What’s the 21 Day Fix all about anyway?

April 2, 2016April 3, 20161 Comment

Ever since I started posting more about my post-partum health and fitness journey on Facebook, Instagram and on my blog, I’ve received all kinds of messages:

“What are you doing!?”

“Which program is this!?”

“I’m not coordinated and I’m so out of shape…is this super hard!?”

and…”you GO mama!” (or some other form of encouragement….thanks for that, friends)

So, I thought I would make it easy on myself and answer a few questions for you all!

Question 1: OK, so what’s the 21 Day Fix all about?

21 Day Fix is a BeachBody program created by super trainer Autumn Calabrese. The program includes:

30 minute workouts (7 total) that are designed to be in-home friendly, or you can do these at the gym, too (streaming available!). Bonus Plyo workout when you order through an Independent Beachbody Coach (aka: ME!). Light hand weights or a resistance band are required.
Nutrition plan with handy color-coded portion control containers (more on this in a minute) – it takes the guesswork out of what you should be fueling your body with every day.
On-line support via virtual “Challenge Groups” (run by me!) and the on-line BeachBody community
If you purchase what’s called a Challenge Pack (better value – only available through your coach…aka: ME!), it also includes a 30-day supply of Shakeology, which is a superfood filled shake. Why do I love it? I can pronounce all the ingredients, it comes in chocolate flavour, and it helps to curb my sugar and carb cravings! Need I say more?

Question 2: “Why 21 days?”

The answer is simple: it takes 3 weeks to form a new habit.

This is especially crucial for those just starting their fitness journey, or picking things back up again after a long hiatus. There are plenty of amazing 60- to 90- day programs out there, but I’d recommend leaving those until further down the line! Give yourself the chance to commit and see success in this first short 3-week burst, and you’ll be HOOKED. 21 Day Fix truly helps you form good habits and lay a foundation for your nutrition and fitness. The best part is that once you’ve made the initial investment, you can just keep going and complete multiple rounds!

Question 3: “But seriously though, I am so. out. of. shape.”

This program is designed for those at a beginner to intermediate fitness level. Each and every workout offers modification options. If you’re finding even the modification option challenging, ditch the weights and just use your body weight. There’s a big range of options – the key is to just get up and keep moving.

Question 4: I find nutrition and meal planning extremely daunting. Ain’t nobody got time for that.

In my opinion, nutrition is the HARDEST part of staying healthy. Quick and convenient foods are far too often the worst ones for us (and they are often the cheapest…what’s that about!?). Sugar is hiding in everything! And don’t even get me started on eating out.

What I love about the 21 Day Fix Meal plan is that it’s really simple once you get comfortable with the color coding system. Your starter kit includes these handy, fool-proof, color-coded portion containers for each nutrition family:

Green = veggies
Red = Protein
Purple = Fruit
Yellow = Carbs
Orange = nuts, dressings and seeds
Blue = Healthy fats (think avocado and cheese)

This is not about cutting everything out of your life – that’s NOT sustainable. It’s about learning to make healthy choices as much as possible and educating yourself about what your body needs as fuel each day.

For example, when starting the program, I learned that the amount of oatmeal that I was consuming in the morning was the equivalent of about 3-4 of my daily carb servings (so basically ALL my carbs for the day!). Now, I have a smaller portion of oatmeal and supplement it with eggs and fruit. Still eating plenty of good food, just spreading the nutrition out a bit.

The slogan for the program is: Count colors not Calories!

PS – my favourite part? The 21 Day Fix eating plan even shows you how you can incorporate your favourite foods like chocolate and wine (ahemwineformeplease). Again, this is about a sustainable lifestyle change, not some crazy diet that you will never be able to continue!

Question 5: But I’ve tried to work out at home in the past…I get about 3 days in and give up.

Guess what? ME TOO. I started one of Jillian Michael’s programs back in the summer, went gung-ho for a week, and then fell of the wagon. Why? Because it was just me. On my own. Every day. All by myself.

I don’t know about you, but it’s really hard to motivate yourself every single day when you’re in it alone. Well, today is your lucky day, because this is where I come in. The reason I decided to become a BeachBody coach is to offer you the support and encouragement that I know is necessary to realize results. I will text you, check in with you, and add you to my private on-line challenge groups. Through these support links, you’ll find daily posts and challenges, and the opportunity to celebrate successes (and failures!) with other challengers just like you.

Question 6: OK, Melissa…you’ve convinced me….now when can I start?

On-line, private challenge groups run every month! My next one starts on Monday, April 11th, 2016. You’ll need to order your Challenge Pack in advance (which costs less than a few months at a gym or a 10-class punch card!), so you’re ready to rock n’ roll, so if now is your time, take the first step and JOIN ME by completing this form

Let’s do this TOGETHER!

Sunday Dinner: Hearty Beef & Butternut Squash Stew

March 20, 2016March 20, 2016Leave a comment

I’m not a chef. Like, at all. Even though I went to hospitality school for four years and worked in the restaurant industry, I just didn’t get pumped about cooking. But then baby H came along, I was home a lot more often, Christian and I focused more on clean eating, and we started meal planning.

Oh, and we bought a new house with the BIGGEST kitchen island ever. Seriously, my kitchen makes my heart happy.

So, here is my first ever recipe post – something that I thought I would NEVER do. Ironically, my hubby cooked this tonight so I could go shopping and have some me time, so he gets the credit. But who’s counting, right?

This is recipe is from the 21 Day Fix Extreme Eating Plan. It just felt so appropriate for a Sunday night dinner on a cold day.

Beef and Butternut Squash Stew

(Yields approximately 6 servings)

Sorry for the crummy photo…we couldn’t wait to dive in LOL

Ingredients

1 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 lbs raw lean beef stew meat, boneless (cut into 2-inch cubes)
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 cup low-sodium organic beef broth
1 bay leaf
1 tsp sea salt or Himalayan salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 cups cubed butternut squash
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley (we did 1/2 cilantro and 1/2 parsley)

Directions

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
Add beef; cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until beef is brown.
Add onion and bell peppers; cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent.
Add garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute.
Add tomatoes, broth, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Bring to boil. Reduce Heat to medium-low; cook, covered for 40 minutes.
Add squash; cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 12 minutes, or until sauce has thickened and beef is fork-tender **
Remove bay leaf; serve topped with parsley.

**we found this wasn’t enough time to fully cook the squash, so would recommend either pre-steaming your squash, OR adding it in at least 15 minutes earlier than recommended above.

We added cilantro, and a bunch of Franks Red Hot Sauce (yep, we really do put that s**t on everything).

21 Day Fix Container servings (per serving):

1 x Green

1 x Red

This meal was delicious and I’m so pumped to enjoy it again tomorrow! Why not give it a try this week?

Happy Spring and Happy Sunday everyone,

Melissa

Meal Planning changed my life.

March 17, 2016March 20, 20162 Comments

Yes, I’m putting it right here for all to see: meal planning has changed my life. Seriously.

For those of you who checked out my recent post on my post-partum fitness journey, you already know that I have taken some big steps in the past few months when it comes to prioritizing myself and my fitness. However, before I got there, it started in the kitchen.

And do you know what? Living a healthy lifestyle is ALL ABOUT THE KITCHEN.

I know, I know. I fought it too. I would justify my actions, that second drink, that extra muffin (Or cookie. Or entire ~~row~~ box of cookies). The “I’m too busy looking after everyone else to worry about what I’m eating” qualifying statement. Shoving into my mouth whatever food I could quickly get my hands on in order to satisfy the hunger that I had been ignoring for the past two hours. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

In the fall, Christian and I took a long hard look at our eating strategy, which we realized wasn’t a strategy at all. We were grocery shopping multiple times a week, using our precious time ineffectively, and spending more money on food as a result. We felt like we were eating fairly well, but often found ourselves “running out” of food (I use air quotes because we had plenty of food, it just didn’t necessary add up into a meal). Snacks were often forgotten, or the same thing on repeat every day. And then came the 8pm evening munchies. Oh yes. That.

But let me be honest with you: the game changing meal planning didn’t just magically happen overnight.

No way.

First, we started with dinners Monday to Friday. Every Sunday we would sit down together and figure out what was on our menu, and as each meal was prepped and consumed, we would keep track of those meals. The first few weeks, this took A LOT of time. But week by week, it got so much easier. After a month, we had a spreadsheet full of meal options to choose from – we just built on the progress little by little.

Getting dinner sorted then snowballed into other areas of our nutrition. For example, lunches quickly followed, because we could simply prep extra for lunch the following day. Even though I’m still at home during the day with Harrison, I too get a Tupperware packed lunch! It’s sitting there waiting for me every day. No excuses.

“Oh, I’ll just pick up a shawarma…there’s nothing ready in the fridge at home anyway.”

Let’s say it all together: NO MORE.

So, who’s with me!? Wait…you are!? Oh goody! Today is your lucky day, ’cause here are:

Five Tips to help get your Meal Planning Started

1) Start Small. If you’ve never truly meal planned before, it can all be really daunting. 21 meals and 14+ snacks is a lot to think about. Choose the meal you struggle with the most and plan for 5 days: Monday to Friday. Weekends sometimes can be wild cards, so I recommend starting with the even keel week-days.

2) Prioritize Planning and Prep Time. The biggest habit that Christian and had to form was that we do not go to bed on Sunday night without our plan for a week and a grocery list set. Typically, we aim to grocery shop on the weekend, but in a pinch, we go on Monday nights. Regardless, we ensure the planning ahead is DONE and email ourselves the grocery list. Whoever is going knows exactly what to get.

3) Shop Once. If anyone hates inefficiency, it’s my darling husband. In the past, we were shopping several times a week, throwing away food and wasting money. Since prioritizing proper meal planning we spend less time grocery shopping, eat better and save money. Need I say more?

4) Make it Visual. Find a way to post your meal plan in a visible and accessible spot. The best $3 I’ve ever spent was to purchase a magnetic weekly planning board from Dollarama. Every Sunday we write our food plan for the week, which includes breakfasts and dinners (we use dinner leftovers as our lunch for the following day). This takes the dreaded question “what’s for dinner?” out of our life completely, and it’s rather liberating.

5) Have some fun. Like to order in once in a while? Build it in! Have a Saturday morning breakfast ritual? Plan ahead and try something new each week. For us, Friday nights are a bit of a special night as we often reserve this for an at-home “date night”. We like to make something fun and out-of-the-ordinary. For example, this Sweet Potato Crust Pizza from PopSugar Fitness is one of my absolute favorite choices for a Friday night in. Served with a simple green salad and a glass of vino, its comfort food without the….bloat.

And there you have it! What are you waiting for? Why not take some time this weekend at GET PLANNING.

My Post-Partum Fitness Journey.

February 29, 2016March 20, 20163 Comments

Yesterday marked day 21 of the 21 Day Fix challenge that I began on Feb 8th. 21 Day Fix is a workout and nutrition plan that was created by my latest girl crush, Autumn Calabrese. It’s part of the Beach Body Fitness programs (you might have heard of P90x or Insanity? Same company!).

Reflecting upon the past three weeks allowed me to realize that I have done something solely for ME every single day for the past 21 days. Forget the program. Forget the results. As a relatively new mom, now THAT’S something to celebrate!

But let’s back up for a few minutes, because I wasn’t ready for this a few months ago. It took me some time to get here.

Fitness has pretty much always been a part of my life. I started working out at the gym in high school, when a handsome neighbor from my graduating class suggested we lift weights together at the gym. He seemed to have it all figured out, somehow managing to simultaneously rock both football and musical theatre like a character straight out of Glee. I immediately enjoyed feeling strong and started learning my way around a gym. Fast-forward to my university days when I became a varsity cheerleader. Being part of a competitive team allowed me to see fitness in a different light. I further developed my weight-lifting knowledge, competed in national competitions, rode in the back of an ambulance with an injured teammate, and threw-up after the dreaded “hill runs” during practice. I loved every minute of it.

After university my fitness journey continued: Body Pump classes at Goodlife, completing my first 10K running race and two half-marathons, and beginning personalized work-out plans created by my now husband, Christian. Boot camps, ballet based dance classes, spinning, cross-fit, hot yoga…you name it, I was up for trying it all. On my wedding day, my shoulders and triceps looked pretty darned awesome, if I do say so myself.

Once married life settled down and the home renovations took over our lives, fitness started to drop down the priority list. My husband and I slowly started adding on a pound here and there….we just couldn’t seem to bump fitness and health back up to the top of the priority list.

The year before I got pregnant, I knew I wasn’t feeling (or looking) my best, but just wasn’t motivated enough to make serious changes. I mean, what was the point if I was just going to “undo” all my hard work during pregnancy anyway?

By the time my due-date approached, I had gained nearly 50 pounds. I didn’t beat myself up about it — let’s be honest: I grew a human! In fact, it was kind of liberating!

Fortunately, Baby H took to breast feeding (which happens to be an excellent calorie burn). Between that and walking walking walking and walking some more the pounds started to fall off. Slow and steady.

In the late summer, Christian decided that he was going to break the “dad-bod” stereotype and do the aforementioned P90x. I resented him for it. Fall was by far my hardest stretch post-partum and I resented the fact that he had the drive, energy, will-power, physical ability and desire to commit to this program. I just wasn’t there, and I took it out on him. Big time.

By late fall, I was starting to crave fitness for myself again. I joined a mommy-baby Ironcore class and a spin studio. I enjoyed feeling the sweat and burn, but my post-partum body was completely different than the one I had been working out with for 30 years prior. Balancing baby and home and a part-time return to work, it was hard to make it to class more than once or twice a week. The number on the scale told a “great” story but the mirror told me otherwise; I seriously missed my muscles and my abs were a distant memory. I told myself that I “looked great for a new mom” but I knew that I wanted more. If I truly prioritized it, I could look AND feel great. Period. No “for a new mom” qualifiers needed.

And then fate stepped in. At a January get-together among friends, I caught up with Heidi. She had been running some clean eating and fitness challenge groups on Facebook and I had read about her own fitness journey a few months prior. The program is simple: regular 30 minute workouts that you do at home, alongside a balanced nutrition plan.

With a young baby and a nap schedule to work with, I knew that in-home workouts would be the best way for me to prioritize fitness for real this time. I signed up for the 21 Day Fix program as a part of Heidi’s challenge group the very next day.

So here we are, 21 days later. I feel like my fitness journey has just re-ignited again and I am so thrilled. In three weeks I have lost 5 lbs and 5 inches….but most importantly, I feel amazing. I have so. much. energy.

The best part is that I’m just getting going. Through this experience, I have learned two key things:

Becoming a mom does not have to push you to the bottom of the priority list. Prioritize yourself. I am a better mother and wife because of this.
I am extremely motivated when I am motivating and encouraging others. For this reason, I have become a Beach Body Coach, which means I want to help YOU reach YOUR fitness goals. Yep, I surprised myself when I signed up, but here we are.

My next 21 day fitness challenge begins on March 14th, 2016.

Will you join me!? Drop me your info and let’s do this together.

Fashion Friday: Winter Wonderland

February 19, 2016March 20, 2016Leave a comment

It’s Friday! Huzzah. Time for some fashion fun.

As I made my way through my fashion transition from full-time career attire to home-for-a-year mom looks, I learned a lot about myself when it comes to clothing. One thing I know for sure is that I care about what I wear and what I look like. Call me vain, but that’s the way it’s always been. I tried the “mom uniform” for a while, including wearing my active wear out and about. I can rock that look sometimes, but what I’ve learned is that I just feel better when I put together a proper “outfit”, even when I’m hanging out at home with my son.

Now that winter has finally arrived in Toronto (it’s mid February and we finally have a decent amount of snow on the ground), I thought I’d share a casual and fun winter-inspired look:

I found this top when I was in North Vancouver, spending the day with my hometown bestie, Leah. It was on sale at a little boutique at Lonsdale Quay for $40. It was a bit out-of-the-box for me, but very cute….bonus: it’s forest green, NOT black! The gold foil dear head adds a bit of glam to an otherwise casual look.

These boots are my absolutely favorite boots. They were a splurge at the Brown’s Shoes outlet in Niagara. Marked down to $150 from over $400, they still required some justification, but I am SO glad they came home with me. I bought them when I was pregnant and couldn’t wear them as my feet were so swollen! Thankfully, they fit now. They are my go-to flat pair of riding boots.

The jeans are my usual American Eagle hi-rise Jegging. Yes, they are the gift that keeps on giving.

Finally, my “snood” – yes, that’s a word. This one I picked up at Garage (seriously haven’t shopped there since I was 22, other than to buy this!) but you can find similar ones at Indigo. Again, I love that it adds a bit of glam while remaining casual.

I sort of the love the deer-head and faux-fur look. Sorta contradictory. Sorta an oxymoron? Whatever it is, it feels very Canadian Winter, so that’s what I’m going with.

Happy Fashion Friday everyone.

It takes a village to raise a mother.

February 18, 2016March 20, 20161 Comment

I remember first hearing the term “the village” back in my mid 20s when I was working in corporate sales for the first time. A colleague of mine, who had twin girls around 6 years old, used to joke about how she would be lost without her “village”: mothers, fathers, caregivers, friends who lived in her community that all contributed in some way to the upbringing of her children. I didn’t fully understand what that meant at the time, but it always stuck with me.

Fast forward nearly 10 years later and here I am, planning for my return to work after spending 10 months off with baby H. I have just started part-time work, easing into full time by early May. I’m so excited to get back into it, however, this past month has been overwhelming and stressful as I research, interview and learn as much as I can about childcare options in Toronto (more on this in a future post!).

It slowly dawned on me yesterday: Christian and I are only starting to build Harrison’s village now. This year has been about building MY village as a new mother. And let me tell you, it takes a VILLAGE to raise a mother.

Last week, I enjoyed a night out with 7 amazing women. As I sipped my wine and looked around the table, I realized that I did not know anyone sitting with me just one short year ago. They were strangers on my street, nameless neighbors that I might pass by en route home after a long day at work or nod to while driving by on an errand. Now, they are part of my village, and I call them my friends.

It would take me thousands of words to honor each member of my village…but I would like to at least try to illustrate the diversity of people who have touched my life throughout my motherhood journey so far. The most incredible part, to me, is that support and encouragement can come from everywhere: you just need to accept it.

It’s the new mom across the street who, although I barely knew her, gave me confidence right before I was reluctantly induced into labor as she shared her birth story with me. We were basically strangers. Now we get together at least once a week for coffee chats and walks. She constantly brings us food and goodies. I recently attended her daughters first birthday and felt like an extension of her family.

It’s my uber-prepared friend who researched EVERYTHING to do with pregnancy, baby, child-rearing, car seat safety, weaning, airplane travel and RESPs. She had her baby first, and then passed down each and every tid-bit of information (and baby stuff!) she could possibly think of. She has been and continues to be an amazing resource, and is the reason that we made the decision to put H in cloth diapers (when I vowed I would NEVER use cloth diapers. Never say never).

It’s my own mum, who flew from Vancouver one week after Harrison was born and moved in with us for an entire MONTH. My husband was a bit skeptical about having his mother-in-law move in for that long, but we were all sad to see her leave by the end. She was amazing at keeping me on track and helping me figure out a routine. Every morning by 10am she would say to me (in her precious Irish accent): “Right…what’s for dinner tonight?”. Dinner!? I haven’t even showered yet! But she helped start a habit that has since evolved into regular weekly meal planning for our family.

It’s the free-spirited woman down the street who was out walking with her daughter, saw me walking Harrison at barely a month old, and literally doubled back out of her way to introduce herself. Although she claims to be an introvert, she made the first move to say “hi” and we’ve had many a play date ever since. Her daughter has a grin that makes my heart melt.

Through her I met another amazing woman, who makes the best darned macchiato anyone could ask for. And let’s be serious: coffee IS the way to a mothers heart. The first time we got together we talked and talked like old friends. She is kind and generous and makes me LAUGH.

It’s my mother-in-law, who will drive 1.5 hours just to spend an afternoon with her grandson. We have had many a lunch date, cups of tea, chats and great visits – I will miss this quality time with “nana” once I’m back to work full-time! Her texts, emails and words of encouragement have helped to build up my confidence as a mom.

It’s my husbands’ cousin, who I now know at such a more meaningful level than I ever did before. She is a mother of two and is in the process of building a coaching business targeted towards new mothers. Her wisdom, encouragement, and ability to challenge has forced me to continue to carve out time to be MELISSA. Not mother. Not wife. Not employee. ME.

There’s the woman with school-aged kids who runs a part-time home daycare down the street. Her 6-year old daughter loves children so much you just know she got it from her mom! There is something so comforting about knowing that just down the street you have someone who will take care of your child as though they were her own. She currently looks after Harrison one day a week while I begin my transition back to work.

And across the street, another mother of two who has boundless stories and tips to share. She has loaned me books on baby-led weaning, sent me links, recipes, left zucchini chocolate cake on my doorstep when I had a rough day (yes! on my doorstep!). And she has this incredible aura that I can’t describe: I feel calm when I’m around her.

It’s my “Innovation Girls” who I met at a conference a few years ago. 6 weeks post-partum, they arrived at our home, took over our kitchen, and made us the most glorious home-made pasta dish. It was the BEST gift. (Ok, so maybe coffee AND pasta are the way to a mothers heart).

It’s my father-in-law and “Bonus mom” (as I refer to his partner!) – they have stepped into the grandparent role with so much zeal. Finding excuses to pop by, bring gifts, food, get together’s, babysitting…anything for more quality time with H! The joy that they show when they see him is nothing short of heart-warming. If we haven’t seen them in a few weeks, I can expect a call or email asking for the next “Harrison fix”.

It’s my bonus-mom’s co-worker, whom I have NEVER met, who offered us all the hand-me-downs from her children. My in-laws literally showed up with bins upon bins of clothes for H. He’s set until age 2.

It’s my friend who is a mother of two and trained sleep coach, who worked with me in the summer to move baby H towards a regular daytime and nighttime sleep schedule. She has incredible advice and is extremely passionate about constantly evolving as a mother – she researches, attends workshops, and does all she can to continually improve – it’s very inspiring. (More on sleep training in a future post as well – I owe this woman my mental sanity).

It’s my sister, who visited in the summer to spend a week with her new nephew. She sang, and sang and sang and sang some more. He loved to listen to her sing. Kokamo has become an instant classic in our home after her visit.

It’s my hometown mom friends: I may not see them often, but our messenger chat group is constant: support, frustrations, questions, bitching, hilarious photos, videos and comics. I’m so thankful for these virtual touch points. And there is power in threes! If one of us is having a rough day, chances are at least 1 out of the other 2 is having a good day and can help offer encouragement. Or at least a virtual photo of a glass of wine.

It’s my church: the overwhelming support, love, messages, cards, gifts and advice. So much mom and family wisdom in my church community. I’m basically covered until H heads to college.

Finally: my husband. Of course he’s part of my village. Having a child together changed our marriage more than we could ever have imagined. We had our ups and downs. And believe me, there were moments when we wanted to kick each other OUT of the village all together. But we didn’t. We figured it out together. Christian has encouraged me and supported me as best as he could while concurrently determining his “new normal” as a husband and father.

And it doesn’t end there. I could go on and on and on. The smiles. The encouragement. The freezer meals. The sharing. The texts. The advice. The gifts. The support. How incredibly lucky am I to have been building my own village on top of such a rock-solid foundation.

Whether your village is 2 people or 20, young or old, near or far, it doesn’t matter. Build it. Because becoming a mother is crazy journey, and you’re going to need all the help you can get. It takes a village to raise a mother.

Thank you to my village.

[Photo credit: Sweet Grace Photography]

Out the door make-up

January 26, 2016March 20, 2016Leave a comment

If there is one thing that I have truly mastered since having Baby H, it’s having a sliding-scale of “I look presentable” beauty regimes.

There’s the “I just need to get out the door a find coffee” look. And the other extreme is “I have been looking forward to this girls night for a month and have been primping for 2 hours straight” look.

My personal fave: the 3 minute face (aka: the “I can already hear Harrison awake on the baby monitor and I am still in my pyjamas” look). We’ve all heard of the 5 minute face, but I challenge you to make it 3!

Here are my go-to essentials for looking bright-eyed and bushy tailed any day of the week:

Screen Shot 2016-01-22 at 2.43.33 PM

Moisturizer: Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Creme. I cannot live without moisturizer. Seriously, if I could only pick one thing from this must-have list, this would be it. I switched to Kiehl’s two years ago and absolutely love it. The $60 price tag hurt at first but I seriously can make the 125ml jar last close to a year. It is hands-down the best moisturizer I have ever used.

Foundation: it’s not quite foundation, it’s CC creme and is lighter coverage. Pictured here is Oil of Olay Pore Minimizing CC Creme. I haven’t tried many formulas and using an all-in-one was new to me post-baby (hello, we are on a 3-minute time line here). So far so good. I have a hard time paying $35 when all you’re getting is a standard “grocery store” brand product, so I will continue my search, but for now, this works.

Highlighter: Hi-Beam Liquid Face Highlighter by Benefit. This would be #2 on my “can’t live without list”, just behind my moisturizer. I have used this product for years and have tried many highlighters. At over $30, it’s not cheap, but this bottle lasts me close to a year and it truly makes your skin glow. I apply it on my cheeks and brow bone just about every day.

MAC eye-shadow: I love MAC eye shadow. This particular color is Jest, but Woodwinked is my top choice for every day. $19 each. The bonus? Their “Back to MAC” program, where 6 empties gets you a FREE eye shadow or lipstick. Everyone wins.

Blush: Mary Kay “Shy Blush”. It’s a beautiful shimmery pink. I always said I didn’t wear pink and then I was encouraged to try this at a Mary Kay party and I was sold. That was 4 years ago and here we are. $13.00

Concealer: “Fake Up” by Benefit. Yes, they win two awards from me. I literally went to Sephora in my last week of pregnancy and said “I need time savers that make me look awake”. Voila. Concealer and moisturizer in one with good coverage: $33.00

Mascara: Cover Girl Volum’ Express. Again, I think I have used this mascara for 5+ years. I try others intermittently but this one is my fave. $10 @ Shoppers/ Wal-Mart etc.

Lip Gloss: Mary Kay in “Fancy Nancy” – it’s a nice light shimmery colour. Perfect for those “oh I just threw this on” every day outings. $18.00

So there you have it: my new and improved 3-minute face! Do you have 3 minutes? I bet you do 🙂

Melissa.

Friday Fashion: Work Wear

January 22, 2016March 20, 2016Leave a comment

After an overwhelming response to my uncharacteristically raw post from last Friday, I thought it best to return to our regular scheduled programming…for now, at least. I will be back with more #allthefeels posts soon, especially as I figure out childcare, return to work, transition my life yet again. Ugh.

Anyway, this week marked my second day at the office since going on maternity leave in mid-April. Sure, I’ve had my share of lunch visits and parading baby H around, but this was actual roll-up-your-sleeves work. I absolutely loved it.

Nana came for the day and watched baby H from 11am-5pm. I felt a spring in my step and a giddy excitement as I headed downtown on the subway. Of course, part of the fun was choosing what to wear.

My style always ends up leaning towards ultra preppy (this has pretty much been the case since I was 13, with a few weird stages along the way). I opted for a classic yet casual look because, yes, I am one of those lucky people who works in an office where jeans are totally appropriate every day of the week:

Top: Theory, purchased second-hand from a friend (woo!) for $50.00 – it’s all one piece (sweater AND collared shirt)!

Pants: AEO Denim X Cafe Hi-Rise Jegging. These are my go-to pants because they are so comfy. And at just $40 when on sale, I buy two pairs: one for being home with Harrison, and one for work and going out. I think I own about 5 variations of these pants.

Purse, Necklace and Spike Bracelet: Stella & Dot

Considering I obtained these items when I myself was a stylist for Stella & Dot, they were basically free :). Hit up my girl Kelly for awesome accessories. The necklace and bag that I show here are no longer available, but the Spring 2016 collection just launched and it is G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S.

Shoes: Ann Taylor, purchased on sale for $30.00 – no longer around; last season.

Total outfit cost (excluding accessories): $120

Here’s a close up of my fab bag and snakeskin flats:

And to top it all off, some classic red lipstick. This is my ONE tube of red lipstick that my sister helped me pick out ages ago. It’s L’Oreal and it is the perfect colour for me:

Happy Fashion Friday everyone!

Melissa.

A Good Mother.

January 15, 2016February 18, 201610 Comments

This is not exactly my typical type of post, but I needed to get something off my chest. That’s what blogging is about, right?

Today marked a milestone in my life as a mother. Nope, not a tooth or a first food. Not a birthday or a first step. Not a smile or a word.

Today was the first time I experienced extreme judgement from a complete stranger, all because of the actions of a child.

It’s Friday afternoon and a dear friend and I got together for lunch. It’s dreary, it’s January. It’s miserable. We had both had tough weeks with our little ones. We enjoyed coffee and a chat and fed our babies lunch. Words such as “we’re surviving” and “its fine” came up. It was refreshing to get together and discuss the good, bad and ugly. And besides, we made it to Friday, so it can’t be all that bad, right?

As we started packing up to go, my friends’ little one starting fussing. The fussing turned into crying, and by the time he was strapped into his stroller, the crying had escalated into full-on screaming.

We soldier on and make a hasty dash towards the exit. We are both holding our breath as we take those last few steps to the freedom of open air where the screams don’t seem quite as loud.

And at that very moment, that “I-just-need-to-make-it-to-the-door” final push, a miserable-looking woman stares my friend straight in the eye and says:

“You’re a terrible mother. You should have never had children. My children never cried like that”.

You’re. A. Terrible. Mother.

Read that sentence one more time. Do it.

It took every ounce of self-restraint in me to not march back in there, stand up for my friend, and retaliate. But do you know what? It wouldn’t have made any difference. That woman had made her judgement as soon as that little guy started crying, and no explanation or reasoning would have changed her mind.

So what is it that makes a mother so terrible that a complete stranger would feel compelled to say such a thing?

I don’t have the answer. But I do know that I’ve been thinking a lot about this recently, especially as I round the bend of my maternity leave. My days are filled with researching full time childcare options for my son.

I’m leaving my son in the care of someone else, 5 days a week, so that I can further my career.

Does that make me a terrible mother?

My husband and I had our first overnight away from our son in December. It was a big milestone for us, for our son, and for nana and papa who looked after him. Many friends suggested that I “try not to miss him too much”.

I didn’t miss him. I enjoyed every minute of it and look forward to booking the next night away.

Does that make me a terrible mother?

We made the decision to sleep train. Early. Like, before 3 months old, early. Our son has slept soundly for 12 hours a night since he was 3 months old. He has slept in his crib in the nursery starting at week 2.

Does that make me a terrible mother?

I let him fall. I let him shove too much food in his mouth. I had to perform the Heimlich maneuver a few weeks ago because of said food. I let anyone and everyone hold him. I don’t pick him up as soon as he cries. I breastfeed him pretty much anywhere. I let him watch TV and play with my iPhone. I started him on solids at four months old. I give him baby formula rather than breast milk when I go out because I am sick of pumping. I throw my hands up in the air in the middle of Starbucks and proclaim: “I have no idea why you are crying!!!”

Does that make me a terrible mother?

NO.

I am a GOOD mother. I am AMAZING mother. I am SUPER-FRICKIN-woman. And I will remind myself of this every. single. day.

Every day that my son looks at me with his huge smile and love in his eyes and I give him the same love back. That’s all it takes to be a good mother: love. Love is all you need.

So I challenge you: remind yourself how awesome you are. Look that screaming child of yours in the eye and tell him how much you love him. Look at your tear-streaked face in the mirror and tell yourself how amazing you are. Look at the other mothers in your community and tell them they are GOOD MOTHERS and that they are doing an AMAZING JOB.

Say those words to someone today. Because we don’t always know how long it takes for the sting of negative words to wear off.

YOU are an amazing mother. YOU are LOVED.

Photo Credit: Little SugarPlum Photography, Vancouver

Baby H’s Nursery: Getting Started

August 31, 2015February 18, 2016Leave a comment

Well, this blog has been on a loooong hiatus. So long in fact, that I’ve gone through an entire pregnancy and now have a 4-month old son since my last post! Oopsie. Umm…time flies?

But, there’s no post that has excited me more than this one, so let’s get things rolling again on here! It’s time to share the story of Baby H’s nursery (in several parts, because there’s far too many details to share in just one post!)

It took zero time to come up with the theme for this room. Yes, I decided on the nursery theme of our future child long before he came along…err…dare I say, long before he was conceived!? Seriously, I think I’ve had this theme picked out for about two years. Those of you who know me know I have a ~~love for~~ major obsession with all things nautical. Perhaps it is a sub-conscious nod to my west coast upbringing? For whatever reason, it had to be addressed, and what better room to address it in that a sweet baby nursery.

Nautical can be done in so many ways. You’ve got your “Nantucket Nautical” with navy blue, red and white and lots of lighthouses and lobsters; you’ve got “Beachy Nautical” which is very soft and neutral, and I came up with “West Coast Nautical” as the type for this room. Think Nantucket-meets-Beachy-Nautical 🙂

Enter my Pinterest Board, which slowly evolved into the style that we landed on many months ago. This lovely collage is the one that caught my eye as the overall “look” we were going for:

One of the first things I bought was this amazing stencil from Cutting Edge Stencil, appropriately named “Perfect Catch”. It seemed like a good idea at the time, stenciling the entire room. But then my brilliant husband came up with the idea of add some wainscoting into the room as well. He’s been wanting to try his hand at DIY wainscoting and this provided the perfect opportunity. Yes, I love that he gets excited about this stuff too.

After we cleared out the stuff from our “home office” (which we quickly realized we never used…no harm done making room for baby!), the first step was to measure out the wainscoting. Christian used basic, pre-painted MDF trim from Home Depot. Starting in the centre of each wall, he measured out to determine the distance between each piece of trim.

Taking time with measuring is KEY. It’s all about the prep work. Christian also used a level and a chalk-line to ensure that everything was straight as an arrow.

After filling in all the nail gun holes, it was time to paint the lower half of the room in good ol’ Benjamin Moore CC-40 aka “Cloud White”, which is the colour of all the trim in our house.

What’s clever about this method is that it gives the illusion of actual wainscoting but costs waaaaay less as you’re not actually covering the entire bottom on the wall in wood panels. (If you’re really interested in some home decor nerdery, here is the wikipedia definition. FACT: I knew what wainscoting was by the time I was 10 years old…missed my calling? Perhaps).

For the top half of the room, we chose a neutral blue-grey: CIL Paddlewheel Grey. We agonized over this colour because of the next, and very tedious step (no, no, wainscoting was not enough for baby H…we also stenciled the upper wall! And by “we”, I mean Christian).

Now, let me warn you: stenciling is NOT for the weak, procrastinators, or the impatient. In fact, it’s not for perfectionists either, which is an adjective that could be used to describe Christian. He. Spent. Hours. And I mean HOURS, stenciling this room. I think it took him two full 8 hour days to just get the stencil done. He vowed we were NEVER using a stencil again ~~and I would have to agree~~, but I might try to convince him again (don’t tell him I told you that!)

But oh, the finished product…worth it!? We think so. I mean, I endured 10 months of being prego, PLUS labour, so I’d say we’re even now after the stencil incident.

Check out this beauty progress shot:

And no, we didn’t just opt for a feature wall. Christian stenciled the ENTIRE room. Initially we were worried it would be too busy (hence the concern over finding just the right base colour), but we were over the moon with the final result. I kid you not, everyone comes over and thinks its wallpaper, and Christian can’t help but beam with pride (how to compliment a perfectionist 101).

….looking for the final reveal photo? Sorry, you’ll have to wait until a few more posts! So much story to tell about this little room before I share the final result!

Come back and visit soon.

happy healthy huggetts

a lifestyle blog for those looking for a bit more "happy" in their life.

What’s the 21 Day Fix all about anyway?

Sunday Dinner: Hearty Beef & Butternut Squash Stew

Meal Planning changed my life.

My Post-Partum Fitness Journey.

Fashion Friday: Winter Wonderland

It takes a village to raise a mother.

Out the door make-up

Friday Fashion: Work Wear

A Good Mother.

Photo Credit: Little SugarPlum Photography, Vancouver

Baby H’s Nursery: Getting Started