Go a Little Faster

3.13

Twenty years ago I worked with a guy named Dave who had a great work ethic and a wry sense of humor. Whenever he would catch someone being half-hearted in their work, Dave would say, "My dad always said, 'If you work a little faster, you'll get done a little sooner...' " 

Even though Dave would sometimes push too hard, or for the wrong reasons, that quote always stuck with me, and I remember Dave's smirk as he would say it...

So yesterday, when I ran my first half-marathon of the season, that quote kept coming back to me. I trained hard this spring, and really stepped everything up: running hills, working my time down, staying consistent in my mileage. I really felt I could do better than last year, and at least beat my previous time.

Then the unexpected happened at the race (the Garden Spot Village Marathon (and Half-Marathon) www.gardenspotvillagemarathon.org). What could have been a beautiful spring day with breezy temps in the 50's turned out to be 34 degrees and heavy snow. No kidding.

Check out the news article from yesterday's Lancaster paper. There are a bunch of great pictures you can scroll through as well.

But I was undaunted by the weather. My gut told me I could still PR (that is, set a personal record) in spite of heavy snow, slushy roads and wintry cold. I was determined to run a little faster, and get done a little sooner.

I think there is a great lesson in that edge of determination, however slight or easy to dismiss. Digging into the task at hand and pushing to get done a little sooner can make a huge difference in the end. Do you have a worthy goal in front of you that you could push into a bit more? Cutting out the diet sodas and sticking to seltzer, eventually? Losing those 15 pounds, someday? Getting your 10,000 steps a day, when you get to it?

Make a commitment today to go a little faster. Prepare. Be smart about it. Be determined to do better than you have in the past, no matter what the circumstances. Then see what happens. There's a good chance you'll get to your goal a little sooner.

By the Way

I sort of crushed it yesterday. I surprisingly cut over 6 minutes off of my half-marathon time from last year on the same course. Last year was 55 degrees and windy, which to me was no match for 34, slushy and snowing hard. I'm appropriately sore and blistered, but feel like I really pushed through the hills well, which is what I trained for. I ended with a 2:14:03, which for a middle-aged, casual runner like me isn't so bad.

You Have What it Takes

3.12

Last weekend we celebrated Easter, and Easter is all about second chances. It's so much more than bunnies and spring... it's truly about changes which lead to new life. Paul, an early follower of Jesus, understood the need for second chances. His early years were punctuated with what we now call 'crimes against humanity'. And yet, Jesus captured Paul's attention and turned him around to be one of the most influential followers, preachers and writers of the Christian faith. Paul definitely knew the need for second chances.

In a letter to the early Philippian church, Paul said that through Jesus he had everything he needed to overcome the trials, and revel in the blessings, of everyday life. Paul said, "...I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength." (Phil 4:13). Paul could boldly claim, 'I have what it takes' because of the second chances Jesus had given him.

I know I need second chances. I've been a Christ follower for over 20 years, and I'm still humbled by the forgiveness and redo's I have through Jesus. In Jesus, I have what it takes.

How about you? Maybe you need a redo, or a second chance... Just from a wellness perspective, we may need a reminder that we have what it takes. We can overcome:

• the buffet of rich, enticing foods which totally wreck our healthful, nutritional choices
• the internet and computer, to push our chair back and get us on our feet for some worthwhile activity
• the loneliness of walking our wellness journey alone, by finding a cooking or workout buddy
• the habits, distractions and poor guidance we grew up with, in exchange for wise, healthful choices which add life and energy to our days and years to our life
• the little voice that trys to tell us, 'start tomorrow', when we know there's no time like today

We may not be ready to accept the truth that we can do all things through Jesus, but we can certainly thrive in the wellness convictions of those around us and who have gone before us. From that confidence alone, we have what it takes.

By the Way

Start today making "I have what it takes" part of your wellness language. Those five simple words can revolutionize your choices, perseverance, stamina and fortitude, taking you to your next wellness step with conviction and boldness. You have what it takes.

Find Your Energy

3.11
It's training season! I started my 2016 running last month... do you have a _________ season? (walking, jogging, biking, hiking, running, weight training?) With the days getting longer and warmer weather on the way, it's the right time to get outside and engage the season to invest in our wellness. When we do, we often catch a groove of stamina and focus that springs from the fresh air, and the feel-good enzymes and hormones generated by your workout. It may not always work, though...

I was out for a 'long' run on Sunday, and about a mile in, I couldn't believe how drained I felt. Have you ever felt that way? I had run almost 6 miles late on Saturday and ate some birthday treats at a family party Saturday night... and here I was paying for it Sunday morning, the day I was supposed to do about 10 miles.

1-2 miles in, my legs were already yelling at me, and by 4-5 miles in I was basically ready to pack it in. And in recent years, I 'never' pack it in - I've been very resolved that once I begin my runs, I'm in it for the distance I had planned to run. And no walking during the run, either. I felt like I was wimping out, but I just had this thick, dragging, tired, worn-out feeling dogging me. And I couldn't shake it.

So about 6 miles in (and still 4 miles from home on the return leg of my run) I actually walked about 3-4 minutes. Then I ran some more. And then I walked some more. It was a brisk March morning, and I couldn't believe how refreshing it felt taking a bit of a break in my run. Every time I started back running, I had a good amount of energy to go at it again... until I didn't. And then I walked some more.

All in all, I ran about 8 1/2 miles Sunday morning, and walked a bunch in between. But it turned out to be a good run, and a great investment of my time and effort. Looking back, I probably needed a bit more recovery time from Saturday night, or just a shorter run Sunday morning (and it would have helped to skip the birthday treats...) Any of these things would have helped me find the energy I needed for Sunday morning.

How about you? If you find you're coming up short on energy this season, mix it up and see what helps. Maybe a bit more recovery time, or a better diet or just an appropriate break in the midst of your workout. Stepping back from our physical activity for a bit may give just the perspective we need to help us dig in and get back at it.

By the Way

If you don't yet have a step goal in your wellness journey, start today. Get a pedometer and set a simple goal of 5,000 steps a day and see how you do over a week, and then a month. Once you can consistently hit that goal, add 10% (another 500 steps) a day, and work at that for a while. Keep doing this and in no time at all you'll be at the much touted 10,000 steps a day, and you'll be giving your body a blessing.

Simple Wellness - It's Time

3.10
No More Excuses
Tenth and final post in a Simple Wellness series

Since the beginning of 2016 I've been posting about Simple Wellness concepts and approaches. None of this content is new to Power Pantry, and it all bears repeating. We looked at a lot of great lifestyle wellness ideas:

• Having a good mental picture of where we're headed with our wellness
• Detoxing our bodies of standard western foods to lose cravings which derail us
• The real value of nutrient-dense foods, and how it changes our lives
• How goal-setting, accountability and managing temptation are vital to wellness
• Modifying mindless eating habits to manage calorie intact and help us enjoy our food
• Pursuing our wellness vision with others to assure we'll go far
• The high impact of regular exercise and general body movement on our wellness
• And why reducing stress is of such great value in our wellness journey

I can only hope that you connected with some of this content. I know these concepts and actions have become fundamental to how I approach my wellness. Am I living out each one every day? Probably not, but as we come back and come back and come back to what we know will bring us to health, we can truly make these approaches part of our lifestyle.

If you've found any of this series particularly valuable, then please share it with a friend. And for your own journey, I hope you will dig in and engage in intentional healthful improvements - it's time... no more excuses. Take time to look closely at your goal-setting and eating and exercise and stress-management, and hopefully as we all think through the wellness value of these actions, we'll be compelled to pass the knowledge along.

Thanks for being along the Power Pantry journey. Next week we'll look at some fitbit advances and content that are great resources for our wellness.

By the Way

As a preview to some fitbit content, I'll share that through worldwide physical activity research, fitbit has been able to establish the number one physical activity practiced in all the countries they've studied. Are any of us surprised that it's walking? That's it: just walking - simple and doable the world over.

And remember the 10,000 steps-a-day goal for any walking and running you may do. That level of daily exertion was originally proposed and subscribed to in Japan. Now it is accepted the world over as a simple, achievable, daily goal.

Simple Wellness - Health Hurdle

3.9
Cortisol is a Killer
Ninth post in a Simple Wellness series

When we launch into a wellness lifestyle, we automatically think about eating right and exercising a lot. And those are two vital components to finding health. But the biggest hurdles we can face may be less tangible, harder to 'clean up' elements like stress generators.

A variety of research over many decades confirms that the consistent, unabated presence of stress literally takes years off of life. Unloving, broken relationships, un-resolvable work-related demands, ongoing tension from misplaced expectations... all these stress-generators give us a steady flow of life-shortening cortisol.

The solution? Seeking forgiveness, answering agitation with love, healing and righting of wrongs, adjusting expectations to the reality in front of us, pursuit of worthwhile work based on authenticity, and application of our true ability and giftedness...Whew, that's a tall order.

When we can grow into the genuineness that the above solutions represent, life improves, stress abates, and we detox our minds and bodies at a totally new level by reducing the cortisol present in our daily routines.

Combining the reduction of stress and damaging hormones with nutrient-dense foods, regular vigorous exercise, relaxation through ample sleep and intentional breathing... now we're approaching healthful wellness lifestyle!

All of this may sound daunting. The key is to start where we are. Recognize the stress-creators in life which likely do more than just keep us awake at night - they may be tearing us apart and ultimately killing us. But start we must. Healing and forgiveness become the substance of this effort in our wellness lifestyle, and soon enough we will successfully conquer these hurdles.

By the Way

What we're really after is replacement of cortisol with dopamine and endorphins. These feel-good neurotransmitters and neuropeptides are responsible for keeping our attitude up, our minds happy, and our dispositions engaged. Where do they come from? All the wellness activities that make up a Power Pantry lifestyle: healthy food, intentional stretching and physical activity, good breathing, worthwhile work and uplifting relationships. The great news is that we'll add years to our lives as we grow into a life aligned with these no-stress choices.

Simple Wellness - Get Moving

3.8
Can't Sit Still
Eighth post in a Simple Wellness series

After a few short runs and logging about 6 miles total this year, I got out for a real run (two actually) today.** It was great to be out on the road and launch my running for 2016. I have about 4 weeks to prepare for the first organized run of the season (a 5-miler) and two weeks after that is my first half-marathon of the season.

Why do I bring this up? Because getting our bodies moving is vital to our wellness journey. Experts would say we need about 30 minutes of physical activity 5 days a week. The American Heart Association supports the guide of 10,000 steps a day as a target for consistent physical activity. For me, I've found that some simple goals throughout the year keep me active enough to maintain my wellness.

The point is, regular physical activity can't be a phase or a fad or just something nice to hope for. Our lives are at stake. Our bodies are meant to move, to be physically pushed on some regular basis, and to be taxed with some movement on a daily basis.

I've noted about lymphatic circulation in Power Pantry before. and how vigorous physical activity is basically the only way lymph fluid circulates through our bodies, filtering and eliminating toxins from our bloodstream. Without vigorous physical movement like walking, running, and other 'cardio' activities, the toxins stay in our tissues. Stored toxins in our fat and organs wait to do damage over time as they build up. 

If you find life has gotten sedentary, start by setting some simple goals. Get a pedometer and consistently log 2,000 or 3,000 steps a day. Once you do that for several weeks, bump the level a couple of thousand steps. As your body moves toxins out of your system, there's a good chance you'll find energy you haven't had in a long time, and a growing desire for additional physical movement. That's a great virtuous cycle, and a strong underpinning of simple wellness.

Get moving today. Don't put it off... I know how hard it is to find the motivation, and we can find ourselves asking, "why am I doing this?" daily. But soon you'll turn some corners physically and mentally. Your body will thank you, and it will reward you by feeling better. From that motivation, you can build toward 10,000 steps a day or more, and you'll be on your way to wellness.

**By the Way

Even though I just started my running for this season, I've been logging a lot of activity for months. Some time ago, I set my step goal at 15,000 steps a day, and I've been doggedly pursuing that every day since (through jumping jacks, burpees, mountain-climbers, jumping rope, running-in-place, etc.). Some days I don't get there; many days I do.

Combine that with a lot of core work (planks, crunches) and upper-body workouts, and I'm in fairly good shape. Problem is, I may not be in the right shape for running, but the season is young... 

Simple Wellness - Not Alone

3.7
Go Far - Together
Seventh post in a Simple Wellness series

A wellness lifestyle is just a lot of small commitments, linked together by time and experience. And one of the most effective commitments we can make in our wellness journey is to travel our wellness paths with others. Jumping on a diet bandwagon is one thing, but resolving to make specific improvements in how we are living, and walking those commitment out with other people, is a lot better.

If you're like me, you've grabbed onto a new initiative at some point in life and chased it with focused abandon, only to have your progress interrupted by life and derailed by circumstances. "The weather's too ______ (hot, cold, wet, dreary...),"  "I'm just not ______ (excited, progressing, focused...) like I thought I would..."
No worries. This happens to all of us, and it in no way makes us a failure to have these episodes of real-life distraction. The key is to have support already there, and keep us, and them, on track by journeying together.

What's the magic in having a travelling buddy? It's the accountability that comes from life-on-life commitments to decisions and goals. And when we find someone who shares our wellness perspectives and will stick with us through thick and thin, the real benefit comes as that accountability keeps us from falling prey to our circumstances. Having a wellness companion keeps us from thinking like a victim and helps us overcome and press on, instead of shrinking back and giving up.

Where do you find a great wellness partner? Wherever they appear. It can be our spouse, a brother or sister, a friend from work, or that cousin who has a gym membership across town. These days we can even have an accountability partner vicariously, like a Tony Horton, through P90X videos and YouTube posts. The question isn't who it is, or where they come from, the question is will you commit to journeying with someone else?

So if you haven't made the decision to find one or more wellness partners to share your journey, make the commitment and ask someone to join you. There's a chance they will be as glad to join you as you are to have them along on your journey.

By the Way

There is an quote I like, often attributed as an African proverb:
"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."

Find a wellness buddy today, and go far, together.