This weekend I stayed pretty close to home doing some spring cleaning, both inside and out. I did some house work but also spent Sunday afternoon at a Kundalini yoga and ayurvedic workshop. It was very enlightening, and while at the workshop, I had my first real Whole30 quandry. The food they offered us was a vegetarian ayurvedic cleansing meal, so the base of it (called 'kitcheree') was rice and dahl (lentils). As we talked about food, the instructor commented about how we only have so much control and sometimes, in the grand scheme of things, we need to just be present in the moment and bless our food and trust that we will be okay eating something that we normally would not. I completely agree with this, within healthy and balanced parameters. That said, I made the decision to bless my kitcheree and trust that even though it's WAY off the Whole30 plan, I would be okay. And I do feel that I am okay and that it was the right thing to do in the moment. But they did offer up a 7 day challenge for an ayurvedic cleanse, which I will have to decline at the moment. I'm still on the Whole30 path, and will wait until this is over before I consider whether to add rice and lentils back into the diet, and if so, in what quantities.
One thing has become evident in the last two weeks with the Whole30: I've never felt this 'normal' with my body and with food. This week-end, I realized my elimination issues are completely gone - I 'eliminate' like a regular person - no effort, no pain, no waiting for 'things to happen' so I can get on with my day (or week). It's amazing and wonderful and I really don't want to mess with that! I have twinges of cravings still, but they are soo much less than they used to be, and I'm finding without the physical cravings, I can better deal with the emotional cravings, which is what the next two weeks are about for me.
One very interesting thing came up this week-end: I had a rare but violent emotional outburst. I haven't felt that frustrated, angry and out of control in a VERY long time. I'm not sure if it was emotional cleansing from the Whole30, or just life getting overwhelming for me, but It was an education in my own patterns and triggers. It was also a reminder of how far I've come, because that kind of 'eruption' hasn't happened in years, and even then, it's not been a concern for over a decade, I'd say. However, since I have been focusing these last couple weeks on completely letting go of the 'old' me, it makes sense that something like that would come up, if only to say 'see how much you don't need this response anymore?'. It no longer serves me. My husband was gracious and accepting enough to see the outburst for what it was, and didn't berate me or react to it, but rather, he sat with me as we worked through it. It was a testament to how far HE has come in his own emotional journey. And I feel like we're both stronger for it.
Food-wise, it's been slim pickin's here since the food budget is on lockdown, so I've gotten really creative with the menu, and nothing that I made this weekend Is what I would deem post-worthy. I did revisit an old favourite of mine: kale salad. In the winter, I generally don't eat raw food, because I have such a hard time digesting it. But it's spring, and that's when raw foods are more appetizing to me. My system seems to be healing, so I thought I'd give it a try. Instead of honey in the dressing, I just added kiwi to the salad, but forgot the shredded apple. It seemed to sit okay with me, so I'm trying it again today for lunch, but with chicken instead of smoked trout.
I think over all, I'm definitely seeing positive changes in my body and my relationship with food. I still am curious how much I weigh, and in the morning, I still have that urge to hop on the scale. But more importantly, since I am NOT weighing myself daily, I am checking in with my body to see how I feel. Am I sore? Am I still tired? Do I feel bloated or inflamed from the night before? Am I hungry? How do my clothes fit? These habits still need more time to solidify themselves into my daily thought process, but I am encouraged that I am making progress here.
Oh, and one more thing before I launch into the second half of my Whole30 challenge: I have gone through my clothes (again!) to weed out the things that no longer fit me, and that no longer make me feel good. That doesn't leave a whole lot in my closet, but I'm looking forward to slowly rebuilding a wardrobe that fits, that is made from quality materials, and that reflect the person I am NOW, not the person I was.
Whoop Whoop!
Monday, April 29, 2013
Friday, April 26, 2013
Day 12- Thinner?
Today was a pretty busy day. It started out with a double workout - 2 circuits followed by 4 'sprints' on the stairs. Today, my knee was starting to bother me, so I wanted to keep my cardio low-ish impact. I'm not sure if stair running was it, but hopefully by tomorrow, it'll clear up enough to run. I then went back to the gym for a little cardio and a very haphazard and unfocussed mini-workout on my abs and butt.
I had a good day avoiding over-eating. All day, I just felt lean, and energetic and with few cravings (of course, it's only 7:00, so there's still a few hours left in the day). I met up with a friend who is in her final week of carb depletion/carb loading for her fitness competition. She thought I was noticably leaner than she remembered me a month ago. I mentioned the shorts I was wearing were too tight when I first got them but just about right today. Then I came home and put a skirt on that a month ago was too tight to wear for more than a few hours and _it_ fit. I still have 18 days to go and I'm a few days away from halfway there, but I am finally feeling some noticeable changes. If only I could weigh myself I might know if I've lost weight, but it's starting to matter less to me. The difference in my energy level and my clothes fitting better (or worse in some cases - I've shrunk out of 2 of my favourite capris!) are far more important to me than a number. Still.... I wanna know, because I'm a numbers geek! I also managed to sleep through the night last night. I didn't even get up to pee! I can't remember the last time I slept through the night.
Today's meals were all eaten on the go, but it's a pretty typical day for me: up at 6:30, drinking my iced coffee with coconut milk and egg whites by 7:00 while I prep lunches for my husband (and myself on days I work); then to the gym and at 9:30, I had a post-gym meal of smoothie (spinach, blueberries, banana and coconut milk) and barbecue chicken-turkey balls. This carried me through to 2:00 (barely) when I ate a 'wrap' made of coconut flour and egg white, stuffed with tuna/coleslaw salad and a spinach arugula mix. I was really hungry, but really wanted to be sure to chew thoroughly, so it took me almost 45 minutes to eat the whole thing. I went back to the gym to hang out with my friend and do a little motivational cardio with/for her, and now I'm anxiously awaiting my husband's arrival so I can start this supper of stir-fried veg and beef. I've planned a decadent dessert (the one I mentioned last night - I got too full and tired to make it yesterday!).
Tomorrow, I have to squeeze in a run in the morning, but it looks like rain. I promised myself I'd run in the rain at least twice before this next competition, so tomorrow may be the day for wet-run #1. I'll let you know!
I had a good day avoiding over-eating. All day, I just felt lean, and energetic and with few cravings (of course, it's only 7:00, so there's still a few hours left in the day). I met up with a friend who is in her final week of carb depletion/carb loading for her fitness competition. She thought I was noticably leaner than she remembered me a month ago. I mentioned the shorts I was wearing were too tight when I first got them but just about right today. Then I came home and put a skirt on that a month ago was too tight to wear for more than a few hours and _it_ fit. I still have 18 days to go and I'm a few days away from halfway there, but I am finally feeling some noticeable changes. If only I could weigh myself I might know if I've lost weight, but it's starting to matter less to me. The difference in my energy level and my clothes fitting better (or worse in some cases - I've shrunk out of 2 of my favourite capris!) are far more important to me than a number. Still.... I wanna know, because I'm a numbers geek! I also managed to sleep through the night last night. I didn't even get up to pee! I can't remember the last time I slept through the night.
Today's meals were all eaten on the go, but it's a pretty typical day for me: up at 6:30, drinking my iced coffee with coconut milk and egg whites by 7:00 while I prep lunches for my husband (and myself on days I work); then to the gym and at 9:30, I had a post-gym meal of smoothie (spinach, blueberries, banana and coconut milk) and barbecue chicken-turkey balls. This carried me through to 2:00 (barely) when I ate a 'wrap' made of coconut flour and egg white, stuffed with tuna/coleslaw salad and a spinach arugula mix. I was really hungry, but really wanted to be sure to chew thoroughly, so it took me almost 45 minutes to eat the whole thing. I went back to the gym to hang out with my friend and do a little motivational cardio with/for her, and now I'm anxiously awaiting my husband's arrival so I can start this supper of stir-fried veg and beef. I've planned a decadent dessert (the one I mentioned last night - I got too full and tired to make it yesterday!).
Tomorrow, I have to squeeze in a run in the morning, but it looks like rain. I promised myself I'd run in the rain at least twice before this next competition, so tomorrow may be the day for wet-run #1. I'll let you know!
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Rest Days and broccoli salad
Rest days are so hard for me, and yet so important. Today is no different.
Today is a rest day. I have a hard day with rest days - I feel lethargic, I tend to over-eat and generally feel like I've 'wasted' a day. However, I know from experience (and extensive reading) that rest days are crucial for gains in strength. After all, strength training is all about tiny tears in the muscles. It takes time to heal those guns! I did some foam rolling and stretched every time I got up from my desk at work. And I'm already planning tomorrow's epic workout...
Tonight, my husband asked for an 'Epic Roxanne Dinner' tonight, so I set to work making something memorable. I'm going to try the barbecue sauce on some salmon, and I prepped some bananas for frozen whipped dessert - still not sure what's going into that one, but if its good, I'll post the recipe.
For the side dish, I was inspired to make broccoli (mainly because it is on the verge of turning). So I look at what I have on hand and voila! Broccoli, hazelnut and prosciutto salad is born. I'm sure this could be snazzed up with some spice, but for tonight I wanted to let the flavours of the homemade mayo, hazelnuts and apple shine through.
1 bunch (2-3 sralks) broccoli, cut into bite sized florets
1/2 c. Hazelnuts, chopped
1/4 c. Zante currants
1/3 c. Shredded apple (I used jazz because that's all I had but I'd recommend Granny Smith)
4-5 slices prosciutto
2/3-1 c. Home-made mayo
1 T. Honey
1 T. Natural apple cider vinegar
1) fry the prosciutto and let cool.
2) in large bowl, collect broccoli, hazelnuts, currants and apple.
3) once the prosciutto is cooled, chop into tiny pieces.
4) in a small bowl, mix mayo, honey and cider vinegar.
5) pour dressing over salad and mix thoroughly. Chill for an hour or two.
nom.
Today is a rest day. I have a hard day with rest days - I feel lethargic, I tend to over-eat and generally feel like I've 'wasted' a day. However, I know from experience (and extensive reading) that rest days are crucial for gains in strength. After all, strength training is all about tiny tears in the muscles. It takes time to heal those guns! I did some foam rolling and stretched every time I got up from my desk at work. And I'm already planning tomorrow's epic workout...
Tonight, my husband asked for an 'Epic Roxanne Dinner' tonight, so I set to work making something memorable. I'm going to try the barbecue sauce on some salmon, and I prepped some bananas for frozen whipped dessert - still not sure what's going into that one, but if its good, I'll post the recipe.
For the side dish, I was inspired to make broccoli (mainly because it is on the verge of turning). So I look at what I have on hand and voila! Broccoli, hazelnut and prosciutto salad is born. I'm sure this could be snazzed up with some spice, but for tonight I wanted to let the flavours of the homemade mayo, hazelnuts and apple shine through.
1 bunch (2-3 sralks) broccoli, cut into bite sized florets
1/2 c. Hazelnuts, chopped
1/4 c. Zante currants
1/3 c. Shredded apple (I used jazz because that's all I had but I'd recommend Granny Smith)
4-5 slices prosciutto
2/3-1 c. Home-made mayo
1 T. Honey
1 T. Natural apple cider vinegar
1) fry the prosciutto and let cool.
2) in large bowl, collect broccoli, hazelnuts, currants and apple.
3) once the prosciutto is cooled, chop into tiny pieces.
4) in a small bowl, mix mayo, honey and cider vinegar.
5) pour dressing over salad and mix thoroughly. Chill for an hour or two.
nom.
Day 10 - Cravings Subsiding ... and an experiment in Barbecue Sauce!
Part of the Whole30 transition is the body's response to fuel, and as a result, changes in energy levels, sleep patterns and other bodily functions. Today, I am noticing that my obsession with nut butter is subsiding. I still love it and want it, but last night when I saw it in the cupboard as I was getting supper ready, I didn't have that undeniable pull to snack on it. Maybe it's awareness, maybe it's just my body adjusting to new food patterns.
I had a pretty big day yesterday - I biked to the gym and worked out in the morning, worked, biked to the gym again to do a mini-session in the afternoon (I got some pointers on bench pressing, ab work and kip [pull] ups from my power lifting friends) and then biked home. My meals were focused on getting sufficient protein and fats with my fruit and veg, and I wasn't as desperate to snack in the evening, although I am still in love with the cracker recipe from Shasonta's blog and used them late in the evening as a vehicle for some yummy coconut butter. But again, no big surges of cravings.
As is typical in my life, just as something comes to the forefront of my awareness internally, something externally reinforces that new knowledge. I am reading two books right now: 'It Starts With Food' By Dallas and Melissa Hartwig - the creators of the Whole30 plan, and 'The Emotional Eater's Repair Manual' by Julie M. Simon. The amalgam of what I got from reading both books yesterday was right in line with what I was experiencing. I learned the difference between satiety and satiation and how our cravings satisfy our emotional/psychological desire for comfort and emotional nourishment, but that the less-than-nourishing foods we crave (like cookies, for example) will not trigger satiety nutritionally in your body, so we keep eating - it's a vicious cycle. So by addressing our emotional issues, we help temper the cravings for foods that do not satisfy our nutritional needs. Or something like that. But I am embracing a new understanding of how my emotional cravings drive my physical desire for randomly non-nutritional foods, or foods that I know to be triggers for over-eating or just generally do not make me feel good physically after eating them. So, I'm looking within to find other ways to nourish my emotional needs as well as the cravings I have for fresh, interesting flavours.
Which leads me to today's recipe.
I read a few days ago on a blog about 'Paleo barbecue sauce' and apparently that casual glance stuck in my head. I'm not usually a fan of barbecue sauce, but I've never figured out what was missing from commercial sauces (or what was added that I didn't like). When I got up in the morning and made some chicken/turkey meatballs, I figured it was worth my time and effort to attempt to create my own barbecue sauce recipe. I quickly looked up a couple recipes on the internet, but neither of the two I chose used ALL the ingredients that I wanted to use, so I used both of them as templates to create my own recipe from what I had. The result is not bad, but not perfected by any means. Next time I will rework it with tomato paste and beef broth instead of just tomato sauce, and perhaps add more vinegar and/or mustard. Give it a try and see what you think:
14.5 oz can tomato sauce
1 T. Balsamic vinegar
1/4 c. Fresh Apple juice
1 T. Honey
1 t. Trader Joe's African Smoked Seasoning
1 t. Ground Chipotle chili
1 t. Powdered garlic
1 t. Salt
1/8 t. Cayenne
1 T. Stone ground mustard
Put it all in a saucepan and simmer for 30 min (or more). Pour over cooked meats, or baste it on meats destined for the barbecue. Or both!
I had a pretty big day yesterday - I biked to the gym and worked out in the morning, worked, biked to the gym again to do a mini-session in the afternoon (I got some pointers on bench pressing, ab work and kip [pull] ups from my power lifting friends) and then biked home. My meals were focused on getting sufficient protein and fats with my fruit and veg, and I wasn't as desperate to snack in the evening, although I am still in love with the cracker recipe from Shasonta's blog and used them late in the evening as a vehicle for some yummy coconut butter. But again, no big surges of cravings.
As is typical in my life, just as something comes to the forefront of my awareness internally, something externally reinforces that new knowledge. I am reading two books right now: 'It Starts With Food' By Dallas and Melissa Hartwig - the creators of the Whole30 plan, and 'The Emotional Eater's Repair Manual' by Julie M. Simon. The amalgam of what I got from reading both books yesterday was right in line with what I was experiencing. I learned the difference between satiety and satiation and how our cravings satisfy our emotional/psychological desire for comfort and emotional nourishment, but that the less-than-nourishing foods we crave (like cookies, for example) will not trigger satiety nutritionally in your body, so we keep eating - it's a vicious cycle. So by addressing our emotional issues, we help temper the cravings for foods that do not satisfy our nutritional needs. Or something like that. But I am embracing a new understanding of how my emotional cravings drive my physical desire for randomly non-nutritional foods, or foods that I know to be triggers for over-eating or just generally do not make me feel good physically after eating them. So, I'm looking within to find other ways to nourish my emotional needs as well as the cravings I have for fresh, interesting flavours.
Which leads me to today's recipe.
I read a few days ago on a blog about 'Paleo barbecue sauce' and apparently that casual glance stuck in my head. I'm not usually a fan of barbecue sauce, but I've never figured out what was missing from commercial sauces (or what was added that I didn't like). When I got up in the morning and made some chicken/turkey meatballs, I figured it was worth my time and effort to attempt to create my own barbecue sauce recipe. I quickly looked up a couple recipes on the internet, but neither of the two I chose used ALL the ingredients that I wanted to use, so I used both of them as templates to create my own recipe from what I had. The result is not bad, but not perfected by any means. Next time I will rework it with tomato paste and beef broth instead of just tomato sauce, and perhaps add more vinegar and/or mustard. Give it a try and see what you think:
14.5 oz can tomato sauce
1 T. Balsamic vinegar
1/4 c. Fresh Apple juice
1 T. Honey
1 t. Trader Joe's African Smoked Seasoning
1 t. Ground Chipotle chili
1 t. Powdered garlic
1 t. Salt
1/8 t. Cayenne
1 T. Stone ground mustard
Put it all in a saucepan and simmer for 30 min (or more). Pour over cooked meats, or baste it on meats destined for the barbecue. Or both!
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Day 8 - Habits
After clinging to my understanding of the Whole30 for the entire week-end, and still feeling a bit like crap, I am spending this week focused on creating habits that supersede the latest habit I have of wandering in the kitchen and as I figure out what I'm hungry for, I somehow end up with a spoonful of nut butter in my mouth. Of all the balls I am juggling and of all the things that are important to me (my workouts are one area I'm really struggling with keeping fresh), this is critical.
I'm not quite to the point where I think I need to eradicate all nut butters from the house, like I did with tortilla chips. But it's getting that bad and I need to take a look at why and hopefully that answer will help me forge a real, long term solution.
While ruminating over this all, I realized I probably should actually read the book that inspired the challenge, so I purchased 'It Starts With Food' by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig for my kindle and I'm making it my personal challenge to read at least an hour a day, more on the week-ends. As the weather warms up, I like to sit out on my porch or in my back yard and read while I soak up the sunshine. Today doesn't look like it's going to be one of those days, but here in the Pacific Northwest, weather can change on a dime and I try to never rule out a chance to get out in any weather that does not include rain or wind.
I want to post more recipes, but right now, most of my recipes are from other websites or my own 'throw it together and hope it's edible' concoctions. I have time tonight to work on a spring soup recipe, so I'll post that once I get it nailed down - and even take pictures!
On to Day 9!
I'm not quite to the point where I think I need to eradicate all nut butters from the house, like I did with tortilla chips. But it's getting that bad and I need to take a look at why and hopefully that answer will help me forge a real, long term solution.
While ruminating over this all, I realized I probably should actually read the book that inspired the challenge, so I purchased 'It Starts With Food' by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig for my kindle and I'm making it my personal challenge to read at least an hour a day, more on the week-ends. As the weather warms up, I like to sit out on my porch or in my back yard and read while I soak up the sunshine. Today doesn't look like it's going to be one of those days, but here in the Pacific Northwest, weather can change on a dime and I try to never rule out a chance to get out in any weather that does not include rain or wind.
I want to post more recipes, but right now, most of my recipes are from other websites or my own 'throw it together and hope it's edible' concoctions. I have time tonight to work on a spring soup recipe, so I'll post that once I get it nailed down - and even take pictures!
On to Day 9!
Monday, April 22, 2013
Weekend Update (Days 5-7)
The weekend came and went And I once again had a lot that came up. I may have lost a few battles over the weekend but I feel like I won the war.
Both my husband and I felt the keen draw of alcohol and (for him) tobacco. I found myself making some long term realizations and decisions about my hobbies and who I spend time with. As the weekend progressed, I realized I didn't have much in common with this group of people anymore. We both came to realize we've gone as far as we want to with this hobby and iit's time to move our focus and enthusiasm in other directions.
I spent a great deal of time battling my emotional eating and then paying the physical costs of that. The one and only thing I was clinging to was that I was still on the Whole30, I was just eating a whole lot of nuts. Part of that is hormonal, but nut butter is one of my kryptonites (tortilla chips run neck & neck). I have no idea if this is grain detox or what, but I've been having crazy cravings (no I am not pregnant!). Anyway, I made it home, but I realize that being away from home while doing Whole30 is not advisable, and especially when there are tempting foods of any kind around.
I have to give huge props out to Shasonta, a fellow blogger and my Paleo/Crossfit hero. She posted her Whole30 experience and shared a cracker recipe that I fell in love with and that saved me from diving head-first into a bag of potato chips that someone had brought into our camp. Of course, I made my own tweak, adding apricots instead of raisins and substituting macadamia and hazelnuts instead of almonds in the crackers, but enjoy her post at Shazzy's Sass.
I also took some of the mole chili made earlier this week and used it as a cold celery dip late one night. I call it 'Mole Chili' , but the original recipe is actually named 'Chocolate Chili' in the Well Fed cookbook, by Melissa Joulwan, and part of the Whole 30 genre. My version went like this:
2 T. grass fed butter
2 med onions (about 2 c.)
4 cloves garlic, minced (a heaping Tbsp.)
2 lbs. ground turkey
1 t. dried oregano leaves
2 T. chili powder
2 T. ground cumin
1 1/2 T unsweetened cocoa
1 t. allspice
1 t. salt
1 6oz can tomato paste
1 16 oz can fire roasted chopped tomoatoes
2 c. beef broth
1 c. water
On low, start the butter melting, as soon as it's melted, add the onions. Stir and cook until translucent. Add garlic and ground turkey and blend until meat is almost cooked. Add spices and blend for about 20-30 seconds, until the spices are heated, then add tomato paste and 1/2 c water. Keep stirring until blended, then add tomatoes and broth. Turn to low and simmer 30 minutes to 2 hrs, adding a little water every few minutes until it's the right consistency. Remember, it thickens as it cools.
If you add shredded veg (like carrot, celery, zucchini) or diced sweet peppers, it'd give it even more bang for your buck., but add only about 2 c. maximum before the spices have to be adjusted.
Both my husband and I felt the keen draw of alcohol and (for him) tobacco. I found myself making some long term realizations and decisions about my hobbies and who I spend time with. As the weekend progressed, I realized I didn't have much in common with this group of people anymore. We both came to realize we've gone as far as we want to with this hobby and iit's time to move our focus and enthusiasm in other directions.
I spent a great deal of time battling my emotional eating and then paying the physical costs of that. The one and only thing I was clinging to was that I was still on the Whole30, I was just eating a whole lot of nuts. Part of that is hormonal, but nut butter is one of my kryptonites (tortilla chips run neck & neck). I have no idea if this is grain detox or what, but I've been having crazy cravings (no I am not pregnant!). Anyway, I made it home, but I realize that being away from home while doing Whole30 is not advisable, and especially when there are tempting foods of any kind around.
I have to give huge props out to Shasonta, a fellow blogger and my Paleo/Crossfit hero. She posted her Whole30 experience and shared a cracker recipe that I fell in love with and that saved me from diving head-first into a bag of potato chips that someone had brought into our camp. Of course, I made my own tweak, adding apricots instead of raisins and substituting macadamia and hazelnuts instead of almonds in the crackers, but enjoy her post at Shazzy's Sass.
I also took some of the mole chili made earlier this week and used it as a cold celery dip late one night. I call it 'Mole Chili' , but the original recipe is actually named 'Chocolate Chili' in the Well Fed cookbook, by Melissa Joulwan, and part of the Whole 30 genre. My version went like this:
2 T. grass fed butter
2 med onions (about 2 c.)
4 cloves garlic, minced (a heaping Tbsp.)
2 lbs. ground turkey
1 t. dried oregano leaves
2 T. chili powder
2 T. ground cumin
1 1/2 T unsweetened cocoa
1 t. allspice
1 t. salt
1 6oz can tomato paste
1 16 oz can fire roasted chopped tomoatoes
2 c. beef broth
1 c. water
On low, start the butter melting, as soon as it's melted, add the onions. Stir and cook until translucent. Add garlic and ground turkey and blend until meat is almost cooked. Add spices and blend for about 20-30 seconds, until the spices are heated, then add tomato paste and 1/2 c water. Keep stirring until blended, then add tomatoes and broth. Turn to low and simmer 30 minutes to 2 hrs, adding a little water every few minutes until it's the right consistency. Remember, it thickens as it cools.
If you add shredded veg (like carrot, celery, zucchini) or diced sweet peppers, it'd give it even more bang for your buck., but add only about 2 c. maximum before the spices have to be adjusted.
Friday, April 19, 2013
Day 4: Rebalancing - My Life and My Body
Wow, I have had some major aha moments over the last few days, but nothing like the dream I had last night. Without getting into the bizarre details of my dream, I made the very clear realization that it is time to let the old me die. I need to grieve for her, love her and send her on her way. The dream was also very symbolic of my role in my family as well as my tribe as a matriarch. This work I'm doing on myself is revealing a lot about what I have to offer others. But back to the theme for today's post: rebalancing.
Once of the things I've been working on is my sense of balance. The way I hold my body - the way I hold myself up physically as well as the emotional side of 'standing strong'. But first, the physiological aspect.
I have always had issues with posture and my back. A few years ago, I was introduced to the metaphysical meanings of physical ailments. The lower back issues relate to fear of losing your freedom when others need your help. Looking back, this has, in fact, always been a struggle for me. I felt selfish when I took time to restore my sense of Self by stepping away from my family, and there is a history of martyrdom in my matriarchal line that insists that we serve others before we care for ourselves. But I have always balked at that - and felt guilty for it. This is one thing I am definitely letting go of - that guilt over listening to what I intuitively know is right for me. In doing so, I'm working within my body to heal that emotion by focusing on my posture. I remind myself that I am strong enough to hold myself tall.
I think there's another element to the posture issue in that my body is different now than it has been, and my center of balance has shifted. I find that when I am standing tall, the energy flows through me better and my back doesn't hurt. Of course, that muscle still needs to heal, so I can't go back to my full workouts.
Well, I'm headed out for a week-end camping event with friends who love to party, so it will be another opportunity for me to test my boundaries, my resolve and my commitment to being healthy and balanced.
Once of the things I've been working on is my sense of balance. The way I hold my body - the way I hold myself up physically as well as the emotional side of 'standing strong'. But first, the physiological aspect.
I have always had issues with posture and my back. A few years ago, I was introduced to the metaphysical meanings of physical ailments. The lower back issues relate to fear of losing your freedom when others need your help. Looking back, this has, in fact, always been a struggle for me. I felt selfish when I took time to restore my sense of Self by stepping away from my family, and there is a history of martyrdom in my matriarchal line that insists that we serve others before we care for ourselves. But I have always balked at that - and felt guilty for it. This is one thing I am definitely letting go of - that guilt over listening to what I intuitively know is right for me. In doing so, I'm working within my body to heal that emotion by focusing on my posture. I remind myself that I am strong enough to hold myself tall.
I think there's another element to the posture issue in that my body is different now than it has been, and my center of balance has shifted. I find that when I am standing tall, the energy flows through me better and my back doesn't hurt. Of course, that muscle still needs to heal, so I can't go back to my full workouts.
Well, I'm headed out for a week-end camping event with friends who love to party, so it will be another opportunity for me to test my boundaries, my resolve and my commitment to being healthy and balanced.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Day 3 - Food? FOOOOOOD!
Yesterday and today I had a really hard time wanting to weigh myself when I wake up and write everything down I eat. But I am committed to the entire process. It's not just about eating, it's about our habits and assumptions around food. Today was a challenge in that I was not hungry when I thought I should be and hungry when I wasn't expecting it. I ate my snack before my big meal, and it seemed so out of context, but then I was hungry and tired an hour later. I had a Spark/Rehydrate and then I was good for another couple hours. My evening 'snack' ended up being the lunch I swapped for my snack, and then supper an hour or so later. And then the munchies hit. I managed to stay on track with just a handful of nuts and some dried apricots, and celery with sunbutter.
So far I have not sat down to plan a week of meals, but I have a pretty good understanding of how to put a Whole30 meal together. I've been doing the food-prep thing for quite some time, now, and have some regular go-to combos (or what Whole30 calls hot plates). I have experimented with some new recipes and am really pleased with them. I know I should be posting more recipes here, but so often I am in the moment when I cook, that I forget to document what I do. Next week, I'll focus on getting some of those recipes on the blog.
So far I have not sat down to plan a week of meals, but I have a pretty good understanding of how to put a Whole30 meal together. I've been doing the food-prep thing for quite some time, now, and have some regular go-to combos (or what Whole30 calls hot plates). I have experimented with some new recipes and am really pleased with them. I know I should be posting more recipes here, but so often I am in the moment when I cook, that I forget to document what I do. Next week, I'll focus on getting some of those recipes on the blog.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Day 2 - Adjustments
Day one was one of the most un-pleasant days I've had in a long time. Unfortunately (or perhaps it's a blessing in disguise), I ripped a muscle in my back on the FIRST day of training. It had nothing to do with the exercise or the weight I was using, it was me. My head wasn't in it and I was not concentrating on what I should be doing. I also was still massively inflamed from the week-end's derail. SO... I am making modifications this week. I've made my peace with it and my number ONE priority is staying healthy.
I am altering my workout today and tomorrow, with a "rest" day on Thursday of a long walk in the morning with a dear friend. So today, instead of doing sprints, I did intervals on the stair machine. I've chosen the stair machine because I can hold my body with my arms, as opposed to the hill climber elliptical machine, which I need to maintain my core upright while my hands are push/pulling the hand-holds. I hope this makes sense, but that is my plan: 1 minute of hard and fast climbing followed by a minute of slower walking. That should sort-of emulate sprints. As for weights, I wanted to isolate the upper vs lower muscle groups as much as possible. Instead of thrusters, I did dumbbell shoulder presses followed by sumo goblet squats. I did one-legged hamstring curls and decline crunches, niiiice and sllooooow. I did the push-ups on my knees and renegade rows without the push-up. Last, I did chin ups on the assist machine, and kept it on a slightly heavier assist (which means slightly less effort). While on the floor I took the time to do some hip opening stretches and did some foam rolling. Some is better than none, and again, keeping my back safe so it can heal is my priority. In spite of it all, I managed to feel pretty good about the work-out and I had a nice chat with a gym-buddy about the Whole30 and our deep-seated food issues that we are working to overcome in our own ways. I also listened to two wonderful podcasts that I want to re-listen to and take notes.
And then there's my Whole30 plan. Typically, I have a smoothie or some kind of light break-fast food around 7am and then my main breakfast once I get to work around 10:30, then lunch around 1:30-2, and a quick little tiny snack around 4-4:30 to see me through till supper around 7-7:30. This keeps me from snacking, keeps my energy up, and just generally seems to work for me. I add in an extra snack and/or meal when I have a tough workout or end up doing something really active (like cleaning house for 3 hours, like I did today!)
This morning's food frenzy consisted of a kiwi, mango and grapefruit green smoothie and a lovely cuppa joe with coconut milk (for my fat). Post workout, I had an egg-free 'scramble' of greens, smoked salmon, shredded sweet potato, onion, pepper and mushrooms, and topped with a 1/4 avo. I thoroughly enjoyed the mole chili over zucchini 'noodles' at lunch, and I packed a small apple and a handful of nuts as my snack for on the way home. Tonight, I made an asian-ish stirfry from the leftover cajun pork roast from last night, the usual stir fry veg and cauliflower 'rice'. I still would like to make a few Whole30 approved sauces, but haven't yet mustered up the givadam with the back thing slowing me down.
So far it's been surprisingly easy, but I'm not getting complacent, because I know for me, day 4 and especially the week-ends are really tough for me. This weekend we are going camping with friends and there will be a lot of down time with me just hanging out in the kitchen, so I plan to meditate on that for a while before we actually get there, so I can be mentally and physically prepared. For tonight, though, I'm really beat - not sure if it's detoxing, clean eating, back repair or vigorous workout, but whatever is causing the sleepy-head nod, I'm paying attention and turning in early tonight. Tomorrow is day 3 and hopefully my back will be well enough to give a light jog a try.
I am altering my workout today and tomorrow, with a "rest" day on Thursday of a long walk in the morning with a dear friend. So today, instead of doing sprints, I did intervals on the stair machine. I've chosen the stair machine because I can hold my body with my arms, as opposed to the hill climber elliptical machine, which I need to maintain my core upright while my hands are push/pulling the hand-holds. I hope this makes sense, but that is my plan: 1 minute of hard and fast climbing followed by a minute of slower walking. That should sort-of emulate sprints. As for weights, I wanted to isolate the upper vs lower muscle groups as much as possible. Instead of thrusters, I did dumbbell shoulder presses followed by sumo goblet squats. I did one-legged hamstring curls and decline crunches, niiiice and sllooooow. I did the push-ups on my knees and renegade rows without the push-up. Last, I did chin ups on the assist machine, and kept it on a slightly heavier assist (which means slightly less effort). While on the floor I took the time to do some hip opening stretches and did some foam rolling. Some is better than none, and again, keeping my back safe so it can heal is my priority. In spite of it all, I managed to feel pretty good about the work-out and I had a nice chat with a gym-buddy about the Whole30 and our deep-seated food issues that we are working to overcome in our own ways. I also listened to two wonderful podcasts that I want to re-listen to and take notes.
And then there's my Whole30 plan. Typically, I have a smoothie or some kind of light break-fast food around 7am and then my main breakfast once I get to work around 10:30, then lunch around 1:30-2, and a quick little tiny snack around 4-4:30 to see me through till supper around 7-7:30. This keeps me from snacking, keeps my energy up, and just generally seems to work for me. I add in an extra snack and/or meal when I have a tough workout or end up doing something really active (like cleaning house for 3 hours, like I did today!)
This morning's food frenzy consisted of a kiwi, mango and grapefruit green smoothie and a lovely cuppa joe with coconut milk (for my fat). Post workout, I had an egg-free 'scramble' of greens, smoked salmon, shredded sweet potato, onion, pepper and mushrooms, and topped with a 1/4 avo. I thoroughly enjoyed the mole chili over zucchini 'noodles' at lunch, and I packed a small apple and a handful of nuts as my snack for on the way home. Tonight, I made an asian-ish stirfry from the leftover cajun pork roast from last night, the usual stir fry veg and cauliflower 'rice'. I still would like to make a few Whole30 approved sauces, but haven't yet mustered up the givadam with the back thing slowing me down.
So far it's been surprisingly easy, but I'm not getting complacent, because I know for me, day 4 and especially the week-ends are really tough for me. This weekend we are going camping with friends and there will be a lot of down time with me just hanging out in the kitchen, so I plan to meditate on that for a while before we actually get there, so I can be mentally and physically prepared. For tonight, though, I'm really beat - not sure if it's detoxing, clean eating, back repair or vigorous workout, but whatever is causing the sleepy-head nod, I'm paying attention and turning in early tonight. Tomorrow is day 3 and hopefully my back will be well enough to give a light jog a try.
Monday, April 15, 2013
Day 1 - A rough start
This weekend, as I prepared for the Whole30 and my new workout plan, I took stock of my body-mind connection. I spent a lot of time thinking about how my body was feeling and to be honest, it felt like I've been over-training, so I spent the last 24 hours in a slothful and continuous food-coma. The food part of the rest week-end was a total derailer and this morning I'm feeling about as crappy as I've felt in the last few months. To top things off, I was half-assing my workout this morning because I felt so horrible and I lost focus when I was supposed to be paying attention and I pulled a back muscle. Not just a little 'hey, pay attention' kind of twinge, but a full on 'OHMYGOD, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!' kind of instant 'snap' and I knew My workout was OVER. I still have to get through the morning and bike to work and home, but the lifting part of my routine will have to be adjusted this week. To this I say: Goddamnit.
I've cut grains and dairy out pretty well over the last week, but over the week-end, I had the last of the oatmeal in the fridge, had a meal replacement shake, a power bar, and a rice cake or two. Oh, and a bowl of popcorn. So, here we are on the morning of day one. Fortunately, we prepped enough protein to last both of us all week. We have mole beef chili, jerk-style chicken and smoked salmon and halibut. Tonight I might even make some turkey meatballs. but for now, I'm trying to resolve to eat more veggies. To those who know me, this may sound like I'm overdoing it, but seriously: I only had a few servings of veg yesterday, and I need to pay better attention to my veg to protein ratio. On Whole30, I should be eating 7-8 servings of veggies a day. I've packed about 4 servings, which means I need to get 2-4 more in, and perhaps make one or two of those servings a fruit (speaking of which: I'm tossing in a half grapefruit to my lunch right now)
And adding fats - this is a scary one for me. Fats are like a gateway drug for me. Fats make me want sugar and grains like you wouldn't believe. I think this comes from years of living with a fat-phobic mother and a father who's evening ritual consisted of a huge batch of butter popcorn with this amazing peanut-toffee sauce, and ice cream. So fat has typically been connected to sweets and grains for me: the trifecta of bad-for-you food.
I also can't help but wonder if I've worked my way into a state of 'mad' so that I motivate myself through this first week. I know the back thing is almost completely attributed to sitting slouched on the comfy chair for most of the week-end, and from stuffing my face with inflammatory food. So, on top of getting this new diet under my belt, I have an extra 6 lbs of inflammation to lose and new workout to get on track while NOT tracking my food obsessively. It's a lot for my brain to keep track of, but here I am, day one. Workout completed (although I may go back and do it again, with modifications, since I really effed up this morning's stab at it), bulletproof coffee sampled (we'll see how far it takes me into the morning), and now a throbbing low back to contend with throughout the day. My brain elicits a weak 'yaaaay'.
All that said, I am 100% committed to the Whole30 challenge and the workout is totally doable in its entirety, once I get my back taken care of. Day one: underway.
I've cut grains and dairy out pretty well over the last week, but over the week-end, I had the last of the oatmeal in the fridge, had a meal replacement shake, a power bar, and a rice cake or two. Oh, and a bowl of popcorn. So, here we are on the morning of day one. Fortunately, we prepped enough protein to last both of us all week. We have mole beef chili, jerk-style chicken and smoked salmon and halibut. Tonight I might even make some turkey meatballs. but for now, I'm trying to resolve to eat more veggies. To those who know me, this may sound like I'm overdoing it, but seriously: I only had a few servings of veg yesterday, and I need to pay better attention to my veg to protein ratio. On Whole30, I should be eating 7-8 servings of veggies a day. I've packed about 4 servings, which means I need to get 2-4 more in, and perhaps make one or two of those servings a fruit (speaking of which: I'm tossing in a half grapefruit to my lunch right now)
And adding fats - this is a scary one for me. Fats are like a gateway drug for me. Fats make me want sugar and grains like you wouldn't believe. I think this comes from years of living with a fat-phobic mother and a father who's evening ritual consisted of a huge batch of butter popcorn with this amazing peanut-toffee sauce, and ice cream. So fat has typically been connected to sweets and grains for me: the trifecta of bad-for-you food.
I also can't help but wonder if I've worked my way into a state of 'mad' so that I motivate myself through this first week. I know the back thing is almost completely attributed to sitting slouched on the comfy chair for most of the week-end, and from stuffing my face with inflammatory food. So, on top of getting this new diet under my belt, I have an extra 6 lbs of inflammation to lose and new workout to get on track while NOT tracking my food obsessively. It's a lot for my brain to keep track of, but here I am, day one. Workout completed (although I may go back and do it again, with modifications, since I really effed up this morning's stab at it), bulletproof coffee sampled (we'll see how far it takes me into the morning), and now a throbbing low back to contend with throughout the day. My brain elicits a weak 'yaaaay'.
All that said, I am 100% committed to the Whole30 challenge and the workout is totally doable in its entirety, once I get my back taken care of. Day one: underway.
Getting Ready
It's Saturday and this week-end is all about "getting ready". We are getting ready for the week ahead with a camping trip at the end, we are getting ready to start our training program for the Survivor run, and we are starting the Whole30. I say 'we are starting' because even though my husband is not planning on adhering to the Whole30 plan, I am the one cooking the majority of his meals, so in that respect, he's getting some new dishes on the menu.
Today I am purposefully not recording what I eat, but rather assessing each meal the way I am supposed to on the Whole30. This takes practice and is reminding me how to check in with my body before diving in to eat. When I prepare my meals, I am consciously practicing measuring portions: protein sources should be as big as the palm of my hand, fat sources should be the size of my thumb, use a small cupped hand to measure nuts, etc. It's pretty exciting to realize I get to saute my fish in grass-fed butter and throw avocado on my salad with the olive oil dressing. But I still can't go overboard. A thumb size goes pretty quick if your supper has multiple steps.
One of the things we were clearing out of our freezer in preparation for Whole30, was a packet of pre-cooked chicken breast in a chipotle sauce. All it needed was to be heated up and the chicken 'jerked'. There was also a bag of pre-seasoned fajita vegetables I threw in with the chicken. I know the pre-made stuff had all kinds of bad-for-me chemicals and crap in 'em but it was darned tasty, and it got me thinking I could totally recreate that from scratch with healthy, local ingredients in the crock pot tomorrow. If it goes well, I'll post the recipe.
We also went on an epic bikeride. The day started off raining, turned to snow, and just when we were ready to throw in the towel and call it an inside day, the sun came out and we jumped on it. We rode for about 3 hours: downtown to the farmers market where Erik sniffed soaps and I perused Betsy's new fabrics at Intertwined Designs, then over to the Hub to check out what was there and how they are set up, and on to the Interurban trail for another couple miles before turning around to come back. As we were coasting home, I was reminded why I'm doing this thing. I want to keep feeling just like that moment. When I'm out in nature, I want to feel strong and vibrant and active. I just don't feel that way when I'm eating things that inflame me, slow me down and hack into my lifestyle. So tonight, I continue to let go of old habits, old loves and start looking at things from this new perspective.
Today I am purposefully not recording what I eat, but rather assessing each meal the way I am supposed to on the Whole30. This takes practice and is reminding me how to check in with my body before diving in to eat. When I prepare my meals, I am consciously practicing measuring portions: protein sources should be as big as the palm of my hand, fat sources should be the size of my thumb, use a small cupped hand to measure nuts, etc. It's pretty exciting to realize I get to saute my fish in grass-fed butter and throw avocado on my salad with the olive oil dressing. But I still can't go overboard. A thumb size goes pretty quick if your supper has multiple steps.
One of the things we were clearing out of our freezer in preparation for Whole30, was a packet of pre-cooked chicken breast in a chipotle sauce. All it needed was to be heated up and the chicken 'jerked'. There was also a bag of pre-seasoned fajita vegetables I threw in with the chicken. I know the pre-made stuff had all kinds of bad-for-me chemicals and crap in 'em but it was darned tasty, and it got me thinking I could totally recreate that from scratch with healthy, local ingredients in the crock pot tomorrow. If it goes well, I'll post the recipe.
We also went on an epic bikeride. The day started off raining, turned to snow, and just when we were ready to throw in the towel and call it an inside day, the sun came out and we jumped on it. We rode for about 3 hours: downtown to the farmers market where Erik sniffed soaps and I perused Betsy's new fabrics at Intertwined Designs, then over to the Hub to check out what was there and how they are set up, and on to the Interurban trail for another couple miles before turning around to come back. As we were coasting home, I was reminded why I'm doing this thing. I want to keep feeling just like that moment. When I'm out in nature, I want to feel strong and vibrant and active. I just don't feel that way when I'm eating things that inflame me, slow me down and hack into my lifestyle. So tonight, I continue to let go of old habits, old loves and start looking at things from this new perspective.
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Whole30 Preparations
I have spent the better part of last night and today pondering what I'll be changing in the upcoming weeks. I feel like my focus is zeroing in and I'm ready to take on the next big challenge on this journey. It's a lot to take in, but it's a lot to look forward to as well. In thinking about the commitment I want to make to this process, I want to sort of have a 'farewell party' to the foods and habits I have loved for so long, but that no longer serve me.
Over the last 20 years, I've gone through a whole host of diets, restrictions, regimens and straight-up quackery. I was a vegetarian on and off for many years, and rarely have I had the desire to eat red meat (until very recently). About 10 years ago, I did a modified elimination diet to get to the root of what was making me feel like crap all the time - that's when I started to make the wheat connection. A few years later, I let go of milk (but not yogurt or cheese). I've taken sugar out of my diet for the most part. And in the last 6 months I've discovered corn really messes me up, and that I may have to give up yogurt. There was a while there I was totally caffeine-free, but in the last year I've realized the benefits outweigh the drawbacks for me, and I keep my intake to one really great cup of coffee a day. I've known for a while that peanut butter is not my gut's friend (although my tongue insists it is!). But there's more, and ultimately, I feel like my gut needs a tune-up again, so welcome Whole30 to the party.
On the Whole30, there are things I'm giving up, and things I'm welcoming back. On the list of things I will give up for the next 30 days are peanut butter, corn, dairy, and oats, quinoa and rice (for now). I've made my peace with sugar, but sugar alternatives like honey, maple syrup and even xylitol and stevia will be off the list for the next month. But I am VERY excited to start eating grass fed butter. I heard a first-hand account of how different it was from traditional butter and decided I would be willing to welcome it back with open arms. I welcome the addition of coconut butter which I now know I can make in my food processor and will be trying that tonight. Avocados take a more prominent role in my menus, along with grapefruit. Kale, chard and/or spinach remains in just about every meal I make, and fish and chicken certainly aren't going anywhere.
I am more than a little nervous about letting go of writing down exactly how much and what I eat. It's become such a fail-safe for me to make sure I get my macronutrients in the right amounts, and not under-eating either. But part of the Whole30 journey is reconciling my relationship with food, which means looking within for cues of real hunger versus desire. I'm not allowed to weigh or measure my food OR my body during the Whole30. It's a process, though, so if keeping a food diary is the thing I cling to in order to get through this, I accept that. I am more concerned about keeping the quality of foods to the highest standards over being diligent about writing everything down.
I spent the evening yesterday reveling in a bottle of sparkling white wine mixed with last night's leftover blood orange gelato, sweet potatoes with butter, coconut flakes and cinnamon, and a batch of popcorn with a steaming cup of coconut milk mocha on the side. This morning I woke up admittedly hung over from both the alcohol and the sugar (each has its own unique and annoying side-effects) but I feel at peace with these choices. I claimed my revelry and have no regrets, and I got what I wanted out of it - a clear reminder of WHY I am giving these things up. I'm 42 and have more than fleeting moments of truly amazing health where I feel like I'm in my 20s. I don't want to give that up to an urge to eat popcorn or a careless afternoon of grabbing a power bar because I'm too busy to make my own. But I know there are times in life when you pick the lesser of two evils (MacDonald's or the deli case at Safeway). Those times will come, but for the next 30 days, there are absolutely zero excuses: not the camping trip with our party friends, not the 40th birthday party for my husband, not the office 'happy hour'.
Today I will help my husband brine salmon, trout and halibut so he can make me jerky to snack on for the next week or two. We also have an epic hike planned with some of my amazing non-Whole30-compliant energy bars. Tomorrow will begin true preparations, but for today, I will continue to say goodbye to my beloved foods while looking forward to tomorrow, where I begin embracing the new.
Over the last 20 years, I've gone through a whole host of diets, restrictions, regimens and straight-up quackery. I was a vegetarian on and off for many years, and rarely have I had the desire to eat red meat (until very recently). About 10 years ago, I did a modified elimination diet to get to the root of what was making me feel like crap all the time - that's when I started to make the wheat connection. A few years later, I let go of milk (but not yogurt or cheese). I've taken sugar out of my diet for the most part. And in the last 6 months I've discovered corn really messes me up, and that I may have to give up yogurt. There was a while there I was totally caffeine-free, but in the last year I've realized the benefits outweigh the drawbacks for me, and I keep my intake to one really great cup of coffee a day. I've known for a while that peanut butter is not my gut's friend (although my tongue insists it is!). But there's more, and ultimately, I feel like my gut needs a tune-up again, so welcome Whole30 to the party.
On the Whole30, there are things I'm giving up, and things I'm welcoming back. On the list of things I will give up for the next 30 days are peanut butter, corn, dairy, and oats, quinoa and rice (for now). I've made my peace with sugar, but sugar alternatives like honey, maple syrup and even xylitol and stevia will be off the list for the next month. But I am VERY excited to start eating grass fed butter. I heard a first-hand account of how different it was from traditional butter and decided I would be willing to welcome it back with open arms. I welcome the addition of coconut butter which I now know I can make in my food processor and will be trying that tonight. Avocados take a more prominent role in my menus, along with grapefruit. Kale, chard and/or spinach remains in just about every meal I make, and fish and chicken certainly aren't going anywhere.
I am more than a little nervous about letting go of writing down exactly how much and what I eat. It's become such a fail-safe for me to make sure I get my macronutrients in the right amounts, and not under-eating either. But part of the Whole30 journey is reconciling my relationship with food, which means looking within for cues of real hunger versus desire. I'm not allowed to weigh or measure my food OR my body during the Whole30. It's a process, though, so if keeping a food diary is the thing I cling to in order to get through this, I accept that. I am more concerned about keeping the quality of foods to the highest standards over being diligent about writing everything down.
I spent the evening yesterday reveling in a bottle of sparkling white wine mixed with last night's leftover blood orange gelato, sweet potatoes with butter, coconut flakes and cinnamon, and a batch of popcorn with a steaming cup of coconut milk mocha on the side. This morning I woke up admittedly hung over from both the alcohol and the sugar (each has its own unique and annoying side-effects) but I feel at peace with these choices. I claimed my revelry and have no regrets, and I got what I wanted out of it - a clear reminder of WHY I am giving these things up. I'm 42 and have more than fleeting moments of truly amazing health where I feel like I'm in my 20s. I don't want to give that up to an urge to eat popcorn or a careless afternoon of grabbing a power bar because I'm too busy to make my own. But I know there are times in life when you pick the lesser of two evils (MacDonald's or the deli case at Safeway). Those times will come, but for the next 30 days, there are absolutely zero excuses: not the camping trip with our party friends, not the 40th birthday party for my husband, not the office 'happy hour'.
Today I will help my husband brine salmon, trout and halibut so he can make me jerky to snack on for the next week or two. We also have an epic hike planned with some of my amazing non-Whole30-compliant energy bars. Tomorrow will begin true preparations, but for today, I will continue to say goodbye to my beloved foods while looking forward to tomorrow, where I begin embracing the new.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
My first Training Program
Okay ‘team’, I wanted to check in with you and talk a little about this mud run we’ve gotten ourselves into. This is a first for me, and as I understand it, for you, two, too! I’ve run a few 5ks (and one 10k that I trained hard for), but this is more than just running. The overarching challenge for us all will be running uncomfortably in wet, dirty shoes and clothes, interspersed with jumping, crawling, climbing, etc. I’ve looked at a few different mud/obstacle runs in preparation for this so I can get a feel for the kinds of challenges we will be handed. I’ll have a list of links at the end for you to look at, in case you’re an information/internet junkie like me. I am not going to get so technical as to reference each source as I spout information, but if you’re curious where I got some exercise or piece of information, please holler at me and I’ll gladly take you through the web of my thought process!
OKAY! First things First:
Know What You’re Getting Into
The race we’ve chosen is the Survivor Mud Run, held at Remlinger Farms in Carnation, on June 8th. My ‘team’ and I have signed up for the 9:30 am heat. I cannot seem to figure out how long the race is (geez, I hope it’s not longer than 5k!) but I’ll verify length here shortly. As for obstacles, there are 22.
# 1: Mystery obstacle
# 2: Mud Pit – you have to crawl through the mud under a line of flags (you know, the kind you see at the car dealerships)
# 3: Walking across planks. That is, 2x4”s that are on their SIDE, so very narrow.
# 4: Scrabbling over large rocks
# 5: Slip N Slide!!!!!
# 6: ‘hidden forest’ – I’m thinking downed logs across the path to scrabble under or climb over
# 7: “woven web’ – Imagine Catherine Zeta Jones going through that room of lasers in Entrapment, except these are bungee-type cords and you can pull/push and otherwise touch them to get through them.
# 8: Hurdles – toss yourself over a 5’ wall – I dare ya!
# 9: Tires – just like in all those movies about football training
# 10: Ladders – Looks like just a big uphill climb with footholds, or something.
# 11: Mystery Obstacle
# 12: Another Ladder
From here on out, the obstacles are pretty much stacked one on top of another:
# 13: Mystery Obstacle
# 14: Mystery again
# 15: Wall Climb – this involves a 10’ wall, with 2x4”s horizontally every 3 ft and a rope with about 5 knots in it. Climb your way up and then … just jump on down…
# 16: Log Jam – this is a series of ‘logs’ over a mud pit that you have to traverse. It looks like you need to hoist yourself over each one (no going under)
# 17: Another mud pit!
# 18: ‘Man hole’ - Who comes up with these names(?!) Because it looks more like a ‘woman hole’ – a long tube you have to crawl through to get to the light at the other side :-D
# 19: Another low crawl through tubes
# 20: THE GREAT WALL – or just another wall to climb over
# 21: Muddy Bayou – wading in knee-deep mud
# 22: Last Mud pit – and the finish line is in sight!
This is, of course, all subject to change and this is my best guess based on the photos online and what I know about obstacle courses.
Know How To Train
Training for a specific result can be as complex or as simple as you want it. I tend to land somewhere in the middle, where I can get my nerd safari on (Term coined from my nutrition nerd-crush, Mat Lalonde, Ph.D.) but still not get bogged down in following the plan EXACTLY, because life happens. We get sick, we have a meeting that runs late and right into our training time, the cat pukes first thing in the morning as you’re heading out the door for your morning run, etc. You get the picture. Some points I am considering as I put together this training plan are as follows:
· Length of entire race
· Discomfort level
· Length of longest sprint
· Strength/skills needed for each obstacle
Once I establish what I’m training for, I develop (or hack) a training plan and then proceed to break it down by week. Once we know what to expect for the training plan, we can further plot our workouts. I’ve divided the running and strength trainings into two separate components that can be worked together or split up. Either method is fine and I think should be mixed up from time to time. Itend to plan my training on the fly, by the week, or by planning the night before for the next day. However (HOWEVER!!!), I know myself well, and I do NOT put off working out because I just don’t feel like it. If you are remotely like that, I HIGHLY recommend you stick to whatever you decide, because all it takes is ‘not feeling like’ doing a workout for a couple days in a row and you’ve backed up your workout into next week, and the next, and… wait, when was that race, again?! My general rule of thumb is that I can move each component forward or back by one day, but no further.
Approach A
Your running and strength workouts are divided into individual components on the workout matrix. You can do one piece in the morning and one in the afternoon. Do your run first thing before starting your day and then stop by the gym or park and bang out a strength workout in about 30 minutes after you’ve got your biznizz taken care of. I personally recommend getting your run in first thing, for a number of reasons, but if that really doesn’t work for you, no biggie. Breaking the two up can help you get all your workouts in when your schedule gets crazy, but it also can be easy to ‘skip’ the component that’s giving you the most trouble, so be aware.
Approach B
Do both your strength and running components in the same session. This will make for a more intense session but you only have to suit up once. If you are going to lump them together, I would recommend doing the run first, THEN do the strength work and then After strength work, finish off with the sprint or pace run, but skip the last ‘mile or so’ cool down.
RUN TRAINING
You can do run training at a local high school stadium where there are stairs to run or a shorter hill to run. I remember my volleyball days and running the hill up the side of the high school - I hated it. This will be interesting to see how I feel now, 25 years later! If you have to, you can do it on a treadmill. I recommend you try a few of these runs in the rain and/or in wet shoes. I'm serious. Even if it's just 2 runs, it will help get over the anxiety you may feel about getting muddy and then having to just stay muddy.
Day 1 & 2 is sprint training. Warm up with a laid back, easy run for about a mile. Then you’re ready for sprints. Then get ready for Sprint work. Find a hill, (length and steepness is up to you) For each rep sprint up the hill and walk down. Then repeat as many times as instructed in the plan. Finish up with a Slow steady jog for 1/2-1 mile.
The third day is your fun, race pace run. Get off the road and run over uneven terrain. Trail running is the name of the game. Run at least 3 miles at race pace and time yourself.
STRENGTH TRAINING
Strength training can be done with kettlebells or dumbbells. If you lack either of those, try gallon sized water jugs filled with water or sand, or even grocery bags with cans of food! Get heavy. Err on the side of too heavy and then back off by a lb or tw so you can complete the entire workout. Each day will be different, so just be honest with yourself as to what weight is right for you each workout.
Each circuit is a series of performing each move for as many reps as possible for 1 minute. If the move is a one-handed move, break up the minute into 30 seconds on each side.
Circuit 1:
- Dumbbell or kettle bell thruster: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smp5DOA9n3k
- Push-ups: whichever way you can do them for a minute
- Dumbbell or kettlebell swing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0jalJ-3e7U or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTeBkm2-gQs
- Dumbbell or kettlebell Renegade row: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyHls4EKqxU
- Walking lunge with dumbbells or kettlebells: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OYsCRAb5c4
- Spider Push-Ups: push up position and draw one knee in towards your elbow as you go down into a push up, alternating sides. If this is too much for you (It is for me, right now) just focus on the knee to elbow and skip the push up. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEbGvnKE87M
Circuit 2:
- Dumbbell or kettlebell snatch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkYdyAM-TSY
- Dumbbell or kettlebell alternating step up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exORqNrDQ6U
- Dumbbell or kettlebell overhead press: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-aVuyhvLHU
- Dumbbell or kettlebell swing: (see circuit 1)
- Chin-up or pull down: Work towards unassisted chin-ups, but until you can, alternate doing assisted chin-ups with lat pulldown machine.
This is an interesting approach to increasing chin-up reps. Skip to 4:00 (the first 4 minutes is a bunch of male/urban posturing): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ni9TfOLNCyk
- Dumbbell or kettlebell windmill: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQrQkvVJNKk
One last comment on Rest days: You need to allow yourself at LEAST one rest day a week. I could go on and on about the importance of resting to allow your body to repair, and for your mind to relax and integrate the changes in your body. However, I will spare you another lecture because, seriously, I've given you enough to think about, but trust me on the rest day.
Are you ready to get started?
Here we go! I will be checking in with you weekly to answer any questions, but please let me know if you have any questions/comments as you go along.
Print your own personal training calendar by copying this link to download a pdf copy
:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0Agxzk2EFUPfYdE5kWW13ZmNXWlR2VF9ialFJR1FrSmc&single=true&gid=0&output=pdf
Resources/References:
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Working out on the road, and how I got here.
A NOTE ABOUT THIS POST: This was actually written between the last two, but I forgot to publish it... silly me.
So, I'm in an Irish band and we just came off our marathon "March Madness" week, where we had 8 gigs in the course of 5 days. If you're doing your math correctly, that's more than one gig a day, and rarely a gig in the same town. While on the road, there were few opportunities to get a workout in, and when there was a spare hour or two, all I wanted to do was sleep. I was feeling a little guilty about it, until my husband reminded me that THIS is what I'd been training for: no further workouts were needed until I was back from the tour. Now, I wouldn't normally agree with this kind of logic, but then I considered what I'd been doing while on tour, using my 'music to fitness' calculator:
Let me digress a moment and share a tidbit of my fitness journey insights with you that led me to this newfound sense of control over my choices: I've always enjoyed fitness. I played softball as a child, ran track in junior high as well as being a jv and varsity cheerleader, and I played jv and varsity volleyball in junior and high school. I loved playing volleyball with my friends in the summer, going for hikes, going swimming. Even as a young mother of two under 2, I would dedicate at least one of the kids' nap-times to a step aerobics video if there was enough room on the toy-cluttered floor. However, fitness always seemed like a secondary priority to other, 'more important' things. Yet I still managed to keep my fitness journey going, even if it was only once or twice a week yoga while the dog and cat played chase under me while I was trying to perfect my cat and dog asanas.
Having become a wife by 19 and a mother by 20, I never really got a chance to understand what self-care meant to me. I went from being a self-absorbed teenager, to a confused but inquiring young college student to a wife and mother. I never really got a chance to explore who I was and what nurtured my soul without the expectation that I make others my top priority. Looking back 20 years later, I can see the lessons that my children taught me, and what being a wife and mother has taught me about what I have to offer people as well as what my limits are, and I have absolutely no regrets about it. But now, at 42 with no kids at home and a fairly self-sufficient husband, I have been able to explore what feeds my soul, and have developed a deeper understanding and appreciation of my body and what it can do.
About a year ago this June I was introduced to a health supplement line that got me started on a body cleanse and changed the way I thought about my body and it's abilities (Yes, I'm an Advocare Adviser but I will not give you my 2 minute story here). I had planned on getting back into a regular fitness regimen, but hadn't thought any more about it than the previous 100 times I slacked a bit too long and had to climb back on the fitness wagon. But (blah blah blah, Advocare story) this time I began exploring strength training. Many people rave about their personal trainers, and I'm no different. I give high accolades to my personal trainer, who very quickly became a true friend, in and out of the gym.
When we first started working out I figured I'd go in and lift some weights a couple times a week, and then continue with my plan of running and biking whenever it was convenient. She kept calling me an athlete, and saying I have an athlete's body and all I could think was, "No, I'm a mother. With a mother's body. Look at these stretch marks! Look at the belly pooch! Look at these saggy thighs!" Her enthusiasm for my workouts and for my progress really helped me to shift my paradigm, and helped me start to look at myself as an amazing, multi-faceted person. And one of those facets is this amazing machine of a body which still has plenty of energy and plenty of vitality left to become an elite athlete. (or anything else I want).
I'm grateful that I spent the weeks leading up to this ' March Marathon of Madness (tm)' doing intense workouts, including (and I did not think of this until I started writing this article, which means it was totally intuitive - way cool): Double cardio. Yes, the two weeks before our first road trip down to Seattle, I was getting up at 6:30 am to run a miile and a half to two miles and then go to the gym for my usual strength workout, followed by another 15-30 minutes of gueling stair climbers or sweat-it-out elliptical hiker.
I also was very aware of what I ate and did my best to stick to my usual plan of high protein, low processed whole foods (aka: 'clean eating'). I pre-planned my on-the-road meals as best I could and brought a lot of pre-made food from home to be sure I had healthy options. That really set the stage for the many moments of on-the-road temptations of junk food. Even with those usual temptations, I still managed to make good choices almost every time (there was that incident where we chose to go for Mexican...).
This all sounds well and good, but I want to impress upon you (and myself) that this is the first time I've really felt in control of those choices. This is a sad fact, because the reality is that we have always had the power to choose, but it's taken me until now to really 'get it'.
I'm still not sure what kind of athlete I am or if I want to challenge myself in the arena of fitness competition like my trainer, but for now, it's been great knowing that the skills and discipline that I've gained from working out and pushing myself to do just one more set, just one more rep and challenge myself to lift something heavier than I've ever lifted - That kind of challenge has led me to a new sense of discipline that is, when I went on the road for St. Patrick's Day, the first time I really felt like, "Hey I can do this. I can make healthy choices. It doesn't matter that I get free beer, and free curly fries. No matter what." What I gained was a sense of deep down knowledge that I'm making healthy choices for my body and for my mind, that support me in my lifelong journey.
Now that the dust has settle from St. Patrick's Day, and the band doesn't have anything on the docket until June, I'm back at the gym and looking at new ways to challenge myself.
So, I'm in an Irish band and we just came off our marathon "March Madness" week, where we had 8 gigs in the course of 5 days. If you're doing your math correctly, that's more than one gig a day, and rarely a gig in the same town. While on the road, there were few opportunities to get a workout in, and when there was a spare hour or two, all I wanted to do was sleep. I was feeling a little guilty about it, until my husband reminded me that THIS is what I'd been training for: no further workouts were needed until I was back from the tour. Now, I wouldn't normally agree with this kind of logic, but then I considered what I'd been doing while on tour, using my 'music to fitness' calculator:
- Each gig is comprised of 3 sets each, and each set is approximately 50 minutes with a 10 minute break. Now for us, it usually ends up two hour and 15 minute sets with a 20 minute set in the middle except on extra long gigs, you divide the average song length by how many cables are hooked up .... you get the picture. But this is an average: 50 minutes of mild to moderate aerobic activity - static holds, fine motor moves, the occasional 10-15 plyo burst of Irish Step-dancing. This also doesn't take into account the fact that we had to schlep our 50 lb speakers, amps and instruments from truck to pub and back for almost every gig, or the bending stooping, stepping over and under that is done every time we set up or tear down.
- Therefore, each gig has 3 aerobic sessions. Over the course of this last week, I did 8 (gigs) X 3 (sets)= 24 hours of aerobics in 4 days. Divide that another way and that would be like walking, with the occasional hop over a rock or duck under a tree for 6 hours a day. And people wonder why I'm so tired after it all!
Let me digress a moment and share a tidbit of my fitness journey insights with you that led me to this newfound sense of control over my choices: I've always enjoyed fitness. I played softball as a child, ran track in junior high as well as being a jv and varsity cheerleader, and I played jv and varsity volleyball in junior and high school. I loved playing volleyball with my friends in the summer, going for hikes, going swimming. Even as a young mother of two under 2, I would dedicate at least one of the kids' nap-times to a step aerobics video if there was enough room on the toy-cluttered floor. However, fitness always seemed like a secondary priority to other, 'more important' things. Yet I still managed to keep my fitness journey going, even if it was only once or twice a week yoga while the dog and cat played chase under me while I was trying to perfect my cat and dog asanas.
Having become a wife by 19 and a mother by 20, I never really got a chance to understand what self-care meant to me. I went from being a self-absorbed teenager, to a confused but inquiring young college student to a wife and mother. I never really got a chance to explore who I was and what nurtured my soul without the expectation that I make others my top priority. Looking back 20 years later, I can see the lessons that my children taught me, and what being a wife and mother has taught me about what I have to offer people as well as what my limits are, and I have absolutely no regrets about it. But now, at 42 with no kids at home and a fairly self-sufficient husband, I have been able to explore what feeds my soul, and have developed a deeper understanding and appreciation of my body and what it can do.
About a year ago this June I was introduced to a health supplement line that got me started on a body cleanse and changed the way I thought about my body and it's abilities (Yes, I'm an Advocare Adviser but I will not give you my 2 minute story here). I had planned on getting back into a regular fitness regimen, but hadn't thought any more about it than the previous 100 times I slacked a bit too long and had to climb back on the fitness wagon. But (blah blah blah, Advocare story) this time I began exploring strength training. Many people rave about their personal trainers, and I'm no different. I give high accolades to my personal trainer, who very quickly became a true friend, in and out of the gym.
When we first started working out I figured I'd go in and lift some weights a couple times a week, and then continue with my plan of running and biking whenever it was convenient. She kept calling me an athlete, and saying I have an athlete's body and all I could think was, "No, I'm a mother. With a mother's body. Look at these stretch marks! Look at the belly pooch! Look at these saggy thighs!" Her enthusiasm for my workouts and for my progress really helped me to shift my paradigm, and helped me start to look at myself as an amazing, multi-faceted person. And one of those facets is this amazing machine of a body which still has plenty of energy and plenty of vitality left to become an elite athlete. (or anything else I want).
I'm grateful that I spent the weeks leading up to this ' March Marathon of Madness (tm)' doing intense workouts, including (and I did not think of this until I started writing this article, which means it was totally intuitive - way cool): Double cardio. Yes, the two weeks before our first road trip down to Seattle, I was getting up at 6:30 am to run a miile and a half to two miles and then go to the gym for my usual strength workout, followed by another 15-30 minutes of gueling stair climbers or sweat-it-out elliptical hiker.
I also was very aware of what I ate and did my best to stick to my usual plan of high protein, low processed whole foods (aka: 'clean eating'). I pre-planned my on-the-road meals as best I could and brought a lot of pre-made food from home to be sure I had healthy options. That really set the stage for the many moments of on-the-road temptations of junk food. Even with those usual temptations, I still managed to make good choices almost every time (there was that incident where we chose to go for Mexican...).
This all sounds well and good, but I want to impress upon you (and myself) that this is the first time I've really felt in control of those choices. This is a sad fact, because the reality is that we have always had the power to choose, but it's taken me until now to really 'get it'.
I'm still not sure what kind of athlete I am or if I want to challenge myself in the arena of fitness competition like my trainer, but for now, it's been great knowing that the skills and discipline that I've gained from working out and pushing myself to do just one more set, just one more rep and challenge myself to lift something heavier than I've ever lifted - That kind of challenge has led me to a new sense of discipline that is, when I went on the road for St. Patrick's Day, the first time I really felt like, "Hey I can do this. I can make healthy choices. It doesn't matter that I get free beer, and free curly fries. No matter what." What I gained was a sense of deep down knowledge that I'm making healthy choices for my body and for my mind, that support me in my lifelong journey.
Now that the dust has settle from St. Patrick's Day, and the band doesn't have anything on the docket until June, I'm back at the gym and looking at new ways to challenge myself.
THIS IS IT!
I have been floundering for the last month for a foot-hold. St. Patrick's day has come and gone, with its challenges met and new insights gained. But I have not yet figured out where to land my focus. I feel like I've done a pretty good job of just 'winging it' and staying open and in the moment to see what would shake loose.
My friends at the gym are in their final weeks before their fitness competition and I have once again re-affirmed for myself that I do NOT want to face that kind of challenge. The end result of someone ELSE telling me their opinion of my body in comparison with others, doesn't seem like much of a motivator to stick it out. And the costs to their body and minds with the things they do in the final weeks remind me of the phsychological and physical fuck-ups that anorexia causes. Uh, no thank you. I've already been through therapy for that.
But what next? 5k? Not challenging enough. 10k? Wrong kind of challenge for me. Ragnar? Too challenging to find a team that'd take my slow ass. Triathlon? Too logistically challenging, with limited funds for a pool pass and an aversion to cold water. So...what is it?
Two weeks ago, a friend invited me to join her team for a 5k colour run in August - all women and to benefit Children's Hospital (where my son's life was saved 8 yrs ago). I was totally in but knew this wouldn't scratch that itch for a new challenge. But it got me started on this line of research for other kinds of body (with a dose of mind and spirit) challenges. I went on internet safari to discover the next thing: a MUD RUN! This would satisfy my desire for crossfit (which I can't afford for the gym I want to join), and the desperate fondness I have for doing physical challenges side by side with my husband.
I offered it up as something HE might be interested in doing. He took the bait, we pulled the trigger and we are now registered for the Survivor Mud Run in Carnation (outside of Seattle, WA) on June 8. This started a whole new ball rolling. With plans to start studying in earnest for my Personal Trainer Certification, I think he knew this would be a challenge for my brain (creating a training plan for both of us) as well as my body and is probably doing this more for me than himself, but whatever - I'm grateful he will be there with me. We have a friend joining us just for fun (we are not an established team with the race) whom I am also planning training for. So, as I dive into this new aspect of my Self and my career, I thought that would be the direction this blog goes: at least for the next 80-10 weeks. So thanks to you, if you care to keep reading. And thanks for stopping by if you decide this isn't what you're interested in. Read more about our 'team Noteam' training plan.
My friends at the gym are in their final weeks before their fitness competition and I have once again re-affirmed for myself that I do NOT want to face that kind of challenge. The end result of someone ELSE telling me their opinion of my body in comparison with others, doesn't seem like much of a motivator to stick it out. And the costs to their body and minds with the things they do in the final weeks remind me of the phsychological and physical fuck-ups that anorexia causes. Uh, no thank you. I've already been through therapy for that.
But what next? 5k? Not challenging enough. 10k? Wrong kind of challenge for me. Ragnar? Too challenging to find a team that'd take my slow ass. Triathlon? Too logistically challenging, with limited funds for a pool pass and an aversion to cold water. So...what is it?
Two weeks ago, a friend invited me to join her team for a 5k colour run in August - all women and to benefit Children's Hospital (where my son's life was saved 8 yrs ago). I was totally in but knew this wouldn't scratch that itch for a new challenge. But it got me started on this line of research for other kinds of body (with a dose of mind and spirit) challenges. I went on internet safari to discover the next thing: a MUD RUN! This would satisfy my desire for crossfit (which I can't afford for the gym I want to join), and the desperate fondness I have for doing physical challenges side by side with my husband.
I offered it up as something HE might be interested in doing. He took the bait, we pulled the trigger and we are now registered for the Survivor Mud Run in Carnation (outside of Seattle, WA) on June 8. This started a whole new ball rolling. With plans to start studying in earnest for my Personal Trainer Certification, I think he knew this would be a challenge for my brain (creating a training plan for both of us) as well as my body and is probably doing this more for me than himself, but whatever - I'm grateful he will be there with me. We have a friend joining us just for fun (we are not an established team with the race) whom I am also planning training for. So, as I dive into this new aspect of my Self and my career, I thought that would be the direction this blog goes: at least for the next 80-10 weeks. So thanks to you, if you care to keep reading. And thanks for stopping by if you decide this isn't what you're interested in. Read more about our 'team Noteam' training plan.
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