Fitness Diva Fitness-Diva.ca

OH my goodness!

What a series of events I have been through these past few days..

What do they say..."everything in your life happens for a reason" , even the most upsetting....well I get that know.

My dear, dear, house cleaner wasn't feeling well in mid June. I told her she should get some blood work done. Perhaps something is off. Thinking nothing too serious. She was so healthy, full of life, looked great!

Well she ended up finding out that she was full of Cancer.  Not only that but it was  in the brain, lungs, lymph's, back, everywhere. OH MY GOSH!  Really!? how, what? why? She looked so good! She was doing so well!  This can't be.

I called her, sent  her some flowers ( what can you do?)  and we cried together. She was soooo scared.  I remember her words.  I told her to stay positive. She can handle this.  ( However, inside I was scared  too! how could this be happening??)

Well Monday night I heard she was in the hospital and her time was up. Again! this can't be! As much as I wanted to put my head in the sand and pretend this wasn't happening, I had to go and see her, talk to her,  or I would never be able to live with myself.

My neighbour ( she cleaned both of our homes- her only 2 clients at the time) and I went to see her, immediately that night.  Her family wasn't well, everyone was very upset, as they should be....it was a terrible situation.  However, her husband let us go in to see her.  She was dozing off, but I told her Heather! we are HERE! It is Jill and Steph.  Grabbed her hand, as I knew  touch and sound is the last thing to go.  I didn't even recognize her at this point 2 months later!  SOOO incredibly sad.  She opened up her eyes, and put her arms up!  She wanted a hug!   I hugged her as tight as I could!  Told her over and over again, how it is going to be OK, she is sooo loved, she did a great job raising her family, we met them all ...she has done GOOD.  My tears were flowing, naturally...how couldnt' they be. She asked us to stay. I wanted to,   however, we couldn't. Time was precious and valuable at this time, as her hours were near.  Her family needed and wanted her, asked us to leave.

The day after she died,  something strange happened. All of a sudden I got several emails from different people asking for my Business Card in Personal Training, etc.  She was always a huge supporter of mine, yet this has never happened to me before.  I have always been thinking of starting my own Personal Training Business and Heather knew that.  I honestly believe she was giving me the PUSH I needed.

I went to her funeral on Saturday, cried my eyes out, sobbed like a crazy woman, went through a box of kleenex,...then came home and guess what!? I got it started that afternoon!  I am now officially ...

FITNESS DIVA!
http://fitness-diva.ca/

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I made my passion in life and Fitness legit. I have been doing it for fun for awhile now. Now it is time to make it official.

Thank-you Heather! you made this happen! xo  Rest in Peace. LOTS of LOVE to you...

Yup! Emotional Post.  The last time I encountered a moment like this it was my grand-father. After his funeral I went on a Ski Vacation, and came home pregnant with a little girl that I had always wanted!  Thanks Grandpa!

Back to School!

This summer has been a great one, due to more ways than one. YES, we had FUN, but honestly my kids are really growing up.  I have been hounding and nagging on them all these years to be helpful to others, help out around the house without having to be asked, help a neighbour, random acts of kindness, without expecting anything in return.  Respect your elders, and parents, be polite, etc..... This  is a  tough age.  PUBERTY and hormones get in the way sometimes. 

BUT, even though it has been a challenge, they are FINALLY getting it. They are doing it. They have been very helpful this summer, and I have seen a huge change. All of my flips outs towards them, has finally started to pay off. Who would have thought!?!?   They are turning into a couple of mature, appreciative, loving OLDER kids.

So normally I have a heck of a summer with them and am counting down the hours until they are off on that yellow school bus. Well today?  I was a little sad.  Not terribly sad, mind you!  But I wasn't jumping with joy. 





They are as tall as me now!


But this one was terribly depressed and sad. There she is all day long on her bed, staring out the front door waiting for the rest of the pack to get home.

My big confession!

I knew it wasn't going to be good. I had to finally face the music and put my body on the weigh scale.

I was doing pretty good until August.  But then Alan had 2 weeks of holidays that he has never done before. 2 WHOLE weeks of fun and we both love to cook, entertain and enjoy our wine over sunsets each night...

Plus, well, you've seem the meals we have been eating!

We have been exercising, but there isn't enough exercise to compensate what we have been consuming.

So how bad was the damage?

5 lbs!

Thank goodness for the muscle I built up. I think that was my savour!  As the way I have been behaving, I should be up 15 lbs!



5 lbs. I still hate it. But I MUST admit it and be HONEST.

However, I WILL get rid of it, so just warning all of my friends and family....this blog is going to be HIT HARD with fitness routines, and HEALTHY eats!

School starts in one more day....then I am back to the GYM every single morning and ONLY clean food! LESS wine. MORE water!

Summer Fun!

Mountain Biking!  WOW! that can be quite exhilerating and dangerous! But we had fun trying!



Half way down Blue Mountain! Crazy on the brakes and hands!  Spun out a few times, went flying!




Marshall loved it! couldn't get enough!


My end reward! Talk about the PERFECT Martini!  Blue cheese stuffed, truffled infused! oh my!


Then back home to perfect sunsets each night!


Throwing surprise Parties for a GREAT friend! XO




waking up to this!

Flowers from a neighbour friend before she left for FL-----just because! How sweet is that!?



Tea breaks with Vienna in Thornbury...


more to come! What a fantastic summer!

Niagara Anniversary Get-away!

What a summer!  OH MY GOODNESS!  Each and every year, I think, how can we do anything more, fit more fun in? how could it be topped?  well each year, we find a way of doing it. My body is exhausted, I know I have gained a few summer fun pounds, but it was most definitely worth it and I know I can fix the damage once the kids are back to school and we get back into a normal routine.

For now, I need to share some fun pictures of FOOD! and FUN!



a HOT day with great friends, then BBQ afterwards...such a warm summer! The perfect way to enjoy it? See above!  Like our coffee table? It is granite you know! ha!

Off to Niagara- the crazy room we got!  It was HUGE and screamed HONEYMOON!



that's just the tub! The shower? Could fit about 10 people in there!  Crazy!


This came to our door each morning! Nice!

Lots of great wineries! We filled up the trunk to help stock the cellar!


the back side of my favourite winery due to the service, building and RESTAURANT!  Peller Estates.


SO lets get onto the fabulous FOOD there!  I had to order the 5 course tasting lunch menu.  Paired with wine of course! OH my!

Chef Jason parsons


Amuse bouche - smoked salmon on goats cheese and arugula. Artisian breads- ice wine butter.


First official course- Oxtail and beef Terrine with crostini and raw bean salad with white truffle oil. Paired with Pinot noir.



Soup- sliced apple with cider reduction and anjou pear soup. Put together at the table. Served with their


Pinot gris



Soda" palate cleanser"- reduced strawberries, red basil and add rose. Then carbonate like a soda



Next course! Grilled bison, on a bed of wild mushroom, white plum, fresh peas and aged 14 acres cheese Served with a Cabernet Sauvignon.


 then the cheese course!
Oaked Vidal ice wine


Smoked pear, toscano cheese, walnuts, nut cream     Final course! Dessert! Because I was still hungry and thirsty! Ice wine poached peaches on top of custard and pastry latke and ice cream served with Cabernet franc ice wine.   What an incredible meal!  If that was my last meal before death...I'd be OK with that!

Busy week at the GYM!

I was filling in for a few people last week. So ended up teaching my own Boot Camp, 2 different Spin classes, a Gravity Class ( they didn't have an instructor! I had to quickly fill it! YIKES!)  and then my own SPIN class.  whew! Busy!

So I bought my son and his friend along as these two hams are really working hard on getting some good pipes!  What a pair! 



Teach them YOUNG!  Health, Nutrition and Fitness and they will forever learn valuable life habits!

More Healthy Satisfying lunches this week!

My LOOOOVE for Blue Cheese and mushrooms!


A grilled portabello mushroom with garlic, blue cheese and chicken. Of course EVERY meal MUST include broccoli.



 and Steak. Left over Grilled Blue Cheese topped steak with sauteed mushrooms and broccoli on salad.

A little FUN! Alyssa's Summer Party!

Since Alyssa's Birthday is in November, and there isn't too much you can do outdoors that time of year, we decided to allow her to have a fun SUMMER party with  her friends from school  and sports teams!






 WHIP CREAM FIGHTS! Always a good time! Just buy every kid a jar of Ready Whip and let them go nuts!





her " thank-you " speech!








So why not shove the girls face into her cupcake!?


After the boys left...." chit chat in the hot tub!"

H.I.I.T. on the Elliptical! LOVED IT!

I had to separate my kids, as the fighting was getting a bit out of control...SUMMER FUN! ha!  One is going through crazy hormonal, moody puberty, so that doesn't help matters at all.

But he loves to work out, so I took him to the gym with me this morning. He did his weight program, and I tried HIIT on the Elliptical. My plan was only 20-30 minutes as advised. Well, even though it was killing my ass, I didn't want to stop. I was dripping, had to get a towel, but I wanted to keep going.  I ended at an hour.

I kept going after this picture even! lol...cool down though.  So I went 5.5 miles, but distance wasn't the key to this one, it was heart rate. I had my heart rate up to 170, then down to 130  the entire time, back and forth.

I now see why HIIT is a great way to work-out.  650 calories for that one too!

A great quick little work-out for a bikini body!

4 total body circuit training workouts for weight loss & muscle firming

This guy is great! Went for an hour long bike ride for a warm-up and a bit of cardio, followed by this circuit.

My arms are really feeling it!

Back to HEALTHY eats!

Every weekend this summer it seems like we have been out partying quite a bit!  LOTS of fun, but that usually means tons of yummy, not so good for you food, and quite a few drinks!

SO every chance we get, we have been eating healthy, tons of lean protein, fruits, veggies, legumes, limited carbs and TONS of water and MILK! 

Of course daily fitness. Today it was 2 boot camps. One at my house and one at the YMCA tonight. My class did great!  They put of my silliness and lack of formality, but have a great time and leave all wet and sweaty!  So it must be working!

I packed up Alan is lunch tomorrow. He is having a hard time getting enough Protein in a day, so check this out.


2 cans of tuna in water-  mixed with shredded coleslaw greens, onion and reduced fat salad dressing. Over 60 grams of Protein right there, yet only 200 calories! I added some dense, think dark rye bread for him to put it on.

Then a really healthy bean, legume salad.  Black beans, edamame beans, and legumes, mixed with red wine vinegar, olive oil, pepper and fresh herbs from the garden. I topped it with chunks of Parmesan cheese. ALL of those ingredients are HUGE protein builders. Not to mention filling, low fat and full of fiber too!

The third dish, is brown rice ( complex carbs) with toasted almond slices, a bit of onion and soy sauce.

Then Greek yogurt. Fat free, but FULL OF FUEL for your body....and an apple.

As an apple is always essential! ONE a day, at least!

Basically, you need to do is work-out,  EAT all day long every couple of hours, but fill yourself up with GOOD stuff like this and you will be full, feel great, and LOSE fat while gaining nice lean MUSCLE!

Beerfest Toronto!

This is our second year going with a fun group of friends.  Even though I am not a huge beer drinker, it is still fun, and the food there is amazing as well!  What a great day!

 
yes, those are white Bud Light glasses...if you dance for them, you got a free pair!  You can see who did! ha!
 
 

and we ALWAYS get  our yearly picture with the nice police officers keeping us SAFE!
 

 
and the suckling pig that was roasting that we ate!  it was delicious!
 
 BUT, back to the food...
 
So the night before we went to a French Restaurant near our Hotel - SoHo....called Le Select.
 
Alan started with the Bone Marrow Appetizer.
 

 
 But I played safe with the Escargot in a Cream sauce and puffed pastry..
 

 
 

 
Alan chose the Bison Tartar for his main, with crispy bread...
 

 
and I chose the Pickerel...very good.
 
The next night...
 
We went to a fun little street patio place, called

 
This soup was amazing. A Lobster and Crab creamed bisque, with puffed pastry. Nothing low fat there!
 

 
I ordered the Caprese Salad. I loooove my cheese and this was home-made gooey  mozarella goodness with very fresh tomatoes....perfection!
 

 
and the main... Filet Mignon, wrapped in bacon and garlic and duck fat fries!  OH MY!
 
The great part ?  Both of these restaurants were VERY reasonably priced.  It wasn't pricey at all, yet the food, service and atmosphere was excellent.