I run, I strength train, I practice yoga, I cycle, I eat clean and I enjoy wine time. I underwent brachioplasty (upper arm lift) and upper, outer thigh liposuction on 22/09/15. Lover of humor; the good, the bad and the dirty kind. Was able to finally get my weight under control and I'm half my size from my highest weight. In my 3rd year of maintenance. First Nation Canadian. My son is my heart. This is my life in selfies...
It's #coffeetime and I'm still doing laundry and trying to get my house in order before I leave for Montreal this morning. I'm not sure how much I'll be online today. I could be bored out of my mind and on here frequently or I may just post here and there. I have to share driving duties and I know this 6hr trek will feel much longer with the constant question of "are we there yet"? When I'm not driving, being in a moving car makes me sleepy. So there's the very real possibility I'll get an hour long nap. Hope to be on my way by 9am.
My house is still asleep but I'm folding laundry and packing provisions. Snacks are essential because I'm not eating off plan or missing my fitness while on vacation. Today likely won't happen for exercise, but I'm bringing running and gym gear for the next 3 days.
Let's talk about my photo for a moment. My shoulders are fast becoming my favorite body part. I'm starting to get muscle definition and I'm getting stronger. I'm proud of myself for working so hard at the gym yesterday. I'm not a confident gym person and I'm definitely getting more comfortable being there alone, without a trainer. But working with Tony makes the time go much faster. Part of it is the social aspect and part of it is he totally kicks my ass. There's nothing wrong with a thorough and frequent ass kicking...
This is what I'm doing right now. Admiring my legs (because why not?) and waiting for boys to get out of the Esso toilet in the hamlet of Grafton. Two hours into this 6 hour road trip and only one potty stop and 1 inquiry of when we're going to get there. I think I'm winning. We are driving through some pretty scenery. I'm blessed to live in such a beautiful province. Next stop is Belleville for lunch...
It's the final countdown, Montreal style. We arrived in the lovely province of Quebec around dinner time. Driving through Montreal is no joke yo! And I was driving. But it's all good. We arrived safe and sound. Checked into our hotel and went to dinner at a pizza joint. I had #winetime with Julien. He drank pop:-)
My calories were high today. I ate on plan but eating out limits choices. I had a chicken Cesar salad for dinner. It was huge and yummy, but high in fat. Made with home made Cesar dressing. My basa fish filet at lunch was also high in fat. Lots of fat, lots of calories. I scoped out the hotel fitness centre. It's got some decent equipment. I can totally work out there in the morning. My biggest FML moment? Forgetting my contact lens solution. Looks like we're hitting Six Flags tomorrow...
Didn't want to get out of bed. Didn't want to make coffee, don't want to go to the gym, don't want to adult today. It's just one of those days where I want to silently and invisibly exist. Need to get my head on straight because I've got lots to do today. I'm leaving for Montreal tomorrow morning and I've got to get my house in order. It's a fucking pigsty. Just overwhelmed at the amount of help I do not get running this household. There I said it and I won't take it back! Shaking it off now and moving on. Sweating my ass off will make me feel better. One more cup of coffee and a smoothie and I'm on my way...
The gym has improved my mood. I sweated all my frustration out. I worked hard this morning. Considering I didn't want to go, I ended up doing 20 minutes of HIIT on the dreadmill, 30 minutes of upper body, 20 minutes of legs and glutes and a circuit of core. Which I'm not gonna lie, just about killed me. My current situation? I'm elegantly wasted. The wink? Even though it's overcast, it's still fecken bright out. Time to hit the shower. Old Navy has active bottoms on sale for $12. But only till 1pm. I could use a few more pairs...
It's the last word with just me again. Smitty is snoring in my walk-in closet. So here's the low down. I got 2 pairs of compression leggings at Old Navy for $12 each. A good deal that only lasted till 1pm. Julien was not too pleased being dragged to the mall when he hadn't even had lunch yet. I think I'll bring them to Montreal. And they're purple!
I had excessive #winetime today. Hence my high calorie count. And oi to the fat. Bun less burgers with grilled veggies were in order and contributed greatly to my fat intake. My current situation has me doing all the laundry and contemplating packing. Tonight or tomorrow? Probably tomorrow. I should wake at 4:30 am to run (but probably not). I feel it's necessary. I'll be in the car all day. I'm not looking forward to that...
It's #coffeetime. God said let there be light and there were pot lights. I went to bed last night with a dark kitchen and woke up to lights this morning. Uncle John was here when I got home yesterday. He finished installing my pot lights well into the night. He's passed out in Julien's room now. I had to sleep with the clinging 7 year old. I didn't sleep great. He's a loud breather and a night cuddler. I'm a light sleeper and don't like touching in my sleep. I decided to rest today because I'm going to the gym the next 2 days and I need to work in a day of rest. So today I shall do nothing. I'm in the office today. And I'm doing my mileage for realz. I also have a couple meetings then I'm off till after Labor Day. Happy Friday:-)
#Winetime has finally arrived. And I'm off till after Labor Day! Still no mileage done. But I did get lots of odds and ends done. I feel like I'm prepared leaving on vacation from work. I still have a to-do list, but I'll do that while I'm recovering from my surgery next month.
Today I felt lean. I wore light colored pants for likely the last time this summer. Fall is upon us! I had to keep pulling them up. My waist/hip area was quite roomy. I've only worn them once before and I remember them being snugger.
What I need to do is take my measurements. The scale isn't going to help me but measurements will. Today I wore one of my favorite costume jewelry pieces. My gifted necklace from the Marilyn Denis Show. It was originally from Loft and retailed for around $90, so it was a nice score. I'm going to eat. My calories are low today and I need some quality food in me. I'm hitting the gym in the morning...
Today's final countdown sans Smitty. She abandoned me. I can't even attempt haiku without my muse. Lucky for you:-) Either Monday or Tuesday we will be going to La Ronde in Montreal. CAA has discount tickets for members. Found some online through a Montreal Groupon type site that were cheaper so I got those instead. I went to La Ronde when I was a girl during a family vacation. It was called Man and his World back then. I'm sure it's very different now. Julien's stoked. I see they have a scary clown house. I will be steering clear of there!
Although my calories were a bit low before dinner, I ate all the chicken breast and ratatouille and made up for it.
Even though I don't eat bad fats, I can't seem to get my fat intake lower. It's all the eggs I eat. And all the avocado I eat. And all the extra virgin olive oil I use. I guess the up side is that I'm not eating processed fat. No ranch dressing or cheese here. Unless of course I'm at my sister's place. Then all bets are off. Bedtime. Gym session in the morning...
I'm a smoothie making goddess. Last night before I went to bed my stomach was rumbling and I thought I was starving. This morning I'm force feeding myself smoothie so I'll have a good workout at the gym. I'm just tired. Saturday can't come soon enough. Maybe I just need to know I can sleep in. I probably won't but knowing I can makes all the difference. I've another busy day in store. After the gym, some computer work and a drive out to Listowel. I think it's 2 hours away. I hope it's supposed to be sunny today. I need to open the sunroof and crank some tunes for that drive. But first, HIIT and upper body...
It's #coffeetime and I'm fucking spent. Twenty minutes of HIIT followed by an hour of upper body. I hate upper body. There I said it and I won't take it back. It's because I'm weak. If I had strong arms and chest muscles, I'd be all over working those muscle groups. That's why I love leg day. It's tiring and I get an awesome workout, but I never fail on leg day. I failed a couple times today. Hate, hate, hate when I can't do something. Went flat on my face doing push-ups and my arm just gave out doing bench presses. Thank God Tony was spotting me. It just came out of the blue.
I'm not seeing him again till next Thursday because I'm going to Montreal. I'll still have to train, but alone. I'm not gonna lie. The hotel I booked at has a fitness facility. It was the deciding factor on whether to book there or somewhere else. Although I'll be on vacation, there's never a vacation from working out. I'd love to go back to bed but I've way too much stuff to do today. Like work...
Let the shitting of thy pants commence. So I received this today. I'm excited and scared shitless at the same time. Making goals for myself that I find impossible to achieve are the best ones. That's how I felt when I registered for my first 1/2 marathon. And how I felt when I registered for my first full distance of the Around the Bay. Now I'm going to be training as a charity boxer.
The training schedule is grueling. I think I'm sore now? I need to just wait til December. But every time I doubt myself, I prove myself wrong. So I'm looking forward to pushing any doubts out of my head. I've got to up my training. Since I'll be out of upper body commission for a month following my surgery, I'm doing as much as I can now. So 2 more gym days per week are on the agenda. I only have to wait 2 weeks after the liposuction on my outer thighs. Thank God. Running and legs will be my priority till I can work on my arms, chest and back again. Tony has promised me beautiful guns after my upper arm lift. Can't wait!!!!
I spent 7 hours in my car today. My left hamstring is a fecken mess. It's been aching like the devil all day. I deserved major #winetime today. So I had 2 glasses:-) I made up for my calorie deficit yesterday. Ate tons today. And check out my carb count. That's a lot for me. And I'm a lying liar who lies. I was not more mindful of my fat intake today. I had the most fat that I've ever had since I started using My Fitness Pal. I had breakfast for lunch which included a 3 egg omelet and home fries. That's where all my fat came from. I don't normally eat white potato but there was no sweet potato alternative. I figured this one time wouldn't kill me. And I could have gotten tomato slices in place, but I was fecken hungry.
I am going to attempt to go to sleep now. It could be a bit of a struggle. Uncle John is here putting in my kitchen ceiling pot lights. I may run 7k in the morning, I may rest. So pot lights be damned!!! It's definitely bedtime for me. Sweet dreams...
It's #coffeetime and I'm still not feeling much like adulting today. My head is out of sorts and my upper body is sore. It was the dips I did at the gym yesterday. Something I forgot to mention about the gym is that I lifted the most weight I ever have in pull-downs. I'm a grunter. I make a lot of noise when I'm doing strength training. And I swear a lot. And of course I bought my fancy lifting gloves and left them at home. I'm sure I formed new calluses yesterday. I'm running in a bit. Then I'm headed to the office for half the day. Got a client meeting in the afternoon, then I'm going to see my dad. I need to focus today. Absolutely must get my mileage done...
Today's running effort. And it was truly an effort. But it's done! My pace has picked up a bit. So it was about a week ago that I reported I was bloated and yucky feeling from reintroducing grains back into my diet. And my weight was up 5 pounds. One week back doing what I know and I'm down 6 pounds. Grains and I are truly not friends.
In other exciting news, even though I originally thought I may not be able to do the charity boxing gala next year because the mandatory try out is on the 26th and my surgery is on the 22nd of next month, I spoke to the director of the charity this morning. I can attend the information part on the 26th and try out later. Yay!!!! Things could be moving along here. Still no mileage done. I need to get cracking. I need my money FFS!!!
Today's #sunroofselfie. I'm wearing a dress I got from Reitman's for $10. Paired it with my free hand me down shirt and $3 Old Navy sandals. I pulled off this outfit for $13. Major score! Feeling a little less melancholy today. What I need is a good ass whooping at the gym. That happens tomorrow. I can see how the gym becomes addictive. Loving the way it makes my muscles tired.
After I finished core circuits yesterday and I was lying on the mat feeling exhausted but accomplished, Tony asked me how I felt. I felt like the freaking Hulk! All ripped and strong. That made him laugh because he said I didn't look like the Hulk except for my green complexion. Haha to him. He hasn't broken me yet. I've not felt the need to vomit even once after a session with him. I can see that happening with boxing training tho.
Back to my outfit. My coworker told me I look like a model today. Pffffftttt!!!! I told her to GET OUT! But I really meant, go on...
Oh what a day. I'm tired, cranky and didn't eat enough or drink enough water. But I got to see my dad. We had dinner and did a bit of shopping. I also organized his pills and we talked about the same things over and over. He can't remember if he already told me stuff or not. He did tell me I looked like a million bucks and also mentioned my complexion a dozen times. But I can never get tired of hearing my dad tell me how great I look and how proud he is of me.
My calories were low today. I only ate breakfast lunch and dinner. And my fat was high. The culprit? Four eggs and an avocado for breakfast. I was feeling rungry and needed more than just eggs. All I ate for carbs today? Broccoli. Lots and lots of broccoli. Tomorrow is a new day and I will eat more quality calories. Today's were good but I'll be more mindful of my fat intake tomorrow. Off to bed. Early morning training session and I'm going to HIIT the dreadmill at 5:40 am...
It's #smoothietime and it couldn't have come any sooner. My stomach was rumbling all night. I felt so empty. I'm downing this bad boy then heading to the gym. Leg day is my favorite. I'm soaked in sweat when I'm done and I love it! Makes me feel like I worked extra hard. I'm in Toronto all day on client visits. And today is a late day. I'm working into the evening. Coffee time will happen when I get back from my torture session with Tony. Then I've got to tackle my mileage. Have I mentioned how busy I am this week? Have a wonderful day and kick some ass:-)
Oi! Feeling a touch fatigued.
20 minutes of HIIT on the dreadmill ✔
Legs✔
Upper body✔
Core ✔
I was completely soaked by the time I was done. Had a discussion with Tony about my body composition. One of the things I love about him is his bullshit free way of talking. He told me that I am not going to get smaller. He said, "Leigh, you're not a petite girl". Then he proceeded to poke my hip bones and ribs and said, "how will you get smaller here? You can't lose bone". He told me I'll tone and all my soft spots will become hard. That I can handle. It's just strange to be getting bigger again. I just have to remind myself that this time around its muscle, not fat.
An important side note. I have to move. There were a couple possums on my porch when I stepped out this morning. If they're moving in, I'm outta here...
It's transformation Tuesday. I don't show my side profile too much. No real reason. I just don't have many side view before pics.
Left: 2011
Right: This morning
And I'm not done transforming yet. I got some muscles to grow. It looks like boxing is not in the cards for me this year. Tryouts are in the 26th of September and my arm lift is on the 22nd. I'd need to postpone 6 weeks to get ready and that ain't happening. But, I'm still gonna get into the best shape of my life via crossfit. My gym is attached to Steel City Crossfit and they have 6am classes M, W, F. That's perfect for me. Works well into my personal training schedule. So I'm joining Steel City for November 1st. I'll be completely healed by that time and ready to go to the next level. Boxing can happen next year. Or maybe sooner. The gym I do physio in has a boxing club...
Really, really shitty day today. Not going to dwell except to say that I'm glad to be going to sleep shortly. Tomorrow will hopefully be better. Today's eating was massive. I ate 4 chicken breasts when I got home from the gym. Then I proceeded to have lunch and dinner out with clients. My dinner was the Mandarin again. So calories high, protein high, fat a little bit too high. One thing I have down pat for sure is that my carbs are always low. Today was one of those days where it was overcast and gloomy. Perhaps that added to my bad mood. You know those days when you just don't want to adult anymore? That was me today. And look at me, I am dwelling. Or at least venting a little. I've not really been on Instagram today. I'm sorry I missed you all. I'll be back to check on you tomorrow. Peace...
It's #coffeetime and I'm dragging my ass this morning. I was in bed by 11pm and woke without my alarm at 4:15am, but was too groggy to get up till 5am. Now I'm drinking all the java and contemplating my run. My ankle still feels off but I can't sit idle for another day. I think it needs to be cracked. I need physio for that. It's going on 6am and it's fecken dark. The best thing about summer for me is that I get to run in daylight. Once the fall/winter sets in, I only run in the dark again. Just waiting till it gets a touch lighter out and I'm on my way. Today is an office day. Tons of expenditures to submit. Gotta get everything done this week. Once Friday rolls around, I'm off till after labor day...
Today's run which happened at the crack of dawn. Such a busy work day. I'm posting this then heading home! See what happens when you put on your running gear in the dark. You don't match and you don't give a hoot. My ankle is definitely stiff. It's not sore, but feels like it needs a massive readjustment. I can't even begin to guess how it happened. My eating has been sporadic today. Calories are way down considering how many I burned during my run this morning. I need to refuel. I've a 6am training session tomorrow. And I'm going to bed early tonight for realz. Homeward bound. I may have a later wine time. But I really should just drink all the water...
It's today's last word with the Smitster. I have been so busy with work and life that I have not checked my home feed at all today. I'm completely out of the loop and I apologize profusely. I got most of my expenditures done. I just have mileage left to do. I've been approved for the funding for my arm lift and liposuction. This is very exciting. The date is less than a month away. Maybe getting the fat sucked out of my outer thighs will solve my tight pant leg woes. Today's calorie count was on the low side. It's all good. I'm sure that after tomorrow's training session with Tony, I'll be eating all the food. It is leg day after all. Time to sleep. I'm up at 4:30am to drink my smoothie. And I think imma gonna do HIIT on the dreadmill to begin my workout. Sweet dreams...
It's #coffeetime. Cool August mornings means summer is coming to an end. Sad for some, but fall is my favorite season. Fall means great clothes, leather, and great running weather:-)
I'm going to have to admit defeat. The gym is winning and my thighs have gotten bigger. I've a couple pairs of jeans that are too tight in the legs. My fuel belt has needed to be taken in, but my pant legs are snugger. So my waist is getting smaller and my legs are getting bigger. Perfect combination for purchasing pants:-( Skinny jeans may be a thing of the past. Even my calves are bigger. And new rule; I can't buy pants without a bit of lycra. I need that stretch. I'm not upset my pants aren't fitting the same. My body is changing and I know this is just the tip of the iceberg. So I will embrace the change.
Trying to decide what to do right now. I messed my left ankle doing HIIT on the dreadmill yesterday. It was bugging me on Friday too. Do I rest today? I've worked out 5 days in a row. It won't kill me. But maybe it will. I'll have another cuppa java and think about it...
So this just happened. Clearly I'm going thru a midlife crisis. Why else would I pay someone to inflict pain on me not once but twice? It was either this or a tattoo. This will do for now. The tattoo is still in the works. Stuffing my face with tuna, avocado and baby carrots then heading to Walmart for some provisions. Got a mountain of laundry to do as well. I laid off the training today. My ankle is making my entire left leg ache...
It's #winetime and I'm back to my old habits. I've barely eaten anything today. Could be because I did nothing fitness wise. Could be that I've been crazy busy running around. Either way, my calories are pretty low and instead of eating food I'm drinking wine. Groceries are done and laundry is started. My legs are aching and my calves are really tight. I think I need to roll them out later.
And besides still having to submit a bunch of claims for insurance, answer old emails (I'm sorry for falling behind again), and booking a hotel for Montreal, I've still gotta blog and send a few emails (regarding the charity boxing match) out. And clean my silver chains. Almost forgot about them! Plus get to bed at a decent hour because I'm running 8k in the morning. Today does not have enough hours in the day...
This! This is why I can't get rid of that last bit of chub. I cannot seem to keep my fat intake low. Today's culprits were avocado and pork sausages. Plus all the cream. That would be the deliciousness that I put in my coffee. My calories were down today. I did not snack. And I was running around all day. So even healthy fats add up. Although I can't say No Frills Hot Italian Sausages are healthy. They're not. But they are delicious. And on sale this week.
I only got a fraction of what I needed to get done completed tonight. I still have some outstanding things for tomorrow but my hotel in Montreal is booked. Julien is stoked. He just wants to go to La Ronde, the Six Flags that's there. Seems that all my vacation time this summer has been spent in theme parks. It's all about the 7 year old, just like it should be. My bed is calling me. I'm up early in the morning to run...
What we have here is tropical fruit blend #smoothietime. Drinking right out of the blender jug is acceptable smoothie etiquette right? Enjoying 5 minutes of quiet time before I get my gear on and head to the gym. Gonna do HIIT on the dreadmill and arms and shoulders on machines as per Tony's instruction. This afternoon I've a friend coming over with her family. She's thinking of moving to the Hammer. Gotta show them around. Julien's excited. Kids to play with...
#Coffeetime has finally arrived. Why the heck were so many people at the gym on a Saturday morning? Funny enough, I got stopped by R.I.D.E. while driving to the gym. Smart to look for the morning after drunks. Held up the check point because the officer was asking me about my running medal hanging from my rear view mirror. The half marathon distance led to talking about the Around the Bay because he saw my top.
When I got to the gym I did 20 mins of HIIT on the dreadmill as promised. Getting back onto the running belt after the straddle break was tricky and I pictured a gif of me on Gym Wankers. Luckily the dreaded slip followed by the fall of shame didn't happen. I did 40 minutes of upper body on the machines and 3 core circuits. I think I'm good for today. Or should I go biking?
What a busy day. Uncle John showed up this morning. Just out of the blue. He came to put pot lights into my kitchen ceiling. Some of you may or may not remember all the work he did on my old house before we sold last spring. He's not quite done. My kitchen was a mess all day.
I spent the afternoon with some friends. An old college friend is thinking of moving to the Hammer with her family. They swung by around 3pm and we spent time chatting and walking around my neighborhood park. Julien was happy. He had friends to play with. We also ate dinner out with them. Good times.
It was a busy day but I was also able to fit a mani-pedi in. Got my french manicured toes back:-) Today's eating wasn't great. Way too much fat. Twas the hot wings and sweet potato fries:-( Tomorrow is a new day to rectify my eating. Time to hit the hay. Gotta run and bike in the morning. And I'm getting second and third holes in my ears. Exciting times...
It's coffeetime and I'm running at 6:30. Gotta get rid of my bloat. Experimenting is good. Eating grains again taught me that I'm intolerant to many foods that made me morbidly obese. This is a valuable piece of information to have. I can almost with 100% certainty say that I'm not in danger of binging on grains again. But, I didn't have any of the yummy ones. If I allowed myself to eat pasta and bread again, I just may not care how they make me feel. But I'll not go there. It's not worth it.
Today I take my youth to a Chinese buffet for a celebratory lunch. It's our last day of group and it's something we do to say goodbye. I'm sticking to protein and veggies. No fruit, nothing with sauce. I ate at the Mandarin weekly while I was losing weight and I still lost every week. It can be done if you're really mindful. That and you gotta drink a ton of water to flush out the sodium.
Thank God it's Friday. I need the weekend to regroup before I plan a very busy week ahead. I'm back to work next week, then off again till after Labor Day. Gotta plan a mini vacation to Montreal...
Today's run was pretty slow. And it did not happen without incident. I ran into that little guy. I felt bad for him. He was in the middle of the road and had a bloody nose. I called animal control but they were closed. A woman came out with some recycling and I asked if she had gloves. She had her husband's work gloves in the garage so we moved Bugs to the grass. He didn't even try to get away. The woman said she'd keep an eye on him and call animal control again. Now I'm thinking about this rabbit. I stayed as long as I could but I had to get back home to get ready for work. Poor bunny. I hope he's okay. I think another animal got to him and he's in shock. Anyway, my run was a touch ass dragging. Glad I did it though. Needed to get sweaty. Now I'm dressed all girly and on my way to work. Happy Friday y'all;)
Today's food haul at the Mandarin. And after I've worked out all the calories, it's just under 1000. Three plates of protein and veggies or a Big Mac meal? Mine's better. Just saying. And my fortune. More exciting if you add "in bed" at the end. Heading home. Sparkling water with lemon awaits me. Or wine, maybe wine...
Today was a good clothing day. I got to wear the $5 dress that I snagged from Queen St. West when I went shopping after recoding the Marilyn Denis Show back in April. I wore leggings with it and some 4" wedge sandals. Entire outfit? $23 not including jewelery. The leggings were $8 at Walmart (George), The dress was cash and carry for $5 at a going out of business sale. I couldn't try it on. Just had to hope for the best. And nothing was sized. The wedges were $10 at Value Village (Guess). The necklace is Stella and Dot. It's the Bloom necklace. Got it at a cash and carry as well. Love it!
I ended up having #winetime when I got home. It is the weekend after all. And on my way home I swung into Marshall's and bought some gloves for the gym. Calluses be gone! I'm going to get pretty girly hands again if it kills me...
My food stats from today. Another average day for me. Still gotta work on lowering the fat intake. Lots of meat and stir-fried veggies adds up. Especially when I don't prepare it myself. Then I'm never sure how much oil was used. One thing for sure, I have the low carb thing down pat.
I'm off to bed. I'm going to the gym in the morning. Gonna do a HIIT workout on the dreadmill and work my upper body on the machines. Tony's most worried about upper body and core with me. He says legs and cardio are good. My upper body, especially abs, suck. So that's where I'm putting extra work in.
The adorable boy on the right? The cutest thing I saw on social media today. Thanks to my co-worker for sharing. Made me smile big...
