7.5
Whew... where did two months go? The world has turned upside down in just 8 weeks, and yet it might make more sense now than it did before. Slowing down, and totally changing perspective on what it ‘normal’ can be a good thing.
Hopefully you are weathering the global coronavirus response in a measured and compassionate way. Extraordinary times can require an extraordinary response, and out of that we’re sure to grow.
How’s your pantry? If ever there was a challenge to our eating and activity habits, it is now. With 7+ weeks of quarantine and counting, knowing how to stock a healthful, life-giving pantry is crucial. Thankfully, we have been able to keep all our staples on hand, and our whole crew is healthy.
When it comes to physical activity, remember great sites like Darebee.com, CrossFit.com and Spartan.com. There are months worth of healthful workouts available to keep you toned, fit, and challenged, and maybe thriving more than if you were going to the gym.
For me, I’m 5 months into my 1000 running goal for 2020. I picked up a side goal of 100 miles in a month (which I completed for April, today). I’m also going to do 100 miles in a week, likely next month in May, just to see if I can do it. My average resting heart rate is down to around 48-50... so there are definitely benefits to an active running habit.
Make every effort to lean into these strange and unprecedented times. While it is unsettling and even scary, press on in a confident way, and try to savor the time away from the old normal, while leaning into the new normal.
By the Way
Do what you can to establish a regular body weight training regimen. I think the social distancing we’re under will definitely teach us that we never needed a weight machines and spin classes. Find your own groove, keep it interesting and varied, and stick to it.
Sunday, April 26, 2020
Sunday, February 16, 2020
Additions and Distractions
7.4
I skipped posting the last couple of weeks because of a wonderful addition to our family. A week after my post about a big goal of running 1,000 miles in 2020, we got a puppy, turning our lives a bit upside down for a while.
If you have a dog, or are a pet owner, you know they can change the course of everyday life. We get into our routines, and get used to one day being like the last, and tomorrow being like today. But with a new puppy, all bets are off.
Such are the additions and distractions we have in of life. What I realize is that it is best to embrace the new things and not resent or resist them. Like business gurus have said for years, if you're not growing, you're dying. The issue isn't really that we don't like change, it's that we don't like change when it is someone else's idea.
Our little puppy has been a fun blessing already. Yes, we had numerous sleepless nights the first week, but we're already settling into a new routine, and he has quickly become part of the family. And yesterday and today I was able to get out for my regular workout and running, keeping my mileage close to being right on track.
We look forward to many years with our new friend, and I think he'll even be a good running buddy once he grows up a bit. Have you invited some interesting additions or distractions into your life lately? Find ones that add to your wellness journey, and see where they lead you.
By the Way
Little Leo is a mix between a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a Bichon Frise. He is as cute as an Ewok, has a great temperament and doesn't shed or bark. What more could you ask for in a new family friend?
I skipped posting the last couple of weeks because of a wonderful addition to our family. A week after my post about a big goal of running 1,000 miles in 2020, we got a puppy, turning our lives a bit upside down for a while.
If you have a dog, or are a pet owner, you know they can change the course of everyday life. We get into our routines, and get used to one day being like the last, and tomorrow being like today. But with a new puppy, all bets are off.
Such are the additions and distractions we have in of life. What I realize is that it is best to embrace the new things and not resent or resist them. Like business gurus have said for years, if you're not growing, you're dying. The issue isn't really that we don't like change, it's that we don't like change when it is someone else's idea.
Our little puppy has been a fun blessing already. Yes, we had numerous sleepless nights the first week, but we're already settling into a new routine, and he has quickly become part of the family. And yesterday and today I was able to get out for my regular workout and running, keeping my mileage close to being right on track.
We look forward to many years with our new friend, and I think he'll even be a good running buddy once he grows up a bit. Have you invited some interesting additions or distractions into your life lately? Find ones that add to your wellness journey, and see where they lead you.
By the Way
Little Leo is a mix between a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a Bichon Frise. He is as cute as an Ewok, has a great temperament and doesn't shed or bark. What more could you ask for in a new family friend?
Sunday, January 26, 2020
Embrace Crazy
7.3
One of my go-to YouTube channels is The Ginger Runner (Ethan Newberry, who happens to be a red head, and his wife Kim.) Ethan has a great outlook on life, and as a filmmaker, musician and runner, he likes to combine his passions to encourage regular people to pursue endurance goals that others may see as crazy.
A recent post from Ethan was about a 100 mile week that he ran late last year. To many, running 100 miles in a week is certainly crazy. In the endurance community, that's kind of a normal week... Ethan considers himself a regular, middle-of-the-pack runner, and had put off attempting the 100 mile week for a long time. But then 2019 was his year.
As it turned out, he did just fine, breaking up his runs between some shorter (7-8 mile) days and longer ones (15 miles). He successfully completed the 100 miles in 7 days, and can add that to his other regular-guy endurance exploits.
This year I've been embracing my own crazy, with a goal of running a 1,000 mile year in 2020. In 2019 I logged 700 miles, just with my regular, semi-intentional running schedule. I realized that with a bit of focus and intention, I could probably hit the 1,000 mile mark without too much trouble.
Realize though, that the only way to log big goals (especially ones requiring endurance athletics) is to maintain a great pantry, and to intimately know your own metabolism and recovery patterns. As I've invested years getting to know my health and nutrition needs, it has yielded a baseline of wellness that keeps me injury-free, and running strong.
So far, I have logged 80 miles in January, and I'm right on track. As winter wanes and Spartan training ramps up, I look forward to consistently building toward the 1k goal.
Maybe 2020 is a year for you to embrace a goal that's a bit crazy. Maybe it's the year to finally get nerdy about your food, and see if you can overcome those aches and pains simply by eating nutrient-dense, real food. Find your tribe, and dig into a goal that gets you out of bed, keeps you out of trouble, and brings life and vigor to you and the world around you.
By the Way
I think I'll add my own 100 mile week to my 2020 schedule. It's about 15 miles a day for 7 days. That can be broken up numerous ways (2 or even 3 runs a day of varying lengths), and you have to figure out your calories and active recovery in between. Then there's the demands of family and work, and life continuing in the background... Sounds like a great challenge!
A recent post from Ethan was about a 100 mile week that he ran late last year. To many, running 100 miles in a week is certainly crazy. In the endurance community, that's kind of a normal week... Ethan considers himself a regular, middle-of-the-pack runner, and had put off attempting the 100 mile week for a long time. But then 2019 was his year.
As it turned out, he did just fine, breaking up his runs between some shorter (7-8 mile) days and longer ones (15 miles). He successfully completed the 100 miles in 7 days, and can add that to his other regular-guy endurance exploits.
This year I've been embracing my own crazy, with a goal of running a 1,000 mile year in 2020. In 2019 I logged 700 miles, just with my regular, semi-intentional running schedule. I realized that with a bit of focus and intention, I could probably hit the 1,000 mile mark without too much trouble.
Realize though, that the only way to log big goals (especially ones requiring endurance athletics) is to maintain a great pantry, and to intimately know your own metabolism and recovery patterns. As I've invested years getting to know my health and nutrition needs, it has yielded a baseline of wellness that keeps me injury-free, and running strong.
So far, I have logged 80 miles in January, and I'm right on track. As winter wanes and Spartan training ramps up, I look forward to consistently building toward the 1k goal.
Maybe 2020 is a year for you to embrace a goal that's a bit crazy. Maybe it's the year to finally get nerdy about your food, and see if you can overcome those aches and pains simply by eating nutrient-dense, real food. Find your tribe, and dig into a goal that gets you out of bed, keeps you out of trouble, and brings life and vigor to you and the world around you.
By the Way
I think I'll add my own 100 mile week to my 2020 schedule. It's about 15 miles a day for 7 days. That can be broken up numerous ways (2 or even 3 runs a day of varying lengths), and you have to figure out your calories and active recovery in between. Then there's the demands of family and work, and life continuing in the background... Sounds like a great challenge!
Sunday, January 19, 2020
Add Life to Our Years
7.1
I'm now in my 10th year of my wellness journey, and it's encouraging to see how the benefits and return on my investment are compounding. I'll probably run 5 Spartan races this year, and I'll complete my third Spartan trifecta (a combo of a short mid-range and long Spartan race, in the same calendar year.)
As our kids grow up and move on with their own lives, it's interesting to see them choosing sushi as a take-out food of choice, instead of the box of deep-fried stuff from the convenience store, or anything from a fast food place. And our older daughter is trying out being a vegetarian, just to see how it goes.
Around work, I end up having wellness conversations weekly. Some folks are starting their own wellness journey, and I'm honored and grateful that I might be able to speak into that. Others are refining a certain aspect of their physical activity, or following up on doctors orders to overcome a recently revealed health challenge.
I crossed paths with a good friend the other day who happens to be a runner and cyclist. He's turning 60, and looks like he's in his late 40's. To celebrate his big year, he's working through what he can give, what he can get, and where he can go. And his wellness pursuits will include an 'extreme' race or two (think 24 hour trail run, etc.) I appreciate friends like him who give me a vision of what's possible.
Yesterday, while it was snowy and slushy in PA, I did my Saturday morning sandbag run, and then went to our local climbing and obstacle course gym with two of my kids. We're thinking about a Spartan Stadion race for late spring, so now is the time to get training and develop our work outs for the next four months.
That's what a wellness journey looks like... It has some adventure, some friends, many unknowns, and pulls us to what's possible. How about your journey? Are you grasping a vision for your health that will stretch what's possible, grow your capacity and likely add years to your life and life to your years?
By the Way
Wherever you are in your journey, start there. Two business friends are starting a new phase of wellness to lose weight or find some more energy. Those goals send us back to the fundamentals of clean eating, great choices, and finding our own wellness groove. Then, as we build our own wellness tribe around ourselves, we gain momentum, accomplish goals, and set new ones. At some point, we live into being our best selves, and taking others along with us.
I'm now in my 10th year of my wellness journey, and it's encouraging to see how the benefits and return on my investment are compounding. I'll probably run 5 Spartan races this year, and I'll complete my third Spartan trifecta (a combo of a short mid-range and long Spartan race, in the same calendar year.)
As our kids grow up and move on with their own lives, it's interesting to see them choosing sushi as a take-out food of choice, instead of the box of deep-fried stuff from the convenience store, or anything from a fast food place. And our older daughter is trying out being a vegetarian, just to see how it goes.
Around work, I end up having wellness conversations weekly. Some folks are starting their own wellness journey, and I'm honored and grateful that I might be able to speak into that. Others are refining a certain aspect of their physical activity, or following up on doctors orders to overcome a recently revealed health challenge.
I crossed paths with a good friend the other day who happens to be a runner and cyclist. He's turning 60, and looks like he's in his late 40's. To celebrate his big year, he's working through what he can give, what he can get, and where he can go. And his wellness pursuits will include an 'extreme' race or two (think 24 hour trail run, etc.) I appreciate friends like him who give me a vision of what's possible.
Yesterday, while it was snowy and slushy in PA, I did my Saturday morning sandbag run, and then went to our local climbing and obstacle course gym with two of my kids. We're thinking about a Spartan Stadion race for late spring, so now is the time to get training and develop our work outs for the next four months.
That's what a wellness journey looks like... It has some adventure, some friends, many unknowns, and pulls us to what's possible. How about your journey? Are you grasping a vision for your health that will stretch what's possible, grow your capacity and likely add years to your life and life to your years?
By the Way
Wherever you are in your journey, start there. Two business friends are starting a new phase of wellness to lose weight or find some more energy. Those goals send us back to the fundamentals of clean eating, great choices, and finding our own wellness groove. Then, as we build our own wellness tribe around ourselves, we gain momentum, accomplish goals, and set new ones. At some point, we live into being our best selves, and taking others along with us.
Sunday, January 5, 2020
A Cool Smartwatch
7.1
I have benefited from a fitness tracker for about a decade. Back in the early days it was simply step counters and basic pedometers. They didn't have Bluetooth, so they didn't communicate with anything, and you actually had to write your steps down.
Fast forward to today's offering of innumerable smart watches, wellness trackers and wearable technology. Now we can capture every minute detail of our waking and sleeping hours simply by keeping a watch or wearable on our wrist. They measure and notify us of everything our body is doing and experiencing.
I got my first Fitbit about about 6 years ago. It was a Zip, and met my needs at the time. Then I moved up to a Fitbit Blaze around 2016, and that was the jump in technology and tracking I really needed. Next up was a Garmin Forerunner 235. It was a step into the world of GPS enabled devices, so I didn't need to carry my phone on my runs or races.
My Forerunner served me well for almost 2 years. Unfortunately, the face got a small crack on it during the Spartan Ultra last year. It was still water tight and I didn't lose any functionality. That was until a sandbag workout back in December when the crack ran across the rest of the face on the watch, and it was no longer water tight, and totally fritzed out.
I probably stretched the Forerunner past its design intent - it is really a running watch, not an adventure and obstacle course watch. Enter the Garmin Instinct. It was one of my Christmas presents a couple weeks ago. What a cool smart watch!
The Instinct is water, shock and thermal resistant, built to military standards and has everything I could want or use built into it. Yes, the screen is a bit small, and it only has a two-tone display (not full color). But I am fine with that, given the incredible functionality of the device.
It is very responsive to picking up satellites in all situations where I have used it, and the Bluetooth is quick to connect and respond. It has made me excited to log miles and watch the data gather in the background.
I think our wellness journey benefits when we see the progress we make. Days quickly turn to weeks and before we know it months and years roll by. Having some form of wearable tracker makes our efforts more objective. If we measure it, we can better manage it.
So, if you aren't tracking your wellness journey, maybe now is a time to start. If you already collect data about your journey, maybe now is a time to dig into it a bit further and look for the wins and weaknesses that are apparent.
By the Way
I logged 700 miles of running for 2019. Without the Forerunner or Instinct, I wouldn't have been able to track my runs or progress. With the help of these wearable devices, I know where, when, and how much I ran, and can better decide how my 2020 training will progress.
I have benefited from a fitness tracker for about a decade. Back in the early days it was simply step counters and basic pedometers. They didn't have Bluetooth, so they didn't communicate with anything, and you actually had to write your steps down.
Fast forward to today's offering of innumerable smart watches, wellness trackers and wearable technology. Now we can capture every minute detail of our waking and sleeping hours simply by keeping a watch or wearable on our wrist. They measure and notify us of everything our body is doing and experiencing.
I got my first Fitbit about about 6 years ago. It was a Zip, and met my needs at the time. Then I moved up to a Fitbit Blaze around 2016, and that was the jump in technology and tracking I really needed. Next up was a Garmin Forerunner 235. It was a step into the world of GPS enabled devices, so I didn't need to carry my phone on my runs or races.
My Forerunner served me well for almost 2 years. Unfortunately, the face got a small crack on it during the Spartan Ultra last year. It was still water tight and I didn't lose any functionality. That was until a sandbag workout back in December when the crack ran across the rest of the face on the watch, and it was no longer water tight, and totally fritzed out.
I probably stretched the Forerunner past its design intent - it is really a running watch, not an adventure and obstacle course watch. Enter the Garmin Instinct. It was one of my Christmas presents a couple weeks ago. What a cool smart watch!
The Instinct is water, shock and thermal resistant, built to military standards and has everything I could want or use built into it. Yes, the screen is a bit small, and it only has a two-tone display (not full color). But I am fine with that, given the incredible functionality of the device.
It is very responsive to picking up satellites in all situations where I have used it, and the Bluetooth is quick to connect and respond. It has made me excited to log miles and watch the data gather in the background.
I think our wellness journey benefits when we see the progress we make. Days quickly turn to weeks and before we know it months and years roll by. Having some form of wearable tracker makes our efforts more objective. If we measure it, we can better manage it.
So, if you aren't tracking your wellness journey, maybe now is a time to start. If you already collect data about your journey, maybe now is a time to dig into it a bit further and look for the wins and weaknesses that are apparent.
By the Way
I logged 700 miles of running for 2019. Without the Forerunner or Instinct, I wouldn't have been able to track my runs or progress. With the help of these wearable devices, I know where, when, and how much I ran, and can better decide how my 2020 training will progress.
Sunday, December 29, 2019
Calorie Convictions
6.28
I got a new Garmin for Christmas - more on that in another post - and it is an awesome partner for a wellness lifestyle. I'm able to measure and track about everything you can possibly imagine. One of the things I like to pay attention to is calories burned. As we wrap up the Holidays, and 2019, I have been thinking about our pantry and my calorie budget for the year.
My Garmin tells me I burn between 22,000 and 24,000 calories most weeks. Multiplied across a whole year, that's about 1,200,000 calories! That's a lot of food to fuel my daily life, running habit and some Spartan races... And assuming that my weight is fairly constant (and thankfully it is) I need to actually eat all those 23,000 calories a week.
Considering all the breakfasts lunches and dinners I'll consume to make up my meals for the coming year, it adds to my conviction to make my calories count. I imagine the eggs, rice cakes and fruit for breakfast, the steak and sweet potatoes, the quinoa and salmon, the salads with nuts and berries... Mmmmm.
The conviction I'm left with is to make my calories count. Some will be fun food, some will be race fuel, and most will be everyday meals shared with family or coworkers. Even though 1.2 million calories are a lot of calories to consume in a year, every one counts. All our calories offer the opportunity to support our wellness or detract from it.
So how will you budget your calories in 2020? Start by aligning your pantry with your wellness goals. Purge the junk and faux foods and invest in healthful food choices your body and mind will thrive on. It's an investment in your health that will always pay dividends.
Remember that all calories are not created equally. There are healthy fats and carbs, just as there are (very) unhealthy ones. There are proteins that build our bodies up, whether plant-based or animal proteins, and there are proteins that our bodies might be happier without. Choose wisely.
I got a new Garmin for Christmas - more on that in another post - and it is an awesome partner for a wellness lifestyle. I'm able to measure and track about everything you can possibly imagine. One of the things I like to pay attention to is calories burned. As we wrap up the Holidays, and 2019, I have been thinking about our pantry and my calorie budget for the year.
My Garmin tells me I burn between 22,000 and 24,000 calories most weeks. Multiplied across a whole year, that's about 1,200,000 calories! That's a lot of food to fuel my daily life, running habit and some Spartan races... And assuming that my weight is fairly constant (and thankfully it is) I need to actually eat all those 23,000 calories a week.
Considering all the breakfasts lunches and dinners I'll consume to make up my meals for the coming year, it adds to my conviction to make my calories count. I imagine the eggs, rice cakes and fruit for breakfast, the steak and sweet potatoes, the quinoa and salmon, the salads with nuts and berries... Mmmmm.
The conviction I'm left with is to make my calories count. Some will be fun food, some will be race fuel, and most will be everyday meals shared with family or coworkers. Even though 1.2 million calories are a lot of calories to consume in a year, every one counts. All our calories offer the opportunity to support our wellness or detract from it.
So how will you budget your calories in 2020? Start by aligning your pantry with your wellness goals. Purge the junk and faux foods and invest in healthful food choices your body and mind will thrive on. It's an investment in your health that will always pay dividends.
By the Way
Remember that all calories are not created equally. There are healthy fats and carbs, just as there are (very) unhealthy ones. There are proteins that build our bodies up, whether plant-based or animal proteins, and there are proteins that our bodies might be happier without. Choose wisely.
Sunday, December 22, 2019
Celebrate!
6.27
It's the first day of winter, Christmas is 3 days away, and the year is over next week. Hard to know where another year has gone. How was 2019 for you? Challenging? Rewarding? Predictable?
I welcomed winter with a 12 mile run this morning, and I can definitely say that 2019 has been challenging, rewarding, and appropriately unexpected. I completed my second Spartan Trifecta, including my first 50k, Spartan Ultra. Whew... What a year.
I am deeply thankful for the journey I'm on. Every day I try to take time to reflect on all the ways our family has been blessed, and I try to keep that gratitude present as the days and weeks fly by. And at some point it is important to celebrate all that we've prospered through.
I'm almost 10 years into my wellness journey, and there is no way I could have anticipated how far a wellness lifestyle would bring me. My Garmin tells me that I ran over 670 miles this year, and that in 2019 I set a PR in all 5 running distances that Garmin tracks (5k through marathon and furthest distance.)
I feel younger and healthier than I can remember for literally decades. What a blessed journey. So, this week we'll celebrate Christmas, and the miracle of God coming to earth to live among us. And it will be a great time of feasting ( and fitness) and family. A great celebration to close out 2019.
How about you? I'm certain you have grown and thrived and overcome in numerous ways... Make note of all of them. Celebrate the achievements, and the times when you simply held steady -- When you reached a new high, and when you held your ground. 2020 is right around the corner, and there will be a whole new year to journey and grow through.
By the Way
Remember that with all the parties and rich, sugary foods, you can be the one to take along the healthy snacks, entrees or desserts. Comfort foods are fun, but can easily be balanced with tasty, healthful choices. Your body, and your wellness journey, will be glad you did.
It's the first day of winter, Christmas is 3 days away, and the year is over next week. Hard to know where another year has gone. How was 2019 for you? Challenging? Rewarding? Predictable?
I welcomed winter with a 12 mile run this morning, and I can definitely say that 2019 has been challenging, rewarding, and appropriately unexpected. I completed my second Spartan Trifecta, including my first 50k, Spartan Ultra. Whew... What a year.
I am deeply thankful for the journey I'm on. Every day I try to take time to reflect on all the ways our family has been blessed, and I try to keep that gratitude present as the days and weeks fly by. And at some point it is important to celebrate all that we've prospered through.
I'm almost 10 years into my wellness journey, and there is no way I could have anticipated how far a wellness lifestyle would bring me. My Garmin tells me that I ran over 670 miles this year, and that in 2019 I set a PR in all 5 running distances that Garmin tracks (5k through marathon and furthest distance.)
I feel younger and healthier than I can remember for literally decades. What a blessed journey. So, this week we'll celebrate Christmas, and the miracle of God coming to earth to live among us. And it will be a great time of feasting ( and fitness) and family. A great celebration to close out 2019.
How about you? I'm certain you have grown and thrived and overcome in numerous ways... Make note of all of them. Celebrate the achievements, and the times when you simply held steady -- When you reached a new high, and when you held your ground. 2020 is right around the corner, and there will be a whole new year to journey and grow through.
By the Way
Remember that with all the parties and rich, sugary foods, you can be the one to take along the healthy snacks, entrees or desserts. Comfort foods are fun, but can easily be balanced with tasty, healthful choices. Your body, and your wellness journey, will be glad you did.
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