FINALLY!!!!

A beach day happened.

WOO HOOOOO!!! About time!!

While I was perched on my blanket soaking up some much needed Vitamin D, in the form of copious amounts of Sunshine, I got to thinking about how great swimming is for exercise.

And even more specifically how you can turn what might otherwise be a boring, monotonous stroke into a fun round of interval training.

Interval Training? While Swimming?

How, when you can’t time yourself and know when to go fast and go slow?

I figured out a great way to make it work, even without that waterproof watch (that you probably wouldn’t be able to hear the beeps on anyway).

Here’s how:

So get out there and have some rippin’ fun in that ocean or lake!

And get your Interval Training in while you’re at it!

Oh, and by the way… after I shot this video a huge bank of clouds rolled in and the wind picked up which all cut our beach day short by at least 2 hours … !!

Sigh.

It’s coming for REAL eventually … right?

I hope you guys are having a warmer, sunnier Summer than I’m having.

But in the meantime…

Have a fit, fun and fantastic day.
Girlwithnoname

12989

The clocks changed last weekend!!!!

Daylight Savings Time is upon us!

It’s SUMMER !!!

Okay, okay, not quite. I’m jumping the gun cuz I’m so excited.

But it’s really on it’s way now!

You know what Summer means!!!

Longer days !

And you know what longer days mean!

Lighter evenings !

… and lighter evenings means we get to go PLAY OUTDOORS more!!

So many new possibilities to have fun and stay fit at the same time !

The possibilities for fun things to do outdoors and in the evenings that can keep you fit are ENDLESS!!

Evening powerwalks, evening runs or interval training, playing frisbee after work, hiking, swimming in the ocean or lake, evening baseball, football or soccer matches.

Heck, you can even drag your equipment out to the backyard and do some weight training by sunset!

So, get out there! That’s what Daylight Savings Time and Summer are for!

Have a fit, fun and fantastic day.
Girlwithnoname

12262

Ah, Hawaii! I’m gonna miss you.

But at the same time I’m kinda glad to be home and back to regular life.

I was there last week with my client who wanted to make sure he got his workouts in while on holiday.

Hawaii really is PARADISE.

The scenery was fantastic.

The condo was great with two balconies and lots of room to move around plus a kitchen where we cooked a healthy breakfast for ourselves every morning before heading out to experience the sun, surf, scenery (and a little shopping).

Honolulu has LOTS of great dining … our favourite place was Duke’s on Waikiki Beach.

They had (by far) the BEST fish tacos I’ve ever eaten (and we ate them every single day from our perch on our beach chairs, that’s how good they were). And they only serve grass-fed beef. I was surprised by that, and I don’t think I’ve ever eaten a better piece of steak in my life. I highly recommend you visit Duke’s (often) if you’re heading to Honolulu.

But we weren’t all just in ‘sitting around on holidays’ mode … and yah, we did a lot of that too … but, we found some great ways to keep active as well.

- We swam

- We climbed Diamond Head (faster than anyone else on that darned mountain, incidentally)

- We did push-ups in the sand

- We did under-water handstands in the ocean (do you realize how hard that is with the waves pushing you around? LOL)

- We did cartwheels everywhere we could (okay, so it was only me that did that).

Here’s a few more deets!

There are tons and tons of ways to keep active and fit when you’re on holiday, so use your imagination like we did …

… and keep yourself moving AND having fun, every minute of your holiday…

… ok, well as much as possible between lounging on the beach and dining on fabulous food …

And don’t forget too, that if you look for it, you CAN find some pretty great healthy meals at your holiday destinations that will keep you from feeling deprived but keep your waistline intact.

Keep your meals to things like grilled seafood and lean meat, fruit, vegetables and delicious salads (and wow, grassfed beef if you get as lucky as we did at Duke’s).

Thanks again to Hawaii (and to my client) for a fantastic time.

Hawaii, I really will miss you dearly …

… and mark my words … “I WILL BE BACK!”

Have a fit, fun and fantastic day.
Girlwithnoname

9280

Phew. I’m pooped.

I’ve been working out hard all week.

… and when I say “HARD” I mean that during any spare time I have at all, I’m moving … with intensity … somehow …

Weight Training, Running, Swimming …

More Weight Training … More Swimming … More Running …

That’s Summer for you.

But, my body seems to be fighting back all of a sudden.

Dang it.

I might be “Over-Training”.

What do you think?

So, even though I think you’ll agree that I DO need a rest, since I have a little holiday coming up in a week, I’ll still continue to work out this week.

But I’m going to dial down the intensity so I don’t burn out completely … or heaven forbid … hurt myself.

Then, next week I’m gonna try to get some good recovery under my belt.

And the week after that, once I’m refreshed and (let’s face it) once I’m climbing the walls from TOO MUCH inactivity (which I surely will be doing after a whole week of ‘chill-axing’), I’ll be back to kick it HARD again (like I so love to do).

… cuz by then, I’ll be (more than) ready … and so will my brain and body.

I can hardly wait!

See ya soon!

Have a fit, fun and fantastic day.
Girlwithnoname

9004

545 451 (viddler dimensions)

Always in a rush and feel like you’ve got no TIME to ‘eat healthy’?

Well, I’ve got news for you …

It does NOT take that long to whip up a healthy, nutritious and downright YUMMY meal.

After a long day spent getting in a hard strength-training workout and then hours and hours at the beach doing one of my favourite forms of cardio (swimming in the ocean), I got home kind of late …

… and famished!!! That’s a lot of exercise in one day.

Naturally, I wanted to eat as soon as possible without ruining this great day of healthy activity by dumping some kind of caloric and unhealthy fast food into my body.

So, I whipped up a delicious meal of grilled bison (sometimes also known as “buffalo”), grilled red peppers and asparagus with a luscious green salad.

How long would you estimate that took me to prepare?

I was eating hours later, you might assume.

Nope.

Come with me now and find out …

There ya have it.

PROOF!! Easy, delicious, nutritious and speedy.

No more using ‘too busy’ as the excuse not to eat healthy, am I right?

Yes. I am right!!

Oh! And as I mentioned in the video, I’m not very experimental when it comes to more complicated recipes. I tend to eat fairly simply (mostly due to lack of imagination when it comes to what foods taste good mixed together into one recipe) …

HOWEVER … if you like to get a bit more jiggy with it in the kitchen and love to try out new recipes but still want to keep it healthy, nutritious AND delicious, I have something for you that will be right up your alley.

Have you checked out the Anabolic Cooking Cookbook and Nutrition Guides yet?

I just discovered it all a few days ago, so checked it out right away to see if it’s actually any good.

Let me tell you it is a FANTASTIC resource that contains tons of valuable nutrition information and a HUGE number of great muscle building and fat loss recipes (over 200) that are healthy, nutritious, natural AND yummy. If you haven’t seen it yet, check it out right away!

==> Find out more about The Anabolic Cooking Cookbook Now!!

Have a fit, fun and fantastic day.
Girlwithnoname

8921

Clouds today. Again.

Yep, STILL no Summer in Vancouver.

Am I letting it get me down?

Yah… a little. I admit it.

Summer is my season and I’m really missing my yearly bout of running to the beach and back (and running ON the beach), swimming in the ocean and enjoying a little laziness lying around in the hot sunshine (after my daily workout always, just to be clear).

And while it’s been far too cloudy to bother going to the beach, it’s also been flat out WAY too cold to bother trying to swim in the ocean.

Yah, I feel like I’m being RIPPED OFF this year.

However, I had a little unexpected treat today!

Today was a pre-scheduled cardio day and Timed Intervals were on the agenda.

So I grabbed my handy dandy little Gymboss Interval Timer and together we hit the road (errr… the Seawall) for a good hard bout of HIIT (high intensity interval training).

And as I ran, I had a vision and inspiration hit me…

Always keep your eyes peeled for an opportunity to do something FUN that will get your body MOVING!!!

Listen, the REAL secret to getting fit and STAYING THAT WAY is to find things you LOVE to do that keep you moving … and then GO DO IT … REGULARLY!

And it won’t be the same thing for everybody… what YOU love to do might be something someone else HATES to do.

So, don’t use others as your benchmark, just go find the thing YOU love and get on with it …

Love to swim? Go do it.

Love to play soccer? Go… Do… It…

Love to play catch with your kids? GO!! DO!! IT!!

Find something that makes you move that you LOVE to do, and just go do it for pete’s sakes …

And never stop looking for NEW ways to get out there, get moving and have fun with it !!!

Have a fit, fun and fantastic day.
Girlwithnoname

8121

Hey everyone… how’s it going? Summer’s back in Vancouver and I’m racing to the beach for an unexpected hot sunny beach day!! Yippeeeeeee!!!

But, before I head out I thought I’d better catch you up on me a bit. Been super busy with a lot of computer work on a new venture I can’t wait to show you guys (soon… soon… very soon!!), as well as doing a whole bunch of training with clients, both offline here in Vancouver as well as online. If you’re new here and haven’t checked out that banner at the top of the page yet, I invite you to pop in there and check out what I’ve got on offer on my Online Fitness Coaching page! Would love to hear from you.

I’ve changed up my routine again and finally… its OFFICIAL!! I can now chest press my 35lb dumbbells!! Woo Hoo!!! It only took me months to be able to get those babies up 3 sets in a row, for all my reps!! I’m very proud of myself!

…and finally… what’s going on with my computer that’s never worked right since I bought it in April? Don’t get me started… but feel free to check out my latest diatribe below!!

Oh, and today’s Workout Song of the Day has been chosen in honour of the (damn) computer. The thing is Trash, and I want HP to replace it. Seriously. Do not ever buy an HP… you’ll regret it. I know I will never, ever buy another HP. Not so much because the computer is garbage but because while their service is fine… the guy is polite and trying to be helpful, although failing miserably), their PROBLEM RESOLUTION procedures suck like nobody’s business…

So, because the computer is Trash, here’s a SONG called “Trash”… its a great song for weight training OR cardio… it’s full of angst and has a great beat too… enjoy!!

THE WHIP – Trash

Don’t forget, if you love it you can buy it fast by clicking on the “Buy” button on the player widget above.

That’s it for today. Let’s keep our fingers crossed for just… one… more… beach… day… tomorrow!! eeeeeeee!!!! A girl can hope, can’t she??

See ya soon!
Girlwithnoname



]]> http://www.girlwithnoname.com/2009/09/computers-new-programs-and-coaching-oh-my/feed/ 4 http://www.girlwithnoname.com/2009/08/blame-the-computer/ http://www.girlwithnoname.com/2009/08/blame-the-computer/#comments Sat, 22 Aug 2009 21:20:05 +0000 Girlwithnoname http://www.girlwithnoname.com/?p=2235

Hey everyone… sorry I’ve been gone as long as I have… as you can read in the Title: you can BLAME THE COMPUTER!!! I’m traumatized really.

Plus I catch you all up on what I’ve been up to with workouts and how my forehead is healing since I banged into the barrier at the pool last week! D’oh!! I also touch on when is an appropriate time to be changing up an average weight-training routine… cuz I’m way overdue to change up my own.

Here’s today’s Workout Song of the Day. While I was running today it came on my mp3 player and while its not a hard driving beat or angst-ridden, its still a good running song for me, just because its so moody it takes my head to places unknown, which seems to have an effect on how hard I run. Plus the title is apropo for working out … if YOU think the minutes drag while you’re working out, they won’t drag as slowly with this awesome song playing! I’ve never met a Love and Rockets song I didn’t love.

LOVE AND ROCKETS – Haunted (When The Minutes Drag)

Don’t forget, if you love it too, you can go get it for yourself by clicking on the buy button on the player widget.

That’s it for today. I’m lucky I got this one out, no thanks to this fabulous (not) computer of mine.

Have a great weekend everyone!
Girlwithnoname



]]> http://www.girlwithnoname.com/2009/08/blame-the-computer/feed/ 0 http://www.girlwithnoname.com/2009/08/bike-rides-and-swimming/ http://www.girlwithnoname.com/2009/08/bike-rides-and-swimming/#comments Wed, 19 Aug 2009 21:03:29 +0000 Girlwithnoname http://www.girlwithnoname.com/?p=2203

Hey everyone… I had a little unexpected treat last night… as I sat on my balcony during the early evening with my laptop feeling pretty much burned out and frustrated, lo’ and behold my ‘once a week at the gym workout buddy’ Jeff got ahold of me and said he was heading out for a bike ride around Stanley Park and a swim in the Second Beach Pool while the Tuesday Night Drum Circle Gathering played their weekly bang-fest… and did I want to join him?

um… YES!!!!! LOL

Seriously … THANKS JEFF, I think you may have saved my sanity with that invite.

We had a great ride around the 8 mile perimeter of the park, just blazing as fast as we could (in other words: LEGS BURNING) and got to the pool in time to catch the final half hour sunset swim… I swam my heart out in the laps lane (in other words: ARMS BURNING).

WHAT A TREAT!

I hardly ever get out in the evenings to do fun, physical stuff so today was a huge bonus, considering I also got my usual weights workout done in the morning.

Here’s the aftermath!!

Oh, and for the record, I don’t actually advocate swimming in chlorinated pools. I think chlorine is horrible stuff and should be avoided as much as possible (filter your drinking water too, your government most likely puts it in your tap water). However, tonight was a special occasion (ie, I got out of the house for a change) and heck, sometimes you just gotta loosen up and live life a little bit, right? So today I made an exception to my “I only swim in lakes or the ocean” rule just for the sheer fun of it (kinda like when you have a cheat meal and take a break from your nutrition plan…). One can’t be rigid 100% of the time or it just gets to be no fun. So if you’re in hard-core adherence mode don’t forget to treat yourself once in a while!!

Also, if you want to check out Jeff’s handiwork for yourself, don’t forget he’s at www.jeffkee.com. Or tweet him on Twitter… his handle is @jeffkee… he’s a super guy with some serious web design skillz…!!! Maybe he’s the answer to all your website problems, but you won’t know until you check him out for yourself.

…and finally here’s today’s Workout Song of the Day… chock full of angsty stuff, which as you all know by now, makes it GREAT for weight lifting…I’m still trying to get cute with the song matching the post and seeing as Jeff got me out and helped save my sanity today, I thought a song called “Save Yourself” would be fitting!!! I really must remember to get myself out in the evening for some fun, physical stuff more often… it really is sanity inducing!! haha…

Anyway, without further ado, here’s the song (the sample is safe but the entire song is explicit, so if you buy it please don’t play near the kiddies or at work):

STABBING WESTWARD – Save Yourself

Don’t forget, if you love it, you can buy it for yourself by clicking through to Amazon from the player.

That’s it for today. Have a GREAT day, and we’ll see you again very soon!

Girlwithnoname



]]> http://www.girlwithnoname.com/2009/08/bike-rides-and-swimming/feed/ 1 http://www.girlwithnoname.com/2009/07/vancouver-summer/ http://www.girlwithnoname.com/2009/07/vancouver-summer/#comments Mon, 27 Jul 2009 21:40:58 +0000 Girlwithnoname http://www.girlwithnoname.com/?p=2061

Hey Everyone…well Summer is going full force here in Vancouver these days… its been lovely, HOT and… gah! working out is HARD!! haha… fortunately there’s always options and I took full advantage of a little pool party with the nephews on the weekend… and then took a couple of hours to catch up with my best bud while we powerwalked around the Seawall the next day… so still keeping at it…I’m not one to let a little thing like Summer Heat get me hiding under some tree ignoring my workouts!!

here’s that video of Vancouver on Saturday that I mentioned … it was quite the day, going from sunny and beautiful all the way to major storminess, gorgeous fire-red sunset and finally two fireworks displays… one from Mother Nature AND a man-made one from the South African team that competed in this year’s Celebration of Light…I only wish this video was longer…it really was spectacular.

And don’t forget!! I’m over on FaceBook now… come hit me up, I desperately need new friends!! HAHA!!!

Girlwithnoname on FaceBook

and finally, today’s Workout Song of the Day … a little ditty that is really great for Cardio with its energy and driving rhythm … and as usual I’m trying to be clever and tie my Song of the Day in with the theme of the post:

DARUDE – Sandstorm
… hey, its the best I could do ok? I didn’t have a song called “Lightning Storm” haha!!!

Don’t forget, if you like the song and want it for your own workout collection, the widget clicks thru to Amazon… no muss, no fuss!!! You’ll own it in like 3 clicks (or 4 … um … maybe 5! .. haha)

Have a great week everyone!! We’ll see you again soon!!
Girlwithnoname



]]> http://www.girlwithnoname.com/2009/07/vancouver-summer/feed/ 0