Fuel Up Fridays "The pumpkins are here, the pumpkins are there. The pumpkins, the pumpkins are everywhere!

I bet right now you have a hollowed out pumpkin sitting on your front porch. DO NOT THROW IT OUT! It can still be useful I promise!
Pumpkin refers to certain cultivars of squash, that are round, with smooth, slightly ribbed skin and deep yellow to orange coloration. The thick shell contains the seeds and pulp. Pumpkins, like other squash, are native to North America. Pumpkins are widely grown for commercial use, and are used both in food and recreation. Pumpkin pie, for instance, is a traditional part of Thanksgiving meals, although commercially canned pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie fillings are usually made from different kinds of winter squash than the pumpkins frequently carved as jack o'lanterns for decoration around Halloween.

The Benefits Of Eating Pumpkin (from MindBodyGreen.com)


1. Pumpkins are an antioxidant and an anti inflammatory food. This means it helps with joint health, organ health, stress relief and soft tissue injuries.
2. Pumpkins can help protect the eyes from cataracts and degeneration with their Vitamin A content.
3. The high levels of Vitamin C help the immune system and encourages collagen production for the skin to maintain its beautiful glow and elasticity.
4. Pumpkin is a great source of fiber to help wash out any toxins and keep your body running smoothly.
5. Pumpkins hold enough carotids to give them their lovely orange color and help prevent premature aging and cardiovascular disease.
6. Pumpkin seeds are high in protein and plant based fatty acids, which help regulate cholesterol levels, protect against arthritis, promote healthy skin, and improve brain function.
7. The pulp and the seeds are rich in magnesium required for bone and tooth health.
8. Pumpkin contains lots of potassium and zinc to prevent the onset of cardiovascular disease and hypertension (high blood pressure). Zinc is also great for the immune system, skin and fertility.
9. The fruit contains L tryptophan, a chemical compound that triggers feelings of well being that aid depression in a smooth and natural way.

So maybe we need to think of pumpkin for more than just jack o-lanterns and pumpkin pie! I love the article posted below about ways to use your pumpkins - many of which are suitable for post Halloween fun! Thank you Earth 911!

Uses For Your Pumpkin After Halloween


So don't waste that precious orange fruit that is grinning away on your porch. Happy Halloween!

FIND YOUR CORE

Workout Wednesday - "I Have Been Changed For Good"

Concentrate on the correct movements each time you exercise, lest you do them improperly and thus lose all the vital benefits of their value. Joseph Pilates

I love pilates. This method of exercise offers a no/low impact workout that challenges core, hip and houlder girdle strenth, helps improve posture, improves mood, and promotes body awareness.

Pilates is sometimes a tough sell to todays' fitness enthusiast who believes that only high intensity, hard core, burpee including, vomit inducing, dripping sweat kind of workout are the best (or only) way to maximize your precious workout time. And those kinds of workouts definitely have their place(you know how I love them) but a knowledge and regular practise of the Stott Pilates Method is likely to enhance your ability to participate more fully in other forms of movement - running, sports, dance, fitness, and more! The more you practise, the more you are aware of how your unique body responds to movement and how that applies to your workout, or for your better health. You will notice a desire to correct your posture at daily activities, an ability to control your breath more efficiently, better sleep, and more. With a focus on functional core strength, stability and mobility, STOTT Pilates applies all the most current research into human movement to make each movement unique and easily modifiable to fit your individual needs. In short, STOTT Pilates is AMAZING and I fully recommend it as part of your fitness program!

A Short Biography Of Pilates Founder, Joseph Pilates (Excerpt from About.com)German born Joseph Pilates was living in England, working as a circus performer and boxer, when he was placed in forced internment in England at the outbreak of WWI. While in the internment camp, he began to develop the floor exercises that evolved into what we now know as the Pilates mat work.

As time went by, Joseph Pilates began to work with rehabilitating detainees who were suffering from diseases and injuries. It was invention born of necessity that inspired him to utilize items that were available to him, like bed springs and beer keg rings, to create resistance exercise equipment for his patients. These were the unlikely beginnings of the equipment we use today, like the reformer and the fitness circle.

Joseph Pilates developed his work from a strong personal experience in fitness. Extrememly unhealthy as a child, he studied many kinds of self-improvement systems. He drew from Eastern practices, and was inspired by the ancient Greek ideal of man perfected in development of body, mind and spirit. On his way to developing the Pilates Method, Pilates studied anatomy and developed himself as a body builder, a wrestler, gymnast, boxer, skier and diver.

After WWI, Joseph Pilates briefly returned to Germany where his reputation as a physical trainer/healer preceded him. In Germany, he worked briefly for the Hamburg Military Police in self-defense and physical training. In 1925, he was asked to train the German army. Instead, he packed his bags and took a boat to New York City. On the boat to America, Joseph met Clara, a nurse, who would become his wife. He went on to establish his studio in New York and Clara worked with him as he evolved the Pilates method of exercise, invented the Pilates exercise equipment, and of course, trained students.

Exercise Of The Week - The Hundred


The Hundred exercise in Pilates got its name because you hold the exercise for 100 beats. It is a great exercise to come early in a series because it gets your whole body warm, possibly even breaking a sweat. The Hundred gets your breath going strong and your blood moving. In addition, it is an excellent exercise for increasing torso stability and abdominal strength. You may have some difficulty keeping your head up for so long. Drop your head to mat and continue the exercise in this manner if your neck feels strained.


1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and up in the air, your knees and hips forming 90-degree angles.Your back should be in Neutral Spine. If this position feels like a strain on your lower back, try keeping your feet down on the floor for now.
2. Inhale: Reach your arms straight up to the sky.Your palms should be facing forward.
3. Exhale: As you reach your arms back down to the floor, lift your head and roll up to the Pilates Abdominal Position (similar to an abdominal crunch) with your shoulder blades just off the mat.Think of squeezing a tangerine under your chin on the way up. Your palms gently slap the air in a percussive rhythm.
4. Inhale: Inhale deeply for 5 beats (keep the rhythm with your arms)
5. Exhale: Using percussive breathing, exhale for 5 beats (saying shh, shh, shh, shh, shh).Percussive breathing is forced exhalation using the abdominal muscles; think of forcing the air out in short percussive blows.
6. Hold the position and continue pulsing your arms for 10 breaths.Remember that 10 breaths is 100 total beats (5 for each inhale and 5 for each exhale).

Mindful Mondays "Money Changes Everything"

Money has been on my mind a lot lately and I am offering this blog post this week as I believe that money is a great source of stress & anxiety, marital/relationship conflict and can completely derail our efforts to be whole and healthy. We live in an age of instant gratification and thus many ppl today subsist in a life mired by debt, living what I call a "plastic existence" where they owe/spend more than they make, but have mobile phones, cars, computers, tablets, eat out at restaurants, or choose prepared items, take weekend vacations, in short, have everything they need and much, much more. I have spent/am spending a lot of time this year learning about properly budgeting and managing money. This is something I have traditionally left to my husband, but it is not his strength either.
Some of the best tips I have learned/used in better managing our finances (and thus stress levels!)

1. Write down everything you spend. Like for real - everything. For at least a month - then review. I guarantee there are lots of ways to pare down some of your necessities.
2. Don't buy/spend unless you have the cash in hand. Credit is useful for credit ratings and points ONLY!
3. Allot money from each pay cheque for "emergencies" and "fun stuff" and don't touch it unless absolutely necessary. And no, a bag of cheetos is NEVER an emergency, and fun stuff should be saved up for things/activities that have importance and are worthy of the effort it took to save.
4. Say NO to family and friends who are in different financial situations than you are. A meal in, or potluck, or picnic is just as much fun as a fancy restaurant, and will cause less resentment in the relationship. The bottom line is, you do not have the money, let's get creative and have fun doing something that costs little or nothing.
This is a fun one to navigate at Christmas!
5. Be tough with yourself and be straight about what is need and what is want.
6. Write down your priorities - be honest about what is important to you/your family.

We wrote down our financial priorities last week, here they are in no particular order:
- fresh, healthy, home cooked food
- dental, prescriptions, other emergency health care expenses
- children's education savings
- retirement savings
- yearly vacation
- time (and yes, time is money) in my industry, I have to make do with less money/more sacrifice to have time with my family. This is also my reward - time with people I love, rather than the fleeting gratification of a new lipstick or other physical item that I don't really need.
- date night
-emergency expenses (vet bills, car repairs, home repairs)

We avoid after school activities like dance/hockey with the children and instead do a community program. We rarely eat out. We covet our scene points for date night free movies. We support local business and try to buy quality items over cheaper dispensible ones. We never impulse buy anymore.

Are we financially healthy? Nope - but we're working hard way towards it. Best of all, we almost have our plan ready, and it is not constantly weighing us down, bickering and stressing constantly over money. It's like so many things in life..financial issues don't solve themselves, but the process can be satisfying and hopefully lead to independance and success!
Get away wolves - you aren't welcome at our door!
FIND YOUR CORE

Fuel Up Fridays - "I Want Candy"

Boo! What was that you ask? That was the voice of the gazillions of empty, hidden, sugary calories sneaking up behind you the week after Halloween - and landing squarely on your hips! Halloween is one of my favourite events - it's lighthearted and fun, all about the costumes and community bonding time together. The frights, the haunts, the howls! But there is a dark underbelly to all of this. The candy. The candy that sits in your bowl, calling your name every time you walk by it, mindlessly grabbing a "Fun Size" chocolate bar, realizing after 20 chocolate wrappers gather in your sweater pocket and your pants feel tighter that this size isn't quite so "fun" after all. Here are my favourite tips for avoiding HCT (Halloween Candy Traumatization) so that you can enjoy the little ghouls and goblins!
1.Start at the store. Avoid buying the Halloween candies you love. After the big night is over, I won't have a bunch of leftover candies that I know I will eat.
2.Out of sight, out of mind. Avoid setting the big bowl of Halloween loot on the kitchen counter where you can easily walk by and eat several pieces without even realizing it. Put the candy in the pantry or cupboard, and instead put sliced fruit or veggies on the counter.
3.Help friends & coworkers too. Avoid bringing all your extra candy to your workplace. If you really want to get rid of the candy, just throw it out. Yes, it may be wasteful, but it's better than you and your coworkers being "Waist-FULL".
4.Be real. Allow yourself some treats, but do so in moderation! Make a deal with yourself about how many treats you will allow yourself each day and account for those calories in your daily calorie plan or workout schedule.
5.If you do go overboard on Halloween treats, DO NOT beat yourself up about it! Avoid the negative thoughts about yourself. It doesn't mean that you are "weak" or "worthless". Avoid the all-or-nothing talk, like "I should just start my diet over again after the New Year." Try to stay on track. Just own it, move on, and stay focused one day at a time.
6.Use physical activity to help you through the Halloween munchies. Stay on track with your workouts/movement - your body will seek fuel to help it through - not empty nutrition like offered through mounds of candy.

If all else fails - use this handy CHART and before indulging decide whether it is worth all the burpees :) All times are extremely approximate, as are not based on YOUR individual statistics - but you get the point I think!

Candy Corn, 22 pieces = 140 calories - 10 Minutes of vigorous burpees
Fun Size Bars of Chocolate= 70-100 calories each - between 5 - 7 Minutes of vigorous burpees
Peanut M&M’s –2 Fun Size Packs = 180 calories - 12 Minutes of vigorous burpees
M&M’s – 2 Fun Size Packs = 140 calories - 10 Minutes of vigorous burpees
York Peppermint Pattie – 1 pattie = 70 calories - 5 Minutes of vigorous burpees
Milk Duds – 1 treat size box = 40 calories - just under 3 Minutes of vigorous burpees
SweetTarts – 1 treat size pack = 50 calories just under 4 Minutes of vigorous burpees
1 Tootsie Pop – 1 pop = 60 calories 4.5 Minutes of vigorous burpees
1 Tootsie Roll – 1 small roll = 13 calories just under 1 Minutes of vigorous burpees
Twizzlers – 1 treat size pack= 45 calories just over 3 Minutes of vigorous burpees

Gives it a whole new perspective, doesn't it?

FIND YOUR CORE - and Happy Halloween!

"Let's Get Physical" Workout Wednesday

It's workout Wednesday! I'll be sharing my thoughts on different workouts, movements and exercises, and my favourite tips to maximize your exercise efforts. Today I am going to share a little bit about my fitness journey over the last 8 years. After 2 children, postpartum depression, a flatlined thyroid gland and a whole lot of extra cargo (mostly on my hind end, wish I could've kept a little of that!) As I had always been an active (though klutzy and useless at any team sports. Okay, any sports)person, and had always eaten fairly well and hadn't been overweight before the thyroid issues and the french fry binges that followed it, I knew once my thyroid issues got treated and levelled out that I would have some work ahead. Back to healthy, whole foods, watch portion sizes and get moving. I started with cycling, riding around my block on a second hand kijiji BMX, inspired as my children learned to ride theirs to dust off my cycling skills. From there I found a big hill and rode up it, then coasted down. Repeat. You get the picture. I rode the snot out of that BMX. Riding that bike gave me the confidence to try a spin class, and the rest, as they say, is history! Moral of the story - when starting (or restarting!) an exercise program, or riding your bike, or walking/running, start off in small, manageable bites and work your way up in time, intensity and difficulty. Work within yourself, build up confidence and strength. Give yourself every opportunity to succeed! My Favourite Tips for Getting Moving: a) Plan, Plan, Plan. Know when, where, and what you will be doing. If you have no idea where to start, consulting a personal trainer is a great resource to guide you. b) Respect Yourself. Honour your commitment - if you were meeting a friend, trainer or co-worker you would make sure to follow through on plans you make. Don't sell yourself short by copping out on your plan - make a date with yourself! c) Love Your Workout. Find out what you like. If you like it, you will stick to it - and the most effective exercises are the ones you actually do. d) Be Positive. Try not to allow negativity to seep into your plans. Anticipate the good feelings you will have after your workout - the increased energy, the strong body, better sleep, improved posture, lower blood pressure - well, you know there is SO many positives - and that they all outweigh the effort it takes to get these benefits!

"Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going" unknown

EXERCISE OF THE WEEK - PLANK A great all over strengthener - focusing on CORE stability. Start by holding 20 seconds, and build up as you get stronger!

"You Have To Accentuate The Positive" Mindful Monday

"The mind is a superb instrument if used rightly. Used wrongly, however, it becomes very destructive - Eckhart Tolle

We all think negative thoughts. Even us super positive people (and yes, I am this way constantly) have negative thoughts. Sometimes, if you are like me, the primary victim of your negative thoughts is yourself. Other people direct their negative cells toward others. Still others just take an Eeyore outlook on life. "Oh well. Nothing good ever comes to me anyway" Some lucky people have all those negative voices in their heads and more. These are your cup half empty people for sure. You are what you think. This means that what you express in the form of words, emotions and thoughts will be expressed in reality. Not only do negative thoughts create negative energy, but they will also keep you from experiencing the present moment. The more negative thoughts you have, the stronger they become. It may be a difficult task to stop your negative thinking, but there are many tools that can help increase your ability to think positively! ! Once you create the shift from negative to positive, you will create a much more positive life for yourself. You deserve a happy existence. Here are some ways to shift the negative into positive: (excerpt from Chanel Mulcahy, Truestar Blog) 1. Stop, breathe, and connect. Be aware of the thought, embrace it and let it go. As you breathe in, allow a positive thought to take place of the negative one. Even if you do not believe in this positive thought, the more you think about it, the more you will make this positive thought a reality. 2. Smile. Even if you have to force it. (author's note) otherwise known as "Fake it till you make it"!! 3. Give back. Take the attention off of yourself and do something kind and selfless for someone else. 4. Gratitude, gratitude, gratitude. This is the secret to positive thinking. Any time you feel you cannot get rid of your negative thoughts, list five things for which you are grateful. 5. Surround yourself with positive people. Positivity brings about positivity. If each day you allowed your thoughts and words to be filled with positivity, you would feel better, perform better and create more positive opportunities. My favourite is number 4. Practise being thankful It's not as hard to be positive when you realize just how much you have to be grateful for! Mindful Monday - FIND YOUR CORE!

"Summertime...And The Living Is Easy"

Ahhhh, the dog days of summer. Rest, relax...crawl out of bed late, stay up watching the sun go down with a glass of wine..the sleepy breath of a warm summer wind floats over us. Idyllic summer, blue skies, picnics....bliss..
Uhh, wait a minute! What the heck? My summers usually consist of juggling childcare options, drop offs, pick ups, run to work here, turn around, teach a class there, get home, drop off kids to hubby, grumpy kids, no money, classes down, expenses up, plan a weekend trip, cancel weekend trip need to work because Sean is home to look after kids, class planning, class promoting, finding work for fall, talking to prospective clients, delivering flyers, panicking, arguing, rushing. Well, you get the gist, right? Before I know it I'm rushing the kids out to buy pencil cases for back-to-school and I'm devastated because all the time I looked forward to was thrown out the window. Don't get me wrong, I loved what time I had with my gorgeous kids, but was I actually present for it?
I am a certifiable workaholic and licensed perfectionist. If I am not actively doing something, I am planning it, worrying about it and intending to get it done. It is likely that my state of doing nothing is actually causing me anxiety and stress. I have a hard time watching a TV Show, reading a book, going bowling, because I can't come out of my, "zone" and do only one thing. This is me, most of the time.
I am constantly driven to be excellent in EVERYTHING, and I always fulfill my potential. But I had forgotten how to live.
This summer I vowed things would be different. I consciously made changes that would have resounding effects for my family and myself. I accepted less work, giving up classes to other instructors, turned down some insanely excellent opportunities. It hurt everytime I said no, knowing in my heart that these chances were gone, and that come fall I would regret this. Also, we had to survive on far less money for the summer months with my reduced hours. But I wanted to put some things in place over the summer holidays, with the thought that if I did things right when I was not busy, these would become habitual and stay in place as my workload/stress load increased.
These were my plans for summer:
a) to relax. Watch a movie, read, sit outdoors, play on a swing, go for walks (and runs - I'm not giving up that!) I scheduled in complete days off and made myself take them regardless of what the business had left hanging. I slept in until the kids would pry my eyes open and jump on the bed wanting to get out and play.
I grabbed them and tickled their toes and hung them upside down. I practised headstands with them. I giggled at silly movies they made me watch, and watched their eyes light up at "adult" movies like Jurassic Park. I danced in the kitchen with Amy. I ducked when David launched his football at my head. I worked hard to forget the things I may be missing that would be good for the business. It was hard.
b) to learn to cook. Admittedly for the last few years, cooking for me had become dumping one box and one can into a pot and adding a veggie to the side. We bought salad dressing in a bottle, pasta in a pouch and soup in a can. We ate out, not all the time, but probably too much.The scary part is, even at that time, we still ate more healthily than most families. In the spring I read a book called, "Cooked" by Michael Pollan, and it inspired me to bake my own bread. That first loaf changed everything. Over the summer I scheduled myself a cooking time every week, and started to work. I made a series of dishes in that time  each week that I would freeze for meals to be pulled out, same with desserts, bread and now school lunches.
I loved that cooking time. I also loved that the whole family gravitated to the kitchen unbidden during the process as well. Amy is now my baking sous chef, David is interested in cooking classes and learning more (he can now make himself a scrambled egg and toast!) and Sean and I have found a new way to share. I have made a huge batch of tomato sauce, peanut butter, artisan, whole wheat and loaf bread, naans, pitas, breadsticks, granola bars, hummus, soups, chicken stock, casseroles, rose sauces, salad dressings and the list goes on. It has truly changed the way we eat, live and nourish ourselves in so many ways.
It is something special to sit and eat a meal made entirely by your own hand.
c) to be social and reconnect with people I love, past and present. This one is harder - schedules can be a huge road block. BUT with that in mind, sometimes just the invitation to dinner, phone call to chat etc...can be the reconnection itself. We have spoken with several old friends - and have plans with several more. We still have a ways to go. My business has certainly pushed my social life to the backburner, but I know that soon our "daytimers" will be full again and I will be back where I belong - with people! And now I can feed them excellent food - see it all ties in!
d) to schedule my priorities into my day. I wake-up at 5:40am and workout. Make the kids and Sean (with everyone helping) a fresh breakfast. Get ready for work.....I schedule in time for business marketing and accounting, scheduling etc.. I schedule in house cleaning, groceries and laundry etc....I know where I'll be and when I'll be there.
So four HUGE changes were implemented over the summer months (and I also gave up sugar, but that's another blog) and the results are pretty clear as I return to my normal work week. Keep in mind that I work a 36 hour "work week", not including travel time (4-6hrs/week), or "homework" class planning, notes, marketing, etc (another 5-12 hours/week ave.) Basically I have added another whole work day or more with the changes above. YAY! Even more busy, right? Oddly, no! I find that now my priorities have switched I have had time for:
- a shopping day and lunch at Port Perry with a dear friend
- a date at the Toronto Film Festival with some awesome friends
- an after dinner walk every day with the family
- a chapter each day of "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" read to the kids (we're going ot see the movie soon!)
-an actual investment in watching tv. Rather than working, cleaning and watching all at the same time.
- a workout or stretch session 6 days a week - as a result my body feels awesome, I am less tired and less sore
-actually going to the movies. Like in jeans, and a blouse.
- going out in public in non-lycra pants and with A REAL BRA! Not a sports bra! and putting on non-waterproof make-up!
-a facial. Yes - I did! totally treated myself.
-movie in the park event with the family. And I didn't even take my phone. I know!

And interestingly enough, not one opportunity passed me by. When I started up my fall session I had more than I could handle thrown at me. And you know what I did with that blessing? Gladly passed it along. My business is going as well, or better than forecast, my shifts and classes in Oshawa and the Senior's Centre are balanced perfectly so I can be home to pick up the kids and have dinner at home. I am finished my day generally by 9:30pm latest - and am REALLY finished - no checking emails, sending reports, studying and working until 2am in the morning (unless absolutely necessary). I now know everything tht happens to each of my family members during their days, and this delights me.

"happiness is having everything you need, along with the ability to recognize and be grateful for it" Annie Tiffin

I have found my balance. I will have to work hard to keep myself motivated and in routine, but I'm not too worried about a little hard work. It has the best rewards.

Find  Your CORE!