Jenny Natural

Hey RC!! Hope the drive is going well, I noticed that you were in California.... In the sunshine!! YAY!! It's still hella cold here in Toronto, so wish I was in the sun! I'm just finishing my SunWarrior protein shake, then off to the gym: StairClimber then Yoga. Did a killer leg work-out two days ago, my glutes & hamstrings are still aching!! Safe travels my friend, let's talk soon Ciao

DAY 31 The final day of our New Year New You challenge!! It's bittersweet! Congrats to all of the dedicated participants for sticking to your goal and completing this awesome challenge! I hope you have seen yourself grow in strength and confidence. Knowing that we are capable of committing to a goal and following through on that, is a HUGE confidence builder!! So proud of each member of my team You were an amazing group of hard working individuals, who inspired me to push myself on a daily basis also. Thank you so much Ronnie, Lindsey, Sara and Andrea! And an extra special thanks to Robert Cheeke and the VBB family for including in the NYNY challenge! Take Care friends! Keep pushing towards your fitness goals and once you achieve them, set new ones!! Love and Respect to ALL!!

DAY 27+28 Good Morning! Just realized I didn't post my journal last night!! Will post DAY 29 later. Friday was a great day in the gym, although I was very tired from the work week, I had to get my training in. I hit the gym at 9pm Friday night, completed a 3.5 mile RUN and then finished with crunches, push-ups and planks. Yesterday, was an extremely busy day for me, so I had to complete my workout at home. When at home, I use the stairs in my building to do a quick warm up (25 floors). Then I roll out my mat and start with some floor work, push-ups, fire hydrants, planks, yoga poses, burpees and crunches. If it isn't possible to squeeze in the time to hit the gym, it's always possible to make time for a quick workout at home or on the go. Even giving the body a really quick 2 minute warm-up by jumping or jogging on the spot and doing some floor work for 10-15 minutes, helps to keep the blood flowing through the body and muscles. NO EXCUSES!! Last night was super indulgent! I went to my favorite restaurant here in Toronto, called LIVE http://livefoodbar.com/ The RAW desserts are AMAZING!! I shared several desserts with friends, and enjoyed every morsel! When I treat myself to desserts, I only eat RAW foods. At least when consuming these delicious and super rich items, I'm also feeding my body nutrients and in most cases a plethora of vitamins and minerals. When it comes to nutrition, ALWAYS keep it WHOLE, FRESH and SIMPLE! Time to get ready for YOGA class Have a great day friends!

DAY 26 I always start my day with a Protein shake and a piece of ezekiel toast topped with organic x-virgin coconut oil and cinnamon. Today I changed up the shake a little: 400 ml H2O 1.5 scoops of SunWarrior Vanilla protein 1/3 Avocado 3/4 cup of baby spinach 1/2 cup of wild blueberries 1 tsp of cinnamon 1 tsp of flax seeds ice and blend A couple hours later I had a Vega Vibrancy bar and then a delicious bowl of fennel-tomato soup with 1 slice of Kamut bread and a purple kale salad topped with olive oil and lemon. Afternoon snack: Another Vega Vibrancy bar & carrots Hit the gym at the end of my day, it was all about the core! Started with a 1.25 mile run + 25 floors on the stair climber to warm up, then sumo squats, fir hydrants, push-ups, renegade rows, crunches, calve raises, planks and stretching. Post-workout recovery shake was exactly the same as my breakfast shake. Then I took my shower and the dogs out for a walk. Dinner was a sweet potato, a couple of carrots and 2 tsp of hummus, and a huge spinach salad with carrots, onions, tomatoes, cauliflower, sunflower seeds and hemp seeds.... dressing was olive oil, fresh garlic and balsamic vinegar. I'm having a hot herbal tea now, will be off to bed soon. How was your training today?? We're getting very close to the end of our New Year New You challenge, hope everyone is feeling the results of the hard work we've been putting in!! Goodnight ALL!

Day 25 REST DAY!! Hooray Sorry friends, not much else to report today... Exhausted!! Off to bed soon. Hope everyone had a fantastic day!! Goodnight!

DAY 24 Spin class was great this morning!! My legs are still burning and it is almost 7 hours since class ended!! Love that!I finished my workout with crunches and dumbbell curls, and stretching of course! Diet has been good today, haven't had dinner yet, but my breakfast and lunch looked like this: Breakfast: SunWarrior protein shake with blueberries and avocado, flax and chia. Piece of toast with organic extra virgin coconut oil and cinnamon. Mid morning snack: Organic pink grapefruit Lunch: SunWarrior shake with blueberries and avocado, oats and flax. Bowl of edamame and sunflower seeds. Snack: Vega Vibrancy bar and a rice cake with almond butter. Dinner is yet to come.... Have a great afternoon ALL!!

Day 23 We are fast approaching the end of January... How is everyone feeling? I'm almost fully recovered from my head cold, was battling it all weekend, but after trying to heal myself for just a couple of days... I'm doing pretty good Today I worked out in the evening, my day was FULL, no time until I returned home at 7pm. I hit the treadmill for a 3.25 mile run to warm up, I always set it on random, so that you get a variation in the terrain. Then I hit the gym floor, literally!! Push-ups, lunges with a 10lb medicine ball (swinging it from side to side as I lunged), calve raises, leg press, back extensions, crunches and of course stretching! Had the usual protein shake and a piece of ezekiel sprouted toast for breakfast, today I had a black coffee too! Sometimes I enjoy a cup of coffee as a treat. Lunch was an enormous plate of raw kale, beets and carrots, topped with lemon juice and olive oil... and a side of chickpea and spinach stew...YUM! Dinner was a protein shake after the gym and a side of edamame, I'm about to make a spinach salad now. Still hungry!! I have a lot of work ahead of me, so I will be up for at least a couple more hours, if not more. Tomorrow I'm attending Spin class with one of my friends, really looking forward to it! I like to go to spin class the day after a leg workout, I find it helps to get my quads super heated up and the blood flowing through the legs... which makes them feel better! Rest well friends! We're almost at the end of this month's challenge... FINISH STRONG!!

Wow!! That's quite the combo! GIRL you can have popcorn when you run as far as you do!! I hadn't had popcorn in almost 2 years! SUPER treat!! Have a great night Doll!

Day 22 Yoga- Yoga-Yoga!! I seriously don't know what I would do without Yoga in my life! It is so necessary for me to stretch out my muscles and build those tiny little muscles in the core that are sometime hard to work. After my workout (and of course following my usual breakfast, read every other post to see what "usual breakfast" I'm referring to) I made a delicious spinach salad, with sunflower seeds, red peppers, chia seeds, flax seeds, tomatoes and cabbage, which I drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. All 100% Organic. I have been congested again all day, so hot water and lemon has been my savior! Mid-afternoon I had another protein shake, with avocado, blueberries, chia, flax, sun warrior protein and water. For dinner, I finished the rest of my quinoa and veggie stew, and enjoyed a super sweet grapefruit for dessert. Again 100% organic. I understand that it isn't possible to purchase 100% organic all the time, as some foods are simply not available organically grown, but whenever possible I highly recommend going with organic. This evening I cheated a little, was watching a old classic film from the 50's... I made organic popcorn, the old fashioned way, in a pot on the stove. I prepared the kernels in organic extra virgin coconut oil, then tossed with a little himalayan crystal salt to taste. I had an apple with the popcorn too, for a little sweetness!! There is something about the combination of salty and sweet, nothing better! Tomorrow it's back on the treadmill!! Gotta make up for several days of just working the core! It's hard to run with head congestion, but I will do my best to complete a decent run in a decent time! Rest well friends! Goodnight

Day 20 & 21 How is everyone's weekend going? Yesterday was a REST day for me, and did I ever need it!! Sometimes the bitter cold weather and a heavy work week can really get to a girl!! Today started with the usual breakfast, a protein shake and a piece of sprouted ezekiel toast topped with organic extra virgin coconut oil and cinnamon. Then it was off to the gym, I attended a really fun class called "body pump". The class works the whole body using 10-12-15lb weights, whatever you're comfortable with. I thoroughly enjoyed it, great energy and group! I finished my gym workout with the stair climber, which according to Robert Cheeke is the best cardio machine for building strength in the legs. Had another protein shake when I returned home, but this one was just protein, water and blueberries. Diet has been on point, after breakfast and my recovery shake, I had a Vega Vibrancy bar, an apple and a banana. I have yet to eat my dinner, and not quite sure if I will prepare my dinner tonight or indulge in picking up some eats from one of my favorite places close to my house called Kale. http://kaleeatery.com/ Love this place!! Time to walk the dogs!! Have a fantastic evening friends!! Tomorrow I am attending the 'Body flow' class with a couple of girlfriends I ALWAYS hit a yoga class on Sunday, great way to get geared up for the week. Keep working those muscles!! We gotta feed them constantly!

DAY 18 & 19 Yesterday was a hard day in the gym, CRUSHED IT!! Worked Legs & Abs. Today I attended a "Body Flow" class, this is a combination of Yoga & Pilates. I really enjoy attending classes, it allows you to introduce exercises that you may not otherwise do and the social aspect of a class can be fun too! My day started the way it usually does, a quick walk with the dogs, then onto a protein shake with a slice of toasted ezekiel spouted bread topped with coconut oil & cinnamon. I typically stretch at home before going to the gym but today there was no need to stretch before a class full of stretches! My body really needed to be stretched after the intense work out I put myself through yesterday. Pilates is a fantastic workout for the core also, lots of abdominal and glute muscle strengthening exercises. After class I made a bowl of oatmeal, only I don't use the traditional oats, I use Kamut flakes. Kamut is a high protein grain, look into it if you haven't already. Kamut pasta is the only pasta noodle I eat. I like to add cinnamon, flax seeds and almonds to my oatmeal. Once bowled I add chia and a sliced banana for extra energy and sweetness. Also had another protein shake, just water & blueberries & protein. Not sure what's up for lunch... but I have been getting back into the carrots dipped in all natural hummus and sliced avocado sprinkled with cayenne on top of rice cakes. These snacks are energy packed and full of flavor!! ** I always say the same: Purchase Organic foods whenever possible! Looking forward to tomorrow's spin class!! My favorite instructor is teaching, she really works the legs! Have a great day everyone!

Day 17 Today started with a killer SPIN class! Yay! Love the burn I feel in my quads after spin. I followed class with some push-ups and assisted dips & chin-ups. I always make a point to STRETCH after a hard workout, even if it was a cardio day... It is super important to stretch! Diet was somewhat predictable, I started my day with a Sun Warrior protein shake. Today instead of banana in my shake I used avocado, if you have yet to add avocado to your protein shakes, try it immediately!! Avocado blends up very smooth and has no taste when mixed with a fruit like blueberries or strawberries. Just make sure not to use the whole avocado, if it is a really big one, use only 1/3 or 1/2 if it is medium to small. Lunch was some left over kamut pasta with lightly sauteed veggies, which I added on top of a bed of fresh arugula and hemp hearts. I love grapefruit, and lately it seems I am eating one everyday... this was my afternoon snack with a Vega Vibrancy Bar. Dinner was super delish, I went to Whole Foods and treated myself to the buffet. My choice: A salad with Raw Kale, spinach, quinoa, garbanzo beans, baked artichokes, shredded beets and carrots. An apple for dessert. Throughout the day, if I'm hungry I munch on raw shelled sunflower seeds, a small handful here and there really wards off the hunger. *Please buy Organic ingredients whenever possible Ok, it's time to walk the dogs for the last time tonight!! Rest well everyone!! Keep pushing toward a fitter you!!

Hi Amanda!! How is your Tuesday going?? I have never tried to prepare seitan, but have always wanted to. We need to exchange recipes!! I like reading your posts also! You are one hard working woman, that's for sure!! You definitely got it goin' on GIRL!! How's the weather today? The bitter cold has finally lifted here in Toronto, actually it is drizzling rain today, which is a nice change from temps dipping down past 10F!! Hope you enjoy the rest of your day my dear!! Talk to you soon!! Oh!! I need you to walk me through how to upload a pic on this site, I can't seem to get it right! Ciao Bella! xo

Day 16 How was everyone's weekend?? I was crazy busy! Today was my REST day!! Hooray! With that said, I still did a heck of a lot of walking and carrying of heavy things like grocery bags, parcels and laundry. I am dog sitting for a friend, which has been fun, so I have been taking the dogs for an extra walk today and yesterday, until both are on the same schedule. I'm back on the Sun Warrior protein, but also eating my favorite protein bars Vega Vibrancy Bars. Today I started my day with a delicious shake: 350ml of water 3Tbsp of Dry Oats 1 tsp of Cinnamon 1/2 Banana 1/3 cup of Blueberries 2Tbsp of Chia seeds 2Tbsp of Hemp Hearts 1Tbsp of Flax Seeds Ice I'm a creature of habit and typically start my day the same way everyday! I love a fresh shake packed full of nutrients to start my day!! I also have 1 piece of toasted sprouted ezekiel bread topped with 1/2 tsp of X-Virgin Coconut oil, sprinkled with Cinnamon. For a snack I had a Vibrancy Bar and an Apple. Lunch was an Arugula salad with Sunflower seeds, cucumber, carrot and tomato w/ a olive oil and balsamic mix lightly drizzled on top. Mid afternoon snack: Vibrancy bar and a Grapefruit DInner: Kamut Pasta with a veggie broth & coconut oil base + sauteed fennel, tomato, yellow pepper and onion. Another apple for dessert. I'm a snacker so, mid evening I had some sunflower seeds and carrots with 2Tbsp of homemade hummus. Still up, its after 1am, and I have about another hour or so of work to do.... Attending Spin class in the morning, really looking forward to blasting my quads with the crazy cardio from Spin!! Goodnight Friends!!

Day 13 Who was feeling LUCKY today?? We're BUSTIN' myths all over the place!! Friday the 13th is LUCKY and Vegans are STRONG.... Share that with those who are conditioned to believe otherwise Today was all about Yoga for me, after a heavy workout and intense week of work I sometimes need a couple of days of yoga to stretch out my muscles and calm my mind. Unlike any other time when I'm in the gym, when practicing yoga, I don't have the music blasting in my earbuds so it really helps me focus on my breath and holding the pose. Yoga practice can be done by ANYONE regardless of mass, age or experience. I highly recommend introducing it into your routine, IMMEDIATELY. Today I decided to switch up my protein source and picked up RAW protein from Sun Warrior, it's delicious!! I believe it is important to change up the supplements from time to time, for example if you ALWAYS use your favorite protein, purchase a different blend or brand and consume the different one every 6 or 7 days for a day then switch back. This will allow the body to wake up and pay attention to the new source, then when switching back it will go through the same "awakening". Obviously it is ok to stick with the same source of protein all the time, however in my opinion and experience, I believe it is best to change it up also. I hope everyone had a fantastic second week of training, if the weekend is your REST time... ENJOY!! Otherwise, Let's ROCK it out in the gym tomorrow friends!! Goodnight!

DAY 12 I TOTALLY KILLED IT at the gym tonight!! Went or a 2.5 mile run to warm up, then it was onto CORE. I love doing ab roll-outs on the ball, find that exercise to be very effective. I also did 2 sets of lunges with the ball and for my final set I used a 10lb medicine ball, swinging across my torso from side to side, calf raises and back extensions were in the mix and assisted dips and chin-ups too. I finished with a 0.5 mile sprint and stretching. Diet was pretty simple today: Breakfast- A vega sport protein shake with half an avocado, blueberries, chia and hemp hearts. + an apple and a small handful of raw unsalted sunflower seeds. Snack: Grapefruit & Carrots Dinner: Kale salad, spinach and lentil stew, edamame and half an orange for dessert. Post workout: Harmonized vegan protein by Progressive mixed with half an avocado, strawberries and flax. Hope everyone is having a great week!! Let's keep pushing toward our goals together!!! Goodnight!!

DAY 10 Today was one of those dreaded days in which you have to be driving the car for several hours... I was out of the City for work and did not make it to the gym today to complete the workout I thought I would have time for. LUCKILY!! I keep a couple of fitness and yoga videos on hand so that in times when I'm left with just enough time to exercise at home, I roll out my mat and can follow a routine that will really work my body. Tonight's video was "Fat Burning Yoga" by Crunch fitness. Whenever the time is limited, and it is not a Rest-day, I try to use whatever I have access to, video or not, to get a workout in. I guess it's pretty obvious that I'm hooked on the VEGA bars, so I always carry one with me, especially when on the road, with a piece or two of fresh organic fruit. Water is key when sitting stationary in a car, or at a desk, it keeps the blood flowing. Tomorrow will be back to core and weight training. Goodnight ALL! Keep ROCKING that Body!!

DAY 9 Good Afternoon Friends!! How was the weekend? I trained on Saturday afternoon, a mixture of Running and my upper body, back extensions, burpees, curls. I'm really enjoying running at the moment, so Im doing quite a bit more of that lately. I go in and out of my interest for running more than just a quick warm up before hitting the weights and core training. Saturday evening I was on RAW Chocolate over load!! I had the opportunity to attend a seminar with one of my heroes, naturalist David Wolfe, and there was a lot of cacao being passed around the room! SUPER TREAT! Sundays I usually always practice Yoga, it is a welcomed relief to my muscles after a week of working my body. Today is back to blasting my core, I haven't gone to the gym yet today, will go this evening. My routine will be focused on legs and some abdominal work. I try to do crunches as much as possible, no matter what muscle group I am working. Even if I reserve a very small amount of energy during my workout for one core exercise such as a 2-3 sets of burpees or crunches, it keeps my abs tight and engaged. I picked up some Vega Vibrancy Bars today, they are my FAVORITE!! Had a bar with an apple and banana for breakfast , some strawberries and walnuts for a snack. Lunch is yet to come... Enjoy the day!! Let's KILL it this week!! Start of week TWO!! WhooooootWooooo!

DAY 6 Today was ALL about VEGA! Started my morning with a Vega Sport bar and a banana...YUM! Late morning I had a chocolate vega shake, just vega protein and water and an apple. Lunch was a vega bar and spinach salad with almonds, carrots and homemade coconut oil and balsamic vinegar dressing. Mid-afternoon I had a pomegranate snack... Then for dinner a Vega shake with blueberries, Fresh squeezed orange juice, chia, hemp hearts, flax and cinnamon, with a piece of ezekiel sprouted bread topped with coconut oil and cinnamon. For a snack after the gym, I had 2 kiwi fruits and another salad topped with walnuts, cucumber and the same dressing as noted above. My workout: On the treadmill with varying incline, I ran for 3 miles then hit my CORE exercises... Leg press, 100 crunches- 60 of them with a 10lb medicine ball, push-ups, burpees, lunges and squats. Then stretching. Killer workout today, my butt is killing me already!! Want to give a shout out to one of my participants, Lindsey: Congrats on refusing to take medication for lowering cholesterol... Lindsey is kicking her cholesterol's butt through her plant-based diet!! No medication needed, just a clean diet, even her doctor is impressed!! GO GIRL!! Hope everyone had a strong day of training or if today was your rest day... ENJOY!! Goodnight!!

Hello ALL! DAY 5 Did everyone get a chance to read the article the NY TIMES featured on Jimi Sitko, Robert Cheeke and the Vegan BodyBuilding website?? If not... Read the Story here: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/05/sport ... ref=sports WE SHOULD ALL BE PROUD TO BE APART OF THIS AMAZING ONLINE COMMUNITY!! Today is my REST day!! Yay!! I still rolled out my yoga mat and stretched for 20 minutes... this helps me to relax and recover from my workouts. REST and STRETCHING are a very important part of achieving any and all fitness goals. Will keep my post short today, as I am wiped! Long day. Looking forward to DAY 6!! Goodnight Friends!

DAY 4 Good evening Friends!! I started day 4 with a bowl of Organic Oats topped with Cinnamon, flax seeds, almonds and apple. Was sooooo Yummy!! My exercise routine today was a mixture of cardio and core. I attended a KILLER spin class then completed push-ups, crunches with the medicine ball, assisted chin-ups and dips. I was running around all day, so for lunch I ate a Vega Vibrancy Bar an apple and banana. For dinner I went to one of my favorite vegan restaurants, enjoyed Lima bean and veggie stew with brown rice and Kale salad. I was VERY hungry today so this evening I had edamame (soy beans in the pod) a kiwi and 2 dried figs for dessert. I'm soooooo tired today, will head off to bed soon... Must get enough rest to be able to CRUSH it tomorrow!! Also it REALLY IMPORTANT to Note: Tomorrow's NEW YORK TIMES is featuring a story on body builder Jimi Sitko and The Vegan Body Building.com website!! Look in the Sports section of the newspaper. HOORAY!!! Props to founder Robert Cheeke!! AMAZING work my friend!! Soooooo incredibly proud of you and truly honored to be a member of the team!! Congrats!! In case you miss the opportunity to pick a physical copy of the TIMES tomorrow, please check out the story online: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/05/sports/vegans-muscle-their-way-into-bodybuilding.html?_r=2&ref=sports WATCH OUT CARNIVORES!! THE VEGANS ARE TAKING OVER!!

DAY 3 Hello EVERYONE!! How is Day 3 going?? It is sooooo cold here in TORONTO today! The low for the day and night was over -20 degrees Celsius!! On days like this I want hearty, warm foods to keep me nourished. I started my day with a Vega Vibrancy bar (Chocolate flavor) and a piece of Ezekiel sprouted bread topped with organic coconut oil (instead of a fake butter or margarine, I use coconut oil) I went to the gym at lunch time, attended a fantastic "Power Yoga" class then ran on the treadmill for 2.5 miles. It is important when running on the treadmill to change up the terrain, if you keep the treadmill at zero incline it is nothing like an actual run, as the road or sidewalk is NEVER perfectly flat... So I set my workout at a 'Random' setting which will increase and decrease the incline slightly and ultimately simulate what it would be like to run outdoors. No need to set the percentage of incline high... even at 0.5-1.0% incline will do wonders for the Run! Lunch was YUMMY! I had an apple as soon as I returned home, and a small Bean burrito. Later in the afternoon I had a banana and a handful of raw almonds. For dinner I made a super DELISH 100% Organic Veggie-Bean and Kamut Pasta soup. I always stir in a teaspoon of coconut oil into the soup once bowled... I find it makes the taste a little richer and this way the soup is a complete meal with my Carbs-Protein and Fat. Don't forget healthy fats such as coconut oil, avocado and nuts are OK (in moderation) We need some good fat in our diets!! If I add a little fat to my meals, I find it much easier to stick to my diet/meal plan. **Please purchase ORGANIC foods whenever possible!! Looking forward to DAY 4!! So proud of all my participants!! WE ARE ROCKING THIS CHALLENGE!! YAY TEAM!! Great Work: Ronnie, Sarah, Andrea and Lindsey!! Rest well everyone! ☺

Good Morning ALL!! DAY 2 The very first thing I do in the morning is down a big glass of water with fresh squeezed lemon, then I take my dog for a quick walk. (He is a chihuahua so he doesn't make it very far in the winter) Upon our arrival back home I spend a few moments stretching out my body (5-10 mins) Which REALLY helps wake up the body and get the blood flowing throughout the muscles. My Breakfast: Vega Vibrancy Bar (Chocolate flavor) and a Protein Smoothie Hemp Protein Smoothie 300ml Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice 100ml H2O 1/2 small Banana 1 very small handful of fresh or frozen Blueberries 2 tbsp Chia seeds 2 tbsp Hemp Hearts 1 tbsp of Flax Seeds 1 tbsp of Cinnamon 30g of Hemp Protein Add a few cubes of ice if desired and Blend *Purchase Organic ingredients whenever possible My day is rather hectic today, so I will hit the gym this evening for a 3-4 mile run and abdominal work. How are YOU spending DAY 2?? LET'S DO THIS!!!!

My Dinner tonight: Pasta with Beans & Veggies and a Fresh salad Kamut Pasta with Coconut Oil and lightly sauteed Garlic, carrots, onions, red & yellow peppers and zucchini. Then added black soy beans and hemp hearts once plated.... Super yummy and packed with protein!! Salad: Baby arugula with strawberries and almonds, drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar 100% Organic

Thanks Amanda! This is going to be FUN!! Nice pipes girl!! Looks like you've been hard at work, getting those arms in great shape!! GIRL POWER!! http://jennynatural.blogspot.com/