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5 Reasons Why I Love My Fitness Pal

New Year, new commitment level…again. We have all been there.

‘This time it’s going to be different’. Me too. It seems every few weeks and especially every new year, I commit to making a new start. This year is no different. For me, though, I know that although I am not where I wanted to be, I am not in the same position as I was this time last year and I am happy with that. I did not hit my goals for several things, but I did not slide backwards either. So, hooray for me. And HOORAY for YOU. Find that ‘thing’ that you did accomplish and camp on that. Don’t focus on what you didn’t do, focus on what you did do and then move forward. That needs to be your focus, forward.

My commitment will begin with a simple tool to track my energy in vs energy out. It’s not just about calories, it’s also about nutrients, fats, water, and exercise.

My Fitness Pal.

There are all sorts of online tools to use. Find the one that works for you. I have looked at several and I like this one. This tool works for me for a few reasons.

  1. It’s simple.
    I need simple. Easy to read. Easy to enter my info. Easy to see my progress.
  2. It’s compatible.
    My workout tool is Map My Fitness, so I want a tracking tool that will work with that exercise
    tool.
  3. It’s accessible.
    I can enter my info on my phone and also on my desktop so I don’t have to enter my info multiple times or places.
  4. It’s well informed.
    When I want to enter a new item, it’s likely already in there. Most restaurants, if they are a chain, are there. As well, most grocery store food is already there.
  5. It’s adaptable.
    As Canadians, our measures are sometimes different on packaging so it’s nice that I can scan in bar-codes from packages, as long as the manufacturer has put that in their bar-code.

Don’t over complicate things. Set realistic goals. Measure your efforts. Celebrate your victories. Remember this is not just an exercise in exercise, it’s a whole new you.

Healthy is not a goal, it’s life. -Heather Morneau

5 Nutrients You’re Deficient In… If You Eat Too Much Sugar

We all need to become much more aware of the amount of sugar we consume…

and how to find alternatives to our natural sweet tooth.

This article is always timely, but especially as we all come down from our sugar high of holiday drinks, candy, and baked goodies .

Sugar has become a dirty word for quite some time, but this adds even more fuel to the fire.

Too Much Sugar

This is The Year that I Will Finally…

At the beginning of each year, we as a general rule, tend to look back and plan for the future.

We tend to think that with the chime of the clock turning to a new calendar year, we are given the opportunity to turn our backs on last year’s mistakes, misses and oops'. We look forward to the newness of the new year and declare to the world, that THIS is the year that you will get your act together. ‘This is the year that I will finally …….!’ Good for you. Really, it is a good thing. It sure beats the alternative. The option being, that there is a group of people with the opposite viewpoint. “What’s the point? I didn’t accomplish my goals last year, so why bother setting myself up for failure this year!”

I am with you, though.

Hooray, for a new yearHooray, for the chance to start again.  Hooray, that I get the chance to try again to complete my goals.

I am really looking forward to the whole journey. Not just the completion of my goals, but the whole process. I like to check things off of my list. I like to look back and even if I didn’t do all that I set out to last year, I did do some of my list and that feels great. A little growth is better than no growth. BUT, and here is the but, not everyone feels this way. Truly, there is a large portion of the public that will cross their arms, put on a scowl, dig in their heels and will be grumpy and defiant about starting again. How do we deal with these people? Especially when they are close friends or family.

This is one of the most difficult things to deal with when you are trying to change something. Have you ever noticed how some people are proud of the fact that they haven’t changed? There are people out there that wear that fact with pride. Those people have never moved, haven’t changed jobs in a really long time, still drive the same car, still have the same hair style and even still fit into clothes from school. Some of that is great, they are thrifty, blessed with a great job, have a good mechanic, and even have a patient hairdresser. Some of that has consequences. Maybe they actually hate their job, but are afraid to make the change. Maybe they can’t afford a new car. Maybe the house is heavily mortgaged. Whatever the reason, change is not an option for some people.

Personally, I like change. I have moved homes a few times. Driven lots of different cars. I love sitting in my hairdresser’s chair and saying “shave it all off”, she never does, but she knows that I am ready for change. After all it’s hair, it will grow. Without change, I would have never seen some of the greatest cities in the world. I would have never known what it was like to drive a Porsche. I would never have known that grapefruit from Tahiti tastes nothing like the grapefruits imported to Vancouver from Florida. I would never have known that a little purple in my hair has become one of my favorite styles that I have ever done.

It hasn’t all been great. Some changes have cost us as well. We lost some friends when we moved neighborhoods. We missed out on saying goodbye to a good friend when she passed on and we were away. We lost all of our savings when we risked big with a new company and it eventually collapsed. But without change, I would never have found out that I like to write to you. I really love blogging.

How, then, do you decide to change and subsequently deal with the people in the ‘no change zone’.

1. Just decide to do it anyway.

  • Stay firm on your reasons for change

2. Put some distance between you and the nay sayers.

  • Spend just a little less time with these people

3. Share a little less about your change

  • If ‘they’ don’t know what you are up to, they can’t bash it.

4. Find people that do support your change

  • Surround yourself with people that will empower you, like us at Q4fit.

5. Bring your negative cheer squad along for the ride.

  • You may actually convert some of the negative to positive.

Bring on the new year and the new you. It will all be worth it. It won’t all be easy and if it is an ambitious goal, it will be harder than you thought it would be, but it will all be the best year yet. Keep in mind, you don’t know who is watching you. Who knows, you may be the inspiration someone has been looking for.

Good Luck and keep us close. Bring us along for the ride and keep us updated. We will be there for you in any way we can be. If you want help and or support let us know.

Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.  – Oprah Winfrey

Easy Paleo Breakfast Parfait

I would like to introduce you to the MerryMaker Sisters, Emma and Carla Papas

I met these two fabulous girls and they are amazing. Their attitude toward life and food is contagious. I chose this recipe simply because it is so simple yet, in their words, DELISH!

Start your day with a super, yummy, healthy start.

Easy Paleo Breakfast Parfait

Stuff You Need

2 cups coconut yoghurt or greek yoghurt
1 cup fresh or frozen (thawed) mixed berries
1 cup fresh or frozen (thawed) cranberries
1 cup almonds chopped
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup macadamias chopped
2 tbs. coconut oil melted
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. 100% vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Now What

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. In a large bowl mix the macadamias, almonds, coconut, coconut oil, cinnamon and
nutmeg.
3. Spread this evenly on to the prepared baking tray and place into the oven for 10
minutes. Allow to cool.
4. In a blender whiz the yoghurt, berries and vanilla until just combined (you could also
mash it together!).
5. Now it’s time to layer it all up! Alternate layers of yoghurt and nut mix.
6. This is so easy and delish!

 

The MerryMakerSisters

 

BTW:  Their cookbook Make it Merry is simply one of the best that I have bought in years.