Considering a vegan challenge...

For the last couple of weeks, I've been considering the idea of doing a week-long "vegan challenge". Not forever, my fiance would kill me (you should have seen the look on his face when I mentioned it). Not because I'm a big animal cruelty adversary; I tend to think if we didn't eat a chicken or two, there would be over-crowding and chickens running amok everywhere. For me, it's more for the experiment of it, seeing how my body feels after a week of vegan/"clean" eating. It seems kind of fun, in a "this sounds like way too much work" kind of way.

Not one to jump into something without just a little research, I'm beginning to realize just how difficult a week of vegan living sounds. I already knew the basics: no animal products or by-products, which means no milk, no cheese, no eggs. ("No eggs" is a hard one for me, I eat the little wonders nearly every day.) But the more I read, the more I became somewhat disheartened. No honey??!! Are we really that concerned about how hard the bees are working? Are we worried that the living conditions of bees are unfair?! Seriously. They're bees. Their sole job in life is to pollinate flowers and make honey. It's not like if we stop eating honey they are going to find a new job changing oil at the local Uncle Ed's. They'll probably die out.

I guess what I'm getting at is that I find veganism to be somewhat pointless, if not actually detrimental to animals in the longer run. Yes, we can find alternate sources of protein from ancient grains and other plant-based foods. But what happens when we all suddenly stop eating animals and their by-products? For example. Let's say the year is 2080. Humans have become intolerant of an carnivore's diet, and thusly America is a completely vegan society. Now, I'm no farmer, but a cow has to be milked. I'd imagine that for all the cows that are now over-populated to be milked, everyone, including city-dwellers, would have to own several cows. They would have to be able to afford to own and milk those cows. And then, after paying to own, house, and feed that cow, they have to milk the cow and throw the milk out. Which makes so little sense to me; a cow has to be milked. It's not like we're doing it to be mean.

And that's just the cows. Imagine how many chickens we'd have to own, how many eggs we'd have to discard... good luck working. There's a reason moms stayed home in 1880; they had to take care of the kids and take care of the farms. Perhaps this simpler way of life worked then, but capitalism and consumerism have taken over this country in the last 100 years, and I have a feeling not too many people are willing to give up their iPhone so that they can take care of a roost full of chickens they can't eat.

I understand and support that the living conditions of many stockyard animals are far from ideal. I would like to see more farms raising animals in an ethical way, which is better for them and healthier for the people who consume the products they produce. I imagine if organic continues to catch speed, more farms will make the switch to better practices. So, if you're going to buy meat and dairy, keep buying organic meat and dairy! And in the meantime, I think I'll continue to eat a balanced diet of mostly organic plants, with meat, fish and grain as my side dishes.

Which is, most probably, the best way to support this eco-system and yourself. In my own opinion.

until later...

If vegetarians eat vegetables, what do humanitarians eat? ~Author Unknown

Jillian Michaels attacks again....

Okay, so towards the end of October I made all of these big claims about November, because it wasn't November yet and therefore I didn't have to worry about them until it was. It's funny how invincible you feel when you set a goal in advance, isn't it? Funny like a treadmill set to 10mph.

Yeah, November is here. I'm posting this somewhat unflattering picture of myself, as earlier this week I began the Jillian Michaels' 30-Day Shred for an actual 30 days, an idea that was much more fun two weeks ago. (The picture was shot the night before I started, in an effort to see change and hold myself accountable.) Today I finished Day Four, and let me tell you, I'm a little sore. Actually, I think the only thing that is keeping me from total muscular meltdown and skeletal disinegration is the fact that I am doing it every day; I'm not even giving my body a day to process it's in pain.

A typical morning goes a little like this:
BODY: Heeeeeeey, Jen. Whaddya say we lay off the anterior raises today, huh? We could just do a little extra squatting? Huh? Huh?
JEN: Sorry, body. Jillian says pain is fear leaving the body. It might be bullshit, but what if it's not?
BODY: *big sigh*
JEN: I know, I'm tired, too. But change comes when you push past fatigue. So, yeah. Let's go push for 25 minutes.

The funny thing is, as much as my body tends to protest beforehand, once it groans to life and starts warming up, the rest happens pretty fast. Like it's no big deal, really. When I finish, I almost always wonder what I was whining about. Are you kidding? It's 25 flipping minutes. It's an episode of The Office. It's a drive to Battle Creek. And it's less than a game of Chutes and Ladders with Anna.

Point being, by the end of the workout, perspective lets me remember why I did the workout in the first place. I did it because I wanted to ignite a change in my spirit more than anything. I'm not on a big weight-loss quest. I'm simply trying to reignite my brain into remembering what an extraordinary creature I can be, when I put my mind to it. What extraordinary creatures we all are. Are we capable of greatness? Yes. Is it work? Yes. Do all the crappy things in our lives tend to weigh more than the good? Unfortunately, too often the answer is yes. But it certainly doesn't have to be that way, when we're open to the possibility that we are worthy of the best life can offer.

Make a goal; face your goal when it's hard; applaud yourself when you reach it.

until later...

I hated every minute of training, but I said, "Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion." ~ Muhammad Ali

Beating the Blahs

I came to a sad realization yesterday: I am really bored with running right now.

You know, it's not bad when I get to run with other people. However, most of the time, it's just me out there, chugging along solo. Sometimes I have a new Jillian Michaels podcast to listen to, which helps. Or the weather is extra-pleasant, which usually puts me in a super mood. But it seems that more often than not, I feel like I'm running because I'm supposed to, rather than running because I want to.

With that said, I really am looking forward to starting up Borgess Run Camp in a few months here. There is something about the energy and friendship that gets me going on a snowy Saturday morning. People to chat with, a giant breakfast to enjoy, a long run to brag about for the rest of the day... I do love those Saturday runs. (By the way, I'm taking this pause to remind you that whether you are an experienced marathoner or a beginning 5ker, you really should sign up for BRC. It is a great experience, and they are adding some fun new things like weight loss camp and performance enhancement support... Check it out at http://borgessruncamp.com/ )

So what does one do about feeling "blahs" toward any particular exercise? For starters, I'm trying not to panic about it or beat myself up to much for feeling this way. It's natural to get bored with something if you've been at it for awhile. In the meantime, I'm declaring November "NEWvember", where I am going to set some new goals for myself in different areas that do not include running goals. I'm not saying I won't run at all, because while I may be a bit bored, I do have my days where only a run can quench my thirst. =) But NEWvember will hold some different challenges for myself...

MAKE IT THROUGH 30 DAYS OF THE 30 DAY SHRED. This may be a crazy idea, but I am going to see if I can get through 30 straight days of Jillian's 30 Day Shred. It's been awhile since I've even done a workout with her, I'll blame moving to a new space before I'll ever blame my own laziness (which is probably the more likely cause). So, let's see what happens if, starting November 1st, I do 30 days worth of "Shred". Hey, it's only 25 minutes a day. I must have that somewhere.

SWIM A MILE STRAIGHT. Okay, I started off at the beginning of the summer able to swim 25-50 yds before I needed to stop. Earlier this week, I managed 1,000 yds without stopping. So, I think a mile without stops is tangible; that's 32 laps. And swimming is something I'm excited about right now; it's new, it's fresh, I can hit new goals pretty easily. Who knows, maybe I can crank out TWO miles? =)

So, those are my main goals for NEWvember. I'm hoping to come out the other end refreshed, energized, and ready for another season of BRC! Remember, it's not unusual to feel some ennui with something you've had a long dedication to. Just enjoy a break (everyone needs them), and try something different!

until later...

"Boredom: the desire for desires." ~ Leo Tolstoy

Good morning?

I am, admittedly, not a morning person.

When my alarm went off at 5am, I wanted to stay in bed. I did stay in bed, for about 15 minutes, debating whether I should go to the pool or not.

"I could just go to the gym later and do the elliptical," I thought. "But that is not a swim. You said you wanted to swim today," I debated with that other half of myself. "It's so early, though! And gloomy out. It's nice and warm right here," I wheedled. "Shut up. Get your ass out of this bed, go eat some frickin' toast, and quit your whining." Man. The side of me that wanted to get up and swim was BOSSY.

But I did, in fact, get up this morning and put my suit on. I ate my toast and almond butter. I got back into bed at one point, thinking maybe I should just scrap this crazy plan. I got back out of bed, promising myself that my reward for swimming so god-awful early would be to go back to bed. I made it out the door. Into my car. Down the highway. I made it through the parking lot, the locker room.

As I slipped into the freezing pool (GOOD MORNING!!), I just started swimming. A few laps to warm-up. A few laps with a kick board. My body started remembering how to swim, after a few weeks off. I did 300 yards or so without stopping, until my body started keeping rhythm with itself and it started feeling a good bit like natural. After all the hemming and hawing when my alarm went off, it was kind of like the swimming was the easy part. I took a breather, and watched the other swimmers. Strong swimmers, weaker swimmers. But all people who got up extra early on a Tuesday, just to get in the pool and get some exercise before the day got crazy. I was not the only one, and we would all get out of this pool in our own time, satisfied with the work we'd done.

After my workout, I didn't go back to bed as I'd promised myself. Instead, I went grocery shopping. Let me tell you, 7am on a weekday is probably the most peaceful time to go to Meijer. Nobody but shelf stockers, a few cleaning guys, some cashiers... and a couple of people grabbing an apple or a frozen entree before work. I found myself focused, energized, and ready to face the challenges of the day.

And maybe that's because few things are more challenging for me than just letting my feet hit the carpet at 5am. Just taking the step of getting out of bed and saying, "Today, I'm going to put myself to the test."

Today, put yourself to the test. You are capable of great things!

until later...

“If one synchronized swimmer drowns, do all the rest have to drown too?” – Steven Wright

A sticky struggle...

The battle for a sugarless lifestyle is not an easy one.

I don't mind the birthday cakes or the Christmas cookies. I don't mind not eating cotton candy at the amusement park.

What I mind is trying to find healthier ways to cook and bake things, and hitting dead end after dead end.

I've spent the last near four years trying to rid my life of extra sweeteners, and not because I think I'm better than anyone or even because I'm on some crazy health kick. I did it because, frankly, sugar terrifies me. Petrifies. For the first time in probably my whole life, I feel in control of my weight and my body, and it began when I gave the sugar up. So, of course sugar holds some very negative connotations for me. I'm fearful of it as a disease that used to control me, a road block that derailed my sense of self more times than I care to count.

How many of us think this way? "I ate that cookie, so I already failed. I may as well eat more."

This week, I found myself wondering if I am going to spend my whole life fearful of even the most natural of sweeteners. Further, I questioned why, in my brain, it's okay to eat some of the artificial sweeteners I know I'm guilty of eating. They are probably more dangerous than organic cane sugar or even the refined stuff; they are full of chemicals that we don't even know the long-term effect of. How could someone such as myself, who enjoys healthy veggies grown without pesticides, healthy meat sold without antibiotics, be SO hypocritical?

We come back to fear. It boils down simply to a fear that I'll gain back the weight I've worked very hard to get off. The weight I've kept off. Do I not believe in myself? Do I not trust myself enough to be in control? Have I actually learned nothing in four years of diet and exercise?

I know the answer to that. I have nothing to fear. I've learned how to control my portions. I've learned how much better I feel when I run than when I eat a carton of ice cream. I've learned which foods to pick at the supermarket, which foods to pass. I've learned all this because I wanted to, I wanted to take care of myself. That want hasn't gone away, it's gotten stronger.

With this realization, I'm making the choice to dump the artificial sweeteners in favor of more natural sweeteners that I have been terrified of. I have to face that fear, I have to stand up for myself and the body I have worked so hard to attain. A tablespoon of honey in my granola bar recipe is not going to negate the five miles I ran. Calories in, calories out. That is what matters most.

Does this mean that you are going to find cartons of Chips Ahoy in my cupboard? Definitely not. I still plan on sticking to my organic, unprocessed ways. I feel better knowing I put good things in my body every day. And truthfully, I think once I get over the initial scariness of natural sweeteners, I'll feel better with the satisfaction of going without the chemicals I was making excuses for.

until later....

"A day without a friend is like a pot without a single drop of
honey left inside." ~ Winnie the Pooh

Another summer turns to fall....

A friend has reminded me that it has been an extra-long time since I updated (thanks, Sherri!), so let's go ahead and chalk that one up to a very busy summer! I've been out there, trying new things.... quite literally. I made it through my first triathalons this summer!

When last I wrote, I had just begun my training. I did a "practice" tri in July (Allegan) to prepare me for the big one in August. What took me by surprise the most during that triathalon was probably the biking; I figured biking would be a no-brainer, but that is just not the case. It turns out, you cannot just put a helmet on and take off. For one, biking is HARD work. And unlike most sports, you can buy speed in biking. I did not buy speed when I bought my Schwinn hybrid back in May. I bought a nice bike to ride around town and on trails with. This became increasingly apparent during the Allegan Tri. I should note here that in a tri, your age is marked in thick, black permanent marker on your calf. This is a blessing and a curse. Blessing, because you can see people in your age bracket and theoretically pass them. Curse, because when a 70-year-old passes you during the bike portion.... well..... enough said. The major lesson I learned was that I definitely needed to buy or borrow something faster for the Aquaman Tri in August!

As for Aquaman, I did, in fact, borrow a bike (saw a big improvement in that division).  That was a HILLY course!!  It was definitely hard, but I felt a lot more comfortable with what was going on than I did in Allegan.  I was very glad that my friends pushed me to do a "practice" before I got to all of those hills.  

So, let's see if I met all of my bullet points from my post in June....  

1. IMPROVE MY SWIMMING. I most certainly managed to improve my swimming this summer... although in actuality, I really had nowhere to go but up. I may not have become Dana Torres, but I went from being able to swim 25 yards without stopping to swimming 500 yards without stopping. I grew to really enjoy the swim, once I got over my fear of drowning. I have to give a shout-out to Sherri and Casie, too; they helped me more than any of my Friday training swims, mostly with their continual encouragement and optimism. Definitely improved my confidence. My plan for the fall and winter is to keep getting in the pool, keep using swimming as a core strengthener and cross-training tool, and get even better. I recommend it to anyone as a GREAT low-impact workout!  

2. BECOME A STRONGER RUNNER. This is a tricky one. I felt like running kind of went the wayside by the end of the summer... but I guess that's not unusual. This is traditionally the time of year that my body gets tired and I decide to give it a little rest (ie get on the elliptical or bike and do some weight training). The summer was good to me, though. I posted some awesome times through the 5k season, PRing with a 22:26. I suppose I can partially credit some new strong competitors in my age bracket this year... really pushed me to work hard in my races. I feel like I could have done more with my training throughout the week... but you can't really train for everything at once. I definitely learned that it's best to concentrate on one major goal... not "I'm going to do a triathalon AND PR my 5k AND do a trail half-marathon..." Not the smartest.

3. HAVE FUN. Did I have fun this summer? Definitely. I got better at swimming, I hit new highs in running, I made new friends and strengthened some existing friendships, I got some kick-ass medals (including one for Warrior Dash and one as big as my face for the North Country Trail Run)... I spent a lot of time outdoors. Oh, and did I mention I got engaged? =)

And now I face fall, the season I typically stop "training" and start "exercising". I'm excited for fall colors, apples, Halloween. I'm excited to go for a quick 3-mile jog after dinner just because I feel like it. Fall is a gorgeous time to get out with your family and walk or bike. Make sure you utilize the cooler temps and beautiful foliage.... one of the perks to living in the Mitten State. Until next time!

Triathalon training.... WOO-HOO!!!

Apparently a marathon just wasn't enough for me.

I started training for an August sprint triathalon (Aquaman in Three Rivers) last week through Gazelle's Trizelle program. I mean, sure- obviously I run. And I know how to ride a bike. But swimming? Yeah. Swimming. Not my strong suit. I took swimming lessons when I was about 11 or 12 years old... just enough to prevent me from drowning when I got near water. But water makes me a little crazy. I'm not sure if it's a fear that I'll drown, or get tired and be stuck in the middle of the water? I mean, if you get tired when you're running, you walk. If you get tired when you're swimming, well... you drown.

So, I'm hoping to overcome this somewhat irrational fear I have. I actually do *like* to swim. It's easy on the joints, it's great for your core. And truthfully, the run/walk ratio can apply to swimming, too; you get tired, you elementary backstroke it. Ah. The swimming version of walking. (Aside from the fact you can't see where you're going.)

With all that said, the tri training is a blast. I get a great workout, and it's so much more fun than just running forever. Swim for a while.... recover on the bike... run a few miles. Today I was so warmed-up after all that, I decided to do steep hill repeats on Academy St. A nice quarter-mile climb, back down, back up, back down... I probably could have kept going!

So, I guess what I'm most hoping to get out of this summer is to:

1) IMPROVE MY SWIMMING. I'm not saying I'm going to be Dana Torres by the end of the summer. Actually, can I please be Dana Torres by the end of the summer? That girl has some serious abs. I should Google what she does to work out. And she's like 45 years old, too. Man, she's a rock-star. But yeah... I won't be her, but I plan on being a stronger swimmer. I think a good goal is to feel confident enough that I can make it through a 500-yd swim without worrying that I'll die in the water.

2) BECOME A STRONGER RUNNER. I know running is my strongest suit. But there is this one girl in my age group that I can never seem to beat. She's not in KAR, and she doesn't race everything. But every time I race her, I seem to get 2nd or 3rd (I know, stop complaining). It's just aggrivating! And she's like a fricking ghost, I have no clue what she looks like. I never seem to see her. So I'm hoping that between the cross-training I'm doing, and the speed-work that will start in the next month or so... yeah. Hopefully I'll catch her.

3) HAVE FUN. During marathon training, I could feel my running "rut" settling in. Ruts are hard to shake. It's like you want to run, because you know you love it. But it just isn't as fun as it used to be. With 5k season picking up (and starting off with a bang, I'm 4 for 4 in the 5k/10k medaling department), I've seen some improvement in my attitude. But I know that varying my workout is going to help immensely. It's awesome to do new things and push myself in different ways.

So, June is here with an exciting burst. My challenge to all of you is to throw caution to the wind and try something new this summer. Find a way to get exercise in that you enjoy. Love yourself enough to improve your quality of life. I know exercise can be hard, and sometimes painful. But I read somewhere: "Don't let what you want today change what you want most." In other words, don't let temporary discomfort affect your bigger picture.

until later...

"The only one who can tell you 'you can't' is you. And you don't have to listen." ~ Nike