as a goal and number orientated person. I ran to run. 

Here are five simple ways to increase your activity level:

1.  Wear what makes you feel like being active. 

I love new leggings and recently purchased a headband/ear warmer for those chillier runs. Make sure you have really good runners, too. I recommend trying on a variety and getting an expert opinion. I wear Brooks (with orthotics) and although they are pricey, good shoes are important to me. Somehow looking the part helps me act the part!

2.  Sign up for something you love.  

A big motivator for me is getting a date on the calendar and paying for something. Last year I participated in the MEC Langley Race Series. It was a great way to do a 5 km race close to home (for only $15/race!). My son ran the last one with me and it was so fun to have that shared activity. I have other friends that LOVE Zumba, so if that's your thing, commit. Other ideas are yoga (loved that when I was pregnant) or even meeting a friend at the gym to work out. Figure out what is realistic for YOU.

3. Choose outdoor family activities. 

We love going for hikes, exploring local parks, and just being outside. Sometimes we just do a family walk to the grocery store which may not sound exciting but the kids love the cookies and I love the time together...and the steps. Besides being active together a lot of these options are free!

4.  Use a Fitbit or activity tracker. 

This has been a great motivator for me. I use the FitBit Charge as it has a watch on it and the step results are right on my wrist. I aim for a minimum of 10,000 steps per day and if I don't reach it, that's okay, but it helps me to see how active I have (or haven't) been. Besides, it's a bit of a motivator for getting those chores done – cleaning a whole house can really add up those steps!

 5. Instead of meeting a friend for coffee, why not go for a walk together instead?

Socialize plus exercise plus saving money. Triple win. I will often meet my sister for a walk once the kids are in bed. It's a healthy way to catch up and destress after a long day.

Those are my tips for being active, what are yours?

Love, 
Louise

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Going Sugar-Free: One Year Later

About six months ago I let you know how we were doing health wise in regards to the way we were eating and the results we were seeing.  This post had the second highest number of views ever on this blog. I struggle writing about weight because it's tricky--I want people to feel confident just the way they are but I also want them to know that if they want to make a change, they can!

These two photos are the `before' ones and show us last May at our heaviest.  When we measured our waist circumference, we were both considered to have abdominal obesity (>35" for a woman and >40" for a man).

How are we doing a year after reducing the refined sugar and certain carbohydrates (white flour/rice/potatoes) in our home?  How was it going on holidays?  Do we feel like we are missing out?  

Well for starters, we have left the obese zone!  The first few months we were quite strict in limiting our sugars and unhealthy carbohydrates.  After getting to our goal weights, we have been more flexible in how we are eating. During our Las Vegas trip and surprise Disney World trip, I was nervous about how my body would respond to eating more carbohydrates than I was used to.   I did gain 3 lbs throughout those holidays, but once I went back to healthy eating, it came off again until I was at my set weight.  Overall, I would say that our diet is at about 60% less refined sugar than it used to be.

Because we want to be able to have a treat once in a while (okay, pretty much every day), we know that we need to compensate with exercise.  I've been faithful at trying to get my 10,000 steps each day by tracking it with my  Fitbit.   I also run about three times a week for 20-30 minutes each time.  This is not a chore--I love it.  I need it.   Although I am able to maintain my weight this way, I can see that having more treats has increased my bloating.  I would like to be a little bit more serious in the snack department; it's that balance between enjoying life in the short term and yet looking at the long term effects.   

Throughout this past year, we have discovered many new recipes and I'm very thankful that Gary enjoys cooking.  I love that we have opened our eyes to a whole new world of ingredients; who knew that there were so many great vegan recipes out there?  Who knew I would love Quinoa Chips?  Who knew that dates were a great sweetener in recipes (okay, probably everyone who has ever had a date square)?

{Awesome gluten-free Almond, Pistachio & Quinoa Dark Chocolate Bars.  There is sugar in the form of honey and dates but it's much better for you and these bars are so high in protein. This was a special treat.}

I have been able to take off the 18 lbs that I gained over 10 years of marriage and 3 kids.  Gary lost 20 lbs and is even smaller than when we got married!  I feel good.  I love how my clothes fit and I love the energy I have.   As Gary and I get older, I feel a greater desire to take care of these bodies of ours.  I know there is only so much in my control, but if I do my part, that will increase my chances of living a longer, healthier life.  

I am glad that I'm not hard on myself.  I am very content with my size 10 body and don't have any desire to be smaller.  This is where I feel I should be.

This recent photo of Gary and I shows that we are the same size as our wedding day!  I'm appreciative that Gary is on board with this as it would be difficult to do it on my own.  I'm very proud of him; he loves food more than I do and yet has chosen to embrace good-for-you good food.

 The biggest recommendation I will make is to really watch your refined sugar intake--especially in liquid form! Simple, right?   When you fuel yourself with more protein and less sugar then your energy levels can be maintained and you stay fuller longer.  If you are wanting to make a change then I would encourage you to start!  If you have already started, I would love to hear how you are doing.

Love, 

Louise

Fitbit Flex {Review}

This year, one of my goals is to work on my fitness.  I tackled the 18 lbs I wanted to lose in 2014 and now it's just maintaining that while becoming leaner, stronger, and faster.   I was not sure what kind of fitness tracker to get as they all seem so similar to me.  My sister in law recommended the Fitbit so I went for it.  The Fitbit Flex is about $99.95 and is on the cheaper end of the Fitbits.  It has so many things that it can do but I mostly just use it for keeping track of my activity and sleep.

{You can see the black band on my wrist.  Each one comes with two size bands and I use the thinner, smaller one.  The downfall is that I have to wear the band with a watch which is a bit much.  If you bought a different one, like the Fitbit Charge, it comes with a watch.  And no, going without a watch is not an option for me!}

So, what do I like about it?

It tracks how active I am throughout the day. When I hover above a bar, it tells me how far I went in 15 minute increments.  Therefore, I know my jog at 8 pm was 3.4 km.  You can also see that I watched TV from 9-10:30 as there is very little activity.  This is a screen shot so you can't hover to see what I mean.  I believe the way it measures distance is from moving your arms because when I rode my stationary bike, it said I had very little activity.   You can enter it manually if you wish but I don't wish to.

You can set goals for how many steps you would like to achieve per day.  Mine is 10,000.  It syncs on my phone and computer throughout the day (there is a dongle attached to my computer) and let's me know where I'm at.  Once you hit 10,000 steps, the band vibrates and indicates that you are a champ.  I seriously love that vibration as I feel a tad bit awesome.

On your dashboard, you can track your weight, food and water.  I don't track any food. You just tap to add a drink when you have one.  It really makes me see that I never drink enough.  And really, only 1.5 of those cups is water, the other two are a coffee and a smoothie.  Oops. 

Another part I was very interested in was my sleep.  Nya has been sleeping through the night for almost a year now.  Also, since we've eliminated sugar, I sleep so much better.  You can definitely see it in the sleep log!  The frustrating part about the Fitbit Flex is that you have to tap it to set when you are going to sleep and then tap it again when you wake up.  Other Fitbits are able to track sleep automatically.  

I noticed a few issues with the sleep tracker but then realized I can edit out the mistake (which was saying that I went back to sleep after I got up for the day!) on my dashboard.  I don't love that but hopefully I can figure out the appropriate `tap' to get it to stop tracking my sleep. Also, just know that it takes about an hour in the morning for all the sleep information to sync.

It took me 16 minutes to fall asleep, I woke up 4 times and from 3:00-3:05 I was awake and took about 12 steps (I brought Nya her puffer).  Another very tool is that I can set my alarm on my computer dashboard and my Fitbit will wake me up with a gentle vibration on my wrist.  It was a very pleasant way to wake up!

I love that the results are also on my phone and I can sync it any time.  This is a screen shot of it.  It does track your calories burned because it has your stats (height, weight, age, sex) and knows your activity level to some degree.

The battery does need to be recharged every 5 days or so.  It comes with a battery and charger and takes about 2-3 hours to fully charge.  It is water resistant and I just don't take it off.

So, would I recommend it?  If you feel committed to a fitness plan, then yes, it's something to keep you accountable.    Would I recommend getting one a step above?  Yes.  That way you can have it with the watch and the automatic sleep tracker.  I give it a 7.5/10 for it's value and ease of use.

I'd love to hear the pros and cons of fitness trackers that you  might have.  If you don't have one, would you get one?  

Have a great weekend everyone!

Love, 

Louise

PS If you don't follow on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, I'd love to see you there!

Sweat

Four Things:

1. My blog list is not updating for some reason. People have updated their blogs but it's not showing. I'm assuming this is a blogger gadget problem but if anyone has a solution, please let me know!

2. Gary and I did the `Insanity' workout tonight. You are supposed to do it 6 days a week for 60 days. We are going to do it 2-3 times per week and see how it goes. It was a great workout and probably produced more sweat in 42 minutes than I've had in a long time! I love working out with Gary. It's great to have someone to keep you company, to keep you accountable, and, I don't have to impress him as he already thinks I'm awesome:) The only part I am not a fan of is the plyometrics. Give me cardio and strength exercises any day.

3. It felt really good to get back into routine today. I'm sure it will get old fast but Spring Break was so incredibly rejuvenating for me.

4. My back was better-ish in time for football. I put A535 on it which really helped. We won our first game! It felt so great to have our whole team there, in the sun, and have everyone participating. There were a whole lot of completed passes which made my day:) It feels good to QB again and I'm so happy that I'm healthy enough to do it as well as I want to!

Get Fit: Week Five Check In

Sorry to do this one day late! Gary and I were working in Pemberton and just got back.

The final results for the 5 week challenge (which I'm actually just going to keep going on) is:

Weight: total loss of 6lbs (very happy with this! Would like to lose about 4 more just for some wiggle room). This was on Monday before we left on a three day trip with zero exercise besides walking around.

Fitness: no where near where I would like it to be. I can run 20 minutes comfortably but would like to continue exercising (elliptical, 30 day shred, yoga, running) so that I can run at least 30 minutes comfortably. I also want to get into shape for football which starts in just a few months.

Food: this is the biggest thing for me. I want to continue to make smart decisions while allowing for a small daily indulgence. This has made all the difference to my weight loss.

How was your weigh in this week? Your activity level? Boy, was it a food filled week! I am going to continue trying to get healthier but I'm not sure if I will have `Check Ins' each week. I'm thankful that a bunch of you were on board with getting healthier, it def. made me stick to a plan. Yay for getting more fit and losing a few pounds!

Get Fit: Week Four Check In

Well. We've been sick here. I've pretty much been sick for 2.5 of the 4 weeks that we've been doing this. I managed to exercise 5 days this week so not bad. I lost that last 0.5lbs for a total of 5lbs. I'm no where near as fit as I would like to be as this whole chest infection turned into a mass buildup in my sinuses that feels like it's coming out of my ears. Anyway, I'm liking the way I'm looking and thinking that 10 more pounds isn't really realistic (my married weight) so in the end, I'd like to just lose 5 more. That would be easier to maintain.

I have no idea how I'm avoiding most of this amazing food out there. This will be the most challenging week by far. Two huge Christmas dinners in a row (the week after has New Years Eve and then Koen's birthday party). Why wasn't this just a 4 week challenge? If I can be healthy these next two weeks, I will be my own hero:)

{this is from a few months ago but every post needs a picture:)}

In other news...Koen is sick. For two weeks he has been coughing and super congested. The problem is that he can't get a good night sleep so I've been holding him, in the recliner, for an hour or two each night. He's been up since 4am today. We are tired. In his crib, he will just cry and cry for me (which is NOT like him at all). I keep thinking that he will get better so I never booked a doctor's appointment. Besides, what's he going to say? Yes, it's going around, nothing you can do. I don't want Koen on antibiotics because last time he was on it, it was terrible. We have an appointment in two hours, we'll see what he says. We bought a better (super expensive but on for half price!!) humidifier today so hopefully that helps. I'm just worried because Gary and I are going to Pemberton for a wedding next week and I want Koen to be all better before we go. Also, I'm nervous it's going to turn into an ear infection.

Get Fit: Week Three Check In

I don't really want to let you know how this week went because it was bad. I was sick. Like, only worked out 2 days this week. Fortunately I am feeling quite a bit better, maybe 75%, so I'm back at the elliptical again. I do 20 minutes during the day with the kids awake (their limit of behaving nicely while I work out) and 20 minutes at night while they are in bed. Not ideal shower wise, but it seems to work best. I'm not ready to run yet. It's hard for me mentally because I was supposed to be so much further along fitness wise at this point but that week and half rest was detrimental to that. Oh well.

Scale says I lost 0.5 lbs and I'll take it. At least there was no gain. So far, in three weeks, it's been 4.5lbs. I'll take it. I just really have another extra 10lbs on me that I would love to shed over the next few months. I would also love to be able to do 5km no problem at all. Just takes time. Need to be patient. Need to stay healthy!

I'm making cake pops tomorrow so let's see how strong my will power is then:)

How was your week?

Get Fit: Week Two Check In

How was it for you??? I have been fighting a chest infection so my body has been really tired and I've been listening to it.

Exercise: I still managed to do the elliptical for 20-40 minutes a day, one run, and one Jillian workout. I took one day off.

Food: I have to say that I have been doing really well and it's just because we have no baking in our house:) Poor Gary!!

Weight: I have maintained the 4lb weight loss and lost nothing else. My goal from here is to lose 1lb per week because I think that is realistic. My blood tests shows that for the second month in a row, my thyroid hormones are in the normal range. Awesome.

Looking Forward: I would love to go for at least 2 runs this week but need to get healthy first!

Let me know how you are doing! As my brother in law, Tyler, mentioned...each pound lost around this time of year is really like two pounds lost because of what you might have gained during this food filled time:)

PS To lose 1lb per week, you need to decrease you caloric intake by 500 calories/day. I guess that means I could just increase my exercise to burn off 500 calories/day.

Get Fit: Week One Check In

How did you all do? What kind of exercise did you do? Meal changes? What did the scale say (last night or today?)

Exercise: I worked out a minimum of 40 minutes per day, for 6 days. It was mostly elliptical as we have one in our house and I'm trying to work up some kind of fitness level before running more and getting back to my Jillian Michael's workout:)

Food: I thought a lot more about what I was eating and was pretty smart about it. I snacked on carrots, apples and oranges instead of cookies and muffins. I did allow myself one small `treat' per day (home made hot chocolate, piece of chocolate etc).

Fitness: I feel much better already. Running up the stairs feels easier already. I went for a 15 minute jog and it was great!

Scale: Okay, so you first have to understand that I'm not normal. My Graves' Disease makes my body weight fluctuate drastically depending on my hormones. For example, in two weeks from now, I will normally put on about 5lbs so it will be interesting to see if I can keep it off/prevent any weight gain. From one week ago, I have lost 4lbs. This whole trying to get fit while having GD is going to be a whole new experience for me, that's for sure!

Can't wait to hear about your week!! Let me know!!