Well that was fun.

It's ova! Passed my Masters. :) When I walked out of the room when it was all done, all I could think about was "now what do I do?" Then this thought occurred: "Well it wasn't THAT bad...I could probably do more school." Umm as if I would be saying that a mere 2 weeks ago. Us women really are programmed to forget pain, haha.

Here's a run-down of my day:

7 am. Wake-up. Get ready. Exercise some positive self-talk. "You so got this one Britt." "Totally, right. Thanks Britt."

8 am. Breaky. Whole wheat bagel with tommy's and cukes. Big coffee.

9 am. Prepared the room for my defense.

11 am. After an hour or so of questions from the panel, it was decided that I passed with no revisions! Yipee!

12 pm. Lunch at a Greek restaurant. Not so good. They frigging put potatoes in my horiatiki salad! Who does that?! Bought some ju-jubes after - hey, why not.

To be continued...

Almost done!

Today's Tuesday, tomorrow's Wednesday, and the day after that is THURSDAY JULY 29, 2010 - aka, the last day of my Masters! Freedom, FreeDOMMMM, FREEEEDOOOMMM.

Today's day includes writing, researching, and anticipating questions I am going to be asked during the defence. Oh, and maybe a Pete's salad and a sweaty hot yoga class.

Has anyone tried mango margaritas from Mexi's? They might be my new favourite.

Have a nice day!

xo Britt

Instructional Hip-Hop Video

Thank goodness I watched this before Saturday night.

What a MONTH it has been!

Holy. Moly. You guys.

If ever there was a short period of time that tested my strength and character, it has been these past 6 weeks. I could go on and on about this experience, but it's been so nuts that I don't even know where or how to start! Lemme break it down:

1. Finishing my Masters degree after 2 years of very hard work
2. My best friend getting married (!!!)
3. Relationship issues (majour)
4. Moving back home after 7 years in a different province
5. Tackling why I have been so unhappy throughout the past 2 years
6. Career-hunting (career-hunting, not job-hunting - sign that you're getting older!)
7. Applying to med school: the saga continues

Yikes. I think this post is going to have to be broken up in to sub-sections (sub-sections = story of my life). I have been soooo excited about getting back to blogging! I have a lot of big ideas to come. :)

For now, the story is not over! I am defending my thesis on Thursday, and if I pass, I will be DONE! Cue music:



Talk soon! Hope everyone's been having a great summer. Here are some shots from my summer so far.

xo Britt

Blog Break

Hi guys,

I'm taking a short blog break while I finish up writing my Masters thesis. For those who care (n=1, me), I have finished draft 1! Excittttinng! Now I'm in edit mode until the big day.

Hope everyone's enjoying this amazing weather we've been having!

Talk soon,

xo Britt

Fit Friday

I was ready for FF this week. Switched things up - did a bit of yoga instead of running. I made it to a few hot yoga classes. It really works a whole different group of muscles and makes me feel loooonnnggeer. Plus, it's fun. :) I forgot how much you have to hydrate though. I felt sort of queasy the day after one of the classes. It's so weird to me how not drinking water makes you feel bloated. I always think that drinking more water makes you feel bloated, but it's so not true! 2 words for ya: swelly legs. I drank like 4L yesterday to flush out my system. Thankfully I feel a lot less swollen today.

Here are the numbers:

• 1 lb down
• 6 to go
• 3 weeks until wedding (new readers: not mine, a friends)! Yay! 

I am about to hit the road for a nice long run. I'm thinking about joining a running club or running group or something when I'm back in Ontario. Any takers? I know you're out there ladies, don't make me type your names...haha.

I read an article (posted about a month ago) that Extreme Fitness in Toronto is offering "Sex and the City-themed" workouts! AMAZING! Lets go! How hot is Kristin Davis? 44 - hello!

Hope everyone has a nice weekend! Can you believe it's June?! Almost officially summer!

xo Britt

Kristin Davis poses for Fitness Magazine

Quote for the Week

Bah! Forgot to post my Q for the W yesterday! Here we go...

Mr. Banks: Just a moment, Mary Poppins. What is the meaning of this outrage?

Mary Poppins: I beg your pardon?

Mr. Banks: Will you be good enough to explain all this?

Mary Poppins: First of all, I would like to make one thing quite clear.

Mr. Banks: Yes?

Mary Poppins: I never explain anything.

Chick Flick Mania

What a great time to be a girl. The chick flick trailers before Sex and the City 2 were absolutely hilarious. I was dying. Other people were laughing, but I had tears in my eyes I was laughing so hard. By the way - what are your thoughts on SAT2? I quite enjoyed...8/10. Yes it was cheesy, and yes it was cliche, and yes there was some cultural satire that was edging politically incorrect, but all in all, I loved it. If you took it for what it was worth - a girly follow-up movie to an amazing series, I bet you loved it too. Though I must say that I liked the 1st one better! Isn't that always the case though...(*cough cough, 3 Ninjas series...)

Here are some upcoming chick flicks that I am super pumped for! Especialllllyyyy You Again. What a cast! Sigourney, Jamie Lee, Betty White! Not so much into Kristen Bell, but she's growing on me.












xo Britt

Pink Dinner

I was totally stumped on what to make for dinner tonight so I moseyed over to the grocery store to get inspired. I was initially debating chicken stir fry, but changed my mind when I stumbled upon beet greens! They were so pretty looking, I couldn't resist. Right next to the beet greens were candy cane beets! Done deal.

For those of you that haven't tried beet greens, don't be freaked out by their appearance. I admit, they do resemble weeds. Once you get past the fact that they look like something you would feed your bunny, they're actually really tasty and sweet. Whenever a plant is rich in colour, you know it's good for you. And these are gorgeous - deep pink and deep green. A cup of beet greens is about 8 calories, 0 fat, 1 g of fibre, and 1 g of protein. I used about 5 cups (didn't measure - just grabbed a huge handful and chopped them up).

Into the pan they went!

Threw the candy cane beet (peeled) into the steamer...

Added some EV olive oil, chopped garlic, and strawberry slices into the pan and sauteed the greens...

Had to have a cooking snack! Snack of choice: sultana raisins.

Marinated my chicken with a little dijon and maple syrup (going with the "sweet" theme tonight).

Ta-Da!

Had some berries for dessert - hope I don't wake up pink! Bought this new notebook yesterday - love the saying! Good for us Type A girls...Haha.

xo Britt

Thank you, technology!

Here is a precious video I stumbled upon that shows a baby responding to his mother's voice for the first time after receiving a cochlear implant. Melts my heart!

The Countess's New Vid

"Elegance is learned"..."my friends"

"Elegance is learned"..."oh yeah"

The song is choppy and awkward. I like it.



PS - In case you're not a huge reality TV loser like me, LuAnn DeLesseps (aka - "The Countess") is one of the housewives on Bravo's Real Housewives of New York. Duh...

Heads Up for Toronto Ladies!

This weekend in Toronto, some super fun places will be opening their doors for free! As if you guys aren't spoiled enough with the weather (Sense some jealously in my voice? I'm freezing over here in Halifax!), buildings such as Second City, Ontario Botanical Gardens, Museum of Inuit Art, MaRS Discovery District, and 146 more are offering free admission May 29 and 30 from 10-5. So call a friend, grab a Starbs, and go for a little city tour...talk about a pleasant weekend, n'est pas?

See here for more deets. Enjoy for me!

xo Britt

Fit Friday

I got back from Ontario eeeearly Wednesday morning, and *bam* - suddenly it's Friday?! As I mentioned in a previous post, I was at a bachelorette party last weekend. Let me just preface this post with my love of Pizza Hut pizza. The crust is unbelievable. I hadn't had PH in a couple years, and it was just as good (if not better) as I remembered. So yes, there was pizza. There were also brownies (thanks mom), drinks, chocolate, eating out, ...oh I could go on and on! But it was all worth it because we had a great time.

It's no surprise that no l-bees were lost this week. I'd say I'm disappointed, but I'm just thankful I didn't gain 10 pounds after last weekend!

To get back to the normal morning routine, I had my daily oats.

I was woke up craving maple syrup (weird). I went out and bought some, but couldn't open the bottle! Where's your boyfriend when you need him? I will have to ask him to open it later on today. I use soy milk to make the oats more creamy.

Topped with blueberries and banana.

Have a nice weekend!

Britt

Two Very Important Dates

Yes, I know I've been counting down the days until I finish grad school for what seems like a million years, but now I can make it official - 34 days! Conditional on if I pass or not, of course. It's just nice to have a date set. 
As much as I am ready to not be a student anymore, I'm kind of nervous for the next stage. I feel like when this is all said and done, I am going to undergo an identity crisis or something! I've been a student since I was...5 - that's 19 years! Whoa, whoa, whoa. Change is exciting though.
What else is exciting is...SEX & THE CITY 2 COMES OUT TODAY!!! It's finally May 27th, 2010! I have my own predictions of what's going to happen...(cough cough, Carrie is going to get pregnant with Aiden's baby), but they've been shot down by friends. The reviews have been really good so far. I am beyond excited to see it. 
Hope everyone has a nice day. I made runny oatmeal this morning. Took me like an hour to get over it...so disappointing. Oatmeal takes like 30 minutes to cook - who has time to re-make oatmeal? Grumble, grumble. :)
Britt

Whoops!

Haven't been blogging since Friday. Boooooo. Been away all weekend and am finally getting myself together after a weekend of girls, wine, wine, wine, and fun! New post tomorrow.

xo Britt

Fit Friday

Going home this weekend for a bachelorette party! Should be a lot of fun. Down 1 lb this week, 7 to go. We will see what happens on the weekend...yikes...

Got some running over the course of the week. I ran a few 5K routes with okay times, but am still struggling with hills. Darn hills. It's supposed to be 28 C in Toronto, so I packed my running gear. Hoping to get in a couple runs with my dog. :)

I cut dairy out of my diet a month or so ago because I was trying to figure out the cause of my allergy. I keep getting hives all over my legs at sporadic times throughout the day. I ended up seeing and allergic and was diagnosed with "chronic hives"...awesome. Anyways, since cutting dairy out, I really don't miss it. I only used milk in my coffee and cereal, which I've replaced with soy milk. Feels good to cut down on your consumption of animal products. Can't give up fish or eggs though! Thank goodness I'm not allergic to that!

Hope everyone has a nice weekend.

Britt

Study Treat

Hold the phone, this is amazing...

Vanilla bean faux-ice cream made with coconut milk by So Delicious. It's very creamy and has a similar taste to Cool Whip. Sign-in to Healthy Shopper to grab a $1-off coupon, cause this stuff 'aint cheap. It run at about $7 a pint, so $6 with the coupon. Find it at Sobeys, or your local health food store. I bought mine at Planet Organic in Halifax. I bought vanilla bean, but it was a tough decision. Coconut and chocolate chip cookie dough were close runner ups.

Yum yum! 

Obsessed with...

Second installment of "obsessed with...". Hold on to your socks! Or flip flops - which, by the way, are on sale for $1 this Saturday at Old Navy! Run, run, run! You know I'm stocking up on basic black. Maybe purple...hmmm...

1. Coconut water

Coconut water is so good for you. It's loaded with potassium, which is great for balancing out the s-a-l-t! It's the ultimate thirst quencher, and does not contain added sugar like Gatorade (or Poweraid, which is even worse). Since coconut water is becoming more popular in North America, it's now available at most grocery stores. And hey, if Gisele Bundchen's drinking it, you know it can't hurt.

2. Other blogs!

I'm now fully obsessed with reading other blogs. I love reading people's take on fashion, beauty, health and fitness. The blogging community is very friendly and welcoming. Check out these blogs if you want some added inspiration today! I love them.

Eat, Love, Run - Jenna talks about her approach to cooking and fitness. She's really funny and post lots of simple and healthy recipes. 

Fat-Free Vegan - Susan is a mom who is dedicated to cooking healthy, low-fat vegan food. I've always found cooking vegan to be kind of intimidating. Susan makes it look easy. Lots of great recipes on this site. I think I am going to fry the fudge brownie recipe when I am home this weekend!

I Told You Soo - My best friend Care's blog. Always ahead of the curve, Care offers a retrospective commentary of current fashion trends. Go Care! Love you biatch.

Kath Eats Real Food - Kath provides pictures and descriptions of what she eats throughout the day. She is a 20-something female who has lost over 30 pounds by healthy diet and exercise. You'll love this blog.

Listen to Lena! - Lena is a mom (soon-to-be mom for the second time!) that provides discount codes, coupons, and "heads up" on upcoming shopping specials. She's saved me a couple bucks along the way! If you're wondering how I found a certain coupon, it's probably because of this blog. Thanks Lena!

Little Red Book - My friend Kel's blog! Blogging about fashion, fitness, boys, food, and fun in and around Toronto. Kel also snaps pics of fashion faux-pas on the streets of Toronto. Great blog, even greater girl.

Peace, Love, Nutrition - Jocelyn blogs about nutrition and wellness. Her posts are written from the heart. 

Real Girl's Kitchen - Hilary Duff's sister Haylie's blog. She writes about her experiences cooking real food. Really cool recipes on this site. Her seafood boil inspired a bouillabaisse my boyfriend made me a couple weeks ago.

Oh She Glows - Saving the best for last! This is my favourite blog I have come across to date. Angela Liddon is completely inspiring in every way. She blogs about health and cooking, mostly, and is chief pioneer of the "Green Monster Movement". Check this one out, I'm sure you will love it just as much as I do. 

Those are my top faves! Have a great day. :)

Britt

Wordless Wednesday

Above: Lilac bush. Lilacs make me happy. :)

A Breakfast Story

Introducing...(drumrolllll) the oatmeal pancake! I read about this recipe on Live, Eat, Run blog. It's packed with protein, fluffy, and very yummy. I eat boiled oatmeal about...6/7 days of the week, so I thought, why not switch it up a little? Live on the wild side, ha.

The ingredients are super simple:

• 1/2 cup egg whites (use 3 eggs, strain their white)
• 1/2 cup rolled oats (rolled, not quick oats)
• 1 banana

The night before, mix 1/2 cup egg whites with 1/2 oats and leave in fridge overnight to set. In the morning, mix in half a nanner (squished). 

Heat up a non-stick pan, pour in the mix.

Cook on low-medium heat...

When the bottom is cooked, give it a flip!

When firm'ish (technical term), it's ready to eat! Add sliced bananas using the other 1/2 of the banana, sprinkle some cinnamon, and drizzle some honey or maple syrup.

My breakfast! Complete with my new Shrek cup from McDonald's... :)

Taking a breather...it's very filling!

Try it out for yourself! I highly suggest. Happy Wednesday! 

Britt

Sun Guilt

Anyone else feel guilty staying inside when it's gorgeous out? There's not a cloud in the sky today - which doesn't happen too often in the maritimes. I'm forcing myself to stay in and work because I'm missing a couple days of work this weekend for my best friend's bachelorette party.

Since I'm beyond pale right now (proud anti-tanning bed user since 2008! what up), I could really benefit from some vitamin D/UV action.

Might have to a take a brief study break to bask in the sun. Hope everyone's taking in a little sun today. :)

Quote for the Week

This particular quote is dedicated to a very special friend. To quote Buddha (double quote, ooh la la): "You cannot travel the path until you have become the path itself." Lets face it, the journey is way more fun than the destination. :) xo

"Just don't give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there's love and inspiration, I don't think you can go wrong."

- Ella Fitzgerald

Swelly Legs, Jelly Legs

Let me tell you about my relationship with salt...

As a teenager, I wouldn't think twice about adding salt to my food or eating salty foods like chips, and cheese. Fast forward to 24 years of age, and I can't even have a 1/4 tsp of salt without feeling the repercussions.

As soon as I so much of have a grain of salt touch my lips (seriously not exaggerating here), my calves immediately start to swell. I can deal with a little edema here and there, but I'm talking full-on, extremely uncomfortable, hard, swollen calves and ankles. Like, it's as if my calves are being held hostage in my skinny jeans. It's a battle trying to pry my jeans off my legs at the end of the night because my calves are THAT swollen.

WHT?! I thought I had at least until late 20s/pregnancy age before I'd start complaining about swollen legs! I talked to my mom about it over the weekend, and she said she is extremely salt sensitive, too. And now it's all making sense. The times I experience peak-swollen level are 1) after sushi (Hello, soy sauce? Clocking in at ~2000 mg of sodium per meal - that's roughly 2 tbsp of soy sauce), and 2) after a chip-out (duh), and 3) after pizza (chEEEEEEEEEse!).

I looked up swelly legs online, and found the following causes:

• Excess sodium consumption
• Prolonged standing/sitting
• Menstrual periods
• Pregnancy
• Being overweight
• Carb overloads
• Increased age
• Injury/trauma

Let me tell you, not only is it not pretty, it's extremely uncomfortable. And I feel like everyone is looking at my huge cankles...

I had to switch up my sushi order to accommodate my new little situation. Now I order sashimi with a side order of brown rice, hold the miso (sad day), extra wasabi. Still need that rice! I find mixing in the wasabi to the rice helps give it a bit more flavour. Plus, I find that brown rice has more flavour that white rice. 

One thing I would like to invest in is a rice cooker. How annoying is brown rice to cook in a pot? I don't have the patience. I am going to try and use my conventional pot and steamer to make steamed brown rice. Not sure if it's going to work...might have to hold out for a rice cooker!

Hope everyone's having a nice Sunday!

Britt

PS - Those aren't my legs in the picture above, but that's what they feel like at the end of a Na-filled evening!

Happy Weekend!

Snookerz!!!!

FYI

Came across these illustrations of different cuts of the cow today. I found it interesting, thought I'd share. Side note: Never eating "round steak" again - turns out it's cow bum meat! Ick.