Wordless Wednesday - on food

Less is More

Have you ever wondered if you’re the person reading Runner’s World or Triathlete Magazine or The Internet who is missing ALL the important details, and picking up only the wisdom that doesn’t apply to you at all?

I don’t wonder any more.

I know.

“It says here that Almonds are a health food.”

“I don’t think they mean for you to eat a pound of almonds a week.”

And

“I don’t worry about over training because I don’t work out that much.”

“How much do you work out?”

“5-6 days a week at 50- 60 minutes a day on the week days and 2-3 hours on the weekend days.”

“That is a lot.... Who works out more than you? I mean, what are you basing this on?”

“My friends are all IronmenWomen & Marathoners... so....”

“Omg, you are so weird."

And

“Well, I thought if I dropped some weight I might be less injury prone,” I said to a medical professional who happens to be a Triathlete of epic proportion.

“Uh, WHAT? Where did you get that idea?”

“um... Runners World?”

“That applies to people who are obese and take up running. So... no. You ...” exasperated sigh, “YOU need to eat better to be less injury prone.”

And so, as though a light bulb went on at the exact right moment, I realized recently that I have a history of working out a lot more than I need to be even when I’m not training. Not going to say, “too much”, because there’s definitely a threshold for every athlete that is higher for some and lower for others. Constantly pushing myself at that level wasn't helping me build a base, it was breaking me down so that I was coming into my "actual training" with muscle tears and injury.

Lately, because of my summer schedule and vacationing, I have missed a few workouts.

A lot of workouts. 

I’ve been hiking, playing with kids, painting bedrooms, building sand castles, sleeping in, reading a novel... or five.

And let me tell you, my body LOVES having an extra day off every week. Fo’ Shizzle. In some respects, I look better and feel better than I ever did when I was working out 6 or 7 days a week in the name of fitness. That’s not to say I’m as strong as I was... no way. I’m not buff and rippling and able to scale a 40 foot rock wall.

I’m just lighter. And less stressed. Maybe those two things are the same thing.

I love having that pressure to "Get It Done" removed.

And so does my body.

Of course, yeah... I’m jonesing for a 26.2 fix even as I type this...  but until I’m ready to commit to the training, and accept the stress and responsibility that comes with it, I need to just keep my eye on the long-term picture. 

And right now, that means an extra day or two of rest every week.

'Cos sometimes less is more.

Wordless Wednesday - on Lake Placid Ironman

On Being Grateful

Last semester I stumbled upon a write up by Robert Emmons. He offers everyday tips for living a life of gratitude. Nursing school and parenting stress, as well as the stress of handling a divorce are really something that can make a person feel a little less than grateful to be alive. However, the joy of running, the wind biting my cheeks as I push my bike to new speeds, the burning in my muscles and lungs when I achieve a zen moment on my swim all remind me that to be alive and surrounded by your people is the greatest gift of all.

So, I set about trying a 6 month test of what really happens when one takes some tips on gratefulness that they found on the internet, and applies them to one's life. I'm not sure what I was expecting to happen, but certainly I felt that this was an experiment that couldn't hurt. Worse case, I lose interest and stop doing it.

In that time my life was not all peaches and cream. I became very ill, sustained a running injury that took me out of my sport, handled the day to day stress of Nursing School, and, have I mentioned I have a teenage daughter?

The results were profound. Or, at least, from my perspective. I definitely feel more optimistic on life. I find joy in simple things, feel grateful for what I have, and very rarely look around and wish for more. There are times I am financially pinched, but I look around and recognize that my financial pinch is still pretty freaking spoiled.

I not only feel better about my life, but other people often comment on how happy I am, or how happy I appear to be "from the outside". And why wouldn't I be happy? I have a great life.

1. Keep a Gratitude Journal. Establish a daily practice in which you remind yourself of the gifts, grace, benefits, and good things you enjoy. I keep this blog, and I have tried in the past several months to record things that are not just for the "value" of the lesson (i.e. - if you train this way you will see those results), but also to record some of the joy I find in my day to day life.

2. Remember the Bad. To be grateful in your current state, it is helpful to remember the hard times that you once experienced. This is tricky. One has to remember the bad without getting sucked into it. This was/is a great way for me to remember how far I've come in a relatively short time.

3. Come to Your Senses.Through our senses—the ability to touch, see, smell, taste, and hear—we gain an appreciation of what it means to be human and of what an incredible miracle it is to be alive. I do this often. I try to savor the sights and smells of my bike rides or running routes. I taste the salt in the air at the beach. I stop on the side of the road in NY to sample Maple Syrup because that is something I can do. It's a visceral experience, your body inwardly tells you that you are in a good place when pure maple syrup is sliding down your throat, energizing your sense of taste in a way that Mrs Butterworth cannot... 

4. Watch your Language. Grateful people have a particular linguistic style that uses the language of gifts, givers, blessings, blessed, fortune, fortunate, and abundance. In gratitude, you should not focus on how inherently good you are, but rather on the inherently good things that others have done on your behalf. I have a friend in my life who is always thanking me for being me. It's taken some getting used to, but I like it. This friend reminds me, daily, that saying thank you, expressing my blessings, taking joy in another #bestdayever is a way for me to practice using my grateful language.

5. Go Through the Motions. If you go through grateful motions, the emotion of gratitude should be triggered. Grateful motions include smiling, saying thank you, and writing letters of gratitude. There are times I just don't feel grateful. I don't feel like writing in my blog about how schmoopy I am over my sweet children, because I'm discouraged or stressed. These are the times when I remember one of my nursing school buddies, Alex. She likes to say, "Fake it till you Make it", and she's right. The days I feel low, I try harder to capture the joy of the moment and smile. I smile and thank the girl at Kroger by name, because sometimes it's easier to "make their day", rather than make mine. Try it. The Grocery Clerk will thank you for it. Often, it makes my day too.

There are many more tips than this, but these are the Five I practice and how I practice them. If I could add a 6th, it would be to Feel empowered to make Changes. If you don't like how things are going, if you wish that you could have a better job or more education, or be a stronger runner, or do 100 push-ups, start today. Whether you start today or wait, the time will still pass.

Need to Weigh in

Wait, didn't I go to Tina Shiver, an awesome Dietician, to lose some weight and get healthy?

Oh yeah, I did.

So here you go... If you want to get stronger or lose weight, I highly recommend calling a dietician. If you're local, call Tina & tell her I said "hi".)

This is a picture of me in late April. It's not a full body shot, because I hated the way I looked enough that I always deleted the photos after they were taken...

Here I am in mid May at the Sprint Tri. I'm down about 3 pounds. Apparently I like running with my eyes closed.

Here I am in June in my Tri Kit. I am definitely making progress here, about 8 pounds...

This is a picture of me Today. (after my run, I forgot to get a pic before I was all sweaty and gross). Goal weight. And down 2% body fat.

Was it hard? Was it easy? Was it like, totally way easier than I ever imagined it could be? Actually, um, kinda yeah. 

I never felt hangry. In fact, I was far less hungry on the Tina Plan than I ever was before the Tina Plan. The only days I struggle are the days I skip a meal or eat a "non-Tina" meal. It takes a little planning. Be prepared to change the way you think about food.

Focus On The Moment

Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.  

~Albert Einstein

Kayaking & Life

Yesterday I was reminded of the last time I blogged about Kayaking. It's not fair to compare the two blog posts. The one was composed when I was rowing 4 days a week.

I don't row anymore... probably that's because I have a bike.

But still, it reminded me... Be careful on the water. Wear life jackets. Be smart. And remember, drowning doesn't look like drowning.

Kayaking and Life can both take you in Circles