Shannon White's Will Do List 2014!

Shannon's 2014 Will Do List!

Fitness

1.      Continue working hard with my trainer/ coach. After my first 10 sessions are up, evaluate if I want to take a break for golf season and follow my program then go back in the fall and work with him again?

2.     NO more focusing on the scale! I will weigh myself at the 1^st of every month starting January 1^st 2014.

3.      My goals are to see the inches fall off and build strength seeing my body tighten and body fat decrease. By March 16^th, I should start to see results.

4.      Commit to 4 days a week in the gym, and 1 day a week with my trainer.

5.      Sunday food prep to continue, eat clean all week and allow myself cheat meals when I want within reason, and not feel guilty about it.

6.      I WANT to feel amazing and 100% confident in a bikini this summer! This goal was about 60% attained in my 2013 Will Do, NO EXCUSES for this summer!

 Personal

1.     Love myself, look in the mirror everyday and tell myself that I am beautiful and deserving of everything great in life. Be 100% confident with myself and my body. It's the only one I got, I need to ROCK it.

2.   Be open to LOVE again this year. I found love in 2013, and experience heartbreak too. I am strong, and I want to find love again in 2014. My heart is open.

3.      If i enter into any new relationship in 2014, my will do for myself is that I need to keep my health and fitness goals in place and not let my partner railroad my dreams and goals.

4.      I won't settle for less anymore, in a partner I want them to adore me, to love me, and to tell me I'm the best part of their day. No more settling!

5.      I will go on an adventure in my JEEP! I'd like to travel to Alberta and see the mountains and visit Jasper.

6.      I will ride my mountain bike more than once this year. Time to take it out and get it muddy with the JEEP.

7.      I will take my new found strength from training and apply it to my golf game. I want to break 100 on every golf game this season. My strength will help me with my game. I want to be focused and not sloppy!

Financial

1.      I want to start saving money. Get back on a budget pay off my credit card and save towards a house! I really want to buy a Husky puppy, but I can't until I have a yard!

Career

1.      I want to finally finish my Disability 303 course by the end of the year.

2.      2013 was an amazing year for working with new clients. I built up my business by about 70% from the year before. I want to work with lots of new clients this year. I love helping people, and I love what I do.

2014 will be a year of fitness and personal goals for me. Strong is the new SKINNY! I want to be strong and sexy in 2014! I'm going to ROCK my 30's... Whoop Whoop!

Kim Lee's Will Do 2014!

Will Do2014

Personal

1.This year we are going to take a minimal of 2 trips.

-Planning for Mexico in March J

-Heading to Vancouver in August.

-Hopefully sneak in a trip to Phoenix.

2. Simplify/clean my life.

- Lose the excess junk in my home, and create a clean up list to tackle each room in the house.

- Drop poor relationships and create stronger ones.

3. Come from a place of yes, unless it conflicts with my simplify.

4. Don’t rush, enjoy the day and moment. Hold doors for strangers and be kind in general, as it makes a difference.

 

 

5. Create a better self image.

- Don’t be so hard on myself.

- Allow for spontaneity.

6. Show appreciation to loved ones through words or kind gestures.

7. Plan for family events, such as swimming, bowling, mini put, even hiking and picnics.

8. Try new activities.

- rafting, paddle boarding, a full spin class ;), TRX etc.

9. Get out of my comfort zone, approach others, go after what you want, and stand my ground J

10.  Have a larger garden this year.

11.  Every month I will revisit this list to make sure I am on track.

 

 

Health and Fitness

1. Do yoga 3 times a week to improve my core and flexibility.

2.Complete a half marathon. Lululemon sea wheeze in August.

3.Train Cujo to run “with” me and get into a routine of running with her.

 

4.Fundraise and run for the MS Enerflex run and the Cancer Underwear affair.

5.Meditate weekly.

6. Complete several more runs, Color me rad, Spartan, Ladies Fest etc.

 

Career (As I do not work outside of the home currently, I create a career as a homemaker J)

1.Continue to recycle and decrease the amount of non renewable resources that I buy.

2.Create and swap out toxic household cleaners for home made products.

3.Buy beauty products and home essentials that comply with green, clean and animal cruelty-free regulations.

                                                                

 

 Financial

1. Create a travel account and add to it monthly.

2.Pay off remaining student loan.

3.Stick to my budget, revisit it daily, weekly and monthly to stay on track.

4.Open a RRSPD, as it is different from the basic RRSP. Since I am classified as disabled through the government they will also contribute. more money, why not!

                    

 

** All the pictures here are of some amazing times I’ve had this year. All of these I wouldn’t have done if it wasn’t for my 2013 will do list.  There are only 4 photos but I have numerous more. The experiences I have had this year and the friends I have made are irreplaceable, and I couldn’t ask for more**

Top 10 Books of 2013!

My personal pick for the Top 10 Books that I read in 2013! 

First off let me start by saying "Wow! Was this ever hard to do!" You think it would be easy but no way! With the help of GoodReads I was reminded of some of the fabulous reads that I had read earlier this year. Even at this very moment this still feels like a daunting task and I am now waiting for the moment of "How did I forget that one?" Anyway here they are in no particular order......

Because I was unable to actually narrow it down to Ten Books I decided to be sneaky and create a new author section. Sarah Jio I just found this last year and I love her books. Blackberry Winter was my first and my favourite. FYI! If you post a comment on her books on GoodReads she responds... so wickedly awesome! I love Philippa Gregory and especially any book that involves the River family. I must check out my family tree and see if some how I am related to them! 

Yes I am being sneaky again..... self help just can't go in a Top 10 List so I decided that they get their own category as well. After all this is my blog and I get to make my own rules.... for the love of books give me a break! 

If you have read any of these books I would love to hear your thoughts minus spoiler alerts! If this list prompts you to pick one of these books up, please let me know. If you are a book lover which most likely you are if you got this far down the page then come on over to www.facebook.com/noveltease and give us a like!

Paleo 101! A 30 Day Journey of Personal Discovery

I recently completed the Whole 30 and it was quite the journey. Talk about an eye opening experience on all levels. How your body reacts to foods that are even considered good for you never mind the stuff we know is bad? The mind, oh that dirty little devil! The mental is the challenge you need to be ready for. You have to “own that why” to get through the games your brain will play on you. The soul, actually understanding what it feels like to get a solid night’s sleep and I mean deep sleep. Dreams and the whole kabang.  The amount of side effects is amazing! I’m still only skimming the surface- Did I mention losing 2 dress sizes and somewhere around 11-14lbs?! Still not even scratching the surface!

I loved this program so much that I am creating on-going challenge groups to support others in this life changing experience. I have had a few challenge groups go through this journey and with each one I have taken notes on what I have seen as the keys for success!

        Knowing it’s time! Feeling it in your bones that you truly are sick of how you are feeling and enough is enough! I knew while reading the book “It Starts with Food” that this was it! I had finally found my nutritional guide. I saw the finish line before I even started. 

   Ability to create that defining “Why” that fits you. What is your reason for wanting change? What is the end result you are working towards? What are the benefits besides possible weight loss? ( Weight loss is only a bonus side effect of this journey) You will need to “own your why” throughout this journey so the strongest “Why” you can create the stronger you will be throughout the journey and the days that follow.

 Having an interactive open safe challenge group. The more interaction within the challengers providing daily encouragement to full out Day 3 venting of how horrible life is. Sharing your experience, being vulnerable and open improves not only your chances of success but of those on the journey with you.

 Willingness to get your hands “dirty”  This is a lifestyle change not a 30 day quick fix so you need to be prepared to do some work. Although some nutritional guidelines will be provided you will need to be prepared to do the majority of the work. If during the excitement of a new challenge it is too much to have to plan then what happens Day 31?! This 30 Days is all a lead up to living a healthy lifestyle come Day 31 on what hopefully becomes the rest of your life….. 

I am looking to help people who are motivated, willing to educate themselves before and during the journey. Willingness to share within a closed group setting and most importantly people who are willing to invest time and energy into their new healthier life! I am not looking to drive numbers and have x amount of people participating! I am solely looking for people who legitimately are ready and wanting change.

To be accepted into the Challenge Group:

·      You will need to have your clearly defined “Why”?!  Why is now the time? Why do you want to do this?  Presenting your “Why” privately to me and if you elect you can always share it with the group at the time of the challenge. I also need your preferred style of communication if you were to start straying from the tracks.

·         Purchasing the book "It Starts with Food" The book does a fabulous job of explaining the why in regards to food and it's effects on the body. All successful challengers have read the book. I provide a cliff notes version but nothing can replace the book. It was while reading the book I had my light bulb moment and knew that this was "it" finally what my body was looking for. Mentally I was already at the finish line before I even started. The book is available on both Chapters Indigo and Amazon or a downloadable version through the Whole 30 website. 

·         Purchase Shakeology. Officially with the Whole 30 shakes are a "no go". However, I have run one challenge group with only myself using Shakeology and another challenge group where it was an option. Proof is in the experiment that using Shakeology was an addition to the program. I know personally I saw changes faster and to a much higher degree then the other challengers. It helps curb those crazy cravings and provides the extra sustenance needed for your workouts. Going forward all my challenges will include the purchase of Shakeology the vegan variety. Your choice of either Chocolate or Tropical Strawberry. Shakeology does have a 30 day money back guarantee so if you don't like it and feel at the end of the challenge it didn't help you achieve your goals your welcome to return it no questions asked. 

Here is the link to the Whole 30 challenge and the downloadable book! 

http://www.whole9life.com/itstartswithfood/

Here is the link to Shakeology. For the challenge you want the Vegan varieties as they don't have whey protein a form of dairy. Chocolate or Tropical Strawberry

http://www.myshakeology.com/eatwellbeactive

If your ready message me at 2eatwellbeactive@gmail.com

If you still have questions please feel free to send them my way to the above email address as well.

This has the potential to be one of the biggest life changing decisions you will make 

so a quick "I'm in" comment doesn't suffice. You must forward an email. I put a lot of work and effort into make these challenges as successful as possible and I need to see that you are ready to put forth the effort to do your part to make this happen for yourself! 

The holiday season and if I could talk to my younger self....

I remember all too well the feeling as a very young couple put on by ourselves to purchase Christmas gifts. Not just gifts but gifts that were over and beyond what we should have been spending. Then throw in gifts for everyone! I have no idea how we did it when I reflect back. I remember being very grateful that everyone had lots of food in their houses during the holiday season because traditionally in those first few years we didn't. Surprise the grocery money went to presents! There were a couple years where we went without purchasing real gifts for each other due to money spent buying for others. None of this was out of expectation from others, only the expectation we put on ourselves. My Dad bless his soul his favourite gift when I was younger was his Auto Trader and on the good years a bag of Quality Street tossed in too! 

As time progressed and as usual in society we were introduced to wonderful world of credit! Oh my! Nothing like paying for Christmas right up until the day of Christmas the following year. Then repeat! Thankfully the light bulb came on and the decision was made to cut back the purchasing list. If we didn't have the money to purchase it we weren't buying it. I thankfully can say I haven't charged a Christmas gift in.... Oh my! Here I go ageing myself.... I think it's been 20 years! I still remember that amazing feeling of knowing the holiday season was a success and the only thing I had to take forward was the memories versus receiving that glorious bill each month until it was finally if ever paid.


Seeing I have already aged myself let me put forth some more words of wisdom! My Dad as I mentioned earlier had his huge expectations of his $1 something Auto Trader. I honestly just thought he was being nice to me. Little did I know that he wasn't kidding! Reflecting back with that 20/20 vision I can now see how no friend or family member would or should want their family members to have any undue amount of stress to make it through the holiday season.  Those who are struggling also need to allow themselves to be comfortable with setting limits! Ego and that desire to hold up our image creates that unnecessary evil. I remember from experience the first year was the toughest. The young cousins looking for their gifts. Once that initial year was over and the stage had been set it got much easier. In recent years I have limited the "to purchase for the sake of purchasing". You know those extra 2-4 gifts that are wrapped just in "case" someone you forgot about shows up with a gift! I still find this one "super" tough- accepting a gift when not giving in return!   

As I head into this holiday season I will be reminding myself of the greatest gift that I can give and receive. "The Gift of Time" 

My kids have listened to me for years-

"Mom, what do you want for Christmas?"

 My response has always been "The Gift of Time!" 

My final words of wisdom heading into this holiday season- Take some pressure of yourself and for those around you! Be creative with your gifts! I know personally if your a friend of mine, the greatest gift is a coffee date or if you really want to splurge let's share a bottle of wine. Heck I will show up with mine and you show up with yours. 

Remove the pressure and expectations and enjoy the holiday season for what it should be "Time well spent with friends and family!"

30 Day Yoga Challenge

The month of December is traditionally one of those months where the potential for stress and chaos can creep into our lives. The overwhelming shopping list, overflowing calendar of social functions and never ending to do lists. As humans when the lists become big and the obligations increase we tend to leave our personal needs at the bottom of the list. 

This is where I want to introduce the 30 Day Yoga Challenge! 30 days and only minutes of your life! The maximum amount of time you will be asked to dedicate will be 10-15 minutes.  This will be a morning practice! Yes morning…. There will be no life got in the way so I couldn't do it. For the month of December life will be starting with some peaceful yoga flow. Basically my expectations look like this…. Alarm goes off! You open your eyes, roll out of bed and unless your eyeballs are floating you are going to hit the mat! Just like that. Did I mention the other great part of yoga no special attire required. Comfy PJ’s work great and if you sleep au naturel please no sharing pictures of your practice with the group but otherwise if your comfortable fire away….

We will start the first week of the challenge focusing on Sun Salutation A. This is the basic yoga sequence that everyone who has attended a yoga class will have completed at some point. The option is yours to commit to completing your Sun Sal “x” amount of times. As a group will be completing 3-5 rounds of each Sun salutation. I will be posting video's and printables for each of the Sun Salutations. 

First 10 days- Sun Salutation A 3-5 for rounds

Days 10-19 Sun Salutation A and B for 3-5 rounds

Days 20-30 Sun Salutation A, B and C for 3-5 rounds.

Completing a 30 day yoga challenge will require discipline, commitment, focus and sacrifice. It won’t guarantee that you will have a yoga habit for life. It will guarantee you to know that you have the ability and a great starting ground on your own yoga practice. So take a leap and come and join me for the Month of December! 

To participate in this challenge email me @ 2eatwellbeactive@gmail.com
You can also find me on facebook @

www.facebook.com/eatwellbeactive

My First Triathlon!

This previous weekend was my first adventure in the land of Triathlon! Scary and so much fun!

Honesty I'm not even sure where to begin....

Triathlon is swim, bike, run so let's start there but backwards! Running! Well my body and mind came into an agreement several years back that as long as my arms are pumping my legs will too. So thankfully my marathon training and mind over matter easily took over at this point so yeah!

Biking?! As anyone who knows me....I am terrified on my bike! Long story from my past but seriously biking scares me. What's the funniest part of this whole triathlon? If I had to personally gauge my own performance of "all" the legs  I seriously owned my bike! What an exciting experience for someone who is petrified. Number one I think exhausting yourself on a swim makes your upper body incapable of holding stress therefore immediately you have a more relaxed ride. The bike ride involved two loops. The first loop was all about enjoying the ride and getting back my oxygen. The second loop hell yeah if I didn't manage to start passing people and hell yes if some of those weren't on the hill! Yes! I know it's rude to count people your passing but I kept it all silently inside. The bike stage was "über" awesome till transition time! Transition to bike to run. Some "asshole" who was set up to the right off me tossed his bike shoes all over my towel and the a-hole on the left put his bike where my bike belonged so I walked up and down and stood in front of my transition trying to find my stuff for a min of 3 mins. I was so freaking livid once I realized where my stuff was.... Well we will end that portion of the story there but I will say I am so glad I never meant those two "especially" the shoe person. As an after thought I really wish I was mean person and I threw the shoes laying on my towel "somewhere" other than nicely placing them back where it should have been in the beginning.

 

The "swim" oh my freaking god! Anyone considering a Tri and the stories you hear.... From my experience totally true! I literally had my ankle held three times in the beginning to the point that I actually stopped at the beginning of the race to let the masses pass me so I could paddle in luxury. I "used" to consider myself a decent swimmer but not at all anymore! The swim was freaking brutal. The mental games I played with myself for the swim... "And your suppose to be doing an Olympic length in three weeks? How many people behind you? Look at how many are in front of you? Freaking move your ass? Use your arms! Save your legs! Be thankful your legs are taking over soon?Focus! Breathe!"  I said "FOCUS" yep that pretty much sums up the swim.

Now lets talk about the highlights! On my first lap of the run there was my daughter screaming and cheering. Shoeless and in a dress running down the path with her Mom making sure I was okay. Second and final lap of the park before the great finish and awesome moment of all if my Mom didn't tag in along side me to run a portion of my final lap with me. Telling me I was doing awesome and cheering me on! What an incredible way to finish your first Triathlon!

I'm super excited to have completed my first Triathlon for myself but at the conclusion of yesterday my highlight was seriously the out pouring of response from friends, family and even people I don't really know. Providing support and just being general awesome cheerleaders.

Triathlons of the future.... Well supposedly I'm doing an Olympic in three weeks which I'm completely not prepared for! I will figure out that part? With that being said.... You only live once and I'd really like to leave this world knowing I was a successful Ironman competitor! God help me! I don't know how but I really "want" and we all know if you really want something then you make it happen!

Collecting Failures and Working Towards the Dream

Today is a wonderful celebratory anniversary for me. A year ago to this date I finally parted ways with my long-term job and career and it was a long overdue time for change!

Back in Feb of last year I purchased a "Total Money Makeover Workbook". In this book you complete an exercise of tracking your spending and then figuring out if you did not change a thing how long would you be able to survive if tomorrow you were no longer employed or receiving an income. I was happily surprised to see that I could live for a decent amount of time on the money I had saved and put into investments. Although I completed this exercise and knew in my heart what I wanted to do.... "Take this job and shove it comes to mind" (Okay seriously who here hasn't had one of those days?! Surprise as a creature of comfort and security- I didn't. I continued to go work on a daily basis putting my big fake smile on and spending my day trying to keep busy. Trying not to think of all the other things I would be rather be doing. As time continued things got worse.... the job front hit some turmoil and the job I no longer enjoyed become an even worse situation with working 7 days a week and god only knows how many hours! As a typical human being who kept  ignoring all the signs of what I was suppose to be doing in my journey the Universe kindly stepped in with a little more force and removed the handcuffs that had been holding me back.

As in all good fairy tales the beginning of this journey was amazing. In less than 24 hours my boyfriend and I were on the road and basically spent the following 6 weeks enjoying life. This was something due to our work schedules we had not been able to do previously in our 11 year relationship. Using a trailer we had owned for 3 years for the "first" time. It was amazing! Enjoying life and remembering what the important things are!

Then there is back to reality! This past year hasn't been a bed of roses without a whack of thorns. Redefining and finding yourself is a full time journey! I have taken several courses and headed down several paths and journeys. With most of them leading to disappointment. A comment was made to me recently about going out and collecting failures! What a great way to view trial and error. That vision has helped me to step outside of my comfort zone. Although I know I still leave some stones unturned, I am after all still a work in progress!

I am no where near the fairy tale ending of this story and I am still unclear of what the next steps look like. I am getting up each morning with a smile on my face, looking forward to new opportunities and actively seeking them. I know if I don't keep working on the dream I may have to return to that other life! That truly isn't an option! I have tasted freedom, a passion for work and fun to be combined. I will some how get this all figured out! Then I'm sure once I do well then there will be another journey to be had! For now I am off to go collect some more failures.....