Split Pea, Red Lentil and Carrot Soup

So delicious, and perfect for a cold, wet day.

-1 tbsp of coconut oil
-4-5 carrots, peeled + sliced
-3 onions, chopped
-4 cloves of garlic, minced
-2 tsp cumin (more or less to taste)
-2 tsp ginger (more or less to taste)
-1 tsp sea salt
-1 tsp ground pepper
-3/4 cup red lentils rinsed
-1/2 cup split yellow peas, rinsed

-Sautee onion, garlic and carrots in oil. Add cumin, ginger, salt and pepper. When onions are soft, add 10 cups of water, lentils and split peas. Bring mixture to boil stirring occasionally. Reduce heat, simmer until lentils , carrots and peas are tender. Transfer in batches to blender, or leave in pot and use a hand wizzer mixy thingy to blend. Keep blending until smooth.
Garnish with a dab greek yogurt mixed with coriander.

Healthy Tropical Frozen Yogourt

2 Cups 2% Plain Greek Yogourt
2 Cups Fat Free Plain Greek Yogourt
1 1/2 cups of chopped pineapple
1 mango, cubed
4 tbsp. lemon zest
Natural sweetener of your choice (zylitol, stevia, etc)
*I keep a lemon in the freezer.. much easier to grate when it’s frozen.

-Blend all but the sweetener in a blender until smooth.
-Add sweetener to taste. When using fruit for frozen treats, make it a bit sweeter than you would normally enjoy it as fruit tends to loose it’s sweetness when frozen.
-Pour mixture into an ice cream maker (I used a Cuisinart 2 quart machine)
-Churn for 30 minutes.

So good, healthy, and the kids loved this no-sugar added treat!

MY PLAN – Exercise

FITNESS PLAN: Two Week Cycle
Alternate cardio and total body weight training at every visit.
I have 4 personalized totally body weight training plans. Each plan works out the shoulders, back, chest, biceps, triceps, abs, and legs. Each plan is different, so it works out different parts of each muscle group each time… and keeps things fresh. Here is what the two week cycle looks like. Click on the corresponding weight plan for details.

WEEK#1
Day1: TOTAL BODY WEGHTS #1
Day2: CARDIO (30 minutes, heart rate above 150: elypitcal, treadmill, bike, etc)
Day3: TOTAL BODY WEIGHTS #2
Day4: CARDIO (30 minutes, heart rate above 150: elypitcal, treadmill, bike, etc)

WEEK#2
Day1: TOTAL BODY WEGHTS #3
Day2: CARDIO (30 minutes, heart rate above 150: elypitcal, treadmill, bike, etc)
Day3: TOTAL BODY WEIGHTS #4
Day4: CARDIO (30 minutes, heart rate above 150: elypitcal, treadmill, bike, etc)

For weights: 2 sets
1st set = 12 reps at 85% of maximum weight.
2nd set = Add weight and go to failure.

Jayne’s Simple Morning Oatmeal

Jayne’s Simple Morning Oatmeal:
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup oatmeal (5 minute oats)
Organic Maple Syrup to taste

1. Combine milk and water in a small pot over medium heat.
2. Slowly add oats while stirring.
3. Cook mixture for 3 minutes or until desired consistancy.
4. Transfer to bowl.
5. Add maple syrup to sweeten.

MY PLAN – Daily Warm Lemon Water

My nutritionist recommends starting my day with a warm cup of water and organic lemon juice. This is to be taken around thirty minutes before breakfast. Here is my daily warm lemon water plan:

1) WARM LEMON WATER – There are so many scientific benefits that I’m not qualified to explain. In easy terms, drinking water with lemon juice:

-kickstarts digestion
-cleanses
-balances PH levels
-boosts immunity
-clears skin
-enhances your mood
-promotes healing
-freshens breath
-helps hydrate your body
-assists in weight loss

For a complete explanation of the above benefits see: 10 Benefits to Drinking Warm Lemon Water Every Morning.

2) VISI TRIMMA – My nutritionist also recommendeds taking visi TRIMMA daily when I have my warm lemon water. Visi TRIMMA is an all natural formula that has the following benefits:

-metabolizes stored fat
-controls appetite
-higher thermogenesis rate
-superior antioxidant protection
-manages stress and enhances mood
-encourages mental clarity and focus

I`ve only been taking these capsules for one week but I can already notice the change in my mental clarity. I can`t speek for it`s claim to assist in weightloss since I`ve made so many other changes since starting the capsules. I have lost weight in the last week and so I`m sure every little change helps.

3) SWEETEN MY SOUR – I`ve decided to add a small amount of raw Agave Nectar to my warm lemon water since, well, it makes it taste so much better! Agave Nector is great for the following reason:

-natural low-glycemic sweetner which means it won`t cause a spike or fall in blood sugar.
–contains saponins and fructans which have anti-inflammatory properties and help boost the imune system.
–contains inulin which can be effective in weight loss because of its low impact on blood sugar and its ability to decrease appetite.

My morning kickstart!

Kale and Onion Omelette

This is one of my favourite breakfast foods and definitely makes it easy to stay on track.
For variation, I add additional veggies like peppers and mushrooms, but the flavour of this great omelette comes from the sauteed kale (in my opinion). I also like to add low-fat cheese.

The four basic ingredients: coconut oil, kale, eggs, onion

Start with warming a tsp of coconut oil in a pan.

Then add 1 tbsp of chopped onion to soften (or more if you like onion)

Add a handfull of kale.

Once the kale softens spread the kale and onion mix in the pan.

Lightly beat 2-3 eggs in a dish, and pour the eggs over the onion and kale.

Allow egg to cook slightly. Add low-fat cheese (optional).

Fold the omelette in half to cover the cheese.

And voila! A delecious and healthy kale omelette.

MY PLAN – Daily Protein Shake

I’ve been working with an amazing Registered Nutritional Counsellor who uses a holistic approach to health and wellness. As part of a healthy diet, part of my plan is to consume 120 grams of protein per day. This delicious shake is one way I achieve that goal daily.

125 mls of milk

1 cup of Kale

1 Scoop of Perfect Nutrition’s Diesel whey protein isolate

2 tbsp of Udos Oil DHA 3-6-9

2 tbsp of Naka Nitru Liquid Multivitamin Vitamin for Women featuring the benefits of Vitamin D.

A handful of frozen berries

Half of a banana

Blend well, and enjoy. The great thing about this shake is that you can add so many different things and it still tastes great. Some additions I’ve tried and use when I have a full pantry: organic natural peanut butter, Greek yogourt, flax seed, spinach, avacado.

Enjoy!

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THE VIDEO

Today is the day that a complete stranger inspired me.

I’ve read hundreds of weightloss success stories online, but none of them have touched me in a way that this one has. This video was posted on a friend’s facebook page. My friend knows this woman and so I decided to watch the video – the power of social media, right? Well, I watched the video and I cried. I cried during the video and I cried for a long time after the video. With two young girls of my own, I really felt a connection to this woman and her story… A brewing inspiration soon followed that I hope will change my life. I write this today with high hopes for the future… for my girls, my husband and myself. Let’s make the best of the unknown. It starts now kids!