Me need fire!

The secret to the perfect campfire is...Fire.  Fire in me belly.  Aaaghhh…FIRE. 

OK.  Whatever.  Keeping the main thing the main thing:  I’m eating a more balanced diet.    I’ve been doing a super job with my efforts to keep a nutritiously balanced breakfast, and it’s even trickling out to the rest of my day (well, lunch at least.  Still have that evening mindless eating to get a handle on…and that’s another conversation to be had).  My lunches have generally been better, as have my snacks.  So I’ll throw out a little analogy that I like. 

Your metabolism is the “fire” within you.  It’s the system that’s in charge of utilizing the fuel you ingest to “heat” you the most efficiently as you go through the day, perform your life and sports and mundane stuff, too.  You need the perfect fire to last the day.  Ask a dozen people how to build the perfect fire, and a dozen answers you’ll receive.  But the basics are still this:

Twigs. Carbohydrates.

You start with the twigs.  They ignite quickly, but don’t last very long.  Sometimes we want the fire to ignite more quickly…we add paper…and that flame burns out even faster!  These are like your carbohydrates.  If they are in your system, you’ll use them, and you’ll use them quickly.  You need them…your brain loves them for fuel! 

Kindling. Protein.

Then you add some protein.  Lots of choices here…animal and plant.  Like kindling, we don’t access the proteins right away, so you still need the carbs to get the party started.  Once burning, however, they will last a little longer.

Logs. Fats.

And then we’ve got to add some logs.  They can not be lit with a match.  They need the twigs to burn out, the kindling to be accessed, and then they light.  But when they burn, they are there for the long haul.  All day, all night if you play your cards right.  Like fats, we don’t need a lot of them to get the job done.
Pretty basic, I know, but it’s easy.  Little children can learn this.  If you want to make your snack-grabbing easier look at your food in this light.  Some carbs to get you going, some protein to sustain a little longer, and a little fat to keep the sustained fuel in your system.  Simple nutrition for simple times.
8/40     I will pay attention to the BASICS of my nutrition the rest of my day.  No mindless eating.  No filler foods.  The basics, and I will build from there.
Want to complicate it?  We’ll do that later.  Dry wood works better than wet.  Should you add an accelerant?  More twigs or more paper?  And it MAY matter in which order you stack the stuff.
Ask a dozen people how to build the perfect fire, and a dozen answers you’ll receive.  Once you get the proper tools you can play with the placement and amount and type and color and…
Ug.  Me need fire. 
breakfasts are going…deliciously!  Couple days of busy work, so exercise rest.  Back to doing yoga with a focus on stabilizing my weakest muscles and balancing.  Breathing work done in conjunction with that.  Scapular push ups for shoulder strength and stability.  More aware of the environment as it’s getting cooler.  Great (chilly to start!!) ride in the hills today…thought of “fire” since I could smell them!!  Beautiful fire wood for sale…
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Green Day

I could start this post by commenting on the posture in the video. 

Keeping the main thing the main thing:  living in a state of awareness is the first step to any change.

Or I could tell a story about my Dad.  Yeah, he would harp on me in that strange parental way in an effort to make me stand up straight (again, see video; thanks Dad).  But he was also “green” before his day.  He would argue with that fact.  Being from the country and working a farm, he learned respect for nature.  The weather.  The water.  The animals.  The seasons.  Like generations of people before him, he “considered” and conserved.

In our house…lights were turned off when not in use.  The thermostat was kept at a moderate temperature.  Our showers were short.  Water was not kept running when you brushed.  We were to consider what went into land fills.  He warned us about what the planet would be like when we had children, and what it would be like when those children had children.  He spoke of responsibility and the future.  And even when he didn’t ask us to change our behavior, he made it known that we were very much living in the land of excess, and that would someday comeback to bite us.  Someday we’d see…it would be hip to be “green”. 

And like most intellectual things my father speaks of, he was correct. 

It's not always easy being green

7/40     I will become just a little more aware of my surroundings.  Perhaps just at home, but I will pay more attention to the environmental impact I place on this earth.

good breakfast, short workout in the garage with lots of balance moves, good posture when I work, train the scaps, breathing with a little meditation on mother earth.

 

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More about shoulders

Keeping the main thing the main thing:  a little exercise, done regularly and properly, goes a long way. Take Scapular Push-Ups.  Once you get the alingment right (the same line as when you’re standing, shoulders in the proper place) it’s time to get them stronger.  More stable.  You want to “own” that good posture, not just visit the place from time to time. 

6/40     I will add Scapular Push-Ups to my regular plan.  I’ll add them in with each upper body workout session.  Maybe on swim days, too.  Maybe even whenever I think about them. 

Start in standard push-up position

With control, collapse your shoulders (not your elbows)

Start in standard regulation push-up position.  If this is too difficult try modified push-up position (on your knees, body aligned), in table-top/all fours, or even against the wall.  Without bending your elbows, think of pushing your hands deeper into the ground.  Make your arms longer.   This will cause your body to move closer to the ceiling.  In a controlled manner (don’t collapse), shorten your arms again, causing your scapula to wing on your back.  Do this all while keeping that perfect spinal alignment.  And breathing.  And sticking ’em out…  Do 10.  Or 25.  See what you have in you! 

 

 

breakfast, a little yoga, a long tall walk up the beach, an open water swim, breathing, a couple of yoga moves in the sand for balance.  Feeling good!   My quads are a little sore, which I’ll gladly take!

 

 

 

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“Stick ’em out like you got ’em”

He ain't afraid of standing up straight.

Yeah.  That’s what my Dad used to say to me.  We were some really tall kids, so I think he was afraid we would slouch.  And he wasn’t going to have any of that.  I do believe that as soon as I got old enough to sport some boobies this was the comment he made to me.  (Perhaps I was a little older and less self conscious, but it makes for better story telling and might explain a few personality flaws…as well as the nervous tic I develop when I travel home).

In any event, we also got told to pull our shoulders back.  Didn’t you?  And now that I train people on the proper/most efficient way to use their bodies I see that comment coming back to bite us all.  Keeping the main thing the main thing:  your body works the best when it is aligned properly.  Stop pulling your shoulders back.  If you’re the least bit slopey, you really end up pulling your shoulders into your ears and tightening those upper traps even more.  The goal is to elongate your spine (all of it, even your neck).  To do this, stick your boobs out.  Guys…stick ’em out like you got ’em.

5/40     I will work my posture everyday.

Again, not a tough one to fit into my day.  Good quality movement patterns stem for proper body alignment, so I’m teaching this half the day.  It’s a lovely reminder.  I’m quite cognizant of my posture while I go through weight training workouts and yoga, but I’m really starting to see and feel the difference in my swimming.  I’d like that to translate over to my running as well (need to be more mindful of my lower back posture).  I can do it. 

Long.  Tall.  Straight.  With my boobs sticking out.  A girl’s gotta’ dream. 

Breakfast, Gravity workout, run with Irish, breathing, steadier on my feet, and aligned. 

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Please help me I’m faaaaaalling…

Keeping the main thing the main thing:  balance is a learned skill.  If you don’t practice it, you won’t have it.  You’re not going to lose it all just because you’re getting old.  You’re going to (seemingly) lose it if you never had much of it, and you’re going to be lousy at it if you never practice.  Stability is a good thing… 

Ummm, this would be the excess I want you to avoid. Please don't do this in public.

So put on your funky little black slippers and head out to the high-wire gym.  Or channel your inner Nadia (or Mary Lou or Shannon or whoever) and get up on that balance beam.  Or simply start standing on one foot.  Anywhere.  Try the grocery store while you’re waiting in line (you have that cart to hold you up should you start to fall).  Getting good at it?  Stand on one leg while working in your kitchen…multitask, that’s a little tougher. 

4/40     I will work on my balance every day. 

This one won’t be particularly tough to add to my schedule for me.  I can stand on one leg while brushing my teeth, morning and evening.  (Now, maintaining balance while I bend, spit, and rinse isn’t always pretty.  I’m just sayin’).  I can also add it to just about every weight workout I do (makes me feel slightly superior in the gym, for some strange reason).  Yoga?  You’re doing it.  And it feels real good to do it in the pool.  If I’m feeling that not-so-great-nerve running through that glute I get all my balance moves done after I swim (they are the easiest in deeper water, of course).

Did you really think this was going to be an ode to Hank Locklin? 

Breakfast, missed yesterday.  Exercise.  Breathing.  Getting it done.

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Breathe Easy

Take a deep breath.  Let it out.  Take another deep breath, and give a big audible sigh as you release.  Now just breathe easy. 

We spend so much of our day running around, keeping schedules (our own as well as our dependents), getting “it” done.  If you’re a mover and a shaker or even a little Type-A, this involves a little adrenaline.  Adrenaline isn’t a bad thing; it activates you to run from danger or fight off unwanted advances.  But most of us don’t really need it to get through a normal day. 

And then there are those who are part “adrenaline junkie”, setting up their leisure time with stuff that used to scare the pants off your mother.  You make enjoy the rush, but you need to know it takes a toll.  It’s stressful on the body.  It’s wear and tear. 

Stop having fun?  Take up knitting and quilting?  Naaahhh.  Just get a little balance on it.  The wear and tear (or stress) on my body often outweighs the rest and recovery I give it.  Keeping the main thing the main thing:  I could get rid of some unnecessary “amp” in my life.  I can chose “normalcy” before “over adrenalized”.

People think they need to take up meditating or yoga or hynosis or something.  Here’s new…it all starts with slowing down your breathing.  Get a handle on that first.  You’re trainable.  You can do it.  Some of you do it quickly when you sit in your favorite comfy chair or  hear your favorite song.  Some of you take that big sigh the minute the kids are on the school bus. 

3/40     I will take 5 minutes every day to do my breathing exercises.

So simple, even a child can do it!

In the past of I have attempted to start my day this way.  Yeah, that involves getting up a few minutes earlier.  I don’t like it.  And I tend to fall back asleep.  Or think of sleeping.  I can generally fit it in somewhere in the middle of my day (heck, I spend half my day in a yoga studio; there is often a quiet space…).  When all else fails, I sit in my garage.  Yup.  That’s where I work out and do yoga.  Many evenings I get home and plop down on my big red mat and just breathe.  It helps me compartmentalize…ends my work day or training session and lets me know I’m ready to relax.  Signals to me that I can go in and just sit.  Just be. 

Breakfast, even at 5:00 am!  Exercise happily done, and some sore legs to show for it (and I must add that the back/hip/nerve pain is quite diminished!!). 

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Heaven on Earth

A beautiful beach day on Cape Cod. When I think real hard, I'm there...

One morning
When time is done
Bright heaven
Will be our refuge
The city of God most high
I long for
That holy day
This longing
Sometimes it captures my heart
And carries me far away
Beyond the sky…  (Fernando Ortega) 

 

Why wait?  Make today…heavenly!

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40 Days and 40 Nights…Hop To It!

People keep asking about “boot camp” workouts.  Some fear them, others have no idea what they are all about.  After working in the fitness industry for 29 years (when I got old enough to say there is, yet, another topic) I have seen, attended, lead, and designed “boot camps”.  Several times.  It’s the way of the world; trends come and go.  These days I’m spending more time on the rehab side of boot camp than the participation side.  I mean…people keep coming in with all sorts of pulls and strains and bruises.  I just get a little tired of the “all or nothing” side of fitness.  Keeping the main thing the main thing:  exercising regularly, even if moderately, for the long haul is going to be a lot better for you.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for a good butt busting gut wrenching training session…in it’s time. 

Healthy breakfast; check. Now it's out to play!

It’s not “all vs. nothing”.  It’s not “perfect vs. failure”.  It’s not “joy vs. despair”

2/40     I will workout 5+ times a week.  I will not follow anybody else’s regime or training schedule.  I will move for the sake of moving.  I will have fun.  I will sweat.  I will refind the joy of playing.

For years I’ve been “bound” by training cycles and programs.  I’ve considered A-races and training races.  It’s strategizing, it’s about giving the best performance you can.  And I’ve really enjoyed that!  While trying to make my “comeback” this year I found that I was constantly living in a state of disappointment.  I should have been able to run 8 miles instead of 6.  I can’t believe I was so sore after that speed workout.  I got beaten by someone whom I used to beat.  It’s a choice, and I don’t want to feel like that right now.

It’s been a bit of a liberation for me to just…workout…again.  I make up the rules as I go along.  I change workouts at the last minute to accomodate a friend’s schedule.  I share a lane at the pool. 

Try differently, and be happy!

My breakfast was a little more on the fly today, but it was balanced.  Each day when I make coffee I pour the extra from the pot into my beautiful blue pitcher…for later.  Since I only have caffeine in the morning, I look at the icy pitcher in the back of the refrigerator a lot.  Today…no time to brew.  So it was a nice tall glass of strong stuff with some “protein balls”.  PowerBar makes it easy; the back of the package tells you how many of the nuggets to chew based on your weight.  Three sources of protein for sustained energy. 

QUICK breakfast of champion(s)!

For me:  6 out of the 8 in the package gives 225 cals, 15g protein, 7.5g fat.  (And then I eat the 2 leftovers while I’m riding…).

Good Day to all!

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40 Days Starts Now!

And it starts with “the most important meal of the day”; breakfast.  Keeping the main thing the main thing:  my diet exhibits some “lack” and some “excess”.  I need to get a better handle on this.  Again.

When I was checked in at Athletes Performance last year I was given two food plans.  Both by Simin Levinson, one was designed to help me lose the extra 5% body fat I had put on while injured and inactive.  The other is my “performance” diet to use during the “in season”.  I have used both.  I have used neither. 

1/40     I will, at the bare minimum, consult and consider my balanced food plan.  I WILL eat a healthy and balanced breakfast every day. 

On my worst breakfast day I have coffee, often caught on the fly at one of numerous Starbucks I encounter in town.  (I have no intention of giving up coffee.  I love it.  It’s the only source of caffeine I have.  Even my cardiologist is unconcerned with this staple.)  I try to do better most days.  I’m prone to make oatmeal, or even grab a little bit of leftovers from the evening prior.  A half sandwich is always a good deal for me.  And I default to some PowerBar product as needed.

Today’s breaksfast matches up with my weight loss plan of 1800-2000 calories/day.  (For the record, I’m starting this at 6′ tall and 158.5 pounds; your perfect plan may be considerably different!)  I’m slated to start each morning with 2 grains, 1 protein, 1 fruit, and 1 fat.  Here it is:

  The 2 servings of grains comes from 1 packet of Kashi Go Lean instant cereal.  It serves up 150 cals consisting of 2g  fat, 25g carbs (7 fiber), and 9g protein. 

My protein choice is Fage nonfat Greek yogurt.  Greek yogurt is thicker (not as creamy) and is available everywhere these days.   One cup has 120 cals, 9g carbs, and 20g protein.

Gotta’ love a good fruit serving to add color, vitamins, and some antioxidants.  In 1 cup of these frozen berries I get 70 cals consisting of 17g carbs (3 fiber), and 1g protein. 

The meal:  340 cals; 5% from fat, 60% from carbs, 35% from protein.  I left out the fat I was supposed to add here.  I decided it was OK to bank it for later since I really didn’t have a fat I wanted to add to the bowl.  I could have used lowfat or full fat yogurt (which would have decreased the amount of yogurt I could have used.)  I had nonfat in the refrigerator, so that’s what I ate!

I like this meal because it’s easy to pack.  I empty the packet of oatmeal into a microwave safe dish and add the berries.  When I get to work I add the water and zap it.  I add the yogurt afterwards.  NOTE:  when you microwave oatmeal you need a much larger bowl than you think.  It overflows and can be a real pain in the patooties to clean up.  Take my word for it.

I can do this one…a balanced breakfast everyday for the next 40.  Can you?

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C’mon. Get Happy.

My sister reminded me (via Facebook, of course) that it was the 40th anniversary of the initial airing of the greatest TV show ever (well, at least for third graders in 197o):  The Partridge Family.

Aaaaah *sigh*.  David Cassidy.  Friday night TV.  Preceded (or was it followed?) by The Brady Bunch.  Trading cards.  Albums.  The big painted bus.  Yes, life was good. 

Tomorrow marks the start of 40 Days and 40 Nights.  And I’m happy!  I like a plan.  I like a challenge.  And I like knowing I’m going to come out…different…on the other side.  Better, healthier, I assume. 

And although 40 Days and 40 Nights may sound like a long time, it is very doable.  I’ve done it before, and I’ll do it again.  I’ve done harder, and I’ve done easier.  I’ve done more complicated, and I’ve done simpler. 

Keeping the main thing the main thing:  I’m doing.  And that’s a good thing!

So, c’mon!  Get happy!

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