Hey everyone, new victims and old corehore schoolers,
Recently one of my runners in our fabulous Rockin Runner group brought up an issue that may be relatable to many of you. He's embracing a new lifestyle as a 'distance runner', but these principles could be applied to ANY form of new exercise and it's results. It's tougn not to get where you want physically, immediately. Especially when you're literally working your butt off and sacrificing a lot in the name of wellness.
Probably one of the toughest challenges I face when coaching beginner endurance athletes and new gym rats is answering this question, "How is it that I'm doing all this exercise and not losing weight? Or worse....I'm GAINING!" Let me break down what's happening.
Number one, you've taken on a new form of exercise that is very collectively demanding, but initially isn't necessarily a SUPER calorie burner. But it certainly feels like it! Chances are when we're through with our workout, we overeat what we've actually burned. This is okay since we're still making our metabolism more efficient, but it doesn't aid in weight loss. But don't be discouraged because your metabolism WILL catch up and soon you will be a veritable machine. The thing is, is that it takes longer than we like. BUT! This is the type of weight loss that stays.
Another weight gain reason is the new muscle you're packing on. We have to gain muscle in order to change our composition in our bodies (which is ultimately more important than weight loss). Muscle and metabolism go hand in hand. Most gain muscle before they lose weight. With that said, a small gain in the beginning of a program, as long as you're eating reasonably, is a good thing.
The last and often most overlooked reason for not losing weight in your first season is the simple fact that like I've mentioned before, running is abuse. After a long run, we have one large injury all over our body. What does our body do when it's injured? It swells with protective water. Everyone is different with water retention. I retain water just by thinking about it. It's both good and bad as you at least know your body is responding in a protective natural way, but you're just plain heavier and uncomfortable.
I will assure you that this is all temporary, and if you stick with it, you will watch your body change in the most amazing way. The difference in my body from season one to today is unbelievable. It took a while, but boy my body's not going back! And neither will yours if you give it the gift of time and impeccable care!
Thank you so much for all your hard work! You will see the results you want and in the meantime....ENJOY THE PROCESS!
Much love,
Nancy
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Pain on top of pain.
My client nearly hit me in the face with a weight the other day. It certainly wasn't deliberate. I was just in anger's path. Two days prior I watched another client/friend nearly run the belt off the treadmill. I'm not sure from what she was running. But whatever proverbial monster lurked behind her seemed to be far more of a menace than any treadmill repurcussions. Whether she could walk right for 8 days or not.
I of all people can relate to the need to hammer away at a workout in an attempt to numb emotional pain. I've used weight training to go punch for punch with some pent up aggression or I've been known to run myself too tired to worry about life's trials. I'm not afraid to admit it. Especially now that I'm over it.
I'm over it because I had a major protester during my anaesthesizing workout routines in the 'pain cave'....my body. My body had no say in this. My body got jipped. My body ironically was the thing that wasn't feeling at all 'good' from the attempt to finally feel 'good.' No. It just got beat up. Just like any drug, the masking of pain was temporary.
Please, please don't think I'm discouraging anyone from embracing a workout like therapy. I know it's my therapy, my best friend, and utter constant in my life. It's just important to know that your body must be compensated for all the work (abuse) it's been taking on for the sake of giving your head a few fresh endorphins. Pay it with good nutrition, plenty of rest, and all forms of rehabilitation. This is the only way it will continue to serve you through all the pain our lives may deliver.
I of all people can relate to the need to hammer away at a workout in an attempt to numb emotional pain. I've used weight training to go punch for punch with some pent up aggression or I've been known to run myself too tired to worry about life's trials. I'm not afraid to admit it. Especially now that I'm over it.
I'm over it because I had a major protester during my anaesthesizing workout routines in the 'pain cave'....my body. My body had no say in this. My body got jipped. My body ironically was the thing that wasn't feeling at all 'good' from the attempt to finally feel 'good.' No. It just got beat up. Just like any drug, the masking of pain was temporary.
Please, please don't think I'm discouraging anyone from embracing a workout like therapy. I know it's my therapy, my best friend, and utter constant in my life. It's just important to know that your body must be compensated for all the work (abuse) it's been taking on for the sake of giving your head a few fresh endorphins. Pay it with good nutrition, plenty of rest, and all forms of rehabilitation. This is the only way it will continue to serve you through all the pain our lives may deliver.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Holy crap! Luke ate it! And it was healthy! Try it on your kid.
Contrary to the beliefs of my clients.....I struggle with my diet. I'm always trying to find ways out of cooking and shortcuts though I know more than most, the basis of good nutrition is solid whole food eating. Sigh....at least I LIKE the taste of vegetables.
When my son turned three, his birthday age represented the number of foods (if that's what you call it) he would eat. Only eat. Veggies are not included. And so daily upon returning home from fitness projects, bears the cute little face of the hardest challenge I've ever trained: Luke's eating.
I juiced his veggies for a year. That stopped when I wanted a life at home back. I supplement and lie. Protein powders and "it's a chicken treat" for a piece of fish. I almost got him to eat a kale chip which would have made mama do a back flip and happily see my chiro.
But I did have a recent triumph!! Luke LOVES popsicles. He loves the eating process and the fact that they're portable more than anything. So I decided to make one for him. Frantically searching for the popsicle molds in the store, super savvy price matcher Mickey, suggested I just use a dixie cup and plastic spoon. The plan was getting even better.
Greek yogurt has a TON of protein so I mixed some of that with Whole Foods 365 Kids veggie powder. A little bit of agave and super small ripped up kale and I set the deceiving cicles of mama love in the freezer. Wait.
Luke loves to open the freezer 20 times a day even though we haven't been to the store to see if magic ice cream appears. It did. He froze himself when he saw it and looked at me. I played it cool. If TOO anxious Luke knows there's something green involved so I pretended like he couldn't have it and they were mine. I allowed him one if he put his toys away.
He ripped that sucker out of my hand and disappeared so fast I signed him up for track. I followed, dying with anticipation. Crap, he saw me! He took another discerning look at his home made and now questionable frozen snack. Then he looked at me. He watched my every move as he stuck out two millimeters of his tongue for a sample. Then came the full monty sugar craving, 3 food eating only, loud mouth.....he ate it!! Kale, veggie powder, and protein down the hatch!!
When my son turned three, his birthday age represented the number of foods (if that's what you call it) he would eat. Only eat. Veggies are not included. And so daily upon returning home from fitness projects, bears the cute little face of the hardest challenge I've ever trained: Luke's eating.
I juiced his veggies for a year. That stopped when I wanted a life at home back. I supplement and lie. Protein powders and "it's a chicken treat" for a piece of fish. I almost got him to eat a kale chip which would have made mama do a back flip and happily see my chiro.
But I did have a recent triumph!! Luke LOVES popsicles. He loves the eating process and the fact that they're portable more than anything. So I decided to make one for him. Frantically searching for the popsicle molds in the store, super savvy price matcher Mickey, suggested I just use a dixie cup and plastic spoon. The plan was getting even better.
Greek yogurt has a TON of protein so I mixed some of that with Whole Foods 365 Kids veggie powder. A little bit of agave and super small ripped up kale and I set the deceiving cicles of mama love in the freezer. Wait.
Luke loves to open the freezer 20 times a day even though we haven't been to the store to see if magic ice cream appears. It did. He froze himself when he saw it and looked at me. I played it cool. If TOO anxious Luke knows there's something green involved so I pretended like he couldn't have it and they were mine. I allowed him one if he put his toys away.
He ripped that sucker out of my hand and disappeared so fast I signed him up for track. I followed, dying with anticipation. Crap, he saw me! He took another discerning look at his home made and now questionable frozen snack. Then he looked at me. He watched my every move as he stuck out two millimeters of his tongue for a sample. Then came the full monty sugar craving, 3 food eating only, loud mouth.....he ate it!! Kale, veggie powder, and protein down the hatch!!
Golfing with Mike at Callaway!
It took 2 seconds for me to become addicted.....nothing satisfies like the WHACK of a golf ball, boy!
My son and I had our very first golf lesson with Mike the golf pro at Callaway Golf next to Town Square and my son and I now are also pros. Or so how I see it. Pros such as myself can actually HIT the ball now and understand the biomechanics and beauty of sending that sucker fly. Pros such as my 4 year old, Luke, keep their attention on the golf task at hand for more than 6 seconds and hold the instructor's hand (Mike his new best friend) on the way to getting the next set of clubs.
Mike is magic. His instruction is impeccably fueled by: Patience, kindness, humility, and flexibility. I watched closely as Mike introduced my son to his new way to hit something (oh great). He immediately figured out that there's only so much info Luke can take before he does his own thing. So Mike let him. And I held myself down to the bench in an attempt to keep my micromanaging self from running up to my son and making his feet "straight" and hands "one on top." The result of Mike's flexibilty and Luke's creative style made for what I thought was the impossible: Luke engaged in something relatively organized while taking instruction.....and liking it. He can't wait for his next lesson with "his Mike."
And I can't wait to hit that thing again and give being a golf pro a try. Or at least use it as a focus/meditational tool. I can sincerely tell you that while focusing on all the moons and stars that are your biomechanics that need to align before you make that undeniably satisfying ball/club contact; I'm not thinking about any other garbage in my life. I'm addicted. And I'd like to share it with you.
Call or email Mike for your lesson. He's amazing. If you're interested we can maybe work out a group lesson. You can laugh how I'm soooooo out of my gym/triathlon element and the farthest thing from a pro (self proclaimed) and how I cheer myself on even for the crappiest hit that rolls along the ground. Mike 702 578 7270 canmdgolf@gmail.com.
My son and I had our very first golf lesson with Mike the golf pro at Callaway Golf next to Town Square and my son and I now are also pros. Or so how I see it. Pros such as myself can actually HIT the ball now and understand the biomechanics and beauty of sending that sucker fly. Pros such as my 4 year old, Luke, keep their attention on the golf task at hand for more than 6 seconds and hold the instructor's hand (Mike his new best friend) on the way to getting the next set of clubs.
Mike is magic. His instruction is impeccably fueled by: Patience, kindness, humility, and flexibility. I watched closely as Mike introduced my son to his new way to hit something (oh great). He immediately figured out that there's only so much info Luke can take before he does his own thing. So Mike let him. And I held myself down to the bench in an attempt to keep my micromanaging self from running up to my son and making his feet "straight" and hands "one on top." The result of Mike's flexibilty and Luke's creative style made for what I thought was the impossible: Luke engaged in something relatively organized while taking instruction.....and liking it. He can't wait for his next lesson with "his Mike."
And I can't wait to hit that thing again and give being a golf pro a try. Or at least use it as a focus/meditational tool. I can sincerely tell you that while focusing on all the moons and stars that are your biomechanics that need to align before you make that undeniably satisfying ball/club contact; I'm not thinking about any other garbage in my life. I'm addicted. And I'd like to share it with you.
Call or email Mike for your lesson. He's amazing. If you're interested we can maybe work out a group lesson. You can laugh how I'm soooooo out of my gym/triathlon element and the farthest thing from a pro (self proclaimed) and how I cheer myself on even for the crappiest hit that rolls along the ground. Mike 702 578 7270 canmdgolf@gmail.com.
9/11. A hot run monument.
I hate that the show "Rescue Me" was cancelled. I hate it not only because the character development was brilliant and the content/acting utterly amazing, but I hate that it was cancelled because it was a television monument of sorts for moment in history when time stood still: September 11th.
So now one of the ways we remembered that day is gone and so is my view of Dennis Leary....crap.
Two days ago we turned off the T.V and went to bed. Mickey and I had a long bike and run in the morning and if we didn't get up at my usual ungodly hour, we were good as triathlete rotisserie. The ride was hot as Lakeshore Dr can deliver in August, and the run, well.....the edges of the road wavered and the souls of my shoes stuck. Not to mention our own very souls were pretty tired.
All you could hear was the breathing when we ran. We didn't speak. Without words we dually noted how the breeze had stopped and our backs were engulfed in heat. It was inescapable. Unless we kept running. Which we did. And we escaped.
For every tough training and race, I try to think of something strong to pull me through. My son, cancer survivors, a story of triumph, anything. I try to give it a purpose instead of taking it personally. After Mickey and I crawled away from the veritable flames and into our car, we drove by another crazy person running along the road, whom Mickey knew, to see if he needed water. They chatted for a while about how difficult it's been to stay motivated during the end of the season for the long races. Mickey mentioned, "I know it sounds weird, but one of the only things that gets me off the couch to train for World's is the fact that it's on 9/11." Not weird at all, actually.
It then occurred to me that my hot run had it's purpose. It was a moving monument. I will suffer a short, meaningless period to remember the lives/families that DIDN'T escape and honor their courage.
I hope everyone can find their simple monument. Then share it. So we can remember.
So now one of the ways we remembered that day is gone and so is my view of Dennis Leary....crap.
Two days ago we turned off the T.V and went to bed. Mickey and I had a long bike and run in the morning and if we didn't get up at my usual ungodly hour, we were good as triathlete rotisserie. The ride was hot as Lakeshore Dr can deliver in August, and the run, well.....the edges of the road wavered and the souls of my shoes stuck. Not to mention our own very souls were pretty tired.
All you could hear was the breathing when we ran. We didn't speak. Without words we dually noted how the breeze had stopped and our backs were engulfed in heat. It was inescapable. Unless we kept running. Which we did. And we escaped.
For every tough training and race, I try to think of something strong to pull me through. My son, cancer survivors, a story of triumph, anything. I try to give it a purpose instead of taking it personally. After Mickey and I crawled away from the veritable flames and into our car, we drove by another crazy person running along the road, whom Mickey knew, to see if he needed water. They chatted for a while about how difficult it's been to stay motivated during the end of the season for the long races. Mickey mentioned, "I know it sounds weird, but one of the only things that gets me off the couch to train for World's is the fact that it's on 9/11." Not weird at all, actually.
It then occurred to me that my hot run had it's purpose. It was a moving monument. I will suffer a short, meaningless period to remember the lives/families that DIDN'T escape and honor their courage.
I hope everyone can find their simple monument. Then share it. So we can remember.
Friday, August 19, 2011
How to make fitness stick
The birth and death of the fitness conviction usually goes a little something like this:
-Set the intention. Gym everyday! Lose 20 lbs in a week!
-Day 1. Early rise, gym, feelin' great.
-Day 2. Same. But a half hour later.
-Day 3. "I will change up my schedule and go tomorrow."
-Day 4. Didn't go.
-Day 5. Eat crap. "It's okay cause I'm going to get BACK into my gym routine."
-Day 6. Planning to repeat day 1. "I did after all, pay my trainer!"
The pattern can grip your life, consume your conscience like no other and be utterly paralyzing. Why can't I get fit and keep adding wellness routines to my life? Why can't I wake up in the morning? Why does this seem to be so easy for everyone else and not me?
Few things make me happier than giving the answer to these questions (Simple acts of love and exploit from my 4 year old are the biggest competition). The solution to fit woes is totally simple to understand, but challenging to fully embrace. When most are motivated to change their lifestyle, they immediately associate exercise or good eating routines with something 'extra' in their day. Possibly even a 'frivolous' way to spend time. This couldn't be farther from the truth. When it comes to wellness, all ELSE is frivolous. It's time to categorize exercise and eating right with survival necessities eating/sleeping/shelter/family care. You have time for that!
How do you plan your daily life i.e work, childcare, home responsibilities, etc? How do you plan all the things that make your life continue? Well that's exactly the same manner in which you must schedule your fitness routine. It is not extra. It is not a big deal. It is not something special. It is not something difficult. It is not something easy. It is not something for which you need to be 'mentally and emotionally prepared'. It does not define you. IT IS AN AVERAGE, DAILY ROUTINE TO WHICH YOU MUST STICK JUST LIKE ALL THE OTHER MEDIAL YET UTTERLY IMPORTANT TASKS IN YOUR DAY.
Now.....what's your schedule look like?
-Set the intention. Gym everyday! Lose 20 lbs in a week!
-Day 1. Early rise, gym, feelin' great.
-Day 2. Same. But a half hour later.
-Day 3. "I will change up my schedule and go tomorrow."
-Day 4. Didn't go.
-Day 5. Eat crap. "It's okay cause I'm going to get BACK into my gym routine."
-Day 6. Planning to repeat day 1. "I did after all, pay my trainer!"
The pattern can grip your life, consume your conscience like no other and be utterly paralyzing. Why can't I get fit and keep adding wellness routines to my life? Why can't I wake up in the morning? Why does this seem to be so easy for everyone else and not me?
Few things make me happier than giving the answer to these questions (Simple acts of love and exploit from my 4 year old are the biggest competition). The solution to fit woes is totally simple to understand, but challenging to fully embrace. When most are motivated to change their lifestyle, they immediately associate exercise or good eating routines with something 'extra' in their day. Possibly even a 'frivolous' way to spend time. This couldn't be farther from the truth. When it comes to wellness, all ELSE is frivolous. It's time to categorize exercise and eating right with survival necessities eating/sleeping/shelter/family care. You have time for that!
How do you plan your daily life i.e work, childcare, home responsibilities, etc? How do you plan all the things that make your life continue? Well that's exactly the same manner in which you must schedule your fitness routine. It is not extra. It is not a big deal. It is not something special. It is not something difficult. It is not something easy. It is not something for which you need to be 'mentally and emotionally prepared'. It does not define you. IT IS AN AVERAGE, DAILY ROUTINE TO WHICH YOU MUST STICK JUST LIKE ALL THE OTHER MEDIAL YET UTTERLY IMPORTANT TASKS IN YOUR DAY.
Now.....what's your schedule look like?
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