.........................Champion runner, Ryan Hall........................
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Cool it. You're NOT Ryan Hall!
I like to run and I love races (fun runs, road races, foot races, whatever you want to call them), but I am not what I would consider a very serious runner and under most circumstances, I am not really competitive with anyone other than myself. Maybe that is why I am so annoyed by the "totally serious" runner. You may know this guy! He elbows his way in front of you to get a little closer to the start of a 5K, dressed from head to toe in hi-tech running garb, ornamented with all the latest gadgets and enough power gel to fuel a small child for a week. As soon as he wiggles himself comfortably into his starting spot, he begins his stretching routine (rubbing everyone around him the wrong way, literally). After displaying both his flexibility and the fact that his running shorts are six inches too small, he begins to tell everyone around him about all his past races and corresponding finish times (this, btw, is my biggest pet peeve, ever!). Next, he eats a banana, informing you of all the places he has stashed bananas throughout the race course, going on to explain the importance of potassium in the process of a muscle contraction. Yawn! And, if there is enough time, he will also list off all the songs he has recently downloaded to his ipod, ranking them in the order of his favorites. The "totally serious" runner is so annoying to me! More annoying than the other guy standing next to me wearing hi-top basketball shoes, torn-off blue jeans and a turquoise blazer. For some reason, this guy doesn't bother me at all, even though he is already sweating profusely and is constantly asking me, "how much time do we have?" "Totally serious" runner, please explain yourself! I want to understand you, maybe even like you someday. But, as of now, all I can think about is the pleasure and utter enjoyment I would feel if I were to trip you the second the gun fires.
.........................Champion runner, Ryan Hall........................
.........................Champion runner, Ryan Hall........................
Thursday, January 28, 2010
What is Clean Eating?
Eating clean is eating food in its TRUEST form possible (think of items you'd find naturally in nature or grown on a farm!). These are foods that have not been chemically altered, processed or refined. Clean foods include vegetables, fruits, lean meats, fish, nuts, and whole grains. The drink of choice is good ol' water!
Clean Eating Magazine offers this list of things to steer clear of:
-Overly processed, refined foods
-Refined flour and sugar
-Saturated and trans fats
-Anything fried
-Sugar-laden colas and juices
-Alcohol
Think of processed foods as 'fake' food, stripped of its nutritional value and masked with sugar (often high frutose corn syrup), fats and other additives to make the food taste better, which may aid in consumer addiciton to the food, and to preserve the shelf life. Now that sounds yummy!
THE DOWNSIDE to eating clean? Clean food can spoil fast - but that speaks volumes to me. Food is not intended to sit on a shelf for months/years at a time without spoiling!! Eating clean can also be more expensive since organic food often costs more at the store (and with it spoiling fast you may waste food & money if you don't eat it in time.)
THE UPSIDE? Feeling better (physically & mentally), more energy, absorbing natural nutrients (may help reduce the need to take multiple pill supplements), stabilizing blood sugar, help fight diseases/cancers, reduce headaches and perhaps lose weight! For me, when I eat clean, I can't help but feel great physically and emotionally. Its hard not to feel your best when you know you did your best to feel good! Have you ever heard anyone say, 'I wish I never ate that vegetable'? The guilt of 'eating bad' is gone!
Combine clean eating with your exercise routine and you have a powerful combination to feel your best and perform your best!
My husband and I have made it our mission this year to eat as clean as possible. Throughout our journey I'll share any delicious recipes that I find. Do you have a clean recipe that you would like to see featured on this blog? If so, email it to me at caryndilks@gmail.com
Wonderful resources:
cleaneatingmag.com
eatcleandiet.com
Clean Eating Magazine offers this list of things to steer clear of:
-Overly processed, refined foods
-Refined flour and sugar
-Saturated and trans fats
-Anything fried
-Sugar-laden colas and juices
-Alcohol
Think of processed foods as 'fake' food, stripped of its nutritional value and masked with sugar (often high frutose corn syrup), fats and other additives to make the food taste better, which may aid in consumer addiciton to the food, and to preserve the shelf life. Now that sounds yummy!
THE DOWNSIDE to eating clean? Clean food can spoil fast - but that speaks volumes to me. Food is not intended to sit on a shelf for months/years at a time without spoiling!! Eating clean can also be more expensive since organic food often costs more at the store (and with it spoiling fast you may waste food & money if you don't eat it in time.)
THE UPSIDE? Feeling better (physically & mentally), more energy, absorbing natural nutrients (may help reduce the need to take multiple pill supplements), stabilizing blood sugar, help fight diseases/cancers, reduce headaches and perhaps lose weight! For me, when I eat clean, I can't help but feel great physically and emotionally. Its hard not to feel your best when you know you did your best to feel good! Have you ever heard anyone say, 'I wish I never ate that vegetable'? The guilt of 'eating bad' is gone!
Combine clean eating with your exercise routine and you have a powerful combination to feel your best and perform your best!
My husband and I have made it our mission this year to eat as clean as possible. Throughout our journey I'll share any delicious recipes that I find. Do you have a clean recipe that you would like to see featured on this blog? If so, email it to me at caryndilks@gmail.com
Wonderful resources:
cleaneatingmag.com
eatcleandiet.com
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Run with me.
Since I moved out of the city and into the county this fall, it has become painfully obvious that my running days as I have known them are gone. No more running through the park or around the street-light lit neighborhood at anytime of the morning, day or night. Nope! Now, the shortest loop I can find around my house is 6 miles and if I want to run during the week, I'm strapping on a head lamp and running in the dark, in complete silence, praying the entire time that I don't run into a coyote or any other nocturnal animal that might scare me awake. (Don't worry Sharon, my sweet Mom-in-law, I kid. I'm sure it is perfectly safe...and if I ever do stumble upon a creature of any kind, I'm very confident that the body alarm you gave me for Christmas will wake up half the county, while simultaneously deafening both the animal and myself. And, if that didn't scare him away, I'd shoot him with my police strength pepper spray!).
Anyway, I have really been missing my running buddies, lately! You know, those people throughout your life who have seen you at your best and worst (and perhaps ugliest) and still do everything they can to encourage you. If only my limited running schedule was conducive for a sane person; I might be inclined to ask said sane person.
Alas, I have conceded that probably the best way for me to feel more connected and less crazy is to start a blog where I have virtual workout buddies to chat with. I'll be posting every Sunday evening about all sorts of various topics (not necessarily exercise related) that have come up during my past workouts (which might be a little scary, since on one run in Kansas, I spent 5 miles talking with my friend Suzie about corn...I do have to say, in our defense, corn fields are all we had to look at!)
Is there anything better than a great conversation to make a workout fly by? Does anyone else out there love a good running/workout buddy as much as me? If you do, leave me a comment and help me to define "running/workout buddy" because my current ideas for a definition (to the left) are pretty lame.
Signed,
Your new running buddy
P.S. You do not have to be a runner or fitness fanatic to be a virtual running buddy of mine. You just have to have access to a computer and oxygen.
Anyway, I have really been missing my running buddies, lately! You know, those people throughout your life who have seen you at your best and worst (and perhaps ugliest) and still do everything they can to encourage you. If only my limited running schedule was conducive for a sane person; I might be inclined to ask said sane person.
Alas, I have conceded that probably the best way for me to feel more connected and less crazy is to start a blog where I have virtual workout buddies to chat with. I'll be posting every Sunday evening about all sorts of various topics (not necessarily exercise related) that have come up during my past workouts (which might be a little scary, since on one run in Kansas, I spent 5 miles talking with my friend Suzie about corn...I do have to say, in our defense, corn fields are all we had to look at!)
Is there anything better than a great conversation to make a workout fly by? Does anyone else out there love a good running/workout buddy as much as me? If you do, leave me a comment and help me to define "running/workout buddy" because my current ideas for a definition (to the left) are pretty lame.
Signed,
Your new running buddy
P.S. You do not have to be a runner or fitness fanatic to be a virtual running buddy of mine. You just have to have access to a computer and oxygen.
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