The other day I was at the stairs all alone. (I now go up and down 20 times when I'm by myself, for a total of 4600 stairs. I'm always exhausted and sleep well at night after that workout, and it's a great time to pray, meditate, plan or listen to podcasts.) One of my former writing teachers hosts a show called Writers on Writing, and I took the opportunity to listen to one of her podcasts. She was interviewing the female author of a weight loss book. I haven't read the book, so I can't comment on that, except she apparently isn't pushing a particular diet and she encourages people to eat real food rather than processed junk. Kudos to her for both of those things. At the same time, she gave some advice that I had a problem with.
#1. Gyms are basically evil, useless places and walking is all the exercise anyone needs.
Well, lucky her. She lives in New York City, and her lifestyle affords lots of walking, but for many folks in this country, weather and geography make finding a place to walk outdoors something of a challenge. And I'm sorry, but most of us go through each day without lifting anything heavier than our cell phones. If we don't use--and yes, even train--our upper bodies, we will lose muscle strength and mass, as well as bone density over time. So while walking is great exercise, it's not enough, and though I don't belong to a gym, I don't think we should begrudge the man or woman who enjoys running on the treadmill or biking to nowhere while they watch the news on a big screen tv.
#2. Eat whatever you want, as long as it's mostly real food and all things are taken in moderation.
I know from personal experience that this method can work for weight loss and maintenance. The question then, is whether or not we want to make weight the primary reason for our food choices. Don't get me wrong. I was miserable as an obese person, truly miserable, so I understand the obsession with shedding excess fat. As I said, I haven't read the book, but during the podcast interview there was no mention of what foods are truly beneficial to our health, and so should be the foundation of our diet.
Frankly, most Americans could only improve their health and fitness levels by following this woman's plan. It's not a plan for optimal health, but it would make many people healthier. It's not a plan for optimal fitness, but it does seem to encourage people to move their bodies. I wonder then, should we set the bar low? Should we start with the minimum, and if so, should we expect that people will want to or be able to exceed that? Is it enough to just do a little better?
Showing posts with label workout. Show all posts
Showing posts with label workout. Show all posts
Monday, July 7, 2008
Friday, May 2, 2008
Biggest Loser Finale
Our Biggest Loser week ended on Tuesday. I averaged 4 hours of workouts each day, and I brought intensity to them. On Wednesday, I only worked out 2 hours, and I felt as if something were missing. Alas, real life continues around me--work, writing, chores and errands, kids' activities, church, classes, and the like--so it will be difficult to get those long workouts in on a regular basis.
Some things I learned:
The recommendation to get 30 minutes of activity each day is fairly bogus for healthy people. In the days of hunting and foraging, our bodies would've moved much more, and we still have essentially the same physical design as our forefathers and foremothers. Even when I was obese, I enjoyed working out. It seems my body always knew it should be in motion.
It can be okay for a healthy person to take their workouts to what most people would considered an extreme level. Perhaps I would've run into injuries if I'd continued, but I believe that listening to my body would help me to avoid that.
Prolonged exercise creates feelings of ecstasy. In all likelihood, this had a lot to do with the fact that I stuck with activities that I loved. The positive mental attitude, along with the brain chemistry initiated by exercise, was a winning combination.
Sleep problems can be alleviated by giving the body the level of activity it craves. This may not be true for everyone, but I found that I fell asleep faster, and slept more deeply and consistently during my Biggest Loser week. I woke up refreshed and without the aid of the alarm clock.
There's enough energy to go around. I'm sure that eating a Raw diet, including green superfood smoothies, contributed to my quick recoveries and tolerable levels of soreness. I had plenty of energy left to accomplish other things. I took an occasional nap, but that's nothing new for me. Obviously my body was able to do the workouts and still complete my other tasks. I'm no Superwoman. Though I was a slim teenager, it wasn't because of any effort on my part. I didn't get into running until I was in my 20's, and started weight training after that. I'm not physically superior in anyway to the average woman. If I can do it, most anyone can, given time and planning.
I encourage everyone to push your body and see what it accomplishes. Don't be ridiculous and try to curl 20's when last week you were curling 8's, but do look for ways you can diversify, intensify, and even extend your exercise. Book a few sessions with a trainer, if you don't know how to do it safely.
Our modern culture is so incredibly sedentary. Even if I spend 5 hours working out, I'm spending at least 8 sitting down (driving, teaching, writing, surfing the internet). Going forward, I'll continue to workout about 2 hours each day, but I also plan to include at least one Biggest Loser day each week. Just for the sheer joy of it!
Some things I learned:
The recommendation to get 30 minutes of activity each day is fairly bogus for healthy people. In the days of hunting and foraging, our bodies would've moved much more, and we still have essentially the same physical design as our forefathers and foremothers. Even when I was obese, I enjoyed working out. It seems my body always knew it should be in motion.
It can be okay for a healthy person to take their workouts to what most people would considered an extreme level. Perhaps I would've run into injuries if I'd continued, but I believe that listening to my body would help me to avoid that.
Prolonged exercise creates feelings of ecstasy. In all likelihood, this had a lot to do with the fact that I stuck with activities that I loved. The positive mental attitude, along with the brain chemistry initiated by exercise, was a winning combination.
Sleep problems can be alleviated by giving the body the level of activity it craves. This may not be true for everyone, but I found that I fell asleep faster, and slept more deeply and consistently during my Biggest Loser week. I woke up refreshed and without the aid of the alarm clock.
There's enough energy to go around. I'm sure that eating a Raw diet, including green superfood smoothies, contributed to my quick recoveries and tolerable levels of soreness. I had plenty of energy left to accomplish other things. I took an occasional nap, but that's nothing new for me. Obviously my body was able to do the workouts and still complete my other tasks. I'm no Superwoman. Though I was a slim teenager, it wasn't because of any effort on my part. I didn't get into running until I was in my 20's, and started weight training after that. I'm not physically superior in anyway to the average woman. If I can do it, most anyone can, given time and planning.
I encourage everyone to push your body and see what it accomplishes. Don't be ridiculous and try to curl 20's when last week you were curling 8's, but do look for ways you can diversify, intensify, and even extend your exercise. Book a few sessions with a trainer, if you don't know how to do it safely.
Our modern culture is so incredibly sedentary. Even if I spend 5 hours working out, I'm spending at least 8 sitting down (driving, teaching, writing, surfing the internet). Going forward, I'll continue to workout about 2 hours each day, but I also plan to include at least one Biggest Loser day each week. Just for the sheer joy of it!
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Biggest Loser Week - Warm-up Day
Though our official BL week starts today, since LB worked in L.A. on Monday, I decided to go ahead and get a warm-up day in, so Day One wouldn't be such a shock to my system.
Monday's workout - Treadmill: 7.5 miles at 10.0 incline
Bike: 20 miles at levels 1-4
Abs: 15 minutes of training
Yesterday, Raw Model posted about why Raw Vegans still need to workout, and Terilynn invited us to think about what our bodies are really capable of doing. Timely, no?
"We need a change
Do it today
I can feel my spirit rising
We need a change
So do it today
'Cause I can see a clear horizon
What have you done today to make you feel proud?"
- Biggest Loser theme song
Monday's workout - Treadmill: 7.5 miles at 10.0 incline
Bike: 20 miles at levels 1-4
Abs: 15 minutes of training
Yesterday, Raw Model posted about why Raw Vegans still need to workout, and Terilynn invited us to think about what our bodies are really capable of doing. Timely, no?
"We need a change
Do it today
I can feel my spirit rising
We need a change
So do it today
'Cause I can see a clear horizon
What have you done today to make you feel proud?"
- Biggest Loser theme song
Take It To the Limit!
For a while now, LB and I have talked about taking some kind of physical vacation, the kind where you take a week to go hiking, take gym classes, get massages, weight train, do yoga and focus primarily on your physical being. I did one years ago at Canyon Ranch, in Arizona, and it was a paradigm-shifting experience. Unfortunately I was so out of shape at the time--considerably overweight, stiff, suffering frequent muscle spasms--I didn't get to fully immerse myself.
Realistically, such a vacation doesn't fit our budget or our time constraints right now. So this week, we've decided to bring the wellness retreat home to us. Granted we'll still have real life to do. The bills, errands, work projects and chores can't be set aside, but we will be streamlining those areas to focus on physical challenges.
My favorite reality show is The Biggest Loser. Even with all the editing and time-condensing, and the occasional drama, it's a show that's about taking control of one's life and health. In the end, every Loser is a winner. I love that! Inspired by the fact that the shows participants work out 4-6 hours each day, and even more than that as the finale draws near, we've decided to take on something similar.
While we won't have their trainers or facilities, we've got more than enough to get in intense workouts. This week will be a good push toward June's Bikini Challenge. (Okay, it's really the Swimsuit Challenge, since the guy's are participating, but I find Bikini more motivating.) It will also be interesting to see how far we can push ourselves.
Because a sudden increase in physical activity can lower the immune system, we'll be eating particularly Raw and well, with lots of greens. I'll continue to use my green superfood powders, probiotics and multivitamin. I'm also throwing in some DHA (an omega-3 supplement from algae), and enzymes. It wouldn't do to get sick during our Biggest Loser week.
I'm excited about this! As the theme song says: What have you done today to make you feel proud?
Realistically, such a vacation doesn't fit our budget or our time constraints right now. So this week, we've decided to bring the wellness retreat home to us. Granted we'll still have real life to do. The bills, errands, work projects and chores can't be set aside, but we will be streamlining those areas to focus on physical challenges.
My favorite reality show is The Biggest Loser. Even with all the editing and time-condensing, and the occasional drama, it's a show that's about taking control of one's life and health. In the end, every Loser is a winner. I love that! Inspired by the fact that the shows participants work out 4-6 hours each day, and even more than that as the finale draws near, we've decided to take on something similar.
While we won't have their trainers or facilities, we've got more than enough to get in intense workouts. This week will be a good push toward June's Bikini Challenge. (Okay, it's really the Swimsuit Challenge, since the guy's are participating, but I find Bikini more motivating.) It will also be interesting to see how far we can push ourselves.
Because a sudden increase in physical activity can lower the immune system, we'll be eating particularly Raw and well, with lots of greens. I'll continue to use my green superfood powders, probiotics and multivitamin. I'm also throwing in some DHA (an omega-3 supplement from algae), and enzymes. It wouldn't do to get sick during our Biggest Loser week.
I'm excited about this! As the theme song says: What have you done today to make you feel proud?
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
All in Your Head
Do the foods that make you feel amazing, work because you expect them, too? Does it matter?
Yesterday, I had the same superfood smoothie as in the last post, with bananas instead of coconut flesh, and a couple of tablespoons of ground hemp seeds. Not only did it satisfy my hunger for a really long time, I was flying high. Of course, a raw diet makes us more sensitive to what we eat, and I had more than enough energy to burn through a few items on my project list and to workout. A productive day!
Yesterday's workout: 1 hour on treadmill. Trained chest, back and abs.
Today, Lovely Boyfriend, Wonder Girl and I are hitting the Laguna Beach stairs. I love this workout!
Yesterday, I had the same superfood smoothie as in the last post, with bananas instead of coconut flesh, and a couple of tablespoons of ground hemp seeds. Not only did it satisfy my hunger for a really long time, I was flying high. Of course, a raw diet makes us more sensitive to what we eat, and I had more than enough energy to burn through a few items on my project list and to workout. A productive day!
Yesterday's workout: 1 hour on treadmill. Trained chest, back and abs.
Today, Lovely Boyfriend, Wonder Girl and I are hitting the Laguna Beach stairs. I love this workout!
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Working Out
Working out has been a real pleasure this week--perhaps because I took Monday as a rest day, perhaps because I've been completely Raw. I've been slacking on my green superfood drink, but I'll plan to bring it back in starting tomorrow. Might as well maintain the high!
Sunday - Walked for 1 and 1/2 hours after my Raw Basics class. (more about the class later)
Monday - Complete Rest
Tuesday - Trained chest, back and abs
1 and 1/2 hours on the treadmill
Wednesday - 6x 225 stairs (Loving this workout! Really anxious to increase the reps.)
early morning yoga
When I include it, early morning yoga sets the tone for my day. I wake up and do a slow dry brushing. Then, perhaps after a quick warm-up on the mini-trampoline, I move into my yoga practice. The key here is to do all of this before I have any human interaction. I may have to maintain our separate room policy after I get married again. When I get married again? If I get married again? You know what I mean!
Sunday - Walked for 1 and 1/2 hours after my Raw Basics class. (more about the class later)
Monday - Complete Rest
Tuesday - Trained chest, back and abs
1 and 1/2 hours on the treadmill
Wednesday - 6x 225 stairs (Loving this workout! Really anxious to increase the reps.)
early morning yoga
When I include it, early morning yoga sets the tone for my day. I wake up and do a slow dry brushing. Then, perhaps after a quick warm-up on the mini-trampoline, I move into my yoga practice. The key here is to do all of this before I have any human interaction. I may have to maintain our separate room policy after I get married again. When I get married again? If I get married again? You know what I mean!
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
This Week's Workouts
Monday: Walked for an hour and a half--lots of hills. This walk should be about 15 minutes shorter, but my friend isn't in the mood to push it lately.
Tuesday: Same walk, 42 miles on the bike, trained legs. Yes, my legs are sore today. No one's fault but my own, since I haven't trained them in so long.
Wednesday: Early morning yoga, heading to the stairs. We'll see how many times my friend (not the same slow-walking one) wants to make it up and down the stairs today. Technically, we're supposed to be doing 6 laps, starting today, for a total of 1350 stairs. We shall see!
Oh yeah . . . I also did about 20 minutes of a Core Rhythms workout this morning, to warm up before yoga. Let's just say I'm not a dancer. Good thing everyone else in my house was still asleep when I did that one.
Are you guys working out? At all? C'mon, the human body was made to move! Raw food is wonderful, but exercise is a must-do. You know I'm telling the truth! Find something you like to do.
Tuesday: Same walk, 42 miles on the bike, trained legs. Yes, my legs are sore today. No one's fault but my own, since I haven't trained them in so long.
Wednesday: Early morning yoga, heading to the stairs. We'll see how many times my friend (not the same slow-walking one) wants to make it up and down the stairs today. Technically, we're supposed to be doing 6 laps, starting today, for a total of 1350 stairs. We shall see!
Oh yeah . . . I also did about 20 minutes of a Core Rhythms workout this morning, to warm up before yoga. Let's just say I'm not a dancer. Good thing everyone else in my house was still asleep when I did that one.
Are you guys working out? At all? C'mon, the human body was made to move! Raw food is wonderful, but exercise is a must-do. You know I'm telling the truth! Find something you like to do.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
100% Raw Challenge
All the way Raw and Living today! It was an awesome Tuesday! I spent an hour or so working in the backyard, sunlight pouring down on me, a great view behind my laptop. Such a wonderful feeling to be productive and to do so in such a pleasant space.
Today's Raw goodness:
peach cheesecake with a pile of strawberries
chia pudding with more strawberries
juice of celery, apples, oranges, ginger, lemon and beets
leftover raw tacos and mango slaw
salad of napa cabbage, carrots, celery, lots of orange slices, and sesame seeds
dressing: olive oil, lime juice, sea salt, ginger, and raw honey
Today's workout:
Morning yoga (amazing way to start the day)
Abs
1 hr & 15 min on the treadmill
Everyone talks about the Raw food glow, but don't forget the glow a serious workout can give you! I swear I look 5 years younger when I'm consistently getting great workouts. Looking forward to the stairs tomorrow.
Shout out to Michelle J for staying Raw!
Today's Raw goodness:
peach cheesecake with a pile of strawberries
chia pudding with more strawberries
juice of celery, apples, oranges, ginger, lemon and beets
leftover raw tacos and mango slaw
salad of napa cabbage, carrots, celery, lots of orange slices, and sesame seeds
dressing: olive oil, lime juice, sea salt, ginger, and raw honey
Today's workout:
Morning yoga (amazing way to start the day)
Abs
1 hr & 15 min on the treadmill
Everyone talks about the Raw food glow, but don't forget the glow a serious workout can give you! I swear I look 5 years younger when I'm consistently getting great workouts. Looking forward to the stairs tomorrow.
Shout out to Michelle J for staying Raw!
100% Raw Challenge
This week, I've joined some people at gone raw in a 100% Raw Challenge. I'm committed to Monday-Friday, all the way Raw and Living. Yesterday I ate:
chia seed pudding with strawberries
raw tacos with mango salsa
a very large fuji apple
slaw of red and green cabbage, mango, and cilantro with olive oil (yes, my evoo is raw) and lemon juice
Yesterday's workout: trained biceps, triceps & shoulders, 1 hour on the treadmill (That may seem like a lot, but my trusty ol' treadmill can only go up to about 3.5 mph. I jack it up to top incline and power walk.)
If you don't have a lot of time to devote to exercise today, take 10 minutes and put yourself through the old P.E. class warm-up routine. You remember: jumping jacks, sit-ups (we do crunches now) touch your toes, and all that old school stuff. Move your body, boys and girls. Don't tell me you don't have 10 minutes! LB, are you reading this, coffee in hand, from Starbucks?!?!
chia seed pudding with strawberries
raw tacos with mango salsa
a very large fuji apple
slaw of red and green cabbage, mango, and cilantro with olive oil (yes, my evoo is raw) and lemon juice
Yesterday's workout: trained biceps, triceps & shoulders, 1 hour on the treadmill (That may seem like a lot, but my trusty ol' treadmill can only go up to about 3.5 mph. I jack it up to top incline and power walk.)
If you don't have a lot of time to devote to exercise today, take 10 minutes and put yourself through the old P.E. class warm-up routine. You remember: jumping jacks, sit-ups (we do crunches now) touch your toes, and all that old school stuff. Move your body, boys and girls. Don't tell me you don't have 10 minutes! LB, are you reading this, coffee in hand, from Starbucks?!?!
Monday, March 10, 2008
Muscle Spasms and Green Drinks
Sundays are optional workout days for me. Yesterday, I chose to rest. LB wasn't feeling well, and by early afternoon my back muscles were in major spasm mode. Motion usually eases the pain, but it takes a lot of fortitude to commit to exercise when I know it will get worse before it gets better.
I've dealt with this problem since I was 19 years old. A few years ago I started taking prescription medications for it, only submitting to the Rx every six months or so. Yesterday, the pain was bad enough for me to consider taking the pills, but I had 2 brown bottles in the cabinet, and I couldn't remember which one was for muscle spasms. I looked them both up on my friend, Google.
I quickly differentiated between the two, and what to my wondering eyes should appear but, "Users have an increased likelihood of heart attack." Gotta say, that wasn't a real turn on. For the first time, I searched for "muscle spasms" and "natural" or "homeopathic." Here's the first page I found:
I would look to your liver and digestion or the lack of digestion for help here. The liver in Chinese Medicine rules the muscles. If they are in spasm, there are toxins in the body and all your healing is not taking affect. I would recommend green magma or chlorophyll to give your body back basic nutrients. I would also recommend enzymes and don't' be afraid to take 6-8 at a time.
Bottom line: Eat (or drink) your greens, girl! It's just not that complicated, is it? How many other pages could I have chosen? It wasn't at the top of the search results, so I can't believe it's a coincidence that I clicked on that page. I could very well be dealing with toxicity built up over the holidays, though I still believe I tweaked my knee on the sand dune. If I'd stayed with the greens over the holidays, I might've avoided that tweak, or healed from it more quickly. Either way, I'm not taking the heart-stopping meds, unless I get to the point of unbearable pain. For now it's ice packs, heating pads, and green drinks.
I've dealt with this problem since I was 19 years old. A few years ago I started taking prescription medications for it, only submitting to the Rx every six months or so. Yesterday, the pain was bad enough for me to consider taking the pills, but I had 2 brown bottles in the cabinet, and I couldn't remember which one was for muscle spasms. I looked them both up on my friend, Google.
I quickly differentiated between the two, and what to my wondering eyes should appear but, "Users have an increased likelihood of heart attack." Gotta say, that wasn't a real turn on. For the first time, I searched for "muscle spasms" and "natural" or "homeopathic." Here's the first page I found:
I would look to your liver and digestion or the lack of digestion for help here. The liver in Chinese Medicine rules the muscles. If they are in spasm, there are toxins in the body and all your healing is not taking affect. I would recommend green magma or chlorophyll to give your body back basic nutrients. I would also recommend enzymes and don't' be afraid to take 6-8 at a time.
Bottom line: Eat (or drink) your greens, girl! It's just not that complicated, is it? How many other pages could I have chosen? It wasn't at the top of the search results, so I can't believe it's a coincidence that I clicked on that page. I could very well be dealing with toxicity built up over the holidays, though I still believe I tweaked my knee on the sand dune. If I'd stayed with the greens over the holidays, I might've avoided that tweak, or healed from it more quickly. Either way, I'm not taking the heart-stopping meds, unless I get to the point of unbearable pain. For now it's ice packs, heating pads, and green drinks.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Work it Out!
Yesterday, I went back to the stairs. I confess: they're an addicting workout. If they were closer to home, I'd hit them several times a week. And it's not because I'm such a stud. My friend's 13 year old son went with us, and the kid lapped us. (He had a head start...he had his ipod...he was dancing on the landings, so it was more fun, so it was easier--yeah right! Bottom line: he whipped our butts!)
It's really an exhilarating challenge, with the beautiful beach below us, and it's a great mix-up from my old routine. Twice now we've encountered women who use the stairs as their daily exercise. Twice now, we've been advised that the secret to sustaining is in remembering to breathe, and breathe properly.
The sun is shining. There's a cool breeze blowing, and I wish I could drag LB down to the stairs to practice my soft inhale and exhale. He's under the weather, so we're sticking close to home, but tomorrow is another day.
It's really an exhilarating challenge, with the beautiful beach below us, and it's a great mix-up from my old routine. Twice now we've encountered women who use the stairs as their daily exercise. Twice now, we've been advised that the secret to sustaining is in remembering to breathe, and breathe properly.
The sun is shining. There's a cool breeze blowing, and I wish I could drag LB down to the stairs to practice my soft inhale and exhale. He's under the weather, so we're sticking close to home, but tomorrow is another day.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Roll with the Punches
So I had my day all planned out, and it was supposed to start out with 1000 steps at 7 a.m. In Laguna Beach there's a set of 230 stairs, and we do them at least 4 times--down and back up. It's a nice change from my regular workouts and I can't wait to get LB and my daughters out there to give it a shot.
I was ready on time, but my friend and some-time workout partner never showed. We talked later and realized we'd had a miscommunication. We'll do the stairs tomorrow.
That could've blown my plan for physical activity for the day. No such thing! I jumped on my pitiful ol' treadmill instead and put in my time there. Let nothing stand in the way of the Bikini Challenge!
Monday, March 3, 2008
The Bikini Challenge
I haven't worn a swimsuit since 1994. That's right it's been 14 years since I slipped into bathing beauty wear. For much of that time, I would've felt comfortable exposing that much of myself, but I rarely vacationed or took time out to relax poolside. I'm not a great swimmer (frankly, I suck), and lounging by a body of water always seemed a little pointless to me. I'd rather lie in a hammock with a book, or go for a hike, or explore new restaurants. Then came the time when I didn't wish to be seen in anything more revealing than a burka. (I'm not kidding.)
Fast forward to 2008. One of our friends sent out this challenge:
Let's schedule a date with a professional photographer and take a group swimming attire photo. Bikini, tankini, trunks, speedos -- your call. Deadline: June 2008
Her purpose is to inspire us all to maintain our commitments to health and fitness. We're spread out all over these united states, so the plan is for us to gather in Atlanta for the group photo. This includes men and women, mostly in their 30's and 40's, with a few husband and wife teams. Everyone's taking their own diet and exercise path, but we're sharing our ideas via email.
Normally this type of thing would make me feel a bit desperate. Since choosing a Raw eating-style, I just feel like I need to keep doing what I'm doing. After all, it works! LB and I are back on track since the holidays. In fact, I think that little eating detour was beneficial for me, as I quickly saw the return of some health issues when I increased my percentage of cooked foods. That motivated me to stay Raw even more than this bikini challenge could. This is my type of competition though--one in which I'm competing against myself.
I'll be ready for the photo shoot. And I'll be wearing a two-piece....no....seriously! Stop laughing!
Fast forward to 2008. One of our friends sent out this challenge:
Let's schedule a date with a professional photographer and take a group swimming attire photo. Bikini, tankini, trunks, speedos -- your call. Deadline: June 2008
Her purpose is to inspire us all to maintain our commitments to health and fitness. We're spread out all over these united states, so the plan is for us to gather in Atlanta for the group photo. This includes men and women, mostly in their 30's and 40's, with a few husband and wife teams. Everyone's taking their own diet and exercise path, but we're sharing our ideas via email.
Normally this type of thing would make me feel a bit desperate. Since choosing a Raw eating-style, I just feel like I need to keep doing what I'm doing. After all, it works! LB and I are back on track since the holidays. In fact, I think that little eating detour was beneficial for me, as I quickly saw the return of some health issues when I increased my percentage of cooked foods. That motivated me to stay Raw even more than this bikini challenge could. This is my type of competition though--one in which I'm competing against myself.
I'll be ready for the photo shoot. And I'll be wearing a two-piece....no....seriously! Stop laughing!
Saturday, March 1, 2008
New Raw Restaurant
Today was an awesome day, even though I was exhausted, and blue for some time, and kept falling asleep in the car! Lovely Boyfriend and I hiked up a huge sand dune 6 times and then treated ourselves to lunch at a new Raw restaurant. Terra Bella Cafe is in Redondo Beach, California. The meal was amazing, but I'm tired, so I'll post the details and photos tomorrow. For now, suffice it to say this restaurant stood up to the other 3 I've tried here in Southern California.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Progress Report
Lovely Boyfriend is safely home (Hooray!), and I landed somewhere near my goals while he was gone. While I didn't cut coffee back to every other day, I did completely switch to decaf. I planned to get in 8 twice-a-day workouts. I managed to do 5 of those, and I'll definitely mix them into my weeks in the future. Less easily quantifiable, I did manage to eat more simply, but I probably had a bit more cooked food than I usually would.
I discovered something: it's easier for me to be more Raw when LB's around. He acts as my sponsor when I want to eat something really bad, reminding me of my priorities (health and fitness) and encouraging me to eat the less than healthy stuff in moderate amounts. That's all great, but even more important, it's just more fun to prepare meals for someone besides myself. Even a simple meal of apples and dates, or figs and Raw cheese is more enjoyable to prepare and to consume when I'm not doing it alone. Sure, the girls will indulge in some of my Raw foods, but they don't always have levels of interest or enthusiasm that inspire.
If you're trying to lock in healthy habits, consider partnering with someone, even if all you're doing is exchanging recipes and meal plans by email, or checking in to see who's getting their workouts done. It might give your efforts the boost they need.
I discovered something: it's easier for me to be more Raw when LB's around. He acts as my sponsor when I want to eat something really bad, reminding me of my priorities (health and fitness) and encouraging me to eat the less than healthy stuff in moderate amounts. That's all great, but even more important, it's just more fun to prepare meals for someone besides myself. Even a simple meal of apples and dates, or figs and Raw cheese is more enjoyable to prepare and to consume when I'm not doing it alone. Sure, the girls will indulge in some of my Raw foods, but they don't always have levels of interest or enthusiasm that inspire.
If you're trying to lock in healthy habits, consider partnering with someone, even if all you're doing is exchanging recipes and meal plans by email, or checking in to see who's getting their workouts done. It might give your efforts the boost they need.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Progress Report
Today, I definitely met my goal of eating more simply. I also got in 2 workouts: 70 minutes on my stationary bike, and later, a session training abs, biceps and triceps. Unfortunately, I've barely been sleeping over the last week. LB's been travelling, and knowing he's not downstairs in his room, where he should be, makes it nearly impossible for me to sleep soundly. I drift off later than usual and then wake up every 1-2 hours. Most days, sleeping-in isn't an option either.
Predictably, I can feel myself fighting off some kind of sickness, as always happens when I don't get enough rest over an extended period of time. My throat is scratchy, my head aching. Hopefully, my body's defenses will be strong enough to fend off the assault. I have a long list of projects to tackle in LB's absence, but it's hard to get to them in this state. For now, I'm happy just to meet my day-to-day responsibilities.
We can only do what we can do. Right? Tell me I'm right!
Predictably, I can feel myself fighting off some kind of sickness, as always happens when I don't get enough rest over an extended period of time. My throat is scratchy, my head aching. Hopefully, my body's defenses will be strong enough to fend off the assault. I have a long list of projects to tackle in LB's absence, but it's hard to get to them in this state. For now, I'm happy just to meet my day-to-day responsibilities.
We can only do what we can do. Right? Tell me I'm right!
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Meeting Goals
Yesterday, I ate all over the map, snacking on such a wide variety of foods, I could barely keep track. It was mostly Raw, but the grab-and-go method wasn't very satisfying. In the early afternoon, I spent an hour powerwalking on the treadmill at its highest incline and worked abs and shoulders. (My treadmill is over 10 years old, and if I try to run on it, it shuts off!)
After a busy day, I got home at 9:45 at night. I was tired, but I wanted to achieve my goal of two-a-day workouts. Luckily, I had recorded The Biggest Loser. (Okay, so reality tv can be pretty hokey, but beyond the competitive aspect, this show inspires.) I jumped on my stationary bike and pedaled 20 miles while I watched. Mission accomplished!
After a busy day, I got home at 9:45 at night. I was tired, but I wanted to achieve my goal of two-a-day workouts. Luckily, I had recorded The Biggest Loser. (Okay, so reality tv can be pretty hokey, but beyond the competitive aspect, this show inspires.) I jumped on my stationary bike and pedaled 20 miles while I watched. Mission accomplished!
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