MEGA Favourites Round Up: Blogtober

Today is the last day of Blogtober, and I must say I am feeling a little sad! It has been so much fun brainstorming content for this little bloggy of mine, so I am thinking I am going to keep it rolling and continue blogging as much as possible. That being said, I wanted to do a round up of some of my favourites from this month. It's a mixture of food, fashion, skincare, blog posts - a BIG range of goodies comin' your way!

Let's get started : )

Blog posts I loved writing this month:

My running journey

Still in love with these under eye masks to make your eyes feel refreshed and more awake!

Why being positive is a much better way to spend your energy.

Fall sunsets and sunrises

A little fall shopping haul ; )

Lots of snuggle time with the pup and a good book.

Healthy morning habits to start now. Easy to add into your current morning routine!

Running the Victoria Half Marathon

My food philosophy

Trail dates with Nala bear : )

Why I am LOVING high intensity interval training

Getting my hair refreshed for fall!

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I hope you guys enjoyed Blogtober. I want to thank everyone who read even one post this month. I truly do love bringing you guys fun content, so please let me know what YOU would like to see next on the blog : ) Chat with you all soon!

Five Things Friday: Fall Changes Edition

Good morning!

It is Friiiiiday, which means it is almost the weekend. I've got one more day of work and then the weekend is here! As usual, I am sharing five things that I have been loving this weekend. Let me know in the comments what YOU have been loving this week - try anything new? Eat something delicious? Buy some cute shoes? I wanna know! : )

First things first, this is an exciting change for my hair! I am not the type to get my hair done often, so when I do I like to make it special. Seriously. The last time I got my hair trimmed was over six months ago, and the last time it was coloured was when I did the whole ombre scenario over a year ago. Not only was my hair in need of freshening up, but I figured now was the best time to make a colour change, too! I am so happy with how it turned out. Funny how a new hair do can make you feel like a new person! : )

Ooh, yes. The coveted Blundstone boots I have been wanting for the last year. Ryan and I celebrated our anniversary on Tuesday, and this was a thoughtful gift that he knew I would love. Now it's time to break them in!

Mmm, Monday night's dinner was cauliflower crust pizza! Have you guys tried this before? It is amazing. The only downside is the cheese, BUT that is my own fault for adding more on top. Ha, ha. I used veggie pepperoni on mine, whereas Ryan cooked up some chicken breast for his pizza. This picture was taken pre-oven, so picture this all hot and melty. Ooh, yah!

So Nala still kills me. Seriously. She is so cute. Look at those puppy dog eyes! It made my at home yoga practice on Monday night difficult with her trying to get in there too. It's safe to say she is the real master of downward facing dog, no matter how hard I try.

So it's not exactly a Christmas mug, but it's close enough. For now. This has been my go to mug lately for any hot beverages, accompanied of course by my candy cane pajama pants and red, green, and white striped socks. I know. Too soon, Holly. Too soon. I can't help myself!

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Hope you guys enjoyed! Catch ya tomorrow : )

September FAVOURITES!

Good morning, friends!

I hope you are all having a great morning so far. It is officially FALL now - anyone else rejoicing? - and it is time for another favourites round up. I will be recapping some of my favourite things, moments, recipes, etc for the month of September, and I would love to hear what YOU guys are loving in the comments below!

So, without any further chatter, let's get into the favourites : )

The Kelowna Wine Country half marathon that took place September long weekend in beautiful Kelowna, BC. It was the first time in so long (I'm talking like ten years) since I had been to Kelowna, so the trip was much over due and it was great to run the race with my aunt and enjoy race weekend with Ryan and the pup.

Yup, still obsessed with this Mexican black bean salad. It is packed with veggies and the flavours are so fresh. No fancy sauces or spices needed. Plus it lasts well in the fridge (in an airtight container of course), so makes great lunches throughout the week.

The SPCA Paws for Cause walk was a great event we attended with my family and the pups. I look forward to bringing Nala again next year!

Fresh salads and veggies all day, every day. I have been experimenting with more fall-inspired recipes, and this salad with maple tahini dressing did not disappoint. Tahini is such a versatile ingredient, especially in salad dressings as it adds a bit of thickness, so I look forward to bringing more of those recipes to the blog. You can't go wrong with a big salad!

And because this is so relevant to me right now. I am the type of person who complains about how hot it is in the summer and immediately looks forward to fall. There is something about the crisp air and changing of the seasons that I just love. On that note, I am also that person who is bundled up in 101 layers come fall/winter because I am so freezing. Yep, there is no in between for me!

During the middle of this month we started a training program with Nala. It is all postive-reinforcement and clicker training based. She is super smart (proud parent over here), and it is fun to see her catch onto things so quickly and respond to the clicker. Soon enough we will be phasing out the clicker as training progresses, so fingers crossed it is an easy transition! So far, so good though.

Last but not least, this shirt. It is my go-to for strength training work outs, looks cute, but does not make you feel restricted. Lululemon, back at it again with the best workout tops!

Pumpkin spice oats topped with a swirl of unsweetened applesauce and a spoonful of almond butter. If this doesn't scream fall, I don't know what does. Maybe if I ate it out of a real pumpkin.

Yep, I bet you saw this coming considering I have been making my way through all the Harry Potter books again these last few months. I am determined to finish by Christmas!

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What are YOU loving this month!?

Wild Rose Cleanse Day 3 Review + Yoga OOTD + Bikram Benefits

Good evening, party people!

Hope you all had a great Wednesday. For all you Monday to Friday peeps, you are now over the hump!

I am now officially three days in to the Wild Rose D-Tox Cleanse. So far, it has brought me back to how I typically like to eat, meaning whole foods without additives like excess sugar or sauces on my meals. My ideal, super-fit self would eat whole foods all the time, less animal products, and would not be tempted by desserts if I truly didn't want it. Does anyone else see a dessert and think, Well, I better try it because it's there? Happens to everyone, don't lie! Regardless, the past three days have been a reset for my taste buds. Here are a few of my current thoughts:

1. Day one (Monday) was not bad at all. I had the day off, so I was able to get into a groove on my own time without worrying about rushing here, there, and everywhere. 

2. Day two (yesterday) I was in a brain fog for most of the day. Tuesdays are typically my longest day of the week anyway, so it would have been nice to feel extra focused for work and Brownies right after. I had a bit of a headache throughout the day.

3. Today: My lingering headache from yesterday carried into this morning. I made sure to drink tons of water, and also had a green tea mid-day before yoga class which was a nice boost. Overall I feel good. My tummy does not feel overly bloated, and I am seeing some slight (and when I say slight, I mean SLIIIIGHT) ab definition in my upper abs, where I usually see any shred of definition first. We will see what happens. Day six, six pack? What? No? Okay. Moving along.

One thing I do enjoy about this cleanse is that it forces you to be more conscious about your food. Sometimes I am guilty of having food be an after thought, meaning I throw together meals without evaluating what I actually want to eat. It is easy to toss things together for the sake of having SOMETHING, but have you ever done that and then when it came time to actually eat your food, you were uninterested in it? This cleanse is making me think outside of the box and listen to my internal needs - and no, those needs do not include chocolate or wine!

Knock on wood, but I am actually surprised I have not craved any of that the past few days. Hopefully it keeps up!

Side note: I promise I normally make the bed! Ryan has been home with a really nasty tooth pain the past two days (hello, root canal tomorrow), so I was a nice girlfriend and let him be, all snug as a bug in a rug in the bed!

Tonight's yoga outfit is brought to you by Lululemon. Can they ever do any wrong? Can they? I don't think so.

Shorts are the Boogie Short (I believe? I got them over 5 years ago)

Tank top can be found here

And sports bra (from last year) is the Free to Be style

Tonight was another hot yoga class with the same coworkers I went with on Monday morning. A different teacher taught the class tonight, and I appreciated all of the helpful instructions she gave us throughout the class. I am no yogi by any means, but I found some poses clicking tonight. You know when something feels hard, and then one day it just works? That was me in Eagle Pose tonight. Suddenly my leg was wrapped around my other leg, my toes were facing the front and I was staring at myself in the mirror like. Holy shit, we really got somethin' here! Of course, not every pose is like that, but that is the great thing about yoga. It is your practice, your time, and you can move into whichever pose feels best for you in that moment.

Wow, doesn't that sound like some yogi granola talk, hey? In all seriousness, I find myself wanting to go deeper into poses and learn how to master them. One class at a time, of course. I am trying to make the most out of my two week pass before it expires, so we are back to hot yoga tomorrow!

(Some) Benefits of Hot Yoga:

- Detoxification: You literally sweat out of every single crevice and pore from your body. Gross, I know, but this allows toxins to flush from your body and the sweat (believe it or not) helps cool you down.

- Stabilizes high blood pressure and helps relieve arthritis

- Helps relieve pain from the body. Example, shoulders, back, neck, etc. Work at it little by little - no need to go balls to the wall right away - and soon you will find relief!

- Skin health: The skin is the largest organ of our body, and since you are flushing toxins from it, this helps produce natural lanolin to release from your pores and help improve your complexion.

- Stress, anxiety, and respiratory issues: Hot yoga helps bring this to balance as the practice promotes resetting your nerves, relaxing your muscles, and making you feel more calm. I definitely feel this calmness during the end of the practice in savasana (when your body is laying still), as that is where you reap the benefits of your practice.

Have you tried hot yoga before?

Yassss! Until next time, friends : )

Weekend Wrap Up & The Ultimate Tea

"Oh, hello! I didn't see you there," Simba says as he looks up from his book. When his favourite parent, Holly, wants to take time to sit and read a book, this is when Simba feels it is the perfect time to crash the party.

I know, I know. Dropped the ball last week on the Monday posting. Just when I was doing so well, too! Let's kick off the week with a recap of what's been happening lately.

Spoiler alert: nothing too exciting, since we can't celebrate my birthday any longer. Ho hum. At least my half birthday is coming up in August! Just kidding. I don't celebrate my half birthday, although maybe I should start.

So, the usual work and gym has been going on as per usual. Right now I have fish and rice cookin' away, doing some meal prep before I head off to the gym for glute day. I have a love hate relationship with glute day. Hate how many lunges I have to do, but love feeling accomplished after.

Let's all take a moment to look at the baby abs I have going on. Note: this is before morning cardio, minus 4 litres of water in my body. Once I start drinking water, abs are pooched. Belly becomes a pooch. You get the picture.

Forever posing in the bathroom at the gym. Hey, gotta get it right on stage!

Yesterday was one of my favourite days of the week. Sunday fun day! Usually on Sundays I have posing practice followed by cardio and breakfast with Ryan, but yesterday since my trainer is on vacation, we didn't have posing practice. My Sunday routine was a little backwards, but great nonetheless. The morning consisted of sleeping in until 9AM (ah, glory, glory) and drinking coffee while watching tv & eating my morning oats. It's always nice to get a slower start to the morning, and there's something about the vibe on Sunday that makes me feel less inclined to rush around. That's what the week days are for.

After puttering around the house doing things like dishes and laundry, I got my cardio for the day in on the elliptical and then headed to the gym for my workout. On the schedule today: back & biceps! 

I am loving this top! Ryan and I went to Victoria on Saturday, and fortunately I had a Lululemon gift card from his family to spend. Ah, they know me so well. The back detailing on this tank top immediately caught my eye, and the built in sports bra is an added bonus. I wore it with a pair of Lululemon Wunder Unders (which I turned inside out and am wearing to the gym again today... Hey, don't judge. They are reversible). Once my workout was done, I did some grocery shopping and came home to relax!

My all time favourite tea of the moment: chocolate super berry burst.

Not overly sweet, and I just drink it plain! So tasty.

In the evening my lovely sister came to hang out. Of course, Simba being the giant suck that he is was all over her. We drank coffee lots of coffee and watched The Voice. Is anyone else into that show right now? It always makes me so nervous for the singers, waiting for someone to turn their chair.

And with that, we are back to Monday again! Mondays are my Sundays, so it'll be another Sunday Fun Day! I am going to finish my meal prep and then head off to the gym. Then, pedicure time. Woohoo! Enjoy the week ahead.

Birthday Fun: Commence Food Coma

Good evening, friends!

I hope you all had a great week. Mine was fantastic, mainly because I was counting down until my BIRTHDAY! More on that to come.

My days have been filled with working and going to the gym, as per usual, but I am extra excited to see the flowers in the garden start to bloom! They are so pretty and remind me that spring is around the corner.

So, let's get onto the birthday talk, shall we?

Sunday mornings start with posing practice at the gym. After I came home, I took a shower and relaxed with a cup of coffee & Ryan made me pancakes! I haven't had good, doughy pancakes in a long time. Way, way, too long. Rather than using wheat flour he substituted with oat flour, which happens to be friendly to my competition diet. I topped my pancakes with natural peanut butter, chia seeds, banana, and syrup. And yes, I did eat my weight in pancakes, and yes, they were amazing!

After breakfast, we got ready for the day. I requested we go shopping in Victoria, so that was the adventure of the day.

Outfit of the day: Sweater by Mink Pink (plain white tank top underneath from Forever 21), jeans by Guess?, necklace from Old Navy, light pink bead bracelet from Archer & Arrow (local boutique), and gold watch by Michael Kors.

My parents were also en route to Victoria, so we met up with them along the way as we were shopping. After visiting all of our favourite shopping destinations and spending way too much money at Lululemon, it was time for dinner. Maybe next week I will do a little haul/favourites post!

Hello, cheat meal! I tend to be fairly conservative with my reward meals. I'll either eat more carbs or I won't measure my serving of salmon, if that's what I'm having for dinner. OR I will eat dark chocolate, because I miss having chocolate. However, now I feel so much better without all that extra sugar in my system, so I suppose it's all about balance. 

Anyway, we went out to a restaurant called Bin 4 in Victoria. If you haven't been, I strongly urge you to go! It was delicious, decently priced, and I had the best company around me which made for a great birthday dinner. My burger of choice is called the Mr. Bean burger and is a hand-made bean and vegetable patty on a soft, squishy bun with lettuce, tomato, and red onion. And the FRIES. Oh, the fries were to die for. And ketchup! And garlic aoli! Oh my lanta. I kid you not. I unbuttoned my pants on the way home because I was so damn full. Food coma, commence.

A big thank you to my amazing family & loving boyfriend for such a special birthday. I am so thankful! Safe to say my belly and heart were full yesterday.

I hope you all have a nice evening! I am off to make some food. Girl's gotta eat.

Gumboots Galore & 700 Miles

Last weekend at Costco I stumbled across these beauties. Naturally, I had to get them (and wear them around the mall). My sister got a pair too with a bird design on them, and fortunately we are (basically) the same shoe size and we can swap them back and forth. Two more to add to the gumboot collection!

Runners and gumboots: the only two styles of shoes I need in my wardrobe. If I could wear thrift store flannels and gumboots all day I totally would. Unfortunately that is not the case, because running would be a wee bit difficult!

Oreo, the true gift of Christmas. She was just thrilled as I'm sure you can imagine.

And we got snow again!!! I am sad to say, however, that the rain has washed it all away :( It was pretty while it lasted.

Puppy snuggles after a 10km run yesterday, early evening. 

I'm sad to say it's almost time to retire these babies! This week I ran 31 miles, and while I could be switching over to my Mizuno Wave Sayonara shoes every so often, I keep gravitating to my Brooks because they are a stability shoe and offer more cushioning. I'm just not "used" to my Sayonaras (yet)! Since I purchased these runners, I have logged nearly SEVEN HUNDRED miles on them, give or take. Holy cow. I didn't even know that until I calculated that a few minutes ago. I've used my Sayonara runners maybe four times this year, but that's still a lot of miles on the Brooks. The weird thing is that they don't feel like they're losing a lot of cushion. Now I say a lot because obviously they aren't as springy as they used to be, but they aren't terrible. Yet. Now I know it's time to start using the other ones! Note: Running shoes should be replaced every 300-500 miles. Just a tad bit over that.

On another note, run every day in December is still going well! I'm on track for 130 miles this month, but I am hoping to fall between 125-130 as most of my running has been pretty easy this month. By easy I mean, no running-myself-into-the-ground workouts because I know I can't take a rest day after. Or rather, I don't want to because I'd like to see this challenge through to the end.

Anywho, I hope you guys had a good weekend and are all ready for the holidays! I did my wrapping today, so presents are under the tree waiting to be opened. I have two more days of work left before a little Christmas break, and I am excited to see family (and sleep in, of course). Bye for now!