Get in on it overnight! You can pay online and show up for my 5:30 am or 7:30 am session!!! 5:30 preferably - more room!

 

 

Today was busy getting things together, but it felt like I was back into the swing of things. I am caught up on work, ready for tomorrow, and my house is actually clean! Ha! That's success! My goal is to be in bes by 10 and have a ton of energy for the morning!

 

I am excited for people who are embarking on their 'commitment'! The people who have taken on the ultimate challenge and will be doing all of my classes and boot camps along with a meal plan. Big changes are headed your way! It's fun to see because you know that if they stick to it, it will be life-changing!

 

Today's Day in the Life of Me:

 

Weight: 165.5 lbs

 

Activity: 60 Minutes Elliptical

Breakfast: Protein Shake with a banana (230)

Snack: Grande Skinny Vanilla Latte (130)

Lunch: 10 Rice Crackers (80) 3 oz Feta (75) 1 Cup Carrots (40) Dressing (100)

Snack: 2 Coffee with Milk (120) Chicken Wrap (190)

Dinner: Shrimp (100) Broccoli and Cauliflower (50)

Snack: 1 Cup Strawberries (60) Cool Whip (25)

 

Calories: 1200 (no wine today!)

Activity: 60 Minutes

Bootcamps start TUESDAY! http://www.tanisfit.com

 

Is summer truly over? I'm doing my August 'month-end' stuff thinking that all went by WAY TOO Fast! It was a great summer - action-packed - but wow, I can't believe it is done!

 

There is something relieving about Fall though, I can now go back to malls and public pools during the days without crowds of kids, I can plan my schedule a couple of weeks in advance. I am comfortable with routine and September marks that transition back to routine, globally it seems.

 

I know I was supposed to be food and activity tracking, but I have not been to the gym all weekend. I have ran around outside like a maniac with my son which was a ton of fun, but I cannot accurately mark a time on it. We set up the pool in the backyard, we had the soccer ball out, it was a blast. Tomorrow I am back to the gym, but the weekend was all in good unstructured fun!

 

And I can recap what I have eaten in the past two days, but a lot of it was eating out so i don't want to try to count the calories. i still weigh the same, so i didn't do too much damage!

 

Saturday:

11:30 am: Breakfast Out - Avocado and Chorizo Eggs Benny with Breakfast Potatoes, 2 Coffee with Cream and Sugar

2 pm: 2 Caramel Rice Cakes, Apple

5 pm: Dinner Party - 12 Rice Crackers, 3 oz Feta, 1 chocolate, 0.5 oz Brie, 1 tbsp Jam, 3 oz Beef, 3 oz Chicken, 12 Shrimp, 1 Yellow Pepper, 1 Slice Chocolate Cake, 1/2 Cup Vanilla Ice Cream, 1 Cup Strawberries, 1 Bottle Red Wine

 

Sunday:

9 am: Protein Scoop, Banana

12 pm: 2 Cups Chicken Italiano Soup

3 pm: Apple

6 pm: Dinner Party - 7 oz Steak, 3 oz Salmon, 1 cup Roasted potatos, Salad with 2 tbsp Italian Dressing, 1 Slice chocolate Layer Cake, 1 Bottle Red Wine

 

And for the wine - I didn't chug it from the bottle! There are 5 glasses in a bottle and I think through the night on both nights, i did around that! Don't get the wrong idea!

Every '28th' I can't believe how big my little man is getting! He is already 19 months old today and definitely headed in the direction of the terrible twos.

 

He has such a personality - he loves routine, he has a great memory, and he does NOT like to be told 'no' or that he can't do something! Hmmmm - sounds a bit familiar! He throws insane fits and screams and headbutts and hits his head on the ground - such frustration! You cannot legislate emotions though so i don't fight him, I say no and I look at him. He throws fits, but they pass and eventually he gives in and comes over for a hug. He really is incredibly sweet! He loves giving kisses and hugs - when he doesn't hate the world! Such a funny guy and so interesting. We start gymnastics again next week in addition to our Gymboree. He doesn't follow the structure so much at this point, but he is making connections and is always actively exploring which is fun to see. He loves running around and he is so fast - the other Moms at Gymboree always laugh because I have to chase him down constantly!

 

He keeps me in good shape though! Here's today's stats:

 

Weight: 164.5 lbs

 

9 am: Oatmeal (110) 10 Almonds (70) 2 Slices Turkey Bacon (70) Tassimo Cappuccino (60)

12 pm: Chicken and Veg (260)

2 pm: Coffee with Milk (30)

5:30 pm: 6 Salmon Sushi Rolls (230) 6 Tuna Sushi Rolls (210)

8 pm: 10 Rice Crackers (80) 2 Turkey Pepperoni (120)

8:30 pm: 60 Minutes elliptical

10 pm: 1 Rice Cake (60) 1 Tbsp Peanut Butter (90) 2.5 Glasses of Wine (325)

 

Total Calories: 1715

Total Activity: 60 Minutes

Less than a week until Boot Camps start again - still spots left at 5:30 am and only 3 spots left at 7:30am!!! Sign up today http://www.tanisfit.com

 

Still catching up on things but was able to get back on track with my eating and workouts today!

 

Weight: 165.5 lbs

 

Food and Activity Diary:

9 am: Oatmeal (110) 10 Almonds (70) 2 Slices Turkey Bacon (70) Coffee with Creamer (60)

12 pm: Chicken and Veg (260)

1 pm: 45 minutes Elliptical, 45 minutes Full Body Circuit

2 pm: 1 Rice Cake (55)

4 pm: 2 Coffees with Milk (120)

6 pm: 1 Can Tuna (160) 10 Rice Crackers (80)

9 pm: 6 Salmon Sushi Rolls (230) 6 Tuna Sushi Rolls (210)

10 pm: 1 Glass Red Wine (120)

 

Total Calories: 1545

Workout: 90 Minutes

I'm back, it was fantastic, a three day jam-packed excursion... but now - summer is OVER!

 

That's it! No more craziness, no more chaos, and once I get caught up on over 100 e-mails from the last 3 days I will be kicking it into high gear!

 

Super fun weekend though. We went down to Vegas for a couple of friends' wedding. They got married at a Chapel on the strip and then had an awesome reception at an amazing penthouse suite at the Palms. Very cool to see - I guess Mariah Carey stayed there a couple of weeks ago! It was a huge - complete with a pool and everything!

 

I did way too much shopping, had way too much delicious food and need to catch up on way too much sleep!

 

Today I was so busy getting caught up that I didn't eat a heck of a lot. This is just as bad as eating too much. By 8pm I completely crashed and was shaking and sweaty for my Adult Gymnastic class and had to relieve myself with a makeshift bowl of Corn Flakes and a protein bar. I had planned to pick up a couple of wraps at Tim Hortons before work, but they were out of chicken. I thought I would be okay until after with a couple of coffees, but apparently not! Now I have some rice cakes packed in my bag to have on hand!

 

Also, if you find health and weight-loss inspired blogs interesting, I invite you to visit my best friend Heather's blog that follows her continuous progress in fitness at http://heathershealthypromise.blogspot.com

 

Now to finish up my catching up! 

Check out my updated site! http://www.tanisfit.com

 

Weight: 165 lbs - It's where my body wants to be right now!

 

Food and Activity Diary:

8 am: Oatmeal (110) 10 Almonds (70) 2 Slices Turkey Bacon (70) Coffee with Creamer (60)

11 am: 45 Minute Low Rep Back Workout, High Rep Arm and Ab Workout, 45 Minutes Treadmill Cardio

1 pm: Coffee with Milk (30) BBQ Chicken Wrap (190)

3 pm: Skinny Vanilla Latte (120)

4 pm: Coffee with Milk (30)

6 pm: 10 Rice Crackers (80) 1 Can Tuna (160) 5 Mini Cukes (50) Dressing (100)

10 pm: 1/2 Bottle Red Wine (325) 7 Rice Cakes - yes 7 - don't judge! (350)

 

 

Total Calories: 1745 - even with my red wine and rice cake binge! Ha ha!

Total Activity: 90 Minutes 

 

SUCCESS!

Weight: 165 lbs

 

Food and Activity Diary

 

8 am: Oatmeal (110) 5 Almonds (35) 2 Slices Turkey Bacon (70) Coffee with Creamer (60)

12:30 pm: Wrap with Chicken and Cheese (300) Crust from Michael's Grilled Cheese Sandwich (120) 1/2 Medium Fries (160)

1:30 pm: 30 Minutes Medium Rep Chest and Arms workout, 60 Minutes Elliptical

3:00 pm: 6 Small Salmon Sushi Rolls (183)

4:00 pm: 2 Large Coffees with Milk (60) BBQ Chicken Wrap (190)

8:30 pm: Edo Chicken and Veg (220)

 

Total Calories: 1508

Total Activity: 90 Minutes

 

SUCCESS!

Less than two weeks until the new session of Bootcamps begins! http://www.tanisfit.com

 

Weight: 167 lbs

 

Food and Activity Diary:

8 am: Oatmeal (110) 5 Almonds (35) 2 Slices Turkey Bacon (70) Coffee with Creamer (60)

10 am: Banana (120)

11:15 am: Gymboree with my crazy son... should count for a workout, I think!

12:15pm: Large Coffee with Milk (60) 2 Cups Southwest Chicken Soup (280)

1:15 pm: 90 Minutes Treadmill - Incline Walk

3:30 pm: 2 Large Coffees with Milk (120) Chicken Ranch Wrap (190)

6 pm: Chicken Ranch Wrap (190)

7:30 pm: Adult Gymnastic Class

10 pm: 4 oz Salmon (233) 1 Cup Broccoli (40)

11 pm: 2 Corona Lights (250)

 

Total Calories: 1758

Total Activity: 90 Minutes

 

And I totally tacked those Coronas on because I saw that my calories were low today! Ha ha - gonna go drink them now!!!

VISIT MY SITE http://www.tanisfit.com Check out the Success Gallery for profiles on recent clients and their weight loss journeys!

 

Weight: 165 lbs

 

It's amazing the difference that 'feeling' in shape can make. I'm not in top form, but I'm not dreadfully sore after each workout and I can blast out 60 minutes of cardio at a time which is a huge step up from last week. The muffin top has now reduced itself and I am back to seeing some upper body definition. A bit less tummy and thighs by Sunday would be nice as we will be in VEGAS!!!

 

My general strategy for calories is to allow myself 1000 before my workout and 1000 after. I LOVE working out mid-day. I just made that workout 90 minutes so I have nothing to wake up for in the morning until Michael wakes up. I like it!

 

And my gym keeps turning out more and more familiar faces. People I haven't seen in years keep popping up. It's fun!

 

AND - I am likely heading to Chicago on February long weekend!!! I have never watched Kylie Stone - Stampede City's Olympian compete since she got her College Scholarship with Nebraska 4 years ago and she will be competing that weekend! I am super pumped, it is going to be amazing!

 

Food and Activity Diary:

Breakfast: Oatmeal (110) 10 Almonds (70) 2 Slices Turkey Bacon (70) Coffee with Creamer (60)

Snack: 2 Caramel Rice Cakes (100) 2 tbsp Peanut Butter (180) 

Lunch: 2 Cups Spinach (20) 4 oz Chicken (196) 10 Almonds (70) 2 Tbsp Dressing (90)

Workout: 30 Minute Medium Rep Shoulder Workout, 60 Minutes Elliptical Level 9

Post-Workout: 2 Large Coffees with Milk (120) 2 BBQ Chicken Wraps (380)

Snack: Tuna (160) 10 Rice Crackers (80) 3 Mini Cucumbers (20)

Dinner: 2 Shrimp Skewers (100) 1 Cup Broccoli (40)

 

Total Calories: 1866

Total Activity: 90 Minutes

 

SUCCESS!

Make sure you visit my site to sign up for Boot Camps start Septemeber 1st and also to check out the new pictures in my galleries - including a new gallery featuring some very successful women I have worked with!

 

 

Today:

 

Weight: 167 lbs

 

Food and Activity:

Breakfast: Oatmeal (110) 10 Almonds (70) 2 Slices Turkey Bacon (70) Coffee with Creamer (60)

Snack: Coffee with Creamer (60)

Lunch: Beef Fajita Soup (320)

Snack: Protein Shake (190) Mini Rice Cakes (90) 2 Coffees with Milk (120)

Dinner: Tuna (160) 10 Rice Crackers (80) Apple (80) Granola Bar (120)

After Work: 4 oz Chicken (196) 1 Cup Broccoli (40)

 

Total Calories: 1731

 

Activity:

30 Minute High Rep Leg Workout

60 Minute Incline Circuit on Treadmill

 

90 Minutes Total

 

SUCCESS! 

Bah - I have totally dropped the ball on my plan to record my weight, food, and activity on here every day! It really hasn't been bad, but it's been all over the place and I got super busy with work the last few days so I stopped recording what I was doing and well... you know how it goes!

 

Tonight I am finishing up all of my online work so I am caught up for the week. I am not turning my computer on during the day because I am trying to keep myself from sitting in front of it for hours so I am only allowing myself to work when Michael is sleeping. It's actually a relief to not be chained to it all day long but it leads to longer and longer nights!

 

Vegas in one week! We leave early next Sunday morning! This time next week we'll be headed to our friends' wedding and then partying all night! Should be fun!

 

Fitness and Figure Nationals was last night - I literally followed Michael Palmer's (a photographer) and Trish Lavender's (a Fitness Tall competitor) updates on Twitter and Facebook all night. I was getting all the info from on stage and backstage. Congrats to Sylvia Tremblay who FINALLY won her Fitness Pro Card! I had the pleasure of meeting Sylvia on a flight in 2007 from Columbus to Toronto after the Arnold. She has been competing in Fitness since the 90s and she has had a hugely successful career as an amateur. She is a regular in numerous Fitness magazine and very well-known in the fitness business. A few years ago I mistakingly thought she was already a Pro, but I was wrong... she is now though! Very exciting! She was also very sweet and absolutely stunning in person when I met her and it is always nice to see women like that achieve success! Kira Forster from Calgary won the Fitness Tall category and Alberta also did really well in a new category - Bikini model. It's a less muscular, but still a lean and very aesthetically pleasing look and we have some super hot girls from ABBA who represented well. I only got some of the information but Carrie Hensman who won the Provincials also won the Nationals in her division. Two other Albertans Tina Ellis and Amanda Diep also placed top three in the short category. Awesome!

 

Next years Nationals is in Mississauga, Ontario on August 28, 2010. It's good to know the date ahead of time and I have not solidified my plans for next year by any means, but we'll see where life takes me this year and if it works out, i would really like to aim for those. We'll see though! No plans yet!

So after NOT punching my computer screen - and believe me, I wanted to! My web site has been successfully updated with brand new pics from 2009 shoots, contest pics, travel pics, family pics, and a brand new section 'success' featuring some of my top clients that I have worked with.

 

I would like to add more to this section, so anyone that has a photo for me to post along with a summary of work that you have done with me and how it has impacted you, send it along! By no means does it have to be a dramatically marked transformation. Sometimes the most inspiring stories are those relateable ones about finally fitting into your jeans without a struggle or having more energy to spend time with your active kids. That's what it's all about!

 

And get in on the next session of Women's Only Boot Camps! Gymnastic based fitness that will change your body and your life! The next session starts September 1st and it will go Tuesday and Thursday mornings for 6 weeks. I have classes available at 5:30 am and 7:30 am. Also, my Monday night Women's Only Conditioning class starts up again on September 14th - 7:30pm - 9pm. I run everything out of Stampede City Gymnastic Club in North East Calgary.

 

And guys - my Wednesday Night Adult Gymnastic class runs every week from 7:30pm - 9pm and is co-ed, so there is something for everyone!

 

Lots on the go! Time for me to get my workout in now, i have been at this computer for far too long today!

Weight: 168 lbs

 

Stupid weight. And stupid day. I got thrown for a loop with travel plans that we had made and spent my free time taking care of that today so I didn't even make it to the gym! Then we had a hectic night at work thanks to a hectic person and I made a brash decision to have a blizzard 'for the kids' on my way home! I was talking to the older girls about it and thought I just might have enough calories for it - turns out I didn't - but I discovered that after the fact! Wishful thinking! So here's my crap day Food and Activity diary, back on track tomorrow!

 

Food and Activity Diary:

8 am: Breakfast - 1.5 Cups Gluten Free Cereal (220) 1 Cup Lactaid Milk (90) 1 Coffee with Creamer (50)

9:45 am: Swimming with Michael

10:15 am: Banana (120)

12:00 pm: 6 Spicy Tuna Rolls (215) 6 Spicy Salmon Rolls (245)

1:30 pm: Protein Shake (210) 24 Rice Crackers (192)

3:30: 2 Large Coffees with Milk (120) BBQ Chicken Wrap (190)

6:00 pm: BBQ Chicken Wrap (190)

9:00 pm: Small Cookie Dough Blizzard (691)

 

Total Calories: 2533

And I did nothing.

 

EPIC FAIL!

Weight: 167 lbs

 

I was tired today, I didn't wake up for morning cardio so I have 20 minutes of working out to do on another day to make up for it. Sleep just seemed so much more important!

 

Food and Activity Diary:

8 am: 1/2 Cup Oatmeal (110) 10 Almonds (70) 2 Slices Turkey Bacon (70) Coffee with Creamer (50)

9:45 am: Swimming Lessons with Michael

10:30 am: Snack - 1/2 Cup Grapes (52) 12 Rice Crackers (96) 2 Turkey Pepperonis (120) Medium coffee with Milk (50)

11:15 am: Gymboree with Michael

12:30 pm: Lunch - 2 Cups Chicken Gumbo Soup (280)

1:30 pm: 40 Minute Back Workout, 30 Minute Incline Walk

2:45 pm: 12 Rice Crackers (96) Protein shake (210)

3:30 pm: Work - Chicken Ranch Wrap (190) 2 Large Coffees with Milk (120)

6:30 pm: Snack - Chicken Ranch Wrap (190)

7:30 pm: Adult Gym Class

9:30 pm: Dinner - 5 oz Chicken (234) 1 Cup Broccoli (40)

 

Total Calories: 1898

Total Activity: 70 Minutes

 

20 more minutes of cardio somewhere this week

Weight: 167 lbs

 

Another successful diet and workout day today! Life just goes smoother when those things are under control. And I believe that around 2pm is my 'peak' time for getting a good workout in. The gym seems quiet and calm, I just have to be gone by 3 to get to work, so it's my time and I like it. I am finding myself super hungry at the end of the day though, even with close to 2000 calories which would have been A LOT just over a month ago! It's a good number though, I just have to get used to it again!

 

Food and Activity Diary:

 

7 am: 30 Minutes Elliptical Level 7

8 am: 1/3 Cup Oatmeal (110) 5 Almonds (35) 2 Slices Turkey Bacon (70) Tassimo Cappuccino (60)

9:45 am: Swim with Michael

11 am: 1 Cup Seafood Chowder (220) 1 Flavored Rice Cake (60)

12:30 pm: 1 Cup Spinach (20) 5 oz Chicken (234) 3 tbsp dressing (135)

1:30 pm: Pre Workout Shake (135)

2:00 pm: 40 Minute Shoulder Workout, 20 Minute Run / Walk on Treadmill

3:30 pm: 2 Large Coffees with Milk (120) 1 BBQ Chicken Wrap (190)

6:00 pm: 6 Crackers (80) 1 BBQ Chicken Wrap (190)

8:30 pm: 2 Beef Kabobs (180) 1 Cup Broccoli (40)

9:30 pm: 1 Cup Grapes (104) 3 Tbsp Cool Whip Lite (25)

 

Total Calories: 1908

Total Workout Time: 90 Minutes

 

SUCCESS!  

 

Weight: 172 lbs! Wowza!

 

I woke up FULL which is never a good feeling! Last night at around 11 I ate a whole bag of Light popcorn and had a protein shake! I think because I secretly like my weight to drop really fast when I first start a new plan!

 

Today went well - it was a good reality check for me to see just how out of shape I really am! But the schedule really worked well, so I would like to keep at it!

 

Here was the day:

 

7 am: 30 Minutes Elliptical Level 6

8 am: Breakfast with Little Man - 1/2 Cup Oatmeal (110) 5 Almonds (35) 2 Slices Turkey Bacon (70) Coffee with Flavoured Creamer (50)

9:45 am: Swim Lessons with Little Man

10:15 am: Post Swim Snack - 2 Flavored Rice Cakes (120) 10 Almonds (70) Apple (80)

12 pm: Lunch - 1 Cup Seafood Chowder (220)

1 pm: Pre-Workout Muscle Pump Shake (35)

1:30 pm: 40 Minute Weight Workout - Full Body

2:10 pm: 20 Minutes Incline Walk on Treadmill

2:30 pm: Post Workout Protein Shake (210)

3:30 pm: Work - 2 Coffees with 2 Milk and Sweetener (150)

4:30 pm: 2 Cookies (260)

6:00 pm: 12 Rice Crackers (96) 1 Can Tuna (160)

8:30 pm: Home - 5 oz Chicken (234) 1 Cup Broccoli (40)

 

Total Calories: 1940

Total Activity: 90 Minutes

 

Day One was a success!

I spent the majority of the day today 'getting it together'. I got up early so I could clean and do some much needed rearranging and purging of junk. I restocked the magazine supply down in my home gym, I set out my new vitamins and supplements so they are ready to go for tomorrow (surprise - I need a liver detox!), and I restocked my cupboards and fridge with the foods I need to be eating. I need to be set up for success in order to get back on a plan to manage my weight. I finally feel fully unpacked from Europe and my body feels at least back in a decent working order thanks to my chiropractor.

 

Bring on the week!

 

So for accountability sake (because I need it!) I am aiming for 2000 calories a day or less - with no carryover or complicated math - if I screw up, I screw up! I am also aiming for 90 minutes of working out a day, 6 days a week. Because I am not in contest mode I don't have to be super strict with my food selections, but we all know that clean foods go a greater distance in terms of volume! With my training I am back hitting the weights again, the only time you can make marked differences in muscularity is during an off-season, when you are dieting down you are just losing fat and revealing what's underneath. Now is the time to really reshape my glutes and hamstrings as well as play up my shoulder caps and add a bit of width as opposed to thickness in my lats. That's the general idea and if I follow my program that I have set out for me, it should work!

 

This week Michael starts swimming lessons. I am going to get up before he does in the morning to squeeze some cardio in, we will go swimming and then hang out and have lunch. I will head to the gym for a weight workout while Michael goes for his nap, hit the tanning beds and then go off to work. At night I get home just as Michael is going down so after we say our good nights I will do my computer stuff and then it will be off to bed for me! This all sounds so normal - I can't wait! I have gone from crazy strict to crazy crazy in a month, so my body seriously needs this!

 

I will step on the scale for the first time since I got back tomorrow - really have no idea where it will be. And quite honestly I don't look bad and I have no reason to be unhappy. Sure I hate seeing my arms and face at bad angles in a few photos, but in the big picture, I have the body I need to have right now and once I feel better about the kind of shape I am (in terms of my fitness levels) I will be in a good place.

 

Today I went to a baby shower for a friend of mine whom I haven't seen in a while. It was a garden party and it was beautiful outside so I figured I would wear a summer dress that i own that I never get to wear. The first one I tried on had a crease and I didn't feel like ironing it out, I pulled another dress that I assumed wouldn't fit because it was a size 6 and I remember it being tight when I was dieting down. I tried it on anyways and for some strange reason, it fit just fine and I ended up wearing it. At the shower I actually got complimented a lot on my dress and my body and instead of being annoying and self-deprecating, I just said Thank-you. We are always so much more critical of ourselves than the rest of the world is. A lady actually came up to me and told me I look like the younger version of a French actress named Catherine Deneuve, whom i have never heard of, but I googled her and found out she used to be a pretty big deal and the muse of designer Yves St Laurent. So that was flattering! It's just funny when you wake up in the morning feeling like a fat overstuffed fatso and you decide to face the world anyways and realize - you're not so bad!

 

And Maeghan is the cutest little prego! We met years ago in the bar industry because we were both magnets for drama and partying! It was nice to see her so happy and excited for her son. She's always in such a good mood and she is great at making everyone feel special and welcome. I had a great time and she is going to make such a great Mom. She actually got married in Rome and her son's nursery is a 'Roman Theme' with scenery protraits and Roman statues... she is so creative! 6 more weeks!

 

Okay - I have a few more items of business to take care of - Happy Sunday! Project Normal begins tomorrow! Ha ha!

NO!

 

It's a word I need to learn to use more!Now that I am no longer training for a show and that I allowed myself to relax through a three week period in Europe, my mindset is shifted and since being back, I just can't seem to say no!

 

Since being back Sunday - I have gone for numerous meals out with friends, I've had 'drink' dates, dinners, you name it! I thought the alcohol had stopped flowing after Europe, but apparently not!

 

Two more 'events' this weekend! I have worked out twice since I got back - I am in horrific shape, but starting Monday I will be doing daily weigh ins and a food and activity diary like I did in December! No daily pics. That's a bit too much to ask! I did step on a scale since returning from Europe - I was 164.5 lbs at my Mom's on Sunday morning and 166 lbs at my house on Monday morning. I boycotted the scale after that until Monday!

 

I'm not a wreck about it - it's never easy though. You can reprogram and condition yourself to get into a routine where you can do anything, but once you allow yourself to stray from that mindset - be ready to fight to get back into it!

 

I'm ready though. I'm soft, I gained weigh all over, but I had some wicked meals in Europe and enjoyed some really good times in the process!

 

I would really like to get this overflow of weight off and get back in the 150s by August 23rd, that's when I go to Vegas with a whole lotta skinny girls! I don't want to feel like the mammoth one! Ha ha!

 

But that's the struggle! It happens to all of us and despite our frustration - we will rise again!

Wow - where do I begin?

 

I had a 16 hour sleep last night waking up at 7 am, hopefully my jet lag has ceased!

 

Back in the game today- back to coaching, catching up on weeks of work, taking a peek at that gym I belong to that hasn't seen me in quite a while, and recovering from a vacation of indulgence and dubauchery!

 

It was so much fun though. Everything I do is full out and that includes when it's vacation time! I ate and drank without structure or discipline, my workouts consisted of walking tours in some of the most amazing cities in the world combined with some hard-core clubbing at night... but not much else! My vacation started with Heather in the Netherlands for her brother's Dutch wedding celebration. We flew in and stayed with her sister-in-law's family. We took day trips in and around the Netherlands and Belgium. After the wedding, we took the train into Amsterdam where my other best friend Holly joined us on the Monday.

 

Amsterdam is an amazingly liberal and fun city. There's so much to do on every level and a couple of extra days there allowed us to have the full Amsterdam experience. We had our fair share of experiences including the Heineken Brewery, a few museums, a canal cruise, the Science Centre, and a coffee shop. I loved the people, so fun and friendly! Wednesday started the beginning of our Contiki group tour in Amsterdam where we connected with a very diverse and colourful group of just over 30 other people. There were people from everywhere - other Canada, the US, Australia, the UK, even Italy. Our first night together we headed to the Red Light District of Amsterdam for a unique view of the city's nightlife. The next day was a bicycle trip through Edam including a stop at a cheese factory and a clog making shop. That night a small group of us went to Boom Chicago - an English language sketch comedy club. It was great!

 

The next day we headed to Berlin by bus. I was plagued by a few injuries during this trip - the first was falling on my face after tripping on the cobblestone road in Amsterdam, the second was my tailbone acting up after partying in Amsterdam which was later aggravated by the bike ride on cobblestone the mornhing after! Sitting on a bus for 8 hours was not the greatest thing for this!

 

The first night in Berlin we went for a traditional dinner which may have encouraged me and the group to partake in several steins of authentic German beer! We went out as a group afterwards for some dancing and then were up early the next morning for a rainy outdoor walking tour. The tour covered some essential sites including where the Berlin Wall once stood, the Checkpoint Charlie museum, and where Hitler's bunker once was. After a short power nap we revved up for the evening and went on a walking 'spy tour' in the evening, followed by a nightclub in Berlin where we went a bit crazy!

 

The next day we headed to Prague, stopping in Dresden for lunch. We had a not so good lunch experience which took our almost two hours in the city just to eat, so unfortunately I can't say too much about Dresden. I can say that Prague has to be one of the most beautiful and enchanting cities I have ever seen in my life. The sun was out, there was so much character and scenery to see, it was captivating. The day was jam packed as we hopped off the coach and went for a walking tour around Prague and then back to our hotel to freshen up and have dinner. That night we headed to a Beer House where a tap on the table would digitally record how much beer your table poured for yourselves and a chart on the wall compared the progress of each table! Very dangerous! We went from there to a super fun 5 story club where there was a different theme for each level. A very fun night.

 

The next morning I did some early morning shopping and then we headed for a lunch time cruise along the Vitava river. That night Heather, Holly, and I found a small little restaurant where we found some cheap food and beer. The night was a quieter one, hanging out at a local pool hall and then for a bit at the hotel bar.

 

Then it was off to Rome! One of the craziest, busiest cities I have ever experienced. We flew there during the morning and went for a walking tour in the afternoon. Because my body was beginning to hate me at this point, I managed to throw my back out! I could barely stand up straigh! It was crazy! It began to relax a bit thankfully, I say it was the gelato I had and not the painkillers! Dinner was with the group at a cute little Italian restaurant where we had a wonderful pasta dish that I thought was the meal until it was followed by a chicken and potato dish! We had a great dessert and everyone started with their own bottle of wine - needless to say I was starting to like Rome right from the start! The night was a quiet one again, mostly at the hotel bar.

 

Day two in Rome began with a group trip over to the Colisseum and to see some of the ruins. We went for lunch in Vatican City and had some interesting observations of some Italian men on the Metro! That night there was nothing planned for the group but we all managed to find each other for dinner and arrange a table for 30 just up the road from our hotel. It was a good group and even though there was a lot of diversity, everyone managed to come together which was super cool. We had a scattered night after that in and around the hotel area, and a late one as well. The final full day with the group, Heather, Holly and I headed to Vatican City. I finlly saw the Sistine Chapel in person which was awesome. It was super hot while we were there so that could be one of the ways I balanced out my constant eating and drinking! That night we went as a group to a Pizza party at an authetic family owned pizzaria - it was unreal! Phenomenal pizza! This is also where my camera went missing, but thankfully most of my pictures are on Heather's laptop. Heather and Holly took off on a train to Southern Italy this night and I went on the worst pub crawl ever and took a cab back to the hotel before the third stop.

 

The next morning was almost everyone's departure, I said my good-byes to whomever I ran into around the hotel and spent the day hanging out and spending time with the remaining stragglers. By the end of the night there were four of us left and we had the most spectacular, authentic Italian dinner ever! Through a chain of events we ended up in a cab and the cabbie was awesome and took us to this random place that ended up being absolutely fantastic! The greatest food and ambience, very non-touristy - I was thankful that 2 out of 4 of us spoke Italian! It was a great end to the trip as I headed back the next morning.

 

That's a simple summary of my trip, lots of fun, adventures, and great people!

 

And now back to reality! Which can be fun too!