15km run
20km bike
Moksha Yoga
BodyRock Workout 

I go to a Moksha Yoga studio here in London and I’d like to share the benefits of committing yourself to a yoga practice.

Overall:

• increased flexibility
• better balance
• increased fitness
• focus
• breath awareness
• less water retention

Health: 

• depression (melatonin is released)
• insomnia    (melatonin is released)
• stress reduction
• arthritis
• back/knee pain
• poor digestion and constipation
• headaches
• pregnancy
• posture
• scoliosis 

I challenge you to do a full 7 days of hot yoga (or non heated yoga). It can be any type that you’d like to do but try the hot yoga at least twice.

Stay hydrated!

xxJess

After deciding to not go for a BQ on my first marathon just over a month ago I decided to train for a 4:15-4:20 time.

The expo was great, met lots of runners, Katherine Switzer, and just amazing people over all. I walked around Toronto with my mum and had a delicious meal at East Sides. We head back to the Hilton to relax, watch the Rock game on the telly and then get a good nights sleep. My sleep sucked though however.

Race morning, I didn’t get to start with the breakfast I wanted, only downfall of the Hilton was that they didn’t have breakfast set up early for us runners. Mum and I head to the start and I’m feeling a good. A stop in the bush 5 minutes to go with a fellow runner and a kiss from my mum and we were off.

It was surreal, so many people and the weather couldn’t have been any better! I was on pace for my 4:15-4:20 when this old man came up beside me. We had a little chat asking if it was my first marathon and then continued to say that he didn’t run his first until he was 62. I asked him how old he was and.. 83. This old man was 83 years old. He then continued to tell me how he woke up at 1 am to ride his bike for 95k and then get to the start of the race. I asked if he was training for an Ironman and he said you betcha. This man became my inspiration.

So far so good… I hit the 21k mark at 2 hours and continued on. At 26k, disaster struck. A cyclist passing a group of cyclists crashed into me, causing me to go flying with him and the bike landing on top of me. Medical rushed over after a runner had called up ahead and I had so many nice things to say to the cyclist. I don’t think I ever cussed so much in my life. Medical didn’t want me to keep going and I tried to convince them that I was fine and they didn’t believe me, so during a painful 2k, they finally agreed to let me finish… I lost an hour in time due to the collision and the walk but I finished in 5:17. 

I’m just happy I finished with my friends and mum at the finish. I found out my friend came 5th with a new PB!

I decided to take my shoes off because I was ready to put my sandals on and the right foot had a nasty blister forming on it. I didn’t even get my left shoe off when a sudden rush of pain hit me. A 7 layer open blister was on the inner sole of my foot and it was the most excruciatingly painful thing I’ve had in a long while. That pain is still there but it’s getting better and I can walk with my full foot on the ground now. I also received a massive sunburn, but that doesn’t bother me.

Overall it was a great experience and I can’t wait for the next one!

xxJess

adhibition:

Good morning, sunshine!!

I should set something like this up at some point

Well Good Morning, Afternoon, and Evening my wonderful friends!

How has your weekend been?
Friday was absolutely beautiful, +18 and just a little bit of wind, I walked to and from school. I worked from 2-6 and when I got home, I had all intentions of having a quick nap and then studying for my Biology midterm next week. Well what was suppose to have been a quick nap shortly turned into a 13hour sleep. I felt so good this morning when I woke up though! Once again it was a beautiful morning, the birds were singing, I could hear the neighbours going out for their morning walk and I couldn’t wait to start my day.
I grabbed a quick smoothie, made from the mini packs I had made, some greek yogurt and some natural protein powder. Grabbed my bike and headed for campus to work from 9-3. After work I biked home (in total biked 8km) and decided that it was too nice of weather to pass up for an enjoyable run. 
Washed my dishes, started laundry, threw on my shorts and a tank and headed out. 5 miles later, I arrived back home just feeling fantastic. It was nice just to run for the sake of it. Not having to worry about my marathon, not my pace, distance, etc.
Now it’s on to some assignments and studying, but like I said in my last written post, I have been working on some new things!

Hope you’re all well,
xxJess 

ps. yes that is a GU packaged on my messy counter. Espresso to be exact and I do believe it is my new favourite.
pps. Nivea moisturiser is the best!

(Source: slim-gym)

I hope you don’t mind the sweaty, feel good vibe this picture brings you. (Feel good? She’s not even smiling!) Yes, I know. I just finished my half marathon and ate a delicious finishers brunch and headed to the gym so I could go for a steam. It felt amazing.

Today went well. I got up at 6:30 and ate my peanut butter and banana on Big 16 toast, half an apple, and a big glass of milk. Then I went to the race site to warm up and get ready. It started off nicely and there was no wind (omg no wind in Lethbridge?!?!) and then I got hot, like every race. I went from my North Face jacket to it being unzipped, to it being taken right off and just running in my sports bra in -5. I wasn’t planning on running at race pace as I knew this was only a training run for my marathon in May. I wanted to finish in 1:45-1:50.  It turns out that we ran 26km instead of 21.1km. My time being 2:02:12, not bad, but with the pace adjustment on the distance, turns out that if we had raced the proper distance I would have been at 1:48:56. I felt so good when I finished knowing I was at the training pace I wanted.

Afterwards, the married couple I met at the race who graciously let me keep my bag in their vehicle and drive me to the finishers brunch, had an amazing conversation about racing and life and I honestly can’t wait to meet them again. Ken and Allison, you two are my new favourite people from this craphole of a city.

All in all, it was a good day. 
I hope everyone else’s day went as well!

xxJess 

Your weight is a NUMBER. It doesn’t tell you that you’re fat, that you’re skinny, healthy or unhealthy.
Your weight is a mix of water, muscle, fat, bones, organs, hair, YOUR ENTIRE BODY.
Example: I weigh 125-130lbs, but I wouldn’t care if I weighed 150lbs because I’m muscle. I take care of my body and as long as I like the way that I looks and I feel healthy that’s all that mattes.
That’s all that should matter to you as well, be happy with your body and the way you look. Yes, weighing yourself every now and then is fine but don’t make it a habit because you will only let yourself down. As you work out you will start to burn fat and lose weight, however you are also building muscle. Muscle weighs MORE than fat, so don’t freak if you gain a few pounds, they’re healthy ones! However, remember that your body can’t function properly without some fat, so as long as you’re intake of fats are “healthy”. Saturated and Trans Fats are the worst for your body and fat-free doesn’t always mean healthy.
Get your BMI done by someone else, don’t try and do it yourself because it will result in inaccurate and false readings. 

xx Jess

(Source: onetwoahealthyyou)

sophiaj:

Fruit Salad! yummy, yummy (: 

I decided to make a mini arrangement of some fruit I had handy! I used one banana, one peach, 1/3 can/cup of pineapple, and a handful of raspberries. Twas delicious, nutritious, and filling. :) 

(Source: nomoreexcusesnz)

It is easy to say yes to everything offered to you. “Would you like a donut?” Okay, one won’t hurt. “Should we get a mcdonalds?” Alright, then. “Lets go out for lunch.” Yay!

Saying yes everytime to everything is not good in any situation.

I used to say yes to alot of things. Yes to an odd snack here and there, yes to going out for lunch, yes for going to mcdonalds. Now I say no. You don’t need it. That food is still going to be there tomorrow, and if not, who cares? You can have it another day. You don’t need it right now, right this second.

Don’t even think about it, just, say. No. Soon it’ll become second nature to you and you won’t even think twice.

Just say no, people!

(Source: lostgained)

Do you feel like you do this to yourself everyday?

If you said yes…well here’s what you do.

1. lay off the fast food, junk food, salty, sugary, anything that tastes great for 3 minutes and makes you feel ill for hours.
2. start eating fresh fruits and veggies
3. go for a run, a bike ride, a walk
4. learn to love yourself
5. once you start being healthy, your body will follow