Set your goals for 2013

Running a marathon never crossed my mind, but thanks to @NikeWomen for putting me up to the challenge, I completed my very first half-marathon this past October in San Francisco. Lots of hard work, dedication, and discipline went into accomplishing this challenge and it was an unbelievable feeling to finally cross those mats at mile 13.1. HUGE THANK YOU to the amazing women of Nike and awesome ladies I've met along the way on Twitter.

I want to encourage everybody to try and set a fitness goal of doing something that pushes your limits a little bit this upcoming year.  No, you don't have to sign up to run a marathon, but if you've never ran a 5k, set a goal and work to it.  Running not your thing?  That's ok - try biking, power walking, yoga, boot camps or weight lifting. It's very important to stay somewhat active and get proper exercise.  So let's get started...set that goal!

Set a Goal - it all starts with a setting a goal and committing to it.  And make this goal realistic.  If you're new to working out, set a goal to run a 5k.  Just find something that you feel will challenge you in your own fitness levels and work to achieve this goal in 2013. 

Stay Focused -  There are going to be times when you just don't want to get out of bed and go workout.  Push through those times and get up & get rolling! 


Mix up your routine - As a rule of thumb, never use the same routine for more than 4 weeks.  Muscle confusion is the key and there are great programs out there that can help you with this.  (P90X, Crossfit, and my personal favourite Nike Training Club )

Don't get Discouraged -  It's not always easy, but keep your head up and push through! Don’t worry about what others are doing, focus on what you can do.

Celebrate accomplishments - Reward yourself for accomplishments ie) first 5K run or logging in 100 miles. A small reward like a favorite treat can help keep you motivated :)

I crossed the finish line & this was my treat to myself ;)

My favourite iPhone apps

Aside from the must-have apps like Twitter, Facebook, WeatherEye (way better then the weather app that comes with iPhone), IMDB, & Tumblr, there are a few others I couldn't live without.

Fitness

Nike Training Club a free, ad-free, no excuses solution for newbies and fitness addicts alike. See my post on how it works here

Nike+Running App From the trail to the treadmill, your iPhone's GPS and accelerometer accurately record your distance, pace, and time. In-run audio feedback lets you know these metrics at every mile, so you can stay focused on your run.

Say Cheese :D

Instagram an excellent way to turn mundane images into cool-looking photos you can share with friends.

InstaCollage enhances users’ photos by providing a plethora of creative options. Options like selecting from over 100 different layouts, multiple effects and a huge selection of borders (with customizable colors and widths) for framing.

Halftone A fun and funky photo effects app that turns your own pictures into vintage comics or postcards.

Food & Drink

Epicurious indulge your inner foodie with a treat from Gourmet or Bon Appetit. You can search by ingredients and get complete shopping lists.

Allrecipes A fun and easy way to find awesome recipes! Search by ingredient or give your phone a shake to find inspiration.

Mixology Awesome app for those who want to explore different alcoholic recipes. :)

LCBO (for my Ontario peeps) works well if you are looking for wine, stores, hours, inventory, etc. you waste less time driving from store to store looking for your favorites.

Travel

TripCase provides up-to-the-minute flight information, including flight numbers, confirmation numbers, flight times, boarding/deplaning gates, and baggage carousel information.  When a flight change occurs, TripCase immediately sends a notification to my iPhone, which chimes in response and flashes it on the screen. 

Time Killers/Zombie Fix

No Zombies Allowed   Zombie hordes are looking to take over and munch on survivors. It’s up to YOU to save your town. I am so hooked on this game and protective of my survivors :P

Zombie Swipeout plays like Fruit Ninja for the iPhone only this time you're slicing and dicing zombies!

Bejeweled Blitz connect w/Facebook friends in this version and see who can score the highest.

Current Events/News

For staying in the know on current events, I'll check out CP24, Globe & Mail, NY Times, Mashable, Huffington Post, and Pop Sugar. 


These are just a few I use almost everyday and would love to know any of your must-haves :)

Do you have what it takes for the NikeFuel mission?

Tomorrow marks the first time ever NikeFuel Missions, the game will be powered by your everyday movement.

Get Moving
The objective of each mission is to earn enough NikeFuel in a given time period. Choose your physical activity and get moving. The more you move, the more NikeFuel you earn.

Log in

Begin your NikeFuel Missions journey by logging in using your Nike+ Account. If you do not already have a Nike+ account, you can create one by visiting nikeplus.com.

Choose Nike+ Device
Your Nike+ device measures your movement and turns it into NikeFuel. You must earn NikeFuel to advance throughout the game.

To play NikeFuel Missions, you must have at least one Nike+ device:

• Nike+ Running App
  Nike+ Fuelband
  Nike+ Basketball App
  Nike+ Training App
  Nike+ Sportswatch GPS
  Nike+ Sportband
  iPod nano with Nike+
  Nike+ Kinect Training
• To begin a mission, you must select a single device for gameplay. You may change your selected device on the Settings screen, provided a mission is not in progress.

Start Mission
At the start of each mission, you may choose your difficulty level: easy, medium, or hard. This will determine the amount of NikeFuel required to pass the mission. Each mission duration varies throughout the game.

Timer Starts
Once you have your Nike+ device in hand and are ready to begin, click or tap Play Now. This will begin the mission and start the clock.

Timer Ends
The Mission clock will count down until it has expired.

Sync your Device
You must sync your Nike+ device after the Mission clock has expired to view gameplay results. You may sync your device at any time; however, gameplay results will not be available until you do so.  

If you have not met the NikeFuel goal to advance to the next Mission, you may restart at any time to try again.

Advance to Next Mission
If you have met or exceeded the NikeFuel goal, you may advance to the next Mission by selecting Play Next Mission

Got it? Now get moving!! 

#GameOnWorld

Brave the elements with Nike swag

Back in October Nike Running challenged us to #RunTheElements. They have since released their amazing and colourful new collection to help you brave whatever may come your way - wind, cold, rain, snow and heat. NO excuses to stay indoors and hide!  Visit NIKE.com to view product details.
*Canadians to view the online shop on Nike.com change the region at bottom of screen to United States.

Party Appetizers! Avocado, Tomato, and Brie on Crackers

I love LOVE avocados! Here is an easy recipe to enjoy and get more fiber in  your diet. 

If you're in the mood for a little crunch, top whole grain crackers with a slice of brie, avocado, fresh tomato, cilantro, and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. If you're not a fan of brie, substitute provolone, goat cheese, or another type of cheese.

Gift ideas for the fitness fanatic

Skip the chocolates this year and give a loved one the gift of health with one of these stylish, high-tech or hard-core fitness finds.

Nike+FuelBand
Buy here

Nike+ FuelBand tracks your all-day activity and helps you do more. Using a sport-tested accelerometer it measures your movement in NikeFuel—a universal metric of activity. So the more you move, the more NikeFuel you earn. It measures each step taken and calorie burned. It also tells the time of day.
For more info

Nike+Kinect Training - XBOX 360 Kinect

Whatever your level, whatever your goal, with Nike+ Kinect Training you can now experience Personal training, at home. Using real time feedback and elite level coaching, Nike+ Kinect Training delivers a personalized program that evolves as you do.

For more info

Drinking water is one of the best ways to stay healthy, and stay hydrated and Brita has released its new filtered water bottle.

Like other Brita products the filtration system is effective in removing chlorine, and entirely eliminates bad odor or flavor from water.

Hardy and feather-light, the simple 2-gigabyte iPod Shuffle is a gym staple. The built-in clip means no fussing with an armband. Personalize it by having a message engraved when you order online or by uploading a favorite workout playlist.

Buy here

Dance Central 2 will get you grooving with its impressive routines and up-to-date songs. Dancing is a form of aerobic exercise, and you certainly will work up a sweat.

 Sport earphones that are custom fit for extreme athletes, runners, music lovers that won't fall out, are ultra-soft and comfortable

For more info

The Nike Slouchy Sphere Women's Training Hoodie provides warmth and versatile style for cold-weather workouts. It's also ideal for wearing to and from the gym.

Comes in 5 diff colours.

FYI- this is on my wishlist *nudge nudge wink wink*

size small

Buy here

The Nike Shield KO Full-Zip Men’s Training Hoodie features lightweight, water-resistant insulation for uninhibited speed and domination during outdoor training sessions

Buy here

Happy Holidays! 

The Holidays are coming!

The kick-off to fa-la-la-la-everything is officially here and even though it’s the most wonderful time of year, it’s also the busiest. There’s gift shopping, parties, holiday feasts and family visits, leaving most of us overwhelmed and stressed out. Add to that - lack of sleep, exercise, increased alcohol consumption (CHEERS;P), time constraints and money issues, and you have a recipe for unhealthy behaviors.

To make sure you stay active every day I suggest doing the following:

• Always have your gym bag in the car ready to go, just in case your day changes.
• Can’t get to the gym? Do something different: jump rope, run, dance.
• Instead of meeting friends for coffee or a drink, make it a power walk get-together.
• Get the family moving - take to the ice or go on a brisk hike
• Park further away from the door, skip the elevator and escalator esp when hitting the malls and take the stairs, get off the bus or train a stop earlier.
• When watching TV, do push-ups and sit-ups during the commercials. If you have a treadmill, jump on. Don’t forget to grab the dumbbells and get some bicep and triceps work in.
• Increase the intensity of your workouts.
• Stuck inside because of a blizzard? Get the NIKE TRAINING CLUB app - no gym req! Or simply do a quick search on YouTube of workouts.  My favorite fitness gurus are: Jenae Frick of YOGA.EAT.RUN , Renisha James of Renewed Fitness and Cassey Ho of Blogilates - these ladies will make you sore and look fab
• Add workout clothes or gear to your wish list. If you look good, you feel good. And if you feel good, you'll sweat more!

No matter what you do, be sure to fit some activity into your day. Not only will you increase your energy, you’ll bolster your immune system and burn calories. 

Happy training :)

Thank you Tenchi for 16 amazing yrs...

 I woke up in the middle of the night to the recognizable meow I would hear every morning for the last 16 years.  As I strained to listen again, I realized I was imagining things. Tenchi, my best friend was gone and I started to cry.   He was put to sleep yesterday.  I'm writing about this sad day in hopes to help release my emotions.

Tenchi was diagnosed with diabetes over 5yrs ago.  He was on a strict diet and required insulin shots every 12 hrs - he was content on getting his shots.  Tenchi would know when he was due for a shot, sat next to the fridge and meow if we were even 10 min late giving it to him!  He did amazing for 4 1/2yrs being a diabetic - active and held his own when Kenny (other cat) and him would play fight.  Then things started to change...old age was settling in.  We grumbled as the "accidents" increased, but cleaned it up and made attempts to keep him happy.  About a month ago, we got the first signs that time was not on our side -  His daily exploration got smaller and smaller. His hind legs would give out under him at random times. He would have tremors at night, his appetite decreased. Finally we noticed he wasn't himself anymore - he was lethargic and urine incontinent.   My sister made every effort to nurse him back to health, she would try to get blended cat food using an eye dropper into his mouth, but his weak body wasn't absorbing the nutrients needed.

Yesterday, with a heavy heart deep down I knew his time had come.  I wanted so badly for the vet to say otherwise, I wanted Tenchi to be with me on my 30th and Christmas is just around the corner, but he was straight-up w/me before I could get a word in.  He was very happy Tenchi lived 16yrs being a diabetic cat - he said most don't live past 13yrs.
I held on to Tenchi the entire time, I wasn't ready to say goodbye...Tenchi was ready though, he knew - he laid down on the table closed his eyes and held on to my finger w/his paw.  I played Nora Jones' "Sunrise" song for him (his fave artist - as he would always purr when her music came on radio, even when he wasn't being petted or touched) he started to purr lightly.  The vet injected him in the hip with the sedative, he seemed at peace as he drifted off to sleep while my dad and I  talked to him.( A quick thought came to my mind that I could run out of there w/Tenchi in my arms still alive), but reality took over - then came the euthanasia solution,  it took 6 seconds and he was gone - my best friend was gone.

My family and I are still very sad today.  I cried at random times today.  He can't be replaced, we still have Kenny and will love him as we did w/Tenchi.  R.I.P - I love you so much <3

30 truths I've learned

My 30th birthday is in 2 weeks and I'm excited and ready to embrace the thirties. Tons of people say that your thirties are the best decade of your life, and I'm choosing to believe them.  I grow each year and continue to learn through fumbles and mistakes.  I’m definitely not perfect, but I think each year brings more wisdom. 

1. Don't allow outside sources to determine your self-esteem!
   It's important to have trust in your abilities and strong suits, regardless of how they compare to others.
2. Cook at home.You will maintain a healthy weight, save tons of money and impress family and friends
3. Learn how to live comfortably within your budget.
   Make a budget and stick to it! Pay off your credit cards every month. Learn to cook for yourself.
4. If it hurts, don’t wear it.  
   At some point the pain will show, you can only pretend to be comfortable for so long
5. Wear sunscreen!
   It'll save you from showing signs of early aging.  
6. Find out what colour clothes/make-up makes your eyes pop and skin glow.
   Play around with this, take pictures and see what works
7. No one keeps secrets.
   Remember this when you’re telling you’re people all your business.
8. If you don't know, ASK.
   
   You know that saying about assuming (it makes an ass out of you and me)? That's true.
9. Sometimes you go to restaurants or order take-out and they mess up.
   Take a deep breath - It’s cool, we're all human and make mistakes.  No need to have an outburst in public - you'll look like a fool to others.
10. You don’t need everyone to like you.
    I found this excerpt online from blogger Julien Smith  The Complete Guide to Not Giving a F**k “when people don’t like you, nothing actually happens. The world does not end. You don’t feel them breathing down your neck. In fact, the more you ignore them and just go about your business, the better off you are.”
11. Jealousy and envy are wasted emotions and green is such an ugly colour :P
12. It’s OK to change
    Change is growth.
13. Live an active life style.
    I'm not lecturing you to sign up for the gym or start running - just walk - to work, groceries or just about anywhere within a 3 mile radius. If you make it a daily activity, you'll reap the rewards of living longer and healthier.
14. You don’t always get what you want, 
    or when you want, even if you work tirelessly on it and have great ambition.  Sometimes you will fail and you’ll have to quit. And that’s okay. 
15. Trust your gut. Really.
    If someone/something feels suspicious, follow your intuition. It could save your life.
16. Practice letting go. 
    Let go of ideals, old patterns that no longer serve you.  Resentment consumes space and blocks clarity. Release the past: thank it for happening, for directing you. Then, let it go. 
17. Celebrate!
    Too often we rush from one accomplishment to another. Know that this moment, this feat, will never again repeat itself in the same way. Cheers!
18. Rest is the most important ingredient to fully performing well.
    Get sleep – it is our #1 tool to heal and to protect our bodies.
19. Complaining, criticizing and gossiping... 
    just don't do it! It's a waste of time and saps your energy.
20. Learn to say NO!
    If you don’t want to do something—go to a party, accept an obligation, meet someone—just say “no, thank you.” You don’t owe anyone an excuse or explanation.
21. Drink lots of water.
22. Processed carbohydrates and sugars are yucky.
    It's not hard to switch to wholewheat bread and noodles or substitute cinnamon honey, maple syrup, raw sugar for the white stuff. It's tasty and you'll feel better!
23. Floss :D
24. Never stop learning.
25. If it takes you more than five words to order your coffee STOP All the unnecessary syrups and whipped cream aren't good for you.
26. Friends really do come and go. Some come back. Some don’t. That’s OK.
27. Training or Running Shoe?!?
    both - your feet need different types of support when it comes to doing different activities.
28. You should play on a swing set at least once every year It's guaranteed to bring a smile to your face, even on a bad day.
29. If you can’t sing, sing anyway.
    Especially at karaoke or at home playing LIPS on Xbox
30. You’re only as old as you feel ;-)