Summer solstice almost upon us. What am I doing? Decided to drop the grains again - 2 weeks in already. Picked up the latest copy of Paleo Magazine yesterday. Saw my friend Sam who wants to qualify for Boston which means I should jump on her train and try to qualify as well. Have not been running in a while and have no real structure to my fitness. What can I do about it now that summer is here? I have to make the most of playing with the kids and doing things with them to get my body moving again. Yes aching hip and now knee have returned and need some attention. Have committed to yoga twice a week since January - good move Jane. Get a half marathon on the books and start running is what I really need to accompany this. Want to go dancing. I have taken up tennis and am enjoying it lots.
I think running really keeps me accountable to myself.
YOGA, RUN, DANCE, TENNIS, SWIM, PAINT, WATCH THE KIDS, READ, WRITE, PLAY WITH THE KIDS, READ TO THE KIDS. ALL GOOD STUFF. JUST DO IT.
Sunday, June 14, 2015
Monday, January 20, 2014
The importance of gut flora
Functional food has its purpose. Gut flora plays a huge role in quieting inflammation. Maintaining a diet rich in good bacteria is the goal. Foods to eat on a regular basis include mushrooms, sauerkraut, seaweed. Bacteria in the stomach live for about 20 mins so the environment can change over the course of one meal. It is important to eat functional food consistently at every meal for prolonged maintenance to keep that inflammation quiet.
Marathon training starts this week...stay tuned.
Marathon training starts this week...stay tuned.
Monday, January 13, 2014
Influenced by nutrition
Today was started with some fruit, nuts and a coffee. The schedule goes like this:
5 meals per day consisting of 2 thirds fruit/veg and 1 third protein/grain.
No eating 2-3 hours before bed. Why? The only time adults get growth hormone is 2 hrs into their regular sleep. This hormone is essential to keeping and maintaining muscle mass. Eating too close to bed will cause insulin to rise and shift the leptin clock. The nutritional value of food will be depleted. Losing 4 pound of muscle this year was a bummer for me. My late night eating/broken sleep probably had much to do with it.
Why am I going to do this? I want my regular cycle back. I want good sleep. I want to keep my blood pressure healthy. I want to quiet chronic inflammation that I know runs in my family and I already have signs of. The focus of yesterdays lecture was to eat no artificial ingredients and read labels. To summarize, the food we eat should have walked/run, swum, been grown (not in a lab) or flown. Sticking to those basic formalities will keep me eating real food.
Alcohol. Who doesn't love a glass of wine? Just a reminder it burdens the liver, slows metabolism, disrupts sleep and is inflammatory!
5 meals per day consisting of 2 thirds fruit/veg and 1 third protein/grain.
No eating 2-3 hours before bed. Why? The only time adults get growth hormone is 2 hrs into their regular sleep. This hormone is essential to keeping and maintaining muscle mass. Eating too close to bed will cause insulin to rise and shift the leptin clock. The nutritional value of food will be depleted. Losing 4 pound of muscle this year was a bummer for me. My late night eating/broken sleep probably had much to do with it.
Why am I going to do this? I want my regular cycle back. I want good sleep. I want to keep my blood pressure healthy. I want to quiet chronic inflammation that I know runs in my family and I already have signs of. The focus of yesterdays lecture was to eat no artificial ingredients and read labels. To summarize, the food we eat should have walked/run, swum, been grown (not in a lab) or flown. Sticking to those basic formalities will keep me eating real food.
Alcohol. Who doesn't love a glass of wine? Just a reminder it burdens the liver, slows metabolism, disrupts sleep and is inflammatory!
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
January
What a great month this is... always feels like a fresh start. Had a wonderful workout with Jane H today at the gym. My new heart rate monitor was super inspiring to me and I pumped it up to 155 bpm at one stage. How long can I go at that rate... not very long but with good training I should be able to improve and if I need to be able to pull on that in the marathon I will be able to. Still checking out marathon courses but liking the look of Spokane on June 1st.
Eating habits haven't improved much but this coming Sunday I will join my favorite lecture series for 5 weeks and get to some discipline. 'To Quiet Inflammation" by Kathy Abascal. When I started this blog I went down the road of eating no grains. I enjoyed that challenge but for this next marathon I am going to eat grain (gluten free) of course.
Miles in the legs, swimming twice per week, strength training and some discipline towards eating equates to... hello... Happy New Year!
Eating habits haven't improved much but this coming Sunday I will join my favorite lecture series for 5 weeks and get to some discipline. 'To Quiet Inflammation" by Kathy Abascal. When I started this blog I went down the road of eating no grains. I enjoyed that challenge but for this next marathon I am going to eat grain (gluten free) of course.
Miles in the legs, swimming twice per week, strength training and some discipline towards eating equates to... hello... Happy New Year!
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Last day of the year
Better late than never...on the last day of the year. Just completed spinning class with Tommy. That guy has the greatest words. Your form is your function! Make it work! Next year make many mistakes and keep making them to live your life to the full!
LA Fitness is now my gym after a 2 year commitment money down. I also have a personal trainer lined up to help with the lean body mass and getting me stronger. Didn't do much in December but now I am a member as of yesterday I have to be accountable. I know that the snacking has to stop and also the late night eating! 5 meals a day.
Reading through my last report I need to start the swim. I have lined up with some girlfriends to train 6am Monday to Thursday - the ducks are all in a row. Join me if you can. Happy New Year and on in the pursuit of health and fitness.
LA Fitness is now my gym after a 2 year commitment money down. I also have a personal trainer lined up to help with the lean body mass and getting me stronger. Didn't do much in December but now I am a member as of yesterday I have to be accountable. I know that the snacking has to stop and also the late night eating! 5 meals a day.
Reading through my last report I need to start the swim. I have lined up with some girlfriends to train 6am Monday to Thursday - the ducks are all in a row. Join me if you can. Happy New Year and on in the pursuit of health and fitness.
Monday, November 4, 2013
Going again
November 4th and putting running back in my schedule. Since the marathon I finished in May I have taken a break and enjoyed life playing around. My wake up call was last week when I went for my annual flotation body fat test and discovered I have lost 4 pounds of muscle in one year! Not good for a middle aged, smaller framed female. There is only I that can do something about this. I pulled out 4 steaks from the freezer and fell into dismay at what my body has eaten up. Trying to pull any of that back will take some really hard work. In the past, after many weight training programs, progress on lean body mass always took longer than expected and with not that much gain. Ho Hum. The quandry is where do I go for this. Figuring it out. At the moment trying LA Fitness and loving the swimming pool. One of my goals is to go swimming twice per week. I need to see what is available for weights. How am I going to implement a strength regime and not just quit when the going gets tough? Can I do it on my own?
I have gone back to eating grains but still gluten free. Should I go Paleo?
Run goals I am still considering. Just purchased Train Like A Mother and after taking the quiz immediately got hit on the head with a hammer when it said, "you need to aim for a PR". Deep down in my soul I know that but have been ignoring it. So here's to blogging: CHEERS. One way to keep me accountable.
I have gone back to eating grains but still gluten free. Should I go Paleo?
Run goals I am still considering. Just purchased Train Like A Mother and after taking the quiz immediately got hit on the head with a hammer when it said, "you need to aim for a PR". Deep down in my soul I know that but have been ignoring it. So here's to blogging: CHEERS. One way to keep me accountable.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Recovery and post evaluation
Finished in 4 hrs and 11 mins. It would have been much longer as I probably would have walked it in if it hadn't been for Sam pulling me through to the end. From the get go I was pretty much out of breath. I kept with the 3:55 pacer until the half way stage and of course was on target but I was breathing heavy. It wasn't comfortable hard but uncomfortable hard. It makes me realize I have to get fitter to feel comfortable at that pace. I didn't get any sleep the night before which doesn't help matters. Also, since working full time I haven't been able to dedicate to the running like I should have. I did miss some important aerobic conditioning 6 milers - those ones that appear on the schedule mid week. I always managed the distance run but I realize now that real works happens in those mid week runs as thats the time to pick up the pace on the shorter distance runs.
What could I do? Advice from my sister is to train for swimming at the same time to get the lungs used to being worked in different ways. She also suggests cutting down on red meat and trying to be a vegetarian. I do appreciate Michael Pollen's advice: eat mainly plants. I know the yoga that I was doing up until I got my full time work was super important for my hips. The aches and pains started early on in the marathon. I need to get back on a regular yoga schedule and open up those areas. I also need to get out of breath more because I do not do it. Interval training or zumba or anything that pumps up my heart rate would do me the world of good. I have to make the decision to train very hard for the next 8 weeks and get the fitness that I need if I want to try to this again before the Boston entry deadline in mid September.
Diet wise I am drinking alcohol, eating grains and beans this week to celebrate whilst being on holiday. I would like to continue the low sugar and no grains once I return to Seattle. Stay tuned!
What could I do? Advice from my sister is to train for swimming at the same time to get the lungs used to being worked in different ways. She also suggests cutting down on red meat and trying to be a vegetarian. I do appreciate Michael Pollen's advice: eat mainly plants. I know the yoga that I was doing up until I got my full time work was super important for my hips. The aches and pains started early on in the marathon. I need to get back on a regular yoga schedule and open up those areas. I also need to get out of breath more because I do not do it. Interval training or zumba or anything that pumps up my heart rate would do me the world of good. I have to make the decision to train very hard for the next 8 weeks and get the fitness that I need if I want to try to this again before the Boston entry deadline in mid September.
Diet wise I am drinking alcohol, eating grains and beans this week to celebrate whilst being on holiday. I would like to continue the low sugar and no grains once I return to Seattle. Stay tuned!
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