That Clean Life

That Clean Life is an awesome meal planner that I have become obsessed with over the last few months. I'm always looking for healthy and easy recipes to try, but sometimes feel overwhelmed by all of the choices that are out there online and have started to get away from using cookbooks. That Clean Life has become a lifesaver to provide super easy and delicious recipes, an awesome meal planner and done-for-you grocery lists.

There's something that I really enjoy about meal planning - it's probably the Type A in me. And because it's something that I enjoy, I didn't think That Clean Life would be valuable for me. And then I found out about its full capabilities and saw it in action, and realized how well it could fit into my life. It's been a total game changer.

That Clean Life Capabilities

That Clean Life is more than just a piece of meal planning software or a collection of recipes. Here's why I've fallen in love and use it each week:

• There are currently more than 800 recipes to choose from and search for, with new, seasonal recipes being added each week
• You can search by ingredient or category, and each recipe has a beautiful photo + comments from those who have made the dish before
• Each recipe can be adjusted for the number of serving sizes, big or small
• Most recipes are gluten and dairy free, with lots of vegetarian, vegan and paleo options
• All of these recipes can be added into a meal planner for the week, where you can also indicate leftovers
• That meal plan is turned into a grocery list with the click of a button, and you can indicate which items you already have on hand. You can even email the grocery list to yourself
• You can add your own recipes into your recipe box, which allows them to be loaded into your meal plan and subsequently included in your grocery list
• There are also a tonne of done-for-you meal plans that you can choose from, with individual focuses like kid-friendly, paleo or a spring tune-up
• Recipes can be saved into Collections, which means that you can easily find recipes you've saved to put them into a meal plan in the future

And have I mentioned that everything is delicious?!

I love that That Clean Life easily fits into my way of eating, and makes it so easy to prep tasty meals and snacks. Like this layered dip I made for us on a Friday night when I didn't really feel like cooking and wanted to enjoy something a bit more snack-y for dinner.

I also love to be a part of the community, as I get to see when new recipes are added and love to creep on the recipes that other members have been making. Each recipe also has a comment section where members share substitutions, questions or comments they have. It's a great way to learn more about other people's experiences with the recipes, and often people's comments have enticed me to try a recipe out if I wasn't sure.

That Clean Life has also done an amazing job of creating healthier versions of treats, classics and comfort food - like this chocolate chip cookie pie.

Each week I get really excited to see the the new recipes that have been added, especially because they seasonal ingredients are enticing and inspiring. I'm so glad that I got over my own idea that this wasn't a service that I would use, because That Clean Life has helped me to discover and enjoy so many amazing recipes. The convenience of the grocery lists has been a game-changer, and we're now in a place where some of the recipes have become absolute favourites in our house. (like this butter chicken!) That Clean Life has taken my enjoyment of meal planning to a new level, and it's become integral in the way I make food each week.

Wanna give That Clean Life a go? You can try a demo membership for free, play around with the meal planner and try out 25 recipes to start.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I'll make a commission if you click a link and purchase something I've recommended, at no extra cost to you.

80 Day Obsession: Day One

Today marks day one of my 80 Day Obsession journey. 80 Day Obsession is a brand new workout program from Autumn Calabrese (creator of 21 Day Fix, 21 Day Fix Extreme, Country Heat and Hammer Chisel). The program targets your abs and booty over the course of 80 different workouts spread out over 13 weeks (6 workouts each week), along with a detailed timed-nutrition plan. I have been actively watching the results from coaches who were in the first test group over the last few months, and they've really inspired me. I can't wait to jump into something completely new and challenging to kick start this year.

That being said, I'm pretty nervous! This is completely outside my comfort zone - longer workouts, targeting my most challenging area (my core), 80 different workouts, the longest fitness program I've done, along with the timed nutrition plan. Thankfully there is lots of delicious, nutrient-dense food on the plan, but it does require some time and prep to make it happen.

I was like a little sponge this week, learning everything I could about this program - printing off my materials, reading and highlighting, watching videos and reading blog posts. I'm already obsessed! The workouts use resistance loops, sliders and weights, and thankfully I've gotten a bit of practice with all of the equipment doing 5 days of a prep workout. 80 unique workouts for an online fitness program is unheard of, so it's going to be really cool to see how the workouts progress over time and become more challenging.

The meal plan is a huge part of the program and it's going to take some getting used to. I spent the weekend getting ready by grocery shopping, meal prepping in addition to taking before photos and measurements.

I'm not normally a huge meal prepper. I'm good at planning meals and grocery shopping, but I don't usually set out time in advance to get things ready. That being said, the times I have done some prep, it's been a huge help to my week! So for 80 Day Obsession, meal prep is just going to be a part of my life, and it certainly was this weekend.

Following the advice of the test group participants, I did my best to follow the nutrition plan as written, keep things simple and choose foods I enjoy. I added in a few new recipes to try (including some quinoa egg cups for easy morning meals) but there's really nothing fancy on my plan for the week. To give you an idea of what my meal plan looks like, here's a sample day for my first week.

It feels exciting to be kicking off the year with a brand new program and an amazing group of people doing it with me! I'm part of an epic coach test group with more than 40,000 coaches taking part, and I've got a small and mighty group of gals who are jumping into the program in our own private group. I'm already so inspired by their motivation and commitment to the program - it's going to be an awesome journey with all of them. I'm planning to share my journey with the program here on the blog and through social media. I want to inspire others to feel their very best this year and hope that it will be an additional way for me to be accountable.

I'm ready to see some changes in my body, get stronger and truly go outside my comfort zone with this program. The workouts are going to be tough and they will progress over time. The nutrition plan is going to require some dedication in addition to all the planning (did I mention there's no booze or much sugar happening during this program!?) I'm doing it to prove to myself that I can, and hopefully achieve some awesome things in the process.

Over the course of the next 13 weeks, I'll be documenting my journey, nutrition and things I learn along the way. If this program piques your interest and you're not already working with a coach, please send me an email and we can chat about your health and fitness goals.

It's time to get obsessed!

Prepped Organics - Organic Meal Delivery Service

I love cooking and meal planning and take great pride it nourishing myself and Corbin each week. With that being said, there is something really nice about having people cook for you! So when the lovely team at Prepped Organics reached out to me about sending dinner over one night, I jumped at the opportunity!

Prepped Organics provides delicious, nourishing and organic meal delivery in Toronto. You choose from their menu of dinners each week and they provide delivery Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. I love that they have gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian and vegan options for 1-5 people to cover a variety of preferences and lifestyles!

They have a unique menu each week and you can choose the option best suited to your tastes and dietary preferences. The meals come fully prepared with instructions on assembly and heating.

The week they sent us dinner, I had to go for the Greek grilled chicken with rice pilaf and Greek salad with a local sheep milk feta. I noted that I was gluten free and dairy free and everything was easily accommodated! They even made me a special dairy free tzatziki to enjoy with my chicken which was a really lovely touch!

I was super impressed with the team hand delivered my package to me and explained everything that was inside. They even included some special raw, gluten free peanut butter cookies as an extra special treat - nice touch!!

The preparation instructions were easy to follow and everything came together in less than 15 minutes, including heating everything up. 

The meal was delicious. I was especially impressed with how moist the chicken was, even after we heated it up. Greek food is some of my very favourite food, so this was a great meal! The portion for 2 people was very generous and we were able to enjoy leftovers of salad and rice the following day.

I loved using their service and will definitely keep it in mind when things get crazy in the future - it's so nice to have an expertly prepared meal that takes the guess work out of shopping, preparing and cooking with organic ingredients. Chef Anna & the team makes the food with care and it shows in the preparation and level of detail of everything included.

If awesome organic food, delivered to your door sounds like it would be helpful (and awesome!) for you, the team at Prepped Organics have a promotion running where you can use the code WELCOME25 to receive 25% off your first order.  Enjoy!!

21 Day Fix Extreme - My Experience

Back in the spring, I was really excited for the release of 21 Day Fix Extreme. Many of my fellow coaches and challengers had done the original 21 Day Fix and LOVED it, and I thought this would prove to be an awesome new challenge for me. It boasted:

• 30 minute workouts, each with weights and/or a resistance band
• variety in the workouts - plyo, upper body, lower body, pilates, cardio & yoga
• modifier for every exercise
• food plan, complete with portion controlled rainbow-coloured containers
• opportunity to get shredded 

I was super stoked to do this program and had a group of gals all set to do it with me...

And then I got the godzilla flu. I was out of commission for 10 days complete with fever, no appetite, lethargy, weakness and fainting. It was AWFUL!! It took me awhile to get back into the swing of things and I definitely wasn't in shape to do the program (Heck, I couldn't even get out of BED for 10 days, let alone do jumping jacks with weights!!)

After I regained my strength and my health, I got back into working out daily. I did many of the 21 Day Fix Extreme workouts and dabbled in the program, but never completed the full 21 consecutively and NEVER embarked on the meal plan. 

Why?

Back in 2006 when I first decided to lose weight I counted points, which at the time was a glorified way of counting calories. It did a great job of helping me learn about portion and was instrumental in me losing 35 lbs, but it also created an obsession with numbers.

Be it points or the number on the scale, I was a wee bit obsessed and not always in a positive, helpful way. A lot changed - I learned more about healthy eating and real food.

I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease and went gluten & dairy free.

I lost more weight in an unhealthy way after my break up then gained it all back + more. But I remained obsessed with numbers and the scale until I stopped counting points and banished the scale. I found freedom in not weighing myself and viewing all food as choices, rather than good or bad foods that had a number attached.

In doing so, I found a balance with healthy eating and finding those goods feelings inside myself - not based on any number. So I was resistant to try using the containers because I didn't want to feel restricted / inhabited / confined to numbers again.

In the 21 Day Fix system, the containers help with portions, focusing on whole foods and gives you a system to follow (each colour represents a food group). You count the number of each container you have each day, but those are the only numbers to follow. Watching my challengers and fellow coaches follow this plan and have super results was incredibly inspiring and I also wanted to really understand the program. Yah, I could read about and learn everything there was to know - but that's very different than actually DOING!

With all of the traveling I did this summer, I also had let a lot of treats creep into my daily routine. Treats are great and delicious - but they should actually be a treat, not a daily occurrence. 

So with all of that in mind, I declared that I was going ALL IN in October, committing to a full 21 days of the program and giving the containers a go. 

I loved all the variety in the workouts. There are 7 different workouts that you're doing, so over 3 weeks you only do each workout 3 times. I really enjoyed seeing myself get stronger each time I did a workout - be it with heavier weights, the ability to do more reps, use better form or not have to modify. I started out with 3, 5 and 10 lbs weights. I'm about ready to retire the 3's and need to pick up some 8's!! 

I find Autumn to be very motivating (and am also motivated by the handsome, bearded men in the workout - hah!!) She is fierce, but not scary. I want to work harder because of the things that she says!!

I committed to the meal plan last week and found a few interesting things:

• Planning is key- I knew that going in and do like to have a meal plan each week, but ensuring that you get the correct number of containers each day definitely requires some thoughtfulness and planning. If you have everything on hand, and can make a few big things to help you get through the week, you're golden!
• There are so many snacks - I'm not usually a snacker, but in order to get in all of my containers for the day I was required to change that, which was actually awesome! My energy levels were stable and I felt like I was eating so much food. I also tried out a bunch of new, fun snack recipes and will be incorporating them into my routine. 

• I didn't feel restricted - I enjoyed having a plan to follow and I didn't feel like I was depriving myself because there was so much food. Counting containers didn't freak me out like I was worried it might and it was great to have a goal to work towards. 
• More protein please - the meal plan forced me to focus on protein, which was a good thing! I was having protein at most meals and incorporating it into my snacks as well, which was great. 
• Let's change things up a bit - I tried some new recipes that I really enjoyed. I made a bunch from the Fixate Cookbook and some from the 21DFX meal plan book. I haven't talked about this on the blog yet, but I started eating meat again back in the spring (it was part of my recovery after I was sick...) I'm focused on eating ethical meat from quality sources, and still eating a predominantly plant-based diet that is gluten & dairy free. It's been an interesting transition for sure, but I feel amazing. Cooking with meat is still foreign to me, so it's been good to try some new recipes and find new favourites. 

Some of my favourite meals included: Shakeology smoothies in the morning, big salads with tofu, hummus & lots of veggies, chili, taco salad, cashew & oat hot cakes and eggs with veggies & goat cheese. 

Some of my favourite snacks were: sliced fruit with nut butter, plain (goat) yogurt with fruit & seeds, pumpkin muffins and pumpkin energy bites. 

I'm proud to report that on Sunday I finished Day 21 of the program and did a week of the container system. And as a result, I dropped 6 inches - not bad for 3 weeks!! I didn't take my own advice and didn't do progress photos -- I need to find a spot in my new house to take them! 

I am proud to have completed all 21 days and am looking forward to more workouts with Autumn come the new year! I am going to be using more of the 21 Day Fix recipes (and continuing to play with the Fixate cookbook) and I think I will follow the meal plan hardcore again come January. 

If this sounds like a program you would like to try (either Extreme or the original) I would love to have you join me in one of our upcoming challenge groups! You can do anything for 21 days! 30 minutes a day at home + colour coded containers + support?? Totally manageable - and I'd be with you every step of the way! 

Where are my fellow 21 Day Fix-ers at? What is your favourite workout? Do you have a favourite 21 Day Fix approved recipe?

3 Ingredient Pancakes

Gluten free.
Dairy free.
3 ingredients.

Who says pancakes need to be a big production?

I was introduced to these pancakes when we were visiting friends in Ottawa this fall. Genevieve was so sweet in planning Ashley-friendly meals while we were staying with them. For breakfast one morning she made us a version of these pancakes and EVERYONE at the table fell in love with them!!

I've made them on my own a couple times since our visit and love that they're becoming a regular part of my breakfast rotation.

3 Ingredient Pancakes
Serves 1: Adapted from various sources

2 eggs
1 very ripe banana
1/2 tsp baking powder

• Add all ingredients to a large bowl. 
• Using an immersion blender, food processor or blender, mix ingredients until very well combined. 
• Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with oil of your choice (coconut oil works well here)
• Using a ladle, scoop pancake batter into the pan and cook in small batches until they start to bubble and hold their shape. Carefully flip the pancakes and cook for 30-40 seconds more. 
• Serve with toppings of your choice! I opted for coconut cream and cinnamon last week, but also really enjoyed them with maple syrup & fruit previously

Tip: You'll need to play with the temperature of the pan to ensure that it's hot enough to cook the pancakes, but not too hot to burn them. My first batch were a little burn-y, but once I found the optimal temperature, they turned out perfectly! You'll just need to play a bit and gauge the heat on your stove. 

So easy! So delicious! And I love that you can make them with ingredients you've likely got on hand. They're a great use for any super ripe bananas. 

What are your favourite pancake toppings? Are you a classic maple syrup kinda person or do you like to branch out?

Meal Planning Magic

Meal planning is something that I used to be really good at and made a BIG priority for myself. But since I've been living on my own, it's been a task that has dwindled on my list of priorities. Because my schedule can be all over the place, I find it more challenging to set a day to do my grocery shopping and meal prep and then stick to a meal plan when I'm running from worky to Corbin's house to rehearsal and everywhere else! I end up spending more money on take away food than I would like and I come home to a house that doesn't have a tonne of choices in the fridge and pantry.

This week I set out to be more diligent with my meal planning. I set a goal to bring a packed meal to all work shifts and rehearsals and made myself a little meal planner, complete with my schedule for each day. I'm happy to say that I was pretty successful!! I made some delicious meals, saved lots of money and had a great time cooking with Corbin on Monday and Tuesday.

Here are a couple of my favourites from the week!!

This taco salad from Choosing Raw was unbelievable!! We loved it so much!! I made the filling with walnuts, lentils and sundried tomatoes and changed up the spices a bit. The guac was incredible and cashew sour cream is one of my very favourite things. We enjoyed this for dinner one night and by lunch the next day I was CRAVING it! I love leftovers!!! We will be making this again. And again. And again.

I made these veggie bowls back in March for Corbin's birthday and we were obsessed with the ranch hummus that was on top of them! When I was looking through Pinterest trying to decide what to make for dinner on Tuesday, they popped up and I knew we had to have them again. I think they were even better the second time! We used fresh herbs in the hummus which made it extra green (and extra yummy) and had a handle on how to make the polenta this time around. They were so good! And also provided great leftovers for the next day. There are a lot of components, but with two of us pulling everything together in the kitchen it was actually pretty easy and came together in about 40 minutes.



For a treat, I decided to try out this One Bowl Gluten Free Banana Bread recipe and it turned out so well! It was really easy, I had most of the ingredients on hand and everyone who tried it really enjoyed it. They were also surprised that it was gluten and dairy free, which is always a good sign! It was just delicious banana bread. I will definitely be making this again! (Actually today, as I want to bring some to my cast for our last rehearsal tomorrow)

I'm really proud that I stuck to my plan this week and had a blast in the kitchen. While my meal planning may not be as structured as it used to be, I can still make it happen if I make it a priority! If you're super and on the go like I am, take the time to get some groceries and make a couple of yummy meals that you can enjoy throughout the week. Your tummy and your wallet will thank you!

What are your best meal planning tips? What was on your meal plan this week??

8 Tips for Enjoying a Healthier Thanksgiving

I can hardly believe that it's already October. The air is getting crisper and the sun is going down a whole lot earlier. The leaves are beginning to turn and I'm craving everything pumpkin! I busted out my legwarmers yesterday and have embraced the fact that I can no longer get away with just a jean jacket outside.

It is Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend and I'm looking forward to spending some time with family on Monday. It can also be overwhelming to navigate a big meal with family when you're trying to embrace a healthier lifestyle. I've been doing some brainstorming and enlisted the help of some friends on Facebook and Twitter, and came up with the following list of tips to enjoy a healthier Thanksgiving meal.

1. Make great food choices leading up to the meal. Have a stellar breakfast and lunch or snack so you're not ravenous when you sit down for dinner. It will help you make better choices during the meal and ensure that you're eating to nourish yourself and enjoy the food, and not eating because you are starving!
   
2. Take the time to do a workout during the day on your own or take advantage of the gorgeous fall weather and take a nice walk or run. Getting some activity in will feel awesome and give your day some balance and 'you' time (which is especially helpful if you're having a lot of family time!)
   
3. If you're the one making the meal or can influence the chef, ensure that there are some awesome, healthy options included. Ditch the butter and cream. Have a selection of beautiful veggies, make a delicious fall-inspired soup or try some healthier alternatives to classic dishes like cauliflower mash, mushroom miso gravy, lentil loaf, a great shepherd's pie or vegan pumpkin pie. There are endless possibilities to what your meal could look like and it's a wonderful time to try something new, perhaps creating a new tradition.
   
4. When you're filling up your plate, make half of it veggies! You'll get a lovely assortment of goodness, while being able to feel great about your meal and still leaving room for more indulgent choices.
   
5. Be sure to enjoy your favourite parts of the meal. If you love stuffing, have stuffing! If you're a pie person, enjoy some pie! Practice moderation and work on enjoying your food rather than feeling guilty.
   
6. Skip the things that don't excite you and since you're an independent person, you don't have to eat certain foods just to be polite. Aunt Ida will forgive you. I promise.
   
7. Remember that it's not the last supper. For real. It's seriously just another meal and you don't need to eat everything in sight, just because it's there! If you celebrate Christmas, you're going to be seeing all of those foods in a month and a half anyway. There's also nothing stopping you from making/having pumpkin pie or stuffing on a non-holiday. Just sayin'.
   
8. Make it less about the food and more about giving thanks. Focus on the things in your life that you are grateful for and the time you get to spend with your family and friends. 

I feel thankful for so many things in my life right now: my incredible relationship, my wonderful friends & familia, my health and the opportunity to do so many things that I love! Life is pretty sweet and I'm looking forward to having some time to reflect on all of that this weekend. 

I hope these tips are helpful for you this weekend (and give my American friends a head start on their plans in November!) Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone xo

What are you thankful for?
What is your favourite tip for enjoying a healthier Thanksgiving? 

Gluten Free Vegan Thanksgiving, No ToFurkey In Sight

No offence to the tofurkey lovers out there, but I was never a big fan of turkey to begin with, so why would I want a faux version?

The new Feist album kept me company in the kitchen… (it’s so good!)

mmmm sweet potatoes and pecans = deliciousness

Altogether now:

orange maple tempeh
sweet potato kugel
spinach salad with fennel & cranberries
(with an oil/vinegar/mustard/agave dressing)
steamed broccoli

there was also an unpictured apple / pear crumble

Lots of yumminess courtesy of my favourite nutritionista, Meghan Telpner (who just got a book deal!! So proud of you miss!) My copies of her recipes from her classes 2 years ago are so weathered and loved, I knew I was making great choices with this menu. I shared dinner with a (very happy) roommate who was also home and mention of my menu on the twitter actually garnered me a marriage proposal. It was definitely a little bit different than your traditional Thanksgiving fare, but it was delicious, nutritious and well loved.

It was a delicious meal and I really enjoyed the beautiful weather and the extra long weekend! I’m so thankful for all the wonderful things in my life: amazing friends, family, coworkers and blog readers, the opportunity to do what I love, a great place to live and my health!!

How was your thanksgiving weekend? What are you thankful for?

Cooking for One

Prior to joining Weight Watchers, I wasn’t a big cook. I lived with my dad and younger brother and often ate what my father prepared or dined out in restaurants. I know now that both of these factors probably contributed to me gaining weight!

I moved in with my ex very soon after joining Weight Watchers and began cooking for the two of us. Having another person to cook and pack a lunch for made it quite easy to plan and prepare meals, do a weekly grocery shopping trip and generally use up everything in our fridge. Most recipes make 4ish servings so we’d have 1 serving each for dinner and then both take another serving for lunch the following day.

Having moved out on my own, I’ve noticed that it has been a very different ball game now that I’m only cooking and shopping for one (officially). In the last month, I’ve fallen into a new groove and developed some new strategies for cooking for one.

Cook for Others
Since I started cooking, I always enjoyed the act of making things for other people and have embraced this as a strategy in my new home. The most awesome part about this is that I now have 3 willing participants in my roommates! In my first week here I started off by making some delicious cuppins

and later went on to include a tomato-zucchini curry I am happy to share food when I’m making larger dishes, because there are often still leftovers for me and the food isn’t going to waste. It also means that I can prepare baked goods without having to worry about having the whole pan or batch to myself!

I also enjoy have people over and cooking for them, like I did with the lovely Lindsay a couple weeks ago We enjoyed baked falafels with a fresh salad and tahini dressing. I love cooking for people and look forward to doing more entertaining in the future. Any takers?

Cook with Others
A few weeks ago I blogged about the impromptu dinner party the roommates and I had, and I’m sure that there will be more of those to come in the future. Last week I had set out to make the cauliflower-lentil curry from Veganomican when Drew arrived home. I mentioned that he could join me in consuming some curry to which he asked how he could help. Together we made quite the delightful meal. Drew whipped up some red rice and an amazing salad with baby spinach, raisins and sautéed onions, garlic and asparagus It was an awesome meal and having someone else to chat with in the kitchen as well as prepare part of the meal, made the whole experience a lot more enjoyable.

Cook for Yourself
I’ve found that since I’ve been cooking for one, my meals have become a lot more simple and I am okay with this. I’ve been eating a lot of salads Stir fries and simple dishes like brown rice pastathat are easy to make for one! I’ve been making 1-2 more elaborate meals each week and sticking with lots of veggies, fruits, whole grains and basic proteins like tempeh and lentils the rest of the time. I’ve been freezing bigger batches of things and embracing leftovers in different ways. I find myself eating a ton of fruits and veggies and this makes me really happy!

While cooking for one is definitely different than cooking for two, it’s proving to be an interesting challenge that I’m having fun exploring!

Are you cooking for just yourself? What are some of your tips and tricks? Any good cookbooks or resources that focus on cooking for one?

Looking for some new recipe ideas? Check out the recipes that my members sent me over the last few weeks.

 

Having a Plan & Sticking To It

Happy New Year lovely readers!

I hope the first few days have been good to you. Have you set some juicy goals? What steps have you taken to work towards your goals so far? I’ve been anticipating these first week of January for quite some time now as I’m starting school on Wednesday! I can’t believe that it’s actually happening. I will be doing a post on Wednesday about my scholarly preparations. It would be easy if I were just starting school, but instead I’m also:

• Training my replacement at my office job during a very busy time in the office (my last day is January 15-yay!)
• Beginning rehearsals for my new show. Read through is on Tuesday, followed by rehearsals on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday
• Leading 6 Weight Watchers meetings

Ahhhhhhhhhh!

I’ve been a bit of a stress case to say the least. It’s been challenging to wrap my brain around it and to ensure that I don’t fall apart I’ve reunited with an old friend: my Time.Mine planner I bought one last year on one of my excursions to Buffalo and absolutely fell in love. I used it daily to keep track of my life. I listed appointments, meetings, budget info, rehearsals, dinner dates, blog ideas and whatever else I needed. I loved all the space for me to write, the full sized monthly calendars and the fact that it was normal paper and not glossy so that I could use pretty pens. When the new year was approaching, I tried to find a new TimeMine, but realized that they weren’t available in Canada. I searched other stores looking for a comparable day timer and was unable to find one that could compare to my previous love and I was not about to settle!  After tweeting to the TimeMine folks about my inability to find one in Canada, they offered to send one to me – score!! I was thrilled when I got it in the mail. I’ve already defaced my planner with details of school, rehearsals, WW meetings and work info. It’s such a great way for me to keep track of my life and I would definitely be lost without it! I’ve tried using online day timers, but I really like having a hard copy and find that I used it more.

Knowing that things were going to be really busy this week, I made a comprehensive meal plan, and dragged Joey out in yesterday’s snow to do a big grocery shop. I’ve just taken to doing my grocery list and meal plans in excel now that we have a home printer (to print schoolwork – yaaaaaaay!) I made a master list (similar to the ones Meghan gave us in her cooking classes) and then a new file for the week. Here is the menu for this week:

Clean Eating Minestrone soup w/ quinoaBaked falafels w/ kugel and asparagus
Squash chickpea lentil stew
Warm rice & lentil salad
Marinated tofu salad
Curried chickpeas, cauliflower & spinachGoing with some old favourites, simple salads and a slow cooker recipe. Many of these recipes will make lots of leftovers giving me things to stock up my freezer with as well as pack for lunches. I made the minestrone soup for supper last night and it was amazing. I used zucchini and omitted and fennel. It’s one of those soups that gets better with every bite and I really liked the white beans and the quinoa. Tonight I’m going to be making some muffins and pick up a few snacky things at a different bulk store, and then I feel like I’ll be set for the week. It’s such a relief for me when my food is taken care of!

My last couple strategies include getting enough sleep and taking some time for myself. I’ve been getting into the habit of getting up early in the morning to do my morning pages, and so far I’m 4 days in and it’s a lovely way to start my day. Amid everything I am committing to working out twice this week. I already had one awesome workout yesterday with Kate. We went to BodyFlow and Zumba together and it was awesome! I can absolutely make it to the gym one more time this week, so it will feel great to accomplish that goal.

I’ve been waiting patiently for school and my show to begin and with a plan and some great tools in my pocket – I feel ready. EEEEEEEEEEEE – I’m a teensy, tiny bit excited… can you tell?

What does your plan for the first full week of January look like? Am I the only person who is totally crazy about what type of planner they have?