What the heck was I thinking???

Have you ever had one of those training sessions where you just wanna take the trainer and throw them across the room?  Funny thing, but I bet there are many trainers out there thinking the same thing (sort of)...man I would rather throw her across the room than put up with another whiny client! Enough said.

Last night was one of those moments for me. Don't get me wrong, I adore my trainer. I know that this is what it's all about... a love - hate thing.  Yes, that's it....love - HaTE!  OK, well let me tell you, I didn't feel it (feel like training) and I was more than just a wee bit off my mark.  This was probably my first clue that I should have just stayed home.  

Power class is only 2 hours long.  OnLY....yes you heard that right.  This is not the class to be "just a wee bit off".  You need to be spot on, ready to go with a mindset of train hard and make no excuses...not even "I am going to puke!"

Yup, you got that right, little princess almost puked.  I lost count of the 15 to 20 second sprints at 97% output and you better stay there or you are off the team...meaning, I hit 27 mph as my peak so I was expected to hit 27 mph mark time, after time, after time, after time (or you are OFF the team, kicked off the island).  This is where I lost count and almost lost my guts. And this is exactly when the fun began.

Lovey (aka my trainer Leah ) decided we should emulate a mini duathlon, a friendly sort of little competition.  She looks directly at me and says, "I know you are competitive."  UGH. Well I am, I admit, but I become a pile of goo when I feel like tossing my cookies.  I wanted to curl up and cry.  I know, I'm a baby, a pampered one... who's fault is that anyway?? Well here was Lovey's plan:  Ride at 17-18 mph for 3 minutes (on the honor system), transition to running around the building 2x...which worked out to around 2 - 3 minutes...and do this 3x. The tying of shoe laces is what really got me...but that's a story for another day, promise.

Wait... back up, doesn't major gagging reflexes disqualify you?  Well , no not in Lovey's world.  She says to me on transition 2 back to bike, "That is what duathlons feel like, puking." OK, now princess is pissed off.  Pissed off because I am in third place behind one gentleman and his wife, and pissed off because I realize I have gotten myself in over my head (again!).  As I am throwing daggers at Lovey, she innocently smiles.  Man I hate that.  Love her, hate her.  Just saying.

So where am I going with this...well I took third.  Not good enough in my world.  And I took that "What the heck am I thinking??" thought and tossed it to the wind.  You see, the euphoria after the battle always has me at : 

"That wasn't so bad after all."

Kinda like childbirth...just ask my hubster what I had to say after giving birth to my first son.  BTW, I puked then too. Hmmmm...I know, it's hard to figure me out so don't even try.  Take away message from last night:

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Yup you got that right.

Be well

DePLEteD!

Monday November 14,  2011

" Oh what a night!"  ...go ahead, sing with me.  All I can say is WOW! That was a fun ride.  [grinning ear to ear]

So let's recap this baby.  As my title indicates, the theme of a night at power cycling {for me really} is depletion.  They say you gain sea legs quickly via rough waters...and I say you gain "bike" legs quicker when you train tough with accomplished triathlete Leah Prudhomme at Maple Grove Cycle. 

It was a weird sensation for this avid cross-training lover.  I love to mix it up, you know that.  So the weirdness was what my legs felt like after class, immediately and post for ~8 hours.  They hurt!  Can't really explain it because it was not DOMS...it was too soon for that.  They ached, but not in a injury type way...it was an extreme fatigue type way.  My large leg muscles were completely depleted of all glycogen, in a way I have never experienced before.  OK, duh, now I get it. So... I am a bit slow.  This is what triathletes experience on race day but probably more acutely, that I am sure. My glycogen stores were ransacked, left with not-da.  The good news is that I am certain I built some mitochondria that night. Yay!

Well what happened. It went something like this:

Arrived 15 mins early to get Roadie (my bike) set up on a trainer.  First thing Leah explains is that biking on a trainer for 2 hours is like riding on the street for 4 hours.  OK, that is trouble with a capital T.  Second thing she mentioned is that mental toughness makes or breaks ya.  Let me tell you I am stubborn and very motivated by others, so in this environment I excel. But put me on a trainer at home and uhmmm...probably would not have made it more than the first 30 mins.  We spent the first 15 minutes warming up.  That was cool.  The next 30 or so minutes was spent riding hard.  Intervals aimed at hitting 25mph at 90 rpm....as fast as you can go.  Lots of things happened during this first round but it all is a blurrrrr to me now.  Once Leah was satisfied that we were half dead, we were instructed to hop off our bikes and donn our running shoes for a quick two timer around the building followed by a set of wall squats "till the cows came home".  

Next we trained hills.  That was FUN! I loved this part of the class.  Almost felt like I was flying out on the backside paths of Elm Creek.  For kicks and grins [hops] Leah led us through some climbing plyometric stair work. Single leg hops up a rather long flight of stairs X6  and two leg double stair bounds up the stairs X6.  Again, good time. {sick woman that I am, just saying}

Round three was Tabata training.  This kicked my ArsE. Yup, that nearly killed me.  Here is where I could barely hit 20 mph pedaling as hard and fast as I could.  Did I tell you 20 seconds feels like an eternity?  Yes it does.  But all for the better.

The good news was I went home, refueled my glycogen stores and WhaaaLa...no DOMS.  Just to prove my point, this workout was nothing like a hard fast heavy lift in the weight room.  It was a glycogen deplete, endurance building session doing exactly as designed: building power!  Thanks Leah that was great.  Can't wait till next time....

Be Well

No Grass Growing Under My Toes...

Been getting after some great workouts the past two weeks with Velocity and lifts designed by Jodi.  Power and speed...agility too.  Man I love to run, to move.  Perpetual motion, that be me.  Drives some of my friends nutso, though.  Wondering what my co-workers are going to think when I bring my newly purchased SB to work with me tomorrow.  Might have to devise a door for my cubie so they don't have to watch me bounce all day.  IDK, is that worse than fidgeting all day long? Hmmmm...

So the plan this week is to start into the power classes at the local bike shop with coach extraordinaire, Leah.  Let me tell you I am just a wee bit nervous, but then again, looking forward to learning something new.  At age 47 with life makings its turns, ones I do not like at all lately [more on that later], I am up for anything new and exciting... 

so tomorrow is the big day. PeeWee's big adventure. I will post the gory details ASAP, promise. 

Also starting to make plans for next years races [rubbing hands together].  Have set my eyes on three.  One in June, August and September. One of my peeps at Velocity also talked me into running the Polar Dash on new year's day! [envision my bucket list getting shorter]  Yup, you got that right, in the dead cold of winter. Well what do you expect out of a northern gal like myself.  They make 'em tuffer up here, ya know? [RRRight!] So I headed out to Fleet Farm the other day to pick up my very own Carhartt hat with face mask and snow chains for my shoes.  I think the real name are traction devices or Yaktrak pro's.  Yes, that is it.  Well this is all I got for you today.  Posted on FB, goin' after it!...that I am, I promise.  

Be Well

All Smiles with Bells On...

November 2, 2011

11 days have come and gone since last posting my training progress.  Last week was a big "wash" out. You see, Epic was in town for work which equated to long work days thus no time for training and then I headed out of town with my peeps for the weekend, a girls get-a-way. The only bodily workouts where deep elbow bends to my face ....feed lots & drink more. Ugghh!  But it was fun I must admit.  I did pop in two walks out in the beautiful northern outdoors.  Whew.

So the game plan is??? Well not really clear yet, but Jodi does have a plan. Something about training for power and speed.  In week two of lifting. I am starting to realize that I forgot how great these lifts really are.  They are short, sweet & effective. DOMS have reacquainted themselves with my lower half but, dare I say, the lower half needs it.  Time to tighten up, not only the legs but also the nutrition.  Speaking of, check out my fuel page for some meal plans.  

The downside of all this great late summer & early fall roadin' and MBTin' is my upper torso is getting weaker. My .22 calibers are whittling away. Pushups are killer, just saying.  Gotta get after it, back at it, and throw it around. 

OK then, off to the gym tomorrow too.  All smiles with bells on.

Be well.

Venturing Up North

 

Beautiful fall day, late October.  Near Nevis, MN

Driveway leading away from Fox's Moonshine Point. Crisp cool wind nipping our noses but the warmth of the setting sun was refreshing, invigorating.

 

Early morning walk led us to this point.  Lake B

Birch tree lights up against the vivid blue morning sky.  These trees stand like toy soldiers along the lake's pristine shoreline.

Happy Trails....

October 22, 2011

Let's see.... what has gone down this past week? Well I must say quite a bit but the funniest moments have to be the multiple times I bit the dust and, of course, the revenge of the chipmunks.  

I hit the trails this week.  First it was windy Wednesday...  What gives?  It is thought that when the seasons are fighting for change control, the wind whirls like crazy. This week was no exception. Windy, windy, windy...but you all know that this is not going to stop me, especially when it's a beautiful [albeit windy] sunny fall day.  Wednesday evening after just 3 short days of work, I hit Elm Creek Trails on my roadie [road bike that is]. Fell over [on the bike] trying to get out of the hood. Yes, still trying to master how to clip in & out of my bike cleats. OUch, that left a mark.  Hopped on the paths to the outer loop. It felt like I had lead in my quads.  Ugh, 18 miles and barely over 15 mph.  Hmmm...you know, crazy lady no like those results.  Then things got a little weird.  I hit a chipmunk with just over one mile to go.  EWWWWW......Crusty crab crud!!!  I did not look back, so don't bother asking me [a few poor souls did BTW] if I killed him.  Apparently not, by the looks of the sign that was posted the next day on my office window:

Try to run me over now.....punk!

Well, I say game on!

Thursday, another lOVEly day in the great state of MinnEsota...I hit the MTB trail.  Camera in tow.  It was great fun, but again, someone has been riding my Beast [my MTB]...gears changed. Go figure how that makes a difference, but discovering this after I am on task up the steep inclines and fast declines of the MTB trail makes for a not so happy of a mama.  Then count the slippery dry conditions of the trail and BAM! Oh dang, that is really going to leave a mark.  Looking back quickly to assess if anyone witnessed this major side slide wipe out that happened so fast I cannot even begin to tell you what happened.  Great, no witnesses. DID I day I like MTBing??  Uhmm, well, yeah.  I do. Still do.   Even bumped and bruised. I think I have to blame the Beast.  My little sister's bike needs new nubbies[tires]. That is my story and I am sticking with it.  OK, so I did accomplish another full trail ride on the intermediate and collected a few nice pix to boot:

Also wanted to tell you I had a monster sighting. Yup, this chic started on the trail ahead of me with this MTB , monster variety.  UGLiest thing I have ever seen.  Beast is funny looking but those monster MTB's are really not pretty.   Just saying.  I hear they are great for jumping obstacles though. 

Saturday in the park: Today was a short sweet fast spin on Roadie for the short loop.  Speaking with my trainer and bud Jodi, I learned my lead quads are probably due to dehydration. YOu see, I have not been drinking my H20 like I should and again, not getting nearly enough veggies in my day.  SO you now know what my goals for the coming weeks will be.  Buck up on the H2O and the veggies.  But the good thing is I felt the MTB trail in my bumms today when I awoke .  Great! I love it when we work those babies.  Makes this girl happy.

Tomorrow, MTB game on!

Killer Good Day

October 14, 2011

Today I killed it. That's what my kid would say. I hit the gym early on for my final freebie Velocity class.  Tyler killed us.  Speed and agility...hmmm. Well that is what he said it was but today was all about a 25lb plate and all the different ways you can torture yourself holding onto such an item. Starting with single leg RDL's followed by single leg hops 5yds, alternating legs for 40 yds. Then came the killers.  5-10-15-20-15-10-5.  Then for kicks and grins we headed over to the squat rack for 10 pull ups. This was just to give us a break.  Nice. This went on for 40 mins; various movements between the plate, sprint killers, and pull ups. The last killer comprised of Downs Ups [flying squirrels] at each marker.  That was GREat!!! Thanks Tyler, I can always count on you to ...what was the theme of the day??....oh, yeah..."Kill" us.

Then it was off to the bike shop for a fitting with my new [used] bike!!! Yay!  Travis at Maple Grove Cycle was branded hero of the day.  He took my one size too small bike [yes I have amazon arms and a cheetah looong torso] and adjusted the saddle and stem, gave me new pedals and a bike monitor, and whhaa laaa! She is now a more efficient machine made comfy ride ready.  Can't wait to get out and give her a test spin.  Not so sure the wind is going to allow me to venture out tomorrow tho so I am thinking I will simply hit the single track [mountain bike] trail which should be mostly protected from the wind. This is always a blast and the bonus is it's a great alternative way to burn up my legs.

I am ready to rumble....[errr tumble. Ha!]

The Road to Iron Girl 2012

 October 13, 2011  

The air is crisp and cool. The colors are vibrant. I am afraid fall is upon us. 

You know I really love this time of year, I do...but my recent interest renewal (aka love) in cycling and my self professed need for speed have me yearning for an extension of summertime with it's longer hours of daylight.  

OK, since fall has descended upon us, I have started pondering what my training should look like to ready myself effectively for the next race season.  I mentioned in my previous post that I plan on competing in the 2012 Iron Girl since I missed my chance this year.  I have started looking also at an early season "get my rear in gear" race to familiarize myself with what a duathlon "feels" like, how to transition, and how hard to pace each leg of the race, etc.

Today my fabby trainer Jodi and I talked about my overall physique goals (strong toned arms, legs) and how the bike will affect my legs.  We talked about my functional fitness goals and how these can be maintained by training at Velocity.  How continuing my practice of yoga on a regular basis is essential.  How my lifting programs will emphasize tempo instead of heavy . But I am excited to try something new this off season.  I am going to incorporate cycle power training classes at the local bike shop throughout the winter. 

I am pumped to start power training with elite athlete Leah Prudhomme to learn the sport of cycling and the strategies behind competitive racing. Things such at power, AT, cadence, and endurance I guess. Things I can't even begin to talk about because I have no idea at this time what they are. My hope is to increase my speed and be one of the top women finishers in my age group in the Iron Girl.  Lofty goal? Yes. But fun to think about, don't you agree? 

I am off [to the races]...

Yogi Gigsters Jumpstart

Yogi Launch - Getting Started
 

Child's Pose ~Balasana~

Ever just want to curl up into a ball and fade away. Well here you go.  Drop into the Child's Pose and relax. Sit back on your heels with your knees tucked under you directly beneath each shoulder.  Arms resting by your sides with your palms facing up or arms reaching out in front stretching your shoulders.  Your forehead should be resting on the floor. Inhale slowly through your nose filling your lungs to capacity and fully exhale softly through slightly parted lips. Stay here as long as you please. 

Flip Child Pose ~Apanasana~

Stay in Child Pose and roll over onto your back. Wrap your arms around your knees and hug them gently, knees to chest.  Hold this pose, close your eyes and breathe. Feel your lower back release onto the floor.  When fully relaxed gently massage your back by rolling around gently. Rocking up and down will massage the spine and soothe your back further. 

Downward Dog ~

A gentle inversion that feels fabulous on the back of your legs, your spine, shoulders, wrists. Standing with your feet shoulder width apart, fold over gently from the hips and place both hands on the floor. Walk your arms out from your feet till your legs are straight.   Lift your hips up and back towards the ceiling at the same time you press your heels gently down towards the floor.  Push the floor away from your body with your hands lengthening your spine. Hold, breathe then drop back down into Child's Pose by folding your toes under and tucking your knees into your chest.

Cat/Cow ~

This is a must if you sit at your desk all day.  This will release your spine and feel fabulous.  Get down on your hands and knees. Make sure your hands are directly under your shoulders, knees directly under your hips. Inhale, drop your belly and lift your tailbone.  Exhale, round your back and tuck your tailbone. Push your spine to the ceiling.  Repeat this sequence 5 to 10 times. Rest in Child's Pose for a few breaths to rest.

Pointer ~

After Cat/Cow remain on your hands and knees. Extend one arm slowly straight out in front of your shoulder keeping it close and in line with your ear.  Extend the opposite leg back.  Hold for as long a comfortable before changing to other side. Engage your tummy (core), gaze downward. Avoid leaning to one side, keep your weight centered squarely above your hips and shoulders. To take this up a notch try it standing.

Yogi Squat ~

Stand with your feet wide apart, toes turned out. Keeping spine straight, lower your hips down as far as they will go. It is OK to take your hands to the floor in front for stability. Try to take the weight into your heels as much as possible.  Line your knees over your toes. Your turn out from the hips and knees should be no more than 45 degrees.  Adjust the feet as needed.  Work on getting your heels to the floor.  If they do not touch the floor place a rolled up towel underneath them for support. Stay in this squat for as long as possible while keeping the weight off the balls of your feet.  Finally with your hands in prayer at chest level use your elbows to open up your knees in line with your toes. Lengthen your spine by lifting your chest. Gaze forward. Hold and breath.

More to come:

Forward Fold ~Uttanasana~

Triangle ~Trikonasana~

Tree ~Vrksasana~

Locust ~Shalabasana~

Be Well

Few Things I Found to Be True

Failure is often the springboard to success and happiness. 

Think back to your biggest disappointments or failures.  Now sit back and contemplate the time before that failure. What circumstances surrounded it and what actions led up to this "failure".  Then think hard about the block of time that followed.  Any monumental "ahh haa's" fall into place? Often times we navigate through tough, very tough waters only to resurface stronger and more renewed.  With this renewal we experience breakthroughs which strengthen us as a whole person.  Satisfaction and happiness often follow such times.  So although great success from the outside looks to be the ultimate joyride, it is failure that often creates monumental changes from within for our betterment.  Every mistake you make is progress.

We're all in the same boat.

In this thing called life, SSDD, same stuff, different day.  We all possess a dimension of success and a dimension of failure. More simply put,  life happens when you least expect it and it happens to all of us.  Our circumstances may differ but really isn't it all the same in the end.

The problem we have with others really is more about us than them.

This one speaks for itself.  I try to fall back on this reality during the times I feel frustrated the most.  After taking time to digest what is frustrating me, really, one of two things usually come to me; that what is bothering me really is just me being me, or that I simply have set my bar too high, etc. I just need to step back and take a good look inside to see what really is going down. Then let go.

Emotional decisions are often not good decisions.

They say that in times of stress you should not make any major decisions. This is what I am talking about.  Sit on it.

You will never feel 100% ready when opportunity knocks.

Isn't there always that little guy on your shoulder giving you the business.  Take note but at the same time realize that opportunity often presents itself when you least expect it.

That is all the profound? thoughts I have for today. 

Be Well

Calling all Weekend Warriors

Do you consider yourself a weekend warrior?

It seems like more and more of us are taking a interest in competing "for the fun of it" in events such as 5K's, marathons, biking, du's, tri's, etc. Maybe some of us are not into competition but we are regulars at the gym,  training 3 to 5 times a week.

Whether or not you are training for a specific event, have you postulated a fitness goal you are actively working to achieve? IF so, do you make every minute of those workouts count? I mean, do you work out hard for your fitness level?  I am going to venture a guess here, but I would say yes.  Time is premium in our hectic schedules so fast and effective workouts are what we all are looking for.  And so I consider you an athlete.

Besides getting the best training, are you making your sure your nutritional needs are met? Good nutrition does count and helps your training go a long way. Actually, it can be what makes or breaks you reaching your fitness goals.

What does an athletic diet look like?
A good diet for athletes should be the same as a well balanced diet with the exception of added calories and fluids, depending on the activity level and individual specific caloric needs.

What to eat?
Eat foods that fuel your body effectively.  Feed your muscles high quality foods that provide key nutrition. It really is that simple. Whether you consider yourself athletic or a weekend warrior, follow guidelines that recommend a diet of whole grains, vegetables and/or fruits along with protein at each meal. Don’t forget to include a little bit of  “good” fat throughout your day.

Go get 'em Tiger!
Be Well

Give me a few

A few weeks...that is.

Science indicates that it takes your brain and body two weeks to nearly a year to acclimate to "new adventures".  Not everybody is the same when it comes to forming new habits, especially when those habits are replacing old "bad" but beloved ones. What would your adventure be? Well....hmmm... you are the driver of that. Maybe you want to tighten up your nutrition.  Or, maybe it's your tush you wish to tighten.  I am here to encourage you to hang with it for the short (or long haul), just suck it up buttercup. Mind over matter. In short time you will find your body responding to a new norm with less cravings or inklings of falling back into your old, not so wanted, habits. 

This is a challenge, I will admit, but there are ways to navigate through it.  The key seems to be this: repeat, repeat, repeat. Complex actions or behaviors such as exercise may take longer than something as simple as drinking more water would.  Expect setbacks along the way, they will happen. Stop beating yourself up, no one is perfect. We all deserve a break or even a splurge once in a while. Do try to take notice of why your setback occurred and arm yourself with tools to overcome it that next time around. Recruit your friends for help, a support system is essential in any behavior change. Tell others your plan so they can help hold you to "it" in those times when you need it the most.

One of the tricks I use to tighten my nutrition is drinking plenty of water all day long.  Water is essential to, well, every bodily function I can think of.  It is great for your skin, hair, heart (circulation), kidneys, liver, brain to name just a few.  Drink, drink, drink.  Find a way to make this work.  Give up your soda for 2 weeks....and drink good ole H2O.  Also, eating a small handful of nuts or a spoonful of nut butter is another trick that works for me when cravings hit.  Man she is nuts. Ha, well yep, I admit it.  There.  I am talking about good old fashioned nuts such as raw almonds and walnuts.  Nuts are a good fat source, in moderation, that can be extremely helpful to you as you tough it through a starvation mode.

Metabolism shifts happen and eating every 3 hours or so can be quite an effort...so make it easy on yourself. Get prepared.  Stash healthy snacks such veggies or  small handfuls of nuts in baggies in your vehicle and handbag.  Make sure these are single serving size so you don't gorge when that "I'm starved" mode hits you.  Natural snack bars such as Zing Bars are another great idea to have within reach.  Believe me, hunger hits when you are least expecting it.

Gleefully trekking to the gym? Here's a habit we can all use. This one happens to be one that I have down pat but that is because fitness has been a lifelong activity of mine. I have been a sports enthusiast of sorts as long as I can remember.  If you prefer sinking into your couch instead of  schlepping your body to the gym studies indicate you are in for a longer turnover period before this becomes a habit. Just know that and prepare for it. These studies indicate changing complex behaviors takes one and half times longer to accomplish.  Whew..that could be bad. The key here could be a buddy system and mixing up your fitness activities, not just sticking to the same activity day in and out. BoRINg.  Even I would rather poke a hot stick in my eyeball than do the same thing everyday at the gym.  Variety is the spice of life.

So September is upon us. The season of change. I purpose we all get busy and change up the bad habits we have for some good.  Are you in??

Be Well

One of My Faves

In the writing this prayer, weighing on my heart today is the loss of my sister and other loved ones, the loss of innocence in the world and my personal loss of the sight of Him.  I run to You today Lord....hold me in the palm of Your hand for just one instance and it will be better, all with You.
 
Psalm 4

Answer me when I call to you

Oh my righteous God,

Give me relief from my distress,

Be merciful to me and hear my prayer.

How long, O men, will you

Turn my glory into shame?

How long will you love

Delusions and seek false gods?

But know that the Lord has set

Apart the godly for himself.

The Lord will hear when I call to Him.

In your anger do not sin,

When you are in your beds

Search your hearts and be silent.

Offer right sacrifices and

Trust in the Lord.  

Many are asking

'Who can show us any good?'

Let the light of your face

Shine upon us, Oh Lord,

You have filled my heart with greater joy

Than when their grain and 

New wine abound.

I will lie down and sleep in peace,

For you alone,

Oh Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Pre & Post WO Snacking

Why all the Confusion surrounding  Pre & Post WO snacks?

This topic always seems to bring out some pretty strong opinions from various trainers...do you really need to fuel prior to and after strength training....? 

In my mind you walk a fine line between not getting enough fuel to build muscle and getting too much fuel (calories) which can then lead to energy storage in the form of fat.  With that said, I stand as an proponent of fueling your muscles, pre and post.  Do include these snacks in your daily caloric tracking. They count.  Plan for them much like you plan for your splurges. Just for the record, I feel much better after a killer workout when I  down my post workout shake. Yumm-O.... It snaps me right out of fatigue mode. .. thank goodness.  Below I jotted down the plan developed for me by my sports nutritionist, Jodi, at jodiOjo.com.  She comes highly recommended, BTW...enjoy.

Be Well

My Pre Work out Fuel- (10-30 mins before WO)
ratio 1:2

10-12 g protein
20g carb from fruit or starches

protein: best choices
whey powder, egg whites, chicken, turkey, cottage cheese, fruit on bottom yogurt -greek if possible
fruit: apples, bananas, grapes, pineapple
starches: rice cakes (brown rice) / jam
crackers, granola, cereal
 

My Post Workout Fuel -10 mins before workout ends to 30 mins after- no later!
ratio 1:3

10-12 g protein
30 g carb from starches

protein: see above
Starches: rice cakes/jam, Choc Milk, oatmeal, brown rice, bread
Superfood (aka green / red food) supplements work great here!! Consider including them.  Your bod will thank you.

Choc Milk!!!! is easiest
Note: Whey protein powder with Nestle Nesquik is a great alternative...adjust amounts to ratio’s above as needed.

It's Just What I Do

I seem to attract a tiny bit of "curiosity" surrounding what I eat and how much I work out.  So I thought, hey, let's put it out there... so there is wondering no more.  

First rule: 

There are no rules, only habits, preferences, splurges and playing (my term for workouts) smart.

I like to play hard. By that I mean, when I hit the gym, I hit it hard.  I work as hard as possible (unless I only showed that day to socialize, which I am famous for by the way) to quickly make the most out of any workout. That usually means interval / hybrid type training which includes functional ( compound ) movements paired with a complimentary isolation movement.  

Example training sessions can include plyometrics, sprinting , agility (thank you VSP), or strength training. Recovery and rest, ahh..don't forget your rest. Sleep and recover - get a full nights sleep and give your body rest from play at regular (or not so regular to keep your body guessing) intervals.  I like to mix up what days I work out. Sometimes I go three days in a row (never more for me) with the fourth day off, or I may choose to work out every other day for a short period, say two to three weeks, before hitting it hard again.  Hitting it hard would be training three days on, one off, three days on, one off, repeat...for a period of 4 weeks -ish. 

Nutrition is always one way you can make a huge difference in your body composition but also proves to be one of the most difficult to master.  My advice: Fall in love with nature...a la naturale.  Develop a taste for the food without the additives (anything boxed or overly processed) and not so necessary diet sabatogers such as too much salt, mayo, butter, dressing, etc.  Spice up your food with diet smart seasonings (such as sage, garlic, oregano, cilantro, etc) and a product I cannot live without, True Lemon, True Lime, and / or True Orange... granular juice from the fruit themselves. 

Variety is the spice of life and trickery to the body.  To keep your metabolism bouncing, eat every three to four hours and mix it up. I mean it, miX iT Up.  Try not to eat the same thing or the same amount of calories day in and day out.  Bounce your metabolism.  Yup... bounce.

Eat breakfast like a queen or king, when you need the extra energy the most. Eat within the first hour of getting up and skip giving your body starchy carbs (such as sweet potatoes, sprouted grain bread, whole wheat pasta, etc) later in the day or at supper.  Hey isn't that when you want them the most?? Yep again.  Well, try, mostly, to eat veges and lean protein at supper.  Think grilled fish with asparagus.  Again think miX iT Up....some days have only one starch, other days two, and then of course, a day with three. I love my three starch day. 

Splurges: This has got to be the best part of it all, the splurge. Do not forget to plan your splurge. Maybe you go out for dinner every Saturday night with your sweetheart(s).  That would be your splurge meal.  We all need them. But what we do not need is too many splurge days in a row.  Stay on track.  Avoid eating poorly for more than one day, ok?   This may be the closest thing to a rule I may have.  

Finally, but not the least: Drink your H20.  Get 'er done. Drink the water and eat healthy. Stay on track  so your body will truly operate like the well oiled machine that it was designed to be.

Be Well

PB&J

Peanut butter is one of those items in my pantry that is always available. The guys in my house thrive on it.  I prefer the natural variety, with no added sugar...just peanuts and salt. They of course choose Jif.

....but what about nut butters.  I love the alternatives.  Cashew [mouth watering] butter, for one, is yum and on my all time favs list. Nut butters are full of protein, fiber and essential fatty acids. I hope you too will step out of the box and grab up a jar of nut butter on your next trip to Whole Foods or Trader Joes.... here are your choices:




Almond Butter:
Excellent source of vitamin E, magnesium [attention migraine sufferers], and bone protecting calcium.  Almond butter has eight times the calcium than peanut butter.  Spread on toasted wheat muffin and add a drizzle of honey.

Walnut Butter:
Gets lots of attention and deservedly so.  A  fatty acid powerhouse, walnut butter has nine times more heart protective omega 3's than the closest nut.  Some studies have shown metabolism shifts with consumption of this little guy, showing  our bodies effectively increase fat oxidation after eating walnuts. Now there's a smart snack. Try it inside your whole wheat pita with grilled chicken and lettuce.







Cashew Macadamia Butter
Well I think I have died and gone to heaven. This nut butter rocks.  With little tidbits such as selenium, a thyroid supporter, palmitoleic acid which appears to rev metabolism and oleic acid for happy hearts you cannot go wrong. Try spreading ricotta cheese and cashew macadamia nut butter on ciabatta. Add banana slices, pinch of shredded coconut and cinnamon. Grill on panini press. Yummmyyyy.

Sunflower Seed Butter:
Another great alternative to peanut butter. Loaded with magnesium, this makes for a healthy snack. Add it to your toast and jelly, celery sticks, etc. A great alternative to those with peanut allergies of course. A newcomer to the store aisles that deserves a stab in the jar...eat it right off the spoon.





Be Well

Summertime Snacktime

Oh how I love food. I am a foodie, a self professed "wait! do you know what your are putting into your tummy?" foodie.  Summertime is for baseball,  trail walking (runs), biking, fun, more fun, ( did I say have fun) and food.   

So we run around ( a-muck ) doing all those summertime things we do....like rushing little Bug (my kid) to his next training session or yourself to your besties backyard for a little R& R (what's wrong with an afternoon cocktail).  Whatever it is that keeps us so very busy busy...the hard fact is we barely make it up to the surface to take a breath, much less pack a snack pack for the day. 

Well it is time to start packing and I mean go to Target and find the largest lunch bag / cooler you can find (they come some fabby colors and look rather chic I should say).  I want to share a few ideas I have on snacks and how to start your day off right so you can have a blast this summer and not want to gnaw your arm off midday from hunger because you are just too busy (ah-hum dorky) to be prepared.

Mindful snacking is a good thing.  The benefits of small, frequent meals are:

• stable blood sugar
• less hunger
• minimal cravings

Eating frequently keeps blood sugar levels on an even keel. Steady blood sugar means Sybil won't unexpectedly appear at your party cause your BS (not bull shitty) got all out of whack. A stable BS will help maintain balance to your mood, increase brain functions (you all know I could use that) and more energy. Yay!

Waiting too long between meals can lead to impulsive choices (bad for me) or overeating. OK, little something to share:  Did you know that it takes 20 minutes, longer for those of us with unstable BS(above) haha, for your stomach to signal your brain that you are full? Moral of story, eat slowly. A song comes to my mind: 

SOS means somebody help me, it ain't healthy for me to feel this way

Just saying. So pack healthy snacks, especially for when you leave the office so you have something to snack on the way home. This will circumvent eating yourself out of pantry and home while you are preparing dinner. Tasty snacks like apples, nuts, cheese aide in the prevention of a girl going down for the count with the bag of m&m's in hand.  Again, just saying.

Make your snacks nutrient dense. Fresh food gives you more bang for your buck when it comes to nutrition with fewer calories to boot. Pack items that offer a good balance of protein, carbs, and good fats. Yes fat.  Also keep and eye on the salt and sugar content of your snack.  As always, minimally processed foods are best..don't be fooled by the package appeal. Flip over the snack and read the ingredient list. If you can't read it drop it now.  Foreign words usually mean processing ...especially when the list is long.  Look for snacks with short food ingredient lists and ingredients you recognize.  As always, avoid the fake sugars please.

Be prepared. The night before pack your snack pack: cut up veges, portioned hummus & nut butter, rice cakes, or some nuts just to name a few.  Remember balance.  Protein, Carb, Fat are all included. Also, begin your day with a balanced breakfast. This will carry you through to snack time.  Try to include fiber with breakfast which, along with P/C/F, help satiate hunger and maintain a level BS till your next meal. 

Breakfast Ideas:

• veges for fiber with your scrambled eggs: Onions, peppers, & chopped spinach with avocado (aka good fat) as a garnish
• fiber-full protein smoothie:  one apple cored chopped, 1/2 C frozen or fresh berries, 1 T cashew butter, juice of a lemon, 1/2 cup of water. Blend.  Add spinach if you like, blend. Then  add protein with final blend. 
• oatmeal with berries of choice, few almonds. Pour shaker cup of prepared vanilla whey protein to thin cereal.
• beans and brown rice with salsa and avocado

So off with you into the wild blue yonder. Have a blast but don't forget your snack pack.  Check out my page on fuel or favs to get more on-the-go snacking ideas.

Be Well.

Nature's Finest

gentle breeze

spicy earth

delicate bells

barely there

sun kissed mountainside

nature's beauty

Craving Some Carbs?

 OMGosh, I think I've died and gone to heaven...this cereal rocks.
Since 1908 the recipe for Uncle Sam's Original Cereal has not changed.

• Ingredients: Wheat Berries, Flax, Malt, and (a little) Salt

• NO sugar, No additives, Nothing I cannot pronounce!

Plus a whopping 10 grams of fiber per serving, how could it get any better (for you). Give it a try. I found it at Trader Joes
or go to: Attune Foods for this and other yummy good for you bites to eat.


Be Well

Doors Open When Our Knees Hit The Ground

When darkness and confusion envelope our existence...

When tears are shed over love lost or never found...

When friendship leaves you empty hearted...

When you give and give but never receive...

We all seemingly have to go through life changing pain, it's part and parcel to the human experience. Individually, we deal with emptied broken hearts as best as we can, emerging uniguely transformed as surely as the sun will rise. Working on ourselves in these tough times seems counter to rational thinking but can be instrumental in healing and self renewal.

Moving forward one step at a time through the pain of the past brings us to a place of hope and renewed strength. Transformations happen by hitting the floor on both knees and opening our hearts to change. New beginnings, startovers, are for the better....that's all I can ask and hope for. You too?

Be Well

In Passion

I desire that no child is left to starve in our world.  I desire a peaceful existence in a violent world. I desire the abuse would end here and now.   I desire the killing of innocents be stopped. I desire true happiness, joy & love.

I am passionate about physical movement.  I am passionate about helping others see the best in themselves. I am passionate about life and the right to be. I am passionate about standing for the elderly, the unborn, the weak, the handicapped of this world who are deemed worthless in others eyes. I am passionate about Him and doing His will, as hard as that may be.

All of us at times, knowingly or unknowingly, crave passion in our lives.  With passion we are alive, very alive.  We experience something so compelling it cannot be pushed aside.  It awakens, intoxicates, and invigorates us.  Passion comes in the forms of people, music, sports, art, work, nature.  It's love, joy, anger or hatred. It can be fleeting, elusive, and even absent for periods of time in our lives.  It may seem, the harder we look for it, the harder it is to find.

Now consider desire.  Defined as: to wish or long for, want. Desire can be precursor to passion. When we desire something our body will physically ache for it.  Desire is not action oriented like passion.  Desire is the feeling of longing, or want of, something.  It can be steadfast, meaning it can take hold for a very long time, maybe never leaving us, keeping us constantly aching for that something we have set our "hearts desire" on. Through desire we often learn. Wisdom is the priceless jewel obtained as a result of our desires.  Listening and embracing your desires, you begin to feel the ache or relate to others and their wants with compassion and understanding.  Embracing desire motivates us to reach out, search for, or seek a purpose in life. Suppressing desires leads to a dispassionate life.  No sparkle in the eye, no skip in your step.  A general disinterest in life.  Depression.

Passion, on the other hand, if often active.  Smelling, tasting, touching, hearing and seeing the beloved. It is raw emotions embodied.  The moment we experience passion, we know it.  It's unmistakable,  and indeed remarkable. Big or small, we want to hold onto it forever.  It is not always so, not always permanent or everlasting.  It can be everything or it can be nothing. But with passion always come growth. Fleeting as it is, it teaches us something with which we carry forth in life.

Passion can be another person. Love often evolves with or as a result of passion.  Phileo love is that of friendship, a strong bond that exists between people who share common interests or activities.  Storge love is natural affection, such as parental love, mere acceptance. Eros love is romantic love, a sense of being in love and longing for an emotional connection with another.  Agape love is the pinnacle of love, the deepest sense of love, brotherly love, unconditional love.  Holding another in the highest regard.

Life beyond passion can be balanced, calm,  and open. It is when we are open to what life has in store that new doors open, allowing us the opportunity to fall in love or be passionate all over again.  Knowing the nature of passion, that it's fleeting, should help us to continue our search for bigger, better, brighter horizons.  With optimistic hope and eyes wide open seek out tomorrow's gifts, one never knows what the new day will bring.

There is no end. There is no beginning. There is only the passions of life.~Federico Fellin

Be Well.