Showing posts with label montreal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label montreal. Show all posts

Friday, September 9, 2016

Shred Day 24 and More Plus Exploring Downtown Montreal

I may be slacking on my blogging, but I'm keeping up with the 30 Day Shred program and keeping busy while mrC finishes up his training.

Let's catch up a little ok?


Day 24: Fast

This was a scheduled rest day but I decided to do some "easy" pool running while doing laundry at the hotel. If you have ever tried to run in a pool, you know that it is not easy and is actually a really good low impact workout. It was also a good excuse to wear the new tankini I picked up on sale at Athleta.

I turned the shallow end of the pool into a loop and did 20 laps (both directions) 3 times. I took a break between each set to check the laundry and let my heart rate come down. It was awesome, but would have been nicer in an outdoor pool like when I was in Florida.


Later, I walked to the nearby mall to get my nails done. Don't pay attention to the time (I forgot to hit pause while at the nail salon), but it's a nice little walk there and back. My BFF gave me a pair of hand-me-down jean shorts when I visited in Ohio and I'm loving how comfy they are. There's a Rockport store in the mall, but they didn't have anything better than the sandals I already love for walking.


WIA: I broke my fast around 2PM (which is pretty typical for me) with a protein shake, rice cakes and a veggie burger. Unfortunately, I overate by the end of night, probably from being too active while trying to fast and because mrC ordered Chinese food.


Day 25: Low Carb

Since starting the carb cycling programs, I've loved low carb days for two reasons: the sprints are a killer workout and I can usually hit my macros pretty easily. I've been loving the sprints even more now that I'm able to run them out. I'm not speedy by any means, but being able to run/walk nearly 2 miles when I thought my running days were over is A-MAZ-ING!!

The workout was the usual 25 sprints using 20 seconds run/20 seconds walk intervals. I did a short walking warm-up and cool down, so most of the distance was from the sprints. I think I was a little faster this time. I wasn't worried about skipping the 30 minute recovery walk because we were going sightseeing again.


It was muggy and gray with a threat of rain (not like our last trip), so we went to downtown Montreal instead of doing the two hour drive to Quebec City like we had planned. We'd been told to check out the Underground City, a perfect place to go on bad weather days. After a quick walk around what is really just a huge mall, we decided to head back above ground and outside.

We had a great time exploring.

Christ Church Cathedral, Phillips Square, and St. James United Church

Museum McCord, Museum of Fine Arts, Archeological Garden

Rue Crescent, Chateau Apartments, Square Dorchester, Montreal construction!,
Clean City Campaign, Mary Queen of the World Cathedral

WIA: I have the easiest time with low carb days, a far cry from where I was when I first started carb cycling. We missed the breakfast buffet at the hotel, so we went to Chez Cora in Saint Laurent for a delicious made to order meal. We picked Dundees in the heart of downtown on Upper Crescent Street, a restaurant and entertainment hotspot, for lunch. Our night ended with a make your own meal in the hotel room.


Day 26: Feast

I was back in the fitness center for another serious strength training session. The 90 minute workout focused on shoulders, shoulders, shoulders, chest, and legs, legs, legs. On top of using heavier weights, this workout was a killer. I took some extra cool down time in the yoga room for stretching and restoring.


WIA: Add two strawberry daiquiris at dinner and my calories for feast day were just above my regular calorie goal. According to my customized IIFYM, I could have eaten more protein but did very well on carbs and fat. No complaints here. I even have room for a snack later!



Have you tried pool running?
Any big plans for the weekend?
How good are you at stretching after a workout?



Saturday, September 3, 2016

Shred Day 20: Low Intensity Cardio and Touring Old Port Montreal

The 30 Day Shred follows a carb cycling and intermittent fasting schedule. There are days where we rest (low calorie days) and there are days when we do low intensity cardio (fast days).

Low intensity cardio is a good option on fast days because your body will reach for stored energy (fat), but typically not need to burn stored protein (muscle). My favorite low intensity cardio are long walks, light yoga and even an easy elliptical workout.

Today mrC had the day off so we headed to Old Port Montreal for a little self-guided walking tour. We got lucky and found a parking spot right near Saint-Paul Street, a partial pedestrian street with shops and restaurants lining both sides. This is what it looks like from the early birds perspective.


Next we headed down to the water and walked to Clock Tower. This building marked the entrance to the port and is dedicated to all the sailors who died at sea during wartime. It is a replica of Big Ben in London. In addition to having very accurate time, it also served as a lighthouse.


The waterfront was a beautiful place with amazing views and plenty to do. This weekend at Clock Tower Quay the YUL EAT Festival, a taste of Montreal type event, was being held (not a cool thing when you are fasting). We saw food booths, tents and trucks as far as the eye could see. There's going to be a lot of food consumed there this weekend!


We explored the Bonsecours Market, a two story market place (reminded us of Faneuil Hall in Boston) that used to be city hall but now houses trendy shops and some restaurants.



We hung out for a little while at Place Jacques-Cartier. The square was so inviting with the sun shining and benches beckoning us to sit and enjoy a smoothie from one of the many cafe type restaurants lining either side. OK, mrC enjoyed the smoothie, but I might have had a couple sips. 
Tip ---> Bring your Canadian cash with you...some places do not take credit cards.



We toured Notre-Dame Basilica. Wow. That is what I kept repeating the whole time. I love visiting churches, but the big, historic ones are just stunning. Tip ---> You'll need cash here too. $5 fee to get in and a couple more if you like to light candles like we do. Also, be sure to walk around. There is a smaller chapel in the back, Chapelle Notre-Dame-Du-Sacré-Coeur.





We could have spent the whole day in Old Port Montreal but we had to prioritize. We walked along the waterfront some more and stopped for some souvenirs on Saint-Paul Street before heading back to the hotel so mrC could study. We did stop at Walmart for a few things first though. Again, priorities.


We ventured out again for a nice walk after dinner. There might not be a lot to look at where the hotel is located, but a plane is never too far. There is also plenty of room to do yoga. 



The goal is to break fast as close to 24 hours as you can. Well, I typically make it about 20 hours and today was the first day of my monthly which makes me feel just blah on a regular day. 

Broke fast around 2PM:


Dinner: 


Snacks: some Oreo crisps and red grapes.


What is your favorite low intensity cardio exercise?

Do you like to tour churches?




Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Shred Day 2: Sprints, a Nail Salon Adventure and Free Food

Low carb days always make me feel really good.


But today I'm feeling amazing! Not because of low carbing, but because I ran my sprints outside. It was the same workout as yesterday: 20 sprints at 20 seconds on and 20 seconds off. I used a run/walk combination.


Our hotel is located in the Saint-Laurent neighborhood of Montreal, very near the airport and about 15 minutes from downtown. It is a thriving little area with shopping, restaurants, and entertainment just a block away. This morning it was a perfect place for me to run.


After showering and some breakfast, I went on a nail salon adventure. I walked back to the shopping area where I ran my sprints to get my nails done. That salon was closed, so I returned to the hotel to grab the car keys and drove to another location about a mile away. The street was lined with shops and the parking signage was in French, so I continued back to the hotel. I finally found a salon in a shopping mall on another block near where we are staying. At the end of the adventure, I'm loving my new nail colors. 


What I ate on low carb day 2:

Breakfast: scrambled eggs and ham, pb&j plain rice cake, coffee


Lunch: veggie burger, salad, diet dew


Snack: celery, hummus, diet dew


Dinner: salmon, salad, diet dew


Before dinner mrC and I walked to the attached hotel to check out the restaurant. On the way we found some FREE FOOD! The hotel set out fresh cookies for the guests, so we grabbed some for dessert!


Macros: I did really well on my carbs again today: 34 net, but I was under in calories again. I really don't know how to hit them on low carb days. 



Tomorrow is feast day and I've already decided that I will be going to the hotel buffet for breakfast. I saw some waffles there the other day and they just sound really good!

What is your favorite breakfast item?







Monday, August 15, 2016

30 Day Shred Begins

We're going to be hanging out in Montreal for a few weeks for mrC's work, but we have some pretty nice digs at the hotel. Since I'm starting 30 Day Shred, another carb cycling and intermittent fasting program, I was excited to see that the room had a little kitchen area.


What is 30 Day Shred?

After watching the introduction video from Amanda, here is what I learned:
  • Takes the best parts of Carb Cycling Level 1 & 2 
  • Uses a CUSTOMIZED IIFYM (if it fits your macros) plan
  • Puts less emphasis on being GF and DF (no more guilt over cheese and yogurt!)
  • Uses an optional shortened feeding window to get in your daily calories
  • The workouts: speed, strength training with focus on lower body, and running (this should be interesting for me and my knee) 
During the program we will be using two APPS:
OTR (On The Regimen) - to set custom macros and use with MFP
MFP (My Fitness Pal) - to log food/workouts and track macros

My OTR custom macros look like this (training = regular calorie day and rest day = low cal day):


Then using the customized macros, I input into MFP. I also upgraded to Pro and created goals for each carb cycling day, although I think my low carb day needs tweaking.




I started day 1 bright and early in the fitness center doing an elliptical sprint workout. We jumped right into intense with 20 intervals of 20 seconds on and 20 seconds off. I was secretly hoping my knee would give me another sign that it was up for an outdoor run. Maybe tomorrow.


We missed the shopping window when we arrived yesterday (stores close early here on Sunday), so after mrC went to work I found my way to both Walmart and a local grocery to stock up on some breakfast and lunch items.


Best find of the shopping trip was sweetener for my coffee and tea. Liquid stevia is the best!


I saw this postal box on our after dinner walk and think Canada has way better taste in mail than the USA. What do you think?


I want to stay on track during the 30 Day Shred, so I'm back to blogging every day. My first round of carb cycling was a huge success and I attribute a lot of it to the fact that I blogged EVERY day about my workouts and what I ate.

What I ate on low carb day:

Breakfast: scrambled eggs and Canadian bacon (what else, right?), coffee
I'm out of practice and almost forgot the plate photo ;)


Lunch: veggie burger, salad with parmesan cheese, ranch dressing, celery and hummus, diet dew
Can you believe all that food is only 370 calories? It's crazy how full I feel when I eat well.


Dinner: another salad, tuna, some green beans, and diet dew
I completely forgot the meal pic, so I compensated with a shot of the unprepared items ;)


Snack: Around 3:00 I satisfied a little sweet tooth and hunger with an low carb bar. These things are seriously sooooo good!


MACROS: Low carb days on MFP always confuse me because the app doesn't calculate net carbs (carbs minus fiber). My net carbs were 34 (yay), but my calories were 523 short (not good). The crazy part is that I feel satisfied and had plenty to eat.



Ever been to Montreal?
What tricks do you use to stay on track with your nutrition?
What Apps do you use to track your fitness/nutrition?





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