Running from the Runs has moved!

If you currently follow me, I promise I haven't left, I have just changed addresses.  You can now find me blogging here.  Check out the new space and let me know what you think.  It is still under construction, so will continue to undergo some changes as I update existing content and add new features.

Thank you for your support!  If you are on bloglovin' you can also follow me here. 

Hydro Rider - Worth a Try?

For those of you who have never heard of Hydro Rider (like me), it is basically spin class in the shallow end of the pool.  The great thing about it is that it is easier on the joints.  As soon as I found out Hydro Rider was a real life exercise and that the Canada Games Centre in Halifax offered it (thanks Chatelaine!), I could not stop thinking about it.  I was so excited at the combination of two of my fave things - swimming/water and spin class - that I became obsessed.

Before I could go I had to answer the age-old question - what do I wear?!  I figured a bathing suit was a given, but what else?  I promptly launched a full-on Google search, complete with YouTube video analysis. I was not satisfied with the lack of coverage on this very important issue.  So, I finally settled on a bathing suit and wetsuit booties.  I must apologize if you were at the pool that day - it was perhaps the least fashionable hour of my life.  The booties go halfway up my calves and I was in my Nike racer-back one piece.  It is also winter and I am one pale redhead  - hope you were wearing sunglasses!  This was not all - ever prepared, I brought biker shorts - would I have to contend with a case of the plumber butt?

Finally, the day arrives, I enter the pool area in all my glory, and instead of the serious athlete-types I have come to expect in spin class, I was greeted with smiles likely from your gran.  And the outfit of choice? Generally floral in nature and non-racer back suits with water shoes.

The instructor threw a bike in the pool upon my arrival.  I dragged it into the remaining spot right up front.  It rocked on the bottom of the pool - which was to become my cross to bear for the next 60 minutes.  With the bikes all set-up - cue the Euro-pop.  Think Mr. Saxobeat, but not quite as catchy.  I have spent too much time listening to RPM tracks and become accustomed to the well-thought out tunes from our Tuesday/Thursday instructor, Cynthia, over at Spinning Music.

Perhaps my legs are strong from two to three spin classes a week, but I found the class less than challenging. I have a sneaking suspicion that I am not their target demographic.  This was further confirmed when we suddenly stopped pedaling to do odd arm movements for a whole song.  I believe this was the arm toning segment (completely unanticipated).  Honestly, the hardest part of the class was lifting the bikes out of the pool.  And the 20 laps I swam afterwards.  And trying to rein in my rogue water bottle that was determined to float away.

Needless to say, I will stick to spinning or swimming in the future!

Monday Musings Grab Bag

Below is a completely random collection of links, I hope you find one that piques your interest.

Art Fido - Photographic Series Showing What 200 Calories Looks Like in Different Foods

After using tools like MyFitnessPal to track my food and exercise, I have a fairly good sense of how many calories certain foods contain - especially the ones I eat regularly.  But, this photo series can be a little shocking when you actually see 200 calories on a plate - the Hershey Kisses and peanut butter were a particular let down.  On the other hand, that mountain of celery was shocking - I can't even begin to imagine eating all of that!

a pair & a space - Travel: My Favourite Books

As an avid reader and someone who loves to travel, I just loved the idea of this post and I appreciated the nod to Newfoundland with The Shipping News.

Living Low Carb - The Most Important Supplement for Your Health

You have probably noticed references throughout some of my posts to my love for probiotics.  I cannot imagine trying to cope with IBS without them.  This is quite an extensive post that explains some of the science behind what probiotics can do for your body and how certain foods like sugar can disrupt your gut flora.

Take it to the Barre

A few weeks ago JWow and I decided it was time to try "barre" class.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with barre, the class is rooted in ballet exercises at the barre.  It has a reputation as a tough workout and seems to be all the rage right now.  So, when an intro class became available at Core Essentials in Dartmouth, we thought we'd give it a whirl.

To be honest, when I thought of barre class I was pretty much channeling Centre Stage, Step Up and even Black Swan (just the dancing).  I felt like I was about to uncover my destiny as a tutu-adorned dancer, certain of being partnered with ripped men who were Channing Tatum look-alikes. JWow was a bit skeptical about this destiny.

As I arrived before class our instructor was finishing up a personal training class with all of Eminem's best songs as the soundtrack.  Little did I know that 'Till I Collapse would take on a new meaning in less than an hour.

Our instructor, Laurissa, made sure to give us a quick run through of the relevés, battements and other postures that we would need to know.  She also let us in on the secret to barre - that we would be working each side of our body to the point of exhaustion. I can assure you that she was not kidding.  We proceeded to do a series of exercises while using the barre for balance.  We started on the right side and then just when we thought we might truly collapse, we switched sides and did it all over again.

While the workout was quite effective, I had pictured something similar to that scene in Centre Stage where she attends a "fun" dance class whilst dancing to Billy Jean.  Unfortunately, the workout felt like just that - work.  I was searching for something that would not feel like something I had to push through.

Overall, I would try another barre class, but would try to find one that was a little more "dancey".  I did like the Core Essentials space and am headed there this weekend for my first kettlebell workout along with my workout partner JWow.

Also, in other news, I am participating in Spin4Kids with Goodlife Fitness on March 1st in Halifax. I am a strong believer in maintaining an active lifestyle and establishing healthy habits when young. In support of fighting childhood obesity my team, the Pedal Sweats, will be spinning for eight hours to help raise money for this cause.  I would be most grateful for your support.

Monday Musings and Giveaway Results

I have a lot I want to share with you over the next week or two, including reviews of Barre class and Hydro Ryder.  Stay tuned for those!

In other news, I wanted to announce the two winners of the Bimuno IBAID giveaways. Congratulations to Susan and Ross - please email me to claim your prize!  

As for this week's musings.  Well, where to begin?  On Saturday I "celebrated" my 29th birthday with one year experience.  I can't say I was overly pleased about this milestone, but I managed to make it through the day without breaking into tears.  Success! The worst moment was using the elliptical a day or two before my birthday and putting age 29 in there for the last time.  The second worst moment was when my husband and I were looking into symphony tickets and we found out that he could claim a discount for under 30, but I could not.  

On a more positive note I enjoyed pedicures with some of my lady friends, two lovely dinners, a play and a brunch.  I also received a new DSLR camera.  More on that below.  And without further ado, my links!  

Digital Photography School - The Ultimate Guide to Learning how to use your First DSLR

So first of all, wow excited and wow overwhelmed.  I was successful in opening the box and charging the battery.  I even attached the strap to the camera.  After that, I was lost, to say the least.  It has been a long time since I felt so ill-equipped to do something or to learn something new.  I followed the instructions for putting on the lens - 15 minutes later I was successful.  Then I tried to remove the lens.  That was a complete and utter mystery to me.  So much so that I had to turn to YouTube to find out how to remove it (it was so easy!).  I also turned to YouTube to learn how to use the monitor instead of the viewfinder.  Don't even get me started on all of those settings.  As a result, I sought out some beginner articles on using a DSLR and came across this one.  I can't wait to sit down and try some of this out.  I did snap a few pictures, with my model Hugo, of course!  

Eating Birdfood - 10 Healthy Smoothie Recipes

We are big smoothie lovers in this house and have one pretty much every day.  Recently we have been adding frozen kale and we have found out we prefer it over spinach in our smoothies!  But, every once in awhile it is nice to mix it up, so I was happy when I came across this post.  I am dreaming about the chocolate-covered strawberry and peanut butter and jelly smoothies - delish!

And Then We Saved - 26 Ways to Kickstart Your Inner Cheapskate

We are trying to kick our savings into high gear for a few home projects we would like to take on and are working on de-cluttering our lives.  De-cluttering is one of the goals I have set out for myself this year.  The first of these projects is to organize our utility room, which is currently in very dismal shape.  This particular post falls in-line with these goals.  

We have been working on a few of their suggestions already - for example, eat everything in the pantry. We haven't necessarily eaten everything in there, but we have really been working to clear out produce as much as possible instead of allowing it to land in the green bin. The go free suggestion seems a little daunting, but I had one major success this past week through GetGifted.  I claimed a gift for Foreign Affair in Halifax and discovered that my gift was a $50 gift card.  I was certainly excited about this, but was skeptical about whether or not I would find anything for $50.  Well, serendipity shone on me that day - I scored a pair of cobalt blue 7 For All Mankind skinny jeans (regularly priced at $295) from the "now or never" rack, marked down to $50 on a tax-free day.  I walked out of there without spending a cent and on a shopping high like no other!  

Monday Musings: Motivation Monday

Here are your links - I had so many to choose from this week.  With the return from Christmas break the blogging world has boomed again and there are many inspiring posts and posts that will help you get your butt in gear for 2014.  Hope you enjoy these!

Let's Make 2014 Your Best Year
Some of you who have seen my Facebook feed may have already watched this video, but in case you did not... watch.this.video.right.now - it is fabulous!  A friend of mine suggested it and to quote her it will put "the fire back in your belly".  Wow - what a description!  And if you think her description is good, just wait until you watch the video.  Not sure about you, but I have decided that 2014 is the year I take over the world (or at least my world) and this certainly gave me that extra push.

Green Plate Rule - Sunday Night Prep to Eat Clean All Week
In keeping with the taking over the world theme - or at least getting myself organized and my life under control, I thought this post was filled with great ideas to make healthier eating easier throughout the week.  Not only does she have great suggestions for getting organized and making quick meals, but I just adore that image of her organized fridge.  Need I say more?

Ghost Parties - Five for Redness
As a shout-out to my fellow pink-tinged, pale or redheaded friends out there, this post has some suggestions on products for reducing redness.  If only someone could find a product for blushing...

Glitter Guide - YouTube Channels for Exercise at Home
I do a lot of my workouts at the gym, mostly on a spin bike or yoga mat, but sometimes I like to mix it up and try some workouts at home.  This article gives you some suggestions on YouTube channels to check out.  I have recently tried Blogilates and have enjoyed it so far.  I also like Z-Wow and Sarah Fit.

Into the Gloss - Best Beauty Advice of 2013
This was a really interesting article to read.  Some of the perspectives are a little out-there, others are insightful.  I am especially intrigued by aqua cycling and love the references to epsom salt baths - I swear by them!

On a final note - if you haven't done so - ENTER my giveaway before it is too late.  Contest closes tomorrow.

Product Review: Bimuno IBAID

In early December I received a shipment of the Bimuno IBAID pre-biotic supplement to test out as an IBS sufferer.  First and foremost – I did receive samples of the supplement but did not receive any other compensation for this review.  The opinions expressed in this post are solely my own. 

What is it?  It is a supplement that works to restore the good bacteria in your gut and can help promote a healthy bowel.  It is a pre-biotic – as opposed to the more well-known pro-biotic.  Prebiotics can live longer in your digestive system and help to increase the good bacteria.  The other big difference between pre-and-pro-biotics is that prebiotics do not require refrigeration and most probiotics do. Click here for more answers to FAQs.

How much is it and where do I buy it?  The supplement is available directly through the Bimuno website and shipping is available internationally – specifically to Canada and the US.  To receive a three-month supply the cost would be $43.55 including shipping (90 chewable tablets). 

My review…

Normally, when I am approached to complete a product review I proceed with extreme caution, especially when supplements are involved.  Before deciding to try this out I did online research into other reviews and found that generally, they are extremely positive.  I do take probiotics on a daily basis and have come to view them as an essential part of my IBS maintenance.  In fact, they are so crucial that I double my intake whenever my IBS begins to act up.  After reading that the prebiotics would last longer in my system and that I didn’t have to remember to put them in the fridge – I was sold! 

I received a two-week supply to test out.  They are chewable tablets – similar to a wine gum in texture.  In terms of flavour – I can honestly say there is no flavour.  I realize this is an odd statement, but really, it is flavourless.  Trust me, if this tasted disgusting I would not have finished the package!  They were a bit chewier than I would have liked, but I do have jaw issues, so most people probably wouldn’t be bothered by this.  

I was in the middle of a short IBS episode when I began the supplement and the episode eventually tapered off.  I cannot say I noticed a difference while on the supplement, but it certainly did not make anything worse.  My symptoms were comparable to my regular probiotic routine (which I stopped during the two-week period I was taking Bimuno).  I would be interested to try it for a full month to see if things improved longer term.

Would I buy this?  If this was available in Canada for purchase from a drugstore or grocery store, then I would.  However, I would not purchase online because of the extra hassle and my fears of what the customs charges might be.  If I lived in the UK where it was readily available then I would definitely try it out for a longer period of time. 

Now, here is the part where I giveaway a two-week supply to two lucky readers so that you can test it for yourselves!  Please follow the giveaway directions below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
How do you manage your IBS?  Do you find supplements helpful?  If so, which ones do you take?

Monday Musings: Reflections on our Two Biggest Milestones

Instead of sharing links with you today I wanted to reflect a little on the past year.  I don't normally do this kind of thing, but this past year has been filled with change, so I thought this might be rather timely.

First of all, as you know, my husband and I bought our first house.  Becoming new homeowners has its own set of challenges and firsts.  This change has allowed us to begin many of our sentences with "you know you're an adult when...".  For example, "you know you're an adult when you spend Friday and Saturday night at Home Depot."  "You know you're an adult when you look forward to the flyer delivery."  

So, not only have we spent far too much time getting to know each aisle of Home Depot, but we have also learned many things, like what thermostats are for, how expensive oil heat is, how to patch drywall and we met our forever plumber named Barney.  We have also learned that a house cannot be decorated in one, six or even 12 months.  It is taking way longer than we thought to get our house pulled together!  Thank goodness for Ikea and spray paint.

And if buying a house wasn't exciting enough, we adopted our little (currently 70 lbs and counting) furbaby Hugo.  He is the light of our life, we adore him and our world revolves around him.  "You know you're an adult when you spend Sunday afternoons at puppy school."  "You know you're an adult when you have to clean up crap off your kitchen walls."

He has made us more active - we now look forward to walks in the torrential rain, because we know it will tire him out.  We have actually met our neighbours and refer to them like so: Mimi's mom, Shaggy's dad. We have explored our neighbourhood in ways we had never done before.  For once, we dread silence, it means he is eating something he shouldn't, like socks, or ant raid, or kleenex, or plastic bags, or any other paper or plastic product, or the bath mat, or my coupons, or my dayplanner.  

He has made the holidays so much more exciting.  He is thrilled with the wrapping paper, the bags, the glitter and the food.  He is convinced every package is for him.  

He got jealous when the people were hogging the cheeseball, so he stole it - briefly, but he did put it back. He did the same with the Munchie Mix - he had a small victory there.  He got halfway on the table and licked the flour off of the prepared surface ready for the pie crust.  He licked faster when he saw his Nana coming.  He pooped out her plaid sock this weekend. She was looking everywhere for that sock.  

But, most of all, Hugo has turned our house into a home.  He makes us laugh all the time, even when we are trying to be mad.  He is beyond easy going, even when the bathtub leaked onto his head below.  He is a healthy eater and will eat everything from garlic to broccoli, from bananas to coconut oil, from carob to flour, everything except celery or mint.  He loves his sleep and allows us to sleep in.  He cuddles when he is exhausted, otherwise, he just wants to follow us and be in on the action.  He loves children and adults, men and women and other dogs.  He is convinced everyone is madly in love with him.  We certainly are!  

We are looking forward to 2014 as Hugo grows into what will likely be 130 lbs of goofy, lovable fun.  

Monday Musings: December is upon us

It is hard to believe that December is finally upon us.  I guess I can no longer avoid Christmas music or decorations now that we are less than three weeks until the big day.  My husband and I checked out our first Christmas-related events this past weekend, first, I swung by the Halifax Crafters market on Saturday where I picked up a few items from Emma Fitzgerald and Jane Rovers, swoon!  I first saw Emma's work at the Timeraiser event in Halifax - I bid on one of her pieces but, unfortunately, did not win.

Last night my husband and I headed downtown to St. Paul's Anglican Church where we were treated to Wassail - hosted by the Halifax Music Co-op.  The venue was quite magical on a dark, cold December evening.  The music was beautiful and energetic and finally put me in the Christmas mood.

So, the links I have for you tonight are not at all related to Christmas and have no common theme, but I hope you still find something worth reading.

Popsugar Fitness - Stuffed from too much stuffing?  Yoga poses to ease digestion

As you are all aware I am a huge yoga fan and someone who suffers from digestive issues.  I can attest to the validity of these claims and hope that when your special Christmas pants can no longer contain your holiday indulgences that you strike a pose.

Cookin' Canuck - How to Freeze Quinoa

After accidentally making about eight cups of quinoa I had no choice but to find a way to freeze this stuff. Her methods truly work and reheat no problem, so waste not!

Momma's Gone City - Hello, World

A few weeks ago Theo and Beau captured our hearts as photos of this adorable duo spread quickly across social media.  If you have not met these two you are in for a cuteness overload!  In this post blogger, Jessica, comments on the overwhelming response to the friendship between her two babies.

Run Like a Grl - Tips for Running in the Winter

Ever since I ran the MEC 5k at Shubie Park a few months ago I have been trying to get back into running.  I have been keeping things around 3k roughly three times a week to slowly build back my leg strength.  I have also been dragging the fur baby with me on these runs.  It is clear to me that Bernese Mountain Dogs were not born to run.  Hugo's technique includes lying down in the middle of the road and refusing to move.  Or only running for treats.  And only until you give him the treat. As the weather gets colder I am adding more and more layers to my running attire and dreaming of warmer days.  Although most of these tips are pretty straight forward, I would also agree that they are pretty bang on.  Especially thumb holes - these are essential!

Loving the Fitbit

I want to talk fitness gadgets, particularly the Fitbit Flex.  I was toying with the idea of purchasing a Fitbit, Nike Fuelband or a Jawbone for the longest time, but when my physiotherapist prompted me to try it as part of my treatment I decided to take the plunge.  So, I thought I would share my thoughts with you about the device.

What is it?
Fitbit is like a really jazzed up pedometer that tracks your steps, your active minutes, sleep and calories burned.  It can also track your food intake similar to MyFitnessPal.

Depending on the model it may do a little more or a little less - for example, I have the Fitbit Flex which I can wear in the shower, but some of the older models are not waterproof.  The new Fitbit Force can track how many stories you have climbed in a day (kicking myself for not waiting two weeks!).  To find out more about how the technology works click here.

Why?
As many of my regular readers may know I seem to be cursed with constant injuries, so much so that I am now working with a different physiotherapist who specializes in fibromyalgia.  We are still unsure as to whether or not I have fibro; I only meet the criteria when my body is "flared up" (ie. I have a random, inexplicable long-term injury).

In a nutshell, her approach is to find out what my current abilities are for various types of movements (ex. endurance, lifting, range of motion) and then come up with a game plan to increase my abilities in areas that I am having trouble.  The main idea behind it is to determine what I am doing vs. what I am actually capable of.  Insert Fitbit here.  She wants to get a sense of how much I am moving (her hunch is possibly too much).

Love it or hate it?
I love love love it!  My physiotherapist may have created a monster in recommending this to me.  I am completely obsessed with this tool.  The device allows you to set a daily step count goal that you can change at any time.  I set mine at 13,000 per day, which, when achieved, works out to be the equivalent of roughly 9-10km.

Not only does it track your daily stats, but it emails you a weekly report with your averages for sleep, distance, calories burned and step count.  I have been using this device for six weeks and my average step count is 11,385 (a little bit shy of where I want to be).  My highest daily step count was 20,960 - which was on Thanksgiving weekend (Canadian) when we hiked Cape Split with Hugo.  So I am now hell bent on beating that record!

Would I recommend?  Most def!

I would love to hear from those of you who currently use the Fitbit or another similar device.  Do you find it helps you reach your goals?

Monday Musings: Some DIY Finds

Check out my musings for the week, which all seem to be DIY-inspired.  Hope you enjoy!

Simplified Bee - Organizing With Labels
I loved looking at the organizational eye-candy in this post.  I also promptly printed off the Staples coupon and made my way to label heaven.  I picked up a few labels for Christmas basket items and the hair ties (just ordered some new colours! let me know if you want to order some).

Brit + Co - 17 Ways to Bring Your Instagrams to Life
Like many of you, I also heart Instagram.  In fact, you can normally find me showcasing my beautiful beast Hugo as he provides me with daily entertainment. In terms of this list, I can personally vouch for Casetagram, I used this for a puppy-related anniversary gift for my husband.   We were both thrilled with the result.  The service was quick and the product was beautiful!  I really want to try BumbleJax, CanvasPop and Coastermatic.

Clean My Space - DIY Natural Home Deodorizers and Air Fresheners
As a result of a puppy-related incident this past weekend, I had an urgent need to find a natural deodorizer. This post came to my rescue!  We tried out the gingerbread concoction and it was a raging success!

Tea Time

IBS and tea is a topic I have yet to cover on this blog.  It isn't a treatment many doctors will discuss with you, so I happened upon tea quite by accident.  To read more you may want to check out some other bloggers, most notably Dr. Barbara Bolen of About.com.

Let me start off by saying that I'm not a tea or coffee drinker in any normal sense of the word. Most gastroenterologists advise against caffeine and I stick to this by sheer accident because I hate the taste and it gets me so revved up I can't function.  I'm a water girl 99.99 % of the time.  In recent years I have taken to experimenting with herbal teas as a digestive aid and have had mild success.

What do I use herbal teas for?  If I feel bloated, gassy or like I need to use the washroom I may look to drink a tea. Sometimes a glass of hot water will help, but I tend to have more success with tea.  My faves are as follows:

1. Mint:  This can be a little controversial, especially for those of you who have GERD (I do!).  If you have GERD then it can exacerbate your symptoms, but I have learned how much I can handle without causing problems.  I tend to buy organic mint or spearmint tea - it has no added caffeine or green tea.  My preference is David's Tea, but I also like the Refresh Tea at Starbucks - but not at home as it is far too expensive!  I tend to buy 100g from David's Tea and it will last me several months.

2.  Detox tea: I have only just begun to explore this tea, also from David's, so am still getting used to it.  The flavour is a little overwhelming, but it does appear to help with digestion.

3.  Pu'erh tea: These teas have a long history in China of helping with weight and digestion.  I'm still acquiring a taste for this; I'm having trouble getting on-board with the flavour; however, know that it works really well.  My favourite way to drink it is with some mint tea thrown in their to mask the flavour.

You can also make your own tea using freshly grated ginger, to find out more take a look at this article on IBS from Best Health.  For other home remedies that may help your IBS, take a look at this article on Discovery.

Do you use any herbal remedies to help manage your IBS or to aid in digestion?

Monday Musings: From Eminem to Coady

Well hello November!  Are we really in November?  It would appear that it is essentially Christmas as it dawned on me while in Michael's that Christmas carols were being played over the stereo system.  Sigh. Which leads me into my links, only one of which has a Christmas reference - I promise!

It's Overflowing - Home Organization Ideas - November

With Christmas around the corner and our holiday party to plan for, it is very clear that we need to get our butts moving and get organizing.  I love how she organized her kitchen and know that I need to spend time reading about how to de-clutter.

From Fries to Fit - Homemade Protein Bars

Given my lack of carnivorous desire, I am constantly looking for ways to increase the amount of protein in my diet.  I can't say I'm a fan of store-bought protein bars except the Honey Stinger Protein Bars, which aren't too bad, but I always try to find ways to make things at home.  With that, my brother, and fellow blogger over at the Daly Dose On Sports came over to test out this protein bar recipe.  We also tried these from Oh She Glows - I have yet to find a dud recipe on her blog!  Both recipes were good; however, I found the pumpkin bars a little bland - but I think they could be jazzed up by adding raisins or some nuts.  As for the Oh She Glows squares?  They are a-maz-ing!  This is a must try recipe!

I wanted to give a shout out to the new Eminem album out this week; I have been listening and loving it. (Never had any doubt that I would adore it!).  Rolling Stone pens an article about the success of the album thus far.

Another shout out goes to Lynn Coady who won the Giller Prize for her collection of short stories Hellgoing. I have yet to read the collection but will definitely pick it up to see for the words that won it for my fellow Nova Scotian.  Maclean's points out the timing of the win, one month after Alice Munro won the Nobel Prize - where fiction is traditionally dominated by the novel. The Toronto Star also examines this feat and wonders about an increase in popularity for the short story.

Monday Musings: Week 11

Welcome back to Monday Musings.  I took a bit of a break as October got a little busy with Thanksgiving and then a road trip to Cape Breton for a friend's wedding at beautiful Cabot Links. We loved our time at the Links and hope that we can get back there next summer.  The rooms were lovely and clean and the food was outstanding.

While in Inverness we enjoyed the Dancing Goat Café for a gorgeous breakfast and take-away treats.  We also dined in the Cabot Bar and at Panorama (both at Cabot Links) for the wedding feast.  My husband's mind was blown by their Duck Poutine and I finally landed in heaven via this delectable chocolate cake!

Contrary to what you may assume from reading the above, we did take a few breaks from eating. As it is pretty much a crime not to hike the Cabot Trail if you are in Cape Breton in the fall, we made sure to fit two trails into our schedule.  Below are a few snapshots from the two trails we did - Franey and Skyline.

Below are my musings from the week, happy reading!

ViralNova - 18 Paintings You Won't Believe Aren't Photographs

I am truly amazed by anyone with artistic talent.  These are all beautiful, I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

Stonemuse - Make Your Own Calendar

I do not speak Danish, but I can figure out how to follow a link if it leads me to beautiful paper products, especially ones that can be customized and are organizational tools!  I wasted so much time and had so much fun on this website.  So tempted to order one, will have to see if they ship to Canada!

Jamie Magazine - Quiche Leekraine

My husband is starting a new job soon, which means we will finally be on a similar schedule! Hello sleep and normal meals!  We have begun planning out our meals and are trying to add in a few choices we wouldn't normally eat, so we are giving quiche a whirl tonight.

Monday Musings: Thanksgiving Weekend

Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Canadians and Columbus Day to my American readers.  My husband and I celebrated with my family last week, which allowed us to spend quality with our fur baby this weekend. We spent most of our time doing yard work and hiking Cape Split with our little mountain dog.

Hugo absolutely loved the trail despite his exhaustion by the end.  He saw tons of squirrels, dogs, people and two horses and left completely content and muddy.

This has been the perfect holiday weekend in Nova Scotia; the weather was ideal for spending the days outside.

Here are my links for you this week ...

Girl Versus Dough - Pumpkin Coconut Yogurt Waffles

I made these for breakfast today with some leftover pumpkin from last weekend.  I did change up the recipe a little bit (substituting some protein powder instead of flour, peach yogurt instead of coconut yogurt), but these turned out absolutely amazing.  My husband ate six.  Love, love, love - would highly recommend that you try these!

PopSugar - Post Work Yoga Sequence Designed for Desk Dwellers

I bookmarked this one straight away given that I spend far too much time chained to a desk.  This will be extremely useful to me and likely to most of you.

Sarah Fit - Healthy Halloween Candy You Can Buy

I have yet to investigate the availability of some of these in Canada, but I am hoping that some have made their way up here so I can eat candy and feel a tiny bit less guilty!

Happy reading!

Lyndin

Monday Musings: Week 9

Over the weekend I ran my first 5k - the Run or Dye event in Halifax, Nova Scotia at Ski Martock. It was a great first race as the focus was fun and no one was worrying about time.  I ran the whole thing, stopped a few times to stretch out my shin splints thanks to some of those hills, but aside from that I did great.  Of course, being me, I managed to twist my ankle within 30 seconds of our heat because of a pothole, but kept on running.

Pre-race dye-fun (I cannot take credit for this photo - thanks to my running buddy!)

The highlight was the little boy dressed up as Spider Man just cruising past everyone. He couldn't have been more than six years old, but was clearly loving life and bringing a smile to everyone he passed on the trail! The other highlight was a successful run free of IBS intervention - which was enough for a celebratory happy dance for me!

Hope you had a great weekend, here are this week's links ...

The Unworldly Travelers - 5 Reasons I Will Make Travel a Priority for My Kids

I absolutely love this post and agree with her wholeheartedly.  Thanks to my parents, I have been lucky enough to travel in Canada and the United States throughout my childhood.  In addition to our family trips, my parents also encouraged me to learn a second language - being Canadian I obviously learned French.   Because of this recommendation I completed two degrees in French and had the opportunity to study abroad in France where I met my American husband.  The decision to learn another language has impacted my life in so many positive ways and has instilled in me a desire to travel, to understand other cultures and to learn about culture through another language.  For this reason, I think number three on her list is my favourite and I know that these will be words to live by as I continue through life.

Everything A La Mode - Chocolate Covered Almonds

So, if I were to have an addiction, it would be chocolate (this may already be the case).  One of my favourite spots in Halifax is the Choco-Café - they carry a ton of beautiful chocolates in addition to their café menu. My favourites are the Almondos and the Rasberry Cheesecake - but honestly, I love them all.  They also have a discount for those who work in the area - score!  My most recent discovery there is their chocolate covered almonds - with cocoa dusting!  Absolutely delicious.  My only problem is that I go there far too often, so, the link I have for you today is something that you can do at home that may compare (minimally) to the wonders of the Choco-Café (if you are ever in Halifax - you must go).

A Well Traveled Woman - If Tomorrow Women Woke Up...

This is not necessarily a post, but rather, a nugget of wisdom.  I hope you enjoy.

Happy reading!

Lyndin

Monday Musings: Week 8

I have officially succumbed to the temptation.  I have had a gluten-filled weekend.  Honestly, I couldn't take it any more; I was dreaming of it, I was skipping meals because there was nothing I felt like eating unless it was filled with gluten.  I have had pizza, garlic fingers and baguette.  And they were all flipping-amazing.  How do I feel?  Honestly, my guts revolted on the weekend; however, I don't believe gluten is to blame.  This has been a weekend of indulgence that started with a Breaking Bad and Boardwalk Empire Friday night catch-up session, a great night turned fabulous thanks to our favourite pizza joint.  I broke at the thought of consuming a gluten-free pizza, I couldn't bring myself to do it.  So, I wildly ate cheesy dough with garlic and pineapple and tomato sauce  - and I loved it.  The weekend continued with Garlic Fest, drinks with friends and more melted cheese.

Oddly enough, today has been the calmest IBS day in recent memory.  The jury is still out as to whether or not gluten is to blame for some of my other symptoms (chronic pain, inflammation, etc.), but my suspicions suggest no.

So, away from my gluten tangent and back on topic - today's musings ...

Successful Blog - 5 (more) Apps That Make My Business Life Easier

I have been following Liz Strauss since I joined Twitter, I often find great posts on her blog and valuable content through her Twitter feed.  This particular post features useful apps for your professional life. Since reading this post I have been trying out Sunrise Calendar and 30/30.  I find myself putting more into the calendar just to see if those cute little icons pop up!

The Sartorialist - On the Street - Astor Place, New York

I joined Bloglovin' a few months back and have found tons of new-to-me blogs, this being one of them.  The clotheshorse in me is drawn to Scott Schuman's images.  This one I really loved, both for the outfit and for the story behind the woman.  This image left me wondering who she was talking to and whether or not she had any idea she was being photographed.

theKitchn (Apartment Therapy) - 5 Very Real, Very Sad Lunches from Sad Desk Lunch

This post is just plain hilarious - I could not believe some of these - mainly the fries and bourbon - lunch of champions!  This was my laugh of the day and hopefully yours!

Monday Musings: Week 7

This week's post got sidelined for a little bit thanks to the Houdini move my lovely fur baby pulled when I let him out to pee earlier this evening.  It ended with a chase scene (and an unindentified brown object flopping out of his mouth) through the woods, accompanied by expletives that I can only hope the neighbourhood children did not hear.  This was followed by an early departure on my part for my tea date and his early entry into his crate - no treat for him.  As I write this he is trying to eat the zipper on my jacket and all I can think about are the germs floating around his mouth from that unidentified brown object.

He's lucky he's cute!

So, to re-focus this post, I thought I would share a few successes and failures from my recent musings.  I tried two recipes from last week's Monday Musings - the Almond Snack Bars and the Brown Rice Cranberry Chews from The Brunette Bit.  The verdict?  I will definitely be making these again!  Of course, I had to alter them a little bit because I have a condition and cannot help but change perfectly good recipes.  I did give the Chocolate Avocado Pudding a whirl from week 2, but did not love it; however, not wanting to waste it I added it to my morning protein smoothie and it was a raging success!  

I also spray painted my Ikea Marius Stool a beautiful aqua colour - I wanted to use the hack I linked to on week 3 of this series, but could not find a round swing plate, so I just went colour crazy and am glad I did!

Gluten Free On A Shoestring - Old Fashioned Gluten Free Cornbread

This link stems from my gluten-free experience thus far.  It centers around my desire to find a suitable bread substitute.  I have tried many, but they all end in stronger longings for a baguette.  I am completely weirded out by the flour substitutions in gluten-free bread and baking recipes - I have no interest in buying several different kinds of flour and combining them into some sort of mess that somewhat resembles bread - but really doesn't.  So, any baking I have done focuses on almond meal or something completely flour-free.  In the end, I just want to be able to find a way to eat a proper piece of garlic bread.  I really need garlic bread. Not quite sure how much longer I will stay on this, I have not noticed a difference in my IBS or my possible fibromyalgia.  For this reason, if I introduce it back in and there is no terrible reaction then I will be gluten all the way - bring on lovely, fluffy white bread.  Can you tell I have a slight fixation?

Manger - Market Days

Mimi pens a beautiful blog with stunning photographs that tell the tale of her life in Médoc, France. Not only does she have delicious-looking recipes, her posts about life in Médoc transport you into her world.  Personally, this made me long for Angers, France where I studied for a year and met my husband.  We have only been back once since, but dream of owning a home there and living the life eating fresh produce, drinking wine and generally basking in the French language and French culture.  Mimi was able to bring me there, if only for a few minutes.

Lifescoop - 5 Awesome Apps to Help Revamp Your Home Decor

We are currently obsessed with trying to pull the house together - fixing things and placing furniture, trying to figure out how to make it our own without spending a small fortune.  This article definitely caught my eye; it looks like there are a few in there that even my husband will use!

Monday Musings: Week 6

I am really exciting about the links this week.  There should be something for everyone, from education to fitness and of course, for the foodie.

The Brunette Bit - 5 Healthy Snack Recipes for Any Girl

I have been searching high and low for a recipe I used back in March.  It was a healthier version of rice crispie squares - they were so good that you really didn't miss the marshmallows!  So, after copious amounts of Google searching, I happened upon this post and think that her brown rice and cranberry chews are as close as I will find to that elusive recipe.  I cannot wait to test it out to see if it is similar.  I am also dreaming about those almond snack bars and the nut mix.  The good thing is - most of these are gluten-free!

Common Cents Mom - Get a Free Education at Some of the World's Best Schools

I absolutely love this blog and always find her posts quite useful.  I have always loved school, so much so that I haven't stopped taking classes, even after completing two degrees!  I am currently pursuing a diploma in public relations through Ryerson University.  So, the idea of taking classes from Harvard without the shock to my wallet - well, it got me really excited!

Bikini Body Mommy - Stretching, the Foam Roller, and Performing SMR

I am not overly familiar with this blog, but the author has been able to complete an incredible weight-loss transformation.  This blog is filled with daily workouts, recipes and personal accounts. The post I am sharing with you today is about foam rolling - I am sure many of you have a love-hate relationship with the foam roller (I certainly do!); however, it can be extremely beneficial.  For those of you who have not yet tried this, it can be really helpful.  This post shows a few good moves to target some of the more painful areas (IT bands! ouch!).

Monday Musings: Week 5

I have made a few changes over the past week that have affected some of my link selections below.  The first change is that I am giving a gluten-free diet a whirl.  I would love to see a day when I don't have to buy Costco-sized toilet paper, or a time when I don't have to see my massage therapist every two weeks without fail.  On Tuesday I will be one week gluten-free and I have to say - I am jonesing for some wheat like I have never jonesed before.  I am dreaming of a huge slab of white bread from Smith's Bakery with tons of melted butter and homemade jam and peanut butter. However, I have not yet broken, so will keep at this for a month to see if I notice any difference.

In addition, I am giving running another chance.  I have rebuilt the muscles in my legs with spin class three times a week over the past eight months or so and am aiming to do the Run or Dye 5k challenge at the end of September.  This will be the third race I have registered for, but I am hoping to not be injured for this one so that I can actually run.  I have done two runs this week, one of which was a treadmill run at slightly under 4k and another 5.5k pavement run.  I took precautionary measures and iced my knees after each run and have had luck so far.  Fingers crossed this will continue!

Popsugar - 400 Calorie Tush-Toning Interval Workout

In honour of the re-introduction of running into my life, I am aiming to tackle this workout later this week.

Centsational Girl - DIY Personalized Notecards

I have a great love for stationery.  I obsess over letterpress, lined envelopes, 100% cotton notecards, envelope seals, monograms and more.  I love the idea of being able to create a notecard to my own specifications.  For times when I feel the need to indulge, my go-to source is Erika Firm at Delphine - she is brilliant and her work is top-notch - particularly the letterpress.

Oh She Glows - Quick 'n Easy No-Bake Protein Bars

My cravings for wheat have me dreaming of not only bread, but pretty much any type of pastry or baked good.  This looks like a viable option that contains two of my non-wheat favourite things in life - peanut butter and chocolate!

Sprinkle of Glitter - Baby Glitter at 2 Years

This is just too cute for words, I had to add it in!  I love the "loves" section, it made me smile!