Canuck Corner-Installment #1
By: Natalie Waples
Hi Everyone!
Welcome to the first ever 'Canuck Corner' blog on RX Girls :-) I have to say that being Canadian is something I am very proud of, so I figured why not continue my blog on RX Girl, but add some Canadian flavour to it (that's right we spell 'flavour' with a 'u'!!!). There have been so many influential Canadians in the fitness industry, both past tense and more recently. On the competitive front, a couple people who come to mind are Elaine Goodlad and Jane Awad in Figure, Mindi O'Brien and Myriam Capes in Fitness, and now Justine Munro is paving the forefront for bikini competitors from north of the border … yes we may have 1/10th of the population of the good old USA, but the talent is definitely here!
I just returned from the 2011 IFBB Figure Olympia in Las Vegas and it was one of the most exciting experiences of my life. I competed at the Orlean's Arena in front of 8000 people, and from what my boyfriend has told me, the energy in the arena was absolutely amazing. The show was also web cast so it was really neat to see myself onstage after the fact, and of course scrutinize every little detail! I have to say that despite being one of a approximately 150 Olympians, it was such a unique and surreal experience, and I will never forget it.
While in Las Vegas I also shot with the amazingly talented Natalie Minh for my own portfolio, and then did a second photography session for FLEX magazine with photographer and industry insider, Isaac Hinds. After all the 'work' was done, I spent a couple extra days in Vegas just to enjoy the hotels, casinos, pools and restaurants - VIVA LAS VEGAS!!!!
So now that I am back home, the first weekend in October is our Canadian Thanksgiving weekend (October 10th is the holiday), so most of us will be enjoying traditional fare like turkey or ham dinners. Unlike the US, we do not have 'Black Friday' in Canada, which means we spend most of the weekend with family versus hitting up Neiman Marcus or Macy's at 4am. This is also a reason there aren't as many Canadians in the Ft. Lauderdale Cup as it is being held the same weekend. Personally, I am going to be very busy as I will be wrapped up in the final week of prep prior to the Houston Pro Figure which is coming up October 15th. NPC Promoter/IFBB Judge Lee Thompson aka www.thompsonmusclecontest.com puts on this great event, and it is sure to be a tonne of fun (that's right -- tonne not 'ton'!). Right now my biggest predicament is choosing which lovely Tamee Marie suit I am going to wear on stage … life is rough! Following that I will be finishing up the season with the Border States Pro Figure which put is put on by promoter Jon Lindsay in San Diego, California, and then celebrating my birthday on Halloween -- what a way to end the competition season!
So for all of you Canadians out there (or those who just want a great recipe for the Thanksgiving holiday!), here is one of my favourite healthy, holiday treats:
Baked Apples with Cherries & Almonds (serves 6)
What you'll need:
How to prepare it:
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
In a small bowl, toss together the cherries, almonds, wheat germ, Splenda brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg until all the ingredients are evenly distributed. Set aside.
The apples can be left unpeeled, if you like. To peel the apples in a decorative fashion, with a vegetable peeler or a sharp knife, remove the peel from each apple in a circular motion, skipping every other row so that rows of peel alternate with rows of apple flesh. Working from the stem end, core each apple, stopping 3/4 inch from the bottom.
Divide the cherry mixture evenly among the apples, pressing the mixture gently into each cavity. Arrange the apples upright in a heavy ovenproof frying pan or small baking dish just large enough to hold them. Pour the apple juice and water into the pan. Drizzle the honey and oil evenly over the apples, and cover the pan snugly with aluminum foil. Bake until the apples are tender when pierced with a knife, 50 to 60 minutes.
Transfer the apples to individual plates and drizzle with the pan juices. Serve warm or at room temperature
**Each serving is approx 180 cals and has only 4 gms of fat - not bad for a holiday dessert!
Have a fantastic October everyone! I will check in next month with my competition results, and some news on what is going on with the Canadian competition scene - stay tuned!
Eat, Sleep, Train, Repeat!
Yours in Health,
Natalie
Natalie Waples
IFBB Figure Pro
www.nataliewaplesfitness.com
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