Above The Neck or Below?

I read somewhere, a while back, that runners have two distinct techniques for settling into long runs or races. Apparently there are "neck up" and "neck down" people.

The "neck up" people live only in their heads during the race. They trust their breathing, pacing, heart-rate, and overall physicality will function on auto-pilot while they think about other things. They think about positive things, grocery shopping, what they'll do after they finish the race, a funny story or joke a friend told them, etc. Generally speaking, they don't spend much time thinking about their bodies at all.

The "neck down" people continuously monitor, gauge, and adjust things like heart-rate, pacing, breathing etc. They may spend two full miles worth of running just thinking about the air going in their nose and out their mouth. The next two miles might be spent thinking about how far they lift their feet off the ground between steps. Another two miles might be spent thinking about how much they swing their arms, and focus on holding them at a 90 degree angle. These runners hardly spend any time thinking outside of their body and how it is performing in the moment. There aren't pep-talks when approaching a hill. Instead, the runner focuses in picking up the feet, maybe slowing down the pace a little, and taking larger, fuller breaths.

I bring this up because I wonder if one or the other is more successful. I wonder how many people combine these two strategies. I have to say, I don't think you choose one or the other - I think you just *are* one or the other. I am a 'neck-up" runner. I think about everything except running. I listen to my music and sing along, do  few little dance moves. The only thing that relates to the running is how long the songs should be so I feel like the run isn't too long. I prefer four or five minute songs when running, rather than two and a half or three minute songs. I, however, am not a very successful runner... so maybe my "neck-up" approach isn't the right one.

Maybe I'll conduct a poll of my runner friends to see what they think about. I also wonder if it goes across all athletic activities. I'd be interested to learn if people in team sports have a similar strategy for coping with endurance.

What Have You Done For Me Lately?

Honestly, I've been struggling with diet and exercise lately. I started a new job, and the first several weeks were such a transition period that, while I was doing my best in the situation, I took a few missteps. However, this week I am feeling very powerful and focused.

I hadn't run in a while... I managed to run a tiny bit while I was away, but after that, ehhhh not so much. I had a conversation with my body and said "let's do two miles today." It was a tall order considering I hadn't had a heart rate over 80 bpm in quite a while.

My body came through. It was hard, but I did it. This got me thinking about inner-strength. What have you asked your body to do lately? Your body wants to work for you... just like it morphs into a squishy blob to accommodate your unhealthy ways, it will work for you to make you healthy if you ask it to.

I imagine that asking your body for the seemingly impossible is the key to running a marathon... for some people, it may be the key to walking a quarter mile... it's all relative. Is there something that seems impossible that you could ask your body to do for you? I know that my two mile run didn't seem impossible, it just seemed tough; it was. So... what impossible thing should I ask my body to do. I don't mean actually impossible... like running a marathon with no training or something like that... but something attainable that just seems a little out of reach.

Here are a few things I think fall into this category:

1. Spend an hour on the arc trainer at the highest level (10)
2. Hike a 4000 footer in the time the guide book estimates
3. Bike to/from work three days a week (16.5 miles round trip)

I am planning to work on all three of these in the next few months... I just need to have a talk with my body first.

Travel: A Dieting Travesty

Change is hard for me. I don't know how else to say it. A change to routine throws me off entirely. Airport food, airplane food, hotel room service food, unknown food sources food, alcohol, traveling alone - all of those things threw me off.

Most times, I try to impart success stories, ideas, tips etc to reinforce the hard work I am doing on my journey and to get other people on board with making small changes. However, this post, today, is about publishing mistakes and errors in judgment so I can try to develop strategies for the future.

A change to my routine has always been the hardest thing for me to overcome when dieting, exercising, and trying to be as healthy as possible.

I spend last week in the UK for my new job - meeting my boss and his boss for the first time in person. The trip was great from a professional perspective, but I fell VERY short in being remotely healthy.

Let's start with the good things I did to prepare:

• I brought two workout outfit
• I brought high fiber granola bars to use as snacks during the work day, and before meals
• I brought my journal so I could write down everything I had eaten

Now let's talk about the reality of what happened:

• I ate a fruit or veggie at least once a day (not five a day like I was supposed to)
• I didn't journal at all
• I gave myself a free pass to eat dessert with each and every dinner
• I worked out twice (one a four hour walk, and the other an actual fitness center run/bike 30 minute sweat session)
• My body clock didn't match up with the eating schedule of where I was, so I ended up in a starving and gorging pattern. 
• I ate the majority of my granola bars on the plane over to Europe because the meal they served was inedible
• I had seven alcoholic drinks
• No home cooked meals - every meal was out
• No food in the house when I got home

In retrospect, I think I could have been much better during this trip - so now I want to devise some strategies for next travel experience.

1. Limit alochol to two drinks per week
2. Bulk up (even more) on fruits/veggies during breakfast
3. Pack more healthy food so you don't rely on local options and you can better manage hunger
4. Pack an empty water bottle to use at the office
5. WRITE IT ALL DOWN no matter what!
6. Limit desserts to twice a week
7. Ask about substitutions even if it seems like you're the annoying American
8. Drink more water
9. Walk after dinner since you can't sleep yet and you probably just over ate
10. Make sure I have a few frozen things ready for when I come home so I don't have to add another take-out meal to the week. 


Does anyone else have any ideas? I wouldn't say that every meal was a nightmare, but dinners were tough because of how late in the day they eat. I failed to recognize that my constant hunger was a combination of other things. 1. I wasn't just hungry, I was hungry for the good stuff & 2. At some point, tired and hungry start to blur together and feel the same way.

It's going to take me another two weeks of hard work to make up for last week. It's my own undoing, as usual. I am back on the wagon today, as my weekly weigh-in is Wednesday. Not sure I can lose it all in four-and-a-half days, but I am going to try.

Let me know your strategies for coping with changes to your routine. I'd love to hear them

Why do I want to make soup when it's so hot out?

As mentioned in an earlier post, Bo-Ganics made its first delivery last week. I'll admit, a few things went into the trash, but that was because we had a crazy boil water decree. I cooked the swiss chard today, just like I cook spinach - it was gross. I read that it's only really good when it's fresh. Also, the cabbage is still in the veggie drawer.

Almost everything else has been consumed though, so we're doing pretty well! I had two zucchinis that I was unsure what to do with, other than cook them or turn them into bread... so I found a recipe for Zucchini Bisque on all recipes.com. I made a few modifications, so my recipe is below:

Zucchini Bisque:

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup skim milk

Directions 

In a large saucepan, saute onion in oil. Add zucchini and chicken broth. Simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes; add seasonings. Puree on low in a blender. Return to pan; stir in cream an milk and heat through.

It was so easy to make, and you can do it all in one pot if you have an immersion (hand held) blender. I have a Braun hand-held that I like very much. It's not too creamy, it's nice and flavorful without being overpowering at all. 

After the success of that soup, I decided I'd try a roasted red pepper soup. This was a good move, because I got to use another Bo-Ganic onion! I cheated a little because I didn't roast the red peppers myself, but what the hey! This soup has onion, carrots, potato, garlic, parsley, and the red peppers for veggies. I forgot the parsley in mine, but it still turned out wonderfully. Thanks to Gina for the recipe posted on her blog! 

Oh, and to top off my insanity, I turned on the oven to make some quick drop biscuits from my Cooking Light Cookbook. They were delicious! 

My upcoming self challenge will be to make risotto. This month's Cooking Light Magazine has a bunch of risotto recipes. I think I may use the Zucchini Bisque as thickener for a nice spring risotto. We'll see if that works. Bo-Ganics should be dropping off two more organic zuchs tomorrow! 

As and aside, we got organic, free range chicken eggs with last week's delivery. They were the best eggs I've ever eaten. The taste difference is noticeable. We can't afford organic eggs all the time, but man, it's worth it just to taste what a REAL egg tastes like. 

  

The Healthy Lifestyle Triangle

There are three components to a healthy lifestyle. At any given time, at least two should be employed to maintain or lose weight. At best, all three are employed.

1. Healthy Diet
2. Exercise
3. Sleep

These three things, used in conjunction are an extremely powerful tool to help you achieve your weight goals, or maintain your already sexy figure. When working all three of these things you will see and feel a difference in yourself; more energy, positive thinking, achievement of goals both physical and mental. But when all three start to go by the wayside, things don't go as well.

We all live in the real world people, so it isn't always possible to get all of these things happening at the same time. As much as we try, sometimes it's just an impossible task to get enough sleep, eat right all day, and hit the gym as well. Even though we strive for this combination to achieve our best selves, settling for two out of three is another conscious decision we can make.

If you can't eat right, make sure you're working out and that you're getting enough sleep.

If you can't workout; make sure you're eating right and getting enough sleep.

and

If you can't get enough sleep, make sure you're eating right and working out.

It's all about balance - and making sure your triangle stays in shape.

For those of us trying to lose weight, I'd recommend trying to get one more hour of sleep a night for a week... just get into your bed and close your eyes, even if you don't feel extremely tired. If you have trouble getting to bed, try cutting out late night sugar or caffeine as well. The extra hour of sleep can go a long way into helping your body to recover from the daily workout, and burn off those calories. Since virtually no one gets enough sleep, it also might give you more energy during the day. We all have a DVR now, right? So there's no excuse to turn off the TV early and get some shut eye.  Going to bed at an early hour is important when you're asking a lot of your body. Give it a try!

Long Term Vs Short Term Goals

Is it better to focus on long term goals or short term? For me, I like short term goals, although I keep the long term goals in mind. I like to think of the long term goal in little segments. Not only do they seem more attainable, but they provide a more immediate sense of accomplishment. I also think, as mentioned in my earlier post about attitude and success levels, short term goals give you a better attitude.

For example, let's say you have a goal of 25 pounds to lose. If you focus on short term goals, like one pound at a time, then you get to celebrate 25 one pound accomplishments. Your motivation stays in tact and you keep moving forward. However, if you focus on just the 25 pounds, you have just one victory, and the whole time you're going through the process, you're thinking "I still have x more to lose"

I think long term goals are important, but can't be the focus of the day-to-day activities.

Goals should be SMART, right? Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. I think that's where a lot of us go wrong... we don't think about goals SMART-ly. So let's rewrite the goal of the 25 pound weight loss to make it SMART.

• I want to lose twenty-five pounds by following my nutrition strategy and working out at least three days a week, at an average loss of one pound a week, this will take me six months. 

So why does making this goal SMART give it a better chance of happening? First, you're taking off the pressure of focusing on the twenty-five, and you're focusing on the one pound per week. Also, you're giving yourself six months to lose the weight, not twelve weeks, or something that is simply too fast. It also allows you room to make mistakes, by saying "average of 1 pound a week." We all need to forgive ourselves for being imperfect sometimes and by building that into your goal, you've opened the door to success.

Let's try writing a few more SMART goals - these are examples, not my actual goals:

• I want to run the Boston Marathon in 2012 by training four days a week and following a training plan I found online. 

• I want to fit in a pair of size smaller pants on Christmas morning by eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day and only eating junk food once a week and working out 4 hours a week.

So, is your goal SMART? I like SMART goals because they combine long and short term goals, so you don't lose sight of the bigger picture while you're working on the daily activities to get you there. Also, focus on doing one thing at a time. I remember something my friend said about running, she said "you can work on running longer or you can work on getting faster, but you can't do both at once." I think of this often when I am at the gym or at the supermarket - it's about doing one thing at a time. Do good for yourself; one thing at a time.

Nutrition Label Scrutiny - How Invested Are you?

Do you read the nutrition labels of the things you buy and eat? Is there a threshold you stick to? For example: if calories are greater than x per serving, I won't buy this product.

Personally, I look at three basic items on the food label, but I think I need to start making it five things.
I look at Calories, Fat Grams, Fiber Grams. I look for things that have more fiber grams than fat, and I look for calories under 150 per serving. These aren't hard and fast rules, but I try to be aware of these things before they go into my body.

Maybe I am missing a few things though with this health strategy. I've been hearing a lot lately about sugar and sodium, two things I don't pay much attention to.

Jorge Cruise was recently on the Tyra Banks Show creating a plan for obese teens. He recommended that the teens not eat more than 15grams of sugar per day in order to reduce and conquer belly fat. I figured, I probably was in that range with my healthy strategies... I was wrong. WAY wrong.

1 cup of fat free milk: 12 grams of sugar
1 cup of fat free vanilla yogurt: 28-34 grams of sugar depending on brand
1 slice of whole wheat bread: 7 grams of sugar (I forget which brand of bread)

Um... I thought I was doing the right thing by eating low fat, high fiber, but this has made me really reevaluate what defines "healthy" - even though it's about Calories in vs. Calories out - there are different types of sugar, and some our bodies simply don't know how to handle. Maybe I need to be more aware of these sugars.

So, I challenge each of you to track your sugar intake on any food labels for the next three days. I'll do the same.

Also, I've been hearing about sodium and read an article today that said even though people are more concerned about sodium but fewer of us are choosing low or no sodium foods. I wonder if this is a product labeling problem. We're so inundated with LOW FAT, NO FAT labeling that sodium doesn't often get the front stage. If you stand an examine various products closely, you'll find a low sodium version. I just learned that canned, diced tomatoes have a "no sodium added" version. Did you know that? I didn't.

Weekly challenge number two: try to locate a lower sodium version of your usual brands.

Boston Organics - Coming Soon!

I am only telling you this if you promise not to come and steal our weekly produce delivery off our front porch. Promise? We signed up (again) for Boston Organics!! After watching Food Inc and simply spending more time thinking about what fuel I am putting in my body, I talked to the Mister and we're in!

I had a Boston Organics account about five years ago, I think they were still relatively new at that time and hadn't fully taken grasp of the power of the innerwebs. For those who don't know, Boston Organics is a company that delivers organic produce to your doorstep on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. Most of the food is US Grown, and all is Organic. The idea is pretty awesome, they buy from farmers who are sharing their values, and magically every week organic produce comes to your door!

I want to be clear when I tell you, I am trying to do my part without going broke and inconveniencing myself or the Mister. I hate to be inconvenienced. Ask my mom, she'll tell you. This means I've started recycling because we have Single Stream Recycling now. I am using a mix of reusable bags and plastic from the store. I use the plastic ones for the daily combing and dumping of cat litter. I always bring the reusables at Trader Joes because of the raffle (although I haven't won yet). I do all laundry with cold water, mostly because I don't want to pay for the hot-water, and I don't run the faucet while I am brushing my teeth. It's not saving the world, but it's what I can do. This organic's thing is another step in what I can do.

I looked through all our receipts (and by "looked through" I mean "I thought about them in my head") for grocery shopping and a lot of our spending is on produce. I estimated that 50% of our weekly spend is on fruits and veggies. No lie people, we're trying to get healthy over here! So it seemed like a no-brainer to revisit Boston Organics and give it another go.

Things have changed since I used the service before, and I have to say - I think the new system is really fabulous! Before, the fruits and veggies came, but you never knew what you were getting until it showed up (I'll admit, there may have been somewhere to look, but it must not have been clear since I don't remember). Now, the list of things that will arrive this week is clearly displayed so I can start my recipe planning early. They've kept the NEVER SEND ME list, a list you create of things you never want to receive, EVER! As I remember it, the list of NEVER SEND ME produce used to be VERY long.  Now, the list is short and took only a minute to fill out.

Amazing new features: they now offer other types of organics for delivery. Eggs, Cheeses, Breads, etc. We're getting a dozen eggs from happy chickens this week! Lastly, you can do bulk buys of common produce like potatoes and carrots.

There were two basic problems I had with the system last time I used it. 1. I couldn't figure out what to do with a lot of the things they sent and 2. There were often times too much of certain things for one person to eat. I am happy to see that now, it looks like they have really focused their energy on staples that people need, and now that I have the Mister, we should be good to go.

The only thing they are sending this week that I am not sure how to use is green cabbage. Maybe some of you know a good coleslaw recipe or another use for green cabbage. Let me know if you do!

I will let you know how it goes this time around with Boston Organics. Oh, here's what we're getting this week so you can see the variety. Remember it's too early in the season for New England to be producing anything, but I assume as time goes on we'll start getting more locally grown items. Boston Organics does, however, have a special box for produce that is locally grown. We didn't sign up for that one though, one step at a time :)

3 Anjou Pears (WA)
2 lbs Fair Trade Bananas (Ecuador)
3 Golden Delicious Apples (WA)
3 Minneola Tangelos (CA)
3 Valencia Oranges (CA)
1 bunch Broccoli (CA)
0.75 lbs Green Beans (FL)
2 Green Bell Peppers (FL)
1 head Green Cabbage (FL)
1 head Green Leaf Lettuce (FL)
1 bunch Kale (CA)   -- this is on our NEVER SEND ME list, so we'll get something else in its place.
0.5 lbs Salad Tomatoes (FL)
1 lbs Yellow Onions (NY)
0.75 lbs Zucchini (CA)

From the Heart for the Heart

I've been thinking a lot, lately, about the difference between people who have long term success with a workout program, healthy life style, and ongoing fitness and those who achieve a twelve week program of weight-loss, never to be seen at the gym again.

I think the fundamental difference between those who make a successful lifestyle change and those who don't is the outlook from the heart and mind. Making a change because you love yourself is a sustainable, lifestyle based, obtainable change. Making a change because you hate yourself is not. Not to say that people who finally wake up and smell the locker room do not experience success, and I'd wager that some of them even have long term success. But it seems that when all thoughts and experiences are out of a negative place, it's certainly harder to keep it up.

I was on the treadmill today, attempting a three mile run in thirty-minutes. I wasn't feeling great because the breakfast I had earlier was not sitting so well in my stomach. I was ready to give up because it was quite uncomfortable, but I started having a conversation with myself about why I was on this treadmill in the first place. I told my lungs and heart how much I loved them. I said "thank you" to my feet for enduring the impact of each step. I told my stomach to calm down, and said to my body, "I know you can do it." I'll be honest, I didn't get all three miles done without stopping, but I ran another .75 miles using my positive mental attitude before jumping off for a few minutes. I did finish my three miles, with some walking in between. Although I was disappointed that I didn't do it in 30 minutes, which was not a new goal for me, I was proud of myself for finishing and I focused on that pride. I did not give up, I did not fail, and I did not stop until the job was done.

For those of you out there who say things like this:

"I hate how I look"
"I hate eating vegetables"
"I will NEVER be able to run a mile/walk a mile/bike a mile"
"I am a failure"

You have to start reframing these statements in the positive. You have to start thinking about and focusing on the things you have accomplished and stop focusing on the things that aren't perfect yet.

"I am proud that I've decided to change how I look"
"I eat vegetables because my body needs fuel and I love my body"
"I am thankful for every step my body allows me to take"
"I will always do my best, even when it's hard"

If you can start feeling good about the changes you're making, start focusing your energies on the positive, you'll be amazed at the results you'll get. The gym will stop being a chore and it will be a much needed activity to keep your body happy.

Your body has held up for years carrying around your bad habits, learn to say "thank you" and "I am sorry" when you make choices at restaurants and the supermarket think about how good your body is to you, how you've treated it, and it hasn't given up on you - and then decide whether you'll be good in return and if you'll choose to love your body today.

Your mind and body work together and when the mind is flooding your body with negative thoughts, energy, and focus - how can you expect to be successful on any program?

Read this out loud:

Body, thank you for what you've given me. No matter how bad I've been to you, you've still allowed me to breathe and move. I am sorry for how I've treated you in the past, and promise that I will make as many decisions as I can to make up for it. I love you and I am sorry. I love myself and I want only the best for me.

Lighten Up Your Next Delicious Meal

This weekend I made a delicious meal for my family to celebrate my mom's birthday. Here's the menu, completely out of a Cooking Light cookbook.

Appetizers:
Three kinds of crostini

1. Artichoke & Olive
2. Gorgonzola, with Fig Jam, and Caramelized Onions
3. Mushroom Pate

Main Course:

1. Semolina, Roasted Red Pepper Biscuits
2. Chicken Thighs Two Ways
3. Brown Rice
4. Green Beans

Dessert:
Italian Cream Cake

By selecting recipes that are lighter than traditional recipes and pairing them with simple healthy sides, everyone had plenty to eat, no one felt stuffed, and everyone left feeling like the meal was a delicious treat.  There are plenty of recipes made lighter by replacing oil with applesauce and other easy, inexpensive tricks.

Another nice feature of the Cooking Light recipes, they all have the serving size and basic nutritional information. It doesn't matter if you're counting calories, fat, fiber, salt, sugar, or all of the above, you can still stay on track with these recipes.

At your next special occasion try cooking at home instead of going out. You'll save thousands of calories, add something new to your repertoire, and everyone will appreciate your efforts.  The most important thing is to plan ahead, just like you do when food shopping for the week or packing lunch and snacks for the day.

Another tip is to try and find recipes with similar types of ingredients. We all know how it feels go have to buy a bottle of something for a 1tbsp requirement for a special recipe knowing we'll never use the remainder of the bottle. I found three recipes for my menu that called for low fat buttermilk, two that called for parsley, and two that called for capers. By creating a meal that has consistency in taste, you appeal to your guests' pallets and you don't break the bank.

So Lighten Up!

Seriously Easy Dinner 1

People really do not learn how to cook anymore and as a society, even in economic crisis, we still eat out more than any other country on earth. We all know, prepackaged foods are killing us! So here's a quick and easy recipe:

8x8 glass dish (or any other oven safe dish)
Preheat Oven 400 degrees

Peel and slice three carrots into thirds
Wash and cut 4 small potatoes in half
Rinse two skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Add a small amount of olive oil to dish
Add chicken breasts to middle of dish
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper
Add carrots and potatoes around the edge of the dish
Sprinkle salt over veggies
Add water to dish, enough to cover most of the veggies and chicken

Bake chicken for 45-60 minutes depending on thickness of meat.
Use the cooking time of the meat to make a side veggies

Enjoy!

Shopping The Color Wheel

When food shopping for the week it is important to buy a variety of different colored fruits and veggies. Make it a challenge for yourself and your family to buy at least one fruit or vegetable in each color and try to eat from each color every day.


Here's a list of what I had for fruits and veggies today:

Fruits & Veggie Color Wheel

Red: Strawberries & Tomato
Orange/Yellow: Carrots & Acorn Squash
Green: Green beans, pickle, & lettuce
Purple/Blue: blueberries
White: mushrooms & potatoes

Dressing up your plate with a variety of colors will make your meal not only healthier, but also more visually appealing. Taking the few minutes to add lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, or pickles to a sandwich makes it look like a deli specialty. If you feel like you're doing something special for yourself, you'll feel better eating it.