2.31
I met with a good business friend the other day, and our conversation drifted to wellness and healthful eating. This isn't unusual for our meetings... we can talk for hours and it seems like minutes. And interestingly, this friend is the one who turned me on to Dr. Joel Fuhrman almost three years ago.
His story is somewhat like mine and my wife's... it was my friend's mother who, while suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, sought out any and all solutions, especially ones which didn't involve medications. Her journey led her to Dr. Fuhrman, and she actually was a patient of his for a number of years. This turned her into a fan of nutrient-dense whole foods, and she became a proponent of this kind of healthy eating and living to others (including her son, my friend). The good news of her journey (like ours) is that she has been free of the pain, swelling and torment of arthritis for years, just by healthful eating and living.
It is so interesting to me how useful, valuable information takes on its own life. In 2012, my wife Jen and I were on our own wellness journey when I was given Dr. Fuhrman's book, Eat to Live, by this business friend. Instantly, I was hooked. The simple, sustainable, healthful choices laid out in Fuhrman's materials resonated with me, and has literally changed our lives. Now, I can't think of 'going back' to our old food and lack-of-wellness lifestyle. We have overcome so much joint pain, back pain, headaches and migraines, lethargy...even common colds, sore throats and ear aches that we don't get any more... why would we ever go back?
The gift I was given by my friend in June of 2012 (in the form of Fuhrman's book) is the same gift you can give someone. If you have benefited from progress you have made on your wellness journey, share that benefit by passing it along today. Have a great conversation over coffee, or on a long walk, or just around your home or office. Empathize with where they are, and give them some hope that there is a way forward, separate from the pain and illness. As you've been intentional about your wellness journey, make it a point to help someone else be intentional about theirs.
By the Way
There are invaluable resources for your wellness journey on Dr. Fuhrman's website:
Dr. Fuhrman online
You can sign up for regular nutritarian guidance in his emails, and understand his guidance better:
"You can reverse disease, reduce high blood pressure, lose unwanted weight, lower your cholesterol levels, prevent heart disease and cancer, and improve your health — all without relying on drugs and fad diets."
As you're on your own journey, be sure to pay it forward by doing life with others on their journey. Fuhrman's materials might be helpful.
2.30
Most western culture is really confused about wellness and healthy eating. For all the perspectives on one side of an issue, there are just as many on the opposite. What I think the back-and-forth debating misses, though, is the vital question of 'what do our bodies want?'
Instead of what our bodies want, we get stuck on what our minds want. Without ever thinking about it, we feed ourselves with what our minds say is wonderful and desirable. The problem is, what our minds choose, and what our bodies would choose, if they could, are vastly different.
Our minds are programmed to prepare, prepare, prepare. Get ready for ________ (a shortage, a drought, a famine) by packing on stores of fat. And when our minds are playing that message over and over and over (loudly!) our bodies are happy to oblige by filling up on easy calories, often empty calories. The three most dangerous catalysts for ill health (that would answer our minds' call to pack on weight) are fatty foods, sweet foods and salty foods. Something like a fast-food milkshake wields all three and our minds cry out, "YES!" when we drink it, even though our bodies will cry out, "what have you done?!" mere minutes or hours later.
We really need to listen to what our bodies want, instead of what our minds want. These desires are simple and much more healthful, but these aren't what our minds would cry out for. What our bodies want are whole foods which are nutrient dense and fiber rich. When combined with ample amounts of fresh, filtered water, you have a recipe for a thriving metabolism and healthful life.
How do we get to the point of desiring what our bodies want, instead of what our minds insist is desirable? The short answer is 'retraining'. We need to get our bodies so healthy and vibrant from eating the healthful foods, that our minds final come around to admitting that kale wins over dinner rolls, and fresh fruit wins over ice cream. Eventually our minds will develop a firmly grounded context for making healthy choices because, stored fat or not, the healthful choice has brought us pain-free health and longevity, exactly what our minds ultimately desire.
So start your retraining now, today. Consume nutrient-dense, fiber-rich whole foods, and enjoy copious amounts of filtered water. Leave behind a modern diet of processed, refined grains and sugars, and fatty and salty foods as well. Your body will thank you for it in no time, and you'll be on your way to health by giving your body what it wants.
By the Way
I've posted a lot in the past with guidance from Dr. Joel Fuhrman that leads directly to healthier choices of nutrient-dense foods. Check out those posts here:
Power Pantry posts regarding Dr. Fuhrman
And for some content on detoxing from a standard American diet to a more healthful plant-based diet, check previous posts here:
Power Pantry post on detoxing
2.29
I like simple, and I can't stand excuses. So finding a solution for regular physical activity is really valuable in my book. And I've found a great one in Darebee.com. Their simple body-weight workout routines provide the opportunity for challenging daily exercising while not needing a gym membership, special equipment, or other excuse-generating barriers.
I'm a big supporter of body-weight workouts (that's where you don't need any special equipment, or a treadmill or elliptical, or bow-flex... just you and the floor... and maybe a chin-up bar...) Great body-weight workouts use your own mass to provide the needed resistance for aerobic activity and muscle toning. Everything from jumping jacks to squats to burpees count. Other aspects like yoga and martial arts moves enhance a basic program to add appropriate challenges in what you're doing and to work specific muscle groups. And with Darebee.come, you get a treasure trove of free information. Check them out here:
Darebee - Fitness Made Easy
So, how do you engage in a good body-weight workout? You prepare to motivate yourself to run and jump in place, do planks and push-ups, and get used to counting a lot and watching the clock while you're sweating. There are over 270 workouts described on the 'Workouts' page alone on the Darebee website. Take a look here.
It's time to get rid of the excuses. You don't need a gym membership that you can't afford, to try and work out on equipment you don't understand, to impress a bunch of gym lunks you don't like. All you need is you, some steely-eyed determination, and about 25 minutes a day. Give Darebee a try today and I bet you'll immediately find a bunch of simple body-weight exercises you like.
By the Way
The best thing about Darebee.com is that they cater to all levels of physical fitness, interest and ability (another excuse-wrecking feature of this great website.) See all the things you can learn on their Fitness page here. You can be a total newbie or a seasoned fitness buff and either way you'll get valuable, free guidance from Darebee.com. Good luck, and no more excuses...
2.28
I'm into integrating, not separating... harmony, not balance. When you decide to take on a wellness lifestyle, you may think, "I just need to eat better, and my health will improve, and everything will be okay." Great power pantry choices are part of it, but that's not the whole picture.
A healthful wellness lifestyle is made up of a lot of complementary elements:
- nutrient-dense, whole food choices
- ongoing physical activity (including flexibility and stretching, strength training and cardio/aerobic)
- robust social / relational interaction and community
- a stress-reduction habit, including good breathing, mindfulness, and joy
- a spiritual and meditation / prayer practice
Looking at this list it can make us wilt a bit and wonder how on earth do we accomplish all that? Well, I'd say we take it in bite-sized chunks, give ourselves plenty of time (ie, years) to establish momentum and progress, and integrate these elements wherever possible.
What do I mean by integrate? Combine, harmonize, intertwine, blend... any knitting together of these wellness activities into daily life is exceedingly valuable. Here's what it can look like:
- Include others in your journey (I say this a lot; don't go it alone!) We can build significant relationships and community around our wellness journey that leads to worthwhile harmony
- Learn to slow down and take your time while eating
- Focus on good breathing practices while working out, preparing (and eating) food, and when praying or meditating (or just driving or working...)
- Cook power pantry meals with family or friends, and then enjoy the meals together
- Work out with others with whom you have a great relationship; set some goals together (my older daughter completed the Kid's Marathon this past weekend; we trained together the last few weeks so she could get her miles in - that was very cool!)
Integrating for wellness harmony looks different for everyone, but the reality is that we can easily find ways to harmonize our lifestyle with a broad spectrum of wellness activities. When we do, we benefit the most, and those around us benefit as well when we include them in our journey.
By the Way
Sometimes pursuing a single solution to wellness is considered a 'reductionist' approach. That is, a single solution is sought for any illness or malady, instead of looking at the whole person and the entirety of their lifestyle. The goal in a reductionist approach is to find the silver bullet which will solve everything. With this perspective, you might pursue nutrition alone, or physical activity, or just your spiritual practice, etc. The reality is, an integrative, harmonizing, holistic approach leads to greater success in wellness pursuits. Happy harmonizing!
2.27
That was my time yesterday for my first half-marathon - 2 hours, 20 minutes and 13.8 seconds. I'm still a bit surprised that I could keep it together for over 2 hours and actually finish.
My simple goals for my running habit have been the same since my first 5-mile race 4 years ago:
1. Finish
2. Don't get injured (do blisters count as injuries?)
3. Don't throw up
Based on those goals, yesterday's half-marathon was a success! And my finish time wasn't too shabby for the over-45 crowd (my mental goal was 2:17:00; it was really windy, so that was my excuse for adding 3 minutes over the course.) That said, I placed at 37th in my age category (out of 59, I think.)
The Garden Spot Village marathon (and half-marathon) is really great. Very scenic, and extremely well organized. Details are covered exceptionally well, and nothing is left to chance. There were over 1,200 runners between the full and half marathons... that's quite a crowd! For a novice runner like me, it's a real treat, and I understand the GSV style and attention to detail distinguishes this annual marathon from others in our part of the country.
So what is your big goal this year? Maybe it's tackling those extra pounds, to finally take them off and keep them off through wellness lifestyle changes. Or you may want to rework your pantry once-and-for-all to purge the standard western faux-foods and make the switch to real, whole foods. Whatever it is that has your attention, go at it with some reckless abandon. Launch into that unknown territory and make some progress in your new direction. Envision success in your mind and go get it. Then stay committed to the new cause you are taking up and keep going until you arrive. Maybe you too be surprised when you get there.
By the Way
I probably had about five bananas yesterday, between pre-run snacking and after the run. Bananas are a great training and race-day fuel. Good carbs and natural sugars to power your exercise and performance; lots of potassium to recharge muscles and help dissipate the stress of the workout. And an added benefit (I heard this from an Air Force pilot years ago): bananas are the ideal pre-flight food, especially if you fail on goal #3 above. Why? Because the bananas taste the same coming back up as they do going down...
2.26
It' here! Ready or not. This Saturday is the 7th Annual Garden Spot Village Marathon (and half Marathon). I committed some months ago that I would run the half-marathon, which was a 2014 goal of mine that never took hold. The year came and went, and the most I did was a 10k.
But this year has been different. Working at Garden Spot Village (GSV) has brought with it a very unique and engaging culture, and part of our culture is a distinct bent toward wellness. With me being a nutrition geek and overall fitness / wellness advocate, the GSV focus on good health has been great. And when 2 out of the 4 executives on the leadership team consistently run marathons and half-marathons, it makes it easier to jump in.
I've been training appropriately since the beginning of the year, and while I'm not in peak running form, I'm ready to roll. Last Saturday me and son #1 and daughter #1 ran in the Sauder Egg Run (an Easter weekend run Sauders has been doing for decades). That's a 5 mile run, and it was a perfect match with my training schedule (I've tapered off my big runs coming into final prep for the half-marathon.) I feel mentally ready, and with God's help and a couple good nights' sleep, I'll be physically ready, too.
The key now is to execute. Once all the preparation is done and plans have been made, all we need to do is roll out the plan. It's not as simple as showing up; you need to bring your A game with you. Not only marathons require our A game... life requires it, and when we choose not to bring our best, we miss the moment. For the Marathon on Saturday? I'm ready! The weather is trending toward awesome (sunny, breezy and 63 for a high) after a chilly 45 degree start... just right.
Right now, I bet you have something pending where you need to bring your A game. And you're prepared and ready to engage, although you've never tackled anything like it before. That's okay... you know what to do and how to do it, all you need to do is execute. Maintaining a power pantry is exactly like that, too. Very simple, although it may not be easy. All I can say is, "you have what it takes ... go get 'em."
By the Way
My daughter #1 is running the "Kid's Marathon" at GSV this year. It is being done in coordination with the YMCA, and its a tremendous introduction to running for the kids. What you do is run, walk, bike or swim 25 miles in the weeks and months preceding the Kids' Marathon, and then complete a 1.2 mile run this Friday night the 10th, to complete your 26.2 miles total. What a great idea, and great encouragement for lifestyle fitness!
2.25
It's spring, and Easter, and a great time to evaluate our circumstances with some new perspective. Just like a warm sunny day peels away the quiet slowness of winter, a fresh outlook on our wellness lifestyle can bring insight and conviction.
Have you taken a good look at your pantry lately? I just spent a few minutes reviewing our pantry (literally, I stood there looking over everything in it) to see if I could find any nasties. The worst I could find (thankfully) was a snack bag with MSG as an ingredient (this was a give-away I received at a 5 mile run yesterday (isn't there some nutritional conflict in that?), and a couple things with maltodextrin (a starchy additive used as a binder in a lot of prepared foods and snacks.)) It wasn't always that way, though...
When I was in college, and then into my 20's and 30's, it was no big deal to have a couple boxes of Little Debbie's cakes and snacks around. Those would be joined by a bunch of that plastic-y imitation cheese food, either as chip dip or EZ Cheese, and a ton of snacks, drinks, desserts and prepared foods with high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, and MSG. We can be thankful that most of us tolerate those non-food 'foods' into our 20's or beyond. The fact is, though, most of our bodies don't tolerate these well when we're in our 40's, and if we do, we shouldn't.
Our power pantry purge has taken years to hone and focus, and now includes discernment involving gluten free, and whole grains / ancient grains, as well as natural sweeteners like raw honey and agave nectar in lieu of sugar and corn syrup. The results, though, have been fascinating and fabulous... we'll never go back.
How's your pantry this spring? Any room for more oats, millet and flax seed, and less Cocoa Crispies and pop tarts? Could you work in some brown rice and quinoa, instead of white rolls and pasta? How about savoring the wonderful, natural essence of fresh veggies and fruits instead of flavor-enhanced snacks and dressings? I know the commitment it takes to tackle and eliminate the faux foods, and I also know our lives depend on it.
Here's to choosing well on the journey to a cleaner power pantry.
By the Way
Prevention's website has a great page with blog posts and content on eating clean:
Prevention.com - Eat Clean
Give it a try and see if some suggestions resonate with you. Maybe your pantry and you will both benefit.
