Run-Walker

I bookmarked this article from the New York Times some time ago and wanted to share it with you all:

Better Running Through Walking 

So, I think I've mentioned in a couple posts now (here and here) that in training for the Macau Half Marathon I used a run-walk-run strategy. What interested me most about applying this method to long distance running was a) minimizing risk of injury and b) surprisingly increased pace. This was not just a method for newbies, oldies and out-of-shapes... it could be of use to veterans. Real runners. Runners who have thirty races already to their name. People who think a five mile run is like taking a Sunday nap. I am NOT one of these "real" runners. I think a Sunday nap is like taking a Sunday nap. I think running a five miler makes me a conquering hero. Still, when you only have to run 3 minutes at a time, the game changes. Thoughts like "I'm going to die, I'm going to die, I'm going to die" start to sound more like "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can". It's incredible. So to all you runners, non-runners, thinking-about-being-runners out there, I say give this method a try.  I thought it would take a lot of work to convince my husband that this was a method worth investigating but actually, when it came down to it, I simply stuck to my guns, got over my ego and let the walking do the talking. Results friends. My pace improved by about a minute and a half per mile (bear in mind I also increased my miles from 2 to 13) and I have a committed training partner all lined up for the next race. Plus, I completed the race completely injury free. I was nervous about getting in the way of other runners and I was worried that by adding in walks my run wouldn't be "legitimate". I thought maybe I should stick a sign on my back, you know, like you sometimes see on the back of buses "Beware, makes stops unexpectedly" or maybe just "run-walker" but in the end I decided I didn't need to worry so much about what I looked like or seemed like to anyone else and of course, it turned out that nobody cared at all! My worries were all self made and 13.1 miles is 13.1 miles, run, walk or crawl, it counts! 

Macau Half Marathon

On the 4th December 2011 I ran my very first half marathon. I would never in my life have considered myself a "runner" but after Derrald ran his first marathon last March he has been slowly convincing me that you don't have to be a "runner" to "run" a half marathon. He set the challenge for both of us - a half marathon in Macau at the beginning of December and we had 10 weeks to train.

What I want to talk about in this post is how important it is to have a team mate. A supporter. A friend. The road to health is not always an easy one but surrounding yourself with people who are just as interested as you are makes things a lot easier. Derrald and I are our own best and worst support team. We both love to get healthy and we both love to be devilishly unhealthy. This often takes us to the extremes on both ends of the scale.

Right now we are back in health mode. In fact, Derrald is joining me on the Take Shape for Life plan and we are treating the next two weeks as a kind of "detox" in preparation for the Christmas season and to help "lighten our loads" for the new year. It is SO much fun being able to do something like this together. Just like the half marathon training, it puts you both on the same page and helps create a bond between you. It gives us something to talk about everyday, we get to check in with each other and help each other.

One of my favorite patterns that we started this year was our commitment to running together every week. We started back in January when we still lived in North Carolina. We were very fortunate to have such easy access to the trails in NC. They are beautiful and the weather is often perfect for being outside.

We continued our pattern even while on our cruise in April:

And after moving to Hong Kong, when we decided to run the Macau Half Marathon, our dedication increased... we even got up before the crack of dawn one day to make sure we could get our run in.

in the a.m.

And like rebel teenagers we scaled the fence...

We didn't begin running with any particular goal in mind. It was just a fun way for us to workout together. I was concerned that it wouldn't work out because we run at such different paces. I think to make this work both partners need to be reasonable. I always told Derrald he could run ahead and we'd meet at the end and he always made an effort to run slower for a few miles so we could chat and run together. Best of both worlds.

Now we have medals. I love our medals because they signify our dedication. A challenge accepted and overcome. I would be so excited and proud of myself had I run the race alone. My achievements are my own, but to have a friend there, hollering my name at the end of the race as I entered the stadium only 8 minutes behind him,  wondering what obstacles he had to overcome and looking forward to sharing our race stories, that sweet readers is awesome.

For the full story and more photos of our half marathon, click here. 

With a new year approaching I invite you to find your own "race"and to challenge your partner. Whether that means challenging them to support you in your own race or challenging them to accept a race you can support them in.

Failure

Failure. Possibly not the most uplifting title for a blog post intended to be inspiring, however, it's something we all must deal with at different times in our lives and something I'd like to address as we clear the temptations of chocolate covered, heart-shaped February and head straight into April Easter(egg) madness.

I've been doing really well on the program so far but my journey, the road to health is definitely a journey, has not been without bumps in the road. Bumps, thankfully, not mountains. It's easy to think "But I'm the health coach! I need to be perfect! I'm setting the example!" However, this isn't necessarily the right approach. After all, I am only human. (even if my husband would try and convince you I was half dragon...) 

I'm the same as you. I have the same temptations and I will, on occasion, make choices that I know aren't in my best health interest. The key is knowing what to do when those choices have already been made. 

DON'T PANIC and DON'T GIVE UP

Acknowledge your mistake, your moment of weakness, your indulgence but don't beat yourself up about it. Use this time as an opportunity to check back in with yourself. Remind yourself why it is important for you to eat healthy or stick to your eating plan. Something I recommend to all my clients right at the beginning of their weight loss journey is to write out a list of goals and, perhaps even more importantly, the reasons WHY you want to reach these goals. What positive changes will you be making in your life? How will these inspire you when the going gets tough?

Refocusing on these things will put you back on track when you temporarily derail. The real failure would be if you gave up completely. So, have faith in yourself and remember that you're only human (unless you're half dragon), and if I can do it, so can you!

American Waistlines

"The U.S has a weight problem" - a quote from an interesting article I read on Bloomberg.com the other day. 

I highly recommend you check out the link here: "American Waistlines Expand at Fastest Pace Among Rich Nations, Study Finds"

Turns out, Americans have the highest BMI average among rich nations in 2008. Followed by, wait for it, New Zealand! I love it when both my countries are represented... I just wish it wasn't for these particular statistics!!

Don't let yourself become just another sad weight statistic. Get yourself a health coach, adopt the habits of health and then start being part of the solution. We can change these numbers by changing our lives and educating others.

Happy Monday.

Ten

Ten. 

The number ten has been a popular one for me recently. After three and a half weeks on the program I have lost ten pounds. Oh, happy ten!! (Actually, it's ten point five pounds... to be exact... but who's counting? Wait... I am! Ha!)  

Ten is also the number I am focusing on as a percentage of body mass that I want to lose. There have been many studies concluding that losing just ten percent of your total weight leads to vastly increased health benefits. 

Ten percent is a great starting goal. Even if you want to lose more than that eventually, it is much better to set up smaller, more attainable goals to reach first. After losing ten percent you will already be feeling the benefits:

* more energy

* more confidence 

* significantly lowered cholesterol 

* lowered blood pressure

* reduced risk of Type 2 Diabetes

Now do you see why I love the number ten?

I haven't reached my ten percent goal yet but I'm close. Over seven percent close. So close I can taste it. And it tastes better than candy I tell you!

With February just around the corner and Valentine's Day lurking in the wings to derail us all on journeys of chocolate-covered romance, I say we take advantage of the beginning of this month to build strong foundations, focus on our goals and remember our new year's resolutions!

Wishing you all the joy of ten.

Sweating the Small Stuff

My friends, I'm sure you're familiar with the phrase "don't sweat the small stuff". I've been thinking about this lately and the thing is, sometimes, I think we should sweat the small stuff.

"Small stuff" like, walking past the free samples at Trader Joes or asking for non-fat milk at Starbucks can be pretty easy to overlook when thinking about our diets. I've often found myself thinking "oh, a little bite here and a little bite there, it'll never make a difference!" but actually, it does. More than you think.

What things are you putting in your mouth without even thinking about it? What unnecessary additions are you adding to your meals when you probably wouldn't notice the difference were they missing? How many times have you purchased a "large" because you would be "saving" money, not once thinking about the fact that you just purchased a bunch of extra calories? How many of you drink your calories, not counting it as a meal?

I live with a man who loves to crunch numbers more than anything and gets pure thrills out of finding a bargain or a deal. It is physically painful for him to think that I might want to order a "small" when it's so much cheaper (per unit) to order the "extra large". But I don't WANT the extra large! I always exclaim. If I get an extra large I will only eat/drink it all! (I can't stand waste) Take a look at how many extra calories you are adding (and paying for):

Small Starbucks Hot Chocolate w/Cream =330 calories
(Without Cream = 240 calories - ask yourself, is the taste of cream worth 90 calories to me? )
Large Starbucks Hot Chocolate w/Cream =551 calories

That's more than 200 calories! I'd rather have a small and then eat a banana later.

A couple months ago we took a trip to Costco where we observed what can only be described as "a feeding frenzy". It may or may not have looked something a little like this:

Really. They had lots of samples out and people were staggering all over the place, nibbling, and chewing, swooping in to a table and filling both hands with their samples. It was madness. Had these people never eaten before? I wish I could tell you that we refrained from the frenzy but alas, we joined in. Yum! Crab dip. Ooh! Brownie bites. Yes! I'll sample 700 kinds of sausage. Cheese? Don't mind if I do... We were going to go out for dinner but after our binging we were too full on samples to even find something proper to eat!

Don't get me wrong, it's fun to sample things. I just want us to be more aware. Those "samples" ended up being a meal! There are choices that we can make, the small stuff, that can help you be just a little more active in your quest to be more healthy. It's a step, a small step, but a step nonetheless, in the right direction.

For example:

*choose low-fat or non-fat milk when drinking coffee/hot chocolate 

*say no thanks to the cream

*order in small sizes and eat again later

*walk past the free samples if you're not sincerely interested in trying the product

*bring healthy snacks to work so you aren't tempted to buy something (usually fast and not so healthy) on your breaks

*drink more water! it makes you feel fuller and keeps you hydrated

*choose a side salad instead of fries OR share them

*say no to mayonnaise on sandwiches - tomatoes, cucumber, olives are all very juicy, you don't need spread

*say no to extra cheese

*avoid cream based salad dressings and get dressing on the side

*choose broth/tomato based soups instead of creamy ones (do the same for pasta)

*remember flavored waters are NOT always zero calorie - choose ones that are

What small stuff do you sweat? I'm sure many of you have little tricks or ideas that can be added to this list and I would truly love to hear them. Please share them with us so we can apply them in our own lives.

Choices

It's been hard convincing a certain someone in my house that you can do a program like the 5&1 (or any healthy eating plan really) and still go out for dinner with friends (and have a good time). Whilst one of the benefits of the 5&1 is that you save a lot of money by NOT going out to restaurants, I think it's important to still feel like you can live your life. Getting healthy is supposed to be empowering not depressing!

So, with one birthday just passed and several invitations for nights out with friends... we've had to re-evaluate our attitude and find a way to stare that carb-loving, figure-destroying, cardiac-arrest-inducing menu right in the face and say "I'll have the salad, please".

Actually, what I have really discovered is that it is all about choices. It's fairly simple to look up the items on a menu beforehand and to make some nutritional inquiries that will assure you make a good decision come meal time. With a few simple changes to certain items and by making the "healthier" choice, you can still enjoy your meal, enjoy your company and eat at a restaurant with ease.

Red Robin is our birthday restaurant of choice. I don't know how it happened. It started with my birthday when I received a birthday coupon and the thought of a "free meal" was just too much to resist. Red Robin makes delicious burgers. They also make delicious chicken burgers/sandwiches. And now we have discovered that they have the most incredible web tool for calculating the nutritional value of their meals. Seriously. This little program is so fun we spent almost an hour designing and adjusting all their menu items just to see what happened. Go HERE and click on the button at the bottom of the page "build your meal + calculate your nutrition" to have a play for yourself.

Just to give you an idea how much your choices affect what you eat, I want to show you something. Pay particular attention to CALORIES, FAT, CARBS.

This is the nutritional information for a normal, no frills added burger:

Cals: 569  Fat: 24g   Carbs: 51g














But this is America. Most people don't eat that burger. It's too boring. They need to add. Watch this:

A bacon-cheeseburger. You've practically doubled your calories and almost tripled your fat.














But what's a burger without fries? Let's add some:

Wowsah! You're practically off the charts now. For an average daily allowance of 2,000cals/day, you have just eaten 75% of your daily intake in ONE meal. (and that's if you resist the refill on the RR bottomless fries!)












Now let's try a leaner meat, say, chicken:

I love this sandwich. It's delicious.

Beware: Just because it's "chicken" does not automatically make it healthier! In it's orginal form it's already 107cals MORE than the natural burger, 5g more fat and 1g more carbs.

Instead of adding things to this sandwich, let's see what happens when we eliminate a few items:

No bun. No cheese. But we'll keep the delicious aioli...

BOOM! This is more like it!

Cals: 292  Fat: 16g  Carbs: 6g










And if we do the same to the burger?:

 No bun. No cheese. But no sauce either...

It's more than the chicken. Now, after our alterations, the chicken is healthier. However, this is not bad for a burger!

Cals: 319  Fat: 20g   4g











I promise you, you won't miss things like cheese and bread nearly as much as you think you will. It is far more difficult for me to say "no cheese" than it is for me to actually eat something without cheese. When my meal comes, I don't miss it.

I would love to hear what choices you have difficulty making and if you have managed to find ways of staying strong, staying healthy, while eating out in social situations. If you have found a fun way of making a healthier choice, please feel free to leave a comment and share it!

An Obesigenic World.

I've been reading through "Dr. A's Habits of Health" these last few days and it does a very good job of pointing out the fact that we live in a society saturated with advertisements for "tasty" but cheap JUNK foods, reduced activity levels and increased stress.

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I can't help but conclude, we live in an obesigenic world.

"Obesigenic: likely to cause someone to become excessively fat"

I do not think it is merely coincidence that both times I lived in the United States I have put on an excess of 15+ lbs. I used to say "I don't know why but living in the US just doesn't suit me! I can't stay healthy." I still make the foods I love, my soups. I still eat healthy things. So why the weight gain?

Well, part of it may be the stress of my environment. I have had to deal with great amounts of change. Challenges in work. That's one factor.

Another factor can be that whenever I live in the US, I drive a car. Outside of the US, I have always lived in cities that do not require a car. I walk everywhere and anywhere that can not be walked to, I walk to a train or a bus. I was more active in daily life.

But the biggest factor, in my opinion, is the availability of cheaply made, seemingly delicious, unhealthy foods. When did "deep fried" become code for "delicious" sweet readers? I feel like it is expected of me to "ooh" and "aah" when I hear "quadruple-layered, cheese on the inside, cheese on the outside, extra mayonnaise, deep fried in high fructose corn syrup, with a twinkie in the middle" products being advertised every 12 seconds on the television. Really? THIS monstrosity is what is considered delicious these days? Oh dear. Derrald looks at me like I've lost my marbles when I sit down in front of my wilted spinach with freshly squeezed lemon juice (right from my mother's lemon tree) and exclaim "Mmmm. Delish!!" Seriously. Spinach rocks people. If you'll let it. It's all about your mind. Training your mind to understand what is good (and actually quite delicious!) and what is not.

Don't get me wrong. I love a piece of cake as much as the next guy (probably more) and I can "chocolate' you under the table any day of the week. I'm just saying they make it difficult for us. Knowing this can empower you. You can make adjustments to your environment to help yourself. Find places to walk, activities that will expend more energy instead of less, and don't believe them when they tell you it's more outrageous and therefore, more delicious!!

Sadly, it's not financially encouraging to eat healthy. They charge you your first born son just to buy a bell pepper... . Unhealthy foods should not be cheaper but they are. It's not fair. So you have to be strong, friends. When I'm at the supermarket I try and remind myself that my health is WORTH the money I pay for the pepper. If I buy the yummy vegetables that I like and make fun recipes, I am happy. Money well spent.

Doing the 5&1 has helped somewhat by taking the choice out of it. It gives you time to adjust. Suddenly, just the thought of eating that Cinnabon I shared with D in the airport sickens me. What a horrible cinnamon roll. It was so greasy. Why was it greasy? One day I will make my own cinnamon rolls and they will be delicious. I will know what is in them. I will not gorge myself on them. I will enjoy them as part of my balanced diet. But until that day, I'm happy remembering how good the crunch of fresh iceberg lettuce feels, how tingly the taste of fresh tomato, a little salt and some olive oil tastes, and how many ways there really are to cook chicken.

I leave you with an image of the lemons we brought back from my mother's tree in Danville, CA. 

Stay strong friends!

First Weigh In

So, I only began my program on Friday but I have decided to do a weekly weigh in.

Weighing in is an important part of weight loss because it keeps you aware and holds you accountable. Getting on a scale may not, however, always be the best strategy for some people.  It's hard to know whether you are weighing fat loss, muscle gain/loss, water weight etc... so, alternatively you can use one pair of pants as a measuring bar or maybe just a measuring tape and smile as you see your body shrink! I have a specific weight goal in mind so I am going to take note of my weekly weigh in (and D is going to chart it for me).

It's easier for me to use Monday for my weigh ins. Beginning of the week. It makes sense. So, only 3 days in (today is day 4) and I have already lost 2.2lbs!! Feeling very good about it :) Very good indeed.

*A little side note - I actually lost most of my extra/water weight in the 2 days before starting the program because knowing what I was about to do I decided to significantly reduce my calorie intake early in preparation. This is not necessary but I did lose 3lbs. Therefore, the 2.2lbs is AFTER I already lost my initial surge. That makes a loss of 5.2lbs total in 5 days!!!!

The Beginning

Well, it's 2011 and after one year of marriage I have already gained 15lbs. I'd heard the horror stories of weight gain during marriage and thought "not to me!" but alas, I've not escaped and this blog that you are now reading is how I am dealing with it.

I'm am going to be a Health Coach! I have joined with Lana Batishev and her team of health coaches in the quest to make America healthy, starting with MYSELF.

The idea is to record my progress and share with you my success (and struggles) and hopefully inspire you to go after your own health goals and dreams. I will make this a place where we can share ideas and create a support network.

I've done the Take Shape for Life program before and absolutely loved it. I lost 12lbs in three weeks. The best part, by far, is getting a health coach. I've never been known for my will power (because I really don't have a lot!) and having someone to hold me accountable worked wonders for keeping me dedicated and focused. Someone to cheer me on and make me feel like I was making progress. Now I will be that someone for others. I can't wait!!