Find Your "Sport"

Finding the exercise that you like, that gets you results, and most importantly keeps to motivated to go back for more. This weekend was enlightening for me with regard to this topic. I set the goal to run the marathon, trained for it (not as much as my coach had planned), and then did it. It was a great accomplishment; I'm proud, but it doesn't mean I want to repeat it over & over! 

Often, I meet with people who say, "well I just don't like exercise." And usually I wonder and inquire, "well what have you tried." Most often it boils down to the particular activity as not being the right choice, for that particular person. I have always related this dialogue to the new exerciser, almost exclusively. After my marathon overall experience, I now know that this type of conversation can come up with a "regular" too. 

Yesterday I ran the Marine Corps Marathon, my first marathon. It was an inspiring race, one I will never forget. So many friends reached out on Facebook to congratulate, and that meant a lot. A few great friends came down to cheer on and support. It was fun and I enjoyed the experience greatly. Going into the race, I met people who said, "this is my first marathon," "this is my 35th marathon," "this is my 8th time running the Marine Corps Marathon," etc, etc. There were many first timers who are now hooked on marathoning and many repeat offenders who will continue to race as long as possible. There's no question that the marathon culture is well and thriving. 

Great experience and super motivating, especially when at mile 24 there were two Marines broadcasting encouraging words, "This is where you did deep. Find your motivation." I ran faster.  

But, I don't have a desire to do it again (except for maybe one more time!) It's not because it's hard, or it takes a lot of time to train (although both of those are true). It's because I found that I am not motivated by training for this type of race; in fact the last 6 weeks before the race, I barely trained and was the most inactive I have ever been since I started working out regularly, 7 years ago. This baffled me, at first I thought I was just slacking and becoming lazy, even though this is not my way, but in reality, I just wasn't motivated by running 15-20 miles as my workout. This is good knowledge to have. I encourage you to explore what motivates you and what doesn't. 

After the race, my coach and great friend, Jeff, asked me, "Are you elated? Are you feeling that runner's high." My answer was no. I couldn't even believe it! I thought I would be up in the clouds after finishing the race and running home to sign up for the next. Nope! 

There were many runners who, like me, ran their first marathon yesterday and will go on to run many more. I think that's awesome and am excited for those that found their exercise niche! 

Hopefully this message doesn't come across as whiney and make me sound weak. This is not the intention. I completed the race, I am proud of my accomplishment, and my legs will be talking to me for days!

The point is, I now know that I am excited about lifting weights, getting stronger, and accomplishing in the gym. I love to hike and cycle, and run 5-10 miles. Awesome. 

It's the same with food or with careers. You may love horseradish (like me) and your brother could hate it (I'll have to ask mine his preference!). You may be a engineer and your neighbor may be an artist. You can both appreciate each others profession, without having the desire to switch places. 

Do you enjoy what you do for exercise, or do you find yourself skipping it often? If you love it, awesome, you've found the right activity (don't be surprised if it changes and evolves over time). If you skip or are not consistent, try something new. Keep searching until you find that activity or sport that works for you. Maybe its dancing, or archery, or trail running, or water aerobics, or Olympic lifting, or rollerblading. Whatever it takes to find what works best for you: do it. (and then tell us about it!). 

What's next for me? Taking a few days off from anything other than walking and yoga, then focusing on strength training to build back up, and cycling! My next race will be a fun one, the Turkey Chase 10k in Bethesda, MD on Thanksgiving Day!

Learning from past, present & future to get what you want!

I love how things work out. I love how when you seek inspiration and seek stories, they can be found. Whatever you seek, you will find. I believe this wholeheartedly; it's also biblical and true. For example, if you focus on always being sick, then you are probably always sick. If you focus on never being able to make your car payment, it's probably a struggle every month. If you focus on moving toward your purpose in life (even if you don't really know what it is yet), you gain clarity. If you focus on the good, on your strengths, you can find the victory in anything and everything. 

This weekend is the celebration of 10 years since high school. Whoa.

There are several events lasting the weekend, in honor of the alumni. Today, I visited my high school, which is in a new location, about 4 times the size of the school I attended, however still under the same name. It has grown and is thriving, yet it still holds the same core values.  I could be mad and think, 'why couldn't I have had attended this large, beautiful, lovely school,' but the truth is I was in the right place at the right time, and guess what, so are you. 

High school was a great time for me, personally. In many ways, better than college. On the tour today, it was funny what we all remembered. Lucky for me, I ran into two of my high school classmates, making it way more fun to reminisce. They remembered so much more detail than me. It took me 10-minutes of hard thinking to remember what the library looked like, which shows how much time I spent in there! 

The new school had characteristics of the old school, but with much burlier features. It was better, and that's a good thing. On a wall near the gym, hung a large piece of the gym floor where I played volleyball everyday with Miatta (one of the girls I was blessed to run into today) and where I remember that awful freshman gym class where we all had to run a mile for time. 

Each of us were reminded of our own stories of that treachorous mile test. During the tour, no joke, I saw Mr. Hilton, my gym teacher from 14 years ago, instructing a new class of freshman recruits. I bet they were about to run their mile too! He was a great teacher, and I respected him a lot. I am sure I can give him partial credit for my chosen career, but boy, I hated that mile test. 

In high school, my mile time was 14:10. For any of you who don't know what this means...it means I walked a lot of it. 

Next weekend, I am running my first ever marathon. 

Today I was brought back, with a laughing nostalgia, to a time when I could not run 1 mile.

In 9 days, I will run 26.2

Thrill, excitement, anticipation, and eagerness all describe what I am feeling about this race. 

It was not a coincidence that today, I got a glimpse of the very floor, which shaped the drive to get physically better, stronger and do what I never thought possible. 

Never did I ever see a marathon in my future when I was huffing and puffing around a track, my freshman year of high school.

In 9 days, I will embark on a 26.2 mile journey, that it more meaningful than just the physical. It is a testimony of the success principle, known as consistency. What can we accomplish over time, if we stay consistent, keep moving forward, and exude the attitude of aggressive patience?!

The point of all this is not about me, my marathon, and my past experience as a run/walker in high school. 

It's about all of us; about what we are capable of. It's about what we can do to meet our dreams and goals with sustained, patient, and persistent effort. Today I challenge you to think beyond today, to think about what you want and what you are willing to do (probably a little bit everyday), to get there. 

Write it down and revisit it often. As my friend, Napolean Hill says, there is nothing that sustained thought cannot overcome. 

What you seek and what you think about is what you get. 

Think about and embrace your future. For good. Dream a little bit. Actually, dream a lot. 

Define what your tomorrow will look like, and start today. Actually, start right now, on the path to what you want! 

Lessons from the Road: Push On

...Even if it's unfamiliar. 

This weekend, I was in Louisville, KY at Freedom Hall for a leadership/success celebration conference through one of my favorite organizations, Leadership Team Development. We heard so many amazing speakers, including Dr. John C. Maxwell, the king of leadership training. 

During a break at the conference, I decided to go on a 4.5 mile run and explore a bit. Louisville is on the Ohio River, and was surrounded by bridges and paths. I just started running, found a path along the river, and in the distance, saw 2 immaculate bridges. I decided that I was going to run across this one bridge that appeared to be close by. First of all, it wasn't as close as I thought and I was on a timeline! Secondly, I couldn't quite figure out how to get there, although I just figured it out. 

As I was running across this bridge, the creep of the unknown started to settle in after about minute six. The bridge seemed longer than I had expected and it was on an incline, so I really couldn't see the other side (my goal). The scenery was lovely and the weather was perfect, and I was renewed, simply by running in a different location. But the doubt of how long this bridge actually was and if I had time to complete it, started to enter my mind. 

I almost turned around, before I looked at my watch and realized it had only been 8-minutes. 

I pushed on across the bridge, got to the other side, tagged the rusty side rail, checked my watch and started running back. 

It took 9-minutes to get across the first time. 

It took 6-minutes to get back across.

This got me thinking about life, about goals and about dreams. Now, my above example is a little bit dramatic, but I think that we can often do this to ourselves when pursuing an unknown (something we have never done) or something that seems outside the box (like maybe something "the world" wouldn't jump for joy about). 

You see, on the way across the bridge, I didn't know how far it was, how long it would take, or really the end point (because I couldn't see it). All I saw was some pretty water and the road in front of me. What if I had given up at 8-minutes? I would not have met my goal by 1 more minute of running. 

Apply this to life. Have you ever pursued something and given up at that moment that it seemed like it wasn't going to happen? I demand today; keep pushing on. Your dream or your goal may be just around the corner and all you have to do is just push a little more. 

Also, the second time you do the unknown, it doesn't seem like it takes as long, or is as challenging. I improved my time by 3-minutes, because I knew where I was going and now had experience with this particular route. Have you ever driven somewhere new where you didn't inherently know the directions (you had to use GPS) and it seems to take forever, but on the way back, it seems much faster. 

The same thing applies to those steps that it takes to get to your goals. Once you do something once, the second time is not so bad. Say you make the decision to start exercising and you do so moderately for 20-minutes. You may not know if you can get through 20-minutes, but once you do, you know you can do it again and again.

My message today is simple. Keep pushing on, even when it feels like you may not be getting anywhere. If you are consistent and persistent and taking the appropriate action, success may be just a sliver away. 

Pumpkin, Need I Say More!

It’s October…it’s fall…and it’s time for pumpkin! I’m totally biased when it comes to pumpkin, I think it’s absolutely, hands down, the best seasonal ingredient out there. Why? Pumpkin is full of vitamin A and fiber and very low in calories. It’s beautiful orange color and it's mild yet distinct flavor affords it to match with anything. Check out these healthy pumpkin recipes to get you started! 

I love to just mix it in with my regular veggie salads and hot dishes, knowing that I am adding vitamin value, taste, and nutrition to my meals!

Also, I couldn’t resist..I ran across an article about a kid who is selling pumpkins like an old school newsboy. You’re telling me, you wouldn’t buy pumpkins from a kid with a truck bed selling fresh, farm cultivated pumpkins. I would. Everyday. All fall! Check out his story!

If you love pumpkin and don’t know what to do with it, check out these recipes and resources!

Spaghetti Squash with Pumpkin Pesto (this is my go-to during the fall/Thanksgiving season)

Spaghetti Squash is a delicious fall alternative to pasta and a great way to introduce your kids to harvest veggies. You can twirl the squash just like pasta and get extra benefits from vitamins like: Niacin, Vitamin B6, Pantothenic Acid, Potassium and Manganese, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber and Vitamin C. 

Ingredients

1 medium spaghetti squash

1 package of powdered pesto

3 tbsp. pumpkin puree

Dash of clove, nutmeg, cinnamon

Salt and pepper

Olive Oil

Parmesan Cheese

Cooking Directions and Tips:

1. The Spaghetti Squash: Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Place squash in oven safe pan and spray with cooking spray. Roast for 20-30 minutes and take out. Let cool for 10-20 minutes; then cut in half and take out the seeds.   Place skin sides down back in pan. Salt and pepper the flesh and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for another 20-30 minutes until squash easily forks into "spaghetti."

Busy Chick Trick: Put the squash in the oven in the morning, roast for 30 minutes, then turn oven off and leave squash in oven until evening when you are ready to cook it. The squash will stay tender and it will only take 10-15 minutes in the oven to heat up.

2. Pesto: follow the directions for the water on the pesto package, add mix and water to stovetop. Add in half the oil recommended. Stir in 3 tbsp of pumpkin puree and a couple dashes of the cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon. Leave on low for 5-10 minutes.

Why packaged pesto? It's inexpensive, it's healthier, and it's quick. The calories are less than in pre-made pesto, because you control the oil and it is a water based sauce. The pumpkin puree thickened up the pesto and helps it spread over the squash.

3. Mix and Serve: Fork out the squash and place in a big bowl. Note: it will make more than you think. Mix in pesto, and top with a tbsp of parmesan cheese, and serve. This makes 3-4 servings.

Nutrition: 1 serving = 2 cups. 187 calories, 14g Fat (2g saturated), 15g Carbs, 4g Fiber, 2.5g protein

Add a protein to make it a dinner: lentils, grilled chicken, or turkey meatballs would be delicious!

5-minute Pumpkin Soup: great for a quick dinner, serve it up with a serving of protein for a complete meal. Also pairs well with roasted kale!

In a sauce pan, combine 2 cups chicken or veggie stock and 3/4 cup pumpkin puree along with a bit of cracked pepper, cayenne pepper, nutmeg (generous), ginger and cinnamon. Cook together over medium-high heat for 3-min. Add 1/2 cup of almond milk. Cook for another 90 seconds, or until desired temperature. Place in bowl and top with cilantro.

Nutrition: 102 calories, 3g fat, 18g carb (5g fiber), 4g protein

Pumpkin Pineapple Smoothie: a delicious snack or quick breakfast

In a blender, combine:

1 cup pumpkin

1/2 cup pineapple

pinch of cinnamon and pinch of nutmeg

1 tsp almond or vanilla extract

1/2 cup almond milk

1 cup ice

Nutrition: 153 calories, 3g fat, 31g carbs (9g fiber), 4g protein

 Eating by Elaine: 

Autumn Soup: a delicious & creamy combination of butternut squash, pumpkin and sweet potato. Elaine Goldstein is very gifted in designing recipes that are simple, full of nutrition and unexpectedly delicious!

Oatmeal Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies: I have had these, they are amazing, and healthy, and just wonderful to have around any holiday!

There are so many more pumpkin options, this simple scratches the surface and hopefully gets you to think of what you can do on your own!