Issues

There are two issues I really need to deal with on this blog right now: Nutrition and Fitness. The two have been working against each other for me lately. I run, I'm hungry and I eat. Or, I starve, I'm tired, I skip workouts. Neither is a healthy way to exist, and I have been floating back and forth between the them every few weeks. I need to find a way to nourish myself and stay active at the same time, and balance those needs within the context of the rest of my life without them taking over. I drive everyone around me insane, constantly overwhelming myself with miles, weights, calories or carbs. I remember telling my Dad (an admitted work-a-holic) that he should "work to live, not live to work." Seems I need to start taking my own advice.

Nutrition: I love to eat. I mean I know most living creatures do, but allow me this moment of self-absorbency and assume I really do love to eat more than the average person. Carbs are my secret lover, I eat them at every meal, and lately a lot of them. Unfortunately I am apple shaped by nature. I have girlfriends who are naturally pear shaped and hate it, but I always point out you never hear a man complain his wife's butt is too big! I am ridiculously skinny everywhere, but my stomach. Everything I eat goes right there. Every time I eat I am either under-eating and starving myself, or overeating and gorging. I know something has to change, and I think after years of struggling with my food issues I have improved to a point where I can listen to my body and respond to it's needs. As a vegetarian, I wont eat meat and that is not going to change. I also wont drink milk or eat cheese (awww, cheeeeeeese.) I have decided that for my own personal sanity, and waistline, I am going to eat eggs. Not even free-range ones (free-range is just an overpriced label the egg industry created to allow consumers to pretend they aren't supporting factory farming.) Egg whites, those mysterious little cartons above the eggs, are my friend. Low in calories and carbs, high in protein, and oh so tasty. Anyone who is vegan would shake their head in shame. Egg laying chickens are the worst treated animals in the factory farm business. I can't even go into it, and if you don't know about it yet don't ask. TRUST ME. Anyway, I can replace at least 1 carb a day with egg whites, and another with greens, and I feel my nutrition needs will be met with minimal animal consumption and maximum satisfaction. No calorie counting necessary!

Fitness: Today I hit the gym, and when I left I could feel the burn in every major part of my body. Every step I take feels strong, and my abs contract every time I bend to put a dish in the dishwasher. I love that feeling, so why is it so difficult for me to maintain a fitness routine for longer than 2 weeks without taking days off? There is not much to consider when it comes to this, I need to just stop quitting. Every Monday, Wednesday & Friday morning I need to be running then at the gym. If I absolutely have to miss a day because life gets in the way, then I work out the following day and pick back up where I left off. I love Nike, not only because of the Nike+ sports band, but because of their long-time motto: Just Do It. So cheesy (mmm, cheeeese) but so true!

By posting these decisions in my blog I have committed myself to them, and although I know nobody really cares, I still feel the need to meet the goals I set and am therefore more motivated to do so. My body fat percentage was 27% just 6 months ago, and through determination and sweat it is down to 17%! I have just 7 more percentage points to go, and nothing is going to stop me.

Decisions...

I started the 200 sit up program this week! I did my initial test and found that I can do 100 consecutive crunches, so now I follow the program and work up to 200. My abs were actually a little sore the next day, which I love! So today will be the first day of the actual routine, and I highly suggest anyone who wants to trim a little waist try this program.

I have decided that when I run, I am really jogging since I am so slow. I do not want to be a jogger, I want to run! Since I do not have any scheduled races until July (San Francisco baby yeah!) I am going to drop my mileage and build it back up at a 10mn pace. This weekend I plan on running 4 hard miles, keeping the pace at my goal. I am actually excited, I haven't run in much too long, life has just been in my way. 4 hard miles sounds much more exciting than 15 slow miles, although I love my long ambling jogs around here. I will work back up to 15 miles but at a pace I can be proud of.

Update on Mica: Her fever broke soon after my last post and so we held off on the ER. Her fever spiked again last night but my neighbors are doctors and they both examined her and said the impetigo and fever are unrelated. She just needs lots of hugs and pedialyte and should be fine within a week.

The Fitness Jar

I can't believe yesterday was the first time I have been to the gym in almost 2 months! I had to wait for Mica to be able to use the potty completely on her own before I could put her in the gym daycare, and she is finally able to do that! I love the gym, no seriously I do! I leave Mica in the childcare and get 2 whole hours to put more change in the fitness jar. Everytime I work out I remind myself, even if I don't work out tomorrow or next week, this workout is in the bank! Change in the fitness jar.

Now that I am able to commit again I have set up a schedule for myself. Yesterday being Thursday, I ran intervals on the treadmill. Intervals are when you run a short distance, such as 400 meters, slightly quicker then your goal race pace. Then you walk, then you run it again. You repeat this 4-6 times, and increase the number of intervals every week. My goal race pace is a 10 minute mile. So I ran 6x400 meter intervals at 6.2 mph, with 1 minute walking breaks in between. I set the treadmill at a slight incline to make up for the fact that I was not running outside, the treadmill is easier and counts the miles a bit leniently.

After intervals, weight training, yoga and hitting my abs a bit hard I picked Mica up from daycare and dragged myself home for a protein shake. I am a bit sore today, but it's all just change in the jar...