Set goals, not resolutions

How many times have you been asked what your New Year's resolutions are? If you know me personally, you've probably been asked at least once since the beginning of December. I find that resolutions have a bad reputation. Let's face it, most of us fall off the horse pretty quickly! I, too, am guilty of setting unrealistic resolutions only to  completely forget what they were by the end of February!

According to the Cambridge Dictionaries Online, a New Year's resolution is defined as, "a promise that you make to yourself to start doing something good or stop doing something bad on the first day of the year". Ummm... Well, that's pretty freaken vague.

I say screw resolutions and call them what they really are: GOALS! Dictionary.com defines a goal as "the result or achievement towards which effort is directed". Still a little vague but luckily there has been a lot of research that has gone into goals and goal setting in general. In the context of New Year's goals aimed at improving oneself, the best way to categorize them is to split them into small, bite-sized chunks, making sure that each mini-goal is a S.M.A.R.T one!

Let's say your goal is to lose weight (a very, VERY common New Year's resolution). Start by making this a S.M.A.R.T. goal.

S.M.A.R.T. goals

S = Specific
How much weight do you want to lose? Let's say 20 lbs.
M = Measurable
How are you going to measure this goal? With our example, this one is pretty easy to measure! Let's assume you'll weigh yourself every week and keep track of your weight loss.
A = Attainable
In other words, do you actually have a spare 20 lbs to lose? If you're already at a healthy weight but unhappy with your physique, perhaps your goal could be to alter your body composition.
R = Realistic
Are you realistically willing to work towards this goal? Is your goal challenging enough that you're motivated to work towards it, or is it so easy that you will keep putting it off for later? This is only up to the goal-setter to decide.
T = Timely
Basically, do you have a deadline? In the case of general New Year's goals, deadlines tend to fall by the end of the year, which is plenty of time :)

Now that you have a S.M.A.R.T. goal set, how are you going to go about achieving it? A plan of attack is always necessary. Waking up on the first day of the year and telling yourself, "I'm going to lose 20 lbs this year!" is great, but how will this happen?

Divid your goal into mini ones! Take your 20 lb weight loss and start by focusing on the first 5 lbs. Go through your S.M.A.R.T. steps again. This time, your goal will be your plan of attack. So, for example, under the specific category, you would describe the exact changes you will make to your lifestyle (i.e., adding 2 extra servings of vegetables in place of your usual 3:00 pm cookie, taking a 30 minute power walk every Monday, Wednesday, Tuesday, attending fitness classes twice a week, and so on). Again, be sure that the these mini goals are measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely.

By organizing a plan of attack, and setting S.M.A.R.T. goals, you will actually achieve your New Year's resolutions and continue your journey to self improvement!

If your goal is to improve your fitness level, and you live in the greater Vancouver area, be sure to check out my 12-week Body Evolution classes starting January 7th. Click here to find out more.

Happy New Year everyone!

12 Days of Fitness

'Twas the night before Christmas and all throughout your body, not a muscle was stirring... not even your hammie...

Okay, I was onto something there, but let's cut to the chase. My gift to all of you this Christmas is my infamous 12 Days of Fitness workout. If you have ever taken a fitness class with me in the past, this is a holiday favorite.

As always, be sure to warm up adequately before jumping into this routine.

Here we go! Perform the exercises the same way you would sing the song. In other words, keep accumulating a new exercise with each round. Oh and of course, make sure to sing along :)

Photo credits to www.worthy1000.com for this awesome pic!

12 Days of Fitness

On the 1st day of fitness my trainer gave to me a set of 5 burpees!

On the 2nd day of fitness my trainer gave to me 2 mins of jump rope*, and a set of 5 burpees!

On the 3rd day of fitness my trainer gave to me 3 wide grip pull ups**, 2 mins of jump rope, and a set of 5 burpees!

On the 4th day of fitness my trainer gave to me 4 narrow push ups, 3 wide grip pull ups, 2 mins of jump rope, and a set of 5 burpees!

On the 5th day of fitness my trainer gave to me 5 shoulder presses, 4 narrow push ups, 3 wide grip pull ups, 2 mins of jump rope, and a set of 5 burpees!

On the 6th day of fitness my trainer gave to me 6 bent over rows-a-rowing, 5 shoulder presses, 4 narrow push up, 3 wide grip pull ups, 2 mins of jump rope, and a set of 5 burpees!

On the 7th day of fitness my trainer gave to me 7 lunges-a-lunging**, 6 bent over rows-a-rowing, 5 shoulder presses, 4 narrow push ups, 3 wide grip pull ups, 2 mins of jump rope, and a set of 5 burpees!

On the 8th day of fitness my trainer gave to me 8 biceps-a-curling, 7 lunges-a-lunging, 6 bent over rows-a-rowing, 5 shoulder presses, 4 narrow push ups, 3 wide grip pull ups, 2 mins of jump rope, and a set of 5 burpees!

On the 9th day of fitness my trainer gave to me 9 laterals raising****, 8 biceps-a-curling, 7 lunges-a-lunging, 6 bent over rows-a-rowing, 5 shoulder presses, 4 narrow push ups, 3 wide grip pull ups, 2 mins of jump rope, and a set of 5 burpees!

On the 10th day of fitness my trainer gave to me 10 jumps-a-tucking*****, 9 laterals raising, 8 biceps-a-curling, 7 lunges-a-lunging, 6 bent over rows-a-rowing, 5 shoulder presses, 4 narrow push ups, 3 wide grip pull ups, 2 mins of jump rope, and a set of 5 burpees!

On the 11th day of fitness my trainer gave to me 11 alternate legs-a-dropping******, 10 jumps-a-tucking,  9 laterals raising, 8 biceps-a-curling, 7 lunges-a-lunging, 6 bent over rows-a-rowing, 5 shoulder presses, 4 narrow push ups, 3 wide grip pull ups, 2 mins of jump rope, and a set of 5 burpees!

On the 12th day of fitness my trainer gave to me 12 V-ups-a-burning, 11 alternate legs-a-dropping, 10 jumps-a-tucking,  9 laterals raising, 8 biceps-a-curling, 7 lunges-a-lunging, 6 bent over rows-a-rowing, 5 shoulder presses, 4 narrow push ups, 3 wide grip pull ups, 2 mins of jump rope, and a set of 5 burpees!

*If you don't have a jump rope, choose any form of cardio activity (jumping jacks, high knees, etc.)
**Perform a wide grip lat pull down if you are unable to do pull ups.
*** 7 per leg. Do NOT alternate!
**** Lateral shoulder raises
***** Tuck jumps, if these are too hard on your joints, do fast prisoner squats
****** 11 leg drops PER leg, so 22 singles.

Please, please, PLEASE stretch after this epic, killer workout, and then proceed to enjoy your festivities!

MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone! And a happy New Year!

I've got lots of exciting stuff coming in the new year, so be sure to follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trainwithkat and Twitter: https://twitter.com/katciecierska.

Pumpkin ginger soup

'Tis the season for everything pumpkin flavoured! Here is a simple pumpkin soup with a bit of ginger-cayenne kick to it. This recipe makes approximately 3 litres of soup.

This photo was taken the next day. The flavours mixed so well over night!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kg of pumpkin (approximately 1/2 a medium pumpkin), chopped into small cubes
• 2 parsnips, chopped into small cubes
• 2 carrots, chopped into small cubes
• 4 potatos, chopped into small cubes
• 1/2 celeriac, chopped into small cubes
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 cm cube of ginger root, minced (or finely diced)
• approximately 1 tsp thyme
• approximately 1/2 tsp cayenne
• salt and pepper to taste

Throw all of the cubed root vegetables in a large pot and cover with water. Add a touch of salt and bring to a boil. Once the water has started boiling, lower the heat and let simmer until the vegetables are soft.

Lightly sauté the chopped yellow onion over medium-low heat. Once slightly translucent, add the minced garlic and sauté for another minute or two making sure not to burn the garlic.

Add the onion, garlic, and ginger root into the pot.

Blend your soup mixture until it has a creamy, even texture.

Add the thyme, cayenne, salt and pepper, and blend again. Serve hot and enjoy :)

HAPPY HALLOWE'EN!

Jack o'lanterns aren't popular in Poland, so this was as close to the Hallowe'en spirit as I could get!

Mushroom and sauerkraut pierogi

Dzień dobry! I'm writing this recipe from my home town of Kutno, located in central Poland. Pierogi (perogies) are a staple in the Polish diet, and believe it or not, but they are one of the few traditional dishes that are totally vegan! Although this is an incredibly labour intensive process, it is worth all the work. Allow for at least 2-3 hours of prep for these bad boys. This recipe will make about 60-80 small pierogi.

Rehydrating some forest fresh
wild mushrooms!

Step 1: Farsz (Filling)

• approximately 2 cups very finely diced button mushrooms (In the photos, I rehydrated wild mushrooms that my aunt and uncle picked themselves from the forest and dehydrated earlier this season. Talk about authentic, eh?) 
• approximately 4 cups of sauerkraut from the jar
• 1 small yellow onion finely diced
• 1/2 cup water
• a splash of cooking oil to sauté
• salt and pepper to taste

Slimy to the touch, but oddly satisfying to chop!

On a low heat, lightly sauté  the chopped up onions. After about 10 minutes add in the chopped mushrooms and sauté together.

Take the sauerkraut and place into a sieve. Let the majority of the vinegar water drain out. Give it a few solid squeezes to really wring it out.

Place the remaining sauerkraut into a large pot and add approximately 1/2 cup of water. Cook on a low heat until the sauerkraut is very tender. Add more water if it all boils out. Don't let the sauerkraut burn.

 Note that we used sauerkraut with
grated carrots, but regular
sauerkraut is the best!

When the sauerkraut is done (this can take anywhere from 30-60 minutes) drain any excess water, and set aside to cool. Once it has cooled, manually wring ALL of the excess water out of the sauerkraut and cut it up very finely.

Add the mushrooms and onions to your sauerkraut filled pot and stir it all together. Add salt and pepper to taste and set aside to let it cool.

Step 2: Ciasto (Dough)

• 3 cups regular flour
• 1 cup very warm water
• 1/4 cup oil

Your mound might be taller. That's ok!

Make sure you have a large, clean surface to work on and a rolling pin.

Make a small mound in the middle of your table using the flour. Create a small hole in the middle of the mound using your hands.

Very carefully pour some of the water into this hole. Start kneading it right away so as not to make a mess. Alternate between adding the water and the oil as you squish everything together until you have a blob of dough.

Time to use your muscle power. Knead the crap out of it! If you find that it's sticking to your table, sprinkle some flour on the table as you go. It should feel fairly smooth yet a little sticky when you're done. Usually about 5-10 minutes of kneading is all it takes.

I find this amount of dough too much to work with, so I recommend cutting it in two, putting 1/2 aside in a container, or in a plastic bag (somewhere where it won't dry out) and working with one chunk at a time.

Sprinkle flour all over your table and start rolling the dough out. Make sure you keep it consistent! You don't want any bumps in it. Keep rolling it out until the thickness is about 3-5 mm. 

Grab a glass, or mug (but not a martini glass!) and start cutting circles out of it (alternatively you can chop it up into approximately 10 cm squares, this way you don't have to re-roll the left over pieces because there won't be any!). Remember, you don't want the dough drying out, so only cut like 5 to 8 at a time.

Step 3: Lepienie pierogów (forming the pierogi)

This is the best step! Take one of the circles of dough and place a heaping teaspoon size of the farsz (filling) in the center of it.

Gently fold it in half and firmly press the edges together. Make sure it's seeled together otherwise you're going to have a mess on your hands when it comes to cooking them. If you decided to cut squares, make sure to fold it on the diagonal.

You can leave it at that. If you want to make them more fancy, try folding the edge over repeatedly to create a decorative pattern. As you can see in the photos, there are different ways of doing it.

This is, in my opinion, the prettiest way to fold pierogi. All you do is slightly fold the edge, pinch gently, and fold again about a centimeter further down.

This is the simplest way to fold pierogi. Pinch down the edges and then use a fork to add some decorative folds.

On the left we have just a basic perpendicular pinch. In the middle is the fork method. On the right is the fold over and pinch method. The pierogi folding possibilities are endless!

Step 4: Gotowanie (cooking)

Bring a pot of water with a touch of salt to a boil.

Gently, one by one, drop the pierogi in the boiling water.

They are ready to eat once they surface to the top.

A lot of people love eating fried pierogi, so if you are up for it, grab a skillet and fry them up so that they are a little crispy on the outside (remember to boil them first!). Obviously, this is the least healthy way of eating them, but while you're at it, you may as well sauté some onions and go all out with the indulgence. ;)

SMACZNEGO! 

Breaking out of my training rut

During my consultations, I ask any new client the same question:

"What motivates you?"

Usually after a few moments of thought (sometimes just a blank, unblinking stare) the client comes up with an answer such as:

• Seeing results.
• An upcoming vacation.
• Having someone to hold me accountable.
• Competition.

According to Google, motivation is "the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way". And while motivation is what keeps us striving to reach our goals, it is actually consistency that plays the greatest role in actually achieving these goals. I mean, even the most motivated individual will never reach his or her goal if he or she does not actual consistently work towards it.

I've been thinking a lot about consistency lately as I've started hitting a wall in my training regime. The whirlwind that I call August has kept me distracted from following any sort of routine. And while I spent the first week and a half of September re-evaluating my fitness goals, and attempting to hit the gym in full force, I've realized something: I'm friggen bored. (Yes, it's true, even trainers get bored!)

Let me start by telling you that at this point, since I'll be leaving for a visit to Poland (my homeland) in about 6 weeks, I don't have any ground-breaking fitness goals other than continually increasing my fitness level while maintaining my body composition. So I sat myself down the other day after a pretty sad, sad workout that left me frustrated instead of invigorated and really reflected.

I asked myself, "Why are you so sluggish lately?" And I've come to the conclusion that while I'm SUPER excited that business is picking up and I'm getting more and more clients, the responsibility of constantly motivating others is a little energy-sucking for me. Don't get me wrong. I love to motivate others, but at the end of a long day of training, it can feel a bit draining to then have to go motivate myself.

So I've decided to try something I haven't done in a long time: participate in group fitness classes at my local gym. While I've only just started this week, I can tell you that it is just the swift kick in the behind that I needed! I recently took a kickboxing class that left me panting in a puddle of my own sweat. HOLY. SHIT. Needless to say, for the next 6 weeks I'll be stepping out of my comfort zone and trying any class my gym has to offer. Not only am I getting an amazing workout, but I'm making some new friends, and learning a lot of great new exercises I can use with my own clients.

Here are a few ideas of how you can break out of your training rut:

• Do what I did and try participating in a fitness class. Group fitness has evolved SO much since the days of Jane Fonda.
• If you don't listen to music while you train, try it! And if you do, make it a priority to switch up your playlist every week to keep you pumped.
• Change locations. I'm not saying buy a new gym membership, but try training outdoors if you normally train indoors. The weather is looking good for this month so make use of that beautiful Vancouver sun!
• Find a workout partner. For about a year I had a steady workout partner. Her and I would train 3 times a week before or after school. Even on the days I dreaded going to the gym, I still showed up, knowing she was waiting for me in the locker room.
• Buy some new clothes. Okay, this one might be a little narcissistic, but whatever gets you moving, am I right? Sometimes all it takes is a brand spankin' new pair of colourful runners, or a flattering dry-fit shirt to get you out the door.

How do YOU stay consistent?

The Black Tusk in a day

My boyfriend, two of our friends and I woke up at the crack of dawn.... correction, before the crack of dawn last Sunday to accomplish something that was referred to as "crazy" by many people. We decided to hike the Black Tusk, a popular and challenging BC hike, in one day. This grueling trek is normally completed in two days, with the first day being devoted to climbing the steep switchbacks to Garibaldi Lake and camping overnight. And then the next day covering the way up Taylor Meadows to summit the Black Tusk itself. Here is my personal experience of this adventure:

When the alarm clock went off at 4:04 am that morning I couldn't help but let out a pathetic little groan of pain. I had felt like I had just fallen asleep. In fact, I had, a mere 3 or 4 hours ago. I cleaned myself up, shoved my contacts into my blood-shot eyes, looked at myself in the mirror and thought, "Oh shit, why did I suggest this trip?"

My boyfriend Matt and our friend Justin had slept over to keep the morning commuting to a minimum. We were just waiting for our buddy (and driver) Chris to meet up with us. As usual he was dead on time: 4:45 am. We piled into Chris's car with our day packs and headed on the road, but not without a stop for a strong cup of coffee first!

Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed all ready to go!

We arrived at our destination at just a little past 7:00 am. By the time we were done stretching and loading ourselves up with our day packs, it was about 7:15 am. So off we went!

Just a little back sweat, no biggie!

The hard stuff started as soon as we were en route. No sugar-coating for the Garibaldi trail, just straight up steep switchbacks right off the bat! As I waited and waited for my heart rate and breathing to adjust to my hiking pace, I gave up on catching up with Chris and Justin who seemed to have effortlessly left me and Matt in the dust. "Are you okay?" Matt asked when the only sound he could hear was my panting breath (even though I was trying to disguise it since after all, I'm the personal trainer, so I shouldn't be out of breath on a little hike!) "I'm fine! Just need my breathing to regulate, that's all," I replied between deep sighs.

We finally caught up to Chris and Justin at the 6 km mark which also happened to be a way finding junction. Garibaldi Lake in one direction, Black Tusk hike in the other. We had a quick bite of our trail mix and proceeded onward.

This COULD be a cross-stitch pattern.

Matt and Justin resting their legs

We made it up to Taylor Meadows and stopped for a quick pee break and to rest our already aching muscles. At this point we had hiked about 9 km already. From here the view changed! Instead of a dusty trail surrounded by tall, skinny trees, we found ourselves on an open landscape that looked like something Bob Ross would have been inspired to paint! Taylor Meadows! What a beautiful site! Wild flowers to our left and right, creeks with glacier fresh, crystal clear water, and the sound of bees busily buzzing in the foliage.

The view ahead was of what we were about to conquer. It didn't seem so bad from the nice and fairly flat ground we were walking on. Little did we know that our physical and mental strength was about to get tested!

Perfect overcast weather for our hike!

The meadows were a bit deceiving, and by a bit, I mean I was just as out of breath, if not more so because I was already exhausted, as I was when hiking up the switchbacks! The last bit of this portion of the hike had me really testing my will power. There was a constant dialogue in my head. It went a little something like this:

"Why the HELL did you ever suggest doing this two day hike in a day? Are you crazy?"

"MY LEGS HURT!"

"I'm so tired... I might die. On the bright side... HELLO buns! I'm feelin' the burn, alright!"

"Okay, now is the time you find that zen, that acceptance, that yoga shit you've been working on! Get through this, you know you can. There are people out there without limbs who would love to experience what you're bitching about right now! Suck it up Princess, you have no other choice but to finish the hike!"

So then I took a look to my right, and I saw this:

Postcard worthy!

And very momentarily the ache in my legs subsided, I took a deep breath and remembered why I put myself in these positions (because this isn't the first big hike I've done). I sent out a little pray of gratitude for having such a beautiful location just a short drive way and proceeded to try to catch up with the guys.

My reaction: Oh SHIT.

After what seemed like forever we finally made it to the base of the part of the trail that gets extremely frustrating and challenging. In other words, the loose shale, rocky part. We stopped here for a quick break to scarf down some calories and to enjoy the view. The photo to the right shows what we were up against. And even this doesn't do it justice! The angle was probably around 45-50 degrees but it felt like 90. The loose rock resulted in a sort of two-steps-forward-one-step-back sort of gait. It was incredibly frustrating and most of all, exhausting. It felt as though the distance to the top was never ending.

We took a rest right at the very base of the actual protruding tusk before making our way to the chimney. We met several groups of fellow hikers who were all very friendly and it was nice to chat with them while we mustered up the courage to proceed further. Below are a series of photos of our surroundings.

The aftermath of scrambling up loose rock.

Happy hikers!

Of course as soon as we started climbing, the
clouds rolled in...

Matt's making it look easy!

Our view to the right...

Our view to the left....

We are going THAT way!

It's a long way down! And we aren't even
at the top yet!

So then we got to the chimney... and it looked a little something like this:

One way to get over your fear of heights...

I started climbing, and suddenly I remember, "Oh shit... I'm not actually a rock climber!" I've gone bouldering once or twice and rock climbed a handful of times as well, but how could I possibly think I was ready to scale this thing? You had to double check every holding point that it didn't slip out of the rock face and hit the people below you. So what did I do when this realization hit me? I froze. I started panicking and I was only about 2 feet off the ground! "I can't do it!" I yelled to Matt who was right below me. "I'm going to have an anxiety attack, I can't do this! I'm coming down, I'm done!" And my sweet, loving boyfriend who had endured 14 km of hiking with me over the past 4 hours said, "You're not quitting now. You've made it this far, you are going up that thing!" I looked up, then momentarily closed my eyes to shake the horrible thoughts of me plummeting to my own death out of my head. I took a deep breath and listened to Matt's instructions on where to place my feet. With my entire body shaking and my breath shallow from fear, I somehow managed to make it to the top!!! We all did!

Matt, myself, Justin, and Chris on top of the world (or at least the Black Tusk)!

I can't even begin to describe the feeling of accomplishment I felt the moment I had stable footing on top of this mountain. I felt proud of myself for pushing this hard physically and mentally. I felt grateful for the three crazy guys who accompanied me on this adventure. I felt satisfied at the thought that I can tick off another task on my 30 Before 30 list. I couldn't stop grinning when I got to the top! All that hard work was worth these feelings.

One more group photo before our lunch stop.

We began our ascend back down to where the meadow meets the shale to enjoy our lunches. A sandwich has never tasted this amazing before! As we finished our lunches, we had a good amount of time to take in the beautiful view.

Even with the clouds hanging over, Garibaldi is a site to see!

The hike back down was as challenging as the hike up but in a different way. Instead of our cardiovascular systems being tested, our knees, ankles, and hips were tested. The steep switchbacks down to Garibaldi proved to be rough on the quads, hamstrings, and glutes as we resisted against the pull of gravity. We alternated between gently trotting down the steep bits and carefully walking down the less steep bits until we finally reached our last stop before the parking lot: Garibaldi Lake. Only Justin was brave enough (or crazy enough?) to jump into the Kool Aid blue water!

Perfectly clear water.

The definition of serenity.

Beautiful British Columbia's landscape.

We made it back to the car by 4:00 pm. At this point we were so exhausted we couldn't even hold a conversation alive. With a quick sock change, definitely not enough leg stretches, and a huge sigh of relief, we piled back into Chris's car and headed out for well deserved celebratory dinner and beers. What a day!

My personal August challenge

I've been thinking a lot about my own personal health. Actually I've been thinking a lot about the word "health" and what it really means.

According to dictionary.com:

health 

[helth] noun

1.

the general condition of the body or mind with reference to soundness and vigor:

good health; poor health.

2.

soundness of body or mind; freedom from disease or ailment:

to have one's health; to lose one's health.

3.

a polite or complimentary wish for a person's health, happiness,etc., especially as a toast:

We drank a health to our guest of honor.

4.

vigor; vitality:

economic health.

I'd say that physically, I'm as healthy as I've ever been! I mean, I eat a healthy, well balanced diet. I stay hydrated. I exercise regularly.

My mental health on the other hand, this is where I'm truly lacking. My boyfriend can attest to me having definite sane and neurotic days. My sane days are awesome! I'm positive, happy, easy going, and just stoked on life. My neurotic days can be mild, or severe. A mild neurotic day can consist of me being generally happy and positive, but feeling kind down in the dumps about just one aspect of my life (generally it's a body-image thing that I'm almost certain every woman deals with). A severe neurotic day happens without notice. It's like a ticking time bomb. A negative memory or thought will surface and from that moment on, nothing is good enough. These days leave me feeling anxious and drained from worry. Worry about the past, worry about the present, and worry about the future. We've all experienced those days where nothing can seem to get you out of that shitty, shitty mood. We feel under-appreciated, under-accomplished, full of self-hate and negativity and the day is spent swallowing back tears. Or is that just how my severely neurotic days go?

So I've decided to challenge myself to spend August living life in the present with the hopes that it will ease my neurotic mind. My plan of attack is as follows:

• Upon waking choose a positive thought to carry throughout my day. Focus on something I am grateful for. Have some sort of positive intention to revert back to when my  mind starts spiraling down a negative path.
• Read more. What better way to escape from reality when I'm feeling all mopey than by reading a book! 
• Quit my social-media addiction. I spend countless hours on Facebook or Instagram insta-face-creeping other people's lives throughout the day. I think to myself (on my neurotic days) "wow! now his/her life looks perfect!" It's so easy to do this. I have the apps on my phone, the bookmarks on my laptop, and spare time to creep as much as I'd like. I even creep myself. I look back at my past and think if I had acted differently, how would things be now? And for what? I get nothing out of it but less hours in the day to do something positive and meaningful. So, aside from the occasional status updates for my business pages, I am quitting social media snooping for a month. Wish me luck!

How will you spend August to make a positive change in your life?

Vegan camping made easy

This past weekend I went camping with a whole bunch of my close friends! I love camping. I love being in the outdoors. You know, all one with nature and the elements and stuff. But with camping comes a lot of non-vegan eating: Bacon strips fried up for breakfast, sausages roasted for lunch and dinner, and of course 'Smores. So what's a vegan to do? Well, I've provided you with a quick list of alternatives and ideas for how you can still get the same camping experience without the usual artery-clogging, sugar-spiking foods.

Fibrous goodness!

• Plan ahead. This is the most important detail in vegan camping! Before I left for my trip I made sure to cook up a double batch of my favorite lentil "meatless" loaf which can be eaten warmed or cold, and I made an extra trip to the health food store to pick up some soy-free burger patties. My sister was all over it and even picked up some soy-free sausages. If you can tolerate soy, then chances are you can stop by your local grocery store and pick up some sort of a tofu concoction which will give you just as much pleasure burning over the fire as a greasy pork sausage would.

• Breakfast options: Personally I like to start my day off with a colon cleansing high-fibrous cereal like Fiber Buds. This doesn't change when I go camping! Almond milk is easy to pack because it doesn't need to be kept cold until after it's opened, so pack that and some berries, and voila you've got yourself a

  

  These were pretty good!

  filling breaky!

• Lunch options: This is where your planning ahead comes in handy! Slice up your loaf, or cook up your vegan patty. Enjoy with a nice green salad on the side! If you're worried that your leafy greens will turn into a sloppy, wilted mess, play around with salad varieties! Try making a raw broccoli salad with cherry tomatoes, and diced bell peppers (all foods that don't get squished too easily).

• Dinner options: Sterilize that sausage covered pokey stick in the fire and stick a vegan-dog on it 'cause it's dinner time! Not sure what to have on the side? Fire roasted vegetables are always delicious. I love fresh corn in the husk off the fire! Need more carbs? Chop up some potatoes, dice up some onions, throw them into an envelope of aluminum foil and drizzle with oil! Wait about 30 minutes and you've got mouth watering potatoes ready to go!

• What about 'Smores? This is a camping staple for many of us! But as most vegans already know, marshmallows are definitely a no-no food since they contain gelatin. I've seen vegan friendly marshmallows in stores but I'm yet to try them. I personally prefer the classic 'Banana Boat' dessert. What's that, you ask? Follow these directions and you shall see:
• Take a banana and cut a length-wise slit all the way through it without cutting through the base-line peel.
• Grab a knife and slather on some natural peanut/almond butter onto the two halves of the banana.
• Take as many carob or dark chocolate chips and shove them into the slit. The banana should look like it's got chocolate exploding out of it.
• Wrap the whole thing in aluminum foil and throw it onto the fire. Make sure to balance it on the bottom edge otherwise you'll make a mess.
• Let it cook for about 10 minutes.
• Carefully unravel your creation and enjoy heaven in a banana peel.

Happy camping everyone!

Kitsilano workout

I must admit, I'm a bit spoiled by living in Kitsilano. I mean, everything from the Yew Street hill to the sandy beach is a potential workout spot for me! Here is an example of how you can utilize Kitsilano to make you sweat!

As always warm-up before attempting this workout

Plyometrics - 5 rounds of box jumps up the Showboat stage steps.

Circuit 1 - 2 rounds of 15 Bulgarian split squats/leg + 15 body weight squats (optional: jump squats) + 3 sprints up and down the steps. 30-60 second rest between rounds.

Circuit 2 - 2 rounds of walking lunges from one end of the stage to the other (optional: there and back) + 15 tricep dips off the stage + 10 push ups. 30-60 second rest between rounds

Circuit 3 - 2 rounds of 15 inverted rows with a TRX (optional: use the bars) 15 high rows with an exercise band + 30 second plank. 30-60 second rest between rounds.

Be sure to stretch after! My legs are singing today ;)

Look how much fun we're having! This could be you and your friends! 

1000 skips

It's simple, so try it!

Take a skipping rope and complete 1000 skips.

Time yourself. See how you rank:

10+ minutes Good try! Chances are you're tripping over the rope still. Just keep practicing!

9-10 minutes Not bad! Your rest periods are probably just a little too long, but hey, you did it!

8-9 minutes Good job! Great coordination, and your rest periods weren't too long.

7-8 minutes You're GOOD. You're REAL good!

6-7 minutes Are your calves burning yet? That is a KILLER time!

6- minutes Well now you're just showing off! What's your secret???

I tend to lose count and get lost in thought instead when I do this drill. I mean, counting to 1000 is a feat of focus in itself! What I like to do is set up 4 objects (usually those little pink dumbbells are great for this) and count to 250 as I stare/focus on one at a time. Alternatively, you can place 10 objects in front of you and focus on each one for 100 revolutions. 

Happy sweaty skipping!

What 30 yoga classes taught me

On May 30 I committed to a 40 Day Yoga Challenge hosted by Semperviva Yoga in Kitsilano. The fine print said that in order to be entered into the draw to win a free six month unlimited pass, the participant had to attend at least 30 classes in those 40 days. I read that and though, "Hey, why not try to score a free pass to yoga!" Now, keep in mind that at most, I've only ever done about 12 classes during one of my yoga-stints. 30 out of 40 days was a huge feat for me! What  I didn't realize was that this was going to be the beginning of a new love.

This is what true love looks like!

Let me back it up a little bit here. For YEARS I've been envious of the yogis I've seen online, or in the flesh. They always appeared to be more compassionate, more calm, more understanding, and of course, way more bendy than us average folk. I wanted desperately to be one of them. I bought intro-passes to several different studios, and then I found Semperviva! I can't quite explain why I love this studio as much as I do. Perhaps because I finally went to it when I truly felt ready to incorporate yoga in to my life? Or perhaps because the atmosphere is inviting and fun? Either way, I love it there.

So what have my 30 yoga classes taught me? Well...

1. It's the journey, not the destination. Okay, that's the epitome of cheesy, but honestly, that was the greatest discovery for me. My first class at the studio was like every other first class: Defeating. I'm not exceptionally flexible. Just like I'm not exceptionally strong. But I work on my strength week after week, year after year. Something finally clicked in my brain and I realized that it's not that every crow-posing, head-standing, lotus-folding participant in that class is better than me, it's that they've been doing it for way longer than me! So while I started each class wondering where I will rank on the "Amazing Yogi" scale, now I start each class wondering if my body is feeling up for a more challenging pose.
2. I can achieve anything that I truly commit myself to it. I had my doubts. I really thought at one point, when it was getting so hard to schedule the yoga classes between my clients' and my social schedules, that I would quit. But I didn't. I stuck it out. I did two classes on the days that I had to make up classes, and I stayed committed to my practice. And for that I'm proud of myself.
3. A little bit of yoga goes a long way. After only 30 classes I noticed that I look at the world a little differently. I'm slowly starting to let go of any judgments I may attach to different aspects of my life. I guess you can say I'm becoming more of an observer. I'm noticing subtleties I wouldn't have noticed before. For example, I recognize when I'm starting to get stressed and when that happens I start focusing on the feeling of breathing. The feeling of the cold air entering my nostrils, my rib cage expanding, and my heart beating helps. It doesn't always calm me down right away, but it definitely prevents me from catastrophizing the issue in my mind!
4. I love life a little more than I used to. I've started counting my blessings. I've become aware of just how much I have in my life: My family, my friends, my career, my education, my health, my freedom, and of course my Vancouver.

I don't plan on hopping off the yoga bandwagon any time soon. But I have to say, I am itching for another fitness challenge! So I wonder, what will present itself next?

My "Yogalosophy" experience

This past weekend I had the privileged of attending a workshop at Semperviva instructed by the famous Mandy Ingber. For those of you who don't know who Mandy Ingber is, please see below:

Jennifer Aniston and Mandy, just hangin' out.
Source: people.com

Mandy is a celebrity fitness trainer known for her yoga and spin classes. She has trained not only Jennifer Aniston, but Kate Beckinsale, Ricki Lake, Brooke Shields, and Helen Hunt, you know, just to name a few. She is currently touring around and offering workshops involving a sampler hybrid yoga-training class from her new book titled, Yogalosophy: 28 Days to the Ultimate Mind-Body Makeover. And this is my Yogalosophy experience:

The session started off frantic, because I didn't check the location of the workshop, and of course I assumed it was at the studio that it was not. Luckily, Semperviva dominates Kitsilano so I made it right on time after sprinting to my car, finding a parking spot, and sprinting to the studio. I gave the girl at the front desk my name, grabbed my gift bag, and hurried in to the studio to find a spot. Of course being dead on time means only one thing: either the nose-bleed section of mats is free or the front-and-center-keener section is free. I decided to be a keener, because, hey,  why not get noticed? Of course it's pretty hard to get noticed among 50+ bendy lululemon-clad women all eager to impress this celeb-guru. 

Nevertheless, Mandy asked if there was anyone else she did not connect with before class, and naturally I raised my hand. She greeted me, asked my name, and asked me if I have any issues with my body that I'd like to share with her (and at this point, with the rest of the class that was listening intently). Realizing that getting into the epic story of my foot burn, followed by my shifted fibula woes would take too long, I politely said that I'm just a little sore from yesterday's power class.

I have to say, I was a little skeptical when I first arrived, thinking that this was just another crazy rich trainer trying to sell some cookie-cutter program geared towards women who are afraid of lifting more than 5 lb (pink) dumbbells. But the fact that Mandy went around to the ENTIRE room of 50+ women and asked each one of their names and their bodily issues really made me realize that even though she's here to sell, she really doesn't drop the yoga-ness. In fact she started the class by emphasizing the importance of personal human connection.

Drenched in sweat, but feeling happy to get a photo!

The workout itself was good. I wouldn't say it was something ground-breaking, but than again one tends to become quite skeptical of trend-setters after spending thousands of dollars and countless sleepless nights completing a degree in kinesiology. The basic explanation of the Yogalosophy program is that it's a hybrid of tradition yoga poses and basic calisthenic exercises that plays with the rhythm of the repetitions. 

Was it tough? Yes. What is fun? Definitely. Is it for everyone? No. 

Okay, I shouldn't say that this program isn't for everyone. Certainly everyone can try it, but it's definitely geared towards those who want a long, lean looking body reminiscent of a ballet dancer, or (obviously) a yogi. Calisthenics are FANTASTIC for building strength, but this program won't really give you that same "pump" you would get from a traditional weight lifting workout. This program focuses more on stretching and toning the muscle rather than building size. Having said that, incorporating a yoga-esque workout to any gym-rat's routine will definitely balance out his/her regime.

Personally I absolutely loved the class. Mandy had an amazing approach to teaching. She did a great job spotting such a massive group of participants, and she kept a smile on her face the entire time. (And it wasn't one of those annoying smiles that makes you want to slap the person. No, no, it was a genuine smile of happiness!) Her music selection was AWESOME. At one point she played Dirty Dancing's Time of My Life. She basically won me over at that moment. My favorite part of the workout was the constant flow of it. It felt more like an interpretive dance than a workout, and like I mentioned, by the end I was laying in a pool of my own sweat. She's definitely on to something here.

Her class opened my eyes to the versatility of yoga. She had us laughing, sweating, and our muscles burning. She pushed us through the Sun Salutation while still allowing us to focus on our own breathing patterns. I give it a 10 out of 10, and I'd recommend the workout to anyone wanting to try something different, something a bit more feminine.

Thanks again to Semperviva for hosting such a fun event and for all the free swag:

Seamless bra, iced tea, free snacks, oh my!

Total leg workout

I like to do this workout when I want to get my heart rate sky-rocketing, and my legs burning.

EQUIPMENT

Squat rack, plyometric box, 1 heavy dumbbell

THE WARM UP

Start with some dynamic joint-mobilizing stretches. My personal favorites are the pike-arch, long lunges, and wide body weight squats.

Never rush into a workout. Take the time to properly prepare  your body for high intensity.

THE WORKOUT

Be sure to execute perfect form with every exercise.

Squats 10 reps, 3 sets.

Start LIGHT, and add weight with each set. 60-90 sec rest between sets.

Goblet Squats with dumbbell 15 reps + Box Jumps 10-15 reps, 3 sets total.
Perform this pair as a super set. Remember: Form over frequency! If 15 is too much for you, cut back and start with 10 reps. 60-90 sec rest between super sets.

Bulgarian Split Squats 10 reps full range of motion, 10 reps half way pulses, 10 count low hold. 3 sets/leg.
Perform all 3 variations on one leg before switching sides.

Don't even think about skipping your stretching session after this one. Unless of course you want your legs to feel like lead in the morning :)

Commitment

As some of you know, I'm currently participating in Semperviva's 40 Day Yoga Challenge. This past week has so far been the most challenging for me.

I call this the "Tipping Tree" pose. Also, notice how happy I look here.
This was NOT taken  after Wednesday's class.

On Monday I eased into my weekly practice with a very slow paced Hatha class, first thing in the morning. I felt all zen, and thought to myself, "Man, this daily yoga thing isn't so bad!" So on Tuesday I ramped it up a bit and found myself frantically panting as beads of sweat trickled down my spine during a muscle-burning Vinyasa Power Flow class. (Panting is not so zen.) Naturally, the trainer in me thought, "Now this is what I'm talking about!" Needless to say, come Wednesday my body was feeling achy. Not sore, just... fatigued. Due to my busy schedule, the only class that worked for me that day was another Vinyasa Power Flow. I reluctantly slipped into my lulu's, pulled my hair up, and headed over to the studio.

As soon as I stepped foot on the mat, and lined up my bones to sit in a poker-straight cross-legged position, I realized my body was begging for a day off. But it wasn't my body that was giving me grief. It was my mind. My muscles had a lot of strength. I managed to get into poses I have never been able to get in to. My thoughts didn't match my physical strength. Instead of focusing on breath, on the movement, I was criticizing the teacher, thinking how if she tells me to be 'present' one more time, I will actually get up and leave the class. (Of course, I didn't!) The thing is, she was actually a great teacher! She gave good cues, she challenged everyone's level of ability, and was very positive. When savasana was over I felt great, but I still bolted out of the studio faster than you could say 'namaste'.

By Thursday I was beat! My sleep the night prior was interrupted thanks the the high pitched shrill of some girl who was overly excited about seeing her friend (at 2:00 AM). I got up at 5:00 am to train my first client. I taught a lunch time class (and took part in it as well), and by 3:45 pm I was slugging my way to the studio for a 4:00 pm Hatha class. Luckily it was one of those very slow paced classes that focuses mainly on breathing and meditation. I got through it by literally focusing on one single breath at a time. That night I slept like a rock.

This morning I woke up fairly rested. Still quite tired, but my body felt rejuvenated. I made it to a 7:00 am class that was the perfect combination of flow-y and breath-focus-y.

So why didn't I take a day off mid week? What drove me to practice even on those days I felt like I was going to cry if I had to make my way into another downward dog? It's because of what one teacher told me on the very first day of this yoga challenge:

"Honor your commitments. Always honor what you say you will do for yourself. If you don't honor the commitments you make to yourself, how can you expect anyone to honor the commitments they make to you?"

It was at that moment that a light went off. Since that day, every morning I wake up thinking "honor your commitment". Every time I'm dreading going to yoga because I'm feeling lazy, tired, distracted, I think "honor your commitment". I realize now that achieving your goals means staying true to your words, especially on those days you regret creating those goals in the first place. I've spent this week honoring my commitment to my practice.

Have you been honoring the commitments you've made to yourself?

Summer power salad

It's not often that I brag about my cooking, but seriously, this is the best salad I've made in a long time! And it's super filling, highly nutritious, and just darn pretty to look at. This recipe yields approximately 4 servings.

Look at all that kale!

Salad ingredients:

• 1/3 cup dry quinoa, cooked in 1 cup of water
• 1/2 cup dry wild rice, cooked in 1 1/2 cups of water
• 2-3 leaves of dinosaur kale
• 1/3 cup red onion, finely diced 
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely diced 
• 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
• 1 cup cucumber, finely diced
• 1/2 a large red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
• the zest of 1 lemon

Dressing ingredients:

• the juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 1/4-1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp organic honey
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds
• a dash of fresh ground salt & pepper to taste

Cook the quinoa and wild rice accordingly, and set aside to cool.

Tear up the kale leaves into bite-size pieces, and steam for approximately 2 minutes. You just want the colour to darken, without it getting wilted. Set aside and let it cool.

Combine all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.

In a separate smaller bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients.

Evenly pour the dressing over the salad and toss once more until thoroughly mixed.

Let it sit in the fridge for an hour or two to let the flavours blend.

Enjoy!