blogging – Page 13 – sassyfitnesschick

Hocus Pocus Weight Loss

Hey boys and girls =)

So as life goes, and as I mentioned to you in yesterdays post on Motivation, I get inspiration and ideas from you, my 1.5 readers, and as mentioned, I love the fact that through my journey I’m able to motivate and hopefully inspire others to make lifestyle changes.

Yesterday, it presented me with a perfect opportunity for a new post.

But first, this disclaimer on how this inspiration occurred.

I’m gonna have to reveal I was in a store, in pursuit of a dress, I had seen the day before and I was back after it.

Like a hunter pursuing it’s prey.

You see when I’m not in full blown athletic mode, I delight in being totally feminine and have a weakness for cute dresses 😉

20150528_131606 — How cute and summer fun is this ?? I don’t usually care for orange…but it’s the right…orange… and plays up my tan. Not to mention the style is a homerun in my opinion =)

Hubby will now know I have a new dress 😉 Oh well…. I’m confident he will like it too haha 😉

Now….on with the show…..

After I had apprehended the dress and was ready to legally wed it, I wandered to the counter to make the transaction that would make us a permanent couple. The sales lady was one who has waited on me often and she is around my age.

She has often asked me what I “do” to look like I look. I’ve freely shared with her… and when I led a fitness challenge last Fall with 4 people she kept up with my stories I wrote in a little local magazine that tracked everyone’s progress.

I haven’t honestly seen her in awhile… till today… and I noticed she was remarkably thinner.

Of course I commented and told her I hadn’t seen her in awhile and noticed that she had really lost some weight.

She told me…. “when I talked to you during the time you were leading that fitness challenge it made me really think about things. I saw everything you had been doing and what you were doing with those people and I decided one morning that today was the day. I was going to do it!”

I commended her and said she looked good… and she responded “well I’ve lost more than…. a little weight… I’ve lost 42 pounds in 15 weeks.”

Ok… so at that point…. I kinda paused a bit……

That’s a good bit of weight to drop in such a short time…

One red flag showed up in my lil head.

She proceeded to tell me her doctor ( one locally in town) had this “diet” through her spa clinic and she had decided to follow that .

I listened as she rattled off things like no fruits, only certain veggies, “high” protein (8 oz. meat a day) using “their” products, no natural or refined sugars, ( limited artificial sweeteners??) no breads, no carbs etc…

( red flag 2 is going up in my head)

Till I finally blurted out…. “What do you eat??”

She pulls a small bag of chopped cucumber out of her drawer.

“well, I snack on things like this” (like….there are almost zero calories in that)

Ok I’m all for veggie snacks…. but I wanna eat whatever the heck kind of veggies I want….not only certain ones.

She tells me she has “their” oatmeal for breakfast, one of their protein bars for lunch (eek that’s it ??) and some chicken and veggies for dinner… “and then there’s some supplements…..those….help. It’s amazing how little food you need.” ( I feel my breathing getting shallow….)

Now…. that third red flag is up.

Hey, I get that. I’ve learned it doesn’t take tons of food to deal with your hunger and satisfy your bodies needs. But then there is a point where you’ve crossed that line of not enough food.

Then she deals the final blow……

“Well, they really discourage exercise for awhile”

I am pretty sure at this point……. my eyes…..were bugging…..out. In fact, I know they were.

All the bells and whistles were now going off in me. I wondered how many more warning flags were gonna fly before my head exploded. I was kinda chewing on my tongue at this point….

I guess I was looking a bit blankly at her and she said….. almost whispering…. “well, the calories are so low, they want you to conserve your energy”

Seriously. The times I deserve an Oscar. Or an Emmy .Or some kinda statue for keeping control of my face… or the things that threaten to fly outta my mouth.

I hear myself ask…. “How many calories a day are you eating?”

To which she responds…… “I was afraid to count them in the beginning…. I’m not sure it was even 1,000.”

WHAT? WHAT?

I felt my head getting light just imagining it…. I said…. ” How did you manage to work? or do anything?”

She admitted in the beginning it was difficult… I cannot even imagine.

I couldn’t help it…. I told her to be careful dipping her calories that low it didn’t mess with her metabolism.

She looked kinda blankly at me…. maybe it was the lack of carbs to supply energy to her brain…. and I knew she didn’t get it.

She said she wanted to get to exercising but that she hadn’t had the energy to do so.

I bet…..

With calories that low I’m surprised she could work and think all day long. Actually she probably couldn’t. Your brain can get very foggy with a serious lack of carbs.

She did look good. She probably doesn’t need to lose anymore weight. I hope when she comes off their “program” she keeps it off.

Can I say this ?

First, I’m surprised a doctor would honestly put someone on such a restricted, low calorie diet. This lady was not horribly over weight, or into the “obese” range where they sometimes do drastic things for quick loss. I think of this as hocus pocus weight loss… now you see it… now you don’t.

Please hear me that I’m not shooting down her efforts. I applaud her for wanting to make changes. But if you’ve learned anything about me at this point it’s how much I hate this stuff.

Things that cost people money…a lot of it. Losing weight shouldn’t cost you a lot of money. Go buy honest food.

She also paid for the privilege to starve and buy their “supplements” and “food”.

I do hope when she’s off the program she will be able to keep her weight off eating normally again. This is the BIGGEST problem with these types of “diets”. Once you start adding real food back in, your body responds accordingly, especially when it’s been deprived.

This ( to me) falls into the category of those weight loss hype things. You pay big money, for their stuff, and yeah she lost weight, but she could’ve done it safer, and been more comfortable doing it ( not starving and dealing with all the consequences that come with drastic food deprivation) even if it took her a little longer to reach that goal.

Along with this program, they’ve not taught her about sane nutrition or allowing exercise to be a part of her fitness regime. I’m assuming as she is allowed more calories, she will have the energy to exercise.

Please….please tell me… I’m not the only one horrified that you aren’t taking enough food in during your day that you can’t even workout???

Hocus Pocus weight loss programs abound right now in this country. Most are simply after your money. Lots are sold by your next door neighbor….who knows nothing of nutrition or weight loss….or what’s in the products she/he is selling you. In this case, a doctors office offered up this great program….yikes.

Anyway, I’ll save my rant on Multi Level Marketing trends for another post.

Weight loss….slow….steady…sane….eat real food….toss in some physical activity… the only way to make it a permanent lifestyle change.

Have you ever participated in a rapid weight loss program? What were your results? Did they last ?

Motivation. Who Motivates Who ?

Somehow when I started my fitness journey a few years ago, I never saw the ripple effect that my journey would cause.

Well, truth be known, when I started I never saw myself as a runner, much less one who would in those next few years run marathons and an ultra marathon.

That mighta freaked me out more than a tiny bit. You just don’t indicate to a middle aged woman carrying extra weight, who isn’t working out, much less doing anything that looks like running that she will eventually be doing races that top 31 miles….yeah… it could’ve evoked the freak out mode… or made me laugh hysterically…..perhaps a combination of both.

Why are we guilty of sometimes not seeing the potential in ourselves of what we can do? I can tell you….where I am now…. and what I’ve learned…. I can flippin’ do anything I choose to.

It starts with believing you can. When the idea first came to my head that I was ready to take on a full marathon (which was after a particularly good half marathon race)

I did get that clutch in my throat…. and that brief thought…. “OMG! 26.2 miles to run?? What am I thinking??”

I was thinking it was time. I was thinking I was ready. Three half marathons under me had prepared me and given me confidence.

I never, ever, let myself entertain thoughts I might not be able to do it. Ever.

Every run, every time a run got longer….even as those numbers began to dip into territories I’d never been before. The more I did… the more empowered I felt…..I learned to simply stare it down…. take it on… and look at the next goal.

Running has shown me that huge goals are meant to be taken on, conquered and new ones set. Knowing you can run long distances honestly gives you this tough tenaciousness that carries over into the rest of your life.

Yet, as I mentioned in my opening line, I never realized as I pushed on to my goals, somehow, I’d motivate a few other people out there to start looking at their lives, their health and fitness.

I started posting my runs and workouts on my Facebook page early on. Not to brag. Not for approval from anyone.. Not for anyone really but myself. Talking out loud, putting down what I had done, or better, what I was going to do was my self motivation AND public accountability… people ask if you did something crazy! And I didn’t want to say I hadn’t done it!

It really came down to another avenue of holding myself accountable.

But then… something weird started happening.

I’d get messages or comments asking about running. People wanting to start and figuring if I could do it so could they… nah….seriously… I was a real person they could talk to. Just recently, again, more messages. I LOVE encouraging people to hit the road =)

I started getting questions on eating and proper nutrition. Fielding questions on crazy diet scams (which I secretly love sharing with people on the reasons WHY they don’t need that stuff…ok maybe it’s not so secret 😉

I led fitness challenges and helped people figure out what exercise and nutrition things worked for them.

I had men and women asking if I’d hold them accountable for what they were setting out to accomplish.

All ages from young adults to older than me adults 😉 it seems like no matter where you are in life, you really never get to a point where you don’t want some encouragement in your endeavors.

Not only that…. I think my straightforward no nonsense approach on things resonates with a lot of people… or maybe it’s my off the wall snarky humor ? 😉

Whatever it is…. somehow my pursuit of health and fitness has gotten people to think and more importantly, move.

I can think of nothing more rewarding than to hear from you all about what you’re doing, what you’re wanting to try out. I love that you share your struggles with me ’cause you know I’ve had my own. And when I hear how you’ve lost weight and you’re eating better and feeling good mentally AND physically? Have I told you how good that makes me feel ???

Come here…. get close to me… I wanna tell you something….

You. Motivate. Me.

You do. I know so many of you will inquire of me and what I’m doing…. you’ll offer words of encouragement (thank you) in a way you have expectations of me and where I do things for myself, I know it motivates you too.

I think this really came home to me one day when I was out on my final long run before my 50K. I wasn’t running for mileage that day, it was a time run of 5 hours.

I found a message posted on my Facebook wall when I got home from a friend that said she’d really been struggling with getting her workout done and she remembered I was out for a 5 hour run and she thought if Cathie can run for 5 hours I can get this done!

Yeah… I love that stuff.

Don’t get me wrong here…I really am a ~~lay on the couch and eat chocolate~~ fairly motivated person.

But you motivate me to want to bring you sound sensible fitness, nutrition and health information. I want to challenge you to live beyond what you think you can do.

I believe good nutrition is KEY to not only overall health but getting your body to where you want it. Because of my interest in that, and my disgust for all the over hyped “diet” and “health” crap out there and your genuine seeking and asking questions, it’s motivating me to want to get a nutrition degree so I can really preach at you…. don’t worry I’ll still bring you the reality on the over hyped stuff 😉

So yeah, thank you for motivating and challenging me, as I challenge you. After all we’re on the same journey together.

That ripple effect… who would’ve thought ?

That Aging Thing

20140712_112806 — Yeah…. the benefits of… maturing… I have fun messing with people….haha 😉

Middle age.

What is that exactly? What does it look like and how is one supposed to behave ? Actually, I’m sure to the disconcertion of a few, I didn’t read the book on what you are supposed to do, look like, be like, dress etc but tossed it out the window to freely do my own thing 😉

I have no intention of playing by someone else’s rules about life.

You see even though I’m not sure what it’s supposed to look like, I’m totally digging where I am, who I am, and what I’ve learned to this point in my life.

To have knowledge, confidence in who I am, life lessons learned, and a healthy sense of humor intact are things I embrace having. It’s empowering to know yourself and be comfy in your own skin.

Turning into an athlete in my middle aged years and getting strong and chiseled when I could be going to marshmallow fluff is a huge bonus.

Seriously though, as a woman who is (technically) older I do read with some interest articles on health, strength and overall wellness as people age. I really don’t think about age nor do I let it define a single thing I think about taking on. But there is some belief, perhaps misguided, that age is the culprit for loss of strength and physical decline. I don’t want to go there… I want to stay strong.

I mean, is it age that ’causes us to get weak and unable to do things? Or is it the simple truth that we don’t use what we have and lose it ? Do we get frail because of age? or is it that we’ve not intentionally kept working our bodies so they are conditioned for these activities as we get older ?

We become sedentary which leads to feeling tired which leads to not wanting to do things and that in turn slowly erodes our physical strength.

I talk a lot about the importance of having muscle on your body. It’s a good thing. Metabolically it burns 6 calories an hour while resting while the same pound of fat burns a measly 2 calories at rest.

The main reason we lose muscle ? Lack of physical activity….

From the time you are born until you are about in your 30’s your muscles continue to get larger and stronger. However, at some point in your 30’s you begin to lose muscle mass and function. People who are inactive can lose 3-5% of their muscle mass past the age of 30.

The technical term for it is sarcopenia. Sarcopenia is the age-related loss of muscle mass, strength, and functionality. Like osteoporosis, sarcopenia is a multifactorial disease process that may result from sub-optimal hormone levels, inadequate dietary protein, other nutritional imbalances, lack of exercise, oxidative stress, and inflammation.

Sarcopenia and osteoporosis are related conditions, and one often accompanies or follows the other. Muscles generate the mechanical stress required to keep our bones healthy. When this muscle activity is reduced, it increases our susceptibility to a loss of bone mass, often initiating a vicious circle of declining health and functionality.

Loss of muscle means loss of strength and mobility. This can lead to falls and the physical weakness many associate as “age” related…. loss of muscle leads to a weakening of the body.

Is there a treatment? Yes! it’s called exercise specifically resistance or strength training… exercise that increases strength with resistance bands or weights. Research has shown a progressive resistance training in older adults can have results in as little as two weeks.

Nutrition also plays a vital and important role in maintaining our muscles.

Eat high quality protein each day, aim for about 30 grams per meal. What does “30 grams” mean in real-life terms? It’s equal to a three-egg omelet with ½ cup hard cheese or 1 cup of Greek yogurt with an ounce of almonds mixed in or a cooked 4-ounce hamburger or 5-ounce salmon fillet. Eat adequate protein, but remember eating excess only leaves your body or stores as fat, it does not build more muscle 😉

Get your heart pumping too… don’t forget it’s also a muscle that needs work. Aim for at least 30 minutes a day a minimum of 3 days a week. Brisk walking, cycling, rowing or running all are good heart pumping exercises.

No matter where you are in life you can start making changes and have improvement gaining more strength, energy and flexibility for your daily tasks. As with anything new, before you jump into a strength training regime, consult your doctor for the best plan for where you are and get ready to get stronger =)

What’s your favorite strength training activity ?

Me? Do Yoga?

Yoga.

Did I breathe that word out loud ?

For years it conjured up in my head visions of people in white gossamer clothing getting in touch with their inner selves and eating tofu.

OK, admittedly, I am a bit more educated on it.

It’s supposed to help with flexibility, strength, better posture, help you with your breathing and over all reduce stress and make you feel more calm. Who wouldn’t be down for that ?

I’m sure there are a lot of other benefits too.

Here’s where it’s been kinda in my face for awhile….. it’s supposed to be really good for runners. I’ve read articles about the benefits of yoga as a recovery or strengthening process.

Alright so I’ll admit why I’ve steered clear…. don’t judge me now….

it’s just so… tame… and quiet….and not… intensely active like I’m used to….

It’s different than flying down the road on a bike… or running a zillion miles… or knocking the heck out of a punching bag.

I secretly wonder if I could handle such a wide shift of physical activities….. being more….still…. yikes.

Ok but then, as I runner, how can I ignore these promises of incorporating some yoga into all my other activities :

It can make you a better runner, improve form and balance, it can also decrease your susceptibilities to over use injuries. It can also improve mental focus which is so important before and during a race when mental staying power is as important as physical strength.

Now….how can I not look at that a little closer ?? Our local running store offers a runners yoga class once a week… and if I can ever get my schedule to bend that way I might check out.

As much as running can build a strong body, those muscles get tight in all kinds of places. Flexibility and fluid motion is so important in running. Things that are tight don’t allow for optimal performance.

I found some moves that were targeted at runners and even told you what muscles they opened or loosened. I figured… why not? What runner doesn’t want to be more strong and flexible ? So I’ve tried some.

Hahaha….. oh my gosh. You know that term hurts so good? I immediately found places in my hips that were tight… and let me know it. My back…legs… all kinds of tight spots.

On top of holding the pose… you have to remember to breathe… I realized… I kinda sucked at that part 😛

Then you get in this pose…and your “reps” ( which Is how I’m used to operating) are more like the amount of breathes you take holding that pose.

This is when I pondered : where is the woman who ran marathons who’s whining about this pose and attempting to breathe at the same time ? Here’s what I know thus far…….. I’m breathing hard from pain, not cardio exertion haha

I decided this could be a butt kicking adventure in a different kind of way. I think I’m definitely going to try and add some into my training with the intent it will benefit my body for running. It always comes back to that for me.

So my readers…. who does yoga? Do you like it? What benefits have you seen ? If you’re a runner, have you seen benefits from it ?

Weekend Q&A Time

Ok so I hate not having something to share with you guys…but sometimes the weekends are…well.. the weekend.. and I give my brain a little time to rest from churning out (hopefully) relevant and encouraging words to you.

Sooo I decided to do a fun little Q&A thing… based on questions I’ve been asked at various times. Some, with predictable frequency, some just random. I’ll toss in the humorous and inquiring ones as well.

Here we go……

Have you always been a runner ? No. I’ve been running almost 5 years now with 7 half marathons, 2 full marathons, an ultra marathon and numerous smaller races under me. I think I need to stop considering myself a newbie 😛

You weren’t athletic in school? I was a band geek and twirler, does that count ?

Is running really hard? Yeah… it’s why I love it. When runs feel easy, you know you’re getting stronger.

How tall are you ? 6’0… barefooted…however I love heels which can throw me into the 6’3-6’4 range. #noapologies

Do you always eat healthy ? 95% of the time yes. If I want a treat, I have it. All things in moderation…leads to success.

How long is your marathon? 26.2 miles

Why did you start running? ~~the insanity took over~~ nah…. really honestly, I started running ’cause I walk so crazy fast, it was easier to kinda lope along… eventually my speed picked up… and somehow… I was transformed into a runner.

What do you DO to look like that ? (as person indicates their hand up from my feet to my head) I make myself move and sweat a lot, lift heavy things, and I don’t have an affair with food 😉

You’re how old? Do I need to disclose that ? 😉

Do you do anything else besides run ? Yes, I love doing anything that keeps me entertained and moving. I’m getting more into cycling, I love the brute force of boxing, weights make me feel strong, swimming… anything to keep it moving.

Do you really drink black coffee? Why yes, yes I do.

Do you win your races ? Yes, every time I toe that start line, and every time I finish, I win. Personal victories are amazing.

How long is your marathon ?? 😉

What about your….. knees… don’t they hurt?? Nope but thanks for asking.

I’m not sure I want to lift weights, won’t I get bulky? Do I look like the hulk ? 😉

How do I get abs? We’ve all got them. On most people they’re hiding out under some extra body fat. Healthier eating, lower body fat and exercise can coax them out.

Did you play basketball? **see former band geek status**

Are you always training for something ? Pretty much. I love having goals and I love the structure of training.

When’s your next race? My next big race is a December marathon.

I don’t know if I could run all those miles. How do you ? One at a time…..

I’m trying to eat more veggies but I hate broccoli… what should I do? Ha… don’t eat it 😉

Exercise makes me sweat. I can’t stand that. Doesn’t it bother you ? Not at all. It makes me feel like I’ve brought it all to the table.

Ok… that’s it for my random Q&A session… .. have a question? Toss them at me for future non-brain taxing blogs 😉 Meanwhile, have a good weekend!

Body Recomposition

Ohhhh she’s using big words today haha 😉

In yesterdays post I mentioned seeing my doctor and that it was one of my two weigh-ins that I typically do in a year.

The cool thing ? It really only ever bounces around a couple pounds in either direction… especially depending on where I am in my training. I am less concerned today about those numbers than I’ve been in my life. Mainly ’cause I’ve learned there’s way more going on in my body besides what those numbers spit up.

Oh, at one point I was like any other woman when I was needing to lose. I consulted the scale for proof of my efforts for the week. If I’m honest ( and I know you do this too) you do everything the exact way… for me… early morning.. no clothes…hold my breathe… pray for good numbers… like you’re a prize in Vegas or something…..

As I lost weight and eventually got to a place I was comfortable with I became less concerned , not careless, I had just developed a plan that worked for me to keep me in the place I liked. If my small clothes continued to fit comfortably I knew I was where I needed to be. My exercise was strong, steady, and a sustainable habit so that helped keep me there too.

Those beginning years of my health and fitness journey I was focused on weight loss, learning better nutrition and getting my exercise where it needed to be.

** Ok, and hang with me here. I am my own guinea pig, I have no other person to use as an illustration, although I wanna hear from you guys if you have something to say on this or where you are in process. **

In time though, something interesting began to happen. As my body fat dropped, muscles began to be more obvious that had been hiding under it.

My body started to take on a different shape…leaner… more cut and defined. It wouldn’t be till many years later that I’d learn about something called “body recomposition”.

Basically, it means the way the body is composed. So… recomposition is a restructuring of the body and what’s in it.

In physical fitness it usually means the amount of fat mass and lean muscle mass. Fat mass is literally, all fat in your body. Lean muscle mass means all the other stuff 😉 after long periods of ( nutrition, exercise and fat loss) you can “recompose” your body ending up with more lean muscle mass than fat. I think it’s a pretty good trade off for hard work, right ?

You WANT more muscle than fat. First of all, for your health, it looks nicer, and finally it metabolically burns about 6 calories per pound at rest, compared to the 2 calories a pound of fat burns.

It can dramatically change your appearance… and it can also sneak up on you. At least, it’s how it felt to me. None of that was on my mind when I began my journey.

When I hear women say they want to get “toned”, they really mean, they want some muscle because the muscle is what gives shape and that taut look. This happens when body fat drops and muscles that are being built become visible.

It’s a process of intentionally eating well and lifting heavy things, building muscle, and losing body fat that leads to these changes.

.You are essentially, trading fat for more muscle. ** Please note: you can’t turn fat into muscle or muscle into fat. They are complete separate things. **

It’s a slow process that can take years. I think it’s really important when I talk to (women) but it’s the same for men too, I didn’t build this overnight, no one does. I consider it still an ongoing work in progress.

The danger today is that people want fast, instant gratification on things like weight loss and body change but the reality is, it takes time! I’ve been at it for 7 years now. Remember, in the beginning, I was out to just lose weight. When my body started looking so different from what I was doing, it became an interesting science project to press on with 😉

It’s also interesting to note that in the past couple years, my weight has stayed pretty much within a couple pounds in either direction, yet amazing changes still were taking place. Muscle made me look leaner even though the numbers didn’t drop. I’m no longer really assessed with a BMI but more on body fat percentage. In December I had gotten to about 13%.

Now you….tell me where you are on your own fitness journeys. Have you had body changes after years of persistence? Has it been worth the effort ? What have you learned ?

And finally, I’ll add some photos from the past few years so you can see the changes……

April '10 arms — Dec 2010… one of my first pics to do… I thought I was rocking some serious arms 😉

Jan '10 tummy — Jan 2010….I’m really pretty happy with myself at this point. I’ve been on my journey for 3 years. You can tell my tummy has a little definition but still more than enough body fat… hiding my deeper ab muscles.

20121001_120713-1 — Fall of 2011.. leaner… but abs still have a ways to go….

Jan '11 — Here come those arms… Jan 2011….way less fat allowing muscle cuts to show

Sept '11 — Sept 2011…. a bigger change….

_9938 2 — My other professional pic taken for Runners World… this one didn’t get used…this is Sept 2012… the belly has leaned out… some definition showing up

20141001_212847-1 — Dec 2014… the front =)

Leg pic — Dec 2014…. strong legs…lots of muscle

Moments after the finish of my second marathon Dec 7, 2014

You Are What You Eat

Hey boys and girls =)

So in view of my focus on being fit and healthy, one of the things that is important to me is making sure that I take care of myself with proper health care. I kinda refer to it as temple maintenance… just like we maintain anything else in our lives… shouldn’t managing our health be at the top of the list ?

That being said, today was my yearly check in with my family physician. One of the reasons I see him is to have labs done to make sure my thyroid levels are all still on par (which they have been for years now) I learned a lot about this tiny little thing (that we all have )several years back.

When I could barely drag myself through a day without desperately needing a nap, and I’m totally serious, my gyn inquired as to if I’d ever had it tested.

I was like… “what’s a thyroid??” haha

Anyway, a blood test revealed mine was way low on producing enough hormones which is why I was dragging so bad.

One tiny little pill and in a couple days… I felt like Wonder Woman… amazing. We will be fast friends for the rest of my life but I’m ok with that.

And by the way, the thyroid produces two hormones, T3 and T4, which control energy, regulate temperature, and assist other organs in their functions. It controls your metabolism and keeps your whole body functioning properly. It’s crucial that it’s all in balance for your overall well being.

Now that I educated you on that….. in a nutshell version 😉

Besides that it’s my bi-yearly weigh-in. Yes, seriously, I see my weight maybe twice a year.. freedom 😉 ( this will lead to another post on weight and body composition…watch for that)

Anyway, Mr. Doctor is also a friend in the “real world” so I don’t mind seeing him… walks in and promptly says…

“Got your labs. Your boring. Good boring.”

He then rapid fire goes through numbers with me….all of which look stellar. My blood sugar, which I’m careful to watch since I’ve had family members deal with diabetes issues, came in at a low level. He also promptly said “and your cholesterol looks awesome, especially your good one” which was like 82.

For most people, yours truly included, getting the good cholesterol up is harder to do….exercise and eating well can drive it up.

(Hang with me… I’m going somewhere ) after going through labs it led into my athletic adventures. Not only does he counsel me on a “normal” person level, but also who I am as an athlete and what I’m doing physically.

We discussed my goals for the year… my interest in a tri or duathlon…his concern I don’t run my legs off ( I promised him I DO listen to my body) … tried not to giggle as he once again proclaimed ” I don’t get you runners!” and talked over cross training, rest and recovery ideas.

He said “I’m always trying to get my patients to exercise and.. you… I feel like I need to keep you reined in!” haha

I love his support and encouragement… even if he might think I’m a lil crazy 😉

As he mentioned again my labs and how good and strong my heart and lungs sounded I quipped…….

” Seriously, all that exercise and eating right SHOULD have pay offs!”

Now here’s what I want you to pay attention to……

Our health and fitness levels are revealed in a lot more ways than how strong we may be or how fast we can run, or aesthetically what our bodies may look like. Yes, that all reveals levels of health, strength and fitness. When we have blood taken and tested that gives us a look at what’s going on INSIDE it also reveals an extremely important level of our health and wellness.

I know that sounds like a no brainer but so many people miss that.

Eating well and purposeful physical movement is an investment into our lives and the quality of them. I can’t run strong or lift heavy or take on the million tasks in my day if I neglect to care for myself in crucial ways.

I eat lots of veggies and fruit…rarely eat fast foods or refined/processed foods… lots of water.. minimal sugar. Overall, I make an attempt to eat well 95% of the time ( you do know I still like my occasional Peanut M&M fix 😉 and sometimes, yes, I do want to eat that burger out somewhere. I workout doing something 5-6 days a week and see my exercise as important as anything else I have to do.

It’s in the overall constant choices we make that matters.

How you eat doesn’t just fuel you for energy , but builds and strengthens all those internal things you don’t see but which are so vastly important to our overall health.

There is a huge truth then in….you are what you eat =)

How do you look at that? Have you ever given much thought to the fact, the foods we take in have a great impact on our internal health and wellness ? Have you had to make changes? How has that worked for you?

Product Review And Fun Stuff I Love

So I got a bit ~~crazed~~ inspired and thought maybe I’d do a little post on some cool stuff I love, but also make it a product review of sorts too ( you are welcome,companies about to be recognized here, for your free advertisement 😉

I always like to read personal input on products, especially if I’ve never tried it….. like someone else took the fall for me haha

Alrighty, without further ado….

One of my most fav afternoon snacks.

I love Greek yogurt and I personally think Chobani is the best. I’m kinda snobby and don’t really like the “store” brands as I find them to be chalky and not as creamy and smooth. Not only that, the high protein the yogurt packs really does a good job satisfying an afternoon craving and keeping me feeling “level”. I am hooked on the coconut kind as I don’t really like the gooey “fruit” at the bottom of others…nor the higher sugar content they contain.

But then I found…. ahhhh… toasted coconut almonds ??? Yes, toss a few in your yogurt and it’s sweet and crunchy and offers lots of good health benefits.

As long as we’re on food…. my next is something I like in my lunch salads. I find mixing up sweet, crunchy, and veggies makes for an interesting salad meaning I think very little dressing is required (which is a good thing) I love Craisins and the 50% less sugar is a big bonus. I also enjoy using them in oatmeal when I have it for breakfast.

And then you know…. I gotta share some running stuff, right ? 😉

I’ll start with my fav running shorts. I’ve definitely experimented with several kinds in the few years I’ve been running and these are without, hands down, awesome. Now I get everyone has what they feel most comfortable in… the baggy, windbreaker type shorts were to much fabric, to bulky and bothered me. I love skirts, but definitely not for running. Then one day I stumbled across these….

20150512_151908 — Best running shorts…ever.

I love how sleek and perfect they fit and the fact they don’t bother me when I’m running. Nike, is pricey but I try and hunt them down on sale or troll E-Bay 😉

Another part of my running gear that’s so important….shoes. As I wrote in a previous post on running shoes, you’ll know I’m pretty committed to Asics. Specifically, Asics GT 2000 3, which are featured here. Understand there was a “2” also, 3 is this years model… they just fit so crazy good.

I realized in one shoe buying moment, that I REALLY loved this style… and I will stay with them… the colors don’t hurt either 😉

Ok so after all that running, I’m ready to get clean and girly again. With all I put my body through, I need a lotion to replenish moisture that also keeps my skin smooth and soft.

Bath and Body Works Ultra Shea Butter is amazing. I like the Sweet Pea fragrance ’cause it’s light and not over powering and it’s perfect for warmer months. The benefits of soft silky skin makes it a product I always keep on hand.

Tell me… what products do you use and love that you can’t do without ? Have you ever tried something after a recommendation ?

New Athletic Adventures

I won’t lie. I love adventure.

I love new challenges and putting myself out there to experiment with new things. There’s a sick kind of rush to it. Maybe it’s doing something I’ve never done or thought I couldn’t do….whatever it is…. in the athletic arena it’s a very broad spectrum of goodies to choose from. Maybe I like pain….

Since I’ve already knocked out one big thing in this year I was after ( a 50K) and since I obviously won’t be running or training those back to back, it’s pushed me to consider other athletic challenges.

Triathlons intrique me…. but honestly… I suck at swimming.

I mean, I can, it’s just that pool time has always kinda gone like this…. cute suit… sun… get to warm… swim for a bit… and repeat process haha

I’ve never swam intentionally or anything resembling competitive. I will admit though the last few summers of getting in the pool and pushing myself to do laps. It really feels amazing after a long run. And a not known fact maybe, but you can seriously sweat in the water.

So in view of a tri, the running and biking don’t intimidate me but the swimming does.

I however, won’t limit myself if I chose to do it.

A few years ago, I never thought I was a runner either.

My triathlon friends have shared their horror stories of being in the water with nothing but arms and legs flying everywhere and praying they didn’t get kicked unconscious before they hit land again… ha.. did I mention adventures?

I do think it’s kinda cool how they have these mini-tris to um… get your feet wet with 😉 to see if it’s something you’d like.

So there’s that possibility….

But imagine my delight when I stumbled across another event last year called a duathlon.

It’s like a tri but you run, bike, run. That… I can do…. no water involved 😉

I have done brick training before where I did a short run and then came back and did miles on the bike. Talk about doing interesting things to your legs… but that is soooo doable for me. Again I’ve found beginner races that do a 5K run, a 15 mile ride and ending with a 5K run.

So yeah…. a definite possibility in challenging myself to something new.

I have a bike… an ordinary bike that doesn’t cost as much as a good used car… however my body doesn’t seem to know that when I’m making it peddle up hills and stuff 😉 but you wonder if you need more for racing among the Corvettes and Camaros that are on the road… ah something else to consider…

I fear divorce if I want an overpriced bike haha 😉

In the ways of running…. trail running would be a new beast to conquer since it’s so different from road racing. However to practice I just need to take off down the huge canyon that’s my back yard….

In tamer things, I will admit to be intriqued by the idea of fencing. Yes, that involves sword play.

Or maybe it’s the thought I can wear black and have a sword makes me feel like some kinda super hero 😉

Of course, there is always so much more to do with running…. faster… longer.. new PR’s… I think I love running so much ’cause there’s that constant challenge to beat yourself. With that said, I do have a marathon plotted for December.

So share with me. Have you taken on a new adventure ? Or is there something you’re wanting to try out or experiment with ? Something you’ve done and never thought you could ?

Fuel Your Body Right

Food.

It’s no grand secret it’s the key to life 😉 I really kinda like the stuff too.

I mean seriously, when you are honest to goodness hungry and you want to eat the first thing that moves, doesn’t food taste… amazing ?? I don’t feel like that if I’m not hungry.

Give me an hour after an intense workout and I can do food like a piranha.

piranaha — Attractive, I know. Me….a couple hours after a serious long run….

And there’s sooo much deliciousness in this world we can choose from… vast amounts of food to handle our daily needs… aren’t we blessed?

Now here comes the trickier part… if we keep in mind that food is fuel for our body… to give us energy, balance, and stability for our day…we need to consider how we are fueling.

That can require some thought and preparation so when we are in full blown hunger mode, we can still make smart choices.

One thing I’m starting and it’s not a novel idea is chopping up all kinds of raw veggies and tossing them in a Ziploc bag. Now I know people do food prep and have cute little containers for the week or day, but I think it takes up to much space and my veggies don’t mind gettin’ all close and comfy in the same bag together 😉

20150505_223119 — Look at all those tasty critters living in harmony 😉

This is handy in several ways for me. If I need a fast snack and those veggies are ready to go, I am way more likely to graze on them ( instant gratification) and if I’m super on top of things, I’ve also whipped up some ranch dip made with plain Greek yogurt to have with them, if I’m so inclined. On the lunch menu, I really love salads so having veggies I can just toss in with my spinach and not have to cut and chop is a huge bonus.

Now all of you out there who’ve ever wondered how you get your veggie servings in … a super salad at lunch can just about get your there.. and you can snack like a ravenous beast on veggies…wheelbarrows full for minimal calories and huge nutritional benefits.

What? You can’t do it? Don’t like them so much over say, chips? Remember that habit thing we’ve been talking about ? Just start small, with what you like, and go from there.

Veggies are a wonderful fuel source for your body, and so good for you too. I love being satisfied, but not feeling lethargic, from a good lunch. The foods we eat can make us feel good, energetic, and stable or they can leave us feeling full, sluggish, lethargic and not energetic. Consider your meals and how you feel after… determine where you might need to make adjustments.

Remember the fuel illustration. If I had a high performance sports car, I wouldn’t put junk fuel in it. Take the same approach to your body.

Food prep comes in handy to help you make good choices when you need them and gives you the ability to make wise fuel choices when you might be weak. It all keeps coming back to the habits we build…. train yourself to reach for good foods.

Other things you can consider:

Hard boil eggs for a quick protein snack or to add to a salad.

Have cheese cubed for an afternoon snack with some fruit.

Make your own snack mix with raw nuts and craisins ( I like the 50% less sugar ones) keep in small bags for when you’re on the run.

Greek yogurts… ready to go.

I love sweet potatoes. I usually roast extra at night so I can use in salads or for breakfast.

Mix up tuna with avocado. I love it by itself with some fruit or you can have it on a sandwich.

Keep fruit washed in ‘fridge so it’s ready to grab.

I know when I’m hungry I’m less likely to take time to do certain things, so if I’ve prepared in advance, it definitely helps keep me on the right eating track. Making good choices makes me not just feel better physically, but mentally too.

Do you do food prep? If so, what tricks do you have?