Do Thursday- Climbing mountains

Well not really just up a little hill near the Fontainebleau Castle. Wanna come with us? Coooome on, you'll feel better after!

The first part was this neat cobble stone walkway that I imagined was an old trade route or maybe for knights and horses from the Castle? It looks like there were even some trenches?

Here's the welcome board. It's rated easy and about 2 hrs long. Man I wish I could read better in French. But honestly early Saturday morning after a wine n dine evening the night before...not gonna happen!

Anyways. "Almost there Monkey! Keep going!" Sunny loves going on walks and runs in the woods. For an indoor lap dog she is quite the little outdoor enthusiast.

 "Don't worry about me you guys! Yup, no problem I'm just back here!"

It promised a great view and delivered. Fontainebleau forest is beautiful and expansive. It's lovely to see it from up here where you can tell how small the village/town really is all nestled inside the forest.

We went off track, thought we were lost and joked but felt kinda scared about Robin hood type hoodies hiding in the forest waiting to attack us! Ahhhhh!

Thank goodness it was actually part of the route! We ended up back at the bottom where we were suppossed to be with our Saturday started off right and a very dirty doggie!

Do you guys love walking in the woods as much as I do? Even in the suburbs I long to get off the pavement and into the woods. Where's your favourite place to get some exercise?

Love and Hugs

6 ways to burn 300 calories at home

I read this on Fitsugar this morning. It's great for me cause the only exercise I do do is done at home. It's usually a work out video for 30-45 mins where I change between cardio and strength training. But it's always fun. No more punishing my body and feeling like crying anymore. If I'm not laughing or smilling when I workout than it's no workout for me!

• Get your stretch on: unroll your mat and practice yoga. An hour and 20 minutes of light yoga burns 315 calories.
• Pop in your favorite cardio DVD such as Bob Harper's Ultimate Cardio Body or Tracy Anderson's Cardio Dance Workout; you'll burn 310 calories with 45 minutes of high-impact dancing or aerobics.
• Jump rope: it doesn't take much. In just over 30 minutes you'll burn 305 calories. Pass the time by jumping rope in front of your favorite TV show.
• Walk up and down the stairs: not only will you strengthen your heart and tone your legs and booty, but just under an hour of doing the stairs in your house burns 313 calories.
• Grab your dumbbells: you'll have to do a lot of bicep curls and push-ups, but after an hour and 45 minutes, you'll burn 310 calories.
• Hit the machines: if you haven't lost power and you have a treadmill or elliptical at home (lucky you!), go for a run. At a pace of 10 minutes per mile, you'll burn 300 calories in just over 30 minutes.

What about you guys? Do you like to exercise at home or at the gym or outside?

Love and Hugs

Whittle My Middle by Angela Liddon

This is a core workout that Angela does twice a week to shape her waist. I've been doing the boat pose and the bicycle crunches for awhile now but check out those plank ups! Looks like fun right? Well if there is anywhere on my body that needs to be whittled it is definitely my middle. So we'll give it a go.

Angela is a vegan baker living in Oakville Ontario and originally from Fredricton N.B. Check out her blog here if you would like to learn more.

1) Front Plank with fully extended arms: 60 seconds

[source]

2) Side plank with bent arm: 60 seconds per side

[source]

3) Torso Twists (see here for instructions) 60 seconds

Note. Instead of a medicine ball you can use hand weights or a large soup can/other heavy object.

4) Plank-Ups: 60 seconds

Start in plank position on forearms, legs extended behind you, resting on toes; raise right leg a few inches off ground, toes out (as shown). Keeping leg lifted, straighten right arm, then left, coming into a raised push-up position. Reverse motion to return to plank. Repeat, alternating lead arms.

Note: If this exercise is too difficult for you, try keeping you leg on the ground and just focus on raising and lowering your arms.

[Source]

5) Boat Pose: 60 seconds

Begin in a seated position with your knees bent and your feet resting lightly on the ground as you balance on your sit bones. With your core engaged, lengthen through your torso and recline slightly, avoiding any rounding of your back. Extend your arms straight out in front of you, then extend your legs, creating a V-shape with your torso and legs. Breathe comfortably throughout the move.

Note: Instead of just staying still the whole time, I prefer to bring my knees in to my chest and extending them back into boat pose (one rep, hold for 1-2 secs), all while keeping my feet off the ground. I find this challenges the abs more as you have to stay balanced while moving.

[Source]

6) Bicycle Crunches: 60 seconds

• Lie flat on the floor so that your lower back is pressed to the ground and your core is engaged.
• Put your hands beside your head & lift your knees to about a 45-degree angle.
• Slowly, at first, go through a bicycle pedal motion.
• Alternately touching your elbows to the opposite knees as you twist back and forth.
• Breath evenly throughout the exercise.

Love and Hugs

Six Everyday

1. Vince and Sunny. Their kisses,cuddles,smiles and tail wags are pure joy to me. And honestly who wants to pass one day without pure joy? duh!
2. My Mac, i.e The Internet! I am officialy addicted. Being an expat with no physical friends near by makes me an internet fiend. I am always checking my email, mom's facebook, ryan's facebook, the blog, Us weekly.com and the list goes on just so I can feel connected to you guys and not so alone.
3. Morning coffee. It's a love hate thing. I think maybe I should quit but why?! I love it so much and I only have one cup. I am honestly passed out on the couch at 9am if I didn't have one.

4. Mascara. I look like a dead junkie if I don't wear it. I am currently using Colossal Volume by Maybelline but am on a life long search for the best. Any suggestions?

5. Exercise. Same as coffee I love and hate exercise. I love feeling strong and sweaty and that I accomplised something purely physical and good for this body that carries my soul. But then sometimes I just want to lay around eating chocolate in my jamjams you know?
6. I can't go a day without praying. I talk to God all the time. Often I am thanking and begging and loving but most often it's even just a warm feeling. If I haven't prayed for a while and I am living too much in my head I become anxious and weird and emotional and weirder. Praying keeps me sane period.



This is inspired by Taylor's list at Sterlingstyle.net. She's a cool chick who loves fashion and exercise (hello crossfit!!! The girl deadlifts!)

So I want to know about you guys? What are some of the things you can't live without every single day!

Love and Hugs

11 weeks till buff arms and......

..........The Wedding! Muahaaaahhahahahahahaha! Yeah apparently it takes 8-12 weeks to get muscle definition in your arms so here we go! The arm muscle crackdown is on bitches! I will be able to crack walnuts in my elbow joints by then! Oh YEAH!

Just joking but I do hope to have minimal arm pit fat by July 6th. Well see! Wish me luck!

Love and Hugs

It's that time again!

Aunt Jane bought the 30 day Shred a few days ago on Amazon and it arrived yesterday! She asked me if I would be willing to do it with her and I painfully agreed!
Yesterday morning was the first day of the new Shred and this time we are two! Does anyone else want to join?
I have never done a workout so hard and challenging for your mind and body. I'll admit I cried a little last time. I thought she's crazy, there is no way my flabby body can do that. But I was wrong. It was my mind that was holding me back. My body can actually do a lot if I let it. It's kinda like a spiritual journey too. You know when you are doing Yoga or getting a massage and you suddenly start getting emotional? It's because trauma stays in your cells, on your physical body! You harbour shame and guilt and pain everywhere all over your body and when one of those forgotten places is reached sometimes the flood gates open up! It's so healthy! If that's not enough to convince you, what about this: I lost 9inches and 6pounds last time!
Come on! You know you want to!!!

Elizabeth my yoga teacher

One legged Pigeon pose or Eka Pada Rajakapotasana. This pose stimulates all your major organs and scared the crap out of me the first time I did it! I thought there was no way my leg would do that and I would surely break it! But no! Just a wonderful intense stretch!
The Plow pose or Halasana (It's meant to be held for up to 5 mins!) and will help you with:

• Calms the brain
• Stimulates the abdominal organs and the thyroid gland
• Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause
• Reduces stress and fatigue
• Therapeutic for backache, headache, infertility, insomnia, sinusitis

Warrior III pose or Virabhadrasana III improves your balance and posture (I used the wall behind me to balance myself.) I was sweating after holding this one for so long!
Eagle pose or Garudasana is really hard! I tried it out for the first time today and just managed to do the upper body part. It helps relieve:

• Asthma
• Low backache
• Sciatica

Extended Triangle pose or Utthita Trikonasana feels soooo good on your torso! And it helps with:

• Relieving stress
• Improves digestion
• Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause
• Relieves backache, especially through second trimester of pregnancy
• Therapeutic for anxiety, flat feet, infertility, neck pain, osteoporosis, and sciatica

Tree pose or Vrksasana is so hard! It's part of our balancing series and requires intense concentration. It is also used to relieve sciatica.


I've started learning Yoga from Elizabeth at Yoga Intentions in Paceville right down the street. I don't know why I thought this was easy!? It's not. Yoga takes a lot of strength, concentration and will. I am loving the health benefits of cleansing my cells (detoxifying the carcinogens) and honing my brain (shutting up my aniexty ridden mind). It just feels natural to do this and fun. I like the challenge!
Have you guys been trying out any new endevors lately? I would love to hear!
Love and Hugs

Alrighty, back on the train!

Hi guys! I was thinking I would start the 30 day Shred again on the 01st of Nov. Does anyone want to join me? I thought it'd be a nice kick start before the Christmas season. I've still been losing weight on Weight Watchers online and doing my other workouts but I love taking it up a notch everyonce in a while and I think it's time! What do you say people? Are you on the train?

P.S. The job interview went great. I am hoping to hear something this week. Thank you so much for all the encouraging comments.

Love and Hugs

30 Day Shred is Done and Done!

Good Morning Every body! Here are my final stats:

weight- 215.6 pounds Final- 209.9 pounds
bust- 47 inches Final- 45inches
waist- 40 inches Final- 36.5inches
hips-46 inches Final- 44inches
thighs-24 inches Final- 22.5inches
dress size- 16 Final- 16/14

For the frenchies:
poids- 98 kgs Fini- 95.4 kgs
poitrine- 119 cms Fini- 114.5cms
taille-102 cms Fini- 93cms
hanches- 117 cms Fini- 112.5cms
cuisses- 61.5 cms Fini- 58cms
taille- 46 Fini-46/44

Yesterday was my last Shred day! Thank goodness, It was so hard. I missed one day and had to make up for it and extend it to 31 days. I am really pleased with the results! What do you think? Can you tell a difference from the first picture? I lost a total of 5.7 pounds and 9 inches! Whooohooooo! Also the best part is that I am so strong! I can do a push up now! A real one not a knee girl one. It's so hard but I can make it. I have found muscles on my body I never knew existed and Jillian certainly pushed me to places I never thought I could go. I think that's what is the best. She kept telling me that you have no idea how strong your body really is until you try. And boy do I believe her now! I feel amazing!
Love and Hugs

We're coming to the end!

Alrighty kids today is my last day of the 30 day Shred with Jillian Micheals! Tomorrow I will post my results. It's been hard but I feel stronger than I have ever felt and man that's a great feeling. What are you guys doing to stay healthy?
Love and Hugs

I will have to exercise for the rest of my life! AHHHHH!

Oh Man. So I just bought the August issue of SHAPE and was reading a letter from a lady in Chicago. It goes like this:

Question: Over the past 3 years I've lost 50 pounds, thanks in part to doing 6 hours of cardio and strength training a week. Now that I'm at my goal weight, can I cut back?

Answer: We wish we could tell you yes, but exercise is just as important for keeping the scale steady as it is for losing weight.
A study of obese women who had slimmed down found that only those who continued to work for an average of 275 minutes per week were able to maintain their weight loss two years later.
"When you're thinner, you burn fewer calories all day long because you're not moving as much body mass around," says SHAPE advisory board member Wayne Westcott, Ph.D. and instructor of exercise science. "If you don't make up for that deficit, you'll gain weight."

Just Freakin' Faboulous! I have been exercising my ass off for a year and a half and I guess I will be doing it till the day I die! Blah Blah! :0) No, I can do it. Actually I don't mind exercising. I mean of course I would rather sit around eating big macs and chocolate semi-freddo all day, never having to move an inch and be a svelte sie 6. But welcome to reality girlfriend. I have to get up amd sweat and move once a day every day FOREVER!
Do you guys all love or hate exercising? Do you do it everyday?
Love and Hugs.

P.S. Now that the coffee has kicked in I'm gonna go do my Jillian Micheals Shred workout!

Level 2 of the 30 Day Shred

Good Morning guys! It's friday! Whooohooooo! And today is also my tenth day of the 30 day shred which means I start level 2. I am excited to try some new exercises but also nervous cause Jillian is so tough. I deffinitly feel tighter though from the last 10 days and I will let you know on Monday if I have lost any weight.
This weekend is Festa time in St Julians so I am sure we will be out enjoying the fireworks and music and beer on the street. What do you guys have planned?
Love and Hugs

30 day shred challenge

Good Morning guys! Yesterday I recieved the 30 Day Shred DVD with Jillian Micheals in the mail and I started right away. The workout is broken down into 3 workouts, each harder than the prevoius. I am meant to do level 1 for 10 days and then level 2 for 10 days and finally level 3 for the last 10 days. Jillian Micheals is the trainer from The Biggest Loser t.v. show and she's tough and that's why I like her. She makes me work harder than any other exercise that I have done and I know that's what I need to do if I want to see results. She says with this DVD and her meal plan you can lose up to 20 pounds in one month. That seems a little wacko to me and is not my goal. I am sticking to Weight Watchers but I wouldn't be dissapointed with a 5-8 pound loss. ;) So take a look at the picture above and hopefully it will look a little different when I take it again in 30 days. This is going to be hard. I love to exercise, it makes me feel strong and healthy but I usually do it 5 days a week not 30 consecutive days. I am asking a favour from you guys. I need your help, support and most of all motivation if you can?! Thanks! See you in 30 days!

Here's my starting stats:
weight- 215.6 pounds
bust- 47 inches
waist- 40 inches
hips-46 inches
thighs-24 inches
dress size- 16

For the frenchies:
poids- 98 kgs
poitrine- 119 cms
taille-102 cms
hanches- 117 cms
cuisses- 61.5 cms
taille- 46

Honest and Unflattering exercise photos

I have been working out a lot lately, at least six days a week. I know, crazy right? I want to share my life with you so here it is! :) I am learning how to kick ass with kick boxing. The video teacher tells me to see an imaginary opponent in front of me at all times. If you were kick boxing with me who would be your imaginary opponent?

Also don't I look crazy good at this? Yeah right! :)

Love you, Miss you!