Do my "Check ins" annoy you?

Hey Everyone!

So while working on a completely different blog topic, this came to me. :)

Well, let me be a little more clear... I was on Facebook (ya ya ya I know, I was suppose to be working, whatever! lol) Anyhoo, I was on FB and saw the following...

This lead me to wonder, since I am ABSOLUTELY guilty of checking in at the gym or boot camp, if these posts really do annoy the masses or more importantly... the people that follow me on FB?

To be fair, I have myself laughed at the following...

and my personal favourite... LOL

Now this is where I get all philosophical :P

IF gym, workout or similar activity check ins or status updates annoy you... why do they?

Would your irritation be lessened if you knew the reasoning behind the check in?

For example, the reason I post my workouts on FB, or possibly twitter (@crystalizedMUA) or InstaGram is not for my ego...GASP!! WHAT? How can this be?!

It seems that many are under the impression that posts or checking in are purely ego driven. 

Don't get me wrong here, if I set a personal best or do something super kick a$$ I'm going to post it, its my FB after all! lol

What I'm referring to however, is the main reason I do what I do... to maybe, possibly inspire others :) 

That's it, that's all (except maybe to also let my trainer know that I'm actually there lol).

Everyone is busy. Everyone leads a hectic and chaotic life with work, home, family, errands etc etc. 

I know what it feels like to use every one of those excuses... for far too long!

In my humble opinion, if I can do something as simple as check into the gym regardless of how many it annoys... and 1 person says to themselves "hey, if she can figure it out so can I" pardon my bluntness but I'll take your annoyance anytime! ;)

The bigger question, and maybe I'm walking dangerous territory here... is why it bothers you? 

Before you are so quick to roll your eyes at yet another post about the gym, training, whatever. Stop and think... is it the post about someone going to the gym that bothers me? or the fact that I haven't gone in ages? 

I'm gonna duck now for the hate mail I'm bound to get!!! Hahahaa

Just please keep in mind that while a post might make you roll your eyes... it could very well be the post that opens someone else's. :)

Till next time, 

"Checking in from my dining room table" hugs...

-Crystal :) xo

Lose 5lbs a week!!!

Hey Everyone!

Well that got your attention didn't it?! :P

Just like everything else that sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

So why try to grab your attention in such a deceitful way? Well it worked didn't it? ;) Hahaha
Now here is the real reason I did it...

There are some significant realities, choices and changes that I am currently dealing with and working through. I absolutely plan on sharing these things with you all when the time comes and when I feel ready to do so.
These issues have led me to do some pretty heavy reflecting. Where I was, how far I've come and where I'm going from here.

A huge part of my reason to blog has always been, that in some way, I might help someone else.
It was while I was watching the season premier of Biggest Loser, that the inspiration for this blog came to me!
At almost 250lbs, I was convinced that the first week or two I started on my program with Coach Compton, I would be dropping upwards of 10lbs a week. After all, isn't that what happens with the morbidly obese people on the show? I'm morbidly obese (or was), so I should fit into that category! Furthermore, every week after that I should be dropping a good 5+lbs consistently cause I'm just as big as those people!

REALITY CHECK!!!

Imagine my absolute horror, honestly I thought I was a failure and worthless, when my first week weigh in resulted in a 2lb weight loss. Crap! I suck cause I'm fat and I can't even lose weight right!
You want the reality of what was in my head at that time? Well there it is, and it's not pretty!

Many know me as the one that is always smiling, dancing and being positive. What many don't see is that I can bruise myself from head to toe with a verbal beating like no other.
Why am I so upbeat and nice to others? Because they deserve the the gift I was not able to give myself.

I spent a very long time being not very nice to myself, something I have been working on for the last two and a half years.

So why relive all this? Well selfishly, it's pretty therapeutic! lol And like I said before, I want to help.

With the new year beginning and resolutions being made to become healthy and lose weight, I want people to know the truth about weight loss.

It is hard effing work!!!

Please do NOT hold yourself to some bizarre weight loss standard just because you see it on tv. You have NO idea what goes on behind the scenes.
Don't get me wrong, I love watching weight loss shows. The determination and drive, frustration and hopefully success that these people go through inspires me to keep on my path and I applaud them!


That being said, it is not sunshine and roses every week when you step on the scale. It is an emotional roller coaster. But just because you didn't hit an unrealistic goal that you saw on tv, or came up with in your own head, does not mean that you are or will for forever be an overweight failure!

Did you hear me??? YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE!!!

What did Sam (Coach Compton) say the first time I stepped on the scale? You lost 2lbs! Thats great!
Were there some weeks that I lost 4lbs? Yes, two weeks in a row actually. There were also some weeks I didn't lose an ounce!
But when I finally hit my 100lb mark and Sam did the calculations, it was an average of 2lbs/ week.
Not glamourous or fast. It was nose to the grindstone, living a whole new way, moving forward little by little.
Kind of like erosion! Hahaha

Just because my main focus of losing weight has now shifted (more to come on that later ;) doesn't mean that the lessons I've learned no longer apply OR they might help enlighten others.

Take from this what you will or file it under BS. lol
I just know that the day I realized (with the help of those around me that truly cared and knew what they were talking about) that your journey is YOURS and not a cookie cutter of someone else's success  or "failures", was the day I was able to really commit fully to the fact that I wasn't going to stop progressing.
Each step forward or backward or to the side was still movement and movement is always better than being stagnant!

Well thats it for my rant! hahahaa I hope it helps in whatever way its meant to, I know it has helped me just in writing it ;)

Til next time...

Forward facing hugs...

-Crystal :) xo

The Holiday Wind Down...

Hey Everyone!

While I may be a tad late to wish you all a Merry Christmas, it's not too late for a Happy Holiday or a Happy New Year!!!

Not posting a specific Christmas blog was actually on purpose! lol (seriously, I considered it and decided to do something a little different).

I am a self proclaimed Christmas fanatic... I love everything about the season! This includes the snow (or in our case lack of :( this year until Boxing day).
Crowds, craziness and alike add to the fun for me, yep I know it's not for everyone but I really do love it all!

This year for some reason I felt an absence of excitement. Maybe it was because this is the first Christmas without my Dad? Maybe the lack of snow which I love so much? Regardless, I found myself forcing the whole Christmas feeling much of the time.
Regardless of the reason, I decided to keep my "holiday" blog until closer to New Year.
Don't get me wrong, Christmas was great. Time spent with friends and family was much needed and appreciated.

Now back to my blog! lol

If you turn on any tv channel or radio station you'll notice a trend... lists! Top 10 moments, sports plays, songs, movies etc. etc.

Sooooo, who am I to mess with a good thing?! Lol

I have decided to compile a partial list of some of my favourite moments of 2012!!! Notice I said PARTIAL!!! :P and in NO particular order!

Sidney breaking her first board!!! lol

Pretty EPIC moment at the Chinese New Year celebration :)

The birth of my niece Elliott :) seen here with my niece Pea (Payton).

Seeing PITBULL in concert!!!! 

Experiencing the Arnolds Sports fest with some AMAZING people!!!

Helping to build a Habitat house :)

Finally getting my chandelier tattoo!!! 

All of the amazing and inspiring friends I have met! 

Some of my favourite memories (work wise) come from being part of my Brides wedding day and this year was no exception! 

It would make for an insanely long blog to post all my weddings/events from 2012 but here is a couple of highlights ;)

Clearly not a wedding but such an incredible honour to get my Coach and friend ready for a photo shoot!

Getting longtime friend and fellow boot camper Trixie ready for her wedding!

And last but certainly not least... one of my BFF's Vicki :)

Getting Vicki ready for her big day was a blessing and highlight of my year!

So there you have it folks! While I'm sure I've left out a bunch of awesomeness, this is just a taste of the greatness that 2012 brought!

It is so easy to dwell on the past and the sadness or heartbreak it may have brought.

I could sit here and label 2012 as the year I lost my Dad... that is true BUT what good does it serve to blanket a year in one sadness when so much happiness was felt as well?!

At least that's how I'm choosing to look at it all :)

So now what? 

Well this is probably the part where I'm supposed to blurt out a bunch of resolutions for 2013 right? lol

Giving much thought to resolutions has left me with one definite... keep on keeping on! 

That's all I've got for right now and that is perfectly fine with me. :)

In the words of my Poppy (my Dads father).. "Be happy". Sounds like a good plan to me and I wish the same for you all! ;)

Until next time, 

Happy New Year Hugs...

-Crystal :) xo

Holiday Cravings!!!

Hey Everyone!

I bet many of you are feeling the same, Holiday treats EVERYWHERE!!! What's a girl (or boy lol) to do?!?!

My holiday cravings fall into two very specific categories...

1. Chocolate

2. Cinnamon/Spice (I include fruitcake in this category, I love fruitcake... don't judge!) ;)

I will leave the topic of chocolate alone... for now :P (I will address that in another blog)

Now cinnamon...Mmmmmmmm....cinnamon!!!

Nothing feels more like Christmas and the Holidays to me then the smell, and better yet, taste... of cinnamon!

Great bonus of this wonderful spice is that it has a whack load of health benefits!

Check out this (partial) list...

* regulates blood sugar and suppresses hunger
* helps lower bad LDL Cholesterol
* shown to help decrease pain associated with arthritis
* may help to decrease signs of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's
* aids in minimizing menstrual pains (this does NOT mean go eat a Cinnamon Bun and skip your cramps!) lol

Ok, so Cinnamon is awesome!
What next? Step away from the baked goods!!!

There are super simple ways to get the same riboflavin (my fancy word for taste ;) without killing your entire week of dieting efforts.

Try adding cinnamon and maybe a little stevia or honey to your greek yogurt, for instance.

Because I AM a BeautyFit girl, the new Sin-o-bun BeautyWhey is a staple for me.
It really is kind of ridiculous that it tastes so good! lol No complaints here though!!!

So this is my favourite oatmeal!! 

May not look like much but I would take someone down if they stood between me and this bowl of goodness!!!

The recipe is so difficult that your head may explode...

1/2cup dry oatmeal (not instant)
water to cover plus a little more
put it in a microwave safe bowl
nuke for 3min
add 1 scoop sin-o-bun BeautyWhey
stir... eat

WHOA BABY!!!! ;) It tastes like oatmeal cookie dough!

If you're looking for something on the frozen treat side, try this...

This is the closest thing to drinking pumpkin pie!!! Mmmmmm!!!

In a blender combine 1 scoop Sin-o-Bun BeautyWhey with 3 cubes of frozen pumpkin puree (incase you missed that blog, I freeze pumpkin puree in ice cube trays).

Add approx 6oz - 8oz of water and blend.

That's it!!! 

So between these two quick fixes, I have my cinnamon/spice craving covered!!! ;) 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a robot, sometimes a girl just needs...

FRUITCAKE!!! :D

(Insane yummy Fruitcake made by my friend Lindsey!) 

Remember the whole dieting/eating clean and healthy throughout the holidays thing is NOT rocket science. Just remember...

Til next time...

Fruitcake hugs... Crystal :) xo

A Trip Down Memory Lane...

Hi Everyone!

Hope you are all well and enjoying the first tell tale signs of winter coming!!! (Hey, stop your groaning lol I LOVE Winter!!! AND CHRISTMAS!!!)

While there are valid arguments to be made for keeping the past in the past, there is also a benefit to not forgetting where you started.

I'm actually writing this because I made a promise to a couple of the ladies at bootcamp.

This whole weight loss/ lifestyle change has been 2years in the making for me. I tend to forget that many of the women I meet don't know that I was obese until they add me to Facebook or hear my story through others at camp and check out my blog.

Each time a new boot camp starts, I get the chance to meet the "newbies"! lol This truly is a term of endearment as you are only a "newbie" for one hour... after that, you're one of Coach Compton's Beauties and therefore... a sister!
I'm a social kind of person (understatement of the year ;) and love chatting it up before and after camp.
It's inevitably, during one of these conversations that someone asks about how hard it was for me to start.

I've unfortunately seen too many women give up on themselves because they thought, like I did, that they were a lost cause OR that working out is too hard.

Well, here is the story of my very first training session with Sam... it's my way of showing you that it is possible if you want it bad enough...

Late August 2010, (stargate log... hahahaaaa sorry my inner nerd wrote that! ;)

It's a Tuesday morning, the first day of my new "journey". I'm determined to make it stick this time... I'm PUMPED!!!
I'm wearing size 22 black yoga pants and a red tshirt that is bedazzled with the words... ADDICTED TO GLAMOUR (still have the shirt btw!) OH and I'm wearing mascara!

Sandra comes to my home (can't go AWOL at your own house lol) with a duffle bag of stuff and a blue exercise ball.
I'm all stoked because I have an elliptical... wooooooo me!!! lol
I'm told to do a warmup of 10min on said elliptical, on the easiest setting I might add.

10min pass... I'm winded as HELL and beet red in the face I'm sure!

Sam brings out the big blue exercise ball and shows me how to do wall squats with it.... I do one set, then get 3 into the second set....

BOOM!!! Dizzy, seeing spots, want to hurl badly.

Next thing I know, I'm on my couch being fed sugar water.
I have strict instructions to take it easy and eat some fruit. I feel like a complete moron... and a failure!!!
Well, it was nice knowing Sam... even if it was for a short time. There is no way I'm going to see her again, I'm sure she doesn't do lost causes!

I get a msg from Sam a few hours later... asking how I'm doing. That's nice! Making sure I'm not dead lol I'm fine, she can move on knowing I'm still breathing.

Wednesday, another message making sure I'm ok and telling me to go for a walk. Wow, she's really going above and beyond before she fires me.

Thursday, HOLY $#!T! Sam's at my door! I really did not think she'd be coming back.
While I thought I was a lost cause, she clearly did not agree.
SO if this woman is willing to give me another go at it, who am I to waste her time?!?!

Guess what? I did that entire 1hr session. Was it hard? You'd better effing believe it!!! I will never forget the training sessions at my house!
Walking lunges from my kitchen to my living room, wall squats and pushups on my stairs. Each one of these were the hardest things I've ever done... until the next thing!

Incase you missed the "secret" here it is... regardless if you're on your first workout or your 700th, this is the one truth...
Your workouts will never get "easier"... it's YOU thats getting stronger! PERIOD!

Stick with it... one day at a time.

And on that note...

Here is one of my fave "getting pumped up" jams ;)

Till next time,

Hugs from memory lane!

-Crystal :) xo

How to Survive Hallowe'en!!! Aaahhhhhhh!!!!!

Hey Everyone!

HAPPY HALLOWE'EN!!!

Let me start by saying... I am a HUGE CHICKEN S#!T... yep! It's true!!!

There is only one person to blame for this....

Freaking Michael Myers... ***SHIVER***

I'm deleting that pic off my computer ASAP!!!

Seriously CREEPY, scares the shiite outta me!!!

OK... Bunnies, unicorns, rainbows.... 

I'll attempt to continue :P

Back on track.... lol

This is my 3rd Hallowe'en sans gluttony! lol

Soooo I thought I'd share what has become my Hallowe'en tradition to avoid mowing down on chocolate etc....

Sugar Snap Peas!!!

They're crunchy and sweet and yummy (especially if you have some hummus)!!!

SSP's have been my go to since I first began my weight loss mission. From Hallowe'en to late night munchie cravings, they've been there for me.... *sigh* LOL

The next trick to avoiding ghastly gobbling ;) Buying treats you DON'T LIKE!!!

While some people (like my family) love NIBS etc. I am a chocoholic... Period! :P

These treats pose zero threat to my diet. YAY Me!!!

Now to avoid the hoard of mini chocolate bars that will soon enter my home.... :S

Wish this could be longer for you but my doorbell keeps ringing!!! ;) 

Til next time...

and speaking of Protein... my Sin-O-Bun BeautyWhey is here!!! 

Make sure to order some, it's ridiculously delicious! (More to come in a later Blog ;)

Hallowe'en Hugs.... BOO!!!

-Crystal :) xo

Happy Thanksgiving!!! (Canada) ;) and recipe!!!

Hi Everyone!

For all of my Canadian friends and family... Happy Thanksgiving!!! and for all of my American peeps, I will celebrate all over again in November in your honour! lol (any excuse for TURKEY!!!)

This pretty much sums up how I feel about this time of year! (wait til winter hits ;) lol

Wanted to share with you all some photos from my new favourite spot...

There is this great natural area just up the road from my house. Its been outfitted with some paved and unpaved trails, bridges, lookouts....

and strategically placed flat boulders which just beg to be jumped on! lol

I seriously ran past these my first time on the trail and backtracked to do plyo jumps!!! :P It was almost a moment of WWSD (what would Sam do?!) hahahaaaa

There are 6 of them in this spot, 10 reps on each = better legs and backside! :D

This is the view from one of the lookouts onto the pond.

As many of you know, I'm not a natural "runner", I force every step. BUT, for whatever reason, running is where I end up when I'm missing my Dad. This place has just become very welcoming for me :) 

I find trail running a great challenge! Because of the constant change of terrain, its not "boring" and I find myself being continuously challenged with inclines, declines and ever appearing branches! lol

I didn't go to the trails here once during the spring or summer but the lure of fall colours were too much to resist. Low and behold, I have a new "home" to add to my list. Being that this is my first Thanksgiving without Dad, it's perfect.

Ok! I also promised many of you the recipe for my Clean Pumpkin Muffins!!!

So here it is...

Clean Pumpkin Muffins

Preheat oven to 350*F

1 egg + 2 whites

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) canned OR homemade

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 cup wheat bran

1 cup oats (not instant)

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup dark organic chocolate chips (at least 70%cocoa)

approx 1/2 cup skim milk

*optional 3/4 cup mild cheddar cheese cut into mini cubes

1. In a medium bowl, beat together eggs and honey

2. Add olive oil, pumpkin and vanilla

3. In a large bowl, mix remaining dry ingredients and make a well in the centre

4. Pour liquid ingredients into well and mix just until combined using the skim milk to loosen the batter if its too stiff

5. Divide batter into a lined muffin tin and bake for 25-30min 

*it may sound weird but the cheese is really yummy, especially for kids!

Try substituting the pumpkin for mashed bananas, applesauce or even organic carrot baby food!

And if you don't know what to do with leftover pumpkin puree...

I freeze it in ice cube trays!!! Each cube is approx. 1oz 

Try adding 2-3 cubes to your vanilla protein shake with some cinnamon! Mmmmmmmm!!! 

Again, hoping you all had a blessed Thanksgiving weekend!

Warm, fuzzy autumn hugs...

-Crystal :) xo