Continue reading »]]> It has been a week of no posts and not a lot of working out.  Truth is, my friends, life gets in the way sometimes.

That and yeah, Fitness is not my true passion in life, however, I NEED to make sure that I MAKE TIME for it… so I can enjoy my passion in life.

This is exactly WHY Revive Fitness is the only place that works for me.  I constantly get preoccupied with work, or the kids, or just life in general, and put myself last.  Lee Anne and Shawn stay on top of you, and follow up.  The beauty of these two, is that they genuinely care.

When I re-read the blogs that I have posted, I realize that these two sound like hard asses, and most people would think – why in the WORLD would I want to go work out there!  YIKES!  Blew that one – dope!   In actuality this husband and wife duo are probably the most caring people I have ever met.

THAT – and they are probably the most fun people that I have ever spent time with.  Watching Lee try to open a bottle of water while eating a sandwhich, and the entire bottle spills ALL OVER HER LAP!  Why?  Because she thought she could hold it between her knees, and one handed open it while eating the sandwhich!  Those THIGH MASTER legs, smashed the bloody thing and a guiser shot up and landed on her lap!  Now THAT is funny!

I whine like a moron, over the classes, but in truth, how hard is it really to do Pushups, Sit ups, squats etc?   I love Revive Fitness, because regardless of my personal fitness level, they find the means for me to make it through a class.  Sure they make fun of me a little more than most, but that is because I can take it, and I do enjoy pushing myself.

I was watching Toronto City TV Breakfast Television this morning, and they were promoting Cross Fit:  Reeboks latest and greatest.  When looking at the examples of exercises, I began to laugh!

Revive Fitness has been doing this stuff for years it is called CROSS TRAINING, INTERVAL TRAINING, ATHLETIC TRAINING!  Reebok did NOT invent this stuff.  They just grabbed a Name, Trademarked It, and Marketed it.  Good Trainers have been doing this stuff for years… old school workouts. THEY GET RESULTS!

Revive Fitness does not work with machines, nor do they just rent you access to their equipment to use unsupervised.  They know that they best results occur when trainers are there to MOTIVATE and MODIFY!

I sprained my ankle, and they modified, so that I could continue to exercise, but not hurt my ankle…  This is what a GOOD personal trainer does!

They believe in athletic training, and honestly?

If you push yourself for 30 – 45 minutes a day – YOU CAN CHANGE THE WAY YOU FEEL! 

OK – SO I may NEVER look totally ripped… but hey!  I don’t have to… I just need to be healthier, and more fit, so that I can enjoy my kids, and grandkids  (NOT that the boys are out there…. you know…)

I am not feeling quite so negative about the exercises anymore… which leaves me to wonder – HOW in the world am I going to find the FUNNY in being Happy?  Human Nature loves to laugh at other’s misery.

So maybe I will be featuring the Joy of Lee and Shawn, and sharing the tales of getting fit, and laughing all the way back to the mirror!

Regardless of your age, or fitness level, Revive Fitness has a program that will make you FEEL REVIVED!

Continue reading »]]> I am sitting at the Revive Fitness front desk in between classes,  I DON’T Do Zumba.. however,  my son Jordan seems to have a lot of rhythm… he is stealing the show right now as I sit – hands shaking from the Circuit..

Poor Mel, she did it and is now in the Zumba class – what a trooper!

So here are my 2 birthday moments of reality …

First Moment: Realizing that my thong was stuck up my butt, and I discreetly try to pull it down, only to realize that I made eye contact with someone across from me – who could view everything I just did in the mirror behind me  I have no dignity…

2nd moment.. Like Whoopi Goldberg says, ” I Leak”  .. Happy Birthday Burpees, have a whole new meaning, when the movement forces, you to realize that you should have gone to the bathroom before hand..

But this time, I was good, and when faced with the truck tire, I did what I should have done in the first place… UP UP DOWN DOWN,… no jumping.  I did it!

Back on track…  as much as I hate it, I have to admit that I do feel better.  Steel cut oats, with blackberries and a poached egg for breakfast, from my wonderful husband,who learned how to cook the oats, just for my breakfast!  He is going to meet us for Sushi for lunch… and has been making meatballs using my recipe and spelt bread crumbs, and putting the spelt pasta ready, and rapini… truly healthy dinner… and in proper portions.. the perfect end to a great day.

Now, I still have to go into the Hot Yoga class, but I am not thinking about that right now, that is offensive… Just watching everyone do Zumba,…. crap… .watching another class that I could have done…  DAMN – what will be the price this time??

Will put the Meatball Recipe up now… Enjoy.

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Revive Fitness is having a birthday on Sunday… celebrating 10 years in Caledon! How awesome, 10 years of tortured people celebrating the pain, the agony… the… oh right… this is supposed to be a motivational blog…

So Lee Anne Simpson, is truly excited about this, and has created 3 workouts!  Circuit Training at 11:00 am, Zumba at 12:00pm and then Hot Yoga 1:00 pm.   This is going to be very very exciting … (To people who loves to exercise)

Soo, my best friend…lets call her….”Dopey”  gets all excited and says – We (meaning her AND I) are going to do these classes Candace!! Ok I have to be there, because well hey – I work here so I will be there to support and work the desk and answer questions..

Doing the Classes?  What the heck??  HELLO… Ok so I agreed to do the circuit… at 11:00 and the Hot Yoga at 1:00… NO ONE is going to get my ass into a ZUMBA class… I mean at this point, I don’t have a of dignity … having posted my unflattering pics on THE INTERNET!!

I know. Looks like two pigs fightin' under a blanket!

But I draw the line at ZUMBA… I do not have an OUNCE of coordination!  Remember the Calvin Klein floatation device around my waist, hmmm – now add to that, that I will not be able to follow any pattern of coordinated dance steps (Zumba) and you pretty much have…  two pigs fightin under a blanket!  NOT pretty.

Here is the other kicker… It just so happens that the 10 year celebration happens to fall on my Birthday. So, ME who dislikes physical work, is going to be doing physical activity ON MY BIRTHDAY?  What the heck?  I was thinking, you know – My DAY MY WAY….  NO exercise at all!

Maybe a relaxing day reading, watching all the girl movies that no one in my house of men would watch, having a hot bath… manicure – but NOOOOO  I am going to be exercising… Shawn better be there.. I heard some nonsense that he was staying home…??

I guess it really is the best gift I can give myself… the funny thing is this… I am actually starting to hate this activity thing less… WHAT THE HECK IS THAT ALL ABOUT?  Has Lee Anne brainwashed me?????  As I getting addicted to the hormones?   Let’s not get into that one too deeply… who knows what that will open up.

Sooo – see you tomorrow, at the “PAR TAY”   …. crap… how the hell??

Mel?  You BETTER be struggling as much as I , cus it is your birthday in a few days – so misery loves company, and we will do this together.

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This is what happens when you don't listen

The word Karma is used by many to explain specific events in their lives, in essence a means to explain the balance of their own actions and the world in which we live.   Others use the word fate, which makes for prolific reading, and a zen like conscious awareness to living.

I am going to use the word Karma to explain the balance of my own stupidity in watching the afternoon class last week, avoidance,  and finding that I had to do the same workout the next day.  I thought that might be the end to the Karma for that little stunt that I pulled.

Apparently when karma comes to bite you on the ass, it can also travel down to your ankle.

Marc van der Chijs /Free Photos

Last Thursday I was participating in the 12:30 circuit class at Revive Fitness, and rather than be mindful of my problematic knee, I decided that I am quite capable of jumping two legged up 2 feet to the top of a truck tire left on its side, and jump back down again.   Shawn would have been the first one to smack my arrogant head, and told me to just step up and down on it.  Shawn really isn’t that bad, he stays on top of it, except that I thwarted him, and with my very own testosterone surge I jumped up and down double footed, before he could intervene.

Since I behaved not much differently than a 4 year old dropping daddy’s hand and running into oncoming traffic, the inevitable happened and by the 10th jump, my knee gave out, and I caught the tip of my right foot on the tire, lost my balance, and landed painfully on the left ankle sideways.

The brilliant white light of pain, and you land and desperately try to grab hold of something so that you don’t lose your wits even more.  Ahh the pain… exquisite, brilliant, flashing diamond like and balanced with the pure synergy of embarrassment that once again… I am a Lame Ass!

So I have spent the week getting traction adjustments, and acupuncture, resting, and using the bike to keep it going.

There is something to be said about staying fit and strong. If I had not fallen off the wagon, my knee would not have compromised itself, and this injury would not have happened.  However, because I have been working with Revive Fitness for 6 years, my stamina is a LOT better than it once was when I first started attending, so my recovery is much faster.

So this week, it has been all about the food… and after Super Bowl, sitting with an injured ankle, the idea of shoveling wings, ribs and chili down my gullet did not make a lot of sense.

I had to come up with food that would taste fantastic and be healthy so that I can make up for not working out while recovering.

I found a blog: The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen – that has recipes and ideas to die for!

I made Collard Green Sunflower Seed Pate Wraps  http://www.nourishingmeals.com/2010/01/collard-wraps-with-raw-sunflower-pate.html

Absolutely to die for, however I need to find a substitute for the shallots, as I have an intolerance to raw onions, and while I love them, the chemical burn sensation in my entire mouth is NOT that exciting.. However I have noticed that it is not as bad as the red onions… which are like drinking battery acid for my mouth, throat and stomach.  So Maybe if I double the celery, and half or quarter the shallots I could make it work…. Chives work for me as well.

There are a ton of recipes there – so check them out!

Sonja, if you are reading this, don’t worry baby – I will be back to bitch with you this Thursday – you better be there! At the very least I will ride the bike and glare at you.

GOT IT!

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orenia /Free Photos

Upon reviewing the blog, I realized that  I have mostly been featuring the exercise portion of my lifestyle change.  The reality is, fitness accounts for about 3% of your week.  (This is if you do 5 hours of fitness training every week …. I don’t..)

SO what do you do for the rest of the time?  33% is sleeping. So 64% is dedicated to working, resting, playing and EATING.

Whether we are eating or not, it is remarkable how much mental energy is dedicated to food, whether we can or can not eat it, whether we are craving or not craving.  Feeling hungry, miserable, denied etc.

Food has a remarkable emotional power over us, we share dinner with our family, converse with our kids, friends.  Most of our social existence revolves around food, we celebrate with food, and we grieve with food, we reward ourselves with food.  We share business deals, family celebrations over food.

YET, not one truly gets a handle around controlling the food for themselves.

Revive Fitness offers a program called “The Answer” which addresses the symbiotic harmony of food with nutrition.  They need to go hand in hand.

I am wheat free and refined sugar free, and seeing as I wrote the nutrition portion of the work book that Revive Fitness Offers for the Answer, I have a ton of food tips, and recipes.

I am going to spend the rest of the week, loading recipes, and food options, so that you can find something that works for you.

First off, you NEED TO GIVE UP WHEAT!  AND REFINED SUGAR!

Replace with Spelt, Rice,Kammut etc…

If you purchase the replacements (Garden Foods has the best variety) then substitution is simple.

Honey, Pure Maple Syrup, Agave, Cane Sugar, replace refined sugar.

Keep Watching – it will grow…

Later Gators!

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Yesterday morning, I had the battery in my truck die, and I had to boost it to get it to the mechanic to have it replaced.  This took a few hours, and I missed the lunch time workout.  My phone rings, and I hear the voice of ….not an angel…. but a STALKER!  Lee Anne from Revive Fitness is on the phone asking me where I am??  Then she says, oh right – you did send me a message about the truck.

So I missed the lunch workout… zero for one for the week. BUT WAIT – there’s MORE!

AND NOW FOR THE LOSER MOMENT OF THE DAY.

I brought the boys for the Revive Fitness 4:30 class – the cross training class.   I drop them off, and come inside the studio to wait.  Shawn is pacing back and forth like a caged lion, about to eat his steaks – the clients.

NOW, many of you would be thinking… hmmm – why not do the 4:30 class?  Legitimate question, my friends.  Let’s make this clear, the “young fellas”  that go to that there class,  get beat to crap…and they enjoy the breaking point of almost throwing up – because that makes them more of a man…

I have NO INTEREST in being more of a man…. thank you very much.

So in walk, “C”, “K” and “T”, all women, my age, (Better shape than I – this is what I tell myself… can you smell the BS?) and they are there to do the class…  YES… SHAME CANDACE. I am even in workout gear that I wore for the day.. EVEN WORSE.

I watch them all do the class,  5 pull ups, 10 pushups, 15 squats… in 1 minute,  30 TIMES!

I sit and watch them, and yes… I do feel a couple of twinges..but I remind myself… HELLO… no interest in throwing up..

I know – I really do sound lame don’t I??

I AM SUCH A BONEHEAD

I am going to go to the lunch class tomorrow at 12:30 – where I CAN do the class.

Sooo.. now that I have just finished the class, and my arms are shaking… because GUESS WHAT THE CLASS WAS TODAY???

THE SAME BLOODY CLASS  THAT I TRIED TO AVOID!

Irony…. sigh…

Here is the recipe:

Had a FANTASTIC SOUP on the weekend..

Thai Butternut Squash Soup Recipe… FREAKING AWESOME!  My friend made it but used banana instead of mango..

check out this link…  http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Thai-Butternut-Squash-Soup-Food_com-107091

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So just finishing my 3rd week at Revive Fitness, and struggled through another 12:30 class., that gives me 3 this week… MAYBE I will do the Hot Yoga tomorrow at 9am… WHOA – HOLD on CHICKA – let’s just get through TODAY..

I even got “T”o come to class today to be my partner… she hates this as much as I do… so we can both suffer together.. she has not been in for months.. same as me – so we can both climb up the pole… hey wait…

??

Am I NOW MOTIVATING PEOPLE TO WORK OUT?

??

So I got my measurements on Monday!  Feeling AWESOME!  (About the Measurements.. NOT about the exercise – let’s get that one clear right up front…)

I lost 1 pound…????

OK – so for those of you who rely on the scale, the natural response would be…

WHAT THE HECK?  You do all those classes at Revive Fitness, kill yourself for 2 (*#^%$ WEEKS, and ONLY LOSE 1 POUND??

This my friends is WHY     we (Lee), does the measurements…..Revive Fitness does body measurements… THAT is what keeps you MOTIVATED – cus losing 1 pound sure as hell doesn’t!

I lost a TOTAL of 5.5 inches on my body.  I LOST 5 pounds of FAT, and gained 4 pounds of muscle…

OH YEAH! UH HUH….  I am WORKING it baby..

SO flying through the week this week!  WHEW HEW!! GETTING SKINNY … My Sister in Kingston send me a message through Facebook – she and my other sister are doing insanity workouts  (??) Anyone working out at Revive Fitness would probably call it the same thing….   Anyway, they are both going to sign up for the ToughMudder  challenge… in August – she wanted to know that since I am working it now – maybe I would like to join her team…

I think – hmm – let’s check the site
http://toughmudder.com/events/Toronto/

I take a look, and then think _ WHAT IN THE WORLD IS SHE SMOKIN???  Share it with me PLEASE – positive thinking and visualization aside – me considering that is JUST PLAIN DELUSIONAL!   I am trying to figure out how to get to 50 squats!!

I go to the class today – feeling good, cus I lost IN… CHES…. I am FEELIN IT!   I am SMALLER!  I am a WARRIOR… MAYBE I AM A TOUGH MUDDER…

TIll I look in the mirror,  as I am running across the gym with my fellow torture victims, for the warm up… and I see a reflection of myself that is contrary to what I have going on in my head….

My Raspberry Workout shirt  is showing that I have this incredible flotation device around my waist!!  HEY WAIT – that IS MY WAIST!!!

Calvin Klein, MY ASS – he should NOT be making workout clothing… as I am running I am watching the roll lift and separate and bang back down again.

I could see it in slow motion, and THAT my friends, was the ROLL SITTING ON TOP OF MY LOVE HANDLES… because my GREY PUMA workout pants that my husband bought me to help keep me motivated, are CREATING the LOVE HANDLES!!!!!!  AND THEY ARE TOO SHORT – because I have too much area to cover around the waist!

Oh yeah – FEELIN GREAT NOW….. this is the reason that I LIKE to wear the workout jacket – it hides stuff – but for crying out loud – it is too hot,

(I tell everyone that I wear it to increase my body temperature to sweat out excess hormones for menopause…which is a load of crap… because I am really just trying to hide the flotation device that this ridiculous no support flimsy crappy workout shirt is… )

Ok – so what the heck?  In my head I am this fantastic warrior, and I am TRAPPED inside this CAPSULE that IS NOT AGREEING with me!!!!!!

By the by…  I bought a matching raspberry shirt for Lee – with beautiful straps on the back -because SHE looks GOOD in Calvin Klein… maybe I should just give her this one?  Is there ANYTHING that doesn’t look great on LEE??

SO…. just slow down, breath, and keep going… maybe in 2 more weeks, I will lose more fat, and inches…

Until, then… here is the latest recipe… healthy -

yeah yeah – Shawn from Revive Fitness, told me that the only food that tastes GOOD is food that is NOT good for you… What a CAKER!  (OK – Yes I am as well – but I like to PRETEEEEENDDDDD……shhhhh)

CHICKEN GUMBO – UNDER THE RECIPES

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Ok – so a few weeks ago, I began the transformation of myself and had a couple of posts on the site.  I was in pain, and horrified at my weight, hated the classes, and wanted to hit Shawn Simpson from Revive Fitness. I hated every second of my fitness routine, and put my measurements up.

Today – I went in to make a few changes to the Blog, and WHAMO – I wiped it out!

My witty words of motivation disappeared, and I have to begin again.

So my first class at Revive Fitness, which was a very rude awakening, causing some alarming pain, and some not so very nice words to come out of my mouth, has passed, and I am now 2 weeks into the torture.

I got my measurements today – 2 weeks after the measurements that horrified me!

I lost .9 of a pound… What the HECK!  Thank Goodness Lee Anne does measurements, because I lost 5 pounds of fat, and gained 4 pounds of muscle.  I lost 5 inches in total so far!

So it is worth the pain, even though it is me who is saying it.  Someone who STILL HATES EVERY MINUTE of EVERY SECOND that I am working out with Revive Fitness, but they know that and keep me going.  Thank goodness for Revive.

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Ok, so this week is my second week! My hands are shaking and I somehow how to TYPE?????  Last week I did 3 classes at Revive Fitness.  So this week, I am trying to maintain, and I come into work.  Shawn saunters in and tells me how he is going to be ON ME!   Like WTF?  He overheard my conversation with Lee Anne about the Blog and he has decided that his mission is to get me in gear!  I think he needs another mission.

I tune him out, but as the 12:30 class came closer the big black cloud that sits over my head got bigger and bigger! Finally 12:30 comes up and everyone begins to arrive.

We have to partner up, and Brigitte looks closely at me, and realizes that I am probably NOT the best person to partner up with as I am still miserable.  We are pretty excited, only 5 stations!  Whew Hew !  I can do that!!

Until we realize that Shawn has a fixation on the number 50.  Like who in their RIGHT MIND can do 50 squats – where their bum touches the Tractor tire that is lying down?  Is he NUTS?

So I get stuck with guess who?  SHAWN!  How friggin nuts is that?  You have to understand that it takes a remarkable amount of mental energy to psyche myself out to even get into the circuit.  I have told myself every lie possible!  Oh Yeah, … You Rock It Girl…. You got it, You have it … I go to the first station, and Shawn just blows through it like one of Lori M’s Sangwhiches… quick and dirty.

He is moving to the next station, and I am desperately counting squats, and trying not to let my knees give out.  This sucks!!  So much for my belief that I GOT IT!

I look over at Brigitte, who is laughing and working out -  I want to HIT her!  I can’t even BREATH, let alone Laugh!!!!!!!

Hopefully this hell ends, and I begin to feel better.

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This is me thinking of exercise!

So, I decided that it is finally time for me to do something about my massively increasing backside, my low thyroid, and the fact that my clothes are not looking good. I also don’t feel good.  Don’t like looking in the mirror, don’t like shopping for clothes.

So I begin with the 12:30 Lunch Time Work out Pump It at Revive Fitness in Bolton.  I have been a client with Revive Fitness for a number of years, and I feel sorry for Lee and Shawn the owners, because they have to admit that I am a client.  I fall off the wagon all the time! As personal trainers, they have seen it all, including my silly lack of continuity with fitness.  The truth is, that I despise working out!  I hate every single, sweating, gasping, aching second of exercise.   I have to turn my brain off, and just try to focus on getting through the reps, and NOT look at the Clock. Looking at the clock is tantamount to destruction!

So I hate exercise, and I am grumpy while working out.  I would rather do anything other than exercise, and am one of those women, that justify my lack of commitment, to the fact that I am not a super model who requires to look fantastic for work! Hell, I would rather clean toilets than workout, but the reality is this:  IT NEEDS TO BE DONE!

Thank goodness for Sonja!  She is equally miserable working out with me.  She screams at the Trainers who DARE to add cardio to the already insane workout!

So we shoot daggers at each other, and tell each other (*&$#UWHFIUEH  YOU!  such sweet words when uttered by Sonja.  But she is my best partner, as she doesn’t get offended when I get all crappy and nasty.

So we both got through it – (barely) give each other the high rise, and shakingly leave the class.  I made it through my first class in a long long long time.