Friday, June 29, 2007

Goodbye Ginger Cookies

After reading the ice cream expose, I became curious about how much fat and sugar are in my favourite “treats”. Yesterday, as I was contemplating how great a latte and ginger cookie would taste during a little post-work siesta, I thought I would check the cookie’s nutritional breakdown, just for fun. I knew it wouldn’t be the best snack, but it was just a cookie, right? WRONG! The Starbucks Ginger Molasses Cookie has 400 calories and 14g of fat. I didn’t think the cookie weighed more than 14g but it must weigh at least 50g because it also has 39g of sugar. No wonder they taste so good! (I checked, one cookie is 100g).

Just in case you were wondering, the chocolate croissant, my other favourite, is worse. It has 420 calories, 24g of fat and 4g of sugar. That’s almost an entire meal and almost all of my daily fat allowance!

This just supports my general rule about food. If it tastes good, it’s bad for you.

- Allison

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Mr. George Foreman, would you please forgive me?

I bit the bullet recently, after receiving a stern warning from my doctor about my lack of meat-eating and my inability to eat enough different types of beans and tofu to keep my iron levels up, and started to eat meat again. This began in London, England where my vegetarianism was "poo-poo'd" by a large chorus of accented blokes and birds and lead to my chowing down on various animal cuts for the remainder of the week, including some harmless duck(!!) Upon my return, this meat-overdose actually lead to the new purchase of the George Foreman (G5!) grill. If I'm going to eat meat it better be from a lean, mean grilling machine!

However, my first night with George ended with me consuming two choice cuts of skinless, boneless chicken breasts. TWO. No side salad, no vegetables, no beans! Just two hunks of chicken parts. Perhaps this is a sign that I really missed the delicious bird. Thankfully I ran my butt off this morning at 5:30am for 7k. Until I get over this jet-lag business it looks like I'll be popping up at 5am with regularity. This will only help my working out and not help my social life if I keep passing out at 10pm on the nose. Now to restrain myself around the grill...

- Stevie

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

it's a sad day...

After reading this article this morning in the Globe and Mail: More Fat Than A Big Mac
I wanted to cry.

The absolute horror that I felt to realize that I can no longer justify my indulgence in large bowls of delicious minty chocolate goodness.


When you read the side of the container and it says 250 calories... you think, gee that's not so bad. But when the article pointed out that the serving size is half a cup... half a cup! HALF A CUP?!?!?! Who on earth eats half a cup of delicious delicious fudge crackle mint chocolate ice cream???

If there is someone out there who honestly allows themselves this miniscule portion... I would like to know!
And with that, I bid adieu to my long favoured friend.... I will always love you!

- Brianne

Gold Star!

Okay, so I’m the one who is starting her first blog today. After a grueling week of work, today is finally the day.

So this morning I went to my 3rd Weight Watchers weigh in. The thing everyone dreads the most, getting up- in front of others no less-and getting weighed. However, today was a day to celebrate. Today I reached my first goal of losing 5 pounds. Which caused for mini celebration for myself, but ended in hysterical laughter when I was given... a gold star sticker! With the number five proudly stamped in the center.

This immediately made me feel like I was back in kindergarten, but also makes you feel awesome that others are congratulating you on something that seems so minor. I also felt like I had cheated them because... it really wasn’t that hard. So the bar has been set and if everything goes along this path, I will be blogging in two weeks about losing 10 pounds. Which hopefully comes with some sort of bigger sticker or confetti. Who knows, but it looks like I’ll soon find out.

- Kristin

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Battle Scars


Sunday, after shooting down all of the possible excuses not to, I went for the 13K run that would start off my marathon training. I really didn’t want to go but I really wanted to be able to say I ran a marathon more. It was overcast and muggy outside, and I was over dressed for the weather, but I continued along the canal at a very easy pace. I was surprised at the number of people cycling, rollerblading and running, but it was nice having people to nod at as we passed each other – especially other runners. When I mapped out the route, I didn’t realize that I would be running up to the locks by Carleton University, nor that I would be running through a wildlife park – mostly because I didn’t know that these things existed. I couldn’t have imagined a more gorgeous route. My body held up pretty well, too, considering I hadn’t run further than 10K in over a year. Aside from sore feet, I was rewarded for my efforts with these friction burns compliments of the house keys that were my shorts’ pocket. Mental note: must find new place to put keys while running.

- Allison

Friday, June 22, 2007

Canadian Maple

I was one of those people who needed to fit into a size 8 wedding dress and worked out furiously to ensure it happened on THE day. Now, it is a month after THE day and as I power back a Tim Horton’s Canadian Maple Donut, I realized that I don’t want to go back to being the size 10 I was last August. Well, size 10 in wedding dresses; who knows what size I am in real life. Bree suspects a 6, but I think it really depends on where you are shopping. I’ve also decided to bite the bullet and finally run a full marathon, after repeatedly running half-marathons for the last five years. This will be difficult but I’m sure it will help keep me in my skinny jeans…especially if I avoid the donuts.

- Allison

P.S. I found this for you - it is specific to the Canadian Maple donut:

















That is like 1/6 of my daily caloric intake. It is also 1/4 of my daily points if I was on Weight Watchers! EW!

- Brianne

Determination

I kicked my ass hard this week.

Monday - 3km Run
Tuesday - Spin class & 2km Run
Wednesday - Body Pump
Thursday - Body Combat
Friday - Body Pump
Saturday - rest
Sunday - we plan to pump

My biggest challenge: I upped my weight at Body Pump to 5kg on each side for Squats and Clean & Press! This is HUGE! When I first started I couldn't even do a proper squat, let alone with weight! So gratifying. Next I will conquer the lunges!

I showcased my extreme determination today. At 4:45 I realized that Body Pump @ Queen was at 5:00, not 5:30 as I had thought. There was slight panic as it takes 20 minutes to get there and I obviously was not going to make it as I was still at work. Now, there was also a 5:30 class at Hunt Club (which is in Nepean) but with the construction on the Queensway things were looking grim for today's workout.

Once again, Allie's sheer brilliance saved the day. Her 4:55 email read: "Body Pump @ Rideau 5:30" - thank god! Why hadn't I thought of this before?

Okay so I have 30 minutes to find Kristin (who is down on Bank street frantically searching for workout pants) and meet up with Allie who was leaving work. By 5:20 we're circling the Rideau parking lot (sooooo slowly) looking for parking. NO PARKING!

By now, Kristin has given up on today's workout completely. Allie is on the fence since she ran at lunch and didn't really care either way. It was ME who finally said "Dammit, I cannot let Allie have more stickers than me!"

When I jumped out of the car to run to class, Allie decided to come with me. Kristin had already long since decided that she would rather shop (who wouldn't?!). And so Allie and I pumped - HARD! The instructor was impressive.

I was surprised by my determination today. Very happily surprised. And I now have a sticker on the calendar!

- Brianne