YOUR Adventure!

5.05

It's time. No more excuses and no more delays

There is an adventure you have been considering and putting off, I know there is. It's time to put it on your calendar and get to it. Research it, sign up, tell a couple dozen people your plans, or gather a team to pursue the adventure with you - do whatever it takes to step up your personal commitment to your goals.

I am in the middle of a great adventure for 2018. I turn 50 this year, and a couple years ago, when I first followed Spartan races and decided to do a Sprint, I had this crazy, huge goal of doing a Spartan 'Trifecta'. This is a combination of a Spartan Sprint, Super and Beast race all in the same calendar year. At the time I thought, what a great goal for when a turn 50... I should do that.

So here we are, and true to my convictions, I'm signed up. I'm thrilled to turn 50 this year, and have decided to enjoy all of 2018 to celebrate. At this point I have the 3 Spartan races on the calendar, and at least 2-3 half marathons. I'm totally psyched!

How about you? You have an adventure right in front of you which you haven't committed to yet. It seems big, maybe too big, and challenging - certainly too challenging to tackle yet... But the truth is, you have everything you need to fulfill this new adventure, thrive in it, and take your wellness further. Who knows, maybe it will turn your life in a whole new and improved direction.

Commit today. Sign up. Train or research or learn whatever you need to. Whether your doing a new purge of your pantry, or tackling new and unique exercise challenges, it's time to get to it. And tell a bunch of people - that creates accountability. If you don't spread the word, you leave a back door to bail out. But once you have shared your adventurous plans with a dozen or so people, you will have created enough social pressure to help you see it through.

Good luck, and feel free to reach out to share your latest adventure

By the Way

While pursuing big adventures, you also have smaller ones. I was out on a great run this morning on a rail trail near my home. The trail will eventually connect our town of Lititz, PA with the neighboring town of Ephrata. I learned this morning that a whole next leg of the trail is now cleared and graded in! While not finished, I enjoyed a mini adventure today of running on this new stretch of trail for the first time.

Improvise

4.22

A couple weeks ago, I ripped an eyelet out of my good running shoes. Totally unexpected and it's worse than breaking a lace. Thankfully, we have have a local shoe repair shop which does a good job salvaging life out of shoes and sneakers which are damaged.

One problem though, was that it would take a week to get the running shoe back. And this was right in the middle of my training for the upcoming half marathon. I couldn't miss a week of training... what to do?

I have an almost worn out pair of running shoes which were still around the garage, and I use them for projects and errands. These shoes are well past their prime, and mileage limit, but that's what I had to work with, so I dug them out and laced up.

I put about 25 miles or so those old shoes this past weeks, and it went just fine. 

One thing I've learned is to take life as it comes. Whatever shows up today is in God's control... it's not a surprise to Him, and really shouldn't surprise us. And there is likely a simple, doable solution in front of us if we'll just take a look around.

What are you facing in your wellness journey that isn't as you expected? Maybe you need to improvise a solution from the resources at hand. Have a look around. Be creative. Think differently and see with new eyes. Be willing to say yes to something that may not be the best solution, but is a workable solution.

By the Way

If you have a regular running habit, you should own at least two, maybe three, pairs of viable running shoes (I owe myself another good pair.)

Check out this forum post from Runner's World about how many pairs of shoes are the right number:
Runner's World article on pairs of running shoes

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.

Simple Wellness - Go

3.2

Where Are You Going?

We're all headed somewhere. The big question is where. Even making 'no' decision about our direction is a significant decision about where we'll end up. And the destination may not be good.

I've shared before that my wellness vision aligns with Jack LaLanne and Tony Horton. Even though these men are generations apart, they share(d) a basic approach to wellness that includes simple, nutritional food choices and a physically active workout routine. They both revolutionized wellness by their influence.

Granted, I'm no Tony Horton, but if I can learn something from his great guidance, and it tugs me in his general direction month by month and year by year, I might just end up someplace awesome. Jack LaLanne lived to be 96 years old, and worked out right up to his last days. How awesome would that be to live into my 90's, truly living? If that happens, I'm only half way there!

You have some sort of wellness vision. Trap it and linger on it. Maybe it's to lose some weight, or achieve a walking or running goal. Maybe you want to climb a few flights of stairs without losing your breath. Or maybe it's to overcome an ailment like Type 2 diabetes or high cholesterol by improving what you eat. If you can see it in your mind, you can certainly achieve it.

On the journey, we may need to overcome some fears, and maybe they're significant. Fear we might fail, or lose our identity, or be hungry all the time, or that we'll lose our friends, or we'll get injured, or that we'll simply outgrow those close to us. The truth is some of these may happen, but what I've realized is that if I've lost a friend or two, I've gained 10 who resonate with my wellness lifestyle. And even if I get some sore muscles, I've eliminated a bad left knee, chronic lower back and shoulder pain, and migraines... eliminated in my late 40's... how cool is that? (And I've never gone hungry... I eat an awesome diet, and I eat a lot... very cool.)

So start where you are. Strike a big vision, and expect a lot of good to come of it. Capture a compelling picture in your mind and hold it there. Cut out some magazine pictures, or old pictures of yourself when you were healthier and happier. Put them on your mirror or fridge. Let the vision grow in plain sight, and see where it starts to take you.

By the Way

This quote from Marianne Williamson always helps give me permission to go big:

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

Ahhhh.... Holiday Success

2.87
Christmas 2015 has come and gone. Here at Power Pantry we hope you found refreshment and relaxation in the season, and enjoyed the peace and confidence which comes from knowing God sent His Son to save us. For us, we celebrate Christ's birth... Emmanuel: God with us. And we were reminded this Christmas holiday that the story of Christmas is not really the chance for us to pursue God as much as it is that God pursues us. He truly desires to be with us.

Hoping your holiday celebrations so far have been enriching and bountiful, relaxing and fun. Around our house we have been working on a Christmas jigsaw puzzle, playing board games (have you played Wits & Wagers? It's a hoot for all ages!), and two of us got to a football game. We agreed that at times we felt pampered, we were rejuvenated, and we are most definitely blessed. And we're wishing the same for you and yours.

The new year is just around the corner, and it is a prime time to recognize that stocking a power pantry can change everything for our wellness lifestyle. Have you experienced the stress of a poorly-stocked pantry this holiday season? We did a little bit. Here and there we ran out of something we wish we had on hand (avocados just don't keep very long!) but overall, our food choices were healthful and nutritious.

For the new year, Power Pantry is going to offer some simple guidelines to lifestyle wellness, from vision and fundamentals to specific how-tos. So tune in, share with others, and always feel free to leave a comment or ask a question.

Abundant blessings to you and yours. Happy New Year from Power Pantry!!

By the Way

Need something different to ring in the new year? Maybe try a new way to celebrate? We're forgoing our typical round-robin of snacks and dips and goodies, and ordering Chinese... maybe even some quality sushi... we'll see. Maybe this is a good year to forgo the beef sticks and cheese logs and go for the hummus and guacamole. 

A Great Reflection

2.84
As the year draws to a close, it's a great time to look back on where we've come from, and to think ahead to where we're going. New Year's resolutions aside, a little self-searching goes a long way in considering our todays and tomorrows.

I've shared before in Power Pantry that I often consider life 'in the middle of a decade'. Where was I five years ago? Hmmm... 2010... our oldest son was 12 and Jen and I had been married 15 years, and that was the year we had our fourth child. I was travelling a lot for work, and even in the midst of the recession we were very blessed. I weighed about 35 pounds more than I do now, and I hadn't yet read "Eat to Live" (from Dr. Joel Fuhrman). Life was a lot different just five years ago.

Since then we've recognized the value of whole foods and nutritional density, and the detriments of wheat gluten, dairy and numerous other common foods in the American diet. I started running in 2011 sometime, with a very slow and painful introduction.

In five years we've seen two of our kids grow into awesome, trustworthy young adults, another enter middle school, and our youngest start kindergarden. Jen has been 'cured' of her arthritis from simple nutritional improvements, and I've trimmed down to a scrappy 158 pounds and have a maturing running habit and wellness lifestyle... cool.

What about five years from now? I doubt I'll run a full marathon, but I do intend to try some of the Spartan Races, and maybe even their Trifecta (three progressively harder races completed in one year.) We have some cool trips planned as a family (before our older kids fly the coop) and I'm sure there will be some great nutritional additions and unhealthy subtractions from our wellness lifestyle. (Somewhere in there we're supposed to get a local Whole Foods Market...that will be very cool.)

How about you? Sitting here in 2015 and reflecting on where you've come from and where you may be going, what do you come up with? A step in the right direction can change everything, and set a positive course for years and decades to come. As the long winter nights and holiday breaks afford some extra time (hey, no grass to cut!! At least in our northern latitudes...) find quiet time for reflecting, and a little goal setting. 

By the Way

Our family likes to do jigsaw puzzles every so often. We got out the puzzle table and a fall-themed puzzle at Thanksgiving, which we're completing bit by bit. One of the great leadership reminders I get from doing puzzles is to keep the box handy. The lid of the puzzle box is the most important part - that's where the vision comes from. If we didn't have the picture of the finished puzzle, we'd have no vision to understand the value of our efforts. While reflecting from the middle of a decade, keep that in mind that there is a bigger vision at stake for all of us. What does your future look like?

Wealthy Beyond Money

2.75
While we're on our journey, we can easily overlook how far we've come. A power pantry lifestyle brings great value, and when we're plugging along, we grow, sometimes by leaps and bounds, and sometimes slowly, but we're growing.

When we're honest, we can track and acknowledge our growth and realize all that really has improved. We're better now than we were in our recent past.

I had a great dialog with a business friend yesterday who shared a tremendous idea and quote with me:
"The best way to measure your wealth is to measure what you have when the money is all gone"

That's a wellness lifestyle. That's recognizing how much we have and how far we've come. Our lives are about so much more than money.

Take stock of all you have, and how far you've come. Find value and contentment right where you are.

By the Way

Gratitude is a key to a wellness lifestyle. Thankfulness and appreciation keep us engaged in our journey, likely keep us humple, and eventually make us wise.

How to Get There

2.70
There is great value in questioning. Questioning the way things are, why they are that way, and definitely asking where circumstance could be if things were different. Have we sincerely questioned ourselves lately? I'm not great at it, but I do make it a point to keep my horizons open by questioning myself.

Here are a few questions that I think give great direction and focus in life. Maybe these resonate with where you are on your wellness journey:

• What can I do? (Instead of beating ourselves up for what isn't happening, and where we've given up or dropped the ball...)
• How can I help? (Journeying together with others is a great way for us to grow, and to stay in the game ourselves; tuning in to where others are and how you may be a resource enriches our own journey as much as the person we may end up helping)
• Where am I headed? (While it's good to find contentment right where we are, there is also significant value in asking where we're going... what will things look like a year from now? How about five years from now?
• Why am I stuck? (We all get stuck at some point... and where we've gotten stuck may feel like a tar pit that we'll never escape. But that's often a mental exaggeration, and the truth is once we pick ourselves up and get moving again, a path opens up to us.)

The reality is that the way forward is simple...it's right in front of us if we'll just engage. The best way to engage our minds in any process is to ask great questions. Give it a try by starting with some of the questions above. Maybe you'll reap the benefits of good questions like I have.

By the Way

Possibly the best question of all is this:

• What do I notice? (The best progress in a power pantry lifestyle can come from this question. When we honestly ask ourselves what is different, especially after some change or catalyst has taken hold (like we're in the midst of a detox cleanse and we experience physical improvements), we can evaluate what things are beneficial, and which drag us into poor health and even suffering.)

Assessing Progress

1.61
The tried and true aphorism that 'a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step' is as true today as it was when Laozi wrote it around 550 BC. And living a wellness lifestyle with a well-thought-out power pantry certainly takes some steps. How is your journey going?

Maybe you're new to this idea of reading labels and being more discerning about your food choices. Do you regularly purge processed foods from your fridge and pantry and look for some great veggies, greens and fruits to include daily? Maybe you're getting out for a walk more often, or making the time to linger with family or spend time in prayer. All these things are worth the first step you take as you invest in your wellness.

It is valuable to make a few mental markers along the way. Remember where you came from, and note well where you are now. Sometimes you may marvel a the positive gap you see between the two. For me, compared to when I began my wellness journey in 2010, I'm 30+ pounds lighter, with one or two migraines a year (instead of 2+ a month), no aches and pains in my joints or knees, and energy that I haven't had for 25 years. That may not be the norm, but it's just short of miraculous to me, and I'll never go back to living a standard American lifestyle now that power pantry habits have taken hold.

Have a look at aspects of your journey, make note of where you are, and consider engaging more actively in numerous ways:

• Nutritional excellence - eating with an eye on the nutrient density of food, leaning into fresh, plant-based, whole foods as much as possible
• Physical activity - daily activity that gets our body moving, keeping you flexible, strong and vibrant
• Meaningful relationships - relating with people who care for you and who you can care for
• Engaging community - being part of something bigger than yourself where you can make a difference
• Spiritual investment - quiet time for meditation and prayer to reset and gain perspective

So take a step today. Maybe it seems like a long journey, but don't worry about that; just start where you are. You'll be making incredible progress before you know it.

By the Way

We can sometimes get hung up on our 'failures' or get distracted because we backslide. Struggle is a normal part of the journey. My encouragement is to simply write a great page today. We're all writing the chronicle of our lives, one page at a time. Today is a blank page, and yesterday's page is in ink and we can't change it now. Resolve to write a great page today...

Meant to Shine

1.5
If you're thinking about a wellness lifestyle, and maybe a wellness vision for yourself, consider what Marianne Williamson said in her book, "A Return to Love":

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

Go be powerful, shine, and take some folks along with you.

A Wellness Lifestyle

From 1997
The only picture I found at that weight

1.2
I topped out around 220 pounds in the late 90's... I was disregarding my physical health and just 'enjoying' life (so I thought). Truth is, I was really unhealthy, although I convinced myself I was fat and happy. Through my 20's and into my 30's, multiple health issues came up, and some existing ones (like my 'bad left knee') got worse. 

What made the difference for me? The biggest thing is that I had a vision for a healthy version of me that didn't match the 220 pound me (or the other iterations in between). Maybe that sounds strange, but that's the reality. If we have and keep a mental picture of ourselves that we recognize as "more like the real me" than where we are right now, there is value in that. As I held that vision in my mind, over the years I did things that led me closer and closer to that healthier end. Step by step, month by month, year by year.





I remember "The Six Million Dollar Man" from the 70's... Lee Majors played Steve Austin, the astronaut who was put back together with bionic parts after a devastating crash. There was something cool about how he ran in the title sequence, and I've always remembered that. As a kid, I used to think, "wow, I'd like to be able to run like that (and actually look good doing it.)" That mental image has always been part of my "healthy vision" of myself, and a wellness lifestyle has led me closer to it.


What does it take to develop a wellness lifestyle? I figure there are three attitudes we can have toward our health, which determine if we have a wellness lifestyle or not:

• Ignoring: we disregard our health, either intentionally, or because we just don't think it's an issue
• Pursuing: we have a wellness vision, or at least a conviction about where our health can be, and are growing toward it
• Maintaining: we're at a level of wellness we appreciate, and we notch back a bit and stay at that level

It really starts with a personal vision of where we want our health and wellness to be. What do we tell ourselves about ourselves? Do we believe we can overcome health issues, or improve toward a worthy goal? If so, all we need to do is take a step in that direction. If not, why do we think it can't happen? What do you tell yourself about yourself? We all start where we are - there's nothing inherently wrong with where I am and where you are, but maybe there is a vision for something next... 

By the Way

Dec. 2013
Both of us pain-free and grateful

How am I doing with my wellness vision? Well, my target weight is 158 (for a BMI of 21) making me about 60 pounds lighter than I was 15 years ago. (That's the equivalent of 4, 15 pound bowling balls...hmm, I carried "extra bowling balls" for years...) And my bad left knee is 'cured' after 25 years of pain - no surgery, never had any injections... just food-related adjustments that have brought consistent relief.

Part of fulfilling my wellness vision has been a running habit that I started in 2012. I did my first 10k last year, and I have aspirations of doing my first half marathon this year. We'll see what happens there. So do I run like (or in any way look like) Steve Austin? Not so much...