Working Towards the Uncomfortable

During a recent 5 mile training run, I approached a hill about halfway through. This was my long run of the week so 5 miles was a  bit of a push as it was.  So as I encountered this hill, I immediately said to myself, "If I poop out, that's OK." Why? Why would I give myself that out? Why give myself permission to quit?  Starting up the hill, the worst thing that could happen, of course happened, I started feeling nauseous. That's right... I'm about to hurl. I again hear those thoughts of "I am going to throw up, it's OK to stop." But was it and why? Here were my options, What would you do?

Option #1) I could stop. Walk up the rest of the hill until my nausea goes away. Return to running and run the rest of the way home. Feel good about my run but bothered that I can't run the entire distance as originally planned. Again, feel good but entirely let down.

Option #2) Push harder through the nausea and not stop until I get home. As soon as I get home, puke. Have lingering nausea throughout the rest of my day.  My 5 mile goal would be accomplished but my precious day off would be ruined by being slow, tired and sluggish.

Option #3) Slow down, find a steady yet turtle-like pace to get me up the hill. Push through my comfort zone and about 10 yards up the hill, find my stride and  enter into a whole new zone. An exhilarated, accomplished, empowered zone where I feel I could conquer the world and run another hill, 10 hills or even another 10 miles. Feel so great the rest of the day with lots of energy, confidence and pride for completing my goal.
I chose Option #3. I didn't stop, I slowed down, but I did not stop.

There are many terms or phrases for this sort of thing but the one I heard recently by my awesome spin instructor Abbie was "working towards the uncomfortable." This phrase truly speaks to me as when we are challenging ourselves we are putting the work into that intention. Work is associated for me with reward, success, pride and accomplishment.  And there is no better sensation than feeling all of those in one sweet moment.

Here are a few ideas to incorporate "working towards the uncomfortable" into your daily life...

1) Eating with a different hand, sitting in a different place at the table, or my favorite taking a new or different route to/from work are all ways to engage your brain and are called "Neurobics" according to this article in the Wall Street Journal.

TRX at BHFC

2) Group classes are an excellent way to workout longer than you normally would, try new exercises, move in a different way all the while being motivated by an instructor who will support you with form and safety. If you don't belong to a gym, go 5 minutes longer on your regular workouts at least once, maybe twice a week. Try a new exercise such as Yoga, TRX, U-Jam, Pilates, etc.  There are so many great apps and DVD's out there that you can do a lot from your own home.  Also, workout with a buddy instead of on your own.

3) Try a new recipe.  We get in such ruts with what we cook week in and week out. Try one new recipe a week. Who knows, you and your family may have a new favorite dish? I love Eating Well for their healthy and easy recipes. Here is one I plan on trying, Rhubarb Waffles.

4) Weight Loss. Many of us think we cannot live without our __________. Fill in the blank.  Chances are you honestly haven't truly tried to live without that chocolate, ice cream, diet coke, cupcake, cookie, etc.  Try eliminating that one favorite thing just for a week and replacing it with a new healthier option.. This is surely working towards the uncomfortable.

5) Have a long lost friend you haven't chatted with in awhile? Maybe you feel like too much time has passed or she/he won't want to hear from you. Call, Email, or Text them.

By trying one of the above suggestions or an idea of your own you may find yourself building confidence, expanding your knowledge, learning to accept new challenges, and building your memory. I see in your future small pushes with tremendous benefits so how will you "Work towards the Uncomfortable?"

all about the food...

This last week has been all about food. Wait a sec... how is that different than other weeks? It's not really but this is a good opportunity to share a couple of my new favorite recipes for all to enjoy.  Remember my criteria which all of these fit... Taste, Simplicity and Feeling Alive. 

BAKED APPLES WITH MAPLE CREAM

Baked Apples with Maple Cream

I have made this twice now each with different ingredients yet with the same delicious outcome.

~ 2nd time I used cranberry raspberry juice instead of apple cider(just what I had available)

~ Instead of maple mascarpone cheese you could use whip cream, vanilla ice cream, vanilla yogurt, almond milk, etc.  

~ I cut the apples in half and then core which makes for smaller portion sizes and more nuts and dates per apple.  

EGG & AVOCADO SALAD

Egg & Avocado Salad

Blend all ingredients with an immersion blender... 

2 hard boiled eggs(peeled)

1 peeled avocado

1 1/2 tbsp brown mustard

salt & pepper to taste

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

Optional: Red Onion, Other favorite seasoning mixes, Lime Juice, Pickles, Pepperoncinis

This is my own creation that I have been making on and off for my lunch the last couple weeks although I could see it as a great appetizer dip, on a piece of bread, or even scooped onto a tomato half.  I change up the recipe each time depending on what I have in the fridge and it is always satisfying and fresh.  Not to mention quick.  Also, those are Crunch Master crackers which are gluten-free and tasty. 

Photos of other tasty, delicious and healthy treats recently... 

Whole wheat toast w/Avocado & Egg

Homemade Turkey Meatloaf & Kale Saute w/
 Mushrooms & Peppers

Dairy Free & Gluten Free Sunday Pancakes
(prepared by my dad, Mark)

Almond Milk Yogurt

Dear Body....

I offer my apologies to you for not always listening to the extremely clear messages that you send as a reminder to take care of you. Hate to say it but I don't always appreciate your way of communicating... sickness, aches, pains, headaches, etc.  I have to give it to you though, you are pretty consistent in letting me know when I make unhealthy choices and there is an obvious cause and effect.  Those reactions are specific to me and may not happen to everyone else, so because my husband can eat all the Rocky Road ice cream in the world and only feel a little sleepy afterwards, doesn't make it so for me.  The funny thing, well sad thing is that these are not just one time abuses that I put upon you, but happen over and over again.

Here are some of the recently heard messages...

• Through a nasty flu virus that lingered on for almost 6 weeks to wash hands more and to keep hands away from my face. 
• Many times you let me know that a cool down, whether it be stretching or foam rolling, is very important to reduce hammy tightness, back pain and other muscle soreness later. 
• When I drink a Thai Iced Coffee with heavy cream after staying away from dairy for a week, and get terrible headaches, body aches and fatigue within 20 minutes.  
• Let’s not forget the dry skin, chapped lips and extremely yellow-colored pee when I am not drinking enough water.  
• Or how about the times when I have one too many of my favorite beers and struggle with a bit of a headache the next day?  
• And who could forget the added pounds around the holidays when I overindulge in the mashed potatoes, pecan pie and way too many red and green M&M’s.  
• Oh and I owe you for the mental and physical fatigue that overwhelms me when I have stressed myself out with a to do list meant for a week while trying to complete in one day.

Let's try to stay positive though and not forget when I do something good for you such as...

• Getting up early for spin class and having a boost of energy to start my day. 
• A solid 7-8 hours of sleep and being alert, efficient and productive throughout the entire work day.
• On a Sunday morning when I just want to lay in bed for hours, I get myself up and go for a walk with my husband and dog Maddie.  
• Allowing myself just to sit and be still for 10 minutes now and then instead of trying to fill it with Facebook, email, TV, or other errands. 

Alright then, let us continue on this positive note and clearly establish how we can make the second list much longer than the first while at the same time decreasing the first.  I guess it starts with me, eh? Any significant change always does.

Here is my commitment to you... 

I commit to make a conscious effort to listen to your communication whether it be screaming at me with a headache or stomach pain, or those times that your voice is soft such as a mild fever or redness in my cheeks.  When I feel out of sorts, I will think back to what I was doing or eating before whether it be 20 minutes, couple hours, a day, few days and/or even a week or two. As soon as I identify what has caused me to be out of whack, I will write it down or vocalize to my husband or another support person so I have accountability for healthy changes in the future.  In turn, I will also pay attention to the rewarding messages I receive from you for making balanced choices such as good rest, meditation, exercising, etc.  There will be times that I will unfortunately repeat my unhealthy behaviors, but together we will continue to actively listen to one another and try to decrease those situations over time.  

Sincerely,

Me

What should I buy organic?

What is organic?  Does it cost more?  Is it worth it?  Why should I pay more? Will I get more nutrients if I buy organic? How does it impact the environment?  If I don't buy organic, does that mean my food is not safe? Am I harming myself and/or my family?  These are all questions I have asked myself and my guess is you have too. The world of organic can be complicated and confusing to say the least and applaud yourself for diving into the complexity.  Today, I will simplify and focus on safety of food and provide you with a couple of tools to guide you while shopping the grocery store aisles.

Avocado #4225 - Non-Organic

First, where do you start? Well, when you pick up a piece of fruit or vegetable it sometimes has those little stickers, right? They are called PLU, price look up, codes and have a purpose other than getting you through the check out line quicker.  According to Consumer Reports, the PLU codes tell you whether or not the produce is organic, conventional or GMO(Genetically Modified Organism). PLU codes are not mandatory  so you may not always find them, but look for these codes when you do...

• 4 digit PLU codes starting with "3" or "4" means conventionally grown
• 5 digit PLU codes starting with "9" means organic
• 5 digit PLU codes starting with "8" means GMO

The next question now is which foods do you buy organic? There are such extreme answers to this question but I recommend the balanced approach of starting with a few and gradually adding more.  An incredible advocacy organization called Environmental Working Group has done the research and provided us with two lists, Dirty Dozen Plus, most contaminated produce, and the Clean Fifteen, least contaminated.  By using these two lists you have the answer of which foods to buy organic and those that you don't have to worry about quite yet.

DIRTY DOZEN PLUS

Apples. Bell Peppers. Blueberries. Celery. Cucumbers.  Grapes. Lettuce. Nectarines. Peaches. Potatoes.  Spinach.  Strawberries. Green Beans. Kale/Greens.

CLEAN FIFTEEN

Asparagus. Avocado. Cabbage. Cantaloupe. Corn. Eggplant. Grapefruit. Kiwi. Mangoes. Mushrooms. Onions. Pineapples. 

Sweet Peas. Sweet Potatoes. Watermelon.

With the PLU code breakdown and the downloadable guide  for the Dirty Dozen and the Clean Fifteen to post on the fridge you now have two extremely useful tools to successfully navigate the grocery store.