Last Saturday was my longest run ever - 17 miles. I felt awesome the first half. SO awesome that I was pacing too fast. On my last 2 miles, I was exhausted. My legs were just heavy - not sore, but didn’t want to cooperate. I was frustrated, of course, but I decided to walk the last mile to my car. I made it through! I am happy with that.
It was my first long run with no music. I only listened to 2 songs mid-run before I ditched the headphones completely. It was better in silence - I ran a good pace, and I got a lot of thinking done!
Every Friday evening I hit the sack early. I want to be well-rested and hydrated before my longest run of the week. I feel bad for Steve because we would usually go out and do something on Friday nights, or at least stay up late and have a few cocktails watching tv together. Now I am usually in bed by 8:30. ☹ Poor guy! But after I’ve fallen asleep each Friday, he’s been writing a different motivational quote on our chalkboard wall for me to see the next morning before my long run. I cannot tell you how valuable these are to me on that long run. I repeat them over, and over to myself when the going gets tough.
This last long run I had some thoughts come up. One was - “ Don’t count the miles, count the moments”. I had dodged bats (yes!) under the bridge before sunrise, ran by people riding horses in the river bed, heard all the doggies at the Humane Society begging for homes, read quotes along the path, listened to roosters scream “it’s morning, get up!” 20 times, and said “good morning” and “hello” to dozens of bikers and runners. Counting the moments made the run much more interesting than counting the distance for sure.
Even though I was exhausted after last Saturday’s long run, I had a realization: this is MY race, no one else’s. I AM going to finish; I WILL cross that finish line. With those thoughts in mind - sore and sweaty and hungry - I decided that I can do anything in this world I put my mind to.
So can you.
After last Saturday’s complete shit show of a run, I knew I had some problem solving to do. I suspected it was my shoes. I am a cheap ass and since my 2 half marathons I wore Asics, I decided the brightest thing to do was to go to the outlet and get some new ones! Wrong. A half marathon vs a full marathon are like night and day. There is a big difference in running for 2-1/2 hours and doubling that for a full 26.2 miles. I am truly not able to comprehend what I am about to embark on. I just keep with the plan.
I digress.
Shoes. Steve (and his damn good advice AGAIN) tells me I should go to a Running Store (what?) and have them help me. I suck it up with my cheap self and go to the store, with my new shoes on my feet and an old pair in my hand. “Can I help you?” the salesperson inquired. (Valerie is her name I now know, or as I call her my running angel) “Yes I need LOTS of help!” I told her. She listened to my issues- toe pain, knees, etc. She looked at what my shoes, and watched me walk. “I’ll be right back”, she said.
Moments later she came out with several boxes, she laced them up like a Beni Hana chef chops veggies, and before you know it, I found my pair. “I could sleep in these!” I purr. “That is what you want, a pair that feels so comfortable they are an extension of your feet”. She tells me.
She gave me tons of info, which I won’t bore you with here. The point is, Valerie did me right and I walked out with my new shoes on, ready for my prescribed 3 mile run. I went to the gym for this one, because I am in Arizona and it’s still over 100 damn degrees during the day. My 3 miler went perfectly. I had a great pace, and I was grinning from ear to ear. “ I think you can do this now” I thought to myself.
That was Tuesday, and Wednesday I had a 6 mile hill run scheduled. I woke up early, got my breakfast and coffee and laced up my new kicks. Even on the hills, I was smiling. My toes didn’t hurt. My knees barely ached. My heart rate was where it needed to be. Oh my God! I CAN DO THIS!
So Wednesday, I became a runner. I am slow as shit, let’s not get it twisted. I am not an elite runner, or a fast runner, I am more like a moving faster than a brisk walk runner. However, now that I have invested the research and money in finding the right equipment, I really believe I can accomplish this marathon and make the finish injury free.
Mantra for Wednesday was
YOU GOT THIS BITCH!
A few weeks ago, I cried tears of frustration while I was running. Every Saturday is my long run for the week in my training plan for the NYC marathon. Last Saturday was 11 miles, and I was having a shitty run. I started out feeling awesome, but somewhere around mile 5 ½, I started feeling pain. Right below my knees my legs ached, and the last three toes on my left foot were cramping so bad they started to feel like they were on fire! “You are not in pain, you are just imagining shit” I told myself. “Stop being a baby”, “think about something else!”
Well that inner-chatter helped a little, until about mile 9. The pain in my toes felt like I legitimately broke one. It hurt my knees to walk, but it hurt my toes to run. I was screwed. I was so frustrated, thinking, “Who the hell am I, thinking I can run a damn marathon? Ever?” “How am I going to pull this off?” “I’m not a runner!” “Why am I falling apart?” “My muscles feel fine, my heart rate is good, my hips aren’t aching, so WTF???”
I started to cry, in between saying a fake, cheerful “Good Morning!” to every single biker and runner along my path (which I feel obligated to do, so I do it without fail. If we pass each other a second time, I have a “enjoy the rest of your day!” ready for you.) Anyway, back to the tears. I was so pissed at myself. I gave myself a good 2 minutes and then said “Fuck it. I am walking this last mile. I don’t give a shit about my damn ego at this point.” So that is what I did. I took 15 minutes to reflect on all my bullshit emotions, and to consider how to proceed.
I vowed not to tell my husband about the tears or the physical pain, because, although he is the sweetest, he IS a guy. And guys, well, they must solve every problem, when women just want to let it out and let it GO! I did not want to hear his solution for this one. I wanted to suck it up and accept that I am not a runner and I am not cut out for this marathon shit.
Well, I called him, of course. As soon as I got back to the car. He asked how it went, and I threw one of his “-isms” on him - “Some days a diamond, some days a stone” I told him. Then he asked me ‘why?’, and of course I told him the whole messy story - my voice shaking - and I verbalized the one thought I was trying to forget - doubt. I have doubt. Which for me is a no-no. You are always supposed to believe in your abilities!
My husband and I have been together 15 years. He knows me so well - he knows what drives me, what crumbles me to the core… He knows. “Your only job is to finish. This is training - not the race. You have to push passed the failures, and focus. You are looking at the destination, not enjoying the journey.” Dammit Stephen, you are so DAMN RIGHT!
Its what I needed. I pulled over, bought 2 10-lb bags of ice at the gas station, and went home to take a quick ice bath to soothe my aching everything.
I had a shitty run. I will fix whatever cog in this wheel isn’t working. This is what training is all about, right? Getting the kinks out? So my mantra for that day was…
LET THAT SHIT GO!
I entered a Michelob Ultra essay contest 2 months ago for a chance to win one of 95 (95 calories) entries into the NYC Marathon November 5th. The essay question was “Why do you go the extra mile?” (After winning I discovered there was a video I was supposed to watch to get an idea of what they were looking for, but I totally missed that in my excitement to enter). It was 250 words or less, and to be honest I didn’t know what my word count was. I just spoke from my heart and put it out there.
What did I write about?
I wrote how every single time I run now, I remember being young, like 6 or 7 and not being able to run. I couldn’t run across the street without wheezing from my asthma. I couldn’t laugh too hard at a JOKE without wheezing. If I heard a lawnmower or smelled fresh cut grass it would send me into an attack. I took daily oral medication besides my emergency inhaler. It was embarrassing, awkward and very isolating. I felt different from everyone else. I didn’t know anyone else with asthma. This went on all through high school- I couldn’t play sports, I couldn’t run the mile in the president’s test thing we all had to do in school. It was frustrating as shit.
I wrote about that. I also wrote about my 3 daughters and how I want to inspire them and show that you can overcome any obstacle, you can fight through it.I wrote about how I want my girls to know that your circumstances do not dictate who you are or who you can become. Genetics loads the gun, but lifestyle pulls the trigger. (not my quote)
I run for those who want to, but can’t. Every single time I run I think of them.
So here we are. I entered the contest, looked at the date- eek! Not much time to train for a first full marathon! Oh well, better get started. I started training right after I entered, as if I had already won. I knew it in my bones. I started researching training plans, heart rate monitors, the best shoes. Two weeks after I entered, I got an email. It was brief, and basic, and to be honest I thought it was spam. It was a week before the contest ended so in my head I called “bullshit”! That was a Friday. I woke up Monday to another email. I knew it was legit. Then I received an email from NYC to register for the marathon with the special code Michelob Ultra provided me. It’s getting real folks!
That was 4 weeks ago. Michelob has already provided so much! The private Facebook group allows us to chat and connect as Team Ultra. They have shared some of our stories with more to come on all social media. They have requested sizes so they can send us shirts and shorts and jackets to train in, and they have paid for our virtual training through NYC runs. I have the hotel booked and flights for Steve and I. My weekly running mileage is getting higher and my recovery is becoming even more important.
I wanted you to know the back story as to why all I talk about lately is marathon marathon marathon. I’ve never been to NYC, never ran a full marathon, and I’m 45. It seems like a perfect time to me! I hope you enjoy following my journey, and I hope it inspires you to find a journey of your own to conquer!
High and unreasonable expectations. We usually do this to ourselves around this time of year.
Everyone needs the perfect gift, the right amount of money spent on each person, the most festive home with the best home baked foods.
So you’ll need to shop online and at stores, get groceries, bake cookies and clean house. Wrap presents and go to parties. And oh- go to work. And sleep. Sometimes. On top of all that, you still need to exercise and make sure that you are not eating a ton of crap so you don’t look like Santa by New Year’s Day.
I’m getting stressed just typing these statements!
You can Google search “holiday weight gain” and get a wide range of scary statistics- some experts say 3-5lbs, some say 10. It doesn’t matter. What matters is that last Christmas you may have gained a few, but never really lost it. The year before you gained a little too. Now you look back at old photos and wonder how did I get here? Because you gained and never lost and it just added to the fat pile from 2012. 5, 10, 15 pounds. Sounds pretty hopeless!
And there are as many blogs and articles on how to avoid weight gain as there are ones with the statistics. Most of them say things like:
Schedule your workouts! Eat more protein! Ditch the alcohol! Bring a healthy dish to the party!
Not bad advice, but I’m thinking we need to be more realistic. A little easier on ourselves this time of year.
So here are my ideas!
My holiday tips to stay sane and not gain (too much;)
1.Get your sleep. Force yourself to turn off the TV earlier and aim for at least 7 hours. (You already know sleep is good for you.)
2.Drink plenty of water- like it’s your second job. Staying hydrated is a must.
3.Move a little each day. You simply won’t have time to hit the gym every day, even if that is what you like to do. You are human, and even with the best intentions, our personal priorities will take the back seat during the holidays.
Take a short walk around the block every day before dinner. Or a long walk. Or fit in some pushups and bodyweight squats while the coffee is brewing. Movement will keep you a little sane, trust me. It’s a gift that gives twice- to you and your family. Ask my kids!
4.Make lists and delegate whenever possible. Chances are, if you are like me, you like to be in control of everything and be the “hostess with the mostess”. This is crazy and unrealistic, and you most likely have a spouse or kids or friends who would also like to participate and feel valued in the process.
A list can also serve as a visual- it is rewarding to mark stuff off, and allows you to get all that information out of your head!
5.Say No sometimes. Your husband’s annual Christmas party? That’s probably a yes. Your coworker’s holiday Tupperware party earlier the same day? That would be a maybe not. (but hey, that’s just me!) Just don’t feel bad for setting limits on what you can and can’t do.
6.Eat meals at regular times. Your regular foods. Don’t even try to start a diet right now. This is not the time to set yourself up for failure! All I am saying is this- with all the holiday busyness, we tend to “forget” to eat. (I don’t. All I think about is food, but I have seen others do this!) When you finally realize its 8 at night and you only had coffee and a bagel all day, this is when you eat half the kitchen or binge eat at Taco Bell out of convenience. This is no bueno, and you sure aren’t going to sleep well with a belly full of food. Keep up a regular schedule as much as possible.
7.Hide the scale. Throw that damn scale into the far reaches of your shorts and flip flops drawer right now. Why put yourself through the drama of watching your weight fluctuate during this festive time? (a lot of that up and down is sodium/water anyway) Just don’t even go there. If you are moving, getting sleep, drinking water like a dolphin and eating regularly, you can be pretty sure that you are not Santa Size status.
So to recap:
Drink water
Eat
Delegate
Move
Sleep
Toss the scale
These strategies will help free up some space in your head and keep your body running well so you can do the fun festive things you want to do this time of year. Have a fabulous time at the holiday parties, enjoy your family and friends, and most of all be jolly and stress-free!
Lately, I am struggling with my social media feeds. I am fans and friends with many different people from all walks of life that are involved somehow in the fitness industry. I admire so many competitors’ physiques and athletes’ talents that I am bombarded every day with all these messages/photos/diets/mantras/videos….but quite frankly it’s starting to drive me a little nuts. I don’t want to unfollow anyone, because I do still like to scroll through the good stuff and catch up, but I am getting a little tired of the “what doesn’t kill you make you stronger” or “No pain no gain” on my screen every time I log in. I get it- having a six pack, buns of steel and being “bikini ready” takes commitment dedication, strict diet, etc. I GET IT!
I don’t want to think of my eating as a diet with a cheat day here or there. I don’t want my clients to have that philosophy either. Who wants to live their life counting calories, weighing their food, and counting down until Sunday when they can eat a piece of cake? BORING. Sounds like punishment to me. And who wants to drag their butts to the gym 6 days a week, sweat for 1-2 hours a day on the dreadmill in an environment they may or may not feel comfortable in? If you don’t like running on a treadmill for an hour, then by God don’t do it.
*** side note**
By the way, strength training and cardio definitely help with fat loss, but the other HUGE component is whatever the hell you are putting in your mouth day by day. Especially when no one is looking! (Closet eaters out there)
But I digress.... Back to my mini rant for the day. I truly believe that if you pay attention to what you eat and drink, focus on whole unprocessed foods with a variety of vegetables, fruits, protein sources and whole grains, you will see changes. I also firmly believe that whatever exercise you choose to do, should be something you enjoy. I personally love hitting the weights, I feel a little like She-Ra (too old?) even if I am lifting a fraction of what my husband does! But it’s what I like to do. I also love running, golfing, yoga and hiking. If you don’t like going to a gym- don’t! Find something that you like- bikes, kick box, walking, karate, swimming, fitness classes, tai chi, Pilates- get the picture? If you are moving your arms, legs, joints, or body in general every day, in a way you enjoy, your mind will be engaged and your body will show you appreciation by having more strength and mobility and less pain.
You don’t have to listen to the hardcore elites. You can definitely admire them and take points from them if they inspire you, of course. But don’t let their progress and success make you feel “less than” or that you have an unattainable goal. We are given one life, so find what makes YOU happy and healthy!
I don’t care what size you wear, what you weigh, or the color of your hair/skin whatever. I believe we all have the potential to share our best asset with little to no effort. Self-confidence.
“Big Whoop De Doo” you say. “How am I supposed to be confident when I am having a “fat” day or I don’t feel my best?”
The secret lies in a few simple tricks.
First, right now- write them down if you have to, but think of all the physical features of yourself that you adore. Or what other people compliment you on. Your legs? Your eyes? Your healthy long hair? Your infectious laugh? Write them all down. Feeling any more confident yet?
Now second, look at that list- it should be rather long if you were candidly honest. Pick a few body parts- let’s say legs and your eyes for example. (Or make it your hair and your butt ; I don’t care just pick two that best suit you) Now with those two features, brainstorm how you can best accentuate them. For legs, let’s say a nice skirt, or some heels that make them rock. For the eyes, a little mascara and eye contact! And don’t forget to smile.
Now look at yourself in the mirror and tell me, don’t you feel great? You know why? Because you accentuated the positive and let the not so great feelings fall to the wayside.
By doing that, people will notice you holding your head, high shoulders back , standing up straight, smiling and making eye contact.
(Side note)
I used to get so frustrated when I would be getting ready to go out with my husband for date night or some party, and I would ask him what I should wear. He would say. “Whatever you are most comfortable in” I would take this as “I don’t care”. Anyone feeling me here? Has this happened with your significant other?
That wasn’t the case at all. He cared. But he knew that if I was comfortable, I would show confidence. And he was right! Sometimes I would try and fit into the dress, when all the while the dress should be fitting me.
Self-confidence is like a muscle. A habit. Flex it often and eventually it will come naturally. Sure, we all have parts we do not like- we are ALL a work in progress, and it’s ok!
Accentuate the positive and ignore the negative (Or what you perceive to be) Hold your head up high (not nose in the air high but chin up high), slight smile, shoulders back, eye contact!
Go get ‘em killer. You’ve got the best asset! Self Confidence.
I loathe the word “diet”. HATE IT entirely. Skipping meals, avoiding entire food groups, liquids only, been there. I spent more money on diet pills in my 20’s than I even want to admit. Tried South Beach, The Zone, Atkins, fasting, Master Cleanse (although that one lasted 3 hours until my husband filled the house with the smells of his homemade chili!), juicing all my meals (again short lived I love to CHEW my food),Intermittent Fasting.
Tried lots of diets. They all work. Until they don’t. Until whatever you restricted creeps back in. Until lifestyle takes over and reality hits you, that whatever the diet of the month is also driving you mental. Diets are set to restrict and create boundaries, and “fix” whatever is causing you to be fat. Any library or bookstore has shelves wall to wall ceiling to floor with the latest diet remedies, sure to lose those last 5-15 pounds if you just do this one thing.
Being a personal trainer I get asked by my clients and friends about these diets. What about Paleo? What about HCG? What about cabbage soup diet or the grapefruit diet? I tell them “it might work,” I don’t know. Try it if you are interested (and of course check with your doctor in case you have any medical conditions).
Restrictive diets are not a permanent solution. When you lose weight too rapidly, you are losing muscle as well. So you may end up skinny fat. Thin with no lean muscle. Which I know some of my ladies are saying “that’s ok, I don’t mind”. But you will, when your ass is so measly it is sliding down the back of your thighs. Ick.
Losing 1-1.5lbs per week is a healthy rate, and will not wreak havoc on your metabolism. Many of these extreme diet measures confuse your poor bod into starvation mode. So when you do finally at a normal meal again, it freaks out and saves it as if you’ll never eat. Then you pack on the weight faster than before. And the cycle continues“..
So stop the madness! Don’t over complicate things! Sure, you can count calories, create a deficit, portion out your sizes. I recommend all of this actually for my clients who have no idea what a portion size is. But if you are eating salad- I got news for you- eating an entire bag of salad greens hovers around 40 calories so eat up, and don’t worry about eating too much. Throw more veggies of any variety, you’ll be lucky to reach 100 calories. It’s the fatty dressings (100), cheese, croutons and all the other crap you add that is making you fat. Which by the way, if you want those items, go for it. But measure them out, eat them occasionally not 5 times a day, and own it.
Don’t cry and whine then go buy the latest book because you can’t understand why you aren’t losing. Take a good look at what you are doing or not doing. If you can read and count, you can lose the fat. And move. But that’s another blog.
If you can read, read the labels. Read out loud all those damn words no one can pronounce. Know that most of them are unnecessary and are added to dupe you into thinking that crappy food tastes good. They are fillers. If you can count, count a portion size, measure it out, until you can eyeball what a serving of rice or broccoli or cheese looks like. (the cheese may shock you, kind of small!)
So the bad 4 letter word of the day? DIET. Don’t.
When I meet with my clients for the first time, the majority of them express to me they wish to lose weight. They do not like what they see in the mirror, the size label on their jeans, or the number on the bathroom scale. When I hear this, I know that what they actually intend to say, is they want to lose body fat.
If you were my client, I would tell you that what you see in the mirror and how they feel is much more important than the clothing size and number on the scale. And losing body fat comes down to nutrition. A well rounded, balanced and nutrient dense eating plan. Not a “diet”. Sure, you can get complicated and try any of the thousands of eating “methods” and timing, but rather than waste money on pills, books, potions or lotions, just eat well.
If you were my client I would ask you right away to track your food intake. Everything. Down to the bite off your kid’s plate, to the soda you had at lunch, the condiments and sauces you use, the late night snack. Full disclosure. It hurts. It can be ugly. It ain’t pretty, but it’s necessary. Write everything down just for a few days, including the weekend. (Because we all tend to be more social eaters on the weekend -or at least a little looser with our eating plan)
I would not scold you. I wouldn’t waddle my finger at you and say, now now“ you “shouldn’t” eat that! But we would take an objective approach together and see what the easiest things to change are first. And take it slowly, no overhaul. Your habits would need to be switched from bad to better, and it takes time for them to stick. Most often I see the first item to change is what you are drinking. You might tell me that you don’t normally drink soda but have soda, juices, sweet tea on your list. Or maybe you skip breakfast. Or maybe you haven’t seen a vegetable since 6th grade. Or your idea of protein is eating an entire jar of peanut butter in one sitting. We can work on that.
If you were my client, that is just the beginning. We would get into your kitchen and cupboards, discuss cooking methods, food groups, meal planning, etc.
This month, I will post some of my favorite healthy recipes- some breakfast, some dinner, some treats. These will be the successful ones I feed my family and they love them too. So enjoy this month’s information, I will be posting nutrition tips and “feeding” you more soon!
I'm a sucker for trying free apps. I love free, and I love trying new things! Plus I just delete the apps I don't like. I think I will keep this one just for fun.
I read about the Moves app in a magazine recently, and saw that it had good reviews from people who said it is pretty accurate on recording your daily step activity. I decided to try it to see how many steps I walk each day. I have never worn a pedometer, but consider myself active enough to get close to the recommended 10,000 steps per day goal.
Moves is a free application that will record your steps, as long as it is on your body- in a pocket or your hand or on your armband. It recorded when I was on the elliptical, and also recorded my running as a separate movement. It breaks your total for the day down as steps, distance, and calories burned. When you are driving, it tracks that as “transport”, and every day it sends you a breakdown of the day before.
Here is what I discovered after using this app for a little over a week:
I don’t move as much as I thought! (sad face) Granted, I don’t always carry my phone with me around the house, or it is in my purse and it can’t track then. However, I still thought I was walking a lot more than I actually am.
On the days that I run or hit the gym, I do get more activity in (duh) but nowhere near the recommended 10,000 steps a day. One day I ran 3 1/2 miles and I was recorded at 4,871 steps. I walked an additional 1,441 that day doing normal activity. So 6,312 total. Not Cool!
When I didn’t go for a run or hit the gym, my numbers were pitiful. It looked as though I lay on the couch all day doing nothing. Which I can assure you, I do not!
My ideas to increase my own steps from now on are to carry my phone more often (just because I am curious to see if that number increases), and to take a short walk on my days I don’t go to the gym or run.
What about the rest of the world? I can imagine how discouraging it can be to see low numbers, and then know that lofty goal of 10,000 steps a day! It may not be reasonable for us all to run 7 miles or more each day.
First, it can be a useful tool- you get a general picture of what you are actually walking every day.
Second, find opportunities for activity, walk the long way, get up and walk around during the day at the office. Stand up and walk around during commercials in the evening, march in place if you want!
I understand that 10,000 steps can seem like Mt Everest if you are not running 7 miles that day. Instead of looking at the big number, break it down to just add a few 100 steps each day to your current activity.
Overall, for a free app, I think it is a great tool for a bigger picture of your daily activity and movement. Use it as a gauge, and look for opportunities in your day to move more.
Make it a great day everyone!
