After an exceptionally hard workout this evening, I decided I needed something with a good mix of protein and carbohydrates to recover. I decided to make chicken and beans with a side of broccoli. As I started cooking, I kept adding things and eventually created this meal. It was good, so give it a try! By the way, the ingredients will make enough for 4 people or for 2 people with a serving of leftovers for the next night.
Chicken
2 chicken breasts
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 Tablespoon baking powder
Two eggs beaten
Milk
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Powdered Garlic
Oregano
Cayenne pepper
Beans
1 cup dried black beans
Green Chilies
Cumin
Chili Powder
Dill
Salt
Pepper
Powdered Garlic
Cayenne pepper
4 tablespoons chia seed
Chicken
1. Cut the chicken breasts into 8 smaller fillets
2. Mix flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, oregano, cayenne pepper, garlic together in a large bowl
3. Mix eggs and milk in another bowl- place the chicken in the egg and milk mixture
4. Heat a skillet with olive oil- medium heat
5. Double batter the chicken by removing it from the egg mixture and dusting it with the flour mixture, then returning it back to the wet mix and back to the dry mix- then place it in the hot pan
6. After a few minutes turn the chicken.
*when both sides are golden brown, it's done (about 12 minutes- 6 minutes per side)
Beans
1. Place the cup of beans in a medium pot
2. Boil water in a kettle
3. When the water is boiling, use the same burner that you boiled the water and place the pot on it immediately pouring the boiling water on top of the beans and bringing the water to a quick boil
4. Let it boil for about 4-5 minutes, then reduce to a simmer
5. Put in the chilies, cumin, chili powder, dill, salt, pepper, garlic and cayenne
6. Simmer for 45 minutes to an hour
7. Once the beans are done, turn off the heat and put in the chia and stir around. Let it sit for a little while (perhaps while you make the chicken)
*You may want to serve the beans in a separate bowl
This turned out to be a very good meal- and the best part is that I made it from scratch with my own hands. I know each ingredient and had the opportunity to choose which oil to cook with. This was a wonderful and healthy meal. And really, it didn't take that long to make. Just in case you're wondering, I steamed the broccoli as a side dish.
Enjoy!
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
Break Through the Plateau
OK, so you run 5-6 days a week, say 30 minutes a run, perhaps you even throw in a longer run one of the days. You seem to be eating the right food, even the right amount of calories, but just can't seem to lose any more weight.
Looking back at my workouts and diet from that fateful day in February when I started my transformation, I think I might have some useful suggestions for you. It's at least worth a try, and if it doesn't work for you the worse that could happen is that you get a little stronger.
If you remember from my previous post, the first thing I did was figured out what my ideal weight was. Then I plugged in that weight into a calorie calculator to find out what the ideal calorie intake would be if I weighed my ideal weight, and yes, though I don't recommend this for too long, I actually counted calories. (If you remember, I recommend you do this only until you have a good handle on portion size then stop counting. Remember, you want to enjoy a simpler life, not become an obsessive crazy person who is trying to "count carbs", and "be good".)
Once I figured that out, I used the advice on Michi's Ladder published by Beach Body http://www.focused-on-fitness.com/nutrition/michis-ladder.php in order to plan out meals. The idea is that if you stay on Tier 1 and 2 your diet would be perfect. The basic guideline is to eat most from the first two tiers and some from Tier 3. It's Tier 4 and 5 to try and limit. Not that you "can't" eat from 4 and 5, but the suggestion is that you rarely eat from 4 and 5. After a while I got a hang of it.
The Hip Hop Abs program has a great balance of cardiovascular exercise and strength exercise. The workouts range from 30 minutes to an hour, and the intensity of each workout also varies. There's also something like 6 different workouts that are mixed up throughout the week. The point? Variety.
Your body gets used to the same thing over and over again, it hits an equilibrium at some point and just doesn't produce the results it used to. So regular change in your routine with a good balance of cardiovascular (various levels) and strength can be the difference between allowing your body to reach an equilibrium or creating muscle confusion so that your body can't reach equilibrium and keeps on burning calories.
When I was finished with Hip Hop Abs, I continued mixing it up. I ran 3 days a week and did some weight lifting 2-3 days a week. At some point, I even created my own strength routine that I mixed and matched from various other routines. When I started running more seriously, I continued to add in occasional core routines and the weight just continued to come down.
At this point, I've been running exclusively to prepare for an upcoming marathon, but even my routine involves various levels of intensity. Sunday is a light run (2-5 miles), Monday is an easy run (8-10 miles), Tuesday is a speed/strength workout (3-6 miles), Wednesday is a light run (2-5 miles), Thursday is a tempo run (8-10 miles), Friday is a rest day, Saturday is a long slow distance run (14-20+ miles). Some of these miles are slow and easy, some are fast and hard.
Based on what has worked for me, I have come up with some simple suggestions that might help you get over this plateau and back to where you want to be. This plan is assuming you've been running roughly 30 minutes a day, adjust it to your needs.
Week 1
Run 3 days (increase your length to 35-40 minutes)
Strength Train 2 days a week (30-45 minutes- at least 3-single set-10-20 reps- workouts for each muscle group- Quads, Hamstrings, Calves, Abs, Chest, Biceps, Triceps, Forearms)
Yoga or Pilates 1 day a week (get a video that will run 30-45 minutes at least)
Week 2
Run 3 days (keep your length to at least 40 minutes)
Strength Train 2 days a week- as before- same routine
Yoga or Pilates 1 day a week- same routine
Week 3
Run 3 days (40-45 minutes)
Strength Train- as before
Yoga or Pilates- as before
Week 4
Run 3 days (2 days 40-45 minutes); (1 day speed work out)
Strength/Core Train 3 days- mix it up, you could do 2:1 strength to Y/P or 1:2 Y/P to strength
Week 5
Run 3-4 days (2 days 45 minutes); (1 day speed workout); (1 day very easy 30 minutes)
Strength/Core Train 3 days- as before
Week 6
Run 3-4 days- as before
X-Train- bike, swim, speed walk, etc 3 days
At some point in my weight loss experience I would come up with little plans like these- always 6 weeks out, then I'd try to mix it up after 6 weeks. I'd try completely different strength training routines, different running/biking routines, and different Yoga style routines.
Mixing it up really helps with weight loss and it makes the process a lot more fun.
At the very least, trying this will make things a little more interesting and you can only grow stronger... so what else do you have to lose? Give it a try!
Don't forget the 40 Day challenge starting on February 22. That date is approaching fast!
Looking back at my workouts and diet from that fateful day in February when I started my transformation, I think I might have some useful suggestions for you. It's at least worth a try, and if it doesn't work for you the worse that could happen is that you get a little stronger.
If you remember from my previous post, the first thing I did was figured out what my ideal weight was. Then I plugged in that weight into a calorie calculator to find out what the ideal calorie intake would be if I weighed my ideal weight, and yes, though I don't recommend this for too long, I actually counted calories. (If you remember, I recommend you do this only until you have a good handle on portion size then stop counting. Remember, you want to enjoy a simpler life, not become an obsessive crazy person who is trying to "count carbs", and "be good".)
Once I figured that out, I used the advice on Michi's Ladder published by Beach Body http://www.focused-on-fitness.com/nutrition/michis-ladder.php in order to plan out meals. The idea is that if you stay on Tier 1 and 2 your diet would be perfect. The basic guideline is to eat most from the first two tiers and some from Tier 3. It's Tier 4 and 5 to try and limit. Not that you "can't" eat from 4 and 5, but the suggestion is that you rarely eat from 4 and 5. After a while I got a hang of it.
The Hip Hop Abs program has a great balance of cardiovascular exercise and strength exercise. The workouts range from 30 minutes to an hour, and the intensity of each workout also varies. There's also something like 6 different workouts that are mixed up throughout the week. The point? Variety.
Your body gets used to the same thing over and over again, it hits an equilibrium at some point and just doesn't produce the results it used to. So regular change in your routine with a good balance of cardiovascular (various levels) and strength can be the difference between allowing your body to reach an equilibrium or creating muscle confusion so that your body can't reach equilibrium and keeps on burning calories.
When I was finished with Hip Hop Abs, I continued mixing it up. I ran 3 days a week and did some weight lifting 2-3 days a week. At some point, I even created my own strength routine that I mixed and matched from various other routines. When I started running more seriously, I continued to add in occasional core routines and the weight just continued to come down.
At this point, I've been running exclusively to prepare for an upcoming marathon, but even my routine involves various levels of intensity. Sunday is a light run (2-5 miles), Monday is an easy run (8-10 miles), Tuesday is a speed/strength workout (3-6 miles), Wednesday is a light run (2-5 miles), Thursday is a tempo run (8-10 miles), Friday is a rest day, Saturday is a long slow distance run (14-20+ miles). Some of these miles are slow and easy, some are fast and hard.
Based on what has worked for me, I have come up with some simple suggestions that might help you get over this plateau and back to where you want to be. This plan is assuming you've been running roughly 30 minutes a day, adjust it to your needs.
Week 1
Run 3 days (increase your length to 35-40 minutes)
Strength Train 2 days a week (30-45 minutes- at least 3-single set-10-20 reps- workouts for each muscle group- Quads, Hamstrings, Calves, Abs, Chest, Biceps, Triceps, Forearms)
Yoga or Pilates 1 day a week (get a video that will run 30-45 minutes at least)
Week 2
Run 3 days (keep your length to at least 40 minutes)
Strength Train 2 days a week- as before- same routine
Yoga or Pilates 1 day a week- same routine
Week 3
Run 3 days (40-45 minutes)
Strength Train- as before
Yoga or Pilates- as before
Week 4
Run 3 days (2 days 40-45 minutes); (1 day speed work out)
Strength/Core Train 3 days- mix it up, you could do 2:1 strength to Y/P or 1:2 Y/P to strength
Week 5
Run 3-4 days (2 days 45 minutes); (1 day speed workout); (1 day very easy 30 minutes)
Strength/Core Train 3 days- as before
Week 6
Run 3-4 days- as before
X-Train- bike, swim, speed walk, etc 3 days
At some point in my weight loss experience I would come up with little plans like these- always 6 weeks out, then I'd try to mix it up after 6 weeks. I'd try completely different strength training routines, different running/biking routines, and different Yoga style routines.
Mixing it up really helps with weight loss and it makes the process a lot more fun.
At the very least, trying this will make things a little more interesting and you can only grow stronger... so what else do you have to lose? Give it a try!
Don't forget the 40 Day challenge starting on February 22. That date is approaching fast!
Sunday, January 29, 2012
The McDonald's "Food" Experiment Challenge
A few tasks for you to do. First go to McDonald's (I can barely stomach telling you to do that), then purchase a hamburger and fries maybe even an apple pie. DO NOT EAT THEM! Put them on a tray and away from any animals or bugs. Don't touch them... ever. See how long it takes this "food" to actually break down. If it were actual food it would decompose, rot, and smell bad. See how long it takes for these items to break down.
Next, read this article. http://www.hispanicallyspeakingnews.com/notitas-de-noticias/details/mcdonalds-closes-all-their-restaurants-in-bolivia/12787/ . It outlines how McDonald's had to close all their restaurants in Bolivia. Bolivia is the first Latin American country to be free of McDonald's. It's not because the people couldn't afford to eat there, it's because they wouldn't.
Picture found on a Facebook status- only one way to find out if it's true... but if you've ever dropped a fast food fry on the floor of your car, then found it months later, you can attest to the fact that the fry did not decompose... if you want that in your body, go for it... but I will refrain.
Next, read this article. http://www.hispanicallyspeakingnews.com/notitas-de-noticias/details/mcdonalds-closes-all-their-restaurants-in-bolivia/12787/ . It outlines how McDonald's had to close all their restaurants in Bolivia. Bolivia is the first Latin American country to be free of McDonald's. It's not because the people couldn't afford to eat there, it's because they wouldn't.
Picture found on a Facebook status- only one way to find out if it's true... but if you've ever dropped a fast food fry on the floor of your car, then found it months later, you can attest to the fact that the fry did not decompose... if you want that in your body, go for it... but I will refrain.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
There are No Walls
A lot can get done on a 20 mile run. Today, for example, I completely solved all the problems with public education in America. That's right, I completely overhauled the entire public education system. With my new plan, we will not only produce an active, motivated, and well educated work force, we will eventually do it without any taxpayer money. I know, you're thinking, that's just too much for one man to do, but I took care of it in the first hour.
The next hour, I started thinking about how I was going to qualify for the Boston marathon. I did a lot of complicated mathematical algorithms and determined the exact pace and exactly how many years it will take me to work to that pace. I worked through a lot of the physiological concerns and even determined a timeline to be able to work my way down to being a barefoot runner as I qualified.
The last hour was a kind of mish-mash of catchy God-centered phrases and slogans I can put on a race shirt that would encourage other runners, prayers, and somehow learning how to motivate myself enough to reach down and summon all the strength I had inside, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to somehow make it back home without stopping.
When I tell people that I ran 20 miles, or sometimes 15 miles, or sometimes 10, or 5 or 2, or that I run, I get a lot of different responses. If the person is a fellow distance runner, we talk about pace, routes, and when and where the next race will be. If the person is a beginning runner or shorter distance runner, I often get a responses that range from I could never do that, to I want to do that someday. From others, the responses include, I can't even run 20 feet, or, That'll never be me, or my favorite, Better you than me.
I don't like those "quit before you even try" responses. I absolutely reject the "I can't" phrases. I'm not saying that it's healthy for everyone to run 20, 26.2, or 100 miles (a feat I have only imagined, and believe that, if I was committed enough and tried, I could do it- I've just chosen not to), but it bothers me when people just give up. I understand physiological problems people have that prevent them from running, but no one is without the ability to challenge him/herself to go beyond what they think they can do.
I often reflect with people that not too many years ago, I couldn't even run 20 minutes without getting winded and my legs would cramp later that night whenever I tried. Then one day, after losing weight doing Hip Hop Abs with my wife, I just decided to try again. I said that if I could run for 20 minutes without stopping, then I knew that I was finally ready to start running again. I ran 30 minutes that day and haven't looked back.
Over time, I challenged myself over and over again to do more than I thought that I could do. I regularly pushed through walls and found out that there were no walls in the first place. When we got to the 20 mile marker in the Columbus Marathon in October, I laughed when I saw an inflatable arc that we were going to run under. The person next to me asked why there was this random arc in the middle of a marathon. I told him that we were about to run through a wall, and, like the dork that I am, I punched the air in front of me to "break down the wall" as we passed.
When asked what the hardest part of a marathon is, I say, "The first three miles, and the last three miles." These are the miles in which you have to summon energy and strength... to start, and to finish.
Some of my slogans: "With Christ, there is no wall", "With His strength, I will not bonk at mile 23", "God just put another hole in the wall, run through it," and "I can do all things through Christ."
The next hour, I started thinking about how I was going to qualify for the Boston marathon. I did a lot of complicated mathematical algorithms and determined the exact pace and exactly how many years it will take me to work to that pace. I worked through a lot of the physiological concerns and even determined a timeline to be able to work my way down to being a barefoot runner as I qualified.
The last hour was a kind of mish-mash of catchy God-centered phrases and slogans I can put on a race shirt that would encourage other runners, prayers, and somehow learning how to motivate myself enough to reach down and summon all the strength I had inside, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to somehow make it back home without stopping.
When I tell people that I ran 20 miles, or sometimes 15 miles, or sometimes 10, or 5 or 2, or that I run, I get a lot of different responses. If the person is a fellow distance runner, we talk about pace, routes, and when and where the next race will be. If the person is a beginning runner or shorter distance runner, I often get a responses that range from I could never do that, to I want to do that someday. From others, the responses include, I can't even run 20 feet, or, That'll never be me, or my favorite, Better you than me.
I don't like those "quit before you even try" responses. I absolutely reject the "I can't" phrases. I'm not saying that it's healthy for everyone to run 20, 26.2, or 100 miles (a feat I have only imagined, and believe that, if I was committed enough and tried, I could do it- I've just chosen not to), but it bothers me when people just give up. I understand physiological problems people have that prevent them from running, but no one is without the ability to challenge him/herself to go beyond what they think they can do.
I often reflect with people that not too many years ago, I couldn't even run 20 minutes without getting winded and my legs would cramp later that night whenever I tried. Then one day, after losing weight doing Hip Hop Abs with my wife, I just decided to try again. I said that if I could run for 20 minutes without stopping, then I knew that I was finally ready to start running again. I ran 30 minutes that day and haven't looked back.
Over time, I challenged myself over and over again to do more than I thought that I could do. I regularly pushed through walls and found out that there were no walls in the first place. When we got to the 20 mile marker in the Columbus Marathon in October, I laughed when I saw an inflatable arc that we were going to run under. The person next to me asked why there was this random arc in the middle of a marathon. I told him that we were about to run through a wall, and, like the dork that I am, I punched the air in front of me to "break down the wall" as we passed.
When asked what the hardest part of a marathon is, I say, "The first three miles, and the last three miles." These are the miles in which you have to summon energy and strength... to start, and to finish.
Some of my slogans: "With Christ, there is no wall", "With His strength, I will not bonk at mile 23", "God just put another hole in the wall, run through it," and "I can do all things through Christ."
Thursday, January 26, 2012
New Rules for Government Subsidized School Lunches
Please take a moment to read the article that I have linked below. Then I want to you think about a few things.
First, this is where your tax dollars are being spent. Second, are these changes actually healthy? Third, who really controls the school lunch program? Finally, consider this quote from the article, "Under the latest rules, potatoes are not restricted, and tomato paste can qualify as a vegetable serving."
Folks, we have a huge population of people who don't know how to eat healthy. Our children need to learn how to eat healthy. Our government has officially defined a squirt of tomato paste as a vegetable. I wonder what the rules would really be like if they were based on good research and recommended by professional nutritionists and doctors instead of by the food corporations who stand to benefit the most.
I ask this about a lot of what our government does, but in this case, it directly effects the health of our children. You can't just reduce sodium and fat and live a healthy life. We need better choices. We need better policies. We need better food for our children. We need to make the food supply a top priority and stop serving overly-processed "food" to our children and calling it lunch.
I ask this about a lot of what our government does, but in this case, it directly effects the health of our children. You can't just reduce sodium and fat and live a healthy life. We need better choices. We need better policies. We need better food for our children. We need to make the food supply a top priority and stop serving overly-processed "food" to our children and calling it lunch.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Flip Flip Steak!
I had to make a heart-wrenching decision today. I couldn't believe I even considered the possibility. I mean, it's like, I don't know how to describe such an impossible decision. I literally debated this decision with myself all day long. Should I? Shouldn't I? Am I just making excuses or is there a real need? Hem and haw... hem and haw... Flip flop, flip flop!
In the end, I finally did it... I ran the option. I took a day off from running.
I know, I know. Here I am spouting out exercise and dietary advice to friends and family and now, I am nothing to you people. Judged in the public eye as a failure of a human being. I should just crawl into a hole and die.
Wait...
I may also be, finally, following my own advice. Remember? Listen to your body.
To be fair to myself, Wednesdays are what I consider a running optional day. Which means I can rest if I need to. I would just prefer NOT to rest. Since I've been so caught up in this marathon training, I generally have decided to run 6 days a week. M: 7-9 miles, T: speed/strength, W: opt. 2-5 miles, TH: Tempo 8-10 miles, F: off, S: Long run, Su: 2-5 mile recovery. So I listened to my body and decided to take the option... why? What's my excuse?
Well, frankly, I'm exhausted today. I didn't sleep well last night, and I couldn't tell you why, and my left toe is aching something fierce. At this point, I can tell you I made the right decision, but at 4 PM today, I wasn't so sure. My body said to me, hey! I need to take a rest! What do you know... it was right! My toe is feeling better, my muscles feel better recovered and I know I will probably get a better night's sleep. Plus, all the energy I have is evident... my poor wife has had to deal with "day off Paul" today. this guy just babbles and babbles about nothing and everything incessantly until everyone agrees with him or at least until everyone is listening.
Basically, I'm full of all that energy I would have spent running, so now I feel recharged and healed. Which is good, because tomorrow I'd like to go 10 miles on a tempo run.
Tonight's dinner- because I wasn't running:
Sirloin steak- seasoned with olive oil, salt, pepper and minced garlic- grilled in a cast iron pan 5-10 minutes per side and stripped cut on the bias (diagonal)
Rice
Steamed, frozen asparagus
I bought two steaks (approx 2 pounds total)- portioned the meal into tonight's dinner and tomorrow night's dinner. I also made steak sandwiches for tomorrow's lunch and I portioned out another lunch for Friday's lunch since this bonehead forgot to make bread and we're going to be out. So, two pounds of sirloin has created meals for tonight, tomorrow's lunch, tomorrow's dinner, and Friday's lunch. That's 9 meals.
Happy Chinese New Year and God Bless!
In the end, I finally did it... I ran the option. I took a day off from running.
I know, I know. Here I am spouting out exercise and dietary advice to friends and family and now, I am nothing to you people. Judged in the public eye as a failure of a human being. I should just crawl into a hole and die.
Wait...
I may also be, finally, following my own advice. Remember? Listen to your body.
To be fair to myself, Wednesdays are what I consider a running optional day. Which means I can rest if I need to. I would just prefer NOT to rest. Since I've been so caught up in this marathon training, I generally have decided to run 6 days a week. M: 7-9 miles, T: speed/strength, W: opt. 2-5 miles, TH: Tempo 8-10 miles, F: off, S: Long run, Su: 2-5 mile recovery. So I listened to my body and decided to take the option... why? What's my excuse?
Well, frankly, I'm exhausted today. I didn't sleep well last night, and I couldn't tell you why, and my left toe is aching something fierce. At this point, I can tell you I made the right decision, but at 4 PM today, I wasn't so sure. My body said to me, hey! I need to take a rest! What do you know... it was right! My toe is feeling better, my muscles feel better recovered and I know I will probably get a better night's sleep. Plus, all the energy I have is evident... my poor wife has had to deal with "day off Paul" today. this guy just babbles and babbles about nothing and everything incessantly until everyone agrees with him or at least until everyone is listening.
Basically, I'm full of all that energy I would have spent running, so now I feel recharged and healed. Which is good, because tomorrow I'd like to go 10 miles on a tempo run.
Tonight's dinner- because I wasn't running:
Sirloin steak- seasoned with olive oil, salt, pepper and minced garlic- grilled in a cast iron pan 5-10 minutes per side and stripped cut on the bias (diagonal)
Rice
Steamed, frozen asparagus
I bought two steaks (approx 2 pounds total)- portioned the meal into tonight's dinner and tomorrow night's dinner. I also made steak sandwiches for tomorrow's lunch and I portioned out another lunch for Friday's lunch since this bonehead forgot to make bread and we're going to be out. So, two pounds of sirloin has created meals for tonight, tomorrow's lunch, tomorrow's dinner, and Friday's lunch. That's 9 meals.
Happy Chinese New Year and God Bless!
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
High Intensity Workout Demands High Value Food
Know what you need. Tonight, I did a very challenging workout called a ladder workout. It's a speed/strength training workout and takes me about 50 minutes to complete. Here's what it looks like.
Jog 5 minutes to warm up
Run hard 1 minute, jog 1 minute to recover
Run hard 2 minutes, jog 2 minutes to recover
Hard 3 minutes, recover 3 minutes
Hard 4 minutes, recover 4 minutes
Hard 5 minutes, recover 4 minutes
Hard 4 minutes, recover 3 minutes
Hard 3 minutes, recover 2 minutes
Hard 2 minutes, recover 1 minute
Jog or walk to cool down
In late January, we're having such a mild winter that, while it recently snowed and we've recently had a cold snap, it was 45 degrees. I wore a long sleeve t-shirt, shorts, a beanie, and gloves. Believe it or not, I was significantly over-dressed- just to show you how exhausting this workout is.
The recovery doesn't end with a good stretch and water. The recovery from a high intensity workout takes time. Muscles need time to rebuild and that requires fuel. Muscle recovery begs for a high dose of protein with some good complex carbohydrates, and that, ladies and gentlemen, is just what I ate.
Tonight's dinner: Tru Roots Sprouted Bean Trio (any beans will do, but this was a mixture of lentils, adzuki, and mung beans), Quinoa, Green Beans, Chia Seed, Tortilla Chips, and Provolone Cheese.
Once everything is done, I mix it all together.
I placed a small layer of tortilla chips on a plate with some provolone cheese on top, which I nuked in the microwave for 45 seconds. I then loaded the bean/quinoa mixture on top of the chips.
If you don't want to use chips, there are a lot of options (corn bread, triscuit crackers, bread, etc), one of which is to ditch the chips altogether. If you don't use chips, then put the cheese on the top and melt it in. It will be good and good for you in any case. Not that corn tortilla chips are all that good for you, but, hey, live a little (only a little though, these aren't super duper nachos!)
Benefits? Sore muscles require a good dose of protein and good carbs
Not counting the seasonings, green beans, and tortilla chips
Jog 5 minutes to warm up
Run hard 1 minute, jog 1 minute to recover
Run hard 2 minutes, jog 2 minutes to recover
Hard 3 minutes, recover 3 minutes
Hard 4 minutes, recover 4 minutes
Hard 5 minutes, recover 4 minutes
Hard 4 minutes, recover 3 minutes
Hard 3 minutes, recover 2 minutes
Hard 2 minutes, recover 1 minute
Jog or walk to cool down
In late January, we're having such a mild winter that, while it recently snowed and we've recently had a cold snap, it was 45 degrees. I wore a long sleeve t-shirt, shorts, a beanie, and gloves. Believe it or not, I was significantly over-dressed- just to show you how exhausting this workout is.
The recovery doesn't end with a good stretch and water. The recovery from a high intensity workout takes time. Muscles need time to rebuild and that requires fuel. Muscle recovery begs for a high dose of protein with some good complex carbohydrates, and that, ladies and gentlemen, is just what I ate.
Tonight's dinner: Tru Roots Sprouted Bean Trio (any beans will do, but this was a mixture of lentils, adzuki, and mung beans), Quinoa, Green Beans, Chia Seed, Tortilla Chips, and Provolone Cheese.
- Quinoa requires a 2:1 ratio of liquid to quinoa, then it's made just like white rice (serving size is 1/4 cup)- seasoned with a little salt
- Sprouted bean trio requires a 3:1 ratio of liquid to bean, boil the water then simmer until done (serving size is 1/3 cup)- seasoned with salt, pepper, chili powder, minced garlic, cayenne pepper, cumin, and turmeric (I also tossed in just a little smoky mesquite seasoning).
- *I recommend reducing to less than a full serving of each- you'd be surprised at how much food the above actually is*
- When the bean trio mix is done, I put 2-3 tablespoons to help gel up the excess fluid- this also helps to hold the seasonings. Once I do this, I remove it from the heat and cover it.
- Steamed green beans which I cut up into smaller pieces
Once everything is done, I mix it all together.
I placed a small layer of tortilla chips on a plate with some provolone cheese on top, which I nuked in the microwave for 45 seconds. I then loaded the bean/quinoa mixture on top of the chips.
If you don't want to use chips, there are a lot of options (corn bread, triscuit crackers, bread, etc), one of which is to ditch the chips altogether. If you don't use chips, then put the cheese on the top and melt it in. It will be good and good for you in any case. Not that corn tortilla chips are all that good for you, but, hey, live a little (only a little though, these aren't super duper nachos!)
Benefits? Sore muscles require a good dose of protein and good carbs
- Sprouted Bean Trio- 27 g carbs (11 g dietary fiber); 11 g protein; 4% of daily calcium; 10% of daily iron (iron is good for running muscles)
- Quinoa- 29 g carbs (3 g dietary fiber); 6 g protein; 20% of daily iron
- Cheese- 7 g protein; 20% of daily calcium
- Chia Seeds- 7.5 g carbs (8.25 g dietary fiber); 4 g protein; 14% of daily calcium; 18% of daily iron; 4160mg of Omega 3; 1370mg Omega 6
Not counting the seasonings, green beans, and tortilla chips
- Carbohydrates: 63.5 g
- Dietary Fiber: 22.25 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Iron: 38% of daily iron
- Calcium: 38% of daily calcium
- Omega 3: 4160 mg
- Omega 6: 1370 mg
Runner's World Magazine recommends 20 grams of protein after a hard workout, Carbohydrates boosts glycogen to help muscles recover, calcium helps with bone health, and iron aids in the transfer of oxygen through the blood. All that in one meal.
By the way- this is the first time I've ever done that math. Probably not the best idea for your digestive track to eat like this all the time, but after a hard work out, it helps. Just remember, variety is the spice of life, so don't try to overdo any of these levels in one meal too regularly. Occasionally, I find it helpful.
Hope this gives you some ideas!
Monday, January 23, 2012
The Preschooler Workout Regimen
I can't work out because my preschooler won't let me...
Think again! This Preschooler Workout Regiment removes all excuses and enables you to have a lot of fun with your child while getting a great core workout.
#1- Pick Me Up and Drop Me
Hold your preschooler in front of you, with your legs shoulder-width apart. Then quickly "drop" them by dropping your hands quickly a few inches below the bottom. He/She will get about a millisecond of free fall- when you catch them do a deep squat, come up quickly and give them a little bounce. Repeat. Start with 5 and work up to as many as you possibly can.
#2- The Couch Jump and Catch
Standing perpendicular to the couch, with your body facing the couch, and legs a little more than should-width apart. Have your child jump from the couch into your hands. Let the momentum swing, and do a side squat. Push out of the squat and gently toss your child back on the couch. Repeat. Switch sides. Start with 5 and work up to as many as you can.
#3- Tackle and Leg Curls
Sit on the ground, legs bent in front of you. Have your child charge at you and tackle you (into your arms). Allow the momentum to push you onto your back while you are supporting your child with your legs. You should be looking into the face of your giggling child, supporting them with your arms and legs. Begin pressing your child up into the air in a curling motion with your legs. Try both legs- then try to do it with one leg. Repeat 5-10 times, or as many as you can.
#4- Bench Press the Kid (Can be combined with #3)
Do the same thing you did with #3, but this time push your child up with your arms. Repeat 5-10 times, or... well, you get the idea.
#5- Toss the Child
Start in a squatting position. Pick up your child and thrust your legs up, lifting him/her into the air and releasing and then catching them. When you catch them bring them back down to the ground and the original squatting position.
#6- Hug/Tickle Monster
Run around the house. The Hug/Tickle Monster is trying to hug or tickle. Once you've been hugged or tickled, then you are the hug or tickle monster. You know, tag? Great cardiovascular.
#7- Switch the Points
Walk briskly around the room or house as if you were on a train, then when someone says, "Switch the points", you can go in any direction you wish. Cardiovascular.
#8- Race
Pick out a race course and have a race against each other... take a guess what this works out.
#9- Horsey Daddy
Crawl around on the floor with your child on your back- great way to work out your shoulders.
#10- The Roll Around
Laying flat on your back, hug your child to you, then roll to the left and roll to your right. Do this as long as you can.
#11- Curls
Pick up your child, standing with your back straight and do traditional curls.
#12- Piggy Back or Shoulder Ride
Just as it sounds- just walk around with all the extra weight.
This is a great way to have fun with your child and have a good workout... plus, you know the intensity will always increase as your new personal trainer (your child) will not let you rest until you collapse... plus, since they seem to grow so fast, your fitness with have to improve to keep up with the extra weight your child will put on as he or she gets bigger... if you keep this up through the teen years, you'll be build like Arnold Schwarzenegger in no time at all.
Have fun!
Think again! This Preschooler Workout Regiment removes all excuses and enables you to have a lot of fun with your child while getting a great core workout.
#1- Pick Me Up and Drop Me
Hold your preschooler in front of you, with your legs shoulder-width apart. Then quickly "drop" them by dropping your hands quickly a few inches below the bottom. He/She will get about a millisecond of free fall- when you catch them do a deep squat, come up quickly and give them a little bounce. Repeat. Start with 5 and work up to as many as you possibly can.
#2- The Couch Jump and Catch
Standing perpendicular to the couch, with your body facing the couch, and legs a little more than should-width apart. Have your child jump from the couch into your hands. Let the momentum swing, and do a side squat. Push out of the squat and gently toss your child back on the couch. Repeat. Switch sides. Start with 5 and work up to as many as you can.
#3- Tackle and Leg Curls
Sit on the ground, legs bent in front of you. Have your child charge at you and tackle you (into your arms). Allow the momentum to push you onto your back while you are supporting your child with your legs. You should be looking into the face of your giggling child, supporting them with your arms and legs. Begin pressing your child up into the air in a curling motion with your legs. Try both legs- then try to do it with one leg. Repeat 5-10 times, or as many as you can.
#4- Bench Press the Kid (Can be combined with #3)
Do the same thing you did with #3, but this time push your child up with your arms. Repeat 5-10 times, or... well, you get the idea.
#5- Toss the Child
Start in a squatting position. Pick up your child and thrust your legs up, lifting him/her into the air and releasing and then catching them. When you catch them bring them back down to the ground and the original squatting position.
#6- Hug/Tickle Monster
Run around the house. The Hug/Tickle Monster is trying to hug or tickle. Once you've been hugged or tickled, then you are the hug or tickle monster. You know, tag? Great cardiovascular.
#7- Switch the Points
Walk briskly around the room or house as if you were on a train, then when someone says, "Switch the points", you can go in any direction you wish. Cardiovascular.
#8- Race
Pick out a race course and have a race against each other... take a guess what this works out.
#9- Horsey Daddy
Crawl around on the floor with your child on your back- great way to work out your shoulders.
#10- The Roll Around
Laying flat on your back, hug your child to you, then roll to the left and roll to your right. Do this as long as you can.
#11- Curls
Pick up your child, standing with your back straight and do traditional curls.
#12- Piggy Back or Shoulder Ride
Just as it sounds- just walk around with all the extra weight.
This is a great way to have fun with your child and have a good workout... plus, you know the intensity will always increase as your new personal trainer (your child) will not let you rest until you collapse... plus, since they seem to grow so fast, your fitness with have to improve to keep up with the extra weight your child will put on as he or she gets bigger... if you keep this up through the teen years, you'll be build like Arnold Schwarzenegger in no time at all.
Have fun!
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Snow Fun Workouts!
From now on, when you see snow outside, instead of thinking, guess I can't go outside for my run/walk,etc- think, time for my workout!
The ONE nice thing about winter is that there are a myriad of ways to get a good workout in the cold and snow. Below are a few tips and ideas to beating the winter blahs and using your time wisely to strengthen your core, leg and cardiovascular muscles, and to have fun while doing it.
Move the Snow
Yes, I am trying to make shoveling snow into a formal workout. First I must warn you that if you are not already fairly fit then don't try to do these or at least dial down the intensity to an appropriate level- take lots of breaks, drink plenty of water, and monitor your effort to fitness level.
Workout #1: First create a path wide enough for both legs- basically act like a plow and create a straight line. Stand looking straight down the path holding the top of the handle on the right hand and hold the middle of the handle in the left hand. Try to keep your back straight while bending slightly at the knees and hips (squat position). Going right to left in one fluid, swift motion begin walking down your path doing side squats while scooping and tossing the snow. You'll look almost like a crab walking straight. Maintain a consistent speed, do not stop or slow down until the end of your path or in 3-5 minute bursts. When you get to the end of the path, walk back to the beginning, switch sides and repeat. If you do it right, your quads will feel the burn, your heart rate will increase and you will want to shed layers as you will be sweaty- no matter what the temperature.
Workout #2: This is a good core workout. Face the snow head-on with your body slightly turned to the side. Front foot will start at a 45 degree angle relative to the snow line and the back foot will be parallel to the snow line. Keep your back straight. Thrust in a forward motion, lifting and throwing the snow- if you're doing it right, you should be doing front, single-leg lunges and you should be feeling some burn on one side of your abs. You can either do this to create a single path or to push snow along the snow line. Just keep your motion consistent and switch sides after a few minutes. You can also just do this in sets of 10-20 and just count as you go along.
Either of these workouts will definitely give your arms, legs, and core a good workout and will make you want to shed layers as your body will produce much heat.
The Run Around
This is exactly as it sounds. Reduce or ignore your distance goal for the day. Put on your snow clothes and boots and just go running around in the snow for 20-30 minutes. Challenge friends to snow races and even create your own track laid out in the snow. The challenge is balance and leg strength. It feels like running through sand, mud, or water (depending on the type of snow it is); and the balancing act you have to perform strengthens your core muscles and will help you run well in better conditions.
Just be careful.
Sledding Fun
Also known as "Hill Repeats". Go to the top of the biggest hill you can find and sled down as fast as you can. Then immediately get up and get back to the top as quickly as you possibly can, then repeat. Do this for 30 minutes and you'll know why I recommend it.
Snow Ball Fight
What better way to show people you care then to take a pile of snow and just pelt them with it until they cry. Think about all that goes into a good snowball fight. You've got to squat to gather the snow, run and hide, then throw the snow. These don't usually last long because it's exhausting... what a great way to get a good workout. Just tell your friends who won't stop crying that you're only relentlessly pelting them because you need to get your workout in.
Build a Snowman
Squat, gather snow, squat, roll in snow, squat, roll, squat, roll, repeat over and over again. Have a competition with friends, see you can make the quickest, tallest, and most creative snowman. Create a family of snow-people... what a great workout and everyone can participate... especially those crybabies from the snowball fight... come on guys, it's just snow!
Cross Country Skiing
This is probably the best cardiovascular exercise you can do. A lot of work and potentially a lot of fun... go exploring! And you don't need a lift ticket.
Downhill Skiing and Snowboarding
Squat, squat, squat, squat... 'nuf said.
It doesn't take much to find ways to have fun and get a good workout in the snow... so get out there and have some fun; but seriously, stop crying... it's just snow!
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Overcome Adversity and Subdue the Excuses
We've been spoiled this winter. It snowed right around Halloween, then nothing... from the end of October until just last night. I have run this winter in conditions that required a lot of layers, and I have run in conditions that require only shorts and a t-shirt. I cannot remember when winter has been this mild... but last night, it snowed a measurable amount, enough to cancel things and make us all need to participate in the ritualistic snow removal -- well, not all of us...
The problem with the snow is that it's also very cold. Very cold + snow = mushy, slushy, miserable road conditions. That's just for cars, now try running on these roads and you've got an interesting adventure.
The reason why fall marathons are so popular is because you train for fall marathons in the heat of the summer. If you hydrate enough and wear proper clothing, then you can beat the heat and accomplish whatever distance goal you have. Then, when you actually run the marathon in the fall, the weather is cooler and drier, and so all that humidity and heat you had to combat in the summer actually helps you perform better than your training, because the weather in the fall is awesome.
For spring marathons, you train in the winter. A lot of runners take the winter off and pursue other interests, like core training, yoga, skiing, cross country skiing, or they hit the gym. Some runners will even succumb to machine workouts like the dreadmill (a.k.a. the treadmill), elliptical, spinner, or exercise bike.
But some of us nut-jobs actually train in the winter. When we train in the winter, we follow the same type of training plan that we would in the summer. That includes recovery/easy runs, speed/tempo workouts, and, of course, the long run. What this means is that, no matter what is going on outside, we follow the plan.
I have run in tropical storms, hurricane remnants, nor'easters, ice storms, blizzards, freezing rain, rain, windstorms, 100+ degree temps, and on days when the National Weather Service says, "Don't." I've also had the experience where I started a run, and somewhere in the first mile thunder started in the distance, and lightning streaked across the sky. Then a friendly neighbor advised about the possibility of a tornado on its way, so, you might say, I've almost run in a tornado -- I, of course, went home. Why do I run in such conditions? Maybe I'm a few sesame seeds short of a hamburger bun, maybe I'm a little crazy, perhaps I just don't have enough sense to get out of the rain. It's also possible that I'm just that driven, that committed to what my goals are that I will allow nothing to get in the way.
I got an email from a coworker this past week saying, "Are you nuts? I saw you out running by the bank... it was like 19 degrees!" I explained that I was only on mile 1.5 of 17.75 miles that day. Honestly, if you're wearing the right clothes, and have the proper hydration and nutrition gear, there really is very little you can't do.
Today's run was hard... very hard. I counted it as 18 miles with an asterisk (it was more like 17, but I added the extra mile to account for the effort). Running through un-shoveled sidewalks and mushy, slippery roads is a lot like running through mud. It takes a lot of effort and strength to maintain balance in these conditions -- adding to that dodging cars, snow plows, and 4-wheelers makes it an interesting day to say the least. A lot of my usual routes were overrun with piles of snow or snow drifts, so I had to make it up as I went along. It felt more like a 20-mile effort squeezed into a 17 mile run. I even fell down hard when I slipped on a snow-covered curb (that was around mile 3.5) and just got up and kept running.
Why do I tell you all this? I'm not looking for accolades or high-fives; there are people who have overcome significantly greater challenges than I have when it comes to running. People with prosthetic legs have run the Badwater Ultra-marathon (135 miles starting at the bottom of Death Valley and finishing at the top of Mount Whitney); people have been demolished in accidents and told they'd never run again but, through grit and focus, have come back and become ultra-marathoners. There are people who have run across the Sahara Desert and across the United States. Because of their drive and determination, they let nothing stop them.
This, by the way, is coming from a guy who, only a very few years ago, would make just about any excuse not to go the gym for a 20-minute workout on a regular basis. Something clicked once. I know the difference between an excuse and a reason. A reason not to run might be an injury, but running isn't the only thing you can do. Maybe you're sick or in the hospital -- that's a reason, and a good one. Maybe someone said you couldn't -- that's an excuse: prove them wrong.
A couple years ago I had a foot injury and had to wear a boot. I was at the gym regularly when visiting my parents in Texas, in the summer. When not at the gym, my boot and I would go for long speed-walks, the only thing I couldn't do was run -- it was over 100 degrees, regularly. My point? There's always something you CAN do. I remember a young adult named Katie, a fitness queen who worked out at the same gym where we did, who was diagnosed with cancer. Her sister would tell us that Katie, after each chemo treatment, would lie on the couch with a 2-pound dumbbell doing curls.
Um -- I had to deal with snow...what's my excuse? What's yours?
Let nothing stop you from achieving your goals. Talk to a professional if you have physical limitations to find out what you can do. Talk to others with your condition who are being successful, and find out what you might be able to try. But don't stop. And don't let that internal (or external) blabbermouth prevent you from accomplishing your goals.
If no one else has told you, let me be the first: You are a wonderful creation of God, beautiful in every way, and with Him nothing is impossible. Be the inspiration to others. God bless!
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia
That's right, it's Chia time! And yes, I am talking about the same seed that was made popular by the Chia-Pet. I first learned of this magic seed as a dietary supplement when I read Born to Run by Christopher McDougall, and the more I learned, the more I wanted to try it. So I did... what surprised me most, was how easy it was to add Chia seed to my regular diet as well as the creative uses it lends itself to.
In Born to Run, Christopher McDougall describes a tribe of super athletes called the Tarahumara who live in the Copper Canyons in Mexico. This tribe produces athletes that most have never heard of who have gone against our top ultra-marathoners (50, 100 mile races) and beaten them hands-down. In the book, McDougall describes the Chia-seed as a part of their regular diet.
He describes a drink, called Chia Fresca, which combines chia seed, water, sugar, and the juice of a lime. He introduces the Chia Fresca by telling the story of an explorer of the Copper Canyons who was on the verge of death when he encountered someone who gave him a drink that revived him... behold the Chia Fresca! Which turns out to be a common drink in Mexico.
What's surprising about the chia seed is how easy and inexpensive it is to obtain, and how easy it is to use in a regular diet. I also learned a lot about why the American diet is so messed up and that adding some chia to my regular diet helps balance the diet and can be useful in preventing common diseases.
It's also pretty cool what chia does in liquid. After a few minutes in water, chia binds with the water molecules creating this gel-like exterior. It feels really neat on the tongue and really doesn't have much taste. I've actually used it to thicken liquids, instead of using corn starch or flour.
I had never heard of Omega 6 fatty acids, as Omega 3s have become all the rage. Apparently Chia seed, has a perfect ratio of Omega 3s and Omega 6s, both considered essential acids. Basically, our diet is teeming with Omega 6 fatty acids which are apparently pro-inflammatory, but we are lacking in Omega 3s which are anti-inflammatory. In a well balanced diet, there would be a balance between the Omega 6s and Omega 3s, but we process out some of the Omega 3s that naturally occur and boost up the Omega 6s with vegetable oils. Chia is a natural way to help balance the 3s and 6s, and a good balance of these has been linked to lowering the risks of heart disease, diabetes, inflammatory diseases, arthritis, and many more. It has also been linked to better memory and focus and more energy.
Now, chia isn't the only way to balance these things, but it's an easy way. You can simply put a tablespoon of chia in a glass of water; you could add it to cereal, yogurt, or rice; you can put it on top of pancakes, mix it with peanut butter and put it on your sandwich, etc. The possibilities are limitless. I've actually used it in what I call "Ch-Ch-Ch Chili" where, in place of meat, I put chia seeds in the bean mixture. You can use a 6:1 ration of liquid to chia- place it in the refrigerator giving it a couple of stirs. After a little while it forms a gel (almost like jello, but a little soupier). You can use that gel in place of fats (oils) in baking breads, pancakes, cakes, etc. You can make Chia-Fresca, I just put a tablespoon of chia and a tablespoon of sugar in 16 oz of water and squeeze the juice of a lime into the drink. Give it a stir and wait about 5-10 minutes.
I even use it in my marathon training by adding a tablespoon of chia and a tablespoon of sugar to 10oz bottle of water. I stuff the bottle in my CamelBak and when I need a boost, I down the elixir.
Seriously, though, just Google chia seeds... if you order from http://www.getchia.com/default.aspx they will actually send you a list of recipes with your seeds.
Just a suggestion! Be adventurous and take a chance... it certainly doesn't hurt, and it's incredibly healthy.
In Born to Run, Christopher McDougall describes a tribe of super athletes called the Tarahumara who live in the Copper Canyons in Mexico. This tribe produces athletes that most have never heard of who have gone against our top ultra-marathoners (50, 100 mile races) and beaten them hands-down. In the book, McDougall describes the Chia-seed as a part of their regular diet.
He describes a drink, called Chia Fresca, which combines chia seed, water, sugar, and the juice of a lime. He introduces the Chia Fresca by telling the story of an explorer of the Copper Canyons who was on the verge of death when he encountered someone who gave him a drink that revived him... behold the Chia Fresca! Which turns out to be a common drink in Mexico.
What's surprising about the chia seed is how easy and inexpensive it is to obtain, and how easy it is to use in a regular diet. I also learned a lot about why the American diet is so messed up and that adding some chia to my regular diet helps balance the diet and can be useful in preventing common diseases.
It's also pretty cool what chia does in liquid. After a few minutes in water, chia binds with the water molecules creating this gel-like exterior. It feels really neat on the tongue and really doesn't have much taste. I've actually used it to thicken liquids, instead of using corn starch or flour.
I had never heard of Omega 6 fatty acids, as Omega 3s have become all the rage. Apparently Chia seed, has a perfect ratio of Omega 3s and Omega 6s, both considered essential acids. Basically, our diet is teeming with Omega 6 fatty acids which are apparently pro-inflammatory, but we are lacking in Omega 3s which are anti-inflammatory. In a well balanced diet, there would be a balance between the Omega 6s and Omega 3s, but we process out some of the Omega 3s that naturally occur and boost up the Omega 6s with vegetable oils. Chia is a natural way to help balance the 3s and 6s, and a good balance of these has been linked to lowering the risks of heart disease, diabetes, inflammatory diseases, arthritis, and many more. It has also been linked to better memory and focus and more energy.
Now, chia isn't the only way to balance these things, but it's an easy way. You can simply put a tablespoon of chia in a glass of water; you could add it to cereal, yogurt, or rice; you can put it on top of pancakes, mix it with peanut butter and put it on your sandwich, etc. The possibilities are limitless. I've actually used it in what I call "Ch-Ch-Ch Chili" where, in place of meat, I put chia seeds in the bean mixture. You can use a 6:1 ration of liquid to chia- place it in the refrigerator giving it a couple of stirs. After a little while it forms a gel (almost like jello, but a little soupier). You can use that gel in place of fats (oils) in baking breads, pancakes, cakes, etc. You can make Chia-Fresca, I just put a tablespoon of chia and a tablespoon of sugar in 16 oz of water and squeeze the juice of a lime into the drink. Give it a stir and wait about 5-10 minutes.
I even use it in my marathon training by adding a tablespoon of chia and a tablespoon of sugar to 10oz bottle of water. I stuff the bottle in my CamelBak and when I need a boost, I down the elixir.
Seriously, though, just Google chia seeds... if you order from http://www.getchia.com/default.aspx they will actually send you a list of recipes with your seeds.
Just a suggestion! Be adventurous and take a chance... it certainly doesn't hurt, and it's incredibly healthy.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Put Down the Potato and Walk Away
I had a lot to do tonight, and I needed to make sure that I made a good, healthy dinner, but I didn't have a lot of time. So here's what I made: Lentils and Quinoa (pronounced Keen Wah).
Both of these I consider super-food. Full of protein and fiber in addition to all the other nutrients packed into such little morsels of savory goodness. Now you may think that these are a little strange for a meat and potato culture, but let me encourage you to put that potato down and step away.
I made a discovery, yup, a good old fashioned scientific revelation. We can eat a meal and not have a potato involved... I know... spooky. But it's true. You CAN eat a sandwich without potato chips. You CAN eat a burger and NOT have fries. And you CAN have meat withOUT potatoes. What's neat about it is that it just might save you time, money, and your waist line.
Because, really, all a potato is... is starch. A big old ball of starch -- yes, there might be some fiber in the skin, but most people ditch the skin, and even if they don't, the starch-to-skin ratio is out of balance. So, let me offer you some simple sides to change things up.
1.) Lentils- 1:2 part ratio liquid to dry bean -- season with salt, pepper, garlic and whatever else tastes good to you (make it with chicken broth for added flavor and nutrients)
2.) Quinoa- 1:2 part ratio liquid to grain -- Season with salt, pepper, garlic and... wait, am I just cutting and pasting? (make it with broth for... well... see above)
3.) Mashed Cauliflower -- What?! Yes, cut it up, boil it up and mash and season it the way you would a potato
4.) Mashed turnip -- OK, now you're sending me on a snipe hunt! No, really- peal and cube the turnip, boil, mash and season the way you would potatoes
5.) Sweet potatoes -- pretty much anything you can do with a potato, you can do with a sweet potato and there are tons of nutrients and vitamins
6.) Brown rice -- takes about an hour to cook
7.) Beans (black or red) -- put about a cup of dry beans in a pan, boil water in a kettle, then dump the water on the beans. Immediately bring to boil for about 5 minutes, then simmer until done -- go crazy with the seasonings
So, yes, it is possible to live without potatoes... and live healthier. I'm not saying ditch the potato forever, just make it an every-so-often food, not an every day food.
Tonight's dinner:
Lentils and quinoa with a side of snow peas
The lentils and quinoa were prepared in chicken broth and seasoned with salt, pepper, chili powder, turmeric, cayenne pepper, minced garlic, and cumin... after plating the savory deliciousness, I threw in a tablespoon of chia seed per plate... remind me to talk about ch-ch-ch-chia another time.
Don't forget the Lenten 40 day challenge starting on February 22.
God bless your health!
Both of these I consider super-food. Full of protein and fiber in addition to all the other nutrients packed into such little morsels of savory goodness. Now you may think that these are a little strange for a meat and potato culture, but let me encourage you to put that potato down and step away.
I made a discovery, yup, a good old fashioned scientific revelation. We can eat a meal and not have a potato involved... I know... spooky. But it's true. You CAN eat a sandwich without potato chips. You CAN eat a burger and NOT have fries. And you CAN have meat withOUT potatoes. What's neat about it is that it just might save you time, money, and your waist line.
Because, really, all a potato is... is starch. A big old ball of starch -- yes, there might be some fiber in the skin, but most people ditch the skin, and even if they don't, the starch-to-skin ratio is out of balance. So, let me offer you some simple sides to change things up.
1.) Lentils- 1:2 part ratio liquid to dry bean -- season with salt, pepper, garlic and whatever else tastes good to you (make it with chicken broth for added flavor and nutrients)
2.) Quinoa- 1:2 part ratio liquid to grain -- Season with salt, pepper, garlic and... wait, am I just cutting and pasting? (make it with broth for... well... see above)
3.) Mashed Cauliflower -- What?! Yes, cut it up, boil it up and mash and season it the way you would a potato
4.) Mashed turnip -- OK, now you're sending me on a snipe hunt! No, really- peal and cube the turnip, boil, mash and season the way you would potatoes
5.) Sweet potatoes -- pretty much anything you can do with a potato, you can do with a sweet potato and there are tons of nutrients and vitamins
6.) Brown rice -- takes about an hour to cook
7.) Beans (black or red) -- put about a cup of dry beans in a pan, boil water in a kettle, then dump the water on the beans. Immediately bring to boil for about 5 minutes, then simmer until done -- go crazy with the seasonings
So, yes, it is possible to live without potatoes... and live healthier. I'm not saying ditch the potato forever, just make it an every-so-often food, not an every day food.
Tonight's dinner:
Lentils and quinoa with a side of snow peas
The lentils and quinoa were prepared in chicken broth and seasoned with salt, pepper, chili powder, turmeric, cayenne pepper, minced garlic, and cumin... after plating the savory deliciousness, I threw in a tablespoon of chia seed per plate... remind me to talk about ch-ch-ch-chia another time.
Don't forget the Lenten 40 day challenge starting on February 22.
God bless your health!
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Love Yourself Enough to Be Healthy
Confession. Yesterday, I wanted to write about body image. It’s a real problem, and I think it needs to be addressed, but as I started writing my post, all I could think about was pious platitudes that we have all heard a thousand times. Not that yesterday’s post was bad, but I could not articulate my feelings on body image, and I had this other crazy idea that I needed to share.
Honestly, though, I can’t shake this feeling that I should post something about body image, but I need to address this truthfully and from the heart. Remember, I am no professional, but I sure know a lot about struggling with weight and that directly corresponds to body image.
So, today I will try to coin a phrase about what you need to do in order to transform your life, love me or hate me for it, but: to really transform your health, you need to hate your body, but not too much. Don’t hate me just yet, read on… there’s a process going on here.
For the longest time, when I absolutely hated every bit of exercise and torture I was wreaking upon my body, I had to remind myself of the number of years I indulged every desire of my body, and now it had to pay.
Now, people, before you report me for some crimes against humanity, hear me out.
Eating disorders are REAL and can hurt you, terribly. So, I need to coin a new phrase to combat such a problem.
You need to love your body in such a way that you hate it. Maybe that’s better. Love your body, so you hate it. OK, maybe that works, but does it describe what needs to be done?
I remember restricting myself from pastries for… what… 2-3 months? I can’t even remember, because, while it seemed like forever, it really wasn’t that long. I remember this pastry restriction. Someone would offer me some sort of pastry- cake, a cookie, you get the idea- and I would decline. They would encourage me to have just one, and I would reply, “I’ve had my share of pastries for over 20 years, I can do without for a little while.”
Maybe this is a better phrase: Love your body so much that you hate it enough to beat it into submission.
I started my transformation on February 6, 2008- I was running at the end of May. That’s 4 months. It took me four months to build up the strength and wherewithal to try to run. I didn’t go below 200 pounds until October, 2008- that’s 9 months. I had to remind myself that I had abused my body for 20 some odd years, so it would take time to abuse it enough to lose the weight. November, 2009 I finished my first marathon- I’m now working towards finishing my 4th.
Wait, maybe this phrase works better: Love your body in such a way as to not spare the rod.
I kind of like that. Proverbs 13:24, “He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.”
A simple rewrite of that would say that, he who spares the rod hates his body, but he who loves his body is careful to discipline it.
Discipline is important. Not hate, not revenge, not torture. Discipline… discipline is love.
I can relate to this in running. It takes a lot of discipline to train to run a race; but the discipline it takes to train for and run a marathon is something that only marathoners can understand.
The same is true for people who have had significant struggle with weight. Only weight strugglers can understand the plight of the weight struggler.
But please understand this: Eating disorders cannot be treated by reading this blog. Anorexia, Bulimia, and Compulsive Eating, just examples, cannot be treated or solved without professional help. Eating disorders are not the kind of thing where you can just say, Ok, I guess I’ll stop doing that. They are as serious as any drug or alcohol addiction, and they can kill you just as quick. Seek therapy.
Also, please, at least try to stop looking at the TV or magazines or billboards for the picture of ideal beauty- and, oh yeah, it’s not just women who struggle with this- men do, too. And even if no other man will admit to it, I will.
I, too, have body image problems; and yes, it is partially attributed to what TV, the internet, magazines and billboards are telling me is the ideal, handsome man. It’s true. Both men and women have distorted body images. It’s not as pronounced in men, because, in men, feelings are not expressed- or so we would be lead to believe… not manly enough. I love ordering a salad in a restaurant and when someone other than the server brings the salad, they place it in front of my wife and put the burger in front of me- then we switch right in front of them.
These images are put in front of us to tell us what “healthy” and “sexy” look like. They are wrong. If only we knew all the ins and outs of what it actually takes for those women and men to get to what they look like in these images, we would say, that’s just not natural or healthy. But, instead, we just keep looking and desiring to look the same way. We have a problem.
Obesity, eating disorders, and body image know no cultural or gender boundaries. We need to be the counter culture. It’s about health, so don’t kill yourself trying to be healthy… love yourself enough to be healthy… hey, maybe that’s the new phrase I should coin.
People ask me how long I’ve kept the weight off and I answer… but what I really should do is say that the transformation started on February 6, 2008… and I’ve stuck with it since. It’s not about the dang scales… it’s about health!
Love yourself enough to be healthy.
February 22, 2012 is day 1 of the Lenten 40 Day Challenge. Think of one thing that you are clinging to with that death grip that you know you need to let go of to live an active, healthy life; add one activity to promote such a healthy life (exercise, personal trainer, etc.)- commit to it for 40 days (Easter Sunday is the day you break the fast). You have over a month to prepare yourself, recruit friends to join in, and make the possible professional appointments I described in yesterday’s post. It changed my life… I know it will change yours… love yourself enough to give it a try.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Lenten Challenge to Start on February 22
"Wow, Paul, you look great!"
"I know." I cock my head to the side and smirk.
No, I'm not that conceited, but there is a little truth in the smirk. I feel good about what I have become, even if I don't have that rock hard body I originally wanted. Usually, though, I just say thank you, and sometimes it's the start of a good conversation about how I lost the weight. Often, I hear stories from people about their own struggle with their weight, and since I certainly enjoy talking about it, I can get carried away in discourse.
Sometimes when I meet new people, I forget that they never knew the +80-100 pound me. Sometimes people who did know me then have forgotten what I was like. On Sunday, after my wife mentioned my weight loss in her sermon, someone asked me how much weight I had lost all together. I said between 80-100 pounds, and they told me that they thought maybe I lost 50 pounds. I told her that I carried the weight throughout my body, instead of just one place, so it didn't look like so much.
I'm approaching an anniversary of that transformation. February 6, 2008 was Ash Wednesday and the first day of Lent. My wife and I had previously decided to commit to the Hip Hop Abs program through Beach Body- she wanted to shed the weight she gained from pregnancy and I wanted to finally get to a healthy weight and live a healthy life... this time, for good.
The first level is 30 days, so we started the eating part of the transformation on the Feb. 6 and the exercise part on that Sunday. Lent is 40 days long and is a season of fasting- often, people will give up something for those 40 days, sometimes people will add some sort of discipline during that time- it's rooted in the Christian tradition to mark the 40 days that Jesus spent being tempted by the devil in the desert after his baptism and before his ministry began. We gave up our old eating habits and added an exercise program. Add to that a good dose of regular prayer, and you've got a healthy Lenten discipline.
Hip Hop Abs encourages you to measure your waist, hips, thighs, and chest, then to take shirtless pictures from the front, side, and back before you begin the program. Then to do the same at the end. It's hard to see the difference when you look at yourself in the mirror all the time, but after you take that picture after 30 days and compare, the difference is astonishing.
All this gave me an idea.
I am offering a 40 day Lenten Challenge. Lent this year starts on February 22, so you have over a month to prepare, and to recruit friends and family.
Here's the challenge: begin now to think about one thing that you hold on to so tightly, that you can't imagine living without. Maybe it's soda, pastry, smoking, drinking, sweets, a TV show, whatever. Make your selection and find a partner... and, get ready for this... give it up completely. You are only committing to 40 days without, and in the grand scheme of things that's not too long.
Make it something BIG. For example, if it's soda- then give up soda- not just switch to diet soda or juice, but give up all sweet beverages. If it's beer- then don't just give up beer, give up all alcoholic beverages. If it's pastries- then give up all deserts or sweet treats.
Once you've decided what that ONE BIG thing is, then find something healthful to replace it with. If you gave up sweet beverage, for example, find other ways to enjoy water, tea, or coffee. Try getting vanilla bean and soaking it in a pitcher of water- try squeezing a lime or lemon into a glass of water. Or just try try to learn how to enjoy water.
Add ONE activity that is healthy- a new exercise discipline, like walking, biking, swimming, yoga, aerobics, hip hop abs, etc. Don't throw yourself from a sedentary life into running or P90X; pick something reasonable and start small.
I recommend 4 appointments to make (I will give my reasoning as to why and you decide whether you need to; but none of these appointments are a bad idea for anyone)
1.) Your doctor- tell your doctor what you want to do; get your cholesterol, sugar, blood pressure numbers; get his or her advice on weight loss, then proceed to step 2
2.) Therapist- a therapist can get at some of the deeper issues that you may need to deal with in order to make sure this lifestyle change sticks; who knows, maybe some of the weight issues are related to some emotional stresses and past experiences- a good therapist can help, and insurances often cover it, so get the emotional help you need, it can make a world of difference for you
3.) Nutritionist- sometimes insurance covers this, but a good nutritionist is a professional and can give sound advice on food consumption and help you plan a successful diet plan that can help the transformations in your diet stick
4.) *Personal Trainer- I've never seen insurance cover this, so this may be a little costly. The nice thing about a personal trainer is that they know what exercises target what goals and they can help you do them correctly so that you don't get injured. Only a few sessions can be the difference between getting a good start that continues safely throughout your life and starting too hard and fizzling out too soon and even possibly getting yourself injured.
* another option could be to get involved in a regular exercise class with an instructor OR you could always order a video workout series and follow the program.
So, to review: Start date- February 22; the challenge- give up ONE BIG thing that you are holding on to with a death-grip that you know is holding you back from transformation; then add one new healthy discipline.
You have over a month to get ready, make appointments with professionals to help you, and recruit friends and family. Let's see what we can do together.
As of right now, continue doing those small things- no big 180 degrees turns, just small healthful choices.
Thanks for reading and God Bless!
"I know." I cock my head to the side and smirk.
No, I'm not that conceited, but there is a little truth in the smirk. I feel good about what I have become, even if I don't have that rock hard body I originally wanted. Usually, though, I just say thank you, and sometimes it's the start of a good conversation about how I lost the weight. Often, I hear stories from people about their own struggle with their weight, and since I certainly enjoy talking about it, I can get carried away in discourse.
Sometimes when I meet new people, I forget that they never knew the +80-100 pound me. Sometimes people who did know me then have forgotten what I was like. On Sunday, after my wife mentioned my weight loss in her sermon, someone asked me how much weight I had lost all together. I said between 80-100 pounds, and they told me that they thought maybe I lost 50 pounds. I told her that I carried the weight throughout my body, instead of just one place, so it didn't look like so much.
I'm approaching an anniversary of that transformation. February 6, 2008 was Ash Wednesday and the first day of Lent. My wife and I had previously decided to commit to the Hip Hop Abs program through Beach Body- she wanted to shed the weight she gained from pregnancy and I wanted to finally get to a healthy weight and live a healthy life... this time, for good.
The first level is 30 days, so we started the eating part of the transformation on the Feb. 6 and the exercise part on that Sunday. Lent is 40 days long and is a season of fasting- often, people will give up something for those 40 days, sometimes people will add some sort of discipline during that time- it's rooted in the Christian tradition to mark the 40 days that Jesus spent being tempted by the devil in the desert after his baptism and before his ministry began. We gave up our old eating habits and added an exercise program. Add to that a good dose of regular prayer, and you've got a healthy Lenten discipline.
Hip Hop Abs encourages you to measure your waist, hips, thighs, and chest, then to take shirtless pictures from the front, side, and back before you begin the program. Then to do the same at the end. It's hard to see the difference when you look at yourself in the mirror all the time, but after you take that picture after 30 days and compare, the difference is astonishing.
All this gave me an idea.
I am offering a 40 day Lenten Challenge. Lent this year starts on February 22, so you have over a month to prepare, and to recruit friends and family.
Here's the challenge: begin now to think about one thing that you hold on to so tightly, that you can't imagine living without. Maybe it's soda, pastry, smoking, drinking, sweets, a TV show, whatever. Make your selection and find a partner... and, get ready for this... give it up completely. You are only committing to 40 days without, and in the grand scheme of things that's not too long.
Make it something BIG. For example, if it's soda- then give up soda- not just switch to diet soda or juice, but give up all sweet beverages. If it's beer- then don't just give up beer, give up all alcoholic beverages. If it's pastries- then give up all deserts or sweet treats.
Once you've decided what that ONE BIG thing is, then find something healthful to replace it with. If you gave up sweet beverage, for example, find other ways to enjoy water, tea, or coffee. Try getting vanilla bean and soaking it in a pitcher of water- try squeezing a lime or lemon into a glass of water. Or just try try to learn how to enjoy water.
Add ONE activity that is healthy- a new exercise discipline, like walking, biking, swimming, yoga, aerobics, hip hop abs, etc. Don't throw yourself from a sedentary life into running or P90X; pick something reasonable and start small.
I recommend 4 appointments to make (I will give my reasoning as to why and you decide whether you need to; but none of these appointments are a bad idea for anyone)
1.) Your doctor- tell your doctor what you want to do; get your cholesterol, sugar, blood pressure numbers; get his or her advice on weight loss, then proceed to step 2
2.) Therapist- a therapist can get at some of the deeper issues that you may need to deal with in order to make sure this lifestyle change sticks; who knows, maybe some of the weight issues are related to some emotional stresses and past experiences- a good therapist can help, and insurances often cover it, so get the emotional help you need, it can make a world of difference for you
3.) Nutritionist- sometimes insurance covers this, but a good nutritionist is a professional and can give sound advice on food consumption and help you plan a successful diet plan that can help the transformations in your diet stick
4.) *Personal Trainer- I've never seen insurance cover this, so this may be a little costly. The nice thing about a personal trainer is that they know what exercises target what goals and they can help you do them correctly so that you don't get injured. Only a few sessions can be the difference between getting a good start that continues safely throughout your life and starting too hard and fizzling out too soon and even possibly getting yourself injured.
* another option could be to get involved in a regular exercise class with an instructor OR you could always order a video workout series and follow the program.
So, to review: Start date- February 22; the challenge- give up ONE BIG thing that you are holding on to with a death-grip that you know is holding you back from transformation; then add one new healthy discipline.
You have over a month to get ready, make appointments with professionals to help you, and recruit friends and family. Let's see what we can do together.
As of right now, continue doing those small things- no big 180 degrees turns, just small healthful choices.
Thanks for reading and God Bless!
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Chicken Wings, Fries and Celery
Rule of life: When your wife uses your blog as part of a sermon, and she uses last night's dinner as an example of eating well, you post the recipe on your blog.
I'm a coffee snob. I grind my beans every morning and have developed a higher standard of taste for the beverage (I don't drink Folgers). I've also developed a taste for other foods and won't order certain foods from certain menus because, as I say to my wife, if I can make it at home why would I buy it from someone else.
While I was on my long run (17.75 miles) yesterday, I developed a hankering for chicken wings and french fries. After I got home and showered, I pitched the idea to the wife. I guess the drooling was a "yes", so I took off to go back to the grocery store in Lykens (ironically, my long run had been from my house to the stoplight in Lykens and back).
Recipe for the wings
2.5 pounds of raw chicken wings whole
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
Powdered and minced garlic
Thyme
Cayenne pepper
Melted butter
Dusting of flour
Crumbled Feta or bleu cheese
Here’s how I did it
Step 1- buy the chicken wings- not frozen wings
Step 2- preheat oven to 425 degrees
Step 3- place the chicken wings, with the side you would consider the "bottom" up,
Step 4- brush the melted butter on the “bottom” of the wings
Step 5- sprinkle some kosher salt, fresh pepper, powdered garlic, thyme, and a small amount of cayenne pepper onto the raw, buttered wings
Step 6- gently dust the seasoned underside of the wings with flour, then drizzle and brush some butter on the floured, seasoned wings… oh my gosh, I am so hungry
Step 7- turn the wings to the other side and repeat steps 1-6, but on step 6, brush the remaining butter onto the floured and yummingly sensational wings.
Step 8- put the batch of yumminess in the 425 degree oven and set the timer for 45 minutes (check temp after 45 minutes, if not done, set for another 5-10 minutes depending on how “not done” they are-- your goal temp is 180 degrees)
Step 9- melt some butter and minced garlic in a pan, place finished wings in the pan and sauté them for a couple minutes on each side
Step 10- portion and set them on the plate from which every lucky person will be eating, then sprinkle the crumbled cheese on top. Then eat them.Recipe for "Fries"
Red skin potatoes (this can also work with sweet potatoes)
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
Peanut or Canola Oil
Step 1- preheat oven to 425 or 450 degrees, depending on if you're cooking them alongside the wings
Step 2- cut the potatoes into the desired fry shape (leave the skin on)
Step 3- sparingly coat the potatoes in the oil and spread them out in a metal baking pan
Step 4- dust with the salt and pepper to your liking
Step 5- put in oven, check after 30 minutes, then every 5-10 minutes- "fries" are done when they are browned on the top and when the cook sneakingly picks one or more off the pan, lets them cool and repeatedly "tastes" for doneness- when the cook keeps doing this several times, the "fries" are done.
Wings and Fries? Really Mr. Eathealthyman? Hey, I wanted wings and while wings themselves are not considered health food (chicken fat), and potatoes are really just balls of starch, I never said that I was on any type of diet. I am free.
Michael Pollan, in his book Food Rules, actually advises that eating some of these unhealthy snacks and food is good, so long as you make them yourself.
When you make these items yourself it takes time and patience, you control the ingredients, and you learn to appreciate food more than if you just buy it from somewhere else. You might just surprise yourself, too. There's a sense of pride when you make it yourself and you become more discerning about food when you go out to eat.
I'm a coffee snob. I grind my beans every morning and have developed a higher standard of taste for the beverage (I don't drink Folgers). I've also developed a taste for other foods and won't order certain foods from certain menus because, as I say to my wife, if I can make it at home why would I buy it from someone else.
Someone who loves knitting will understand- if they know they can knit a nice sweater, they almost get annoyed when they see someone wearing a machine-knitted sweater; if they do buy a sweater from somewhere else, they are better able to determine the quality and therefore are more likely to buy higher quality than the rest of us. A skilled carpenter, if they were to purchase a bookshelf, is more likely to choose a higher quality bookshelf, because they know what they are looking for.
It's the same way with food. The more you learn to cook it yourself, the more likely it is that you will choose higher quality food that you will appreciate more than if you just buy everything prepackaged and highly processed. The fresher and more whole the food you make, the more you will develop a taste and appreciation for healthier food. At some point, you will develop an aversion to the wrong foods, and when you indulge, as you should from time to time, you will make chicken wings and fries the memory of which will provoke your salivary glands to drool... then you'll know you've arrived.
Check out this blog to learn some really tasty recipes: http://tryandlike.blogspot.com/
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Bread is the Devil... REALLY!?
Out with the family last night, when I came across the title of a book, Bread Is the Devil: Win the Weight Loss Battle by Taking Control of Your Diet Demons written by Heather Bauer. I picked it up and thumbed through it-there was a lot of diet advice, weight loss secrets, and general ideas about why carbohydrates aren't all that good for you. Surprisingly, when I finally looked at the section in which the book was located, I discovered that it was in the "New Year, New You" section.
OH! The diet section! Of course! I thought, Now I know how to make a million dollars!
I had a lot to think about. So, I took my wife and child to Atlanta "Devil" Company for dinner. My son asked for milk, cheese, ham, "devil", and a pickle. My wife had organic butternut squash soup in a "devil-bowl," and I had a bowl of potato soup with half roast beef sandwich on french "devil." I've got to tell you, the devil is quite tasty... and this was all white devil -- now you all know that I don't usually eat a lot of white devil, but I had a desire to starch up my night with some of the less healthy choices... then a few things hit me.
If bread is the devil, then what on earth are we doing when we have Communion (Eucharist) at church! What have we done!? Bread is supposed to be the Body of Christ, but now, it seems I'm being told from all these diet nuts, bread is forbidden... it is the devil... I thought I was eating the body of Christ, thereby communing with him in body and spirit, being one with him and with all my fellow God-worshipers. But we were horribly wrong! What's a Christian to do?!
I mean think about it... it all makes sense. Jesus walked around all day carrying and drinking wine and eating... disgusting...bread -- the devil. He drank so much wine that his blood became wine and ate so much devil that his body became the devil- so right before he died, he gave a part of himself to his followers... WAIT!
STOP THE NONSENSE!!!
What if... I know... wait for it.
Wait for it...
What if... bread... was NOT... the devil.
But all these people are writing books and creating all these great arguments and diet plans and people are losing weight and their triglycerides and cholesterol numbers are initially going down...
Create the poison then create the cure... make a million dollars.
One of the chief arguments that I have seen from these new diet trend writers is that humans were not meant to eat grain... that when Og and Ogina magically appeared on the planet (or were created by God) they were hunters and gatherers and that agriculture was chiefly to blame for the obesity problems, because, when agriculture started, we started eating grains, wheat, etc. That carbohydrates are to blame for all this and that all we need to do is to cut all these dang carbs from our diets and, voila, thin and pretty. Plus, a bonus, we get to eat all the fatty foods, bacon, butter, anything we want... just no more sweets, very little devil, and happiness ensues as we become the hunters and gatherers we were meant to be.
Serenity.
But wait... agriculture has been around for more than 10,000 years. The obesity epidemic has been around from 50-100 years depending on whose research you're reading. So I had a few thoughts I'd like to share and link to an article that tells me that many others have had these thoughts before me and researched some of this.
First, the hunters and gatherers were not a sedentary people. They were in constant motion -- even to the point of running down animals... in Born to Run by Christopher McDougall and Why We Run, A Natural History by Bernd Heinrich, both authors describe hunter/gatherer societies as running societies. In fact, before the development of weapons, these societies were already hunting -- the authors wanted to know how you can kill an animal without spears and arrows.
They discovered that the actual traditional hunter societies were filled with men who would literally run down their prey... animals are interesting: animals such as deer, antelope, gazelle, etc have quick take-off speeds and in a short-distance foot race can beat a human being; but the longer the distance, the quicker they wear out. So, these hunter societies would run down their prey putting them in constant motion- because the animal couldn't regulate its flight instinct, it would run hard, zig-zag and stop, but since the humans kept pursuing, they'd take off again and again and again, until the animal literally just laid down and died.
Who would be the most honored people in this culture? The fastest runners. Foot races were started in these cultures to see who the most honored hunter was. This hunt could take the better part of a whole day -- even beyond marathon distances! They needed fuel for these runs, so gatherers were extremely important because these hunts couldn't happen every day. But even after weapons were invented, the hunters still had to chase down their prey on foot.
Today, when we think about hunters, we think about walking out to tree stands, sitting and waiting- then, if we're lucky, we shoot our guns, or release the arrow (all high-tech precision equipment)... no running necessary.
So, yes, the hunter/gatherer diet was meat, berries, fat, roots, mushrooms, etc; but the hunter/gatherer culture was always in motion- moving with the herd, following the seasons, walking, running, fighting, chasing, and racing.
When agriculture started, many of these cultures stopped moving around, but they worked the fields -- toiled and ate well, but obesity was not a problem -- at least nowhere that I've looked says there was a problem with obesity.
So, I thought, what if the American Industrial Revolution has something to do with American Obesity. After all, this is when we started processing everything into uniform packages- white flour is easier and quicker to work with, pasteurized milk destroys nutrients so milk has to be fortified, white rice cooks in 20 minutes, processed foods are easier to control, therefore it makes sense in a factory mentality...also, most of these factory jobs are assembly lines -- so the worker, while doing difficult work, is sedentary, staying within his/her work area...farm equipment now does the job of 100+ men who are no longer needed to labor in the fields.
So I did a Google search and found the following article... it's lengthy, but take a look... then, if you're interested... do your own research and see if what I'm saying has any validity...
http://harvardmagazine.com/2004/05/the-way-we-eat-now.html
But in the long run, please understand this...the Body of Christ (bread) is NOT the devil...
Here's the secret: EAT WHOLE FOODS AND STAY ACTIVE! Not just 30 minutes a day, but the whole day--find a way to make it happen, and you will be pleasantly surprised. If you are going to eat like a hunter/gatherer then act like one; if you're going to eat like an agricultural society, then act like one- but stop acting like an Industrial Revolution society and you'll be surprised at how healthy you become.
Happy pancake day!
OH! The diet section! Of course! I thought, Now I know how to make a million dollars!
I had a lot to think about. So, I took my wife and child to Atlanta "Devil" Company for dinner. My son asked for milk, cheese, ham, "devil", and a pickle. My wife had organic butternut squash soup in a "devil-bowl," and I had a bowl of potato soup with half roast beef sandwich on french "devil." I've got to tell you, the devil is quite tasty... and this was all white devil -- now you all know that I don't usually eat a lot of white devil, but I had a desire to starch up my night with some of the less healthy choices... then a few things hit me.
If bread is the devil, then what on earth are we doing when we have Communion (Eucharist) at church! What have we done!? Bread is supposed to be the Body of Christ, but now, it seems I'm being told from all these diet nuts, bread is forbidden... it is the devil... I thought I was eating the body of Christ, thereby communing with him in body and spirit, being one with him and with all my fellow God-worshipers. But we were horribly wrong! What's a Christian to do?!
I mean think about it... it all makes sense. Jesus walked around all day carrying and drinking wine and eating... disgusting...bread -- the devil. He drank so much wine that his blood became wine and ate so much devil that his body became the devil- so right before he died, he gave a part of himself to his followers... WAIT!
STOP THE NONSENSE!!!
What if... I know... wait for it.
Wait for it...
What if... bread... was NOT... the devil.
But all these people are writing books and creating all these great arguments and diet plans and people are losing weight and their triglycerides and cholesterol numbers are initially going down...
Create the poison then create the cure... make a million dollars.
One of the chief arguments that I have seen from these new diet trend writers is that humans were not meant to eat grain... that when Og and Ogina magically appeared on the planet (or were created by God) they were hunters and gatherers and that agriculture was chiefly to blame for the obesity problems, because, when agriculture started, we started eating grains, wheat, etc. That carbohydrates are to blame for all this and that all we need to do is to cut all these dang carbs from our diets and, voila, thin and pretty. Plus, a bonus, we get to eat all the fatty foods, bacon, butter, anything we want... just no more sweets, very little devil, and happiness ensues as we become the hunters and gatherers we were meant to be.
Serenity.
But wait... agriculture has been around for more than 10,000 years. The obesity epidemic has been around from 50-100 years depending on whose research you're reading. So I had a few thoughts I'd like to share and link to an article that tells me that many others have had these thoughts before me and researched some of this.
First, the hunters and gatherers were not a sedentary people. They were in constant motion -- even to the point of running down animals... in Born to Run by Christopher McDougall and Why We Run, A Natural History by Bernd Heinrich, both authors describe hunter/gatherer societies as running societies. In fact, before the development of weapons, these societies were already hunting -- the authors wanted to know how you can kill an animal without spears and arrows.
They discovered that the actual traditional hunter societies were filled with men who would literally run down their prey... animals are interesting: animals such as deer, antelope, gazelle, etc have quick take-off speeds and in a short-distance foot race can beat a human being; but the longer the distance, the quicker they wear out. So, these hunter societies would run down their prey putting them in constant motion- because the animal couldn't regulate its flight instinct, it would run hard, zig-zag and stop, but since the humans kept pursuing, they'd take off again and again and again, until the animal literally just laid down and died.
Who would be the most honored people in this culture? The fastest runners. Foot races were started in these cultures to see who the most honored hunter was. This hunt could take the better part of a whole day -- even beyond marathon distances! They needed fuel for these runs, so gatherers were extremely important because these hunts couldn't happen every day. But even after weapons were invented, the hunters still had to chase down their prey on foot.
Today, when we think about hunters, we think about walking out to tree stands, sitting and waiting- then, if we're lucky, we shoot our guns, or release the arrow (all high-tech precision equipment)... no running necessary.
So, yes, the hunter/gatherer diet was meat, berries, fat, roots, mushrooms, etc; but the hunter/gatherer culture was always in motion- moving with the herd, following the seasons, walking, running, fighting, chasing, and racing.
When agriculture started, many of these cultures stopped moving around, but they worked the fields -- toiled and ate well, but obesity was not a problem -- at least nowhere that I've looked says there was a problem with obesity.
So, I thought, what if the American Industrial Revolution has something to do with American Obesity. After all, this is when we started processing everything into uniform packages- white flour is easier and quicker to work with, pasteurized milk destroys nutrients so milk has to be fortified, white rice cooks in 20 minutes, processed foods are easier to control, therefore it makes sense in a factory mentality...also, most of these factory jobs are assembly lines -- so the worker, while doing difficult work, is sedentary, staying within his/her work area...farm equipment now does the job of 100+ men who are no longer needed to labor in the fields.
So I did a Google search and found the following article... it's lengthy, but take a look... then, if you're interested... do your own research and see if what I'm saying has any validity...
http://harvardmagazine.com/2004/05/the-way-we-eat-now.html
But in the long run, please understand this...the Body of Christ (bread) is NOT the devil...
Here's the secret: EAT WHOLE FOODS AND STAY ACTIVE! Not just 30 minutes a day, but the whole day--find a way to make it happen, and you will be pleasantly surprised. If you are going to eat like a hunter/gatherer then act like one; if you're going to eat like an agricultural society, then act like one- but stop acting like an Industrial Revolution society and you'll be surprised at how healthy you become.
Happy pancake day!
Friday, January 13, 2012
RESSSSSSSST
Friday is my rest day. No running and no blogging... but plenty of eating :-)
Take the day off and relax- you've earned it!
Take the day off and relax- you've earned it!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Motivation
I started a tempo run today with the goal of hitting every mile at 8m 30s. My first mile was slightly slower than my goal, so I picked up the pace. My second mile was a little fast, so I tried to adapt. Mile 3 and 4 were pretty close to perfect, so we'll call them on-target, but the 5th mile was a disaster. I checked my split approaching the 4.5 mile mark and noticed that I was running 20 seconds too slow, which was my worst split so far, so I did the one thing you're not supposed to do while running a tempo run and sprinted to the half mile mark...
So, let's ask...
Why are you doing all this? Why lose weight... eat healthy... work out? What is your motivation?
So, really think... pray... then, fill in the blank.
Then I stopped and reevaluated my decision- a tempo run is designed to teach me how to maintain a certain pace over a long distance. What I should have done to accomplish this goal was to just reset the watch and adjust my tempo at the next mile. So I stopped and walked a little. I decided to run the next mile easy, then restart my efforts for the next 3 miles... guess what?... it worked.
So what? You made a mistake, an oopsie, a what was I thinking? Sometimes that happens -- and when it does -- it's time to stop, reevaluate what your goals are and why you're doing all this to begin with.
So, let's ask...
Why are you doing all this? Why lose weight... eat healthy... work out? What is your motivation?
Have you ever been in a situation where a plethora of tasty options sit before you- you take a reasonable amount to snack on, then a friend goads you on to take more... maybe even snarks about the healthy you? Sometimes that person keeps pushing, waiting for you to cave -- like that guy in college who always wanted you to drink more... MORE!
What is their motivation, I wonder? Maybe your healthy, responsible decisions make them feel uncomfortable... maybe it scares them. Dude, you used to be cool... I think it has something to do with their own insecurity -- perhaps your healthy decisions are coming from a place of peace, determination, contentment -- something you have found that perhaps they have not yet.
When you embark on a healthier lifestyle, the pitfalls are all around you... the further you go, the smaller those pitfalls seem. I think it is always a good idea to re-examine your motivation behind this healthier you.
Examining that internal, driving force will help you with self discipline when Dude is egging you on.
Ultimately, it's not about losing 5... 10...50...100 pounds. It's not about running a distance at a faster time than you ever have. It's not about looking sexier in your jeans... because once the weight is gone, the race is over, and you got the people you wanted looking at your tushie, you will find the feelings hollow.
Recognizing your own, real, deep motivation behind this healthier you will fill in that hollow feeling after you've reached your goals.
Recognizing your own, real, deep motivation behind this healthier you will fill in that hollow feeling after you've reached your goals.
So, really think... pray... then, fill in the blank.
I want to be a healthy, active person because_____________________________________...
Me? (1) I want to honor God with my body (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 "19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. "; (2) I want to be an active and healthy husband and father; (3) I was embarrassed by the old me (that's hard to admit, but true); (4) I like the way it feels; (5) If anything were to happen to me (medically), I want to know that so far as it depended on me, I did everything right.
What's your motivation?
What's your motivation?
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Calories Counting and Exercise
OK. I am not necessarily going back on what I have said in my other posts, but I will make one little... tiny... small... microscopic... nanoscopic (not a real word) suggestion...
Especially if you are trying to lose weight. It doesn't hurt to count calories... at least for a little while.
OK, there, I've said it. It's OK, even advisable to count your calories... but only for a little while, and only until you get the hang of portion control and eating healthier.
It occurred to me on my run this afternoon, that I should at least tell you part of my secret to weight loss. First, I exercised and began eating healthy using the advice and food recommendations from Beach Body's Hip Hop Abs. The food suggestions come from Michi's ladder- and if you Google it, you will find it and I won't be in violation of copyright infringement.
Next, after the weight loss started to plateau- and once your body reaches its equilibrium, the weight loss slows down- I started maintaining a pretty good calorie count per day. Once the weight loss began to plateau again, I started to run. So here are two pieces of advice I have experienced working.
First, count calories.
To do this, you need to find out how many calories it is recommended for you to eat. If you Google, "How many calories should I eat" you will find many calorie counters. They will all ask how much you weigh, some will ask how much you exercise.
This part's important- If you put in your current weight, then the counter will tell you how many calories you should consume daily to maintain your current weight- this was my first mistake... you need to know how many calories someone should eat if they weighed what you want to weigh... so-- go back to Google and ask, "how much should I weigh"-- there will be many weight charts and you will be asked questions like, "how tall are you?" and "What is your body type?" Once you get that number, then go back to the calorie site and answer the question with the weight you WANT to be.
This is what I ended up doing. I wanted to weigh 180 pounds at 5'11" with a medium frame... they sent the measurements and calculations to MIT and NASA and they came back with a crude estimate of 1800 calories. Oh, OK. Then I went on a calorie counter that asked a lot of questions about lifestyle... one of the questions was "how much do you work out?" and "what is the intensity of your workouts?" I answered, 45 minutes 5 days a week... they sent it back to NASA and MIT and gave me somewhere around 2500 calories...
OK, so by working out, I need more calories.
NEED more calories, not CAN EAT more calories, not I CAN EAT WHATEVER I want. So, yes, I counted calories, trying to keep them just around 2000 a day, once I got a hang of it and old habits changed, I stopped counting.
Second- Exercise
If you walk 30 minutes a day, 3 days a week, good for you, but eventually your body doesn't respond to this the way it used to. The nice thing about Hip Hop Abs is that the workouts kept changing. Some days it would be cardio, others strength. They started at 30 minutes and eventually got to 45-60 minutes.
Constant change is essential. It doesn't mean you can't walk for exercise- just walk longer, work up to 45 minutes, 60 minutes... who knows maybe you'll be like my friend Faith who walks half marathons.
Take yoga or palates classes, try bike riding, even try a spin class (spin classes are awesome!), try swimming, let's do some aerobics, get involved in a Zumba class, run! Just about every 6 weeks change your workout routine, add intensity, add strength, add cardio.
This actually makes exercise a lot of fun and breaks the doldrums up, making things more interesting and it makes you more versatile. Plus it works out different muscle groups and causes muscle confusion. Your body will need to constantly burn calories and will not reach its equilibrium. You will just feel better and believe me, you will lose weight.
My only caution... weight loss = new clothes.
This is just what worked for me. What works for you may be different, but remember, I'm no expert- just a regular guy who lost a lot of weight. And this is how I did it.
Gotta eat and get to choir practice!
God Bless, and thanks for reading!
Especially if you are trying to lose weight. It doesn't hurt to count calories... at least for a little while.
OK, there, I've said it. It's OK, even advisable to count your calories... but only for a little while, and only until you get the hang of portion control and eating healthier.
It occurred to me on my run this afternoon, that I should at least tell you part of my secret to weight loss. First, I exercised and began eating healthy using the advice and food recommendations from Beach Body's Hip Hop Abs. The food suggestions come from Michi's ladder- and if you Google it, you will find it and I won't be in violation of copyright infringement.
Next, after the weight loss started to plateau- and once your body reaches its equilibrium, the weight loss slows down- I started maintaining a pretty good calorie count per day. Once the weight loss began to plateau again, I started to run. So here are two pieces of advice I have experienced working.
First, count calories.
To do this, you need to find out how many calories it is recommended for you to eat. If you Google, "How many calories should I eat" you will find many calorie counters. They will all ask how much you weigh, some will ask how much you exercise.
This part's important- If you put in your current weight, then the counter will tell you how many calories you should consume daily to maintain your current weight- this was my first mistake... you need to know how many calories someone should eat if they weighed what you want to weigh... so-- go back to Google and ask, "how much should I weigh"-- there will be many weight charts and you will be asked questions like, "how tall are you?" and "What is your body type?" Once you get that number, then go back to the calorie site and answer the question with the weight you WANT to be.
This is what I ended up doing. I wanted to weigh 180 pounds at 5'11" with a medium frame... they sent the measurements and calculations to MIT and NASA and they came back with a crude estimate of 1800 calories. Oh, OK. Then I went on a calorie counter that asked a lot of questions about lifestyle... one of the questions was "how much do you work out?" and "what is the intensity of your workouts?" I answered, 45 minutes 5 days a week... they sent it back to NASA and MIT and gave me somewhere around 2500 calories...
OK, so by working out, I need more calories.
NEED more calories, not CAN EAT more calories, not I CAN EAT WHATEVER I want. So, yes, I counted calories, trying to keep them just around 2000 a day, once I got a hang of it and old habits changed, I stopped counting.
Second- Exercise
If you walk 30 minutes a day, 3 days a week, good for you, but eventually your body doesn't respond to this the way it used to. The nice thing about Hip Hop Abs is that the workouts kept changing. Some days it would be cardio, others strength. They started at 30 minutes and eventually got to 45-60 minutes.
Constant change is essential. It doesn't mean you can't walk for exercise- just walk longer, work up to 45 minutes, 60 minutes... who knows maybe you'll be like my friend Faith who walks half marathons.
Take yoga or palates classes, try bike riding, even try a spin class (spin classes are awesome!), try swimming, let's do some aerobics, get involved in a Zumba class, run! Just about every 6 weeks change your workout routine, add intensity, add strength, add cardio.
This actually makes exercise a lot of fun and breaks the doldrums up, making things more interesting and it makes you more versatile. Plus it works out different muscle groups and causes muscle confusion. Your body will need to constantly burn calories and will not reach its equilibrium. You will just feel better and believe me, you will lose weight.
My only caution... weight loss = new clothes.
This is just what worked for me. What works for you may be different, but remember, I'm no expert- just a regular guy who lost a lot of weight. And this is how I did it.
Gotta eat and get to choir practice!
God Bless, and thanks for reading!
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Make it Happen
Started my morning by cursing the rotation of the earth. I believe God made the universe, but I wonder who decided the earth needs to spin so fast... OK, some people are morning people, so they just love waking up early in the morning and being a functional human being... I am not one of those people...
In any case, what made me not stay in bed the extra 5 minutes was that I remembered it was bread making day. Yes, bread making in this house starts at wake up time when I make the "poolish". Poolish is a mixture of wheat flour, spring water, and a small amount of yeast. I follow the recipe from Bread Alone- Bold Fresh Loaves from Your Own Hands written by Daniel Leader & Judith Blahnik. I won't publish the recipe here, since it's not mine and I don't want to commit copyright infringement, but I do recommend the book for anyone feeling a little adventurous.
Poolish takes anywhere from 2-9 hours to ferment and about 5 minutes to make- you just leave it in the bowl with a wet towel over it... when it smells like beer, it's done.
So after breakfast, coffee, and work, I come home and add the remaining flour, some salt, a little more yeast, and more water- kneed the dough for about 15 minutes- put it back in the bowl with wet towel to rise for 2.5 hours, then prep for dinner.
I decided to follow my own advice today and make the roasted chicken with sweet potatoes tonight, so I prepped the bird and potatoes, put them in the oven and go outside for a run.
Today's run is something I've never done before 1 mile repeats... Run really hard for 1 mile, take a break, then repeat. I did three of these. So, in runner's lingo, I did 3 x 1 mile repeats... Go me! (by the way... these are really, really hard to do)
Come in, check on the bird and sweet potatoes- my wife, who I had put in charge of checking them when I was out, had pulled them out so they wouldn't burn, but the chicken is taking longer than expected so it's still in.
I check the temp- put it back in, and kept this up for a while until it was done.
Take a shower, because I stink.
Finally it's done- take it out, let it rest- get the plates and carry-out containers, cut up the meat and portion it out to the three plates- in addition I portion out the sweet potatoes and had steamed broccoli.
On good advice, from good friends, I put the carcass in a pot with water, salt and pepper, etc. Set the stove to boil the water, then to simmer to make broth.
Eat dinner, punch down the dough to let it rest for 30 more minutes... the next step will be shaping them and placing them in the cast iron bread pans and let rise for another 1.5-2 hours, then baking them and letting them cool-- eventually, these will become the bread with which I will make chicken sandwiches for tomorrow's lunch- and there's enough chicken left over that I might, a) make chicken sandwiches for the next day, or b) use whatever is left to make chicken noodle soup.
Needed to get everyone fed before 7 so the wife can go to a meeting at the church-- so, all this was accomplished in approximately 2.5 hours-- Oh, and I've been writing this blog in between other things.
I was told once a long time ago, when I was in school that once I got a full-time teaching job, I wouldn't have the time or energy to keep making fresh meals ("Just you wait!" I was told)
Then I was told that I wouldn't have the time or the energy to keep up with making fresh meals once I had a full-time job and a child ("Just you wait!")
I've been waiting.
If anything, I've added more to my plate with volunteer work at the school, church, and VT Central PA Alumni chapter; in addition, I've been training for marathons... and yet, I still wait.
If it is important enough for you to do it, you will make it happen. If it is important to you, you will trim the fat, in a sense, in your life to make it work one way or the other. Everything else is just an excuse- and, being a 6th grade math teacher, I hear excuses a lot... but, if it is important to you, you will make it happen.
So, no more excuses- just make it happen.
In any case, what made me not stay in bed the extra 5 minutes was that I remembered it was bread making day. Yes, bread making in this house starts at wake up time when I make the "poolish". Poolish is a mixture of wheat flour, spring water, and a small amount of yeast. I follow the recipe from Bread Alone- Bold Fresh Loaves from Your Own Hands written by Daniel Leader & Judith Blahnik. I won't publish the recipe here, since it's not mine and I don't want to commit copyright infringement, but I do recommend the book for anyone feeling a little adventurous.
Poolish takes anywhere from 2-9 hours to ferment and about 5 minutes to make- you just leave it in the bowl with a wet towel over it... when it smells like beer, it's done.
So after breakfast, coffee, and work, I come home and add the remaining flour, some salt, a little more yeast, and more water- kneed the dough for about 15 minutes- put it back in the bowl with wet towel to rise for 2.5 hours, then prep for dinner.
I decided to follow my own advice today and make the roasted chicken with sweet potatoes tonight, so I prepped the bird and potatoes, put them in the oven and go outside for a run.
Today's run is something I've never done before 1 mile repeats... Run really hard for 1 mile, take a break, then repeat. I did three of these. So, in runner's lingo, I did 3 x 1 mile repeats... Go me! (by the way... these are really, really hard to do)
Come in, check on the bird and sweet potatoes- my wife, who I had put in charge of checking them when I was out, had pulled them out so they wouldn't burn, but the chicken is taking longer than expected so it's still in.
I check the temp- put it back in, and kept this up for a while until it was done.
Take a shower, because I stink.
Finally it's done- take it out, let it rest- get the plates and carry-out containers, cut up the meat and portion it out to the three plates- in addition I portion out the sweet potatoes and had steamed broccoli.
On good advice, from good friends, I put the carcass in a pot with water, salt and pepper, etc. Set the stove to boil the water, then to simmer to make broth.
Eat dinner, punch down the dough to let it rest for 30 more minutes... the next step will be shaping them and placing them in the cast iron bread pans and let rise for another 1.5-2 hours, then baking them and letting them cool-- eventually, these will become the bread with which I will make chicken sandwiches for tomorrow's lunch- and there's enough chicken left over that I might, a) make chicken sandwiches for the next day, or b) use whatever is left to make chicken noodle soup.
Needed to get everyone fed before 7 so the wife can go to a meeting at the church-- so, all this was accomplished in approximately 2.5 hours-- Oh, and I've been writing this blog in between other things.
I was told once a long time ago, when I was in school that once I got a full-time teaching job, I wouldn't have the time or energy to keep making fresh meals ("Just you wait!" I was told)
Then I was told that I wouldn't have the time or the energy to keep up with making fresh meals once I had a full-time job and a child ("Just you wait!")
I've been waiting.
If anything, I've added more to my plate with volunteer work at the school, church, and VT Central PA Alumni chapter; in addition, I've been training for marathons... and yet, I still wait.
If it is important enough for you to do it, you will make it happen. If it is important to you, you will trim the fat, in a sense, in your life to make it work one way or the other. Everything else is just an excuse- and, being a 6th grade math teacher, I hear excuses a lot... but, if it is important to you, you will make it happen.
So, no more excuses- just make it happen.
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