O Canada!

Today is a pretty momentous occasion for me and my family.  We came to Canada 7 years ago and have fallen in love with the country and its people.

My family currently consists of:
1 Scot
1 English
1 American and
1 true Canadian

By lunchtime tomorrow we will all have taken the oath and will become Canadians.  Its a pretty exciting time for us all (plus when I get my passport I can go shopping in Target at Buffalo!)

From that time forward I will have to start being extra nice to people and ending all sentences with the word 'eh!'.

Here are some interesting facts about Canada:

• The Ice Hotel in Quebec, known as Hotel de Glace is created every year using 400 tons of ice and 12,000 tons of snow. It melts away every summer and is recreated every winter.
• Canada is the world's second largest country area wise (including its waters), and fourth largest in land area.
• It also has the longest coastline in the world, about 243,000 kms in length.
• Canada is also the largest producer of a refreshingly sweet dessert wine called Icewine.
• Canada's city of Montreal, sometimes called The City of Churches, is that it has more churches than houses!
• Canada is also home to the world's smallest jail, located in Ontario. It is only 270 square feet. (I've been to it and unsuccessfully tried to lock the kids in it)
• Toronto dwellers hold more university degrees than any other big city in the world.
• it has the fourth lowest population density in the world, with only three people living per square kilometer! Almost half of the population in Canada were born in other countries. 
• Alert, in Nunavut territory, is the northernmost permanent settlement in the world
• Canadians consume more macaroni and cheese than any other nation on earth!
• Canadian James Naismith invented basketball to give his physical education students at the YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts, an indoor team sport to play during the long winters.

(these facts are randomly grabbed from the internet, so I won't stand by any of these claims!)

Todays Inspiration - age is just a number

How many times to you hear people complaining that they are too old to start exercising? 

People my age complain that things don't work right and they don't have the energy to eat well and exercise consistently. 

Well take just one minute to check out this AMAZING lady.

Erestine Shepherd decided when she was in her 50's, trying on a swim-suit and not being happy with the image she saw in the mirror, to do something about it.

Twenty years later at the age of 74, YES I SAID 74!! Ernestine has ran 8 marathons, can bench press 150 lbs and has become the oldest every competitor to win a body-building competition! Read all about it here.

WOW!! - take that smack of inspiration and do some POSITIVE!

Mango Lime Lassi

I love love love Mangoes and recently tried this delicious drink, it was so refreshing and a great post-workout shake!

• 2 cups (500 ml) Frozen Mango Chunks
• 1 tub (750g) Non-Fat Greek Yoghurt
• 1 cup (250 ml) Water (you could use skim milk or fresh OJ if you want)
• 3 tbsp (45 ml) Honey (yummy my fav!)
• 1 scoop Whey Protein Powder
• 4 tsp Fresh Lime Juice
• Lime Slices
• Mint Sprigs (mine came from my garden)

Buzz this in your blender, will serve 6 people. Garnish with lime slices and mint sprigs.

Wanted: Athletic, Beautiful REAL People

You are needed for a photo shoot!! - see this message from my friend Paola

I am casting/producing a shoot for the Dairy Farmers of Canada
(nutritional brochures).

We are looking for real "athletic" people for a print shoot.
Shoot Dates: Tuesday, August 17 and Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Casting Dates for Selects Only: Thursday, July 15 and Friday, July 16,
2010 from 10am - 4 pm
Pay: $800.00 for 6 hour of work per model/ per day or $400.00
per 3 hour/per model/day (we will hire approx. 15 models total)
** must sign a model release as the images are part of a photo library
being created for the Dairy Farmers of Canada

Models Interested must submit a photo electronically to
paola@mmphotos.com by Thursday, July 8 10am.

We Require: Mix ethnicities and body types with a focus on ''real''
Mid to Late 20's males and females
Early 30's females/males
Mid-Late 30's males/females
40's male/females
50's male only
60's females/males

The project runs over 2 days: models will be slotted for specific times
on those 2 days - either a 6 or 3 hour time slot
Shoot will take place in a gym setting/kitchen/outdoor space all in the
downtown Toronto area
Sweating/Working out/Training but not posed-very candid shots
No novices ..regular gym users
Must be willing to engage in physical activity-aerobic like exercise,
treadmills, cyclefit, weight training, free weights, boot camp, running,
etc
No swimming in this shoot
Will be wearing gym attire and/or outdoor activity attire
 
Regards,
Paola Giavedoni-Casting and Producing for Michael Mahovlich
Photography
paola@mmphotos.com

Women and Blogs

Since I started blogging I have found so many useful sites dedicated to women, their lifestyles, careers, family life, health and well-being and so much more.

Knowing where to look for the best blogs is a challenge - I often link to my favorites, but more often than not these are fitness related sites.  The financial post has done the donkey work for us, posting their Top 100 websites for women (I am not sure why I am not on this list.....) but check it out and see if anything peaks your interest.

Envirosax Helps Oil Spill Relief

I love these reusable bags - here in Ontario we are taxed 5c for every plastic bag we use.  Most people agree with the charge and it also encourages us to be prepared with reusable bags.  I had one of these Envirosax bought as a gift for me and now I buy them for all my friends. They come in some really cute designs and are only $8.50 US.  Here are some facts about the product.

Envirosax® designer reusable bags are spreading the eco-friendly message with style!
Chic, inexpensive and compact, Envirosax® carry the message of re-use to a world ready for a brighter ecological future.

• Tested for strength & safety
• Super strong, holds 44lbs
• Fully washable - won't fade
• Super convenient & water-resistant
• Fashionable & fun - a great gift idea!
• Solution to one-use plastic bags

And during the month of July, for every bag purchased,  Envirosax are donating $1 to the Gulf Oil relief fund.

A Friday Treat

This recipe was sent to me by a fellow foody friend.  If you really like cake (I really like cake) you will love this recipe.

Raspberry Buttermilk Cake

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 cup fresh raspberries (about 5 ounces)

Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Beat butter and 2/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes, then beat in vanilla. Add egg and beat well.

At low speed, mix in flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour, and mixing until just combined.

Spoon batter into cake pan, smoothing top. Scatter raspberries evenly over top and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar.

Bake until cake is golden and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool to warm, 10 to 15 minutes more. Invert onto a plate.

Playground Workouts - The Sequel

So Jane and I did round 2 of the playground workout with the Mums from my local school.  I decided to change the session totally from the week before, just to arm them with some extra ammunition when it came to their summer workouts.

Here is the workout we took the ladies through.  I gleaned my ideas from a number of sources, I am not really that original, so check out Turbulence Training and Alwyn Cosgrove if you like what you see here.

I also introduced a new made up exercise by my friend Natasha.  I don't have any photographs of the 'Natasha push-up', but it is basically this;
- perform 1 full push-up and come back to plank position
- in plank position, take right knee to outside right elbow, then repeat on the left side (this is called spiderman)
and TA-DAHHHH  you have just done a Natasha push-up, and you will do 20 of these in total.

Enjoy the workout!!