Day 26 (D6W3)

Day 26 is over and I am exhausted! I only got five hours of sleep last night (as opposed to my usual eight or nine) and then had a full day of clinical and I am played right out. As tired as I am, I still got my workout done and I resisted the urge to pick up Wendy's on the way home.  Only four days left and I can't believe I made it this far!

To health and happiness!

Jordana

Day 25 (D5W3)

Wow, I cannot believe that I only have 5 days left!  Today's workout was awesome!  I find that my Tuesday workout is always way better because I watch The Biggest Loser before I work out and it is great motivation!  (I mean if 200lbs+ people can workout at that intensity, so should I!)  Yesterday I went to the gym by myself (definitely NOT as fun as going with a friend) and ran a mile, something I haven't done in four years.  It was much harder than I remembered.  Whenever I run now I alternate every lap between running and walking and I'm able to go for an hour but when I ran a mile my body was not used to running for more than a few minutes without a break.  I was at least able to run the mile in ten minutes so it wasn't a complete failure.  I always weigh myself on the scale at the gym on Monday nights and I was nervous to yesterday because I felt as though I could have been working out harder through the week and I really slacked off on my eating and working out over the weekend but I was really excited to see that I've lost over 6lbs!  I know I shouldn't be focusing on my weight and I'm not changing my lifestyle to change my weight, I'm doing it so that I'm healthier and happier, but I have to admit, losing 6lbs is definitely encouraging!

To health and happiness!
Jordana

Day 24 (D4W3)

6 more days....6 more days!  Today I had a good work out and I think it's because I set goals for myself with some of the more challenging exercises.  When it came time to do rock star jumps, instead of trying to keep up with the video and feel discouraged when I couldn't, I would tell myself to do 10 really good jumps and that way I was able to set my own pace while still pushing myself.  Hopefully by  Day 10 I'll be able to keep up with Jillian!

To health and happiness!
Jordana

Day 23 (D3W2)

Well, today was an absolute shit show.  I was manager today at the Liquor Mart and there was so much to do!  I ended up having to unload five palates of beer (about 700 cases) and stock them so by the end of the day my shoulders and back were killing me!  Even though work was busy and I was tired by the end of the day, I came home and made myself supper, watched an episode of Modern Family (one of my favourites!) and got through Day 3, Level 3 of the 30 Day Shred.  Every day keeps getting easier and I really love this level because I feel like I'm being challenged the whole time.  It's hard to believe that I'll be done in a little over a week! I already know that I'm going to need a rest day on Friday because I'm spending the whole day in the OR at the hospital, very exciting but veeeeery tiring!

Fun place to spend a Friday night right?

To health and happiness!
Jordana

Day 22 (D2W3)

Day 2 was MUCH better than Day 1.  I don't know if I came into Day 1 with really high expectations for myself or if the exercises were that much harder but today I was able to get through all of the strength and core without taking any breaks.  The final cardio rotation (jump squats and rock star jumps) really kills me. I don't know what it is about those rock star jumps but I can only get about 2-3 done before it feels like my heart is going to explode. 

I had a cheat day yesterday, I finished my first week of clinical and rewarded myself by going to the movies with some friends where I indulged in a medium popcorn and a Mars bar (my favourite!).  The best part is, I don't feel guilty at all!  The whole reason I started to exercise and eat better is so that I could start to enjoy my life more.  I used to come home and sit on the couch and eat junk food and then feel guilty about it but now I work out almost every day and I eat healthy so that when I do want to treat myself I can enjoy it and not feel like I'm undoing all of my hard work. Like I've said before EVERYTHING IN MODERATION!!

Today is the first day in two weeks that I have absolutely no plans.  No school, work, homework, or errand running so I got up and worked out and now I plan on cuddling down with a good book and then cooking a delicious supper.

To health, happiness, and enjoying the peace and quiet!

Jordana

Day 21 (D1W3)

So I made the mistake of expecting Level 3 to be easier than Level 2...I was wrong.  Unlike Level 2 the strength circuits are what really got to me.  Squat jumps, lunge jumps, rock star jacks....all of them practically killed me!  That being said, the core exercises are MUCH better in this level.  I actually feel like my abs are being engaged and I'm working to finish the exercises.  I had my first day of clinical today so I was exhausted when I got home.  Thankfully, I have amazing roommates who heckled me into working out.  I'm glad I got workout 1 of Level 3 over with so I know what to expect for the next 10 days...and I'm terrified.  Anyway, I'm off to bed, I need to be up at 5:00 AM tomorrow to head to the hospital!

To health and happiness!
Jordana

Day 20 (D10W2)

Wooo! Level 2 completed! I can't believe I actually finished an entire level in 10 days! After my big Christmas fail, I was certain I wouldn't be able to get through Level 2 in ten days (or even finish the program for that matter)! I actually really enjoyed Level 2.  I found that unlike Level 1, the exercises in Level 2 kept me challenged right up until my last day, sure the exercises got easier as the days went on, but I still got my heart up and was able to increase the difficulty of each exercise as they got easier.

I'm happy to say that I've stayed on track this last week and it's crazy how making just one simple change in your life can influence the rest of the decisions you make.  When I first started this blog, my plan was to just power through the exercises and not really focus on my eating habits (I think I'm one of the pickiest eaters in the world).  Looking back, I realize I was just scared to fail and wanted to have my bad eating habits to blame if this program didn't actually change anything.  I'm so happy that I decided early on that my eating patterns had to change if I wanted to see any real change in my attitude and lifestyle.  Pinterest is actually a great tool when it comes to finding healthy meal plans and snack alternatives (as long as you are able to resist the tempting desserts that pop up alongside the smoothie recipes!).  One of the best "smoothie" recipes I've found is for a Mean Green smoothie.  I HATE vegetables so I was looking for a way to incorporate 2-3 servings of veggies into a smoothie.  I must admit, the first time I tried this recipe, I had to choke it down but after playing around with some of the ingredients I actually found a mix that I find really tasty.  I make sure I chop up a banana the night before and freeze it (they banana chunks act like ice cubes and chill the smoothie).  I also add about a teaspoon of natural honey and 1/4 cup of almond milk to sweeten the smoothie and give it a bit of a nutty taste.  Play around with ingredients you like because it is definitely a trial and error kind of recipe!

Mean Green Smoothie:
- 2 cups of water
- 1 head of lettuce (I used Romaine)
- 1/2 head of spinach
- Juice from 1/2 a lemon
- 2-3 sticks of celery (I only used 1-2 because I wasn't a fan of the texture/flavour)
- 1 banana
- 1 pear
- 1 apple

Blend the water, lettuce and spinach until smooth (took about 4 FULL minutes in my Magic Bullet) and then add the rest of the ingredient and blend.

Try it out and enjoy!
Jordana

Day 19 (D9W2)

Wow, Day 19!  The end is near!
I got up early today, drank a glass of ice cold water, and kicked ass in my workout video.  I was nervous last night before bed about my exam this morning but it's amazing how much better working out can make you feel.  I'm definitely going to start workout out before all of my exams, it really calms you down and lets you focus on something other than exam prep questions.

That being said, I'd better get ready for school!
Wish me luck,
To health, happiness, and kicking ass on exams!
Jordana

Day 18 (D8W2)

I wasn't going to work out today.  I have an exam tomorrow morning and when I woke up I told myself to take a day off of the 30 Day Shred and just relax and focus on studying.  Well that worked well until about 7:00 pm when I got to the point of studying where all the words on the page start to blur and you re-read the same line 15 times before any of it sinks in.  At that point I decided to clear my head by firing up my hard drive and focussing on nothing but Strength, Cardio, and Core for 30 sweat-filled minutes.
Today's exercise was awesome!  I was really focused, and pushed myself through every exercise.  One HUGE improvement I've noticed since I started the 30 Day Shred is my flexibility.  On day one, I couldn't touch my toes when I stretched and now it's crazy to think I wasn't able to do that.  My endurance has also improved a lot and I find that even when I'm climbing the stairs at school, or stacking 24s of beer at work, I'm not out of breath and wheezing like I used to.  If these videos have taught me anything, it's how out of shape I was and I'm really excited to be getting back to the way I used to be.

To health and (especially) happiness!
Jordana

Day 17 (D7W2)

Take that double jump ropes!!! Ya, that's right, I did TWO, full sets of doubles today!  I may have actually fist pumped afterwards but I can't quite remember, as soon as I finished all the blood rushed to my head and I thought I was going to pass out...but who cares! I did it!
I made up for my lack of enthusiasm yesterday by giving it 110% today.  Even as I'm writing this post my quads are quivering and I keep having to wipe my face off with a towel...like Jillian says "what you get out of it is directly proportional to what you put in".
I think to reward myself for my double jump rope victory I'm going to make myself a delicious raspberry/blackberry smoothie before work!

To health and happiness,
Jordana

Day 16 (D6W2)

I'm not sure what my problem was this morning, but for some reason I couldn't get into my workout like I normally do.  I found myself taking more breaks than usual and just not pushing myself like I normally do. I didn't even attempt double jump ropes and my level of intensity just wasn't where I like it to be.  That being said, I was still soaked in sweat at the end of the workout and had a good burn going in my quads and shoulders.

To make up for my lack of intensity this morning I'm going walk to school (30min walk each way), and probably hit up the gym after class.

To health and not giving up!

Jordana

Day 15 (D5W2)

Day 15!!!!! I'm halfway there! I got through all of Circuit 1 and Circuit 2 cardio without taking a break and did another set of double jump ropes (still couldn't manage the second set).  After 30 Day Shred I did Ab Ripper X from P90X (in hindsight I probably should have taken a 10-15 minute break between the two).  Instead of doing 25 reps of every exercise I only did 20.  I know I can do the full workout because I've done it before, I just think my body needed a little bit of a rest.

My mom got me a Magic Bullet for Christmas and I FINALLY got around to using it this week and now that I know how, I am a smoothie machine!  This morning I had a raspberry and blackberry smoothie with banana and vanilla yogurt (so good!).

Now that I've figured out how to sneak fruits into my diet, I really need to start trying out more vegetables.  Mashed cauliflower is a good alternative to potatoes but I think I need to be a bit more adventurous.

My Favourite Mashed Cauliflower Recipe:
Olive oil, garlic, chives, Romano cheese and salt & pepper to taste.
(You'll never want mashed potatoes again!)

To health, happiness, and being halfway done!
Jordana

Day 14 (D4W2)

Well I had a minor victory today, I got through one full set of double jump ropes! I just about fell to my knees afterwards but I am so excited that I at least got through it.  Of course when it came time for the second set I couldn't even bring myself to try doubles again but at least I now know that I can do them so whenever I'm about to quite in the next six days I can think back to today and tell myself that it's my mind that's giving out not my legs.  Now that Day 4 is done I'm off to tackle the mountain of schoolwork that's built up over the last few days and head to the gym for some quality cousin time (and to work on upper body/arms).

To health, happiness, and getting good grades!

Jordana

Day 13 (D3W2)

Day 3, mission accomplished.  I have to admit I was veeeery close to not working out today.  I'd convinced myself that I needed a day to "rest" because my calves and glutes were aching a little bit but luckily, I recorded The Biggest Loser last night and when I got home from school I made myself lunch and settled down in my sweats and oversized hoodie to watch it.  Let's just say, it is impossible to watch a two hour show about severely obese individuals trying to lose weight and NOT want to work out after (especially when the sound of Jillian Michaels voice guilt trips you into it!).

Week 2 is already much easier.  The only strength exercise I can't seem to get through without taking a breather is the chair sit with triangle dumb bell raises...It doesn't look hard but my shoulders start to give out half way through.  Cardio is getting better too! Plank jacks are getting better but I still can't seem to manage the double jump rope...oh well, the struggle continues!

Tonight I'm going to try my hand at making Spaghetti Squash (another Pinterest find!) Wish me luck!

To health and happiness,
Jordana

Day 12 (D2W2)

Whew, cardio is still kicking my ass.  Strength and core seemed easier today though so that's encouraging.  I'm not sure if I'll ever be a able to do double jump rope (I get about two done and then my heart feels as though it's about to explode).  I'll keep doing single jump rope and hopefully by Day 8-9 of Week 2 I'll be able to get into doubles.
I am LOVING my Lose It! app.  I have a link to the app in my Day 11 post and I highly recommend downloading it.  It has a ton of nutritional information for restaurants which I really like because most of the time if you think you're ordering something healthy, chances are you're probably not.  Oh and those delicious desserts you can get after the meal...something tells me you won't want one ever again after you see the calorie content... 590 calories for one brownie!
Tonight I'll be going to the gym to do some more cardio, core and then end with a nice brisk walk.

Auf Wiedersehen Brownie Explosion...You will not be forgotten.

To health and resisting desserts!
Jordana

Day 11 (Day 1 Week 2)

Well, glad that's over with!  I regret all previous posts where I complain about being bored with Week 1 exercises.  Week 2 is INTENSE!  For me, the toughest part about Week 2 is definitely the cardio.  It seemed like my heart was about to explode with every exercise.  The worst were plank jacks and double jump rope.
I was feeling really confident about exercise during Week 1 because after the first 2-3 days, the workout became quite a bit easier...I'm hoping the same goes for Week 2 because right now I am sweating like I just ran a marathon (not that I'd know what that's like, but I can imagine)!
Although the workout was WAY harder than I expected, the exercises were a lot more interesting and I had fun doing them.

This makes it look so easy...

I had a revelation last night when I was talking to my sister and telling her how much fun I was having doing these videos and going to the gym.  For two years after high school I convinced myself that I hated working out and the only way I would exercise would be to play sports (I played high school softball and volleyball).  Well, as most college/university students who don't play on their school's athletic team have realized, finding a co-ed/ competitive team to play on and who's schedule fits into theirs is pretty damn hard!  I finally realized that I don't need a sport or a team to have fun,  working out and going to the gym can be my sport and I can enjoy it just as much, if not more (no coaches hammering volleyball's at your face, is one perk).

I've been Pinning again (what's new) but I've tried to stop pinning heart attack inducing recipes and start pinning to my "Health and Lifestyle" board, which was pretty much empty about a month ago.  I have found some great tips and tricks and thought I would share some of my favourites with you that I've tried and found that they really work:

1. Keep a food diary
I know this sounds like something your high school gym teacher would make you do but I found a great app on my iPhone called Lose it! It tracks your calories for the day, your exercises, your percentage of carbs, protein, and fats, and even helps track your weight goals. It's FREE and I highly recommend it.  It gives you a visual of what you are putting into your body and really opens your eyes to hidden calories in your food (using 2tbsp of butter on my toast in the morning was more calories than one cup of steamed broccoli!)

Lose It!

2.  Plan a day or two a week to meet a friend at the gym
This is pretty self-explanatory.  When you tell someone you are going to meet them at the gym at 6:00pm on Mondays and Wednesdays at the gym, every week, you make sure that you plan your activities around that gym time.  If you can carve two hours out of your night to watch Grey's Anatomy (which I do) than you can make it a priority to set aside two hours out of your night to meet up with a friend at the gym (and talk about what happened on Grey's Anatomy)

3.  Drink water with lemon (and drink lots of it!)
I'll be the first to admit, I used to drink maybe 1-2 glasses of water/ day until I started working out.  Now I rarely drink anything else.  Adding lemon to your water helps kick start your metabolism in the morning and frankly, jazzes up that boring glass of water.  I also bought a Starbucks cold cup (that I love!) and it encourages me to drink water throughout the day.
I mean it, that water bottle should go everywhere you go.  When I leave my house I check for four things: My wallet, my keys, my phone, and my water bottle.  I've gotten so bad that if my pockets aren't full (keys in one pocket, phone in the other) and my hands are empty (wallet in one hand, cold cup in the other), I have a minor panic attack until I've located my precious belongings.

Mmmm...Refreshing!

4. Eliminate your weakness
My kryptonite is Salt and Vinegar Chip and Fudgeo Cookies.  If either of these things are in my house, I will destroy them.  One minute they are there, the next they are a crumpled bag shoved to the bottom of the garbage can in an attempt to high my shame.  So how do I overcome this internal struggle? I DO NOT KEEP THEM IN THE HOUSE!!  If an unexpected craving hits me and I feel like I'm going to die if I don't have a Salt and Vinegar chip (that's exactly what it feels like too) I at least have to get of my hiney, walk to the nearest 7-Eleven and buy a bag.

So we meet again..

5. Brush your teeth after EVERY meal
This seems excessive, but it totally works!  As soon as you've brushed your teeth, you eliminate any cravings you might have after a meal.  Personally, after supper I crave something sweet but as soon as I brush my teeth, the thought of a brownie mixed with the taste of that minty toothpaste doesn't seem so appealing anymore.

So there are a few of my tried and true tips,
To health and happiness!
Jordana

Day 10

I have FINALLY completed Week 1 of Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred!!! It took longer than 10 days mind you, but at least I did it. I'm glad I don't have to listen to the same 30 minute recording for the next ten days and I've found that the exercises aren't challenging anymore so hopefully Week 2 will work some different muscle groups and have me sweating like I was at the beginning of Week 1.
I think I'm going to reward myself with a Booster Juice today for lunch...I'm thinking Pomegranate Passion (pomegranate, strawberries, raspberries, and vanilla yogurt!)

'Nuff said...

I've had the urge to start running lately (weird, right?) but I'm afraid I have absolutely no workout attire thats suitable for the frigid Manitoba winter.  I guess I'd better make the treacherous trek to Lulu Lemon...(I hate it...but I love it)...to find some running tights.  Let's hope I leave with enough money to pay next month's rent!

To health, happiness, and resisting the urge to spend!

Jordana

Day 9

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...Okay so I know I shouldn't be complaining about finishing Week 1...in fact I should be embarrassed that it's taken me 23 days to get to Day 9 (fail) however, the days I haven't been doing Jillian Michaels: 30 Day Shred, I've been going to the gym so I can't call it a complete failure.
Yesterday I did 30 minutes of cardio on the bike at the gym while I did some readings for one of my courses.  I don't always get the best cardio workout on the bike (running seems to skyrocket my heart rate) but I like that I can incorporate some studying into my workout because it completely ruins my excuse of having too much school work to go to the gym.
After cardio I did 15 minutes of core exercises and then ended the workout with a 2.5mi walk.  I've really enjoyed walking with Janelle because it gives us a chance to catch up.  I am notorious for losing touch with my friends during school because I "think" I'm too swamped with school to pick up the phone for a five minute chat and, to be honest, I hate talking on the phone because I feel like I never have anything noteworthy to talk about, but at the gym the conversation never seems to dull or be filled with long awkward pauses.
Apart from working out I have discovered two new food loves.  Pomegranate and Arugula.  I never used to enjoy salad and would NEVER make one for supper because I hate the texture of lettuce.  I've been trying new greens lately and thought spinach was my best option until I decided to accidentally pick up a bag of baby arugula thinking it was spinach.  I got home, tried it, and loved it!  Yesterday I made an arugula salad with grilled chicken breast, fresh mozzarella and an aged balsamic vinagrette and it was SO good.  The hunt for a HEALTHY, tasty, and filling salad is over!  As for pomegranate, I love the taste and getting all of those delicious little seeds out is an extra challenge before getting to enjoy your snack.  I love snacks that make you work for it because it feels so much more satisfying when you actually get to eat it.

Anyway, I need to shower, deposit rent (woo hoo!) and get ready for class...
I got placed in Neurosurgery for clinical this term...so excited!

What are the chances I'll meet my dream guy... aka: Derek Shepard, Neurosurgeon Extraordinaire...while on my clinical rotation?  Seriously....I love this guy. 

To health and happiness!
Jordana

Back to School...

Well, my second term has started and it looks as though it going to be just as challenging as the first.  This term I'm in Restoration (aka Surgery), so I'm looking forward to my clinical rotations...even though that means 7:00am-7:00pm days on Thursdays and Fridays.  Something tells me those days are going to be write offs when it comes to working out.   At least when I'm at the hospital I pack a healthy lunch and don't snack throughout the day.  I have also found that when I'm busy on the ward I tend to forget to drink water and become pretty dehydrated by the end of my shift so I'm going to have to try and make more of an effort to drink water while I'm at clinical.
To help keep me on track of this new "healthy lifestyle" I've enlisted the help of my cousin, Janelle, who goes to the University of Manitoba as well.  We've decided to meet at the gym every Monday and Wednesday at 6:00pm to work out together.  This Monday we did 30 min of Cardio, 20 minutes of Core Strength and then walked the track for over an hour.  I'm hoping to eventually convince her to run a lap, walk two laps, run a lap, walk two laps, ect.
I've been slacking off my workout video with the same old excuses of "once I get into a better routine" and "I just need to get settled into school mode".  I don't have class until 10:30 am tomorrow so I've set my alarm for 8:30am, set out my workout clothes, and set up my mat, towel and weights in the living room.  If that doesn't guilt me into doing Jillian Michaels I think I might have to get a life-sized cardboard cutout and set it up in my room...

If that doesn't terrify you into working out, I don't know what will...

I am addicted to Pinterest (mostly for the disgusting, diabetes inducing recipes) and recently found this great pin with tips for early morning workouts...I've tried these out and they really DO help.  Here is the link to the blog...http://www.youmefit.com/2012/08/16/waking-up-early/

Great early morning workout tips!  I personally love the lemon water...

Anyways, I'm off to bed...morning workout tomorrow, rememeber?
To health, happiness, and getting my act together!
Jordana

Day 8

Day 8, over and done with. I struggled with cardio today but strength and core were a walk in the park. I'm getting sick of listening to Jillian Michaels yell the same things at me every morning so I'm pretty jacked I only have TWO more days of week 1.  I really wish I hadn't slacked off over Christmas or I'm already be half way through week 2. When I do Ripped in 30 I'm going to have to make sure I am MUCH more disciplined.

To health and discipline,
Jordana

Day 7

Okay, okay...I know I've been MIA for the last 9 days and I shouldn't use Christmas as an excuse but hey, it was Christmas! I learnt a new saying this holiday season, from my sister's girlfriend, Ashley. She said "It's not what you eat between Christmas and New Years that counts, it's what you eat between New Years and Christmas".  Although this is just a saying to ease the guilt we all feel while we're devouring our fourth Christmas feast and eating until we feel physically ill, there is some bit of truth to this.  One or two weeks of "bad" eating (or overeating in my case) does not ruin you're decision to live a healthy lifestyle.  EVERYTHING IN MODERATION!!!  The last nine days I have been driving to and from Winnipeg for work and have been dining on microwavable meals (real healthy, I know).  I also haven't done my 30 Day Shred video since December 23rd.  I rebooted the old hard drive today and I was nervous that I would be right back to square one; gasping for breath, pausing the video every five minutes, and guzzling water like there was no tomorrow.  However, this wasn't the case.  Of course I didn't breeze through the video like I did on Day 6 but I still managed to increase my weights and didn't have to rest between exercises.

My moms New Years resolution is to exercise more and eat better food (real original eh?).  She doesn't like to workout the same way I do, I'm more like my dad in that respect, but she does like to walk, so along with my videos I'm going to try to walk at least 30-60 minutes with my mom each day.  This will be an excellent way to incorporate some outdoor exercise during these frigid winter months.

Again, sorry for taking a nine day hiatus but I'll try to be more disciplined now that I don't have Christmas dainties, turkey, and liquor to distract me.

To health and happiness,
Jordana