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.
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.
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.
